5 Classic Films To Watch This New Year & A Giveaway

Do you ever find that you can reel off a whole list of classic films that you have never actually watched?

You tell yourself that since they're classics they're not going anywhere and you can watch them whenever.

I do this all the time.

But one of my New Year's resolutions is to catch up on my classic film watching instead of the endless repeats of Midsomer Murders and Marple.

Here's a few of the ones I always say are on my "must watch" list but never make it to a screen in our house.

Read on because you can win the lot!

Westworld

The original classic stars Yul Brynner and Richard Benjamin and was the directorial debut of 'Jurassic Park' author, Michael Crichton.

Westworld is an old Wild West theme park where for $1,000 a day, vacationers can indulge their whims.

They can bust up a bar or break out of jail, visit a brothel or shoot down a gunslinger but it's all completely safe. The park's lifelike androids are programmed never to harm the customers but it doesn't stay that way.

A lawyer and businessman (Richard Benjamin and James Brolin) take a dream holiday to the newly opened technological paradise, but when one of the computerized gunslingers (Yul Brynner) malfunctions, they find themselves in a battle for their lives.

Westworld has currently been resurrected into a hit TV show which is gaining legions of new fans. Caitlin and Ieuan also love the Aquabats' take on it in the episode "Cowboy Android".

Get Carter

Who doesn't love Sir Michael?  I love The Italian Job but this acclaimed 1970s British thriller has somehow passed me by.

Michael Caine plays hardened gangster Jack Carter who returns to his hometown of Newcastle to find the truth behind the death of his brother. Since leaving Newcastle, Carter has made his name in London as a tough enforcer for his crime boss, Gerald Fletcher.

On hearing of his brother's death, Carter returns to Newcastle for his funeral and to investigate his suspicion that his sibling may have been murdered. After visiting local gangster Cyril Kinnear, Carter is threatened and advised to head back to London.

He refuses and descends further and further into the city's underworld as his investigations begin to pay off. His search is merciless, unrelenting and fraught with danger and it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing to exact his own brand of justice.


GoodFellas

Directed in 1990 by Martin Scorsese's 1990 GoodFellas tells the story of the violent life of actual gangster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his teen years on the streets of New York to his anonymous exile under the Witness Protection Program.

Scorsese shows us Hill's ruthless rise to power in the 1950s as well as his drugged-out fall in the late 1970s through cocaine use.

Dirty Harry

Produced in 1971, Dirty Harry is the first in the series of films featuring Clint Eastwood as Lieutenant Harry Callahan - a right wing, bad-tempered San Francisco policeman, not averse to bending the rules to get his man. The maniacal 'Scorpio Killer' is on the loose and Callahan disregards procedure in his efforts to track him down, using his trusty Magnum .44 to dispense his own brand of justice.

Strangers on a Train

This 1951 film is class Hitchcock and tells the story of a battle of wits between tennis pro Guy (Farley Granger) and his mysterious, sycophantic admirer, Bruno (Robert Walker), who offers to kill Guy's unfaithful wife, in return for which Guy will kill Bruno's spiteful father.

But do both the murders actually go ahead?

You can find all of these films here or why not enter my giveaway to win the five films listed above?

Entry is via the rafflecopter below.

Extra terms and conditions apply which you can view on my competitions page. UK entrants only and the giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on Tuesday 31st January 2017.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Why Your Family Will Warm To Iceland

Here's a TV and movie trivia question for you.

What do Game of Thrones, James Bond Die Another Day, Lara Croft Tomb Raider and Batman Begins have in common?

They were all filmed in Iceland - an amazingly beautiful country with landscapes which, I am willing to concede may well rival those of my home country of Wales!

Oraefajokull: Image Credit

If you are looking for a family holiday with a difference and a traditional beach holiday is too tame for you, then Iceland should be high up on your "must visit" list.

Whilst the Husband and I appreciate a beautiful beach, neither of us are avid sunbathers so our dream destination has to have lots of things to do and see. We like to immerse ourselves in different cultures.

So here are just three of my reasons why Iceland is on our family travel bucket list - and you should consider it too.

You can explore Iceland's Geographic Wonders

Known for its bubbling springs, geysers and the Northern Lights, Iceland is a world away from the type of scenery most of us are used to.

The Northern Lights: Image Credit

The Republic of Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean with a population of 332,529 in an area of 40,000 square miles which makes it the most sparsely populated country in Europe.

The country is volcanically and geologically active and near the capital city of Reykjavík you will find glaciers, fjords, volcanos, geysers, horse trails, natural parks, and plenty of rivers for fly-fishing.

You may want to undertake The Golden Circle, a popular tourist route of around 300 kilometres which loops from Reykjavík into the southern uplands of Iceland and back.

There are three primary stops, Þingvellir National Park, the Gullfoss waterfall, and the geothermal area in Haukadalur, which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur.

Though Geysir has been mostly dormant for many years, Strokkur, on the other hand, continues to erupt every 5–10 minutes, shooting a column of water up to 30 metres (98 ft.).

Strokkur: Image Credit

Or, you could visit the famous Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa located just a few minutes from Keflavik International Airport.

Here mineral-rich hot water from beneath the earth has formed a spectacular lagoon and is the site of a luxurious health spa in a rugged lava landscape. The lagoon's geothermal seawater is known for its positive effects on the skin.

If you are looking for more adventurous activities, you could take the family on a glacier hike or ice climbing.

You will be walking on ice that formed thousands of years ago.  Did you know that glaciers are constantly in motion and that they flow and reform over time? This means you will find cracks and giant crevasses so you will need an experienced tour guide.

Be sure to check the minimum age requirements of your tour before you book as the more adventurous of these are unsuitable for younger children. You will also need a reasonable degree of fitness.

You can experience the culture in the capital city of Reykjavík

Iceland’s Viking heritage is all around and a great place to find out more is the National Museum of Iceland and the Culture House.  Entry to both is free if you have a Reykjavik City Card, which you can buy at the tourist information office and at many hotels.

You'll also find many pieces of contemporary art around the city, with colourful murals on the side of many houses and buildings.

Harpa Concert Hall & Conference Centre: Image Credit

Then there is the Reykjavik Art Museum, which comprises three galleries around the city’s waterfront. Hafnarhús houses a collection of paintings by local pop-artist Erró, and a café with beautiful harbour views.

Kids will love the The Whales of Iceland Exhibition, which houses 23 life-sized whale models or you could take them whale watching and puffin spotting on a boat tour from the harbour.

You could also visit the animals at Reykjavik's Family Park & Zoo.

You can enjoy family friendly dining

Reykjavík has a great selection of restaurants. You can find almost any cuisine you fancy - fine dining, fusion, sushi, or traditional – and there are plenty of family friendly restaurants.

You won't find McDonalds or Burger King but you will find KFC.  If your kids are hungry for a burger though you could try Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar, or Búllan, a popular small burger place by the Old Harbor known for its juicy burgers and great atmosphere.

Or there's Hamborgarafabrikkan, one of the most popular burger places in Iceland located just outside the city center at Turninn Höfðatorgi.

You could also try Asia, a family run restaurant with Vietnamese / Chinese food located on Laugavegur main street which offers good value food and smaller portions for kids.

Whilst in Iceland you should try Skyr (pronounced skeer), a high protein, low fat product which is technically a cheese, but looks and tastes like yoghurt and comes in a range of flavours and also in a drink form.

Then there are Icelandic hot dogs (pylsur) made from lamb as well as pork which adds a richer flavour. These are served with sweet brown mustard, ketchup, raw onions, crunchy deep-fried onions and a parsley mayonnaise.

Kleina:  Image Credit

Or what about Kleina?  These are traditional diamond-shaped pastries you spot in many places. They are made from a sweet dough cut into trapezoid shapes, formed into a knot and deep fried.

Now the kids are older it is a lot easier for us to choose a more adventurous family holiday and Iceland offers the chance to make some pretty unforgettable family memories.

Puffins:  Image Credit

Have you ever visited this "Land of the Midnight Sun"?  What would you recommend we add to our Icelandic bucket list?

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My Problem Page - Edition 2 2017

This week I'm talking about grand romantic gestures, handling groping and what to do when you just don't fancy your partner any more.

If you would like any advice, feel free to treat me as your agony aunt. Just message me or pop a comment in the comment box at the end of this post. I promise to be gentle. Here's this week's questions.

Q: What's the right thing to do when your man tells you he doesn't want to be in a relationship for now because he is losing concentration?

A: Losing concentration on what? His work? The TV? The ball game?

It sounds like he no longer wants to be in a relationship but hasn’t got the bottle to be honest with you and has come out with a pretty lame excuse.

Don’t plead or beg him to stay.

If you want to keep him, your best bet would be to say ‘OK - I have other stuff going on in my life right now I’d like to concentrate on so see ya!”

He might find he misses you and wants to come back.

But I’d think twice before you take him back - would you really want a man who hasn’t got the nerve to be honest with you and treat you with the respect you deserve?

Q: The girl that I like is super busy and often forgets things, including things she said she'd text me about. Should I be concerned if she's this busy? 

If she’s too busy to remember to text me something, or too busy to remember other things she said she’d do, should I worry that this is a deal breaker? Or could she see me just as a friend now, prioritize her work over socializing with friends, and then end up forgetting because of how busy she is?

A: Sometimes, when we’re in love, we forget that we may not necessarily be our adored one’s first priority - or that they had a life before we came along.

Why should “being busy” and occasionally forgetting something be a deal breaker?

And why are you holding her to task for not texting you things or doing things for you?

If she is really that busy, surely helping her out is more likely to endear you to her than demanding her attention when she’s doing other things.

Now I fully appreciate that forgetting and being late (my personal bugbear) are truly annoying but if she is really interested in you there is no way that she will ‘forget’ about you.

She will, I suspect, be far less interested in someone who is clingy and needy.

I’m afraid sometimes you have to prioritise your work over your social life if you want to make something of yourself.

Her ambition actually does her credit you know.

And you’ll be more interesting to her if you show her you, too, are someone who is going places in life.

Might I gently suggest you’re a tiny bit jealous of her success?

Q: I have a feeling for a girl there, but I'm leaving soon. Should I ask the girl directly if I could send her flowers every month when I'm still here? 

I'm in a foreign country (Japan) for my study. Lately, I have feelings for a girl - we don't know each other well. However, I'm going to leave in 6 months, still I’d like to do something for her, just something nice (without involving romance) showing how I admire her and how wonderful to meet her.

A: Sending flowers is usually considered a romantic gesture - and I think you need to be honest and admit that this is what this is.

You don’t say whether she has shown any reciprocal interest in you but if she hasn’t, I would think one bouquet would be enough to show your interest.

If you are that keen, why don’t you talk to her and ask if she is happy to stay in touch?

Her answer will show you whether or not such a gesture would be appreciated.

You could communicate via Facebook or even Skype or Facetime and you may find that your relationship grows naturally that way.

Sometimes we need to risk rejection but it is better to know whether someone is interested before we waste time and money. I would save your romantic gestures for when you know your affection is returned. 

Q: I'm not attracted to my boyfriend anymore. Is that justification enough to break up with him?

A: It depends.

Are you engaged or in a long-term commitment? Do you have children together?

Is this just a temporary blip in your relationship?

We all go through phases when our partners just don’t excite us that much anymore but there is a lot more to a relationship than sex.

Before you do anything rash, you need to ask yourself why you are not attracted to him anymore.

It may be something he can rectify (weight, annoying habits, that kind of thing).

I think it is only fair to him that you tell him how you are feeling.

Sometimes we cease to find our partner attractive because we are mad at them.

I suspect you both need to start talking openly and honestly.

Have you considered he may be feeling the same way?

If you feel the relationship is over you do not need to ‘justify’ your decision, but you do need to make sure you extract yourself with as much kindness and consideration of others’ feelings as possible.

Q: Is it OK for a guy to punch a woman for groping him?

A: No it is not.

That said, you should not have to put up with being groped by anybody.

There is a fine line, however, between the type of groping which occurs on hen nights when the male strippers turn up and all out sexual assault.

You need to be more specific about the situation you are referring to.

Either way, punching a woman is likely to get you arrested for assault.

If you need support and protection against a woman who is hurting you, you need to seek professional help as soon as possible.

I really hope that this is not the situation you find yourself in.

Q: My boyfriend sends good morning texts to a girl but not me and says it's easier with her since it doesn't mean anything. Explain this to me? 

A: There is no reason why your boyfriend can’t have close female friends whilst still being in a relationship with you. 

This does, however, seem a little odd. 

It also seems that he doesn’t really care if it upsets you and the “it doesn’t mean anything” excuse is as old as the hills. 

Is there anything else odd about his behaviour which would lead you to suspect he is having a relationship with this other girl? 

Why does he need to say “good morning” to her? How often does he see her? 

Does she respond to his texts - and if so have you any idea what she says? 

I’d tell him “I don’t care if you think it doesn’t mean anything - it certainly means something to me and I don’t like it”. 

His response should give you a good idea of where your relationship is headed. If he is concerned for your feelings he should be clearer about what exactly is going on. 

Most decent guys would start paying more attention to the girlfriend they have, rather than continuing with a fantasy text relationship with another girl.

How would you have responded to these questions? I'd love to know. You can find more advice on my problem page.

Disclaimer: All materials included in this post are intended for informational purposes only. This post/information is not intended to and should not be used to replace medical or psychiatric advice offered by physicians or other health care providers. The author will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.

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Are Your Kids Working Harder Than You Are?

Last January I asked the question - are we going too far with our children's after-school activities? I had been talking to some mums who had literally crammed every spare hour with a sporting, musical or dance-related hobby for their kids.

This is on top of all their school work and the twice weekly PE sessions they attend.  From next week, Ieuan will have 3 swimming sessions with the school too.

A new survey asking "are we overworking our children" confirms my suspicions.

Some exhausted kids are actually putting in more hours that the average working parent who completes 37.5 hours a week at work.

The survey of 2,000 parents carried out by Center Parcs found that the average child already completes 30 hours and 50 minutes a week at school Monday to Friday, as well as seven hours and 51 minutes of clubs and homework each week.

Actively reading with parents daily accounts for a further five hours and 49 minutes a week and the average child also helps with housework for up to an hour and 37 minutes each week.  

In response to the findings, Center Parcs commissioned Channel 4 child psychologist Dr Sam Wass to develop a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Free Time – which equates to three hours and 51 minutes every day.

The RDA, which was inspired by the government guidelines we use for fruit and vegetables, is based on three hours on a week day and six hours a day at the weekend, calculated using time needed for a variety of free-time activities which will allow children to use their imagination and develop their creative thinking.

Dr Sam Wass said: “...research suggests that it’s much more beneficial for children if their time is not always so structured. It’s the down-time, when there is not such much going on and the child has to entertain themselves, when they do their best learning. There is a huge amount of research that suggests that this child-led, unstructured free play is vital for stimulating imagination and creativity, as well as helping the child to become more self-sufficient.”

Ironic, don't you think?

But actually there's an elephant in the room, isn't there?  Childcare.

If we're honest, aren't lots of kids sent to clubs because employers simply aren't flexible enough to allow working parents to combine their work with their family life?

Lots of after school activities still work out cheaper than childcare, although arguably these clubs can be even more expensive if you have to pay a childminder to deliver your kids there in the first place.

Researchers for Center Parcs also polled 1,000 children aged six to 11, to find out their views on how much they have to do in a day – it shows 44 per cent of kids reckon they do more in a day than their own parents.

And a quarter of kids questioned admitted they only take part in after school activities because their parents tell them to.

In particular, children most dislike swimming lessons, followed by football and foreign language lessons.

This was the average child's weekly timetable:-

Activity Time/week School 30 hours 50 minutes
Clubs & Homework 7 hours 51 minutes
Reading 5 hours 49 minutes
Housework 1 hour 37 minutes

TOTAL 46 hours 7 minutes

Since the survey was commissioned by Center Parcs, it is entirely likely that these 'average' children fall within quite a specific socio-economic bracket (dare I say the words "middle class")?

After school activities are probably a luxury for many.

That said, there is certainly a question mark over the balance between family and work time for many - with kids being shuttled off all over the place so that parents can keep juggling the balls of work and home life as best they can.

You may say it was ever thus.

I say it's time we took a collective breath in and look at ways to improve the quality of time we spend with our children and how exactly we're filling theirs.

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First News Newspaper For Kids Gets Your Kids Talking

When I was growing up, my reading material consisted of comics Twinkle, Mandy and the legendary Jackie magazine.

My parents read The Daily Mail and occasionally The Daily Telegraph but this was decidedly 'adult' territory.

Today news is accessible 24 hours a day across a huge range of platforms both online and off.  We are, arguably, better informed than ever before - and this creates a great opportunity for our children.

Caitlin and Ieuan sometimes watch the TV news with us but this is an activity which usually raises more questions than it answers.

Sometimes we have found ourselves discussing sensitive issues which, in all honesty, our kids are not yet ready to deal with or have the intellectual maturity to process.

I firmly believe that our kids should know what is going on in the world without being made anxious or afraid.

First News is a weekly newspaper aimed at 7-14 year olds which aims to get kids talking about the news in an easy to understand and non-threatening way.

The paper covers those issues which are relevant to children and which specifically affect them.

I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and breadth of the coverage.  There is a wide range of topics:-

Home News, World News, Science News
Entertainment
Animals
Interviews
Gaming, Puzzles & Quizzes
Books & Readers' Letters
Focus on You
Sport

It's extremely comprehensive and just as interesting a read for adults as it is for a child because you are given the main facts without the fluff or the political bias of the journalist (Piers Morgan, anyone?).

The paper is printed in tabloid format with bright colours and a decent size print (great for us varifocal wearers too!).

Caitlin loved the animal section and the puzzles whilst Ieuan turned straight to the sport.  It's great for kids to have their own paper to keep up with their parents.

Rather than spending time in restaurants with the kids playing iPads, First News gives us some conversation starters.

For example, our first edition, 30 Dec - 5th January covered Syria, the departure of Obama and had an A-Z feature about the key events of 2017.

There is a distinct benefit in giving kids their own newspaper as opposed to letting them consume news online - that parents can monitor the information they are exposed to.

Actually, I think we're all going to be better informed and First News certainly complements many of the topics the kids are learning in school.

There's no harm in creating informed, interested kids at a young age because this can only help them when it comes to exams and, later, interviews for jobs and college places.

We're going to be sticking with First News this year and I have a brilliant trial offer if you would like to subscribe for your kids.

Simply go to www.firstnews.co.uk/blog17 where you can try 5 issues for just £1.  After the first 5 issues, your subscription will continue at a price of £15.99 every 3 months.

There is no obligation and you can call or email to cancel your subscription at any point and no further money will be taken.

Please note:  this offer is for the print edition of the newspaper.

If you'd like to learn more, you can also reach First News on Twitter @First_News or Facebook at www.facebook.com/FirstNewsUK.

*we received copies of the paper for the purpose of this review.

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Win A Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station By Sensio Home

At mealtimes, what do you do if you have a small oven and have to plate up a variety of dishes without them getting cold?

Or, what do you do if you've splashed out on a nice Saturday night curry takeaway and want to keep the food warm?

Let's be honest, serving dishes are a little too posh for routine family meals but by the time we get to sit down, the food's tepid.

We were recently sent a fabulous food warmer to try.

Made by Sensio Home it's called the Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station and it's a hot plate upon which you can warm or slowly reheat your curry and sides and even grill your naan or chapatis.

It comes with 4 surprisingly generous non stick aluminium pots (750ml each) with individual toughened glass lids and handles.

This meant the Husband was put on automatic curry duty so he whipped up his legendary chicken curry and a mix of Saag Aloo and Bombay Potatoes.

Simply warm the curry station up by turning the easy to operate dial to 1 for warm, 3 for reheat or 5 for grill, and then unplug and carry to your table.

You'll need to put it on heat proof mats and make sure that the children don't touch it or try taking the lids off without using a cloth to avoid burning fingers.

The curry station base is incredibly light and we found it simpler to carry the base and then add the pots afterwards.

We tested the curry station on the warming setting and found it kept our food warm for a good half hour.  The kids can be painfully slow eaters and it was great to be able to refill our plates with hot food!

The four bowls serve four adults comfortably but you may need an extra pot for rice.

The pots are dish-washer safe whilst the warming plate is not and needs to be cleaned with a damp cloth.

The length of the cable supplied is relatively short which may mean that, when using the station for grilling, you have to keep it plugged in to get enough heat to grill.  This is the only slight downside I could find.

I can say that the unit gets very hot very quickly though and it certainly retains heat well.

And of course, you could use the curry station as a food warmer for things such as gravy, stews, porridge or soup.  I am sure we won't be just using ours for curry!

The Global Gourmet Indian Curry Station retails at £49.95 and I have one to give away to one lucky winner.

Entry is via the Gleam app below.  Terms and conditions apply and the giveaway ends on 30th January 2017.


Win a Gourmet Indian Curry Server #4

Good luck!

*we were sent a curry station for the purpose of this review which contains some affiliate links.

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How An Expensive Week Could Lead To Years Of Debt

Last year we tried really hard to improve our savings.

We took the 365 Day Penny Challenge and managed to save a small fund for Christmas. Even so, we still needed to find extra funds for additional presents and food.

In general we're really careful with cash because, unless you have a savings buffer, you can find yourself in dire financial straits very quickly.

The Husband has employment protection insurance but, even so, if he were to lose his job, our mortgage would only covered for 6 months.  I would almost certainly have to go back to work full time.

We all hate paying insurance premiums but unless we have got adequate cover, one small hiccough could bring the bills rolling in.

Take a look at this nightmare scenario put together by debt management service PayPlan which shows how your financial situation could get worse in just a week!

*your boiler could break down (and you don't have a boiler service contract)

* someone could prang your car and just drive off (happened to us in August!)

* the school could arrange a costly school trip (our local comp organised a trip to New York!)

* your pet could have an accident

* you could break your glasses 

* you could lock yourself out 

and on and on.  

Actually I'm starting to feel quite brave just getting up in the morning.  Sometimes it seems that everybody wants money off you though, doesn't it?  

And this is without the usual hikes to council tax, water rates, fuel and utilities.

So I would strongly advise you try to put a bit by in case of emergency and check your car and home insurance policies carefully to see what's included.  

Some car policies will include breakdown insurance and some home insurance policies offer an emergency hotline.  

Having owned a couple of cats in the past I would never take on a new pet without pet insurance. Bear in mind too, that not all vet costs will be covered.  Annual innoculations, flea products and teeth cleaning for a start. 

So what do you do if your debts are starting to spiral out of control?

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by your debts

Firstly, don't panic.  

Sit down and write out a list of all your debts and then prioritise them.  The most important of these to pay will likely be your rent or mortgage.

You can also take professional advice from a debt management service such as PayPlan who offer free advice on a wide range of debt solutions including debt management plans, individual voluntary arrangements and self-employed individual voluntary arrangements.

An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (or IVA) is a formal agreement between you and your creditors.

In simple terms, you agree to repay a percentage of your debt in affordable monthly payments over a given time (usually around 5 years) and once your final IVA payment is made, your creditors agree to write off the rest of your debt.

No more demands and threats from your creditors and a way of avoiding bankruptcy.

No matter what your situation, help is out there.  And in terms of savings, why not start an emergency fund today - even if it's just a couple of pounds.

I find that taking some action, no matter how small, always makes me feel better and less stressed.

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