I found this note tucked in a cookbook last week. At first I didn’t know what it was – I certainly had no memory of writing it. Then I realized it was a list of items for a kit, to be kept in the car, in case I gave birth on the way to the hospital. my favorite bit is the “shoelace to tie cord” followed by instructions to “cut in two places”. As if we’d be checking our notes.

The names of the three towns are, I think, possible locations the imagined emergency delivery might happen. Why does Melrose have a question mark? I have no idea. They are all about midway between St Cloud, where we were living at the time, and Alexandria, where I went to deliver my kids. The irony being, of course, that both my kids were overdue, and I would have gladly delivered them roadside by the 10th day past their due date. Still, it’s a great illustration of the way a first time expectant mother’s mind works. Shoestring indeed.