I went with my oldest grandson to the garden centre to buy some more fish for the garden pond. We carried our carefully chosen precious catch home and then tipped it into the fizzing, dark depths of water beneath the tinkling waterfall.
We hoped the heron that frequented these parts would be kept away by the large plastic heron we had just purchased to confuse her. We knew she could not manage to lift the weighty koi carp but we wanted to give the other fish time to grow.
Grant and I had happily sploshed our ancient goldfish in the pond when they moved into this lovely house. Goldie and Silver had lived for years in our farmhouse kitchen but had grown exponentially in the last few years.
One day, years before I was standing at the back door of my daughter’s house holding blonde haired, two year old Felix, in my arms. My daughter had been feeding the koi carp and had just joined us in the kitchen doorway.
Suddenly it went dark and a large heron swooped down. Of all the fish in the pond to take that day, when he lifted his large beak it contained the one and only shimmering, silver goldfish in the land. Silver, the goldfish had turned that amazing colour the day after we won him at the country fair.
Felix screeched “Oh Mummy, where is Silver going?” and burst into tears.
My quick thinking daughter replied with insouciance “Actually darling today is a wedding day for silver goldfish and the heron has been chosen to escort him to meet his bride”
Felix tears turned into smiles and he ran to play on the swing. “Where did that idea come from?” I asked his Mum.
“Absolutely no idea, I just heard my mouth say the words” she laughed and went to make some tea….