Trip to Lincolnshire - Day 2

We hadn't planned anything for the Saturday of our little break, although we had talked about a few things. I had also looked up how far of a drive it was to Skegness, and it was only about fifty minutes away, so we decided we would go to the seaside. We all love the seaside! So we got up early and set off about 10am and got to Skegness just before 11. We parked by the pleasure beach and walked through to it. There is an upside down house which was really fun, we took lots of photos as you can see. Then we went into the It's A Small World After All ride which was clearly in no way affiliated with Disney, it was hilarious.

We walked into the funfair and got ice creams - I had a screwball with rapsberry sauce which is one of my faves and which was delicious. We looked at the amusements then walked down on to the beach. It was drizzling a bit but still lovely to be standing on the sand. We also sat in a shelter on the prom for a little bit while it did rain, which was still fine and lovely. I feel like I really needed to blow the cobwebs away! 

We went back into the funfair and went on the big wheel. I love ferris wheels so it was really fun. Then we went into the local 'tavern' which was by far the stickiest place I have ever set foot. We had decided on fish and chips for lunch though which was exactly what this did, so it was fine! I am vegetarian 99% of the time but do occasionally eat fish, and I really enjoyed it. Then we went and played on the 2p machines and Sam and I also did bowling. By this time it was about 2pm I think, so we decided to drive down to Gibraltar Point. We bought some donuts on the way out and drove down, but the point was less than overwhelming so we just sat in the car for a little bit eating the donuts. Then we drove back to the caravan!

We got back about 3.30pm I reckon and then we got into the hot tub. We again made a dubious cocktail of alcohol and lemonade, and drank that while sitting in the tub. The weather was a bit nicer than it had been the day before, which was nice. We got out about 6pm and had some tea - I had just got some snacks and dips and stuff for us all. We drank some wine. About 7pm Jac and I got back into the hot tub - Sam had got changed so she didn't want to, but I just stayed in my swimming costume and put a towel under my seat while we were eating tea. We had more wine and we rigged up a speaker and lights to come out of Jacqui's bedroom window. We had made a special playlist of all the stuff we used to listen to in 2009 so it was a total blast from the past and totally fun. 

We finally got out of the hot tub about 9pm and I had a shower and put my pyjamas on. We stayed up until about 10 o'clock as we were all tired. I read my book for a bit before turning out the light! 

There are a zillion photos, sorry!

A desire path from the car park to the pleasure beach

Downstairs in the upside down house

It was all skewiff too which made it really disorientating

Jacqui in the bathroom

Me in the loo

It was really well done!

The bedroom upstairs, I should have turned some of these photos but just didn't

The dining table

Jac

The front door

Jac and I as on the terrible not-Disney ride, haha 

The upside down house

Me and my ice cream! Look how joyful it is!

I love blue sauce haha

The pier from the beach

Lots of beach. We did walk nearly all the way to the water, it was over a dune

Jac and I 

All three of us, I love this photo

The end of the pier. This stretch of sea has a lot of wind turbines! Which I'm here for!

Looking the other way from the top of the dune nearer the water

Looking at the big wheel from the beach before we walked back to it

And looking up at it just before we got on it

The three of us on the wheel - Sam didn't know I was taking the photo though hence her face haha

Looking into the mechanics of the wheel

Looking out across the beach

Fish and chips!

And donuts down at Gibraltar Point, which I don't think I took any photos of

The dubious cocktail we mixed up - it was delicious though

I had taken a bunch of glow sticks for us which I found recently. There were tons, they were left over from years and years ago. And THIS was the only one that actually worked. We cracked every single one of them but only one was still working, boo

The hot tub itself - it was nicely sunk into the deck and was easy enough to get into for me. When Jac and I went back in, Sam sat near us to chat

We had problems getting into this bottle of wine, it took all three of us and a towel haha

Finally here I am living my best bitch life in a hot tub with a glass of prosecco and deely boppers

Trip to Lincolnshire - Day 1

At the end of April Sam and Jac and I went away for the weekend together to Lincolnshire. We were all free so we had decided to do something and I found a static caravan on Tattershall Lakes near Lincoln. It had a hot tub on the deck so it seemed like it would be really nice and relaxing. I had been quite depressed for the whole month and really needed to get away and reset myself a bit. So we had booked it and I did a Tesco shop which got delivered to mine on the Thursday evening. Lee and I then made a vegetarian lasagne ready for me to take on Friday.

Sam finished work at 1pm and got the train to mine, and then we set off south. As I often go to Lincoln Zine Fest, I know the drive isn't too bad and I actually think driving our new car is easier on my body than the old one which is great. We picked Jacqui up in Metheringham at about 3.30 and made our way to Tattershall Lake. I don't know if you've been, but it's absolutely huge. The instructions were good so we managed to get there. The caravan was cute, similar to ones I've been to before. It had three bedrooms so one each. We got unpacked and then we went in the hot tub!

It wasn't quite up to temperature but it was still lovely and hot. We got some alcohol to drink outside in plastic glasses, and sat there for a couple of hours. It was lovely! It drizzled a bit on us but it wasn't too cold. Once we had finished it was about 7pm I think, so we then got changed. I had a nice hot shower while Sam put the lasagne in the oven. It took longer than we thought so it was about 8pm I think by the time we ate it. It was delicious though!

We had some more drinks and some dessert, and sat chatting and playing Heads Up. Usually when we're together we watch rubbish telly but we actually didn't turn the TV on at all! We finally went to bed after midnight but we had giggled so much and got caught up on each other's lives. 

I was wearing this Asos dress that my mum altered for me. I've had it absolutely years but haven't worn it in forever. I love it still though, and will have to try and remember to wear it more! I had a white t-shirt on underneath.

My swimming costume is new. I recently ordered a bunch of costumes from Simply Be and Crazy Clearance and they ended up all fitting me so I had to make some decisions about which to keep! This one is red, which I love, and has a lovely fit over my bum and stomach, which isn't always the case. It's got a clip at the back of the neck and then the back is all exposed, which is nice too. I'll get a lovely tan when I wear it abroad! 

My Asos dress - originally the checks were on the inside, and the outside is striped. But I liked the checks so my mum turned the skirt inside out for me. I was also wearing teal Snag tights and socks because it was freezing

My cute little bedroom

In my swimming costume ready to get in the hot tub. I had my hair cut and the curls are out of control!

The caravan - it was really nice inside, and clearly well cared for

The hot tub - this is Jac's photo and it might have been from Saturday instead of Friday, but I'll post it here because it shows the hot tub

Sam with one of our jugs of cocktails - we mixed up a lot of random crap but it tasted nice. This photo might be from Saturday, too 

Here we all are, sitting the the hot tub having a bloody lovely time

Lunch with a Friend and Cinema with Lee

On the 19th of April I had a busy day. I first of all went to the White Rose Centre to meet up with my friend Charlotte and her baby. Actually our mums are friends and it's forever since we hung out, but it was Charlotte's grandma's funeral I had been to the week before and as Charlotte is currently on maternity leave I thought she might appreciate meeting up with someone during the week. I know a lot of my friends have been lonely during maternity leave and as I usually have some free time in the week I can meet up. So I messaged Charlotte and she readily agreed to meet up which was lovely! Her baby was about fourteen weeks old and absolutely precious - such a squidge!

I went to the White Rose a bit early and on my way there the car flipped over to 27,000 miles so I stopped to take a picture of it since it's the first major milestone in the few weeks we've had it. It hasn't done many miles for its age which is good! Maybe it was a lockdown casualty and just didn't get driven very much. I parked at the White Rose and went in, and got a chai latte from a little stall in the food area. I had my book with me so I sat reading that for a bit. I then waited for Charlotte but she was running a bit late so I popped downstairs to The Works to have a nose around. I ended up buying two books and a craft kit, so it was well spent! When I went back up Charlotte arrived not soon after.

Most of the restaurants in the White Rose are ones I like and which I know have decent veggie options, so I let Charlotte choose. She suggested the Lounge, which was fine by me. They're a chain and we have one in Barnsley and I like their vegetarian choices. We went in and got seated - they were really good with the pram and accessibility which was good. I usually get the big veggie breakfast when I go to the Lounge but I wasn't too hungry, so I decided to have the Miami brunch instead. 

It was like a mole of kidney beans and corn in a spicy sauce, with poached eggs, avocado salsa, sweetcorn fritters, and feta and coriander sprinkled over. It was delicious! I'm really glad I got it. 

I also had a pink lemonade. We sat for a bit longer and ordered pudding - I had warm chocolate brownie with ice cream. Charlotte's arrived just as the baby was eating, so I ate mine and once he was finished I took the baby and he fell asleep because he was full of milk! He was very happy in my arms and he is extremely cute; I was really glad to see them both! 

We said goodbye about 3pm and I drove home and got changed into my pyjamas for a bit and did some crafting before getting dressed again and heading out with Lee. He wanted to see the new Ghostbusters film, so we had decided to go to the new Cineworld in Barnsley. It hasn't been open very long. We went into Nando's first so that Lee could have some food, and I had a glass of wine. We headed over to the cinema and into our screen. I really enjoyed the film, but I liked the last one in this too, I like the kids and I like Paul Rudd. It is a lot of fun!

It finished about 10pm so we just drove home and got into bed! I was wearing this really bright dress from Yours again that I got from Debz. I like the oversized look to it - it ends up really comfy on me and I love the bright colour, too 

Showing the car had gone over to 27,000 miles

Pink lemonade - I have had this before and it's really nice

Miami brunch. This is something I would definitely eat again!

Brownie and ice cream

My dress and cardigan when we got home

And here's what we saw!

Tea and Cinema with Sam and Jodie

On the 17th of April I went to Huddersfield to meet up with Sam and Jodie for tea and to go to the cinema. Jodie was supposed to be meeting up with a different friend but they cancelled so she came along with us, which was of course fine. I headed to Huddersfield at about 3.30 and parked quite near to TJ Thai where we had arranged to eat at 4.30. I have been before, but absolutely forever ago, but I like Thai food so suggested we went there. 

I went for vegetable tempura and veg and tofu pad cashewnut. I probably would have had sushi but I had had sushi for lunch (just a pack from the supermarket) and we were also in somewhat of a rush so I wasn't sure if it would take too long as it said it was prepared fresh. But I really enjoyed what I did have, it was delicious.

We quickly drove down to the cinema and parked, and got in just as the trailers were on. We had gone to see the new Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black. I wanted to see it and I'm glad I have, but I wouldn't rush to see it again and I didn't think it was brilliant. 

It's weird to see events depicted on screen when you clearly remember them happening almost twenty years ago. It feels like not enough time has passed, but then I know there were films that I liked in the mid to late nineties which depicted the seventies. Maybe my mum felt the same way I did about those, given that she had grown up in the seventies? I found this happened too when I watched the last series of the Crown and watched William go to uni and meet Kate, which was the exact time that I was at university myself. In fact my friend Ailsa was at St Andrews at the same time William was and once sat an exam in the same hall as him! I find it odd.

I also think this is a really sanitised version of Amy's life, even though it does have its gritty points. I believe Mitch Winehouse has had some input into it and I think it shows him as always benevolent and never in opposition to Amy, which I just don't believe was true. 

It got me thinking about sad girls, too, and how they (we) are just never allowed to be sad girls. Amy and I were the same age and school year (she would have been forty last September and I turned forty in January) so I've always just been extremely saddened about her death. I'm thinking about Britney and other young women like her who have just been scrutinised their entire lives. I'm sad Amy is no longer with us. 

So, I saw it, and I have thoughts. It finished about 8pm and I drove home. Lee was about to get in the bath so I sat in bed eating biscuits and watching Friends while he did that! 

Vegetable tempura

Pad cashewnut - I love cashews! This was nicely spicy which I appreciate too

Took this outside the cinema at about 8pm when we were leaving - which shows me that it was still light at that time!

Day Out in Nottingham

On the thirteenth of April Lee and I went to Nottingham to meet up with my cousin Rob, his wife Beth, and their baby. We had planned to meet up around Easter and it was only a couple of weeks later. They live in Leicester so Nottingham is kind of in the middle, so ideal for all of us. Beth and I looked around for somewhere to eat and decided on Fat Hippo. I've never been to one before but I've heard it's pretty good and I know that they have good veggie and vegan options.

Lee and I set off about 10.45 and reached Nottingham city centre around noon. However, we couldn't get to the car park we wanted so we ended up parking in the bus station and then had to walk a long way to get to Fat Hippo. However, it was mostly okay, we took it slowly and got to the restaurant at about 12.25. Our table was ready but Rob and Beth were running a bit behind. It didn't matter, we had plenty of time! They arrived and we ordered not long after.

I went for the Harlem Fake burger which was a vegan chicken burger with pickles, cheese, all kinds of good stuff in it, and the vegan dirty tater tots which have vegan cheese and fakon bits on. I love tater tots so was really happy with them! I had some good cuddles with baby T and he has also learnt to clap which is very clever and we were all suitably impressed.

After lunch we went next door into Rough Trade records. I didn't get anything but Lee did. Then we walked to the Victoria Centre, via Boots, and in there we decided to have some dessert from a crepe and shake place. I had a crepe with chocolate sauce and Crunchie, it turns out hot Crunchie is quite weird. Lee had an Oreo milkshake. Beth had a waffle stick and Rob had an ice cream. We just sat in the middle area of the centre to eat it. 

After that we said goodbye to Rob and Beth and went into some other shops on the way back to the car, including a charity shop, Lush, and Waterstones. I did buy shower gel and conditioner but did not buy any books in Waterstones! Then just before we got back to the car park we decided to go in All Bar One for a drink. By this time it was about 5pm. I had a peach spritz which was lovely. Lee had an orange juice. We then walked back to the car for just before 6pm. It took us ages to get out of Nottingham though - the football had been on so there was a lot of traffic. But it was fine! We got home just after 7pm and we both lay down for a bit because we were tired! 

As you can see I was wearing the orange Joe Browns dress that I got a few weeks previously to this, and green tights. I also put my sparkly Converse on which are actually really comfortable to wear and walk around in which is good. The green tights are from Better Tights and I don't love them as much as my Snag tights, but they are still good and I like the colour, so I will keep wearing them. 

Here's many pictures:

My sparkly Converse and tights before we set off. These Converse seem much more relaxed than some - I don't know if it's the fabric they're made from or what

This cute elephant was in an alleyway, I'm not sure why exactly but I liked it

There were several rainbow crossings on the street that Fat Hippo was on, which were cute. The Nottingham centre for transgender health is on the same street. Lee took this photo. My hoodie is from Yours originally but I got it from Vinted for not much. I like the colour of it

See, you can see a couple of them in this photo I took

Here's me and baby, he is such a cute little dot

Showing off his clapping skills

My immense burger. I did manage to pick it up to eat it, but Lord

And tater tots!

I loved this on the end of Broad Street

My crepe in the shopping centre

Here we all are - T was asleep by this point bless him. You can see my dress here but I blogged it not too long ago

Inside the Exchange building. We went into the Dr Martens shop but we didn't buy anything

Here we are in All Bar One

And here's my spritz!