Overall, it was a great weekend, and I was sad to see it go. *Sighs* Weekends never last long. They come and go so quickly before you can bat an eye. I am already looking forward to this weekend. LOL! I hope you all will have a great week ahead. Take care and be kind to yourself and others.
Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
Stefan and Holly hadn’t left the community pond in two weeks. Their last outing found them chasing away a cackle of hyenas who were trying to attack the neighboring zebras. Stefan was no longer in his prime. At 37 years old, his body weight amassed to 6,200 lbs. Holly was his confidant – his forever feathered friend. She would fly to his nook of the pond every day, and the two of them would gossip about the goings-on of the Sahara.
Jeffery the Jackal was cheating on his wife Johnna. Callan the Cape Hare had been evicted by the burrow’s landlord. Murphy the Mongoose lost a finger to Alfred the Alligator (by accident) the night before last. And Cheyenne the Cheetah was in heat.
“Have you heard about Cheyenne, Holly?”
“No, what’s that old bitty up to now, Stefan?”
“Word about the Sahara is she’s in heat.”
“You don’t say!!! Will Clyde and Clifton be on the lookout then for her, you think?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of those two since the last desert rainstorm.”
“My word! I hope she doesn’t come prancing over here with that scent of hers. We’ve got enough problems on this side of the pond. You heard about Jeffery, right?”
“The Jackal or the Giraffe?”
“The Jackal. Berta the Barbary Sheep caught him stepping out on Johnna.”
Stefan gasped, and a pent-up ball of air escaped his wide and viciously tooth-filled mouth.
“You don’t say! Didn’t they just have a whole new litter of little ones?!”
“They sure did! Four of the little pups, if I’m not mistaken. The nerve of that over-aged pimp! She needs to leave him!”
“I doubt she will, though. Two of the older children came back home to help out. Jeffery is the breadwinner – Johnna’s stuck. He’s got her right where he wants her, and that ain’t no place I’d wanna see any of my friends.” Stefan sighs discontentedly as he says this.
The Saharan sun bows its reddened glow and hovers over Stefan and Holly before closing its eyes. Pitch black is the night sky as the two wander gingerly back to the base of the pond. A day of gossiping, galloping, and gloating has met its end.
“Same time, same place, tomorrow, Stefan?”
“I’ll be right here, Holly.”
This flash fiction piece is in response to Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge. This was my first go at it, and I truly enjoyed writing this story. Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at this challenge, too?
Life is such a precious thing. Every time I think about every day I am given, I am thankful. I mentioned to the crush today that when Jernee finally does pass away, I will be completely and utterly alone. Her response to me was, “Let’s not dwell on that today, please.” I was simply stating a fact – albeit, random as it was, a fact, nonetheless. She didn’t want me to break down or shut down, and I get that. I do. Jernee’s vet visit is this coming Thursday, and we will see what’s what.
The weather has been a bit topsy-turvy since the time change, and I am dealing with some rather mischievous allergies. My left eye is red and swollen, so I guess I’ll be wearing my glasses for the next few days and not my scleral eye contacts. Spring is just around the corner, so I see it’s doling out its gifts early. *Sighs*
Here’s hoping the week ahead will be a fantastic one for all of you. Stay safe. Stay sane. Stay present!
Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
The squirrel is not a wasteful creature.
I will share “Something To Think About” for the next fourteen weeks on Sunday afternoons. It may be a quote, a picture, an interesting phrase I heard, artwork, etc. Whatever I share will surely be intriguing or involving enough to spark a casual discussion or in-depth conversation. Stay tuned every Sunday for this new feature!
Peace and blessings.
Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
It had been nearly seven months since Zumi’s terrarium had been cleaned from top to bottom. It was time to do just that and discard the old wood chips and dirt.
I ordered two bags of coconut substrate bedding. The brand is ReptiChip. I used one bag, and I have another bag for the next time I do this which will be in May of next year.
Per the Zoologist, I should thoroughly clean the terrarium and replace the substrate every 6-8 months. I got ZuZu on March 23, 2024, so it was under seven months last night when I took on the challenge.
Let me tell you, beautiful human beings, this is not a task for the faint of heart! Once I transferred Zuse to its portable terrarium, I carried its main terrarium to my kitchen where I used the sink hose to rinse and clean the space. I used Dawn dishwashing liquid, Fabuloso, and hot water. I made sure it was rinsed, and free of film and soap and then, I hand-dried the terrarium with a cleaning cloth.
I set up the terrarium with the new substrate bedding, all of Zumi’s fake plants, food and water, the favorite hidey-hole/cave, and then I put Zuse back in its home.
While ZuZu was in the portable terrarium, it pooped. I said to it as I lifted it to transfer it back to where it should be, “Aww, Zuse! You weren’t even in here for thirty minutes!” It just looked at me as if to say, “You’re the one who bought this comfy and sweet-scented bedding, Mom. Now, clean up my mess!”
I live in a building that does fire drills to test the alarms. The fire department comes out every few months, runs the drills, and then leaves after 30-45 minutes. The last time this happened, I gathered up Jernee and ran out of my apartment.
I totally forgot about Zuse! But even if I remembered, I had no portable terrarium for my baby, so I couldn’t take it with me anyway. After that drill, I made it a point to remedy the problem.
We are to treat the drills as if they were actual fire alerts. So the next time one takes place, I’ll be prepared for Zumi. And this fact makes me feel a lot better about all of our safety.
Some days, it still boggles my mind that I am Mommy to a 16-year-old Chorkie and a Red-Footed Tortoise. A comfortable home is what I want for all of us, and that is what I aim to give us every single day. Zumi’s new portable home and its clean terrarium with new substrate bedding are pieces to our overall comfort.
Saturday night was meant for change, and I am glad I made time for it.
I have not given birth to anyone, but I have mothered some; auntied others. I am my dog’s world and my tortoise’s favorite human.
I am a nurturer by default, a giver by God, and a sound and whole lover. I know what I know because I’ve seen what I’ve seen.
To the mothers who have mothered without rest, haven’t had a decent meal in hours, hustling throughout the day from school drop-offs and pickups, and home to make dinner before the streetlights come on.
To those mothering, because they’ve been shoved into that role, forced to take on someone else’s children, eager to adopt the motherless & fatherless. And to the big sisters, big brothers, aunties, and uncles.
To those of you grieving a mother. Crying without sound. Worried if you’ll feel whole again. Living without your mother or mothering human, yet still hurting and longing for their presence, I see you. You are loved and I hope today doesn’t burden you too much.
To mothers of pets cradling their fur babies or singing with their feathered friends or being envious of their reptilian or amphibian creatures. You aren’t lost on me. I know what it takes to keep a pet (s) healthy and not lose your sanity in the process.
To all of you doing what you can, however you can, and whenever you can . . . I hope this Mother’s Day will be a blessing and not a curse. Joy and not sadness. Holy and not evil. And I say that with a love that has no words and cannot be fully described.
You are, every one of you, cherished and admired, and my highest thought of you is one of complete and total adoration.
Peace and blessings.
A Cornered Gurl 
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