Mothers' Day

Spent a peaceful morning pottering about in the yard with the Boy while the Man slumped in gloom in front of the computer reading the football (soccer) commentary in real time. Alas for his beloved Chelsea and Reading.

Having missed out on the best Festival (one last name-check!) of 2008, we had to make do with Albany's 60th annual Tulip Festival. If you are familiar with the Big Day Out in Cambridge (bands, stalls, amusements), it was a lot like that but with added tulips. The likes of Vonda Shepherd (of Ally McBeal fame) appeared on stage. There was also the crowning of the Mother of the Year, since today is Mother's Day in the US. Strangely enough, they didn't pick me...

Stranger still were the crowds. In all the months we've been in Albany I've never seen so many people altogether in the same place. There were long queues (lines) at all the attractions and refreshment stalls - very peculiar! Where did they all come from? Where are they the rest of the time?

Then on to collect the Girl, who had had a most wonderful weekend with her friend and had bonded with the friend's mother, too - she's originally from London and has a fondness for Enid Blyton, Marmite and the Wombles, and other such things only a British heart could treasure.