Inspired by Laura’s Pesto Incident, I was reminded of a thing that happened to my youngest daughter some years ago.

We were having a family day out and found a lovely little place with a boating lake. There were two carloads of adults and children, all relations and my daughter and her cousin wanted to go out in the row boats by themselves. Unfortunately they weren’t old enough to go out unsupervised as they needed to be over 16.

Muggins here was volunteered to go with them. Without any considerations about who would supervise me. If you have ever rowed a boat, you know that you sit backwards and cast an occasional look over your shoulder. And it can be tiring work. The kids had a bash, but that didn’t last very long.

I took them further and then had a break from rowing, putting the oars down and glancing behind me at all the frivolity. They were taking turns standing on the prow of the boat. Not in the boat you understand. Actually on the prow. I think that perhaps they had seen Titanic one too many times.

Being the caring, safety conscious Dad that I am, rather than tell them off, I decided to pick up the oars and steer the boat to the over-hanging trees to one side of the water. Just to give them a little fright you understand, both were reasonable swimmers. Unfortunately, my daughter thought I was actually going to hit a tree and, forgetting for an instant that she was stood on the prow of a tiny boat, she stepped sideways. Splash!

It was all a bit sudden, as I glanced to where the splash had come from, she disappeared completely for a second. She swam back to the boat and  I rapidly fished her out of the water, hawling her into the dingy. Her purse, phone and glasses were gone and I sat her down towards the front to gather herself.

So she was sat there, completely soaked on a summer’s morning, and as I was fighting back the laughter, she said in her grumpy voice “you better not tell anyone I fell in”.

I could contain my laughter no longer.