Oops!!!!

I'm not sure how it happened but my adventure did not get written down.  Not here. I don't know how that happened.  I blame my female human.  I would fire her but she gives me baths and treats. 

In October, the front gate was left open.  I am a curious creature and will explore any new territory.  I did my usual fence rounds when I reached the gate and realized I could keep going.  So I did.  Oh, it was scary!  It was blissful!  It was everything and nothing! I walked on the sidewalk.  I walked to the church behind my house.  I listened to the cars whiz by.  I even crossed the busy street!  By myself!!!! 

I stayed out too late.

By the time I made it back to the yard, someone had closed the gate.  And I was locked out.  I was stressed!  Two poor boys found me and I hissed at them.  They called Animal Control and I was taken away.

They put me in a very small cage (really, I'm huge.  I filled up the cage and they expected me to be happy?????  Bah, humans!) with a tiny bowl of water.  No food.  No heat.  Just a little towel so I was not on the cold metal.  Hmm. I'm huge.  That towel did not keep the chill away.  I was miserable.  I spent the night there, cussing at my humans for closing the gate.  I spent the next day there.  I was contemplating drastic actions.....like breaking out....when my humans came.  Yay for my humans!

They loaded me into the van.  They took me home.  I was so glad to be in my yard that I didn't care that it was getting dark and I wasn't in for the night. It was so wonderful to drink from the big bowl.  I ate.  I basked.  Then I went to my hole.  It was cold the next day but I was secure.  When I ventured out, the gate between front and back was closed and I was exiled to my little corner.  Okay. It's not really little.  But it doesn't have the scrumptiousness that the front has.  *sigh*  Small price to pay to be home again.

Winter????

This weather is killing me!  Every time I think it's safe to settle in and call it a season, it warms up and I find myself wandering around the yard! It's terrible! And I'm only allowed to wander the back. There is some very tasty grass in the front. I can see it.  I would love to taste it.  Since my "adventure", I'm not allowed there anymore.  That's fine.  I'll just block the back door....my favorite sunning spot....and keep the back yard as short as possible.  I'm hoping they will plant seeds.  Of tastiness.  Then, when I come out for good, I can have a treat.  And I'm hoping they'll clean the yard.  I don't like obstacle courses.  Who am I kidding?  I roll over everything anyway. NOTHING is EVER in my way!  Mwahahahahaha!  I am Vader!  I destroy! 

*Ahem*

I have cats living in my abode.  Two of them.  It's nice to have company again.  I didn't realize how lonely I was in my hole until they moved in.  They're quiet and nice.  Plus, the little dog won't chase them. They have claws.  *Glee*

My bad!

So.....the gate to the front was open, which is always a bonus for me. I get to snack on all the little scrumpt-deely-lumpscious plants, like that tender little rose bush by the gate. The grass tastes sweeter in the front. But....
I closed my gate behind me and couldn't get back to my house.
So I rammed the house, trying to break the fence on the other side. No luck. I kept scraping against the house but couldn't get anyone's attention and couldn't get to the back.
I was beginning to panic. I mean, full blown panic--like the lady bug felt when she found out her house was on fire--not the I have a spider on my leg panic. Well, I guess those are the same. :)
I went back to my gate, trying with my magnificent mind to open it, when my male human came home. He noticed my dilemma and point it out to my female human. She pulled me off of the fence (I can be tenacious) and he opened the gate very wide for me. I think he staked it open so I don't have that problem again. But I don't think I'll be going in the front any time soon. That was just too frightening!

Fever!

I love the hot weather. Really! I get to be out all the time. There are roses to eat, pomegranite flowers to nibble on, and dandelions. I don't really like the dandelions. I much prefer milk weeds. Ah, it is truly an abundant time of year.
The Evil Little Dog continues to check my home for Bun-bun. Today she ran to the fence but there was nothing there. I still miss Bun-bun. She was the bestfriend a tortoise could have. I plan on having a memorial for her. I want to put a little marker by my home. I think she would like that.
Today my female came out to hang a blanket. She left the door open. I can't resist an open door to the house. It is so much fun crawling through it. Sometimes she accommodates me and opens another door for me to exit. I suppose it is easier than lifting me and pushing me out. Except today she was especially quick and I didn't make it. Too bad. It would have been so much fun!

What Excitement!

Today Luiz (he's one of my pets and the only one I allow in my home) was mowing the lawn. He was half way finished and away from the house when I grabbed the cord and ran with it! I wrapped it around my front feet and pulled. The lawn mower died. I laughed so hard! He looked around, very puzzled, because it just quit working. When he figured out I had the cord, he yelled at me to give it back. The cord weighed me down, I didn't get as far as I wanted. But he cut down my delectable grass weeds! Ah well. There's always tomorrow. He's doing the back yard then. :)

Ahh, warmth!

I basked by the back door today, making it very difficult for the evil dogs to come out. That made me giggle. Really! When I giggle, I blow snot out of my nose and my shell shakes. I refuse to move. I was there first, after all. It gave me a bit of pleasure seeing them squeeze through the door. I figure that's what they get for chasing my friend all the time.

I miss Bun-bun. Not long ago, maybe 5 months, she left. I think she was going to die because she had a huge tumor on her side. That was caused by the dogs, I'm sure. At least the little rat dog. So Bun-bun made her escape and the rat dog went after her. Bun-bun and I had already said good-bye. I knew she was leaving. She didn't want to die in our home. She's so thoughtful! Even now, when I think back on that, I think how sweet and thoughtful she was. She dug under the fence. The rat dog followed her a few days later and was hit by a car. Now, I'm not a vindictive tortoise. I believe all creatures have karma. And hers just hit her in the butt. Oh, she's fine. Spare no pity for her. She's just as annoying as she was when Bun-bun was around. So I get my little pleasures where I can.....like blocking the door. :)

I cruised around the yard, checking the fences and gates. Sometimes I can push through a fence and I'm in the front yard. Sometimes the gate is unlocked. I like the front yard. It has very tasty weeds and taller grass than what's in my yard. And there's this newly grown rose bush. It tastes so sweet! Maybe that's why I'm in the back all the time now....eating the rose bush. I have more in the back. They're more established and splendid. I especially like the dark red ones. I also have pomegranate bushes to nibble on. I am truly spoiled. Today, for a treat, I was given squash. Mm mm!

I went back to my hole when the back was shaded. Tomorrow is another day! I think I'm going to chase the rat dog a little bit. That could be my exercise! :D

Brrr......

This week has been very, very cold. Very windy. I have been sticking to my hole because I don't like the wind. It blows into my shell and makes me shiver. I run around the yard but not this week. It is too windy-cold.

Today, though, I was out and about. I basked in my favorite place. It's by the back door on the patio. The house retains the heat and it radiates onto me. It's heaven! The evil dogs were upset because I blocked their access to the outside! Hahahahaha I didn't stay out long. The sun hid behind the clouds and I slid back down my hole. I love my hole. The silence from the traffic is soothing. But the little creatures that visit me.....a very welcome sight!

My little house

My home is in the back back yard of my people's house. When I first moved here, the man, Dave, started a hole for me. Under their swing. Every winter I make my home roomier and bigger and oh so beautiful! It's 30 feet below ground. So when it gets hot in my yard, I can go underground. My fan club does not like that. One person yells at me every day to come out and talk to him. He calls me turtle. He says, "Hey, Turtle! Turtle! Come on over and talk to me!" We spend hours together. He dresses in white and I worry about him when he doesn't come by.

Anyway, my hole. I drag the dirt out every spring and Dave takes it away so I don't drag it back to my hole. Imagine all that work and then bury it all again! Yeesh!

I had a room mate. I loved that room mate. She was a white rabbit that came into my yard right before I came to live here. She was so beautiful! She had luscious red eyes and long pink ears. She lived in my hole with me. Just to the right. I protected her from the evil yapping dog that would chase her down my hole.

Funny story and then I'll end for the day. One night the evil yapping dog (EYD) followed Bun-bun into the hole. It happened before I went in for the night. I blocked EYD in the hole with Bun-bun. Since she had her own area, EYD couldn't get to her. I could her my people call for EYD. I laughed! Because EYD was trying frantically to get out. Finally, she dug a path under me and crawled out. She was very happy to be free. Did she learn anything? No! She was back in my home the very next day! Silly EYD.

A Little About Me......

Ah, so you've come to my blog. Curiosity. You just couldn't resist. Because what type of tortoise keeps a blog? Really, with these little....well, not so little.....stubby legs and arms, no fingers, how do I manage to type? I have no voice...at least, not that anyone can hear. Other creatures, of course, but humans? Bah! They don't have the fine-tuned hearing they need for creatures like me. So how do I do it? It's a secret! It's killing you, isn't it? All this curiosity. You know what they say: curiosity killed the cat (but satisfaction brought him back).

A bit about myself. I am an African Spur Thigh Tortoise. I'm eight years old. Actually, I'm a little older but I've lived at my present home for eight years. Almost nine. I have a huge yard and I rule it with an iron shell! I have a variety of things to eat and I keep the grass (that I like) neatly trimmed.

I am so freakin' friendly! But when I go to say hello, all I hear are the humans screaming, jumping out of my way, and running for the gate! What's with you people???? I guess I do look intimidating as I lumber toward people. Tortoises aren't slow, you know. That's false information. I can't beat you in a race but I'm always close behind.

I could go on and on. But why bore you with too much information since we've just met? Tell you what. Come back tomorrow and I'll explain my home to you. It's awesome!