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Now There Are Nine
Apr. 21st, 2009 01:03 pmAs I said in my comment to Dorian, one of my tetra died yesterday afternoon...and now there are nine. It was one of the new little ones who had the most damaged fins. S/he was lying on the bottom gasping, and I had one of those, "Don't die! This is totally all my fault!" moments, as I watched him/her suffer. I managed to hold back the tears, though. I had too much going on yesterday to have time to bleed as our former governor once said quite famously.
I was only stopping home yesterday for a brief moment before taking a taxi out to Mason's school. While fixing the car, the mechanics broke a drive shaft or something equally vital, and so repairs were going to take longer than planned. I hoofed it home, and thought about taking the city bus (would I get there in time?) or the taxi (how much did that cost again?) Walking home in the rain made the decision for me: taxi. Hang the expense! (Turns out it was only ten bucks, luckily!)
So with the half hour I had before the cab arrived, I checked on the tetra. Once the little one passed (it didn't take long), I changed 50% of the water and put in the water softening pillow so that the water would be ready for this morning's dose of anti-fungus medicine.
I got to Mason's school with time to spare, though I suffered through a very awkward conversation about the how the medallion hunt at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival is rigged, don't you know, and realizing the radio station we're listening to is some kind of funky Chirstian soft rock station.
At school, one of Mason's school friend's parents offered us a ride home. In a very un-Minnesotan way, I accepted the offer instantly. I didn't do any of the traditional, "Oh no, I couldn't trouble you" sort of haggling I'm supposed to. Instead, I just said, "That would be great. Thanks."
I'm sure she was deeply shocked. Sort of like the time when I was at the grocery store with Mason as an itty-bitty infant and I forgot my wallet and the woman in line in front of me offered to pay for it, and I said, "Oh my god that would be great." I'm sure I wasn't supposed to accept that kindness at face value either, but you know what? I'm from East of here. I'm from Wisconsin. We say what we mean east of the Mississippi, damn it.
The car was finished at about five, after dinner, so I walked the mile or so back to pick it up. I made a quick detour on the way home to get cat food and a new siphon for the fish tank at PetCo.
This morning, the remaining tetra were all accounted for. I dosed them with the anti-fungus medicine and everyone seems to be doing all right so far. I don't get to re-dose or otherwise mess with the tank now for four days. Keep my tetra in your thoughts.
I was only stopping home yesterday for a brief moment before taking a taxi out to Mason's school. While fixing the car, the mechanics broke a drive shaft or something equally vital, and so repairs were going to take longer than planned. I hoofed it home, and thought about taking the city bus (would I get there in time?) or the taxi (how much did that cost again?) Walking home in the rain made the decision for me: taxi. Hang the expense! (Turns out it was only ten bucks, luckily!)
So with the half hour I had before the cab arrived, I checked on the tetra. Once the little one passed (it didn't take long), I changed 50% of the water and put in the water softening pillow so that the water would be ready for this morning's dose of anti-fungus medicine.
I got to Mason's school with time to spare, though I suffered through a very awkward conversation about the how the medallion hunt at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival is rigged, don't you know, and realizing the radio station we're listening to is some kind of funky Chirstian soft rock station.
At school, one of Mason's school friend's parents offered us a ride home. In a very un-Minnesotan way, I accepted the offer instantly. I didn't do any of the traditional, "Oh no, I couldn't trouble you" sort of haggling I'm supposed to. Instead, I just said, "That would be great. Thanks."
I'm sure she was deeply shocked. Sort of like the time when I was at the grocery store with Mason as an itty-bitty infant and I forgot my wallet and the woman in line in front of me offered to pay for it, and I said, "Oh my god that would be great." I'm sure I wasn't supposed to accept that kindness at face value either, but you know what? I'm from East of here. I'm from Wisconsin. We say what we mean east of the Mississippi, damn it.
The car was finished at about five, after dinner, so I walked the mile or so back to pick it up. I made a quick detour on the way home to get cat food and a new siphon for the fish tank at PetCo.
This morning, the remaining tetra were all accounted for. I dosed them with the anti-fungus medicine and everyone seems to be doing all right so far. I don't get to re-dose or otherwise mess with the tank now for four days. Keep my tetra in your thoughts.