July’s Jaunts

Have been a bit quiet on the blog front of late, life has a habit of taking over, and I’ve recently returned from a holiday in Yorkshire. We stayed at the Tollerton Caravan Park, some 10 miles north of York, which proved to be a very peaceful place – well, except for the train line on its border!

Anyway, there will be lots to report on with regard to that trip, including visits to Lightwater Valley Theme Park (watch for the interesting tale of the swan pedalo rescue), Rievaulx and Byland Abbeys and The National Railway Museum (a bit of a sting in the ‘tale’ with this one, or more specifically a burn on the belly).

So that’s a taste of future posts, but in the meantime, before I leave the Yorkshire theme, a word of warning if you’re visiting Thirsk. The short stay car park in front of the Wetherspoon’s in the town square, states that parking is free for up to 60 minutes. However, what is not immediately apparent is that you still have to press for a ticket to record your time of arrival. We missed this bit and were almost presented with a parking ticket, but fortunately our mistake was pointed out to us by a friendly parking attendant (yes, they do exist) so that we could remedy the situation in the nick of time!

As with any holiday, we returned with bags full of washing, only for the washing machine to go into meltdown. There’s no doubt that appliances do tend to pick their moments to break down! However, following my favourable experience of buying a new fridge/freezer from Co-op Electrical online, I headed straight to the website in search of a new machine. I was thrilled to find a sleek silver Beko number, at an astounding £110 off, which boasted rave reviews, so I wasted no time in placing my order. This was on the Monday – by 9.00 am Wednesday morning the machine was here and raring to go! I’m extremely pleased with it, and will be looking at reviewing it in more detail in a future post.

Earlier in the month we returned to a favourite visitor attraction of ours – Dover Castle. Having rejoined English Heritage this year (courtesy of Tesco Clubcard vouchers) we were eager to make the, now free, trip. However, this meant journeying across Kent, a manoeuvre greatly hampered by the existence of Operation Stack, which is still in place as I write. The journey was a nightmare, with many other roads on route log-jammed as a result. We finally arrived at the castle over an hour later than we should have done, but fortunately went on to have a lovely visit.

For those of us living in Kent, Operation Stack is a nightmare, which needs to be remedied by creating decent lorry parks just off the motorway. Of course, the source of the problem is far more complex, with its origins in Calais, which also need to be addressed.

So with July coming to a close it’s been a busy, but interesting month, now I’m just waiting for the return of summer, which I hope is just round the corner!

All About April

Well April’s certainly seen some lovely weather, with warm sunny days that hint more at summer than spring. I’ve certainly been enjoying the warm spell, experiencing my first spring in my new rural home – you can read more at www.ruraljoy.blogspot.co.uk

Of course, one of the big stories of the moment has been the election campaign with all its related debates, broadcasts and inevitable slanging matches – candidates running down the opposition as opposed to concentrating on their own policies. Like many voters I’m finding this a tough one to call, although I think that I’ve finally decided on how I’m going to vote. Key issues for me include saving the NHS, protecting our children’s education and putting an end to the ‘rob the poor to make the rich richer’ mentality!

With regard to education, I’m continuing my campaign to call for a complete review of Ofsted, please join me with that by tweeting #OfstedNoConfidence or lobbying your local MP.

I’ve been fortunate enough to get away for a short break this month, enjoying some time with my daughter and toddler grandson at Camber Sands. The weather was unbelievably kind to us and we were able to build sandcastles on the beach and even paddle in the sea! My daughter had booked us in at Pontin’s, which had caused me a little trepidation as I’d heard some damning reviews in the past, but I was pleasantly surprised. Although the accommodation was a little tired, the staff were lovely and the facilities pretty good. You’ll be able to read more about my stay in a future post.

Although I’m only a very occasional visitor to McDonald’s I recently went to my local branch that had recently been refurbished – and promptly despaired at the service! The branch has taken on a new Argos-esque persona whereby you queue twice – once to order and another to collect said order. The waiting time seemed much increased from the old system and the staff appeared more interested in distributing balloons than serving customers. This is no doubt another subject I’ll revisit in a future post.

Hope you’ve all had a great month, soaking up the sunshine and hopefully not becoming too disillusioned by all the political speak. Feel free to share some of your April highs and lows in the comments section of this blog!

March Musings

March is always such on optimistic month, heralding, as it does, the arrival of spring. As the nation heads less optimistically towards a general election, we brace ourselves for the onslaught of campaign speeches and backstabbing sessions. What did grab our attention this month, however, was the solar eclipse, sadly not visible to us all because of cloud cover just at the wrong moment! Still, on the whole, the month has seen the arrival of some brighter, warmer weather, which has proved welcome to us all.

Less of this ...

This improvement in the weather saw us going on our first proper outing of the year. Our destination – Quex Park Powell-Cotton Museum in Kent. The museum houses a series of natural history dioramas – stuffed animals ranging from mice to giraffes – disturbing and striking in equal measure. There is also a great hands-on room where visitors can play musical instruments, try on costumes and delve in drawers of secrets. The gardens make a lovely setting for a picnic and postprandial stroll and although not open until 31^st March, there is an historic house to peruse. Admission for museum and gardens combined is £6 for adults, £4 for children (£8 and £6 respectively to include house) and ticket sales operatives do try and press you to agree to Gift Aid donations. We declined, to their horror, as we feel this should be reserved for more deserving charities – also theoretically, the charge should be different to include Gift Aid, as detailed in Gift Aid Explained so technically they’re breaking the rules!

... more of this!

The warmer weather (together with a glimpse of myself in a changing room mirror recently) has set me on a mission to dispense with a few of my ‘flabby bits’ in preparation for wearing all those lovely spring and summer clothes. This has involved cutting down on quite a number of foods, strangely mostly those beginning with the letter ‘C’ – crisps, chocolate, cheese, cake – and eating somewhat healthier substitutes. My current favourite lunch comprises sliced avocado and tomato, olives, cottage cheese and crispbread – it’s surprisingly satisfying and tasty!

March has seen me continue with the campaign that I started back in February, to push for an independent review of Ofsted in light of some very inconsistent and often unfair reports. Many schools commended and praised by parents and students have been deemed as ‘failing’, whilst those on the receiving end of parental complaints appear to have been judged as ‘good’. Just what agenda is Ofsted working from? To add your support to my campaign, please tweet using #OfstedNoConfidence and if you’ve not yet read my previous Ofsted posts do so here and here

Thank you for your continued support! 

Remembering Mum – Mum Remembering

As we approach Mother’s Day here in the UK, we’re busily selecting appropriate cards and bouquets and possibly planning little treats for our mothers, perhaps pausing to recall a few treasured childhood memories along the way.

We always invite my mother and mother-in-law for a meal on Mothering Sunday as well as presenting them with small gifts, this year being no exception.

However, when I asked my mum a couple of weeks ago whether she would like to come for Sunday Lunch on the allotted day, we had rather a different kind of conversation. We covered all the usual ground about when the date was, what time she would come, that yes we would be picking her up and so on, but her burning question was, “Do I need to buy something for my mum?” Followed some moments later by, “Do I have a mum?”

You see my mum is in her eighties and has dementia. Some days our conversations run smoothly, other times they’re fraught with heartrending questions and difficult explanations, but we get through.

Diagnosed a couple of years ago after rather a battle for a referral to a memory clinic, mum’s decline has been thankfully slowed down by medication and some input from the clinic. Although there are obviously still some tough times that can be distressing for us all.

But what has been a big help is the opening of a day centre for dementia sufferers just around the corner from where my mother lives, which is run by Age UK. After initial reluctance, counteracted by constant encouragement, my mum started to attend the centre last summer. In no time at all she began to really enjoy her weekly visit and it has improved her mental state somewhat too. On her most recent dementia check, her score had actually improved – the additional stimulation has certainly proved good for her.

Each week, mum looks forward to a chat with others who in her own words, “Are just like me so I don’t feel silly”, the opportunity to take part in activities and a freshly cooked lunch. It’s been really good for her.

To others with relatives suffering from dementia I would say do encourage them to attend a similar centre if there is one nearby. The effects can be very beneficial.

To read more about Age UK or offer your support, visit www.ageuk.org.uk

Return To The Hills

I’ve really been enjoying the recent sunny, summer days and spending time at my caravan in East Anglia, where we’ve been on some more fun family outings.

Last week we made a return visit to Pleasurewood Hills in Lowestoft, that we visited for the first time last year.

Once again we were entertained by the fun parrot and sea lion shows, but instead of the illusion extravaganza supplied last year by Sean Alexander, we were thrilled by the amazing Acapulco High Dive Show team, who demonstrated a great range of high dives displaying both dramatic and comedic elements. The show definitely had the ‘wow’ factor.

Of course we also enjoyed a variety of rides, though I must confess to be more of a spectator when it comes to the big ‘thrill’ rides such as Wipeout (a large roller coaster that goes backwards, forwards, upside down etc) and Enigma (with its dramatic plunge). But thankfully, Pleasurewood Hills offers a good variety of family rides, which are literally much more down to earth.

It was very relaxing to ride the paddle boats (OK, I was a passenger allowing others to do the work), great fun being driven in the dodgems by my son, who is a master of the avoidance technique, and like a return to childhood riding the carousel and miniature railway!

The theme park has a lovely, friendly feel and a relaxing countryside setting, making it a great choice for a family, summer outing.

My Best Buys This May

I’ve really been enjoying the return to salad weather and tucking into Tesco Sweet and Smoky Beetroot – shredded beetroot that actually isn’t dowsed in vinegar. To my mind this is how beetroot should be eaten. I’m a bit unsure about the packaging though. It proclaims, “I’m new” and “Keep me in the fridge”. Er, I don’t think it can actually talk Tesco, so why insist on trying to thrust this human quality on it?

In our household, we occasionally enjoy a glass of Sprite/7Up Zero, but it can be pricey at around £2 for a 2-litre bottle, so I was thrilled when I discovered Tesco Lemon and Lime Zero for just 65p for the same size bottle. But then I was even happier when I found Sainsbury’s Lemon and Lime Zero for just 55p a bottle! Although the price has now risen to 60p it’s still a great buy, which is as tasty as the big name brands.

For a lovely summer meal, we’ve been enjoying Sainsbury’s Minted Lamb Grills (frozen, 4 for £2) accompanied by Sainsbury’s Microwaveable Golden Vegetable Rice (frozen, £1 for 2 sachets) and served with a salad. This is a tasty, budget, family meal that is quick and easy to prepare.

As a bit of a treat I’ve bought Marks and Spencer Passion Fruit and Peach Jaffa Cakes. They are absolutely gorgeous, but strangely come in packs of eleven, what’s wrong with twelve? Nevertheless, Jaffa Cakes have come of age!

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A Life In Boxes

As I write this I’m sitting in a house filled with boxes. Cardboard boxes of all sizes that are currently being filled with what amounts to my life.

This may all seem very melodramatic, but I’m sure the coming months (and beyond) are likely to be filled with a certain amount of drama. We’re about to embark on a rather complicated move, which we’re trying to synchronize and plan with precision. Yeh right!

In our household we don’t often do plans. We more commonly operate on a kind of ‘make-it-up-as-you-go-along’ mentality. Many a time we’ve enjoyed an outing or holiday where the kids (can barely call them that now) have exclaimed, “Wow, you did well planning that one!” At which point hubby and I exchange knowing looks indicating, “Well, actually we made it up as we went along”.

What I’m actually anticipating is an element of chaos and the likelihood that ‘plans’, such as they are, will change on a near daily basis.

We’re currently at stage one of said move – packing all the things that we can manage quite nicely without for some time into a series of boxes, duly sealed and labelled. These will then be stored so that we can enter stage two.

Of course, part of this process involves ditching the junk, which is easy for me as I’m a ‘serial sorter’ anyway. Any excuse and you’ll find me rummaging through various cupboards and drawers, throwing out unwanted items and meticulously putting the rest in order. It’s something I do when I have things on my mind that I just can’t seem to resolve – a psychologist would have a field day with me! The good thing is that now the rest of the family have the incentive to clear out all their junk too!

So on to stage two. This will mean moving all our remaining belongings into what we are calling ‘temporary accommodation number one’. Basically a brief period spent kind of indoor camping at a relative’s outbuilding, before spending the majority of the summer in our beloved static caravan.

OK. With me so far?

At the end of summer we’ll be getting ‘temporary accommodation number two’ in place and that’s when the fun begins …

More than that I won’t reveal at this time, as final arrangements have to be confirmed and we have much work to do. All I will say is that we’ll be trading a suburban lifestyle for village life, views of the house opposite for a countryside scene and busy roads and good transport links for winding lanes and an hourly bus service.

So keep watching for future posts when more will be revealed …

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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.

So That Was September

Well here we are, well and truly into autumn and the last month has simply flown by. After a short break away from my blog, September saw me return with a few new blog posts that are only just gaining momentum.

My summer was busy with some good fun times included, but towards the end I started to experience a little self-doubt, especially as it’s also a sad time of year for me.

September is the anniversary (three years this year) of the death of my sister who was closest in age to me , with what should have been her birthday also during this month. But on a more positive note, this September also saw the first anniversary of my blog, so I rallied and got writing again.

I also write the copy for websites, brochures and marketing promotions for several companies, and the past month has seen an increase in this kind of work for me, which has been great.

The past month has also seen me launching a bit of a campaign against Ofsted. Despite my son’s school producing well-rounded students with excellent results and good behaviour, and earning comments in its report about some ‘outstanding teaching’ and well-mannered young people, Ofsted, in its wisdom, decided to put the school into special measures.

This was like red rag to a bull for me as I’m a big supporter of the school. In one of my former careers I worked in a few different schools in my area, including some where both results and behaviour were by comparison quite poor, yet their Ofsted reports were good. One school in particular did not correct students for rude behaviour or dropping litter incessantly around the school and some lessons were a bit of a ‘free for all’. After a particular incident with a group of students, I received absolutely no support from the senior management and so decided to leave.

Subsequently I contacted Ofsted but was ignored. You can see, therefore, why I get so annoyed when there are far too many inconsistencies within reports. So now I’m questioning Ofsted further. I’ve written to my local paper, made contact with the local MP and am in the process of communicating with Michael Gove. Am I really the only person who believes it’s high time Ofsted itself came under scrutiny?

So in between writing copy for businesses, letters of complaint and a couple of short stories, I’ve actually managed to write a few blog posts too.

In October you can read how I fared on my shopping quest for leggings, learn how to claim back mis-sold PPIs without paying a fee and catch up with my latest round of 'Random Thoughts'.

Thanks as always for reading.

Joy

Head For The Hills

Amongst the most recent round of trips to visitor attractions that I made this summer, was a great day spent at Pleasurewood Hills, a family theme park in East Anglia.

Those of you who have been regularly reading my blog will know that I’m not a big fan of thrill-seeking rides, but I was largely drawn to this attraction by the shows that it provides.

Fans of Britain’s Got Talent may remember Sean Alexander, a past contestant on the programme and a very entertaining illusionist. His twice-daily shows performed at the park’s Castle Theatre are definitely worth a mention. My son and I were spellbound by the series of surprising illusions performed by Sean and his ‘Angels’ and highly recommend his show.

We were also greatly entertained by the park’s sea lion duo, performing a string of antics both in and out of the pool. The pair obviously enjoyed the limelight, ‘smiling’, ‘clapping’ and executing a number of clever tricks. I was particularly amused by the sea lions’ impression of a seal!

Not to be outdone, the Pleasurewood Hills parrots put on a fun show too. From counting to skating, they certainly had mastered a fair few tricks to perform.

Shows aside, there are plenty of rides to choose from – there’s certainly something available for all ages and levels of daring. Traditional dodgems, roundabouts and a carousel sit alongside thrilling rides such as the 120ft tall ‘Wipeout’ and 600m long ‘Enigma’. There are even a few more unusual attractions such as chair lifts and pedalos.

Although Pleasurewood Hills is smaller than many of its counterparts such as Chessington and Thorpe Park, it still provides a good day’s entertainment at very reasonable prices. Tickets cost £19 on the day for adults and £16 for children, with youngsters under 1m high going free. There is a reduction of £1 per ticket if you book online, with group tickets also available if you choose to buy them in this way. Or you could do as we did, and use Tesco Clubcard Days Out Vouchers to pay for admission.

Pleasurewood Hills is currently open at weekends only, with a full week of opening at October Half Term holiday.

For a fun family day out, then be sure to ‘head for the Hills’!

Follow me on Twitter @shoppersjoy

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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Avon Solutions

I’m always on the lookout for products that help me in my quest to keep my skin looking young, and used to be a big fan of Dove ProAge Neck and Chest Beauty Serum. However, this disappeared from the shops with the emergence of their All Over Body Serum, which I don’t use, as I prefer Dove Firming Lotion to moisturise my body and would prefer to target my neck area with a specific product.

I was interested, therefore, to see Avon Solutions Ageless Bloom Neck and Chest Treatment SPF15 in a recent brochure. This is a light cream aimed at helping to firm and tone this delicate area whilst helping to reduce age spots, sun damage, lines and wrinkles. I really feel this is making my neck and chest area softer, smoother and a bit less crepey.

I’m also aware of trying to minimise sun damage to my face, so was pleased to see that Avon Solutions Truly Radiant Tint Release Moisturiser is SPF20. This is a white cream, but actually subtly tints the skin when applied – I didn’t fully notice this until removing my make up and seeing the evidence on the cotton wool! (Yes I do know the clue was in the name) It’s designed to even out skin tone and give you a healthy glow, whilst offering sun protection – a great light, summer product.

What new skincare products have you found?

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This August Why Not …?

Join in the fun of a carnival. I love a good carnival and as a child looked forward to the yearly event in my home town. The marching bands, stilt walkers, colourful floats and general party atmosphere all appealed to me – and still do! Sadly this event has fallen by the wayside, but throughout August there are many carnivals taking place around the country. Of course the biggie is Notting Hill Carnival on 26^th August, but there are plenty of fun smaller events to attend. In recent years I’ve been to the Hastings Carnival (East Sussex), which is full of typical carnival floats and fun, with the procession this year taking place on Saturday 10^th August at 5pm – so if you’re in the area give it a go! Go online to find out about carnivals in your area.

Be safe in the sun. Fortunately it would appear we are all becoming much more conscious of the damage that the sun can cause to our skin, and are covering up more with high factor sun lotions and light clothing. My current favourite sun care product is Boots Soltan Moisturising Suncare Spray Factor 30, which gives 5 star UVA protection. This is simple to apply, easily absorbed, water-resistant and also contains an insect repellent. Another good rule with the sun is to avoid direct exposure between 11am and 3pm. When we go to the beach on a hot day, we tend to go early, have breakfast there and leave by lunchtime, this way we avoid the crowds as well as the sun at its hottest. We also love evening strolls along the beach.

Enjoy some summer fireworks. During the summer, some seaside resorts put on firework displays. At Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, every Wednesday evening, for the six weeks of the summer holiday, there is a free firework display, with musical entertainment commencing at 8pm and the fireworks starting at 10pm. I can highly recommend this one – it’s great to be by the sea in the evening when it’s a little cooler and the atmosphere is great. Other seaside towns putting on firework displays this summer include Bournemouth (Fridays) and Poole (Thursdays). Look out for a display near you!

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July’s Blog Review

Wow what a scorcher! The temperature rose, along with tempers in some cases, but I’ve had a fun month and hope that you have too! We’ve been out baring our lily-white legs and complaining about the heat in typical British style, whilst making the most of what the great outdoors has to offer.

With the change in weather I managed a spot of camping and am spending much of my summer in my static caravan on the east coast. What are your summer plans?

Back on the subject of rising tempers, some of the things that annoyed me this month were free bus passes being automatically issued to those in their 60s however well off they are, stores putting their returns departments on their upper floors and people having loud phone conversations, peppered with expletives, whilst on public transport.

There were mixed reactions on the bus pass front, with suggestions that there should be some form of charge for issuing the passes to help with admin costs and comments that the qualifying age should be raised to 70, both of which I feel would help the situation.

In response to my ‘Mobile Madness’ blog, bemoaning the loud, explicit phone conversations passengers have on buses, JC remarked that this is a generational thing, which I agree with to a point, although I can’t help but smile when a really upbeat, current tune sounds as a ringtone, and is promptly answered by some grey-haired little old lady on the bus.

Reviews this month included ‘bake at home’ products, body creams, curl treatments and coffee shops. I also took trips to Colchester Zoo and Penshurst Place, both of which I highly recommend.

There’s lots more planned for August, so keep reading!

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July’s Random Thoughts

Is it just me, or is there something sinister about the Birds Eye polar bear? I much preferred the ‘cool dude’ bear that used to advertise Cresta fizzy drinks – it’s frothy man!

It's not that random to wish I was there!

What’s happened to Mr Kipling Caramel Slices? They now have an uninteresting sponge base as opposed to the shortcake one, which meant they resembled a millionaire’s slice.

Have you noticed that in stores that are spread over more than one floor, the refund/exchange desk is often on an upper level? Is this to deter customers from using this facility, or is it just really bad planning?

Why is it that as soon as the hot, summer weather comes, the shops ditch all the summer dresses and swimwear and start stocking up on their autumn/winter lines? I want to buy clothing for the season that we’re in, not the one that’s coming in a couple of months!

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Summer Holidays

Well, here they are, the summer holidays have officially arrived, with many schools having now broken up for the next six weeks or so (my son finished last Friday).

You may now be looking for ways to pass the time and entertain the kids, unless you've signed up for one of the many holiday play schemes around the country. Perhaps you’re going away for at least some of the time, be it near or far, or looking to spend some recreation time nearer to home, in between juggling work and all the other commitments that you may have.

I’m fortunate in that I write to earn a crust and can pick up pen (yes, I do still draft some work in longhand) and head for my happy place (for those of you who aren’t familiar with this, my static caravan on the east coast).

In addition to writing my blog (purely for pleasure), I write for a few businesses, composing copy for their websites, brochures, company blogs and press releases, and inventing slogans. Fortunately, there is no conflict of interest with my own blog writing as the businesses that I write for include an engineering firm, construction company and some double-glazing suppliers, as opposed to High Street retailers or visitor attractions.

I’m also putting the finishing touches to a couple of short stories, and have drafted the synopsis of a book, which I may or may not actually get round to writing.

So this summer I will be combining time at my caravan with trips back home, so that I can keep an eye on my elderly mother (she suffers from dementia) and see my daughters and baby grandson. I may even get to throw in a brief camping trip if I’m lucky.

With a busy schedule ahead, I’ve decided to reduce my blog posts to around three a week (you may already have noticed that they’ve fallen from five to four), to allow time for other projects and to enjoy summer pursuits with my family, especially my son during his school holidays.

Whatever you’re doing this summer, I hope you have a fantastic time, and do continue to look in on my blog when you get the chance.

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This July Why Not …?

Become a tourist in your home town. It’s an odd thing, but it’s often the places closest to our own homes that we don’t get round to visiting. Attractions and historical sites on our doorsteps are often ignored, whilst we quite happily journey afar to view those on other people’s doorsteps. I was born in and lived in Rochester, Kent, for many years (I’m not far from there now) and yet I never ventured into the keep of Rochester Castle until about three years ago. I had often visited the grounds, playing in them as a child and attending events as an adult, yet had never actually looked inside this great Norman castle. What nearby tourist attractions are you missing out on?

Meet family and friends halfway. Do you live a fair distance from certain family members and friends and never seem to get together due to the journey involved? Then consider finding a suitable halfway point to meet up for a picnic, outing or get-together. A couple of years back, we decided we’d like to see family members that were spread quite widely across the country, so we chose a suitable central point, booked a function room in a pub with catering included, divided the cost between us all, and had a fantastic time catching up with one another. Mass family picnics are great fun too, so be sure to arrange a big ‘meet-up’ this summer.

Send a postcard. Even if you’re not actually away on holiday, take the time to send a postcard, or better still a notelet or handwritten letter on decorative paper, to someone that you haven’t seen for some time. In these days of texts and emails, I still love to send and receive a ‘proper’ letter once in a while.

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Carry On (Or Start) Camping!

Camping holidays are great fun and very cost effective too (once you have bought the initial equipment).

I was brought up on camping holidays. In the summer we would load up the car and head down to Ladram Bay in Devon, to literally ‘set up camp’ for a couple of weeks. The combination of the outdoor living, fresh sea air and camaraderie made for great holidays.

Whilst there for my birthday one year, I woke early and proceeded to dance around the outside of our tent, singing. “Happy Birthday to me!” A very good-natured camper emerged from the  tent opposite and presented me with half a crown (that’s showing my age), despite not having previously met us, having arrived late the night before! My birthday was celebrated with an on-site party, the guest list for which consisted of a number of children that I had never met before, or since – but it was great fun!

In more recent years, I have been camping with my own family. My son still loves the experience, but as my daughters got older they found it a hardship more than a pleasure – lack of hair straighteners and TV soaps!

Not that I’m a camper that ‘roughs it’ exactly. I insist on a toilet and shower block as a minimum requirement on any campsite and more recently elected for electric hook up so that we could have a little fridge and recharge our lamps.

When choosing camping equipment, your list needn’t be huge. Do choose a tent big enough for your needs, but not too complicated to put up. We opted for tent that we could actually stand up in (our crawling days are numbered) with three bedroom compartments. I strongly recommend airbeds as opposed to bed mats, which can be a little thin for uneven ground. Apart from that a sleeping bag each, some form of compact portable cooking stove, a cool box (or small fridge if electricity available) and some rechargeable lamps form your basic kit. We take folding chairs and a folding table, so that we can eat in comfort, but once tried taking one of those all in one picnic table and bench arrangements. What a disaster! It collapsed completely on its second time of use, resulting in me wearing my pasta rather than eating it!

A sorry sight - a dead picnic table!

Weather permitting (did I mention I’m a fair weather camper?) camping holidays can be brilliant fun, good value for money and mean you can visit places that you may not ordinarily manage to go. We’ve enjoyed staying on a number of UK sites and have ventured to France, but have also found a tent in a friend or relatives garden makes for great fun too!

So come on, what are you waiting for? Get camping!

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Dickens Festival, Rochester

Twice a year, Rochester in Kent is transformed into a little snapshot of Dickensian England, with characters straight from the pages of his much-acclaimed stories parading the High Street.

For those of you who fancy soaking up this traditional atmosphere, the summer version of this Dickensian extravaganza is about to take place.

From 31^st May to 2^nd June, you can experience the sights and sounds and meet the characters portrayed in Dickens’ novels. Rochester’s High Street, Castle Gardens and surrounding areas become filled with stalls and entertainers, with a full programme of events available.

As a Kentish lass, I have often visited the Dickens Festival, and even dressed up and participated in it in my youth. Aged 17 I was working at a local Day Centre for the Elderly, which decided to run a stall in the High Street, with us all dressed for the part. I had a great day, sporting a costume made for me by my eldest sister, and was amazed at how many times visitors stopped me in the street to take my photograph.

The photo here was taken by a lovely American tourist, who then gave me a copy (it was the days of the Polaroid camera, instant photos and all that) and it brings back happy memories of a thoroughly enjoyable day.

So why not visit Rochester’s Dickens Festival this weekend?

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Tinted Moisturisers

Although I use a foundation that offers good coverage during the winter months, once we get into late spring and summer I often swap to a tinted moisturiser, as hopefully my skin improves somewhat with the arrival of sunshine.

For the last couple of years I’ve used Boots No7 (Triple Protection) Tinted Moisturiser but due to the changes to some of the products in the range, which to my mind have been for the worse, this year I thought I’d try something new.

My latest make-up buy is Olay Complete Care Touch of Foundation, which offers the benefits of an Olay moisturiser, with the addition of Max Factor foundation, to enhance your complexion rather than smother it.

I really like this product; it’s light, easily absorbed and leaves my skin looking and feeling smooth and fresh. A great product for the summer, but unfortunately sunshine isn’t included.

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