I haven't written in a while.  I think things always get way too chaotic over the holidays.  And my mother definitely loves to add to the insanity.  Not only do I have a baby (she's almost 7 but even when she's 30 I will still call her 'the baby'), a hubby whose glass is on permanent half full, and a puppy that runs around pee-ing and pooping, and humping on anything - and I mean anything especially the baby - I told the baby he was having a fiesta  - humping just sounds so wrong coming out of a 6 year old mouth - but try to explain that one to your mother in law.  Plus a full time job and job as the Treasurer of the PTA.   In-laws, holiday parties, gift giving.......So as you can see I have everything under control.  And what does my mother do to calm this holiday chaos - oh yes, she adds 3 fish to the mix. 

Well as of today we are down to one.  The first one didnt really make it very far from the pet store.  Apparently if you leave the bag of water they are in close enough on the edge of a shelf, they do actually swim themselves right off it.  Found them on the floor, about 2 hours later, dazed and confused.  Needless to say, once we got them into the tank, one of them had just given up. 

The next one lasted a little longer - well I think it did.  Who could see him in the murky water?  And the water clarifier did not work.  Of course, when I went to the pet store to get the water clarifier I ran into Jaques Costeaus daughter.  'Why do you need the clarifier?'  Ahhh...cause the waters cloudy and I would like to see if I still have fish in there.  "No I mean why - whats the reason the waters cloudy?"  You know I am no expert, but it might have to do with the fact that they eat, poop, and peep all in this water - I could be grasping straws here, but that might be it.  She told me I need to get a pump.   But this is no automated gadget - I have to get it started by sucking one end of it. Are you insane?  What if that disgusting water comes up fast  - ewww - even thinking about it makes me want to wretch.  So of course I buy all of it.  Finally get the pump to work- and you have to pump most of the water out while these poor fish are in the tank - apparently you dont fish them out and then clean the bowl.  So finally got the pump to work, and the pump action got a little intense - but good thing the baby was watching because mr and mrs fish almost got sucked right up.  But I stopped it just in time - replaced the water - and viola.  Its still murky and disgusting.  Great - where did i go wrong - how did baby Couteau lead me astray?  Well, two days later I had another belly up fish and thought - I will take matters into my own hands.  I scooped out the last of the fish, placed him a cup, and dumped the water out and replaced it with new water.  And this water is actually clear.  Of course now the fish has some string attached to him.  Apparently that means his water isnt clean enough - guess I never noticed it in the murky blue lagoon.  But he seems happy - and in no hurry to depart to the big fish bowl in the sky - oh well.

So the holidays came and went, and I have finally calmed down enough to get back to my life.  And, since I have the full time job, do the baby's home work with her, pay the bills, do the taxes, clean the house, work with the PTA, I have decided that in my spare time I will get a second job.  More to come on this - I am sure this should be very interesting.  I am excited but also anxious - this is very new territory for me and totally out of the comfort zone.  We will see how it goes.