"I looked at Thomas, who was laying down on the beaten hammock, folding his arms behind his head. He sighed, and then spoke, which was indeed something rare, "If you want to hear some elaborate story like Keir has, or a heart wrenching one like Marguerite has then your only going to be disappointed." The dull features of the cabin rocked slightly as the sea pounded against the ship. I didn’t say anything, forcing him to continue his back-story. "My life was simple as can be. I was born to a very poor, and very big family. We had absolutely nothing. But we were content. As bad as things got, I’d always tell myself things would be okay, and they were, until this very harsh winter came one year. I lost four of my siblings that year, two of them were infants. Mama told me that the angels were needing them in Heaven, but I knew they died because we didn’t have enough food… or water, or clothes, or anything." He stopped talking, and I could see his young eyes glossed over with tears. "I ran away, because I knew that if I was gone, my family would have one less mouth to feed. They’d have more hope for survival."

This is a part in my story, towards the middle. Thomas, an eight year-old boy, tells Faline, a runaway-princess, who’s recently turned pirate, his back-story.

I’m in ninth grade, so please don’t expect anything professional!

We tried the hollow aluminum type and after about 6 months, it folded in. I don’t have trees to tie it too. Any suggestions?

First of all. It is not a bed per say. I remember it from my childhood but I don’t remember what it is called. The bed is sort of like a hammock. The part where you lay down is similar but it does not swing like a hammock. The bed/hammock I remember was much lower to the ground and was held up by four small poles on each of the corners so that it would not swing. There was no mattress and like a hammock it was more like a couch length sized piece of cloth tightly attached to the four poles and the sides. I remember that it was also portable as you could fold it in half and take it wherever you wanted to sleep. And like I said the bed/hammock had the length of a normal sofa/couch. I tried being as specific as possible but that is all I know. Thank you for taking the time to reading this and I hope that the answer is obvious to you because I don’t know it haha. I hope I get the right answer because it’s really killing me that I don’t remember what this darn thing is called!

…Where can I buy them so I can sew the new
My Greatland Portable Hammock straps that hold the metals bars on (2 to keep it open while you lay in it)have ripped. Where can I buy them so I can sow the new one on? It green and I think the model number is 80023

I adopted a chinchilla about a week ago, maybe 2, and the owner told me she was pregnant and VERY far along. I can already see her nipples, shes been laying on her side, digging/cleaning the area, and she is HUGE! I’m talking about the size of a duck-pin bowling ball! I’ve been expecting her to give birth any day now, but every morning I check, and theres still no kits.

While checking on her today, I noticed her vagina looks different than it has the past few days. I tried to get a picture, but she was squirming and I didn’t want to put any stress on her. But right above her cone, it almost looks like there is a fold in the skin, almost like a pocket. Is this just her body beginning to ‘open up’ for the babies? I’ve cared for pregnant chins/raised kits before, but I’ve never noticed this. Then again, I’ve never really looked either.

*Before anyone lectures me: Yes, I know what to expect. Yes, she is in a kit safe cage. Yes, I have removed all the ledges, hammocks, etc. Yes, I know the gestation period of a chinchilla is 111 days. Yes, I know if mama has multiple kits I may have to step in and help hand feed. Yes, I do use the website chins-n-hedgies.*