New Day... New Year... New Start...

     While there hasn't been a post on my blog since May of last year, there is quite simply "no time like the present!"  It was just last year that I discoved the world of blogging and have since realized how entertaining, inspiring and fulfilling it can be to follow along on other people's life stories and life perspectives.  I also realized how wonderfully creative some people write and I quickly digressed from my own writing.  Yet, as unsure of it as I am, it's a new day, a new year, and I'm ready to jump back into a new start at this blogging. 

     Being as the title of my blog is 'Moments of our Lives'... it is fitting to simply jump back into a single moment, without the need to recapture the entire last 6 months.  So, I will recount the night, nearly one week ago that we welcomed (ok... maybe I didn't warmly welcome) a large turtle into our household.  The littlest boy just turned nine years old.  He's been asking for a turtle, then a dog, and if not a dog, than how about a turtle... and so it went for the past half a year.  Our response was usually something like "we'll see..."  "not now..."  "save up your money..."  "that's a lot of work..." "hmmm...." and other less interesting responses, like "I just don't know, honey."

     As December neared, and we considered what gifts might be in order for a certain someone (who was turning 9)'s birthday, a turtle came back up for discussion.  Grandparents asked what the young boy wanted, and offered to help with the purchase of a turtle.  Being the frugal parent that I am, I dodged Petsmart and went straight to Craigslist.  To my suprise, there was a turtle up for "rehoming" in our very neck of the woods!  I was excited at the prospect of a turtle and all it's supplies coming home easily and in one fell swoop.

     The night of "pick-up" or "rehoming" eventually came and although the details of the entire encounter are too many and too crazy to include in this particular episode of journaling... suffice it to say, it was a late...very dark... and undoubtedly adventurous night that we experienced!  At some later date, maybe I can take time to relay the experience, but I will now jump straight to end of story:  Late night!  Giganitic (much bigger than I expected) 55 gallon aquarium tank!  Filters, heater, airator, cords!  Buckets!  Foods! Net, pump, book, papers!  Tank lights, covers, basking light, basking platform, rock structures!  And the most important part: a happy nine year old boy who changed the turtle's name from "Stella" to "Harold Salvione", because "how do we really know it's a girl anyway?"  

(And... in case you didn't know... Harold eats 7 goldfish on Sunday, shrimp on Tuesday, and Reptosticks on Thursdays and other times he needs a small treat.)    

(Harold Salvione)