Clothes Swap in Leeds!

On the 14th of January I organised a clothes swap in Leeds. You know we've done these before - I've done some in Leeds and Sheffield, but in 2019 other people were doing them in Leeds, so I hadn't, and then of course the pandemic happened, so I asked around and there was definite interest in having one in early 2023 so I took charge. I booked the main room at the Cardigan Centre which is where the last one I went to was in 2019. I hoped people would want to come, and I wasn't disappointed!

I arrived with Lee and Lolly was already there with Gabby and Chloe, so we put out a load of tables and put out some notices. We had hand gel and masks if people wanted them, and we had tea and coffee and cakes. Chloe had brought her badge maker and people genuinely liked making badges I think. Loads of people turned up at 12 or very soon afterwards, far more people than I had expected. I sat on the welcome table for a while but left Lee to it too. 

Around 2pm it seemed like it was winding down and I wondered if we'd made the wrong decision by saying we would stay open til 3pm. But then a ton more people turned up! There was a second wave! It was great. We packed up at 3pm - well, I didn't, because I had been in hospital earlier in the week and was still in a bit of pain so needed to just sit down. I'm very grateful to Lolly and Gabby who did most of the tidying up, and Lee of course because he was very helpful.

We left around 3.30 and Lee, Lolly and I went to Bundobust for something to eat. As I'd been ill, I wanted something I would really enjoy so although it was a bit of a faff it was so worth it. We managed to get a table. I ordered chaat, which I LOVE, paneer tikka, and aloo gobi paratha, which was absolutely lovely. I also had a mango lassi. Lolly and Lee both really enjoyed what they had ordered too - Lolly had never been before but really enjoyed it. It is all vegetarian food and a lot of it is vegan, which is very exciting to me as a vegetarian. I'm so glad we bothered to go. 

Afterwards Lolly went off for her train and Lee and I popped into Hotel Chocolat. Our friends Leanne and Adi bought us a huge box from there for Christmas, and I was impressed with them as I had thought they'd gone a bit downhill when I'd last had stuff for them. So I wanted to look again and I'm glad I did - there were some sale bargains that we got, and I bought myself some of the selector packets and I bought Lee some orange batons too. 

I was wearing my 'We are the weirdos, mister' t-shirt which I bought in Afflecks Palace back in October last year, and my Scarlett and Jo skirt which started off life as a dress. I like it because it has pockets! Perfect for a swap where I was walking around a lot. 

Lolly and me - we were trying to smile with our eyes

Chloe and me 

Swap in full swing! I saw some people I haven't seen in forever, which was so lovely

Chloe's badge making stuff

Mango lassi in Bundobust

And my truly delicious food. I didn't eat it all so brought it home

And finally my outfit!

Bev's 60th in Durham

The 7th of January was Lee's mam Bev's 60th birthday! She wanted a meal at a pub near where they live, so they had booked it and we had all ordered our food beforehand. My mum and stepdad were invited but my stepdad wasn't too well so my mum came with us. We set off around 11am and first of all went to Lee's dad's house for a bit. He and Lee's stepmam were about to go to Tenerife for a week, they're retired now so we can't blame them! 

We went to Lee's mam's house for about 2.30pm. Bev had already got some lovely presents so she was showing them to us. We had all clubbed together to buy her a Pandora bracelet she wanted and her cake and balloons but she got those later. Not long after us our friends Paul and Lianne arrived - they usually come to family get togethers before Christmas but didn't last year, so Bev invited them to her birthday instead. Lee's brother Andrew arrived not too long after them and all of us chatted for a bit. Oh, I also metg Lee's cousin's littlest girl who gave me a big cuddle, she's absolutely adorable.

We set off to the pub about 6.30pm. Lee says I've been there before but I don't remember it. We sat with Paul, Lianne, my mum, Lee's brothers Andrew and Daniel and Andrew's fiancee Libby who I really like. There were about forty people though altogether. 

I had roasted vegetables and feta on flatbread to start with, and then a halloumi burger. The portions were huge - I ate some of my mum's potato skins to start with cos there was loads! I had ordered a dessert but couldn't eat it as I was so full! It was a really lovely party and I hope Bev enjoyed it. We got home safely in the early hours! 

Bev's lovely cake

Lianne and I, lipstick game was strong at this point

Me and Lee

Paul and my mum - yes my mum has that same dress that I do

My mum and Libby

Bev and all five of her kids, I insisted we took this photo!

Flatbread and feta and vegetables to start with

Then a halloumi burger. I ended up just eating the halloumi burger and not all of the bread

Our niece Leah brought the cake in

Lee and his uncle Michael

Bev and her cake - Lee's sister took this photo

And she took this one of our table - dunno where Lee's gone off to though!

Films of the Month - December

I only watched eight films in December, but that's partly because I was so busy. Here's what I did see, though:

This was a daft Christmas film that I'd seen a couple of people talking about. It was cute enough, I'd say watch it if you like cute Christmas films

This was also a daft Christmas film, I didn't love it but it had its cute moments

Lee and I had watched Home Alone in November so watched Home Alone 2 in December. I think I've only seen it a couple of times

Netflix recommended The Breakfast Club to me so I watched it. I have seen it before but not for a really long time

Lee and I watched Christmas with the Kranks together which I really like, it's a funny film

Coyote Ugly is one of my favourite films, that's not even a joke. I first saw it at uni with my flatmates, and loved it. It's in my folder of 'comfort films' on my computer. I watched it just a few days before Christmas

Lee and I watched Ghostbusters 2 while on holiday in Somerset. I didn't remember most of it

Finally, Lee and Nirosha and I saw The Muppet Christmas Carol at the cinema at Meadowhall just before New Year!

New Year's Eve 2022

Lee and I did have plans to see our friends Bettie and Jen on New Year's Eve but unfortunately Jen got Covid so they couldn't come. We were at a bit of a loss but then my mum invited us to go with her and my stepdad for Chinese food near their house and then back to theirs. We decided to do that, it was nice.

Vegetarian Chinese food is never very exciting to me (needs more spice like Thai or Vietnamese) but I had curry samosas to start with and then satay vegetables, they were both okay. Everyone else enjoyed their meals though which was the main thing. The restaurant was quite full which was nice, there was a bit of atmosphere. 

We got back to my mum's and played Trivial Pursuit for a bit before we watched the New Year's stuff on the TV. I can't believe we're here in 2023! 

I wore this blue velvet skater dress from Simply Be, I don't wear it very often because it's such a celebration dress to me. It was lovely for New Year's Eve though. I took this photo of Lee and I in the restaurant while we were waiting for my mum. 

Blue skater dress and my constellation tights I think

Lee and I in the Chinese restaurant, I was wearing a new necklace that my stepcousin bought me, it's made of seaglass and came from Plymouth!

Curried samosa triangles

And satay vegetables finally!

27th and 28th December 2022

We had booked the cottage in Somerset until the 28th, so my mum and stepdad were definitely staying that long, but Lee and I had planned to come home on the 27th. However, we were having such a nice time that we decided to stay one more day. We knew that the cattery would be able to keep the cats another day, so we thought we would extend our stay. It ended up working out really well! On the Tuesday morning we went to Watchet with my mum and stepdad. It's a really cute seaside village really near to Minehead, I went before when I went with my mum and stepdad to Somerset. 

We walked round the front for a bit and went in the gift shop. Norman bought both me and my mum a stuffed hippo - my mum had been singing "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" for weeks since I had shared it on Facebook, and she had tried to find a small hippo to buy me, but couldn't. But the gift shop had stuffed ones so we each got one! It's a nice souvenir of the holiday! Ours lives on the couch now. Lee took most of the first photos of Watchet because I had my gloves on and didn't want to remove them to take photos!

We tried two different places to get lunch before going to the Star Inn which had decent vegetarian choices. I had more mulled wine (it was a very mulled wine filled Christmas!) and vegetarian lasagne with chips. So good! 

After lunch we said goodbye to each other as my mum and stepdad were going to his mum's again and we didn't want to. Instead Lee and I went back to Minehead and played in the amusement arcades again. Then we got fresh donuts and ice cream from the only place open on the front! They were so good! We chose different sauces and sprinkles, I went for raspberry sauce and rainbow sprinkles. It was so delicious! 

Then Lee and I went back to the cottage and put our pyjamas on to relax for the rest of the afternoon. We both needed it and it was really lovely. We watched a film and I fell asleep! My mum and stepdad got back about 7pm and we had tea together before packing things up ready to come home. On the Wednesday, that's all we did, we set off around 9.20am and finally got home around 4pm due to a stupid diversion around Lichfield. It was such a nice trip away though!

I was still working my way through the Snag mystery bags of tights that I'd bought, so I wore this pair which are SO lovely. They're grey with pink and pale yellow hearts on them and I love them! I wore them with my new-to-me Dr Martens, obviously. 

Watchet harbour

This cute Christmas display was in a shop window

This is where the river meets the sea in Watchet. My mum and stepdad have stayed in that cottage on the left

More of the harbour

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

I took this one of the coastguard

Veggie lasagne and chips, I swear there was pasta under there somewhere

2p winnings

This is looking across the bay in Minehead towards where we were staying

Our cottages are right in the middle of this photo

Lee with his donuts and ice cream

And mine! I could eat it again right now!

Tights and boots!

And a better photo of the colour that I had taken earlier in the day

View out of the front window 

My hippo

And my mum with hers!

Boxing Day 2022

Boxing Day was another relaxed day for us in Somerset. We had breakfast and then my stepdad's sister and her husband brought his mum and brother to our cottage for all of us to spend the day together. They arrived about 11.30 and we chatted and stuff. Lee and my mum and I made Christmas dinner again with leftovers from the day before, plus I made cauliflower cheese. We ate at around 1.30pm; Lee and I sat on the floor in the living room using the coffee table as a table because there were only 6 seats around the table. We didn't mind but it was quite funny! 

We played some games in the afternoon. I was wearing this velvet and paisley dress from Simple Be, I wore it on Christmas Day in 2021 and had forgotten about it until I was going through my wardrobe and remembered it. Donna and Craig left about 5pm and Lee and I went out for a bit to look at the sea, even though it was dark. We could see Wales across the bay. I managed to take a couple of photos of the stars. It wasn't freezing and it was nice to be out in the fresh air!

One of the amusement arcades we had been in on Christmas Eve was open, so we went in there. I'm quite sure I was the fanciest dressed person in there! We didn't stay very long but it was fun. When we got back Lee again took my stepdad's mum and brother home with my stepdad. My mum and I got bits out for tea while they were gone. We ate when they got back and then played games again in the evening. It was a bit different to most Boxing Days but lovely all the same!

 

Lee bought me this bracelet from a craft fair in Silkstone in November, I think it's lepidolite

Navy velvet and paisley dress, it is such a nice dress

Christma dinner take two

Stars around 6pm

The lights in the distance are Wales

And here we are in the amusement arcade - we weren't the only ones there although it obviously wasn't busy