The Near-Death Experience of Spotty the Goldfish

Tragedy was narrowly averted in our kitchen today. Hurrying along, so I could be done with the supper dishes, I knocked Thomas's Disney mug against the side of the goldfish bowl.

Spotty, meet Mickey.

I heard a strange "clink," and the next thing I knew, three gallons of goldfish water were pouring across my kitchen counter. Before I could move, Addie started screaming because the water started splashing into the corner where she was playing. Horrified, I watched as Spotty swam through the hole and flopped across the counter.

Yes, I really did take pictures. :)

For those of you who have met Spotty, you know that he is a three-year-old goldfish (yes, that reads "three-year-old") that Thomas's friend, Christian L., gave to him for his 4th birthday. He is also a fish that I joke (to my friends, not my children) about accidentally killing. But after joking about it for so long, I knew I didn't want THIS event to be the final chapter of his life! So I scooped him up and put him in a cereal bowl.

I won't go into the details of how I had to throw away my kitchen rug, mop, wash dishes that had been in my cabinets, mop, wash towels, mop, and sanitize my counters. Did I mention mop? I'm sure you don't want to hear me whine about those details.

Well, anyways, I'm thrilled to report that Spotty the Goldfish is happily swimming around in his old, original fish bowl. The one that is way too small for the giant goldfish that he has become. But, really. Who ever heard of a three-year-old goldfish -- and one that could survive an accident like that? I fear that in actuality he is one of those Japanese fish that could live to be 90. If that's the case, then maybe, just maybe, I knocked a few years off his life, and we won't end up having to put him in the will. :)