Sigh. Friend is now meeting me at 11. Stupid theatre types and thier all-nighter ways.

How did you answer?

Hil, I told him the truth. Yeah, it's a dead animal and we eat dead animals. He's starting to figure out the connection between the cows, chickens and pigs being things that we are going to eat.

He's also getting kind of obsessive about people and dying. Not sure where all this is coming from or how to handle it.

Oh, I just a brilliant (but cheap) idea. See, my main roof downspout is attached to a length of pvc that runs across the basement porch and then the water falls 3-4 feet and drains (eventually) into the alley. I should get a short rainbarrel with an overflow drain and hose attached, and store my rainwater. 1. It might allow me to finally kill off my postage stamp back yard and start over with less weedy shit(it gets plenty hydrated); 2. Not worry about the way the water pools (the back porch is already kinda a mess, don't want to add to it and my rear deck supports are in the dirt there) and 3: brown water outside for cleaning catboxes and cars and the like. I *think* I have a working water line in the garage, but it doesn't have a handle, and I haven't been in there since I bugbombed it back late summer (and OMG, the THINGS that came crawling out.)

House likes carrots.

Cash, I think it is a developmental thing. I remember a lot of kids I nannied and the nephews honing in on the mortality thing about that age.

He's also getting kind of obsessive about people and dying. Not sure where all this is coming from or how to handle it.

This might be trickier because of his stuff, but I suspect its always tricky.

All I know for sure is that you'll handle it well. It may hurt and confuse him a lot, but he'll have you through all of it.

A large dairy animal approached Zaphod Beeblebrox's table, a large fat meaty quadruped of the bovine type with large watery eyes, small horns and what might almost have been an ingratiating smile on its lips.

"Good evening," it lowed and sat back heavily on its haunches, "I am the main Dish of the Day. May I interest you in the parts of my body?"...

"I just don't want to eat an animal that's standing there inviting me to," said Arthur, "It's heartless."

"Better than eating an animal that doesn't want to be eaten," said Zaphod.

"That's not the point," Arthur protested. Then he thought about it for a moment. "All right," he said, "maybe it is the point. I don't care, I'm not going to think about it now. I'll just ... er ... I think I'll just have a green salad," he muttered....

"Are you going to tell me," said Arthur, "that I shouldn't have green salad?"

"Well," said the animal, "I know many vegetables that are very clear on that point."

He's also getting kind of obsessive about people and dying. Not sure where all this is coming from or how to handle it.

How old is he?

He's starting to figure out the connection between the cows, chickens and pigs being things that we are going to eat.

Growing up on a farm, I learned that connection pretty early. Usually we'd sell all our bull (male) calves shortly after they were born, but occasionally we'd let one grow to near-maturity, and then have it slaughtered. Then we'd have a big freezer full of steak and hamburger.

Some people say that in our modern culture we've lost the connection to the animals we eat. Now I wonder on the percentage of farm kids who become vegetarians vs. the percentage of kids who grew up in a city or suburb....

eta: Though I suppose farm country being more conservative would affect a person's chances of being vegetarian as well....

Got a pedi this afternoon. Ended up being the last person in the shop and didn't leave until a half hour after they closed. Never felt rushed though. I now have BRIGHT green toes. I'm happy.

Next to the nail place is a tamale store. Bought some and they are NOM!!! I'm very pleased.

Just about everybody that I know who is raising kids vegetarian or vegan says that, around kindergarten age, they all go through a vegan evangelist phase. Frequently leading to things like a five-year-old announcing at Thanksgiving dinner, "Grandpa, you shouldn't eat that, because it's a dead bird, and birds deserve to live because animals are our friends."

Just about everybody that I know who is raising kids vegetarian or vegan says that, around kindergarten age, they all go through a vegan evangelist phase. Frequently leading to things like a five-year-old announcing at Thanksgiving dinner, "Grandpa, you shouldn't eat that, because it's a dead bird, and birds deserve to live because animals are our friends."

Huh.

I briefly dated a woman who had a vegetarian daughter. I think the daughter was about 5 or so when she asked her mom what a vegetarian was. When her mom told her, she said, "I'm a vegetarian." Interesting that it can happen at such a young age.