how's my Tucker

doing, fine. Better color now again-

though hard to get it in a photo (as usual) because he starts zooming back and forth when I'm near. So most pics a blur or simply backlit-

or he lurks in the large anubias corner. 

Got this decent pic from the short side of the tank.

Something's still going wrong when I do the water changes. I admit it had been too long between them again, and I had never done a very thorough cleaning since the time away on vacation. Yesterday attempted to remedy that- siphoned the gravel, but only on one side of the tank because thought I ought not overdo it and put him into shock.

But then I continued with trimming plants and decided to move a few, and cut down or pulled out all the rotalas in the back (a lot of them dying, looking shabby) and trimmed some bolbitis fern off the log, tied onto stones to put in the background, etc. It ended up being too much change. So I thought. Except, the fish looked relatively calm until I started pouring the new water in, then he clamped up, hung at the surface, barely moving, curving his body. Looked alarmingly like the symptoms my minnows died of.

Prime doesn't expire. Nitrates were low already. My best guesses are: the city is using chloramine or added excess chlorine (but Prime is supposed to nullify that anyway) or I released ammonia into the water column when pulling some plants up (but the fish looked okay at that point) or, the new water caused a pH jump. I think it's the latter. Must test before and after next time.

He looked shocky all that evening and I was worried. But this morning seems completely fine, so phew.

our old man cat

went to his final rest yesterday. We miss him so much. 

He was a great cat. Super friendly, handsome and confident-

Loved to be with his people. He would sleep on your lap for hours. Keep you company if you were sick. Greet anybody walking by our house (unless they had a dog). This photo taken years ago by one of my kids with a toy camera.

When they weren't at my house for a week, he'd go around looking for them, and sleep on their beds. 

Same if my husband traveled.

His favorite foods were tuna, chicken heart, greenies, or anything he caught himself (except the chipmunks and voles). Squirrel, mouse, bird, rabbit . . .  Many apologies to the small wildlife on his behalf (though I don't think he was one bit sorry) I always did feel bad about that. 

Sadly, in his last few days had no interest in the tasty morsels we offered. (He could be picky, but in this case it was because he was ill).

He liked boxes.

Especially if somebody's clothes were in there

Great at relaxing (aren't all cats?)

Yes, look at all the pictures of my cat sleeping-

this pic from years ago when we had two cats (turned out he didn't like sharing his household with another feline) I always though it looked like he was going to melt off the chair-

He was a big fan of the outdoors, and a superlative hunter, as noted above. I won't show again the evidence of his skill.

Dear Irwin, we loved you so much. Best cat I've ever known.

 Nineteen and a half years of a very good life.

Bonus: video my husband took, playing "let's knock the pen off the desk" game. Which became annoying later- the cat would use this to get our attention if we ignored his demands, knocking all sorts of things off the counters in the kitchen! Now it's funny and endearing in memory.

(All the photos on here that you haven't seen before, were taken by my husband, one of my kids, or my stepson.)