Van Halen fans will get the title.
We took a long drive to Helsinki for a baby shower slash gender reveal party. And after the rain and wind of the last few days, the weather was pretty much perfect. It was really nice to see some people I hadn't for a long time and give some hugs, eat some cake and find out what gender the baby will be assigned at birth, before it later gets to choose from the myriad (10,000) options she will have available later.
The weather was great, and so was the location. They held it at an old rowing club building that was used for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, complete with a signed silver mead winning canoe from 1948. The Finnish rower took two golds in 1952. But the location was great, close to the city and still quiet with a view over sea water that was as still as a lake. Complete with idyllic swans.
But of course, the main reason we were there was to congratulate the excited couple on their coming bundle of tears and nappy changes - and we first had a job to do. Pick up grandma and her friend from about halfway along our journey.
Note: I have never met grandma's friend.
So we sent a message to say we were about ten minutes away and they said they would be waiting at the designated spot. When we arrived, there was a nicely dressed woman in her eighties standing where we were told to meet, so after parking the car, I approached her - and in Finnish...
"Hello, you must be Ritva."
Blank stare.
"Hey, I'm Taraz, are you Ritva?"
Blank stare... shuffles uneasily.
So I walk away back to the car and say to my wife - "Either it isn't her, or she is senile". But not one to give up, I went back and asked again and finally, a response!
"I am not Ritva."
....
Back to the car and the the old lady I do know (the grandma) came out, apologised for running a bit late and that Ritva would be along shortly.
By this stage, Not-Ritva had been picked up by her son and taken away.
The old women thought this was all hilarious when they found out.
But my gods....
Did they talk!
We were in the car together for about an hour and a half each way, and they didn't stop for a breath. When we had finally dropped them off and said our goodbyes, it was like we had shot into the vacuum of space, it was so quiet. Smallsteps was worn out, just listening.
I hope I have that much energy at their age.
But I don't have that much energy now!!
The invite said the dress code was "fancy summer party" and well, that was interpreted about as many ways as there are genders these days. We had a feeling that given the location and dress code, the couple might have been planning a surprise wedding, as they are yet to marry (if they do) and they don't know where they are going to live, given he is professional sportsperson. But, no.
We were overdressed.
It is better to be overdressed, than underdressed.
I took my jacket off, and rolled up my sleeves to look more casual.
I don't mind dressing up, though I don't have a lot of nice clothes that still fit me these days. They keep shrinking.
While it was a lot of driving for only a couple hours on site, it was still worth the effort to see people and get to do something a bit different. This was my first "baby shower" but it really wasn't one at all.
Oh, and there was a voting system where the guests could pick boy or girl and from 51 guests, it was 25 boy, 26 girl - and girl won. Rather than doing a big bang reveal, they had little cupcakes with pink cream inside.
I had guessed boy.
Either way, it is awesome.
Taraz
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