Homestyle Gossip

By collecting Airmiles, you can enjoy a choice of hundreds of free days out and free activities across the country. This includes a range of driving experiences. From driving a tank to handling a rally vehicle, there’s something for all the family.

While many of the free activities that relate to driving require you to be 17 years old or over, with a full drivers’ licence, there are plenty that don’t. Youngsters from the age of 8 can enjoy a quad biking experience (although under 18s must be accompanied by an adult). Alternatively, with Father’s Day coming up, why not book a dad ‘n’ lads military driving experience? Kids from 8 years old can join their dads as they drive the same vehicles the squaddies do – over the same kind of terrain.

Ever wondered what it’s like to drive a fire engine, or handle a 340 horse power juggernaut? In Louth, Lincolnshire, these are free days out that anyone over 17 years of age with a full driving licence can enjoy. Passengers are welcome – meaning kids can sit next to dad (or mum) as they play at being Fireman Sam!

Like your free days out to pass in a hurry? Then why not try rally driving? Also available as a part-day or half-day experience, you get to drive a powerful performance car like a Subaru Impreza or Lotus Elise over a rally circuit at top speed. Power slides all the way – just watch how you drive home afterwards.

For a safer alternative, you can race round Brands Hatch from just 405 Airmiles, courtesy of a simulated F1 session. Just like the real thing, free activities like these are something the whole family can enjoy – at any age.

Summertime is no reason to give up your favorite coffee brew but learn how to enjoy in more ways with a smooth, cold, deliciously flavoured Frappuccino. Whether you like bold and strong or mild and sweet, make your perfect drink with creative coffee syrups.

You can make a Frappe Shake with few ingredients that will make your guests believe that you ran to the coffee shop. Start with a teaspoon of your favorite instant espresso or coffee. Add four ounces of cold water, ten ounces of crushed ice, and two ounces of milk then turn on the blender.

Before long, you will be experimenting with cocoa, coconut, cinnamon, vanilla and hazelnut. Add sugar to taste and you have a luscious treat without all of the calories of an ice cream shake.

If you are not counting calories, try a frozen caramel Frappuccino delight. Mix up 1½ cup of cool coffee, ½ cup milk, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup, 1/8-teaspoon vanilla extract, add 3 cups of crushed ice and blend. After creaminess starts to form, add 2 tablespoons of caramel syrup.

This recipe makes enough to share with a friend but only after a topping of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel or chocolate has been added. Caramel is so dreamy but if you are a chocoholic, bring on the chocolate syrup instead of caramel.

What better way to end an exercise workout than with an ice-cold high protein mocha banana or peanut butter Frappuccino shake. You can find flavoured protein mixes in a variety of tastes but chocolate truffle works extremely well with the mocha banana Frappuccino.

Mix 2 teaspoons of protein mix with 2 ounces banana syrup, 2 tablespoons sugar free chocolate syrup, 1-cup skim milk and 2 cups crushed ice. When making a peanut butter Frappuccino, replace the banana syrup with 2 tablespoons peanut butter to add real kicker flavour.

There are many different types of syrups that are breathing new life into your favorite coffee pleasures, many developed by coffee shops and gourmet coffee distributors. Starbucks has introduced a line of eleven special flavours to enjoy in your Frappuccino drink; cold or hot while Whittard of Chelsea offers instant ground coffee with the flavour already packed in!

A favorite coffee beverage can be made even better with the choices of flavours that are now available. If you have found just the right blend of coffee that no other can beat, use your taste buds to determine what additional flavours can make a great Frappuccino. Hazelnut, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon and even gingerbread can make that perfect blend even better. Summertime is a special season to enjoy by sitting on the porch and enjoying the sensuous taste of a delectable ice cold Frappuccino.

Tweet Tweet! Calling all iPhone addicts: Need to extend your twitter following? Sure we all follow our friends and favourite celebrities, but did you know you could learn a few things on Twitter as well?

Well we’ve got just the thing to help!

We’ve searched the Twittersphere and handpicked the top 10 iPhone Twitterers actively engaging with users online.

1. @Matt is from Edinburgh and is a freelance iPad, iPhone and MAC OS developer. He frequently talks about iPhones in his posts and has 5000+ followers but only follows 157 users. He actively engages with twitter users through regular updates.

http://twitter.com/mattgemmell

2. @MuscleNerd is an LA based self proclaimed ‘iPhone hacker’. He has his own blog at http://blog.iphone-dev.org/ and is extremely twitter active.

http://twitter.com/MuscleNerd

3. @AppBoy is apparently from ‘cyberspace’ and really engages with readers, offering a great guide for iPhone users on various apps and functions.

http://twitter.com/AppBoy

4. @Clatko is interested in all things technology, specifically when it comes to Apple and the iPhone. His website is http://www.latko.org and he has a contact page where he is more then happy to communicate with users. He is very engaging and has over 200,000 followers. Many updates on the iPhone 4.

http://twitter.com/clatko

5. @Joehewitt is a software developer based in California with 20,000 + followers.  He has already got the iPhone4 and shares his views on it with readers and offers information and advice.

http://twitter.com/joehewitt

6. @Sophiestication = Sophie, a user interface sorceress living in Germany. She creates articles and tips on the iPhone for her readers. She has 7,000 followers.

http://twitter.com/sophiestication
7. @Krapps is a slightly different take on iPhones from the norm. They aim to entertain their users by providing whacky and weird iPhone apps. Over 13,000 followers.

http://twitter.com/KRAPPS

8. @Flyosity designs and builds software and is a developer of digital post for the iPad. Offers interesting insight into the iPhone.

http://twitter.com/flyosity

9. @SebastienPage is the founder of the iPhone Download blog and admits to being a serial tweeter! What better source to get your iPhone information from. He has over  37,000 followers.

http://twitter.com/SebastienPage

10. @MacTweeter is an Irish tweeter who provides his readers with the latest Apple news from the most reliable sources. It’s no wonder he has more then 126,000 followers!

http://twitter.com/macTweeter

This article was written on behalf of Protect your Bubble. For more information please see iPhone Insurance or Mobile Phone Insurance.

Badly thought out bathroom and cloakroom lighting can often create a very clinical space. For a room where many of us want to have a soak in the bath or just unwind at the end of a busy and stressful day, however modern your bathroom or cloakroom suites, a very bright penetrating light is the last thing you want.

With the advent of Jacuzzis and all round showers, modern bathroom suites create a room more like a home spa than the sterile utilitarian space it used to be. Although up to the minute tiling and fittings provide a very sleek and modern look, sympathetic well designed lighting strategically placed sets the mood for an enjoyable experience.

A modern bathroom these days is a multi-faceted space. Functional lighting is required particularly over or around mirrors to provide a shadow free reflected image for shaving, brushing teeth, applying makeup and hair styling. Controlled lighting whether over a bath or within a self contained cubicle or walk in wet room provides bright light for a quick shower or bath or subdued lighting for something more intimate. Wall sconces also bring a feeling of luxury into a bathroom or cloakroom that traditionally has been reserved for living areas and a central chandelier in a bathroom adds that real feeling of glamour into a traditionally sterile space.

From an ecological perspective, halogen and energy efficient lighting should be used but again this need not restrict lighting effects where many different models and styles provide the variety of lighting you want plus varying shades of bulb are available from subdued gold to piercing white.

Natural lighting also must not be ignored. A well placed window, sunlight tube or skylight for when those wonderful warm sunny days send shafts of light streaming into your bathroom and large mirrors cascade natural and artificial lighting around your bathroom to wake you out of your slumbers and get you ready for your day.

-       “Make Time for Safety”

21^st to 27^th June 2010 is Child Safety Week. This week is dedicated to making both children and parents aware of ways to stay safe. Every year, child safety week focuses on a different aspect of the safety of young people to help raise awareness. This year, the focus is to make time for safety. So simple, yet so many of us are not taking part in this. Accidents are one of the biggest factors contributing to child deaths, with numbers rising up to 5 young people a week. Many of these accidents can be avoided by making a change.

This does not only apply to people who have children, but any environment where a child may end up. The idea behind Child Safety Week is that we can make great changes to children’s lives if by making a few small changes so that we are better prepared for these situations. Child safety week can pretty much apply to anyone, in any industry as long as your willing to spread the message!

Here are a few very basic things you can do that will contribute to bringing down the number of accidents that occur every year that can be avoided:

1)     Safety in the sun – Children have ultra sensitive skin and should not be exposed to high sunrays without having the appropriate sunscreen on. Remember to reapply every few hours.

2)      Keep sharp objects out of reach – it sounds simple but so many children are injured by picking up something that was easily accessible to them that shouldn’t have been.

3)     If your kids are surfing the internet, make sure the appropriate privacy settings have been applied and make sure you are internet savvy enough to pick up on something if it doesn’t feel right.

Show your support for child safety week, and show that you care! Remember, a few small changes is all that it takes!

As society changes, tastes change, and something which is particularly popular amongst young first time home buyers today is the open plan kitchen.

Although combining your kitchen with your living room is not to everyone’s taste, there are a lot of advantages. Not only does an open plan kitchen allow you to cook spaciously without the common problems of narrow fitted kitchens with not enough space to manoeuvre, but also to chat and socialize with your guests or family whilst doing so.

One thing to bear in mind when deciding on this type of kitchen is the appliances you choose to decorate it with. Obviously they have to be practical, but also attractive to a certain extent as they are more on show than in a normal kitchen.

During a dinner party you may want your guests to notice your colour coordinated appliances or stylish pots and pans. Remember this doesn’t always mean extra expense, just a good sense of style.

If you boast a particularly large open plan kitchen, you might want to consider breaking up the space a little with such things as a breakfast bar or a small dining table. These things make your kitchen practical as well as stylish and become a popular way to bring the family together in an informal way.

A separate oven or stove top is a very attractive way to decorate your open plan kitchen and is not as pricey as it may seem. It all depends upon your individual needs of course, perhaps you prefer extra worktop space for the chef in you, or would rather have a larger oven for those numerous family members. However you choose to decorate, open plan fitted kitchens bring that modern and sociable touch to your kitchen that every household needs.

Although you might not realise it, your bathroom can be a highly dangerous place. Bathroom suites and shower bath suites require certain safety issues to be taken care of in order for you to reduce the risks to yourself and your family.

The following five points include some important steps you can take to keep your bathroom safe:

1. Keep electrical appliances away from bathroom suites. For most this goes without saying. But for others, it is just all too tempting to have an electric heater in the bathroom or to have a television set to watch while relaxing in the bath.

The fact is however that electrical items pose a huge health risk. Your bathroom has many sources of water and although you will try to prevent water from going too near the devices, you can’t always control it. The only electrical appliances you should have in your bathroom are ones designed for bathroom use such as razors or toothbrushes.

2. Ensure the floors are kept dry. One of the most common household accidents is slipping on a wet floor. Bathroom floors can get very slippery, so you should make sure to dry them any time you splash water on them.

3. Place handle-bars near the most dangerous areas. Putting a metal hand rail near the sink, toilet and bath would be beneficial in case the floor ends up being slippery and causes a slip or trip onto a hard floor.

4. Be careful about hot water. Make sure your water heating system doesn’t make the temperature of your water too hot. Many people scald themselves on overly-hot tap water.

5. Store all bathroom cleaning products safely. This is especially important if you have young children, since some of these products can be highly dangerous.

Bathroom suites, like any part of your house, need loving care and attention in order to keep them looking pristine.

By keeping your new bathroom clean, you will help to maximise their potential and prevent its lifetime being cut much shorter than what it should be.

Many of the things you need to do to care for bathroom suites will depend on what type of suite you have (wood, china, stainless steel, etc). Nevertheless, there are things you should know regardless of what type of bathroom suite you have.

First of all, when cleaning your bathroom surfaces, you should be careful about how long you leave general household cleaners on them before rinsing it off. Make sure this is never longer than for a few minutes at a time.

Bathroom cleaners are strong substances that can damage your surfaces if you leave them soaking for an excessive amount of time. This is especially important for any wood surfaces you may have, which are at particular risk of being damaged by cleaning agents.

After you have washed your bathroom taps, you are best wiping them over with a cloth. This helps bring out the finish and makes them look as shiny as possible – especially good when you have guest round.

Many types of counters available for bathroom suites and en suite bathrooms are made of materials such as glass which can shatter easily. Avoid putting glasses on top of bathroom counters, and if you feel the need to drink here, opt to use a plastic cup instead.

With regards to the toilet, it is best to stay away from cleaners that you put inside the tank. These can eventually result in the flushing mechanism being disrupted due to damage to the flush valve.

One of the main concerns for anyone who is getting older, or those who have elderly relatives, is the cost of care in old age. It can be a worrying factor for many people, especially if you don’t have any capital or savings and are living on benefits. It is possible to plan for the cost of care homes in advance by purchasing an annuity, which is the payment of a lump sum to an insurance company who will then agree to pay set fees for the remainder of your life. This can provide security for your old age and ensure you receive the care that you need.

Many care homes provide independent living care which allows you to retain a sense of independence whilst living in an environment where you will receive care if you require it. Sometimes as you get older you may become forgetful which can be dangerous, or not be quite as steady on your feet which can be a danger. Care homes can be the answer to a safe life whilst being able to take care of yourself. Care homes will usually provide nursing care, although if you require full time and permanent nursing care you will usually have to stay in a nursing home.

Financing for elderly care is a complicated business and many people are not sure who pays fees and whether any help from the government is available. If you have assets and income, including your home and any savings you have which are below a set level, then the local authority will fund the cost of your care home. If you have income and assets above this limit you will be expected to pay towards the cost. If you are living in a care home you will receive some sort of benefit such as Attendance Allowance, which will also be used to fund care homes, but you will be allowed to retain a set amount for yourself.

For some of us gardening can be an immeasurable pleasure, but for others it is a bit of a chore. However, having the right gardening tools provides you with a fighting chance of creating some pleasurable outside space as well as an appreciable asset to any home.

You do not need massive amounts of gardening equipment to keep the average sized garden under control. Obviously if you have some sort of lawn, then a mower is a must and there are any number of models and sizes on the market from manual, to electric or petrol for larger gardens.

Hand tools such as forks and spades for tilling and aerating the soil, hoes for digging out weeds, rakes for smoothing down the soil and trowels for planting garden bulbs and seeds provide the essentials. All these hand tools take some physical effort but become part of the gardening process and soil that is dug regularly every year produces a light soil that is easy to work with so the effort put in initially becomes less over time.

Pruners are also an ideal tool for any garden. Growing shrubs provides more garden cover and ultimately less weeding. Pruning shrubs at the end of a plant’s flowering prepares it for the following year. Think of it like snipping hair and get pleasure out of pruning. It is not backbreaking work and produces good results. If you have small to medium sized trees in your garden, then buying pole pruners works out cheaper than hiring a tree surgeon and these usually extend to about 15 feet. Plus hedge clippers for extensive boundary hedging.

A good long hose or sprinkler is always essential particularly during droughts when the weather is warm. Most plants will die without some sort of hosing during the summer months and lawns need sprinklers to keep them nice and green.