Weekend in the Cotswolds Days 1 and 2

On the first weekend of September Lee and I headed off to the Cotswolds to spend the weekend with my aunt, uncle and cousin. We had booked a cottage from Thursday to Monday, so Lee and I set off about lunchtime, maybe a bit earlier but not much. We stopped at a service station for lunch and then stopped off in Warwick.

We went to Warwick in 2020 when just a few things were opening up after lockdown; we stayed in a cottage nearby and had a nice week. A few things in Warwick were open, including a sweet shop. So we parked and wandered into some shops, including the sweet shop. We went into a bunch of charity shops and the bookshop. We stopped and had a drink and a piece of cake in a greasy spoon type of place. Then we got back in the car and carried on to Bourton on the Water.

We were stuck in traffic in Stow on the Wold round school kicking out time, but then we got to the cottage about 4pm. It was in Little Rissington, only a couple of miles from Bourton. It was honestly one of the nicest holiday cottages we've ever stayed in! There was a decent sized and well equipped kitchen, a living and dining room, a conservatory, then upstairs there were three decent sized bedrooms, one with ensuite, and the main bathroom. It was lovely!

Everyone else was arriving on Friday so Lee and I just chilled out for the night. We watched a film. I did some cross stitch and Lee started on a jigsaw that we had brought. It was nice!

On Friday morning we got up but we were a bit later than we thought, so we didn't have any breakfast, we just went into Bourton. Parking there is INSANE. We managed to get in but there were a lot of people around! We had been there six years ago as well, but obviously there weren't the same numbers of tourists around. 

We went into a cafe called The Chestnut Tree which had the most amazing cake selection. I had a piece of caramel shortbread which was so good, the chocolate was so thick. Lee had a cookie brownie thing, it was huge. We walked around a bunch of shops and then we got phone calls from Caroline and Neil and then Peter as they had each arrived and were looking for parking. Lee and I sat under the Bourton on the Water sign and waited for the others. They had brought a picnic lunch so Lee went to get us a sandwich each and we sat on the bench by the sign and shared crisps etc. It wasn't boiling but it wasn't cold either, which was good.

After we had eaten Neil and Peter decided to go to the cottage to unpack and stuff, so Caroline stayed with us and we went round the rest of the shops. I got a tiny vial of perfume in the Perfumery as it was expensive - smells great though!

We went back to the cottage about 3.30pm I think, and then we chilled out for the rest of the day. Lee made pan haggerty for tea as the others hadn't had it before, and then we had all brought snacks to share and so on. Neil had been for a walk and foraged some apples and blackberries! We played quizzes in the evening and Caroline and Peter both did join in with the jigsaw Lee had brought. It was a nice chilled out time!

This monstera was on the stairs in the cottage and it was so perfect, I loved it so much!

My friend Jane had recommended this book to me when she visited in Augst, so I got it through the library. I really liked it!

My immense caramel shortbread in The Chestnut Tree for elevenses. Peter went in and bought a piece of the same thing Lee had, which he then spread over a few days because it really was immense too

The lovely river in Bourton

Pretty sure I took these exact same photos back in 2020

I love the weeping willows alongside, too

It really is so pretty, just so touristy too!

Last one I promise

I finished my first book and I had brought this one along to start. I ended up really not liking this and it was a slog to get through it, but you can't win them all! 

Little Trip to Hebden Bridge

On the 18th of June I went to Hebden Bridge to look catsit for my friend Janet's cat Missy. I met Janet through blogging like fifteen years ago and we've met a few times. She had asked for a catsitter and I fancied a night or two in Hebden Bridge so said yes. I had work and then a visit to the dentist on the Thursday, and then I ate tea with Lee before I set off. Missy miaowed at me so I fed her as soon as I arrived and then sat down to chill. I watched some Poirot on Netflix and did some of my cross stitch and otherwise just hung out with myself.

Janet's spare room is very comfortable so I slept well except for Missy screaming for food. I fed her about 7am and went back to sleep for a bit, haha. In the morning I rested for a bit and then drove into the town centre and parked. I walked hither and thither looking in all the shops. I had arranged to meet my friend Ava for lunch but she had something to do first so I had time to wait. I had a coffee and bought a book in one of the charity shops but otherwise didn't buy much.

I went to Leila's Kitchen to wait for Ava as I had had it recommended as good for veggie food, and as Ava is vegan that worked out for both of us. I read my book while I was waiting, and when she arrived we ordered. I had hummus and falafel and a thing that was like Persian tzatziki (that's what the menu said!) and lots of bread. It was really good. I then had a piece of coffee and walnut cake. It was really hot in the cafe but it was in the beginning of the heatwave so it wasn't surprising. 

When we'd eaten I took Ava back to Todmorden where she lives and then went back to Janet's. I watched some more TV and read my book, but wasn't sure what to do for my tea. I could have ordered something but I wasn't enamoured by any of the offerings on Just Eat. I've heard that Woody's Pizza is really good so I got back in the car and drove down to it. It was SO busy so I placed my order but had about forty minutes to wait so I went round to a cocktail bar and had a drink while I was waiting. 

The pizza was just mushroom but it was delicious! I enjoyed it. I hung out with Missy some more and watched more Poirot. (It's on Netflix! Go watch!) I wasn't late to bed which Missy was glad about it. It had been a lovely day though!

In the morning I had a shower and then went into the centre for one last time to get an ice cream. I would have had one the day before but I was full after lunch so didn't. I ate it sitting in the car before driving home. My mum and stepdad were at mine when I got there because my stepdad was helping Lee build the catio for our cats. It looks so good and they are loving it! 

Looking down into the river off the bridge in the town centre

The graffiti of Sylvia Plath, as is tradition. I also love the little Moomin next to her

Looking at the bridge

My lunch

And my cake

The book I was reading, which was good

And my ice cream on Saturday morning

Weekend in Durham - Day 2

On the Sunday of our little trip to Durham we went to Beamish! I've only been once, when I was a teenager on a school trip, and Lee hasn't been since he was a kid either. Lee's dad lives quite close to it now so we wanted to go. Lee's dad went off to see the football - a Newcastle/Sunderland derby - so I didn't actually see him, but I had some breakfast and talked to Lee's stepmam before we set off. 

We got there and met some friends of mine which was nice. We had prebooked tickets so we could get in quite quickly and because the match we a derby there weren't as many people around as there might otherwise have been on a nice Sunday in March. My friends have been a lot so they knew all the crack about it, so we followed their directions really. We got on a tram - a Sheffield tram! - and went all the way round the park to where the steam engine goes a little way up the track because my friends' little boy loves trains. I do too and it was really fun even though it doesn't go very far. 

We got back on the tram, going the other way, and went down to the 1950s town which is all I remember of the place from before. We wandered around a bit and went into the bakery where we bought goodies for later. Then we went to the fish and chip shop to get lunch, and sat on a picnic bench to eat them. They were good and thankfully the weather meant we could sit outside!

We went back across to the 1950s town and went into some of the old houses. One belongs to a local artist and that was really cool. We went into a few of the shops but didn't queue for the sweet shop as the queue was huge! I was really tired as we had walked a long way the day before - and as a reminder, I have fibromyalgia - so we could have seen more but weren't completely up for it. But we can go back for free on the tickets we bought, so we will probably do that within the year and see bits we didn't get to this time! 

We got ice creams from the stand and sat in the park to eat them before getting a bus back to the top and to the gift shop where I bought some sugar mice. We said goodbye to our friends and got back on the road as Lee's mam wasn't free because of the match. Not to worry as that meant we were home early enough to relax for the evening which was good before another week started! 

I love old advertisements so took this photo just into the park

On a Sheffield tram!

Looking at the 1950s town

And again

And a tram coming towards us!

Inside the bakery

More old adverts outside the fish and chip shop

Old bikes inside one of the shops

I LOVE old sewing machines and this Singer was a beautiful example in the artist's house

My mum still has this roasting tin and uses it often

More old adverts!

A car that looked a lot like Brum in the garage

We used to have a shop called Eagle Press in Wakefield that sold stationery and did printing, so I wondered if this one was related to it

Looking further up the street - those are the terraced houses we went in on the left

Sheffield cutlery!

Chocolate ice cream

Signs of spring in the grounds!

And here's what I was wearing. This is a Yours dress I've had forever and I love it in the summer, but I pulled it out in March and wore it with a cardigan and footless tights

Brief Trip to Birmingham

A little while ago I joined someone's PhD research, which is about weight stigma in social work basically, so I was happy to join their steering group. I love the opportunity to be fat professionally and to use my experiences of living in a fat body to help shape research and things. We had met online but thenn Laurel, the researcher, wanted the steering group to meet up so they had organised for us all to go to Birmingham. That's not a bad drive for me, so I went by myself. I set off about 11 on the Monday morning I guess, and stopped for lunch at one of the services on the way. I had pre booked parking near the hotel and had to go round a bit to get into it, but I managed eventually. I just had a small case with me but with my coat and bag and everything I had to struggle upstairs as there wasn't a lift in the car park. 

My maps app then sent me totally the wrong way and I had to walk round a bit even though I was so close to the hotel! I did see this pub with Black Sabbath photos on it, which was pretty cool. Even if it was in the wrong direction from where I needed to be... 

I eventually made it, and met Laurel. It turns out we have friends in common so that was cool. A few people arrived then from Brighton, who already knew Laurel and who I had met online, so that was cool too. We each checked in and got our key cards, and then said goodbye for a bit as we were meeting later for tea. 

My room was fine - on the 6th floor and the bed was nice and soft. I had a few hours so I laid down for a rest as I hadn't been sleeping well. I had the TV on and got nice and cosy in the bed. I had brought my book and thought I had about a chapter left, but it turned out there were only a couple of pages. No matter, I had another one with me, of course!

There were ten of us who met downstairs just after 7; including some people I hadn't met earlier, so it was nice to meet some new people. We walked to Nando's as it's accessible and has food for everyone, and it wasn't too far to walk for me. I had the halloumi burger and it was fine! Afterwards we were kind of talking about doing something else, like finding dessert, but generally people were tired so we ended up dispersing and I went back to my room and had a cup of coffee and some chocolate there instead. 

In the morning I was up and at breakfast by about 8.15. I met Laurel and some others there. I wasn't very hungry so I just had some cheese and pastries, they were nice though. Everyone eventually ended up there; Laurel went off to set up the meeting for us, and the rest of us ate and got ready. At 9.30 taxis came and got most of us as the meeting was too far for some of us to walk.

It was in the Friends of the Earth building so there were tons of radical posters around which I really liked. We had our meeting from 10 until 1, and we got a lot sorted. I feel really positive about it! We said goodbye to each other and I and some others went back to the hotel to get our cases which they had kindly kept for us. This time I got back to the car park much easier thankfully, and was soon on my way home. I stopped to grab some lunch and a coffee and got home about 4pm, back to Lee and the cats! 

Black Sabbath photos on the pub. I think there were similar on a bridge nearby and if I had thought about it I would have gone to look on my gap between checking in and meeting for tea, but it didn't occur to me until later

Close ups

The hotel room. I had a quick shower too before I went out for tea, because I was very sweaty and felt gross!

View from my hotel room

I saw this on a building we passed in the taxi on the way to the meeting

And some of the radical posters in the meeting venue

Girls Weekend Day 3

On the Sunday of our trip we didn't do much, as we all had to get home and get to other places. But we had brunch! Sam had booked a table at Space, which wasn't far from where we had being staying. It was fine but the music was so loud it was like being at a rave. A bit annoying!

I went for smashed avocado with tomato and mozzarella and pesto on sour dough toast, with hash browns too. I also had a hot chocolate but unfortunately it wasn't hot enough and I couldn't catch anyone's eye to get it sorted. My food was nice though. 

Once we'd finished we drove Jacqui to the train station where she was going to Cardiff to visit a friend, and then I drove me, Sam and Jodie back to Huddersfield. It was a fine trip back with no traffic so we made it in good time. Back at home Lee helped me unpack and took a photo of me in my What Would Dolly Do t shirt. As I write this she hasn't been well so I'm sending all my love to her. She and I share a birthday, you know - which is why I also share my birthday with Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The food was good but everything else left a bit to be desired

Like my hot chocolate, which wasn't hot

Here I am in my outfit when I got home, though. This is on the top landing of the house... 

Girls Weekend Day 1

In the middle of September I went to Liverpool with Sam, Jac, and Jodie. We had decided to do this to celebrate all their birthdays, we thought it was easier than faffing about with presents. Jac booked an Airbnb and did most of the planning. I wanted to go to Guac n Roll which is an all vegan DIY cafe thing that belongs to some people Lee knows. He's played there a couple of times and recommended the food, so I wanted to go. Then Sam chose a couple of restaurants too. It was a busy couple of nights! 

I picked Sam up from Penistone station and we set off to Liverpool. The drive across Woodhead Pass and then the M60 and M62 was fine and we made it to Crosby beach in good time, except I went the wrong way in Liverpool a couple of times. We made it to meet Jac and Jodie at about 11.30, right on the beach. We wanted to see the Anthony Gormley statues so we walked on the beach. The tide was going out and in the time we were there we saw a few reveal themselves as the water left them, which was cool. There are a few that are probably always visible. It's a nice beach so we enjoyed a little walk and a sit. It wasn't raining which was good as it was forecast.

We then drove around the edge of Liverpool to get to our Airbnb which was in Cressington on Aigburth Road. It was one of the nicer Airbnbs I've been in. It was above a shop and on the first floor there were three bedrooms, one with an ensuite bathroom, one with twin beds, and one with a balcony leading off from it. Jac wanted the balcony one, and Sam and Jodie said they would share, so I lucked out and got the ensuite bedroom to myself! Then on the second floor there was a big living room slash kitchen. The only problem was the water was a bit weird and made a lot of noise. 

Anyway we checked in and then we were hungry and hadn't planned lunch so we went across the road to a Toby Carvery. I had a mac and cheese Yorkshire pudding wrap which was delicious, if very carb-y! We went back over to the Airbnb and had birthday cake (it was Jac's actual birthday) and sat on the balcony outside for a bit enjoying some fresh air. Then we went inside and sat for a bit watching Red Dwarf as we had a bit of a theme going on. Jodie had never seen it before so we were able to introduce her to it and watched a few favourite episodes. 

We got ready and got a taxi about 7 to go to the Light of Bengal which is unsurprisingly an Indian restaurant. It was the brightest Indian restaurant I think I've ever been in in my life and the staff were all really friendly. We were still pretty full so we had poppadums and pickles to start with, and then I had paneer dopiaza with a paratha. I'm really into paratha at the moment, they're so delicious. Sam and Jac and I shared a bottle of prosecco and we got a taxi back. We sat upstairs drinking Hooch, for goodness sake, and watching Red Dwarf again. 

I was wearing an old Scarlett and Jo dress which is lush for an evening out, I'm so happy to have it unpacked again. 

The beach, looking gorgeous

You can just see some of the statues peeking out of the water

Here's one from the back

And one half buried

We trudged through quite a lot of quicksand and water which was fun

Looking up the other way, how pretty

I liked the moody lighting of this one

The Aigburth Arms! Which is where Dave Lister was found under a pool table. Watch the show

Jacqui's birthday cake! It was very cute

Enjoying the party outside in my pyjamas, which I had put on to relax in for a while

Jac brought me these lucky dip Sanrio things from America and I love them both!

And here's my dress just before I got back into my pyjamas!