The shop floor is empty at 8 am on a Sunday morning except for the workers beavering about filling up the shelves. I clocked in, wandered down to the bakery and greeted my colleagues with a loud
"Hello Chickadees, are we all alright then"?
I suppose they were glad to see me back as I am another pair of hands to help them with their thankless tasks but they couldn't resist snarling back "Yeah, we're fine"......I let it pass though, after all they haven't had nearly three months off work and most of them have to work consistently to pay the bills whether they want to or not.

The time passed quickly and by the time the end of my shift came at 2 o'clock the mark downs on the pastries and cream counter were underway....just in time for me to purchase a whole selection of goodies (I could never resist a bargain) to fill up my freezer which was uncharacteristically empty after me not going shopping so much lately.
I bought three apple pies,a rhubarb pie, a couple of packs of danish pastries, a luxury bread pudding and as a treat for myself I bought a fresh cream and apple sponge cake which, apart from a few morsels, was devoured the instant I got home.

Meanwhile, Bella and her partner went for the house viewing on Monday, they liked what they saw but wanted us to give a second opinion before they made a bid. So yesterday t'old man and myself caught the national express 'Leeds to Manchester' flyer with much haste as apparently another bid had been proffered on the house the very day Bella viewed it so time was of the essence.
We all loved the house, it is a 1930's semi which needs much cosmetic work doing to it but nothing major. The result being that they made an offer this morning and after a bit of negotiation they had the offer accepted.

Good news for Bella and partner as they have been renting what is a quite nice but extremely small apartment for the last two and a half years so the time for this commitment seems right.
Good news for me also as (assuming all goes ahead smoothly) it means that t'old man can get involved in the DIY and keep himself busy whilst being useful.

Now what was the other thing
OH..I remember

When Bella, Lulu and myself were in the indian restaurant on Mother's day we chatted about many things. I mentioned to them that my sis couldn't make it to the blog meet in Berlin and that I didn't know what to do now;

"Have either of you two ever fancied a trip to Berlin?" I casually enquired.

"Yes, fancy it" they said in unison

"Well come with me then and see the spectacle of the Berlin Karnavel" I suggested

"We don't want to meet any bloggers" spouted Bella

"I don't know" said Lulu "if I met some in bar then i'd say hello"

You can tell they aren't bloggers can't you :roll: ... although it was Lulu who introduced me to blog.co.uk in the first place.

"You don't have to, they wouldn't want to meet you either" I jested getting a trifle excited

"You two can just party party while I go and say HI"

"OK then Mam"

Another example of slipshod work is when I phoned up for an appointment at the Doctor's surgery a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to see a specific doctor and asked if she had an appointment available anytime in the following few days. "Not until Thursday" the receptionist said. This I took it to be the following Thursday which was six days hence.
Thursday came, I went to the surgery, gave my name and lo and behold there was no record of my appointment to be seen for that day.
After searching further she looked up and informed me that it was for the following Thursday that I had the appointment for.
Ok, maybe I was partly to blame in assuming that it was for the Thursday in six days time but surely the receptionist should have made it clear to me on the telephone the actual date it was for...or maybe she simply computerised the appointment on the wrong day 'by accident'
So I made another appointment which was for today and this time I got to see the Doctor.
I only went because on occasions recently I have been having trouble swallowing, it feels like my food has gotten stuck in my gullet, which is something I have never experienced before.
I thought she'd say it was acid reflux or something and send me away with a remedy, but no, she is insisting I have an endoscopy before prescribing anything just to rule out other things.

Simnel-style cakes are now also eaten at Easter when eleven balls of marzipan are placed around the top layer to represent the eleven true disciples but the really good cake has a layer of delicious sticky marzipan in the centre
On the same day that Mothering Sunday is celebrated in the UK, it is Grandmother's Day In France and lots of flowers are given to Mamie (French for grandma) by her grandchildren."

Mother's Day is celebrated is around the world on different dates.

February

Mother's Day in Norway is the second Sunday in February

March

8th March
In Bulgaria Mother's Day is fixed and always celebrated on 8 March, along with International Women's Day.

"In Azerbaijan the important day is 8 March, International Women's day. It is a Public Holiday for Men and Women and gifts of cakes or flowers can be given to all women in your life. For your mother, your sister, your secretary and your cleaner. Some of the shop windows before International Women's Day look a little like just before St Valentines in the UK, with lots of roses and hearts."

March/April

Mother's Day in the UK always falls on the fourth Sunday in the Christian festival of Lent. The day is called Mothering Sunday.

May

First Sunday in May (3rd in 2009)
Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in May in:
Spain
Portugal
Lithuania

Second Sunday in May (10th in 2009)
Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May in:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Netherlands
Finland
Germany
Italy
Japan
Turkey
United States

In Australia, at church on Mothers Day, which is the 2nd Sunday in May, mums get presented with small handmade items, like flowers or bookmarks.
"In Canada Mothers Day is also the second Sunday in May and children often makes cards and small gifts for mum at school or Church. Pretty much celebrated like the US."

10 May
Mother's Day is always celebrated on 10 May in:
Bahrain
Hong Kong
India
Malaysia
Mexico
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
United Arab Emirates

26 May
Mother's Day in Poland

Last Sunday in May
France
Sweden

August

12 August
Mother's Day in Thailand is celebrated on the Queen of Thailand's birthday. It is a big celebration with street decorations.
It is also a national holiday, and people normally give presents or cards to their mother and some also take her out to a nice meal as a special treat and thanksgiving for her never failing affection and life-long sacrifice.

15 August
In the Province of Antwerp (not Belgium as a whole!) Mother's Day is celebrated on 15 August - the Day of the Assumption, when Mary Mother of Jesus was taken up into Heaven. It is also celebrated on 15 August in Costa Rica."

October

Mother's Day in Argentina is the third Sunday in October (18th in 2009)

Now t'old man's drinking buddies are of the taproom working man's club kind of hardened drinker so it didn't surprise me when he sheepishly turned to me and said "Do you still want to come along for an hour to see the band"?
I tactfully declined..."No, you run along, i'm sure you can manage quite well without me cramping your style"
besides I had another gig to go to.
I had seen that in Sheffield there was the culmanation of a three day irish festival being held in the city centre and being a bit of an 'events junkie' I decided I would go along to that.
I arrived at a huge marquee in the city centre where there would be live bands playing from 12 noon 'til after midnight.
It was busy even then when I arrived at 2pm.
The first thing I spotted was the writing on the back of this ladie's T shirt so I knew I was going to be in for a fun time. She was there with her delightful daughter(she ws such a little cutie), they reminded me of when my kids were small and I would haul them around to all sorts of places with just me and myself myself.
(you need to click on the pic to read the writing)

The atmosphere was very friendly, after all it was in honour of the irish saint and I chatted to all and sundry. I laughed, they drank, I danced they danced...the atmosphere was brilliant and as the afternoon wore on the buzz in the tent was rising.
Here are some photos I took yesterday afternoon

I left about 7pm as I didn't want to catch too late a train home, by this time it was heaving with funny green characters, the kiddies had been taken home and the liquid brown stuff was swilling the floor already


It was dusk as I left Sheffield and the police were taking up their positions, hopefully this was simply in a preventative role but there was still five hours drinking time to go so I dread to think of the mayhem that could arise later hopefully everything remained good humoured

The grass verges have been used and abused ever since the lamp-posts were moved back away from the kerbside. T'old man badgered the council into tarmacking the piece directly in front of our window but the side patch was left abandoned for the traffic to run over constantly.

So seeing as I am quick to moan about these things I need to redress the balance 'cos t'old man never gave up his crusade to get something done and eventually a nice young man (the council's official "tree" man) came round to see what all the fuss was about.
At first he professed that it would be highly unlikely that anything could be done, it being the end of the council's financial year and that they were always strapped for cash, but by the time he had finished looking at the next door neighbours hens and the new fence that had been erected and after a cup of tea and succumbing to t'old man's patter he left with a somewhat more optimistic note.

The result being that while I was away two willow saplings have been delivered and planted.

T'old man quickly painted the supports white(just so the vans and 'people carriers' can't miss them)
So a round of applause for the nice young man at the council, we've just got to get the grass around the trees reinstated then all will be well in surburbia once more

Meanwhile, today, so as to take advantage of the mild weather, I tidied and swept out the greenhouse in order to make way for the seeds that we will be sowing soon. In my computer room awaiting the newly cleaned greenhouse we have already got some capsicum plants and some tomato seeds sprouting.

Fair enough, my vocal chords needed a rest after all the chattering Mira, Marika and myself did last night and my digestive system's been working overtime after the consumption of the delicious indian meal I ate but honestly I shouldn't be this shattered

Then yesterday I had popped into a supermarket after my dance class.
I was tired and somewhat dishevelled looking but I wasn't so 'out of it' that I wasn't aware of the rather rough looking chap with scruffy clothes and unkempt hair suddenly peering over my shoulder from behind.
I jumped, somewhat startled as I was at a fridge choosing eight yogurts for the price of four, I had had the same instinct once before when I was in Madrid, pickpockets have a cute way of pretending to look at the wares you are looking at whilst dipping into your bag.
There was no-one either side of me, just this chap at my rear so I stepped aside and the guy said "you all right love?"
"Yeah" I replied "I just don't like people creeping up at me from behind"

My Greeter instinct took over again and I just stood watching him as he pretended to fumble amonst the vast display of Muller light yogurts. He eventually turned on his heels and walked off, whilst I cursed myself for the near miss I had just had purely because I had not zipped up my bag after paying the dance teacher for the class.

I've been told it is the internal fan...will I have to take the side off and dust it with a feather duster?..or should I let it just die and buy myself one of those pretty pink Sony laptops that Jane has got?

The house is at the edge of a rural spanish village and is quite inconspicuous from the outside

Opposite is a yard for storing large agricultural machinery

and at the back are fields of vines
When she bought the house just over a year ago the inside garden area had already been transformed from a pig sty and allotments to this

very nice I thought, secluded and tidy...but Jane, being the artistic type had other ideas.
Since then builders have been busy and there has been an incredible transformation.
This was how it looked two weeks ago (before the rain came)

This year it was raining heavily where I was staying north of Malaga so I declined to venture into the larger towns and found myself in the small rural town of Mollina, near Antequera on the afternoon of dia de Andalucia. Jane was suffering from a chest infection so I set out alone, armed with my little digi camera and went to see the village people enjoy, in their own simple way, Andalucia day.

When I arrived at the covered market area the village people had already congregated at the specially erected bar and there were rows of tables where the rural folk were enjoying free food that the town hall had laid on

The school choir sang a rendition of the Hymno de Andalucia then they were given sweets as a reward

The mayor gave a speech amidst crys of "Viva Andalucia" and then he presented the municipal workers with certificates.

Formalities over and time to play.
The children were entertained by a couple of clowns

Excitement mounted as the musicians and singers(all the way from Seville) took to the stage

A couple of sevillanas later and the townsfolk were on their feet and had a real shindig, spanish style.

...all the while, I was tapping my feet and chatting to my two new friends,...meet Antonia and Pepe

They looked somewhat world weary so you can imagine my surprise when mid concert they bounded up and did a mean 'flamenco shuffle!!'

The first four days in Andalucia were glorious with alfresco meals in the garden and sitting out in the sunshine but then the rain came and it hardly baited for the rest of the time I was there
Now before you start commiserating(or more than likely laughing)just let me say that the holiday wasn't solely about escaping the british weather, it was about me recharging my batteries and it was about Jane's house.
It is the third time i've visited since she bought it and we went over to see the result of the work that 'Miguel and Miguel' the spanish builders have done on it recently.
It is tile heaven but not just any old tiles, these are pretty andulasian tiles, they're in the lounge, in the dining kitchen and all over the garden!!.
I'll post some pics soon.

Jane decided she would return home the same day as me so she had booked a taxi to take her to the airport.
She asked of me "Are you going to insist on travelling to the airport by public transport as you did coming or are you going to ride in the taxi with me?"
What she doesn't seem to grasp is that I like to travel on public transport in Spain..Ok, so it took me hours to get to her house near Antequera from the airport but that was because the airport bus was over crowded and I had to wait for the next one then I missed a connexion at Malaga bus station and had to wait an extra hour but how else am I going to practice my spanish if I don't mingle with the local folk and then there were the little chats I had with the young Belgian man waiting for his connexion to Granada who was excited about visiting his spanish girlfriend for the first time in her native city.
Then there was the chat with the American guy who was waiting for the same bus as myself, he told me about his property developing business in Bulgaria and how he had come that very month to settle in Antequera to be with his spanish boyfriend, he waxed lyrical about his love for him and how theirs would be only the third gay wedding to take place in the civic centre at Antequera when it takes place next September.
You see, these are the little things I like when I'm travelling from A to B, the little conversations that fill in the day.