COLD DARK ROOM

[JoesMum]

Look who I met today at my colleges open day.

His name is Casper. He arrived at the college with severe MBD but now he is thriving, living his best life in his own field

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The RSPCA’s specialist reptile rescue centre is near you somewhere. They featured it on BBC South East News just now

 

[JoesMum]

Hello everyone! It's been a while but I have not forgotten my friends here in the CDR[emoji16]
Things have been.. interesting.. lately.
Hope everyone is doing well?

Hi ! Nice to not see you back in the gloom of the CDR

 

[CarolM]

Love it! Perhaps Yvonne could split it into its own thread like Adam’s retelling of Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot?

Aww. Thank you. But I am not sure if it is that good. [emoji6] I was toying with the idea of writing a kiddies story to get across how to care for tortoises etc. But not sure if I would actually ever send it to a publisher. Anyway I had fun writing it.

 

[JoesMum]

Good evening all.

Today’s plans went astray. On my way to coffee with my yoga chums, I bumped into another chum who was dreadfully upset over an incident at work.

So I ended up being a listening ear to her instead. We had a good day together and she went home in a better place.

When I got home...


I wonder if she has finished laying yet?

 

[Ben02]

The RSPCA’s specialist reptile rescue centre is near you somewhere. They featured it on BBC South East News just now

Yes I’m thinking of doing some volunteer work there during my long holiday after the GCSEs

 

[Ben02]

Good evening all.

Today’s plans went astray. On my way to coffee with my yoga chums, I bumped into another chum who was dreadfully upset over an incident at work.

So I ended up being a listening ear to her instead. We had a good day together and she went home in a better place.

When I got home...
View attachment 270743

I wonder if she has finished laying yet?

Oooo what bird is in there, I can’t make it out?

 

[CarolM]

Good evening all.

Today’s plans went astray. On my way to coffee with my yoga chums, I bumped into another chum who was dreadfully upset over an incident at work.

So I ended up being a listening ear to her instead. We had a good day together and she went home in a better place.

When I got home...
View attachment 270743

I wonder if she has finished laying yet?

Oooh. That is a much better angle. I wonder if she has finished as well. Didn't you say that she will only sit during the day when she has finished laying?

 

[CarolM]

Oooo what bird is in there, I can’t make it out?

It is a Bluet-it. Take the hyphen out when you say it. [emoji6]

 

[Momof4]

I got bored, as I had some time on my hands. So enjoy and tell me if it will make a good children's story:

Hi Everybody,

My name is Tortie,


Ye ye I know it sounds terrible, but I was the last of the clutch to hatch. I have 15 brothers and sisters and a Mom and Dad. Well my Mom and Dad are not around anymore as my brothers, sisters and I are laid in a nest underground and then covered with soil. We stay in our nice and warm nest for about 90 days and then it is free for all and we start hatching and making our way to the topside.

I was the last to pip and then make my way to the topside. And boy was I glad, as it was so sunny and green on the top.


Anyway I made it to the top and found a very different world to what I was used to. It is actually very scary being on the topside, sometimes when I get very scared I burrow underground just to get away from the scary topside. Maybe when I am much bigger it will not be as scary. But for now I am just 10grams and about a ¼ inch big.

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I thought that I would share some of my adventures with you. Just the other day as I was cautiously walking around looking for some nice and yummy weeds to eat, I came across another tortoise that looked very different from me. I am sure it is a tortoise as it also carries it’s house around on it’s back. But it’s house is a spiral pattern and the funny thing is that it only has one leg coming out the back and it’s head which has two antennae on it comes out the front. This is what it looked like. Luckily I had my camera with me and took a photo. He said that his name is Snelly. Snelly also told me that he is a snail and not a tortoise. I thought that tortoises were the only creatures who carried it’s house around on it’s back. But Snelly tells me that there are lots of other creatures that do the same thing.

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Snelly is much smaller than me, and was eating some flowers. I like flowers too. Especially the yellow kind – I think you call them Dandelions. But the best is the red Hibiscus flower. That one is super yummy. I also like clover weeds, and plantain. And grass and endive.



I decided to leave my brothers and sisters and go out on my own, as my biggest brother (who was the first one to pip and leave the nest) was a real bully and just would not leave me alone. I don’t know what he had against me, but whatever I did he was always there getting in the way. He would not even let me eat on my own.

This is my brother

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See he even looks like a bully.

It is so much better, more peaceful without my siblings. Except this morning while Snelly and I were grazing and looking for food, there was this huge shadow that flew over us.

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I got such a fright that I hid in my house and as soon as I felt the shadow pass, Snelly and I went and hid under some bushes. I think that we will stay under the bushes for a while and just graze on the weeds in between. Snelly who is much, much older than me says that it was a bird that flew over us and that they like to eat us. Which is terrible, why would that bird want to eat us, are we not all vegetarians?

Snelly and I carried on eating and this very rude little creature (Snelly says it was an ant) it looks like this

View attachment 270728


Just ran right over my food that I was eating. He did shout sorry and that he was in a hurry, so could not stop to chat. I wonder why he was in such a hurry. I mean life is about taking it easy and enjoying the moment and peace around you. Oh well some creatures just have no manners whatsoever.



Snelly is taking me to the pond that he says is on the other side of the garden. I want to go drink some water and to maybe lie in the water for a little while, but I will have to find a spot which is under some bushes, as I am too scared that bird that we saw will come back and try to eat me. Snelly says that birds are not vegetarians.



Well it has taken Snelly and I a good couple of hours to get to the pond. But I cannot go in, because there is this other tortoise in there already. And I don’t like being with other tortoises. Snelly tells me that the other tortoise lives in the water in the pond. I am not sure that I want to do that. I like to lie in the water for a little while, you know to have a nice long soak – it is good for my shell, but I like living on land preferably in a burrow that I have made nice and cosy for myself.

Meet Wise one (that is her name – she told me herself) She also told me that she is a turtle and is 50 years old. I think that is why her name is Wise One! She has lived for a long time.

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She said that she does not mind if I want to share a little bit of her water. Wise One told me that she makes sure that all the little creatures get to enjoy the water without being bullied. Wise One is very kind. I like her.



But now I am very tired and want to go and get some sleep. I will see you all tomorrow and tell you about all my adventures tomorrow.

Yawn.

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Night Night

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That’s a super cute story!
It wouldn’t hurt to send it to a publisher. You are such a good writer.

 

[Ben02]

I bet it was nice to talk torts with someone else.

Yes indeed, I’ve got a few people I can talk torts with. You guys on the forum, the breeder of my torts who is a very good friend of mine. Hey, my parents can already name 10 different torts at the top of their heads

 

[CarolM]

Yes I’m thinking of doing some volunteer work there during my long holiday after the GCSEs

What an awesome idea. Good experience for you.

 

[CarolM]

That’s a super cute story!
It wouldn’t hurt to send it to a publisher. You are such a good writer.

Aww. Thank you. [emoji4] [emoji4]

 

[Ben02]

It is a Bluet-it. Take the hyphen out when you say it. [emoji6]

Ahh I see why you put the hyphen

 

[Momof4]

Here is a pic of her routing the wires thru the soffits. View attachment 270741

She’s definitely a keeper[emoji6]

 

[CarolM]

Yes indeed, I’ve got a few people I can talk torts with. You guys on the forum, the breeder of my torts who is a very good friend of mine. Hey, my parents can already name 10 different torts at the top of their heads

Lol. That is great. Me I only have the people on TFO to talk about tortoises with. But that is okay, they are all good people to talk tortoises with.

 

[Momof4]

Good Morning Everyone!

A bit overcast today, with chances of some rain today, and for sure tomorrow.

A snap from Tuesdsy’s morning paddle - fair skys, sunshine. Off to the right is the Chesapeake Bay, further is Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and beyond that - The Atlantic Ocean.

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I wanna “paddle” in your shoes for a day!!

 

[Bambam1989]

We do love "interesting.". Care to share?

Well I'm sure everyone remembers how we have been job searching for hubby. Basically the entire process had become so frustrating and on several occasions, infuriating. We decided to sit down and have a serious conversation about what we WANTED our future to be.
It was not to work the rest of his life for an industry that was going to undercut him every chance they get.
He said that he wanted to be his own boss, but was never brave enough to go into business for himself. So then we started discussing more and more about the kind of "business" he might get into. The biggest issue is that hubby can do so many things.. at first it was "what kind of things could he do that would be the most profitable", then it became "what do you ENJOY doing the most.
Several long and somewhat emotional conversations later we both came out and said it.. instead of just farming as a hobby like we have always done.. let's make it our actual living! We both love it and it has always been part of our lives.
So we both started researching. Then we started making a business plan, followed by more research and making changes to the business plan. Lots of phone calls and emails have been made and more planning is still being done.
It's all been very exhausting but the more effort and time we put into it, the more excited we get. It's not going to be easy, but we really can do this.
We will be moving back to Texas in mid/late July. Daughter will be out of school and hubby will have his five years at his current job.
When I'm not researching, I'm going through things and packing stuff up. I have a small mountain of things that will be donated. The house is ready to be sold other than the floor trim in the bathroom needs put in. We even know what realtor we will use.
Clunker is oblivious to all the excitement. Although I've started taking him with me when I pick my daughter up from school in a plastic tote(Clunker in the tote, not daughter). Kinda hoping it will ease the stress of the long car ride he will have in July. He seems to not mind it, he will even eat while I'm driving.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I agree...treasure. So what color are you going to oil it?

Not sure yet. Since it is fresh/green wood, not sure how it will accept a stain. We did finish it up, sanded, and coated with a sealer (it seeps into the pores and helps create a super smooth finish). Once dry, some final sanding then a stain.

The jury is out. Probably start light and move up darker until it looks good.

Hey, it was wood for the fire....good to practise on.

 

[Maro2Bear]

I wanna “paddle” in your shoes for a day!!

Come on over. I have an extra kayak and plenty of water.

 

[CarolM]

Not sure yet. Since it is fresh/green wood, not sure how it will accept a stain. We did finish it up, sanded, and coated with a sealer (it seeps into the pores and helps create a super smooth finish). Once dry, some final sanding then a stain.

The jury is out. Probably start light and move up darker until it looks good.

Hey, it was wood for the fire....good to practise on.

Yip true. But then again you don't really need practice.