Every moment my little Hope-y was in my life was precious, she was that type of rat, and every visitor ended up under her spell very quickly, soon after I put her in their arms.
She had an indomitable spirit from when I met her until the day she left me. I knew my Hope would be leaving soon and my little lady I think was trying to wean me from needing her so badly. She is the one who kept me going after Eli died but I don’t have another “Hope” to do the job again, so I am on my own. She would sleep away from me for days, and just come for visits. But then I don’t think she could do it either, because suddenly she would come rushing as fast as her little body could carry her to clamber up and drape over my neck and then frantically lick me until we both were happy again. We had routines she and I. She would let me know if she wanted up on my neck and I would just give her a little lift and she would softly drape herself over my neck to sleep still for hours and hours….she would pop up her head when she heard me come home and my odd moving, awkward little lady would come wobbling to me, eyes shining so bright…with me feeling the same way when I saw her. If I had a sickie to care for she was fine with that, she didn’t mind sharing because she knew I needed her as much as she needed me. She often cuddled with the sickie or failing oldie if I wasn’t there, she was just kindness personified. She would sleep trustingly in my hands…she would brux and boggle as soon as I touched her and keep going and going. I would make a happy noise and her licking would double. :D
Gwinny was the rat that really kept me rescuing a long time ago, but Hope is my incentive now.
January 14th, Chelle picked up my little birthday girl after many stops and starts, miscommunications and the owner stopping emailing altogether. Chelle had to go above and beyond to accommodate this person, to get this girl and I really appreciated that! I was up north at my mom’s for the day to celebrate my birthday and got a call from her. She described her shocking condition but told me this little one wanted to fight. We hung up and she said she would call later. I prefer to name rats after I have met them and know their personality, but with the sick ones not always likely to survive I will name them unseen. I thought about it and thought a lovely name would be Hope. Chelle called me and we talked about the wee girl, and she said that she and Amanda were talking about it and they thought they had a good name for her but weren’t sure I would like it. I asked what it was.. “We thought you should name her Hope” …so of course that is who she became :D. We were told that she was over 2, very friendly, very healthy, etc. What we got was a very very skinny rat (starving), with mites, a terrible skin condition and pneumonia. The fight was on and it was a tough one. Those eyes stayed bright during all of this, but she was a very picky eater in the beginning and then at the end. She took her meds like a champ and we started to win…the old owner had been putting skin cream on her back which made it sooo much worse and made the hair fall out. She had something like a buck grease on her back (Hope was not capable of removing it herself) and I was pulling out greasy gunky chunks from her fur for days then we went onto the tooth brush which she loved….she was so itchy and her build/age made her not very flexible.
She was such a sweet girl the whole time, and we tried hard to get her with friends, but her first real friend was Jill, a sick little girl, who groomed her and slept with her. It was lovely to see Hope close her eyes in ecstasy as sick little Jill would gently lick her neck and head. The Overnighters were started with Lilith, Kelly, Jill and Hope, and then joined a little later by Hansel and Tepeu. It became another ritual at bedtime. Teppy would sleep on my pillow above my head, Jill on my stomach and Hope over my chest/neck (when I was on my back)…whole different configuration when I slept on my side hehe. If I left any bit of clothing on the bed, even if it was only for a few minutes I would come back to find her sleeping in it. I started giving her my old clothes and she loved that, for when I wasn’t at home or at work (“gathering food” as the rats probably thought of it).
Our last night was incredibly special, she slept over my neck or in my hands the entire time…I kept waking up to stroke her, knowing she wasn't going to be in my life much longer, but not sure when she would exit. Would it be next week, the following week?…Sadly it was the next day. Goodbye my Love.
Jan. 15th – arriving at Home…Love at First Sight
Ooh a lanyard…how exciting!!!
How many cheerios can you fit in?
Not feeling well but cuddled up to Jill
Feeling much better and looking fabulous on red
Filling out…happy day!!!
Loving her cheek scritches
Another sleepy pic
Her 2nd last day, getting thin, but still bright-eyed
And how I shall always remember her
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