Recently I bought a siamese fighting fish. Instead of a tank, I put it in my favourite vase (Christofle Teardrop) with a small castle ornament & a big handful of tiny tumbled gemstones. Siamese fighting fish have a special way of breathing that means they do not need an air filter in their tank to survive.

I did this to create emotional harmony within our home - water being the element of emotions, the castle representing our house, The fish is very protective of its territory; and the gemstones give it all some extra oomph. Yes, the irony of selecting a siamese fighting fish to aid emotional harmony doesn't escape me, but I figured the fish fights for something important, something worth fighting for; family harmony is worth fighting for, yes? Also the vase is very special to me & has great emotional value invested in it, I wouldn't put any old crap in there...

What? Yes I AM witchy like that, get over it. It's not the only thing that defines me.

The Gentleman has named the fish Sam. The fish is really cool, it changes colour from frosty lavender to red to dark blue; something The Gentleman is pretty impressed with.

'Is it one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish?' I ask with a smile, oh I am such a clever mum, inserting references to age appropriate literature!

'No Mum', says The Gentleman. I can play this game too! 'It's the Rainbow Fish!'

Touche, Gentleman.