Food in Meadowhall with Sarah

On Friday the 16th of August I went to Meadowhall to meet up with Sarah for tea. We had had this planned for ages and I was really looking forward to it. You might remember that Sarah's husband Tom died just before last Christmas. Sarah is doing brilliantly without him and in looking after their little girl. I've seen her a few times since then, of course, but not in the evening as she's obviously needed for R. However, Tom's mum was looking after her and Sarah could come out with me! I was thrilled about this! We decided to go to Meadowhall and to Wagamama for food because we both really like it. 

I went out in this cream spotted dress that I've only worn a couple of times before. It was hot and the dress is cool so it was ideal. We met at 7pm and had to queue for a little bit to get into Wagamama but then got good seats. We shared some vegetarian starters and I had tofu raisukaree which I really like and which was still delicious. 

We then went next door into Carluccio's for pudding and a coffee. We both had tiramisu and a cappucino, hah. We chatted the whole time and we talked about Jasmine as I was grieving, and we talked about Tom because we always need to, but we talked about a hundred other things too. She is doing okay, and that is the main thing. Grief sucks. 

We said goodbye about 9.30, I'm guessing. The sky outside Meadowhall was really pretty so I took a photo before heading home. I'm lucky to have someone like Sarah as one of my best friends. 

Cream spotted dress just before I headed out

Bang bang cauliflower, mushroom bao, and vegetable gyoza

Tofu curry - I could eat this right now because it's so spicy and delicious

Here were are in Carluccio's 

Tiramisu which was soooo nice

And the pretty sky as I was leaving. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the sky

Sunday 11th August

The day after the Alternative Makers Fair was a perfectly normal day, until it wasn't. I've been putting off writing this post because I know it will be painful, but I need to just get it done so I can write the later things too. 

Tukru's bus home was at just before eleven so we all set out early to Meadowhall. I had arranged to meet a friend for lunch but they had to cancel, so Lee and I just went to Meadowhall for a look around and some lunch. It was close to Lee's birthday so we got a couple of presents for him, and we had lunch in Las Iguanas which was Lee's choice but I like it anyway so I didn't mind. I had a peach beach iced tea which was delicious, and a halloumi burger with sweet potato fries. 

We picked up a few things and headed home about 2.30pm. I was wearing one of my flamingo skirts and a pink top that I really like at the moment. Our cat Jasmine went outside when we got home, under supervision for few minutes, and then she came back in. She had some food and sat with Lee. I was upstairs watching TV and I went downstairs at about 5.30 to have some tea and to watch TV with Lee. However, Jasmine was unresponsive on the kitchen floor. We rushed her to an emergency vet but it was too late. She had died. The vet thought it was probably either a heart attack or a clot on her lungs or something. We could have paid for a post mortem but decided not to. 

We got back to our house just after 7pm, obviously really upset and shocked. Jasmine was one of the sweetest, most affectionate cats ever. We had had her four years since she was a kitten - so she was only young still - and we loved her so very much. We're both okay, but very shocked and sad. My mum and stepdad had come over to ours and were sympathetic to us. I miss her so much already! She seemed absolutely fine when we got home, so we hope it was just very sudden and painless for her. 

We will definitely get another black cat in the future because they are just perfect. We're really glad that we decided to keep Kiki when she got landed on us just four weeks before Jazzy died, because we still have two kittos to play with. We got Jasmine's ashes back so they're on the mantelpiece next to Ivy's alongside her paw print and some of her fur. She was a gorgeous little thing and she will be so missed. 

Peach beach cocktail - I actually had two because they were on offer

Halloumi burger with chilli jam and other stuff - it's yummy

Flamingo skirt and pink top

And here's Jasmine in July sometime, when she was lying in bed with me being cuddled, which she liked to do

Barnsley Alternative Makers Fair

On the 10th of August Barnsley Alternative Makers Fair happened in Barnsley. After the success of Barnsley Zine Fair in February Jason decided to do a bigger fair with zinesters and other makers, in the main room of the Civic. In all there were over forty makers which was really amazing! My friend Tukru had got a stall and had asked to stay with us, which was of course fine. So Tukru, Lee and I set off to go just a few minutes down the road into town to get set up. 

My stall was next to Chloe's, which was really nice as it meant I could catch up with her. My friend Lou who does Lincoln Zine Fest had a stall, so she was there with her fiance Si. There were some other people I knew, too, as well as a bunch of new people to meet! 

Lee went for a wander round town and my friend Gemma came. She had been borrowing my car for a bit and needed to give it back, so she came to the fair to chat to me for a bit. It was nice to see her! She brought me a chocolate orange brownie from Dolly's Desserts. The fair was sponsored by The Old Ivy Cheesecakery which is in town but which I've never been into. They had vegan sausage rolls and cupcakes, among other things, so I had one of each of those for lunch. 

Bettie and Jen arrived at about 3pm which was really nice because I haven't seen them in forever. I went into the Graphic Novel Reading Room which was visiting and which was really cute to see. Chloe's books were there in the LGBTQ+ section which was lovely to see. 

The fair packed up at 4pm and Lee, Tukru and I went home straight after. Lee cooked cacio e pepe pasta for tea and we watched a film and I did some crafting as we did. 

For the fair I had been wearing a peach Simply Be dress which is lovely, and was cool in the building. I also was wearing grey Snag footless tights, and my red Saltwater sandals. They seem to have stretched a little bit after their dip in the sea in Norfolk, which has actually made them more comfortable! 

The last pictures are of everything we got at the fair, including zines and an art postcard of Blackbeard in Our Flag Means Death. 

My stall all set up and ready to go. That crochet bunting was one of the first things I ever crocheted and it is still so cute!

Chloe's books next to Heartstopper, which is so good!

Red sandals and grey tights

Peach and polka dot dress

Art postcard

And everything else I got

Trip to Hardwick Hall

On Friday the 9th of August I went to Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire to see my friend Jane. It's a while since we met up but as she works in a school she is off during the holidays so she suggested going to the hall. I've never been before but it's only about an hour's drive from my house so I agreed. We met there about 11.45 (there was some traffic on the motorway) and went into the hall. 

The new hall is huge and has a bunch of old tapestries which are shown in two big halls. There's a ton of steps up but they weren't too bad, and it was worth it because the tapestries were really amazing to see. Bess of Hardwick Hall - a friend of Elizabeth I - bought them from somewhere else and they were really interesting and well laid out. The hall is fab, really worth a look. I didn't know much about her so I learnt a lot about her, too. After the main hall we walked across to the old hall, which is just ruins now, and had a little look round there. It wasn't too interesting, but I'm glad we saw it. 

We had both taken a packed lunch so we found a bench to sit on in the garden to eat. We were chatting loads of course, as always. It was so nice to see her. We went into the gift shop next, and then had a hot drink in the cafe. It was really busy! We then had an ice cream, sitting again in the sunshine. I had chocolate and mint choc chip. We looked in the tiny bookshop just before it closed, and then we said goodbye. 

I headed towards Meadowhall then because my friend Tukru was coming to stay and they were coming via Megabus into Meadowhall. They were caught in traffic so I went to Costa nearby for a  bit and read my book until they arrived! 

I was wearing my rainbow tartan dress from Topsy Curvy, and new Snag capri tights which are in a colour called 'Guava' which is totally gorgeous. I had also painted my nails - they were both Christmas polishes actually but I liked the colour and the glitter on top, so why not! 

Hardwick Hall as you wallk up the lawn towards it. It is stunning to look at

One of the tapestries which depicts Penelope

A really beautiful inlay table

This portrait of Queen Elizabeth I is like really old and really important. It's about six feet tall and really stunning

This portrait of Bess of Hardwick is posed next to the one of Elizabeth

These tapestries depict Gideon from the Bible

This is the long hall, full of tapestries, which is the longest Tudor hall still remaining, or something

This was our view from where we ate lunch which was also beautiful

Purplish and glitter nail polishes

Guava capris and my all black Converse

Ice cream! It was nice

Here's Jane and me just before we said goodbye

The drive round Hardwick Hall is one way and really scenic on both the way in and the way out, but kind of slow. I got stuck behind a tractor and took this photo of sheep just hanging out on the road

And here I am in my rainbow tartan dress when I got home

Films of the Month - July

I only watched seven films in July and I really have no reason for why! But no worries! Here's what I saw:

I finally got round to watching Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and I really liked it. Totally bonkers and funny. Daniel Radcliffe is great

I went to the cinema to see The Bikeriders with my friend Gemma. I really loved it - it had a lot of my favourite things in it. I will have to rewatch it before the year is out to really appreciate it again

I saw some chatter about Surfwise on Reddit so I found it and watched it. It's about a nomad family and it's really interesting. A bit terrifying too, but I am glad I saw it

I finally got round to watching Challengers, continuing my Mike Faist theme. I loved it - I like Josh and Zendaya too and I'm glad I got round to it finally. Brilliant film

So then I went for a Mike Faist triple bill and watched the new West Side Story too. I've seen it before, in the cinema with my mum. It isn't perfect but I do like it

Someone suggested I watch Dear Evan Hansen, thinking it would be my kind of thing, so I did, but I really didn't like it much. It just didn't do much for me

Finally Lee and I watched the first Final Destination film. I've seen it before but seriously like twenty years ago so I didn't remember much of it at all. It's good!

Family Trip to Norfolk - Day 5

Tuesday was our last day on holiday! We had decided to go to the Sealife Centre which was just along the front so we had booked tickets the night before because it was cheaper. We had also decided that we wanted ice cream at a gelato place near the Sealife Centre, and that we wanted to play mini golf, and that we wanted donuts! It was a busy day! We were telling the parents on our group Whatsapp that we had gone rogue and decided to have ice cream AND donuts because we're adults now and can do what we like! 

We got up and sat about for a bit and stuff before going to the front to play mini golf. It was £7.50 but for that there are two courses. We set off on the Aztec one. It was pretty fun. The weather was really hot so I even tied my hair up which I rarely do!

We finished that course about 11.15 so walked along to the gelato parlour. Rob and Beth were waiting for some friends who happened to be staying in the same area, but there was a bit of a queue so Lee and Peter and I walked along. I got a raspberry granita and two scoops of ice cream. One was orange ripple and one was coffee. The orange ripple was really unusual but nice! Lee got a mint ice cream cookie sandwich which he enjoyed. Rob and Beth and their friends turned up and we sat until about noon because that's when our tickets for the Sealife Centre were. 

I really liked a lot of the animals in there, especially the seals! I'll let the photos speak for themselves here because I took loads. After we came out, we had some lunch outside the Sealife Centre - just a few snacks. Then we went back to the mini golf and played the Blackbeard course. It was still entirely too hot and bothered, hence my face in the photo! 

We walked through the funfair and got donuts at the stand there. They were fresh and hot and delicious! We accosted a stranger to take a photo of all six of us so thank you to that kind stranger! Peter and Beth walked back to the caravan so that T could have a nap, but Rob and I decided to swim in the sea again. I'm so glad the weather was nice enough to! I got changed in the public loos and swam out with Rob and it was lovely.

I sat in the sun on the deck again for a bit when we got back, before having a shower. Lee cooked a veggie mince Mexican rice dish thing for tea which he had made for us before and we had really liked, and so did everyone else when he made it for them. Again we played games in the evening but we had an earlier night because we were tired! 

On the Wednesday we just packed up and said goodbye. Lee and I left about 9.45 and made it home about 12.45 which was really good going! The cats had all been left with a cat sitter visiting twice a day and they had all got on fine while we were gone. In fact I think Poppy and Jasmine had got used to Kiki a lot more. 

I don't have any siblings but I am blessed with the most amazing cousins and I am so glad we got to spend this time together.

Here's T and I having a cuddle in the caravan in the morning - he really is the cutest little thing

As we arrived on the beach, looking out to the sea. The promenade is nice and wide here and accessible

These amphibian vehicles do tours from the front and we had talked about going on one but didn't get round to it. At this time they were just arriving from wherever they sleep at night, haha

Here it is up close

Playing the Aztec course. I did pretty well on this! 

Granita and gelato, which were both delicious 

Peter and I in the Sealife Centre. He really is such a great person

Here's Lee and I, he's pretty great too

Shark!

Here's T looking at the fishies

Tiny seahorse

The sky was absolutely stunning, I was so happy to be in the sun

They run a seal rescue centre here and these adult seals can't be released into the wild. They are so cute

Penguins!

And nemo fish in an anenome

The donut stand was breaking any number of copyrights

Here we all are looking happy

Because we had donuts!

Hot and bothered while playing mini golf 

And then very refreshed while in the sea

Jump in the sea, it's worth it