Earl Grey Day

Earl Grey, JC's male guinea pig, just became a father to three adorable pups!

His wife, Chai, has been kept busy breastfeeding them.

We'd been on tenterhooks anticipating Chai's day of delivery. “Anytime now,” JC kept saying. But he was a bit concerned that there might be trouble. Chai got pregnant too young, too soon. “In cases like this, either the mother or the pups don't make it.”

So every now and then I'd go and take a peek at their cage. I thought that giving birth to pups was going to be something long and  laborious (pun not intended) and I might be able to help—I wasn't sure how.

But early in the morning, JC said, “Mom, come look!” Three little chocolate-nougat  chunks were darting in and out of their house and toys—so quickly you have to be alert to know where they are. They took after their tea-colored mom, Chai, who was leaping  around, too, as though nothing significant just happened.

Earl Grey's family

Not one is gray like his/her dad. 

Then later in the afternoon, I got a bag of goodies from my friend (and editor) Beng who just arrived from the US. Inside was a pack of Earl Gray tea (complete with a teacup)!

What do you know? Two Earl Greys in a row! 

Earl Grey Day is not a holiday in the national calendar, but it is a red-letter day of grace, double grace, in mine. So tonight, I will drink a cup of Earl Grey to celebrate Earl Grey's new fatherhood status and Chai's successful dart to motherhood.

I'd invite JC and Tony for a tea toast,  but they're not great tea fans, just odd coffee people.