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C’mon, Lois, I gotta’ know what that line-green lizard was doing on your toothbrush.

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OK, Bill. I’ve hunted for my writing about the lime-green lizard and my toothbrush and I can’t find it. So, I’ll give you the 30,000 ft. version.

Once upon a time I had a children’s Buzz Light Year toothbrush with soft bristles because it was gentle on my teeth and it could get to those hard to reach places in the back on my mouth. My Buzz Light Year toothbrush was lime-green.

One evening when I reached for my Buzz Light Year toothbrush a long green tail flicked from side to side as my hand approached the handle. Confused, I took a closer look at Buzz and there was a lime green lizard straddling the entire length of him!!!

Not being too keen on sharing my Buzz Light Year toothbrush with long lime-green lizards, I screamed hysterically, took one flying leap and landed on my bed 40 feet away, and stood there raising the roof with my blood curdling screams. My German Shepherd dog came bolting into the bedroom jumped on the bed and stood guard in front of me, barking and ready to protect me from my assailant.

Hubs came into the bedroom as well. He recognized the scream before and he assumed I had a run-in with a snake in the bathroom. (we live in Texas). He was quite amused to find the lime-green lizard lounging on my Buzz Light Year toothbrush.

Needless to say, I didn’t use the toothbrush after the lizard did its thing to Buzz.

And that is just one of the bizarre lizard stories I have.

Now when I see them, I don’t pay much attention. However, I don’t want them crawling on me and I don’t want to share my toothbrush with them.

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Well Bill, I did some writing about that lime-green lizard at the time. Maybe I’ll post it. He REALLY was on my toothbrush! I was inundated with so many lizards that I deliberately had to desensitize myself from the creepy-crawlies. No one I know has been ATTACKED by little green lizards the way I have!

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What a wonderful trip you sent ME on as I read this beautiful story. I was just showing Kathie the pictures of your trip to Xilitla, Mexico. That looks so interesting! Very often I dream of living in a tropical area instead of the wet, cold, and windy PNW, but then I think of the stinging and poisonous bugs and say 'nah', a visit would be fine. Those ARE very nice pictures and I appreciate being able to enlarge most of them as well. You write a very good story to go with them.

Car sickness is the same as sea sickness, but did you know inexperienced motorcycle riders can get it too? I would gather you are aware of every 'cure' there is, but just in case you haven't heard of this one, what stops the nausea from happening with riders is to keep the eyes level with the horizon. It is the ear/eye dissonance that creates the confusion and nausea. My first time on Lake Erie made me veeeerrrrry sick. Once I learned the reason why and adjusted my stance, it never bothered me again. I can go on the most radical amusement park ride on a full stomach - no problem.

Just thought I would pass that on. Hope the kitty is doing well. Thank you for the story and take good care.

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Hi Dave, thank you for your kind words. I appreciate your feedback and it means a lot to me. We have bugs and creepy crawly things in Texas, but I admit you get used to them. I went hysterical the first time I saw a cricket and also the first time I saw a gecko. Now I’m sharing my office space with a gecko and I don’t even have the heeby-jeebies. I do prefer the warmer climate to the cold winters of the Canadian Rockies.

Oh yes, I know the cure of keeping my eyes on the horizon. That would be the horizon that is going up and down and to and fro. I have never mastered it. Although, if you read my substack “The Dreaded Drake” I crossed the Drake Passage in horrific conditions and was one of the six people on the ship who didn’t get sick. There’s no rhyme nor reason to my seasickness.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Give my best to Kathie.

L

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I did read that and hoped the dreaded mal de mer was in your past, but alas. I always look forward to you story's, you have fun and that is a very important part of life.

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Lois, you could do one of those Survey Monkey things.

Who says you were seasick and who says the erroneously named cucumber cuced you.

I say that it was the cuc.

Not very scientific am I.

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Of course it was the cuke! It was cuke puke for sure. My longstanding history with seasickness had nothing to do with it. It was that nasty sea cuke. Just look at the thing! It looks like a piece of *hit. No wonder I was sick.

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So sorry to hear about your seasickness on that incredible trip, where you could see evolution in action.

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Thanks David. I get seasick just looking at the waves. It was an amazing trip for the short time I could actively participate in it.

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Well that was a particularly rough trip, I’m sure. At least half the folks on our small boat were sick as well. And the water was SOOO Cold! At the equator! But quite an experience.

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What a fun surprise to find an excursion to the Galapagos waiting for me. I love how you mix a little science with history and human interest. Another wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing.

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So much information in one post! As amazing as the Galapagos islands and those unique animals are, I'm still kind of stuck at your Texas fauna experiences. That reminds me of my own experiences. As kids in Africa, my brothers and I had to come to terms with poisonous snakes and scorpions. Still not comfortable with either of them.

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Spectacular! What a great trip you took us all on to the Galapagos. The pictures and text were enthralling. My godson Roman and his mom love turtles and tortoises and have both. Of course I sent them a picture of the giant Tortoise and the information about it and how it is now a protected specie. I told them his name is Namor, which is my godson's name backwards. Thank you so much.

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Great photos to accompany an interesting post Lois! I've never read Darwin's 'Voyage of the Beagle' but have vague recollections of a TV show - which includes an episode on the Galapagos

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voyage_of_the_Beagle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Voyage_of_Charles_Darwin

P.S.

Sorry to read about your seasickness and hope you're better now.

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Great storytelling, Lois. Darwin also suffered from sea sickness and spent as much time on land as possible during the 5 year voyage on the Beagle.

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Crossing the equator by boat sounds like a lovely experience! Thanks for sharing your adventure Lois.

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