This can be a very trying time of year . .. .  early winter, or autumn as we used to know it.  The weather is not particularly good just now, lots of rain and high winds.  This tends to put folk off going out and particularly to the shopping centres so there is another blip […]

Holidays fall into one of two camps.  Either truly memorable with fantastic locations, good hotels and excellent service….. or they are quite the opposite, with flight delays, dreadfully over booked hotels and food poisoning as an additional little treat.   I have to say that my family have never been very adventurous travellers.  We tended to […]

It can be quite difficult to ensure the gift you want to buy that special someone is the genuine article.  Anyone can buy goods off a website – the choice is almost overwhelming some times.  But to get the real thing means doing some proper research and using only online shopping and gift sites that […]

This is the busiest time of year for families – weddings, outdoor bbq functions and family parties all going on at the same time.  There’s all the organising to do and the house to get in order.  Nothing is more anxiety raising than to be tasked with organising a big function that needs gifts or […]

There are times in a year when you have to get something really special for a dear one or a family present.  It can be so difficult when you know that the recipient is a bit awkward to buy for.  I’m thinking here of the Dad that seems to have absolutely everything – nice watch, […]

I have been on my travels recently and because I booked my tickets via broker, got a particularly good deal on my return trip to Texas.  It involved more than just two direct flights but I figured that the odd stop over would make for more interest.  The outward flight was from T5, and did […]

Knowing how to get the most from a foreign holiday is a subject close to my heart.  A few years ago my immediate family only ever had caravanning holidays in this country – my partner was of the opinion that it was a great waste of scarce resources and time to be taking ferries or […]

In these uncertain days – political gamesmanship to the fore and all that, it is really difficiult to predict anything at all about how retail stores and businesses are going to fare after brexit.  It’s impossible to get a straight answer to any question about importing or exporting;  On the news yesterday a think tank […]

I suscribe to a magazine website that allows me access to a wide choice of publications.  It’s rather like going into a large supermarket wanting just breakfast cereal – my word, there are both sides of one aisle dedicated to the massive choice we have available today.   There are the sugary ones that children have […]

I can be fairly described representing the bah humbug side towards the Christmas lunacy – I know several families who spend an inordinate amount of money on the childrens’ presents and on themselves;  money they simply can’t afford.  They justify it by suggesting their offspring will somehow be blighted if they don’t show ownership of […]