A Postcard AA Day - Friday 23 January 2026 - Friday Smiles

 Hello lovely ladies, here I am again with my highlights and smiles of the week. 

My biggest smile is always the arrival of a postcard, especially when it is one that really makes me chuckle. This one landed in my postbox all the way from Finland:

This made me chuckle indeed. There is no acknowledgement of photographer but it looks like a scene of the US (looking at the uniforms) from the 1940s. The lady is doing a sobriety test called the 'walk-and-turn' test. To perform the test, you will take nine heel-to-toe steps forward on an real or imaginary line, pivot, and take nine steps back. At all times, you will keep your arms to the side, watch your feet and count the steps aloud.

The card was signed by 10 Postcrossing members at a meet-up in Seinäjoki, which is located in the western interior of the country, 178 kilometres (111 miles) north of Tampere. The population of Seinäjoki is approximately 67,000.

The stamp is colourful:

It's a stamp from 2005 from a series called 'toys'.

What has been happening here in Spain. Well, I suppose we have all heard about the awful train crash near Córdoba. Many people died. We have had three days of nationwise mourning, with flags hung half-mast:

It's not really something to smile about but I felt I wanted to mention this sad thing.

Here in Caniles we have celebrated our patron saint San Sebastián.

The Granada tourist website writes: One of the most celebrated saints in this province is Saint Sebastian, the young Roman soldier whom his executioners riddled with arrows until he was reduced to a kind of hedgehog. Such popularity is undoubtedly a consequence of the fervor shown for him by Don Juan of Austria during the campaign against the Moorish uprising of Aben-Humeya. But although many towns celebrate him, none surpasses Caniles in originality.

Caniles maintains, as the main attraction of its festivities, the tradition of the "Theft of the Saint" during the procession. Several groups try to seize the processional cross that leads the parade, carried by one of the "thieves" from the previous year. When someone manages to get hold of the cross, it is said that they have stolen the saint, making their group the victor of the contest. Those who win, in addition to carrying the cross until the end of the procession, must also cover the expenses of the following year's festivities.

I must tell you immediately, that I was not in the crowd. It's a rather rowdy affair. I watched it through a live stream on my laptop. But there are several days of festivities, and the day itself (the 20th) is a local holiday.

That day, as I was walking home from visiting a friend, I heard drums:

And near the band I spotted three men with enormous heads:

I've been told they represent the catholic kings at the time of the re-conquest. I have no idea what that was all about, but it was on the 20th. It might have been something to do with San Sebastián.

What else is new? I have bought some new walking boots which I am now walking-in at home. That is really funny as I am in PJs but wearing my new boots. Haha.

That is it from me today. Of course I will leave you with some funnies at the end.

Have a lovely weekend,

Keep smiling!

Lisca