There comes a time as a parent when you realise that everything you do is about the children. Get up, make lunches, try to persuade them to get ready for school, fail and drop them off late. Pick them up from school and drive them to swimming, dancing, singing, horse riding or piano lessons (delete…
![Making the most of the space in our garden [AD]](https://plutoniumsox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20210825_172430-scaled.jpg)
Getting the garden the way you want it really is an ongoing job isn’t it? Most people seem to have at least a few jobs they’d like to do, if time or money permitted. Our garden has been a well used space over the past few years. We’ve made a few major changes, each of…
This chocolate chip flapjack recipe is a delicious, indulgent treat. Whilst it contains plenty of nuts and seeds, it is far from a healthy recipe with the focus being on the chocolate. It makes an ideal after school snack for children and goes nicely with a cup of tea or coffee. Better still, chocolate chip…
![Loft conversion: a fresh perspective on extending our home [AD]](https://plutoniumsox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/20181030_151707-01.jpeg)
Isn’t it funny how you grow into a house? When I first bought our current home, I was single. I moved in on my 23rd birthday and everything I owned fitted into my car. The people I bought from had left me some white goods and within a few days, friends and family had turned…
Despite being quite accepting of the way I look, carrying extra weight doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I find running harder, I have less energy and feel tired all the time. So, over the past five years, I have tried on numerous occasions to lose weight. I’ve ran marathons and an ultramarathon. I’ve tried diets…
![The joys of buying second hand [AD]](https://plutoniumsox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/flea-market-343123_1280.jpg)
As a society, our wariness of consumerism is increasing. Buying new things to keep up with fashion or because what we already own is slightly worn doesn’t sit comfortably. Yet nothing lasts forever. Certain purchases will need to be regularly upgraded. The house that is no longer big enough for an expanding family. Clothes that…