Back in Black

Alrighty Folks...
It's time to get this back into gear on this Holiest of Sundays (Note to Karin, it has been 15 years and since she witnessed, family in tow, the "parade" - read procession, my bad on the translation gaffe, in Amalfi, complete with the whole, no electricity, completely silent crowd and dead body on platform - very mystically).

So many many things have happened since the last post that it is worth a brief explanation...

Number one, especially because of the nature of this blog and its title, my poor little Pickles has passed on, and in fact, I am looking out over his grave while writing this, in the beautiful foothills of Southern Alberta (a la Brokeback Mountain scenery - breathtaking!, though sad because I can't go visit because of a stubborn, icy snowdrift/bank that has him frozen deep and moderately inaccessible).

It was early summer of 2007 and Pickles' lump had been removed once, and it came back. After a visit to the vet's, the lump could have been removed again, but only in a palliative role - Pickles' days were numbered. So in an effort to make him comfortable and also avoid the poor pet sitter having to potentially come across a dead little hedgehog in her care, I decided to take Pickles back from whence he came.

At this point he wasn't much for food, but at least he was drinking. He was able to finally meet his girlfriend Susan, and in fact, spent the last few days of his life with her. Given that she had become a young/teenage mother (without us knowing until a peeping sound emerged from under her blankets and two little spiky walnuts appeared - and here we just though she was a giant, piggy, bitch of a hedgehog hehehe), she was partial to mothering little Pickles, who was quite weak, but who managed to gather enough energy to run away from her every now and again.

Unfortunately this was the last bit of spry-ness to burst forward from little Pickles. He couldn't really walk, he stopped drinking and eating and slept a lot. He even became cuddly, which, as cute as it might have been, was definitely a bad sign from the formerly feisty little insectivore. Jonathan made it "easy" (it wasn't easy, but having support and reinforcement was very important) to call the vet and make an appointment to put the little guy down.

I spent some precious moments with him, cuddling him and talking to him. It might sound a bit much for such a small little guy, but it was something I had to do. I felt a certain kindred spirit with the little guy.

We went to the vet and had him put down. Days later we took him down, home on the range, for a proper burial, with parents and in-laws present. He now rests in a beautiful cigar box, next to his companion for eternity, Dory the defunct siamese fighting fish, who had been in the freezer till this fateful day.

Fast forward a few days and when Karin returned to the Rott, she brought one of Susan's babies with her, as a new companion. Certainly not a replacement, but good company nonetheless (although I have to say that Susan taught this little guy to curl up into a ball and poke his prickles up too well - I thought Pickles had an attitude - let me tell you!!!).

And my latest little hedgehog's name?

TRICKLES MCCLANE - Trickles as a tribute to Pickles, and MacLane as a tribute to John McClane, aka Bruce Willis in the Die Hard series of films, because Trickles has a penchant for the dramatic, the bold, the adventurous, and has the grappling hook claws to prove it.

And on that note, I must retire to have a lovely Easter brunch. So cheers to you little Pickles, may you have all the adventures you desire up in hedgehog heaven.

Before signing off, I leave you with a note of explanation. Prior to this post, Pickles had been authoring this blog. With his unfortunate demise and Trickles' lack of natural ability with words and the English language in general (his talents lie eslewhere), I have taken over the voice ove the Grand Adventures of Karin and Pickles. I am not sure if the title will or should change or if I should keep it true to the roots. Only time will tell.

Until then, viva los hedgehogs!!!!