Typecast

Based on an idea I saw on TikTok, I have been hosting a team-building exercise under the guise of an interdepartmental battle - Ribble Rivals. It was time our Customer Service Team and our Showroom Team got to know each other a bit better.  I meticulously planned a five week knockout tournament, created a set of rules, and sprung it upon everyone in a Teams group chat one random Friday. Week 1 aside, the challenge would be presented at 10am on Monday, the entries had to be in by 3pm on Friday. The winners of that round would be announced at 4pm on the same Friday. Once participants had been eliminated from the competition, they could be called upon to support and assist other players if required. Or they could jeer from the cheap seats… whatever was their preference.  Round 1 - Draw a perfect circle : everyone was invited to participate in the first game but there were only 32 places available.  First come, first served. You snooze, you lose! Using the website perfectcir...

I've just realised that it's been 35 years since I left high school and I can't help but feel a bit nostalgic. It was the 1988 and so much has changed since then. But there are certain things that will always stay with us, like the music, films, and news stories that shaped that year. So, take a trip down memory lane with me and revisit the top five number one singles, films, and news stories from 1988 in the UK. First, let's talk about music. 1988 was a great year for pop music, with some of the biggest names in the business releasing hit after hit. But the top five number one singles in the UK chart that year were: " I Should Be So Lucky " by Kylie Minogue " Especially for You " by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan " The Only Way Is Up " by Yazz and the Plastic Population (definitely my anthem of the summer)  " He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother " by The Hollies (I'm sure this was because it was used in an advert) " ...

Fellow yarn enthusiasts! Today, I want to chat about yarnbombing! I know, I know, some of you may have heard about it before, but I saw my first one in the wild today! For those of you who don't know, yarnbombing is basically when crocheted or knitted pieces are installed in public spaces to add some color and texture to the urban landscape. And let me tell you, it is just the most delightful thing to stumble upon! Today, on the way back from parkrun I saw a postbox that had been covered in the most beautiful rainbow-colored crochet. I couldn't help but smile and feel a little bit of joy in my heart. It was just so unexpected and charming! Now, as a crocheter myself, I can only imagine the amount of time and effort that goes into creating something like that. But you know what? I think it's totally worth it. Not only is yarnbombing a way to brighten up our surroundings, but it's also a way to bring attention to the art of crochet and knitting. Speaking of crochet, I hav...

Today is "Blue Monday" but I'm going to help you beat the blues by telling you about my friend's stationery shop. I've known Jules for about 20 years. We met on an online forum where mothers supported other mothers, and many a friendship blossomed from there. Thanks to the internet, most of us have managed to keep in touch even though the forum shut down many years ago. Side note : if you listened to the WTF Strictly podcast last year, it's the same forum that I met my co-host, Violet, on. She does have a website -  FluterbyHT  - but the main action is on TikTok  @flutterbyht  where she 'goes live' most days, chatting to existing and potential customers, showing new products, promoting special offers and providing that unique behind-the-scenes view where she packs orders as they are received. What started out as a little side-hustle just over a year ago has grown into a multi-faceted business. Jules' husband started out helping to pack orders bu...

  Ok… 🎂 2022 was the year I turned 50. FIFTY YEARS OLD! 💼 2022 was the the year that I started a new job which allowed me to use existing skills and build on those in a brand new, exciting role in a world-renown company. 🏃🏻‍♀️ 2022 was the year that my running was sporadic - I only entered one race but I did hit my 50 parkrun milestone. ✈️ 2022 was the year we went to Menorca for the first time and managed to completely switch off and do nothing. 🍅 2022 was the year that I grew tomatoes for the first time. My crop of 17 was a huge success! 🎧 2022 was the year that my radio show ended but I used my expertise to create a podcast that went global in a very short space of time. ➡️ 2023 has a lot to live up ❤️‍🩹 2023 will include more running, maybe a bit more writing, definitely more books and more crochet and more jigsaws to help with my own well-being. 🌍 2023 hopefully brings a bit more travel than the past few years. UK or further afield - I don't mind. 👩🏻 2023 is the year...

Every year I write a blog post about which diary system or set up I am going to use for the following twelve months. In recent years, I have moved away from a Filofax (I trialled something earlier this year - more of that in a minute) and fallen in love with the Hobonichi printed diaries. For the last two years I have used a Hobonichi Weeks as my personal planner and I won't be deviating from that this year. I have tried a Hobonichi Techo A6 a couple of times but have never managed to feel comfortable with it size-wise.  I have always lusted after the Hobonichi Cousin A5 as a main work planner so, this year, I have bitten the bullet at launch time and invested in my very first one. Hobonichi Weeks The Hobonichi Weeks is a slim diary with a yearly, monthly and weekly layout. The main section is a "week to view with notes" and there are an additional 70 note pages at the back. This year (2022) I used the "Mega" version which comes with almost three times as m...

When I wrote a blog post with my 10 reasons why I hate wearing glasses  it really touched a nerve with some people. But since finding a couple of styles of frames that really suit me, and using my contact lenses only when really necessary, I've started to learn to enjoy wearing glasses. I asked a few spectacle-wearing friends what they enjoyed about their 'bins' and there was a few agreed points. I CAN ACTUALLY SEE As already mentioned, it's brilliant to be able to actually see! When you put on your glasses everything is crisp and no longer blurred around the edges. It's also quite handy to be able to see other vehicles on the road and not play a real life game of bumper cars along the main road. YOU CAN HAVE FUN ACCESSORISING If you collect a few pairs of prescription glasses  or even  prescription sunglasses  in different colours and shapes they make great additions to your outfit - and we all know that some people even use glasses with clear ...