Monday, September 03, 2007

Lenny Makes Six

La Vida Dulce
Proudly Announces
The Addition to The Family

Lenny

the Beta Fish


Yes, I caved. The Girl has been asking for a fish for a long time. She took her lemonade money and purchased Lenny at the pet shop yesterday afternoon. Of course, she didn't have enough cash for the fish, net, food, water softener and the bowl.

So Lenny now lives in my cookie jar.

The Girl spent most of yesterday afternoon checking on, singing to, and talking about Lenny. She loves Lenny's first portrait (above) because she says he is smiling and puffing up his fins, which, according to The Girl, means he is happy. And, "Mom! Lenny is happy, because he makes his face look just like a sea otter when he is happy!"

How do we know that Lenny is a boy? Because The Pet Shop Lady said so. She checked I guess.

Of course on the ride home The Boy began to wish that he had bought a Beta too. This is when The Girl said he would only need to buy the fish as she would share Lenny's accessories, with the exception of the bowl, which The Boy would have to buy himself, because Beta's are particular about their living arrangements. This is what she said:
Boy Beta with Boy Beta = Fight to the death.

Girl Beta with Girl Beta = Fight to the death.

Boy Beta with Girl Beta; Nothing.

The boy just annoys the girl.

Lenny came with a fifteen day guarantee. I am not sure how I feel about this. Is this a good thing or does this tell you something? Like, Don't get too attached.

The Mister and I laughed a little bit on the way home from the pet shop because the Pet Shop Lady said with "proper care" Lenny could live for up to four years! I hope Lenny lives a good long life. I just hope that 3-4 years from now we aren't making arrangements to get Lenny to a new duty station.

When the Girl woke up this morning, she checked Lenny out first. No Kisses good morning. No asking for milk. No hurry to eat. She asked Lenny how he slept.

And He smiled at her. Which I guess is Beta-ese for, "Slept great. Although my new digs smell slightly of chocolate chip cookies."


5 comments:

June Cutoff Cash said...

Congrats on this new addition to you family! We had our beta-in-a-blender, Smoothie, for years. I hope you have similar luck.

June Cutoff Cash said...

To "you" family. Nice proofreading. Geez.

Blue Skies said...

Have I ever told you our "Betty the Beta" story? If I haven't I'll fill you in via my blog. The most important thing is to never, ever, ever, let anyone fill their bowl with cold,filtered, refrigerator water. In the several months we owned Betty" I learned that people are most interested in the males because they are more colorful and their fins are more spectacular so most pet shops sell mostly males. I'm sure The Girl will also learn soon that when a Beta fish is happy he makes bubble "nests" at the top of his bowl. Enjoy your 6th family member!

Unknown said...

June: Smoothie, whose house was a blender... I think that is great! We should have named Lenny Cookie instead!

Blue Skies: I have never heard your Betty the Beta story. I look forward to reading it soon!

I also look forward to Lenny's happy bubble nest making. Right now he isn't very happy. As I was making my tuna fish sandwich this afternoon he looked upon with disdain.

Anonymous said...

Remind NOT to eat cookies at your house next time I am there. (: