Emma

Sadly, Emma the canary, Marlons mate, died this morning. She'd started two days ago sleeping on the cage floor, and then yesterday had one wing unfolded and a leg out, as if she'd hurt her leg. Marlon was fussing over her and stayed near her. We put some water and seed on the floor of the cage where she could reach and she started to eat, but it seems whatever was wrong had already taken hold. Marlon is a bit disorientated now without her.

Me and Sam last night, just before bed, got two plastic trays, a load of cotton wool, and started off our cress seeds. Well, there actually mustard, but it makes no odds. Sam watched as i did them, showing him and explaining what i was doing. The trays are marked 'Sams Cress' and 'Daddies Cress', to see which grows best. Theres no difference between them of course. Once Sam had gone to bed i put them in plastic bags in the airing cupboard.

This evening, i took them out again to show Sam, each seed now has a tiny little sprout curving out of it. They've gon on the window sill now.

It seems the OU's materials despatch have excelled this year, delivering my course books not only well before the course starts, but a month before they were even due to be despatched. That means i can crack on and get ahead with the study already.