Freshers Week University A Parents Eye View

Dropping your child off at university is akin to dropping them off at school for the very first time only more expensive. I'm having to jump over piles of bedding, plates ccuos spoons and goodness knows what else. I think there's a tick list in there somewhere if only I could find it.

Tip 1

When you go through the items you're buying for university do tick them off or you're be wondering if you really did but those washing up sponges.

You're not going to need a car at university unless you've a genuine reason to have one and anyway there is limited parking . Everyone usually cycles everywhere so make sure you get either a bronze , silver or gold standard lock and get additional bike insurance. Not the teen dies not know how to change a tyre let alone mend one this is where the university comes in as they will have a cycle maintaince workshop. There are usually other bike incentives such as being able to pick up a brightly coloured bike jacket and tag that alerts bus drivers to your presence.

Tip 2 

Get additional bike insurance there are usually good deals around to be had.

Do subscribe to the university YouTube channel to get all the information about what cracks off , your teen will be amazed at your knowledge or horrified.I've just watched a YouTube video on freshers week so I know which clubs my teen will be rolling out of. There was some history and culture in there too which is good as my teen is doing an archaeology degree with science.

Tip 3

Do subscribe to the university you tube channel of the university where your teen is going.

I saw a tip about helping your teen deal with potential homesickness when they're away at university and the tip was Snapchat update s from their pets. Yes really but even if you don't use Snapchat then it's a quirky way of them staying connected with home.

You could subscribe to one of those university subscription gift services or just do itself and you'll save many pennies. You could send them sweet treats and many of essential goodies very often the things we don't need are the things we truly need.

Tip 4 

Prepare a tuck box of essentials to send them every so often including photos and family/ pet updates ~ including gossip of course.

Do go over Freshers week information with your teen even if they roll their eyes and say they already know.They're probably still feeling overwhelmed from the sudden enslaught of information since A result day.

Make sure you have scans of all the documents that's they will take to university just to be on the safe side.

Tip 5

Relax they're going to have the time of their lives.

Blogging Has Changed But I still Love It

Blogging has change since I entered into the world in the year 2011 BC and since then it has been an implosion of people blogging. You can say back then then writing was more key you might think now it's more reviews etc.But I think the old world is still there you've just got to look.

Blogging changes and you don't have to move with the times ~ I haven't really in fact I've remained about the same. I don't care if people like me or if they don't same with my writing.How I write is unique and if I was polished them I'm sure a literary prize would be mine. But then again unless the literary prize was tea or Gin would I really want it ?

And I love blogging it's my release , a me space that I might be sharing with the world but still a release.Where else on a Monday can I show you you the disappointment of my anaemicatic toast which I'm hoping isn't a prelude to my Monday or even my week.

I don't know what my toaster is playing at and but rest assured it and I will be having words * yes I talk to my toaster.

Yesterday was a whirlwind of visiting the National Arboretum where we discovered it was the anniversary of the start of the 2nd world war.

With the accompanying brass military band , we had a brief stroll around the cemetery, the weather wasn't as nice as the last time we were there. And with the weather in mind we headed to a garden centre for dinner as the aboretum cafeteria was chock a block. We thought a nice quiet Sunday lunch but guess what there was another brass band playing ~ which was very civilised as we ate dinner . Then it was into B & M for the university shopping which seems to be continual but I'm so relieved the prices at B & M are rock bottom.

Mean while today the internet has gone into meltdown because there's another royal baby on the way.

A Simple Red Autumnal Leaf

Can you write about anything with pure and simple joy I suppose it depends on the subject . Could you write for example about just a simple leaf that's just a leaf with a big hallelujah fanfare ?

Well yes you can I write about anything from the bedlam of owning cats to a leaf ~ the leaf that I just noticed while reading "The Little Book Of Kindness " .That book really does warrant a whole blog post on its own as it's a real life changer in how you think about yourself abd how you act to others.

Back to the simple leaf if a leaf can really be so simple but simplicity in quiet veneration is a transcendental beauty all of its own.

Art is subjective that say and I've seen some weird art in my time but the beauty of nature is priceless. So come Autumn this simple red Autumnal leaf will be joined by others in a like minded riotous brevity of colour.

So can you write about anything well I guess you can !

I do love Autumn with all its vivid colours , it really is like a kaleidoscope but as winter comes forth with its icy cold fingers I wish I could hibernate away like a hedgehog.Just as long when I do hibernate I can take a pile of books with me and a tea pot.

Awesome Duck Tour In London

At the start of the holiday when the husband and I were  footloose and fancy free without the monetary obligation of the teen going to University. We were very lucky to be invited along to take a Duck tour around London and on the River Thames itself.

We are always in and out of London and have always been intrigued by the Duck tour boats and with the invitation to go on the Duck tour we were very excited. With a Duck tour you get a very entertaining tour both on the road and the river it's a unique viewing perspective on both parts of the tour.The duck bus is an amphibious vehicle that can drive on land and on water. 

The staff were really professional and they organised everything flawlessly, we arrived early and we were asked if we wanted to go in the tour earlier. We instead opted to go on the tour at our allotted time and I'm glad we did as our tour guide was hilarious.

The tour that we took was the Classic Sightseeing Tour, which started from the London Duck Tours bus stop near The London Eye. Off we went past the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, Trafalgar Square, Pall Mall, Green Park, Hyde Park Corner, Buckingham Palace (did you know that buses are allowed to drive in front of the palace, I so would have liked the Queen to have waved at us !), Westminster Abbey and along by the MI6 building.

When you get to the river which is ultimately the highlight of the tour the drivers swap. You are give a quick but comprehensive safety demo from the tour guide. Being on the river is such a buzz as you know there's nothing better than messing about on boats.

You felt like James Bond as the river part of the tour starts beside the M16 building , no one got wet as we splashed into the river.we made our way up the Thames towards Parliament, did a u-turn and headed back towards the MI6 building where we came out of the water, swapped drivers again and headed back to the start of the tour.

The tour last 75 with 45 of that being on land, I think the tour length is just right with out children getting bored. Our funny tour guide even got heckled by a 9 year old which was hilarious. The tour guide I think his name was Matthew was very much like Alexander Armstrong delivering the tour with deadpan style "Green park is so called because it is green ..." obviously he filled us on the true facts of why it is called Green park. There was comedy infill on the tour which is the sign of a good tour guide and I can imagine the tour guide treading the boards some where in a Shakespeare play. And I think if a tour guide can hold your attention with silly jokes and the like then it makes it a memorable fun day. before we entered the water. 


Everyone is put at ease on the tour as the tour guide goes round asking where people are from and fires nuggets of information at us to do with where people are form.


DO check in about 20 minutes early as you are bored by who arrive first.

NO hot food or drink on the tour but they are ok with you having a little nibble on something or a cold drink.

NO toilets on board but there are nice clean toilets in Festival Hall.


Some facts you know are rather vanilla especially about Big Ben being the bell and not the actual tower but you know what with the tour guide twanging the Bond theme over the mic we dip into the water by the side of the MI6 building you just soak up all the facts !.

The prices as of April 2017 are as follows:
Adults – £27
Children (1+) – £19
Under 1’s – Free

I was given 2 tickets for this tour all thought and words opinion are my own.


The tour is ending on the 18th September but they hope to be up and running again in January.

The Bedlam Of Owning Cats

The bedlam of owning  cats is never an easy task I mean that I why think  they're a bedlam , Jack is bedlam and unique he's adapted very well to being without Rollie.

What ever you have is the cats it's never yours for the cat rules and you merely honestly in all honesty stole it from the cat from cake to fruit it belongs to the cat.

You can't eat a think without being watched , I wouldn't mind so much it was when I was eating chocolate or cake , I could market this as a new diet.

I rest my case !!