Thunder, Lightning and Pandora
Lightning was, in the words of his former owner’s mother, “ a very loved and spoiled pig.” He was the perfect starter pig, the kind who makes you want to get another and another and another. People referred to him as “gorgeous” and “handsome.” I honestly never thought of him as either, but he was definitely very cute and had a lot of individual attributes which could be referred to as “gorgeous,” I guess.
To this day I cannot figure out what colour he was. People referred to him as “lilac,” “buff,” ”gold,” “cream,” “orange,” “beige” and “light brown.” You figure it out. He also had ruby eyes, which took a little getting used to, I guess because of all kinds of albino jokes I had heard in high school and college. But in the right light, his fur shone like gold. He was also what one vet referred to as “a sweet pig,” which sounds kind of funny, as a lot of people do not put “sweet” and “pig” together.
Lightning came to live with me on April 6, 2003. It was during cherry blossom time in Washington. My last fish had died, my building doesn’t allow any more dogs and my condo isn’t properly set up for a cat. Birds make too much racket, and from what I had heard about bunnies and ferrets I didn’t want one. Rats and mice tend to have a shorter life span and I wanted a pet I would have for a while. I found Lightning through the Guinea Pig Adoption Network, www.gpan.net. He came from a family in Prince William County, Virginia that had several other pets, and his teenage owner had too little time for him. They were giving him away – cage, food, toys and everything –- such a deal!
I drove past the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin to Arlington to pick him up. Lightning had had the privilege of being spoiled rotten by three children and two adults, which was good for both of us he was not afraid of anything or anyone. His young owner surrendered him in a Rubbermaid container and we packed as much of his stuff as we could into my Grand Am. Lightning was such a good traveler he fell asleep in the car – I thought I had been given a sick pig. I set the little guy up in his cage and went down the street for a soft drink and to think about what I had done. I e-mailed his former owner’s mom from the café with the subject line “We made it!”
To this day I cannot figure out what colour he was. People referred to him as “lilac,” “buff,” ”gold,” “cream,” “orange,” “beige” and “light brown.” You figure it out. He also had ruby eyes, which took a little getting used to, I guess because of all kinds of albino jokes I had heard in high school and college. But in the right light, his fur shone like gold. He was also what one vet referred to as “a sweet pig,” which sounds kind of funny, as a lot of people do not put “sweet” and “pig” together.
Lightning came to live with me on April 6, 2003. It was during cherry blossom time in Washington. My last fish had died, my building doesn’t allow any more dogs and my condo isn’t properly set up for a cat. Birds make too much racket, and from what I had heard about bunnies and ferrets I didn’t want one. Rats and mice tend to have a shorter life span and I wanted a pet I would have for a while. I found Lightning through the Guinea Pig Adoption Network, www.gpan.net. He came from a family in Prince William County, Virginia that had several other pets, and his teenage owner had too little time for him. They were giving him away – cage, food, toys and everything –- such a deal!
I drove past the cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin to Arlington to pick him up. Lightning had had the privilege of being spoiled rotten by three children and two adults, which was good for both of us he was not afraid of anything or anyone. His young owner surrendered him in a Rubbermaid container and we packed as much of his stuff as we could into my Grand Am. Lightning was such a good traveler he fell asleep in the car – I thought I had been given a sick pig. I set the little guy up in his cage and went down the street for a soft drink and to think about what I had done. I e-mailed his former owner’s mom from the café with the subject line “We made it!”
Here is one of the first pictures of my darling Lightning:
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pigone.jpg
Here is a close-up:
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig1.jpg
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pigone.jpg
Here is a close-up:
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig1.jpg
Lightning was such a little darling he didn't remain a solo pig for very long. One of my friends told me if I got a new pig I would have to name him "Thunder." I thought that was stupid, especially for a female pig, but then it was so bad it was good. Lightning had been so named because of the white lightning-like marking on the back of his neck/head. I thought it was kind of a stupid name, but I figured he was used to it and I couldn't think of anything better. Thunder came to live with us May 8th 2003. I got him from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria -- www.alexandriaanimals.org . His real name was "Pippin," but I changed it to "Thunder" to go with Lightning. It's funny -- people referred to Lightning as "gorgeous" and "handsome" and most people referred to Thunder as "cute." I always thought it was the other way around.
Pippin/Thunder had been a gift to a young couple who gave him up because they got tired of cleaning his cage. He is a satin brindle with what my father would call black shoe-button eyes and little dark brown feet that I think look like little gloves. One vet called them "bird feet." This is the picture posted by the Alexandria Animal Welfare League. I call it his "baby picture:"
http://www.geocities.com/thatjanedoe/Janedoesblog.html
This picture appeared in the 2005 "Pets of Alexandria" calendar: http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig2.jpg
This is one of the first of the two of them together. It will appear in the 2006 calendar: http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/2pigs.jpg
These pigs have been with me everywhere -- to work, shopping, on errands, to crime scenes. No, I didn't go looking for crimes in progress -- we just happened to be there. In one case the murder had happened about seven years before that. Lightning saw a presidential motorcade. Actually he didn't SEE it -- he was in his carrier in my car but the motorcade drove by. At least I think the president was in there. They were also an incredible comfort to me through my career ups and downs (mostly downs), broken and shakily repaired romances and my father and grandmother's final illnesses and deaths. Pippin/Thunder seems to shed least of the three, or at least his hair is the least visible on my clothing. Minutes before the robbery in 2003 I picked Lightning up and hugged him goodbye. His fur was all over the front of my dress. I can imagine the police report if the robber had actually murdered me as he had threatened: "the body was found in a red wool dress covered with pig fur."
http://www.geocities.com/thatjanedoe/Janedoesblog.html
This picture appeared in the 2005 "Pets of Alexandria" calendar: http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig2.jpg
This is one of the first of the two of them together. It will appear in the 2006 calendar: http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/2pigs.jpg
These pigs have been with me everywhere -- to work, shopping, on errands, to crime scenes. No, I didn't go looking for crimes in progress -- we just happened to be there. In one case the murder had happened about seven years before that. Lightning saw a presidential motorcade. Actually he didn't SEE it -- he was in his carrier in my car but the motorcade drove by. At least I think the president was in there. They were also an incredible comfort to me through my career ups and downs (mostly downs), broken and shakily repaired romances and my father and grandmother's final illnesses and deaths. Pippin/Thunder seems to shed least of the three, or at least his hair is the least visible on my clothing. Minutes before the robbery in 2003 I picked Lightning up and hugged him goodbye. His fur was all over the front of my dress. I can imagine the police report if the robber had actually murdered me as he had threatened: "the body was found in a red wool dress covered with pig fur."
One year ago today my darling Lightning died suddenly, most likely of cancer. He was fine at 3 PM, at 6 PM he looked a little peaked and by about 9 PM he was dead. Here is one of the first pictures ever taken of him.
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pigone.jpg
Here is a closeup from the same picture:
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig1.jpg
Here he is with his mate, Thunder, now Pippin. This picture is in the 2006 Pets of Alexandria Calendar.
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/2pigs.jpg
This is kind of lousy day for me with the snow and Pandora's getting over her spay.
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pigone.jpg
Here is a closeup from the same picture:
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/pig1.jpg
Here he is with his mate, Thunder, now Pippin. This picture is in the 2006 Pets of Alexandria Calendar.
http://www.cerridwin.org/jane/2pigs.jpg
This is kind of lousy day for me with the snow and Pandora's getting over her spay.
The AWLA newsletter refers to my beloved Pippin as a shelter "success story:"
http://alexandriaanimals.org/~awla/adop ... tory_id=16
http://alexandriaanimals.org/~awla/adop ... tory_id=16
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- Obey My Authority
Awe... congrats to our successful and famous piggy!
Now, will Pippin be holding his meet and greet autograph signing party soon?
Now, will Pippin be holding his meet and greet autograph signing party soon?