Evidence that I am not quite ready to be declared officially old

People have been asking, 'Are you a Granny yet?'

This is because my husband's mother's son's son's wife's baby (my son's wife - just showing off about apostrophes) was due to give birth last Saturday.

I said to all three of my kids a while back, 'If any of you produce offspring before my 50th birthday, launching me into yet another generation, I will not be happy.'  As it is, I've been 50 for 2 months exactly today.  That's what I call sailing close to the wind.

So, I'm on tenterhooks, whatever the hell they are, waiting for news.  Hang on.  Am going to have to google ............... Wait there.






on tenterhooks
anxiously waiting for news about someone or something She was on tenterhooks until her son called and said he was not hurt.
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of tenterhook (a hook that holds cloth that is stretched to dry), suggesting that someone's emotions are tightly stretched like a piece of cloth held by tenterhooks
Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003. Reproduced with permission.


Well, there you go.  That's what tenterhooks are.  And I'm on them.  This morning, my alarm went off at 6 as usual so I could get up for work, and although half of my brain said, 'That's the alarm, fool,' the other half said, 'PHONE!  BABY!' and I grabbed my mobile in panic.  

I'm fascinated about how I'm going to settle into this new 'Granny' identity.  I am as much use to the knitting world as Botox would be to Gordon Ramsay.  I don't have Murray Mints or a clean hankie in my handbag.  I don't wear a shawl in bed or read Woman's Weekly.  And I don't like being in rocking chairs because I spill my wine.

Still, in the next week or so, I'm going to have a grandson.  Watch this space, peoples.  Fran is about to get officially old.

The new Fran, knitting with tenterhooks and wishing she'd gone to Specsavers






Comments

  1. stephen Hayes27/6/12 14:15

    You're only fifty and you're griping? Wait til you're really old.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 10:18

      My apologies. It's all perspective.

      Delete
  2. Pam 27/6/12 14:17

    You don't knit with tenterhooks, silly. You crochet tents with them - not very practical tents at that. Too holey.

    How exciting, though. Being a granny is Very Good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:13

      If you'd seen the results of my attempts at crochet over the years, you wouldn't even suggest it....

      Delete
  3. Frances Garrood27/6/12 14:24

    Fran, you'll love it. Trust me. I can't knit or sew and don't wear shawls, but being a granny is one of the best things that's happened to me. Good luck with your new grandson. Spoil him to bits, and then hand him back. It's great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:13

      Oh good, as long as I'm not the only non-knitting-non-sewing-non-shawl-wearing granny.

      Delete
  4. SmitoniusAndSonata27/6/12 14:36

    Yes , I , too , can heartily recommend Grannyhood . So I shall . You'll find it hugely entertaining .
    If I could remember that far back , I'd probably recommend being fifty , too .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:14

      You are all making me feel very young. My sincere thanks.

      Delete
  5. Martin27/6/12 14:50

    Look forward to a very special experience, Fran. And remember, your age is just a number. That's if you can still remember, of course.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:14

      No, I can't remember, Martin. What IS a number?

      Delete
  6. fishducky27/6/12 15:45

    Since my name is also Fran, when my first grandchild was born (she just turned 21) my son suggested they call me "Old Granny Franny". I decided on "Grandma", instead.

    CONGRATULATIONS!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:15

      Actually, I quite like the Granny Franny thing, but they say they want me to be Grandma, which I think sounds older. I'll wait and see what the baby decides ... probably end up being called Frump or whatever he can pronounce.

      Delete
  7. Sue J27/6/12 16:05

    Being a granny is good. You can send them home when you've had enough :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:16

      Oh, you mean I wasn't meant to do that with my own kids? Oops.

      Delete
  8. Janie Junebug27/6/12 17:20

    I'm 53. I don't have a grandchild and it's fucking pissin' me off.

    Love,
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:16

      I loved this sudden change of tone after all the other comments!

      Delete
  9. Nick Riches27/6/12 22:58

    I think I'll use the "don't you dare procreate till I'm fifty" line. Especially as No1 and only son will soon be free of the nest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:16

      I didn't use the word 'procreate' though. One doesn't like to get too personal.

      Delete
  10. Steve27/6/12 23:58

    You'll have a grandchild who knows how to use apostrophes for certain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:17

      If he knows what's good for him, anyway. Otherwise, bye bye to any Christmas presents, baby.

      Delete
  11. ted and bunny28/6/12 00:05

    what are you knitting?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Frances28/6/12 01:32

    How wonderful! You will love being a gran. What are you going to be called by the little one? I trawled the internet for months looking for interesting granny names that didn't make me sound old ( I was 64 at the time) and in the end I am " Grandma"......nobody else liked any of the weird ones that I considered!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:18

      I'm fascinated by the fact that there are so many options. I think I'll be called 'Claudia Schiffer' then.

      Delete
  13. BadPenny28/6/12 07:29

    I'll be fifty next year and I WANT TO BE A GRANNY ! ( though not just yet ) My mum is the Granny ( Smith ) though Joe called her Raggy which was the same name as his er, raggy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fran Hill28/6/12 12:19

      Raggy is classic. I love that. I'll put in a request.

      Delete
  14. Expat mum29/6/12 08:52

    You could be the same age and have a 9 year old, like me!!! At least you get to give this one back when your back starts playing up!
    Congrats, btw.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fran Hill29/6/12 09:53

    I've forgotten what to do with 9 year olds and wouldn't have a clue. I had my three kids by the age of 28. Heaven knows why I was in such a hurry, but I guess it does mean I can do what I'm doing now - slobbing about after getting home from work with no one demanding I build a model or make a cake with them ...

    ReplyDelete

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