Categories: random
Tags: Ship of Fools, friends, random
Date: 01 November 2005 11:57:46
Eagle eyed readers of the Ship of Fools boards will have noticed that another couple are expecting a baby (announced yesterday evening). This happens to be the couple I'm currently staying with, and though I've known for a few weeks I've obviously not mentioned it till they went public with the news. I did want to record for posterity though the evening when they told me.
For background, I should explain something about my parents (my dad in particular, but my mum does this too). They have this habit of saying "There's something we've got to tell you" in such a way that whether they're telling me about some horrendous news or whether they're telling me that they've decided to go to Bournemouth for their holiday (stupid example, I don't think they've ever been to Bournemouth or particularly want to, but you get the picture), my heart sinks and all I can think is "oh no, what have I done?" I think it's how they kind of seem to build up to this great announcement and then don't actually say what it is till we're all sitting down and they're both looking so grave and serious and by this point I'm just beside myself thinking of the awful thing they're about to reveal.
So, that evening a few weeks back, I was aware of some whispering going on in the kitchen whilst I was in the lounge, and then they came out and said "there's something we've got to tell you". And I instantly got that familiar sinking feeling, and all I could think was "oh no, my feet smell" or "oh no, I've got some personal habit or tic that's driving them up the wall". I can't tell you the relief when it turned out to be a baby! Phew!
I'm now being differentiated from the health visitor at their surgery by the epithet "personal-health-visitor-in-residence". I think it has quite a ring to it actually.