h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I try not to enthuse too much about what my kids do - I try to be a person in my own right - but a Mum can't help being proud of her offspring.

My oldest left last night for Tokyo, where he will be talking at an international conference about his research project. He went to the last conference of this kind (some insiders affair for electrical engineers) in Barcelona a few months ago where he chaired a session and presented his project. I don't know if it's just luck that he gets to go to this one in Tokyo, too, or whether it is on merit. He's a good talker, so I'll assume it's the latter, as a PM is wont to do.

The middle one is now at a very posh school in England where he is doing some assistant teaching. The best bit about it is that it's a very old school attached to a Cathedral choir, so he'll be doing lots of music. He loves conducting choirs but there is probably a glut of choirmasters at a place like that. Never mind, he'll get to sing in the choir, act in plays and play in the orchestra, as well as teaching a few choice kiddies German. I'd love to go to the Carol service at Christmas in that fantastic Cathedral. . What is more, what with being in a really easy school which is endowed with more than its share of discipline and diligence, he's having a really cushy time because he can live with his aunt, and his grandmother is his local benefactor.

As my kids never had much contact with their grandparents, living so far away, I've told him to let them mother and mollycoddle him - it's the only chance they've really had. Even though he's now 25!

The little one. I hope he doesn't read this. As far as we can tell, he's got 4 weeks still off college and is spending most of it in bed with his girlfriend. He does want to go to England for a few days to see his brother and grandmother. Perhaps I ought to book his flight to make sure he does go.

Sounds wonderful - I don't know which is more appealing, hi-octane Tokyo or musical rural England. Great opportunities for them anyway.

Ah, bless them. One is lucky.

for the PM!

Very enigmatic, R'man. Either you mean that one of them is lucky (which one?) or that "one" - i.e. me - is lucky to have such offspring.

Congratulations, TC, on having such a son!

One, meaning you, and also me. It is what my father-in-law said to my son when the latter said he felt lucky in life. 'One *is* lucky.'