It's a little late, but I think it's appropriate to give a few parting words to our little hamster Aurore, who finally died a couple of days ago after being rather sick and weak for a while. She was old for a hamster, and lived a peaceful life, unmarked by escapes or sickness.

Of all four hamsters that we've had, she was the one that I would actually call a pet. She never bit, and actually seemed to like sitting in hands, milling around and sniffing. When we walked into the room, if she was awake, she'd sit up on her back feet and look at us as though she recognized us, and would even come to the front of the cage and eat from our hands, although she only liked the big pieces in the hamster food.

It's empty-looking in the computer room without her cage sitting on top of Hazel's cage, and I'm going to miss her. She was a good hamster, and I don't think we'll ever find one quite like her. I don't think I even want to bother looking.

Goodbye, little beast. I know that if karma exists, your kind little spirit will find its way to a pleasant rebirth. Hopefully the good energy you passed on here will benefit others in this world somewhere. You would have made a good person.