A NEW ADDITION

Our extended clan has grown by one.  My son-in-law Walt has finally received his Christmas present:  a female Argentine Giant Chacoan Tegu.  For those unfamiliar with tegus, it's a damned lizard!  Not just a lizard, but one that will grow to about five feet long.  Walt (whose a nice guy in every other way) has wanted one for a while but had to wait until this one had gotten to a certain age -- the Jurassic Age if you ask me.  The tegu, whom they named Mango, was due to arrive this past Tuesday -- Tegu Tuesday -- but was delayed because of the mid-Atlantic blizzard, so it came today (forever after to be known as Tegu Thursday).

Walt spent several weeks building a cage for Mango, a giant wooden structure that spans the l;ength of their dining room.  They may now have to get a smaller dining room table.

When Mango arrived, Walt was beside himself with happiness.  She was still cold from the journey and was very docile when he picked her up.  Although just a young 'un, Mango is already larger than their bearded dragon, Messi.  Anyway, after warming up, Mango raised hersself up on all four legs, swelled her body, and started hissing loudly when approached.  In the meantime, they expect a lot of scratches and tail whippings.

I have to admit that, for a damned lizard, Mango is very beautiful.

So, welcome to the family, Mango.  You will never be lonely because your new home also has two adults, three kids, three dogs, three cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, a turtle, and a hedgehog.

And to celebrate your first weekend here, Erin is having six or seven teenage girls over for a sleepover for her fourteenth birthday.

Expect a lot of screeams.