5 Books I'm Planning To Read Next

I already have a huge pile of books to read by the side of my bed (currently including "Deliciously Ella", "At Home With Madame Chic" [Jennifer L. Scott], "The Everyday Supermodel" [Molly Sims], "Why Quantum Physicists Do Not Suffer" [Greg Kuhn] and "Choosing The Simply Luxurious Life"
[Shannon Ables].

I cannot resist the lure of Amazon. There is something, well, relaxing, about perusing your wish list and adding books about your latest passions. There is also something cleansing about removing those items that you eventually admit you will never really read or use.

Whenever I am asked what I would like for a present, a book is always top of my list.  My Mother's Day present was a copy of "Nourish: Mind, Body & Soul" by Amber Rose and Sadie Frost.

These are the next 5 tomes I'm planning to add to the structurally unsafe bedside literary mound.

Hardcover £11.89, Kindle Edition,£5.69 - Amazon.co.uk

Gretchen Rubin's new book is about habits, working on the theory that almost everyone wants to be "better" in some way - slimmer, smarter, better looking, more interesting, more productive - and when we try to improve ourselves, we want proof that what we are doing is working. "Better than Before", aims to show us how to turn vicious cycles into "virtuous cycles". We can do this by starting and supporting the habits that will turn us into who we want to be. The book offers specific tools and a blueprint for getting back on track.

Which bad habits would I like to change?  I'd love to stop eating so many sugary foods and to be calmer in the face of any provocation from my two little menaces.  

Hardcover £11.89, Kindle Edition £9.71 - Amazon.co.uk

I must confess I often think about the amazing three weeks (yes a short stint I know) as an au pair to the three children of a French diplomat in Paris. I was nineteen and, standing alone on the Champs-Elysees I had never felt such freedom. I've been a little bit obsessed with all things French, and particularly Parisian, ever since.

"How To Be Parisian" is a deconstruction of the French woman's views on culture, fashion and attitude, written by Bohemian free-thinkers and iconoclasts, Anne Berest, Caroline De Maigret, Audrey Diwan and Sophie Mas. The book is a witty guide to Parisienne savoir faire covering topics such as first dates and parties, how to make your boyfriend jealous and the right way to approach weddings and the gym. They also share their address book in Paris for where to go at the end of the night, for a birthday, for an smart date and even for vintage finds.

Hardcover £4.99, Kindle Edition £4.71 - Amazon.co.uk

This is a collection of essays from Oprah which have been previously featured over the past 14 years in O, The Oprah Magazine in the "What I Know For Sure" column. They are organized by theme - joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power and offer a rare glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women, while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves.

I often find that it is useful to keep an encouraging and positive guide book to hand for times when I am not sure if I am doing the right thing, or if my thoughts and emotions are running away with me. This one promises to be such a book since Oprah is undeniably a force to be reckoned with in the face of adversity.

Hardcover £6.49, Kindle Edition £6.02 - Amazon.co.uk

This is about a woman called Rachel who catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She has even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses and calls them ‘Jess and Jason’. She sees their life as perfect and wishes that she could be that happy. Then one day she sees something shocking in the few moments that the train is stationary. This changes everything and now Rachel has a chance to become a part of Jess and Jason's lives. She'll be more than just the "girl on the train".

I'm not a big fan of chick lit (if such a genre still exists) but I do love a good thriller and this one has excellent reviews.

Paperback £15.58 - Amazon.co.uk

I love the idea behind this book - creating family friendly art and craft projects to fit in with the changing seasons. Caitlin adores crafts but, as readers of this blog will know, it's something I struggle with and I find inspiration generally eludes me!

In The Artful Year, there are art activities, crafts and recipes to help make each season special. These projects will help you and your family to create memories and mementos and you'll develop creative growth in your children and yourself, whilst having lots of fun! The book includes: • Arts and crafts, using the materials, colors, and themes of the season • Decorations to make as a family • Favorite seasonal recipes that are fun for children to help make (and eat) • Ideas for celebrating the holidays together • Suggested reading lists of children's picture books about the seasons and holidays The Artful Year is a fun and active resource for crafting and celebrating around the year!

With the long summer holiday not too far off on the horizon, this book could prove to be very useful ammunition against boredom, bickering and incarceration due to inclement weather!

I can already feel my fingers itching to hit the "buy with one click" button!

What's on your list? 

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Advertising Won't Help Your Hotel If Your Service is Fawlty

It baffles me sometimes that hotel chains will spend vast amounts on TV advertising campaigns without management ensuring that the hotels they hope will benefit are ready to receive visitors. 

As a case in point, this morning I visited a local South Wales hotel in a chain currently running such a campaign for a meeting.

Advertising Won't Help If Your Service Is Fawlty.

The hotel, three star, rather large and not unattractive, architecturally speaking, was a deserted wasteland of several reception areas. 

There was little signage to welcome visitors, no marketing literature and, even more irritatingly, hardly any staff.

One of the toilets in the ladies was already out of order. 

There were no menus to be had and it was not clear whether non-residents could order food. 

There were a couple of menus marked "Room Service" on the tables. 

There was no information about WIFI, even though there was a free, open network to be connected to. 

I eventually tracked down a menu behind reception where I was asked to return it because it was the only one they had.

My companion and I ordered coffee, produced with maximum froth and minimum coffee from a machine. 

The diet coke was clearly made up from a diluted syrup. 

The tuna sandwich I ordered was, however, tasty and nicely presented, but I could only pay cash at the bar. 

Had I wanted to use a card, I would have had to go to reception.

Around midday the place became packed but there was no increase in staffing. 

The one lone lad behind the bar kept vanishing so visitors were milling around unsure what to do. 

What a wasted sales opportunity!

My point is, had I been considering actually staying at this particular hotel, I would have rapidly changed my mind. 

The frustrating thing is that the whole experience could have been so much better with just a little thought. 

We had chosen this particular hotel as it seemed to be the only one suitable in that area for a relaxed meeting and some coffee. 

The irony is that the hotel advertises 7 meeting rooms and conference facilities.

In my previous, pre-marketing career, I did my fair share of pub work and retail jobs. 

I am well aware that working with the public is not always particularly enjoyable, but surely getting the right systems in place will help the staff to do their jobs and make their work-life more enjoyable? 

This is not a matter of cost, but it is a matter of involving the staff and using customer feedback.

I also think (heresy though it might be to say it) that many of these places would benefit from maturer staff at management level who have had more experience of life's challenges and can relate a little better to older guests and customers.

I am sure there are many in the 50+ age group who would be only too willing to step up to the plate.

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Silent Sunday - Mother's Day 15/03/15

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Costa Coffee Gift Cards - A Mother's Day Gift To Perk Her Up

I make no secret of the fact that I love Costa Coffee.  Their mini shortbread squares and bite size flapjacks are on my secret treat list (I have even been known to share them with the kids).

Costa Gift Cards - A Fab Mother's Day Pressie

Our local Costa (Cardiff Bay) is my bolt hole when the Husband returns from continental climes and offers me an hour or so sanctuary from the wall to wall bickering which seems to be a permanent feature at Hobbis Towers at the moment. (I'm referring to the kids here.  The Husband and I don't have the energy to bicker, save whether Top Gear viewing should take precedence over a Midsomer Murders rerun).

This Mother's Day, I'll be treating my mum to a Costa gift card since her Christmas present was her own body weight in Maltesers.  Costa gift cards can be easily bought online at www.costa.co.uk.

Simply complete the form, selecting how much you would like to put on the card (anything from £5 to £75). At the bottom of the screen you'll be asked to say how many cards you would like and then 'add to cart'. The card will appear in "Your Basket" at the top of the screen.  Click on it and then checkout. Cards will be dispatched the next working day and will arrive according to your chosen delivery method.

The card can be used in any participating Costa store for coffee, food or merchandise and the recipient is advised to register their card to protect their balance.  Note though that the card must be used within 12 months.  Note also that the card cannot be used in Costa Express outlets or in Northern Ireland. Check before you buy.

Since we are so close to Mother's Day, you can also send your Costa gift card as an egift. Simply complete the online form, add your message, choose a design for your card and add it to your basket.

The egift is simple to use - either by scanning the email at the counter or taking a paper print out. The minimum which can be loaded on a egift card is £10 and the maximum is £75.  Again, these can only be used in participating stores in England, Scotland and Wales and they must be used within 12 months or the balance will expire.

If you're a member of the Costa Coffee Club, you can accrue points when you use your giftcard or egift card towards additional Costa treats.

Further information:  www.costa.co.uk,  www.facebook.com/CostaCoffee, Twitter ID @CostaCoffee.

In case you're exhausted by all that Mother's Day shopping and need a coffee,  I have a lovely £20 giftcard up for grabs  (sorry, not useable in Northern Ireland).  Just fill in the rafflecopter widget below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

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Why can't I name the world's cleverest living women?

So, in a recent cosy night-time chat on the sofa with the kids, we talked about how proud I was of them and how it is almost time for Caitlin to go to junior school (part of her current school but on a different site).

Marie Curie, Voted The World's Greatest Female Scientist 

We talked about how some of her friends wouldn't yet be going because they were perhaps not developing as fast (for example they have health issues), but that physical impairment did not mean they were not as intelligent as everyone else.

The example I used was the great physicist Stephen Hawking, a genius in a body that is failing him. He is, I told the kids, one of the cleverest men in the world.

Mother Teresa

"Mum", said Caitlin, "who are the cleverest women in the world?". 

A simple enough question but a loaded one, nevertheless and, I am cross with myself to admit, one I could not answer with any rapidity. 

All the women I could think of, Florence Nightingale, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Mother Teresa, Jane Austen are all long gone.

Once the kids were in bed, I had to ask myself the more important question "why do I not know who the world's cleverest women are". 

Is it a factor of my social media usage? The papers and magazines I read? 

Is it because society now finds Kim Kardashian's change of hair colour a far more useful barometer of a woman's value than the achievements of the unsung legions of women at the forefront of scientific, technical and artistic endeavour?

That cannot be true in a thinking society can it?

So, please can you help me out - and I promise to share. Let's name these inspirational women so that our daughters (and sons!) know their names and their achievements.

We surely owe it to the next generation of the world's cleverest women.

Caitlin 

I'd love it if you share your ideas in the comments below or tweet me with your thoughts. 

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Review: albumcards - Music To Mum's Ears This Mother's Day

Albumcards is a unique online service that offers a really different way to send a personalised greetings card and music gift.

Ideal for Mother's Day, the card comes complete with your message, the front cover of your mum's favourite album, a full track listing and a unique code to start listening.



An albumcard, fizz, flowers and chocs by Thorntons - what mum could ask for more?



If, like me, you are rushed for time, an albumcard can be purchased in a couple of minutes.

Just select the album, personalise the card, choose your delivery date and address and checkout.

If you are already familiar with other online card retailers, you will know the drill. At a cost of £9.99 plus postage (just 0.75p for first class delivery), it is a very reasonably priced gift. Plus if you order your albumcard before 2pm Monday to Friday, it can be delivered next day.

New albums are being loaded everyday and there are already 100 artist albums to choose from.

I found "Title" by Meghan Trainor, "Uptown Special" by Mark Ronson and "A Perfect Contradiction" by Paloma Faith but there is also AC/DC's "Rock or Bust" and "The Very Best of Stone Roses" - something for every taste.



Redeeming your album on receipt of your card is really easy too. Simply go to the website www.albumcards.com and select "Redeem a card".



Select "Collect my album" and you will be guided through the next steps.



You will need to create an account or, if you are already registered, you can sign in with Facebook.



You will need to enter the unique code found at the bottom of your card.



Then just press the "Listen Now" button.



Click on the album cover.



And either play via the website or download. The sound quality is an excellent MP3 320kbps.

Despite my mild to middling technophobia these days, I found the whole redemption process really easy.

albumcards are certainly a brilliant gift idea for Mother's Day.

Further information available from www.albumcards.com. The "I Love Mum" chocolate cups are available from Thorntons at £3.50.

*A PR sample was sent for the purpose of this post.

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Mother & Toddler Groups - It Ain't Over Till They Bring Out The Biscuits

While I'm in a 'fessin' up' type of mood, I thought I might explain one or two things about mother & toddler groups from an older mum's perspective (well, mine so please use the usual caveat that your experience may be far more enjoyable,  however.....).

I confess, occasionally we hid in the park rather than 'going to group'

I've talked before about the social isolation that hits stay at home mums, but the pangs can be much sharper if you are that bit older.  

For a start, you find that someone has waved a magic wand and removed your age group from the noisy throng.  

This is because they are generally all at work.  

You will find, as I did, that these groups tend to be populated by childminders, young mums and grandmothers.  

Any man brave enough to venture along is viewed with the same air of dubious amazement usually reserved for sightings of the Loch Ness Monster.

Mother & toddler groups also have a political structure more complex to fathom than the Illuminati. 

There are the Power Players (a position held by those who have access to the keys to the church hall - or similar drafty, echoey, slightly sticky venue), the Accolytes (those who willingly succumb to the tea roster) and the Outsiders, forever doomed to sit on the end of the row whilst the well established cliques view you with suspicion and carry on regardless. 

There are also the Token Helpers who will rush to sweep up biscuit crumbs and proffer a wet wipe and the 'One Who Is Brave Enough To Lead The Singing'.

Caitlin quite enjoyed going to mother & toddler group but Ieuan would never really join in - actually if you observe closely, toddlers generally just play in close proximity in any case.  

Nor would he join in with the singing.  

Nope.  

My son was there purely for the biscuits - and climbing on the furniture. 

Cue the occasional tut and muttering of "he'll hurt himself doing that". 

Short of leaving him belted into his buggy, this was the only interaction I could get Ieuan to have. 

Yes, be under no illusion. 

You are going public with your mothering skills.

One of our local groups featured childminders who would sit the length of one side of the hall and grans, young mums and us 'oddities' would sit on the other with very little interaction between the two groups.  

It was like a highly dysfunctional barn dance.

People would say to me "but you'll have so much in common".

But the truth is, actually you don't, beyond teething, sleeping through and the other baby milestones which become badges of honour in these groups.

That said, I do think attending mother & toddler groups is a good thing.  

You are giving your child the opportunity to learn new social skills and introducing them to their peer group - those children with whom they will probably go through the education system - their future classmates, in other words.  

Plus, you are getting out of the house - a process which in the early days makes appearing on "The Cube" look like a walk in the park.

And it does get easier.  And you do learn, through the experience that is shared, that kids develop at different rates.  There is no magic "sleep through the night" week. Potty training is generally not achieved in three days flat, no matter what the latest poo-coaching book you found on Amazon says. You are not the only mum who has forgotten to brush her hair.

Hands up.  I went solely for my children and I understand completely why mums (even younger ones) may find the experience so difficult.  So if you are struggling to drag yourself out twice a week to sing "The Wheels on The Bus" and you can't muster up any enthusiasm for making an Easter basket, rest assured, many of us do understand.

But my advice would be, grit your teeth and bear it.  

Once they're in school, you'll be able to look back and say you did your bit for their social development - even if it feels your own still needs a bit of work!

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