Driver's Guide To The Universe

The BBC is reporting that a restaurant owner has apologized to some customers who received the above-pictured bill.

""I couldn't believe it. The bill read 'fish cakes', which one of us had for a starter, and it was written right above it - absolutely disgusting language.

"We actually booked the table for 8 o' clock in the evening, by the ,time they had taken our order it was quarter to nine and we didn't actually receive our food until quarter past 10."
She added: "I'd like a written apology from the restaurant and I'd also like some compensation.

"I think that the way that we've been spoken to is absolutely outrageous."

The owner of the restaurant "Joe Delucci's", Mr Langsdon, told the BBC that the message was intended to be seen only by the kitchen staff.

"That shouldn't come out on the bill, so we've got to find out what's gone wrong there.

"But we have apologised unreservedly to the girls concerned and said that they're very welcome to come back and have a free meal and we'd like them to."

He has also offered to donate the bill for their meal to charity.

At least the item was free...?


The original article is here.

Sourced originally from the Consumerist.

Dinner party hostess gives birth between courses and cries: 'The rhubarb crumble's in the fridge!'
by JAMES MILLS
As the hostess of a dinner party, Susannah Kendrick was already fully stretched keeping her guests entertained and the kitchen situation under control.
But she then proceeded to give an entirely new meaning to multi-tasking.
The 29-year-old teacher - who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant - had already served the starters.

Paul and Susannah Kendrick with Trinity, was who born in unusual circumstances

Then, as she prepared to present the main course - a home-made lamb curry - she felt her first contraction.

And just eight minutes later, after three pushes, little Trinity was born weighing 6lb 1oz.

But Mrs Kendrick hadn't forgotten her duties as a hostess. As she was taken to hospital as a precaution, she yelled: "The rhubarb crumble's in the fridge!"

Mrs Kendrick and her husband Paul, 36, threw the dinner party for her friends as a last chance to socialise before the birth of her third child.

She was not expecting the big day for another fortnight.

But she joked with friends during the evening that the curry might cause her to have the baby that night, referring to the old wives' tale suggesting spicy foods can induce labour.

Mrs Kendrick said: "Paul was asking the guests if they had brought their doctors' gloves with them. We were also laughing about how curry can induce labour.

 

What's that in the oven? Susannah prepares food minutes before giving birth

"But we never thought for a minute that it would actually happen. I feel like I have cheated the system really.

"All these people talk about 24-hour labours and mine was only eight minutes. If anything, it is to be recommended. I feel quite smug to be honest."

Mrs Kendrick said she felt several 'twinges' about half an hour after her two guests arrived at her home in Hove, East Sussex.

She was urged to visit the nearby Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton, and she agreed.

She said: "At 8.15pm I went upstairs to get my shoes, went to the bathroom and as I went I felt an enormous contraction from nothing.

"My husband heard me and came running upstairs."

Friend Anna Harrap, 34, a fellow teacher, immediately called an ambulance but the mother's waters broke and the baby started to appear before the paramedics arrived.

Mrs Harrap and Mr Kendrick, an estate agent, lifted her on to her bed and delivered the baby with the help of an ambulance operator who issued instructions over the telephone.

Mr Kendrick said: "It happened so quickly, just after we had finished our starter.

"It worked out to be an eight minute labour. Delivering the baby was terrifying and I was just glad it was all over quickly."

Mrs Harrap said: "It was really frightening but you don't think about what could have happened until afterwards.

"I would never have chosen to help someone in their delivery but when it starts happening you can't abandon your friend.

"Paul literally caught his daughter as she entered the world. She almost flew out - it was only three pushes."

 

The happy family: The average length of time for labour is 15 to 16 hours for those giving birth for the first time, but for Susannah it was...eight-and-a-half minutes

The happy family: The average length of time for labour is 15 to 16 hours for those giving birth for the first time, but for Susannah it was...eight-and-a-half minutes
An ambulance arrived a few minutes later and took mother and daughter to hospital.
Mrs Harrap added: "As Susannah went out the door with Paul and the baby, she shouted to us that the rhubarb crumble was in the fridge.
"My husband Duncan and I stayed at the house and cleaned up and ate the rest of the dinner. We just sat there in stunned silence."

Mrs Kendrick was allowed home after spending a night in hospital. She added: "The midwife who has worked on the labour unit for 15 years said she'd never come across a baby being delivered that quickly before."
The average length of time for labour is 15 to 16 hours for those giving birth for the first time and seven to eight hours for women who already have children. But short deliveries of just a few minutes are not unheard of.

Eating curry or other spicy foods is said to induce labour because it stimulates the bowel and therefore has a knock- on effect on the uterus.
Experts say there is no scientific evidence for this, but many mothers swear by the method.
Courtesy of Daily mail. Article can be found here.