Our Pet

Some friends of ours just got a new puppy this week and are busy training their new little pal. Although he is quite cute and I wish we could be there hanging out at Camel's Back Park with them, we aren't ready for that kind of commitment to a pet, and probably never will be. So we find strays that don't care if we come or go. In Chicago we had the bunny rabbits that ate the fancy cabbage leaves in our front lawn. In North Carolina we had frogs outside and a fish tank that was a disaster (our fish kept eating each other; it was gross). In Turkey we had lizards who clung to the walls. And now we have "Spider Pig".

Here is a photo of Spider Pig on the day we met.

We met Spider Pig two weeks ago when she decided to build a web out on our back patio. She hung from the outside roof and had a giant web. She was happy there for about 5 days until the contractors came and used a pressure hose to clean the exterior of the house, and destroyed her web. We were sad and wondered what was going to happen to her. The next morning we looked out the window to see if she was back, and we got a big surprise when this time she was right in front of our faces on the door to the patio. Luckily she chose the side that doesn't open. Matthijas was so excited to see her and he named her Spider Pig. It took me a bit to figure out but it is a reference to Charlotte's Web with the spider and the pig. Arcadia has been amazed that she really spends a lot of her time upside down, because as Charlotte says she "thinks better that way".

[A Spider Pig close-up. She finally feels comfortable enough with us that she let me take this picture of her. It's life-size.]

We have had a few friends over to our house since we adopted Spider Pig and on their own they have all discovered her. They have even asked about her well-being since. She is a beautiful pet. She is quiet and helps out with chores (she has bug-catching duty) and never has an accident on the new carpet and always tidies her own space. We have enjoyed her company. And although she isn't cuddly and we can't take her on a walk she has been a good pet for us and we will miss her when is finally time for her to move on.