Guess Who Is Seven?

Today Willow is seven years old. Seven!  This is quite a milestone, considering she's had ovarian cysts, passed a large bladder stone only three months ago and has outlived her daughter by over a year.  Willow has been living with me since July 2005.  The adoption paperwork indicated her daughter, Pippin, was 9 months old, so I worked Willow's age and birth date from there. She is my longest lived pig to date.  Go Willow!

We jokingly refer to Willow as the Cranky Old Bat.  Sunday morning she demanded breakfast so loudly we could hear her all the way to the back of the house on the second floor!  She's showing some signs of her age. She sleeps heavily.  Occasionally she is slow to realize there are goodies in her cage long after the Newbies have devoured their portions.  I wonder about her hearing and eyesight (I suspect she has selective hearing).  She is also a bit too skinny for my liking.  I have to keep telling her, Mangia! Mangia!  (Do guinea pigs know Italian?)

The last two years Willow has been on death's door in the springtime; I was positive she wouldn't survive.  But she is a tough old bird.  This spring she is in better shape than she has been in a long while, which is a welcome change.  Overall, Willow is one happy little pig.  Chewing bars when she shouldn't.  Wheeking loudest for food.  Begging for treats whenever she thinks she can get away with it.  We're looking forward to a great summer filled with grass and sunshine.  Happy Birthday, Willow.