'Diamonds and Babies and Cars

Don't add up to anything, at all.'

So goes the lyrics in a song by group call The Himalayans, some of whom went on to form Counting Crows a few years later. They were talking about babies in the 'young ladies' sense rather than infants, but hey, there's a link and I'm using it.

What the heck has this got to do with a poker post? Well, firstly Diamonds saved my ass last night. OK, maybe not my ass, it but turned a nasty, losing night into a winning one in just 3 hands. And the winning card that changed everything in all 3 hands, was a diamond. There I was, about 40$ down, getting rather unlucky on a few occasions, thinking, I need to stop playing and go to bed. One of those nights, nothing I could do etc etc. Cathy said, I'll just make a cup of tea and then it's time for bed.
Unfortunately for me, there was no glint in her eyes, she meant sleep.
And in the time it took her to make and drink that cup of tea, I went to 15$ up. My nut flush beat his nut str8 (and he re-raised me despite the 3 diamonds on the table). Then the 3 of diamonds on the flop hit my pocket 3's very nicely to beat my opponents KK (he only raised 2 x bb pre flop!) then finally the A of diamonds hit the river to give me the nut str8 against his Q high str8. Oh how quickly this game can change.

In between bouts of fold, fold, fold, I read a few poker blogs, including The Cloud's. Seeing the impeding birth of his 2nd child reminded me of the night little Mia made her appearance. Well, she was actually born at 10.30am, but it all started at 4am when an elbow to my ribs as I lay fast asleep in bed, along with the words 'I think it's started'. I actually felt like it was time for me to get involved. Other than the conception, it's nine months of HER doing everything, and when them hormones take over, boy does she remind you of this.
Actually, Cathy was really good throughout the whole 9 and a bit months, no banana and tunafish pizza's and no massive mood swings. She has enough of those when she wasn't pregnant, so I was well prepared. Only joking, darling!
So it came as a bit of relief to me that I could actually get involved in this baby thing other than putting my ears to her tummy every night and feeling the kicks. No funny stories to report, no embarrasing slip ups - the whole thing could not have gone smoother. In the hospital at 5am and Mia was born at 10.30am.
'Textbook' the nurse said.
'Easy' I replied
'Best not use that word if I was you' She said, then left us to our new life as a family.

Work is still going well, and I've been asked to go to the quarterly management meeting down in Vale of Glamorgan, despite being told I wouldn't be involved until the January one. Long drive, nearly 4 hours I think, for just one night, but I get to meet all the key people in the business from Taunton, so I suppose it will be worthwhile.

Anway, off to feed the fish.