Merry Late Christmas

I've never celebrated Christmas in February before, but as I was away for Christmas this year we decided to celebrate it while I was home.

Christmas in Busan was great, I was surrounded by new friends and we managed to nearly get our hands on everything that makes a traditional English festive dinner. But, it was made even better knowing that I had the excuse to celebrate it again when I got home.

I walked in the day before my mum and I had planned to celebrate it and the Christmas tree was there sparkling away. The next day we both had a stocking to open. I'd bought my mum a few bits from Korea, and she'd bought me some of the essentials that I miss while I'm there (these have a whole other post dedicated to it though).

Afterwards, we got cracking with the roast and I made a start on the dessert. I decided to do the banoffee pie that Grace cooked for us in Busan on Christmas day. I was pleased to find out that it doesn't need any cooking so I'll definitely be making that again once i'm back to being oven less.






Fake Christmas was great, and what's better is that it's only 10 more months until next Christmas rolls around, not that I'm counting or anything.

Weekend: Food and Family

Well I'm sat keeping an eye on the bits I've been trying to sell on ebay as my last weekend in the UK draws to an end. I don't feel ready to go back to Busan yet, there's so much left to do and still so many people that I haven't had the chance to catch up with. But, it was a busy one, starting with some dentist work on Friday morning, not fun, especially when your dentist has bad breath.

Later on Friday I went into Sheffield to meet some of my friends I used to work with at the job before I left for Korea. It was so nice to see them again but it felt like I'd hardly been away. Every pay day Friday we used to get our gladrags on and go out.

The next day was followed with more friends in Nottingham. This time it was the girls I used to go to university with. While we were at university it was probably more like three times a week that we'd go out dancing. I got to wear my Forever 21 Hello Kitty dress too.

We had lunch, where i decided just to have dessert because of my awful sweet tooth, then we went out for cocktails. My favourite place was Cocotang which has the best cocktails I've tasted. I had a parma violet one, and if you know my roller derby name you'll know how much i love the taste of them. I also tried the Tobelerone which tasted like a chocolately White Russian. Showing my age I just about fell into bed at 1.



The next morning we went for Brunch at Frankie and Bennies before it was time for me to get back in the car and go to Leicester to catch up with some family I've not seen in a long time.


Only 4 more days until my flight back to Busan, and I don't feel ready at all! Eeek!

Sorry for the phone photos, but I daren't take out my camera on nights out with my record of losing and breaking cameras.

The White Rabbit and Cocoa Wonderland

On Wednesday I got in the car and drove down to Nottingham to meet up with my friend Hannah. Hannah and I went to Nottingham Trent University together from 2005-2008 (it makes me feel so old when I say that).

We decided to meet at the White Rabbit Teahouse, one of my favourite places to eat. It's pretty small and intimate, so when Hannah walked in we both had to suppress squeals and settled for a hug instead, it felt like it had been such a long time since I saw her. The White Rabbit is so cute and quaint, and does the most amazing cakes. I had some of the victoria sponge and Hannah had the blueberry.

Afterwards we hit the shops, and rounded off the day with a tasty Annie's burger and Ginger Beer at The Navigation.

You would have thought that I would have eaten enough there, but oh no, I rushed back to Sheffield to meet up with the roller derby team for a chocolate tasting at Cocoa Wonderland, an independent chocolate shop and cafe on Ecclesall road.

We were doing it for Go Go as she was supposed to be moving back home to Guildford, but luckily the Sheffield ladies have her for a little while longer.

We got to try lots of delicious chocolate, learned lots about the process and history of chocolate and also had lots of laughs. I would definitely recommend it if you love chocolate, or just want to try something different.

Wreck It Ralph

So on Tuesday I was allowed to join the Coppard clan in their daily festivities. I met Eleanor, aka Nicky Fury, and her husband through roller derby and they have three of the funniest boys that I know.

On skates Fury is one big ball of ferociousness who it's better to have on your side or to keep out of the way of. Once she's traded her skates for DMs I think it's still best not to wind her up, a lesson her kids are yet to learn, but it does lead to hilarity for observers.

As it was half term, I went along with her to the cinema to watch a film called Wreck It Ralph, which I'd never heard of, so had absolutely no expectations of it, but it was amazing!

It totally took me back to being a kid playing Super Mario and fighting Bowser. The big burly turtle makes a cameo in it in my favourite scene where all the bad guys from the well known video games get together and try to come to terms with their roles as the trouble causer.

I'm not sure if the kids found it funny as I could't hear anything over our own laughter.

Afterwards we went to Starbucks where I watched Sid display an amazing talent of drinking a hot chocolate, whipped cream and all, without using your hands. Tom contemplated all the toys he could buy with the 500 won coin I gave him (I didn't have the heart to tell him it was only worth about 25p) and Josef was not impressed when I mistook his impression of a woman's walk for a penguin.

Apparently, after I left them, they asked their mum if I was a spy, and that's what I was doing living in Korea.

Photo taken by Jason Ruffell. See more of his work at:
Roller Derby on Film

Our Weekend: Food Diary

All I seem to have done since I've been in England is eat, eat, eat. I swear that I haven't heard my stomach rumble since the plane touched ground. This weekend has been a particularly food packed one.

On Thursday, after I had my hair cut, we went to St Paul's hotel and had one of their amazing cream teas. This comes with cucumber, salmon and cream cheese and ham and tomato sandwiches, scones with fresh cream and a small mix of cakes. Delicious.

On Friday morning, feeling the effects of all the food, we decided to go for a walk around Clumber Park's lake. It's about a three mile walk and took just over an hour, but on the way home, to reward ourselves, we called in at the Old School Tea Rooms and I had a ploughman's lunch.

Friday night I was reunited with the girls from the roller derby team. It was so nice to see them again, and nice to be in places that play good music and serve tasty drinks. We went to one of my favourite places from my younger years, the Corporation, which made me feel really old!

The next morning, Pauline, or Go-Go as the derby world may know her went for a big slap up breakfast at Bungalows and Bears.

When Monday rolled around and I just about managed to roll myself out of bed I kept a wide birth of the scales, and will be doing so until I get back to Korea.

Sheffield Peace Gardens// St Paul's cream tea// Taking the wellies on a walk//
Clumber Park// Ploughman's lunch// Valentine's day flowers// Crucible Square//
Reunited with the roller derby team// Dev Chippy at the end of the night//
Bungalows and Bears breakfast// Caroline and the Jessica Ennis postbox//
Saturday night wine and soju