Being Spoilt

A week today I will be 40.  Now, that doesn't bother me.  I'll be a day older than the day before and a day younger than I will be the following day.  So NOT BOTHERED.

However, it has meant that my lovely friends have pulled out all the stops to make me feel loved, and feel loved I do.

Yesterday I met my friend S in Leeds for a catch up.  We try and meet up as often as we can, but she lives in another place and has 2 young children so it can be difficult.  Yesterday we started talking the second we laid eyes on each other- and this was across the street from each other - oh yes, we have tons to catch up with and never enough time to catch up.

After a drink, S is addicted to Starbucks we went for a wander.  "Oh no" says I, "I have nothing to buy".  Then I remembered i needed travel wash and pants for H.  Could I find either, could I heck........ Grrrrrr.

We had lunch in a fabulous Retro tea room, so nice to be in the middle of a city but in the quiet of a little tea room without a care in the world.  We had a sandwich and afternoon tea between us and just relaxed.  If in Leeds, I can recommend it Grand tearooms

A bonus of eating lunch here, was that we were sat across from some fabulous looking shops and I am very pleased to say that I have at last found my independent shops for Leeds (in the past I have had to travel to York for independent shopping).

One of S's gifts to me was the most gorgeous blue handbag to take on my hols.  I may even get around to taking a photo on daylight so you can see if you like it!!!!


Last night my SIL A took my out for Dinner.  We went to our local pub down the road as it has a nice beer garden.  We sat out until 9.30pm (when I started shivering) chatting and catching up.  She also gave me a gorgeous bottle of perfume (one of my favourites) so I was feeling well loved yesterday.

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside

Oh I do love to be beside the sea,
Oh I do love to walk along the Prom, prom, prom
where the brass band plays diddle-om-pom-pom

My big dream is to live by the sea- FACT.  Thankfully H wouldn't mind too.  I think it's a long way away but you never know and you do need a dream.

Yesterday my friends G and C took me to Scarborough for my Birthday treat.  I was so excited when they told me - in fact I think I was actually speechless.  We agreed that I would not make any decisions about the day and would go with the flow and boy did we flow :-)

Do you remember we were in Scarborough in November (with Anni and my parents?).  Well the beach huts look even better in the sunshine.  

We had Pimms on the beach.

 We had Birthday cupcakes and candles.

We had a paddle.

I could watch the waves for hours.  We did have a paddle and some of us may have gone in deeper - not me I hasten to add as I am not mad!!

Scarborough has 2 different bays.  We started in the North Bay, which is more relaxed and less commercial than the South Bay.  The beach is long and sandy (until the tide comes right in).

We then walked along the cliff to the South Bay.  The South Bay was very busy, full of amusement arcades and fish shops (& tat shops).

At the seaside H and I have a competition we call the 2p challenge.  We each get £1 of 2p coins to put into the penny shove machines (not sure what the technical term is).  You have to put all of the £1 in the machine.  The winner is whoever wins the most (including prizes).  I introduced C and G to the 2p Challenge.  Not sure C was a fan - well until she won!!!!!

Can you spot C's "prize"?

C then convinced me to go on a big wheel (well a small version of a big wheel if you know what I mean).  Why did we go as it looked like a storm was coming in?  It was so windy at the top.  Not sure it was our brightest idea but at least C loved it, me not so much and G was having none of it!!!!!!  Still there were some good views at the top.

Do you see the the path going up the cliff in the photo below?  Years ago this was a cliff.  There was an old hotel at the top.  One day the cliff collapsed and took the hotel with it.  (More information  bbc news )

My Grandma lived in Scarborough so I have many happy memories of this place.  One thing I remembered was an old rock in the South Bay that looks like a house.  We couldn't see it when we were on the cliff top so assumed it had gone.  I was so happy to spot it on our walk back to the car.  There is some confusion as the original of this house but I like this story  Hairy Bob

We then came across this statue.  Walking up he looks normal sized but when you get closer you see him in all his glory.

Thank you ladies- you rock!!!

C and G - my friends. x

Making me HAPPY this week

Making me happy this week;


1) Walking with Anni B.  Oh how she loves her water.  I wished we lived somewhere (warm and)  deep enough that I could go swimming and see if she would follow me.  She does swim and seems to love it, but is hesitant at the point where she can no longer stand on the bottom.  Once she's off she's very happy but getting over that point of no longer running takes her a little while.

2)  Sitting outside eating lunch - twice in 1 week!!!!  Monday at Shipley Glen and Thursday in Leeds meeting a friend.  Shame I only burnt the one arm........

3) Making cake - is that ever a bad thing???????

4) Date night with H.  We watched "The Sweeney" - not my cup of tea really but he seemed to enjoy it.


5)  Finally getting hold of a copy of "The Rosie Project" from the library.  I have waited ages for a copy and it was well worth the wait.  Have you read it????

NB Need to carry camera with me more often!!!!

What a difference 24 hours make

Yesterday we had a glorious day.  We took Anni on our favourite walk to Shipley Glen.  No photos as I think you have probably seen enough of them to last a lifetime.  Video below.

Then today, glorious when I woke up, washing out.  Then it got darker and darker and darker.  It's now been raining, virtually non stop for 4 hours.  4 hours!!!!!!!  Why????  I had plans to knit in the garden this afternoon - Grrrrrr........

So instead I've made an Orange cake.  C'mon H I really want my tea tonight!!!!!!

At least we had glorious weather for the Tour de France at the weekend.  I wonder how much rain we need to have to make up for all the excitement ?????????



PS Ok I lied, I have one photo to show you from the walk.

Beanies

As you now I have not been crocheting for long.  I have made some Granny Squares and am making a blanket from trebles.  Last week, at my class I started a Beanie.  Unfortunately we were trying to work from memory so we ended up having to frog it once or twice before giving up and frogging it back to nothing :-)

So we stopped and tried again this week with a pattern.  C (my teacher) started me off and then I took over.  What do you think?  I used a chunky wool and bought 2 more balls to make a matching scarf!- Shush don't tell H.

Now there is a small issue with the beanie hat.  Just a small one........  Somehow when I was doing the latter rounds I added an extra stitch and it may have had a small unintended effect to my new hat.  I now have a hat with a tail - ah, give over, you'll want one by the end of Winter !!!!!!!

I AM NOT FROGGING IT AGAIN.

Making me HAPPY this week

Hello.  This week has been FABULOUS.  Yes siree Bob.

So narrowing it down to;

1) Le Grand Depart.  From Yorkshire.  Ey up Lads.  What an experience.  We didn't go in person as the thought of a wheelchair in such a crowd put us off - we need to man up!!!!!  We did watch though.  My big Brother was there and said there were 250,000 in the crowds in Leeds.

2) Making my first crochet hat.  Story to follow in another post.

3) Making cards.  I go through fits and starts with card making but have a few to be giving out at the moment, including an engagement card for H's brother.

4) Wicked.  The best show ever - fact!

5) Lunch out with H's parents to celebrate his Mum's Birthday.  Haven't been out for a while and discovered a new pudding.  St Clement's Pie - I think I may have to find a recipe to give it a try myself.

Wicked

Oh my.  Oh my.  Talk about FANTASTIC.

I was a little nervous as I sat on the bus into Leeds (listening to Wicked on my phone).  What if it was rubbish and didn't live up to my expectations.  I love the soundtrack so was a little worried.

I need not have worried.  Oh WOW.  Absolutely amazing.  To be fair, my favourite song was not sung as well as the CD but I am willing to overlook this.  Cd's can have many takes but the emotion on the stage is unparallelled.

I have listened to the Cd for over a year and I love it.  From the very beginning when Gerlinda (excuse the spelling) looked so sad that Elphaba was dead I was blown away.  Cd's do not do it justice.

The acting, costumes, singing (mostly), acting was mind blowing.  I can not recommend it enough.

I am already working on my Mum to go and see if when it is next up North or we are in London - anyone want to come with??????  I could watch this every day and never get bored!!!

(Trying to be cryptic enough not to spoil it for anyone who is waiting to see it).  The last act before the interval - WOW.

PS Tour De France fever is hitting Yorkshire this weekend.  Go Froomes.

Wicked

I have waited a long time to go to the theatre to watch Wicked.  I tried to see it in London but Mum wasn't bothered.  H and I looked into going when in New York but we don't earn enough money to pay that much for tickets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then I saw it was coming to Leeds but no-one was willing to pay the ticket prices being charged so I gave up.  I did consider going by myself and I THINK I would have done this, as I was so desperate to see the show.  Then a lunch with a friend and I shamelessly begged to join her family for the evening.  Now there are about 19 of us going to see it.  So excited.

Please be as good as I hope..........