The healing process apparently involves more quadrupeds

Everyone keeps telling me, "The fastest way to recover from your grief is to get another dog, and get one right away." And while, yes, I will admit that dogs are awesome and the loss of Alex has left a gaping hole in not just my heart but my life in general, I'm just not in a place where I can bring a new dog into it. I swear, some people are worse about me getting a puppy than those folks who get on my case about having kids. The big difference, of course, is that I'll eventually be able to shut the puppy people up. Just not for a while.

So yesterday I went to the SPCA to pick up Alex's ashes (which, incidentally, are in a HUGE box; I was a little taken aback with the size of it, but then I remembered that Alex was a pretty enormous mutt), and just for the hell of it, I walked through the adoption kennels. They had some pretty interesting dogs, though a little heartbreaking on the pit bull side (nearly 2/3 of the dogs up for adoption were some mix of pit). There were a couple of Great Dane mixes - and naturally they were the ones I gravitated toward, given my love for Danes and Dane mixes. There was a Great Dane/Basset Hound mix that was so weird-looking you couldn't help but fall in love with him, and a Dane/Lab mix that was absolutely beautiful and reminded me a lot of Alex.

After I got my fill of dogs, I wandered through the front area where they keep the cats and the small animals. I hung out and admired the bunnies, laughed at the ferrets, and then moseyed on over to the bank of cages where they keep the pocket pets. Guinea pigs, hamsters, a couple of gerbils...and then I saw it: a black and white hooded rat with some of the prettiest markings I've ever seen, including a really interesting head spot - and she was a girl! She was all by herself, and that's primarily what prompted me to do this:

Me: (Checking pocket and finding $17) "Hi, how much is the adoption fee for rats?"
SPCA Lady: "Rats are five dollars."
Me: "I'll take that one you have over there."

I was given all the requisite paperwork to fill out, the adoption contract and the pledge to take proper care of the animal, etc, etc. I even get a free vet visit! Not a bad deal for my five bucks. And so I have brought the number in That Crazy Rat Lady's colony to lucky 13. Now, I know that seems like a lot. And, well...it is. But she was all by herself, and rats just don't do well in solitary situations. If there had been two or more in that cage, I would have just admired them and walked away. If this rat had been male, I would have not taken it home (but would have definitely called someone I know with boyrats and alerted them). Nevertheless, some things I think are just left up to fate, and this I believe was one of them.

She doesn't have a name yet; I'm waiting to see what her personality is like and try out a few names on her and see how she responds (that's how I named Nancy, my first rat). Right now she's in quarantine in a separate cage, but if all goes according to plan she should be moved into the big cage by week's end. So...without further ado, I present to you the newest member of the Planet Deedums Mammal-rama!