Friday Five Pets

Sophia posted this Friday Five: "My son's tiny beloved lizard, Elf, is looking and acting strange this week. His skin/scales are quite dark, and he is lethargic. We are adding vitamin drops to his lettuce and spinach and hoping and praying that he is just getting ready to shed his skin--but it's too soon to tell. Others in the ring have also been worried about beloved pets this week. And, in the saddest news of all, Songbird has had to bid farewell to her precious Molly, the amazing dog who is well known to readers of her blog as a constant sacrament of God's unconditional love.

So in memory of Molly, and in honor of all the beloved animal companions who bless our lives: tell us about the five most memorable pets you have known."

1. I grew up on an orchard/truck farm like atmosphere so my earliest memories were of gathering eggs from the 'chicken coop.' I know they weren't pets, but they were to me at 3, 4 and 5.

2 At the same age we always seemed to have a dog and doghouse in the backyard. The dog was never loose, and never was really socialized. My cousin across the backyard had one too. I think they were like watchdogs, though they had names. Ours was a collie type, hers was more of a shepherd. As a matter of fact, I never knew that I was allergic to cats as all the cats I grew up around in Ohio in the 50's and 60's lived outside, so I was never in close proximity! I'm really allergic, too!

3.Ducks. On the way walking from school, my friend Trudy and I would stop at the Feed and Grain store (how's that for dating myself and showing myself as the hick I truly am.) And sometimes they would have flats of ducklings. We begged for some. We got two each.They were cute until they got big. Really made a mess of the backyard. I think Trudy's family ate theirs, sigh.

4. Tiny turtles. I had many of these, from the 5 and dime. They lived in little plastic bowls with palm trees. Eventually they got out. My mother stepped on one. She was traumatized. Both were, one fatally. Lately I've heard they carry Salmonella.

5. Way too late, I got a dachshund. My mother, who was newly retired proceeded to spoil him silly. Did I mention that she was a meat cutter/butcher and would cook him special food. Barney became her dog.

Bonus: Almost forgot, a white rat I had for awhile (left over from a cousins science experiment) and a white mouse named Radclyfe who was a gift from my best buds for my 17th birthday, What were they thinking??!