I may have lived down South for a while now, but I'm a Yorkshire lass at heart and it will always remain that way. My heart is very much in Yorkshire, and my food preferences too. Therefore when Toby Carvery invited me to join them at their food innovation centre to come up with some new recipes for Yorkie wraps for Yorkshire Pudding Day I just couldn't refuse. Let's start with some basic facts. Yorkshire puddings (or "batter puddings" as my ill-informed Norfolk born other half insists on calling them) are quite simply the nicest foodstuff known to man (or woman) kind. Admittedly it's ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: What on Earth are we doing?
No - this isn't some statement about the state of Ladybird Tuesday on this blog (although - maybe it should be!) but instead the question posed in the title of this week's Ladybird Tuesday book choice. What on Earth are we doing? is part of Ladybird's 1970s Conservation series (series 727). These books seem to have been published with two different cover versions, but I have to be honest and say that I'm not exactly sure which version of the cover came first. This title was published in 1976 and judging by the man on the cover of both versions I believe it to be just the covers that ... read more
Trying to find a home
For all of the second half of 2017 I kept saying that once Christmas and New Year were out of the way my next plan was to try and find a new home. A family home. A family home that is the right size and shape for our new family shape. I kind of have in my head what I want this home to look like, but unfortunately no matter how good the online house search engine you can't just put in there something like "it has to feel like we can turn it into our forever home". And now we're in 2018, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Of course you can search for some simple criteria. Things like ... read more
Top places to visit in Paris
Paris. The city of love. It's a place that everyone around the world knows, but when I came to visit for the first time I wasn't actually sure where to go or what to see. Since then Eurostar has given us a quick route right into the city centre and whilst I'm far from being a total expert I do at least have a good idea of my top places to visit. So, why not set yourself up finding vacation rentals in Paris and then head off, map in hand, to see what this European capital has to offer. Eiffel Tower No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. The country's most ... read more
The Lost Penguin – Claire Freedman and Kate Hindley
It's a little while now since Master C and I met Oliver and Patch in their first adventure. Back in that book Oliver had just moved to a big city and was lonely until he met Patch. They came together and started having some lovely adventures together whilst they looked for Patch's real owner. In The Lost Penguin, Oliver and Patch (and Ruby, Patch's real owner) are back, but this time they're visiting the zoo together. They growl at the tigers, smile at the meerkats and laugh at the funny penguins. But one little penguin catches their eye. Peep is new to the zoo. He's lonely and misses his ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: The Postal Service
Inspired by a recent trip that B and I took to the fantastic Postal Museum in London (do go - it's a brilliant day out, especially the Mail Rail ride) I simply had to buy a copy of The Postal Service (from the "People who help us" series) when I recently came across it in a charity shop. It's a Ladybird series that I normally leave on the shelves when I see it - simply because I have to draw the line somewhere with my collection and my general rule of thumb is to only go for series that had books with matt covers on them. The "People who help us" series was given the number 822 and was ... read more
The Jungle Bunch – DVD and merchandise pack giveaway
My kids are film mad at the moment. Since they discovered the cinema about a year ago they love going, but at the same time also love sitting on the sofa at home and enjoying a film there. I therefore am trying to keep on top of recent kids DVD releases, so I was pleased to be asked to write about The Jungle Bunch which is due out on DVD on Monday 22 January 2018. The lead role in The Jungle Bunch is Maurice - the penguin who thinks he's a tiger. A tiger penguin. Yep, my mind was a little bit boggled by that too, but that's what Maurice is. Raised by a tigress he's the clumsiest kung-fu ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Islands
It’s somewhat fitting that I’m sat writing this week’s Ladybird Tuesday in a cafe on the island of Jersey (much more on that soon), because this week’s Ladybird Tuesday book choice is Islands from the Ladybird Leader series, number 737. Islands was one of the later titles in the Ladybird Leader series. A series which covers things as diverse as song birds and trains. Sounds and teeth. The aim of the series was to meet the “very real need” for “first information books” for children. Ones which help answer some of the questions that children have, whilst also encouraging reluctant ... read more
Words and Your Heart – Kate Jane Neal
“Sticks and Stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” As a child this is the mantra that we were always taught to respond with if anyone every said anything nasty to us at school or in the playground. But the truth is that words can hurt. A lot. Words and Your Heart tries to turn that around and make children see that the words they use, especially when talking to others, can have an effect. Words can affect your heart, and that’s the “bit inside of you that makes you, you!” Words and Your Heart looks at words and the power they have. It’s aim is to make children stop and ... read more
Grown-up Stand-up Dinner – Chilli Salmon Pasta #BritanniaCookOff
They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and whilst I fully agree with that sentiment, it can be a tad tricky when you're all squashed into a tiny flat and your kitchen is absolutely minute! That's the challenge that we're faced with where we're living at the moment, but despite that, the kitchen is probably my favourite room in this flat, and actually the one where my OH and I spend a fair amount of time together. When the kids are staying with us they dominate our living room and so if we want a spot of peace and quiet, and an opportunity to talk without interruption about something, ... read more