Monday 31 May 2021

Our weekly meal plan! 31st May - 6th June. #MealPlanningMonday

Our Weekly meal plan

Last weeks meal plan went well. We ate just about everything. We didn't have the burgers on Saturday because Morrisons didn't deliver them, they were sold out. I suppose that's understandable with it being a bank holiday weekend and the weather was supposed to be nice. We had lasagne and garlic bread instead. It's a good job I always keep a spare one in the freezer. There is a high chance that if the weather is nice today the prawn salad might be sacked off and we will nip to the local shop and get some burgers and sausages and have a BBQ.

It's half term this week and we have a couple of days out planned so I am guessing we will be getting a subway or some sort of treat food. I have gone for easy, no faff meals this week and all of the meals are our favourites. I want a nice, chilled half term and not spending lots of time in the kitchen will help with that. Ellie has said she wants to get in the kitchen and do some baking which I am happy to oversee. She doesn't need much help now and is quite capable of making cupcakes, she's just wary of the oven.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Prawn salad.
Tuesday - A fry up. Sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns, black pudding and toast.
Wednesday - Tomato soup with sausage rolls to dip in.
Thursday - Quiche and salad.
Friday - Fish finger sandwiches.
Saturday - A fake KFC. Chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw, fries and baked beans.
Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week?

Meal planning linky

Sunday 30 May 2021

Gorgeous glass candle holders. #MySundayPhoto

I won a giveaway from the blog Joleisa last week and the prize arrived on Friday. The prize was 2 gorgeous glass candle holders from a small business called Butterfly Effects Studio. They really are pretty and I love them.

Glass candle holders


Saturday 29 May 2021

Week 21 of #Project365. 22nd - 28th May. A photo every day for a year!

I am so glad it's the weekend and it's now half term. Ellie is ready for a break from school and I am ready for a break from getting up early every morning.

This is the 3rd time I've tried to write this blog post. I tried to start it on Thursday evening but Blogspot was having issues and not letting me upload photos then yesterday morning we had no internet. Ugh! Third time lucky!

Now for a photo every day!

My fella in the garage
Strawberries and cream and Haribo
A double wick candle
Tomato plant and the sun peeking through the clouds
No internet webpage

142/365 - 22nd May
Stu in his man cave. hehehe He put a new worktop up in the garage and has extra space to work. He also got a new light and put that up too.

143/365 - 23rd May
Strawberries and cream. I went a bit over the top with the cream.

144/365 - 24th May
Haribo! Yum, yum! The cola bottles are my favourite.

145/365 - 25th May
It rained and rained all day and I ended up sat under a blanket, watching Grey's Anatomy with a couple of candles lit.

146/365 - 26th May
My tomato plant isn't fairing too well outside. It looks wilted which makes no sense as there has been more than enough rain over the past week.

147/365 - 27th May
The sun was trying to come out but it didn't really. Hmmf. 

148/365 - 28th May
We woke up to no internet. I thought it was just us until I rang my dad and he said his was off too. We both use Sky. I checked on Twitter and it turns out it was off for most of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Humberside which is a massive area. Eek! It didn't come back on until lunchtime.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday 28 May 2021

This week my Word of the Week is: Waiting! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Waiting

I'm not going to lie, I've had a pretty rubbish week. All the motivation and get up and go that I had a few weeks ago has got up and gone. Nothing really has happened I think it's just a combination of the rubbish weather and a bit of bad news about my great aunt.

Last week I mentioned how I was worried about my great aunt. She'd had a fall, surgery, made it home but was then taken back into hospital with a chest infection & her COPD playing up. Things have got worse with her and it is just a matter of time. I have spent the last few days waiting and dreading that phone call, it hasn't happened yet but every time my phone rings I get that awful feeling in my stomach. It hit home and I knew things were bad when my dad told me that his cousin, my great aunts daughter has been allowed into the hospital to visit. The same hospital where visiting isn't allowed because of Covid unless it's at the end of someone's life.

It is crap. We were waiting to go and visit my Aunty Jean until things were safer because of Covid and now it's too late. It is so unfair. All that waiting around that we have done has robbed us of our last chance of seeing her.

Becky's girlfriend came to stay for the weekend and despite my worries about not being able to relax fully while she was here it was fine. We had a fantastic weekend, so good that she is coming on Saturday and is sleeping over again. I think after months and months of sticking to the lockdown rules and waiting the girls deserve to spend some time together.

We are ready and waiting for half term to start later today. Ellie has had a busy few weeks. They have been doing assessments at school, they do them every few months just to see how the kids are doing and they're always hard work for Ellie but she has said she has tried her best and that's all I can ask for. 

We have a week off school for half term and we're ready for it even though it doesn't seem that long since the last holidays. We have a couple of things planned. We're going on a treasure hunt using the Treasure Trail I was sent to review and the girls and I are going to have a shopping trip to Hull and a visit to McDonalds. We are looking forward to spending some time together and having a some fun.

I hope you have all had a good week?

Word of the Week linky

Thursday 27 May 2021

Unusual food concoctions that shouldn't work but sometimes do.

There are certain foods which shouldn't go together but sometimes do. Many people stumble across strange combinations just by rummaging through the food cupboard when they don't have much in or feeling experimental. Sometimes other weird combos are passed down to us from our parents.

Things on toast

The traditional image of Brits being unadventurous when it comes to food is blown away by a poll of 2,000 UK adults and their top 10 most common "weird" treats:

1. Banana and sugar sandwiches
2. Tuna and salt & vinegar crisps
3. Butter and sugar sandwiches
4. Cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches
5. Sausage and salad cream sandwiches
6. Dipping toast in to tea
7. Cold baked beans in a salad
8. Yorkshire pudding with sugar
9. Dry, buttered Weetabix
10. Mayonnaise on toast

Some of these sound quite normal to me. I remember as a child having banana and sugar sandwiches also apple and sugar sandwiches too. They might have been full of sugar but at least there was fruit in them.

 The kids won't try cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches, they think that is too weird. It's not something I often have, I prefer cheese and strawberry jam in tea cakes. They taste amazing!

When I was a child on a Sunday after a roast dinner there would always be left over Yorkshire puddings which we used to eat with strawberry jam on or if my mum was feeling generous she would let my brother and I have squirty cream! They were a real treat.

I have never heard of dipping toast in tea. That is a little too weird for me and so is dry buttered Weetabix! There is no amount of butter that could make a dry Weetabix edible, you need the milk. 

Over the years I have eaten combinations of food that others think are weird but myself and my family don't. There is times when even my family think I have a weird taste in food.

Some of my favourite weird foods are:

Pot noodles or Super Noodles with the water drained out, in a sandwich or on toast.
Ready salted crisps and chocolate together.
Cold roast parsnips.
McDonalds fries dipped in milkshake.
White rice with baked beans.
Cream crackers with cottage cheese and grapes on.
Mashed potato and gravy sandwiches.
Digestive biscuits dipped in yoghurt.
Rich tea biscuits dipped in lemonade.
Spaghetti with just tomato ketchup over.
Peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches.
Tomato soup with sausage rolls dipped in.

Have you eaten any of these "weird" food combinations? What do you eat that others think is strange?

Wednesday 26 May 2021

(Ad - Gifted) Father’s Day gift ideas from Energydots.

We all need to look after our wellbeing and recently Stu, my fella has been trying out some products from Energydots.

EnergyDOTs are the latest wellbeing technology designed to support people during work, rest and play. In short, the DOTs are handy frequency technology discs that you can wear, stick to your wireless devices or place around the home to help you rebalance, bring positive energy, help aid sleep and support your wellbeing.

EnergyDOTs

How Energydots work: Each DOT has a magnetic structure which is digitally programmed with an intelligent combination of natural fields designed to support your wellbeing.

Magnets have been used as storage devices for decades – bank cards, video tapes, a computer hard drive are all examples of magnetic storage. Each DOT stores and radiates particular fields of information. It is the nature of the information that does the work and creates positive change.

bioBAND and smartDOT

We were sent the bioBAND and smartDOT to try out. It is aimed at the dad who needs an energy boost. This combination pack includes a bioBAND to wear on your wrist and a smartDOT for one of your devices.

The bioBAND is worn on the body, in the form of a wristband to provide a boost to your natural energy field. Biodot is programmed with natural coherent frequencies that work in harmony with your body’s biofield. When worn the bioDOT will emit its natural coherent frequencies that help to keep your system in balance.

The bioBAND

The smartDOT is designed to harmonise the EMF radiation emitted from wireless devices to make it more natural. You attach the DOT to your mobile phone, laptop, tablet and other wireless devices. Some experts believe that the chaotic electro magnetic fields emitted by the many devices that we are constantly surrounded by have both a biological effect on our cells and a psychological effect on our minds. These experts claim that the bombardment of our cells by these low level electro-magnetic fields causes cellular changes in the body that can cause headaches, fatigue, stress, anxiety and many other symptoms. SmartDOT is designed to harmonise the frequencies emitted so that they work in harmony with your body.

The smartDOT

Stu has been wearing the the bioBAND for a couple of weeks now and to be honest he hasn't noticed a massive difference in how he feels but the one thing he has noticed is that he isn't feeling as tired on an early evening when he usually would be. He has no intention of stopping wearing the band. We're going to give it more time and see how he gets on. It is comfortable to wear and doesn't get in the way of every day life.

The combination pack including the bioBAND and the smartDOT cost £35.

As well as the bioBAND and the smartDOT there is the sleepDOT for the person who struggles to sleep. Programmed with soothing frequency vibrations designed to help you get a better night’s sleep. You place the DOT next to your head where you sleep, for example on the headboard or a bedside table. SleepDOT emits natural frequencies that encourage your brain to slow to the Theta and Delta frequencies. These are the slowest frequencies of the brain, associated with relaxation and present during daydream, meditation and deep dreamless sleep.

I think something from the Energydot range would make a great gift for that hard to buy for dad in your life for Father's day. I know years ago my dad used to wear a magnetic bracelet and I am thinking about getting him one of these to try. They make a great pressie for dads in need of a wellbeing boost and products start from under £25.

I was sent the bioBAND and the smartDOT free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Tuesday 25 May 2021

Sometimes it is good to complain.

Once in a while if I know I am in the right I do love to have a good complain to companies who have wronged me. I don't complain to get money off or freebies like some people do, I just want the company to know they are not doing something right and to change what they are doing. 

Complaint

My most recent complaint was to Subway, the sandwich shop about a really rude man who messed an order up and then was rude to us. I got a voucher code for 2 free meal deals and when I was in town a few weeks ago I went in and cashed my code in. I felt so ashamed and guilty explaining about the codes to the lady who served us and I know I shouldn't have. The woman came back with a little notebook with a list of complaint codes and said we weren't the only one's to complain about the man in the past couple of weeks. Eek! 

Years ago I boycotted a supermarket because their delivery service was terrible. Most weeks I would get my delivery cost refunded to me because of their mess ups but the final straw was when they cancelled my Christmas food shop, they said there was not enough money in the bank to take payment. I phoned them, knowing there was and they said there was nothing they could do. An hour or so later my food shop arrived, much to my surprise and theirs. They said something has gone wrong somewhere and I am still none the wiser what it was. I left the money in the bank for months and they never took it but did ban me from shopping online with them again because they had me down as a non-payer despite their mistake.

When I think of the funniest complaints I have made the one which always springs to mind is the paddling pool for Borrowers. I ordered a bargain paddling pool off the Tesco website and it was one of those things that when it arrived it was nothing like what was advertised. It was pink despite saying it was multicloured and it was tiny compared to the one advertised on the website. Tesco were brilliant about it and it gave us and them a good giggle. They did take notice of my complaint and removed it from their website.

Paddling pool

My dad has made me a complainer. He is really careful with his money and has taught me that if I don't get the service or product I expect I have the right to complain. I remember years ago when I had just left home he had an issue with NTL, who later became Virgin over his phone and TV bill. He complained every month for a good couple of years because they would always overcharge him. I don't think he ever paid a full bill with them while he was a customer. He did eventually get sick and switched companies. 

I have realised now a days you get more of a response if you complain on social media. It is a shame that we as the public have to name and shame a company that does wrong to us to sometimes get a response.

Years ago I had issues with British Gas. I owed them money but they owed me money too. After spending a couple of hours on the phone trying to speak to someone who talked sense I gave up and went on Twitter and the issue was sorted in about 9 minutes. 

I was looking back for the photo of the trampoline and came across this, one of my most amazing substitutes from a supermarket.

Substitutions from Tesco. 20 cigarettes substituted for a pineapple

I didn't complain but still can't decide if the person thought it was a good substitution or was just having a laugh. 20 cigarettes replaced with a pineapple. lol I suppose a pineapple is healthier.

Do you complain when someone has wronged you?

Monday 24 May 2021

Our weekly meal plan! 24th - 30th May. #MealPlanningMonday

Our Weekly Meal Plan

Last weeks meal plan went well. It was the first week in ages that we ate everything I had planned, on the day I had planned too. It was a total win! It doesn't happen often and it probably is just a one off.

This week we don't have anything planned apart from the kids going to school and college. It's their last week before half term and then Becky only has 4 more days at college, one a week in June and she is finished until September. This school year really has flown over, I know it's because most of the time the kids have been home learning but it still feels like time is flying over.

It feels hard to meal plan at the moment with the rubbish weather. It feels like by this time of year we should be having BBQ's and eating salads but it's too ruddy cold. This week is forecast more rain. Ugh. Come on summer, hurry up!

On the menu this week we have:

Tuesday - Pork and apple sausages with potato wedges.
WednesdayChicken nugget wraps.
Friday - Pizza.
Saturday - Burgers in buns with fries.
Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week?

Meal planning linky

Sunday 23 May 2021

A workspace in the garage. #MySundayPhoto

Stu has his own space in the garage and he loves it in there. He is always pottering about doing whatever he does in there. He bought a kitchen worktop a couple of weeks ago from our local auction for £2 and put it in the corner of the garage as a new space to work. He's put some shelves up and has been having a good tidy up. Believe it or not it looks tidier than it was, I am trying to think of it as an organised mess.

Workspace in the garage

My Sunday Photo linky

Saturday 22 May 2021

Week 20 of #Project365. 15th - 21st May. A photo every day for a year!

 It has been a long week, not a bad one, just one of those with a lot going on and it has left me feeling tired. I am so ready for the weekend and a takeaway tonight.

Becky has her girlfriend stopping over for the weekend and they have so many plans. Watch The Greatest Showman together, play Fortnite, bake cookies, write CV's and apply for part time jobs and of course watch Eurovision tonight. They're not fancy plans but they are things they've wanted to do together for months.

Now for a photo every day!

Weeds or not?
An energydot and roast parsnips
Plants planted outside
Scones and biology homework
The Wii back up and working

135/365 - 15th May
I planted some wild flower seeds a few weeks ago. It's got to the point now where I can't decide if it's the flowers growing or just weeds. I will leave it a little longer and see what appears.

136/365 - 16th May
I was sent a couple of Energydots products to try out, well Stu was. He has been trying the bioBand for a few weeks and the blog post will be live next week.

137/365 - 17th May
Roast parsnips. My favourite part of a roast dinner.

138/365 - 18th May
The plants on my kitchen windowsill were getting too big and they weren't thriving as much as they were so I decided to plant them outside. The big tomato plant has since been attached to a pole of wood to keep it upright which is just as well with all of the wind we've had over the last couple of days.

139/365 - 19th May
Wednesday was baking day and I made scones. Cheese one's and fruit one's. They were so good. I ate 3 just on Wednesday. lol

140/365 - 20th May
Ellie had biology homework to do. She said she had done it at break time at school but then I got a text from school saying she hadn't done it. Eesh! I sat over her until she got it finished.

141/365 - 21st May
A few weeks ago the kids were on about playing on the Wii but we were missing a part. Stu had a look for it and found it. Now it's back up and running and as of writing this Becky and her girlfriend are playing tennis.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday 21 May 2021

This week my Word of the Week is: Tired! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

Tired

I have really struggled to come up with a word this week. It hasn't been a bad week really but has been one with a lot of things going on most of which have been stressing me out. Thankfully most of the things that I was worrying about have been sorted out but this week has left me feeling tired.

The birds on a morning are driving me crazy! I start hearing them about half 4 and from then on I am awake, mostly. Last year the man over the road chopped down his hedge and the birds moved into our roof, well the eaves of our roof. We hear them flapping about and the squawking. I could of course go to bed earlier on a night but I enjoy that time on an evening when everyone else has gone to bed. I know, I'm my own worst enemy.

For years I have told the girls not to get involved in other peoples arguments. Do they listen, of course not! I am tired of telling them to stay out of other peoples drama and this week it almost backfired on one of them. I'm not going to go into what happened but it caused a couple of stressful days and I am hoping a lesson has been learned. Kids! 

My Great Aunt had a fall a few weeks ago and broke her hip. She spent a bit of time in hospital and she made it home. My dad went to visit her this week and she was doing great but has ended up back in hospital with a bad chest. She has COPD so her chest hasn't been great for the last few years but it's a worry. She's 88 years old and has been like a grandmother to me all of my life. My dad said she looks and feels tired which has really knocked me for six. I don't want to think the worst but I am.

I am tired of this weather! I am sitting here now looking out of the window trying to decide whether to hang some washing on the line. It's windy enough but looks like rain. Where is the sunshine? I am not usually one for the heat but I want to be able to sit in the garden without having to wear a coat or thick jumper.

I would like to say I am going to have a nice relaxed weekend but I doubt it. Becky's girlfriend is coming to stay for a couple of nights. It will be the first time she's been in our house since October. She is a lovely lass and I love her coming to visit but I know I won't be able to fully relax until she goes home. Home doesn't feel like home when someone is visiting and you have to be on your best behaviour.

I hope you all have had a good week!

Word of the Week linky

Thursday 20 May 2021

(Ad - Gifted) Rose and Lemon Flavoured Turkish Delight from Sous Chef.

Father's day is next month and I have been thinking about what to get my dad. Since having Covid he has gone right off chocolate which used to be my go to gift for father's day. His taste hasn't been right either so I wanted something with a bit of flavour and just at the right time I received an email about great gift ideas for food-fanatic fathers from Sous Chef!

They have a great selection of gifts for but one thing which caught my eye was the Lokumcuzade Fez Box of Rose and Lemon Flavoured Turkish Delight.

Rose and Lemon Flavoured Turkish Delight from Sous Chef

This is fantastic present for Turkish Delight fans and loved ones with a sweet tooth.

The rose and lemon flavoured sweets come in a stylish gift box reminiscent of a fez hat which I love. It really made me smile and the kids said it made them think of Doctor Who. lol I am sure my dad would think of the comedian Tommy Cooper when he see's it.

Lokumcuzade fez rose and lemon flavoured Turkish Delight

I have course had to open the packet of Turkish Delight and have a taste which means my dad will be getting this present early.

I tried one piece of each flavour of the Turkish Delight and could have easily eaten more. They were delicious, the flavours were strong and I think my dad will love them. Like I said his taste has been off since having Covid and I know these will give his taste buds a work out.

The Turkish Delight comes in 275g boxes and costs £7.50 from the Sous Chef website.

Sous Chef have some great gifts for those dad's which are into their food. As well as the usual gift hampers including food and drinks there are recipe kits, cookbooks, delicious ingredients, all sorts of cooking utensils and confectionery.

These are some of the top picks:

The Sous Chef Club Tasting Box - A 3 Month Subscription.
Labelled as "the go-to subscription box for keen cooks" by Vanity Fair, and rated a best-buy by The Independent. The Sous Chef Tasting Box offers five hand-picked new ingredients monthly, along with tasting notes and ideas for each product. Truly the gift that keeps on giving!

Pastificio Del Colle Squid Ink Striped Farfalle 250g.
Resembling striped bow ties, these pasta pieces are almost too good to eat! Made by Italian pasta maker Pastificio del Colle using natural dyes and artisanal methods.

Stuart Gardiner Wine Towel
This vibrant tea towel from British designer Stuart Gardiner will guide you through everything you could possibly want to know about how wine is made, drunk and bottled.

Venchi Nougatine Chocolate Cigar 100g.
Venchi’s nougatine chocolate cigar is made with the finest Italian ingredients, making it an exceptional chocolate bar for gifting. Enjoy with a tipple of whiskey as a post-dinner nibble!

Do you or a loved one like Turkish Delight?

I was sent the Lokumcuzade fez rose and lemon flavoured Turkish Delight free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Wednesday 19 May 2021

Cinemas have opened and films I am looking forward to seeing!

 I didn't realise how much I missed going to the cinema until we couldn't go! I think the last film we saw at the cinema was Toy Story 4 way before the virus happened. I have no interest in the James Bond films but the latest film has been postponed that many times I am actually wanting to see it now. 

There has been so many films postponed and delayed because of Covid. There were films talked about with trailers ages ago and they never appeared because the cinema were closed.

Popcorn

These are the films that I want to see:

The Matrix 4.
The Matrix 4 wasn't meant to come out till 2022 but in a surprising move it has been brought forward to December 21, 2021. I don't even know what it's about but I want to watch it, I love all of the other Matrix films even though I have never fully understood them.

Top Gun: Maverick



Fast & Furious 9
Dominic Toretto and his crew join forces to battle the most skilled assassin and high performance driver they've ever encountered - his forsaken brother. The only reason I am taking interest in this film is that Stu has agreed to go and see it with my dad's partner because there's only him and her who have interest in it. Oh, and John Cena is in it! It's like it's law now that there has to be a WWE wrestler in it. hehehe

A Quiet Place: Part 2.
I am not usually a fan of horror/thriller films but Becky made me watch A Quiet Place and it wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't nice but I wouldn't say a horror. I am quite intrigued about the 2nd film.

Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

Cruella.


Candyman.
In present day, a decade after the last of the Cabrini towers were torn down, Anthony and his partner move into a loft in the now gentrified Cabrini. A chance encounter with an old-timer exposes Anthony to the true story behind Candyman. Anxious to use these macabre details in his studio as fresh grist for paintings, he unknowingly opens a door to a complex past that unravels his own sanity and unleashes a terrifying wave of violence.

I remember watching the original Candyman film back in the 90's. My friends and I were the fools looking in mirrors saying Candyman. lol For not being a fan of horror films I am fancying watching some this year. 

Peter Rabbit 2.



Mortal Kombat.
I know Mortal Kombat is available to watch on Sky but I think this is one of those which would be better on the big screen. I remember playing the game on my brothers Sega Megadrive when I was a teen and he got a pirate copy of the film from the 90's and I loved it. It was one of those films I knew word for word and watched over and over. From what I've read this new version is nothing to do with the first film but has a lot of the same characters.

MMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth's greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.

Are you looking forward to seeing any films at the cinema?

Tuesday 18 May 2021

(Ad - Gifted) A self-guided treasure hunt for all ages from Treasure Trails!

I am always trying to get my family outside, for walks or bike rides but it is tough. They're teenagers and would much rather spend time inside watching TikTok or playing Fortnite. They always want a reason to go out and just going for a walk sometimes isn't a good enough excuse.

What is a good excuse to get out of the house are Treasure Trails, a self-guided themed treasure hunt around different villages, towns and cities across the UK which I have been sent to have a look at.

Treasure Trail

The Trails are a great way to get people outside and explore somewhere new or to even let you see somewhere you've lived your whole life in a new way.

The Trails come in small booklets but inside of them and big adventures. The Treasure Trail experience was designed primarily for families, with kids from the ages of 6 upwards but you don't need a child to do them.

The Trails take around 2 hours to complete and take explorers on a circular outdoor walking route, they are Covid safe and approximately two miles long. are themed as a Murder Mystery, Spy Mission or Treasure Hunt. By solving the clues in the booklets you will either be discovering whodunit, cracking the code or finding the location of the long lost treasure. The Trails will normally have around 20 to 25 clues and the answers of which are found within the area you are exploring. It could be the name on an information board, signs, statues, monuments, images, engravings, and other eye-catching features. A great way to learn about the history of the area that you are exploring.

There are over 1,200 different Trails across different areas of the UK so you are bound to find one near you to explore and enjoy.

Treasure Trail booklet

Father's day is next month and this would be a great activity to do as a dad or a dad in your life. Set out on a secret spy mission with Treasure Trails, crack the code 007-style and give dad an assignment to rival that of James Bond.

The top 10 spy mission Trails for families to embark on this Father’s Day:

York - Clifford’s Tower.
Will you take on the challenge and crack the code on a spy mission Trail through the historic city walls of York, exploring the remarkable Clifford’s Tower and gardens?

London - Mayfair.
Embrace 007 life and set out on a mission exploring Bond Street this Father’s Day. This Trail will lead you through the shops of Old and New Bond Street, embassies, squares and gardens ending in Shepard Market.

Cornwall - Perranporth.
Dads and little ones will need to be prepared for this spy mission, which uncovers clues and secrets of the old tin-mining town. Explore coastlines, parks and even woodland before finishing on the cliff tops where a mysterious sundial may form part of the final task.

Oxford - University Parks.
This historic University City holds many secrets, and you’ll discover them on this Treasure Trail. Work together to solve clues as you follow the River Cherwell to the suburb of New Marston, along Mesopotamia Walk and then around the southern perimeter of the parks.

Newcastle – Fog on the Tyne.
Dust off your spy gadgets, and get ready for an action-packed adventure! Your self-guided spy mission Trail begins at the futuristic Millennium Bridge and will soon have you delving into Newcastle’s rich engineering history – all whilst hunting high and low for captivating Clues!

Warwickshire - Stratford upon Avon Statues and Canal.
Calling all double agents! Spot clues and work swiftly on this Trail that leads families through Firs Gardens and into the centre of town before heading on to the canal towpaths.

Scotland - Edinburgh New Town.
This sweet-toothed Trail needs the UK’s best spies to help stop villainous mastermind Dr D’Astardly. He’s discovered the top-secret ingredients for Edinburgh Rock and is planning on becoming the sole-producer. Will you discover the deactivation code before time runs out?

Gloucestershire - Tewkesbury.
The Trail starts in Gander Lane, then explores the fascinating High Street before travelling over the river and along the riverside path. It then heads back over the river and through Victoria Gardens, finishing at the Abbey.

Manchester - Castlefield.
The word on the street is that a villainous factory owner has created a rain-making machine over the city of Manchester to increase production in his cotton mills. Local spy agency, SWARM, are busy bees tracking down the enemy and need you - our TOP agent - to help!

Somerset - Bath Cake-tastrophe.
There is an evil mastermind in Bath, and he’s holding the city to ransom! Exploring this town, famous for its Georgian architecture, agents have two hours to figure out the detonation code. Will you take on the challenge?

Treasure Trail booklet clues

The Treasure Trail booklets cost £9.99 for the downloadable print-at-home version or £11.48 (including P&P) for the posted version.

Explorers who get all the correct answers to the clues can then enter themselves into the £100 Treasure Trails monthly prize draw.

We will be doing our Treasure Trail in Scunthorpe sometime over the half term holidays and I am really looking forward to it. I've peeked at the clues already and have an idea of the direction we will be heading. My girls who are not usually keen on going outside on walks are really looking forward to our adventure.

I was sent the Treasure themed Treasure Trail free of charge in exchange for this blog post.

Monday 17 May 2021

Our weekly meal plan! 17th - 23rd May. #MealPlanningMonday

Our Weekly meal plan

Last weeks meal plan went well. We had scampi, chips and peas which wasn't planned on Friday and moved the Pizza to Saturday. We tried the Hula Hoops BBQ beef flavour potato shapes from Iceland. They were OK, the kids liked them. They did taste like the crisps but I wasn't keen on them. I won't be rushing to buy them again.

We don't have much on this week. Today more restrictions are being eased and they don't mean much for us apart from the fact I will be able to go into my dad's house and Becky's girlfriend can come into our house. Bless them, on Friday they were sat outside in the cold just so they could spend time together. It will be nice for them to see each other without having to worry about being too cold and getting soaked in the rain.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - A roast chicken dinner.
Wednesday - Sausages, chips and baked beans.
Friday - Chicken fajitas.
Saturday - Takeaway Pizza.
Sunday - Leftover pizza for lunch and then sandwiches, cakes and snacks for tea.

What are you eating this week?

Meal planning linky

Sunday 16 May 2021

Weeding the garden. #MySundayPhoto

I had a little help in the garden during the week. Becky likes weeding and there was plenty to do since we've haven't done much out there in a couple of weeks and all the rain we've had has made everything grow that little bit faster.


My Sunday Photo linky

Saturday 15 May 2021

Week 19 of #Project365. 8th - 14th May. A photo every day for a year!

 Happy Saturday! I hope you have all had a good week? We haven't been up to much, just the usual school, college, work, housework, visits to my dad's and nothing out of the ordinary. Life feels pretty normal at the moment but next week there will be a new normal with more of the restrictions being lifted. I am looking forward to giving my dad a hug, it's been a long time.

Now for a photo every day!

Turkish Delight
Grey clouds
Hula hoop potato shapes and ants
My fella strimming around the garden
My eldest with her bike and prawn pasta salad

128/365 - 8th May
Turkish delight. I was sent it to feature in a blog post which you can see next week.

129/365 - 9th May
Despite the grey clouds on Sunday the weather hasn't been too bad. There has been lots of rain but plenty of sunshine in-between.

130/365 - 10th May
We had the Hula Hoop potato shapes from Iceland with corned beef pasties and baked beans and they were OK, not amazing but they did really taste like Hula Hoops and the kids enjoyed them. I won't rush to get them again.

131/365 - 11th May
I disturbed an ants nest while weeding and digging up some of the garden. I wasn't stung but felt like they were crawling on me. It was a good excuse to have an afternoon dip in the bath.

132/365 - 12th May
My fella did the strimming in the garden. I have got the hang of using the lawnmower but the strimmer scares me. 

133/365 - 13th May
Becky and I went for a bike ride, called in to see my dad and met Stu from work and made it home in time for Ellie coming out of school.

134/365 - 14th May
Prawn and pasta salad. I made way too much and half ended up back in the fridge.

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