Nemo Siebert

Well, we added to our family on Friday evening. After desperately searching through the almost empty tanks at WalMart in Goderich for a healthy fish, we finally found a pretty robust calico fantail goldfish.

I told the kids we could think of a name for him on the way home. Before the van was even started, it was decided..Nemo, or "Melmo" as Lyric calls him. I tried to get a decent picture of the little guy. It was pretty tough. WalMart has a 7 day guarantee on their fish. If he dies in the first week we get our money back (no dead body need be returned..they make a point of saying this on the sign). Our luck he'll die on day 8. Then again, he did survive in a tank full of other sick (and a few dead) fish. He's gotta have some spirit in him. We love him anyway, no matter how long we're blessed to have him.

There's something soothing about watching a fish swim. I find it very relaxing. As a child I remember having goldfish because my brother Mike was allergic to fur so we couldn't have a cool pet like a cat or a dog (at least that was my parents excuse). I used to cry and cry when they would die. I swear I had one fish that lasted for years. Maybe that's just because I was little so days seemed like weeks. You know how it is. Time flies so much faster when you're older.

I eventually graduated to hamseters and my dear long-haired guinea pig Wilhemena. I recall one of my hamsters getting his leg caught in the cage (it was a birdcage...obviously not a good idea). He actually chewed his leg off to get himself free. It was pretty gross. He lived for over a year after that unfortunate incident though, and he managed just fine on 3 legs. I think we switched and put him in an aquarium after that, but I don't recall.

I have always dreamed of having a horse. Obi tells me that when he grows up and is a farmer that he will gladly take care of my horse, and I can come over to ride the horse anytime I want. That would be really cool. Of course, I'd have to load up on Benadryl first because I'm terribly allergic to horses. As a pre-teen taking riding lessons I used to get the scratchy throat and sneezes, but in my early twenties I went riding and broke out in hives all over my body. I also recall having a difficult time breathing. Not good. I still love horses though. I wish I could ride more often.

I guess I'll just have to stick to my ole standby pet for now..the goldfish. Hey, at least this time I splurged and got a fancy one that cost $2.98. Our last bunch were 18 cents a piece (feeder golfish I suppose). I know, I know, last of the big-time spenders :)

Mel