When I went to Su Lin's house during Chinese New Year, we discussed the idea of getting Mrs Chang a pet for her 48th birthday.
Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles and amphibians were generally out, leaving us with the choice of fish, hamsters, rabbits or guinea pigs.
We eventually decided on our aquatic friends, and on Wednesday, I bought the whole works from Pets Wonderland, assembled it up for a night, and yesterday gave Mrs Chang what was probably the greatest birthday surprise in some years.
It so happens that our lessons and her birthday fell on the very same day this time around, and also present to witness the ceremony were, from left to right, Marcus (Mrs Chang's son), Benedict, Zoe, Sara and Belle.
Seated on the floor are the culprits behind the aquarium plot. Perveen was there, but left shortly before I went back home to get the camera. Mum took the photo.
Two golden gourami, two dwarf gourami, two ghost glass catfish and an upside-down catfish, plus a shipwreck and a plant for decor. The aquarium is fitted with a filter system to minimise maintenance work (something Mrs Chang would surely dread).
Her husband was duly shocked when he returned from work, so I heard. Apparently he spent the whole night staring at the fish, and reminiscing about childhood days when he used to keep fish. Even Mrs Chang used to keep fish.
Mum was saying that in the days of her childhood, fish and stamps were some of the more popular hobbies; these days, not many young people pursue them.
Oh, and there's that really ugly, but hugely popular fish called the flowerhorn. Yeah right, more like Tumourfish.
I do hope to start a marine aquarium sometime soon. It's a lot of work, especially maintaining the salinity of the water, but marine fish are truly some of the most spectacularly breathtaking creatures on earth.
A whole new world unfolds, and this is only the beginning.
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