CROWDS of Christmas shoppers thronged Redhill town centre last Friday looking for last minute bargains to wrap up and put under the Christmas tree.
The fairy lights on my own tree failed one evening last week – just before guests were about to arrive for mulled wine and some festive food. I searched in vain for a spare white master bulb to get the lights illuminated again. Although I had seen that spare bulb many times in the drawer during the hot months of summer it was nowhere to be found.
On my visit to Redhill, I found a pack of spare bulbs for only £1 in the town's Wilkinson store. On the packet it said: "For sets purchased after 2011". I expect mine were from 2010. What the heck, when I got home, I tried the replacement bulb and hey presto, the lights all came on.
In town, I popped into Poundland and was amazed at the swiftness in which the staff on the tills served the customers and the long queue was reduced in just a minute or two.
In Poundstretcher, a small girl wearing a festive outfit, was having a tantrum and Mum was despairing and almost lost her temper but calmed down after a while.
After browsing the shops in the Belfry shopping centre, I weaved my way round the market stalls towards Carphone Warehouse, Card Factory and Santander.
"Two bowls of cherries £1.50. Come on now, two bowls for £1.50," called out the fruit and veg man.
"Ten peaches for £2. Ten peaches for just £2."
The clothes stall chap was doing a roaring trade in Christmas jumpers. Some were a little kitsch but selling well.
By now, I was ready to sit down with a cuppa and check my shopping list to make sure I had everything. Looking up, I spotted the West Central Café.
In the late afternoon twilight, shoppers laden with heavy bags traipsed home under the leaden skies as I popped into café.
Large, balloon-like orange lamps hung in the front window and orange was certainly the livery colour of this establishment.
Music played softly in the background but often this was drowned out by the shrieks and cries of many children playing in an area set aside for mums with youngsters.
I browsed at the cakes set out on the counter: apple, rhubarb and ginger cake; mulled wine and pear tart; white chocolate fudge cake; and carrot cake (all £2.80 a slice).
In another glass display unit there were plates of sandwiches for toasting: tuna melt (£3.20) and Philly cheese steak (£3.90).
I opted for the Philly cheese toastie and a slice of the pear and mulled wine sponge. Thought that would be appropriate at Christmas-time.
I took a seat near the window and gazed out at all the people milling around the market. An elderly man sat on a bench nearby, smoking a cigarette. Some teenaged boys sporting trendy hair styles chuckled as they paced by. Another couple of youths were browsing the cigarette lighters on a market stall and grinning.
A most pleasant waitress served me, taking the sandwich out of the cabinet and clamping it in the toasting machine.
I spotted some "seasonal" hot beverages on offer, including a mug of "White Christmas". I enquired what this was. "Basically, its a white chocolate drink," she said. I placed an order for one. (£3.30).
A father arrived with his two young sons. "What do you want, boys?" he asked.
A bespectacled man clutching a carrier bag and with a black satchel slung over his shoulder joined the queue at the counter and looked a bit uncomfortable.
Sitting in the corner by the window was a stocky man with a quiffed hair style and shaved sides. He had an Adidas holdall at his feet.
It soon became apparent that this café is a popular haunt of young families and it is here that children have great fun while their mums sip coffee and catch up with each other's news and views.
The shrieking continued and two little children ran rather hysterically through the café, out into the street and back again. Their excitement couldn't be harnessed.
Thank goodness it was a pedestrianised area outside or there could have been an accident.
The cries and exclamations from the hordes of toddlers, tots and older youngsters reached fever pitch and it was almost quite deafening at times.
I tucked heartily into the delicious toasted sandwich and then enjoyed every mouthful of the gooey pear sponge. Very tasty indeed. The White Christmas drink was good, too. I requested no marshmallows but in the commotion, I think they can't have heard me. No problems.
Fairy lights festooned the blackboard menu hanging above the counter. On a shelf was an unread copy of The Times, neatly folded.
A huge hiss from the milk-frothing machine added to the hubub.
Outside, shoppers continued to trudge past bearing their bags of Christmas gifts.
I finished the last mouthful of pear tart and joined the home-bound crowds.
