Endearments

Some time ago there was a move afoot to stop shop assistants, taxi drivers, bus drivers etc. from calling ladies "love or dear". I have been called - lass, miss, missy, missus, mum, Ma and Gran, as well as love, dear and pet. I don't think I've ever taken umbrage. My favourite is Grandma which has a certain dignity and is used not only by my grandchildren but, very sweetly, by their friends. My own mother was known to all and sundry as Nanny. which also cleared up the dilemma of what you should call your mother-in-law. However one friend of hers, Mrs. Pain, the dentist's wife ( not perhaps the right name for a dentist) always called her Buttercup. I think she must have been a fan of Gilbert & Sullivan as in HMS Pinafore Buttercup is referred to as "a plump and pleasing person" which Nanny was.
In Sandgate a regular stop on the way home by the Cubs from a Scout meeting would be the Fish & Chip shop. The lady behind the counter was from Cornwall and would greet the little boys with "And what do you want, me - andsome?" And what about this? My daughter was in Durham recently and the taxi driver called her "Flower".