Fish

No, this is not a post about all the fish I've enjoyed eating over the years, although I do like a good barra, snapper, coral trout, salmon....you get the drift (haha, God I amuse myself sometimes).
No, this is about fish being friends, not food (damn you Finding Nemo). They came in almost by proxy. First off a tank came via Ms 24s boyfriend. The fish (2 of em) were his ex girlfriend's and he didn't want the reminder anymore. He asked Miss 11 if she wanted them, which of course she did (der). So there it went. The fish died, were buried not flushed, got replaced and so on and so on. I resisted Miss 8 getting any for ages, because I knew who'd end up looking after them. Yessss.
I've refused many suggested pets over the years from horses to snakes/lizards or chooks, to dogs or cats, but foolishly let Miss 8 get a fish. Well now, we have 2 siamese fighting fish tanks (empty), one standard tank (empty), another standard tank (inexplicably still with water in it, but vacant as the occupant is now also buried in our veritable pet cemetary) and Hexy the tank. I still call it by its brand name, cos it's cool. Hexy is 80 litres capacity, has a cupboard a big arse light, cool filter and oddly enough is hexagonal in shape. Go figure! It is also occupied by a large goldfish called Mitchell. Yep, Mitchell. Now I don't even know if Mitchell is a boy or girl, but there you have it. Mitchell is also a greedy pig of a fish, who likes frozen (but thawed out peas).
Anyhoo, I know far more about fish and tank maintenance than I'd like to. Firstly, we have gravel, fake plants, real aquatic plants (that Mitchell loves to chew on and pull out of their pots) and a hidey hole.
We also have fish food, filter products including fluffy stuff, charcoal and solid honeycomb shaped "things" (technical terms I know), oh and water conditioner. We have a fish net, Ph kits, a magnetic glass cleaner and a gravel cleaner/pump. Yay. I came home from work at about 5 yesterday and along with my husband G spent until 6.30 cleaning bloody Hexy. Hexy now looks lovely and Mitchell seems happy, if hungry, but God it takes up time.
At least we had pizza at the end of it.

Christmas is a comin....

Well, folks, we're on the downhill slide to Christmas. I know, I know, it's only November, but there it is looming.
For me, there's always a mild sense of panic at about this time of year. From August on I have to "celebebrate" (read buy pressies for) 4 children (2 of them grown, now Ms 24 and Mr/master 21). I have finally finished the birthday presents and have even purchased my own birthday present from my husband (thank you birdsnest). I'm wondering if he'll wrap the birdsnest bag or just hand it to me....Oh, that's right, he's generously "agreed" to give it to me 2 days early so that I can wear it to his work Christmas party. Isn't that nice of him??? Where was I? Oh yes, Christmas presents.
Well this year, there is the added pressure of us not being home for the first part of December, because we will be travelling down to Sydney to me to have my head examined (literally) by Dr Teo and have my tumour removed. Yay (ish). So, I'm anticipating that I will not be up to my usual frantic shenanigans this Christmas. So, now I have started up with the lists again. Yep, atm there is the present list, then there is the packing list. Then I have to wrap said presents, send cards early, get tree up and pack bags for the trip. We're also going to see the Harry Potter exhibit pre op and I will be meeting a friend and her kids while down there.
I'm also seeing my GP pre trip to discuss said trip and beg for nightly sedatives so that I can sleep once I start shitting myself in earnest.
We should, all being ok, be back just before Christmas though.
PS, other things to organise, garden right down end of yard (turn from jungle like area to garden beds with selected plants), photos to come and above ground pool (2nd hand, hubby to finish, started already), you know, nothing major.