Raising Children Means Letting Them Go

Raising children means letting them go , our jobs as parents is to prepare them for the world so they can function without us. I think the biggest challenge is preparing yourself for that separation. Now I'll admit to feeling overwhelmed at first by the size of University but oh my what a fabulous setting . University I think is one of life's starting blocks and they come out racing from the moment they start. 

It was a full on day looking at York University; we were there for the Archaeological department at Kings Manor. 

We were treated to a fabulous lunch , I also has an Orange kit Kat which I'm assured is part of your 5 a day . There we as also fruit available at lunch , though I'm thinking offering us real oranges was some thought of initiation test !!. There were tons of talks from welcome to York University to as I mentioned looking round the areas you wanted to study to student life and what that entails !. Apparently at York University there are hundreds of societies from the "Taylor Swift Society " to "Humans versus Zombies " which comprises of students wearing bandannas if they are human and bandages on their wrist if they are a zombie and they shoot at each other with Nerf guns!

We looked at the student accommodation and it wasn't at grim as I though it would be , its actually like stopping in a a very nice hotel ( not quite 5 star ) but a reasonable 4 star and as they encourage you to get out of your room so you don't sit their and wallow its not a problem. University life is full of opportunities and I noticed there was even an opportunity for him to get a part time job if he so wished . I am thinking Betty's tea room that would make me very very happy and I think I would be up to York every weekend !

All this visiting is thirsty work and I was glad that I took my Robinsons Squash'd in my handbag to liven up our water during the day , a little squirt goes a long long way!. There is real fruit in every drop and with my son drinking so much water I am pleased that that Squashed is free from artificial colours and preservatives also no added sugar. The Robinsons range includes two new flavours, Orange & Peach and Lemon & Pink Grapefruit . 

And with my doing a lot of sport it's important that he drinks regularly to stay hydrated , my husband helps out do he's running round too. I work in a school so I'm outside a lot so I keep a drink with me as obviously I have to do a lot of talking ! 

“This post is an entry for BritMums #EnjoyMoreWater Challenge, sponsored by Robinsons” and linking to https://www.robinsonssquash.co.uk

How To Tackle Cat Smells

A cat communicates in various ways from the cute meowing to the adorable head nestling and head butting but then there is the scent marking . The scent marking which for the cat is communication  but for us owners it is a rather smelly issue and unwelcome habit, especially when it is rather to close for home for example on our front doors.

I'll have to deal with those smelly trainers as well !

These pet smells are really one we can live without , however a stiff talking to your cat will not warrant the result you might one and everyone knows that cats are aloof and will ignore your every word anyway.


My cats Jack and Rollie have a habit of going of the front door and then coming in through their cat flap , it's a habit they have tricked us into as why waste time going through the cat flip when your human being will open the door for you.

Dealing With Cat Urine Smells

1. Water down the area where the cat urine/waste is , keep rinsing till the smell goes , the more porous the surface is the longer the rinsing will take.

2. Put on some disposable gloves and get a scrubbing brush along with some soap and water ( i.e. washing up liquid and water ) If male cats can still smell the area they will return and the misery will start all over again.

3. Use an enzyme based cleaner ( from your local pet shop ) to breakdown and completely remove the odour that is associated with cat urine. Or you could make up your own solution that will pretty much work in the same way do this by mixing 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts water to remove all traces of the cat urine.


We have other problems having cats and that is they can't be rather smelly when they are damp and if they get caught in the rain we make sure we pat them dry with kitchen towel especially those cuddly little paws. We also have a long door mat near the cat flap that can trap most of the dirt when they come in , despite my efforts they are not ones for wiping their paws.

Of course you might initially left with the smell clinging on inside the house as I know we did , we used such products as Febreze to tackle the smells around the door area as quite understandably this is a high traffic area. We also make sure we now have an air freshener such as Ambi Pur in the hallway on the telephone table which is quite near to the door , this always helps when it is rugby season and we have damp clothes and rugby boots all over the place.

Vacuum Vacuum and Vacuum !

Regular vacuuming rally does make a huge difference in the smell of your house , make sure your vacuum those carpets,sofas , rugs chairs and even the curtain to get of the cat hair. And bicarbonate of soda sprinkled onto your carpets will freshen them up ( leave the bicarbonate of soda on the carpet for an hour the vacuum up , make sure the cat is out the way.)

Keep your cat groomed

As Rollie is a particularly fluffy cat we keep him groomed by brushing him regularly I am amazed how much fluff can come off him , it is almost like we have a another cat after a grooming season.


Wash your cats bedding

Make sure washing your cats bedding becomes a regular habit . You might not think can it smell but combine that with cat hair, int and damp paws that have been who knows where will start to contribute to smelly bedding. I do suggest you buy a laundry bag to put your cat bedding is as just throwing in your washing machine will leave some cat hair behind and apparently this isn't a trendy look for the office so my husband says.


Clean those food Bowls

I don't leave the cats food out for too long a time and I keep their food area clean , annoyingly my cats are messy eaters . I keep my cats water fountain clean and regular change the filter in it,  as it gets clogged up with hair and dirt ( one of my cats likes to paw at the water )

I know I have cats but I do have friends with dogs and they find it useful to look on line with how to cope with those dog smells.

'This post is brought to you by me and my cats

Traveller Dreams

Traveller Dreams

I'm quite enthralled by Nordic dramas at the moment and it's really making me want to go to somewhere in Scandinavia, It's a longing I've always been a traveller well I do have a nomadic soul .And everyone except me has actually been to Iceland the country and not the frozen food store , prices seemed to have dropped to go there however I'm told that it is quite an expensive country when you get there .

Also I'd love to go to Rome as well as it seems obviously chockablock full of history , I'd just love to meander down and around the streets soaking up the history.

Hopefully soon I'll be off to Amsterdam for the weekend as last time we went it was just a flying visit on one of those overnight ferries from Newcastle. Update I have just had my flights confirmed with Easy Jet I'll be flying from Manchester and then stopping 2 nights in Amsterdam , luckily I had won 2 flights to Amsterdam so I've had had to pay for one flight . I've booked 2 nights hotel in a very nice Mecure hotel in Amsterdam with good transport links ( though Mr T does like to walk everywhere )

I have tried to book for Anne Frank house but it silly super busy and booked up for 2 months solid so we have a choice to make to go and queue from 2.30 onwards or to go and queue after 6pm . Of course there is lots more to see than Anne Franks house but I feel it is essential to see it especially with my son studying A level history . I just don't remember it being so complicated to try and visit the place when I went 25 years ago but perhaps I am retro blurry eyed about my youth.

A Sunday Amble

This is Elvaston Castle and its gardens , the castle itself is Gothic revival and is a fabulous backdrop to a relaxed afternoon . Yet this magnificent building is on the buildings at risk register , it would be a fabulous wedding venue , there's a cafe there and a gift shop here . There's so much that needs doing it is in the hands of the local authority who don't really have the money for its up keep , the car park is pay and display and you can't go round the house . But oh the solid state beauty of the place that is crying out to be saved ...

Ever Feel As If You're In An Ealing Comedy

It started when I was at sainburys in the cafe just getting something simple to eat , I mean life can't be complicated with 2 soups and 1 jacket potato can it now ? it's less confusing say than the E U referendum . Well obviously the answer is yes a simple visit to a supermarket cafe that saw us ordering 

2 soups

1 jacket potato with Tuna Mayonaise 

3 chocolate orange iced frappes.

Now I don't have that much fish as I have an intolerance to the stuff > sobs quietly in a corner but I manage it with antihistamines.

Any how when the order arrived there were 2 soups but no jacket they'd forgotten it and to be fair we hadn't noticed when we were paying .

" it's the universes way of telling you it knows you're on a diet "

Then my son found a piece of cardboard in his soup do that had to be changed and we were refunded no quibbles .

Oh how we laughed as I shuffled off to get a meal deal to eat at home.

I thought the day couldn't get any worse (you cling onto that small morsel of hope that whispers in the wind past your ear or in my case a slightly hysterical laugh.) My husband certainly received an email he'd received a parking ticket whilst picking our son up ( he'd pulled into the Carpark and waited longer than he thought ( it used to be one of those car parks without cameras and you could drop people or pick them up. So rightly so as they'd installed cameras he was fined £60 for this oversight on his part ... my only error that day was to leave the lid off the tea canister .

Then I thought tea solves everything then crash bang wallooooop

And the very same mistake moment the cat brought a dead mouse in arrrghhhhhhh.

No it wasn't a Dick Van Dyke interlude my old kettle decided to blow up on me ( it was only  2 months old ) so straight to Currys to swap it for another one and Currys were fabulous they even priced matched it as we found the kettle pictured below £10 cheaper at Argos.

So new kettle In hand I was ready to take on the world > then I got a virus which I have just about got over .....

Ever feel as if you're in an Ealing comedy ?