Panic in the Summy Household

Mr. Veiled Chameleon has been living in his own cage for a few months now.

Is it divorce, reptile style?

Not exactly. But it is a definite separation.

Mrs. Veiled Chameleon had become ubermean, biting and hissing at the male whenever he tried to eat. As a result, Mr. Chameleon was thin and nervous.

Anyway, Mr. Chameleon is now munching up a cricket storm and is, apparently, full of vim and vigor and an adventurous spirit.

Here's what we found yesterday afternoon..

A cage door ajar.


A missing chameleon. (Which takes a bit of time to ascertain because of the whole camouflage thing!)


Mr. Chameleon in the back of a dusty toy closet, eyeing (with both eyes!) a sports car. He ventured about 14 feet from his cage.

Upon his return, Mr. Chameleon scarfed down a couple of crickets, sipped water from a leaf and took a nap. This is definitely a story he'll share with his children. (See how he's shedding? A testimony to his healthy eating.)

And two very fun and UNpanicky links:

Vermont College of Fine Arts' Hunger Mountain journal is accepting entries for their annual Katherine Paterson Prize for Writing for Young Adult and Children contest. Click here for details.

My very good friend, Maureen McGowan's, Switching Places, is a finalist in the Golden Heart! Maureen and I met online, only to discover she lives a couple of blocks away from one of my sisters in Toronto! Do I meet up with Maureen when I go back to the homeland for a visit? Uh, yes!! Maureen chatted with me about the premise of Switching Places a couple of years ago over a chicken Caesar salad. Great premise. Great writing. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she won.



p.s. I have a My Town Monday post for Monday. Finally, I'm getting back in the swing of things.