Monday, August 11, 2008

The untimely demise of Cutie Pie

Recently P won a fish at a friend's carnival. P l-o-v-e-s small animals, and we had been mulling over getting her something for awhile. My nurturing daughter dubbed her fish 'Cutie Pie' and she dwelled happily in a vase for about a week, while we got a small tank. Although we managed to buy the tank, we did not manage to set it up before our Santa Barbara trip. Instead we drove her over, sloshing about in the vase to a friend's house to be fish-sat. She survived her visit. However, once home things took a turn for the worse. First, as E tried to remove her from the vase without a net and transfer her into the tank, (hoping to not bring too much dirty water along), somehow Cutie Pie landed dangerously at the top of the garbage dispsosal. Our hearts stopped! Fortuately E remained cool headed and was able to fish her out and plop her safely in her new clean tank. I couldn't believe how relieved I felt! Alas, not for long. Today, after two days of swimming along happily and quite vigorously in her tank, P noticed Cutie Pie belly up. E thinks it may be something to do with the filter. She was quite small. Anyway, he handled the explanation of fish lifespan, and the subsequent burial wondefully.

Death has come up a lot in the past six months, beginning with the death of E's great uncle. We've had several chats about it, as it has come up in books and movies (as you know, most of the princesses are opharned or at least motherless). I don't think it has occurred to her yet, that something could happen to E, or I, or even her. I'm not looking forward to that realization!

We hope to get a new fish on Wednesday!

No comments: