Two years ago my children each got a betta from my brother (no, he did not ask first!). One day, while cleaning the little tank, I put one of the fish in a Cool-Whip container. I wanted the new tank water to come to room temp, so I put the Cool-Whip container on the counter and shoved it back to the backsplash because I had to go to the store. I thought it was fine - cats don't jump on the counter right?? Besides, kitty wasn't even around. I came home and there was no fish in the bowl and water all over the counter. I ran to the store and got a new fish that looked just like him. My kids (age 4 and 6 at the time) would have been hysterical at the cat and me and I thought they were a little young for this life lesson. My cat continued for over a year to torment the bettas. He'd sit on the counter and "smack" the tank with his paw. I moved the remaining tank (after the "new" fish died) to a warmer room, our library. One day I heard a crash -- the cat wedged himself behind the tank and knocked it off the shelf. Water and gravel went right down the heat register. The latest bowl is a covered bowl and sits way, way back on the kitchen counter. I don't know where in the house I could put this darn fish where the cat won't be after him. We've had the betta for two years now -- how long do those darn fish live???

I have a 65/35 double sink which I would not trade for a single since I use it for both prep and clean every day, and don't like the idea of having raw meat and dirty veggies in the main sink I use for cleanup at the same time. But there are about 4 to 6 occasions per year that I wish I had a larger sink ... especially when I want to soak my 20" rangetop grill. What I did was bought a super-large roasting pan (24x14) that I can use as a temporary "large soaking sink" when I want to clean the grill. Got that idea last Easter when I realized that's how I washed my 17" roasting pan ... i.e., filled it with soapy water and let it soak on the counter beside the sink. Thought then, "hey if only this was bigger I could wash the grill at the same time". So I bought a bigger one, and now I have the best of all worlds that works for me.

We have the "chicken bucket". All veggie ends and parings, used paper towels, leftovers forgotten in the back of the fridge, and meat scraps (no bones) go in there and it's taken out to the chickens. They run to the fence when they see me coming with it. They especially like it during canning season! They eat what they want, the rest gets mixed with the straw along with the exit material from the chickens and it all gets mixed in with the grass clippings in the compost bin. Figure first time through the chicken is better than it rotting in the pile. Double duty if you will.

I've made this before. I think. I don't remember much about it, though. rofl You posted this with me in mind, didn't you, Susan? You knew the title alone would suck me in, fun food indeed!