Scorchio!

 This summer we have seen temperatures soaring across Europe. Today the UK had the hottest July day on record. The last time it was this hot was the summer of 2003. I remember this only too clearly because I was dealing with a newborn baby at the time. Newborn babies are hard enough work without…

I’ve been reading/listening to…

Everybody died, so I got a dog is the memoir of Emily Dean who you might know from the radio show she co-hosts with Frank Skinner. She talks us through her days as a child actress, her chaotic Bohemian parents and the close relationship she shared with her only sibling, Rachel. You hear about her…

Spring Garden

This is the time of year I start venturing back out into the garden to judge what’s doing well and what might not be. This week we’ve had quite a lot of rain and high winds, thanks to Storm Gareth (who the hell names a storm Gareth?!) so I haven’t had a chance to do…

Vase

I go a bit crazy at this time of year dotting fresh flowers around the house on every windowsill so desperate am I for Spring. I always think it’s a good idea to have a variety of vases at the ready. Tall and thin for gladioli, hourglass for lillies or peonies… shape matters when it…

Watching…

It’s about to be officially Spring but it really hasn’t sprung yet. It’s still cold and damp and just generally very grey so here’s some great telly to get stuck into whilst we all wait for it to warm up. This Country (BBC) This award winning mockumentary follows the lives of young people in rural…

Bees Wrap

If you haven’t heard of or seen Bees Wrap yet you soon will. Touted as the eco friendly alternative to cling film, Bees Wrap can be reused for up to a year (and then composted), is mouldable, washable, water resistant and super strong. Want to create less waste? Hate all the plastic? Bees Wrap might…

Beauty Pie

As I’ve said before I’ve always been a bit lackadaisical about daily skincare. I just couldn’t get that excited about it but I’ve always been partial to a bit of pampering. I love a scrub, a mask, a serum… Well now I have managed to find the answer! And it’s not as hideously expensive as…

Skinny Carbonara

This is a dish that I make when I am on a diet. It’s one of the few things that I will eat with relish because it’s really tasty and it’s pasta and God knows you feel gloriously lucky if you’re allowed to eat pasta when you’re trying to lose weight. I am not dieting…

Infected

Now if you’re of a delicate disposition you may want to skip this post altogether. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My friend Ryan has an infected finger. He has no idea how it happened. Maybe a cat scratched it. They’re very scratchy. Anyway his finger was swollen, painful, hot to touch, pus – the…

Not Tupperware

Recently I helped a dear friend move house. It wasn’t under easy circumstances, her husband had just been involved in a horrific traffic accident and was in hospital so she was trying to do it all on her own. Two weeks before Christmas. With a baby. Not. Fun. Times. Anyway I ended up taking some…