Denizens of the Not-So-Deep

I only went into the store for fish food. Really. But Aiden and I saw this little guy in one of the tanks, we and didn't resist.

The Hammers cobalt blue lobster is technically a crayfish. Non-technically, they're also a lot of fun.

I don't think I've ever seen the kids so excited abut anything in the fishtank before. Fiona draws pictures of it. Aiden points it out to anyone who comes in the door. The location and migrations of the lobster are announced regularly throughout the day.

We did have a bit of an adventure with him about a week after we got him — Deborah found some blue shell pieces in the tank, and briefly worried that he had died, but it turns out that he had just molted, and was hiding out in one of the decorative hollow bricks I keep in the tank. Thing is, he got in when his shell was soft. And while he was in there, his shell hardened.... and out was not an option. After more than a day, and much coaxing, it was evident that he wasn't going to get out on his own. So, very gently, I took the brick he was in, and a hammer, and started tapping gently and persistently. You can tell when a piece of ceramic is broken by listening to the sound change: click, click, click, click, thunk! Once I heard that, I gently pulled apart on the brick, and it came apart in two neat halves, freeing the lobster. Remarkably, the brick went back together, minus a crossbar, and is a cozy hidey-hole for the lobster once again. And he can get out of it now, too!

Things that Don't Stay Small for Long

In todays' post, we'll take a look at four things in my life that aren't staying small.

The first comes with the sad preamble that, after more than five years, Yertle stopped swimming around the tank in the living room, and took a permanent nap. I walked him across the street and dropped him gently off the end of a dock with a sad little *bloop.* Poor turtle. Fiona still occasionally asks where he is.

Now that we don't have a hungry, carniverous reptile that eats any non-armored fish (my clown loaches, my beautiful clown loaches...!) we can have fish again... so we got a hungry, carnivorous Oscar that eats any and all non-armored fish. So, here we have "Snaps" Provolone, just a day or so after we got him.

OK, so autofocus cameras and fishtanks don't get along. I'm holding a quarter for size reference.

Next we visit the garden we've been working on over at Paul's house, where our efforts are about to be rewarded a hundredfold. I picked three red little cherry tomatoes off the vines last night. They were wonderful. Rich, savory, juicy, with a dark saltiness. Mmmmmm.

The tomato plants, with Aiden as a size reference. Yes, they're a good deal taller than he is. Keeping the plants off the ground has been a challenge in impromptu engineering.

Our squash and giant pumpkins are coming along nicely, too. I can see quite a number of crookneck squash budding and filling out under the massive leaves. (I'd better learn to like these, quick. It looks like I'll be having quite a few for supper come fall!) The pumpkin vines have stretched out more than 10 feet now, with their own impressive leaves and wine-glass sized flowers, although I haven't seen any fruit start to form there yet.

I had no idea that the plants would be this big. Aiden, again, serves as a size reference.

The fourth thing that isn't staying small here is... Aiden. He's getting big! I love that smile!

At least he's ordering from us...

Consider the following:

1. We don't have a litterbox for our cat. When he wants to go outside, he tells us.
2. We don't have a cat flap in our door.
3. Our bed is set up as a loft, with the computer, desk, and business equipment underneath.
4. The cat usually wants to go out at about 4 a.m.
5. We have a very bright cat...

Now, put that all together.

Have you figured out how the cat gets me up to let him out in the middle of the night? Yep... he jumps up on the desk underneath our bed, and starts pushing buttons on the credit card terminal. Beep! Beepittybeepbeep! Beep! Beep! Beeeeeep!

I can't sleep to it. No one could. I have to get up and let him out. And every time I do, I can't help but admire his ingenuity.

A Dangerous Animal

For several weeks — months, now? — I have been joined in my outdoor activities by a small, very affectionate grey kitten. Taffy seems to get along with it quite well, and it is very cute...

I let him/her/it inside last night, just to see what would happen. Mostly it slunk around, hid under things, and inspired a lot of commentary from Fiona. Deborah told me not to get any ideas.

I have my own doubts, anyway, largely because of the missing tail. [Squeamish readers should skip to the beginning of the next paragraph] Now, I don't mean a little furry stub, I mean I can see the vertebrae. It doesn't look infected, but it's been that way for a few months now, so presumably it's not a fatal. How long does it take to heal over — or would it heal over at all? I'd hate to adopt it if it needed surgery.

Still, it is very cute...