fish tank
Dear Ciara,
When I first began writing this letter, I was going to start it off by telling you that I’m having another lazy day. That I hadn’t done all that much in the morning, and didn’t plan to do much in the afternoon. Except, that wasn't the truth. As I wrote, I quickly realised I’d achieved a lot more in the morning than I thought. So no, it is not “another lazy day” here. It has been, and likely will continue to be, a productive day.
What have I been up to? Well, a few different things. We have an old fish tank, for example, that has been sitting outside and going to waste. It used to be home to two axolotls—who I had for six years or so—but they sadly passed away due to a stupid mistake I made. It is one of my life’s greatest regrets, and they occasionally pop up in my dreams as recurring symbols of my guilt. For a while, The Organist and I have talked about restocking the tank, but we weren’t sure if the tank was capable of holding water anymore. So, we decided to fill it up. After a few days of letting it sit with water filled to the brim, it appears to still be good. This morning, I gave it a thorough wash and am now letting it dry outside. What to put in it, I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?
I did two loads of washing, before baking a banana cake. It’s not the best I’ve ever made, but it will satiate my sweet tooth. Our tomato bushes are heavy with fruit, so I also spent some time this morning picking them. They're now in the fridge for The Organist to eat as a snack. He loves cherry tomatoes a lot more than I do. I find them a bit average.
Well, now the sun is out. I’m listening to Bon Iver and watching the clouds roll past. They are big and wispy, like cobwebs strung between the rafters in an old shed. Planes occasionally cross overhead, and I enjoy clicking onto Flightradar24 and checking out where they are headed. For somebody who enjoys watching planes so much, you’d think I’d really love flying. We both know I don’t. In fact, I’m meant to be booking tickets to visit my family in July, but I keep putting off doing so because I am so petrified of flying. Alike my axolotls, planes are another recurring motif in my dreams. Also stick insects. The subconscious mind can be a strange place.
The song for today is:
Hey Ma — Bon Iver
I was listening to this when I was hanging out the washing to dry, and even though the lyrical content is so serious, it always brings me a lot of joy. I hope it brings you some joy today too.
Love,
The Gardener