Week 29 and 30

Aug 9, 2021 • 7 min read

Anniversary! New job! Let's go blog gang. Warning: it's a long one.

Adam and I have been together for a whole year (plus 12 days at the time of writing), so last week we had a Brighton staycation. As my wonderful friend Xav likes to remind me, over the last year I've aged about 40 years.
On the Monday, we visited the Pavillion, which I'd never visited and Adam had only been to once. It was such an interesting place to look around—I always find it weird to walk around places people used to live and work, and want to find out as much about them as possible. There was a woman who worked there who earned £112 a year for arranging all the dinners and keeping the house in order; on the flip side, there was a man paid £500 a year and all he did was choose the wines for dinner. I want to go back again, and will I know they do discounted tickets for residents.

Afterwards we had a Cool Shopping Adventure in Snooper's Paradise: a cool thing for the other person for £5 or less. Five minutes after I'd set that price limit, I broke it and bought Adam a little epsom salts jar (I've got him trying them out and he's a fan) and a tiny jug to remind him to water the plants on his desk (also from me). His desk is now essentially a shrine of decorations I've bought or made for him across the last year. And some 'nerd tat'. He bought me a really cool fan with a scene painted on it straight out of the Pavilion - also breaking the price limit. For two people who like routines, we can be very bad with sticking to the rules we set.
That evening I went to see Gemma, my friend from school, before she moves away from Brighton. She's been here for university, and it's been such a joy getting to spend more time with her. We spent most of the evening in her van, taping up insulation and other such things (I held the torch).
Tuesday morning saw Adam and I trek out to Saltdean Lido! It was very grey and overcast, threatening to rain the entire time, but the water was lovely and warm once we were in and it was really good couple of hours. It felt very retro, and nostalgic almost, even though it's not something I've ever been to - it just had a very cool look to it. We then went to Whitecliffs Café opposite and had some tea while looking at the sea, until it got too windy for us and we headed home.

That evening we had an impromptu dinner at Planet India, which was as incredible as always. I'd had some pani puri the week before from somewhere else which was fine, but different, and I was craving Planet India's onion bhajis (seriously, the best in the city).

On Wednesday, it was our actual anniversary! Adam came over early with coffee and breakfast, and we opened our presents before heading off for the day. It was the first time I've actually celebrated an anniversary with someone (either they didn't make it to a year, or they 'weren't an anniversary type'), and it was a really sweet morning. We got the Volks (!!!) into town, had some great vegan chicken from The Bok Shop, and then went to the Brighton Museum to go to the David Bowie exhibition. It was such an interesting thing to visit, full of photos taken by his friend Geoff MacCormack during tours from 1973-76. I highly recommend visiting - I'm taking my mum to visit as soon as I can.

Before going out for dinner we went up the i360. I know, I know, it's a tourist trap, but they have discounted resident tickets and it was really cool to see the city from so high up. I found out that loads of buildings have paintings or messages on the roofs, presumably for those on the i360 to see, and it was very interesting to see the city from such a different perspective.

We went to Terre à Terre in the evening, and had so much incredible food. It's somewhere we've been wanting to visit for basically the last year, but for a variety of reasons hadn't been able to, so it was really special to be able to go for our anniversary. My personal highlights were the wasabi cashews, and the focaccia. And the hummus. And the tofu. And the lemon meringue pie cocktail. Oh, and the rosti! It was all good, basically. But the best part was dessert, which was a giant strawberry macaroon with a tart purée and a tellicherry pepper parfait. So, so, so good.

On Thursday we met up with our pal Bassey for some Bagelman and ice cream on the beach, and afterwards Adam and I walked down the seafront and looked inside every art gallery under the arches.
That weekend I spent a lot of time packing up my lovely flat, because I'm moving in with Adam in 22 days at the time of writing! I'm going to miss this little flat—it's on such a lovely quiet road, my neighbours are so nice, and the flat itself is so full of light. But I'm excited to be moving in with Adam, to be back in (basically close enough to) Hanover, and for the big fancy couch we're going to get.

Last week was a much quieter week! I got my NQJ results on Tuesday morning, and have passed it with a merit which means I can now work as a senior journalist in the future. It's equivalent to a degree, and was about as stressful to get!
On Monday my aunt Teresa and her daughter Rachel visited for the day with my mum - we went into town on the Volks and spent the day looking around North Laine, before going to Purezza with Adam. It was such a delight to see them after a few years, and makes me long to go and visit my family soon - especially since I found out the other day that the room my great uncle John-Joe made up for mum and I just before the first lockdown is still there, waiting for us 😭.
Tuesday was also the first day of my new job with Lloyd Russell-Moyle, which has been good - I'm really enjoying it so far, the people are lovely and the work is really interesting. Parliamentary Research Service is a lifesaver.
This week: more audiology appointments (I think I'm settled on the hearing aid I want to get, finally), and my first cervical screening. It's all go here.

Just before you go, some interesting things I've read this week:

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