Tim Atkinson's Blog, page 82
May 14, 2012
Missing - one passport.
Last seen doing completely unnecessary service as supporting document to a CRB application. Another CRB application. Because despite already having one (a CRB certificate, that is, not a passport - I had one of those until recently, but not any more); in spite of my CRB still having a year-and-a-half to run; in spite of the fact that I've probably had more Criminal Record Checks than you've had hot dinners (pardonable exaggeration) thanks to many years working in a classroom, it was deemed necessary - nay, essential - for me to undergo the procedure yet again when I volunteered to become a member of the committee at Charlie's pre-school nursery.
Now I'm not against security checks. Where children are concerned there should be no compromise. But I fail to see the need to have two valid certificates running simultaneously. It's like being asked to take another driving test if you move to another county. Or needing another passport every time you visit a different country.
I hardly need a CRB check at all in my role as nursery school committee member. All I do is attend meetings, run their website and Facebook page (do take a look, by the way) and help out updating policies. I'm never - nor would ever want to be - in a position where I'm alone with any of the children. And provided there is other (vetted) adult supervision that's really all that matters. There's an awful lot of misunderstanding when it comes to adults in a school or nursery environment. I've heard that some school refuse author visits if the person concerned isn't CRB checked, in spite of the fact that - unless they're going to be in a situation where they're unsupervised at any time - they shouldn't need to be.
It's all rather heavy-handed and unnecessary. Meanwhile, I've just had to queue at the Post Office for another passport application form (Why do they make you go to the counter for them?) as well as fork out five quid for some passport photos. 'Adopt a neutral expression', the machine said and 'don't smile'.
Don't smile? Don't make me laugh. Being told your new passport is going to cost over seventy quid is hardly very amusing, the more so as the circumstances surrounding the loss of the old one were so utterly avoidable.
No wonder I look grumpy in the passport photos.
Now I'm not against security checks. Where children are concerned there should be no compromise. But I fail to see the need to have two valid certificates running simultaneously. It's like being asked to take another driving test if you move to another county. Or needing another passport every time you visit a different country.
I hardly need a CRB check at all in my role as nursery school committee member. All I do is attend meetings, run their website and Facebook page (do take a look, by the way) and help out updating policies. I'm never - nor would ever want to be - in a position where I'm alone with any of the children. And provided there is other (vetted) adult supervision that's really all that matters. There's an awful lot of misunderstanding when it comes to adults in a school or nursery environment. I've heard that some school refuse author visits if the person concerned isn't CRB checked, in spite of the fact that - unless they're going to be in a situation where they're unsupervised at any time - they shouldn't need to be.
It's all rather heavy-handed and unnecessary. Meanwhile, I've just had to queue at the Post Office for another passport application form (Why do they make you go to the counter for them?) as well as fork out five quid for some passport photos. 'Adopt a neutral expression', the machine said and 'don't smile'.
Don't smile? Don't make me laugh. Being told your new passport is going to cost over seventy quid is hardly very amusing, the more so as the circumstances surrounding the loss of the old one were so utterly avoidable.
No wonder I look grumpy in the passport photos.
May 10, 2012
The Baby Show is Back!
Test, try and buy the UK’s best baby products at The Baby Show Birmingham NEC, 18th-20th May 2012
Yes, The Baby Show is back, offering a shopping haven for new parents and parents-to-be. Forget the hassle of the high street, The Baby Show takes the stress out of shopping for your baby by bringing the UK’s biggest baby brands under one roof. You can try before you buy, compare and much, much more.
In association with Prima Baby and sponsored by Fisher-Price, The Baby Show is an exciting event filled with the latest and greatest products in food & feeding, pushchairs, nappies & wipes, toys, clothing, furniture, car seats and carriers, from major brands. Parents who come to The Baby Show will also find substantial offers and savings that cannot be found elsewhere.
Show Manager Melanie Hall states: 'The Baby Show is the destination for expectant and new parents. It is a fantastic day out; offering first class information, a chance to talk to like-minded mums and see the UK’s best baby brands all in one place. Our aim is for each parent to come away feeling happy, informed and confident in what they have chosen.'
There's even a free Fisher-Price crèche where your children can enjoy the latest toys while being supervised by fully trained and professional carers. And giving parents more time to sample the show's delights. The Baby Show at Birmingham NEC takes place between 18th–20th May 2012 and tickets are available in advance for just £12 each from www.thebabyshow.co.uk.
And the organisers are offering readers of Bringing up Charlie a chance to win one of two free pairs of tickets to the show. All you have to do is leave a 'pick me' comment below and the winner will be announced on Sunday evening. To be in with more than one chance of winning, you can 'like' my Facebook author page (click the button on the right >>>>>) and tweet about the competition. You have until Sunday evening.
Good luck!
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May 7, 2012
How to make a robot costume
Simple pleasures eh?
I've blogged before about the enormous pleasure to be had from a cardboard box. Kids love 'em, there are often exciting things in them and if they're big enough, at the end of the day knackered parents can hide in them. You can also use boxes of a certain size as lids for your little ones (think mute for a trumpet) which is where we got the inspiration for this Bank Holiday craft project.
Take one cardboard box; cut two holes for the eyes; cut two more for arms; paint the whole thing grey; decorate, and - bingo! You've got yourself a robot costume.
Easy as...
1. Cutting the holes
2. Painting the box
3. Adding some robotic decorations...
4. ... and a clothes-hanger for the antenna
I'm not into detailed instructions and step-by-step guides but I'll just add that it makes sense to try the box on your little one's head and mark the best place for eye/arm holes first. Oh, and don't attack the cardboard with the scissors while they're still inside. And finally, a little tip I picked up recently but I suspect the whole world has known about for ages. But in case - like me - you didn't, a little drop of PVS glue mixed with the paint prevents it flaking and chipping during the inevitable rough handling such a toy is likely to get.
Simple!
I've blogged before about the enormous pleasure to be had from a cardboard box. Kids love 'em, there are often exciting things in them and if they're big enough, at the end of the day knackered parents can hide in them. You can also use boxes of a certain size as lids for your little ones (think mute for a trumpet) which is where we got the inspiration for this Bank Holiday craft project.
Take one cardboard box; cut two holes for the eyes; cut two more for arms; paint the whole thing grey; decorate, and - bingo! You've got yourself a robot costume.
Easy as...
1. Cutting the holes
2. Painting the box
3. Adding some robotic decorations...
4. ... and a clothes-hanger for the antenna
I'm not into detailed instructions and step-by-step guides but I'll just add that it makes sense to try the box on your little one's head and mark the best place for eye/arm holes first. Oh, and don't attack the cardboard with the scissors while they're still inside. And finally, a little tip I picked up recently but I suspect the whole world has known about for ages. But in case - like me - you didn't, a little drop of PVS glue mixed with the paint prevents it flaking and chipping during the inevitable rough handling such a toy is likely to get.
Simple!
May 3, 2012
A life-long love-affair with reading
Back in February I was invited to this building (80 Strand, the former Shell Mex House)...
Along with these people...
To help choose the contents of the 2012 Booktime Book Packs. With views over the Thames like this it was a wonder we got any work done at all!
But - under the chairmanship of Jake Hope - work we did and the fruits of our deliberations are announced today.
Most parents are familiar with Bookstart, which offers free books to children at two key ages before they start school. Since 2006 Booktime - run by the same charity Booktrust along with educational publisher Pearsons - has extended the programme to give a free book pack to every eligible child soon after they first start primary school, along with guidance for parents and carers on shared reading.
All the books are chosen for their potential to promote the pleasure of reading by encouraging families to have fun reading together and are intended to be instantly appealing to children. That's quite a tough ask, as you might expect. So it's an indication of the strength of the children's book market that there were so many strong contenders and selecting just two books to go into the Booktime pack was extremely hard. But tremendous fun!
And I'm sure when the books are distributed later this year both the children who receive them and their parents/carers will find them equally rewarding. One of them's a classic. The Tale of a Naughty Little Rabbit is a playful and funny retelling of Beatrix Potter's original Tale of Peter Rabbit. It's a special anniversary edition to mark 110 years since Frederick Warne first published the original tale. The other book is a is a lively and entertaining story about the mischief that little monkeys can get up to when they're bored. With simple rhyming text and expressive illustrations, Tim's Din - by Monica Hughes and Bill Ledger - gives children the chance to try telling a fun and simple story themselves.
This year Booktime will be giving away its six millionth book, while Booktrust itself celebrates its twentieth anniversary. And I'm delighted to have played a small part this year in helping them achieve their aim of encouraging children in a life-long love affair with reading.
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Along with these people...
.JPG)
To help choose the contents of the 2012 Booktime Book Packs. With views over the Thames like this it was a wonder we got any work done at all!
.JPG)
But - under the chairmanship of Jake Hope - work we did and the fruits of our deliberations are announced today.
Most parents are familiar with Bookstart, which offers free books to children at two key ages before they start school. Since 2006 Booktime - run by the same charity Booktrust along with educational publisher Pearsons - has extended the programme to give a free book pack to every eligible child soon after they first start primary school, along with guidance for parents and carers on shared reading.
All the books are chosen for their potential to promote the pleasure of reading by encouraging families to have fun reading together and are intended to be instantly appealing to children. That's quite a tough ask, as you might expect. So it's an indication of the strength of the children's book market that there were so many strong contenders and selecting just two books to go into the Booktime pack was extremely hard. But tremendous fun!
And I'm sure when the books are distributed later this year both the children who receive them and their parents/carers will find them equally rewarding. One of them's a classic. The Tale of a Naughty Little Rabbit is a playful and funny retelling of Beatrix Potter's original Tale of Peter Rabbit. It's a special anniversary edition to mark 110 years since Frederick Warne first published the original tale. The other book is a is a lively and entertaining story about the mischief that little monkeys can get up to when they're bored. With simple rhyming text and expressive illustrations, Tim's Din - by Monica Hughes and Bill Ledger - gives children the chance to try telling a fun and simple story themselves.
This year Booktime will be giving away its six millionth book, while Booktrust itself celebrates its twentieth anniversary. And I'm delighted to have played a small part this year in helping them achieve their aim of encouraging children in a life-long love affair with reading.
May 1, 2012
Write on!
We're all writers, right? We write blogs, letters, shopping lists, books and more. Or less. But there are times when doing something as simple as putting words down on a sheet of paper (or on computer) seems about as difficult as dry-stone walling with your hands tied together. And blindfolded.
This is one of those mornings. I've loads of ideas (this isn't one of them!) and no inkling about shaping them into something as ephemeral as a tweet, let alone a blog post. Of course, they say a problem shared is a problem halved. And a problem not only shared but solved is not a problem anymore. So, I'm asking for your writing tips. In particular, I'm asking for the strategies you use when you are stuck.
Ted Hughes advocated writing anything - gibberish, rubbish - just scrawling on the paper until the real ideas, the real words, started flowing. I was fortunate enough to be able to interview a number of authors (Bill Herbert, Talli Roland, Tamsyn Murray, Gary Murning and Guy de la Bédoyère among them) in the process of compiling my latest book and they all had some fascinating things to say about the process of inspiration, writing, revising and publishing.
But probably because I was 'on fire' at the time, brimming with ideas and at a stage where the words were flowing I didn't think to ask them anything about writer's 'block'. I did, of course, cover it in the book. But perhaps I failed to give it due attention. And now the muse has done a runner and I need your help.
Share your tips below and I'll give my favourite a copy of the book. It needn't be scientific or profound or even original. As long as it works. Because if it works for you, it might do the same for me. And at the moment I need all the help I can get!
This is one of those mornings. I've loads of ideas (this isn't one of them!) and no inkling about shaping them into something as ephemeral as a tweet, let alone a blog post. Of course, they say a problem shared is a problem halved. And a problem not only shared but solved is not a problem anymore. So, I'm asking for your writing tips. In particular, I'm asking for the strategies you use when you are stuck.
Ted Hughes advocated writing anything - gibberish, rubbish - just scrawling on the paper until the real ideas, the real words, started flowing. I was fortunate enough to be able to interview a number of authors (Bill Herbert, Talli Roland, Tamsyn Murray, Gary Murning and Guy de la Bédoyère among them) in the process of compiling my latest book and they all had some fascinating things to say about the process of inspiration, writing, revising and publishing.
But probably because I was 'on fire' at the time, brimming with ideas and at a stage where the words were flowing I didn't think to ask them anything about writer's 'block'. I did, of course, cover it in the book. But perhaps I failed to give it due attention. And now the muse has done a runner and I need your help.
Share your tips below and I'll give my favourite a copy of the book. It needn't be scientific or profound or even original. As long as it works. Because if it works for you, it might do the same for me. And at the moment I need all the help I can get!
April 29, 2012
Sunday Supplement
Car seats, computers (the back-up, thereof) and carbohydrates this Sunday. Oh, and a bit of skinny-dipping too for good measure (though it's hardly the weather!).
More of that later. First up today, we have car seats. Having outgrown her infant carrier we were delighted when someone from Britax got in touch and asked if we'd like to try the new Trifix Group 1 car seat, heralded as the 'safest and most beautifully engineered car seat from Britax yet' and the first to feature 'a revolutionary ISOFIX + installation system.'
For the record, the seat looks good and boasts 'compete and unrivalled protection for your little one' by combing three unique technologies including what is known as a V-tether, which acts as a third anchorage point and which absorbs frontal forces. Never having had an Isofix seat before (I'd never not have one now!) I had to check first that our car actually had the relevant clips. It does; they're here, tucked between the seat cushion and the back rest...
Once you've found them, fitting the seat is simplicity itself and the ISOFIX receptors make a satisfying 'clunk' as they click home. And once they do, you're safe in the knowledge that the seat is safe and secure. And - in the case of the Trifix - comfortable too with plenty of added protection built in.
Here's how Which? tests child car seats. Be warned - the footage is quite harrowing, in spite of using crash test dummies. But when you've seen it, you want to know that the seat you've got is among the best. And I'm certain that this one is. I've never been 100% confident in the safety (or my competency) in threading a seat-belt through slots in the back of a car seat. And with Isofix, this isn't a problem.
But what happens on holiday? In the hire car or the taxi, for example? While seats like the Britax Trifix are excellent, easy-to-fit and secure, they're not light, or small. They're certainly not portable enough to take away. This, however, is...
The Bubblebum inflatable car booster seat now includes a new shoulder belt positioning clip making it even safer and weighing in at just over one-and-a-half pounds it'll both fit in your suitcase and ensure you stay within your baggage allowance. Winner of numerous awards, this group 2-3 seat is the perfect solution when travelling with children.
Seagate Back-up
And now for something completely different. Having had a Power Book G4 die spectacularly on me recently this next item is especially relevant.
Even without dramatic hard-drive failures like the above, you can’t have young children and do any kind of work on a computer without risking everything. You're courting disaster every time they hear the windows chime.
The other day, in a quiet moment with one at school, another nursery and the third asleep, I’d got about 1000 new words of a new book proposal written. Then Eloise woke up; Charlie needed fetching. By the time I got back home the supper needed prepping; Sally arrived home shortly afterwards, followed by Sarah, Then we ate. Then it was bathtime. Then bed. Then – hours later – I remembered the doc I hadn’t saved on the laptop not plugged in, the one whose battery was about to expire five hours earlier.
What I need, of course, is a secretary, someone at my elbow who picks up the drafts of what I’ve written, tidies them away for me and makes sure that they all live to see another day. Well, my ‘loaf-haired secretary’ would be a trifle expensive. What isn’t is the e-equivalent – in my case, the Seagate GoFlexHome. Connected to your wireless router, this little (and it is - measuring approx. 200mm x 150mm x 30mm) box of cleverness connects to whatever computer you happen to be using and takes whatever documents you're creating or whatever photos you're uploading and tidies them away into the e-equivilent of a giganic filing cabinet of one terabyte capacity! And that's not all. Using the free GoFlexAccessiPhone/iPod or Android app you can access your files on the go from anywhere with WIFI or 3/4G reception. But best of all is this...
The little message you get in the bottom right hand corner of your screen several times a day tells your stuff is safe, backed up and secure. You see, you don't actually 'run' a backup at all. It's running all the time in the background, as unobtrusively and effectively as, well, the most efficient secretary.
Wild Swimming
It's been quite a month for wild swimming. Not personally, unfortunately. But vicariously - first last Sunday with a repeat of Nick Roeg's majestic but mystifying film Walkabout (how I'd love to join Jenny Agutter in that pool...)
Then there was a repeat of Alice Robert's programme based on Roger Deakin's classic, Waterlog, and now this...
If you've never been wild swimming it might be because you find the the water here a tad cold. That's understandable; even Alice Robert's wore a wetsuit before stripping off completely for a bit of skinny-dipping in the Lake District. But the temperature is likely to be less of a problem in France, and this companion volume to Daniel Start's earlier books (Wild Swimming, and Wild Swimming Coast reviewed here) examines the thrill of swimming beneath the great châteaux of the Loire or taking the plunge in the azure-blue pools of Provence. The book contains all you need to relax in the secret hot springs of the Pyrenees and discover the unspoilt crater lakes of the Mont-Dore. As the blurb says, 'France has one of the most diverse and magnificent landscapes in Europe, with a cuisine and culture to match. Its rivers, lakes and waterfalls are sparkling clean and its summers are reliably hot – and it’s all just a train ride away.'
Frankie and Benny's
Finally, we all know that swimming makes you hungry. Well, here's a possible solution. We were asked to try the new Frankie and Benny's menus recently, a difficult job I know but someone has to do it. Although other members of the family have all been at various times before, for some reason I seem to have missed out. This was my first ever trip to a Frankie and Benny's - but it won't be my last.
They say they pride themselves in offering customers 'a wide range of dishes' and with not one, but four new menus on offer that's certainly a valid claim. We found plenty to choose from, opting for the Lasagne al Forno (pasta sheets layered with Cousin Mario’s beef ragu, creamy béchamel sauce and mozzarella cheese) and (in my case) something called a 'Black and Blue' which was essentially burger glazed with melted blue cheese and served with lettuce, tomato and dill pickle. According to the menu it also comes with spicy onion rings although they were absent from my plate yesterday and I've only just - in checking the menu - realised. Pity. Because otherwise the service - and the food - was excellent and we were especially impressed with the value and quality of the children's meals - just £3.95 for a main, a desert and refillable soft drink!
Oh, and should you need the 'bathroom' (as the Americans say) you get the chance to learn a little Italian, too - a fact which amused Charlie almost as much as the first-class fun pack (pencil, puzzle book and jigsaw) that kept him quiet while waiting to be served. Which wasn't - in spite of it being a busy Saturday in Spalding - very long.
As I said, I'll certainly be back. If only to claim my onion rings.
Have a great Sunday. And don't get too wet!
More of that later. First up today, we have car seats. Having outgrown her infant carrier we were delighted when someone from Britax got in touch and asked if we'd like to try the new Trifix Group 1 car seat, heralded as the 'safest and most beautifully engineered car seat from Britax yet' and the first to feature 'a revolutionary ISOFIX + installation system.'
For the record, the seat looks good and boasts 'compete and unrivalled protection for your little one' by combing three unique technologies including what is known as a V-tether, which acts as a third anchorage point and which absorbs frontal forces. Never having had an Isofix seat before (I'd never not have one now!) I had to check first that our car actually had the relevant clips. It does; they're here, tucked between the seat cushion and the back rest...
Once you've found them, fitting the seat is simplicity itself and the ISOFIX receptors make a satisfying 'clunk' as they click home. And once they do, you're safe in the knowledge that the seat is safe and secure. And - in the case of the Trifix - comfortable too with plenty of added protection built in.
Here's how Which? tests child car seats. Be warned - the footage is quite harrowing, in spite of using crash test dummies. But when you've seen it, you want to know that the seat you've got is among the best. And I'm certain that this one is. I've never been 100% confident in the safety (or my competency) in threading a seat-belt through slots in the back of a car seat. And with Isofix, this isn't a problem.
But what happens on holiday? In the hire car or the taxi, for example? While seats like the Britax Trifix are excellent, easy-to-fit and secure, they're not light, or small. They're certainly not portable enough to take away. This, however, is...
The Bubblebum inflatable car booster seat now includes a new shoulder belt positioning clip making it even safer and weighing in at just over one-and-a-half pounds it'll both fit in your suitcase and ensure you stay within your baggage allowance. Winner of numerous awards, this group 2-3 seat is the perfect solution when travelling with children.
Seagate Back-up
And now for something completely different. Having had a Power Book G4 die spectacularly on me recently this next item is especially relevant.
.JPG)
Even without dramatic hard-drive failures like the above, you can’t have young children and do any kind of work on a computer without risking everything. You're courting disaster every time they hear the windows chime.
The other day, in a quiet moment with one at school, another nursery and the third asleep, I’d got about 1000 new words of a new book proposal written. Then Eloise woke up; Charlie needed fetching. By the time I got back home the supper needed prepping; Sally arrived home shortly afterwards, followed by Sarah, Then we ate. Then it was bathtime. Then bed. Then – hours later – I remembered the doc I hadn’t saved on the laptop not plugged in, the one whose battery was about to expire five hours earlier.
What I need, of course, is a secretary, someone at my elbow who picks up the drafts of what I’ve written, tidies them away for me and makes sure that they all live to see another day. Well, my ‘loaf-haired secretary’ would be a trifle expensive. What isn’t is the e-equivalent – in my case, the Seagate GoFlexHome. Connected to your wireless router, this little (and it is - measuring approx. 200mm x 150mm x 30mm) box of cleverness connects to whatever computer you happen to be using and takes whatever documents you're creating or whatever photos you're uploading and tidies them away into the e-equivilent of a giganic filing cabinet of one terabyte capacity! And that's not all. Using the free GoFlexAccessiPhone/iPod or Android app you can access your files on the go from anywhere with WIFI or 3/4G reception. But best of all is this...
The little message you get in the bottom right hand corner of your screen several times a day tells your stuff is safe, backed up and secure. You see, you don't actually 'run' a backup at all. It's running all the time in the background, as unobtrusively and effectively as, well, the most efficient secretary.
Wild Swimming
It's been quite a month for wild swimming. Not personally, unfortunately. But vicariously - first last Sunday with a repeat of Nick Roeg's majestic but mystifying film Walkabout (how I'd love to join Jenny Agutter in that pool...)
Then there was a repeat of Alice Robert's programme based on Roger Deakin's classic, Waterlog, and now this...
If you've never been wild swimming it might be because you find the the water here a tad cold. That's understandable; even Alice Robert's wore a wetsuit before stripping off completely for a bit of skinny-dipping in the Lake District. But the temperature is likely to be less of a problem in France, and this companion volume to Daniel Start's earlier books (Wild Swimming, and Wild Swimming Coast reviewed here) examines the thrill of swimming beneath the great châteaux of the Loire or taking the plunge in the azure-blue pools of Provence. The book contains all you need to relax in the secret hot springs of the Pyrenees and discover the unspoilt crater lakes of the Mont-Dore. As the blurb says, 'France has one of the most diverse and magnificent landscapes in Europe, with a cuisine and culture to match. Its rivers, lakes and waterfalls are sparkling clean and its summers are reliably hot – and it’s all just a train ride away.'
Frankie and Benny's
Finally, we all know that swimming makes you hungry. Well, here's a possible solution. We were asked to try the new Frankie and Benny's menus recently, a difficult job I know but someone has to do it. Although other members of the family have all been at various times before, for some reason I seem to have missed out. This was my first ever trip to a Frankie and Benny's - but it won't be my last.
They say they pride themselves in offering customers 'a wide range of dishes' and with not one, but four new menus on offer that's certainly a valid claim. We found plenty to choose from, opting for the Lasagne al Forno (pasta sheets layered with Cousin Mario’s beef ragu, creamy béchamel sauce and mozzarella cheese) and (in my case) something called a 'Black and Blue' which was essentially burger glazed with melted blue cheese and served with lettuce, tomato and dill pickle. According to the menu it also comes with spicy onion rings although they were absent from my plate yesterday and I've only just - in checking the menu - realised. Pity. Because otherwise the service - and the food - was excellent and we were especially impressed with the value and quality of the children's meals - just £3.95 for a main, a desert and refillable soft drink!
Oh, and should you need the 'bathroom' (as the Americans say) you get the chance to learn a little Italian, too - a fact which amused Charlie almost as much as the first-class fun pack (pencil, puzzle book and jigsaw) that kept him quiet while waiting to be served. Which wasn't - in spite of it being a busy Saturday in Spalding - very long.
As I said, I'll certainly be back. If only to claim my onion rings.
Have a great Sunday. And don't get too wet!
April 26, 2012
UK in Double Dip Recession
So, it's official. We're in recession. Again. In spite of everything that's been said and done, in spite (or should that be because?) of the austerity measures a decline on 0.3% in the first quarter of 2012 means we've hit a double-dip recession, we've super-sized the slide and ordered extra fries on the side.
Oh dear. If, like me, you've got a family to run things aren't going to be easy. But there are strategies you can employ and there is help to be had. One source of money-saving tips, advice and assistance is My Family Club and they're giving away a free e-book packed with advice for balancing the family budget and making what you have to spend go further. Written by Debbie O'Connor (@motivatingmumuk) it contains suggestions for keeping control of your shopping, strategies for saving money by couponing and a host of self-assessment questionnaires and tools to give you a better understanding of your spending habits. And - like membership of My Family Club itself - it's free!
To receive your copy, I'd like you to share your money-saving tips. Leave a comment with just one - your best - piece of recession-busting wisdom and the book is yours. Only, do make sure you don't sign in anonymously as I'll need to be able to email you the book by return.
Oh, and if anyone has any tips for George Osborne too I'm sure he'd be very grateful. Looks like he needs all the help he can get.
This post is sponsored by My Family Club - money saving for families made easy.
Oh dear. If, like me, you've got a family to run things aren't going to be easy. But there are strategies you can employ and there is help to be had. One source of money-saving tips, advice and assistance is My Family Club and they're giving away a free e-book packed with advice for balancing the family budget and making what you have to spend go further. Written by Debbie O'Connor (@motivatingmumuk) it contains suggestions for keeping control of your shopping, strategies for saving money by couponing and a host of self-assessment questionnaires and tools to give you a better understanding of your spending habits. And - like membership of My Family Club itself - it's free!
To receive your copy, I'd like you to share your money-saving tips. Leave a comment with just one - your best - piece of recession-busting wisdom and the book is yours. Only, do make sure you don't sign in anonymously as I'll need to be able to email you the book by return.
Oh, and if anyone has any tips for George Osborne too I'm sure he'd be very grateful. Looks like he needs all the help he can get.
This post is sponsored by My Family Club - money saving for families made easy.
April 24, 2012
And then this one time...
All this talk of BlogCamp recently is making me nervous. Like anything (like blogging) you've been doing for a while, people start to assume you must be something of an expert.
photo courtesy of Lachlan Donald (@lox)
Well I'm going to come clean. I'm not. I know a bit of stuff and I enjoy learning bits and pieces more. I've helped several people now to establish blogs of their own on a variety of platforms. But when the tweets start flying from events like BlogCamp I start worrying.
Here are just some of the things I'd like explaining, not all of them by any means confined exclusively to the world of blogging, but all of them with some connection.
First, crowd-sourcing as in 'crowd-sourced posts' or 'crowd-sourced speakers'. Now I think I might know what this means, but I'm never certain; nor am I certain why - if I've understood it correctly - it seems to cover groups of people ranging from the small to the unfeasibly large.
Anyway, next up is a word that I'm utterly baffled by. In fact, the word is 'word', key word to be precise. Now I kinda know what these should be are but I always get the feeling that definition is inadequate. Because the so-called key words brought up on searches or when Google AdWords 'crawls' my site (urghh!) bear no resemblance to my blog content whatsoever. Let's just say I was using AdWords to suggest the key words most relevant to my site. Would they really be things like pie, balloon and bookcase? And if they were, what in the name of all that's good am I supposed to do with that information?
Next, Tags. And meta-tags. I assume the former is an online version of that game we used to play as children ('you're it!). And the latter? A bigger version of the same thing? Search me... but if you do, make sure you use an appropriate engine.
Permalink - like permafrost, something to be avoided at all costs I would've thought. Unless, that is, you know different.
Search terms. Of all the things that confuse me about blogging and the interweb of intrigue, this is perhaps the worst. I mean, how - please tell me, how - does the term 'first pregnant man' relate to my blog? I have, of course, used all three words on many occasions in sperate contexts. But never together. Never even in close proximity to one another. So how (a) does this search term get you here, and (b) does knowing that help me in any way? And there are worse, dear reader. Much worse.
Finally, there are those referring sites. Now Google I can understand. And Twitter too, and Facebook. But why some random coach hire company in London should be top amongst sites leading to Bringing up Charlie is perhaps the biggest mystery of all. Especailly as - when I search the site - I can see no reference to my blog at all.
You know what I need? I need BlogCamp. In the meantime, if you can help any any of the above I'd be very grateful. There may be cake in it for you.
photo courtesy of Lachlan Donald (@lox)
Well I'm going to come clean. I'm not. I know a bit of stuff and I enjoy learning bits and pieces more. I've helped several people now to establish blogs of their own on a variety of platforms. But when the tweets start flying from events like BlogCamp I start worrying.
Here are just some of the things I'd like explaining, not all of them by any means confined exclusively to the world of blogging, but all of them with some connection.
First, crowd-sourcing as in 'crowd-sourced posts' or 'crowd-sourced speakers'. Now I think I might know what this means, but I'm never certain; nor am I certain why - if I've understood it correctly - it seems to cover groups of people ranging from the small to the unfeasibly large.
Anyway, next up is a word that I'm utterly baffled by. In fact, the word is 'word', key word to be precise. Now I kinda know what these should be are but I always get the feeling that definition is inadequate. Because the so-called key words brought up on searches or when Google AdWords 'crawls' my site (urghh!) bear no resemblance to my blog content whatsoever. Let's just say I was using AdWords to suggest the key words most relevant to my site. Would they really be things like pie, balloon and bookcase? And if they were, what in the name of all that's good am I supposed to do with that information?
Next, Tags. And meta-tags. I assume the former is an online version of that game we used to play as children ('you're it!). And the latter? A bigger version of the same thing? Search me... but if you do, make sure you use an appropriate engine.
Permalink - like permafrost, something to be avoided at all costs I would've thought. Unless, that is, you know different.
Search terms. Of all the things that confuse me about blogging and the interweb of intrigue, this is perhaps the worst. I mean, how - please tell me, how - does the term 'first pregnant man' relate to my blog? I have, of course, used all three words on many occasions in sperate contexts. But never together. Never even in close proximity to one another. So how (a) does this search term get you here, and (b) does knowing that help me in any way? And there are worse, dear reader. Much worse.
Finally, there are those referring sites. Now Google I can understand. And Twitter too, and Facebook. But why some random coach hire company in London should be top amongst sites leading to Bringing up Charlie is perhaps the biggest mystery of all. Especailly as - when I search the site - I can see no reference to my blog at all.
You know what I need? I need BlogCamp. In the meantime, if you can help any any of the above I'd be very grateful. There may be cake in it for you.
April 20, 2012
On this day...
In 1964 a house, with a door and windows - one, two, three, four - asked if we were 'ready to play' for the first time and continued to do so - in the warm, safe, welcoming tones of Brian Cant - for another quarter of a century.
I've blogged about the golden age of children's television before, most recently when our collected 'Ivor the Engine' DVD arrived. And the more I watch it, the more I begin to think that there was something soothing, calming and secure about children's television then that isn't always present any more.
Anyway, if - like me - you're of a 'certain age', you'll certainly recognise this:
and this...
I've blogged about the golden age of children's television before, most recently when our collected 'Ivor the Engine' DVD arrived. And the more I watch it, the more I begin to think that there was something soothing, calming and secure about children's television then that isn't always present any more.
Anyway, if - like me - you're of a 'certain age', you'll certainly recognise this:
and this...
April 19, 2012
My Family Club - Saving Families Money
I've been asked (yes, this is a
sponsored post
) to share something with you today. I'm happy to do so because it's good. And it's something we all want (or need) to do: to save money; be thrifty; make whatever we've got go further.
The first thing My Family Club suggested was that I share some of my own money-saving advice. So that's what I've done, in the form of this short video...
Ok, I know I know. Not rocket science, is it? And not all that sophisticated, either. In fact, it makes me realise that I really ought to start doing a little bit more. Which is where the My Family Club website comes in. The site is full (in their own words) of '...the best deals, discounts, freebies, money saving tips and free activities… just for families.'
There's advice from an online team of experts, a weekly newsletter, free ebooks, a savings calculator, time-saving tips and a whole lot more. You don't have to pay a fee - you can sign up for free - and at present when you join there's a chance to win an iPad/iPod bundle of Apple goodness into the bargain. They do charge for something called a Savings Pack which costs £9.95 but claim that 'using it will give you the opportunity to make the cover price back many times over.' That's if you choose to buy it.
Sometimes some of these sites seem too a little too good to be true. But if there's a catch, I've yet to find it. (And if I do find it I'll certainly tell you about it!) It really does look like someone's come up with what is going to be a 'must-read' site for families everywhere. You can browse the articles, read the blog, pick up the tips and see what's on offer and where without even becoming a member. But joining means you access certain 'member's only' benefits (the free ebooks, for example) as well as be in with a chance of winning the Apple goodies. You can even join via the Facebook page if you want to.
Which is what I've just done. Because it's full of just the sort of ideas and inspiration I need. Well, you've seen the video; you know.
And talking of ideas and inspiration, MyFamilyClub is holding a twitter party today to celebrate their launch and to tie in with #thriftythursday. It's between 1-2pm, and the best thrifty tip wins a fruit & veg box.
See you there!
The first thing My Family Club suggested was that I share some of my own money-saving advice. So that's what I've done, in the form of this short video...
Ok, I know I know. Not rocket science, is it? And not all that sophisticated, either. In fact, it makes me realise that I really ought to start doing a little bit more. Which is where the My Family Club website comes in. The site is full (in their own words) of '...the best deals, discounts, freebies, money saving tips and free activities… just for families.'
There's advice from an online team of experts, a weekly newsletter, free ebooks, a savings calculator, time-saving tips and a whole lot more. You don't have to pay a fee - you can sign up for free - and at present when you join there's a chance to win an iPad/iPod bundle of Apple goodness into the bargain. They do charge for something called a Savings Pack which costs £9.95 but claim that 'using it will give you the opportunity to make the cover price back many times over.' That's if you choose to buy it.
Sometimes some of these sites seem too a little too good to be true. But if there's a catch, I've yet to find it. (And if I do find it I'll certainly tell you about it!) It really does look like someone's come up with what is going to be a 'must-read' site for families everywhere. You can browse the articles, read the blog, pick up the tips and see what's on offer and where without even becoming a member. But joining means you access certain 'member's only' benefits (the free ebooks, for example) as well as be in with a chance of winning the Apple goodies. You can even join via the Facebook page if you want to.
Which is what I've just done. Because it's full of just the sort of ideas and inspiration I need. Well, you've seen the video; you know.
And talking of ideas and inspiration, MyFamilyClub is holding a twitter party today to celebrate their launch and to tie in with #thriftythursday. It's between 1-2pm, and the best thrifty tip wins a fruit & veg box.
See you there!
