A mix of sombre and happy in the household this past fortnight.
The fish didn't survive... Google passed away with Gloria following several days later, both washed away to sea after prayers and a short sermon around the toilet. They won't be replaced. With other fish or guinea pigs.
Sproglet B turned the Big 5! One of the special things about her is that all her birthdays have been celebrated in a different country. Her first was in Saudi Arabia, second in Australia, third in France when we visited Granny & Gramps, fourth in England on the same day she and Sproglet A were Christened and fifth here in New Zealand and I think that's pretty fantastic!
She had her final day at Kindy with a plasticine cake covered in glitter, five candles poking out the top at strange angles and a huge crown on her head, again adorned with glitter, glitter and more glitter. She even cut a hole in the back of it to poke her ponytail through. Although her birthday was Easter Monday, we held her party yesterday. At our home... something almost unheard of in the U.K. We hired a magician to entertain the troops for an hour, managed only one party game beforehand then fed them for the final half hour. A few of the mums stayed after the party for a coffee and chat and one friend - who, with her husband, had grabbed the chance of a break and left her children at the party to go wine tasting - brought a nice bottle of wine back, so we opened that also.
The great part was that Issy's guests were able to give her gifts and watch her open them. At our parties, if a person is good enough to bring you a gift you open it whilst they're there. I absolutely loathe parties where the child gives a gift and it goes straight into a black plastic dustbin liner and taken home to be opened. WTF? Where's the fun in that? My children love to see the look on the face of the Birthday Child when they open the present that the Sproglets have helped choose and wrap. If on the receiving end, such as yesterday, it helps my children be gracious and say 'thank you' in person. If they receive two of the same, we just laugh and say well now you can have one each when so-and-so comes over to play. Everyone leaves happy. Eventually. Took two hours for the last ones to leave, lol.
- urban gypsy [7:38 am] |
Monday, April 10, 2006
.:. .:.
Sproglet B's fish. The ones she wanted to swap for a guinea pig.
Back in October we sold our house in the UK (for a pittance I might add but am I bitter? You betcha!) Sproglet A chose a Playstation Game as his special gift and Sproglet B, the fish. The orange commet is called Gloria and the Black Moor, Google, due to his big, googly eyes. These fish have suffered! Getting the tank established took ages and it was only last month we thought we'd cracked it. They've been treated for fin rot once and Google all but lost his whole tail. I am convinced he'd been bullied before we got him and he just deteriorated when we brought him home.
Anyway, Glo was sat sulking at the bottom of the tank. Everytime she tried to swim she couldn't and Google's tail was disappearing. I sighed. According to the internet - lovely thing that it is - swim bladder was the most likely cause of her sulking. The water looked fine but I thought I'd change it anyway. Siphoned the water and cleaned the stones and Oh. My. God. The water that came from underneath was absolutely filthy! I have no idea how it got so bad but no bloody wonder the fish were failing. Again. Clean, clean, clean and the filter too. I quit feeding them for a couple of days and Glo is fine now... yesterday it was Google who was having a sulk at the bottom of the tank. His tail had disappeared overnight and he looks so sorry for himself when he tries to wiggle his bum to shuffle around the tank.
So off to the pet shop we went. Came back with the fin rot stuff, two plastic plants, new filter and a small castle. The only castle we will ever be able to afford.
And no guinea pig.
- urban gypsy [5:17 pm] |
Saturday, April 01, 2006
.:. .:.
FLASH!
Let it be known that at around 6.30 this evening it was not me driving my car along Atkinson Road but The Hubster, doing 60 kms in what we now know to be a 50 kms zone. That'll be another wad of bucks down the swannie.
April Fool? He certainly bloody is.
- urban gypsy [8:52 pm] |
ABOUT ME
i am... honest. loyal. selfless. controlling ... hobbies... listening to music. theatre. blog hopping ... reads... chick lit. glossy magazines ... listens to music like... 70's disco. motown. pop ...
WISHES FOR
`new house (in Oz)
`less housework
`new shoes
`less bills
`new knickers
`smooth, tanned, glowing skin
`digital camera
`an iPod nano
Laurice Solomon picture from
Getty Images edited using Adobe Photoshop CS2
Home
+
Blog
+ About
+
Blogroll
Urban Gypsy
30-odd year old mum of two
England - Saudi Arabia
- New Zealand
words__
When you run so fast to get somewhere
you miss the fun
of getting there.
Life is not a race,
so take it slower,
hear the music before the music is over, take your time and stay happy...
wishes for__
`new house (in Oz)
`less housework
`new shoes
`less bills
`new knickers
`smooth, tanned, glowing skin
`digital camera
`an iPod nano