Are you Afraid?

Two weeks ago, Grace tested for her brown belt. She did great and this photo proves it. Her teacher praised her power and form. We all knew that!

There was no eating.

more photos

Mom's 85th

Here are some photos. A grand time was had by many, if not all.

Hedgehog (not for eating)

This is my hedgehog, Kes. I chose the name after thinking up all of the female Star Trek names I could remember and choosing one that seemed appropriate for a hedgehog. Kes was that annoying character on Voyager who thankfully left the ship in the third season to evolve into some kind of higher spiritual presence. Despite my dislike for the character, I like the name.

Anyway, I brought Kes home on Wednesday. Hedgehogs are pretty neat animals, and when afraid or nervous they ball up and erect their quills, creating a very spiky sphere. My dad thought she was a sponge. She is still pretty shy and balls every time I pick her up, but within about ten seconds she uncurls and will play with me, provided I don't make any sudden sounds or movements.

Most importantly, I thought I should update the relatives on the diet of this new addition:
Kes is currently eating a boring diet of hedgehog pellets from the pet store (which is what she had been eating before she came home with me), but once she gets a little more settled I'm going to change her to a light cat food, which is apparently a better balance for them.
They are also known to enjoy rice, fresh vegetables, and fruit, much like the Barry's do. I attempted a spoonful of rice last night, but the hog blew right past in and went on to sniff a cardboard box. That's how I feel about plain white rice, so I understood. Tonight I'll bring her a veggie to try.