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Dear Ponddigger peoples,

My name is Graham and I'm a Red Eared Slider water turtle.  I was given as a gift to my keeper's step-daughter, from her soft ball teammates almost seven years ago (I was kind of a mascot).  When I moved in I was just a baby and my "crib" was a cozy one-room aquarium.



                        My humans took pretty good care of me so I grew a little. 

   
          
It wasn't long before I grew out of my first aquarium. It was pretty nice, but there just wasn't any room for my active adolescent life style.

So along came my keeper.  He was dating my keeper's step-daughter's mom, and he got me a bigger aquarium for her birthday (actually, I think he was just trying to shmooze her Mom but I thought, "that's cool - at least I get new digs out of it!").  Well, as I grew still larger, my keeper ended up picking up an even larger aquarium for another of the step-daughter's birthdays.  Hey, am I the gift that keeps on giving or what?! And yes, my keeper was still coming around.



Well, after about a year, my keeper ends up proposing to the step-daughter's mom (Hey, how could he resist when I was part of the package!!?!), they got married, and we all moved into a new house (Think "Brady Bunch + amphibious reptile).  And naturally with all those people in the house feeding me, I grew some more. And you guessed it… My keeper goes birthday gift shopping at the pet store (is this guy in a rut or what?!).  I’m sure the step-daughter would've much rather had a cell phone or an Ipod or something but I finally got a real turtle aquarium - none of that generic "goldfish" stuff! Nice upgraded wall-to-wall gravel flooring, larger basking spot, central heating and a killer filtration system. But I knew my keeper was getting burned out on aquariums.  I clearly overheard him say, "That's it, if he grows out of this one he's going in a pond in the back yard!! (is he getting a little cranky or what?).

One day when the mom and my keeper took me out in the backyard yard to get a few "rays" (I'm like… ya know… a Southern California turtle…) I decided to look around for a potential pond spot. 


  
After I poked around a bit I found a pretty nice corner. Not too sunny/not too shady, sheltered form the wind and the "Feng Shui" was all good (I've been watching "Home Makeover" shows on TV).



So now it's been almost seven years since I came from the pet shop.  The step-daughter has grown up, gotten married and moved out on her own and my keeper and his wife finally put in a pond. It's got flowers, lights, a water fall and I even have three small koi for some company (The pet store folks said there was a chance that I would eat the fish, but they didn't know that I prefer my turtle pellets to "Sushi" any day).  



Now, I don’t want to seem ungrateful - the pond is nice and my keepers did their best to build it with the very small budget they had after finally putting a backyard in the new house. It's one of those 160 gallon preformed shells from one of those large chain, "Do-it-yourself store's" garden departments (you know the place) along with a waterfall kit from the same place. The pump sits on the bottom of the pond and it doesn’t even have a skimmer! I'm afraid the Koi are going to get bigger and I'll end up back in an aquarium! Heck, these Koi could still be around in 30 years!!  And besides, if I ever get a mate this place would be way too small. Hey, there's an angle for ya - a "Get Graham a Girlfriend" Campaign!!

Help me Ponddiggers -  I need an extreme pond makeover!!
              
Calimesa, California

P.S.  I've emailed this to you because I figured the only thing slower than "Snail mail' is "Turtle Mail!                                                                                      

Part two:



Hmmm… a pond with a skimmer. This would be cool.  My pond mates - Manny, Moe and Jack (the "Koi Boys") aren't getting any smaller ya' know...


Hey, it's almost Halloween. Maybe I could dress up and go trick-or-treating for a better pond! Hmm… but what should I go as?  An army helmet… A Galapagos turtle… I GOT IT!  All I need is a green cape and I could be…


A Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtle!!



OK Ponddigger peoples, here I am. Sure hoping for some cool pond stuff (Man… if I get vegetables or something, I'm outta here!)



Trick Or Treat!

Happy Halloween! (Man… that’s one UGLY Koi…)  

Calimesa, California                                                                    

What a cool turtle you are. I feel you should get a girlfriend!

this turtle ROCKS !!

Hey Pond Diggers :-)

I'm new to your site, Hey who is this Graham the turtle?
I'd like to hang with this guy, he sounds like my kind.
Give the little guy the pond make over so he can spread his flipplers
and maybe get the little guy a girlfriend.
He seems like one cool turtle!

Thanks for the laugh's and great pix.
Rockbacon

Thanks for your reply!  This has been a very popular entry!  Your participation in the TalkPonds Forum helps everyone that stops in to capture information.  

Welcome to our forum, and happy holidays.

Hey does anybody know how Graham made out trick-or-treating?
Did he have a good Thanksgiving?
Do turtle's do the turkey thing? maybe ham.
Good luck Graham :-)

Hey, thanks folks for the kind words! Graham's a regular member of the family around here. We've learned that water turtles are a real crack up - it's kind of like having an amphibious puppy paddling around in your pond.

By the way, Graham says he did OK at Halloween, but thinks the Mutant Turtle costume was a little too dated. Next year he's decided to go as an Army helmet afterall. Look out Stormin' Norman - shock and awe!!!

Dear Graham;

I've read your life story a couple of times and I find that you seem to be quite a character.
It's really neat to see how much you've grown since you where given to your keepers step daughter, I'd like to see you win the pond makeover so you can continue to grow and enjoy life the way you are. It would be neat to see picture's of you supervising the crew as they build you a new home.

I can tell by the way you've explained your up bringing, that you really LOVE your Keeper and Family and all they've done for you, they've cared for you REALLY WELL.
So with that said, I give you (Graham) my vote to win the pond makeover.

Good luck Graham
Rockbacon

PS.
I wish there was a way that you could continue to write your life's adventure's and share them with us. You bring a smile to my face.
GOD Bless

Hey Graaaaah--aam! Look what I found for you!




She's rich (she lives in Newport Beach), she's beautiful, and she's waiting for YOU!!!

So pack up your helmet, forget about the pond contest, and high tail it (well - in your case, sLOW tail it) to the beach!