It barks at us. If we leave it alone it barks, and then it rears its head up scarily. Sometimes it howls like an elephant! When you look over, it looks like just a little plastic white innocent thing, but in actuality it’s terrifyingly scary. I got a shot of it before I had to run outside and sit with my daughter in the backyard so it doesn’t eat us alive. I have no idea why it blinks and barks (and I know no other turtle to ever bark!), but I think it’s pulling some Linda Blair stuff on me, or maybe it learned everything from reading Bret Easton Ellis’ Lunar Park and based its very existence off Terby! Oh the horror!

Anyway, although I suffered through finals and regular coursework through last weekend, there were additional assignments and postings due this week. I also had to complete the student surveys and other matters. So, after picking Claire up at school, shopping, having dinner, and going through the bedtime ritual (which ended around 10:00 pm), I started my last assignment. This concluded a short time ago and I turned to watch a rustling Claire on the bed behind me. (Yes, the guest bed; no, she is not always the perfect angel sound asleep in her own room).

As I glanced at my beautiful child, gracefully dancing across the sheets, calmly dreaming of puppies and cupcakes, I took the opportunity to appreciate our similarities and felt proud of the good contained within her wee frame.

Then she farted.

Damn daddy’s girl.