R.I.P 'Stardust'

Only 36 hours....

and what a difference you made to our lives - demonstrating the fragility of life, and that nature ALWAYS knows best.  Thank you for touching my heart, little "Stardust"

Thank you, again, to the amazing vets at

RADIOKOP ANIMAL CLINIC.

(I know your hearts are sore too. We all did our best.)

Two little lives...saved!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

(Twix, what are you hiding behind you in the corner?)

It's official...I am a Guinea-pig granny!  But I am also a walking zombie.  Why?  I had very little sleep last night  having been appointed the official caregiver for a teeny-tiny little ball of fluff.

Yes, Twix's pup has arrived - a little girl piggy with a mop of black, white and caramel hair, delivered via caesarian section yesterday afternoon - thanks to to Dr Goosen and Dr van Rensberg at Radiokop animal clinic. I am so grateful for their professionalism and dedication to these small animals. Without them, neither Twix nor her pup would be alive. What would we do without our skilled vets?

 Here's what happened...

As Twix's pregnancy progressed it was obvious that she was growing more and more restless.  Our numerous cuddles together suggested that whatever was inside her belly was big, really big!  I could feel it kicking madly and I began to worry that Twix may be too small in stature to deliver her baby/ies safely.  If you recall, this poor little guinea pig was rescued on the 15 July in appalling condition - under-nourished, bitten severely and terrified. We brought her home with the resolve to nurse her back to health and provide the best a home could offer.  I didn't realise, at the time, that she was already pregnant - obviously by the males who were in the cage with her at the pet shop.  She was so small and we reckoned that she was under a month old.  With careful nurturing, Twix blossomed.  So did her belly - which was skimming off nutrients from her already depleted little body. 

With some luck, I discovered  the Radiokop animal clinic  - a practice which welcomes exotic animals.  They have some amazing vets.  Dr van Rensberg saw Twix first, took an Xray  and discovered  that there was only ONE pup inside her belly.  However, this pup was huge and confirmed the doubt as to Twix's ability to deliver.  We agreed to wait until Thursday morning to make any serious decisions. 

But little Twix went into labour yesterday afternoon.  I knew that I had to get her to the clinic fast. She was becoming more and more distressed. Dr Goosen took over and performed the c-section.  Within half and hour Twix was relieved of her labouring.  It is a serious operation and takes its toll on both mom and the pup.  After administering oxygen and adrenalin, the pup revived and the doctor brought the little thing to show me... It was a tearful moment -  Dr Goosen had effectively saved two little lives.  We are very grateful indeed.

(Dr Goosen with the pup, minutes after it was born)

The problem with C-sections on Guineapigs, however, is that the pups usually have difficulty nursing from their mother. You guessed it - "Granny" had to step in last night - every two hours - carefully measuring the formula and giving it to the little pup via a syringe. Twix was totally "out of it" - medicated to the hilt, so she wasn't much help.

 Of these two nursing positions (above and below) the one above is the better one!

This morning, mom and baby are much better. I'm seriously sleep-deprived though. The little one (name still to be finalised) is robust and drinking from the syringe.  Twix enjoys the company of her little one, but is nervous of nursing it.  It's quite persistent, so the new "Mommy" has resorted to hiding under the grass in her cage.  Hopefully she'll feel better soon and take over some of her motherly responsibilities.  It appears that I am in for the long haul of hand-rearing this pup.

I would like, once again, to thank the doctors and staff at Radiokop animal clinic.  You guys have been angels - thank you so much for your care!

Isn't the little one adorable?  We still need to choose a name for her.  Initially I thought we'd call her 'Chomp', but in retrospect it seems rather harsh.  So, now we are looking for suggestions  - from you, my readers. If you have any contributions, I'd love to hear them!  ???

The excitement of the household has left me ignoring Toby and Aunt Tam again.  They're not fussed, but hover around my ankles or play together in the garden.  Life is always happy from a Golden Retriever's perspective.

My flowers too are blooming.  

Apparently there is new life everywhere.

RADIOKOP ANIMAL CLINIC,

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!!!

Sending lotsaluv to all my friends around the world.  Now I'm off to sleep....

TOBY AND THE PESKY COW...Wordless, but tuneful.

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

Our 'wordless' offering for 'Wordless Wednesday'.

Enjoy!

Sending lotsaluv

ps.  Twix still hasn't had her babies.  We wait....patiently.  :)

Yet another unexpected surprise!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

"What's up, Twix?" I ask as I hold the little guinea-pig in my hands. 

In the past 6 weeks, the little thing has blossomed big-time.  She's undergone a miraculous transformation.  In true Guinea-pig-Cindarella fashion she has morphed from a malnourished, bitten and terrified little GP into a real beauty. This has all happened since the 13th July.  It's amazing what a little bit of TLC and some good food can do for an animal.

Yet, something is not quite right with littleTwix.  Only three days ago she bit me.  It was totally out of character and led me to question what on earth is going on.  Usually she's tame and more than willing to cuddle, but this time I got a firm warning not to press my luck.  What's up little one?

"Maybe she's lonely," I suggested to the Boss.  He shakes his head in disbelief - knowing that I'd buy another GP at the drop of a hat in order to alleviate her angst . 

"No, no more!" is his reply.

"Well, what's going on?" I re-direct.  He keeps shaking his head.  It's mystifying.

I lift the little pig onto my chest and sit down in a comfortable chair.  I am determined to spend some time observing her and attempting to uncover the mystery.  What is ailing her? 

Suddenly it happens and realisation hits me.  My fingers are tucked underneath her and a small, but all-too-familiar ripple pulses across my fingers - it's the unmistakable sign that a miracle is underway. I look at her in total surprise.

"Twix? No!.....uhm, surely?  No, it can't be!"

"What's up?" the Boss asks

"Ummmm.....I have a feeling that Twix is pregnant!"

The Boss dissolves into a fit of laughter.  It's the second time this has happened to us...'Purchased Pregnant!'  It appears that not only was she in shocking condition when we 'rescued' her, but she was pregnant as well....

How can this possibly happen to a single household - TWICE in a matter of months?  Twix has had no interaction with the other GP's belonging to Miss R.  Besides, 'Scotch'  (the male) has been neutered.  Little Twix, despite her appalling state when I rescued her, must have been pregnant before she arrived.  

I simply can't believe i!.  She was so, so young when I 'rescued' her.  Yet, the miracle of life has defied us all.  It's only a matter of time before the inevitable happens and our dear little Twix will finally have the 'company' she may have always wanted.  Oops!

Isn't this simply miraculous? I am in a state of disbelief.

Sending lotsaluv,

ps.  Please spare a thought for dear "Mr Scotch" who will be undergoing an operation tomorrow to remove a tumour.  Miss R is pretty worried about him.  He's been a good companion to her...

(Left: Mr Scotch)

Spring is in the air...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

I'm sitting here, with my laptop and sweet little 'Twix' on my chest. She is just so cute when she is relaxed.  Every so often she lets out a spontaneous giggle and I follow suit.  She's grown so much in the last month - since I 'rescued' her - and she's filled out into a round little ball.  Twix is 'on top of the world'!  She has the sweetest little personality too.
 I just adore this little Guinea Pig!

I must admit that I've recently suffered a bit of 'blogger's block'.  Usually, I hesitate to write when I feel uncertain, but my posts are getting too irregular for comfort.  Ironically there is so much happening in my world, but words don't seem to flow any more.  Perhaps I've simply been too busy, burnt out perhaps (?)  Perhaps it's just the seasons which are changing(?)  Perhaps I'm disillusioned with the sales of my book(?) (I still haven't broken even yet - despite selling over 600 books).  

All these things add up, but I just have to make an effort to keep posting.  Blogging is what keeps me sane during stressful times; it keeps my feet on the ground and allows me to link with a network of amazing people.  So, please accept my apologies for my absence, dear friends. As they say...it's just one of those times.... 

Today is our first warm Spring day - it's a maximum of about 27 degrees C, clear skies, emerald shoots on the trees and a faint smell of jasmine in the air.  Everything is coming to life again after the cold months of winter. It seems impossible that, only two weeks ago, we were in the midst of a cold snap with snow around the country. 


 Isn't our weather extraordinary? 
Our Spring means that some of my bloggers will be experiencing their first signs of fall...

Eleven-year-old Tammy gave us a big scare last week.  Besides Toby, all my furry friends have been getting old and we have had to watch the inevitable process which goes along with ageing.  Only a month ago we said goodbye to Toffee, so Tammy's new ailment left me numb to the core.  She suddenly went off her food and demonstrated uncharacteristically impatient behaviour with the 'Sweet Hooligan' - a clear sign that things weren't normal.  Our vet checked her out and prescribed antibiotics, but remained worried about the pain she seemed to be experiencing in her lower abdomen. (All I could think of was "Oh no, am I going to loose her too?") The medication seems to have done the trick however and she is much, much better.  Despite this, we took her in for a scan today - for "safety" sake.  Thankfully everything is normal.  Slightly swollen lymph nodes suggest a viral infection.  But she's going to be okay.  I can breath again. Yay!

I've been doing some baking for a local home-industry lately - lemon biscuit squares, chocolate squares, choc-chip cookies and the occasional cake..  It's kept me busy and also given me the opportunity to 'help out' in the store sometimes.  (But has distracted me from my writing) I love the vibe in the store. People are very friendly and it's allowed me to get out a bit more.  It's also great that they have copies of my books on their shelves.  Some Saturdays I go into the store to do promotions.  We've sold about 35 books in the past 6 weeks... 

I've also finished the lovely crocheted, cuddle blanket which has been packed up and sent off to a special little baby in Canada.  Made with love...

 So....life continues in our household...and the 'Sweet Hooligan' is his usual 'Sweet Hooligan self'.  He  certainly injects youthful vigour into our household.

That's all I can muster at the moment.  Hope you are all well, dear friends. Happy Spring everyone!

"Live life to the Max!"

Sending lotsaluv

When 'The Boss' is away, Maxmom will play...WOOF!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

TOBY ("The Sweet Hooligan") here...

Hey there furbuddies!

For the past few weeks, my peeps have been glued to that thing called 'The Box', and Aunt Tam and I have had to spend many happy doggie-hours amusing ourselves. 

"It's the Olympics, Toby, " Maxmom explained. 

Not that I really minded....

This morning, however, 'The Boss' grabbed his suitcase.

"Bye Hooligan, I'm off on a business trip..."

"What ya this mean, Boss? Who's gonna to feed me? Who's gonna walk me?"

But I noticed that Maxmom was still in bed.  (She always wants to go with the Boss on his trips, but never seems to get her act together....not that us dogs mind!). But I soon went about waking her up with my blanket, scrunching up eyes in my 'Sweet hooligan' manner and moaning softly.

  She had no option but to get up.

After our breakfast, Maxmom had her shower and then settled into her kitchen. 

So did I...

Since the end of the Olympics, Maxmom has turned into a real busy-bee. She has been baking, sewing, crocheting and gardening ... like crazy!  She's also been experimenting with all sorts of ideas for the little home-industry where she also sells personalised copies of her book   MAXDOG.

 (If you haven't yet heard, is NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE!)

Anyway, we were in the kitchen and Tammy and I looked on, with resignation, as Maxmom cooked up a storm.

This time, she wanted to try out a recipe for a  Summer-berry pie ...

Very soon, the crust was in the oven...

Yesterday, her baking activities yielded the old household favourite -                                          GIANT CHOC-CHIP COOKIES!!!            (The Boss had a good munch on some of them last night)

Our new little Guinea-pig sister - 'Twix" - has also benefited by Maxmom's sewing activities.  Twix has a brand new bedroom for her crate.  In the past month, and since her rescue,Twix has turned into a round, furry ball.  There are no longer any signs of her bad beginning.  Maxmom says she is beautiful and well-settled.  She often occupies Maxmom's lap - much to my disgust!  I simply turn my head in a different direction and pretend Twix doesn't exist. 

Our household is also quite flabbergasted because Maxmom took up another blogger's idea too - 

(Mrs JP from 'The little dog shelter in the Holler') 

- and started a vegetable garden some time ago.  We have plants coming up all over our garden. 

 Maxmom tells me that this little garden is feeding quite a number of people at the moment  and she wants to say a big 'Thank you' to Mrs JP for inspiring her.  Even little 'Twix' benefits from the garden - her favourite leafy veggies include beetroot, parsley, spinach, carrots and pea-pods.

 BOL! 

 I should have realised that Maxmom grew up on a farm and she has her own farmer's instincts. 

 (Sadly though ,I've been blocked out of the veggie-garden by a sturdy picket fence. But I did try my luck though.  Maxmom wasn't impressed. She gave me some very harsh words. She doesn't understand that I also wanted to celebrate in her veggie-garden - in my "Sweet Hooligan" way.)

 In her 'spare' time, Maxmom has also been busy with a little crocheted blanket - an idea she got from PININTEREST (Please come and visit her boards HERE).  It's going to be a gift for a friend.  It's almost finished.  I think I should be congratulated because it's one blanket that I haven't carried around in my mouth.  I know Maxmom wouldn't be impressed with that either.. 

It's going to be gorgeous when it's finished, don't you think?

 The best part of Maxmom's activities is the special glass jar on our dining-room table.  It's such a cool idea (which she picked up on Facebook).  This glass jar is called our 

'DREAM CATCHER'.

It works like this...

Every time something good happens in our household, our peeps write a note and drop it into the 'Dream catcher'.  At the end of the year - on New Year's eve - we are all going to sit down and read all the notes.  It will be a time to celebrate all the good things that happened during the year that has past.  I know our 'Dream Catcher' looks very empty at the moment, but it is because we have only just started it.  

How about you join us and make your own 'Dream Catcher'?

We have so much to celebrate in life that I am sure that it is going to fill up fast.

So, are you going to make one?

In the meantime, Maxmom has finished making the berry-tart and our kitchen smells fantastic!

It looks really yummy...

Maxmom says that if there are any of her local friends who want to drop by for a 'cuppa' and a piece of this tart

, 

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME!

She's serious - COME ALONG FOR TEA! 

I, too, will welcome you with my blanket.

Sending lotsalicks and lotsaluv, and a reminder to ...

MAKE YOUR "DREAM CATCHER" TODAY!

(When the Boss eventually gets home, I am going to write my own doggie note:

"Welcome home, Boss" and place it in the 'Dream Catcher')

----xXx---

Please don't forget that...

 'MAXDOG' is also available on Amazon 'Kindle'. 

 You can download your copy now!!! 

Amazon (USA) click HERE

Amazon (UK) click HERE