Monday, March 15, 2010

Oh, Those Considerate Piggies

Last week I was hit with a nasty flu. I'm sure you know, it's the flu that's been making everyone you know sick, if it hasn't gotten to you already. One morning I woke up around 5 am, coughing and coughing and just couldn't get comfortable because I had to keep getting up to grab a tissue. I sat up for a bit and played my DS (trying to get everyone to level 40 so I can finally put Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story down before the new Pokemon games come out). About two hours later, when I started to feel dizzy I decided to lay back down, and thankfully got back to sleep pretty quickly.

I woke up late. As I slowly stumbled out of the bedroom, I was expecting to be greeted with the customary clamour of guinea pigs waiting to be fed. It was considerably later than I usually get up, which would usually mean a louder rodent ruckus. But on this morning, not a peep. I quickly took a gander at my messages, then took a shower. The hot steam was such a relief on my sinuses and sore throat. I left the bathroom, and upon entering the living room there was yet silence. Archie was under his stool, sitting up attentively, but silently. My girls, Mochi and Pocky, stood there in their cages, watching my every move ever so quietly. It wasn't til I actually walked into the kitchen and pulled out the tupperwares of parsley and lettuce did the first squeaks of the morning resound through the air.

My guinea pigs always seem to know when I don't feel well. This is most notably evident when I wake up late due to stomach aches in the middle of the night, or due to the flu in this most recent scenario. My little squeakers can tell when I'm ill, and they politely stay uncharacteristically quiet until I'm ready to feed them. This may sound a little silly to some of you, but those of use who have cavies know how relentlessly adament they can be about getting their meals.

Of course, now that I'm feeling better, the moment I set foot outside the bedroom door in the morning they all start wheeking their little heads off.