I came home this morning from Matt�s and Gretchen had the bowl soaking in the sink�fish free. The plastic plants and the little castle had also been cleaned and were drying in the rack with the dishes.

We are not allowed to have any animals besides fish in my apartment complex. I have asked Matt repeatedly for a puppy but being the sensible one in the relationship he always reminds me that not only am I not allowed to have pets but that neither Gretchen or I are ever home, �Now is that fair for the puppy?� he asks. My retort is always something along the lines of, is it really fair for me to be dog free? I love animals and I grew up always having them in the house (I�m the nutter that calls home and after a brief hello with the parents asks to speak to my black Lab). College and now post-college apartment living has made in impossible to have an animal around, or at least an animal that does not live inside a bowl, hence the attachment to my red beta fish Enid.

I went and picked her out after Gretchen�s fish Lou Ferrigno died a horrible death due to the complete lack of knowledge of the idiot working at the pet store. The pills he gave us to help Lou with his gill disease ended up causing him to slowly rot, he eventually died, his little body looking as though he had just returned from a lengthy trip to the tropics and had forgotten to put on sunscreen�. I am no fish expert but I am pretty sure they are not supposed to peel.

Enid was playful and became excited when I came which is more love then I have been receiving lately.