Sleepovers have a pretty bad rep don’t they? All sugar highs and tired eyes. After hosting our first group sleepover I can confirm this is all true, but they are also lots of fun too. Sam’s sleepover party was a good six months ago now and I hate to admit it, but this post has been in draft since then. Does that make me the slowest blogger ever? My blog has been really neglected this year and when I say neglected, I pretty much mean shelved. I am trying to write a bit more these days though, and find having this space open to record some thoughts always helps to get me writing more regularly ..read more

Some days just call for a sugar rush and the ultimate of comfort food in the form of homemade cake. Homemade muffins, really, and the bigger, the squidgier and warmer the better. The fresh blueberries in these heat up in the oven and turn into little pockets of jam, they really are so good. Put them in front of Paul Hollywood and he’d no doubt criticise their uneven size and rectangular shape – but luckily I have an easier crowd to please in the safety of my kitchen. I can’t think of a single sweet food Sam and Flo won’t eat and let’s face it, I’m the same. The past few weeks I’ve been feeli ..read more

We went on a trip to Northumberland over half-term, but in line with my current super-slow blogging pace I’m only just getting round to writing about it. I seem to struggle to find time to blog so much now, there is so much else to fit in around work, single parenting, running a house, keeping fit, eating right, and of course something monumental happened in September, when my dad died – so I’m totally off kilter lately. Our holiday was a perfect family break for the time of year; autumn by the sea is bracing as it is all year but without the pressure of summer to bring the sunshine. Still, w ..read more

Now here is a chapter that I never thought I would write so soon. Earlier this month, on 4 September 2018, my dad died. It was sudden. His health had been deteriorating over the past few years, he had parkinson’s disease and had some heart issues, but none of us thought he would go so bloody soon. On the Friday, he was at home fixing a problem with the phones, on Saturday he saw the doctor, on Sunday he was blue lighted to hospital and diagnosed with pneumonia, and on Tuesday he passed away. I feel like I’m so used to writing about grief that I just don’t really know where to start with th ..read more

Last year it was lions, this year we went fish. At Just So festival you choose your tribe, you dress as your animal and you try to collect golden pebbles to help your tribe win. It may all sound a bit pagan and ‘Wicker Man’ but believe me, this family arts festival in rural Cheshire is a magical out take from everyday life for kids and adults alike. The setting is beautiful, in the grounds of the private Rode Hall estate near Stoke-on-Trent, and as family festivals go this is small enough to suit the first-timer and relaxed enough to take it easy and not feel you’re trying to tick off a list ..read more

Here we are in July and the weather is scorchio! June was a pretty eventful month, although I must admit to having to look through my Instagram feed to remember what we got up to, we were busy as ever and have all had a few adventures. I’ve been stepping up my exercise as I’m training for the Leeds 10k next week, so I’ve been making myself go on longer runs to get used to the distance. I love running for the time it gives me to think things through, as well as the chance to burn off some energy and get rid of some stress. I have to remind myself of this every time I do a 10k and loathe every ..read more

At what I see is a crossroads in my life I’m constantly looking for answers to what might help me piece myself back together. It’s like when Roger died, my future died too and it’s taking a hell of a long time to feel like I know what I want that new future to look like. I mean it’s taken a long time to even care what that future might look like, so consumed have I been with feeling his loss and just managing to keep on top of life. I mean grief takes up a massive part of your brain power, leaving you feeling like you have a lot less space in there for other things. I’ll admit I am a bit of a ..read more

My longest day of the year tradition now appears to be to swim in the cold, cold waters of Ilkley Lido. I did it last year so kind of felt I’d be letting the side down if I didn’t get in again – plus I’d agreed to talk about it on the radio afterwards so there was definitely no backing out! The summer solstice swim at Ilkley Lido keeps getting bigger – last year there were about 200 people who joined in, this year that number was just over 275 at last count. With the water temperature at 16 degrees (oh how we wish it was heated!), the pool opened at 4.30am and by the time we arrived 15 minute ..read more

There are spa days, and then there are super luxurious spa days in five star surroundings with decor to die for, making you feel like you haven’t just had a day out in Yorkshire but a weekend away on the Amalfi Coast. That was how I felt after a day at Rudding Park Spa in Harrogate last week, when I was lucky enough to be invited by my friend Lisbet to go with her for a day of pampering. I’ll say now that this was not a gifted experience in return for a review and this is in no way sponsored. I just loved the day and wanted to share some of the photos I took during the day, even though they ..read more