More First World Problems

On April 24th my husband asked if I’d spilled water near the bed. Half awake and remembering no such thing, I dismissed his complaint. Maybe one of the cats tried to toss up a hairball. But later I noticed the wetness spreading.

Quiet panic ensued. Had my 29 gallon aquarium sprung a leak? Every millimeter felt dry including outside the tank, inside its stand, and the surrounding carpet. The mystery continued and my pile of wet towels grew, as did a funky smell I wished was imaginary.

Around midweek my husband asked me to drain the tank and move my last surviving spotfin goby to my idling ten gallon aquarium. Fearing the move would be fatal, I stated my case and requested a reprieve. He agreed while asking that I apply a piece of tape showing the current water level.

I’m lucky to have a smart guy. A minuscule water drop led me to the electric pump I’d unplugged without removing its attached air hose. This created a vacuum.

Duh… By the next Sunday I’d dried and cleaned the stinky stain. Hurray! I thank Nature’s Miracle enzymatic cleaning solution.

On another note, I’m having issues online. My own blog declares I can’t sign in after having posted. ~scratches head~ Not surprising, this is the same error I receive trying to comment on others’ posts. I’ve tried various tips and even switched browsers but I’ll figure it out. I’m not dumb.

Still, other failings made me feel rather frustrated and useless. I found redemption when a neighbor needed a friend.

Have fruitless days left you feeling pointless? How do you recover a sense of self worth?

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A Friday Fill-In

Reading yesterday’s post on 15 and meowing intrigued me to join in the Friday fill-ins. I hope you enjoy.

1. I am (often) overdue to feed my fish for days (!) in a row. This sounds odd but I avoid lifting the lid of my aquarium where too-clever-for-her-own-good kitty Terra can see. When she’s finally napping I tend to be otherwise occupied and forget. Thank heaven my spotfin gobies don’t seem to suffer.

2. I am so sick of all the various powerful global entities making bank on hate, fear, and misinformation. I’ve heard that the media assigns us our opinions if we let it. We need to take it upon ourselves to do our own research on whatever we find troubling and have patient, respectful dialogues. Or I could just take my unicorn out for a ride. ~hangs head~ Most folks of every ilk just want to live in peace.

3. Tinned anchovies on bread is a strange snack I like to eat. Snacking is rare for me anyway, but I tend to opt for savory over sweet.

4. A bento box is one of the most random things I own. The compartments are great for more than just sushi. Its first use was when my husband and I enjoyed strawberries dipped in plain yogurt off the shared tray.

Not exactly the one I bought, but close...

What say you on these topics?

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Replies & Thanks

I greatly appreciate the blogging community. Providing laughter and support, sometimes tears of joy or even sorrow, your virtual friendships are a treasure.

Thank you, Strayer, for inspiring me to attempt fixing my aquarium pump. And Pam, you made me giggle over the image of your one year old grandson dropping toys in your fish tank. I never tire of both your creative and altruistic tales, ladies.

I must say that a twenty-nine gallon aquarium is considered small to serious hobbyists. Larger ones are actually easier to maintain. I know that seems counterintuitive but so many tropical creatures grow too large for me to keep. The greater freshwater volume is also more forgiving of quality. Oh, well. To live is to learn. Right?

I miss keeping these frogs, which didn't fare well.
This was from 2013

If you get back into the aquarist hobby, Katie Isabella’s mom, let me know if you do and your preliminary decisions. Learning from others is so helpful. ~hugs~ As for my tank filter’s restoration, dearest Sandee praised me as handy. ~rolls eyes while grinning~ I appreciate the giggle. Safe and happy sailing, my friend.

Sharing an appreciation of running water with lovely folks like Pradeep Nair, Liz A., plus the families at Cleo’s house, Brian’s Home, and
Cats-astrophic Events made me smile. It’s a good reminder during these divisive times just how many joys we humans have in common.

What made you smile today? And if nothing did, would it help to share your day’s disappointments?

Feel free to vent. And best wishes to all, my dears.

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Mrs. Fix(ed)-It

Ever since the big aquarium die-off in 2019 thanks to ich my tropical fish-keeping struggles have continued. Right now I have no pets at all living in my ten gallon tank. The filter is still running in case I decide to try again but with two curious young cats it’s best left alone. That room turned into a virtual storage locker for items threatened by Terra’s boundless, energetic curiosity. ~grin~ My twenty-nine gallon tank houses just two spotfin gobies and some snails.

In the last week or so that filter began making unusual noises. I disassembled the unit planning to lubricate its magnetic impeller, which worked in past. Alas, the core with attached rotating fins came out while the magnet stayed behind. I didn’t even realize this initially; the thing has been so reliable as to need no regular maintenance. Taking apart my smaller filter revealed the problem. Of course a size difference made swapping parts impossible. ~sigh~ My husband suggested ordering a new filter upon learning all my finagling rendered that larger pump useless.

The Crucial Part

So I did. Still, I decided to try a marine life safe adhesive on the impeller (I found no Aqueon replacement impellers for sale). Immediately reassembling the unit failed spectacularly. Oops. Allowing a second application of glue to cure overnight achieved partial success. The pump functioned with a horrible racket. With nothing left to lose I took nail clippers to the four plastic fins, angling the inward facing corners. Success! Now I have a spare filter.

Would you go ahead and replace the older filter? Or should I lobby my husband to support me in buying another tank? ~wink~ Have I mentioned his recurring nightmare in I secretly converted our cellar into a huge fish habitat?

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The Casualties of Curious Cats

Last I checked, none of our
clothes sported ears...

 

Snuggle Buddies

Not as innocent as they look...
That's okay. These curtains,
often clawed by Jezebel,
are very old. And a
tie-back hides this
new, fatal tear.

This old tent didn't hold up, either. First,
the Dactyl sisters tore a toy mouse off
its string, then ripped apart the base
long ago affixed with duct tape.
Wire frame exposed, it's been
tossed out and replaced.

Tarra's Fun with Lamp Shades!

Guess who found a dusty, unstable shelf?
The office door is currently closed.

Polly scopes out the aquarium while
Terra jumps on top, of course.

I found three (!) of the rattly mice
Terra loves stored brand new
among unused cat toys.
Jackpot!

Jezebel finds solace in this Cartman doll.
Who knew a cranky "South Park"
character could give a sweet old
kitty comfort? I brought it
out for Polly. She acted
lost upstairs at first.

A Snail's Perspective - & My Need for Levity

In defiance of all humanity's insanity, I continue focusing on tiny bits of joy. Forgive me if being one more voice in the cacophony seems pointless. Anyway, here is a baby assassin snail image. While my palm shows size perspective, don't worry; the animal was returned to the water unharmed.

You can't see the telltale shell stripes,
but they're there. Trust me.
~grin~

What are the odds, do you think, that this is the one I photographed in the tank? Did you know these little beauties are not hermaphroditic like many gastropods?

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