A Sad Farewell to Jimmy Jr.

With a heavy heart, I must post that our 2nd LAPS President and 1st Vice President, Jimmy Jr., passed away on December 31, 2007. Although I am not sure of his exact age, past GPDD posts indicate that he was around 7 years old. He leaves behind his devoted slave, Birdie, his male pal, Spunky and two sow pals, Miss Pooky and Miss Perky. Please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss and may you be comforted by the many wonderful memories that you shared with him.

I bet many of you LAPS piggies have wondered how Jimmy became a Jr. Well, let's solve the mystery. When Birdie quit her job a few years back, she was given a very furry going away present - Jimmy Jr. who was ironically named after her boss - Jimmy.

The love of Jimmy Jr.'s life was Blondie. When Mommy Birdie brought home two female piggies: Blondie and Little One, Jimmy Jr. instantly bonded with Blondie. It's wasn't long after that Blondie became pregnant. Sadly, all four babies were stillborn. It would have been so cute to see a Jimmy the 3rd, 4th, 5th or possible 6th! No doubt he's playing with them (and his love Blondie) in heaven, over that rainbow bridge.

One of Jimmy Jr.'s favorite treats was celery. He loved it so much that he used his super piggy strength to pull it into his reach, sometimes taking his slave's hand with it. There was a point when he wouldn't accept any other food until Mommy slave brought him celery. Birdie finally named him the Celery Stalker. Jimmy Jr. was also known for his stink bombs. As many of you LAPS piggies know, the foods we eat can make us, well .... gassy. Jimmy Jr. was no stranger to this problem but he knew how to disguise it. He would relieve his gas and maintain an innocent face towards his slave as to blame it on his bud Spunky. Sneaky but crafty!

Jimmy Jr. became an official LAPS member and Vice President on November 18, 2006. He took over as President after Juliet, our first LAPS President, passed away in May 2007. Jimmy Jr. made his first official debut as President at the Pig Olympics held in Lake Elsinore. He also starred in many of the events: tug of war, soccer, sumo wrestling, rumblestrutting contest, poo contest, cage biting contest, celery pulling, piggy train, the cilantro pull and the longest nap. However, the real juicy news happened after the events were over. Jimmy Jr. seemed to guzzle a little too much carrot beer. In fact, he almost got his toe nails painted by L'il Miz Moppit and Ladybug and Buzzere.

Jimmy Jr. started losing weight a couple of months ago because of digestive problems. Jimmy Jr. resigned his presidency back in November. With such a stellar reputation as a leader, he was quickly snatched up by the Tiny But Sweet group of piggies that are 3lbs and under. After rejecting their offer as President, he became the group's wise adviser.

Jimmy Jr., we're going to miss you. You were a wonderful leader and friend. We loved hearing your stories. You're memory will forever live among LAPS.

Please Welcome Our Newly Elected Vice President Orinoco!

It's official - Orinoco is our new Vice President!

Ironically, this announcement is being made on the one year anniversary of Orinoco becoming a LAPS member. Back then, she weighed 3lbs. Now she weighs a proud 3lbs. 3oz.

Orinoco will be a wonderful leader. As a baby she was raised by the infamous guinea pig whisper - Peter Gurney. After Peter made his journey to care for those piggies over the rainbow bridge, Orinoco was adopted by Stefanie and became an official member of the Surrey Squeakers. Shortly after, Orinoco surprised her new mommy with five little pups. Both her wisdom and maternal skills will make us all a better group of ample piggies.

Congratulations Orinoco! Speech! Speech! Speech! Maybe it's time for me to book a trip via Pig Air to Surrey, England.

Update (January 12, 2008): All Stand for the honorable Miss Orinoco!

Hello to all piggies and their slaves worldwide! My name is Orinoco and I have just been officially named as the new vice-president of LAPS. Thank you Hamlet for your touching biography of me on the LAPS web site. I hope I can be as good a vice-president as you are a secretary and I will do my very best to assist Daisy Piggyfriend (President). I am also very honored that you, Hamlet, will be visiting me in Surrey, England. I will open a bottle of the carrot wine that the Piggyfriends had at New Year and celebrate with you. I am so happy - first I find out that I am a calendar girl, and then I hold a position of responsibility in LAPS! 2008 will be a good year. I would like to thank various people who have helped me get where I am today. Firstly, Peter Gurney. I don't know where I was before I lived with him, but his was the first home I remember and he clearly gave me a good start in life. Secondly, my slave. She provides the large amounts of food necessary to maintain my ample size. Thirdly, but by no means least, my fellow Squeakers. They generously share all the food so none of us ever go short. So please celebrate with me and keep eating lots and lots so we can increase the membership.

Love, best wishes and thanks from Orinoco

Orinoco, I enjoyed visiting you in the beautiful Surrey, England. It was a great surprise to see our President, Miss Daisy, there as well. I had a grand time sipping carrot wine with you and Daisy. It was so delicious and might I add that I'm glad that I wasn't piloting Pig Air. :-) After visiting our two lovely leaders, I am extremely confident that our LAPS group is in good paws.

Farewell to a Fellow Friend

Chester (April 2004 - December 2007)

We have lost yet another dear friend, Chester of the Jolly Rodents. Chester made his journey towards the Rainbow Bridge a week before Christmas. He was three years and seven months young.

Chester enjoyed the life that most cavies envy thanks to his devoted slave, Alge, and his wise teachers, the three original Jolly Rodents: Ebeneezer Wooly Bear, Wilson and Mr. Cooders. Alge first adopted Chester in April of 2004 from an Ohio rescue with his buddy Charlie. After a year of Jolly Rodents Jr. classes, instructed by the wise Ebeneezer, Wilson and Cooders, Chester (and his buddy Charlie) graduated with a much coveted Jolly Rodents degree. He went on to graduate school and received a masters in the art of being a large and ample pig. He was by far one of our most educated LAPS piggies.

Chester was an exemplary LAPS member as he tipped the scale at 3 and 1/2 lbs. He used his intelligence, good looks and charm to court some of the popular ladies on the GPDD, namely Peaches and Diamond. And of course who could forget how Chester shined at the Pig Olympics held at Lake Elsinore last year. He participated and succeeded in 6 events (sumo wrestling, house tossing, baseball, cage biting, tug of war and eating your own body weight in hay.)

Chester's best buddy in the world was Charlie - also a LAPS member. They shared many of their life experiences together. They were adopted together, popcorned and rumblestrutted around together as pups, attended Jolly Rodent Jr. classes together, joined the same clubs (LAPS), lived in adjoining condos, went on double dates and recently, even acted together (in dresses no less :-).

We know that the hearts of his slave Alge and his bud Charlie are heavy right now. We want to send you our love and support during this sad time. Chester's legacy will live for a long time as you have shared many of his wonderful memories with us.

Welcome Misty!

Let's make a toast (carrot juice) to Misty, our newest LAPS member! Misty celebrated the New Year by joining our group. She is 2 years and 2 months old and weighs a beautiful 3lbs. 1oz.

Miss Misty, you will like our first lady, President Daisy. She looks so much like you.

Update (January 12, 2008): Well, I've been earning my frequent flyer points. I just returned from visiting Misty, our newest member. Misty was busy eating when I visited but I had a nice chat with her Mommy slave, Carole. This is what Carole had to say.

"Misty is the daughter of my beloved Spikey. Spikey was my first pig. He was so tame. He loved being stroked. He was the king of the garden. So I wanted to carry on his chain. He spent a few weeks with my friend's piggie and 2 months later along came Spikey Junior and Misty. Spikey Junior was just like his dad. I adored him. Misty is very shy. She doesn't like people or other pigs much. Unfortunately Spikey Junior died at 2. I was heart broken as I wanted to continue the chain again."

I have to agree that Misty is either super shy or very hungry. She ate the entire time I was there. The only time I heard a peep out of her was when her younger sibling, Fluffball, visited Misty in her house. Whew! You should have heard the loud squeak Misty emitted. Apparently, she doesn't like other piggies messing with her food. Her Mommy Carole thinks that she may have the loudest squeak in the world. At the next Pig Olympics, we'll have to put her to the test.

When I asked Carole if Misty ate like a pig all of the time. She replied "Yes. As for eating, she eats everything. I wouldn't trust her with my hand."

Well Misty, I think you're going to fit in fine with us LAPS members. Welcome to the group!