Thank God it’s Monday!

Posted on June 4, 2018 by Sue Vincent

I’m too tired to write, ’cause I had a lie-in,
You might think that the two wouldn’t mix,
But after a weekend from Hell with the pond
I was ready for crossing the Styx.

There was panic on Saturday morning to start,
With my son calling up on the phone,
“You had better get down here, it’s emptied itself
And I can’t sort it out on my own.”

Now, on Friday I’d cleaned out the pond pump again
And the waterfall, just for good measure.
It’s not all that long since the filter was done,
We could do it again at our leisure.

But no, the pond emptied, the level went down
With the fish having no place to swim
Some two thousand gallons of water had gone,
Disappeared in thin air, on a whim.

The irises, big clumps as wide as a tree
Had all toppled and floated adrift…
A nice gentle weekend? I’d no chance at all
So I did feel a tiny bit miffed.

It didn’t take long to establish the cause
For a quick bit of investigation
Revealed that the filter was solidly blocked,
It was all overflowing…damnation.

“We must take it apart, then give it a good clean,
Reassemble and hope it is working.”
We both donned rubber gloves, like a surgical team,
And got stuck into work without shirking.

We baled out the sump and then rescued the bits
That were floating where they shouldn’t oughta,
But then it got messy, we dived in the sludge
And were up to our elbows in water.

I had screamed when the first leech had nibbled my glove,
By the tenth I was weeping and shaking,
My son looked in horror, could not understand
All the fuss that his mother was making.

Until he saw leeches, four inches and more…
And the one that had blatantly fed…
So I whimpered my way through th epond=cleaning lark
Pretty certain I’d rather be dead.

We hauled up the irises, onto the deck,
They had leeches all over them too…
By this time my throat from the screaming is sore,
But we did what we needed to do.

It had taken all day, and the next day as well
To restore the pond back to its best.
“You can sleep late tomorrow,” my son kindly said,
“‘Cause I think you could do with a rest!”

So I’d turned the alarms off and settled to sleep
And I still woke at six, stiff and sore,
But I snuggled back in, while I doggedly tried
To relax so I’d sleep a bit more.

I gave up in the end. We stood over the pond
Where the pair of us had duly slaved.
Said my son, as we watched the fish happily play,
“Yeah, but look at the lives that we saved.”

And that was a good point, for they come to our call,
“You’re responsible for what you tame.”
You cannot leave a friend in distress, skin or scale…
And we know every creature by name.

But I’m thankful it’s Monday, I might get a rest,
No more bent over double in sludge,
And the next time he says, “You can have a lie-in,”
You can be ruddy sure I won’t budge!

About Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent was a Yorkshire born writer, esoteric teacher and a Director of The Silent Eye. She was immersed in the Mysteries all her life. Sue maintained a popular blog and is co-author of The Mystical Hexagram with Dr G.M.Vasey. Sue lived in Buckinghamshire, having been stranded there due to an accident with a blindfold, a pin and a map. She had a lasting love-affair with the landscape of Albion, the hidden country of the heart. Sue  passed into spirit at the end of March 2021.
This entry was posted in fish, Humour, Motherhood, Photography, Poetry and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

74 Responses to Thank God it’s Monday!

  1. Pingback: Thank God it’s Monday! – The Militant Negro™

  2. Tidbits says:
    June 4, 2018 at 06:31

    it’s very unique experience for a poem. but you did well 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  3. Ritu says:
    June 4, 2018 at 06:37

    Well done for saving the day! Hope you did rest up Sue!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  5. jenanita01 says:
    June 4, 2018 at 07:56

    I too, tried to lie in this morning, for my poor back if nothing else. But it didn’t happen. The cat knew I was awake and I desperately wanted a cup of tea, so that was that.
    (I might be changing my mind about having a pond, sounds like an awful lot of work to me!)

    Like

    Reply
  6. Victoria Zigler (@VictoriaZigler) says:
    June 4, 2018 at 09:22

    I’m glad you were able to fix the problem and save all your scaled friends… Even if it was an exhausting and messy job.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. willowdot21 says:
    June 4, 2018 at 09:36

    Things we do for love, you are a great mum 💜💜

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  8. Jane Dougherty says:
    June 4, 2018 at 10:06

    Rescuing fish is something that many wouldn’t understand—I would 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  9. acflory says:
    June 4, 2018 at 10:07

    Oh wow…that’s herculean! And terrifying. I don’t think I’ve got leeches in my pond, but then again, not seeing and not having are two very different things. :/
    I’m glad you managed to save your fish, and I hope all stays well for a good long time!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  10. watchingthedaisies says:
    June 4, 2018 at 11:18

    I am so glad the fish were rescued but I do not fancy dipping my gloved hands near those leeches! Well done. 😊

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. http://www.salpa58.wordpress.com says:
    June 4, 2018 at 11:56

    We are all the good Lord’s creatures when we help each other he sends blessings and strength. You might be tired but I’m sure the fish are happy too. Happy Monday. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. fransiweinstein says:
    June 4, 2018 at 12:18

    As a Pisces, I’m most grateful to you. Hope you have a calm and peaceful week.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. Jennie says:
    June 4, 2018 at 12:25

    You put the scary/terrible/hopeful experience to poetry quite well, Sue. Rest today. You know the fish thank you and are you BFFs. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  14. Carol says:
    June 4, 2018 at 12:57

    I feel your pain and leeches..NO!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  16. Mary Smith says:
    June 4, 2018 at 13:36

    Not how you want to spend a weekend! Glad you got it sorted and am keeping my fingers crossed you don’t have to do it again – at least not for a while.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Noni says:
    June 4, 2018 at 14:21

    I love your story poems! (What is the correct term?) ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  18. D. Wallace Peach says:
    June 4, 2018 at 18:45

    The leeches would really get to me, Sue. Ugh. Shudder. Ick. But your fish all look happy and appreciative. Great photos. Now go and relax!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  19. Rae Longest says:
    June 4, 2018 at 19:46

    YOU DESERVE A REST! I have been pulling up weeds by their scrubby roots all morning and am lying on the bed resting with pillows and an ice pack behind me! I feeeeel your pain!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  20. Marian Beaman says:
    June 4, 2018 at 21:05

    Oh, my goodness. What a story!
    Indeed you deserve a rest.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  21. Widdershins says:
    June 4, 2018 at 22:15

    Leeches! Why did it have to be leeches?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  22. Pingback: Wilfully blind… – The Silent Eye

  23. Anne Copeland says:
    June 5, 2018 at 01:57

    I remember years ago I was in some little store buying another couple of goldfish. Well, the fellow did not double bag them and so once outside of course, right there in the parking lot, the bag breaks and the fish came tumbling out. I scooped up what little water I could and carefully lifted the fish, feeling horrible for them how much they must have suffered hitting the pavement. The store people were there up front when I came back in and I fairly screamed – water, get me water quick!!! And they obliged and came with another bag of water, which I put the fish into. They offered to replace the fish for me and I said no, for I knew what replace would mean. There was no way they were going to put those fish back into one of their tanks. Well, I insisted on double bagging, and then to be sure, asked for a third one to take with me. I was not taking any chances. I don’t care if they did cost just 29 cents each! They were treasures to me. Surprisingly, the fish, once home at my house, got put into my aquarium with the others. and I put a little marine salt in for good measure. Those goldfish grew up to be beautiful and large, and seems like I remember they lived long lives. I am so glad it was me and not someone else this happened to because another person might have just agreed that it was ok to dump them. I don’t think so . . . not on my watch!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Sue Vincent says:
      June 5, 2018 at 07:47

      But you rescue plants too… and so it does not surprise me at all that you cared for the goldfish 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Anne Copeland says:
        June 10, 2018 at 18:14

        I would rescue any living thing in this world that was in need of it. One day I rescued I think four wolfie spiders that were endangered and set them free in a good wolfie rescue place in my back yard. Now a lot of people are afraid of wolfies because of their appearance and size, but they are very good garden companions, and want nothing more than a garden that has yummie bugs for their dinner. As far as I know, the wolfies are still there. I believe they are actually called wolf spiders, but at any rate, they will not hurt a single thing. And life is sacred. All of it. Thank you kindly, Sue.

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        • Sue Vincent says:
          June 10, 2018 at 21:05

          I agree, Anne, there is no difference in the essential life of spider, plant or human being. We ften behave as if there is… but it is only humankind who have decided that we are of more value than any other species.

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          Reply
  24. dgkaye says:
    June 5, 2018 at 02:16

    Fantastic writing putting this story in poem Sue! Wow, that pond is keeping you two busy. The fish owe you their lives for sure. Now I hope you did manage to rest well after that fiasco. 🙂 ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  25. Eliza Waters says:
    June 5, 2018 at 03:10

    You have a way of turning horror to humor, Sue. How do you do it? Good gawd, you couldn’t make this stuff up! Your life is more wild than fiction. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  27. Lyn Horner says:
    June 5, 2018 at 17:04

    The job you had to do sounds awful, especially the leeches. But I’m glad you saw it through, saving your fish and I hope the irises. Put your feet up and rest. You earned it!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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