introducing tuesday

It's Tuesday, yes. But the Tuesday I am introducing is Tuesday Weld, the common box turtle. He--yes, "he"; his sex was unknown at the time he was dubbed thus and I rather think he doesn't mind!--was found meandering along a road in Los Angeles by a dear family friend, Pedro. Pedro has the magic touch with both plants and animals. He is, simply, the Green Man. He can make anything grow, and makes a living as a gardener. But with animals, they simply find him. In his Garden-of-Eden-In-Los-Angeles yard, there lives a tribe of dogs (too many breeds for me to keep straight!), cats, doves and various other birds, and whatever other animals have found their way to him recently. I think troubled and lost animals have some sort of gossip chain, a Lost Gazette, which his scent, address and route to work is published--"for those in need".

Sleeping with his head on his hand!

Tuesday was one of those Lost Souls, wandering along a major street in Los Angeles (one of the highest known causes of death for box turtles, along with heavy collection of wild turtles for selling as pets). Box turtles are semi-aquatic--we can only surmise he was an escaped pet, because I don't think he was a native. Box turtles aren't great wanderers. He may have eventually found Burbank lake... within a couple years. But the Green Man wasn't willing to bet. And hence our family inherited the cutest little personality ever to reside in a reptile.

Tuesday Weld-see the resemblance?

Today I was clearing out of a box, and was unpleasantly surprised by a little house spider, scurrying around on the article of clothes I was holding. Pheugh! Without a thought I flipped it off--and watched the spider go sailing into Tuesday's cage. ARGH. And with its spider-sense, damn it, went scuttling straight for Tuesday, and disappeared under/in (??!!) his shell. Nooooaahhooooo!!

Tuesday didn't so much as blink. (Cute, eh? ;D) Of course, he would ideally be living outside with plenty of spiders, and turtles are known for consuming a few insects. And slugs. But that's not the point.

Sorry, Tuesday! Itadakimasu!