Introducing Brownie! (and, update on Snowflake!)

Wendy was thrilled to get her own guinea pig, Brownie, who joined our family a little more than a week ago, and has loved her first week of taking care of her. Fer has done an amazing job with Snowflake, who is significantly larger than Brownie, and who has her guinea pig nose a bit out of joint with the new addition. So, for now they are in separate cages and playtime is being monitored closely to be sure Snowflake doesn't "bully" Brownie. It has been a really nice focus to have in these hectic last weeks of school, with all the activities ending and final events and countdown to Fer's graduation from 5th grade, Wendy finishing 4th, and transition to summer. Last Thursday night Chris was out at a graduation so the girls and I watched a movie with our dinner, and it ended up that all three of us had a furry creature to hold and pet -- I was with Happy, Fer had Snowflake, and Wendy had Brownie. I've read research about the soothing effects of petting dogs -- apparently it lowers your heart rate similar to meditation if done for awhile -- and I think some meditative effects are pretty much what we all need right now.