On Wednesday when we went shopping the boys decide they should bring money along after who knows what might need to be bought. Well we happened to walk by the fish tanks and they were having fun looking at them and noticed that the goldfish were only 24 cents. What a deal! They have been wanting a pet but I (and Ken some as well) have been reluctant, I feel I am plenty busy raising and training four children without having to add something else to be trained and taken care of to the equation. Also I have allergies and just don't care for animals in the house (okay fish are all right) and I didn't think it would be nice to get a kitty in the middle of the winter and just make it stay outside and beyond that what about when we go on trips? (I am guessing you can tell I am not a huge animal lover.) But at the same time I do think it is neat for kids to have a pet if they want one so when they asked if they could get a fish that sounded like a pretty good idea to me. Jonathan bought the food and Aaron bought the fish we figured we had something that it could stay in temporarily and Mara planned to buy a fish bowl.
They had a lot of fun watching the fish whom they named Sunny. They took turns feeding it and washed up some shells to go in his bowl (actually a vase) to keep him company. And then this morning they went shopping with Dad to buy a bowl and they also decided he needed a friend. When they got home with Carol (a new fish, I think they said a skunk one) alas Sunny was dead. Now poor Carol is lonely. We have no idea why Sunny died but think we had better do a little better research on the care of fish this time. If you have any advice feel free to share. They have decided to bury Sunny in the garden where Mara figures he will help to fertilize our plants.
That is the tale of Sunny the Goldfish.
Shh, don't tell Ken but I think I am going to buy him one next time we go shopping. He wants to name a goldfish "Dr. Suess" but the kids are coming up with their own names and don't think "Dr. Suess" will work for their fish.