The happy news and the wistful news concern separate matters, though.
First, the happy news:
Science fair projects were completed well before dinnertime the day before they were due -- and this despite the fact that the Walgreen's photo-printing kiosk was not "while you shop" but "come back in an hour".
The elder Free-Ride offspring (who was required, as were all fourth graders in the school, to submit a project) received a very high grade for the project. The younger Free-Ride project (whose participation, as a second grader, was optional) was awarded the third place ribbon for the grade level. Both offspring were happy with their efforts and seemed to have learned from their projects.
Now, the wistful news:
On Monday night, the last of our silkworms finally settled down and made a cocoon. I'm glad all 29 of them figured it out -- I know some seemed to be having trouble with it at first -- but I miss having the silkworms around, listening to them munch on mulberry leaves, letting them climb on my hands. For caterpillars, the darn things were so personable.
No one warned me I'd like them so much!
And sure, they'll make great moths, but it just won't be the same.
What? You're not going to plunge them into boiling water and then remove their silk for processing?!!
Sentimentalist! :-)
There many uses possible for silkworm cocoons.