I love it when, at 41, I hear of something off-beat that I've never heard of before.

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When Sarah told me about the Goldfish Races at <strong><a href="http://www.arcadiatavern.com/" target="_blank">Arcadia Tavern</a></strong> on Thursday nights, I knew that I had to try it.

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I showed up not knowing what to expect, except for the Sweet Potato Tater Tots that Sarah had built up to great culinary heights previously.

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[caption id="attachment_6360" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="They were everything Sarah said they would be and more!"]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300032.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6360" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300032-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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At 9:30, they announced that the Goldfish Races would soon begin.  We were asked to choose a cup with a Goldfish and name it.

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Sarah and Tim named their fish in a heartbeat:  Hermes and Mark Spitz, respectively.  (Although there was initial confusion with the MC who was born in 1984 (I asked) and wrote "Mark Spence".)

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I took a good ten minutes to come up with best possible name for my fishie.  I finally decided on Fifi LeRue.  (Or Fee Fee La Roux to Mr. 1984.  Hey -- I was impressed that he knew "roux".  But then again, he does work in the culinary industry.)

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300033.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6362" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300033-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>

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In our first heat, Fifi/Fee Fee and I were competing against the rocket scientist/Beavis and Butthead aficionado named Master Baiter.

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No, he is not a 7th grader.  Take a look.

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300042.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6363" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300042-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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And the winner is...

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[caption id="attachment_6364" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Sis, make sure to hide this one from World&#39;s Most Precious Niece &amp; Nephew.  Yet another rocket scientist in the heat above me."]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300045.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-6364" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300045-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

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Sarah and Hermes won their first heat as well!  Unfortunately, Tim and Mark Spence/Spitz didn't advance.  Mark Spence/Spitz turned out to be a feisty little fish who had big dreams of being a salmon and swam upstream.  He also JUMPED OUT OF HIS CUP at the table!!!!  Was it acrobatics or a suicide attempt to escape the race scene on Thursday nights?  We will never know.  Fortunately, Tim and Mr. 1984 rescued him in time.

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On to the second heat...

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300048.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6367" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300048-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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And the third...

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<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300057.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6368" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P6300057-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>

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And the winner is...

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