‘A two-minute talk on any subject you like’ the letter from school said. Sweet Pea had been set her first big homework task: to prepare a talk to give in front of the whole class about anything she liked. The chosen topic? “My Funny Daddy”.
Now, I know this is a proud, shameless step-mum talking but I reckon her talk must have utterly trumped the others’. Who else could claim to have a daddy who split his trousers in front of the Queen? That alone could have done it, but with the claim that he also kept a pet baboon as a kid, that must have blown away the fierce seven-year-old competition good and proper. Brilliant!
He’d first told me about this just before dropping off to sleep a few days into our honeymoon. No amount of shaking would get any further information out of him until the morning. I just lay there giggling through the night.
‘We had monkeys as well,’ he continued the next morning, ‘but they were naughty, they’d pinch food and cause havoc. A lot got killed by the dogs or had heart attacks. They didn’t last long.’ The guard baboon meanwhile, would be let out at night to guard the premises, in the morning he was lured into his cage with bananas by a nervous domestic or human day guard. ‘He was a mean baboon, far from cute.’
The girls, who like me, have spent most or all of their life in the UK, find this fascinating. And so did Sweet Pea’s class. For Hubby, it was just a passing point of mild interest and ever-so normal.
But despite the menagerie of exotic pets, the monkeys, the baboon, the parrots, the dogs – the one that was sold without Hubby and his brothers knowing and the loyal Lassie dog who ran after their car all the way to the airport as the family left China after their dad’s time as Congolese Ambassador there… Pets in our Glasgow house are another matter.
The girls are desperate for a dog. So am I. I’ve had a West Highland white terrier on the top of my Christmas list since the age of seven. Still no luck. But I can’t help but think there is still hope. The girls would prefer a golden retriever or a sheep dog collie. When we went to my boss’s house the other day his very patient Collie ended up wrapped in Sweet Pea’s pink cardigan. We count dogs on the way to school in between times tables and spelling practice. And we especially like it when they’re carrying funny things, like massive sticks, bottles or shoes.
But a dog in our household? Well I think we’ll have to wait until we’re a bit more settled, have a bigger garden, have time to take it on walks blah blah blah. A baboon, on the other hand, could be a little more likely at this rate…
Baboon versus Westie
Suddenly Mum 
Such a great post to read glad the class talk worked out well sounds like dad is so cool! and good choice on waiting for the right time to get a pet.. dogs bring so much happiness to our lives but require much care and exercise..
Thanks so much! Would love to have a family pet, but it’s def wise to wait!
nice one, personally think I will stick with a dog, had free range chickens for 6 yrs but thats as exotic as it got here Im afraid. Im Elaine from fun-as-a-gran,
lovely post , Ive popped over from love new blogs x
Hello! Thanks for the comment. This is fun! I’ll take a look at yours too!
Ha Ha! I’d love a pet baboon! I wouldn’t change Hairy Dog for anything though. Great post.
Thanks so much for reading! I’m dogs all the way!
I’m thinking a dog over a baboon – after all don’t baboons fling pooh around ? (or have I just made that up!?)
We have a basset hound and he’s one smelly dog – even Ozzys pooh filled nappies are better than him !
But if it was a fight situation I reckon that w Westie would win hands down – speed advantage 🙂
So true. Westies can pelt across a field or beach! I wouldn’t trust a baboon. They sound naughty. Thanks so much for the mention. So happy to be part of the site!
Mmmm… baboon or dog *weighs options*. Think I’d go with the dog. Not sure baboons are house trained and one whirlwind in the house is enough!
After 3 years in China this post brought back some interesting memories for me 😀 Lovely post. (P.S. Popped over from Love New Blogs.)
Thank youuuu. You have a great blog too 🙂 Hubby’s lived in about 8 different countries while I was growing up in one place in Yorkshire. Not quite the same as China, Congo… Love his stories.
Great attention grabbing headline! And a great post too!
thank you! I’m enjoying this new blogging thing!
Definitely need to get a dog and not a baboon.. Better house trained i think.. I promised our boys a dog, and i hear about it everyday.. “when are we going to get one mummy…….” Hmmm….
Popped over from Love New Blogs…
Thanks for the comment! I join our girls in the nagging. Daddy’s not shifting quite yet. We’re working on him though 🙂
I hope you get your much longed for Westie one day. I look forward to reading your Blog.
Thank you! One day!
LOL That is such a funny post. I can picture all these monkeys having heart attacks. Reminds me of The Twits’s garden with the monkey cage. My other half wants a Westie too!! 🙂
Haha. Thanks Danny. Let her have the westie, that’s what I say! 😉