Flat

Driving to the shops last night, I felt my wheels not responding well to my steering and in fact, was jerky at times. Initially I suspected it was the wheels alignment and let go off the steering wheel, only to see the car veer sharply to the left. So I rolled down the front passenger seat window and true enough, the flipflop sound heard was as I feared, that of a flat tire. As I was on the main road, I could not stop immediately thus slowly drove the car to the shop which was just a short distance.

Soon as I brought the car to a stop, I got out and took down the spare wheel and equipment, readying myself for a heavy duty job. Alhamdulillah, I did not have to do much as the 'mamak' from the shop offered to help. However, it was not as simple as we both thought it would be.

As soon as the car was jacked up slightly, we tried with all our might to unscrew the nuts and bolts of the wheel, but they just would not budge. Then somebody handed a hollow iron bar which we inserted one end of the tire spanner as a means of leverage, and it worked! And soon I was driving back home.

Earlier this morning, I had the flat fixed and found a 6inch nail to be the culprit.

Arriving back home, I found emak tending to her garden and decided its time I give my fish tank a spring cleaning since its been more than a year I last did. Well, what prompted my action was the overgrowing roots of the waterlily plant. Several times in the recent past, I had added some new fishes, only to find them missing. After a while I figured those fishes must have gotten themselves tangled with the roots. And true enough. Soon as we dragged the plant out - emak gave me a big hand - we found the skeletal remains of few of the fishes. Poor fellas.

It took us a good part of the morning to clean the tank and trim the plant which is now less than a quarter in size of its former self, where I had to laugh quietly to myself as it reminds me of a time in the past when I visited a barber. Then, my hair was extra extra long (and curly). When I requested for the no.2 cut, the barber almost did not believe me. But soon there I was, almost botak and looking like a true homo sapien rather than a sasquatch dressed in one.

Back to the fish tank, I've taken out most of the bricks I put in and meant as a playhouse for the fishes, and rebuilt a new one of smaller size. Now, it has a spacious look, quite like when one moves into a new empty house. It looks better too!

Really glad we cleaned the tank as I can really look at my fishes now. And I find it quite a joy too, watching them play among themselves and even at times involved in a non-violent fight or two. Apart from the original species of Swordtails and Mollies, I've added some varieties of Moon Fishes (I only know the name given but not of the specie); Black Red, Green Yellow Head, and Blue. There's also 2 pairs of Loaches - Yellow, and Black. Together with the Guppies which I am thankful their population have not exploded, the tank is indeed quite a colourful sight.

There's something else I enjoy, and that is watching the fishes swim against the flow of water gushing out from the water pump. The younger fishes, perhaps lacking the strength of their adults, would constantly find themselves swept along the short width of the tank, while the adults would try to swim to almost the mouth of the outflow. Watching them do so is almost like watching salmons swim upriver to the mountains to lay their eggs. Well, almost. As I have thus far been able to watch salmons do it only in TV documentaries, and don't think I will ever be able to do so in real life. At this point, I sure would like to own a camera similar to the one Pak Zawi has just gotten himself. But perhaps, that too will remain a dream. For now, this simple man's toy and hobby will have to do.

Anyway, now that the day is over and fish tank cleaned, emak and I seem to have fallen flat. While she has long gone off to bed, I just can't as I am so used to late nights.