This past weekend Nora’s guinea pig (one of two) died. Pinecone was a special character and also was a “pandemic” pet, picked up when Nora was 10 (she is now 16). These things are never really simple it seems and this one stings and stirs up the memories of these past six years, mostly good and some tough ones, as well. Pinecone leaves behind his brother, Acorn, but is resting nicely in a small grave in the backyard with a hand-painted marker that Nora created. She and I dug and dug through the clay, went to Michaels for some waterproof Mod-Podge to protect the marker and had a small moment with some tears and memories. Sigh. Life. Sigh. Pinecone (the brown one) enjoying a…