A Few Middle of May Things

There's a bunch of things that happened in mid May that I want to blog but none of them really warrants a post of their own so I thought I would just chuck them all into one. 

I needed a lot of rest the week to ten days after I got back from Rome, as I said. So I had a quieter week and Lee and I did nothing on the 9th of May, but then I had seen that the fair was in Penistone, on the ground behind Tesco, so I asked Lee to take me. The weather was a bit rubbish but we headed out anyway. We wandered around to begin with, and then I went on the waltzers. I haven't been on them since I was about sixteen! Lee isn't a fan of funfairs so we've never been, and I wasn't sure if I would be okay on them. But I took a risk and went on. 

He really spun me around and I genuinely thought that the cart might come off the track at some points, but I really enjoyed myself! I was a bit achey the next day but had had a lot of fun. We got chip sandwiches to eat, although we ate them in the car as it was raining, and then we got milkshakes too. I won a hook a duck and got to choose a soft toy from the prizes so I chose a little husky dog, it's very cute and lives on the sofa now.

On Sunday the 10th of May Lee got up really early to go to do some recording in Sheffield with his new band. I went to the station a bit later and got on the train to Sheffield where I was meeting my friend Katie. I was way early due to my train times so I got a coffee in one of the cafes and then sat up by the trams for a bit. I ended up doing my make up in a photo booth, haha. Katie got there anyway and we got the tram to City Hall.

I had booked us a bottomless brunch at Cubana in Leopold Square. I have been there to eat but hadn't had a bottomless brunch before. It was really good though! The staff were attentive and there were a few drinks to choose from and they kept them coming. There were a bunch of tapas dishes to choose from. I enjoyed my food and the bread we had to start with too. Katie and I were chatting non stop as usual. 

When we had finished we went just a couple of doors down for another drink, and then we got the tram back to the station and said goodbye. An afternoon drinking with Katie is always great! 

The following Wednesday I went to Fox Valley to meet up with my friend Roslyn. We went to the Old Forge which is just on the side of the complex, for brunch. I had a vegetarian breakfast which was delicious, and then a salted caramel brownie. We went into the charity shop which is just near the cafe, and I picked up these Elly Griffiths books for a pound each! I've read them before, but on Kindle, so I didn't have them in paper. So these were a bargain! I also went in the Range and Boots to buy stuff for my upcoming holiday. 

On the 16th Lee and I both went out to a pub near Sheffield to meet up with Philippa for her birthday. There were twenty of us in total so we took up a whole area of the pub. It was nice to talk to Cat, Philippa's friend, who I've met a few times before, and to Philippa's family. I put some make up on and one of my Scarlett & Jo prom dress dresses. I gave Lee a big kiss with lipstick on so he wasn't too impressed! 

Finally on the 20th of May I went to Todmorden to see and help my friend and colleague Ava. She needed some help with a ton of paperwork that has been stored in her flat for years, She definitely had The Fear over it because it didn't take us too long to clear. I'm pretty ruthless with paperwork too. We loaded up the boxes we do need to keep which are living in my loft now, and we put the filing cabinet in my car too. It's now gone to my other place of work to be useful there - it's doubly useful because it actually locks! 

Once we had sorted the paperwork out we went to a cafe not far from Ava's house for lunch. I had nachos and a latte I think - they were really good! I'm very into nachos at the moment!

At the funfair

Chip butty from a van

Lee with milkshakes

Elderflower spritz in Cubana, my first drink in the bottomless brunch. I mostly stuck to prosecco after that

And my mojito in the tiki bar next door

Somewhere in this time I made a Victoria sponge, too. I'm not very good at getting the consistency right on the water icing on the top, but this was my best effort so far! It tasted good anyway

Veggie breakfast with Roslyn

And my brownie

And the books I got for £3

Freshly showered and wearing some make up for Philippa's birthday

Kissing Lee

I had a decaf coffee for pudding and it came with a tiny flapjack which was ideal

The dress I was wearing

Ava's cat Teddy is very cute and wanted to play with my pen

Nachos for lunch

And finally here's Ava and I - the faces of two women who had successfully conquered a terrifying filing cabinet!

Spa Day with Sarah

On the 6th of May I went to Aqua Sana at Centre Parcs near Worksop with my friend Sarah. We have been meaning to go there for ages and finally got round to it. She's been before and really recommends it, and everyone I know who's been to a Centre Parcs spa says it's brilliant. So I was excited to go! I got to Sarah's just as she was back from the school run and we set off. 

We had to park a little way away and I stupidly didn't have my stick with me, but it was okay. I really could have used it inside the spa, though. Next time! We got checked in and Sarah booked herself a facial for 2.30pm. We went and got changed and then we went into the cafe as we had breakfast included in our spa day. I had a cappucino and avocado and tomatoes on toast. 

After we had eaten we went into the pool. It's in the middle of the spa, outdoor, in a courtyard kind of thing. It is a really warm pool and has plenty of jets to stand under too. We floated and chatted for ages which was lush. Then we went in some of the other rooms like saunas and the showers, and then we went up to the treetop sauna which is so lovely, I really liked it. Accessbility across the site was pretty good and there was a lift upstairs which was good.

We decided to have some lunch as we were both pretty hungry. I had burrata and pesto on toast I think, I'm not entirely sure now. It was nice anyway! After lunch we swam a bit more and then Sarah went off for her facial. 

I went upstairs to sit and read my book for a while, and then I went to a sound bath! They had a few sessions on that were free, and were displayed on a board just on the entrance to the spa, so I decided to go to this session. I've never done a sound bath before but I've been meaning to for ages, so I went. There was me and two other women, none of whom had done a sound bath before, so the woman doing the session did it really intensely. We had some calming oil but also some oil with arnica in, so it felt hot, and we had to imagine ourselves on a beach. I felt very meditative and relaxed, and really enjoyed the half hour session! I'm glad I bothered to go!

Sarah enjoyed her facial too and was really relaxed by it. We decided to go for a final drink and some cake before we headed off back to Sarah's and I came home!

I really rated Aqua Sana as a spa and I'll definitely head back there at some point - maybe with Lee because I think he would like it too! 

Cappucino - decaffeinated of course!

My breakfast

The pool first thing in the morning - there was some sun on it later on which was good

The treetop sauna, which does have steps up to it

Treetops! I've never been to Centre Parcs but I think I would like to try

My lunch! Delish! 

One of the relaxation rooms

Looking down on the pool when I was sitting reading

The ceiling in the room where I had my sound bath

Cake! And another coffee of course

And a final photo of the entrance to the spa as we left

Rome Trip - Day 5

This wasn't a day of holiday because we had to leave so early in the morning, but I might as well blog it anyway. We had arranged to be picked up by the same company that had brought us from the airport, and they needed to pick us up at 7.10. So we were up early and ready and waiting by then. Fortunately we were picked up right outside the hotel. I ate the cream bun I had bought the day before on the way. We got to the aiport about 7.50, I guess because traffic wasn't as bad as it had been on the Monday afternoon. In fact we were so early that the Jet2 check in desk wasn't even open yet. 

We went upstairs and had a drink and my mum had a croissant. We sat around until the check in desk opened and then we checked in and went through security and everything. There's quite a lot of shops in Rome airport so we did have a look around. Then about 10.15 we went into a restaurant. I think my mum just had cake but I had a burrata salad which was delicious. I'm not sure if I had had burrata before I went to Rome, and I didn't know what it was, but it's delicious so I'll definitely have it again. I might even buy some in the supermarket here! 

I also had a Coke Zero Zero which was very welcome because I don't generally drink caffeine but I had had to drink some Diet Coke or Coke Zero while we were away for hydration. 

We went to the gate when it was announced and I also popped into the equivalent of WHSmith and bought some biscuits for the plane. We had to get a bus from the gate to the plane itself and it turned out one of the people off The Chase, The Beast, was on the bus and same flight! People were talking to him in a way that I knew meant he was famous, but I couldn't work out who he was at first. He kept talking about 'Brad' who is of course Bradley Walsh! Bonkers. He was an absolute gent and was sitting right at the front of the plane - he's very tall so clearly wanted the leg room - and basically everyone spoke to him and he was laughing and smiling. Very fun! Before too long the plane took off and we were on the way home. We bought a drink each on the plane and shared the biscuits. 

We landed and got through passport control quickly as I can use the disabled lines - the other queue was huge so I'm glad I didn't have to stand in it. We got our cases and got back to the car. I drove us home. We got stuck in traffic at Hyde a bit but it wasn't actually too bad. We got back to mine about 4.45 and my mum got in her car to go home. 

I went and laid down because I was so tired! I had factored in resting all weekend because I knew the trip would take it out of me, and it did. On Saturday morning I sat on the sofa from like 10am until 2pm when I finally got changed into clean pyjamas and brushed my teeth. Lee kept feeding me which was good. While I was lying down on Friday, Kiki came and laid with me. She had clearly missed me! 

It was lovely to spend so much time with my mum. I'm very fortunate to be close to her and we really had so much fun together. I did way more than I thought I was capable of, although it did take me a good week to get over it fully. I'm so glad we went!

When we went to Mallorca loads of places had Coke Zero Zero so I was expecting Italy to be the same, but no

Burrata and tomato salad, it was so good

View from the plane, maybe over the Alps again

And finally here's Kiki lying on my arm when I got home! 

Rome Trip - Day 4

The Thursday of our trip to Rome was a quieter day, which we needed! We got up and had some breakfast, and then set out. We walked to the Pantheon where we had a cuppa in a cafe looking over it, which was very cool. I actually had a hot chocolate as I really wanted one while in Italy, and it was nice. It was just lovely to sit there soaking up the atmosphere! Rome is a really nice city - very clean, compact, and bustling with people. I liked it a lot. 

We then went to Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - yes I had to look that up as I couldn't remember it myself. It has a Michaelangelo statue inside and some Bernini stuff, and it's free and not that busy. We went in and wandered round but unfortunately they're doing a lot of building work in the back of it so the Michaelangelo isn't out to see, which is a shame. But the church is lovely anyway so we had a look. I lit some candles - one for my dad and one for my friend Tom - as I always do in churches if available. My dad would have been tickled that I was doing that in a Catholic church! 

There is a Bernini statue outside with an elephant with an obelisk on its back, and that was really cool to see. 

Then we walked to Torre Argentina. It's a really old part of Rome, they were starting to build on it but then they dug and found a ton of statues and old temples and stuff, so they couldn't build and now it's a monument. My friend Lolly had been to Rome just a few weeks before us and told us there was a feral cat colony there so we went. I got in for free, of course, and we went down into the ruins. There were a few cats around and my mum had brought some treats so she fed a few, but then one of the staff told us off. So we just looked at the monument and read all the information. 

A member of staff had to come and help me get the lift back up to the top, and he told me that there was a cat sanctuary in the corner of the ruins and pointed out where to get in. Which was very cool! So we went round and down the steps and there was a low ceilinged door. A woman asked us to wait so we did. A French family turned up and we spoke to them - it turned out they had a black cat like my mum and I both do so that was cute. My mum speaks French then expects me to understand what they say back because she doesn't always catch it. It's a good job she's cute!

Finally we were allowed into the sanctuary. A woman told us about the charity; they trap, neuter and release feral cats, and they feed them all in the area so that you rarely see a feral cat in other parts of Rome. But there are some that can't be released and those live in the sanctuary. We could go in and look! There was a double door so no cats could escape and the French family came in with us and WE GOT TO PET CATS. It was so cute! The ginger one wanted to sit on anyone's knee, and there was a blind one that I stood and stroked for a while (she was black). We weren't in there for very long but it was very cute and I LOVE CATS.

It was free but we both left a donation for them. If you're in Rome and like cats, it's worth having a look. 

It was lunchtime by this time so we went just across the road to a restaurant. We were under a canopy on the road and it was lovely to again be right in the hustle and bustle of the city! The vegetarian choices weren't great so I ended up having smoked salmon bruschetta with burrata on it. It was delicious! I do occasionally eat fish and I enjoyed it. We shared a bottle of prosecco and we sat there for ages just chilling and chatting. 

We headed back to the hotel and on the way we stopped for ice cream. I got one of the lemon sorbet in a lemon thing, they are everywhere in Rome and quite overpriced but also it seems like you have to! So I did, and I really liked it. I also bought a cream bun type thing that I had seen all over too; I ended up eating that the next morning in the taxi back to the airport.

We rested again in the hotel - something which I really recommend if you're chronically ill or in pain like I am - and then ventured out for food. My mum wanted to go back to the restaurant we had been in the first night as she had liked it, and I was happy with that. I had a vegetarian pizza with mushrooms which was delicious, although I couldn't eat it all. I can't remember what my mum had. 

Then we went into a bar directly opposite our hotel. There was someone making pasta which was fun to watch. My mum had prosecco but I had some kind of rum cocktail which was delicious. We had an early night though because we had to get up early the next morning! 

A square on the way to the Pantheon

And a tiny street - there were restaurants on here which said crepes, if only we had gone that far on Wednesday night!

The Pantheon as we had our hot drinks

The Basilica with the Bernini statue - it is so cool!

And a close up of the elephant

Inside the church

I think this was by Bernini too. Who knows. There's just so much cool old shit in Rome everywhere

I liked this, too

This was an Easter shrine portraying the whole life of Jesus, my mum liked it a lot

More inside the church

Torre Argentina which I liked a lot - the explanations of what was there were interesting. I'm guessing it was a bit like the Forum, which we hadn't managed to see the previous day, so that was good

Inside the cat sanctuary as my mum made friends with the ginger cat

This one wanted to be my pal, she was very cute

This was the blind black cat, I kept talking to her as I was stroking her so she knew I was friendly

This one was cute too

Bottle of prosecco in the restaurant - I love sitting on patios drinking and eating and watching the world go by which we had specifically planned, and it was great!

My lunch

And my mum's, which had avocado

Lemon sorbet, it was huge!

Then later, my pizza

In the bar we went to after food

MY lovely mum and her prosecco

And me and my cocktail. That door behind me was the doorway to our hotel!