• I’m waiting for news of my grand nephew at the moment – my niece is in labour as I write. I know it is going to be a boy but I’m not sure that I wanted to know. My daughter thinks it’s great to know what you are going to have because you can then co-ordinate the clothes and bedding.

    The news always used to be, “it’s boy!” or, “it’s a girl!” This added to the fun and excitement and the novelty of a new person arriving. Knowing what sex the child is going to be allows you to imagine what the child looks like and make assumptions about them before they are even born. My niece was even given 3d scans which allowed you to see what the baby looks like before it’s born. These were then propagated on facebook! I’m sure it’s great for the medics, but I think it’s better for the parents to wait and be properly introduced to their child. Bed linen co-ordination is not really that important in the scheme of things.

    Later….

    My sister phoned and announced, “He’s arrived!” It doesn’t have the same ring does it!?

  • I’m assuming this is real. The video shows bionic penguins that can swim and shiny ones that can fly. Very beautiful and nose system an elegant example of bionics.

  • I took my mum into hospital this week, so Ive spent most of the time driving back and forth visiting and finding it very hard to concentrate on work. I went to Germany with half a Monster Boy book illustrated, assuming I would get it finished this weekend. But it was not to be.

    Still I did see this wonderful view of cows in an orchard. When the sum was shining they seemed to be gliding on the buttercups. Wonderfully old fashioned and properly rural.

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