My Tried and Tested - Stuff that could make life better (or not)

I've started a new blog - here's why.
As a health and lifestyle journalist I get to write about many of the things I enjoy. Eating. Drinking. Going out. Staying in. Raising a family. Keeping fit and well.

I share much of this with my husband (who sometimes get used as a guinea pig) or with my grown-up children and their growing families.

PRs send me a lot of information about stuff in the hope that I’ll spread the word about how wonderful it all is.

This  is where I’ll let you know what I really think.

Migration

In case anyone was wondering, I've migrated to my alter ego blog Life in the London Suburbs (lifeinthelondonsuburbs.blogspot.com).
You can click through, should you wish, via the list on the right.

How Far Will They Go?

If you find yourself appalled (or enthralled) by the vulgarity of modern weddings I must recommend a new tv series The Wedding House.
The Wedding House is, in fact, the listed 17th century Sundridge Park Manor in Bromley. It looks quite posh* and the hotel management team sounds enthusiastic about the series. They say:

In the programme, the experienced Wedding House team of experts allow loved up couples to live out their wildest wedding fantasy, unique vows, and perfect special day. Having outlined their wish list for the day, they hand over all responsibility to the Wedding House team and all that remains for them to bring is their love for each other.
The eight-part TV series plays host to 32 couples participating in elaborately themed marriages, civil partnerships, renewal of marriage vows and commitment ceremonies…

Elaborately themed is an understatement. In this week's episode two lesbians had a Tudor style civil partnership. One of them was dressed to looked rather like Henry V111 – not a good omen, I feel, given the number of wives he had.
An older couple renewing their vows wanted a fetish theme. The registrar was understandably nervous.
Tune in and prepare to have your gast flabbered.

*www.sundridgeparkmanor.com (still can’t do links)

Veils and vitriol

Lucy Mangan sounds like a woman after my own heart. Like me, she never really fancied the idea of getting married but found herself saying yes instead of no when asked (in both cases, it would have been churlish to refuse after all the efforts the would-be groom had gone to).
Like me she knows how to use all of life’s rich tapestry (shamelessly) as journalistic fodder. And how to plug her books by selling features based on them.
Like me – I hope – she can raise a smile or two in the process.
And that’s why I think it will be worth getting hold of a copy of The Reluctant Bride, despite all the sour comments on the Mail and Guardian websites.
See for yourself here: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1271558/How-reluctant-bride-fell-love-marriage.html

Last straw

So ... one stepson plus wife, kids and his father-in-law are stuck in our place in Spain.
My oncologist has rescheduled as she's stuck in Madrid.
But now - and it's worst of all - Peter the man who runs the ironing service is stuck in Hong Kong. At the end of a three-week holiday.
Need I say more?

Costa Brava

People sometimes ask me why we don't go to our place in Spain at this time of year. This is why. It's not called the Costa Brava for nothing.

The sun has got his hat on (because it's snowing again)

No wonder the English have a reputation for talking about the weather. Ten minutes ago I was planting out primroses under a blue sky and now there’s a flurry of snow. And don’t get me started on weather forecasters. I am almost inclined to rely on the gizmo that belongs to my husband and sits on the kitchen windowsill … only when I looked down after spotting the snow I saw it was predicting sun.