Daily Drama 45 | Carl Sagan, Birthday Boy

Hey Carl! Come over here! Let’s do an 8th Birthday photo shoot! We don’t know the exact day, but you were born around Halloween.

“Corn is an extra special treat. Surely you don’t need me NOW?”

Okay, we can wait a couple minutes. I’ll get the camera set up.

“I got dressed up in my favorite t-shirt!”

Very cute, but I had something fancier in mind. I do appreciate that you picked out a nice orange t-shirt to match the pumpkins.

“Orange is my favorite color.”

Ha ha, nice. But everyone has already seen that costume. Don’t you have something else?

“I’m getting seasick. Urp.”

Ah, yes. The hat I brought you from Venice. You make a very cute gondolier!

“Oy vey! Oops, I mean, OLA!”

And here’s the sombrero I brought you from Zihuatanejo, Mexico! That is a great color on you, Carl.

“Yes, I’ll have another pina colada, thanks for asking!”

Where did you find that lei from Hawaii? I don’t think that belongs to you. You’re right, though. It’s way too small for Dobby.

“I do like these cowboy hats. After all, I live in a Dude Ranch.”

Now we’re talking! Sheriff Carl Sagan and his horse. Wait a minute, is that Capycoppy?

“Now we’re just getting silly. Can I get back to my corn?”

Taking your dog for a walk down to the mailbox? Looks like you dodged the rain.

“From bad to worse. I’m in a police lineup here. Aren’t we finished yet?”

The best costume of all is actually being a cute guinea pig, isn’t it Carl? Those friends of yours certainly have better manners than Stevie Ray and Fred!

“I am NOT hanging around for a mugshot. I’m outta here!”

That’s right, Carl. You are INNOCENT! Happy Birthday!

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[Carl absolutely LOVED the attention, but not all guinea pigs tolerate costumes. I also had an experienced volunteer on hand for the wrangling. Use good judgment if you decide to dress up your pet. Make sure it is fun for everyone involved.]

Daily Drama 44 | Happy Halloween!

Something funny is happening around here. I think the guinea pigs are getting bigger!

Prince Pumpkin Dobalob

This is me, Dobby, in my Halloween costume from a few years ago, I think it was 2011. It’s a pumpkin, and it fits me pretty well, I think.

Dobby Derailed

You can see from this photograph that I’m very, very big. About the size of a train. So I’m not just any pumpkin, I’m one of those honkin’ huge squash that they put in the newspaper.

So you tell me, please, what in heck is going on with these guinea pigs? That’s my costume! THOSE ARE SOME HONKIN’ BIG GUINEA PIGS!

Stevie Ray and friend

And what the HECK is that thing over there? A guinea pig version of The Wrong Trousers or something?

“MAKEUP! Over here, please! Can you get this lettuce juice off my chin?”

It isn’t just Stevie Ray, either. Look at Fred! He’s huge, too!

Frederick of Hollywood and friend

Easily as big as a train, wouldn’t you say?

“I’ll be right there, Stevie Ray! I told you not to eat that lettuce until AFTER the photo shoot!”

Here’s our Birthday Boy, Carl! He just turned 8 years old!

Carl Sagan, looking good!

Carl, how does it feel to be an eight year old codger?

“What? I thought we were through here!”

Have a deliriously delightful halloween!

Daily Drama 43

Hi. My name is Dobby and I’m writing today’s blog post.

We had some serious rain today, and a waterfall magically appeared in the aviary, coming from the neighbor’s back yard. It oozed across my back yard, pooled up by my bathroom, and flushed itself away. Whoosh! Just like that.

The water came and then it went away.

The harness stuck on the picket and broke both of them.

We had another exciting event recently: I broke my harness, and broke a fence, too! Super-Capybara! My super-power seems to be wrecking things.

The blue plastic buckle broke, and the picket welds failed.

My harness caught on the picket and I was running so fast I just broke the welds on the fence! I’m not sure why people think we are slow, lumbering animals. We are SWIFT! And CLUMSY! Not a very good combination.

Grover, from The Seattle Alley Cat Project

This is Grover, and we thought he was sick, but he isn’t now. We all have our ups and downs.

Kitty Hawk, also from the Seattle Alley Cat Project. They are both FIV+ barn cats.

Kitty Hawk is just a downer. He wants to be held and petted CONSTANTLY, and that, of course, takes attention away from ME. Enough said.

RIP sweet Madonna. We miss you every day.

My hens, on the other hand, share their birdseed with me. I’m a little sad about that yellow one, Madonna. She isn’t here any more.

GET OUTTA HERE!

Time to go to the front yard. Watch that birdseed for me, okay? Don’t let the chickens eat all of it.

Mmmm good, chicken food.

There is a snack bar on the way to the front yard, if you go the long way ’round.

Okay, fine, I’m full of bird food right now anyway.

I’m stalling a little bit because we have to use the old standby harness. It doesn’t smell right.

Smells like some young punk.

I just have to mark a few things, I’ll be right with you.

You’re not in any hurry are you?

Really? I have to wear this one? Why can’t you fix the old smelly one?

Dang.

The main reason why we go to the front yard is so that I can eat grass and bamboo. I’ve kind of worked it so that I get an extra corn, but I have to do tricks to get it.

Sometimes I even have to do an extra trick. I have to stand on this black plastic thing.

Why is it so small and slippery?

It tells me whether or not I’m big and fat. I am 130, give or take 5 or 10. I’m a bouncy guy.

Capybaras are not built for going downhill.

Time to go eat bamboo! See you later.

( . . . alligator)