I was meant to write about this memory today. Yesterday at the pet store we watched a painted turtle in a glass case swim, dive, and sunbathe. Dudley was fascinated. I think he would have stayed all day. The boys liked watching the snakes and lizards more. They are tired with my fascination of turtles.
Then during our reading time just before bed, Jack's Ranger Rick article was about the box turtle. I then knew I had to write about my adventures with turtles. My husband, John, has heard these stories so many times, he cringes when I see a turtle because he knows the story is about to come up again. So here it goes!
After my parents divorced when I was little, my dad moved to Illinois. We didn't see him that often except Thanksgiving and summer vacations. He would drive the 5 hour drive from Rockford to pick us up in Fort Wayne and it always seemed that he would find a lone turtle on the highway, pick it up, and surprise us with one.
Of course the first thing we would ask when he arrived is, "Where's the turtle?" Most times he would produce one, but the most memorable turtle came up missing... atleast for awhile. My dad told us this animated story of how he saw one and stopped to pick it up. He placed it on the floor of the backseat of his stationwagon, but when he got to our house it was no where to be found. Before leaving our house, we searched that car inside and out. I think my dad even looked under the hood. Lisa, my sister, and I even looked under the bottom of the car. No turtle! How odd!
We soon forgot about the turtle until months later. We were driving somewhere probably to a family restaurant for patty melts and vanilla cokes. That was our usual. My sister gave out the shrillest scream ever and jumped so high she nearly bumped her head on the top of the undestructable wagon. Next thing I know I looked down to find the lost turtle climbing out of driver's seat to the well of the back seat. Had he been there all along? What had he eaten? Who knows? But Rosie, what we ended up naming him for a reason that I can't remember now and who turned out to be a boy, spent the rest of the summer with us at dad's.
He was only one of numerous turtles dad brought to us. So now every time I see a turtle on the side of the road, my husband and kids get to hear the story of Rosie. One of these days, I'll stop myself to bring home a turtle for the boys.
Then during our reading time just before bed, Jack's Ranger Rick article was about the box turtle. I then knew I had to write about my adventures with turtles. My husband, John, has heard these stories so many times, he cringes when I see a turtle because he knows the story is about to come up again. So here it goes!
After my parents divorced when I was little, my dad moved to Illinois. We didn't see him that often except Thanksgiving and summer vacations. He would drive the 5 hour drive from Rockford to pick us up in Fort Wayne and it always seemed that he would find a lone turtle on the highway, pick it up, and surprise us with one.
Of course the first thing we would ask when he arrived is, "Where's the turtle?" Most times he would produce one, but the most memorable turtle came up missing... atleast for awhile. My dad told us this animated story of how he saw one and stopped to pick it up. He placed it on the floor of the backseat of his stationwagon, but when he got to our house it was no where to be found. Before leaving our house, we searched that car inside and out. I think my dad even looked under the hood. Lisa, my sister, and I even looked under the bottom of the car. No turtle! How odd!
We soon forgot about the turtle until months later. We were driving somewhere probably to a family restaurant for patty melts and vanilla cokes. That was our usual. My sister gave out the shrillest scream ever and jumped so high she nearly bumped her head on the top of the undestructable wagon. Next thing I know I looked down to find the lost turtle climbing out of driver's seat to the well of the back seat. Had he been there all along? What had he eaten? Who knows? But Rosie, what we ended up naming him for a reason that I can't remember now and who turned out to be a boy, spent the rest of the summer with us at dad's.
He was only one of numerous turtles dad brought to us. So now every time I see a turtle on the side of the road, my husband and kids get to hear the story of Rosie. One of these days, I'll stop myself to bring home a turtle for the boys.
Just don't start making the BUGS your pets! Turtles are much better!!!
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