Turtle soup?

Yesterday at lunch time we noticed that a turtle had strayed into our yard.  Ian and I enjoyed watching it meander around the property but Ireen was scared of it.  She litterally trembled when she was made to touch the shell.  After lunch I took the kids for their swim lesson and then returned home.  While I was in the kitchen the little rascal found its way into the house.  By the time I saw the turtle it was completely down the hallway and almost in the kitchen.  I decided to watch, get some pictures and a short video clip.  As it was trying to pass under the table in the kitchen it got stuck, had to back up and find another route.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the turtle plod through the house and then fall off the back step.  It went into the backyard and we saw it walking around a bit more throughout the day.  I commented to Tim a couple times that the turtle reminded me of Tristan.

Today the gardener came.  He has helped us set traps for pests before (like rats as big as cats).  He readily does this and then usually takes whatever he finds home for the soup pot.  I never imagined he would want to eat a turtle!!  But, sure enough he trapped the turtle and told the kids how he was going to take it home for supper.  They were delighted.  I was not.

When Tim got home I asked him to talk to the gardener about leaving the turtle here for us as a pet.  Tim’s response was to let him have the turtle…after all when someone is short on food this is a delicacy.  I just couldn’t bring myself to offer this poor little turtle up on a platter to our gardener.  So…Tim allowed me to keep the turtle.  He laughed at me and said that my reason for keeping the thing is that it reminds me of Tristan.  Now, if you were this turtle’s mama, wouldn’t you be happy someone saved it from the dinner plate?