Family Holiday Day 3

On the Friday of our trip away Lee and I left the Airbnb about 10am I guess, and set off down to Kent. We stopped for lunch at a service station again and I went for Chopstix but they gave me the wrong thing to start off with and it included meat, which I don't eat, so that wasn't ideal! We went over the Dartford Bridge and got into Kent. The traffic wasn't too bad, it was just quite a long way through Kent. Once we went down to the small roads it was a bit slow going but we were fine!

We got to Romney Sands about 2pm I think. My mum and stepdad and K had just arrived and had been given our keys so we found them and together we found our caravans and let ourselves in. My mum and stepdad had a caravan just behind ours. In mine was me, Lee, K, and Peter. Then just a couple of rows over was the other one for Caroline, Neil, Rob, Beth, and T. So we were all close together.

The park itself must have been a Butlins or a Pontins once upon a time, and it was a bit neglected. The whole thing looked in need of a good clean and some upkeep. It had shades of Hi De Hi about it! But we're mostly just about being together so that was the main thing. Caroline and Neil arrived not long after us and then Peter and everyone else arrived about 5.30.

It had been T's birthday and we bought him a Jessie doll to go with his Buzz Lightyear and Woody, so he was pleased to get that. He started playing with her immediately! Rob made pasta with homemade sauces which was delicious, and he had made tiramisu too which was SO good! 

Some of us decided to go down to the sea and maybe to swim so I put my swimming costume on and we headed down. There was me, Lee, K, Rob, Neil, and my mum. The beach had a bit of a difficult dune but it was okay. Peter joined us too. My mum and he and Lee stood on the beach while the rest of us walked really quite a long way to actually get to the water. I end up going to about my waist I guess, but I could swim and it was nice to be rocked about in the waves. The water was nice and warm!

We went back to the caravans eventually and I showered all the sand and filth off me and then we had a few drinks. No one was too late to bed as we were all tired. Fortunately the heatwave wasn't too bad right by the sea - it was really windy and I appreciated a breeze blowing over me all night! 

Our caravan when we arrived

Long shadows on the beach about 8pm

Lee and I soaked in golden sunshine

My mum paddling

Me paddling

Rob wading in

All four of us waiting to get in. I don't love this photo of myself but I do love the memory of swimming with my lovely family

Lee took this of K and I wading out - you c an see we were only up to our thighs though!

Looking up towards the sunset when I got out

It was so beautiful

And the clouds were too

And here was the caravan park just before we headed to bed

Family Holiday Day 2

On the Thursday of mine and Lee's pre Kent trip to Peterborough, we decided to go into the city centre itself. We set off about 11 and found a car park and walked through the shopping centre and out into what I think was the market square. We were heading towards the cathedral because it's where Katherine of Aragon is buried! She's my favourite Tudor Queen so I really wanted to see that. They were closing the cathedral at about midday for graduations so we didn't have long to look around but long enough. It was really cool! It's also where Mary Queen of Scots was buried for a while until they moved her to Westminster Abbey to lie next to Elizabeth the First who had her killed! Absolutely wild.

We went in a few other shops including Waterstones. I still had vouchers from my birthday to spend so I had had the foresight to take those! So I got three books and unusually for me I made the plan to read them straight away and enjoyed them all over the next couple of weeks. We had plenty of places to choose to eat but decided on Turtle Bay. I had loaded fries and some kind of tacos, which were both really good. I'm sure I had a cocktail too but I'm not sure what type it was now. 

We got back to the Airbnb at about 3.30pm I'm guessing and went swimming again. It was still so lovely and gorgeous. I definitely just floated about for more than an hour or so. We finally got out and I had another lovely shower and we watched films and had sandwiches for tea, the same as the night before.

Lee and I hadn't been away as I had been away with my mum and Sam and Jac and he had been working hard and I had a big new client that I had been working nonstop on, so it was so nice to just stop and pause together for a bit. We went out to look at the sunset again later

An amazing roof in the cathedral

Stained glass window

Statue of St Peter

The tomb of Katherine of Aragon

And where Mary Queen of Scots had been buried. She was killed at Fotheringhay Castle, which was really close to where we were staying, although we didn't get chance to go

This titanosaur was on loan to the cathedral and it was indeed absolutely massive

I love St Oswald so it was interesting to read this too

The cathedral from outside. It really reminded me of Durham cathedral which we visited back in March

My lunch

The books I got in Waterstones with vouchers

Back to the pool! I was under an umbrella on this day because I didn't want to burn

The book I was reading

And the sunset later on

Family Holiday Day 1

My family books a weekend away every year. We used to go camping but since baby T was born we've gone in static caravans instead. He is three now! So not a baby. But this year we had decided to go to Kent and to take my step cousin K along with us too. 

As Kent is a long way Lee and I decided to stop off for a couple of nights on the way. We booked somewhere near Peterborough which is not the most glamourous place but it turned out to be the nicest Airbnb we've ever been in. It was lush!

In the morning of the 8th of July I had work meetings, so Lee pottered about packing the car and playing with the cats and then we set off just after midday. We stopped at a service station for some lunch and got to the Airbnb at about 3pm I'm guessing. It was in the middle of one of the many heatwaves and it was HOT. The house was in the middle of nowhere. The owners lived there too - there was their paart of the house then a door to the self contained annexe we were in. It had a kitchen living dining room and then upstairs a bedroom and bathroom. It was very cute! Then there was also a flat downstairs which had some people in the first night we were there. 

The owners greeted us and offered us an ice cream each and iced water and there was beer and apple juice in the fridge which was welcome. It was a really well appointed cottage. But the main event was the POOL! Lee and I probably would have used it anyway but the fact that it was thirty plus degrees meant that we really wanted to swim!

We got changed and headed out to the pool. There were sun loungers around it but we were hot and bothered so got straight in. It was lovely! It was heated so not freezing and there were floats so we just floated about for ages. We honestly could have been abroad. 

We got out about 5.30pm I think. I had a shower in the fancy bathroom which was nice. We sat and watched a couple of films and we had sandwiches for tea. About 9pm I think we wandered back out to the pool to dip our feet in and watch the sunset. It was still so warm so it was refreshing to dip our feet.

Just before we went to bed we went outside to look at the stars. The place really was in the middle of nowhere so we could see hundreds of them!

Look how beautiful the pool was. The steps were in this near corner which was great for me. It was SO welcome, I couldn't believe we were in Cambridgeshire either!

Sunbathing but I had forgotten to take anything for my head so had to use my towel 

Obligatory leg picture. There were a few clouds but really not many

Later when we went out to watch the sunset

So beautiful! It would probably be a waste to have an outdoor pool generally in the UK but when there's a heatwave I would love one!

Lee and I

Dipping our feet

When the sun had disappeared over the horizon

And some stars later on before bed

Drinking in Barnsley

On the 5th of July Lee and I went with my mum and stepdad to Barnsley for an afternoon out.  We were technically celebrating my mum's birthday which was over six weeks before this but I was away and then we hadn't had chance. So we decided to go out in Barnsley. We met mid afternoon at The Botanist. They had their Sunday lunch menu on so I think everyone else had roast dinner with Yorkshire puddings. I had a vegan burger which was delicious, I would have that again. I had a strawberry pornstar martini which was very good too. 

We had a couple of drinks with lunch and then we went into the Salt House for a drink or maybe two. The last thing we did was go to Dolly's Desserts for ice cream. I had bubblegum flavoured which was nice! We went home not long after that. I was wearing a Joe Brown's dress that I've had for ages and I love the pattern of it but the top is a bit too big on me now so I think I'll donate it. I also wore this green shrug on the top, which I do like. 

Vegan burger with chips and coleslaw

Strawberry pornstar martini, I could go one of those right now!

Ice cream cone in Dolly's

And my outfit when we got home - with the glamour of the aircon unit's hose hanging out of the window next to me!

End of June/Beginning of July

The 26th of June was our wedding anniversary! 21 years! Yes our parents really did let some children get married, how terrible of them! We didn't have massive plans but Lee ordered a record he wanted and I asked for another watch. I have a fancy Olivia Burton watch that Lee's dad and stepmam bought me for my 40th, but I wanted another one as well. I was looking on Next and liked these RSPB ones so Lee went for the one with kingfishers on it. He ended up ordering it to our old house so had to go back there to get it! He did get to speak to the neighbours though.

I met up with Gillian for brunch on that day; we went to Holme Coffee House in Penistone which I love. I had veggie sausage, avocado, cheese and egg in a sandwich which isn't exactly on their menu (it's two sandwiches squashed together) but I've had it a few times. I'm sure we had cake as well but I'm not sure what we had. 

It was so hot so Lee and I decided to go to the cinema. He wanted Nandos so we went there first. I had a mushroom wrap I think. Then we headed across to the cinema to watch Toy Story 5. It was so cool in there it was amazing! We both really liked the film, too. 

On Saturday we went to my mum's. Her little part of her street has a 'festival' every year and this year Lee and I went. First of all we were all at Mike's house and he did a barbecue so we had veggie burgers. Then my mum's favourite local band The Broken Amps came to play a little set on some spare grass that there is. They were really good. Then we all went to Richard's where he did curry or gyros so we ate well there as well! The England match was on so some people were watching that but I was just chatting to my cousin K and my mum and stepdad. I didn't get any photos that I'm happy posting, sorry! 

The following week I had a normal busy week including a trip to the hospital for an x ray on my painful wrist which turns out not to be broken but is still painful at times. I worked - I have a big new client and I was working a lot in June and July to get things done for me - and then on Friday I went to Glossop to meet up with my friend Helen.

It's about halfway between the two of us and it's a nice drive from mine so I set off nice and early. I parked on the street and went into a couple of shops. Helen arrived just after me and we went into the outdoor market where there were some nice stalls including a fruit and veg stall where we both bought delicious strawberries. We went into the market hall which is now run as a food kitchen, and we got an iced coffee each. We sat outside to eat it - still so hot - and then decided to order food and keep sitting there. We didn't really owe anyone anything! I went for a mezze platter which was delicious. We chatted until about 2pm when Helen needed to go and make sure she could pick up her youngest in time. We got a picture just before we said goodbye!

The watch Lee bought me for our anniversary, I've worn it every day since I think!

My sandwich at Holme Coffee House. Now they've moved they have aircon upstairs but even that couldn't really cope with the heat

Lee and I in Nandos on our anniversary

My mezze platter in Glossop

And finally Helen and I!