Fiona

As most of you know, Grace the neighbor kid is just like one of my own. She lives two houses down with her Mom and Dad, Natalie and Mistah (his name is really Eric, but Sophie just calls him Mistah - and it has stuck).

The girls' nanny, Mickie, is a fantastic 68-year-old spitfire who dyes her hair red and is always involved in some sort of adventure or another. Grace has been nanny-sharing this summer.

Mickie is normally a logical and sensible (but fun!) human being. But....for some reason she bought Grace a turtle for her birthday.

A turtle.

No aquarium, no gravel, no warm light thing....just a turtle. Without asking her parents.

Grace named the turtle Fiona.

Unfortunately for Fiona, and Grace for that matter, the cost of a full turtle set up is quite substantial. Ten gallons of aquarium per one inch of shell length.

Fiona is 5-6 inches long. That's some aquarium.

Needless to say, Natalie and Mistah are not amused. They are now struggling with how to break the disappointment to Grace gently. And also how to approach a fiesty 68-year-old woman with maroon hair on the inappropriateness of animal gifting.

In the meantime, Fiona is perched on some rocks in a bucket of water in my living room awaiting her fate.

And as Sophie says, "It's pwetty hawd to give away a tuwtle that alweady has a name."