An evening of curls

Hey all, how ya doing? I've just had an interesting start to my evening. Decided to put my hair into curls, not an easy task. I have hair not only with a mind of its own but a body too.

You know I love my WAHL products - well I have the curling tongs now too. My hair is odd, it goes fluffy - do you have this problem? Not frizzy just well... fluffy...

In order to curl my hair I first have to straighten it to smooth the fluffiness out, then I can curl it to get the curls in. It's a faff and I rarely get to the curl stage, leaving it straight and fluffy free as I get bored.

However, this eve, I'm off out with himself once the kids are in bed and the baby sitter arrives - only to the local pub no where exciting, although himsefl now wonders where I think I'm off to with 'ma curly hair' !!

WAHL Curling Tongs come in different curl diameters. There are five. I have the 13mm barrel ones and they make nice loose curls. I first noticed 2 heat settings - which to be honest I whacked up to highest for the whole time, but you don't have to. There is also a tong stand built in - presumably to keep the barrel off the bed clothes when you have them whacked on full power the whole time!!

Needless to say that was a useful feature.

Anyway, they heated up mightily quick - for Miss Boredom that was good. And they performed well. I use GHDs to straightne my hair, swear by them and happy to pay their extortionate price, because they work. But hey WAHL are good, not GHDs but at a teenytinyfraction of the cost you don't expect them to be. On someone with more manageable hair they'd probably do just as well as them, its just my unruly fluffball that sorts the men from the boys in hair products...

Now, I'm curly, and smooth and curly more to the point with no excessive fluffy hair - so we're off down the pub. Curls, with a hint of spray, look set to last all evening too!

Catch up tomorrow !

What a Week?

Where does it all go? Time I mean.... What a rushed week, we were meant to go the pictures on wednesday - taking advantage of Orange Wednesdays, but sadly it began at 5.45 or 8pm...I had no chance of getting to Kettering by 5.45 from Northampton - in rush hour.... and if I went at 8pm this week I felt sure I'd have slept through the whole film!! So we ditched the idea :-(

Tonight its a night in, feet up in front of a DVD with bangers and mash for tea. Visited Co-op today and rooted round on the reduced shelf, ended up with some lovely Aberdeen Angus burgers for our BBQ on saturday 99p for 2 - half price !! Was thrilled with purchase and will end up eating well on saturday!

Today's blog is such a ramble, head all over the place. I have had some vouchers this week for the new Ben and Jerrys Ice Cream Flavour so will be getting out the ice cream dishes for that later - over the weekend.

Talking of which - take a look at this little find, at http://www.treasureislandtoys.co.uk/ for £9.90 - A fab set for any little girl who loves ice cream I'd say!!

Totally Irritated today - but just my eyes!!

We spend a lot of time on our boat, and mostly its fun. This week we have decided to do some jobs on it though and have ripped all the carpet up…. Meaning a humungous amount of dust!! Leaving my eyes irritated and red.

MURINE Irritation & Redness Relief Eye Drops, available from chemists is fast acting, pharmacy strength relief for sore, irritated and red eyes.

The eye drops are not only fast acting but long lasting. Available over the counter from pharmacies nationwide priced at £3.59 for 10ml.


Also available are MURINE Bright & Moist Eyes it’s formulated with a brightener to give super-white, bright eyes and two moisturisers helping to refresh and soothe. The long lasting eye drops come in a liquid gel helping them to stay in your eye for longer. Available from pharmacies nationwide priced £3.99 for 15ml.

How many things can you get in this pouch?

I rarely fall in love with a website but today was an exception… I’d had a day out at the local garden centre, bought a nice little feeder for the birds in the garden and a meal for one out of their deli dept. (Himself is out tonight and so meal for one in front of TV with wine….bliss..)

Anyway, in this rare moment of peace in the house, and less rare good mood, I decided to browse the net.

…And discovered http://www.wahl.co.uk/ - you see if you look at my other reviews you’ll notice a flash looking hairdryer, which was from Wahl, hence me checking out their site!

Firstly before the delights of a whole heap of new products you see their intro – which says:

“With over 20 years in the UK, Wahl is a leading brand in not just grooming but electrical styling with Ceramic Straighteners, Curling Tongs, Multi Stylers and Dryers to name just a few of this comprehensive range. The fabulous small domestic appliance ranges incorporating, Cuisine Collection, Kitchen Innovations and the very popular James Martin Collection add even more depth to Wahl's UK portfolio.”

I’m thinking – lets look at the products and tbh when I saw the prices I’m thinking what can I buy??? It’s like a little sweet shop, but with no sweets but lots of nice electrical goodies to tempt me with.

You know when you look at something and its nice and err… well CHEAP is all I can say…. Then you see it looks expensive…. It’s just great isn’t it?

No cheap and nasty on this site, it’s all quality stuff…

I’m a total convert to Wahl products.

So what did I buy? OK, OK I had to buy something didn’t I? I have bought Himself a pressy, the Grooming Gear Kit.

We have a boat, and have our holidays on it, so as you can imagine space is limited. This kit contains a little treasure trove of useful items, including;

A battery operated travel trimmer, with 6 position guide comb, Battery operated personal trimmer (you know for nasal hair and stuff), a pair of Scissors, some Tweezers, some nail clippers, a Knife/File, a toothbrush in a little holder, a pocket comb – useless for him, he’s bald, Cleaning brush to keep it all ship shape, plus clipper oil and 2 AA batteries.

All in a zip-able pouch that is about 4 inches by 7 inches max – great for the boat!! Very compact, everything held in place and the pouch is nice and sturdy so can stand on a shelf on the boat and not fall off!

I have to say, I need to stay away from the Wahl site for at least a month now, cos they have a lovely new James Martin collection too….will have to find a good excuse to go back! Sadly James isn’t available to buy though.

Oooh heck - himself to watch out...

I've had a stressy stressy day, coming home to kids moaning and work still to be done on the laptop - when will it end?

I could have a good cry - and lets face it girls, a good cry does help on such occasions!! Or I could try a new tree hugging, holistic type remedy....I have acquired a pack of Korean Ginseng capsules – from http://www.omega4.co.uk/ . At £8.50 for 180 tablets - a bargain for what they are going to do for me!!

They are going to transform my life!!! Hurrah!! I must tell you I always get a little carried away when faced with a vitamin pill...

Read on... Korean Ginseng (so it says) will help with a large range of conditions including stress, depression, mental alertness, as a tonic to resist colds and flu and other infections, for chronic illnesses, to boost sex hormones. May help in treating menstrual irregularities and symptoms of menopause.

I’m hoping for help with stress, of course!!!! Tiredness and helps with menopausal symptoms...but not sure on the boosting sex hormones – ooh errr missus – not got the time for that malarkey!!

So bear with me – and I will report back soon...

Hoping they are good for stress relief, as really under pressure at work, and I don’t think lobbing the bottle at someone counts.... although...

New day new hair!!!

I just bought a new – really swanky hair dryer for under £15!! I’m amazed and really chuffed! We’re in the windy season and I need my hair to look good for work so the lightweight 1600W MAXPRO hairdryer is the perfect tool to prepare myself for any weather. It features two heat & two speed settings, a cool shot button, removable air filter and soft touch grip.

The Maxpro hair dryer comes with a salon style concentrator nozzle, a diffuser, a convenient 1.8m cord and hanging loop for ease of use.

Finished in a stylish silver satin and black outer case the MAXPRO is an affordable dryer that does not compromise on quality. It looks every bit like Revlon, Vidal Sassoon or Nicky Clarke!!

Price £14.99 - a total bargain!

Cuts down on back breaking weeding!!

This weather is great, warm sunny spring days then a little rain to dampen down the pollen from the Rape fields perfect..... apart from... weeds....weeds are taking over patios, flowerbeds and driveways once again! I decided to tackle them head on with Roundup weedkiller and got cash back at the same time!!

Whether you are a keen gardener or just enjoy spending time in the garden, weeds do nothing at all to improve the overall look of your outside space. Roundup is a multi-purpose fast acting weed-killer that works its way right to the root of the problem, killing most types of annual and deep-rooted perennial weeds, including grasses, dandelions, docks, nettles, thistles and bindweed. It is inactivated immediately on contact with the soil, leaving no harmful residues behind, great as the kids are trotting around.

I got £5 cash back on my purchase of Roundup Ready to Use "Pump 'N Go" - just great!!
The 1 litre Roundup trigger spray is a handy, lightweight option that is ideal for spot treatment of weeds. It has a unique 3-in-1 action trigger spray, giving the options of a jet spray for high accuracy, a fan spray for broader areas and a foam spray for treating weeds in flowerbeds and borders. It says the first effects can be seen in around 48 hours and they sure can, my Dandelions have almost gone from the driveway and no daisies live on the patio this eve!!

One Man's Junk is Another Man's Treasure

eBay - depending on how you view it, it's either the scourge of the 21st century or the saviour of our recession bitten pockets!

Personally in our house, we love it. Himself is in the shed, making shelves, and generally having a good old sort out, so consequentally has found a myriad of junk....errr bits of treasure... From old motorbike parts, some fenders and even a once lost sink off a narrowboat... tonight will see me cleanign all these ready to photograph and sell on.

I, on the other hand, have been in my jewellery and make-up drawers to find bits and bobs of unused stuff. Last week I sold a bag of Jessica Nail Polishes for £6.50 on the site. OK this is not much but hey they were all 2nd hand (and listed as such so no nasty surprises for a buyer!!) I never used them any more and £6.50 is better than a drawer full of tat ...I mean treasure for someone...

Plus all those £4's, £3's and £6.50's add up, a few months ago I draw £100 out of my eBay account to put in the holiday savings fund!

All I can say is - if you've not become an eBayer yet - give it a go!! You do end up walking round the house wondering what you can sell though....beware Himself...do not stand still for too long!

Cheaper than a week in Spain and safer than a week in Mexico!

The website says "Tantruth contains the latest innovations in tanning technology. With satin extracts, duo self-tanning agents and a light fresh fragrance to leave the skin pleasantly scented, you will have a luxuriously deep tan, giving you that bronzed sun kissed look all year round."

So armed with my credit card I went on http://www.beautyexpress.co.uk/ and bought my Tantruth Secret Sun for £4.95 - I decided that it was cheaper than holidaying abroad this year (and safer!!). With no holiday plans for the year ahead but a pale skinned body glaring back at me in the mirror I needed some help....

Secret Sun arrived..... I opened the pack, sniffed and was pleasantly surprised, it had a little of the 'tanning cream' smell to it but not much. I applied the cream, probably a little too liberally first time round and ended up with a few streaks. Second application went much better on day two - after exfoliation this time!!

I'd say it was easy to apply so long as a little care was taken but most of all the colour - it gave me a truly golden tan. I am so happy with the colour, better than most other fake tans I have tried.

Although the downside, at the moment I'm poorly with suspected Glandular fever....and people are looking at me and saying how well I look, purely because of my golden tan!! OOoops!! I'm getting no sympathy cos I look so well, feel terrible, but look well!!!

Spice up Your life!

We’ve discovered Heinz Tomato Ketchup is turning up the heat this summer as we have discovered Heinz Twisted Ketchup, a new spicy tomato ketchup range!

For just £1.19 we’ve found Ketchup in exciting, spicier flavours, the three new sauces - Mild Chilli, Piri Piri & Lime and Fiery Chilli are perfect for when I’m looking to give my favourite foods a unique twist.

Each distinct sauce offers a different level of spiciness, so there’s ketchup to suit all taste buds. To make it easy, Heinz has even put chilli indicators and different colours on the bottle to highlight the level of heat of each variety – just choose how hot you want to go and mix things up at meal times!

For those looking to give their food a gentle kick Heinz Twisted Ketchup Mild Chilli delivers a delicate Mexican flavour and is great with everything from classic chips to burgers or fajitas. Josh, our 7 year old thought this one was his favourite, and he’s a choosy young thing!

If you fancy being a bit more daring then there’s Heinz Twisted Ketchup Piri Piri & Lime. Packed with a unique twist of lime, it’s delicious served with grilled chicken, fish or prawns and will be sure to spice up summer BBQs – this was my personal favourite, lovely with a sausage roll!

And for Jack, 13 year old and allegedly ‘hard as nails’ Heinz Twisted Ketchup Fiery Chilli was his favourite. Putting a dollop in his spaghetti Bolognese gave it some extra punch and he nearly finished the squeezy bottle on his burgers when we had a BBQ on Saturday!

We liked the fact Heinz combined the spiciness with real flavour and didn’t just go for heat! At £1.19 we were impressed with the price too!

A pad that'll never be dead as a Dodo!

In our house a memory is a rare and almost extinct thing. Even the kids don't really have one to speak of and me and Himself? Well we're in our forties so we have no chance.

Take a look at www.dodopad.com though and you may find the solution to an ailing memory. Nope, no pills, potions or brain surgery but a fabulous book to list and keep everything in one place.

The DodoPad is a sweet little A5 folder in green and purple, nicely decorated and with jokes and little quips throughout its pages. It's loose leaf and with plenty of spare pages to note down things to remember, plus there is even space to file things you'd rather forget....BILLS!!

Each section of the DodoPad is required in everyday living, there's room for birthdays, and other general reminders, as I say room to file bills until paid, a place for holiday information and Christmas stuff so you're all ready - ready for anything!

I love the little 'holsters' for bills and notes!

This is such a girlie product - it makes loosing your memory nearly worthwhile!!

Now...where did I put my pen to write in the pad???

A cheap cut of meat becomes a banquet!

My latest purchase, as you know is a Crock Pot. Bought from Tesco Direct at £19.99. It’s a 3.5 ltr but they come in all sorts of sizes. We have finally got round to trying it out and boy do we think it’s the greatest purchase ever!

Apparently it uses the less electricity than a light bulb. You leave it on for hours in the corner just kinda doing its own thing, then when you’re hungry and want your dinner, lift the lid to an amazing concoction!

So I left himself in on his own all day and wondered what I may come home to. Now apart from the vacuuming being done, all the ironing and also some gardening.... a wonderful smell greeted me too...A joint of pork had been purchased from Budgens, for £4.00 - this was cut into 3 pieces, with 2 going into the freezer for another time (it was huge!!)

One piece was placed in our Crock Pot, with a Sharwoods Black Bean Sauce - also on special offer at 89pNow I didn't say this recipe was cordon bleu...it was only a man cooking.... proving how easy a Crock Pot is to use!He popped 2 tbl spoons of golden syrup in with the pork and the Sharwoods sauce, and put whole lot on high for four hours, which caramelised it all. Turned down to low for rest of day until I came home from work. Served up with cous cous that had had fried oinions, fried mushrooms and chopped apple stirred through it. All in all a simple yet yummy meal.And verdict from himself? And I quote...."I can't believe how easy the Crock Pot is to use. I left it alone all day and it did its thing!! It was great!" Bless him... he’s not stopped raving about it since!!

There’s a few sites on Facebook too – so if you have one and are stuck for recipes then take a look at sites such as Slow Cooking with a Crock-Pot - the official UK site on Facebook or even http://www.crock-pot.com/.

Lots of recipes you will find use cheap cuts of meat, cos the cooking is such a slow process, it cooks everything so tenderly, our prok fell apart on the forks! Buy as cheap as you like cos the Crock Pot will make it taste fit for a king!

Eating trousers on...

Oh my goodness, we ate the most amazing tea last night, pork in black bean sauce with fruity cous cous.... my new Crock Pot coupled with himself at home all day.... I could learn to love this!! Just finding out recipe for him, then I'll post it here!