I've done something awful

[Jux]

My cousin (many years younger than I) has had her 2nd baby, a boy. While she was pg, I had joked that she could call a boy Harbottle - this is something I occasionally suggest on threads here.

This is what she has decided on. She has sent me a thank you card for suggesting the name, and the invitation to the christening confirms the name. I have rung various other cousins, expecting to be laughed out of court for taking it seriously, but they all confirm it too.

I guess there is nothing much I can do, except hope that it's an elaborate joke at my expense and I shall not discover the true name until the priest says it at the ceremony.

The middle name is to be Barrington. I am between laughter and tears! The poor little mite wouldn't have a chance at a comp, but perhaps luckily will be going somewhere like Eton. Maybe it'll be normal there?

Amish and/or posting from Mars

It would be amazing if it turned out that the Amish community, whilst rejecting some types of technology, had been secretly focused on getting to Mars all this time. Building equipment in an enormous barn without involving NASA or anyone, just cracking on with it.

Well that would be about as believable as the OP's story.....

🤭

64BooLane brilliant! I sincerely hope that that is true

I’ll bite.

My in-laws aged 68 & 69 don’t have a computer.

68 and 69 is probably a tad too old to be having a baby though.

“My in-laws aged 68 & 69 don’t have a computer.“

I think it’s fair to say that they won’t be having anymore children. There is a difference between a nearly 70 year not having a computer and a 20/30 something having no access to the internet.

Woah I’d suggest that your PIL are unusual though.

My DPs and PILs are in their seventies, they all use a computer/email/internet etc as do all their friends.

My Great Aunt uses a computer to email her family and friends and she’s in her nineties.

Lots of old people use computers, of course they do. It's just that most of my relatives don't, not because they can't but because they don't want to - on principle (some of them). It's a lifestyle choice, and not everyone needs to really. I don't need to, but I like it and find it more convenient, but that's mainly because I'm disabled and so find internet banking much more convenient, and I can socialise here and in places like this, as I don't actually get out much.

Some of the younger ones use phones, but honestly, most of the cousins are "far too busy to bother with that sort of thing". Once in a while there might be a need for whatsapp, and then they'll borrow a phone or buy a cheap one which gets passed to one of the next generation when the need has passed.

I can believe the lifestyle choice to eschew tech - but I've worked in a school with Brethren children before they were sent to their exclusive school aged 7.

They were only allowed to use tech for educational purposes at school - had to be separated if we watched films at the end of the year.

The name is ridiculous though. I hope they're having you on, but if not, at least he's not going to the local comp (and I say that as the DM of a DS with a currently unpopular name)