Beauty Without Lipstick

Two guinea pigs roam freely in our bedrooms. They are clean, doing most of their business in the litter boxes.

The GP’s have learned that we often have a baby carrot or juicy strawberry when we enter the room. They come running, emitting little squeals, and we have to tread carefully. They sit quietly while we rub their back and neck and watch the evening news; a half an hour of sitting still is their limit, longer than many toddlers.

Our guinea pigs are part of the family. The spread of the swine flu has made us become very cautious about washing our hands and avoiding unnecessary trips out. But our concern is not for our sake but for theirs.