Well, it's my mothers birthday today and she has been out for a glass of wine and some food with her cronies at lunchtime. Inevitably this meant that every time I tried to call her when she got back, she was on the phone to said cronies dissecting every word of their conversations from said lunch not half an hour past.

Of course, when I finally did get through she took great joy in reading out all the cards that she had received and then told me that the card I got her was not flowery enough and it could have done with a nice poem in it. It seems her usual OGOWD (ONE glass of wine dear) only emphasizes her innate loving advice tendencies.

She recently had a hip replaced and had to leave her last job as it involved lifting and carrying old people (She was a home help, not a body snatcher) and was retired due to disability. Only now, because the hip has healed enough to allow movement that has all been stopped and she has been told to return to work in some for or another for the one year before she officially retires. Naturally she cannot return to the job she has done for the last 15 years, so she has set her heart on working for Marks and Spencers, the promised land for all ladies of a certain age.

I wish her well indeed and hope for a discount on my weekly shopping!