Just a matter of lime

One of the many "challenges" faced by a (now only relatively) new daddy is how to get a drink whilst in charge of his pride and joy.

And the need to rise to this challenge is greatly heightened during the holiday period when even Mummy must concede that spending some time in the pub is not such an evil activity.

To this end, yesterday was a very good day when a very helpful discovery was made.

Following our return from the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, my mother, her friend Sarah, Vanessa, Jamie and I headed around the corner to East, quite a jazzy pub and eatery in Pudsey, which does 2-for-1 cocktails from Sundays till Thursdays. My mum's not a big drinker but she is on holiday and was quickly won round.

The problem, though, was Jamie. He had been out with us all day, had slept a bit but was still tired and therefore tetchy.

I ordered the first round of cocktails but, on my return from the bar, my huge smile was met with a huge gurn from Junior. So I smiled a bit more. He gurned a bit more. I made a funny face. He hit it from two yards with an expert hurl of his dummy.

I handed him one of my straws, dipped primarily in vodka and lime. He seemed pleased. So I re-dipped it. He seemed equally pleased. So I dipped it once more. He threw the straw away and resumed his gurn. What to do...

I then had an inspired thought and handed him a piece of my lime, soaked in the drink. He sucked like I've never seen him suck before. We were on to something. I took the old piece of lime off him, and handed him a new piece. Same result.

A minute or two later, I'd moved on to a new cocktail which majored in rum, Coke - and pieces of lime. So, I handed him a piece with its new-flavoured marinade. If anything, he liked it more.

Now please do not be alarmed, particularly if you're a serving member of Her Majesty's police force or a social worker. They weren't strong drinks and I made sure pieces two and onwards of the lime were not overly saturated in the Devil's Buttermilk.

BUT (and it's a big but - hence my use of capital letters) the lime trick worked and it will be used again when Vanessa and I take Jamie to East Yorkshire for a long weekend this Friday and to Spain in September.

And if you happen to see us in a bar during either of these trips away (or indeed ever and Jamie's with us), I'll have a lime-based cocktail or a bottle of Sol, please. Otherwise it'll be a Guinness - without lime.