Adopting a hippo

Monday 22 August

I am so excited to start looking after the baby hippo! When Dad got Mom to agree that it would be okay if I looked after the hippo for a three day trial I was literally jumping up and down with glee. I decided that if I was going to persuade Mom to keep George (that's what I named him) I was going to have to learn how to look after him. Dad cleaned out the pool for George to stay in. Since I'd told Mom that I'd train him to stay out of the house, I had thought that that would be a fine place to start. George was lying underneath the big oak tree in the garden. I called to him, hoping he would come into the house and then I would attempt to push him back out. George did not budge. At least if he wasn't going to move it was unlikely that he was going to go wandering anywhere.

Tuesday 23 August

Today I thought I would try and figure out what kind of food George likes to eat. I got Dad to drive me to the shops and I used some of pocket money to buy seven different types of meat. I didn't buy more than that because I didn't want him to get full and not try all the varieties. I took out a bucket and poured all the meat into it. Then I went over to George and tossed him a piece of smoked ham, but as soon as it touched his tongue he spat it out. The same thing happened with the next five pieces of meat. Then I threw him a lamb chop, irritated that I'd spent all that money for nothing. George gulped it down greedily, opening his mouth for more. I gave a shout of victory and, even better, my dad braaid the rest for dinner!

Wednesday 24 August

I was determined to have another successful day today. I thought I would let the neighbours feed George. Betty and Veronica both absolutely adore animals and I was pretty sure they would love George.

I brought the girls into the backyard where George was wading up and down the length of the pool. "Oh he's gorgeous," Veronica had exclaimed. "Wait 'till you see this," I'd told her. I'd tossed George the lamb chop that I hadn't braaid the day before and he chewed it up gratefully. The two girls stared at me, then the hippo and then me again. At that point I knew that I'd had another successful day and even if there were a few more things to work on, I have definitely passed the trials.