Coffee Break

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. 

I have tried hard to add fruit to my diet, slowly and steadily. I even wrote an entry here about the convenience of bananas in comparison to apples. Truth is, I have never been a fruit lover, and I mostly consume in a dessert, lip-gloss flavour, or oil (cooking oil or skin moisturiser). I often use tomatoes in cooking, and sometimes I make salad with cucumber and tomato (though that is typically only when my daughter visits). Really though, the benefits of consuming fruit have been overhyped; most of us would be just fine without it. If you do like fruit, however, there’s probably little harm in moderate consumption. Speaking of which, I see raspberry and blueberry muffins on the horizon… Yum!

Another beautiful sunny day. The online class this morning was interesting. Tutor explained all business related costs, and that these should be included in any turnover forecast. Later, mid-afternoon, Ms R stopped by to sign the new contract. I’m so happy this is all sorted; the new lodger is ready to move-in the day after current lodger moves out. When Miss P returned from work, I looped her in. She is planning to see some flats in Slough this weekend. Her new job starts at the end of June.  In other news, S and I are making plans for our 1-day getaway later this week. We’ve decided, it doesn’t have to be a spa. Instead, we are thinking of visiting a historical town, here in East Sussex, 90-mins from Brighton. She says life is “all about enjoying the little things in life” , but I wouldn’t call [spending the day with my best friend, doing an activity I love], a ‘little thing’ . She can be funny sometimes.

Another beautiful (albeit cold) sunny day. As I sit here at my desk, late afternoon, I feel like one happy bunny. Ms R contacted me to say she would love to be my lodger. So, of course, I drew-up a new contract (well, just tweaked the last one), confirmed with her, and a deposit was secured. This is wonderful news for me, as choosing a lodger or housemate is a big decision. There’s the sharing of spaces, daily interactions etc, so an alignment of personalities is crucial (I speak from past experience). So, securing someone like Ms R as my next lodger is a real accomplishment. In other news; the spa day planned for Thursday 12th has been cancelled, as the offer is no longer available on the hotel website. S and I will still do something that day, just deciding on what and where. Regardless, all things considered, today has most certainly been a good news day.   

Today, it was somewhat sunny-but-cold, then cloudy and rainy. I had two viewings for my flat (for the single room). The first was a virtual viewing, as the person is currently living in Sheffield (over 4-hours from Brighton). I showed all the rooms as best I could, including the balcony. Not sure how well I’d be able to judge a home with just a phone camera, but this was the best option in the circumstances. We talked about what we were both looking for in a lodger/room. She mentioned a friend possibly staying over, and also maybe her parents. I was left with the impression that my home may not be quite what she’s looking for.  The second viewing was a standard, in-person viewing. Ms R turned up at 4pm on the dot. I showed her around the flat. Then we sat down at the kitchen table and talked about our general backgrounds and lodger/room details. She is a local, works at a local school, and also does event hosting on the side. According to her Spare Room ad, she is seeking a room in...

The following extract was written during lockdown, in 2020. It’s a recollection of my earliest memories. I have tweaked it for clarity and grammar purposes.  There was a large, dark oak dresser, with a dark coloured carrycot on top. Via a ledge on the dresser, I stepped and raised myself, and took a peek inside. I saw a baby wearing a blue vest and a white terry-towel nappy. I did not think much of this. For a long time, this baby remained ‘little’ in my eyes, at the age of two, three, and even throughout most of primary school. During those early years, there was distance and hostility between us. At the slightest instance, I’d hit her. I’d hit her for not listening to me, for being right, for being wrong. Basically, I’d hit her for being an inquisitive child, always coming to me with animated curiosity. She seemed to have everything go her way, never seemed to have any burdens. Everyone would be nice to her. She’d have toys, enjoy them for a while, then toss them aside. Those toy...

It was late last night when Miss P returned from her 2-day trip to London. She looked so happy and refreshed. Cleary, the time away has done her good (visiting her aunt). However, she also had another reason for looking so happy. She’d only just walked in when she dropped the news; she has a new job in Slough, and will be moving there before the end of the month. Wow, I did not see that coming. I congratulated her, told her how happy I was for her, and that although I’d be sad to see her go, I was happy for her career advancement. Of course, this does mean I’ll need to find a new lodger. So, first thing this morning, I activated my Spare Room ad. Already I’ve received a couple of responses (of course, it will take a while to filter all the messages). As for Miss P, I will appreciate her presence for the remainder of the short time she is here.   

Another baking session; blueberry muffins. That smell, while the muffins are still in the oven, is reason enough to bake. Once done and out of the oven, they looked good and tasted good. Miss P (the lodger) still not returned from her London trip, so cannot ask for her opinion. However, in my own opinion, they have risen too high. I will bear this in mind next time. The secret is in finding the right balance. And the fun is in doing all the practice. 

It looks and feels like autumn weather today; overcast and very windy. I attended the weekly workshop at my local college. Tech issues all resolved so I have full access to the online materials, and able to catch-up with what I missed from yesterday’s online class. All fine in that regard. After the workshop, I met my friend - let’s call her S - for her early birthday lunch. We went to The Ivy In The Lanes. Not much has changed in the six-years since I’d last been there. Atmosphere was still inviting, and the good food and good service was topped only by the good company (cheesy but true). S and I already have a mini-break booked for next month, but during our lunch, we decided to do something nice before then. Over her grilled sea-bass and my sweet potato curry, we made the decision to go on a spa day, next week, out of town. Afterwards, walking home in the summer wind, the monotony of the week ahead felt bearable, knowing I’d soon be relaxing in a hotel pool, sipping mocktails with m...

Another beautiful day here in Brighton (albeit slightly chilly). Today, I tried to join an online class, unsuccessfully (due to tech issues on their part). Hoping to catch-up at the in-person workshop tomorrow, so no serious concerns. Anyway, back to today. The lodger is away for two days, so I'm making the most of having sole use of the kitchen and bathroom, and privacy in my open-plan living room. Not that I’m really put out when she's here, but there’s a certain novelty in solo living when it is not the norm. No baking today. Instead, I’ve been researching career and business opportunities. On the surface, it looks like my research will continue a little longer. To take a break, I sat out on the balcony to soak up some vitamin-D. There was a breeze in the air, probably cooler than I would have preferred. But I did not mind. I was simply thankful for the sunshine. 

Here we are, the first day of a new month; an entire month since I started blogging. It's beautiful, here in sunny Brighton, and today, I want to talk about a new recipe I’ve tried, something different to my everyday home cooking (though I’ve had similar ones in cafes). Today, I made minced-lamb pastry rolls, four, in fact. I learnt from a previous attempt (with chicken, not sure if I mentioned it here), that the secret to a decent pastry roll is to use shortcrust pastry. This pastry will not puff–up during the baking process, so will not mess with the pastry/filling ratio. So, how did my minced-lamb pastry rolls turn out? Well, I thought they were delicious. Then my lodger arrived home and loved the smell that was wafting in the kitchen, so I offered her one and she loved it too. So, I am happy with the result, though I may still look to improve on it next time. For now, I will bask in this feeling of accomplishment. Later on, after a few days, I will ponder on my next move.