It’s the weekend….

Oh and the school holidays start!! Da da daaaaa!! It’s brilliant to have such a great start to the summer, with all this sun we have been down the beach most days after the boys have finished school. Living on the south coast of England is such a dream.

The World Cup kept us pretty occupied while it was on. Maybe football didn’t come home but I think the team did us proud! It was great to all get behind England and we loved it in our house. We had the lucky bunting up and had a great time watching so many matches. Being a mixed heritage household we had different teams to support but England were the most successful.

This weekend we are going to the Sorted in Dorset family festival in hamworthy Park which looks set to be a lot of fun. I remember going to that park when I was little as we had a beach hut there, so it’s going to be quite nostalgic too.

In the garden I’m going to have a good root around my plants. The success story there this week are my tomatoes.

With all of this lovely hot sun they are growing beautifully. Another week or so and they should start to ripen up to a rich red!

Not as lucky are my purple brussel sprouts. The delicate but deadly cabbage white butterfly managed to lay their eggs and the caterpillars 🐛 had a feeding frenzy before I could pick them all off.

That’s the thing with my version of organic gardening, I haven’t put anything other than water on the plants and deal with the bugs by picking them and putting them up the end of the garden. I still have my fingers crossed that my aim of have home grown brussel sprouts as part of my christmas dinner roast will actually happen.

All in all this weekend will be out in the fresh air as much as possible. A great start to the summer holidays.

What are your plans for the weekend or the summer break?

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More gardening stories can be seen here with my 5 steps to making a raised bed.

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A Guide to Oral Hygiene for Elderly People

From the very youngest age, we are taught to take care of our teeth. While we are fortunate enough to have a temporary set of molars when we are young, they eventually give way to the one and only set of teeth you will ever have. This demands regular oral examinations and of course, best practices, as our teeth and gums have to endure a lifetime of punishment and as we age, the need for dental care does not diminish, in fact, oral hygiene becomes even more important as our teeth and gums begin to degenerate. If you are at all concerned about your teeth and you are in your middle years, here are some important factors that make for taking good care of your teeth and gums.

Losing Colour

– Generally speaking, a person’s teeth gradually darken as they age. This is compounded by teeth staining from the many different things that we consume and by visiting your dentist on a regular basis, your teeth can be professionally cleaned and with regular brushing and flossing, your teeth will lose very little of their whiteness. If, for example, you have just relocated and are looking for a BUPA dentist in Brisbane, an online search will give you a list of clinics within driving distance.

Enamel Decay

– The acids in the food and drink we consume are constantly attacking the tooth enamel and over time, this can cause the surface to become thin and dull. The many benefits of BUPA cover really pay dividends as you get older and what might have been expensive dental treatment is very affordable with the right medical cover.

Gum Disease

– It isn’t only your teeth that wear, as gums typically recede as we age and this in turn causes the teeth to lose their stability and in some cases, fall out. Gum disease can strike anyone at any age, yet older people are more susceptible, which is why regular visits to your dentist are advised. Gum disease can be better treated if caught early and with regular examinations, any gum issues can be promptly addressed.

Daily Mouthwash

– Of course, you should brush your teeth after every meal, but even a good brushing session can leave minute traces of bacteria and a good antiseptic mouthwash after brushing will remove any bacterial traces, keeping the teeth clean. Swishing the liquid around and using your cheek muscles to create high pressure bursts is an effective way to reach those hard to brush areas. This is something you should try to do several times a day and it will ensure that your teeth and gums are always clean and can better deal with the daily stresses.

Flossing is also important and if you don’t floss, then today is the best time to change that. Flossing correctly ensures that the lines between teeth are thoroughly cleaned something brushing cannot do. Regular visits to your local dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums remain healthy and that Hollywood smile does not diminish over time.

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5 Easy Steps to Making a Raised Bed

With 5 easy steps to making a raised bed you can see in pictures how to put together this easy construction and to get ideas for what materials you can use.

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We have become more and more involved with gardening since moving into our new house a few years ago. I find it so relaxing to be able to potter outside when I get home from work and on the weekend. There are so many jobs that need doing and I spend alot of time with my OH talking about what we can do to make our ideas come to life. Like most people we have to remember to balance what we want with the reality that our garden has to be right for the whole family. Back when we moved in our first project was the spring garden make over where some of the things we considered were how we could make the garden ‘boy friendly’ as our boys love playing football.

This year we have looked at having a raised bed at the far end of the garden to make use of a little patch that has been all but forgotten. It’s a bit shady and was just a great big mound of earth that really looked a bit soft and not good for anything.

For ages we said that we should do something with it and last year I scattered a few beetroot seeds over it just as a passing thought. Nothing came of them really as it gets trodden on when the bikes are bought out of the shed and once again its left looking a bit sorry for itself.

So this year it was time to do something about it and make it work for us. We decided on a raised bed, we are not full on DIY people but as you can see from our pallet garden, my OH can construct a thing or two and that recycled garden area has been a great success using free pallets and a little bit of brain power. It lasts really well too.

So back to the raised bed at hand. We decided on a structure we could put together easily without cutting and drilling, one of the reasons being because we don’t have the tools to hand. We are big fans of recycling so it was a step away from using what we had around to buying in the metal and using the fast track choice. This will mean that we will be making use of it for a long time or if we do change the use of it then we will ourselves recycle the materials. There are lots of different stores which sell these and we chose one that was having a closing down sale so picked it up for a bargain price.

For this 5 Easy Steps to Making a Raised Bed I’ve used pictures to show how my two happy helpers got stuck in …and how quick it was to create.

Step 1

Here’s the patch of earth I was talking about before, pretty basic eh? We gave it a rough measuring out beforehand. My son and OH then created a flat area and gave it a good weeding.

Raised Bed — My son showing off the ‘before’ area.

Step 2

Like any good construction project my chaps had a good long look at all the bits they were going to assemble! Oh and by now it started to rain!

Step 3

Structure up and slotted together perfectly, no banging on the fingers, hopping on one foot after dropping a hammer, nada!

Step 4

At this point I think I did help with the carrying up to the end of the garden, or at least shouting encouraging words, I can’t quite remember. The bed fitted in perfectly.

Step 5

Numerous trips then followed to bring the soil and compost up there to fill it up. We roughed up the base soil which it was sitting on first so that it would feed in the nutrients from the rich soil we were putting on above.

We were now ready to go! I have been reading and thinking about what I want to try growing in this area and it will be mainly root vegetables but for the first year I will have a little experiment with a few different types. I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. For now this is a brilliant raised bed completed in just one afternoon.

What projects have you been carrying out in your garden?

What do you think to the idea of a raised bed?

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How hot? A beauty of a day out in Birmingham

I can’t let this boiling hot weather pass without mentioning it. It’s wonderful, tiring and totally surprising for us here in the U.K.

But what’s brilliant is that it fits in perfectly with us talking about the weather. Isn’t it what we are known for? Set a cuppa next to this little paragraph and we have an English photo opportunity.

I’m lucky enough to be sat here in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens writing this post today.

It’s stunning and I’m sat under the shade of a tree just taking it all in. I’ve travelled up from bournemouth for work and am lucky enough that the meeting was here!

It seems really popular with school trips and families having picnics and having a mooch around. Travelling with kids can be a challenge but so rewarding. I always have a great time with my mum and boys on holiday, Alcudia was fab and we got so much out of it.

I couldn’t let this pass by without sharing the pictures with you. Hope you enjoy them:)

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5 Ways to Save Money during the School Holidays

5 Ways to Save Money during the School Holidays

Today we have a guest post from Jon over at The Money Shed As the UK’s largest community website dedicated to earning money from home there is nothing he doesn’t know about saving or making money online. The Money Shed has a forum with over 6000 UK members and 125,000 posts so if you fancy earning some extra money from your computer make sure to drop by and join in.

That time of year is fast approaching, as the weather gets nicer and the kids get more restless. That must mean the school summer holiday is nearly here. While your kids may be really looking forward to six weeks off from homework, you may have other ideas.

It’s hard enough to find things to do with your kids over the holidays, never mind how much all of that costs. With days out, trips to different places and activities your bills can soon go up. You don’t want to cut out on any of the fun but you don’t think that your budget can stretch that far.

If this sounds like you then read our guide on how to save money during the school holidays, making sure you’re not leaving out any of the fun stuff!

Tesco

If you’re a regular shopper at Tesco and have a Clubcard with them then you’re already saving money every time you shop. However, they also send coupons and vouchers to those who use them regularly and these can be really great.

These vouchers include Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Legoland and cinema tickets. These rewards are a great way to make sure that you’re saving money and still doing fun stuff with the kids.

Free days

Keep your eye on places which are completely free to enter. There are a lot of places all over the country that don’t charge you for entering. These places include museums and castles, which your kid will love – even if they think they won’t. There are also lots of farms which offer open days during the summer meaning your children can get up close with animals and nature for a day.

Some places which normally charge admission have free days during the holidays too. Have a look for places which are involved in this scheme to secure you and your kids a great, free day out.

Travel

With all this to-ing and fro-ing all over the country, your fuel costs are definitely going to feel the burn. Instead of choosing to stay nearer to home, why not purchase a railcard? Most train lines offer these at a discounted rate, and you can save even more when travelling with kids.

The kids will love adventuring on the train and it’ll not only save you money, but it will save you having to drive everywhere.

Kids Pass

Kids pass is a great site which allows you to get money off nearly everything. They do deals on their site which means you can purchase an annual pass for far less than you usually would. These passes offer children under a certain age free or discounted entry into loads of attractions that you’d normally pay a fortune for.

The passes can also be used at certain restaurants so if you want a night off from cooking then you can choose one of these. One pass will cover an entire household, and in some cases even cover the adult pass too.

Stay in

Okay, so you’re probably thinking that being stuck at home with rowdy children sounds like a nightmare, but not if you make it fun! Have theme days where everyone has to dress up, or teach your children to bake cookies. Build forts and have sleepovers in them. The possibilities are endless.

You can have movie days where you make your own popcorn or play board games. Search charity shops for lots of board games at ridiculously good prices. This is such a good idea when you have no other options, or if the weather lets you down and you don’t want to traipse around in the rain.

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Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta – Guest Post

Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta With a Simple Professional Twist

This hearty, one-dish meal involves a pasta making method frequently used by professional chefs—yet it’s simple enough for weeknight dinners. In this recipe, the pasta is partially cooked in water and then finished in a glossy parmesan sauce. And although the recipe calls for rigatoni, you can easily substitute any type of large tubular pasta.

Buy dry cannellini beans in bulk to save money, and cook large amounts of them at a time, freezing small portions for use in other recipes (or more sausage, greens and beans pasta!). If you prefer the convenience of canned beans, use a 15.5-ounce can instead—just make sure to rinse and drain them first.

You can use any type of Italian sausage in this recipe: loose or links, sweet or spicy. If you opt for link sausage, remove and discard the casings before frying the meat. Note that there is also flexibility in the liquid and greens used, with options for either white wine or broth and kale or escarole. Swiss chard works well, too, and adds some fun color to the dish.

We recommend using a Dutch oven for this recipe, though any heavy pot with high sides will do. Just don’t use your pasta pot—you’ll need that too! Remember to reserve the cooking liquid after boiling the pasta, as you will need this for the sauce. Instead of pouring the pasta into a colander, use a large slotted spoon or a spider, if you have one, to transfer the pasta from one pot to the other.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/3 c. olive oil
½ tsp. dried rosemary
8 oz. Italian sausage
1 ½ c. cooked cannellini beans
¼ c. dry white wine or broth
12 oz. rigatoni
8 c. chopped kale or escarole
¾ c. finely grated parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and put on the stove to boil.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, then add the sausage and fry until browned and fully cooked, about 8–10 minutes.
Transfer the sausage to a plate using a slotted spoon.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook 3 minutes less than what the package calls for.
While the pasta cooks, add the remaining oil along with the beans and rosemary to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until browned in spots, tossing the beans and mashing some with a wooden spoon.
Remove half of the beans and place on the plate with the sausage.
Add the wine or broth to the Dutch oven, bring to a boil, and cook until nearly evaporated.
Transfer the pasta to the Dutch oven (reserve cooking water).
Add the kale and 1 cup of the pasta water. Cook while tossing with tongs until the kale is wilted, pasta is al dente, and sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.
Add an additional ¼ cup of pasta water. Sprinkle in ½ cup cheese, tossing gently until you have a glossy sauce.
Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
Season with pepper and salt, if desired, then add the butter and toss until melted.
Stir in the sausage and reserved beans.
Serve warm with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Guest Post Author’s Bio:

Melissa is a freelance writer and food blogger at recipe-barn.com. She is very passionate about cooking, creating and sharing unique recipes or just simply cooking good food. Melissa has also developed an interest in a variety of other things including healthy diet and traveling in new places around the globe to experience different cuisines and learning different cultures.

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Free Pallet Patio Garden

Easy Step by Step Guide

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Fancy growing your own fruit and veg? I thought the same and am now managing just that! Here’s how to build your own free pallet patio garden.

Last year I had a new patio and it’s a great area to sit out in as it captures a lot of sun. The boys use our garden to play football and I learnt the hard way that football and plant borders don’t mix well! I actually get upset when I see the ball thud into the plants and race over to see whats happened. The boys then scurry away waiting to see if yet another tomato plant has bitten the dust.

So when the patio was laid I started thinking of ways that I could enjoy growing some fruit and vegetables on the patio.

I wanted a way to use recycled products and make something that really made the most of the small compact space we had.

Here’s a step by step guide to how I made this brilliant pallet patio garden out of mainly recycled bits and bobs, for free!

Free Pallet Patio Garden — Our blank canvas!

We put a base down so that the structure wouldnt sit directly on the slabs and cause too much discolouration.

Here is my other half fixing a free pallet that we picked up onto the back of the crate used to deliver the patio slabs in. If you can get hold of more pallets then use them to make a crate. You can find them on free sites or even in skips.

We had some weed suppressor mat in the shed and if you havent got anything like that hanging around then they are easy to pick up very cheaply. I just wanted something lining the inside that would help with keeping the pots contained and not having the water running straight out onto the ground.

The you are all ready to go and start putting in the pots that you wish to have there. What I found useful was that on the sunny days I can move the pots onto the top of the back pallet and they can make use of the sunshine. When it’s a windy day they can nestle back into the base and be a bit more protected.

You can see by these photos how the plants are coming along. The potatoes are growing well and the carrots on the right hand side in the base are showing nicely. I’ve planted onions next to them as apparently they fend off one of the mites that would eat the carrot tops.

Come back soon for an update and more than likely a recipe made out of some of the home grown veg. It will be great to see you again.

Have you got any tips on growing veg in small spaces? You might be a seasoned pro or just starting out. I’d love to hear.

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First written by me in the summer of 2017 and as I’ve started putting my new seedlings in it again this year I just had to share it with you again.

Time for tea with Adagio – Review and Giveaway

I love a cuppa, last thing at night and first thing in the morning you will find me with a cup of tea somewhere close by. Over the years I have tried many different brands and had phases of drinking different types of tea. As part of my own growth in how I enjoy different foods and wine, they too have matured. There’s much more importance to me in how something tastes, what benefits it might have for me and where it has come from. No longer just a drink to have for the sake of it.

Adagio teas have a great take on how to order your tea to be delivered to your home. Their site is divided into sections which help you to make your choice simple. There are sampler packs which you can order that give you a range across the type of tea you wish to try. Loose tea is spooned into the paper filters made of taste-neutral wood and hemp fibres. You make your own little… or big tea bag, how cool is that! I liked this as even though you get the suggested amount to put in you can adjust to your own taste.

Apparently tea is the most widely consumed drink second only to water. I can’t think of anything that is so versatile and has so many different flavours.

You can learn so much for the website such as how to make the perfect cuppa! That’s got to be high on my list of things to do. Like most things having a really good idea of how where why and how makes us all that little bit wiser.

Tea processing is five basic steps; some teas don’t utilize all of these steps, while other teas repeat them several times. Basic processing is Plucking, Withering (allowing the leaves to wilt and soften), Rolling (to shape the leaves and wring out the juices), Oxidising and Firing (ie: Drying).

I have been looking for warm drinks which my eldest son can have which don’t contain caffeine. There is lots of information on their blog which looks and explains caffeine in tea. My eldests health condition means that he has to have a chocolate, caffeine and yoghurt free diet as much as possible. A tough thing for someone reaching their teenage years. He wants to try so many new things and having a healthy warm drink after sports or a long walk are something he enjoys.

All real tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, which contains caffeine. Herbal infusions, such as Chamomile, Rooibos and Peppermint, are made from botanicals not related to Camellia sinensis, and they are naturally caffeine free. Adagio has a decaf range and a herbal range so there is a massive choice for us as a family and I can have one place to order from which is a plus point for me.

In addition to the teas you can also buy accessories such as cups, teapots, storage tins and filters.

The Giveaway

I have a great prize today which will be despatched by the fine people at Adagio Teas. It consists of 3 Sampler Packs of your choice and 1 Pack of Tea Filters so that you can start your new tea journey straight away!

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Disclaimer: I was given a selection of teas and teaware to review for the purpose of the post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. See my Contact Us page for full t&c’s for giveaways.

Valentines Gift Guide – Review and Giveaway

My Valentines Gift Guide series continues here with two products which have caught my eye. Firstly we have some beautiful hand cut and printed cards with which you can pen those love poems I’m sure you are all thinking about at the moment;) Secondly I have the great Australian teeth whitening system that will make those pearly whites of ours sparkle and look bright.

I also have my first post of my Valentines series here where you can win a set of provocative underwear! Have a look and with these posts we’ve got you covered.

Something Made

I love these hand cut and printed boxed cards by Something Made they are perfect for thank you letters, love letters and all manner of notes in between. Priced at £25 for a box of 10 they are affordable cards with an air of modern art to them.

They are the cards of the season!

They are single sided screen printed 350gsm coloured card folded to 120 x 120mm square. They come with envelopes and packed so well that they are great to send as gifts.

Ali and Rachel are London based and really easy to approach with your requirements. You can see more of their range over on their instagram page here

Giveaway…

I am so happy to be able to offer you the chance to win a box of 10 occasion cards (value £25) Enter in the rafflecopter giveaway below. Don’t forget you can come back each day for a number of the entries.

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White Glo

White Glo are Australia’s leading teeth whitening brand and the products are now available on UK high streets. They have a range of products from at home teeth whitening kits, toothpastes developed specifically for actors and models, as well as instant whitening strips, perfect to use before going on a Valentine’s date!

I remember paying hundreds of pounds a couple of years ago having my teeth whitened and am so surprised that now you can now get such a good service from buying online or at your high street shops. No more waiting for hours in a dentist chair while other people make you keep your mouth open for ages. This is for use in your own home with easy instructions.

These dissolving whitening strips are brilliant for a quick top up before a night out. Bright Nights, no gels or creams, just dissolving strips! Wonderful to lighten up to a shade a time.

There are lots of other products in the range and these two are my favourites.

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A Guide to Oral Hygiene for Elderly People

Losing Colour

Enamel Decay

Gum Disease

Daily Mouthwash

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Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

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Sausage, Greens and Beans Pasta With a Simple Professional Twist

Guest Post Author’s Bio:

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The Giveaway

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Something Made

Giveaway…

White Glo

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