Mal's Gherkin Pram

Sunday, 23 August 2026

Thoon and Katia - My Goldfish

4.8 years old! wOOt!

💕💐🍾🥳🎂🎁🎉🍭✨

("Born" - September 20, 2021)

20 Sept 2024

11 February 2024

2 years 4 months old!

Katia is now about 15 cm/5.9 inches in length, and Thoon is c. 13 cm/5.1 inches.

Monty Python "Find the Fish"

(View on YouTube)

Katia and Thoon, 4 October 2023

Katia glowing in the sunlight

Thoon & Katia; "Yo! Human! Wassup?!"

14 January 2024

How the heck do you measure the length of an active goldfish? [laffs] Katia is now about 15 cm/5.9 inches in length, and Thoon is c. 13 cm/5.1 inches.

11 October 2023

I bought Thoon and Katia a new tank-cleaning vacuum, and it works like a charm! I just run the emptying hose out the front door, which empties onto the front lawn - no problem! Now cleaning/changing the water in their tank is much easier and simpler for lil' ol' me [yay!]. It even came with its own video, tho my machine is red [which, of course, we all know, just goes faster! lol].

Now their tank looks clear and pristine every day... sure, they don't appreciate the intrusion while the cleaning is taking place, but they do after it's all finished. They've never thanked me tho, either, ungrateful buggers [laffs].

I have to laugh... cleaning the tank mid-summer is better than mid-winter, as their water is BLOODY FREEZING! 🥶

(Watch on YouTube)

"Me happy... fishies happy..."

15 August 2023

I caught myself making an unconscious Spoonerism today - instead of 'Thoon and Katia', it came out as 'Thatia and Koon'... I made myself laugh.

24 April 2023

I gave their fish tank a jolly good cleaning out today, including rinsing out the gravel etc. Poor Katia was NOT happy when she got momentarily stuck in the vacuum hose nozzle (she's fine)... plus neither of them was happy being placed in a small bowl during the cleaning process... it took them a while after it was all done to look me straight in the eye again [laffs]. Sturdy buggers they are.

28 March 2023

I think I saved the life of one of my goldfish today. Katia got a small pebble stuck in her mouth; she (I should not assume the gender of my goldfish, huh? lol. As it is, I have no idea what either of them is!) would have starved to death, as she had been unable to remove it!

I grabbed my small net, and of course, being the feisty Alpha fish she is, she put up a fight while I tried to catch her and try to do something to help. Thankfully, in her moment, the small pebble popped out all OK! Phew! No harm done.

10 July 2023

I know it doesn't sound like much, but I enjoy my two goldfishies. I've been enjoying this pair's company now for 1 year 10 months [grins]. Their "Birthday" is 20 Sept 2021.

Thoon & Katia

28 March 2023

10 March 2023

Katia 10 March 2023

💥 If anyone has any practical tips on how to get a good fishie photo, pls let me know! 💥

Answer: get a bloody better camera [laffs]

My freshwater tank measures

600mm wide x 300mm deep x 400mm high

23.6 in x 11.8 in x 15.7 in

Tank Volume: 70 litres / 18.5 US Gallons

(Originally Posted: 23 Sept 2022)

I attempted to take a picture of one of my two goldfish, "Thoon", because he's a bit of an oddity: he is a normal Comet, but he has three tail fins!

"Thoon's 3rd fin is a superpower, and he doesn't know" - SB

It doesn't negatively affect him at all, thankfully.

(NB. It's not easy taking a photo of a goldfish with a little 'point'n'shoot' camera!)

I kinda like the irony that I have a unique common goldfish! Thanks, Thoon! 🐠

Here's the tank and Katia putting on a show, whilst Thoon is shyly poking his head out from behind a plant (lower centre)

➽► So, why "Thoon"?

Short answer: it's a fun, silly, random name (very me...).

Long answer: In a band many years ago, we used to invent words for sounds (for silly fun)... 'Thoon' was "the sound of a cricket ball bowled just past off-stump..." 🏏

Much later, I discovered that 'Thoon' was the name of a Giant in Homer's "Iliad"! 😄

I know... It's bizarre, random and absurd... perfect!

➽► So, why "Katia"?

Basically, I just really liked that name for many years!

(View on YouTube)

Answer: YES!

It's when they start talking back that... er um... [laffs]

(Not my tank, unfortunately! Thanks to @BrownsFanGurl for the vid!)

Relax with this video of Goldfish

(Not my tank tho!)

(Source)

➽ Also see: 2 New Fishies

Bookmark this Page

Also: Thoon

Peas be with ewe
Mal

Thursday, 20 August 2026

Panic Attacks and Anxiety

In c.2000, I was diagnosed with occasional (albeit rare) anxiety/panic attacks (which are part of my bipolar depression), tho they rarely happen in public. Most people would be unaware when I was having one, as I've developed my own 'coping mechanisms' to mask it from others (in public)... doesn't always work, tho...

One of the last ones I distinctly remember having, was at a Fancy-Dress party with my previous partner (c.2014)... I was dressed as Jesus (lol), but when they wanted to get me to join in on a spontaneous 'Best-Dressed' Parade, I literally tried to hide from everyone in the room by standing behind a life-size cardboard cut-out of The Terminator... I just froze (and couldn't even talk)... I just couldn't connect all of a sudden, for no apparent reason! My partner thought I was just being silly or something... poor lady, understandably - she had no idea.

I honestly have no idea what 'triggers' them, as they happen so rarely.

I rarely had one on-stage performing or teaching, but if it happened, I just wore my 'playing/professional mask' and just pretended everything was OK and played/work thru it until it passed...

People who see me in Public assume I am an Extrovert (I'm NOT!), but it's a learnt "Mask"!

The intense physical/mental stress/anxiety I suffered resulting from my separation and divorce (in the early 2000s [plus I suffered two nervous breakdowns at the time as well... no fun!] ), left me with some permanent physical scarring, due to a severe case of Eczema. I now have a few bald spots on my scalp (one reason why I still wear my hair long [albeit in a neat ponytail], and usually wear a hat/cap/beanie - to subconsciously cover them), and a scar on the left side of my neck/face (which I hide with my beard). The whole experience has left me with some mental/emotional scarring as well, let's be honest.

Hey - let's be honest! Who doesn't get to their 50's without some 'emotional baggage', huh?

"Grounding" really works for me.. just to get outside (of the situation) and take some deep breaths and try to refocus on what is around me.

"With a "Panic attack", a person suffers from brief attacks of intense terror and apprehension, often marked by trembling, shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and/or difficulty breathing. These panic attacks, defined by the APA as fear or discomfort that abruptly arises and peaks in less than ten minutes, can last for several hours. Attacks can be triggered by stress, fear, or even exercise; the specific cause is not always apparent". (Source)

"Situational anxiety" is caused by new situations or changing events. It can also be caused by various events that make that particular individual uncomfortable. Its occurrence is very common. Often, an individual will experience panic attacks or extreme anxiety in specific situations. A situation that causes one individual to experience anxiety may not affect another individual, at all. For example, some people become uneasy in crowds or tight spaces, so standing in a tightly packed line, say at the bank or a store register, may cause them to experience extreme anxiety, possibly a panic attack. Others, however, may experience anxiety when major life changes occur."

► Panic Attacks: Six Coping Techniques

► Things You Need to Know About People with Concealed Anxiety

► Positive Ways to Cope With and Manage Anxiety

(NOTE: This post is not a "pity-party/woe-is-me" thing, as I'm simply sharing a very brief insight into some of the reasons as to why I may act so "up-and-down" from time to time.

All of this is quite frustrating for me, as I was always quite well health-wise overall, until my mid-40's! (I'm 57 now).

Blimey... I don't drink, don't smoke, don't do drugs, nor gamble, nor video games (Boring old fart, huh? lol)

I guess the 'joys' of a lifetime lived with stress, anxiety, and depression has caught up with my physical health!)