And so it goes...

There's a sad sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple, too
And up in the nursery
An absurd little bird
Is popping out to say coo-coo
(Coo-coo, coo-coo)


So here we are, not blogging. Please forgive us.

We have enjoyed your company. You have been truly excellent readers. And we thank you.

We may blog again. We may not.

In the meantime please slip on over to Things Made From Letters, who are our people and have many items of interest.

Or, if your particular fancy is all things Young Adult, may we recommend Susannah & Beatrice, the blog of our Onion in New York on the Beatrice Davis Fellowship. She is funny and wise and she is having adventures – we are much enamoured of her findings so far, and we think you will be too. Go forth.

Herewith a final: ‘Things Overheard in the House of Onion’. Enjoy.

'Fine, I won't give you any more work. That would suit me down to the ground.' 

'I can't remember how to spell "school", but I think that's correct.' 

'Please don't suffer.' 

'I think the mum should be killed outright, and the dad go into a coma for months.' 

'Sorry if I sound slightly maniacal, I don't always sound like this.' 

'That's really bad. That's worse than me putting the whole watermelon in the Bokashi bucket.' 

'It's okay you making those long phone conversations, it's just white noise to me.' 

'You can be kind, and supportive, and all those nice things. But not right this minute.' 

'Are you going to show me something that I don't care about?' 

'But why couldn't she make an enormous chicken?'  

'I did a terrible thing! You know how I'm a bit...you know. Well, anyway...' 

'We can just drink it, it's still alcohol.' 

'I have moments of bravado and moments of fear. That was my bravado speaking.' 

'Being impaled and splattered are not good.'

'Don't look a gift "I'll do it" in the mouth.' 

'Is there such a thing as a chocolate charity box with good Belgian chocolate?' 

'We just have to laugh, don't we?' *laughs hysterically* 

'And there was this old man in a hat who turned out to be incredibly famous.'

So long, farewell*
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye
(Coo-coo, coo-coo)



* One might expect that there would be cake to console us. Alas. There is not.

Auf wiedersehen, adieu

Today there will be hot cross buns and weeping, for it is the last day in the office of our best-beloved Publishing Operations Manager, Jenni Walker.

We will miss her firm hand on the tiller.

We will miss her patience and her expertise.

We will miss her thoroughness and her unflappability. (Or should that be her lack of flap?)

We will miss her competitive edge and her vast store of trivia knowledge - particularly the geography.

We will miss her gentle reminders,

her strappy shoes jingling on the stairs,

her enthusiasm for Excel,

and her yellow plastic sandwich containers.

Jenni - thank you so much for everything; most of all we'll just miss you!

Best best best luck with all your exciting new adventures, and GO DOGGIES!

With love,

The whole bunch of grateful Onions.

(*sniff, sniffle, sob*)