10 Tips on Teenage Boys; A Guest Post by Mandi

This guest post is brought to you by Mandi, from Hex Mum Blog who has a wealth of experience in the parenting stakes. She is the perfect candidate to give me, and perhaps some other parents of young boys, a bit of a heads-up on what to expect in the not too distant future! As much as it would be lovely if they stayed cute and cuddly forever, there is a strong possibility that may not be the case, so get prepared with Mandi's musings on the teenage species. If you enjoy her brilliant observations, I'm sure she would be thrilled if you popped over to her blog, or gave her a wave on Twitter.

Why My Heart Belongs to Darts; A Guest Post by Phil

Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Keith Deller, Peter Evison, Mike Gregory and Steve Beaton. Some of the players I've met through my first love, darts. I haven't played them all, but I've certainly had some great laughs with them! I have seen some highs, like John Lowe hitting the first televised 9 dart finish. Ive seen some lows, like Andy Fordham leaving the Lakeside stage on a stretcher, because he collapsed due to his heart not being able to take the strain of his weight any more. Either way darts have been a huge part of my life for over forty years now.

Is Christmas Too Commercialised?

A Guest Post by the Husband

My favourite Christmas song without question is Wizzard's I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day, because I love to hear the part where the children are singing. My all-time favourite song, which nobody will have heard of, is Snowbound by Genesis because it tells the story of when the snow arrives and all the children build their snowmen. It may sound corny but to me life is all about watching and hearing children play.

Wear Yellow for Microcephaly Awareness Day on 30th September!!

Our Hidden Illness series continues, with this post from Sarah.

Tomorrow will be a very special day for me and my family. The 30th of September is Microcephaly Awareness Day. "What's Microcephaly?" I hear you say. Well Microcephaly is a neurological disorder that means the circumference of the head is smaller than it normally should be because the brain has not developed properly or has slowed or even halted growth. Micro means small and cephaly means head. Microcephaly affects 2-2.5% of the population, which actually makes it more common than Autism!

Living with ME - A Guest Post by Catherine

Today in our occasional series Hidden Illnesses, Catherine has joined us, to talk about ME which is a long-term (chronic), fluctuating, neurological condition that causes symptoms affecting many body systems, more commonly the nervous and immune systems. ME affects an estimated 250,000 people in the UK, and around 17 million people worldwide, but many people know little about it. The message, as always is; just because you can't see it, that doesn't mean it isn't causing massive problems for the sufferer. Read on to find out more and perhaps help someone you know with this horrible condition. 

The Importance of Time

A Guest Post by Phil



I always feel sad when I hear people say they didn't have a happy childhood. I had a fantastic childhood, with so many memories of the fun I had, I really could write a novel. Those memories have shaped the way I have become a person and brought my children up. I thought I would share some of my theories. 

I have always firmly believed that people my age, I'm nearly 50, were the last generation to be brought up as Victorians. My grandparents were born in 1905 and my parents were brought up with those values, which passed down to me. I am extremely old fashioned. I was brought up with the values that you stood up to let a lady have your seat.

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. 

Location Hunting; Richard Briers and Midsomer Murders

A Guest Post by The Husband... 

War Games, Stamp Collecting, Blogging, even Pole Dancing, most people have a passion in life and I'm no different. Mine is reading and researching. When I take an interest in something or someone, I like to find all the facts I can. My head is full of little pieces of knowledge that nobody else cares about, but they all matter to me. I know I drive my wife mad at times, when I recite an episode of Only Fools and Horses, word for word, or rattle off Dean Martin's life story but she does nod occasionally and humour me, bless her.

6 Things Men will Never Understand about Women

A Guest Post by the Permanently Perplexed Husband, Phil

Why Does it Take Them so Long to Get Ready? 

Tell a man he's going out and he goes into a well used routine: Shower, shave and dress, quick glance in the mirror, 'Tom Cruise has got nothing on me', done. Ready to go out the door in 12 minutes, like a military operation. Two hours later he's still waiting downstairs, with thoughts like 'What are you doing up there?' and 'Why do you never make that much effort for me!'

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…

You Never Know What's around the Corner.

A Guest Post by Phil

After a long story I found myself a divorced single dad, to my 12 year old daughter, who had been emotionally and mentally broken by her mother and stepfather. Apart from a couple of disasters I had been single for five years and had accepted life on my own so I made a conscious decision to put all my energy into bringing her up and trying to give her a happy life. 

Find your Inner Freak: Why it is Important to be Who You Want to Be.

Another guest post from my friend Rebecca, who is doing a great job of looking after things while I'm on hols!

This is the advice I wish I had been given when in my twenties.

You leave school, you get a job if you can, you earn some dosh and you try and work out what you are going to be when you grow up. Then you realise ten years have gone and you are still trying to work out which direction you are heading so you panic a bit and stress out when you look round at others whom you consider have ‘done something with their life’.

This is why that is all pointless. The secret is that you have already made it. Success is relevant only to who you are. Therefore you should forget trying to be what you think success is based on others and look into yourself. Give yourself a break.