Sunday, May 14, 2006

Day 41 - Telling the Folks

Well, how did we come to this? If you've been reading, you'll know that we were planning to go through the first 12 weeks without telling our parents. Unfortunately, events have conspired against us somewhat. It doesn't really matter, but it's a bit earlier than we wanted to do it.

Term is about to end at the university library where K___ works. Summer is traditionally a period where the staff are able to carry out a lot of physical work that wouldn't be possible when the students are about; shifting stacks of books etc. Quite naturally, K___ doesn't really want to be doing this kind of thing. In all probability, it would be fine, but is it worth taking a chance? No. So, K___ needs to tell her boss ASAP and we would rather tell our folks before we tell her boss so...

We told K___'s folks first - we were going to see them for K___'s mother's 60th birthday bash in any case. K___ had just launched into her pre-prepared speech - "I know you said not to get you anything, but we have got you a present, but you can't have it until January" - when her dad, imagining whatever K___ was about to talk about was not of great importance, decided to start talking to me about his new hifi separates system. I had to say, 'No, you might want to listen to your daughter...' They were naturally delighted, though K___'s dad is somewhat inscrutible, it has to be said.

After we drove back, it was off to my folks. My mother was lamenting my dad's lack of success on the lottery that weekend. I said, 'Well, there are better things to win... Like the 'who wants to be a grandparent' competition...'

'True enough,' agreed my parents, stoically, clearly having missed the not-very-subtle subtext. So I repeated my line again. My mother turned to K__ and said, 'You're not... are you...?' K___ nodded. Cue my parents being a little shocked and very excited. Ah, bless 'em.

Of course, now, they've got to keep quiet for a few more weeks before we announce it more widely...

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