If you ever want to know how popular you are post a message on Instagram saying you have just renewed your membership and have a couple of cards that you can share with people to join your Costco account. Within seconds (literally seconds) you will be inundated with hundreds of “oh my god, yes please” messages from friends desperate to get their hands on a slightly-too-high-to-be-comfortable Costco Trolley. Or maybe
HomeLife
{AD} Sweet Hamper Company — a review
When I get approached to review a company I always do a bit of research into them first to see what customers have said. It feels slightly disingenuous if my one order was a success and I rave about them but there’s a trail of unhappy clients leaving reviews on TrustPilot or Google. I dont really want to be recommending something when others have been disappointed. I was pleased, therefore,
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Musings
(AD) Have you heard about Wine List?
You would think that as my parents used to own a vineyard near Bordeaux I would know a thing or two about wine, right? Wrong. I know very little about wine other that what I like and that tends to be a very narrow Which is why I was thrilled when Wine List got in touch and asked if I wanted to see what it is they do Their idea
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Musings
2020 Olympics. I loved it.
To paraphrase 10CC, “I don’t like the 2020 Olympics. I love it” It was ten years ago that I wrote about getting all the Olympics tickets I wanted for the London Olympics, ie none. I couldn’t think of anything worse than queuing up with thousands of other people to watch a dot in the distance perform in a sport I knew nothing about, with no commentary to explain anything. Adding
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Exploring
Fishers Farm Park — A review
I will be honest, we only found Fishers Farm Park because I googled “days out near Midhurst”, where my parents live. We were looking for something to do with my parents, and with Lily and this sounded perfect but we knew nothing about it, and they hadn’t heard of it either. Part of me actually wants to keep it a secret because it really is the perfect family day out,
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Exploring
[AD] Top spots for a summer break
Trying to work out where to go for a summer break this year is trickier than booking your usual summer holiday. You dont have to just worry about flight times or whether to do self catering or all inclusive, you have to take into account travel restrictions in this country, and your destination country. For foreign travel advice keep an eye on the government website but that done, where to?!
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Exploring
Narrow boat holidays for beginners
It is easy to think “how hard can it be?” or “it’s fine, the owners will tell us what to do” when booking narrow boat holidays but for beginners there are some things you should seriously consider before heading out on the water for the first time. We did our first trip last weekend, alongside my parents who have been doing it for years, and it really brought it home
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Exploring
The Moonraker Hotel
You might think with a name like the Moonraker this hotel would be some dodgy James Bond, space themed hotel designed to attract American tourists, nothing could be further from the truth. Moonraker is actually a colloquial term for people from Wiltshire (or a slang term hurled at supporters of Swindon Town Football Club) stemming from the 1700s. Legend has it that French Brandy and Dutch Gin were smuggled up
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Musings
Hey Thortful, how about you stop body shaming men?
The above card appeared on my stories as a sponsored slide this morning and instantly made me rage as I screamed “Hey Thortful, how about you stop body shaming men”. It is body shaming in its crudest form. It isn’t funny, it isnt banter, it isnt humorous, it is wrong. That’s the tweet. We live in a time when many of us are doing all we can to promote body
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The Gin Parlour
{AD} Fok Hing Gin — A review
I was sent this bottle for the purposes of this review Yep. You read that right. Fok Hing gin. There is an actual gin from Hong Kong called Fok Hing gin. It is named after a popular street in the founders’ native Hong Kong and as the website says any similarity between our name and popular western profanity is purely deliberate So the founders are from Hong Kong, the name
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HomeLife
Father’s Day Gift Guide – 2021
This post contains some items sent for inclusion in the guide It’s that time of year again, when those of us with a father figure in our lives start thinking about what to get to buy to say “hey, I really appreciate all you do for me”. I might be in my 50s but I am still sending my dad a card every year to let him know I am
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HomeLife
Micro Scooter’s Micro Trike Review — AD
In their own words: Our Micro Trike gives parents and toddlers the best of both worlds. A first taste of independence for mini explorers. The reassurance of a comfy seat and slick steering handle for parents worrying about ‘I’m tired’ moments. A featherweight 2.2kg, with a slimline frame and compact fold, the Trike is as portable as they come. Our ultra quiet wheels glide effortlessly over the ground. Our sturdy