Coffee Break

It’s been a while since my last post. July is almost over and as always, I am left wondering how it went by so quickly. My 3-days in Edinburgh were full-on. My friend and I made sure to fill every spare moment with sight-seeing or at a café/restaurant. It’s been less than a month since my return and already I am itching for my next getaway. Back at home, Ms R is a delightful lodger. Our paths cross briefly in the morning before she goes to work, and then again in the evening when she returns. And my days of seeking alternative opportunities are over (for now), because next week, I start work at a private organisation. I am thrilled. I miss the 9-5 routine, miss that structure to the week where you have to be up, showered, and dressed by a certain hour, and leave the house in time to be at the office by 9am. No doubt I will soon wonder what I ever did with my time for 6-months. It’s a short-term contract, but if all goes well, if the role is just as I imagine and well suited to me, I am...

Another week gone by, and the weekend has started with grey weather. In fact, the entire week’s been cooler. Plus, we also had rain here in Brighton. Today, Miss P moved out after nearly 3-months living here. She and all her stuff were gone by 11am this morning. By 4pm, everything was laundered, wipe-cleaned, or hoovered. The spare room is now ready for the next lodger, who is expected tomorrow afternoon. Certainly a transitional weekend in this household. In the news, I hear that Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon and one of the wealthiest men worldwide), has married his fiancé, Lauren Sanchez, in Venice. The locals had a few opinions but the event sounds classy and romantic. Although not quite Venice, I am off to another historical and exciting city next week - Edinburgh. I am going with my best friend, S, for three days, and we are really looking forward to a change from routine, seeing the sights etc. I am so excited, I will start packing soon. The last time I went to Edinburgh was thir...

So far, June has felt a lot like summer; bright and sunny, and hot enough to crave ice-cream. And while I’m conscious to appreciate every moment (not knowing how long it will last), it has not escaped my attention that today (21st June) is also the longest day of the year.  Because just as much as the warm, sunny weather, I also love the lighter evenings. And after today, the daylight hours are only going to get shorter. Still, lots to celebrate and be thankful for. For example, I just survived an almost 12-hour power cut (though most of it was at night, when I was asleep). When the power finally came back-on, mid-morning, I felt so happy. In other news, it’s Miss P’s final week here before she moves onto pastures new (Slough). Her room is full of bags and boxes as she packs everything for the move. My business classes and events are ticking along fine, and my search for business opportunities is ongoing, but I am still open to salaried executive positions until circumstances chang...

My dear daughter, Z, arrived yesterday morning. In the evening, we watched the latest episode of Question Time together and discussed topics on the show. For example, if I had to bring down the national spending, I would probably first raise the pension age.  That turned into a healthy discussion between us. Today, we had my 7-year-old nephew for the day. F is always excited to come here, and he still has that squeaky, baby-like voice. So adorable. He and his Cousin Z always have an amazing time together, with games, cartoons and ‘knowledge quizzes’. Also caught-up with Middle Sister S, starting with a coffee in The Lanes, then back to my place for an ice-cold drink. F was surprised but excited to see her, especially as she’d bought a box of Greggs doughnuts with her. It’s moments like these that I want to prolong. The day went quickly. S left after 1-hour (mid afternoon), and Z took her little cousin home at 7pm (almost 3-hours before she returned), and I am at that stage in life ...

It was a 90-minute journey on the road. We took my car, though S drove because we both prefer her driving to mine (also, I am not yet fully confident on long journeys). Eventually, we arrived at our destination; Rye, a historical town on the far east side of East Sussex. A day of lunch, sight-seeing, and coffee (in that order). We started with lunch at a Turkish restaurant, then walked along the cobbled streets, including the famous Mermaid Street, saw Ypres Tower (Rye Castle), and visited Cobbles Tea Room. Plus the sandy beach at Camber Sands. It’s been at least 10-years since I last visited Rye (that one time), so this trip has definitely refreshed my memory. My legs might be a little tired from all the walking, but my goodness, what a day. I am certainly looking forward to more day trips like this, with more beautiful sight-seeing. 

Warm, sunny, and just beautiful today. After an easy morning with coffee and catching-up on current affairs, I took a walk into town. It felt like good exercise (though it left me slightly out of breath, so maybe I need to do this more often). On the way back, I noticed a new café just around the corner from my home. I say ‘new’ but it’s probably been there for a while and just escaped my attention. Passing by and looking through the windows, you can see books on each table (not many tables, but that’s a positive in my view). There were more books on display near the bar area, almost like they were archived. Hmm, coffee and books, huh? On its website, it says that it’s “Designed for readers and thinkers”. I am intrigued. I think I’d like to try out this café when the daughter comes to visit this weekend. Like her mother, she can appreciate a good café with an enticing backdrop.