It's My Fault

Bethany's night out with Clint and I was last night. (Emily comes along too, of course.) Bethany wanted to go to Golden Corral for the buffet. I think it is the spread of desserts that do it for her.

They had the bottles of BBQ sauce sitting down in the hot water that heats the serving trays. I burned my hand a little getting it out of the water and figured out that if I gripped it by the lid, I could handle it. As soon as I turned it, the pressure inside built up and very hot BBQ sauce spewed about 18" across the buffet and all over my hand. I got burned on my palm and it's sore today.

While viewing the situation through the tears in my eyes, I realized the only option to get the liquid off as quickly as possible was to lick it. I took an etiquette course when I was a teen and use to read Miss Manners, so it was against the grain....but dire circumstances warranted prompt attention!! I licked my hand right there in front of everybody too!! :-)

I showed the server the burn and asked to speak to the manager. The server gave me ice and apologized first. The manager apologized and explained that it was something new he was told to try from corporate, but clearly it was not working. Clint, the manager and I were all thankful a child did not get sprayed with the burning liquid in the face. PTL Bethany took her trip to get her meal with Clint!

I finished my meal left handed after Clint cut my steak up for me. LOL He offered to take me to the emergency room. When I refused that, he offered to buy me ice packs, burn gel, pain reliever, etc. He loves me!

I have written Golden Corral office and requested that the bottles be taken out of the water and expressed my concern over other injuries. As an alternative, I suggested they use the small serving wells with ladles.

The manager said he had already taken the bottles out before he came to talk with me.

For you folks that liked the hot bottles of sauce in the water, you can blame it on me! :-)

It's Not Until You See the Big

picture that you understand the puppy's peril.
Who says chihuahuas are not brave or loyal?

Mean Little Fish in Jail

I put the "nasty mean" little thing lamprologus leleupi in a jar with holes in the top (for water circulation) until I can set up another tank for it. It's really a pretty fish, but it is SO aggressive. This particular one has special needs due to a twisted mouth. That's a heart shaped blood red parrot fish sticking its tongue out at it.

According to the internet, the parrot fish is a hybrid created by breeding two cichlids. The heart shape is obtained by cutting the tail off the young. They don't post that information beside the sale tank, so we did not know when we purchased our three. They are also injecting dye into these fish in patterns to gain sales. We do not recommend buying them because it supports these practices. There is a cichlid known as a the parrot fish (Hoplarchus Psittacus) which is found in the wild.

Make Your Own Undergravel Filter

After we priced undergravel filters at $40 a pop, Clint made me one with gutter screen (partial piece above) and PVC pipe.
Clint had PVC pipe leftovers and the screens were $2 each. We used 2 for the 30 gallon tank and 3 for the 55 gallon tank.

Rebel Checking Out Emily

Rebel has not lost his curiousity over babies. As soon as he saw Emily, he made a bee-line to check her out.