I know, I can’t believe it either. But yes, I did Celebrity Mastermind and it airs on BBC1 this Saturday. My specialist subject is Jackie Collins (natch) and no spoilers but remember it’s all about the taking part! And despite it being one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done it was also one …
I love a bargain, I really do. But if we’re talking wine there are a few things worth bearing in mind. For a start, whatever you pay for your bottle, £2.23 goes on tax. And that’s before VAT. Factor in the cost of making it, packaging it, shipping it and selling it and we’re talking …
Last Saturday saw the start of English Wine Week and to celebrate we shared a selection of some of my current favourites on Saturday Kitchen. Sadly the Sparkling we had from Terlingham in Kent has since sold out but I’ve popped another one of their wines (a rosé!) in this week’s recommendations below. Then on …
It’s the Easter Holidays! Or as I like to call it, that time when I spend the mornings trying to get my teenagers out of bed, the afternoon driving them around and any time in between checking they haven’t discovered this year’s hiding place for the Easter eggs. Actually, I posted a picture of a …
It’s been a while. How are you? Yes, me too. Always tired. Could be my age, kids, work, hormones – take your pick. Anyway, it’s been a busy few weeks so I thought I’d share some highlights. First one, I’ve finished writing fiction book number three! Well, the first draft so there’s more work to …
They say you never forget your first love (I married mine but that’s another story). Anyway, point is when you first fall for someone – or something – you never forget it. With wine, the first place I fell for was France. When I was training to be a wine buyer for a big supermarket …
It’s half term! No school run, no packed lunches, no last minute panics locating lost/clean school uniform and no form-filling. It’s almost felt like a mini-break of sorts even if we haven’t been anywhere. But I do have something for you this week that promises to virtually transport you to warmer climes. Specifically, the beautiful …
Well hello, proper autumnal weather. Regular readers will know how excited I am about this. Basically I was born to wear big jumpers, polo necks, chunky knits and cardigans. My collection of scarves is, frankly, getting a little out of hand. I love so much about this time of year, from the low sun to …
So they’re finally back at school (pumps fist) and I’m very much back to work after a few weeks off. Well, I say work. I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at the newly opened Pig Hotel in the South Downs and to say I was excited to be out is understating it …
Years ago, I went to a well known department store to buy a new camera. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted but knew what I needed, if you know what I mean. Nothing too complicated, good value for money, must look nice (I’m shallow like that). Anyway, I started reading the descriptions on the …
Much as I love chocolate at Easter I’m more about the wines on the table, tbh. And this year it looks like we’ll be able to finally get together in the garden with people other than the ones we live with! To celebrate I’ve got a case of wine to give away so that your …
There are daffodils in the garden and we even had a brief spell of sunshine for about three minutes a few weeks ago so, obviously, it’s time to talk rosé. Even if you do have to wear a poncho in the garden when you drink it. Now, Bandol is a sub-region in Provence and the …
How are you? I know, me too. But the end of January is in sight and publication day for my debut novel This Changes Everything is just two weeks away! So, a little more about it. The story revolves around Julia, her two grown up daughters Annie and Jess and what happens when Julia receives …
Time’s hardly flying by at the moment (seriously, a single home-school day feels like a week right now) but one thing that’s come around really quickly is *drum roll* publication day for my debut novel, This Changes Everything. Out on the 9th February, it’s available to pre-order here in paperback, e-book and audiobook (btw, if …
So, I have news. I’ve been desperate to share this with you before now but had to keep it secret – and I’m terrible at keeping secrets. Which is somewhat ironic given that I’ve written a novel that contains a really big secret in the plot line. Anyway, here it is: This Changes Everything. It’s …
This might be an upside down, inside out kind of year but at least half term is providing something of a breather this week. Even the appalling weather seems to be telling us to stay home, watch films and not feel quite so guilty about screen time right now. Anyway, we might not be able …
We’re back in big jumper season again and honestly, I’m thrilled. Much as I love the feel of sun on skin give me a polo neck, roaring fire and a glass of red any day. Or rather, evening. And when it comes to what’s in my glass I want something properly interesting and delicious. Step …
One of the guests on Saturday Kitchen at the weekend was Caitlin Moran, talking about her new book More Than A Woman. I devoured it last week whilst mainlining tea and a Terry’s chocolate orange. And I laughed out loud. A lot. (Slightly hazardous after three kids but whatever). Basically, it’s a guide to growing …
It’s been a long (almost) six months but finally – finally! – the children have gone back to school. And just like that the house is quiet. Messy, but quiet. Obviously I’m really happy they’ve gone back but it does feel very weird not having them in the house after all this time. A bit …
Last week I had a proper break. Sadly it didn’t involve a tropical island for obvious reasons but we did escape to Cornwall for a few days to stay in one of my favourite pubs on the planet. Called The Gurnard’s Head, it sits above a stunning stretch of Cornish coastline, all crashing waves, jagged …
I posted a picture of a wine over on my Instagram page yesterday, a gorgeous Melon de Bourgogne/Chardonnay blend I’d recommended to a friend. She’d asked for a slightly lighter alternative to her usual favourite (white Burgundy) because, well, menopause. Within minutes the comments starting coming in so I thought I’d do a proper post …
If there’s one thing that’s got me through lockdown – apart from wine, obviously – it’s the idea of being able to see people again. But now that we’re actually allowed to see them – socially distanced, of course – I’m not sure I’m ready. I mean, proper conversations with completed sentences whilst wearing something …
Well here we are, half term apparently. Not that it feels very different to last week. The kids are still helping themselves to food from the fridge at all times, endlessly asking where their clothes are before they’ve even checked the washing basket/their bedroom floor. Anyway, thank goodness for blue skies even if we can’t …
I’ve been drinking quite a bit in the mornings lately. For work obviously, most recently with Holly & Phil on This Morning. And one of my favourite wines in the line up was an organic red blend from Puglia that comes in what looks like a giant paint tin. It’s basically bag-in-box reimagined, holding three …
I realise wine might not be on everyone’s list of ‘essentials’ but given we’re currently home schooling whilst working from home, it’s definitely on mine. I topped up with a few cases from our local independent wine shop earlier this week and if you’re thinking of doing the same, this list of wine shops still …
Firstly, an enormous thank you to anyone who bought a(nother) copy of The Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide. I didn’t think publication day would feel quite like it did second time around but it was a really joyful day full of messages, flowers and a few happy tears. And then it was half term. I seem …
It’s here! My new (old) book The Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide is out now in paperback! When I first wrote it eight – EIGHT! – years ago I wanted the book to be like a (funny) Highway Code for wine, covering all the stuff you really need to know when it comes to choosing a …
I spent pretty much all of Saturday in the kitchen. But unlike my own (messy, overrun with dogs/kids) this one was full of talented chefs and a celebrity guest. It was the Saturday Kitchen studio and I ate ridiculously good food for breakfast and talked wine with chefs Ollie Dabbous and Ellis Barrie, along with presenter …
A few weeks ago I found myself in central London with half an hour to kill between meetings. Normally I’d grab a coffee and head to Liberty’s stationary department but on this particular occasion I decided to do something a little more adventurous. I got another ear piercing. OK, so it hardly rates as truly …
It’s been a week of highs and lows. Highs include making cocktails on live radio and watching a football game at Anfield – the atmosphere! – whilst enjoying a glass of red, obviously. And I love that it’s now cold enough for proper jumpers. Preferably roll necks, not least because they hide a multitude of …
We’re into the second week of half term (the boys have two weeks off. TWO WEEKS! ) and we’re all still talking to each other. Maybe with the odd shout thrown in but mostly talking, thanks in part to a brilliant new book called How To Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids by Carla …
Right, two things. Firstly, thank you SO much for all the lovely comments on last week’s blog post. I know there was an incentive (free wine!) but seriously, they were a real joy to read. And enormously appreciated. The other thing is *tries to sound casual, fails* I’m joining BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen as a drinks …
Ten years ago to the day I decided to write a wine blog. I remember hitting publish on that first post, just a few sentences on how I planned to recommend a couple of wines each week in the hope it might help anyone looking for a little wine inspiration. With three kids under five …
Here’s a sobering thought: spend £5 on a bottle of wine and more than 60% of the cost is tax. That’s £2.23 on duty (gulp) plus another 20% on VAT. And whilst beer and spirits have enjoyed duty freezes in recent years, tax on wine has been rising for a decade (39% since since 2010 …
As ever, I’m slightly late to the party but why didn’t anyone tell me about Samin Nosrat? My stepmother kindly bought me her book – Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat – for my birthday last year and it sat on the bookshelf for a while because, if I’m honest, I didn’t really get it. No pictures, …
After weeks of noise – so much noise – the house was quiet this morning. Middle Boy has joined Eldest Boy at secondary school and Youngest Girl has started her last year at primary school. Post-school run I got home and did what I’ve been dying to do for weeks: have a cup of coffee …
And so finally – finally! – my kids have broken up for the summer holidays. After what felt like weeks of end of term celebrations, we headed to the beach after their last day. The kids all jumped into the sea in their uniforms as parents watched on, mainlining crisps and a glass of rosé. …
One of the best bits about being in a TV studio is you never know who you might see. I did a wine tasting on This Morning earlier this week and saw the back of Jason Donovan’s head and the woman from Tenko. And Phil & Holly of course (she really does smell like unicorns). …
Endless cups of tea on the sofa, nailing the last series of Catastrophe I’ve been meaning to watch for ages…turns out recovering from knee surgery can be FUN. And as for the drugs…well. They have a lot to answer for. Not least the pair of sequinned leopard print espadrilles ordered at the weekend. I mean …
Remember I hurt my knee doing The Nutcracker at Christmas? (We take charades very seriously in this house). Turns out I’ve got to have surgery later this week so I’ll be sofa-bound for a couple of days post-op. For obvious reasons, I’m thrilled at the prospect of being forced to put my feet up for …
I spent much of last week tasting wine in a professional capacity and therefore, sadly, having to spit it out. But there was one particular event that didn’t require any spitting. In fact, I pretty much gawped open-mouthed throughout (thank god I wasn’t tasting wine; could’ve been messy). As you know – because I’ve gone …
I do love a baby. Especially mine obviously, but they’re not babies anymore. And I’m not broody when I see one nowadays, just ridiculously tears-in-eyes happy. So much so I think I slightly freaked out the young mother in John Lewis last week, whose sleeping baby looked so beautiful tucked up in its pram I …
Last week, I was on Radio 4’s You & Yours programme talking about organic wines. The presenter, Peter White (it was Winifred’s day off), asked me if KMWC readers (that’s you!) were interested in organic wines and I said yes, actually. Lots of you are. Which is great: no chemicals used in the vineyard is …
Grief is a funny thing. As in peculiar rather than ha ha, obviously. Seventeen years ago my brother died. I remember, a few years after, googling the five stages of grief. I just wanted to know when it would stop hurting so much. But the thing is grief doesn’t ever really go away. It does, …
‘Just checking you’re ok…not seen you on social media for a bit?’ went the first message from a friend. ‘Are you away on hols?’ went another. Sadly I wasn’t sitting on my own private island with a cocktail in one hand, book in the other (would have posted that, obviously). But I did go dark for …
A few years ago I bought a jumpsuit. We were off to New York for a long weekend and clearly thought a jumpsuit would elevate me from knackered mother to potential extra in Gossip Girl in one outfit. Instead, I remember feeling like a giant toddler. Except with wine. And going to the loo was …
I had lunch with Rob Lowe last week. OK, ‘had lunch with’ might be pushing it. I was in a restaurant and he was on the next door table. Still, close enough to see that he looked pretty much as he did in St Elmo’s Fire but with slightly better hair. And to think I …
Apparently, there’s a new series on Netflix about tidying up with expert de-clutterer Marie Kondo. Now, I haven’t seen it (too busy watching the entire series of Fleabag back to back, way more fun than folding clothes). But I do know Marie’s mantra is ‘does this spark joy?’ In other words if you own something …
So, how was it for you? Aside from doing my knee in (again) whilst trying to act out The Nutcracker in a family game of charades on Christmas Eve, mine was great. But the kids went back to school yesterday (fist bump) and much as I’ve loved lying on the sofa sipping Brandy Alexanders whilst …
Ah, Christmas. So much stuff to organise – food, presents, plans – and so little time to do it. Now, I can’t help you with the last minute mince pie requests or the sudden call for a star costume (for real, made one out of a wine box earlier this week in ten minutes flat) …
I have a terrible poker face. That whole ‘can’t tell what they’re thinking’ thing? Whatever it is, it’s usually written all over mine. In marker pen. So when I was told something exciting last week, and then told to keep it quiet until next week, my heart sank. I’m literally bursting to tell you but …
Last week was a bit of a monster. Work (so to speak) included hosting a cocktail tasting at a local Singles Night, speaking at a literary festival lunch for book clubs and doing a wine tasting for a great/thirsty bunch in London. Play (so to speak) included a Halloween Party for 14 kids and a …
I’m sure it won’t surprise you to know that I’m not doing Sober October because a) life’s too short and b) life’s too short. But I saw a friend of mine who is doing it recently and man, their skin looked good. Given that I want to have my cake/glass and eat/drink it, I realised …
Just as I was settling in to my new Autumn evening routine (sofa, Killing Eve, glass of red) an email arrived from a friend. Would I like to go with her to the premiere of A Star In Born? Cut to last Thursday and there we were, on the red carpet, with Bradley Cooper just …
Earlier this week I celebrated a birthday with a round of French 75s, a hot bath and an eye mask. I know, hardly rock & roll. But I liked it. In fact, the eye mask ( a present from my sister) was so good, I have to tell you about them. Called Space Masks, they …
Just as the change of season requires a change of clothing strategy (so long kaftans, hello jumpers AT LAST) so does the wine rack. I mean, it’s not like I won’t drink rosé in colder months but it just doesn’t taste as good without sun on skin. Anyway, a box of wine appeared on my …
I’m not sure what day it is, the fridge is practically empty (despite having filled it with panic-bought food a few days ago) and the washing is out of control. And I have to be honest, I kinda like it. Now, I’m going to have a couple of weeks off but just to warn you …
I thought I could take it or leave it. You know, dip in and out as and when it suited me. But before I knew it I was in too deep. And now it’s a full on obsession. Yes, I know it’s ridiculous but I just can’t help myself. And now, if you don’t mind …
I love a fancy dress party. So I went all out on Saturday at an 80’s themed party (the decade, not the age). I’m talking zebra print dress, black leggings, gold boots, candy pink leg warmers, arms covered in plastic bangles, lots of pink and blue eyeshadow and half a can of backcomb spray in …
Last week I was going on about not caring what I looked like in a swimming costume. But then I went and ordered a new one after two glasses of rosé last Sunday night. When it arrived, I opened the box and put it on the table. I literally couldn’t take my eyes off it. …
Last night our book club met at the beach. It was a glorious evening – calm sea, colourful sunset, cold rosé. We swam before tucking into a picnic and a discussion about the book, once we’d remembered what the book was called in the first place (Stay With Me. Ironic, really). Anyway, running into the …
Yesterday I spent the day at the London Wine Fair and was, basically, like a kid in a sweet shop. And a really greedy (thirsty?) one at that. It was at Olympia and the room was packed with winemakers and their wines. For years I went to the fair as a supermarket wine buyer and …
On Monday, the Husband and I celebrated 30 years since we first started going out. We were fifteen, the year was 1988. So in an effort to recreate that late ’80s feeling I booked two tickets to see Chess The Musical at the London Colosseum. Stay with me. We met at Kettner’s beforehand in their …
Earlier this week I popped up on ITV’s This Morning to talk about sugar in wine with the divine Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. The good news is that in the grand scheme of things, wine isn’t too bad as far as sugar goes. Most are fermented dry with yeasts converting the natural sugars found …
At last, it looks like sun is on the way. And this time it might just stay for more than about 20 minutes. When we were promised some sun a few weeks ago I duly threw on the St Tropez and went the colour of an old mahogany sideboard (my preferred shade). Sadly, the tan …
I was away working in London all last week and after two rain-sodden weeks of school holidays, it felt like something of a mini-break. Admittedly quite a weird one; I spent much of it spitting out wine. Not because they were horrible but because I was judging at a wine competition. One night I sat at …
I’ve spent much of this week trying to keep kids off screens despite the rain/without spending a small fortune doing so. Hitting deadlines has meant getting up early and working late. But no school run, eating pancakes at 11am and watching films on Netflix in the middle of the afternoon has more than made up …
Spring is officially here. Not that you’d know it: I spent the day wearing two jumpers and a cardigan. But today the sky was blue and the chill in the air not quite as beastly as before. Now, I have no intentions of cleaning the house from top to bottom (three kids and three dogs …
Last week, one lovely reader asked about gin. She’d walked into a bar, ordered a gin & tonic, was asked which gin and panicked. So, her question: is there really that much of a difference apart from the price tag? Answer: the basic recipe is the same i.e. neutral base spirit with added botanicals. But it’s …
So, as I write this, everywhere is blanketed in the white stuff. But like a foot sticking out from the edge of the duvet, where we live (in the New Forest) is cold but uncovered. And I’ve got serious snow envy because unless we get some, it means we’ve got to do World Book Day …
This time last week I was sitting in an alpine restaurant with a plate of macaroni covered in melted swiss cheese and a glass of crisp white swiss wine in front of me. We were in Lenzerheide for half term, a gorgeous ski resort the Husband had been to years ago, and it was heavenly. …
Honestly, I never used to get the whole self-care thing. In my twenties, I was too busy. In my thirties, too tired. But now, in my forties, I’m getting the hang of it. One morning a week I go for a swim followed by a Pilates class. Two hours feels like four and I always …
I’ve been reading a brilliant book called The Sober Diaries by Clare Pooley. Like me, she’s a mother of three in her forties. Unlike me, she doesn’t drink alcohol. What made her stop was a slow decline from having a glass or two in the evening once the kids were in bed to drinking at …
Happy New Year! Yes, I know I’m a little late but we came crashing into 2018 with lost luggage, sick bugs and sizeable hangovers. Anyway, I’ve included a 0% wine and beer in the reviews below this week just in case you need a change from drinking tonic with a dash of bitters (and assuming …
So, here we are. As promised, there’s a bumper selection of suitably christmassy wines this week including the bargain champagne featured on last week’s This Morning. Yes, I did ACTUAL This Morning on the telly on Friday! A festive fizz tasting on ice with skating polar bears in the background. The clip’s on the KMWC …
I’ve been all over the place this week. Literally. London for work, Manchester for an author’s talk and Bath for a wine tasting. And I’ve done some radio interviews in between, including one on how drink affects your mood (answer: largely depends how you’re feeling before you have one) and another on whether there’s any …
After spending last week in London tasting around 100 wines a day (I was judging at the International Wine Challenge, not just really thirsty), I’m back and trying to get on top of things. It’s not going that well. The house is a tip, the laundry basket needs a room of its own, work has …
I remember a time when Halloween wasn’t really a thing. Not any more. And, I’ve realised, resistance is futile. When I suggested that perhaps we, y’know, scale back this year’s Halloween extravaganza – ridiculous spooky tea at ours before visiting neighbours to claim the kids’ bodyweight in Haribo – it was met with (funnily enough) …
They say the best things in life are free. Not altogether true (wine! luxury skincare!) but you get the gist. Anyway, last week I posted a picture on Instagram of these brightly coloured gin-filled baubles. Designed to hang on your Christmas tree and filled with Pickering’s Gin, they are, quite simply, gin-ius. Sadly, they’re not free (a …
Well, the Menorcan mini-break with gorgeous girlfriends was a boon and I came back truly refreshed. A little too refreshed, to be honest – there was a lot of rosé. And crisps. But we swam in the sea every morning (glorious!), shopped and sunbathed a little, walked, talked and laughed until we cried a lot. …
Thank you for all my lovely birthday messages, especially the one that reminded me I’m now old enough to know what really matters. On that note, I’m off to Menorca with a couple of BFFs for a long weekend. I’ve made a lasagne and left it in the freezer at home (for some reason I …
This week, I hit 45. I know age is just a number blah blah blah but honestly, when I woke up on the morning of my 45th birthday it was the first time I’ve not been that excited about it being my birthday. The only way to describe it is feeling like I was at the …
Oh, how I love this time of year. I’m back in jumpers. I’ve picked blackberries. I’m drinking red wine in front of the fire. Truly: my comfort zone. But I saw a quote on Instagram the other day (bear with me) and it said that outside of your comfort zone is where the magic happens. …
Well, wasn’t that fun? Six weeks filled with sun and fun. Apart from the bits when it p*ssed with rain (quite a lot) and we all drove each other mad (quite a lot). But now it’s all over and the children are back at school. For the first time in months the house is quiet. An …
So Camp Bestival at the weekend was wet but happily the wine was dry. And delicious. And plentiful. On Saturday night around 50 of us crammed into a tent for the annual Secret Mummies Wine Club and, as always, The Scummy Mummies made us laugh a lot. The wines went down well (and fast), especially a …
What a week. Met a deadline on Tuesday, another on Wednesday, had a flat tyre on Thursday (sorry, this is sounding like the worst Craig David song ever). But – hooray! – it’s Friday and the weekend is almost ours. It’s been quite a week so when I did get that flat tyre yesterday, I made the most …
I’m being forced to put my feet up. Or at least one of them because I’m having that knee operation tomorrow. So, this morning I went for one last walk on the forest with five friends and nine dogs and it was gorgeous. And funny: one friend turned up with a burst blood vessel in her …
Yes, that is a pea in my drink. And it was delicious, sipped in the Seedlip bar at the Chelsea Flower Show where I spent yesterday afternoon enjoying a slice of horticultural heaven. The gardens on show were beautiful, giving me serious garden envy. I mean, I can just about manage a few herbs, even the odd pot …
I went to a brilliant party earlier this week (out! On a school night!), the book launch for my friend and fellow wine writer Victoria Moore’s new book The Wine Dine Dictionary. Now, I love a dictionary but this one is like my dream dictionary. Because you can look up any wine (by grape) and it gives …
Currently, my kitchen table looks like some kind of crazy lady tiki bar. Turns out writing a book about homemade cocktails is a lot of fun. And messy. I did have a slightly awkward moment yesterday when buying a 1.5l bottle of vodka straight after the school run – I don’t think me saying “this isn’t …
This week sees the launch of the laugh-til-you-wee Scummy Mummies book, so to celebrate I thought we’d take a look at some suitably scummy wines. Written by Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn, the book is a brilliant celebration of parenting failures, stuffed with hilarious confessions and top tips. For example, new parents! Save time by …
I’ve been dying to tell you about this: I’m writing another book. And this time, we’re back on the booze. Out next year, it’s all about how to make really good cocktails at home. So if you have any favourite cocktail recipes you’d like to share, I’d love to know about them! Email, leave a comment here or on Instagram or Facebook, whatever …
As ever, late to the party – our half term is this week. On the up side, mornings aren’t quite so early/shouty. On the down side, trampoline parks. We went to one yesterday afternoon and the kids flipped for an hour whilst I hid in a corner with my laptop, trying to hit a deadline. Honestly, you …
So I won’t go on about it but I went to New York. For the weekend. With no kids. I know. I walked in Central Park desperately hoping to bump into Tom Hanks (I didn’t), window-shopped in Soho, stayed out late in Brooklyn and drank Old Fashioned like it was going out of…you know what I mean. We …
There’s one thing better than a perfect glass of wine – and that’s a perfect glass of wine with exactly the right kind of food. Seriously, when you get the flavour combination right, everything tastes better. A simple omelette is anything but when put with a glass of chilled Chablis. Fish and chips and a …
So that’s January almost over and done with. Thank goodness; it’s been exhausting. But I have JUST the thing for anyone in need of a little r&r. Lime Wood, in the New Forest, is one of the most gorgeous hotels I know and their Herb House Spa is positively d-r-e-a-m-y. There’s a spa day for two up for grabs …
A couple of weeks into the new year and I still feel like staying under a blanket until February, preferably with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange and a glass of red within reach. I have managed to get to one Pilates class so far this year. I know, hardly Joe Wicks but still. (I did read …
Last night, having just finished setting up for a KMWC wine tasting, a robin appeared and perched on the edge of the ice bucket. Look at the picture above! Could not have been more Christmassy. Anyway, having spent much of last week talking about not drinking on various radio shows to coincide with the launch of …
Oh, I’m feeling it. I’m even making some progress on the present list. Talking of which I thought I’d share a few of my favourite booze-related present ideas, just in case scrolling through Amazon is starting to mess with your head. More to come on Christmas feast-friendly wines next week but in the meantime, I give you: Best …
Recovering from a mad week. I was judging at the International Wine Challenge for most of it but what really did me in was a last-minute (rare) eyebrow thread. Seriously. Well, it was the free 30-second neck massage at the end to be precise. Lovely at the time but I woke up the next day with a …
So this is me, holding a copy of my new book – Teetotal Tipples – in my hand. Obviously, I have a glass of wine in the other. It’s now exactly a month until the book is out but you can pre-order it here! I wrote it because, having done a dry January earlier this year, I realised …
Thanks to so many of you buying the first ever KMWC wine case back in June – seriously, thank you! – we’ve been able to put together another one. Rather more hygge than high summer, this one’s got five fireside-friendly reds and four crisp-as-fresh-snow whites. There’s a couple of rose wines in there too because, as …
I’m often late to the party. I don’t mean an actual party. Just, you know, the “party”. Take parkas: only just ordered one and they’ve been around since, like, forever. Or box sets. By the time we sit down to watch something I’ve usually heard or read so much about it I feel like I’ve already seen it. Then there’s spiralising, although …
I’m a little delirious. I blame half term. Normally, when the kids are all at school, I get a clear day to do stuff. Until 3pm, that is, when all bets are off until at least 8pm. But at least there are a few hours in the day to work, write, taste wine (I know, ridiculous job) and …
That whole bake with your kids thing? Lovely in theory, carnage in practice in my experience. Last week we spent an evening making cupcakes for a friend’s charity cake sale at school. Once the cakes were made, Middle Boy and Youngest Girl set about decorating them with everything they could find in the the cupboard. Silver …
Last Saturday night, we had our biennial School Ball. It might be a tiny village school but when it comes to parties, it goes large. We’re talking black tie, dinner, dancing. For the last ten years I’ve had a go-to dress for such occasions: jade green, very Studio 54 (in my head). Minus the horse, obviously. Problem …
A new range of French wines, including some from Bordeaux, are set to hit Lidl’s shelves on Thursday this week. Hardly headline news but in fact it’s done just that, kicking up a little wine storm. Because some of the wines come from lesser-known vineyards neighbouring top estates, the latter charging much higher prices even though …
Remember when I did a dry January? I do, all too clearly. Anyway, the thing I found tough was not the not drinking so much as finding something non-alcoholic and interesting to drink in the evenings. Given that we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a glass of wine, it’s surprisingly difficult to …
Maybe it’s the back to school feeling in the air. More likely it’s the fact that I’ve got deadlines. Whatever: I can’t stop clearing out cupboards. It all started with the coat cupboard, where I found not one but two old puffa jackets I’d forgotten about. A boon because apparently they’re the only thing we …
You know how kids get a sticker if they’re brave/don’t cry when they visit the dentist? I think parents should get one of those for surviving the school shoe shop. Honestly, the seventh circle of hell is a more pleasant place to hang out than the John Lewis children’s shoe department in the last week of the …
Last Saturday night, I donned a gold lamé catsuit for a wine tasting. Of course I did, because it was Camp Bestival and I was doing the Secret Mummies Wine Club with the Scummy Mummies and DJ Sara Cox. And it was one of the funniest wine tastings I’ve ever done. The wines were fabulous, the crowd was gorgeous and …
My let-them-get-bored strategy has come back to bite me. “Mum, please can we do some painting?” are seven words you don’t want to hear at 6.35pm after a long day. It was enough to make me want to play Chardonnay Go. If you haven’t seen it, watch it here; forget Pokémon Go, this is way more …
Well, here we are. Six weeks of summer holidays. Six. Whole. Weeks. I mean, there’s lots to love. No school runs, no last minute hunts for clean school uniform and no reading book guilt. This is all good. Not so good: the permanent canteen/washing/taxi service needed to keep things ticking over. But I have a plan …
First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who’s ordered a case (or more) of our first ever KMWC exclusive wine case. It’s absolutely flying! Lots of you have already tucked in (I expect nothing less) and I’m loving hearing what you think of the wines. If you can, take a picture with bottle in hand …
When I asked you what else you’d like from The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club recently, lots of you suggested wine by the case. It made complete sense: order online, get it delivered, stock up and save time. Then I had an idea. And happily, one of my current favourite online wine by the case retailers thought …
I’ve got exciting news. But I can’t share it until next week so, given that I’m terrible at keeping secrets, I’m going to have to change the subject until then. Earlier this week I helped with a fundraising event called Barre to the Bar. It involved an introduction to barre pilates for 50 people led by my friend, the …
I have Camp Bestival news: I’m doing a wine tasting on the Saturday night with the wee-inducinginly funny, gold catsuit-rocking comedy duo The Scummy Mummies. And our host for the evening is DJ Sara Cox. I know! And, if you fancy doing another (smaller) pop-up tasting on the Friday, with just me and a load of lovely …
We went away last week for a few days during half term, to Scotland, with friends. Three days of glorious weather and picnics. Also: a run of late nights meaning I had to come back and lie in a darkened room. Which I did for, ooh, all of five minutes before somebody was asking me …
Half term is upon us and so, naturally, my thoughts turn to wine. It’s times like these we need volume. Portable volume. And if you’re off camping (mad fools!), you’ll need it in something other than glass. Now, wine boxes used to be boring, wine-wise. Then some of them got a bit better. But still …
As promised, a quick update on those booze-related beauty treatments I tested out last week. Washing my hair in beer made me smell like a brewery and washing my face in red wine, egg white and honey was as horrible as it sounds. However, making a home-made body scrub from tequila, salt, oil and lime juice …
I’m sitting here with wine on my face. Better than egg, you might think. But that’s on there too, along with some honey. My feet are submerged in vodka, my nails are soaked in gin and I’m about to pour beer on my head. With good reason: I’m testing out some booze-based beauty tricks for …
Another week in London for me this week, working at the International Wine Challenge. And in the evenings, I’ve gone crazy. Sort of. On Monday, an old wine friend treated me to dinner at Noble Rot, a new restaurant in Bloomsbury. Nothing rotten about it at all, rather it’s the most fabulous place for wine along with …
I’ve been tasting a lot of wine this week, about 100 a day, at the International Wine Challenge in London. Yesterday, an old friend and fellow wine judge reminded me of the time we tasted a flight (the fancy name for a line up of wines) of Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile together, almost twenty years ago, …
Last weekend went by in a haze of lamb, rioja and gold Lindt bunnies. Now we’re well into the school holidays and I’m mostly running on leftover eggs (chocolate, not chicken). That and wine, obviously. Talking of which, I’ve gone for more wine recommendations than usual this week given the circumstances. You know, just in case the chocolate runs out.
For my sister’s birthday, I ordered her the most fantastic sweatshirt from Selfish Mother’s (uh-mazing) website. It’s this one, grey with the word SISTA emblazoned across the front. Anyway, I sent it on to her, all wrapped up. But after about a week, she still hadn’t received it. Turns out, I’d sent it to her …
By George, wine duty is on the rise again. Delivering his latest Budget, the Chancellor froze duty on beer and spirits. But not wine, which will rise in line with inflation. We already pay £2.05 in tax on every bottle of wine we buy, and that’s before VAT. It’s enough to make you want to…well, you …
I posted this picture of Wonder Woman on Instagram to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day. I’m the one in the red t-shirt and blue dungarees. I was six years old, on holiday in Florida. And as you can see, I was in complete awe of Wonder Woman’s fabulousness. I loved that she could fly, had a …
So, Mother’s Day on Sunday. Already looking forward to my cup of tea in bed, cards and a few hastily freshly picked daffodils from the garden. But given that I plan to be on the sofa, glass in hand whilst someone else does the washing up, I want something really lovely in my glass. So this week’s wines are freshly …
Last week, I sent an email to everyone who subscribes to this blog asking what else you might like to see on here. I’m properly overwhelmed by the response so thank you – THANK YOU – for being so amazing. I love how many of you want, among other things, more on food and wine, on best deals …
So, Half Term. I’ve loved not having to wake up to an alarm when it’s still dark outside. Eating breakfast in our pyjamas (which may or may not have been chocolate brownies one particular morning – please don’t look at me like that) has been a joy. We’ve caught up with old mates, walked the dogs, played football (actually I …
Last Saturday, I was front page news. Well, sort of. My face was on the front of the paper – in Spain. Here, I was slightly less in-your-face, tucked inside with a feature on, er, my face. Specifically, the effect a wine-free month had on my skin, along with some rather hideous close-ups of it pre- and post-January. …
January is over. I repeat: o-vah. And man, am I glad to see the back of it. Not just because I was wasn’t drinking. Really. But I’m happy to report I’ve had my first glass of wine of the year. It was chilled, sparkling and perfect. We had it with fish & chips, with my in-laws (on the …
We’re nearly at the end of January *fist pump* which means I can have a glass of wine soon. So, seeing as we’re celebrating (nearly) the end of the toughest month of the year, I thought it was time for a little pick me up. I live down the road from the most lovely hotel, …
Yesterday was One Of Those Days. Came back from the school run to find the puppies had escaped from the kitchen, tearing through the bins on their way out before moving on to Youngest Girl’s cuddly toy stash. Opened the front door to utter carnage, like a horror version of The Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Stuffing everywhere. …
According to new alcohol consumption guidelines issued last week, drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week is bad for us. From now on we’re advised to drink no more than seven glasses of wine a week. If pregnant, it’s nothing at all. And you know that thing about wine being good for you in moderation? …
Ah, new year’s resolutions. Mine remain pretty much as they did last year. And the year before that. And the year before that. Basically, be healthy-ish and only shout when absolutely necessary. Usually, I’m an everything-in-moderation-including-moderation kinda girl. Except this year, for the first time ever, I’m going dry for January. No booze will pass my lips until …
I’m sure there’ll be a year when all the presents are wrapped and the food prepped ahead of time. Just not this one. But before we part company for a bit, here are some of the wines featured in a list I put together for The Pool, a brilliant website stuffed with great articles and the …
So, I’ve had a nightmare this half term. The washing machine broke. Honestly, it was terrifying. Piles of washing everywhere. On top of that, there’s Saturday’s Trickle Treat (as Youngest Girl calls it) outing to think about. Our kids usually bring home enough sweets to open a shop, thanks to us being one of only …
Last week, I was given a couple of pheasants. We’re surrounded by them at the moment: every morning on the school run they saunter across the road looking so very now with their glorious autumnal colours, their white neck collars giving them a faintly religious air. I wasn’t sure how to cook the ones I was …
Went to watch Middle Boy and Youngest Girl in their Harvest Festival show earlier today. And it really was a show, including a song called ‘Rock & Roll Harvest’. My favourite Neil Young song is Harvest Moon, but this came pretty close as harvest-themed songs go. Funnily enough, one of the first posts I ever …
You already know about my granola habit. Tonight – I blame Bake Off – I decided to move on to bread. Now, I love my carbs (how can you not love carbs?) and so when I saw the recipe for protein bread in Jamie Oliver’s new cookbook Super Food (a recent birthday present), I thought …
So, this time last week I’d just filed a story for the paper. It was a bit of a deviation for me because it wasn’t about wine. Rather, it was about how I met my husband. And though I realised a fair few people would read it, nothing prepared me for the response to the piece. …
So, the ‘news’ that Victoria Beckham was spotted leaving a London Fashion Week party with a suspicious wet patch on her trousers was dismissed with a simple ‘4 kids 50 cocktails no brainer’ text from my sister. (We do discuss other more serious issues on occasion. Mostly stuff like this, though). And we sympathised because …
Normally, I write a weekly post for this blog fairly late at night. But given that I’ve now got an extra half hour in the mornings I never knew I had, I thought I’d write this one early. Fuelled by granola, obviously. Yes, my stocks of granola are like Willy Wonka’s gobstoppers: never ending. Compared …
“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”, said Alice. Or rather, Lewis Carroll did. Well, turns out I sort of know what he means, now that my alarm goes off at 6.15am in order to get Eldest Boy out of bed and ready to catch the bus to his new …
You’ve got to love a chorus that goes Ba De Ya. Earth Wind & Fire sang about dancing in September when, according to them, there never was a cloudy day. A little wide of the mark given the past week but a great song nonetheless. Anyway, September in this house is all about early mornings …
Me & my sister at Camp Bestival. It might be pissing down with rain now but here’s proof that we did have blue skies this summer. Gone in a flash, though. Well, it might have seemed ENDLESS sometime in the middle but we’re now less than a week away before they go back to school. …
The Scummy Mummies perform their song – for us! I’ve got all three for you this week. First up, listen to this podcast by the Scummy Mummies. Recorded at Camp Bestival last month, we talk about wine, stalking Cheryl and play Celebrity Wines (clue: Cava Delevigne was one of the answers). At the end of …
This is me, at the Knackered Mother’s Wine Club tasting at Camp Bestival last Saturday. We had a brilliant crowd, including a gorgeous lady who’d got married that day at Camp Bestival’s inflatable church (not making this up) and another on her hen night. There was a performance by the brilliant Scummy Mummies, Ellie & …
If I ever get my arse into gear and write the fiction book that floats around in my head from time to time, this would be the title. But for now, with the nightmare juggle that is school holidays, work and trying to not let the house go to ruin, this just relates to my …
Eileen Hardy (by Lord Snowdon) Earlier this week, I went for dinner in the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Now, I’m not a huge cricket fan (remember my Andrew Strauss story?) but you don’t say no to dinner at Lord’s along with a bunch of cricketing legends during The Ashes. I was there as …
So, I went to Lake Como last week. I won’t go on about it (much) but SERIOUSLY. One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. And we had a Very Famous Person on our flight out. I realised something was up when one of the air stewards practically exploded with excitement and mouthed to …
I went to a big blogging conference in London last Friday, BritMums Live, to speak on a panel. Along with English Mum and Honest Mum, we were asked to talk to an audience of bloggers about our stories and how we’ve gone about building our blogs. And I got to meet Ella Woodward from Deliciously …
Last Saturday, we went to a local fete in the grounds of a nearby stately. It’s one of my favourites, complete with dog show (including a dogs-who-look-like-their-owners round), a Punch & Judy show and a myriad of stalls including cake, plant and bottle. I won a bottle of Amaretto on the latter, which was a …
Last night was Book Club and no, I hadn’t read the book (it was a medical-themed book with really tiny print – double whammy). I took a bottle of English white wine in the hope it would act as a diversion – it sort of worked – and as ever the chat was 10% book, …
In the last few years, I’ve been lucky enough to do wine tastings at festivals all over the place. And one of the highlights was at Camp Bestival last year, a pop-up tasting for fifty fellow knackered mothers and wine lovers. So I’m really happy to have been asked back again this year as part …
We’ve just returned from a few days staying with old mates in Scotland and joining us on our long journey home were a couple of new additions to our household. Meet Yankee & Zulu, our eight week old cocker spaniel puppies. Half term just got a whole lot more hectic, in a good way. Like …
Yesterday, I spent the day at the London Wine Fair. It’s an annual trade fair that I’ve been to almost every year since I began working in the wine industry 20 years ago. Obviously things have changed enormously in that time, not least the fact that I now no longer have the energy to go …
‘Where’s your wee wine gone?’ asked Eldest Boy earlier today. He was referring to the wine I’ve just made. As a wine buyer I spent much of my time in cold cellars tasting wine samples from tanks but until now, I’d never made my own wine from start to finish. Granted, the grapes came in …
I know it’s what’s on the inside that counts but when it comes to wine labels, I’m a sucker for a good looking label. Whether it’s wine, a book or something in Anthropologie (make that anything in Anthropologie), liking the look of something is what makes me pick it up in the first place. And …
I love a good handbag. And given that most of the armful I own are old vintage, I especially love the ones built to last. No mean feat when it’s not uncommon to have a bottle of wine stashed inside (for work purposes, obviously) along with the usual wallet/keys/sunglasses combo and any number of squashed …
Laughter is the best medicine, or so they say. Clearly they forgot wine, carbs and Codeine but I know what they were getting at. Anyway, one of the biggest successes of the Easter holidays so far has been the comedy workshop that Middle Boy went to last week. Run by my old friend Laura, she’s …
Last weekend, the sun came out. And so did the rosé. There is something about pink wine that hints at summer better than any other wine – and it definitely shines in the sun. This is me, on Easter Monday, at a restaurant on the Isle of Wight called The Hut. If you are ever …
L-R: Hugh, Michel Roux Jr (chair) & Jancis Last night, a friend and I went to a brilliant event in London that brought together two of the world’s best wine writers, Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson. If you only ever buy one wine book in your life (once you’ve bought mine, of course *best smile*), make …
I’m supposed to be in the cinema as I type this, watching Fifty Shades of Grey with friends (I live in the sticks, it took a while to get here). But I just didn’t have the energy: too tired. Oh, the irony! In my defence, I was out last night – Book Club – and …
Last Friday, I went to the Bath Literary Festival and my session was at 7.30pm. Turned out so was Kazuo Ishiguro’s, in the room next door. He might have won the Booker Prize but I had free wine (very kindly donated by wine merchant Averys of Bristol – thank you, Mimi). And afterwards, as I …
So, London Fashion Week finished yesterday. I know this because lots of pictures of the bottom half of people in ‘distressed’ jeans and bare ankles on my Instagram feed told me. I do love the circus of fashion but given that not wearing a fleece on the school run is a major fashion statement for …
Last week, when everyone went Fifty Shades of mad about a certain film, I tweeted that my abiding memory of the book was the wine descriptions. Specifically, how delicious they sounded (there was definitely a cool, crisp Chablis at some point; and I think there was a Sancerre and a Pouilly Fume too, always perfectly …
Photo: Annie Spratt My friend Annie took this beautiful photo when she visited the project Mothers2Mothers in Kenya just a few weeks ago as part of Team Honk’s work to highlight projects being supported by Comic Relief. In Kenya, more than a million children have been orphaned after losing one or both parents to HIV. Mothers2Mothers …
This week, I’ve been mostly fuelled by tea and chocolate brownies. One day I will have a tin of ready-made healthy snacks to tuck into. That, and a pre-made tiffin box of quinoa salad on hand for lunch on-the-go. Just not this week. But today, with deadlines met, I dropped in to see my mum …
I know that tasting and writing about wine for a living is a ridiculously lovely job. But given that wine is usually enjoyed in the company of friends and with food on the table, attending a wine trade tasting is somewhat different. Take a room and fill it with wines, winemakers, press and buyers. Add …
Every year, on or around the 25th January, we do Burns Night. I’m married to a sort-of-Scot (my father-in-law was born and brought up in Edinburgh; the Husband’s more of a Hampshire Highlander) so Burns is big in his family. One year, my sister-in-law and I took on the cooking with the help of Pippa …
Friday night fizz. Small things. You know my feelings about January. I don’t much like it. Which is why it’s important to have things to look forward to, however small. As I type, the Husband is on his way back from a week in Taiwan. And he’s just texted from Duty Free to ask if I …
Follow your dreams and never give up, goes the saying (and Cara D on Instagram). So I’m going to do exactly that and not give up wine in January. Obviously I will be drinking less owing to the mince pie & madeira madness of last month but otherwise I hope to be sipping something delicious …
On a shoot last week, hat at jaunty angle. This last week has been a blur of school music concerts, nativity plays (the cowboy theme totally worked, by the way), panic baking and just-about-making work deadlines. The children are so ready for the end of term and so excited about Christmas. Me too, not least …
I do love a nativity play. I was once Angel Gabriel to my husband’s Joseph. We were five years old at the time and I remember thinking that, even if I wasn’t Mary, at least I had a speaking part. Tomorrow, it’s our children’s turn. Apparently there’s a cowboy theme (me neither) and Middle Boy’s …
Ah, the school Show & Tell letter. Normally, it goes on the fridge, stuck on with the only remaining magnet with less than three pieces of paper already underneath it. Finding out which magnet to pick involves a game of fridge magnet russian roulette: one wrong move and you’ve got papers all over the kitchen …
You can’t buy happiness but you can buy wine and that’s kind of the same thing, or so the saying goes. But I’m not drinking wine this week: combination of a late night on Saturday (old friend’s wedding, too many cocktails) and the fact that I’ve now got a cold. Normally, I’d go with the …
Pre-wine tasting egg & baconbreakfast (not incl. wine) I’ve spent the last couple of days at The Oval, but I’m not there for the cricket. (I once asked Andrew Strauss if he was following The Ashes, not realising he was the England captain at the time but that’s another story). As ever, I’m there for …
Best party trick ever. So, today a space probe landed on a comet for the first time. And Kim Kardashian balanced a champagne glass on her bum. Guess which one broke the internet? But here’s the tragic part. All I could think when I saw the photo of KK was goodness, what spillage! Still, she looks …
Every year, when the temperature drops, I do the jumper swap. Away go the 286 breton-stripped tops that I own (I’ve been buying them since 1988; never got the memo about horizontal stripes and big boobs). Out come the chunky knits and in them I stay until at least March. Except, when I sorted through …
Hooray for half term. Sort of. As we crawl towards it, I’m half-excited, half-panicking. Excited about not having to set the alarm quite so early. Panicking about fitting in some work. The children are most excited about Halloween, obviously. Which has turned into a monster (pun intended). They usually come back from Trick or Treating …
I’ve tried a lot of wine today, even by my standards. Over 250 in fact, at various supermarket wine tastings. And even though I can face nothing but a cup of hot chocolate now, I’m looking forward to sharing details on the best of them including an amazing French pair that’ll make brilliant party wines …
Guess where I went last week? No, not to market. But neither did I stay at home. Rather, I had a night away in a hotel called The Pig – on the beach. It’s in Studland Bay and I was asked to join a party for dinner and then stay the night. In a bed, …
I was going to settle down to write this hours ago. But then I started reading other blogs, some SO bloody brilliant, I couldn’t stop reading them. Like this post from Reluctant Launderer, in which she makes bread and drinks cocktails. Or this one from Claire at Crumbs (warning, it’s sad but there is cake). …
The last time we picked a winner on the blog, my mother wasn’t available to do the honours. She was on her way to the cinema ‘2 c When I wake up’. Not only does she text like a teen, she has a brilliant way of slightly re-wording things (she was actually seeing Before I …
An old friend said this morning as we passed at the school gates: “Isn’t it someone’s special day tomorrow?” I must have looked blank. “It’s your birthday, isn’t it?” Yes! I said. It is! Except I’d completely forgotten. This never used to happen. In my Twenties, the build up involved wish lists (no necessities, luxury …
So, I was at The London Studios earlier this week for the start of the final series of The Alan Titchmarsh Show (I’m back on as the booze hound on his Friday show) when a man walked into the Make Up room. He looked really familiar but I just couldn’t place him. ‘You know who …
Tomorrow morning, things might just get a bit stress-y round here. After six weeks of not having to say shout ‘I’M LEAVING IN FIVE MINUTES AND IF YOU’RE NOT IN THE CAR YOU’RE WALKING TO SCHOOL’, we’re back to the old routine. Alarm clocks, rushed breakfasts and the obligatory last minute missing shoe searches (sometimes …
Our holiday shoes. This time last week, we were on holiday. Highlights include: 1. Going barefoot, wearing nothing but a swimming costume and kaftan until the sun dipped. 2. Having to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the lady in the village shop in an effort to check it was indeed caster sugar, rather than salt, that …
Well, that was fun. My Camp Bestival highlights included the wine tasting I did for 50 fellow knackered mothers on Saturday evening; seeing the children race around the Kids’ Garden in their circus outfits (one elephant, two human cannonballs and a clown); and sitting outside our tent in the evening sun sipping bag in box …
Tents and festivals are not my usual habitat but this weekend I’m doing both, at Camp Bestival. My sister and I are yet to do Paper, Scissors, Rock to decide who has to share a tent with my mother (she’s a terrible snorer) but apart from that, it’s excitement all round. People have been asking …
“Blimey, are they still at school?” remarked my husband as Eldest Boy scooted past in his school uniform. That was yesterday and yes, they were still at school. Today, happily, they are not. Instead, the weeks stretch ahead and – especially with this glorious weather – there’s much to look forward to. We’re off to …
A bucket. Of chips. I love a list. But I don’t have a bucket list. So I thought I’d write one for this summer. Not the usual climb-a-mountain-run-a-marathon kind of list though. Rather, a wine bucket list: 10 wines I aim to find and buy and drink over the summer. Here it is: 1. Alpine …
I’m starting to think about writing another book. One of my oldest friends wants me to write one about bubbles: Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, English Sparkling Wine and anything else that fits the bill and should be in your glass at some point. I love the idea, but secretly think she just wants an excuse for …
So, we’ve done Sports Day. Now we’ve just got the School Fete (cue calls for homemade cakes) and a School Play (cue more calls for homemade cakes) to go. As you may know, I sometimes resort to the fake bake at this stage. But one thing I can do is Teachers’ Presents. Now, some of …
I started a post last night, then suddenly remembered I was supposed to be baking something for today’s Sports Day. It was 10pm. I went to the fridge, took out a solid block of butter and realised it just wasn’t going to happen. And so it was I started my day with a sprint of …
I was at the Borders Book Festival this weekend. And it was brilliant fun. Here’s my selfie at the start of the session (rude not to). And not only was the crowd simply lovely, I got to meet up with my blogging mate Harriet and drink wine in the Green Room with her whilst Emma Thompson’s mother discussed …
I planned to do a KMWC wine surgery film tonight but, after Vegas, my eyes are like piss holes in the snow (to coin one of my mother’s favourite sayings). So we’ll leave that for next week. Instead, I have a rather excellent giveaway. As you know (unless you’re new here, in which case, welcome …
Sequins, check. I’m off to Vegas. For work. For four days. I know, I’m extremely lucky. I’ll have time to sit by a pool, do a spot of shopping, have grown up dinners and see a show (not Britney though, I checked). But the thing I am most looking forward to? A lie-in. After last week’s …
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