Cooking the Perfect Steak

My husband and I disagree on many things, mainly because he is often wrong. The one thing he is most wrong about though, is steak. He is a total fillet-philistine. He likes his steak ridiculously well done and can't understand how I can eat it any other way. When he cooks a steak for himself (he's a little kinder to mine!), there is no way of knowing what type of steak it once was. By the time he's finished cooking it, it has all the taste and texture of something you would buy in Clarks and I have spent many years trying to convince him that there is another way. A tastier way. So far though, it has fallen on deaf ears, so I have enlisted the help of an expert. Steve Pooley is Chef Director at Jamie Oliver Barbecoa and knows a thing or two about food. Proving that I am right again, here is the expert's guide to cooking the perfect steak. 

My Sunday Photo: View from The Grange

Tips for Helping with Memory

I don't really know why I have such a bad memory. I know it started around the time I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, so I guess it could be to do with that. It's a real problem, not least because no one gets it. When you say you forget things, the answer you will most often get is; 'Oh yes, me too! I have to write things down, I'd be lost without my notebook/ calendar/ organiser.'  This is a different kind of memory loss, though. The kind of memory issue I have can't be solved by writing things down, because when I forget something, I forget it ever happened. I forget I had the conversation when it was arranged. I forget the arrangement even needed to be made in the first place, and I would certainly forget if, and where, I wrote it down. If this is you, you will know how infuriating it is, but I have found some tips for helping with memory that have made things easier over the years. 

Weighing Children in School; A Guest Post

I recently wrote about the National Child Measurement Programme and why I would not allow my son to take part. I received a lot of interest in the post and one of the main comments I received was that people did not realise their children didn't have to take part, or they are unaware that weighing children in school happened at all. This scheme happens in all state-run schools, every year (I'm not sure about Private Schools), but you have every right to opt out. The weigh-in takes place during Reception year and again in Year 6. If you don't receive a form to sign to opt out, inform your school in writing if you would prefer your children to be excluded. 

Afternoon Tea at The Grange Hotel, Winterbourne, Bristol

We bought our Afternoon Tea experience using Virgin Experience Days vouchers and were really looking forward to it. I wasn't sure if it represented the best value, as I paid £39 for what turned out to be about an hour, whereas I spent the rest of the £100 voucher on a spa day for two, with a manicure and pedicure thrown in, but we are all big fans of tea parties in general and it's even better when you don't have to make it yourself! The voucher was originally for two, but I phoned and asked if I could bring L along as well, and if it would be possible for them to include some plain cheese sandwiches for him, as he can be a little suspicious of unknown sarnies, and I wanted there to be at least one he would eat. Otherwise he would soon be full of nothing but cake and I felt this could be a recipe for disaster in a confined space and polite company!

Why is Money Management not Taught in Schools?

Most things in life we are not born able to do. When babies are born, they have to learn pretty much every skill they will rely on later in life, from walking and using the toilet, to rolling their eyes and answering back. A lot of these skills will come from parents and in later life their teachers and peers will have an impact on how they grow and develop. Education falls into two camps; academic, which is mainly school-based, and moral, which often comes from a family focus. It should be a partnership between home and school to ensure that children get a complete education. Learning, not just the three 'R's, but also  how to make good judgements and wise decisions, like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are encouraging here in Maria's post from Happy Mummy.

Win a £25 Amazon Voucher with Lesser Spotted Comper

There’s a new competition website launching soon for UK entrants and this one has a bit of a difference. The launch date is October 5th and the site will focus on Pinterest, Instagram, Low Entry and Local Competitions, giving you an opportunity to easily find competitions that sometimes slip under the radar. There will be giveaways throughout the day on the Facebook and Twitter pages on the day of launch, so it is well worth getting a follow in now, so you don’t miss out. Here’s Sandy, who runs the site, to tell you all about it and introduce a new competition to celebrate the launch!