Dead, Mort, Morte, Muerte

Last night, all was well in the Stein house (other then the nasty gas seeping from my bodacious booty). I got up this morning, worked on my village newsltter.....uhm yah, that's about it. Clint got home at lunch and I decided to clean the babies cage. Imagine my shock when Quincy is laying at the bottom of the cage dead. HOLY APE FUCKING SHIT BATMAN!!!! The kids were shocked. Steven (being the sensitive one) alreday seemed to grasp the concept after a quick explanation. He said he was very sad that Quincy was dead and would miss him. Emily on the other hand needed a bit more. This is what she got:

Columbia University Press Defines Death as:
death, cessation of all life (metabolic) processes. Death may involve the organism as a whole (somatic death) or may be confined to cells and tissues within the organism. Causes of death in human beings include injury, acute or chronic disease, and neoplasia (cancer). The physiological death of cells that are normally replaced throughout life is called necrobiosis; the death of cells caused by external changes, such as an abnormal lack of blood supply, is called necrosis.

Since Quincy was obviously very stiff, I then continued my explanation, explaining:

Wikipedia defines Rigor Mortis as:
1. Muscles gradually become hard due to decreased ATP and lactic acidosis within muscle febrils
2. Begins 2-4 hours after death but may be sooner
3. May disappear 9-12 hours in hot climate

Knowing my children's love for languages, I tried to use this as a vocabulary learning event:

Translations for: Death

Nederlands (Dutch)
dood, sterfgeval, overlijden, einde zich te pletter schrikken iemand heel hard laten werken

Français (French)
décès, mort


Deutsch (German)
n. - Tod, Todesfall


Ελληνική (Greek)
n. θάνατος, χαμός, αφανισμός, όλεθρος, (άδοξο) τέλος

Italiano (Italian)
morte


Português (Portuguese)
n. - morte (f)


Русский (Russian)
смерть перепугаться до смерти работать на износ

Español (Spanish)
n. - muerte, defunción, fallecimiento, destrucción, manera de morir, La Muerte, falta de vida espiritual, peste


Svenska (Swedish)
n. - död

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الموت, حاله وفاة, حاله فقدان, قتل‏

We are not sure what happened. The really gross part ....part of his intestines were hanging out. You can see it in the picture. What?!?!?! Did I hear you gasp? Of course I took a picture. I take pictures of everything. Hey, at least I didn't pose him with a beer can. That would have just been disrespectful. Besdies, I am saving that pose for my Dad when he kicks the bucket, buys the farm, croaks, the Fat lady sings.........



Please join me in a moment of silence to honor the short life of Quincy. Quincy, you were full of life and could jump incredible leaps and bounds. When you spread you armpit skin and flew through the sky, I found you as majestic as a bald eagle. I will miss those precious moments when you urinated on Clint's shirt and when the neighbor's baby ate your poop. You brought us such joy Quincy. Though very brief, your time here was full of grapes and special Sugar Glider food. We will miss you....well, until we get a replacement.