31 Dec 2022
One Minute Book Reviews: What I've Been Reading In 2022
Back again with some mini book reviews, should you be on the hunt for your next read or – like me – quite like reading other people’s book reviews (welcome fellow book nerd). As baby became more active, time for reading decreased as 2022 went on but I hope to prioritise curling up with a book more next year. In the meantime, this is what I’ve squeezed in over the last few months.
The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan – a nice, cosy read for the festive season. Edinburgh at Christmas, a bookshop, flawed & loveable characters becoming better versions of themselves – exactly what you want and expect from a comforting and Christmassy book to read by the twinkly Christmas tree. 3.5/5
Happy reading folks, and happy new year x
If We Were Having A Coffee, I Would Tell You... #2
I mean, I don’t actually drink coffee but no need to get into semantics (although I’ll have a hot chocolate or chai latte if you’re ordering). Lemme just take my coat off and dither about which cake I’m going to indulge in, and I’ll be right with you.
That Covid finally got us… Because I feel the need to apologise for the coughing. Yes, we avoided it for nearly three years, but it finally came for us. Luckily, we are jabbed up to our eyeballs which is a good job because this breathlessness is no joke. It’s like being nine months pregnant again but worse because I lay down and have coughing fits which is just swell when you’ve got a sleeping baby two inches from you. Also, I momentarily lost my sense of taste and smell and was, of course, very stoic about it and didn’t mention it once….
About our Autumn… A few highlights:
- My mum and I went to a local book event with Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path which was so interesting.
- Had a catch up with one of my favourite people, Jordan, when it was just about still warm enough to sit outside, and we ate pizza and had plenty of conversations that started with ‘TMI but…’. It was such a tonic.
- Bake Off bake along didn’t really happen because, as much as I love Bake Off, the bakes were a bit ridiculous this series BUT I did have a go at making macarons for the first time and was pretty chuffed at how well they came out.
- Our friends Dan & Guus came to visit for a weekend and it was so lovely to catch up and explore the local area.
- We took a trip up north to see my Dad for the weekend and our visit happened to coincide with the water being very low at Ladybower reservoir which meant the remains of the lost village of Derwent valley was exposed. It was fascinating!
- We had our first visit to a pumpkin patch! For me or my child? Hard to say. Surprisingly fun. Involved churros.
- A weekend with my girls where they generously looked after the little one whilst I had a NINETY MINUTE massage. Bloody love ‘em.
- A lovely lunch at Lina’s in Kings Cross with my sister. Have really loved exploring more of Coal Drop’s Yard this year.
- Two festive evenings out with the NCT girls, so very lucky to have met such a brilliant bunch.
Alfie turned one… a whole year of our boy. A whole year of his crinkly-nosed smile, big brown eyes and fluffy hair. His first year involved soaring highs and crushing lows but our boy is an absolute friggin’ delight and I am so excited for his second year. Also, Gary and I have survived a year of brutal sleep deprivation so I presume we will be presented with a badge and lollipop sometime soon.
About Christmas… On the whole, it was far better then being in lockdown or being in hospital and there were moments of real joy. But, what with it being Alfie’s first birthday and his first proper Christmas, there was a pressure for it all to be very magical (partly external and partly from myself because I am ordinarily a very festive person) and what with catching Covid and facing the reality of what it means to have a child born at Christmas (it’s intense and busy), it felt a tad overwhelming and manic as well as magical and joyful. I had to have a few words with myself about how a one-year-old hasn’t the foggiest what’s going on so there was no need to feel The Pressure but, hey, we’re only human right? Still, there was Christmas trees and my mum’s cooking and lots of love going round and what more do we need at Christmas time? The lovely limbo time between Christmas and New Year has been a tad different from previous years (turns out one can’t lock the door and lie on the sofa for six days with a one-year-old) but we’ve still managed to forgot what day it is and eaten plenty of leftovers to the soundtrack of Only Fools & Horses in the background. I know it’s cliché but I’m really leaning into the new year reset this year, particularly as I’ll be going back to work in January. It feels like time for a refresh and I’m looking forward to it.
SO, tell me about your Christmas?
13 Dec 2022
On The End Of Maternity Leave
Sitting in a café writing is one of my favourite things to do and I haven’t had the opportunity for twelve months. I’m gonna hold my hands up and say I was a tad naive about how intense this year was going to be. I really thought – bearing in mind our boy is nearly one – we would have been able to leave him for at least a full day but probably overnight by now. *Insert sarcastic laughter here*. His disinterest in food, refusal to take a bottle and heavy reliance on milk, whilst all perfectly normal, have meant that I have barely been able to leave him for a matter of hours, let alone overnight. Unfortunately, where I go, my boobs come with me. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve fantasised about being able to leave them behind (there’s a mental image for you). I am not going to moan. We are incredibly lucky. It’s just been very intense with very little let up and I’m ready for change now.
From January, I will be back at work and if I’m completely honest, I am looking forward to it. Huge amounts of new respect for stay-at-home parents because right now, the idea of sitting at my desk and doing a full-day’s work feels like it will be a day off in comparison. I am obviously slightly glamourising work after a year ‘off’ and I know it’s going to be A Juggle, but I do think this new stage will bring more balance to our lives. The scales are currently all tipped firmly in one direction, and I feel that the combination of having some childcare, the ability to finally being able to leave baby with other people for longer periods and the return of using my brain for things other than nursery rhymes and nappy changes will make life feel more evenly weighted. We can’t afford full-time childcare (discovering the cost of childcare was a thoroughly unwelcome education) so I will be going back to work part-time but, despite the pay-cut, I am looking forward to a mix of work and time with my little man.
A few months into my maternity leave, I saw one of those little text Instagram posts which said ‘maternity leave is the most busy-bored, happy-sad you’ll ever be whilst also the most tired you’ve ever been. It’s the farthest thing from a vacation and the closest thing to a mental breakdown. IDK how else to describe it. It’s a weird time.’ Everyone will experience maternity leave differently of course but this is honestly the best description I have seen of my experience of being on mat leave. Hard relate, as the kids say. Nothing could have prepared me for the rollercoaster of emotions of 2022 nor of the profound effect of prolonged sleep deprivation on my physical and mental health. It has been so hard at times. And yet, so joyous. Because, equally, nothing could have prepared me for the delight of raising a mini human, of watching him grow and learn.
Having a baby has felt a little like having a very cute bomb go off in the centre of our lives with the first year spent trying to put all the pieces back together, only the pieces are now different shapes and sizes. It’s bewildering and exciting, exhausting and full of delirious laughter. A lot of people tell you that there comes a point where you feel like you are turning a corner and I finally feel it. I think a moment comes where you no longer feel like ‘new parents’ and simply just parents. Where you feel more relaxed, more accepting, and more like this is your life rather than some weird out-of-body experience.
I’ve spent most of this year living one-day-at-a-time and now I’m excited and planning for the future, and I feel very relieved to be here. Unsolicited advice on parenting is so irritating but if I could say one thing to any new parent, it would be to respect your own timeline. You and your baby are unique and you can only move at your own pace. You may be technically out of the newborn stage but that doesn’t mean you should suddenly feel less shellshocked or have all your shit together. It’s okay not to love the experience straight away even if everyone else appears to (no matter how much you love your child, I think asking people to enjoy no sleep and vaginal tears is asking too much quite frankly). Keep putting one foot in front of the other and try not to punch people when they tell you it will get better. It will of course, but it takes however long it takes, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that certain things will go away – I am unfortunately still outrageously sleep deprived nearly a year in – but you find that the fog slowly begins to lift and one day you realise you can see clearly again.
It's been one hell of a year. The first year of the best boy I know, but I have no shame in admitting that I am so ready for the next chapter.
30 Nov 2022
Trying The Famous Fitzbillies Chelsea Buns & Visiting King's College Chapel, Cambridge
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the closer you live to a tourist destination, the less likely you are to have visited the tourist spots. I don’t know why it is, it just is. So, yes, it has taken us three and a half years, but we have finally ticked off some of the key sights of Cambridge, a city just 12 miles down the road from us that we have wandered in and out of several times. Such is life.
There is more to see but over the course of two weekends (nothing like having guests to force you into researching your local area more), we ticked off the Mathematical Bridge, the Corpus Clock and The Backs in between having brunch at The Old Bicycle Shop and having incredible hot chocolate at Cenu Cacao (highly recommend both). But the two main destinations that have been on the top of my list for a while now are Fitzbillies to try their famous Chelsea buns and seeing the wonder that is King’s College Chapel.
King’s College Chapel really was worth the wait. Perhaps the most iconic building in Cambridge, the internal architecture genuinely took my breath away. The vast vaulted ceiling with the sun shining through the ornate stained-glass windows was utterly stunning. It’s worth going for the chapel alone but your ticket also gets you access to the grounds behind the chapel, and King’s College bridge. You feel distinctly separated from this when walking through The Backs so it’s nice to get the full effect. Cambridge really shines in the autumn I think, and the punts going up and down the river lined with golden leaves is lovely.
SO, about those Chelsea buns. Fitzbillies started in Cambridge in the 1920s and apparently has been the shop of choice for university scholars and townsfolk ever since. They claim to do the best ever Chelsea buns which is a bold claim, but they sell an awful lot of them so something must be going right. I have always been a bit unbothered by Chelsea buns but the marketing and the appealing sticky, golden buns sat in the window of the shop persuaded me to give them a go (along with my go-to hot chocolate order – excellent hot chocolate made with leftover chocolate ganache from the bakery). And well, yeah, it was the best Chelsea bun I’ve ever had. I don’t know what is in that ultra-sticky syrup pooling over the soft dough and juicy currents but man it was delicious. Really, really delicious.
If you’re planning a trip to Cambridge, I would highly recommend a visit to the King’s College Chapel and sinking your teeth into a Fitzbillies sticky bun.
22 Nov 2022
On Being Pleasantly Surprised By The Yorkshire Coast
Reader: I was wrong.
We ended up heading up that way because my aunt has recently finished renovating a (now) beautiful house in Scarborough and we went to see family and have a week by the sea. We had such a good time that we stayed an extra night.
Sure, Scarborough does have bits that are exactly like I imagined. There’s a whole section of loud arcades, cheap donuts and donkey beach rides (and none of this in a cute ‘vintage’ way in my opinion) but if this isn’t your cup of tea, it can easily be avoided and instead you can find yourself walking along spectacular wild coastline, looking around a church decorated by William Morris, visiting Anne Brontë’s grave and eating in cute brunch spots.
A little down the road is Robin Hood’s Bay, a gorgeous smuggler’s village, set in the hill with a beautiful bay and photogenic little alleys. If you weren’t accompanied by a 9 month old, you could easily spend a lovely, slow day (or week) here, hopping between the sprawling, rocky bay, seaside pub, cute gift and chocolate shops and cosy little restaurants. As a tourist destination, there's not a lot to do but if you wanted to hide away from the world a while, it would be a great place to do so.
And then just a little more down the coastline is Whitby, perhaps the place that surprised me the most. With the gothic abbey on top of the cliff, sweeping beach, cobbled streets and stunning views at every turn, it was a million miles away from the unloved seaside town I'd been made to believe it could be.
My recommendations:
Scarborough - head to The Hideout for tasty brunch and quirky decor and to The Clock Cafe for cheap food and the best views of Scarborough.
Robin Hood's Bay - find the ice cream van on the beach, check out The Higgledy Pig for craft beer, local gin and eco-friendly candles that smell delightful.
Whitby - oh too many! Check out my blog post here for all my Whitby recommendations.
17 Nov 2022
The Weekend | Pubs, Sleep Deprivation & Back To The Old Hall For Sunday Roast
We went to a pub called Five Miles From Anywhere which is close to our nearest (and one of our favourite) National Trust Places, Wicken Fen. The pub is a bit unassuming on the outside but it is located right on the river, so the garden is a gorgeous spot to sit for some lunch. And yes, we were sat outside which is weird in November, but I’m casually brushing over that alarming fact because this is a nice weekend recap and not an insight into my existential terror over climate change.
Once I had a belly full of pie and chips, we made our way into the Wicken Fen nature reserve which was absolutely stunning with the big skies and low sun. There were so many gorgeous views, our little boy giggling on daddy’s shoulders, a hazelnut hot chocolate that tasted like Ferrero Rocher chocolates and a stunning sunset.
On Sunday, after – you guessed it – another shit night’s sleep, we woke up again with no energy but this time, we did have pre-arranged plans. Pre-arranged plans that even severe sleep deprivation wasn’t going to deter me from. Sunday roast!
After such a lovely anniversary dinner at The Old Hall back in June, we were easily persuaded to go back when we saw that they were offering Sunday roasts. We’ve still not really mastered the organisation required post-baby to have regular date nights yet (working on it) so heck, call this a few months’ worth of date nights. We even managed to talk about things other than our baby which I’d say is a win.
Can confirm that a roast lunch at The Old Hall was just as good an experience as dinner, and the views particularly beautiful with added autumnal colours. I started with the mushroom tagliatelle (I usually avoid mushrooms, but I just knew this would be good), then moved onto the roast beef, complete with roasties, yorkshire pudding and cauliflower cheese, and finished with the chocolate & hazelnut sponge with mocha anglaise. It. Was. So. Bloody. Good. Also had a gorgeous glass of wine which I sipped very slowly, partly to savour because I could not justify the cost of another and partly because after nearly two years of minimal drinking, I am the world’s biggest light weight these days. We finished with hot chocolate by the open fire which was so cosy and calming.
When we went back to my parents to pick up our bubba, we found they were still out for a walk, so the weekend ended with us both taking an unexpected nap in my parents’ living room which was a glorious treat.
24 Oct 2022
How To Spend A Day In Whitby, Yorkshire
We were holidaying along the Yorkshire coast and headed to Whitby for a day out, and from the moment we arrived to the moment we left, it was all glorious.
Start in Sandsend for lunch - Sandsend is a small fishing village about a mile from Whitby and it is very beautiful. There is a cafe on the edge, overlooking the beach, with panoramic views from the terrace. The food is relatively basic but on a sunny day, it was a particularly gorgeous spot.
Walk along the spectacular beach to Whitby itself - a bit of a stomp, but it was totally worth it. You can walk the entire length of the sprawling beach, past pretty multi-coloured beach huts with the lighthouse and the abbey drawing closer and closer. The views on that beach are just gorgeous. Eventually, we turned a corner and Whitby revealed herself, nestled into the valley and looking every inch the kind of place a gothic novel would be set.
Stop at Sanders Yard for delicious tart - my aunt recommended this place in the old town for coffee and cake as it was slightly off the tourist track. And what a recommendation! Tucked down a little cobbled lane, with fairylights strewn above pretty tables, this place does an incredible range of delicious tarts - treacle & orange, curd, Mississippi mud pie, white chocolate, peanut butter, crunchie baked cheesecake… to name a few! The treacle & orange was the kind of food that you still remember months down the line, and we had a very pleasant time sitting in that little spot munching on pie.
Have a little nose around the old town - cobbled streets, cute shop, ye olde pubs. What’s not to like? If you’re a book lover, check out The Whitby Bookshop which is very cute with a big curving staircase, pretty decorations and about a hundred different editions of Dracula.
Climb the famous 199 steps to the abbey - because have you even been to Whitby if you've not climbed the steps?! Also, the views are spectacular so it's a must. You do have to pay to go into the abbey but if you don't want to (like us), you still get a good view of it from close up once you're up there.
Have a drink at Whitby Brewery - a tour bus drew up to the abbey with an advert for Whitby brewery on it and before anyone could say 'beer', my husband (with baby attached) and step-dad were hot-footing it off into the distance. So what choice did my mum and I have but to follow? Set in the shadow of the abbey with a very nice local gin on offer (if you're not a beer drinker), this is an excellent spot for a drink in the sunshine and I would highly recommend.
Walk along the East Pier - back at sea level, we walked along the east pier to check out the lighthouse and the views of Whitby. Admittedly, bits of this did feel a tad precarious - a bridge that creaked ominously and boardwalk that felt very, ahem, hole-y - but when I was on the more solid stone section, I loved the sweeping views.
Get fish & chips from The Magpie - another recommendation from my aunt. Pricey but delicious fish and chips that we ate on a bench on the west pier as the sun began to cast a golden glow across the town.
Walk back along the coast - don't forget to duck through the famous whalebone arch on your way out of town as you walk back to the car along the seafront. If you're lucky like we were, you'll be treated to the most gorgeous sunset over the dramatic coastline. I cannot tell you how beautiful it was.
Whitby, you were the most pleasant surprise.
Hey there!
