TEN!!!!

With another announcement today I now have 10 friends who have babies coming Earthside between now (literally now) and November.

I didn’t think I had a large circle of friends and why all these babies now?

Some are first babies, some second, some third – I don’t think there’s a fourth.

Most are in the UK with one in the States.

Mothers range in ages from mid twenties to late thirties

They don’t know each other - well Tina, Jessica and Nicola know each other. The rest are from different parts of my life.

Some are long wished for challenging pregnancies at least one is a surprise gift.

I’m not aware of any twins but Verity watch out with that many twins in your family it might be your turn now.

Usually there is one of my friends who is pregnant but ten at the same time – unless someone has arrived and I don’t know yet.

When it was five I thought that was interesting
Six – wow this is good
Eight (two announcements on the same day) flippin eck
Nine – Hey Ho there you go
Ten – this is getting weird

I’m trying not to think about it too much.

Nature at its most wonderful welcoming babies Earthside should be left to do it’s own thing whilst women reclaim their ancient birthing wisdom.

Bittersweet

Because of a decision by the American and British Governments over 50 years ago I have a lot of American friends.

At the moment they are scattered all over the world with a handful in the UK. These intrepid travellers come and make their home here for 2, 3, 5 years and become part of our life through work, school, knitting.

They teach me so much. I mean the food, the language, the socio-cultural references. The phrase ‘two countries separated by a common language’ sums it up perfectly.

So last evening I was sat in Kelly’s lounge on the rocker knitting a baby blanket. There was companiable chatter as people compared projects, shared tales of their life and their knitting.

There were new knitters, visiting knitters, pregnant knitters and soon to be leaving us knitters. For that brief moment as I looked around the room at my friends I felt happy and sad, it was a bittersweet moment.

Dearest Kelly I’m not sure what Knit Nite will be like without you, I’m not sure what our lives will be like with you thousands of miles away. You are a witty, intelligent, beautiful woman. You are a born storyteller and I will miss hearing tales of your life as a mother and a wife. My knitting is better for having met you (Malabrigo) and my memories richer (singing in London on the way to see the Yarn Harlot). May your stitches never twist and your Malabrigo never pil and remember you will always be a Nutty Knitter.