Shame

During the course of this year, we have lost three or four goldfish. This particular fish was one of our biggest measuring 20cm and presumably one of the first. It also has a rather nice semi fantail which doesn't really show here.

Not at all sure why as they all look very fit. Obviously at the moment with the high temperatures, one could think it is due to the heat but I am not convinced as the others do not show any sign of distress.  Almos the entire pool surface is covered in waterlilies and in general there is a mass, almost too much, of oxygen making plants. Just in case, this evening I put two pumps in just in case there is a relation.

My main concern is and has always been the amount of food they get which I am not sure is good for them. I think one small goldfish died a few months ago jumping out of the water to get at a food stick on the edge of a water lily and I think they got stranded there!

It's a bit like the person with a heart problem who smokes their 20 a day, drinks two large strong cups of ground coffee in the morning followed by a late breakfast of cream-filled cake and then nothing more all day except for copious amounts of cola-based fizzy drinks. Then a hunger panic late afternoon portion of baked beans, fried bacon and eggs before retiring to bed to watch TV with large packets of chocolate and crisps and still washed down with cola.

I have been put on a diet, probably the thought is that my cholesterol is too high. No eggs from our chickens for me despite there being over 80 boxed up. Perhaps they are promised to someone else. This evening I popped around to the supermarket and trying to hide my face, bought a box of 10. I can't admit to the price I paid for what I think are called "Barn" eggs in the UK. Absolute disgrace.

However, I planned to make a sort of vegetarian quiche using some of the veg garden produce and needed the eggs to bind. The idea of using them in raw or semi-raw form fills me with horror. So no scrambled or soft boiled eggs for me.

Shame really, I guess the first bought eggs for the last 17 years. I have been feeding the girls with lots of vegetable matter this week, scraps from my work bottling and freezing. They love the tomatoes. cucumber and pea scraps. We do have a second hen house and maybe I ought to get a couple of my own girls to ensure supplies.

It all smacks of project "Fear".