That February Feeling

February can be a gloomy month. The delights of Christmas are long past and spring still seems that little bit out of reach. Personally I dislike February even more than January, despite the evenings being slightly lighter, it just seems a bit of a tedious month.

Looking back over my posts for February, I realise that they appeared to give off a few negative vibes, seeming a bit gloomy. It’s true that I debated a few serious issues, with none of the light-hearted banter that I sometimes include, but I stand by my comments aimed at making pertinent points.

The post that I’m most passionate about is Are Ofsted Off The Mark? detailing my reasons for pushing for a complete review of Ofsted. Reports don’t always seem to reflect how students, parents and teachers perceive their school and are too subjective depending on which inspectors actually visit. I’ve read an article where Ofsted actually admit that opinion can vary depending on which team actually go into a school. Ofsted reports shouldn’t be a game of chance, there has to be a way of making them more reliable – involving parents more and ensuring Ofsted teams have a wider mix of inspectors from different backgrounds, for example. I’ve contacted the PM and various MPs and hope at some point to get some responses to share with you.

In Merging Into One I discussed how large companies are swallowing up the competition, reducing consumer choice in the process. If we want companies to stay on their toes and endeavour to deliver the best service and value-for-money, then these takeovers must be restricted – otherwise where do we turn for better deals?

My Thoughts On Half Term post may have sounded like a bit of a rant – I suppose in effect it was, but whilst I don’t want to be a killjoy I do believe we should be instilling consideration for others in our children. I’m a mother of three (the youngest now a teenager) and have always taught respect and good manners, expecting others to do the same. We should all be having fun with our kids, but not in a way that spoils enjoyment of an experience for others. You can have fun and good manners too!

So in March I’ll try and include a bit more light-heartedness in my posts, whilst still addressing the odd serious issue should it arise.

In the meantime, what things have made me happy in February? My local craft shop selling tapestry kits normally priced at £30+ for just £7, enjoying a pub meal with my husband to celebrate our wedding anniversary (not an impersonal chain, but a local, independent pub), spending time with my teenage son and catching up with friends.

You can also read my tales of doing up an old workshop in a countryside setting at www.ruraljoy.blogspot.co.uk

January’s A Good Month To ...

Avoid making a New Year’s Resolution. Yes, seriously. Many people find that the pressure of undertaking a big life change at New Year makes it more difficult to accomplish their goals. Deciding to lose weight, quit smoking, get fitter etc is sometimes easier to accomplish at a time of your own choosing, or when the weather is warmer to make you feel more optimistic. The only resolution I’ve ever made and stuck to, is not to make a New Year’s resolution!

Raid the ‘End of Sale’ rails. I’ve never been one to queue on the first day of a sale, or even turn up within the first few days of one starting. I’m much more the type of shopper that scours the shops for ‘End of Sale’ bargains. Past finds have included Marks and Spencer jeans for £5, M&S boots for £3 and toiletry gift sets from Boots at 90% reduction. OK, so there’s not so much choice towards the end of a sale, but the savings can be huge!

Fill up those charity bags. Now’s the time to clear out all of those cupboards and drawers to make room for all of the goodies that you received for Christmas. And if you received some unwanted gifts, why not donate those to a local charity shop too? Beware, however, of some of the so-called charity bags that are posted through your door. Whilst some are genuine, others most definitely are not. If in doubt, try to take your donations directly to a charity shop, to ensure that your gifts are helping the people that you intend to help, as opposed to lining the pockets of unscrupulous individuals.

Curl up with a good book. Whilst I accept that e-readers have their place, I feel you can’t beat holding an actual book in your hand, with it’s intriguing cover beckoning you to discover its treasures within. I love to turn the pages – sometimes with some speed when I reach a particularly exciting bit – enjoying the feel of the paper and weight of the tome. Snuggling up by the fire on a winter’s day, book in hand, is sheer bliss!

Celebrity Endorsements

Advertisements can often be controversial, but I do despair at the amount of celebrity appearances and voiceovers in TV commercials, which must cost a fair whack, money probably better spent on the products themselves – or reducing their prices!

I’ve touched on this subject before, see good ads, but I’m becoming increasingly irritated by the cheesiness and pointlessness of these so-called celeb endorsements. Do I care what Cheryl is (supposedly) using on her hair, which yogurt Nicole Scherzinger (allegedly) prefers or that Victoria Wood appears to extol the virtues of a Dyson? Does it make me more likely to buy these products? Actually, no.

In fact the insincerity of some of the celebrity ads makes the products appear less credible to me. Their only use is to play a game of “Name That Celebrity” – can you recognise that famous voice in the background?

Random kittens in blog,
Much like random celebs in ads

I mean, do we really imagine that Peter André regularly pushes a trolley around his local branch of Iceland and that Mel Giedroyc really believes that “You’re better off at Asda”? The amount of different Asda ads featuring our Mel’s voice in the course of one week probably earns her enough to be far more extravagant with her weekly shop!

Personally, I’d prefer more ads featuring ‘real people’, which would be more cost-effective to make and more believable. It’s not really the TV advertising that encourages me to buy a product or visit a certain shop anyway, but introductory offers for products and loyalty incentives in the shops.

The odd advert can be quite entertaining, with some of the recent Christmas ones certainly worthy of a mention. I loved the Waitrose ad with its traumatic tale of the girl preparing the gingerbread stall and the John Lewis commercial with the lad and his penguins. But whilst the Sainsburys’ World War One ad was a poignant piece of film, I rather wish it hadn’t been an advert at all, just a short film to make us all think.

So does seeing or hearing a celebrity on a TV ad make you more likely to buy a product, or do you think there presence is just a total waste of money?

Open All Hours

It’s been reported that a record number of convenience stores will be opening their doors on Christmas Day this year. OK, so technically the word ‘convenience’ implies that they’re there for you, but surely there has to be a time when even these shops close for a well-earned break.

The thought of all shops being closed on December 25^th appears to horrify some customers. “What if we suddenly discover we’ve forgotten the brandy butter or batteries?” they despair. So what? You carry on without them just like we did in the days when shops not only closed for the one big day, but several others too. If Christmas Day and Boxing Day fell at the weekend, Monday and Tuesday were declared Bank Holidays, with shops shutting for the full four days! And this in the days before a lot of homes featured a freezer!

Celebrate don't shop!

Another argument for allowing shops to open on this date is that not all religions celebrate Christmas, so should be allowed to do as they please on this day. Fair enough up to a point. However, I see no harm in declaring December 25^th a National Kinship Day, where people have the day off (with the exception of those providing vital services, of course) to celebrate family and friendship. Sometimes we all need a bit of time out of our busy schedules to appreciate those around us, unwind and be grateful for our lives. Whatever your beliefs this is a concept that we can share.

So personally, whatever I find that I’ve neglected to buy on Christmas morning, I will definitely not be venturing out to the shops to track down. Nor will I be scuttling out come Boxing Day to attack the sales. This time of year, I’m quite happy for shopping to take a back seat.

Sadly with our 24/7 culture many people want everything permanently on tap. But here’s a thought, you can survive when the shops are shut!

A Year In Supermarkets

With only weeks left of the present year, I thought it was time that I started looking back at some of my shopping experiences for the year, and in particular, what has been happening with the supermarkets.

Tesco were in the news this year for dodgy accounting, which has resulted in a criminal investigation. Now whilst this is serious stuff, and we should theoretically be concerned, as a shopper, I’m more interested in what is actually happening at ‘ground level’ so to speak. All the while I can go into a Tesco store, find what I want at a reasonable price, get good service from the staff and earn valuable Clubcard points I will continue to shop with the chain. They certainly operate the best loyalty scheme around, with points amounting to four times their value when exchanged for days out and Clubcard send out a regular supply of relevant money-off and extra points vouchers too.

Sainsbury’s, on the other hand, announced that they are set to cut the number of Nectar points that you earn on your weekly shop. (Loyalty cards) With their loyalty scheme already offering a poorer deal than the likes of Tesco I don’t think this is a very clever move. They are, however, pledging to cut more prices, so we’ll have to see how all this works out in practice.

Morrisons launched their new ‘Match & More’ card this year, (I want more) an interesting twist on a loyalty card, whereby you earn points on items that you would have been able to buy cheaper elsewhere – a price comparison that includes the likes of Aldi and Lidl as well as the other major supermarkets. What pleased me about this card was that Morrisons offered three options when it came to registering the card – online, by post or in store – a refreshing change from companies that expect you to do everything online!

Asda has never been one of my favourite supermarkets, but they’ve certainly put themselves in the doghouse recently. My daughter placed an online grocery order with them, but the goods never actually materialised (Oh dear Asda) and despite phone calls, completion of an online form, a blog post and a Twitter conversation (which reaps results in most cases) the company failed to properly apologise for the inconvenience, or offer any explanation as to what went wrong. Needless to say it’s not an experience she has rushed to repeat. In fact, my prize for “The Worst Customer Service of 2014” is hereby awarded to Asda. Perhaps they’d care to take note!

Whilst I continue to give Aldi a wide berth, having rated previous shopping experiences with them at 2/10, I have become a bit of a fan of Lidl. For me, Lidl have been one of the great emerging retailers of 2014. Most recently I’ve found them a great place to stock up with Christmas spirits – port, cream liqueur and cherry brandy all costing around the £5 mark, and tasting delicious – and I love their Stilton too! I’m sure that I’ll have much more to say about them in 2015.

So wherever you shop, I hope you’ve had good experiences this year – if not, let me know, I’m always keen to hear your shopping stories too!

My Life In Magazines

I’ve always been a great reader of magazines, right from when I was bought regular comics as a child.

I have vague memories of a comic called Playhour, which had a yellow cover and was filled with stories about teddies and such like. But the first comic that I really got excited about was Twinkle.

Between the ages of about four and seven, I looked forward to my copy of Twinkle landing on the mat every week. Each Christmas over that time I received the annual too, such was my love of stories such as Nurse Nancy, Sally Sweet Of Sunshine Street and Patsy Panda.

In time I outgrew Twinkle and tried a large number of different magazines. The early 70s seemed to see the arrival of a new comic every few weeks, with every new one launched bearing free gifts. I frequently changed my choice of comic to benefit from these gifts and try out as many comics as I could.

I worked my way through such gems as Whizzer and Chips, Shiver and Shake and Cor, before returning to the more girlie publications such as Jinty and Spellbound. At primary school I loved wet playtimes, when the teacher would produce boxes full of comics for us to read, allowing me to try yet more titles.

During this era, my sister who was six years older than me, was enjoying magazines full of song words, such as Disco 45. We used to sing the songs loudly together, which far from impressed my mother when we were heard to belt out the words to ‘My Ding-A-Ling.’

My sister also regularly read Jackie, which I used to eagerly wait for her to finish, so that I could cut out the fashion pages to make a kind of ‘dress the doll’ game.

By the time I was a teenager Mates and magazines full of photo stories were all the rage, although I also collected a craft partwork at this time.

From my twenties onwards I bought different magazines depending on my mood and what they featured at the time. Titles I tried included Annabel, Woman’s World, She and Family Circle.

Women’s magazines have changed with the times and there are actually fewer ‘general’ ones in the shops than in years gone by I would say. Many magazines today are geared towards specific hobbies and interests, In fact, apart from Women’s Weekly that I buy for the stories, I only tend to buy the odd knitting or cross stitch magazine myself.

But no matter what magazines I buy today, I don’t think I’ll ever get as excited as I did about my beloved Twinkle!

(I’m dedicating this post in memory of my much-loved sister who died of cancer back in 2010. Writing this has brought back some treasured memories.)

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This January I’ve …

… Been doing lots of baking, not because I’ve got Great-British-Bake-Off-Fever, but because it’s a cheap way to keep the family provided with cakes, buns and other goodies. With Tesco Everyday Value flour costing only 45p for a 1.5kg bag, you can keep the family supplied at a really low cost.

,,, Bought Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine, which comes with a cute card kit and is full of fun cross stitch designs. I got the bug for making cross stitch cards in the lead up to Christmas and am still keen to make more!

… Received my first reward voucher from my Together loyalty card (The Works book shop). If you’re an avid reader this is a great card as you earn 5 points for every pound that you spend, with each point worth 1p. This is better than a Tesco Clubcard where you earn 1 point per pound or a Sainsburys Nectar Card, which awards 2 points per pound, but it takes 2 points to make one penny. But of course, you won’t spend so much in The Works anyway, will you?

Enjoying Carling Zest with a hint of winter berries, the latest edition to their delicious range of flavoured lagers and by far my favourite. Grab a box of 12 bottles for just £7 at Tesco!

… Reading lots of books as usual, including:

‘The Memory of Midnight’ by Pamela Hartshorne, an intriguing tale that combines the modern day life of troubled Tess and the hardships of Elizabethan York as experienced by Nell Appleby. A gripping tale that really gets you hooked!

‘The Flower Reader’ by Elizabeth Loupas. A tale of danger and intrigue set in the court of the young Mary Queen of Scots, which takes a lot of twists and turns before all is revealed. It’s compelling reading.

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Customer Service – Queues

Levels of customer service can vary greatly, not just between different store chains and shops, but also between individual branches, and indeed, individual shop assistants.

I’ve previously chronicled some of the good and bad examples of customer service that I’ve received and now have a couple of new stories to relate.

Hands up who's fed up of queues?

On the whole, I’ve always received a good standard of customer service at my local Tesco stores. However a recent shopping trip to one branch left me feeling rather annoyed. I’d popped in for a few necessary items and joined a checkout queue with only one other customer in front of me. I should have whizzed through the checkout easily, however this was not to be. There was a problem with an item that the customer ahead of me was purchasing – some fault with the bar code. The item in question was only worth a couple of pounds and the easiest solution was for the cashier to total up the few other items of shopping and refer the problem to customer services.

However, she chose to send a colleague to track down a better bar code, who proceeded to do so in the manner of someone taking a Sunday afternoon stroll. Ten minutes later the assistant finally returned with the new code and finally the queue got to move!

At no point during all of this did either the cashier, or her colleague, attempt to apologise to those of us waiting in the queue. When it was my turn to be served I was just met with the customary, “Thank you for waiting”, said without any feeling. I did not reply, “That’s OK”, because it wasn’t.

I am quite prepared to wait in a queue if I 1) feel there is a valid, unavoidable reason for this and 2) receive an apology for the delay. As neither of these points applied to this situation I was far from happy and will be contacting the store manager.

On the flipside, my local Sainsburys, who I’ve previously had to take to task over a 20-minute hold-up with a customer service query, appear to have upped their game. How refreshing it has been to arrive at the checkouts with a full trolley of shopping and be met by a smiling-faced individual who proceeds to take me to the checkout with the shortest queue. It’s these little personal touches that make a difference to a shopping trip.

The same branch of Sainsburys sent a letter to me just ahead of Christmas, thanking me for my custom and enclosing a gift voucher. OK, they probably did that to lots of customers, but once again it made me feel appreciated.

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Keeping The Old

Long before local councils provided recycling facilities, we used a different form of recycling in our homes – it was more a case of re-using.

I grew up in a family where my nan kept buttons and the cards from tea packets in old toffee tins, my dad stored nuts and bolts in old coffee jars and my mum kept ‘odds and ends’ in an old biscuit tin. Things were re-used in all sorts of other ways too, rather than discard perfectly good items.

Today, many a jar, tin and box can be found in my house, put to some good use or other. I too have a button tin, but mine is in the shape of a house and once contained stationery. I fill it with the spare buttons that come with items of clothing and also buttons from garments that are past their wear – you never know when they may come in handy.

My sewing items are stored in a rather snazzy Marks and Spencer biscuit tin, circa 1984, which is just the right size and shape for all my needles, pins and reels of cotton. Then there’s the box full of things my children made at school, the jar of small change, the old sweet tin that gets refilled with treats (didn’t like the latest plastic version of Christmas chocolate containers though), the ‘odds and ends’ pot, the old tins containing pencils, pens etc – need I go on?

Just like my dad, my husband keeps assorted nails, screws and ‘things-we-might-need’ in numerous jars. Amongst the gifts I bought him at Christmas was a retro radio shaped tin containing toffees, in which he now intends to keep stationery items.

I love some of the clever designs of tins that exist and I much prefer to use them for storage than some of the (frankly quite expensive) trendy, purpose-made options in the shops. Why buy empty tins to put things in, when you can buy full tins, use or consume the contents then re-use for storage? It’s cheaper, kinder to the environment and much more fun.

So take my advice, it can be good to keep the old.

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Starting The Year Anew

Following my success using Avon Anew Smoothing Eyeliner, I decided to try a couple more make-up products from the Anew range.

Having reached a ‘certain age’ I am conscious of needing products that give my skin a bit of a boost, and bear this in mind when buying cosmetics and skincare items, so I’m loving the Avon Anew range.

 

The first new product I’ve tried is the Youth-Awakening Eyeshadow and Primer Kit, a handy little pot that has a cream primer on the bottom, an eyeshadow duo on the top and even comes with a handy little mirror in the lid. I love this product! It is convenient to use and compact to carry around. The eye colours are subtle and feel smooth on my lids. I’m currently using Shimmering Walnut, but you can also choose from Smoky Violet and Spring Green. The product normally costs £10, but is currently on offer for £6.50.

The other Anew product that I’ve recently tried is the Lip Restoring Colour Balm, which glides on easily, conditioning lips whilst giving them a touch of colour. With a choice of four shades currently (a couple of shades were available pre-Christmas that I can’t find now), this product sells for £9, but personally I wait for an offer to come up. In fact, you can currently choose a balm for free when you spend £15 or more on Anew Beauty products.

I’m now planning to try some more Anew products as so far so good!

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So That Was December

OK, so I know the month’s not quite over yet, but I’m saving the last day of December for my 2013 Review.

So how was December for you? Was it a month filled with fun and festivity or chaos and endless Christmas shopping? Was it, in fact, a sad time for reflection – I know I always miss loved ones more this time of year (my dad and two of my sisters).

Whatever you may have done, I hope you’ve had some good times and enjoyed some of the festivities on offer, without breaking the bank. You may have read my Christmas On A Budget blog to help keep costs down, and hopefully the bargain drink prices will help you see in the New Year too.

Amongst my other posts this month I’ve told a tale of British Gas engineers, reviewed ‘Which?’ magazine, had some ‘Random Thoughts’ and reviewed eyeliner – a real mixed bag.

Not quite the scene this December

I’m a big kid when it comes to Christmas, I especially love seeing all the twinkling lights and watching my (not so small) children opening their presents. The added bonus this year was that my seven-month old grandson was around for all the fun too. However, my heart went out to those who were unable to celebrate a traditional family Christmas due to flooding and/or loss of power.

As we all prepare to see in the New Year, I’ll leave you with a few little thoughts, and hope you’ll keep reading next month, and indeed next year.

Best thing I’ve tasted this month: Tesco Finest Belgian Chocolate Assortment, absolutely delicious! Yummy chocolate containing, amongst other things, whole cherries marzipan and nuts.

Best thing I’ve seen this month: People’s faces as they’ve opened their presents.

This month I’ve been reading: Some slushy, feel-good Christmas books including ‘All I Want For Christmas’ by Amy Silver and ‘Sleigh Bells In The Snow’ by Sarah Morgan.

Stop Press! I've just bought Tesco Finest Italian Sour Cherry Pralines for just £1.25 for a 150g box and they are delicious!

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It’s Chriiiiiiistmas! Well, nearly.

Well here we are, the big day is nearly upon us and if you’re not already prepared then this is where the panic sets in.

I’m pleased to say I’m just about ready for it all. Food bought (except for that vital thing I suddenly realise I’ve forgotten at midnight on Christmas Eve), presents wrapped (not wonderfully, as I’m not that handy with a roll of sellotape) and the house prepared – a kind of organised chaos.

Hubby bravely tackled a small Tesco shop this morning, and survived it all pretty intact. In fact at the time he visited, shoppers were still in polite, calm “after you mode”. By now all hell has properly broken loose with trolley rage in the aisles, and customers racing to grab that coveted last bag of brussel sprouts/pot of cream/dejected-looking turkey.

Strangely enough, my shopping trip to Sainsburys on Friday was far more traumatic. Although the shops seemed pretty deserted for most of last week, everyone suddenly decided that Friday was the day to go crazy. One woman in particular made at least three attempts to run me down with her trolley – what had I ever done to her?

So that’s it now. No more shopping for me until well after Christmas. Much as I love a good shop there’s a time and a place for everything and Christmas is family time, and I don’t mean just the one day. My blog post of last year, giving my Thoughts On Christmas And Shopping still rings true. I really don’t believe that shops should open on Boxing Day; we can survive without them, thank you very much.

 

Anyway that just leaves me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Or for those of you who don’t celebrate this festivity, a happy winter break. Thank you all for reading my blog again this year, more to come soon.

Happy Holidays!

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December’s Random Thoughts

The thing that really annoys me about the shops being full of Christmas cards and wrapping paper at this time of year is that it’s so hard to find a decent birthday card! People do still celebrate birthdays in December, despite what some shops may think.

I love Christmas lights!

Last week I arrived home from a shopping trip, clutching my festive TV (What’s On TV) guide eager to discover the delights of Christmas telly. However, imagine my surprise when I found that the magazine was missing pages 5-38, although it had double of some of the other page numbers. Perhaps even more disconcerting, was that when I returned it my local Tesco to get a replacement, the assistant scrutinised my receipt very carefully to confirm the 90p purchase, checking and double-checking before allowing me to get a new copy! I was hardly operating some big-time con!

My husband often meets me in a local car park after a shopping trip, where I happen to stand waiting for him quite near to a ticket machine. Obviously, my proximity to the machine means that people often ask whether I have change for the meter, but more perversely they seem to ask me random questions too. “What time do the shops close?” “Where’s the best place to buy a loofah?” (Or some such item). “Is there a branch of ‘Mobile Phone Mania’ nearby?” It seems they think I’m there to offer some kind of information service; perhaps I should put a sign above my head saying ‘Shoppers’ Joy Information Here’. Who knows, if you’re a shopper in Kent and have ever asked a rather exhausted, shopping-laden lady for advice, you may have spoken to Shoppers’ Joy?

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Christmas On A Budget

Christmas can be a magical time of year, but it can also be a drain on already struggling finances. More than ever we’re having to watch our shopping bills and budget as much as we can to get by, in view of rising prices and static wages.

But it’s important to remember that whilst we want to celebrate the festive season with our loved ones, it’s not the amount of money that we spend that counts, it’s the time that we actually spend with our family and friends.

Christmas is a very commercial affair, but there are ways to enjoy the celebrations without spending a fortune.

Now is a good time to check your points’ balances on any loyalty cards that you may have, and make use of these if you can. I recently bought a host of Christmas goodies from Sainsburys using my Nectar points to buy items such as crackers, drinks and chocolate, after discovering I had a balance worth almost £30.

If you’re a Tesco Clubcard holder, then you can use their current points boost promotion to double your points’ value. Just exchange your Clubcard vouchers for coupons to spend in specific areas of the store, to get twice their face value. Categories include Finest Wines, toys, clothing and electricals. You can exchange vouchers up until 20^th December and redeem the new vouchers until 31^st December. I’ve made use of the Finest Wines offer to get a few good bottles in for Christmas dinner – prices in the range start from just £5.99.

You may also have points on cards such as Boots Advantage Card and Superdrug Beautycard that can be exchanged for last minute gifts.

If you don’t own a loyalty card (and why not?) then you can still find some bargain offers around. Here are a few recommended buys:

O’Gradys Irish Cream Liqueur – A great (more creamy, I think) alternative to Baileys at just £5.50 a bottle from Sainsburys.

If you like Archers Peach Schnapps, then a great budget alternative is Peaches, costing just £5.50 at Iceland. You can also find lower cost supermarket versions of other drinks such as ‘Malibu’ as ‘Pimms’.

Love liqueur chocolates? I recommend The Co-Operative Loved By Us Brandy Liqueurs costing just £1 per box! Lovely! Most supermarkets also stock boxes of tasty after dinner mints, that I enjoy much more than the famous After Eights, for just £1 a box.

Enjoy your Christmas without too much expense!

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How Many Gas Engineers?

There’s a standing joke in our house that goes, “How many gas engineers does it take to service a boiler?’

This harks back to the time when our boiler was due its annual service, but instead of just one gas engineer turning up to do the job, we ended up with several!

British Gas are usually quite good in that their engineers usually inform you of their imminent arrival. On the day in question we did indeed receive a call from an engineer on our landline, but not long after also received a message on one of our mobiles. “He’s being thorough,” we thought, not realising there could be more than one engineer involved.

Engineer number one turned up and started work – everything appeared to be going to plan. Then the doorbell rang. There stood another engineer – and another. These two joined their mate, more in the capacity of spectators you understand, and a conversation ensued about who should really be doing the job.

Tea was served, and what with it being close to Christmas and the tree lights twinkling in the background, it all started to feel very festive. Then the doorbell rang again. “That’ll be another one of your lot”, I quipped, but never was a truer word spoken in jest. Yes, there was gas engineer number four.

A change from four gas engineers round the fireplace

By this time I was passed being surprised and was, in fact, beginning to wonder whether my house had become the unofficial location for the British Gas Christmas party. It all started to feel very jolly, but the service was taking somewhat longer than usual, as the original engineer was, I believe, more hindered than helped by his colleagues.

Finally they all left and it started to seem a bit quiet, but how we giggled about that day for some time to come.

We’ve just had this year’s boiler service. One engineer, speedy service, job done. Seems a bit of an anti-climax really.

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So That Was November

It may still technically have been autumn, but the weather in November has, at times, had the definite feel of winter about it and I’ve actually found myself getting into Christmas shopping mode quite early on. As I write this, I have actually bought over half of my gifts, more by accident, admittedly, than by any planning. I just seem to have been spotting goodies whilst out at the shops and grabbing them while I can.

Am actually on target with Christmas shopping!

Also on a Christmas note I have been busy cross-stitching festive cards, and have now accumulated quite an impressive selection to start writing, along with little notes that I like to slip inside.

With the temperature falling I’ve been sure to have a good, warming breakfast each day, and have become rather partial to Tesco Micro Oats, available in ‘original’ and ‘golden syrup’ flavours and a variety box that contains apple and blueberry in addition to these flavours (£1.59 for 9 sachets). I’ve not found a box of just apple and blueberry flavour on its own locally, but according to the internet they are available, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my local Tesco stores will stock them soon.

Although it’s been a busy month for me in many ways, I did actually manage an outing to the Tower of London (read here) which actually made me look a very cool parent when less than a week later, my son settled down to watch the anniversary episode of Dr Who and discovered it was partly filmed at, yes you’ve got it, the Tower of London! What great timing for the outing, be it a total fluke.

No doubt, I’ll be writing a few more festive-based blogs during December, along with my random thoughts, recommendations and musings, but I’ll leave you with these little points to ponder:

Best thing I’ve seen this month: The crown jewels – they’re just one of those things you that just have to see in life, and I finally got round to it!

Best thing I’ve bought this month: The current (dated December) issue of ‘Crafts Beautiful’ magazine, which not only comes with a free felt and decoupage kit, but if you buy it at Tesco, a free copy of the book ‘All I want for Christmas’ by Amy Silver.

The worst thing I’ve had to do this month:  Close down my static caravan and put it into hibernation until the spring. I really miss going there and look forward to spending lots of time at it again next year.

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November’s Random Thoughts

Am I the only shopper that when hearing an announcement in a supermarket to the effect of “Will all department heads now please attend the rumble?” pictures Ant and Dec performing their ‘hit’ song? Perhaps stores should just play “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” over the tannoy to summon staff and put a smile on all of our faces into the bargain.

Speaking of Ant and Dec, I’ve been watching the latest series of ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’, but feel that more than ever the definition of celebrity is somewhat dubious. Contestants really seem to qualify for one of two alternative shows, ‘I’m A Has Been Get Me Out Of Here’ and ‘I’m A Wannabe Get Me Out Of Here’. Still I can’t resist watching the victims, sorry contestants, putting themselves through the whole ordeal.

I’ve checked the calendar multiple times, but it’s still definitely November, so why have so many weekly magazines decided to put their ‘Bumper Christmas Issue’ on the shelves this week?

Oh whoopee! Bisto have brought out a special Christmas gift tin of their gravy granules – bet you’re all hoping for one of those in your stocking!

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So That Was October

October – a nip in the air, mists moving in, the faint smell of bonfires, leaves turning gold and in our household the return of casseroles, jacket potatoes, cottage pie and yummy henhouse pie (recipe here) to the menu.

I hate the onset of the long, dark evenings, but always find that this time of year I return more enthusiastically to the many crafts that I love. I’m currently preparing to embark on some cross stitch projects for Christmas, and have just bought the latest issue (number 10) of Enjoy Cross Stitch, a magazine full of cross stitch projects that comes in a zip-up plastic wallet, which also contains threads, cards and envelopes, felt frames, ribbons, Aida fabric and a needle all for the price of £7.99. I’m also back to knitting jumpers and gloves, rediscovering latch-hook rug-making after several years away from the craft and finishing a couple of tapestry projects.

On my blog my thoughts seem to have been very much focused on clothes – leggings, pyjamas, shoes and wardrobe favourites have all had a mention. With the onset of autumn it’s certainly a time to review our wardrobe, weeding out the summer clothes that we never did wear, and the jumpers from last year that we’re not really sure why we kept. Now’s the time to see what items we’re missing to complete our outfits for the new season – any excuse to go shopping!

Amongst all my ramblings I championed StayNew Leggings from the M&S Collection, but have to say the second pair I bought of these did not appear to be as thick as the first when it came to wearing them, which was somewhat of a disappointment, though I still prefer them to many other versions that I’ve tried.

There’ll be plenty more reviews and tales of customer service next month, in the meantime I’ll leave you with these little gems:

Best thing I’ve seen this month: Joseph And The Technicolour Dreamcoat performed at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, Kent, a vibrant performance of the old favourite. This should have starred ‘H’ from steps, but on the night we went he was 'indisposed' and therefore replaced by Rob Wilshaw, who gave a stunning performance.

Best thing I’ve read this month: ‘The Sleep Room’ by F. R. Tallis, a subtly chilling read that leaves you wondering about the realities of life. Set in a part of Suffolk that I know well, it seemed all the more disturbing for me.

In my bad books this month: Marks and Spencer Café, Hempstead Valley, where a very surly assistant was rather rude and abrupt to me, resulting in me abandoning all ideas of lunch there! I promptly took my custom elsewhere – somewhere that treated me as a valued customer as opposed to a nuisance.

October’s Random Thoughts

Whilst out clothes shopping recently, I’ve been aware that so many shops and clothing departments seem to have reduced the number of mirrors in store. I find myself traipsing halfway round the shop in search of a decent mirror to stand in front of ‘umming and aahing’ about the garment draped across me. I know I can go into the changing rooms, and ultimately I do if a garment looks worth it, but I don’t want to spend my time vying for a cubicle if the colour of a garment is going to make my skin look yellow! To reach that conclusion all I need is a simple mirror.

The only problem I’ve found with my son’s Marks and Spencer ‘Ultimate Non-iron School Shirts’ is that ultimately they need ironing!

My award for ‘staying power’ has to go to Virgin Media who have consistently sent promotional literature to me about every three weeks for years on end, despite me resolutely ignoring them. I’m never going to be tempted by their services, and I’m sure I have made this known to them in the past, but still they soldier on, bless them (she says through gritted teeth).

Yes, I know it’s barely two months until Christmas, but I really don’t want to start buying all the food now, even if I’m starting to look at gifts. So why do supermarkets insist on stocking all the Christmas fayre now, clearing some of the things that I really want to buy off the shelves to make room for festive food far too early?

September’s Random Thoughts

Why is it that when I select a few garments to take into a changing room when out clothes shopping, (a couple I really like the look of and an OK one that I might as well try), I only ever end up buying the one that I took in as an afterthought or to make up the numbers?

With the summer holidays over, it won’t be long before the shops start displaying all their Christmas goods, no doubt. (In fact a local shop put out some Christmas cards a month or two ago). So I thought I’d get ahead this year and be the first to wish you all a Happy Christmas!

An early Christmas pic just for you

My local Tesco Metro has just had a revamp. I love the new, brighter feel. I love the new more user-friendly fridges. But I hate the narrower aisles, lined with higher shelf units – a trend in many shops now it seems. Why don’t they just go the whole way and turn the shop into a maze? Customers lucky enough to find their way to the centre can be rewarded with the products that they were looking to find!

When it comes to buying jeans it would seem that we are spoilt for choice. There are skinny, straight leg, bootcut, relaxed, loose, comfort, carpenter and boyfriend fit jeans. I’m waiting for ‘actually fit’ jeans, as no matter which style I opt for, there’s always something not quite right about them.

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