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Got very depressed at the site of the green pea soup in the goldfish pond and imagining another summer of trying to protect the surface from getting too much sunlight, running a pump continuously to get some oxygen to the fish and wasting hours trying to re-sink the massive roots of the water lilies which keep surfacing.

Over the years the massive influx of immigrant toads, frogs and newts now causes most of the surface to be a mass of jelly in early spring, the water gets churned up by all the mating. It simply is a mess.

So set about a radical clean out, not that easy pumping out the water and trying to make sure no small fish or other amphibians get sucked in. Worked on it until it got dark and hope no fish left in the bottom 50cm or so of slime and mud. Will try to clear this out tomorrow,

Meanwhile while I fought with slime, Angie went shopping to Aldi as yesterday was "Taste of the British Isles" offers. The highlight of which were Salt & Vinegar Crisps (called "Chips" in Germany) which are readily available.  I had only seen a brief selection of some of what was on offer and it looked very boring - I saw jams, marmalades and Quality Street chocolates and so told Angie I didn't want anything. Was then talking to daughter Kate in Ireland on the phone and she said she had been to Lidl's German Food week this week! When Angie got home she came back with a few other British bits and when I then looked up the offer on the web saw there had been quite a lot on offer from baked beans to shortbread. Shame I hadn't looked before she left.

Angie did have the sense to pick up a pack of pond water "preparer" to add to the pond water after refilling to make it fit for fish - happened to be in Lidl on offer.