Honeycrisp apples, canned with ginger, cinnamon, honey, water, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Homemade oatmeal made with the canned apples shown above. Saturday, February 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My youngest nephew, Thyrie, is currently hospitalized for a sickle cell crisis. He’s been there since Wednesday night. If you have it in you, please say a prayer for my little fighter. Photo Credit: Thyrie’s mom, sent to me by my brother, TJ.
Saturday morning workout. February 22, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday morning workout. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Stare-off. I didn’t win. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday morning coffee. This is one of my favorite creamers to use. It’s dairy-free and has zero sugar as well. February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Zumi’s breakfast time: freeze-dried shrimp & cucumber. Sunday, February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday dinner: pan-seared lamb, chickpeas, & veggies (onions, bell peppers, 1/2 serrano pepper, spinach, & fresh chopped garlic). February 23, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
I have had such a relaxing weekend, yet one fraught with concern. I have been in total prayer mode for my nephew. My brother has been keeping me updated. He and my oldest niece have sickle cell anemia. My brother and I have the trait, however, we are not carriers.
I’ve always been mindful of who I dated, when I was actively dating, knowing that I’m 1/2 of a detrimental factor for offspring. My brother, not so much. But . . . he knows and understands what’s at stake now.
Thyrie is such a little man. He’s a ball of joy and curiosity. I have been asking God to keep him around for a very long time. Maybe he’ll answer that prayer for me.
I hope you all have a great week ahead. Count your many blessings and build on them by blessing others.
Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
Zumi Tye (my Red-Footed Tortoise) has created its very own jacuzzi. Lol!
I mean . . . I should not be surprised by the fact that I have two pets with such amazing personalities, but I am often surprised by how incredibly adjusted Zumi has become over these last 10 months.
If this doesn’t bring you a bit of joy today, you may need to check your pulse.
“Pretty in Pink”. Saturday, January 25, 2025. I was about to visit my mom in Greensboro, NC, for a few hours. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Pretty in Pink #2. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday Morning Workout. January 26, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My plant babies: Lyric, Kosmos, & Dora. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My plant babies again. Sunday, January 26, 2025.
My “fake, outside plant babies.” They are not named since they aren’t real. Lol! Sunday, January 26, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My other fake, outside plant baby. January 26, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Dirty Snow Mound & Jernee Timid. Sunday, January 26, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Zumi Tye is being mischievous per usual. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Sunday dinner: the veggies are kale, yellow & orange peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
The complete Sunday dinner: country fried steak, coconut Jasmine rice, and the veggies from in the pot above. Sunday, January 26, 2025. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
It was a lovely weekend. I’m glad I could truly enjoy spending time with my mom. I did quite a bit of reading, watered my plants, cooked, and loved on my personality-filled pets. Here’s hoping you had a great weekend, and that the week is being kind to you, too.
Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
A photo collage of the new coconut-scented substrate bedding, Zumi in its portable terrarium, and finally back in its main terrarium after a thorough cleansing. Photo Collage Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
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!”
Zumi Tye walks around the terrarium, getting a feel for the new bedding. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
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.
A Cornered Gurl 
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