Well folks, Pepe the beta fish has expired. I acquired two replacements: Piccadilly and Paddington, for a total of $0.24 from the fish store. Piccadilly has taken up residence in Pepe's old flat while Paddington has moved into some spankin new digs (above).
In related news, the large goldfish in the pond has mysteriously disappeared. I can't tell for certain, but I'd hazard a guess that the opossum that Bailey almost ate the other night has something to do with its puzzling disappearance. I'm a fan of most animals (from bugs to bears) but I'll admit to being a little repulsed by opossums. This one was ambling along in the back yard until Bails caught sight of it. Bailey jumped about four feet in the air (and simultaneously kicked out part of the fence) in an attempt to snag it. Thankfully he missed.