After we bought our new light (which came in a very large box that had to fit on the back seat between Ellenya and I because it wouldn't fit in the car boot as the wheelchair takes up too much space), we got some Red Rooster and went to the duck pond. It was nice =D. All the duckies were coming up to us, but feeding them isn't allowed. They were doing their best to make us feel guilty/intimidated! Ducks are so cute!
After we ate lunch, Elle pushed me so that we could go for a walk around the pond. It is a pretty long way - it is a big pond/wetlandy thing with lots of frogs, the occasional lizard, parrots, and lots of ducks and other water birds. It is a really nice place, and even though it is next to a free way, it is so peaceful! The sound barrier thingies really work for blocking out the sounds of traffic!
In other news, most of our axolotl babies are doing well (apart from two poor little guys who we lost just after they hatched =( - one had a very small and poorly formed head, and the other was not the right shape - so I guess maybe they died from genetic disorders or birth defects or something). Some of the eggs are yet to hatch, but so far we have five axolotl babies that are acting healthy at the moment. They are eating daphnia and learning to swim! I so hope that they survive to become big healthy happy axolotls. We have been feeding them twice a day up until today. They weren't acting hungry this morning, so we are going to feed them once a day today to see how they go (the axolotl website says to feed them 1-2 times a day, depending on their wriggliness!) There is some food in their tank, just not food that is being agitated so they think it is alive, lol - so we are not sure whether they might be finding and eating that. They tend to wriggle a lot when hungry, and they are just twitching now and then at the moment. It is a lot better for me if they only want to eat once a day. I have terrible trouble feeding them with my energy levels and pain in my hands and arms from ME/CFS :S. Feeding takes a long time and it is hard for Ellenya to do on her own.
Speaking of big smiley axolotls - I am a little worried about my Artemis. We had a sudden temperature drop of two degrees celcius yesterday when we were changing their water, and she has been acting a little stressed since then (more frequent trips to the surface for air, occasionally sticking her head out of the water, and generally looking a little straggly - although, Artemis tends to go through periodic straggly stages - I have no idea why! The water quality in the tank is always good). The tank temperature went back to normal overnight, which I hope is good. I generally make sure that the temperature doesn't drop by more than one or two degrees in any given day or night, and that any temperature change is gradual.
Artemis' graze on her side completely healed within a day, so I am hoping that is sign that she is in good health (their filter got knocked or pushed down a few days ago (I think by Almondy) and I think she must have tried to squish past it when it was too close to the statue and hurt herself on it. It wasn't a bad injury, but she is my baby, so I panic!) I have the filter pegged to the side of the tank (as well as suction capped in four places) but it still sometimes gets pushed by stubborn axolotls who dislike going around obstacles...
Today we got our new lounge light installed, and it is actually bright enough to see by! The other one was so dark! I'm so pleased with it! It will mean I will be able to sit in my comfy (and very back-and-arm-supporting) purple armchair and do cross stitches when I have enough energy to! At the moment, I am working on a large cross stitch of some orchids. I am hoping to have it completed by the orchid show (which is around September-October) so that I can enter it into the orchid craft competition =D. I am marking off the little squares I have sewn on the pattern to try to combat my terrible short-term memory (which is yet another annoying symptom of ME/CFS), and so far I haven't found any mistakes!
My family are all going out today, but I am not well enough to go. I am feeling sick and tired and sore with ME/CFS, and my legs don't want to walk =(. At least I can still type and play on my computer, though =D. I think I might go and have a snooze in a minute, or lie in bed and play with my iPad and then have a snooze hehe! That iPad was so worth buying! It is lightweight and so portable and easy to use! I can check my Twitter and Facebook, and chat to people on it (when my hand has the energy) from my bed! =D =D =D. It also has a calendar and it beeps me reminders of important events/things I have to do! It is also pretty nice that it has a hot pink cover on it! Shame I couldn't find a rainbow one... hmm.... I wonder if I COULD find a rainbow one!
~Adrielle =)
