Pets

My children love pets. They were sad to leave our salamander and goldfish at home but have been excited to buy goldfish and turtles for our pond.
We bought 13 different goldfish. They weren't given names but they are fun to watch.
The kids talked me into buying turtles at the street market today. Oldest daughter named hers "Scarlet" because it has red on its cheeks. Middle daughter named hers "Spidery" because she likes scary things.
When middle child put Spidery into the pond she plopped it into the water instead of placing it on a rock like instructed. She said Spidery sunk and she couldn't find it. I spent an hour dredging the pond but couldn't find it either. Her father may be coming home with a new Spidery that will miraculously appear on a rock.
The mosquitoes are so bad here. I currently have twenty bits on my legs. Youngest daughter has eight bites, including one in her arm pit. I've ordered a bug zapper for the house and have been hitting up flower and plant markets looking for herbs and flowers that deter mosquitoes to plant in my garden and around the pond.

                                            Spidery is a smaller turtle and is on the left. Scarlet
                                            is on the right.


***Update: Scarlet has been renamed Alison after a good friend from Boise. The original Spidey was found. We had a rainstorm this afternoon, after it had passed the girls went to find Scarlet/Alison. They found both Spidey and Alison on a rock and both were alive so life is good.