Fish Tales and the Fair

As July winds down around here, the County Fair begins. We live off of the same main street as the County Fair grounds, so the pleas to attend start as soon as the first truck rolls in to get things set up at the fair grounds. The kids love to watch the set up progress every time we drive by.

I am not much of a carni myself, but the kids managed to talk us into an evening at the Fair. We do go to church with many people who show animals for 4H, so it is fun to walk through all the pens and take a look at what will be shown. Del told Georgia that she had to choice between buying a pet fish, and going to the fair. Georgia chose the fair.

Here she is with a beautiful new gold fish.
She ended up cashing in on both choices when Del won the game where you throw a ping pong ball and try to land one in a bowl of water.

There was a lot riding on this game.

The fish was eventually named Goldie Darwin. Weather he went by his first or middle name depended on the child you asked.

The odds were not in this fish's favor.

We got Goldie Darwin home and pulled out the old fish bowl to make him nice and cozy in his new home. After about ten minutes of him getting settled in, I walked back by the bowl and found a Mr. Clean eraser floating in the water with the fish.

That can't be good.

Georgia had attempted to clean the bowl and thought that sponge was a good idea.

The next day, I found a whole graham cracker floating, and crumbling into a soggy mess as Goldie swam around it.

Again, no good.

This fish ended up having some impressive stamina. He lasted a whole two weeks. Pretty good for having his bowl water changed out once a day by one ambitious child or another. The fish made do in a tiny cup, and several times flopping around on the counter and floor while the job was done. He was also fed at least twice a day by EACH child, even after repeated warnings from me and Del that that was not a good idea.

I was relieved when the cry of despair finally came one morning. Goldie Darwin had been found floating on the top of the water, lifeless. I hustled the kids into the powder room for their final goodbyes, and Goldie Darwin was freed into the goldfish eternal resting place of the toilet.

And my kids wonder why I won't let them get a dog!