31 March 2023

Bulletin

It was a delicious curry. Phoebe was tucked up in bed as the rest of us quaffed wine and "Cobra" beer along with the indian takeaway meal that Frances and I had picked up from the "Bilash" curry house on Sharrow Vale Road. Down in the valley, the lights of Sheffield city centre twinkled on the last night of March.

Regarding the quaffing of alcoholic drink, I must confess that I misled you. Two of our party - Sarah and Frances - opted for non-alcoholic beverages. This fact might cause the whiskers of worldly-wise female readers to twitch. When a woman who normally partakes of alcoholic drink refuses it, that might well mean that... they are pregnant?

Full marks ladies!

I have been waiting to share this wonderful news for a while and now, on the verge of the twelve weeks staging post, I think I can safely say that  both Frances and Sarah are pregnant. Their babies are due within a week of each other in October. Joy upon joy - we are very probably going to be grandparents once again - but this time twice over!

It's early days of course and one should not count one's babies before they are hatched. Things can go tragically wrong with any pregnancy but  if Nature follows its usual path, bouncing baby cousins will arrive in the autumn. As you might imagine, we are all thrilled and keeping our fingers crossed for their safe appearance.

As I say, the curry was delicious and to accompany it I drank two big bottles of "Cobra" beer. The last half bottle was difficult to glug down. What with the Indian breads and rice I was beginning to feel bloated. When I stood up to go, I felt rather queasy and all of a sudden I did something I hadn't done in twenty years or more - I vomited! Not the entire curry meal I hasten to add but a ladle-full mixture of beer, rice and chewed up peshwari naan bread. 

There was no time to get to the bathroom but it all landed neatly on the granite work surface in the kitchen where it could easily be cleaned up. The digestive explosion removed my queasiness immediately and it was of course utterly insignificant compared with our marvellous news about two grand babies that will no doubt throw up their fair share of sustenance - just like Grandpa!

43 comments:

  1. Well done, professor!

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  2. Enjoy your family, Neil!

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    1. They were delicious but too many bones!

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  3. I reserve my comments!

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  4. Enjoy the curry!

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  5. It was that last half bottle that did it. When something is hard to get down there's usually a reason.

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    1. I should have chucked half the last bottle away.

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  6. AND, congratulations all round :)

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  7. It's less nice on the way up than going down!
    The majority of my cousins were close in age to me and I still adore them. I hope it works out that way for the coming babies and Phoebe

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    1. My five girl cousins were lost to me and my brothers because of their father's failure to pay off a postwar debt to my father.

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  8. Lovely news except for the vomiting. Explicitness gone too far..

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    1. It was like an artwork by Jackson Pillock.

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  9. By 'eck. A true Yorkshireman.
    Congrats to the two young ladies. We shall expect baby photos this autumn.

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    1. I hope to share those images. By the way, Sarah is 37. She found a man she wanted to have a baby with just in time.

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  10. Are you sure you are not pregnant? Sickness is usually a sign! Congratulations to you all....what great news.

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    1. How will my own baby get out? I guess it will have to be a cesarean.

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  11. Great news for the Pudding Dynasty! Congratulations! The house move happened just at the right time, too.
    Not so great news for the digestive system of the Chief Pudding, but you say you felt better immediately, so I guess it wasn‘t something wrong with the food or drink as such, or a stomach bug.

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    1. No. It was the chemistry of beer, rice and naan bread.

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  12. Congratulations. You'd better start honing your snowman-building skills, as you'll have three to make next winter!

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    1. It's all part of the demanding job of being a grandpa.

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  13. Oh my goodness! What great news! That is a heaping helping of puddings right there!

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    1. As in a supermarket - two for the price of one!

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  14. I have heard of morning sickness for expectant mothers. Now you have invented Grandad evening sickness.

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  15. Have you not heard of trigger warnings?

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    1. Was he that character in "Only Fools And Horses"?

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  16. I checked the date on this posting just to make sure it's not an April Fool's prank! But I see you published it yesterday. Congratulations! Two more babies on the way--what could be better? I'll bet Shirley is over the moon!

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    1. We all are. In a world with so much trouble, the possibility of two new grandchildren is like the best rainbow ever.

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  17. Congratulations! I do have to ask what it means though it the male doesn't participate? I used to drink quite a lot in my younger years but I have lost my "taste" for drinking these day. Occasionally I'll force down one glass of wine or one pint of beer to be social but I really don't enjoy it and would gladly just stick with water.

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    1. Are you carrying twins Ed?

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    2. Well, yes, but I have since birth.

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  18. More little Yorkshires

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    1. Tragically, one of them will be born in London. Poor little mite!

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  19. Congratulations all round YP!
    Strange, but earlier this week as I read your blog, I idly wondered if Phoebe might sometime have a little brother or sister on the horizon. Now she has two babies to look forward to. I hope all goes well for both Frances and Sarah.

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    1. I am anxious - especially for Sarah as her unborn baby was conceived via IVF treatment. Thanks for your kind thoughts CG.

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  20. Congratulations, my friend. Your home will soon be running over with babies and Phoebe will be one great big sister and cousin!! You and Lady Pudding have a right to be over the moon with happiness!!

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    1. Your graciousness is most endearing my Coloradan chum. Not so long ago there was a time when we thought we would never have any grandchildren. I wish I could give one of them to you.

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  21. Oh, no! My comment, above, was inserted before you told this story. My sincerest apologies and sympathies. But congratulations on your impending continued grandfatherhood.

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