It might be a grey morning today, but we had such a lovely weekend that I don't mind! It felt like the first real warm days of the year and I spent almost the whole of the two days outside. On Saturday morning we did our first cut of the grass. It was very overgrown so it took two cuts to bring it down to a reasonable height. I had already gone around and cut down the large thistles (our 'grass' is mainly weeds!) then it was just a case of ploughing through with the lawnmower. Along with some weeding we filled up both our brown bin and the overflow bin!  That left plenty of space to get o ..read more

I am so happy that summer is making an appearance at last! I can't believe that last week I was wrapped up in jumpers and winter coats, huddled under a heated blanket, and today I've got washing hanging outside, I've pulled out the garden furniture, and dug out my sunglasses! I've been a bit quiet over here lately, so here are some of the things that I've been up to recently: Reading  With a friend to borrow books from and a big order from Wob I've had plenty of reading material to keep me going! Last night I finished Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell. Set during the heatwav ..read more

This is a collaborative post I love sitting back and relaxing with a good book while on holiday. I love sitting on a peaceful beach listening to the waves lapping, relaxing on the deck of a cruise ship and enjoying some sunshine, or whiling away the time while travelling by train or plane. But I'm very particular about my reading material, and I spend a lot of time making sure that I've packed the right books to take away with me.  Whether boarding a cruise or embarking on a different type of holiday, it's essential to pick the best holiday reading. So in this article I'll be looking a ..read more

This is a collaborative post Renting a home doesn’t mean you have to settle for a bland, impersonal space. With a few clever tricks and removable updates, you can transform any rental into a cosy, personalised sanctuary that reflects your unique style and taste.  Here’s how to make your rented space feel more like your own, without risking your security deposit. Start with Colour One of the simplest ways to inject personality into a space is with colour. If painting walls is off-limits, consider using removable wallpaper or large, colourful artwork to brighten up your rooms. Removable wal ..read more

This post was prompted by a post from Wob (World of Books) on Facebook last week - apparently buying 144 pre-loved books will save one tree. I must admit that does still seem like quite a lot of books, but one of the reasons that I love buying my books second hand is for environmental reasons. Not only does it save on the resources required to print a new book, it also reduces waste and means that the same book can be enjoyed by many people. It's not the only reason that I buy many of my books second hand - here are some of the others: To save money This is very important to me. Recently I was ..read more

This is a collaborative post Vehicle safety doesn't come down to your tyres entirely. The brakes, seatbelts and condition of the windscreen also play a crucial role, among other systems. However, since tyres are in constant contact with the road while providing traction and manoeuvrability, they are prime candidates for any ongoing car that might be needed to improve safety. What do you need to know to ensure that you and other road users remain safe while you're behind the wheel? Read on to find out more about car tyre safety tips. Pump your tyres up Under-inflated tyres can be a killer on th ..read more

This is a collaborative post It’s not uncommon to see people at the airport with a generally unpolished and haggard look as they rush to board their scheduled flight. As such, you might think it an insurmountable task to come up with a style that can make you look chic and refined as you make your way through the airport and board your next flight. Whether you’re traveling for business or for pleasure, you can put together a travel look that’s polished and comfortable with a bit of effort and good fashion sense. With a lot of people at the airport dressing a little too casually these days ..read more

On our recent trip to New York, one of the places that I was really keen to visit was The High Line. The High Line is a park which has been built on an abandoned elevated railway track, running from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to 34th Street near the Javits Center. It's free to enter and is open daily from 7pm-8pm in winter and until 10pm in summer. We visited on a sunny Sunday afternoon at the end of March, and it was very busy. It's a little early in the year for much to be growing, so the park was sparse in places. But there is plenty of artwork displayed to add some colo ..read more

Recently I shared some of the things that I saw on our recent trip to New York and Washington, and I mentioned that we had now seen all of the retired space shuttles. I thought I'd put together a post about where all the space shuttles can now be seen, as they are awesome to see in person! The best thing is that they are all displayed in different ways to showcase their various features and uses, so even though the shuttles themselves are similar you can learn new things about them as you see each one. Space Shuttle Atlantis Atlantis is on display at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and th ..read more

This Easter we finally managed the trip to New York and Washington that was originally planned for March 2020. We spent 6 nights in New York, 5 nights in Washington D.C. and travelled by train between the two. It was a brilliant holiday, with lots of walking and sightseeing. I feel like my head is full of all the amazing things that we saw!  Here are just some of them: On our first evening in New York we all booked a trial for the Apple Vision Pro at the shop in Grand Central Station. I've written before about how I was interested to see the technology in action, and we weren't disap ..read more