A New Family Member - Meet Buddy

This here is our new family member, Buddy. He is a chubby 8 year old beagle who needed a new home. A year ago his mom died of cancer and the husband was going to give him to the pound and move away to Germany with his son. His groomer adopted him. Something then happened that his groomer and her two kids moved in with her mother who already had two big dogs - one who didn't take to Buddy and picked on him relentlessly. He was attacked by a neighbor dog sometime in the spring too. Sad lot of things happened to this guy in the last year. And Missie got a Facebook notice that he needed a home and sent the plea to us. Worth a shot. And Bob wanted him. Wanted him to have a shot at being loved like Gibby. Wanted him to have a peaceful life. So now, unbenounced to him, Buddy has moved into the Hilton for dogs. With no kids, they get our love.

Much like everyone BUT Gibson in this house, he needs to go on a diet. But he seems very relaxed so far. Slept well. He's very stiff and arthritic but we'll be going on walks now to loosen him up.

Some things about both are alike. Fortunately, they both beg in the same way - staring longingly at you while you eat.... :)

Gibson seems fine for now. You'd never know apart from his whiter face that he's the older of the two but I hope we can love him well enough that this changes. Slim down and loved up. That's the goal. Oh and this non-aggressive dog seems fine with Kivrin. I hope that continues too. She appropriately feels no threat from Buddy....

A Sad Day at the Masterino Aquarium

The Masterino household has just exercised its right to enact capital punishment. To quote Bob, "the fish swims with the fishes."

For the last two months we had only one fish. We started with three. Two mollies and one beast. PetSmart was not smart. Mollies are nice fishes and leporinus fasciatus are, well - cannibals. Our fish went from a colorful inch long bullet to a three inch barbarian killing and eating the other two. Uck.

Tonight when I picked up filters, I thought I would give our little aquarium another occupant that fell into the "semi-aggressive" category - a pretty golden gourami that equals or exceeds "Barrabus" in size.

Poppy-kosh. Semi-aggressive my behind. The new fish was in the tank for 10 minutes when it was clear there would be no peace in our time. Barrabus was still a beast in stripes and this other fish was going to be eaten alive.

Bob was the first to suggest euthanasia. I was not enthused. So we let them swim for another few hours. Things did not improve. At all. My stress level was on the rise.

I got mad. It was going to be over before tomorrow if we didn't do something about it.

So. 20 minutes later with water and plastic plants in aquatic chaos, Barrabus met the net and then the throne of death. At first I was hesitant - then I was angry and just made a mess. Bob did the deed and I started clean up.

So now, Barrabus sleeps with the fishes and the doo-doo and will meet the professionals of the MTSA - McCandless Township Sewage Authority. And JF - Jesus Fish - is swimming peacefully in replanted plastic plants and clouds of raked up poo.

Ain't nature grand.