Funeral of a fish

Yesterday my sweet girl experienced, for the first time, the sadness of losing a pet. Isabella the gold fish wasn't well. I knew she was just biding her time but I did what I could in the hope that she would recover and E would not have to shed the tears that I knew would come if Isabella succumbed to the fungus that had eaten away at her tail.

Yes, I know it all sounds very dramatic, but I remember many of my own tears shed over the passing of fish, and furry friends!

When I peeked into the bowl late yesterday afternoon and found Isabella floating on her side, staring blindly into the distance, my heart jumped into my throat and I sat E down to tell her that her little friend had moved onto a place where she would no longer be sore. My little girl sobbed so hard that her body shook. I held her tight and cried a little myself.

Then she looked up at me with those big doey brown eyes and suggested a burial. But, of course...

We wrapt Isabella in pink tissue, dug a hole deep enough that our cat can't find her (god forbid!) and placed her inside. We marked the hole with a pebble and lots of purple flowers, and even said a little prayer (!!).

I wasn't at all surprised when E's next request was to go out and get a new fish to replace Isabella, and keep Dora company. J was asleep but as soon as she woke up, I bundled her - still bleary-eyed - into the car and the 3 of us set off at a manic pace, hoping to reach the pet shop at Lifestyle before it closed.

Last night, Dora was introduced to Flora - the newest member of the family, and although my little E still cried a few tears at bedtime, I'm happy to report that she's much happier today.

Now those little critters better just stay alive! Not sure whose idea it was to get gold fish...oh, I think it was mine. Oops!