PET CEMETERY TALLY: 5 (Since January. No, really. January!)

Chago, Saia, and the Pet Cemetery

So, as another gorgeous arrangement of flowers began to wilt and whither earlier this week, I went ahead and weeded out the dead and dying, and rearranged the remaining hangers-on.

Saia suggested we add the plants to the beta fish bowls, that maybe they'd enjoy the change in scenery, which I just thought was a great idea.  It never even occurred to me that the plants wouldn't be good for the fish. Fish swim in water. Plants live in water. Very often, they inhabit the same water.

I'm really still not quite sure where it all went wrong.

Saia with Ponyo, Mommy, and Chago with Soske

See, the beta fish the children bought their Mommy for her birthday to go along with the aquarium have been taking up room and board with us until she gets their glass pond all set up at her place.  And yes, of course, we now realize that male betas won't be able to live in the same environment. But they couldn't get her any of the other fish they wanted until she gets the tank set up and the water conditioned.  AND...they couldn't very well leave the pet store WITHOUT any fish at all because what kind of a present would that be, Mom? It's like giving someone the cover of a book with no book inside. Yeah. Ok. So, really, the betas were just stand-ins, representatives, proxies for the actual fish they intended to get her someday, and, clearly their very clever way of manipulating me into getting them another pet. Times two.

So, they named them Soske and Ponyo, from the Japanese animated film PONYO, which they just adore.  And, for the most part, they've been pretty good about feeding them and helping to change out their water.  Until we committed fishicide, that is.  Both of them. On the same day. Like Gena Rowlands and James Garner in The Notebook.

Which brings us to our PHOTO OF THE DAY:

And in case you've lost count, that's two African Dwarf Frogs from Lizzy,
1 lake salamander from Jordan & Sarah,
and 2 male beta fish via Mommy's birthday "gift,"
all since January.  Am seriously considering purchasing
an acre next door...and a backhoe...based on this unfortunate trend.
...