Thursday 25 July 2019

Tommy Turner's Battle For Yorintown A Young Readers Book

#Review #Ad


To place yourself back when you were young is not as hard as you think especially when it comes to reading books as they have the power to transport you both in time and age and this is what I love so much about books. This is what happened to myself when I was given the chance to review the book Battle for Yorintown by Tommy Turner , you do not need to worry when you read this book and you haven't read it for the start of the series and you think that you're not going to pick it up but you needn't worry if you read this book as the back story is filled in nicely as the story goes along.This book is ideal for those who are aged 8 to 12 or any age come to think about it.When you read this you're going to firmly strap yourself in for a wild ride as it is a fast pace book and you'll want to read it all in one go.

Nearly thirteen year Tommy is pulled into an adventure that he never expected on another planet where he has his hands full trying to save a planet where he had been before , not only has he got to save the planet but his friends as well he will face many grave dangers along the way.Tommy has to been the hero and pull everything together and this is a huge undertaking for one so young.


Within the book we see from the start the struggle between siblings where there is just a big enough age gap for it to be irksome to the older of the siblings!

"It's true Tommy Turner wanted another adventure , but he never expected to be headfirst into a bottle ! or to discover that, of all the creatures in the entire universe , only he can save an alien race from dying.He certainly didn't mean to time-travel with Uncle Harry and Digby to the great ancient Maya city of Pakatoka, where they must save themselves before they can find the pyramid with the secret chamber.But the fact is, when you're a tie traveller anything can happen ...."

A brilliant book for the summer holidays to lose yourself and have the best and most wonderful time of your life and leaving you yearning for more adventures ~ an inspiring and thoughtful read.

Book is written by Ali Seegar


Saturday 20 July 2019

Ways My Cat Is Like A Politician

A cat promises much much like a politician it makes all the right noises and never directly answers the question.Just like Bush with “ read my lips no new taxes “ You think you’re going to get a great deal and then your flowerbeds are not just dug up once but twice.An apology may be given but there’s never any true sincerity.

And also when asked if  they’re absolutely not plotting again a politician will answer “ no “ and will do completely the opposite with bells and whistles on top.






Cats are completely self absorbed like many a politician and will literally feather their own nest much to the despair of the bird population.



A cat like a politician will grab the headlines in any way they can.




Tuesday 16 July 2019

Imitation The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

It’s a sunny day a lazy hazy cat lazing day , my cat doesn’t have a job its job is just being a cat and ensuring that I feed it at the appropriate times.Cats are their own individuals and they’ll do want they want when they if at all.

If cats were in charge of Brexit then it would have probably happened by now , but this isn’t a cats and politics post that’s for another day.Cats are rarely one to be imitated except by other cats doing cat things like puzzling about the universe and everything in it.They say that cats prove the world isn’t flat because otherwise they’d have knocked everything off by now ( sorry flat Earth believers)





Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery they say but I’m not sure that Jack ( Black ) the cat is convinced.Yes my cat has a double barrelled surname which “the cat “ and that very important that he remembers his airs and graces it is what keeps him aloft and endearingly enigmatic.

Sunday 14 July 2019

Still Gardening On Budget

I’m still gardening on a budget I’m like a horticultural Fagin , I really don’t like spending any more than I need to if at all.I had planted to do some vegetable gardening but it’s a bit late in the season and I don’t want to grow the devils cannonballs in the form of radishes.






We acquired a raised bed from my sister in law who has moved into a new house and didn’t want the raised bed that was in her garden.So Mr T and I moved it as well as the soil that was in it.It is identical to the other raised bed we have near the shed which I brought with vouchers I won in a competition.And when it came to filling it I used seeds from a magazine etc and the compost came in that instance from the compost bin.

I see inspiration in my garden from everywhere I go like yesterday when I went to Hardwick Hall.









This is the raised bed I got from my sister in law I filled it with clearance corner plants which were £4 each except for the David Austin Rose Harlow Carr which was £12 I Dave at least 25 pounds in the plants I brought.



I like the quirky and unusual 




And yes yes my Apple tree has only one Apple on it but you know that individuality is going to make it the best Apple tree in the whole world.

Gardening is kindness to the heart mind as soul as my late music teacher Mrs Button said “ Never B sharp , never B flat ,always B natural “





Here’s my cat highlighting the lawn ...


Gardening is a fabulous and definitely part of your outdoor prescription 

Friday 12 July 2019

Don't Take A Risk In Fitting A Bathroom Yourself Get The Professionals In

#Ad


Bathrooms we spent rather a lot of time in them, which is when we moved several years ago we made sure we had the bathroom refitted and that bathroom belonged to our son.We haven’t got round yet to refitting our en-suite, but we will as at the moment we are helping our son through university.Our son is currently studying archaeology at the University of York and the chances are high that one day he might settle in Yorkshire. Of course with him potentially being in Yorkshire then of we will visit all the time as Yorkshire is such a beautiful county to explore and settle in.

When he does perhaps buy a house then more than likely the whole house will need doing up and could even have the horror of an avocado bathroom suite, and tackling plumbing jobs s something neither myself or my husband would attempt, we would rather leave it to the professionals. The one time my husband attempted what he thought would be a simple plumbing job by removing a radiator off the wall ended up in disaster, and we had to call out an emergency plumber. So when it comes to revamping your bathroom it is always better to use professional service and if you are in the Yorkshire area then you can get impeccable bathroom design ideas from Harrogate Bathrooms

If you're going to get your bathroom done then do it right from the start it will save you a lot of money in the long run and using professional services you will know that you're in safe hands from start to finish.Quality bathroom product and installation of a bathroom will last you a very long time and the only thing you will more than likely have to do is just give the walls a lick of paint.



Thursday 11 July 2019

Moving Out Of A Student House

After the first year of university which is usually in halls then your student son or daughter is likely to move into a shared house with newly found friends.Hopefully when they all moved in they would have immediately have sat down and compiled an extensive cleaning rota to ensure when they move out there’s less to do. That’s the parental dream it really and truly is ! and you won’t have sleepless nights about what the bathroom is going to look like when you help move them out.Making sure the house is clean when they move out is key to getting back that all important deposit but we found in our case the house was cleaner when we left it then when we moved in.Now we didn't didn't go all out Mrs Hinch on the house but between the 4 students living in the house and other parents we gave it a jolly good cleaning working on set areas each then chipping in on other areas where and when neater as they say many hands make light work.


And cleaning does have to mean all those plethora of cleaning products you can clean naturally within reason like your oven , if the thought of those oven cleaning kits stripping the skin off your hands then please don't panic.The mum of one of my sons house mates had a Lakeland oven cleaning tray  and soaked the racks using a combination of bircabonate of soda and washing up liquid which worked a treat . You had to use a little elbow grease to get off some of the remaining stuck on bits but it really wasn't hard from what I saw.



Eucerin Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm

What does cat ownership teach you ? It teaches you to have the patience of a saint as your cat steers you to make the descisions that it wants you to make.You didn’t actually think you were making the descions in your life did you ! You can’t anywhere without your cat wanting to go to just like your small child following you to the toilet !

Cat ownership will also teach you that you’re going to get chapped lips and skin etc especially when you're standing by the door while your cat decides if the weather suits it or perhaps to spook the local dogs or just be annoying.Now I don't have my full winter kit while on while I am opening the door to my cat like my bobble hat , scarf and gloves so having a product like Aquapor Soothing Skin Balm to help me survive not only my cat and winter is amazing.






Aquaphor is a product that can be used by all the family and I know my husband finds his lips get chapped when he is cycling to and from work and the winds are so icy this week so he makes sure he takes it with him in his cycling back. We are glad to have Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm as part of our skincare routine and the fact it is easy to use is such a handy size of 45ml.


It is also useful when we are out and about exploring we adore the British countryside and we are forever flying about here there and every where ( well not literally flying although I would love to fly up to Edinburgh one day )



About Aquaphor


  • Eucerin Aquaphor Soothign Skin Balm gives dry to very dry, cracked and irrupted skin the SOS care it needs.
  • Formulated with only seven ingredients ,Auaphor is gentle enough to be used on highly irritated skins as well on sensitive baby skin and in the nappy ares.
  • Eucerin Aquaphor Soothing Skin Balm protects the skin by creating breathable protective barrier, allowing oxygen and water vapour to circulate to and from the skin, allowing skin to 'breathe' and strengthen its natural barrier function.
  • The Eucerin Aquaphor formula was first introduced in the US market in 1925 and has been a household staple ever since - long trusted for its effectiveness in repairing a wide range of skin SOS cases.




Honestly it’s a happy cat really ! 

“This post is an entry for the BritMums #MyAquaphor Challenge, sponsored by Eucerin. Discover the benefits of Eucerin https://www.eucerin.co.uk/products/aquaphor/soothing-skin-balm-45ml” I was sent this product free of charge.

The cat is my own 

Homeserve Winter Blogger Challenge Room Makeover

You know what's it's like when they outgrow their playroom  and it's full to the brim with all the tat you brought them the really useful stuff they pestered you for .The room becomes unloved and untouched. It merely becomes a hoarder of junk , a case of out of side out of mind but then comes  a time when the room is needed again.

This time the room is needed for GCSE study I don't what it is about boys they prefer to do their writing anywhere but a desk , this is fine when they are younger but GCSE study demands more of them. They need a space for all their books, pens and pencils , laptops and other gadgets that will aid them upon their learning discovery.

The room had a England curtains and a England lampshade not quite what a teenage boy might what or should have! Also it had a side board *don't ask ok alright it harboured more junk ! We swifly sold the sideboard on ebay to make room for the mini room make over,  thankfully we had been given a £50 B & Q voucher from Homeserve as part of a Winter blogger challenge for this purpose and it couldn't have come at a better time.

England Curtains



With the £50 you bought a new pair of curtains which are far more grown up and thermal lined so saving us poor patents money ! and a lamp for extra light when he is studying ( thus us fitted with an energy saving bulb) With the money with made from selling the sideboard we bough a desk off an auction site so he has somewhere to study. The lampshade is from a collection we already had and again this fitted with an energy saving lightbulb.



We already had the shelving unit it has been waiting for seven years to be put up , it has certainly transformed the space.

It still needs a lick of paint but for a quick turn around I don't think it's a half bad job do you.



Even the cat is finding the room cosy ! wherever I lay my cat is my home !

Wednesday 10 July 2019

Instagram My Visual Storytelling

I was looking at my Instagram and I thought gosh isn’t it quite the strangest place rather like Twitter peddling it’s wares like someone at a travelling show.There is no problem if you advertise on Instagram or twitter it’s all done with the appropriate declaration.Same as with a blog post that’s advertising long as it is done correctly.

I like my Instagram to be a reflection of who and what I am and this is very important to me in the respect it helps me.I don’t viciously live my life out through social media but instead I see Instagram as visually story telling.







My storytelling as I’ve said helps not only me but may perhaps inspire other people to do the same but in their own way.Indivuality is very important to be I do want I when I want ( and no I’ve not robbed a bank )



My advice is do what you want on social media but don’t let it be a visual millstone round your neck.



Picture of cat obviously for full emotional impact ..

Monday 8 July 2019

Georgian Windows At Southwell Workhouse National Trust

I’ve been thinking rather a lot about windows and how wonderful they are like simply the best picture frame you could wish for.The chinks of light that come through and play a merry dance upon the surface.Windows you look out and people look in and this is a story repeated over the history of time.Today it has been Georgian Windows situated in Southwell Workhouse Nottinghamshire.









These are Victorian windows from the Infirmary at Southwell

Windows have a simplicity to them but tell so much of the social history of what is seen through them both inside and out.I very much love looking through windows you see so much and they perfectly frame what you see out of them .

Wednesday 3 July 2019

Cats Are Awesomeness

I was going to title this cats are so over Brexit but that’s for another time , cats are awesome in each and every paw and whisker.This blog was named in part after my late evil silver tabby cat Rollie ( like the whiskers cat but not as sweet natured ).Honestly I think cats would make a job of running the country !

Cats I love cats and yes I’m allergic to cats but because I grew up with cats I’m tolerant to a degree of them.Get me near a horse then I’m likely to end up in A & E again.Cats are very much their own personalities I think if the Oscars were open to cats then they would win every single time.Nobody can deny the acting range and ability of a cat they’re method actors think Robert De Nero.



I think there needs to be a t shirt that says “ cats are awesomeness “

Cats are the bees knees ( do bees have knees ?)  Cats don’t give a flying fig at times and we could all do with that attitude at times I feel.

Cats are there when you do and don’t need them and they’re very much like humans in that respect !I couldn’t be without a cat and shouts cats are better than dogs !! 

We are still hiding Aldi cat food in the Sheba cat food box and this trick is working an absolute treat.I am pretty sure that cats don’t read labels but I am taking no chances.

You only have to look at the internet which the cats indeed did invent, I mean cats are the global superstars of the internet.Cats are hilarious and will leave you belly aching for hours with tears of joy streaming from your face.

Cats are easy to care for unless you make a rod for your own back and treat them like the Queen of England but honestly you’re going to do this anyway.

Cats are furry super heroes and can jump really high with no effort at all , they’re also really good at clearing shelves so Kon Marie 


Monday 1 July 2019

Sherwood Forest Visiting The Major Oak

Now I’ve never visited the Major Oak which is meant to be the tree Robin Hood his in or something like that.Truth is it wouldn’t have even been a sapling when he was allegedly around but myths become legend and become ingrained in folk law.There is always perhaps a grain of truth in these things sometimes there are more grains of truth.I mean without it we wouldn’t have had Bryan Adams clinging onto the top spot for what seemed like 20 years with “Everything I do for you “ and Bryan we salute you.Bryan Adams however was not around when I visited Sherwood Forest with my husband and son back from university.



Sherwood Forest is a 450 acre nature reserve and is home to the well loved Major Oak as mentioned earlier.You need to visit this nature reserve and be part of the Robin Hood legend , it costs £4 to park at the Nature reserve ensure you have to correct change though as cards are not accepted at the car park payment machines.There is a RSPB cebtre there complete with cafe , shop and toilets etc.Also nearby is a lovely craft complex complete with another cafe.

And a direct quote from Mr T “This is the first time I’ve been to see the Major Oak, so was quite excited to visit this legend landmark of Nottinghamshire. I’m a big Robin Hood fan and was looking forward to learning more. There’s lots of information here from the original name of the oak “Cock pen oak” to becoming the “Major’s Oak” to finally becoming to World famous “Major Oak”. There are lots of walks around the forest of various distances to suit your needs. “