Since posting early this morning, I have been to sleep, slept badly (my head hurt every time I lowered it to the pillow), watched the Adventures of Zog the Dragon, had breakfast, waved off Number two Son and family on the next part of their journey and sat down to catch up on blogging. I have four day to catch up on, but it i better than carting a laptop around and trying to cope with writing a post on my knee as various things happen around me.
Number Two Son made the Best Man’s speech. He was constrained by instructions from his brother – keep it short, keep it clean, don’t try to be funny, don’t tell embarrassing stories . . . He was also unlucky in being third up – the bride’s father did a decent speech, the groom did too. So, with all the good jokes having been used (including the one about the bride’s father looking like Stanley Tucci), and a list of subjects he couldn’t cover, Number two Son rose. He was impressive – succinct. amusing and holding the audience in the palm of his hand. Considering that he normally communicates in grunts, it was actually more than impressive – it was surprising. I’d like to say that he takes after his father, but he doesn’t, I’m hopeless at public speaking – always have been.
One of the strange things about the weekend was the number of people who stopped me and told me how proud I should be of my sons. I don’t see why. They have turned out to be hard working and responsible but that’s what I would expect. Should I be proud of that? I can’t help thinking that when you become proud of your kids for growing up to be decent human beings there’s something wrong with the world.
I am just catching up here, so there is no need to reply. It sounds like hte wedding went well, and you do have much to be proud of.
It wentb well, though the top of my head is still flaking off. 🙂
It is very easy to wreck a young life without trying, so I think some pride is permissible if you have avoided that pitfall.
I brought them up in a way that was approximately the opposite of the way I was raised. It worked. My dad, to be fair, was hard-working, successful and ambitious, which is not a bad thing – it’s just not a good foundation for child rearing.
well, you should be proud of your sons and there is something wrong with the world.
The surprising hting with them is that they both turned out far betetr than I did – it must be Julia’s influence. 🙂
or your brand of patented non chalance was the exact motivation they needed
Superb thoughts about pride, implying the world has such low expectations. Maybe you could be proud of Julia
That’s true. She has accomplished much – forced to leave school at 16 and work to pay for educating her brothers (her mother was old-fashioned like that), then worked her way up via night school to having two degrees and a post-graduate diploma. Number One Son, at one point, attended lectures as a babe in arms.
Your last sentence is brilliant. And what is that bird? If I only saw the front and the top half I would think it was one of your magpies, But the brown bottom half, I’ve not seen that before.
Yes, but when children become fine adults, as many actually do, a little pride is in order. After all, raising a child is no small thing. It is a long process and a lot of work and success is not guaranteed.
That will be for Julia to feel. I didn’t do much apart from run them round a field and lecture them on what we should learn from history. 🙂