I suppose my Saint is like all mothers. Or at least that's what I hope: that you all have a Saint like mine. So I won't tell you that her jams are the best in the world, or how well she takes care of us, or anything like that. My Saint is a Mother. And in that respect, she's like all the others. Or is she? Maybe not… I don't know.

But today I'll talk about the person. About why my Saint is unique and irreplaceable. Because she truly is. And everyone who knows her will agree with me, I'm sure.

To begin, I'll tell you that my mother was born 73 years ago ( I am sorry Mummy, it's important for the story ) in India. Born to English parents, at the age of five she was sent back to England to be "educated," as was the custom then, at a boarding school, where she was raised by her step-grandmother. Her grandfather was widowed very young and remarried a wonderful young woman who became my saint's surrogate mother. Her "Grannie," her guide in life until she died when my mother was 23. She saw her parents every two years or so. They didn't return from India until they retired. And by then, my mother was already elderly. And with this story, which to those of us who have had fathers, mothers, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins ​​might seem sad, my mother describes her childhood as "the happiest in the world." There you have it: a true character.

And since this post could be endless, I'll summarize it for you like this:

• My Saint is like no one else.
• My Saint is an “animal” in all her manifestations.
• My Saint never gets tired. Never.
• My Saint is genuine.
• My Saint doesn't care 33 what people think.
• My Saint doesn't know how to lie. Nor does she try.
• My Santa is a mess.
• My Santa turns out to be very funny (which is quite different from BEING funny)
• My Saint is interested in everything. Everything.
• My Saint has an amazing capacity for adaptation.
• My Saint is indiscreet. Very.
• My Saint is generous. Very.
• My Saint is grateful. Very.
• My Saint doesn't know laziness.
• My Saint has a great eye for people. And she's usually right.
• My Saint loves the beauty of small things.
• My Saint is an artist, and she doesn't know it.
• My wife calls the radio station. Usually to scold someone.
• My Saint never throws in the towel.
• My Santa recycles everything. Everything. She doesn't throw anything away. Nothing.
• My Saint says the first thing that comes to mind.
• My Saint knows no shame.
• Thanks to my wife, THE WORKSHOP FLORES was born almost 10 years ago. Today it's been renamed as Sally L. Hambleton in her honor.
• My Saint is my best and most faithful worker.
• My wife likes bullfighting and tripe.
• My Saint has many very good friends. English and Spanish.
• My wife went to a Keane concert at La Peineta alone. She never misses an opportunity to do anything she wants if she doesn't have anyone with her.
• My wife went into mourning when M&S closed in Spain.
• My wife writes to companies like Balay, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric about X, Y or Z… and they reply.
• My wife has been living in Spain for 44 years and still says things like: “Where is the map?” “Where is my bag?” (referring to purse), “Give me a kilo of oranges, please.” “This is for the benefit of an association for decapitated children,” “It’s chilly” (when it’s cold)… And he still thinks that when a Spaniard tells you “I’ll call you” it means he’s going to call you.
• You can tell my Santa is a foreigner just by looking at her.
• My wife took one of my sisters to a job interview and got her the job. This year she's celebrating her 15th anniversary with the company.
• My Saint goes out of her way to help others, even if they are not her family.
• My wife drives like a taxi driver. But she's my most loyal chauffeur.
• My Santa says tacos… only in Spanish. She “dreams well.”
• My Saint buys “sand” instead of “flour”.
• My wife drinks boiling hot tea at all hours. At 7 pm in Madrid, even in July.
• My wife cries while listening to Mozart or Tchaikovsky at full volume as she cooks.
• My wife went to a prestigious university in Spain where one of my sisters hadn't been admitted on the first day of class and got her in. Today she's a happy and successful nurse.
• My saint was a professional classical ballet dancer.
• My wife can't figure out Euros. She finds €500 (50 cents) everywhere.
• My wife gets terribly upset when she reads HOLA.
• My wife and my father are crying with laughter together.
• My Saint manages to bring the four of us sisters together in London through her passion.
• My Saint gives us a very different view of the world.
• My Saint chose a very special man to start a family with.

I could write a whole blog about this woman.

In conclusion: My paternal grandmother (whose personality could also be the subject of another post) didn't want my father to marry a foreigner. And if she "didn't want it," then she "didn't want it." But the day she met my mother, she said she wasn't surprised. nothing that my father wanted to marry her. And they always loved each other very much.

Mummy, I couldn't do it without you. Nor look after my family nor look after my business. I love spending time with you (believe it or not!), and I love to see you come in to the shop every day… several times… just to say hello! (or check what we are up to!) Our trips to England are one of my most special times of the year, and I am so very grateful to you for showing Angélica what our “other country” is all about. I love you. S.

And after all that rambling, if you too have a unique mother who deserves the moon, and you want to tell her in a special way, we've created a section just for them in our online store. here , With a few different ideas to surprise them next week, on Mother's Day. We'll have deliveries on Saturday and Sunday within the Community of Madrid. And if you'd like to send something outside of Madrid, we can send everything except flowers and plants (sorry! They don't travel well). Write to us at shop@sallyhambleton.com with all the details so we can find you the most economical transport.

XXX,

S.