LOST TO SIGHT, FOREVER IN MY HEART.....

Hmmmm.....I really do not know how to start this. Remember, not so long ago I promised to introduce all to the rest of the furry four legged members of my family...but never got around to it? Well, I'll continue now...This is the story of Hammie Rozz Reamiey.

Hammie Rozz is a hamster, she's a roborovski to be exact. I got her about a year ago from a pet shop in Taman Tun Dr Ismail. It was quite a mixed feeling sort of day because my friend Mimie, who drove me to the pet shop and drove Hammie and me back to the office, lost her NokiaN73. Her bag was slightly open and someone must have conveniently slipped his/her hand into Mimie's handbag and took off with her handphone. I remember the sadness, the tears, my never ending feeling of guilt mixed up with the happiness of having this new addition in my life, all 1 1/2 inch of grey fur.

Sad to say that Mimie never saw her handphone again, but she is now the owner of a more "canggih" version in the Nokia N-Series. As for me life settled into a pattern with Hammie. I remember the "Oh I give up!!!! What else have you brought home!" look from Baby when I introduced him to Hammie.

When Darling was added to the family, he was really taken by the little hamster. Once while taking hammie out of her cage, she managed to jump out of my hand. You can just remember the scream and the scramble trying to get to her before either one of those wet, wet noses (Baby's and Darling's). Hammie seemed to grow overnight and suddenly I had an obese roborovski who sleeps on her back exposing her white furry belly to all and sundry.

Hammie circa mid 2008...all fluffy and fat! It was hard to take her photo, with her squirming and Baby's yellow eyes on both of us, glinting away.

Hammie Rozz Reamiey....I do love you.

Then we moved to the new house in Puncak Alam and Honeyz joined the family. The house is still "kelam kabut" so Hammie's cage was put on the floor. I would sometimes see Honeyz and Darling playing with Hammie. Sometimes Honeyz would "kacau" Hammie and there would be this funny sight where one would be running around inside the cage and a crazy kitten running around the cage. When he is not busy bullying Honeyz, Darling would be sticking his nose into the cage...all three seem to enjoy each other's company. But I noticed that Hammie have been having long naps and sometimes it's hard to wake her up...

About two weeks ago, we came back to the house, after a downpour, and discovered that Hammie's cage was overtuned and Hammie missing....Her cage was put outside as the house is too warm, at least outside she can benefit from the breeze. My husband finally found her, all soaking wet and pathethically tring to get out of the drain. Thank God the water in the drain was not deep. I cleaned her, wrapped her in a clean towel and hugged her until she was dry and warm and I remembered those tiny black eyes just looking and looking at me. I did not know then.....

She was kept in the house for a few days. Then she was put outside again as the weather was too warm and the house akin to a furnace (we don't have air conditioning yet). Everything seemed alright.

Last Saturday, 18th April, 2009, my husband and I arrived home at 1.20 a.m. He was on night shift. As usual, we would allow those three, Baby, Darling and Honeyz to have a run around for an hour or so, no matter what time we arrive home as they have been in their cages all day. Then my hubby noticed that Hammie was not moving, we tapped the side of her cage, still no movement, opened the door...no movement...I touched her...warm but so, so still...very still. My beautiful Hammie slept...forever.

I held her for some time, because I knew I will never again see her little face peeking at me from inside her cage or feel her silky fur or hold her squiggling body. I was hard to let go but I had to...we buried her near the "Pinang" tree. There is a brick marking the exact spot. It's temporary. I'm going to look for a nice "batu sungai" to mark her resting place.

Hammie...we miss you...

Hammie is gone. I don't have the strength to clean her cage yet...let it be. My husband said we can get another hamster but I told him not yet. I know life goes on and some may think me "peculiar" for waxing lyrical about a member of the mouse family...but love is universal, it is not defined by clolour, creed, religion or species. It transcends all boundaries and I love this little creature created by Allah and I miss her...tears are still falling for you Hammie and even if it stops physically, it will continue in my heart...

I know you are in heaven, and I would like to believe that you are with Tarique Al-Awal (my beautiful morning star), keeping each other company...maybe if I am good enough for heaven... we will meet again.

Love always from Mama, Papa, Baby, Darling and Honeyz...