Letter to Santa

S

Dear Santa's Helper (a.k.a. Elf Dude),


I decided to write directly to the elf helper here in Juneau,  because I know that Santa is quite busy this time of year, and I don't want to contribute to his Info glut.  I hope that he has a good relational database to see him thru the Christmas season. 

He may also want to think about using caribou rather than just plain old reindeer, since they seem to be bigger and stronger.  Here are some good candidates: 

This last one is from Canada, and looks like he has a bad attitude (like my Towson Catholic sister in law), but the first two are probably nice cooperative Alaskan caribou. 

I realize that spousal unit and I may have to give up our fish when we move, or risk having them perish during the journey.  This is going to be a difficult decision, as it was when we moved to Alaska from Massachusetts.  

However, I would still like to have one of these critters join our little saltwater community for six months.  The fellow in the picture at the top of the blog/letter is probably a pajama cardinalfish, but the spotted ones are nearly as beautiful.  You can find out what their general characteristics are by pasting the link below into your browser (as long as you are not using internet explorer, which will probably explode when you enter this:  tee hee hee 

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+26+85&pcatid=85 

From all reports, they play well with others, and we know a couple right across the pond who might want to adopt our creatures if we are worried that they might not make it safely back to the east coast of the U.S. (or wherever we might end up). 

Ah, here is a pair of a spotted variety called Benggai Cardinalfish.  The ones at the wee fishie shoppe in town just seem to hover in one place.   The first time I became attracted to this species was when I went to see the Jelly exhibit at the Boston Aquarium several years ago.  They had this one aquarium with upside down jellies, who basically sit on the bell shaped part of their body, upside down, and grow algae on their tentacles, which they then eat!  How cool is that?!?  But I digress.  In amongst the self eating farmer jellies were several dozen pajama cardinalfish hiding between the mangrove roots.  If you didn't look at the exhibit for more than 30 seconds, you wouldn't see the fish, because they barely moved at all.  Since their stripes were in the same orientation as the mangrove roots, it was almost like they were hiding in plain sight.

Please let me know if I can be of any assistance in this endeavor.

Your able elfling, 

aquagal

P.S.  I would also be willing to make the dreaded peanut butter cookies if that makes the difference between coal and fish.  Please don't put the fish in my stocking.....