Kid-Free Travels in the UK
Adventures in the UK!
After 10 years of marriage and 2 kids, my husband and I took our first-ever trip without the kids! We’ve been away a night here and there, but never a full-fledged trip! We lined up my parents to take care of the kids and the animals, and headed off on our own adult adventure!
My husband is originally from the north of England near Liverpool and still has a sister, nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews who live there. So, we went over to stay with them for a week.
Leaving the kids was torture. They were crying and clinging to me, shouting “I don’t want you to go Mommy!” I of course was a mess, too! However, I knew they would be fine as soon as we were gone, and it was good for us all!
Our plane left Halifax for Heathrow, England on the overnight flight on Tuesday. We transferred flights to Manchester where we were picked up by our brother-in-law, Paul who became our amazing chauffeur for the week.
On Thursday we headed to Liverpool for the day. David is from the Wirral peninsula which is across the Mersey River from Liverpool, so as the song by Gerry and the Pacemakers goes, we literally took “the Ferry Cross the Mersey”.
We spent the afternoon at the Maritime Museum, focusing on the Slavery exhibition. Liverpool was grown on much of the wealth gained from the slave trade. Paul then gave us an in-depth tour of Liverpool along Hope Street from the Anglican Cathedral to the Catholic one.
Art representing all the immigrants coming into Liverpool
As all good Brits do, we stopped for a pint along the way at was called the most elaborately decorated pubs with crystal chandeliers everywhere!
No visit to Liverpool is complete without some mention of the Beatles! We walked down Matthew Street which was home to the Cavern – the place where the Beatles first performed. Unfortunately, it was torn down, but there is a sign to indicate its location.
We topped the evening off with what I was most looking forward to – a ghost walk! Shipverpool Ghost walks gave us an amazing tour around the city which was full of dramatic stories of ghosts, the plague and murder. Unfortunately, a teenage hoodlum began to cause problems for the tour guide and became rather threatening. As a retired assistant chief constable in the police, we felt safe with Paul there, but still had to cancel the rest of the tour for the safety of everyone. It was a ghost walk that no one will forget!
The next day we headed to North Wales where Elenora and Paul have a weekend home that they converted from an old chapel. Along the route, we stopped in a tiny café that was used in the filming of the original Dr. Who TV show! The whole area is rocky mountains, so that too, was used as part of the show as another planet!
I have been to Wales several times, but this time I really fell in love with the place. Northern Wales is full of rolling mountains, vast fields, quaint villages and of course, sheep!
On Saturday, we took the local bus to the town of Caernarfon and visited the castle which was built by Edward I in the 1200s. There were countless nooks and crannies and stairwells to explore – all offering incredible views.
The second thing on my list to do on our trip (the first being the ghost walk) was a train ride through the Snowdonia National Park. This line was repaired and re-opened only a few years ago with steam trains imported from South Africa. The train wove in and around the mountainsides offering stunning views of the landscape. This was a definite trip highlight!
The rest of the weekend, we did countless hikes in the Welsh rainforests and to the site of an old gold mine (the gold from here was used to make Queen Elizabeth’s wedding ring!) We also visited a Welsh church from the 1100s – possibly one of the oldest in Britain.
We also had a traditional Sunday dinner including Yorkshire pudding, roast beef, lamb, and of course mushy peas!
On our way back to England on Monday, we stopped in the historic town of Chester. I had been here almost 25 years ago with our choir and had sung in the Cathedral, but did not remember much of our visit.
On our first stop, we checked off another item on my list – scones with jam and cream! You can’t come to England without indulging at least once!
We spent the afternoon walking around the ancient walls – many parts of which date back to Roman times. We saw Roman baths which had recently been excavated, toured the Cathedral, and had a great view of the city.
The rest of the time was spent visiting with family, visiting David’s old haunts of where he grew up, and checking off the last thing on the list – a dinner of fish and chips!
We had a long journey home, having to go through Ottawa as the direct flight to Halifax was cancelled. I think we both could have done with another week away, though!
It was so nice to get up when we wanted and to eat when we wanted, and only have ourselves to look after!
A few things are for sure though – it’s definitely a trip that we could take the boys on the next time. We have already started planning for it, too! We are also talking about a six month sabbatical in North Wales, as well!
Overall, it was so great to get away, even if only for a week! We owe so much thanks to all our family who took such great care of us, and introduced us to some of the best chocolate ever!
Here’s to our next adventure! The kids are already asking when we can go away again and they can stay with Nana and Grandad!
Are you a Damage Criminal?
Are you a Damage Criminal?
My hair is my defining feature. Everyone knows me as the girl with the red curly hair. I have naturally curly hair and the bigger it is, the better.
My hair colour is also enhanced. I will say no more about that, but there is dye in it and I use the hair dryer daily, so my hair tends to get frizzy and dry. Combine this with being out in the sun a lot; I know my hair is suffering from damage. Although not too bad, I know I am a Damage Criminal!
Because I am a busy mom, and spend far less time on my appearance than I should, I tend to go for the quick and easy products that are low maintenance!
That’s when I sampled the Fructis Damage Eraser products.
I am already a big fan of Garnier Fructis products as I use the environmental Fructis Pure Clean line, and find that their anti-frizz cream is the best product for keeping my hair under control. So, trying the Damage Eraser was not a big leap for me!
The first thing I noticed about the shampoo was the scent. It had a wonderful natural smell of something like mangos or papaya that was refreshing first thing in the morning. It is actually made with a formula containing Phyto-Keratin® Complex with plant based proteins and fruit concentrate and cupuaçu butter.
The conditioner worked instantly. Again, because of having curly hair, I never-ever brush it, and by the end of the day, it’s full of knots. The conditioner took all the knots out instantly, leaving it smooth so I could easily run my fingers through it.
I then tried the Fructis Damage Eraser reparing mask. It is quite thick, but goes on like conditioner. The directions say to leave it on for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. This is when you can do your soaping up or shaving before you rinse it off. Again, after only one use, it made my hair feel smooth.
All day, my hair felt soft, and smooth and light. I went around asking everyone to touch my hair! I really did!
“Your hair is so soft!” “Your hair smells great!”
What appeals to me is that the Fructis Damage Eraser is easy to use and is really low maintenance, so it fits into my routine. Shampoo and condition daily, and use the Fructis Damage Eraser repairing mask once a week. All in the comfort of your shower. No mess, no long wait for results. It’s quick and easy, and I like it!
So, what’s happening behind the scenes?
The fact that I have done damage to my hair through the use of dye and a hair dryer (and an occasional straightener) means that I am definitely a Damage Criminal! Therefore, I am an ideal candidate for the Fructis Damage Eraser product line, as it reconstructs my hair’s strength by 90% from root to tip. This means that I (and other women like me) can still use my favourite styling tools without worry!
So, if you are worried that you might have to lose your style because it is doing damage to your hair, I highly recommend trying out the Fructis Damage Eraser product line!
To learn more about this NEW Fructis Damage Eraser product line by Garnier, visit the website. On the site you will also find coupons so you can try it for yourself!
Your hair will thank you for it!
This post was brought to you by Garnier L’Oreal Canada via SheBlogs. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Garnier L’Oreal Canada
Etiquette 101 for Kids
Etiquette 101
With fewer and fewer families actually owning a kitchen table and more and more families eating in front of the TV, table manners are fast becoming a thing of the past.
My friend Krista came up with the idea that we should find a way to teach our kids some proper table manners. She gave me the job of finding someone who would. I contacted Nicole from the Nova Scotia Community College who teaches in the tourism program. She said that she often teaches table etiquette to her adult students, but had never done so to children, but she was willing to give it a try!
I warned her about what she was up against (8 active kids ranging in age from 6 to 9) but she accepted the challenge!
Before the big night, I sent the children all a formal invitation to come to our house for dinner wearing their formal attire. They arrived at 4:30pm in their finest.
Because it was a special occasion, I got out my best china dishes for the kids to use. We lay everything out in the middle of the table so that the kids would learn how to properly set the table.
Nicole sat the children down, and went over a few rules (raise your hand if you want to speak), and also a few manners that they already knew about (don’t speak with food in your mouth, don’t burp at the table, etc).
They then headed to the dining room where Nicole taught the kids how to fold cloth napkins in two different ways: a candlestick and a fleur-de-lis, which the kids thought looked more like a peeled banana!
She then taught the kids the proper placement for cutlery at the table.
Here’s an interesting trick that I learned. Make a circle with your thumb and index finger on each hand. One makes a “B” and the other a “D”. That means it is YOUR bread plate on the left, and YOUR drink on the right. A great mnemonic for setting the table is that everything with 4-letters is on the left (left has 4 letters, therefore, f-o-r-k). On the right (5 letters) is what has 5-letters: s-p-o-o-n, k-n-i-f-e.
We then got down to the nitty-gritty about table manners. Here’s what we learned:
1. Bread and Butter: Take a slice of butter and put it on your bread plate. Then, politely pass the butter dish to the next person. When you eat your roll, pull off a bite-sized piece and butter that – one piece at a time.
2. Soup: Scoop your soup away from you (to avoid it splashing on your clothes) before bringing it to your mouth.
4. Salad: Eat your salad with the smaller of the two forks on the left side of your place setting. This should be the fork furtherest away. (Eat your way in towards the plate).
You can either eat your salad with your fork upside down, or rightside up!
5. Salt and Pepper: When someone politely asks you to pass the salt or pepper, always pass them together, regardless. Pretend that they are married and need to stick together!
6. Cutting Meat: There are two ways to cut your meat with a knife and fork. In both ways, you cut the meat with your fork in your left hand, and the knife in your right hand. Then, you can place your knife across the top of your plate and transfer your fork back to your right hand to eat normally.
OR, you can keep the fork in your left hand, and bring it to your mouth upside down.
7. Finishing your meal: To show that you are not finished your meal (if you have to leave the table for a moment), place your cutlery in an ‘X’ on your plate.
If you are finished your meal, place your cutlery together across your plate at the “10:00” position.
8. Leaving the Table: If you have to leave the table (like to go to the washroom) always asked to be excused. Leave your napkin on your chair when you go.
9. Serving Yourself: The kids practiced serving themselves by cutting their own piece of cake. Make sure to cut a small piece and pass it politely to the next person.
10. Wait for Others: For each course of the meal, wait till everyone has been served before starting to eat. The same goes for clearing the table. Don’t clear away the dishes until everyone is finished.
11. Finishing the Meal: When you are finished eating, stand up, push your chair in, and take your dish to the kitchen.
Practicing
Nicole gave a few suggestiongs for helping kids to keep practicing their etiquette.
– Reward children when you see them using their good manners. Create a point system where they can cash their points in for prizes.
– Create a safe word. When you see someone not using their best table manners, use this word to politely remind them.
– Take it on the road. If the children can use their best table manners so many days in a row, reward them by taking them to a fancy restaurant!
Overall – The kids had a great time learning about table manners. They absorbed so much information (so did the adults!). They especially liked learning how to fold the napkins!
In the future, Nicole suggested that if you are going to teach kids about table manners, smaller groups would work better. We had 8 kids, but 4 would have been ideal and easier to manage. Good luck!
Now to practice!
Crazy Photo Shoots
Crazy Photo Shoots …. Because we Can!
I am not sure where the idea started, but it has since become a yearly tradition. It’s the Churchill Girls’ Crazy Photo Shoot.
I think it was my sister-in-law Tracy who got it in her head, four years ago, that she wanted to do a Trash-your-Dress photo shoot. You know – it’s all the rage where women wear their wedding dresses and totally destroy them.
So we did.
My sister, Sharon, and I couldn’t fathom destroying our own dresses, so we borrowed old ones from our local theatre. We then enlisted the help of our good friend and photographer Heather Rushton from Twin Bridges Photography.
We headed down to the ravine near my house. Before you get there, you go through a scrap metal yard, where we found lots of fun props.
Here are a few highlights.
The full link is here
The following year we decided to try out Posh Bowling at the local 10 pin alley! Here, we convinced Pam McCready of Pam McCready Photography to come along with us.
Martinis and cocktail dresses never looked so grand!
Here is the link to the album and a few highlights:
The next round, we visited our friend Brian’s Cow farm. He gave us full range of the farm. His mistake! Shannon from Watch the Sky Photography came along with us. Good thing she lives on a farm and knew what to expect! We decided that the farm was a perfect place for a business meeting.
Here is the link and a few highlights
Then, last year, we headed again with Heather from Twin Bridges for a McHappy Hour at McDonalds. Yes, we did get permission first!
Here is the link and a few highlights
2015: Good Girls Gone Goth
This year, we asked our Facebook friends to vote on the photo shoot we would do this year… we ended up in goth attire at the fanciest building on our University campus!
Our photographer was Pam McCready Photography.
Here are some highlights:
The jury is still out on what we are going to do next year, but we have a few ideas!
Yes, when we do this, we draw a crowd of curious people.
“Why are you doing this?” Usually, we say in a mysterious way, “You’ll have to wait and see!”
That’s far more interesting than the truth.
We do it because we are foolish and we like to dress up and have fun together!
What foolish things do you do with your friends?
Kin by Lesley Crewe
Kin – A Novel by Lesley Crewe:
Worth Checking Out!
* I received a bundle of books from Nimbus Publishing for review. This book was reviewed by Linda Shaffelburg. Thanks Linda!*
When you read the book jacket, this is what you find:
Brimming with humour and poignancy, Kin is a celebration of the heartbreaking, maddening joy that is family.
Kin, by Lesley Crewe is a novel that will pull you in and before you know it you’re invested in the characters, hours have gone by, you’re still in you pjs, the dog hasn’t been walked and your family has not been fed.
Kin is a story of a true friendship, not a perfect friendship, not a story book friendship but a realistic friendship.
Kin is about family and the triumphs and tribulations that are life.
Kin is a story based in Cape Breton in a time when life, although plagued with hardships, seems so much simpler than the fast, crazy lives we lead now.
Kin is comfort food in the form of a book.
If you love Maeve Binchy you will love this book!
Two of the highest praises one can give a book are
1. You can’t put the book
2. You want to read more by the same author.
Both were true for me after I read Lesley Crewe’s Kin.
So, grab a cuppa tea, sit back and enjoy!
Kin is available in local bookstores, or online through Nimbus or Amazon.
Find out more about Lesley Crewe on her website.
Progressive Dinner Parties
Hosting a Progressive Dinner
Having progressive dinners have become a tradition in our neighbourhood. The basic idea is that you move from house to house for various parts of the meal.
This is how we do it.
Find a night that works for everyone’s schedule – this is by far the hardest part!
Once the date is set, we divide up the meal, and assign a different household to each part. Depending on how many houses you have is how many parts of the meal you should assign.
For example, in our neighbourhood, there are three houses that participate; therefore, we have appetizers, main course and dessert. You could always add soup, salad, before or after-dinner drinks, etc.
This time we started at our house for appetizers, and then all walked to the next house for main course and then walked/ran to the final destination for dessert.
The kids love it! They say it’s like having three different play dates! It’s an easy way to enjoy a meal together!
There are other ways to have a progressive dinner, too. If you are not close by, you can drive from location to location, or as we did when I was living in Japan – we all biked! I have also had progressive restaurant nights (a different restaurant for each part of the meal). The possibilities are endless!
Tips:
1. Keep it simple. The kids really just want to play. We vowed next time to just feed them Kraft dinner and hotdogs and have a nice meal for the adults!
2. Keep it moving. Don’t stay long at any one place (especially if kids are involved). The maximum we stayed was 30 – 45 minutes.
3. Mix it around. If you do this more than once, make sure the same family is not always assigned to main course.
4. Invite other families. Besides the families that are hosting, invite other families to participate. Have them contribute to the food at one of the stations.
Next is main course!
They devoured the brownie ice cream sundaes in seconds!
As the kids asked, “Can we make this a yearly tradition?” Yes! We will do this in the spring and fall! Can’t wait for the next!
