Last week was another pleasurable week, despite the annual ordeal of end of year reviews. I read an article at the weekend in Simple Things magazine about taking the time at the end of a year to reflect on the one that had gone before, and it alluded to self examination being so difficult. Nothing marks this out quite so well as the end of year review. It was fine though, and I got through it and still managed not to resort to a glass of wine, so all good.

I soldiered on with the visible mend that I mentioned in my previous post. It took me ages to get my head around it, but actually, I’m really pleased with the final result. It’s one of those things that I think, the more I do it, the more adept I will get at it, and you can actually see my work has improved even as the repair has progressed.

This means this week, I can finally start knitting up my friend’s birthday gift. I want to give handmade gifts where possible this year, but me, being me, I’m already behind and only starting knitting a gift for a birthday celebrated during the first week of the month. I’ll just call it slow living and hope my friends understand.

Later on last week the chap picked up his new car, and was eager to take it on a long drive. Thursday evening, he drove over to mine (he lives some distance away) and took me out for a delicious curry. For a change, we went to the Royal Tandoori.

I’d passed it a few weeks back and thought it looked nice, and it was nice but there was no one else in there other than us. I like places to be quiet given the current situation, but it would be nice if there were 1 or 2 others in a place. Nonetheless, we still had a lovely time. I had a vegetable balti, and the chap a chicken balti with a feast of rice, chips and peshwari naan between us.

It was nice to try somewhere different, but my favourite is still Eastern Paradise.

Much of the remainder of the week was just focusing on work. I’m working on a big project this year which is both exciting, and demanding in equal measure, but it’s getting the brain cells working and that’s for sure. Friday lunchtime the sun was shining, and for once, my diary wasn’t crammed with meetings so I took Mum out for a Friday lunch.

We tried to get into Eat Me cafe first, which has now moved into the Stephen Joseph theatre, but it was fully booked up. We wandered over the road to Nabs at Northway instead, which is a place I’ve wanted to visit for some time but haven’t got around to. It was lovely. It was quite busy, and has a great menu with some good veggie options. It was quite busy but we still got seated.

I enjoyed a rather delicious halloumi toasty and a matcha green tea latte, although I did buy a huge brownie to take home and devour so, probably not that saintly. Nonetheless, I’ll definitely head back to Nabs again. There seems to be an awful lot of cafes and eateries popping up around Scarborough, and it’s great to have that choice. Some of them are vegan too which is refreshing to see since, whilst I’m not a vegetarian I do try to limit my meat intake as much as I possibly can. A proliferation of cafes and eateries offering vegetarian and vegan alternatives obviously makes this so much easier.

Saturday, little Miss and I baked a gorgeous banana and blueberry loaf cake using up some over ripe bananas. After that, we spent much of the day playing. It was foggy and freezing outside and whilst we did have to turn out to get some bits from town in the late afternoon, we didn’t hang around long, getting back home to warmth and the Peppa Pig house as soon as we could.

Sunday was one of those days filled with chores, cleaning the car, a wander around Dunelm where I got a new bin, a new clock for the living room and Mum bought a gorgeous new rug for the living room. It really is adulting when you don’t buy any new clothes in the January sales but you do buy a clock and a bin!

Before we knew it though, the afternoon was gone, so we decided to take a trip to a local pub for Sunday dinner, before settling down in the warmth of home. I’d like to say, relaxing and chilling for the week ahead, but the truth is it was more chores, organising kitchen cupboards and wrapping a parcel to send to a friend.

Whilst the weeks are passing by quickly, the pace of those weeks seems to be so much more manageable and enjoyable right now. Time for reading, time for crafts and time for playing with baba. Long may it continue… although I’ve still not reflected on 2021. I’m not sure I will, onwards and upwards.