Sometimes it takes a lot to make someone happy. Take my new turtle for example. My daughter has wanted a red-eared slider, which is a very attractive water turtle, that lives a long life when cared for well, and it can grow to a foot long. Recently, she got her wish. And I got a new project.

First I dug a pond, which took all summer. I bought a pump, which broke, then another, and then one with a filter, and lights, and a heater. Then miraculously (or so we thought), our neighbor came over and offered a free grown turtle that his grandson no longer wanted. We were so excited, and we were ready! In it went, up went our hopes, and after a quick dinner we would see how it was making out.

Gone in an instant. It just walked away. Easy come, easy go, I guess. It was not meant to be. So we bought 10 comets (goldfish), and enjoyed those for a few weeks while we dreamed of what might have been. Then school hit, and a new wave of longing (helped out by frequent visits to PetSmart, a wonderful place to shop if you have a pet, and a place that we’ve been shopping at for two years, since we’ve had our wonderful cat Oreo.

Finally, I got the 20 gallon tank ready, made a few more purchases (3 lights?), and we were ready. I bought the cute 3″ turtle, and my daughter was ecstatic. But the little guy would not eat. He missed his friends and his larger space. If he knew the effort and expense I went to, he would be more appreciative perhaps. But he ignored my organic kale, carrots and green cabbage, and would not eat worms nor crickets, would not even touch the three types of turtle food I bought as well. In my guilt, I hooked up a photo frame out his window, so he could see my family, and yes, I even went onto the Internet and downloaded about five shots of turtles. He LOVED it. It was all he was living for. But it was not enough for me to know he was captivated, I had to know he would survive. And no eating was not a good sign.

So I went to Craigslist for a larger tank. After three weeks, my hopes were dashed. People wanted real money for theirs, and I had to travel for it. And the store wanted a fortune. Luckily, my wife put a not on our town’s email list, and a friend of mine replied! They had a tank, and some stuff, not sure what size. Well it ended up perfect–the tank was larger but not taller, and came with loads of great stuff, including an air pump and plants. That kept me busy for half a week, setting it up (my wife was not very happy with me, because I should be searching for money to pay our mortgage, but that’s another story). Finally, we were ready for the changeover.

Last night, we went live with Turtle 3.0. All systems are go–we even have the fish swimming around in the tank, around the turtle, and he still comes around to view the photos, but is happily ducking under the bridge, basking on the enlarged rock, and swimming, what a joy to watch.

Oh–and he ate three of the fish. After all, he was VERY hungry!!