Twice a day the turtles, which are actually the size of a large bagel, need our attention: breakfast and dinnertime. We sprinkle various kinds of dry, fishy food into their tank. I don’t really know what it is but it stinks. They get very excited when we come downstairs. But all they want is their food. Then they get back to swimming around and playing together.

I forget their names. I think it’s Spotty and Stripes. Something like that. But it doesn’t really matter. They look alike and don’t answer when you call their names.

But boy do they lead a very active life in their big tank. They’re fast and graceful swimmers. Fun to watch swishing this way and that. And they’re so interesting to look at: they each have a bright red spot on their ears. Hepcat says that they’re called "Red Eared Turtles" but he’s not sure that turtles have ears (all of a sudden he’s a turtle expert).

He just told me that Red Eared Turtles are notorious for spreading Samonella. Great. He’s always such a bringer of good news. We never touch the water but boy will we ever avoid it now.

We must wash our hands after feeding them. We must wash our hands after feeding them.

Those turtles don’t seem to want attention from us. They do, however, follow us. If we’re on one side of the tank, they come to that side. It’s kinda cool.

This weekend we’re back on guinea pig duty. OSFO can barely wait. The guineas enjoy being petted and held. And she loves to pet their soft fur and hold them. When we get there, they’re usually hiding in their "furniture." Cool plastic shapes that look like they were made in the 1960’s. Very mid-century modern.

I forget their names, too. Furry and Softy or something like that.

It feels nice to be needed by those turtles. Twice a day, we pay a  visit, feed them, say good bye. They have a bright florescent light. We can’t decide if we should turn it off at night. When do they sleep. Do they need it to be dark in there?

Questions, questions. We are just learning to take care of turtles.