Today Mike arrived about 8.30 am and the four of us went to have breakfast at the cafe. Darren, Mike and I went to have a look round the auction as viewing is 9 - 11 am on sale days. Nothing caught out eyes today but we enjoyed looking round. Mike and I walked round town and down to Boyes as I wanted to get silk and a button to finish the phone case off. My ankle was really painful today, the chiropractor has really upset it this time, but hopefully it will settle down. Town was really busy today, and it was still quite early.

After we had walked, well in my case limped, home I stayed put but Mike went out for a long walk round the bays and up the cliff new The Grand. I did finish off the phone case.

So now hopefully I won't have it slipping out and smashing! Mike brought the rest of my presents and things I bought up for me as they wouldn't go in the case. I bought this slate otter hanging in a charity shop in Stamford. This is place sized but I think I did have it on a coaster once.

Le Tour of Yorkshire finishes in Scarborough tomorrow so I am hoping my ankle has settled down a bit so that I can get there more easily!

Haven't been out today other than having lunch and then shopping with Tina. The weather has been miserable and my ankle very sore today! Yesterday afternoon, before sundown, the sky was looking stormy and dramatic.

Yesterday evening I made a cover/case for the new phone. I need to get a large press stud and an appropriate button.

I took a closer picture of the beautiful flowers that the girls from the studio gave me yesterday.

I got a set of three Audrey Hepburn films for my birthday and have watched Funny face this afternoon. Raining and miserable outside, and when we went shopping it was almost sleeting!

Lovely sky again last night.

There was a heavy frost this morning, it is strange weather at the moment. I had an appointment at the chiropractor and he chatted to me for quite a while as I was feeling a little despondent about the lack of progress. The exercise I couldn't do he decided was too difficult for now, and  I can do the revised version! The view from near his clinic was a bit misty still but the sky was bright blue.

I had arranged to go to the studio today as I wasn't around on my birthday. Donna and Sandy bought me lovely flowers and a duvet set that has a quilted effect. Very kind and had a lovely catch up with them.

Quiet afternoon since I got home, the ankle is a bit sore this evening but he did do quite a lot of work on it this morning.

The hotel turned out to be a little less desirable than I thought, but the bed was comfy enough and the breakfast this morning was quite good. In the entrance they had one of the biggest 'umbrella plants' I have ever seen!

Yesterday Anya convinced me that a more modern phone should be in my possession by now, this is a very long on going conversation. We bought one yesterday but the sim was not the same size, so Mike collected me quite early this morning to go to Hampton to the Vodafone store. We got there before nine and they didn't open until 10 am but the guy got the phone up and running. I am sure I will get used to it given time. Would have played on the train on the way home if it had been quiet and I'd had a seat to myself, but both trains were heaving. It is charging at the moment. We then went off to see my sister and niece and Margherita and I had a game of Scrabble. Then we all went for lunch at a Little Chef. Mike dropped my off at the station and it was a pretty good journey home. At Malton it was actually snowing, and settling!

But it was just grey when we got to Scarborough. I had lots of lovely gifts and cards and I will post just a few of the more unusual ones. A lovely cruet set.

Which will just be beautiful ornaments. A hand made propelling pencil and fountain pen.

A bug house.

And three lovely Beatrix Potter figures making my name.

Tina cooked tea when I got it so a nice end to my birthday trip.

It has been a really lovely birthday. Anya was here before 8.30 am and we went for breakfast, Van Hage wasn't open so a very enjoyable start at Sainsbury's. We went off to Stamford and just wandered around breaking up the browsing with several refreshment breaks. It was really cold and at one point in the day it was sleeting! But that did not take away from the day at all. Very lovely buildings in Stamford.

Had to have this one taken as I was a Goldsmith 50 years ago!!

Had a very nice strawberry and salted caramel crepe at one of our refreshment stops!

We met Isobel from her after school club and when Louis was home we went out to dinner.

Anya and I went to see An evening with Ian and Natalie, it was brilliant and they had a very good young singer on as well. Took a Peterborough sky from the theatre window!

Have lots of great gifts too so very lucky and a perfect day!

Lovely meal at Gourmet Plaza with Angie, Rachel and Mike. Great food and a lovely waitress plus great birthday presents!

Even took a picture of the church with the cathedral in the background as we made our way back to the car.

That was without flash, with the flash was darker!!

Good day so far, Tina took me to the station this morning and both trains were on time today so no panic running at York station! Mike met me this end and took me across to Eye to see the two elderly ladies. Ruby, who is 96 seems a bit better than my last visit which was quite soon after her minor stroke. Emmie, who is a mere 95 was her usual chatty self.Had a nice lunch with them and a bit of time to chat afterwards. Mike collected me and brought me to the hotel. It is a single room, not great decoration, but cosy and comfortable and has everything I need, including a pretty good internet connection!

Having a birthday meal out later with Angie, Rachel and Mike, then resting up for a day with Anya tomorrow.

I finished the table centre quilt a couple of nights back, I think I know someone with a biggish table that would like it. The combination of hand patchwork and machine quilting worked quite well.

Today I have stayed in, Darren and Tina both have very busy weeks ahead when they get back from their weekend away so thought I would do a bit of baking to make life a bit easier. I made a cottage pie, lasagne , an apple crumble and attempted a lemon drizzle cake. Didn't have a loaf tin so used a round cake tin. Put it back in the oven twice although it had already had over the time indicated. Really struggling with getting baking right with this oven. Tasted a slice and although I have had better, have also had worse!

I got some take away trays yesterday and here are the dinners almost ready for the freezer!

This afternoon I have rested a bit as the ankle has been really troublesome today, but have almost packed for the trip to Peterborough tomorrow. I am hoping that Darren and Tina are on their way home and not still in Cardiff, it will be a late night if they haven't left yet, took them seven hours to get there!

It is Goth weekend in Whitby and it was suggested that I go along. Luckily Colonel was on best behaviour last night so I was up in good time and set off in time to catch the 9.20 am bus. I felt a bit silly asking if I could take photos at first, but soon got over that, this was the first couple.

I walked along the sea wall away from the bridge and old town, this was the church on the cliff opposite.

Another group of revellers.

I walked on a bit, have never walked this way in Whitby before.

Then I back tracked and went over the bridge to the old town.

En garde!!

Some lovely ladies.

I made my way up to the steps that lead to the abbey but did not go up them!

Another attractively dressed couple.

And a very tall lady?

Pirate Goths?

What's that on your shoulder?!

Morris dancers.

Another lovely lady.

Then, to bring it all back down to earth a picture from the bus on the way home through very dirty windows!!

When I got home these lovely flowers were waiting for me (in the black bin!) from my friend Michelle.

Colonel is making up for being good last night by being very demanding now!