Sunday

Happy Mother's Day or is that Happy Mothers' Day?

M was up late doing what she often does before she goes off to see the family - packing, unpacking, repacking ... trying to get everything she wants to take with her into the bags. Sooz and I heard the first rattling around and crackling of wrappings but after that I was fast asleep and I'm not sure how long it went on. We just know that when 9 am rolled around this morning, M was still fast asleep in bed. Sooz woke her as gently as she could before we set off for the Markets.

Well, even though Fl and Mi had said they were going to be late to the Markets because they were picking Lu up from the airport (He's back!! He's back from Boston) they were actually there before us!! And certainly well before M!!

We had stopped on the way in to get flowers for Mouse for Mother's Day - and we were not the only ones! Mouse was all but surrounded by them ... as well she should be because lots of us consider her our honorary mother - and not just those of us who go to the Markets. Over the years, Mouse has taken in and cared for children when their own parents have been going through difficulties of one type or another. She is a very special woman.

We were a full house at the Markets - as well as the usual crowd, Syl and An came, Lu and girlfriend Sa popped in, Ne and Va were there ... the list goes on! It was good. Except that when Ni came along she was bearing sad news - her father died last week, unexpectedly even though he was 93. She's not going over straight away - she had planned to go over in five weeks time, and she will still do that.

Afterwards, Sooz and I went off to TBH - we did the Swipestakes (no luck for anyone) and had lunch at Spinners - and that was very nice. They had a Mother's/Mothers' Day special on - salmon, a glass of wine and a dessert tasting plate - which Sooz had and which was fantastic - much better than the Shank Special she had been planning to have. I had the Club Special - which they had constructed with four pieces of bread - rather than the usual three - so the ratios were not quite right - but they still had the gherkins skewered on to the sandwiches - so I was happy.

Back at home, M was there, preparing to go out to Versace for afternoon tea with the family. I was a bit taken aback when I drove in to the yard because I noticed there was a car in my usual spot in the carport and it took me a couple of moments to work out it was M's. She hadn't parked in the garage because the rug was still in there ... and when she checked it was dry ... so we carried it into the house. M was right - you can see the patch where she scrubbed it - it's so much lighter than the rest of the rug.

We had a cuppa before she changed and went out ... and it was only later, when I was cleaning up after dinner and taking rubbish out, that I realised M and I had been Harrys (that would be Harry Half-Job) and not cleared the garage of the trestle tables the rug had been draped over ... so I moved them - not wanting M to have to get out and move them when she parked the car when she arrived home.

Sooz and I debated whether we would watch the Eurovision final this evening - I couldn't - not on a work night - especially since it was scheduled to finish after 11. We already knew who won - Az had mentioned it at the Markets - so it wasn't like we would miss anything - except the 10 acts from the first semi-final and the 6 acts of the countries that hadn't needed to compete in the finals - the big five ... and the winner from last year (this year's host country) Denmark.