Pearly queens

I met the mother of a schoolfriend of Ro’s at the donor clinic this afternoon.  Almost the first thing she said, when we’d said hello, was “I’m going to be a Nanny!”  Her son Chris married a year or eighteen months ago and he and his wife are expecting their first baby.  I’ve promised to tell Ro, and passed on good wishes from us all – I expect Ro will be a bit startled.  Chris is a year older than he is, but even so, Ro isn’t thinking of starting a family any time soon.

Mind you, I’ve a feeling that the next generation after my children’s may be having their babies earlier.  For one thing, I think that all these women who have left it until their mid-thirties to forties before starting a family, and some of them finding it no easy matter, will want, perversely, their grandchildren to be born before they themselves are ancient, and will encourage their children to start families.  It could go the other way, of course, with girls all freezing eggs so that they can have their children late but without the problems of later conception, but I suspect that, when it comes to it, most people instinctively prefer the natural approach.

Anyway, the news of the day is that Wink has arrived, bearing Epiphany gifts.  It being Twelfth Night (twelve days after Christmas, Christmas Day doesn’t count), I left the tree.  The family is coming over on Saturday and, as I’m not superstitious, I’d leave the decorations until then, as we’ll be opening presents then, but my mother would be cross.  The one time our tree was left, because we were all too ill with Hong Kong flu, was New Year 1970, and my father died later the same month, enough to make anyone superstitious.  I still don’t believe the bad luck, but I do believe in the wrath of my mother, so I shall compromise.  I’ll take the decorations down tonight and leave the tree, and on Saturday hang chocolate coins from it for the children.  Unless I get fed up in the meantime and haul it out, a girl can always change her mind, of course.

Tomorrow, Wink and I will probably go out for lunch.  We haven’t decided where yet.  The county is our oyster.

15 comments on “Pearly queens

  1. Z

    I shouldn’t be too concerned, Mike, I very much doubt if Dave has ever eaten an oyster. He’s speaking anecdotally (not that I’m suggesting he’s in his anecdotage, of course)

    We weren’t planning on eating the oyster in any case, but finding its pearl. Hence the title of the post. Don’t know if there’s a closed season for pearl fishing?

    Reply
  2. Z

    As I am the Walrus, if Dave is the oyster he’d better tread carefully – and this is odd because, you know, he hasn’t any feet. If he’s an oyster.

    Reply
  3. Roses

    I think women who leave til their 40s are bonkers.

    Having kids when you’re young is hard enough…but the though of being menopausal and dealing with a hormonal teenager…even the thought of it, is enough to drive me to drink.

    Mind you, I don’t seem to need much of excuse these days.

    Happy Friday!

    Reply
  4. Z

    Dave, I’m sure you’re worth something.

    A regular army of hipp – of walruses, Mike. My moustache has to be stuck on, however.

    Imagine, Roses, if you were expecting your first child now! Mind you, my mother’s grandmother had her first child at the age of 20 and the last when she was 48.

    I’ve been to the pub and had a pint of Adnams, so Friday is going well so far. Enjoy your day, darling.

    Reply
  5. Pat

    I’m with your mother on this . I always get twitchy after New Year – in case I forget and this year took them down early, but only finally stowed them all today. I really enjoyed them this year.

    Reply
  6. Mike and Ann

    A regular chorus of blog writing walrus…….. is the nearest I can get to a rhyme, and I suppose it should be walrusses which doesn’t work at all. Sorry – Mike.

    Reply
  7. Zig

    I’m looking forward to being a granny … in about 10 years would be fine. I don’t think 40 is too late to have a baby but 20 is too young, 30+ about right but only in my opinion.

    Christmas decorations should all be edible and eaten before 12th night.

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  8. Z

    My mother, who never lost an opportunity to self-impose rules, also thought it was unlucky to take them down early. This is probably the reason I am determinedly relaxed about tradition.

    Splendid, Mike. And I’ve just looked it up, you can have a herd or pod of walrus or walruses, so it does work.

    Well, there’s biologically, socially, emotionally, financially etc. best – I feel a post coming on

    Zerlina would have all edible decorations off by Boxing Day, and in her mouf

    Reply
  9. sablonneuse

    I wouldn’t say any of our family are superstitious but we always take the decorations down by twelfth night – much to the amusement of our French neighbours who keep theirs on show until at least the end of January.

    Reply

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