Barnsley Pride and A Surprise

The thirteenth of July was Barnsley Pride and I really wanted to go! I've never been to a Pride event before so I thought it was about time I sorted that out. I knew it would be a smallish event which is perfect for me as I don't like crowds too much. Lee agreed to go too, so we got up on on Saturday and headed into town about 11am. I also knew there was a Young Makers Market on in the market and I wanted to look at that first. 

I bought some wax melts and we bought some goodies from the market too. In the main square of the Glassworks there was a brass band thing going on all day, so we listened to a band called Frumptarn for a little bit. Then we headed to Mandela Gardens where Pride was just getting started! The first act was a choir and they were brilliant, we really liked them. We walked round the stalls but didn't get anything straight away.

Disappointingly the only food van there was only doing meat burgers so not suitable for either of us, so Lee went to the fish and chip shop nearby and we shared chips sitting on a bench on the Gardens watching the show and watching people coming past. There were so many people with all kinds of flags and badges, and a bunch of families, and it was really nice to see, honestly. There were people giving out free hugs and we both got one! After we'd eaten we headed inside to the Civic. In the main room there was an acoustic stage and someone making quite a nice racket, and there were more stalls but not tons. It was nice though.

We went back outside and got ice creams from the van. I was wearing one of my rainbow dresses and a few people asked me about it. It was from Topsy Curvy so I was pleased to tell people about it! The weather wasn't great and it kept trying to rain a little bit but it wasn't too bad. We watched someone play saxophone for ages, they weren't amazing but it was quite fun.

About 2.30 we went into the Garrison pub which is when I saw the sign below that says "All Tarn Aren't We?" Tarn means 'town' and people use it to mean Barnsley so it's saying we're all the same community, which I like. In there it was busy and there was an Abba tribute duo on who weren't great. So we decided to go to the Lounge back in the main square for a drink. But it was a fun Pride and I am so glad to have been among my community. 

Lee had an Oreo milkshake and I had a Betty Blue which had blue Curacao and vodka with orange juice. It was really nice! We left there about 3.30pm and went back through the market for a couple more bits that we wanted. 

And then... we got home... and got a surprise. Our house is a strange set up and there is another row of houses near us, and we had met this family before who lived in one of the houses of the other row. Our cats are allowed outside the back of our house, with supervision, and this family had seen them. They had got a kitten and talked to us about her. However, when we got home, they were about to leave. They had been evicted and they couldn't take the kitten to their new house. So they asked us to take her, hoping we would know someone who would take her. We took her and they left, and all of a sudden we had a six month old kitten to look after even if it was only temporarily. 

Lee went to the supermarket to get supplies for her, and then we sat in our bedroom with her, keeping our two away from her. We asked a few people if they knew anyone who would take her, but we didn't have much look. But surely we couldn't keep her, could we? We kind of wanted to, but we just weren't sure... 

As it stands, it's the day after, and she's still in our bedroom. She's happy and she seems healthy. We're going to take her to the vet tomorrow and see what they say. We are hoping that our two will get on with her and that she can live with us! But we will see! But for now, we're calling her Kiki. It's crackers because I really wasn't expecting it at all and I don't know yet if she's staying... but I hope she is. She's a cute little thing. 

So many rainbows around in Pride!

Including this one hanging off the side of the Civic

Lee and I 

We really liked these signs that were around 

And this one too

This was inside in the space that is usually the Civic's auditorium

Ice cream with two types of syrup!

Looking towards the main stage outside

And towards the stalls

I was wearing my Pride Converse that I got on Vinted, of course, as well as this starry pair of tights from Snag. They're a bit knackered now but I love them so much

All tarn aren't we?

My Betty Blue in the Lounge

Rainbow tartan dress from Topsy Curvy, plus a rainbow necklace

And here's tiny kitten! She needs to grow into her ears!

Father's Day 2024

On Father's Day in the middle of June Lee and I went to Yorkshire Sculpture Park to meet up with my mum and stepdad. Last year, when my dad would have been seventy, my mum and I paid for his name to be put on the new Walk of Art outside The Weston at the sculpture park. The original ones are up by the main building and apparently my grandma's name is on there, although I don't remember ever seeing it. This one is in a different place and we had to wait almost a year for it to be done. But finally it was, so we wanted to go see it. 

We met about 1.15 and had lunch first. The menu at the Weston isn't huge and there isn't a ton of vegetarian choices, so I had eggs royale and thoroughly enjoyed my smoked salmon and poached eggs and hollandaise on a muffin. My mum had the same thing. My stepdad had shepherd's pie and I can't remember what Lee had. For dessert I had the triple chocolate brownie and ice cream which also came with like milkshake powder which was weird. Lee had the brownie of the day which was a Crunchie one. I had a mimosa too and a coffee!

After we had eaten we went into the gallery in the Weston and then the shop, both of which were quite interesting to see. Then we went to find my dad's name. It was lovely! I'm so glad it's there! My dad spent his entire life living nearby so I'm glad he's immortalised here forever! Some people had left flowers near names so that's something we could do in the future too. 

After this we went back to my mum's for a little bit just to hang out and have a couple of glasses of wine before we went home. I was wearing my all black low top Converse trainers which came off Vinted of course, and a Joe Browns dress via Simply Be that I've had for a while but don't wear a lot. It was a nice day! We also managed to avoid the downpour!

Mimosa with a candied orange piece

Eggs royale

And chips that my mum and I shared

My triple chocolate brownie

And Lee's one

My dad's name on the path, I've blanked out his surname for privacy

Daisies that were nearby the path

All black Converse

And my pretty blue and pink dress when we got home!

Mother's Day 2024

My mum and stepdad had been away in Gran Canaria for a week, but got back on the 9th of March, just in time for Mother's Day. I had had a bit of a busy week and on the Saturday Lee and I went and bought a new mattress which was thrilling as you can imagine, and then I went to my friend Sarah's in the evening to hang out with her. Lee booked for the four of us to go to Fox House Inn near Holmfirth on Mother's Day. Lee and I went just before Christmas and it's really nice homecooked food so we thought it would be nice for all of us. 

On Sunday morning I had a shower and scrubbed and shaved myself too, it was about time and I really needed it. Then we sorted some stuff out in the bedroom and got it nice and tidy before we set off. We arrived about 1.20 and my mum and stepdad weren't far behind us. 

My stepdad said he would drive them home so my mum and I ordered a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to share, which was lovely. We had also already decided that we would share a starter and a pudding because the portions are big and my mum and I couldn't have managed all those courses. So we shared garlic mushrooms, Lee and my stepdad had Yorkshire puddings (which are worth the trip to the pub by themselves). Then I had veggie carvery which was just the vegetables and Yorkshire pudding, and delicious, but not TOO much! My mum had the seniors carvery which was similar in size to mine and likewise it was a good amount of food for her. My stepdad had meat and potato ale pie and Lee had garlic chicken supreme. It is all homecooked and delicious food and just so nice. 

Lee had chocolate sponge for pudding, my stepdad didn't have one, and my mum and I shared some ice cream. It was honestly so nice, it's such a nice pub and feels like a bit of a luxury but the prices aren't stupid.

We left about 4pm and my mum and stepdad came back to ours for a couple of hours, so that they could see the cats and stuff because I'm not sure they've seen them since Christmas! My mum and I shared a bottle of English sparkling wine that Lee's mam and stepdad bought me for my birthday. It was really nice!

After they went home I just relaxed for the rest of the night which was nice. I had been wearing a Hell Bunny dress that I bought off Georgina Grogan/She Might Be Loved recently. I love the pattern on it, but I knew it was going to be too low necked on me. But I also knew it would most likely look fine with a tank top underneath. And it does! My mum couldn't tell that it wasn't supposed to have the black bit there. I love the dress and I think I'll be wearing it a lot. 

I was also wearing my teal blue footless tights from Snag, as I love the colour of them and they match the dress, and a pair of Converse that my mum bought me for Christmas. They're off Vinted so didn't cost her very much, and I love the sparkles on them! I haven't worn them before but they're really comfortable so I'll definitely be wearing them again soon!

Here's this lovely dress! Up close it's herons and roses and stuff and is just really lovely. I am so glad I got this from Georgina!

Teal footless tights and second hand Converse with a sparkly bit at the heel

I even put some make up on! Here I am i nthe car when we set off. My necklace says I Am I Am I Am which is from a Sylvia Plath poem. My friend Stacey bought me this for my birthday and this was the first time I had worn it. The lipstick is a Models Own one and I love the coral colour, it really brightens my face. You can also see all my greys in my hair in this photo, which is fine

Garlic mushrooms and brown bread - I would have struggled to eat all this myself but it was nice

Here's all four of us when starters arrived

Lee's Yorkshire puddings, honestly I could eat these right now

My veggie carvery - they did have a nut roast but I honestly thought this was more than aedquate for me. I say this not to judge anyone else's food choices but because I know my personal limits

And finally the English sparkling wine that I had, it was nice!

Beautiful Thing in Leeds

On the 23rd of October Sam and Jodie and I went to see Beautiful Thing in Leeds. It is one of my favourite films and Sam and I saw it in the theatre - in Leeds Playhouse, the same place as this time! - ten years ago, on its 20th anniversary. I know it has its flaws but I first saw it at a very formative age and I just really love it. I saw it was touring again so asked Sam and Jodie to go back in like July or something. Then as it got closer to the time I read that the two leads were going to be played by Black actors! This adds a whole dimension to the narrative, so I was really looking forward to that. 

I had been to craft club in the morning, still working on a crochet blanket that was nearly finished, and then I chilled out in the afternoon. I set off about 5pm because I was a bit worried about traffic and also parking. There used to be parking out the back of the playhouse but now they appear to be building something there, so I had to park at Victoria and walk across. It wasn't too far though. I took a picture of the advert for the show outside the theatre before I went over to the Aagrah where we had arranged to meet for tea. I have been to the one in Wakefield but not the one in Leeds, I don't think. I was early but I had my book with me so I sat reading that until Sam and Jodie arrived. 

They have a lot of vegetarian choices, I was a bit spoilt! I went for onion bhajis which came in this like ring shape, and then vegetable korma. I feel like you rarely see vegetable korma; it's not usually there, so I went for it as it was a bit of a novelty! It was delicious!

We went across to the theatre and got seated. The Playhouse has had a refurbishment since I was last there and the seats are really roomy and comfy. The play was really good - funny and fun, but with a lot of pathos, just how it should be! Perfect! I got home quite early too, and to bed!

I had bought myself a pair of all black Converse on Vinted - I think they were about £11 all in which is a bargain. They're really comfortable and soft, I love them already! I wore them with leggings because I couldn't be bothered finding tights! I was also wearing a Simply Be dress which is also really comfy. 

All black Converse , they're in really good condition

The advert outside the theatre. It kept changing so I had to stand there until it came back round, haha

Onion bhajis

Vegetable korma, rice, and some saag aloo too

Ice cream for dessert

Me and Jodie and Sam in the theatre

This was the only set - Jamie's bed slid out just to the left of the turquoise door, which was really fun. It was a good set!

Weekend in Amble - Day 1

Lee and I went away from Saturday - Tuesday in August, for his birthday. We had booked to go to Amble absolutely months ago as we've rarely been to Northumberland and wanted to go. We booked Saturday to Tuesday so that it covered Lee's birthday on the Monday. So we set off on Saturday morning and then popped in to Lee's dad's in Chester le Street on the way up. We had lunch there with him and Lee's stepmam so it was nice to see them, and Lee's sister Kim popped in too. We left there around 3pm and drove through the Tyne Tunnel to Amble. I had googled and found there was an ice cream place on the front in Amble so we went there to start with. The ice cream was so nice! I had Honeycomb Crunch and Sweetie Pie. Lee had chocolate and mint and the chocolate ice cream was some of the nicest ice cream we had ever had!

We went to the holiday cottage and got settled in there and watched TV for a bit before going out around 7pm. I had booked us a table at the Fish Shack at 7.30 so we parked nearby and went for a walk on the pier before we went in. Amble is so pretty - really tiny but pretty. I took a bunch of pictures of course. 

We went into the Fish Shack and were sort of squashed into a corner. But the food when it came was fresh and totally delicious. I occasionally do eat fish so I had fish and chips and so did Lee, and we shared some onion rings. I also had a really nice glass of chilled pink wine which was lovely! After we'd eaten we went back to the house and watched a film.

I was wearing my leopard print dress from Boohoo - I still think it's a bit short on me but I'm wearing it anyway as I really like it. I also had a new to me pair of Converse. I bought them recently on Vinted for less than £11 which was a bargain! I love the rainbow tongues! 

New Converse - I took this photo outside our house before we set off to Durham 

In the Tyne Tunnel!

Ice cream at Spurellis - I would recommend it because it was SO nice

On the harbour at Amble

Look at this gorgeous row of beach huts

Our shadows looking down on to the beach

Lee and I 

Me on the pier - I had changed shoes by now to my slip on Converse, just because I had been sitting inside the house for a bit

This water in the harbour was full of people swimming and paddling

I loved the sun over the river coming out here - this is around 7.15pm

Looking down the pier out towards the sea

And the other way too 

My lovely rose wine

And fish and chips and mushy peas! They were all so good

Finally here's the same vista as we left the restaurant