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Yesterday was a fun day with a visit to the cat cafe, the cinema and Re.F.Use.
I'm sure I've said this before, but before it gave out surplus food over the lockdowns Re.f.Use was a cafe, using the surplus food to make all meals. It means there's never a static menu as they cook with what they get donated and you pay what you think the meal is worth. It's completely anonymous too, you can pick to put cash into an envelope which is dropped into a box or via card, but they don't look at how much you're paying. You do pay a fixed price for drinks, which I assume is because they have to pay for them themselves.
So, yesterday we turned up and it was vegetarian day. If James had known in advance I'm sure he wouldn't have been keen, but as it was he branched out with a veggie meatball and salad, which came with the most amazing tasting red cabbage. It was sort of sweet and caramelised and it tasted so good. So much so I wished I had that instead of veggie chilli.
After that, we drove into Durham as we had a slot booked at The Pawsome Cat Cafe. Like everywhere now we had to book in via track and trace, sanitise hands and wear masks unless sitting down at our table. As it was the first day they'd opened everyone got a free drink, so that was a plus. Sadly because it was the first day back and the cats had been living at their owner's home since August they weren't really interacting. I played with one who came out to mess with a feather on a stick and got a few good strokes of others, but mostly they were getting used to being cat cafe cats again.
I felt most sorry for Simon. He was a kitten last time we were there and then lockdown two happened and he went off to a private home. Months later and he'd been taken back to the cafe and was so frightened and confused, wedging himself behind the litter trays. The ladies in charge let us have a peek as they remembered us from before, but I suspect Simon's time as a cat cafe cat may be over.
Once we left there it was a short walk to the cinema and man, I didn't realise just how much I'd missed that place until we walked in. Everything is completely contactless now. You order your food via touch screens and everything comes pre-packaged, plus, masks worn, hands sanitised, same as everywhere.
We saw Nomadland and it was very apparent it was an award season film. Beautiful to look at, stylish, great acting, but very little actual plot and an open ending. For those playing along at home, James fell asleep for about 30 minutes but did see the end.
Odeon have actually dropped their limitless ticket prices right now, so, for £10 a month we can both so as many films as we want. And I suspect we'll be seeing many.
While out I got a message I was about to be rested from my mail survey duties. I knew it was coming as you do six months on and six months off, but do wish my months would be over the spring and summer and not winter and Christmas. Still, it'll be nice not to have to head to the postbox a few times a week and make up excuses when I have to post cardboard cubes that weigh next to nothing and have over £3 postage already on them. Still, I won't complain considering the amount of first-class stamps I've got as rewards. I won't have to buy any of them for a very long time.
Today we've done a tip run for my SiL, picked up some groceries and also had breakfast at Re.F.Use, a photo of which is on my Insta. We'd actually gone back as James wanted to buy a meat hamper. They sell them for £20 and it's pot luck what you get, though it'll always be worth more than what you pay. We got, two boneless lamb joints, a massive beef joint, a fillet steak, lamb steaks, lots of sausages and some rump steaks. I don't like or eat red meat so most will be frozen. I'll also need to find some good lamb recipes as it's something I've never cooked.
Now I need to think about making tea before a bath and then Eurovision. Bring on the insanity!
I'm sure I've said this before, but before it gave out surplus food over the lockdowns Re.f.Use was a cafe, using the surplus food to make all meals. It means there's never a static menu as they cook with what they get donated and you pay what you think the meal is worth. It's completely anonymous too, you can pick to put cash into an envelope which is dropped into a box or via card, but they don't look at how much you're paying. You do pay a fixed price for drinks, which I assume is because they have to pay for them themselves.
So, yesterday we turned up and it was vegetarian day. If James had known in advance I'm sure he wouldn't have been keen, but as it was he branched out with a veggie meatball and salad, which came with the most amazing tasting red cabbage. It was sort of sweet and caramelised and it tasted so good. So much so I wished I had that instead of veggie chilli.
After that, we drove into Durham as we had a slot booked at The Pawsome Cat Cafe. Like everywhere now we had to book in via track and trace, sanitise hands and wear masks unless sitting down at our table. As it was the first day they'd opened everyone got a free drink, so that was a plus. Sadly because it was the first day back and the cats had been living at their owner's home since August they weren't really interacting. I played with one who came out to mess with a feather on a stick and got a few good strokes of others, but mostly they were getting used to being cat cafe cats again.
I felt most sorry for Simon. He was a kitten last time we were there and then lockdown two happened and he went off to a private home. Months later and he'd been taken back to the cafe and was so frightened and confused, wedging himself behind the litter trays. The ladies in charge let us have a peek as they remembered us from before, but I suspect Simon's time as a cat cafe cat may be over.
Once we left there it was a short walk to the cinema and man, I didn't realise just how much I'd missed that place until we walked in. Everything is completely contactless now. You order your food via touch screens and everything comes pre-packaged, plus, masks worn, hands sanitised, same as everywhere.
We saw Nomadland and it was very apparent it was an award season film. Beautiful to look at, stylish, great acting, but very little actual plot and an open ending. For those playing along at home, James fell asleep for about 30 minutes but did see the end.
Odeon have actually dropped their limitless ticket prices right now, so, for £10 a month we can both so as many films as we want. And I suspect we'll be seeing many.
While out I got a message I was about to be rested from my mail survey duties. I knew it was coming as you do six months on and six months off, but do wish my months would be over the spring and summer and not winter and Christmas. Still, it'll be nice not to have to head to the postbox a few times a week and make up excuses when I have to post cardboard cubes that weigh next to nothing and have over £3 postage already on them. Still, I won't complain considering the amount of first-class stamps I've got as rewards. I won't have to buy any of them for a very long time.
Today we've done a tip run for my SiL, picked up some groceries and also had breakfast at Re.F.Use, a photo of which is on my Insta. We'd actually gone back as James wanted to buy a meat hamper. They sell them for £20 and it's pot luck what you get, though it'll always be worth more than what you pay. We got, two boneless lamb joints, a massive beef joint, a fillet steak, lamb steaks, lots of sausages and some rump steaks. I don't like or eat red meat so most will be frozen. I'll also need to find some good lamb recipes as it's something I've never cooked.
Now I need to think about making tea before a bath and then Eurovision. Bring on the insanity!
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Now we need to go to Mog on the Tyne as that's still my favourite. Especially so as they've just got a new ginger cat *____*
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