My favourite ice cream Parlour: Beacon Farm, Sneaton near Whitby
Easter treat of make your own sundaes. Wonderful ice cream and excellent value at £5.50 for a two scoop sundae (contains liquorice and blackcurrant, chocolate, salted caramel and cherry ice creabs)

Beautiful sunny day at RHS Harlow Carr yesterday. Bought a lottery ticket for £2 in the morning and was rewarded by getting entrance for £1 each (offer available until 23rd).l Lottery Week offers free or discounted entrance to lots of sites including National Trust properties with a lottery ticket

UK Rail Sale Starts tomorrow. From 14 to 20 January some fares will go on sale at up to 50% off for travel between 17 January and 31 March. All companies included except except Hull Trains, Lumo, Merseyrail and Translink Northern Ireland but many don’t seem to be promoting the sale.

Pleased to visit the Gambia’s first Children’s Library yesterday. Set up by Emily Joof and the Mbife Foundation this is a pleasant space in the grounds of the Fajara Garden Restaurant. It was lovely to meet librarian Mariana Loum and to be able to donate some books.

Impressed to find a library in The Gambia providing an inclusive space for teenagers and young adults. Happy to meet Ben Camara who started the project through crowd funding, the help of volunteers and savings.

theorangelibrary.org

Staying at the Rooftop Boutique Hotel in Gambia. A truly unique hotel with a wonderful roof terrace but sadly we are the only guests at the moment. Sad that so many people on the plane opted for a package holiday.
www.rooftopgambia.com

Christmas has started! Made my annual pilgrimage to Craig’s Bakery in Marske next to Sea for their special Christmas hot chocolate. Cherry flavoured and topped with toasted Italian meringue.

Power cuts make you reassess the value of possessions. This candle holder from Wold Pottery in Loftus spent years sat on a windowsill holding a key. Last night it saved the day,candlelit dinner and enough light to read a novel.