Originally written December 2024
For a guinea pig, 7½ years is a very long life.
And what a queen Chestnut — a.k.a. Chessy — was. 
Unlike some of the others, Chessy never really ran away from me.
Especially if I had food. 
While her friends could stage an hours-long protest after bath time, Chessy seemed to live by a much simpler philosophy:
All is forgiven when the snacks arrive.
As she got older, she became blind and deaf, but somehow she never seemed particularly bothered by it.
She wasn’t jumpy.
She wasn’t anxious.
She was just… Chessy.
Calm.
Trusting.
Comfortable.
And always ready for something to eat. 
There was something lovely about that.
She reminded me that life doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect to still be good.
Sometimes happiness really is just:
food, comfort and love.
Rest easy, my little foodie darling.
You had a very good life.
And you’ll be missed. 
Stories Along the Way 