Festival Fish Live Forever

When I was a kid, my brother Chris and I won a goldfish from a festival. We named him George, and that fish lived for about 10 years from the time I was in elementary school until I was in high school. He held on for so long that he turned white and all his scales started flaking off. I often told my mom that we should just put him out of his misery and flush him. I can't remember for sure, but that may have been how he left us...

I didn't realize that George lived so long because he was a festival fish until Aunt Kathy informed us that "Festival Fish Live Forever" after Connor won one at the Circleville Pumpkin show on Saturday. We can only hope that being a festival fish will prolong this fish's life...but he is probably doomed.


Meet Niner. Connor is excited to have another fish to take care of. He's been worried about whether or not he is happy...and every time Niner is swimming around vigorously, he shouts about how much Niner likes being a part of our family.

Lex is absolutely thrilled about the fish. He loves to watch it. And he keeps trying to pick up the bowl to give the fish a hug. He will put his hands on the bowl, and when the fish comes near them, he shouts about how the fish is tickling him. He wants to put the fish in his hand and hug it. So far, though, I have managed to keep him from doing that. But yesterday, he apparently wanted Niner to share some of his milk. I walked into the room, and Lex had his milk cup upside down in the fish bowl, waiting for Niner to drink from the straw. But you couldn't even see Niner anymore because the water was so cloudy with milk.

I managed to rescue Niner from the milk, and he seems to be doing fine. For now. Lex might just love that fish to death.


P.S. I got a copy of the entire group shot from Circleville 2011 from Megan. Here it is!