Today, the family bid adieu to our beloved hermaphrodite, Joe-Anna. The resident snail of Ellen's bedroom, and mother/father to fully 16 currently living offspring (which may explain why s/he died...), passed away today at an indeterminate age. The truly interesting part of this story, however was the funeral service that Ellen came up with and performed.
She asked that we all wear something black and follow her outside where she would conduct the funeral. With Ellen standing on the deck, after she guided us to stand in front of my apple trees, she read first from Genesis, and then recited from memory (and as dramatically as you can imagine, complete with hand gestures and dramtic pauses) the story of Pandora and how Death was released upon the world. According to Kim, Ellen thought it appropriate to say something about how life started and ended.
Finally, she finished by digging a small grave and putting Joe-Anna (who had been sealed inside a single egg carton shell) into the ground. After covering him/her with dirt, she allowed Katie (who was quite bored by this point) to place the headstone dedicated to Joe-Anna the snail, indeterminate birth date, date of death September 8, 2007.
Safe passage, Joe-Anna. Ellen will look after your children.
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