Hot Birthday

It is hot outside. It is so hot outside that I break a sweat just looking outside. Alabama has a heat advisory that started at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Of course, this all makes me concerned about Frankie. He did okay yesterday for a half day heat-advisory but a full day concerned me. Since I was working in the gecko room this morning, I thought I would bring Frankie inside.

Frankie was a perfect gentleman about walking directly into the garage and into the gecko room. Quickly I put down wood in front of every terrarium stand so Frankie doesn't push them over, block the bathroom, block under the shelves and block by the side wall. Frankie occupied himself with testing the strength of all the blockades. Eventually he found a Steel Stella substitute in the form of an overturned plastic shoe box and proceeded to practice his sexual prowess as he grunted in pleasure.

I went to work feeding geckos.

Frankie got bored with his new girlfriend after about 30 minutes and started walking around the room again, watched carefully by me. At one point, as he passed in front of me, he paused long enough to urinate all over the floor, and then continued his walk around. "Oh,yeah." I say to Frankie, "I've missed that too."

Frankie's patience for remaining in the gecko room despite a heat index of 105ºF, is zero after two hours. He starts bumping all 75 pounds against the gecko room letting me know he wants outside. Now.

Hopefully cooled down sufficiently to survive the afternoon, Frankie is led outside to the back yard. I return to the house drenched in sweat. I am saving my shower for late this after noon knowing I will be outside several times to check on him and hose him off with cool water.

Peak summer routine resumes.

Big announcement: Happy Birthday to Frankie! Frankie turns 9 years old on Sunday. Check the Frankie cam for activities.

4th of July Party

Greg and I were invited to a 4th of July party out in the country with our very dear friends. For some reason, Greg asked if we could bring Frankie along. After all, the area is full of grass and grazing areas and Frankie loves Big Walks. But really, what was Greg thinking.

Taking Frankie to a party is like having a 75 pound 2 year old child with you. There is no letting the terror alone for a moment. Parents are responsible for protecting the child from harm, and keeping the child from bringing down the house. The host is not responsible to child proof their home -- um, in this case sulcata-proofing their home and entire outdoor space from Frankie.

We spend most of our time keeping Frankie from pushing over fences, eating gardens, re-arranging lawn furniture, going through sliding glass doors, getting into poison ivy and drowning in the pond.

Did we ever get time to have adult conversations, sit down under an umbrella, enjoy a meal and relax? No.

Sometimes its best to illustrate what happen with a few pictures.

Frankie arrives in the backyard

You're not supposed to eat any of the flowers in the nice flower garden.

By the volleyball court. Greg is trying to keep Frankie from the poison ivy all over the fence Frankie is determined to push over.

Twice Frankie decided he wanted to walk out on a twenty foot pier that juts out to the pond. We were so tempted to find out if sulcata sink or swim but decided neither of us wanted to go in if he did sink to the bottom.

As always, Frankie attracts the younger crowd.