Typecast

When I agreed to go to church on Christmas Eve, this isn't exactly what I had in mind. However, we were experiencing a less-than-traditional Christmas by spending it away from our family, in a hotel in the Algarve.   We had heard about the Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones) in Alcantarilha and worked out that it was about 20 minutes drive away from where we were staying.  Alcantarilha is a beautiful, traditional Portuguese village full of colourful houses on winding, steep roads that are just wide enough for one car to drive down. The cafes and bars display local sporting trophies and team photos and everyone knows everyone.   But right at the top of the main street, next to the main church, is the Capela dos Ossos - built in the 16th Century, the walls are covered in thousands of bones and skulls from the old churchyard cemetery. There  is supposed to be a wooden cross displayed on the small altar however that wasn't there on the...

Ever looked at a new piece of technology and thought that it wouldn’t look out of place in a science fiction film? Actually, as it turns out, that's where it may have come from... As the speed of development in science and technology grows ever faster, the latest gadgets are becoming more accessible than ever. Once the preserve of the young and rich, more and more people are able to play a part in this technological revolution – including the elderly. According to the Office for National Statistics, there has been a sizeable increase in the number of people age over 65 who are using a computer on a daily basis. The benefits of technology for this demographic are clear; it’s much easier to stay in touch with friends and family (leading to reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation) and access services which may be of benefit. Just as the technology of the present inspires older generations, so films of the past are inspiring exciting new technologies. Films and te...

I know my usual January 'what planner am I using' blog post is a little late this year but I've been working on a couple of new systems and trying out new products so I wanted to settle into everything before I shared pictures and thoughts. Here goes... Daily Diary I've moved away from my Filofax (shock, horror - I know!) and into a travelers notebook system.  I've talked about these before  because they suit my need to carry a diary and a notebook with me as a BOAT (Book Of All Things).  I've sized up my travelers notebook this year and I'm using the Trekker from Jofelo that I reviewed here .  I bought my own inserts from The Journal Shop ( week on one page with notes ) which I use as a diary and a bullet journal and then I have a separate notebook for personal phone numbers, information I need to regularly refer to, braindumps - that sort of thing. Chorley FM Planner I was lucky enough to secure a monthly Saturday morning radio sh...

Photo by Tomas Yates on Unsplash Trying to figure out what the ‘best’ video format is for a device or platform can be difficult. The fact that they are so many formats and different devices and platforms support different formats will certainly complicate things. Essentially the ‘best’ video format for a specific device or platform is a format that needs to fulfill several criteria: It should be compatible with the device or platform (i.e. have hardware support). It should compress the video file size efficiently while maintaining its quality. It should support features that are in the video (i.e. chapters, subtitles, menus, etc.). If you want you could go over a list of formats (both containers and codecs) to find a pairing that meets those criteria for the device or platform that you want the video to be played on. However, an easier method is to work backwards: To upload the video to an online platform you should select the format that is recommended by th...

I was having a discussion with a friend this week about my first Saturday job in our local village greengrocers and florist (small family business). In any given week could be lugging sacks of potatoes about, bagging up carrots, serving customers on the till but my most favourite part was working in the florists section making up bouquets for passing customers. I became pretty adept at throwing a few flowers, a bit of foliage and some gypsophela together into a presentable arrangement, wrapping it in plastic and adding some trimmings. I had no idea which flowers were which but had a good eye for colour. I was also fascinated the first time I saw ribbon scored with the edge of the scissors to create the decorative curls! One of the best parts of working in the florists though was putting together a gorgeous arrangement for a special birthday gift or watching the men (it was always the men... *sigh*) run in either very, very early or very, very late to pick up a for...

With the Queen having an extremely busy schedule, it really is astonishing how she manages to look flawless at every occasion, whether it was during her sapphire jubilee celebrations or giving her annual Christmas day speech; her impeccable fashion constantly grabs the attention of everyone in the room. Photo by Lea Fabienne on Unsplash So, just how does The Queen continue to look elegant at every royal engagement she attends? Join us as we explore some of the style secrets that help to keep Her Majesty looking so effortlessly sophisticated… Facing the British Weather We all know how the British weather can be. What starts as a bright day can easily end in downpour. During her many royal appointments, which often take place outside, it’s important that the Queen’s wardrobe is up to the job. Before she wears any dress or coat, her team tests their fabric using electrical fans. Helping to establish how the material would move in a breeze, small curtain weights are the...

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash   Do you remember when you started your period? Of course you do! It can be a very confusing yet anxious time for many. Luckily, Lil-Lets have a variety of products available that will help your daughter as she begins the changes to develop into adult life. Alongside Lil-Lets, we’ve came up with a few steps of how you can tackle the challenging experience of having ‘the talk’ with your daughter. Make sure your daughter is prepared in advance More often than not, your daughters biggest worry is probably starting her period when she’s away from home or in school. To help prevent this fear, it’s a good idea to give her some pads to keep in her school bag just in case. Teen ranges specifically for this moment are sold in a variety of cosmetic stores across the UK – containing a variety of all products so that your daughter can try each and every one of them out to see which works better for her. These packages also come in a discreet cos...