There was never any doubt that my Winter Count for February would feature Bubba the guinea pig, who died early that month at age five and half. He lived with me and Mr. Karen for over half of his life, and I hope he was happy here. We did sometimes torture him by offering him fruit, which he did not like to eat not even one bit, but he also got plenty of the carrots and dandelion greens he favored. He did like chewing on things other than vegetables; in the picture above he’s working on the handle of a gift bag having already had as much of the tag as he wanted. (That plastic hose on the floor next to him is covering a lamp cord to keep it from getting chewed, too.) I miss his nice and furry self.

After the low of losing Bubba, I had the high of visiting Grand Targhee for the first time. I liked it so much I want to move there someday. We’re going back this winter, and I hope I still feel the same way. They’ve had three feet of new snow in the last five days and all the lifts are open already; those are good signs. I am choosing to ignore the minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit part of the report I read. No place is perfect.

One year ago, I made my first (and so far only) mix CD. If you followed the link there from yesterday’s entry you already knew that and are probably wishing I’d be less self-referential.

Two years ago, I overachieved and wrote two entries: one about my scar (which I still do not like the look of) and one about a baby quilt I’d made.

Three years ago, I was off skiing in Colorado and not writing entries.