Galapagos -Giant Tortoise

Seconds off the plane from a 27 hour trip

and husband whisks me off to see the islands

most famous inhabitants.

The Giant Tortoise.

I tell you, there aint no better cure for 

jet lag than these little beauties.

They reminded me so much of my wee Del-Boy

(who currently lives with my mother-in-law

who spoils her rotten and hand feeds her each day)

the same characteristics 

only much much bigger.

So adorable.

I think my favourite one may have been the 

one who was in the swamp.

Mainly because she reminded me of 

Morla the Aged one from Neverending Story,

yes there may have been quite a few 

quotes and re-enactments going on there

(luckily i recently introduced husband to the movie so

he is no on parr with my brain waves)

I can also tell you that their favourite food

is Guava, it makes their faces very pink!

Del-Boys Castle

I'll admit when i moved to Egypt i didnt cry

at leaving behind my family or friends,

but i did shed a tear or two over leaving

behind my pet tortoise, Del-Boy.

But we've been having regular skype chats

where she gives me looks down the web cam a bit like this-

and then walks over the keyboard leaving me messages a bit like this-

asdlfkjaoweipjfasdklfape

(which translated from tortoise means i miss you mummy)

But now Del-Boy has been on the move and travelled all the way back to the Uk.

I was a little bit mad at Captain Tim for taking

her without making the correct preparations

(ie. a new tortoise house for her to live in)

but on Christmas day i received a wonderful

surprise that he had spent his whole day building Del-Boy a Castle.

isn't it the cutest little thing!

it has little sunflowers painted on it as they are Del-Boys (and my) favourite flower.

There is also a Christmas tree so that Del-Boy can celebrate Christmas,

and a Lemon Tree, so she can sing a song to it.

I am not a dog person.....

I'm not really a dog person, or a cat person either to be honest.
I think the reason is that they move too fast and can make loud noises....
indeed i do like fat lazy cats that do nothing but simply flick their tails on occasion...

this could be the reason that i have a pet tortoise...she sleeps more than i do (very few things can) and never makes quick movements that make me flinch.

(In fact i realised recently that its a real deal breaker that if people talk to me too much about their pet dogs on a date it really turns me off)

But after seeing some of these pictures
i could definitley change my mind about dog owning....

Okay, okay,
so most (all) of these dogs have been dyed by their crazy chinese owners to make them look like pandas and i'm sure tht there are probably a few pet protesters out there protesting away at such things...

but...

they are so cute!
Pandas are my favourite animal
and as a child i always wanted a pet panda.
This would be the next best thing to a wish fulfilment....

(p.s check out my baby ballerina picture over at Dancing Branflakes)

Cheerful Rainy Day Thoughts

As it is such a miserable rainy day out side i've decided to think of things that have made me smile in the last 24 hours.

Reading my sisters facebook status which read -
just found a home made comic in the bathroom... little brothers are strange?!?

watching Samantha Who?

receiving a pretty new vintage lacey mint green dress that i bought in the post


receiving three Cadburys Twirl bars in the post

eating three Cadburys Twirl bars

chatting with my 10yeard old brother Jordan on facebook
when the conversation went a bit like this -

me - what did you do today?
Jordan - nothing
me- what? didnt you go to school?
jordan - yeah...but why would i bring that into my life story?

coming out of the meeting with my Director that i've been
putting off for ages (i wanted to ask for a payrise) and realising that it wasnt so bad.

starting a new book

listening to Sweet Charity soundtrack this morning on my ipod

listening to The Dave Gorman Podcast on my ipod last night

seeing how excited Del-Boy gets when i give her a tomato

The Guide To.....

On reading my newly acquired 'The Guide To Owning a Mediterranean Tortoise'
I learned that leaving a dish of egg shells around for Del-Boy is good for her as it will help her shell and bone growth.

Wanting to be a good mummy, yesterday after making myself an omelette i duly crushed the egg shells and put them in a bowl for Her Majesty to delight herself with.

Boy oh Boy did she get excited.

She literary dove head first into the bowl,
with her little legs dangling over the edge!

I thought it was cute so here are some pictures....

I have also learned that she may actually be a he....as the sex of a tortoise can only be determined when they reach the age of 4-6 years and Del-Boy is only 1.....

Tortoise Top Model....

I put up a poster of Del-Boy's favourite model next to her little house.

Sometimes she likes to look up at it and hopes that one day she too can be a Tortoise Top Model.

I tell her she is beautiful and can do anything she wants.....

but then again i'm her mummy so i'm biased.

Introducing.....

Del-Boy

My new pet tortoise

Her real name is Princess Florentine the Third but she has told me that she prefers to go by the nickname of Del-Boy. (like from Only Fools and Horses)

I have been visiting her in the pet shop for a few months now, promising her that one day i would come in and take her home with me. I was having a Christmas dinner party at the weekend and decided that she should be the guest of honour. I walked into the pet shop and said to the asisstant,
'I would like to buy this pet tortoise'
She quesitoned me,
'What, now?'
She had seen me on many an occasion in which i had proceeded to grill her on the ins and outs of tortoises.
'Yip', declared I, 'today is the day'

and now Del-Boy is at home with me
and i wont be alone for Christmas!