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| Sunday morning chaos |
Sunday 5 January 2014
Saturday 4 January 2014
I Can't Sleep - Insomnia Padme Hum
I'm wondering if it might be.... dun, dun, dun, the herald of the menopause or at the very least a hormonal imbalance requiring some exotic herb harvested from the foothills of the Andes and sold at a 700% profit margin in my local chemist. Incidentally, what has happened to chemists? They all seem to be turning into pharmacies.
The Dark Recesses of My Tortured Noctural Mind? - No, I think it might be Cardiff Bay
Now in France, a pharmacy is a place of excitement if you have a penchant for skincare preparations which promise the skin of a nubile fourteen year old girl in two weeks. In Britain, well, not so much - usually shelves full of strangely branded makeup and toiletries you remember from the 70's like Silvikrin and Cuticura plus Chupa Chups lollies. What possible medical purpose Chupa Chups lollies serve, apart from encouraging sales of dental products I'm not sure. The only reason I can think that a chemist might sell them is because at 20p, they are a cheap way of keeping your kids quiet whilst you wait for your prescription.
Anyway, where was I? Oh,yes, Sleepless in Dinas (never going to be a film title, that one). I could try Nytol but tablet taking is not my preferred first port of call. Then there's milk with nutmeg grated on the top which is supposed to be very soporific. It's quite challenging these days to actually find a whole nutmeg. Our local Tesco doesn't do exotic. One Christmas I asked a staff member for Star Anise and I swear they thought I meant the one that shone over the stable at Bethlehem judging by the look I got.
I'm guessing I'll have to use the one thing that used to send me into a stupor as an English undergrad - any novel by Charles Dickens. Heresy to say it but I used to find that until I got past at least the 6th chapter, I'd be snoozing faster than The Husband during an Emmerdale Omnibus.
Review: Spatone Liquid Iron Food Supplement - Apple & Vitamin C
Iron is needed in the body to transport oxygen and to help maintain a healthy immune system.
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| Spatone liquid iron supplement - delicious apple taste with vitamin C |
When I was pregnant with Ieuan in 2009, just a few weeks away from a planned caesarian, the midwife found my iron level was low.
She made it very clear that there would be no delivery until my iron levels were back up - for both my and Ieuan's safety.
She recommended Spatone (from Nelsons Natural World) - made from iron rich water sourced from the Snowdonia mountains as it was easy to take as a liquid supplement and gentle on the stomach.
Spatone comes in easy to open individual dose sachets.
The recommended daily dose is one sachet for adults and children but pregnant women are advised to take two sachets.
It certainly did the trick very quickly and I had none of the stomach aches, constipation or headaches that sometimes a side effect of the more traditional iron tablets.
When I was pregnant, I tried the original Spatone but there is now a new variety - Spatone Apple combined with Vitamin C, which aids the absorption of iron from non meat sources.
So you're getting the recommended daily dose of iron and Vitamin C together.
So you're getting the recommended daily dose of iron and Vitamin C together.
The Husband and I both tried it (one sachet = one daily dose).
You can see from the picture the size of the dose but it really does have quite a pleasant apple-y taste and you would not know you were consuming iron.
It would be easy to add a dose to some apple juice, should you need to give an iron supplement to your children (only suitable over 2 years old). T
The Husband, never one to be taken in by marketing in any shape or form whatsoever (why he married an ex-marketing professional on that basis I'm not quite sure) and my trusty benchmark for testing said "Hmm. That was quite nice".
And so it was.
Nelsons are running a competition on their website to win a box of Spatone Apple. Just enter your details on their website.
You can see from the picture the size of the dose but it really does have quite a pleasant apple-y taste and you would not know you were consuming iron.
It would be easy to add a dose to some apple juice, should you need to give an iron supplement to your children (only suitable over 2 years old). T
The Husband, never one to be taken in by marketing in any shape or form whatsoever (why he married an ex-marketing professional on that basis I'm not quite sure) and my trusty benchmark for testing said "Hmm. That was quite nice".
And so it was.
Nelsons are running a competition on their website to win a box of Spatone Apple. Just enter your details on their website.
You can buy Spatone Apple from Boots, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda, Lloyds Pharmacy and independent pharmacies and health food stores priced around £10 for 28 sachets.
Disclosure: I received one box of Spatone Apple for the purposes of this review.
Friday 3 January 2014
It's Budget Time - Pass Me My Small Suitcase
At this time of year everyone feels the pinch, don't they? I'm watching Martin Lewis on ITV and thinking that I should implement his system of multiple bank accounts in which to channel amounts for holidays, Christmas and big purchases.
I've tried to do a budget before. In the old days I used to limit myself to about £40 a week in cash. These were the days when if a full supermarket shop approached £100 it was a BIG shop. Now it's difficult to leave our corner shop without having spent £15 on bread, milk, cake and a bit of fruit.
Make no mistake. I am well aware I am lucky to have funds to spend on items I could, and arguably should, be making myself. Hands up. No excuses.
But when did everything become so expensive? Is it because of the rocketing cost of fuel, affecting transportation costs - which then of course get passed on to us, the consumer? Is it because we eat so much out of season, again involving fruit travelling half way across the world to keep us happy? It's no wonder Gordon Ramsay's mantra is "eat fresh, eat local".
It's great that we see loads of artisan bakers and other types of food producer springing up all over the UK. Organic produce is now widely available (though don't think, by the way that this means it is entirely pesticide free!). Marco Pierre White exhorts us to ask about the provenance of our meat as though it is a regular occurrence to debate the origin of our beef rather than see how many fish fingers we have lurking at the bottom of the freezer.
We are obsessed with TV cooks and cookery shows. I have a bookshelf groaning with cookery books which promise exotic meals, budget meals, healthy meals, vegetarian meals - all knocked up in 20 minutes with the minimum of effort but, and here's where the plan goes a bit wrong, most of these mean you have to go to the supermarket and make quite a hefty investment in spices, vinegars and oils. Think about most diet plans - a basket of low fat food is, in my experience at least, definitely more expensive than the fuller fat and (debatably) less healthy version.
Our hunger for buying is insatiable. Shopping malls are truly the new churches, except that they tend to lead us further into the path of temptation. I sometimes think that the best way to save money is to lock yourself in the house!
So, I will be examining the family finances with a fine tooth-comb and consulting some of my fellow bloggers for their advice. Cash back sites, saving money on energy bills, becoming a Queen of coupons - all some of my goals for Spring.
Sunday 29 December 2013
Review: Collyre Bleu Eyelights by Verseo
There are many minor annoyances when you're a contact lens wearer.
One of them is that, like guitar players, you generally need to keep your finger nails varying lengths to avoid jabbing yourself in the eye when you put the lenses in.
Another is that if, like me, you suffer from dry eyes, not only is your lens wearing time curtailed but your eyes also need a bit of extra care sometimes to keep them looking fresh.
I've tried quite a few eye drops over the years and also a variety of drops and wetting solutions to make wearing my lenses a little easier so I like to think I was the ideal tester for Collyre Bleu Eyelights by Verseo.
Verseo Eyelights are eye drops sold as a packet of 10 sterile, single-doses.
These drops are, I should add, suitable for everybody - an additional bonus is you can use them as a contact lens wearer which you can't with many other brands of eye drops, particularly those which also claim to have an anti-redness action.
The solution's ingredients include distilled Cornflower (renowed for its astringent, decongestant and anti-redness properties) and Chamomile water (which has a soothing, calming and refreshing action).
Interestingly, the drops also contain Hyaluronic Acid which helps hydrate and lubricate the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye as a result of things like being in a smoky or dusty atmosphere, tiredness, due to too much computer work or irritation from wearing contact lenses.
Interestingly, the drops also contain Hyaluronic Acid which helps hydrate and lubricate the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye as a result of things like being in a smoky or dusty atmosphere, tiredness, due to too much computer work or irritation from wearing contact lenses.
The eyedrops come as 10 sterile, single doses in individual vials.
The eye drops are easy to use. Detach one vial, unscrew the top and drop 2/3 drops into each eye.
You can then put the top back in (unlike some other refreshing contact drops which then leak in the bottom of your handbag) for use later in the day.
You can then put the top back in (unlike some other refreshing contact drops which then leak in the bottom of your handbag) for use later in the day.
So, how did I find them?
I tried the drops on a day when I was just wearing my glasses, having worn lenses the evening before in a pub.
Since this usually leaves my eyes sensitive, I have to say that I found the drops quite astringent and my eyes smarted slightly on application.
This lasted only seconds and was quickly replaced was a nice comfortable feeling.
My eyes did appear a little less red, but after going to bed much too late throughout the entire school holidays so far, miracles could not really be expected!
My eyes did feel refreshed for at least a couple of hours after use, longer than with the more well-known brands.
I tried the drops on a day when I was just wearing my glasses, having worn lenses the evening before in a pub.
Since this usually leaves my eyes sensitive, I have to say that I found the drops quite astringent and my eyes smarted slightly on application.
This lasted only seconds and was quickly replaced was a nice comfortable feeling.
My eyes did appear a little less red, but after going to bed much too late throughout the entire school holidays so far, miracles could not really be expected!
My eyes did feel refreshed for at least a couple of hours after use, longer than with the more well-known brands.
At £19.95 for ten vials, Verseo Eyelights certainly aren't the cheapest option on the market.
Other well known brands such as Optrex and Eyedew retail around the £5, but only include distilled witch hazel and Naphazoline Hydrochlorine (a vasoconstrictor with a rapid action in reducing swelling when applied to mucous membrane - thus making your eyes look clearer).
It is the inclusion of hyaluronic acid which makes Verseo Eyelights different.
Other well known brands such as Optrex and Eyedew retail around the £5, but only include distilled witch hazel and Naphazoline Hydrochlorine (a vasoconstrictor with a rapid action in reducing swelling when applied to mucous membrane - thus making your eyes look clearer).
It is the inclusion of hyaluronic acid which makes Verseo Eyelights different.
The molecular structure of hyaluronic acid makes it quite elastic so, as I understand it, it spreads itself over the eye and forms a thin surface coating which keeps the eye lubricated for longer.
Another bonus of Verseo Eyelights is that they contain no preservatives - a factor which can also cause irritation.
Another bonus of Verseo Eyelights is that they contain no preservatives - a factor which can also cause irritation.
If you want to try something that, over the longer term, may be better for your eyes than just distilled witch hazel, then I think Verseo Eyelights are worth a try - particularly with the biggest party of the year, New Year's Eve just a couple of days away and, for many of us, a return to hours sat our PC as we catch up with all those projects which were shelved in the general excitement of Christmas.
I certainly intend to try these whilst wearing my lenses as the vials will fit easily in my purse. You can't really fit a bottle of saline solution in a clutch bag, can you?
I have been sent a discount code for you to use to try Verseo Eyelights which will give you £10 off the current retail price of £19.95 - just enter the code BLUTU at checkout.
I certainly intend to try these whilst wearing my lenses as the vials will fit easily in my purse. You can't really fit a bottle of saline solution in a clutch bag, can you?
I have been sent a discount code for you to use to try Verseo Eyelights which will give you £10 off the current retail price of £19.95 - just enter the code BLUTU at checkout.
Further information at: www.jdharris.co.uk.
*PR samples were sent for the purposes of this review.
Thursday 26 December 2013
Surviving Christmas...
The thing about our generation (born around 1964) is that we are sandwiched. Squashed between children and parents whilst trying to understand what passes for middle age (or middle youth).
We balance the needs of the elderly and ageing against the excited anticipation of our children - with our own hopes and desires bubbling below somewhere below the surface.
We are truly the sandwich generation.
So, I had a lovely Christmas. It had all the picture book elements I try to include to create lasting memories - from attending the village carol service, to decorating the house with fairy lights; from ensuring there was enough to eat and drink, to buying and wrapping sufficient gifts (but what IS sufficient?) I have seen so many TV advertisement for supermarket food, I feel like the M&S and Morrison's logos are burned into my eyeballs.
From December onwards, it has been like living in a bizarre Alice in Wonderland dreamscape where Christmas puddings shimmer with glitter and glace cherries tumble down from the sky, glancing off snow topped fir trees decorated with sugar canes and glinting with the gold of chocolate coins.
There were no arguments; no disagreements - not even a minute of shirtiness, because I have learned that it is just not worth the lasting damage it can do to memory making. It's as if, from December onwards, we all enter a bubble in the space-time continuum; like pressing pause whilst playing a DVD. And that, coupled with the enticing anticipation Christmas gives us is what makes this time of year so magical.
However, I have also seen, in a similar quantity to the Morrisons, Very and M&S adverts, seemingly endless appeals from charities asking for £2, £3, £5, £19 a month to help the sick, the needy, the dying across the World and in the UK. So frequent have been these appeals that one wonders how on earth giving such a small amount per month can possibly make a difference to the lives of the poor and starving - whilst also wondering how many lives could have been saved from the cost of such television advertising campaigns alone.
Such campaigns are a reminder that there is a reality outside our Christmas bubble and that while we are congratulating ourselves about having survived another one, without fights or falls outs, for some surviving Christmas is actually a miracle beyond their control - either today or in the year to come.
We balance the needs of the elderly and ageing against the excited anticipation of our children - with our own hopes and desires bubbling below somewhere below the surface.
We are truly the sandwich generation.
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| My dad with Ieuan, Christmas 2009 |
So, I had a lovely Christmas. It had all the picture book elements I try to include to create lasting memories - from attending the village carol service, to decorating the house with fairy lights; from ensuring there was enough to eat and drink, to buying and wrapping sufficient gifts (but what IS sufficient?) I have seen so many TV advertisement for supermarket food, I feel like the M&S and Morrison's logos are burned into my eyeballs.
From December onwards, it has been like living in a bizarre Alice in Wonderland dreamscape where Christmas puddings shimmer with glitter and glace cherries tumble down from the sky, glancing off snow topped fir trees decorated with sugar canes and glinting with the gold of chocolate coins.
There were no arguments; no disagreements - not even a minute of shirtiness, because I have learned that it is just not worth the lasting damage it can do to memory making. It's as if, from December onwards, we all enter a bubble in the space-time continuum; like pressing pause whilst playing a DVD. And that, coupled with the enticing anticipation Christmas gives us is what makes this time of year so magical.
However, I have also seen, in a similar quantity to the Morrisons, Very and M&S adverts, seemingly endless appeals from charities asking for £2, £3, £5, £19 a month to help the sick, the needy, the dying across the World and in the UK. So frequent have been these appeals that one wonders how on earth giving such a small amount per month can possibly make a difference to the lives of the poor and starving - whilst also wondering how many lives could have been saved from the cost of such television advertising campaigns alone.
Such campaigns are a reminder that there is a reality outside our Christmas bubble and that while we are congratulating ourselves about having survived another one, without fights or falls outs, for some surviving Christmas is actually a miracle beyond their control - either today or in the year to come.
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