Reviews

Review: Now TV

January 28, 2015 by Merry Leave a Comment

There is nothing quite like a family film to bring the Merrily family together. We get precious few evenings all in the house at the same time, so when we do, it’s lovely to just curl up under the large heap of crochet blankets we own and hunker down together with treats and great TV.

We’ve had the opportunity to try out a number of different tv services over the last year; being skinflints, we don’t subscribe to anything and our children have to put up with no more than Freeview. Our internet connection is appalling and even streaming iPlayer through a normal laptop is next to impossible and we’d long ago given up on catch up TV without a paid for service to streamline them.

In steps NowTV, with a box of goodies, a NowTV box, a month of their movie package and a large quantity of onesies!

I’d like to say that getting my teens to dress up in Christmas Pudding outfits was hard, but frankly, they’ll do anything for a good film and a lot of chocolate.

Did I mention the onesies??

Josie – being an elf – and trying out some of the craft ideas we were sent.

The very cute small boy one… (and his reindeer).

Our first task was to enjoy the delights of the Muppets Most Wanted film, which was a special showing for us to enjoy along with our treats and a Twitter part. This was a bit of a revelation for me; I didn’t realise that services like Now did ‘live tv’ too. I’m not totally sure why exactly, since live tv almost seems to belong to the past but it certainly was fun to sit down to something we had to ‘wait’ for – what a novel concept! (Of course, it was also available on demand, so we had the double delight of making ourselves wait 😉 )

The film itself entertained us enormously, as did the online chatter about it with @NowTV and other bloggers who were partaking too. You can’t beat a Muppets film for sheer outrageous ‘awful but good’-ness. (The end was a bit weird actually, somehow slightly beyond comically macabre…)

Anyway.

That left us with a month to enjoy recent and otherwise unavailable to them films on tv, an opportunity my children threw themselves into with relish. What they loved even more however, was the classics: Mary Poppins, West Side Story, Grease and a host of Disney with The Aristocats a top favourite. There are films that have not made it back out of our garage for Bene because of time or space and the convenience of Youtube that they wanted to introduce him to and the convenience of the Now box let us do that. Plus we were able to play it through the Apple TV box when the remote went missing, which was a major advantage. Registering a second device is easy – you can do 2 in total in your first month – and then another one a month with a maximum of 4.

Max and I indulged in some films we would not otherwise have watched – Batman for one – and really enjoyed revisiting Pleasantville, which I really think is one of the best films ever.

I’ve been a bit of a meanie since our free month ran out and not reapplied the £10 charge to add the movie package back in. I quite fancy trying out the entertainment package at £7 a month, though we are less people who watch casual tv than we are film and series watches; I can see a few ‘boxed sets’ I fancy though (funny to call them that when they so totally aren’t!) and I suspect I’ll be treating the kids to a half term film sub so we can do some family films nights again. I really like that the Now box allows us to use iplayer on our tv, which the AppleTV doesn’t, so that is a huge plus for me and the selection of films was good. We had a tiny bit more trouble with it hanging on our bad internet connection over Xmas than other services we’ve tried but it was minimal and only at peak times. At a £10 set up cost for the box, you can’t beat it really.

Thumbs up from us 🙂

Disclosure: we were sent a NowTV box and goodies for this review. Since we had to dress up as Christmas puddings to earn that right, all views are most certainly our own.

Review: Teen Parcels That Make Periods Better.

November 19, 2014 by Merry 2 Comments

I’m a mum of 4 girls and 2 of them have now gone through that moment where a mum blogger suddenly realises that it is time to STOP.SHARING.

You just can’t blog a period. You did teeth and potty training and the time they fell in the toy box and how they felt when a tooth fell out and what sending them to school did to you. And then periods come and you think…

Um. No. Probably best not. Not a blog post they will want their friends to find.

Possibly not going to thank you for the hashtag on Twitter.

Best leave it.

We are a very open household. I keep my sanitary requirements on show and Max is perfectly happy to go out and buy them for me. Since the older girls have needed supplies, I’ve encouraged them to ask him to get them like they are a normal item. Which they are. Over dinner the other week we ended up talking about this, and how it took me years before I felt comfortable to ask him to get them for me (Why? I have no idea. He watched me give birth so really….) and both big girls said that actually they felt really uncomfortable asking him even now. Max looked on blankly, completely unable to understand why it would be an issue.

“Should I be embarrassed asking you to get me shaving foam?” he asked.

But the truth is – and the nervous giggling of daughter number 2 made it clear that this is so – periods are embarrassing and intimate and a huge rite of passage (excuse the pun) and they manage to carry with them a notion of – and I hesitate to use the word dirty – something unsavoury and secret. Even here, where we don’t in any way ask for Victorian discretion, they’ve imbibed that outdated behaviour.

One problem with being a 3rd daughter – and a bolshy, savvy one at that – is that your mum does tend to forget that you haven’t necessarily had all the carefully considered education the first daughters got. I agonised over how to make sure I broached babies and periods and birth with 1 and 2 but Amelie has been an accessory to those conversations so often that I forgot she hadn’t had them in her own right.

The arrival of a Teen Parcel to review this week was an ideal opportunity to redress this. For once the obvious candidates got passed over and DD3 and I opened the parcel together and took a look inside. It’s suitably pink and all discreetly parcelled up, perfect for 12 year olds who haven’t yet got the hang of yelling “Can you get me some REALLY huge tampons…..?” at the back of a departing bloke with the front door open and on the phone to his rugby mate.

Our pack had a little cloth bag to tuck a tampon/pad supply in your bag and a set of pink parcels, 2 of which contained 25 tampons from the Tampax range and one was stuffed with face cleansers, sparkly nail polish, spot cream, sweeties, a hot chocolate deluxe style drink and a little phone charm.

So we opened it all up and took a good look. We discussed why face stuff might be in there (make you feel good, keep a handle on changing skin which deserves some tlc when hormones rage) and (going against all my frugal efforts) broke into a tampon, popped it out of the applicator, did a demo (through my fingers!) and discussed comfort, angle and reason for use. I explained pubic bones. Go me.

DD3 thought it was marvellous. The bling and indulgence of the whole thing suited her down to the ground and the idea of getting the equivalent of a Graze box for hormones tickled her (quite literally) pink. She loved opening up the little ‘presents’ and I think found it a really nice opportunity to discuss something with me that I hadn’t realised we had missed out on.

I think it is a lovely idea, particularly for a girl either a little intimidated or over anxious about an impending period or for a mum who needs to find a way to broach the subject with a tween girl. At £6 for the first box (and £10 thereafter) it isn’t overpriced (a box of 20 Tampax being about £3 and the associated goodies decent value too, probably less than I could spend on a hormonal chocolate binge 😉 ) and the cost includes p&p. The box itself is designed to be letterbox size so you aren’t inconvenienced by collecting it from the sorting office and the contents are tailored to your needs through the sign up process – you can choose from Lil Lets, Tampax, Kotex and Always pads and the tampon boxes are multi- absorbancy for different days. Pad boxes have night towels included. For the sake of a treat and not having to dash out for supplies, I might even sign up myself 😉 The amount this house currently spends on these things and the associated chocolate might well make it worth it 😉

You can take a look at the product on their website at Pink Parcel – Teen Parcels are described on a tab at the top. In particular I found the FAQ page very helpful.

On Thursday 20th November there will be a Twitter Party about “around building girls’ self-confidence, and preparing girls for the start of their periods, and all the changes that come along with this part of life” – you can join in using hashtag #**********

Here are my tips.

Don’t be anxious about the period talk; speak openly about them from when they are young, with boys as well as girls. My experience is that youngsters are neither embarrassed or afraid and it prepares the ground for later discussion.
Put together a bag of all different types of sanitary protection and make time to open one of each, discuss them and handle them together.
Make sure important male members of the house know the subject has come up and are ready to ‘be nonchalant and open’ about the subject too. It’s just as normal as him shaving.
Make sure there are bins in the bathrooms they can use discreetly and encourage them to be part of the emptying and cleaning of them. Also have conversations about leaving toilets etc tidy for other members of the house. It can be messy and my experience is they need quietly letting know if they need to be more thoughtful.
Make sure you have a plan for knickers that need dealing with and neither parent particularly wants to encounter in a handful of washing.
Talk through the other changes of puberty and sex (hopefully less scarily than school seems to!) and lay down markers to help them prepare such as chatting through things like pain being a precursor to things getting ready to start and moodiness or growing breasts and hair. Make ‘it’s normal and we all know it is happening’ your mantra and encourage them to acknowledge the signs.
“Yeah. You are moody. Yes, it’s your hormones. Yes, it IS normal. No, you are not allowed to make everyone else’s life a living hell because of it.” I use this line a lot 😉

Review: The Perfect Pamper Parcel.

November 18, 2014 by Merry 2 Comments

A few weeks ago I had a horrible day in which I was made to feel rubbish and worthless and vile by someone in the name of doing good. It wasn’t a nice feeling and, although I picked myself up again, it knocked my self esteem and courage for six for a few days. Seeing me sad, a lovely blogger friend with a new business decided to send me something to cheer me up. There were no strings attached and I didn’t have to write about her but her idea is so lovely, the gift she sent me so beautifully put together and the effect it had on me so perfect that I decided I would anyway.

Rosie is a blogger. She is also a busy working single mum, a writer and a marketeer and one of the loveliest people I have got to know through blogging and it was no surprise to start reading about her new business and see what a beautiful idea she has put together and just how very ‘Rosie’ it is. She came up with the concept while slogging in and out of London on the daily commuter grind; she reasoned that everyday life is hard work and we all need some down time, a pamper, a treat. Rosie came up with the concept of pamper parcels, ones you can gift to yourself or send to someone else – and the gorgeous thing about them is the brands she has chosen to work with. By picking carefully she champions other small businesses and values she holds dear, both giving back herself by these decisions and allowing purchasers to do the same.

We’re conscious about the impact to others of every item we include in our parcels. So we’ve opted for natural, organic and Fairtrade products from reputable companies we respect and value. We’re also, naturally, supportive of other independent businesses and include items from their businesses in our parcels too.

The parcel arrived in a gorgeously printed box (recycled material) and each item individually wrapped in tissue and pretty stickers and the box jam packed with fabulous treats. Being a brave girl (and not normally famed for my patience!) I made myself hold on and open the box in stages to prolong the fun.

I didn’t open it at all until I had my weeks work done.

Then I took each item out one by one and admired it.

Then I ate the popcorn (oh. my. goodness. yum.)

Then I opened one item after another, day by day.

Rosie had put such a lot of care into choosing items for me; the chocolate was divine, Tisserand is one of my favourite brands and the shower wash is just glorious and I’m still holding back the body lotion for a day when I need to feel particularly delightful.

The little envelope is particularly fabulous; the Pass It On concept is (apart from brilliant marketing 😉 ) a fab way to give a friend a treat from your treat. So powerful is the concept that I haven’t eaten that extra bit of chocolate and I know exactly who it is going to when I next see her.

Well done Rosie. You rock 🙂

If you are stuck for gifts this year, I highly recommend this little business. You can order personalised gift boxes on her extremely beautiful and slick website.

Disclosure: I know Rosie. She sent this to me for free. I didn’t have to review it as it was a gift. But I did, because it is fabulous.

Editorial: Keeping Safe from Carbon Monoxide.

November 14, 2014 by Merry Leave a Comment

The request to post this information came at a time when I was ruefully realising that our boiler service slot has come and gone again and I’m late organising it. The small £20 monitor we have been sent could save the life of an entire family and could be the difference between vulnerable young children waking up in the morning or never doing so again. Please consider buying one.

***

There’s a silent killer on the loose that claims 40 lives every year in Britain and puts 200 others in hospital. It sounds like something from a horror film – but this is carbon monoxide and it’s very real.

Worryingly, this colourless, odourless and tasteless gas can be inhaled by you and your family without even knowing it. It’s produced by household appliances such as boilers, cookers, fires and heaters – and if one of those has a leak, the results could be deadly. A blocked flue or chimney can also cause the levels of CO to rise in the home.

Symptoms to be aware of are headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, leading to collapse and loss of consciousness. Most deaths that occur by carbon monoxide poisoning are at night when people are asleep in their beds. It is scary – but there are ways to protect yourself.

Safety advice is that all your appliances must be checked regularly by a Gas Safe Registered engineer.

If you suspect there is a leak in your home, open all doors and windows and get all people and pets out of the house as quickly as possible.

A carbon monoxide detector in your home could also be a lifesaver.

Boiler and central heating cover company CORGI HomePlan is currently campaigning for every home to have one of these simple little white boxes. They are relatively cheap (£30) and work as an early warning system similar to a smoke detector.

They work all around the home and can be taken with you on camping trips or caravan holidays as a number of deaths occur each year from portable barbecues and poorly maintained gas equipment in caravans.

CORGI HomePlan has produced a microsite dedicated to home safety tips – www.corgi-homeplan-how-safe-is-your-home.org – which is a great resource of advice covering all gas and electrical appliances in the home.

There are easy to follow tips and ‘how to’ videos to give you peace of mind as we come into the colder weather when boilers are being switched on across the country again.

It’s such a simple decision to get a carbon monoxide detector that no home should really be without one.

Disclosure: we were gifted a Carbon Monoxide monitor in exchange for this post. Please do take notice of the message, it is so important.

Kitchen Gadgets: the Tassimo Vivy.

November 6, 2014 by Merry 2 Comments

We were recently sent a Tassimo Vivy to review. I’ve taken a look at what the family thought of it on my other blog but I wanted to put here a little more about the machine and the drinks itself.

The Tassimo Vivy is a snug 17cm wide drinks machine retailing at £99.99. It comes in black and white and uses a vast range of T-Discs to create all sort of different drinks. The machine itself has an Intellibrew system which reads the barcode on the disc and automatically puts the right amount of water through the machine for the drink required. The tank is filled with cold water and holds enough for several drinks and the machine heats it instantly as required, so no waiting for it to boil. I discovered, at a fairly desperately time short moment, that you can actually have a cup of tea in your hand in less than 45s, start to finish. As each drink finishes the brewing process, the machine cleans through with a steam cycle, making it ready for the next person. All you have to do is throw out the T Disc, which is no mess and self contained.

Our drinks selection included two types that involved a ‘recipe’ where you put in one flavour and then top up with a frothy creamer. It took us a while to get the hang of good mug sizes for these drinks but I’ve since found the website really helpful for picking drinks that fill a mug full 🙂

The kids LOVED the Oreo drink and the novelty of the whole thing and the husband grudgingly agreed that perhaps a gadget that delivered a coffee into his hands without his wife moaning constantly about hob top pots and messy filter paper was okay. He drank all the Kenco Discs I bought him anyway 😉

This leads me nicely on to cost; a quick bit of maths using the handy and easy to analyse information of their website shows you that drinks range from 25p a time up to about 60p, with the ‘recipe’ drinks that need 2 discs obviously requiring more. That said, you can find pretty good bulk deals on Amazon that bring that down to more like 20p and 40p and using their subscribe option, to have fresh supplies delivered every few months will also help on cost. With brands like Milka, Suchard, Costa, Kenco, Twinings and Carte Noire at your disposal, this is not as cheap as a bog standard home drink from a jar but much cheaper than a coffee shop and no more than an average drinks machine in the office. It’s almost certainly a lot nicer than that last option!

I’m really looking forward to treating myself to some of the Chai options and I love that I can have hot chocolate in the house knowing that if I choose to have one of them, the calories are controlled in the Disc and I can’t cheat with an extra scoop of power. It will also be good for the children who do tend of over indulge a bit at times; knowing they only have a certain amount of T Discs each is quite a handy greediness check.

So overall, we liked it. I think it will stay in the kitchen and I imagine it will be a treat or possibly end up in my room for early morning teas maid duty when I can no longer persuade a single child to do that for me!

Disclosure: this product was sent to me for an honest review.