I know everyone has a lot on their minds at the moment, what with the political and social meltdown that is consuming our everyday lives (and our Facebook feed). However, I have a problem I'd like your help with and I admit that it's in no way up there on the scale of...
The results of the referendum are in – the UK is leaving the EU
What will the 24th June 2016 mean for the future of the UK? Will we look back on this day and wonder what all the fuss was about, or will we remember the results of the EU Referendum as the day everything changed? A nation divided It seems we are a nation divided, but...
How relationships lay the foundations for good mental health
Relationships are vital for our emotional wellbeing. Whether connections between partners, friends, family or work colleagues, the networks of people we surround ourselves with can provide a framework of support in both good and bad times. Human beings are social...
I’m struggling to understand how such a senseless tragedy could happen in a place I know so well – RIP Jo Cox
A senseless tragedy that should never have happened It was a normal afternoon, but whilst speaking to my mum on the phone, she said there were police helicopters flying overhead. After we finished talking, she text me back to say local MP Jo Cox had been shot dead...
Executive PA required, immediate start
How do you manage your family's social calendar? I don't know what's gotten in to me at the moment, but I can't seem to stay on top of the family's social calendar. I don't work as an executive PA in the real world for a reason, I suck at it. Tell me, what more can I...
What I’m Writing – week seventy-six
Welcome to week seventy-six of What I’m Writing. If you’re wondering what the heck I’m going on about and where are the other seventy-five weeks, let me explain. You can find all the details about #WhatImWriting here but the short(er) version is, this linky is for all...
What did the Kids Strike mean to me?
Wow, what a day yesterday turned out to be. The Kids Strike against the new SATS testing saw parents up and down the country taking their kids out of school for the day. I was one of those parents and although one person was out to target us with comments about having...
Showing how learning can be fun
I am not the protesting type. To my shame actually. I'm one of the sheep who just gets on with things. But ever since my son's school called a meeting to show parents the new SATS tests, something has been niggling away at me. First of all, when my older girls sat the...
A weekend ski trip in Bulgaria
A weekend ski trip can be more accessible and affordable than you think If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll probably know already that my family and I ski yearly in Pamporovo, Bulgaria. It's the only place I've ever been skiing, so I don't have anything to...
Why it’s important to spring clean your blog
Continuing with the positivity that has seen me through February, I decided to do a bit of Spring cleaning. No, not my house, although it could do with it. I'm talking about this little 'ol blog here. I like to give it a spruce up every couple of years or so and it...
Stepping in to Spring, feeling fitter and healthier and taking positive steps forward
What a difference a month makes. In January I was lost in a sea of illness and chaos. Thankfully, February sees us fighting fit, even the puppy is back to full health. He's six months now and has settled down a bit, which makes it easier for me to work at home too. My...
Bouncing into 2016 – Pantomimes, gym competitions and puppy love
Read January was so busy and full of illness, that it left me with little energy or enthusiasm for reading. That said, I have an extensive list of books I've read over Christmas. These include: Boston Terrier (Smart Owner's Guide) - As we picked up our Boston Terrier...
Where has my writing mojo gone?
I'm glad I didn't make any new year's resolutions, because I would have been bitterly disappointed by now and it's not even the end of January. Work on my novel has come to a standstill whilst I work out where it's going and it seems this has triggered a fiction...
Golf lessons for children – finding confidence and making sporting achievements
My middle daughter isn't very sporty. She's not as bad as she thinks she is, but she doesn't enjoy it, particularly team sports. Last term, she played netball for the first time (as Goal Keeper) and although learned to tolerate it, she could take it or leave it...
10-minute Free-Write Challenge: The Memory of a Physical Injury
Pain, once subsided, is soon forgotten. You might talk about how painful something was, but you don't truly remember the exact feeling you had at the time you were experiencing it do you? I had an accident coming up to 12 years ago this summer. I was 11 weeks pregnant...
On creature comforts and learning to cope with a new environment
This is our puppy's favourite position, curled up on someone's lap, snoring like a trouper. If we take him anywhere outside of the home, he's a quaking, nervous wreck. I appreciate that everything is new and big and scary when you're a tiny puppy, but I was...
10-minute Free-Write Challenge: The Kindness of Strangers
Have you ever fainted? I saw it happen many times at secondary school - usually in assemblies when someone would keel over. It was quite comical, though not really, as it can be dangerous for the poor person who has actually unknowingly fallen over. Although I often...
On new responsibilities and getting back into the routine
I'm watching his every move, looking for signs. Does he need the toilet? A nap? Has he slept too long? I worry about leaving him. Will he be ok if I go out of the room for a moment? Will he sleep through the night? Getting ready to go out anywhere seems to take an...
On staying positive and moving forward
Yesterday, I offered our summer house up for free on a Facebook forum, provided the person could come and take it away and make the area safe. Within minutes, it was a bunfight and I was inundated, but I sold it to the first person who said a definite yes (I thought)...
Could this Black Friday weekend be the perfect time to stock up on some new Christmas decorations?
Could this Black Friday weekend be the perfect time to stock up on some new Christmas decorations? We say Black Friday, but really, we're talking about a whole weekend of knock-down prices aren't we? That means you can make savings on Saturday, Sunday and Monday,...