Obits

Some sad news:

Imogen has definitely died. I tried to help. I performed an emergency transplantation, but it was not enough to prevent the Mold from carrying her off. After a suitably Catholic ceremony, she came to her final resting place in holy ground at the Church of Our Lady by the sea.

Also, Attila the Budgie has died. Mum suspects the activities of the nefarious Charlos. This notion can be supported by the well documented jealousy and mutual dislike of the parties involved. However, as the deed was carried out under cover of Working Hours, the truth of the matter may never be known. Autumn seems to be an ill fated month for our Budgies. Maud also met his untimely demise at the er, hands, of the wicked Charlos on Thanksgiving some years ago. May Attila the Hun and Empress Maud enjoy their reunion in Darkest Peru.

A Slightly Premature Lament

My beloved parsley plant is dying. On purpose. I know it must be on purpose because I have watered it, and then stopped watering it, and drained the roots. I put it in the sun, and removed it from the sun, and talked to it kindly in an Encouraging Tone but all to No Avail! I don't know what else to do with it. I have been forced to the conclusion that it has tired of its young life and is deliberately (and inconsiderately) wilting into a sad, crispy ruin. Perhaps it thought it would end a sadly depleted parsley plant, all its best and brightest cruelly picked and consumed before they had a chance to enjoy life, and wished to end its existence on its own term. But I think it cannot have considered the situation properly: I don't like parsley. I would never eat poor Imogen. I wanted a companion, a kitchen friend in whom to confide my darkest culinary secrets. However nothing I say can convince her to deviate from this tragic course of action. It is very damaging to my self esteem that she should prefer death to my company.

Having said all this, she has not kicked the bucket just yet. I will continue to live in the hope that she will realise that our wonderful colloqui nella cucina circa la cottura e la vita * are worth staying for.

*I think she is an Italian Parsley.