To pet or not to pet?
We used to have goldfish. We had them for a long time even though I didn't always follow the advice of the aquarium guy. It was a simple set up. Bowl, rocks, weedy stuff, water, two fish. Friends would marvel at the longevity of our fish. One day one of the fish became bloated and tipped upside down. He was still alive but looked unhappy, if you can say that about a fish. It is hard to read fish expressions.
We were worried that he might be experiencing a slow and painful death. So, with the wish to end his suffering more quickly, I took him out of the bowl and held him in the sieve/scoop thing. He flipped over once, twice, three times, jumping around quite excitedly. So I plopped him (or her, again it's hard to tell) back in the bowl. The bloating had gone and he now swam upright again looking pretty happy!! I was a fish doctor.
Our fish went on doing their normal things. Swimming round and round the bowl, coming to the top for some food when we stopped to look at them and acting surprised when they bumped into each other on the way around.
Can you tell that something bad is coming?
We went on holidays for a couple of weeks last summer. Our neighbours were away at the same time so our usual fish sitters were not available. I decided to use slow release fish pellets to feed them while we were away. Also my husband had to come home for a night for work in the middle of our trip so could check on them and replace the pellet. They were fine when he came home.
When we got home from our holiday there was a bad smell in the kitchen. The fish bowl was all smoggy and both fish were belly up with no hope of recovery. We buried them in the garden, all slimey and lifeless. We said prayers and mantras. It was terribly depressing. It felt like my fault. It probably was my fault.
So now the boys want another pet. My little one suggested fish but we are going on the same holiday this summer and I don't want to chance it. My husband threatens to move out if we get a dog. It's a long story from his childhood. Also only my youngest is prepared to pick up dog you-know-what and I think that this novelty would wear off very quickly leaving me holding the warm bag of poo. Yuk!!
Cats kill native wildlife and anything else they can catch and that seems a bit sad. Guinea pigs give me the creeps, as do mice. Rabbits have scratchy claws and might get attacked by the fox that got the neighbours chooks. Reptiles are not really our thing.
So that leaves birds. Is it depressing to look at a bird in a cage? A creature that was born to soar in the sky? Maybe we could let it fly around the house? It's not the same as the vast, open sky, is it?
Perhaps we will have to make do with the pets we already have. The spiders up in the corners of the rooms. The cockroaches who inhabit, well everywhere really. The wasps who have created an amazing nest on the front verandah and lived there happily (I think) without bothering us for about five years. The millions of creatures who thrive in our compost bin. The mozzies who will be back to visit soon. The myna birds who poop all over the back terrace and strut into the kitchen as though they own the place. The kookaburras who sit on the television aerial and laugh at us. The screeching fruit bats who come in summer to eat the dates off the palm tree next door. Or the tiny willy wagtail with the brilliant blue crown who fluttered around the yard this morning.
Actually it seems we have pets covered. That's that then.
Love and summery light, K.xxxx
We were worried that he might be experiencing a slow and painful death. So, with the wish to end his suffering more quickly, I took him out of the bowl and held him in the sieve/scoop thing. He flipped over once, twice, three times, jumping around quite excitedly. So I plopped him (or her, again it's hard to tell) back in the bowl. The bloating had gone and he now swam upright again looking pretty happy!! I was a fish doctor.
Our fish went on doing their normal things. Swimming round and round the bowl, coming to the top for some food when we stopped to look at them and acting surprised when they bumped into each other on the way around.
Can you tell that something bad is coming?
We went on holidays for a couple of weeks last summer. Our neighbours were away at the same time so our usual fish sitters were not available. I decided to use slow release fish pellets to feed them while we were away. Also my husband had to come home for a night for work in the middle of our trip so could check on them and replace the pellet. They were fine when he came home.
When we got home from our holiday there was a bad smell in the kitchen. The fish bowl was all smoggy and both fish were belly up with no hope of recovery. We buried them in the garden, all slimey and lifeless. We said prayers and mantras. It was terribly depressing. It felt like my fault. It probably was my fault.
So now the boys want another pet. My little one suggested fish but we are going on the same holiday this summer and I don't want to chance it. My husband threatens to move out if we get a dog. It's a long story from his childhood. Also only my youngest is prepared to pick up dog you-know-what and I think that this novelty would wear off very quickly leaving me holding the warm bag of poo. Yuk!!
Cats kill native wildlife and anything else they can catch and that seems a bit sad. Guinea pigs give me the creeps, as do mice. Rabbits have scratchy claws and might get attacked by the fox that got the neighbours chooks. Reptiles are not really our thing.
So that leaves birds. Is it depressing to look at a bird in a cage? A creature that was born to soar in the sky? Maybe we could let it fly around the house? It's not the same as the vast, open sky, is it?
Perhaps we will have to make do with the pets we already have. The spiders up in the corners of the rooms. The cockroaches who inhabit, well everywhere really. The wasps who have created an amazing nest on the front verandah and lived there happily (I think) without bothering us for about five years. The millions of creatures who thrive in our compost bin. The mozzies who will be back to visit soon. The myna birds who poop all over the back terrace and strut into the kitchen as though they own the place. The kookaburras who sit on the television aerial and laugh at us. The screeching fruit bats who come in summer to eat the dates off the palm tree next door. Or the tiny willy wagtail with the brilliant blue crown who fluttered around the yard this morning.
Actually it seems we have pets covered. That's that then.
Love and summery light, K.xxxx
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