My Sunday Photo: Voyage on The Matthew

A Voyage on The Matthew - Review

This is the last week of the school holidays for us, so we thought it would be nice to have a couple of last days out, before we have to start being all sensible and going to bed on time. We were lucky enough to be able to review Bristol Zoo Gardens this week and we were also invited to attend a cruise of Bristol Harbour on board The Matthew. We have sailed on The Matthew once before, but it was a very short trip, due to bad weather, so we were really excited to find it was a beautiful day, when we were due on board. We've been so lucky this summer with the weather, I can't remember ever having so many consecutive sunny days and it has really meant we could make the most of the holidays. 

Bristol Zoo Review; A Summer Send Off

The husband and I had our first date at Bristol Zoo, so it holds a special meaning to us. I've watched it grow and change over many years and seen it develop its habitats and enclosures to meet the growing needs of an increasingly endangered population. It's a really special place. Wedged into a beautiful, but heavily populated, part of Clifton, space is at a premium and it's a balancing act to give all the animals the best environment for their needs, whilst also accommodating a vast number of visitors 364 days of the year. In recent years, there have been many changes and developments within the zoo and if you haven't been in a while, you may be surprised by how different it is now. It was the perfect place to begin our last week of the school holidays!

BLOODHOUND SSC: The Most Awesome Science Experiment Ever

Recently, L and I went on a little adventure and it was so exciting, we've been dying to share it with you! Not a million miles away from where we live, here in Bristol, contained within a non-descript warehouse on a generic industrial estate, there resides a group of some of the most inquisitive and formidable minds on the planet. As the trucks rumble past and the world carries on its day, they are busy creating something magificent. It's 44ft long, weighs 7.5 tonnes and could lap Usain Bolt before he even left the blocks. If it could turn corners, anyway. So, what is this mysterious monster of a machine? It is... *drumroll* ... The BLOODHOUND SSC.

Scary Encounter with Sinking Mud on Burnham-On-Sea Beach

I've lived near the South West coast for most of my life and was brought up with stark warnings about not walking out onto the mudflats. The mudflats are the exposed area between the shoreline and the sea which, most of the time, seems to be about five miles out from the shore. This is how Weston got its nickname; Weston-Super-Mud! Every year, the coastguard rescues groups of people who have ignored the warnings and ended up stuck in the sticky sinking mud. However, when L encountered the sinking mud, it was close to shore and indistinguishable from the usual puddles you get when the tide goes out, or it has rained a little.

Review of Wallace Barbers, Thornbury

The little market town of Thornbury is a quiet, unassuming place. Not somewhere you would necessarily associate with cutting edge (sorry about the pun!) barbering, but all that has changed, with the arrival of Wallace Barbers. A new, modern barbershop, offering quality styles at affordable prices. I took L and he loved it! It's perfectly suited to fidgety, bored children, with drinks available, a Playstation 4 and even a Gameboy color! He also left with an actual style and they weren't fazed by his persistent floppy fringe, or the perpetual tuft that makes a break for freedom at every opportunity. At the ripe old age of ten, he finally has a 'proper' style, and they were more than happy to give me advice on how to maintain it.

Bristol's Hidden Architecture

On Sunday L was appearing in a music production, which meant dropping him off and much hanging around in Bristol. Our first thought was, of course, tea and cake, but first, I thought I would show Jade Christmas Steps; a hidden shopping street on a very steep hill between Colston Hall and the Bristol Children's Hospital. It wasn't my brightest idea, as everywhere was shut, but the quirky shopfronts and hidden alleyways made us realise how we have never really stopped to appreciate the fantastic architecture that Bristol has to offer. Bristol has so many amazing features, even the grafitti is fascinating, that it is easy to overlook the obvious. So we spent quite sometime seeking out some really interesting examples of Bristolian building work.

Bristol Bits: SS Great Britain Review

I love the Harbourside in Bristol, because there are so many different places to visit. Previously, we have reviewed; Bristol Aquarium, At-Bristol and M-Shed, which are all within a few minutes walk, or a short ferry ride of each other and provide various options for all-weather entertainment. Our recent visits have all been thanks to Visit Bristol, the go-to site for finding out what's great to do in our fair city, who provided us with a media pass for a few weeks. Today we are reviewing the SS Great Britain, a true icon of Bristol and a magnificent ship. It's a great place to choose when the weather is not at its best, as a surprising amount of it is below decks. 

I'm Not Scared! With Zooropia at Bristol Zoo Gardens

This is the story, in pictures, of L's recent visit to Zooropia, an arial assault course at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Especially designed for children aged 5 to 12, it's about 6 metres high, but surprisingly safe. L made short work of it, while I happily looked on from the safety of terra firma. not being a fan of heights! L really enjoyed it and is keen to go again. It's perfect for him, as it's a physical activity and he really enjoyed the fact he could do it on his own. This experience is brilliant for building confidence and self esteem and there were lots of adults taking part too! The descent is via a zip wire, which, apparently, is the best bit! 

Support CentrePoint with The Big Facebook Treasure Hunt 13/12/15

It's particularly difficult to imagine homeless young people at Christmas. As the nights draw in and the weather turns, too many people, many of them barely more than children, are trying to keep warm and dry. As I write this, the wind is howling outside and I wonder how on earth anyone could cope without somewhere warm to go. How do you survive without being able to sleep? How terrifying must it be to live without a front door between you and the outside world every night? Like many of you, I am a mum, first and foremost. My children are my world, it doesn't matter how old they are, I will still want to protect them and I will still worry about them.

My Sunday Photo: Bristol Harbour at Night

Bristol Harbourside at Night

At-Bristol, Where Science gets Interesting

I have been to At-Bristol before, on a school trip. The problem with school trips, though, is that you are always very short of time to try to fit everything in, so it never feels like you've seen all there is to see. Nevertheless, I was unsure how much there would be to do. I needn't have been concerned, we arrived at 12:45 and I had to drag him out, under protest, over five hours later! There was just so much there to interest him. It covered all of his favourite hobbies. Animation, stop motion, film-making, construction, with lots of other hands on science exhibits that he had no idea he was interested in!

Christmas Dinner in a Pie with Pieminister

Did you know, the Christmas season begins with your first Christmas pie? You didn't? Neither did I, because I think I just made that up. I might make it a Christmas tradition though, because when I met up with some fellow bloggers in Bristol recently, the arrival of the Pieminister Christmas pies had us all feeling decidely Christmassy. We went along to St Nicholas Market to enjoy our pies and it was bustling with people and excitement, anticipating the Christmas lights switch on. There was even a rooftop band. I swear, only Bristol could have a market so small, you have to put your live band on a roof! 

Bristol Bits: Help Our Homeless this Winter

This is a subject that is very close to my heart. I have often contemplated doing something about the appalling plight of the homeless in Bristol. I love Bristol, I write about it often and I appreciate everything that is great about our city. Then it starts to get cold. The atmosphere changes and the homeless become more visible somehow. Don't get me wrong, I am always aware of them being there, but when it's cold, I can't help thinking, how close we all are to being where they are. It really doesn't take a lot. One life event can change your whole life. Last Christmas, two young people really caught my eye. 

Bristol Bits: A Mobile Manicure with Teacups and Beauty

I recently had a Bio Sculpture Overlay manicure, by a lovely lady called Emma, from Teacups and Beauty. This treatment is a gel that is applied to the nails and is really strong. I do a lot of cleaning, so I was interested to see how it would fair. It should last up to 21 days, which is pretty impressive, as I've never had a standard polish last more than a day with my lifestyle! I have included two photos, one taken just after my nails were done, and another three days later, after cleaning two bathrooms, a kitchen several times and all those other household jobs that often require chemicals, along with the endless typing that comes with having a blog!

Bristol Bits: Millennium Square, Harbourside Water Features Safety Concerns

Last week we visited one of our favourite local haunts. I mentioned it in #40DaysofSummer last year and it even got its own blog post, Bristol does Summer, but this story has a slightly different ending. From museums, more museums, to parks, to crazy sculpture trails (this year it's Shaun the Sheep!), there is something for even the most discerning of small people to enjoy. Now and again, we take the bus into town, to find something fun to do. Every city has its benefits and one of Bristol's is its vast array of free things to do. Including wonderful water sculptures in the fabulous surroundings of Bristol's Millennium Square.

Meeting Jacqueline Wilson and a Hetty Feather Review

A Guest Post by Jade...

I have read almost every Jacqueline Wilson book as a child and consider a select few as childhood favourites: The Dustbin Baby, Cookie and The Illustrated Mum. I have always admired her way with words, particularly the way she is able to approach difficult subjects in a thoughtful, and often positive, manner. I had always said as a child that even if I was an adult, the oldest in the queue for her autograph, I would run to the front just to meet her. Someday I would…

Hetty Feather at Bristol Old Vic!

Last time we went to Bristol Old Vic it was the very last day of the show, and, although it was lovely to write about the theatre and our experience, it was a shame we couldn't write the post early enough to let people know it was happening, so they could book their own tickets. So, on Friday, we are going again, this time to review Hetty Feather, a drama production of one of Jacqueline Wilson's popular novels for young people. We have been offered free tickets, so that we can let everyone know what we thought of the the show, as it continues it's tour around the country.

Blog Camp, for Bloggers and Wombles with Tots 100

Today I did something I've never done before. No, not naked Morris Dancing. I went to Blog Camp. There are a lot of different blog conferences that go on in different parts of the country and I never go, because it always costs a bit, or is too far away. So, when I heard there was one in Bristol, I felt it would be rude not to pop along and see everyone. It's always interesting to hear from other bloggers about what works for them and how they got better at their particular area of blogging. The event was hosted by Tots100 and the most interesting talk was on Freelance Writing, I had no idea how many different ways there were to earn money from words!

Bristol Bits: M Shed

M Shed is somewhere we've been planning to go to for a while, but just haven't got around to it. The easiest way to travel into Bristol is by bus, but it's no fun if the weather is bad, so we haven't been into the city for a little while now. Hopefully, this is the first of many sunnier jaunts! Although it's a great indoor activity, M Shed has some outside exhibits, so it does help to have the weather on your side. There are a wealth of hands-on exhibits within, though, and something to interest everybody. This place really brings local history to life. It's very large, and very free, so you can while away as long as you like walking around, experiancing a bygone age.