As luck would have it, Alfie’s class is studying the life cycle of silkworms. They have the silkworms in the classroom so this is a very ‘hands-on’ style of learning and the type that Alfie enjoys the most. During the last week of the term, an email arrived from the teacher asking for responsible people to volunteer to look after a few of the silkworm each during the holidays. As quite a few students were going away for the holidays there were only a few families left to share the joy of looking after these worms. And not all these families could classify themselves as responsible pet owners.
As I had done little this term to assist (didn’t help with reading groups, didn’t give up my time and serve on the canteen, didn’t volunteer to go on any excursions), I felt we should offer to house a few worms for the holidays. And we must appear to be responsible pet owners because we got the job.
Best Breakfast Pies
On the last day of the term I collected Alfie and he was carefully carrying his treasured clear plastic container that within it had four skinny worms and a few wilted mulberry leaves. A map was emailed to me of where I can (daily) find fresh mulberry leaves for the silkworms.
On that afternoon I had my car being serviced and so I told Alfie we had to walk to the mechanic’s workshop to pick up the car. He grizzled and complained about this as he was keen to get home as quickly as possible and set up residence for his new best friends. I told him we would be home soon, just as soon as we had the car back from the mechanic.
We set off walking and I said that for safe-keeping, it would be best if I held the treasured plastic container. So we walked up the main road in the blistering afternoon heat and I made sure the silkworms had as pleasant a journey as possible; I leveled the container! We arrived at the mechanic’s and received one of those spine-chilling bills where you’re just not sure if the magnitude of it is going to cause your credit card to combust and afterwards, with nothing but debt on my mind we drove home.
Once home we had a five minute turnaround before having to be in the car and taking Arabella to the pre-formal drinks where Carl and I were also invited and stayed on for the catered dinner. We took Alfie with us because there wasn’t a babysitter left in Sydney with all school-leavers out partying hard instead of thinking about a great wad of cash they could earn by sitting on a couch and watching TV for a couple of hours.
A great start to the day
The next morning when I was lying in bed all bleary-eyed, Alfie came in and said, ‘Where are my silkworms?’
I said, ‘I don’t know, probably where you left them’.
‘I can’t find them’.
‘Well have a look in your room. They’re probably where your school bag is.’
‘They’re not there. I’ve already looked.’
And then I thought maybe, with all the rushing around, maybe they were left in the car. ‘Have a look in the car, they might still be there’. And Alfie rushed out to the car very enthusiastically.
Moments later, ‘They’re not there. They’re not in the car’. I just knew there was no point in me lying in bed any longer. A full-on search in my dressing gown ensued but the silkworms were no where to be seen. The last memory I had of them was placing them (carefully) on the counter at the mechanic’s while I digested that horror bill. I phoned the mechanic and he said I’d left nothing on his premises.
The silkworms were entrusted into our care for a period of two weeks. Within an hour we’d lost them, never to be seen again.
Alfie’s getting anxious. ‘Mum, what will I tell Miss B when I go back to school? What will I say when she asks me for the silkworms?’ Alfie gets excema when he’s stressed. Can’t have him getting worked up. ‘Don’t worry about that, Alfie, it’s all under control’, I tell him.
Nothing is ever under control.
I’ve been on the google trying to replace them. My plan is to slip some replacement worms into a similar container, march them into the classroom and who would know the difference. In case you’re ever in this situation, silkworms are incredibly difficult to source. I’ve managed to find some on gumtree but they’re a long way from home. I’ve emailed the worm owner/breeder but he hasn’t responded. I’m full of confidence that his ad in gumnut is genuine and not a scam and that I will end up the owner of a few worms. At least, that’s what I’m telling Alfie – all is well.
Worms have nothing to do with Best Breakfast Pies but that is what I cooked for Arabella’s 18th birthday party and so having shown them in the Rainbow Birthday post I thought I’d let you know that you can find the recipe here. These are great pies that are wonderful at any time of the day but work particularly well for breakfast or brunch. The tomato, bacon and basil sauce can be made the night before and if you would like these to be vegetarian pies, just omit the bacon.
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Oh no, you lost the worms? As I was reading, I was quite sure they were going to turn up at the mechanic’s. Oh dear. Good luck with this; sounds like this will be another story in the making.
Yum! I’m making these for breakfast tomorrow.
OMG … Where are the worms? I was so sure they’d turn up at the end … Guess not all stories have a happy ending 🙂
You need to get hold of Sherlock Holmes to deduce WHERE the silkworms went to. Were there any other customers in the shop when you went to pickup the car? Could one of them have taken the worms home after they were abandoned so heartlessly on the counter? Or could someone have thought the container looked like ‘garbage’ at the end of the day and ‘binned it’ without looking inside? How very sad for the silkworms.
Yummy breakfast.
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I’m going to look in the Sydney newspaper tomorrow morning to see if silkworms have been reported stolen. Then you can tell Miss B that you had to replace them because they were stolen and you won’t get “unreliable pet owner” written in your permanent record. I’m laughing too hard to make the best breakfast pies.
Somewhere around town is a box of starving silkworms screaming, “Charlie!! We’re hungry!!”
Oh, Charlie. You meant so well. I do hope this works out for both you and Alfie. I can so easily imagine how this could happen. So easily.
Oh my, Charlie you do have a time of it don’t you. Poor little silk worms, did you find replacements?
Those breakfast bundles look wonderful, I’ve made similar for overnight guests with great success.
I am totally giggling right now…..which is wrong I know:-) I bet it has happened before, don’t fret too much:-) Good luck in finding a couple more replacement silk worms! Hugs, Terra
When I think of silk, I think slipperiness. Those little worms have slipped away. I do hope you can replace them, or maybe they will turn up?
I started to feel very anxious myself reading this Charlie. I am so with you …..nothing is ever under control ( did have a good laugh about that). I am sure this is just what you needed for the school holidays. Good Luck. BTW nice pies…..good mummy!
Nice pies but what about those silkworms – I am waiting for the next instalment!
Good luck finding replacement for the silkworms!! We had silkworms at one point when growing up.
This dish looks delicious and so pretty!! 😀
When I was teaching I raised silkworms from the teeniest, tiniest larval stage. I’m not sure you can get them at the worm stage! But I sure hope so. What a shame…but you’re pretty good at solving problems. My bet is on you! 🙂
Oh no, did you find them? My daughter was so excited about silkworms when they learned in her preschool and I got freaked out when she wanted to bring the cocoon shell. I’m not very good at any types of “worms”…and I’m not sure if I could take to bring live ones home… Will you tell us what happened next?
Oh no! I wonder where they are? I remember looking after some at school but I don’t remember where on earth they procured them from!
Poor worms, abandoned who knows where. Someone will find them and probably release them into the wild. You tell a great story, Charlie.
Hahahah I was about to ask you how the 4 worms were going, Charlie! Rest assured, I have many many many (literally hundreds) more right here safe at home. Just tell Alfie I came and collected them from the mechanic’s as I’m a silkworm psychic and could hear them calling to me for mulberry leaves! I’ll be in your neighbourhood on Tuesday. Would you like me to deliver them or just keep them here?
OK, my apologies to Alfie, but I am laughing.
I’m sorry, Charlie. I really should laugh. You are, after all, in quite a pickle with your son and his class. I bet you’ve triggered similar memories among a number of your readers today and consequently many, many smiles.
Oh no poor Alfie have you been able to replace the silmworms? I really hope he didn’;t get into trouble with his teachers or at school 🙁 you are simply too busy and run down Charlie! I think you need to rest!
Oops! I bet you’re not the first one to have to replace the classroom silk worms. I hope you managed to track some down!
Things like this make your life challenging and funny…but funny only for us I’m sure. Can’t wait to hear how the saga ends.
Oh dear! This sounds like something that would happen to us. Glad it all turned out in the end though. 🙂
Oh dear, Charlie, what to do? When you receive those type of mechanic bills you certainly go into temporary shock, don’t you? I’m impressed you remembered to bring Alfie home 🙂