phogh update and project get my house back...

well, we're back from holidays and only lost 3 fish. Under the care of a good friend, the other 4 have weathered the storm and looks like they are here for the long haul. phewph. I thought about those silly water children every day I was away. I take being a fish mommy seriously. very seriously. probably too seriously.

Holidays were good. we came back early. the jeep broke. drive shaft and axle shaft. Good thing my husband's a mechanic. We're glad to be home.

I arrived home with new energy and excitement about getting our house in order.
I'm trying to feed that fire now. You see, our house is a bit of a clutter pit. yup; we'll never be neat freaks. But this is it, our house needs to shape up or ship out. and I have until i go back to work to do it. I'm pretty proud of the fact that I managed to clean out all but one shelf in the kitchen closet today. It's beautiful. Glorious empty space. well, a little anyway. One cupboard down, rest of the house to go. Truth be told, I was looking for the mini crock pot I got for my birthday so I could make a batch of rice cereal for the baby (who is currently squirming on my lap). I never did find it, but we won't have to buy dry cereal for a long time. Or maybe the food bank will get a donation, i haven't decided yet.

Want Some Stuff???

If anyone wants an egg poaching set, I have one to give away. It's a nice one, we just don't eat poached eggs. Also a large floral brown chair, assorted books, a mop head, kids toys, a loving dog and misc. yarn and crafty stuff. There's too much stuff to list, so if you know I own something and you know of an alternate home for it let me know, or if you're looking for something let me know.

Is there any hope for my fish, and anything else I can do?

Just when I think I'm going to abandon this blog something comes up I need to write about. It's the fish.

I have 5 Angelfish, a rainbow shark and a pleco. I've had most of them for about 2 years without problems.

I noticed this morning that the tank was cloudy (white) and all the fish (except the pleco) were at the top of the tank gulping air. The pump wasn't working. I quickly did a 50% water change and cleaned the pump which started working again. I switched out the old carbon filter for an ammonia filter thinking it was an ammonia problem from not having cleaned the tank soon enough. All the fish started swimming around as normal again.

I come in this evening and the tank is super cloudy again and 3 of the angels are dead. The other 2 angels and sharkfish are gulping at the surface as before. I did a 30% water change (It's not good to change too much, right?) and added some aquarium salt.

Is there anything else I can do? Are the rest of the fish doomed?? Does anyone out there know about any of this stuff??

Next on the list: Clean out the fish tank.

Do you think it is a bad sign if one of your fish dies just as you are about to start maternity leave??

I always take it hard when one of the fish starts to float. This time is just so much more poignant.
I couldn't even look at the tank for days. Pregnant people shouldn't have to deal with this.
It represents everything that has been wrong with my lifestyle in the last little while. My life was just too busy to properly take care of the poor buggers. I was up at 5am everyday, Getting A. up at 5:30, and out the door by 6. commute, work, work, work, commute. Make supper, clean up from supper. Get A. in the bath, to bed, and then fall into bed myself. Weekends weren't much better. We were always running around getting "stuff" done - all the stuff that accumulates during the week - groceries, laundry, cleaning the fish tank, etc.. It was survivalist, at best. And the fish suffered, until one poor guy finally couldn't take it anymore.
I say this all in past tense because I'm hoping that being on maternity leave will give us a chance to have a calmer, healthier, more balanced lifestyle.

So, this is day 1, and I'm a little scared, a lot excited, and ready to go. Of course, I couldn't sleep past 6:30am.....I'm sure that will come. It's 8am, and I've already showered, eaten, made tea, surfed the internet and posted to my blog (almost). Next on the list: Clean out the fish tank.