"Stop Drinking the Sea Monkeys!"

Madeline purchased a Sea Monkey set at the aquarium last year. She was such a good caretaker of her minuscule little pets, feeding them daily and attempting to identify and name each little wriggling speck.

One day, convinced that her sea monkeys needed more room to swim and a little fresh air, she poured them into a bucket and set them out on the back deck.

I had no knowledge of the sea monkey field trip and was hanging clothes in Courtney's closet when I heard Madeline screaming. The only words I could identify were "Stop drinking the sea monkeys! STOP!" Fearing that it was Anna (Madeline's littlest sister) drinking the sea monkeys, I ran downstairs in a flash to find Maddie tugging at Daisy Dog's collar while Daisy happily lapped down the last of the sea monkeys and the water from their Happy Habitat.

Maddie was crushed, but her sorrow didn't last long. We've not purchased more sea monkeys. At the aquarium last week, Madeline purchased a kit to grow her own crystals. She put a small rock in a little container, filled it with water, added the crystal seeds and placed the entire thing next to the sink on the kitchen counter. Tarzan has already hopped up there and drank up most of the water and crystal seeds, but I haven't said a word to Madeline. I just added more water. I hope Tarzan doesn't grow any crystals on his little tongue. It's rough enough already.

KA