Nine year old Frankie Appleton likes to count gates.

One day, she hopes to design the perfect gate – a gate to keep the bad things out.

Little does she know that the bad things have already got in.

Thus reads the back blurb on The Weight of Small Things. The art of writing this blurb really needs to be more widely lauded. Here we have the very essence of the book – a small child, possibly a little unusual, possibly a little obsessive, who is clearly in a dangerous situation. We have the pull on the heartstrings for the child and the intrigue of what the ‘bad things’ are. And what will happen?

When we first meet Frankie she is indeed counting gates though swish of windscreen wipers  in a friend’s car. Apart from her readerships of Designing Gates magazine, all seems normal until she gets home and finds a mug with the smell of whisky and wonders whether her mother is ‘entertaining’. But her mother is dead and the police think it is suicide. Frankie thinks it is murder and, from her new home in her Grandmother’s high rise flat, sets out to prove it.

In 1979, Peggy, Frankie’s mother, is a young woman who is determined to escape her past. But meeting Ed at a Bob Dylan concert leads to domesticity and then a death and personal destruction.

This is a first time book by author Julie Lancaster, who manages to ably pull us into the mind of a bright nine year old who’s already not-very-satisfactory life is broken up by an act of violence and her quest to solve a murder, and the disturbed head of a woman whose life falls apart. I felt there were slightly too many narrators, especially as Frankie is by far the most engaging character and the one you want to stay with, but overall an excellent debut.

Mirror Books

£8.99

IBSN 9781913406189

Making the world a better place was Sarah Kauss’s aim when she started S’well in 2010, with a goal to rid the world of single-use plastic bottles.

So far she’s over 4 billion single-use plastic water bottles closer to that goal, so well done Sarah.

But it doesn’t stop there – S’well have committed $1.7 million to UNICEF and made a recent donation of $1 million worth of products to healthcare heroes.

So what’s so special about S’well Bottles? Well, like a normal thermos, they keep hot drinks hot, and cold drinks cold – but they do it so much better. Due to their triple-layered, vacuum-insulated construction, cold drinks stay cold for up to 24 hours and hot ones hot for up to 12 hours. They’re made from stainless steel with a copper wall layer, to prevent condensation and are light and sleek, and of course unbreakable.

There’s an enormous range of patterns and colours to reflect your personality or mood – and prevent anyone ‘accidently’ pinching yours. The wide neck is especially designed to be large enough for ice cubes and they come in three sizes – the 250ml small enough for your handbag; the 500ml normal gym water bottle and the 750ml one, which conveniently holds the contents of a full bottle of wine. So you can keep your sauvignon blanc chilled, and your amarone at room temperature – whatever your guilty secret (although please don’t use your gym bottle for a crafty tipple on the cross-trainer – stick to water whilst you’re working out).

But S’well have expanded to many other products too – using the same super technology. So you can keep your snacks hot, or cold; or use their different shaped bottles for carrying your commuter-coffee; there are beautiful bowls, to keep salads cool or soups hot, and their barware range has the most lovely wine chillers and gorgeous champagne flutes.

You can see the full range at the S’well website.

Hydration is so important and such attractive bottles all help to ensure we drink regularly. I absolutely love my satin hunting green bottle.

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

I stumbled across the Blurt Foundations one day whilst scrolling through Facebook and what caught my eye was their ‘Buddy Boxes’ where I could chose items to be put into this buddy box and I could either keep it for myself or send it to someone who is in need of an emotional  pick me up. The Blurt foundation kindly sent me a box so I could have a look at what they put inside  and how this would help ease the strain of depression and anxiety.

I suffer with both of the awful mental health problems and was eager to see how the buddy box could help.

My buddy box arrived super quick and was packaged appealingly.  Inside I had: a crochet kit, a thankfulness log, some vegan dark chocolate, organic lip balm and a card.

That afternoon (and after a rather stressful morning) I thought I would attempt the crochet chicken kit and i was pleasantly surprised to find it therapeutic , it turned out horrendously due to my poor skills but I felt so much calmer for completing it. Then there was the chocolate and anyone who knows me knows how much of a chocoholic I am so I naturally enjoyed it and the fact that it was vegan friendly is a bonus. The lip balm is lavender and bergamot scented and is beautiful and I use it daily now. My favourite item has to be the thankfulness log where I can write down: how I’m feeling, what I am thankful for , something that made me smile along with a few things that I would like to remember about my day. I keep this on my bedside table ready to fill out.

So on reflection I would highly recommend the Buddy Boxes from The Blurt Foundation, but not just for the amazing and unique items but for what the blurt foundation stands for.

“While depression is a common condition, there are a lot of misconceptions about it. At Blurt we work hard to increase understanding of depression, from the perspective of those who’ve actually experienced it.

We blog about living with, managing, and supporting others with depression in a friendly, accessible way. Our resources explain key issues clearly – we don’t believe in complicating things unnecessarily. Plus everything we do comes with a heavy dollop of empathy.”

https://www.blurtitout.org/buddybox

I was absolutely delighted with the bonnet and discovered it  was made by Barb, of I Love to Crochet by Barb. It arrived in a superior blue bag, appropriate for a grandson  and that attention to detail is typical,  I have come to discover, of Barb – designer and crocheter (if there is such a word). Because of course, I had to go to the source and find out more about this lovely product, and what else  Barb makes, and how she originally set up and on… and on…

The answer is Barb makes all sorts, including evening bags so with Christmas coming, and if there are any parties under present circumstances, take a look at these.

A fabulously crafted novel from award winning author, Jane Cable, who seamlessly merges the 2nd World War with present day. Not easy, but Cable makes it seem so.

So, let’s meet Rachel Ward, Cable’s main character, who is as flawed as many of us, though perhaps some of us avoid her particular failing which is falling repeatedly for a wrong ‘un. Oh yes she does, and is yet again having to extricate herself from a dead end affair, this time with her married boss.

Unsurprisingly she is forced to leave her long term posting in Southampton, and the love affair,  and head for a temporary role as an Archaeology Lecturer at Lincoln University.

But does a change of scene make any difference? Will she still run full pelt towards disaster when a male student makes it clear he is attracted to her, or will she sort herself out, once and for all, and stop all this self induced pain. But in order to find some balance in her life, and in her emotions, does she need to reflect on why she repeats this self-destructive behaviour? If so, how can she brings this journey of self discovery about?

 In an effort to prevent herself heading for the immediate danger she distracts herself with extra work – for Jonathan Daubney, a property developer.

It is through Jonathan that she visits a 2nd World War RAF base, a base that gives off a disturbing atmosphere. But why?

Well, she wanted a distraction, and it seems she has that in spades as she delves into the local history of life at the RAF station during that painful period.

As well as meeting new friends, she finds a world that might well lead her towards a greater understanding of herself, and towards a happier future. Echoes … echoes …

With a father who was a Battle of Britain pilot I know something about the world Rachel reveals (or Jane Cable I should say) and let me tell you, it’s pretty damned accurate. 

A delicate, thought provoking heartfelt exploration of balance, emotional patterns and love.  Bravo Jane Cable, a triumph, but this is nothing less that I would expect from this outstanding author.

Endless Skies by award winning author Jane Cable  availabe in pb and eBook

Annie Clarke is the author of the Girls on the Home Front series, and also writes as Margaret Graham and Milly Adams.

A glass of wine with your meal is the default. But what if you don’t drink wine, or you’re simply trying to cut down on alcohol? Previously it would be a rather boring, sugary drink or a glass of water, but now some innovative alternatives are appearing, with just as much ‘treat factor’ as wine.

I’m particularly impressed by Saicho Tea, developed by Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith. Natalie is from Hong Kong and so understands the fantastic world of amazing teas, which, FYI, is a little more involved than ‘builder’s’ versus Earl Grey.

In China there are whole streets devoted to tea-sellers where you can sample some of the world’s best teas. Experts ‘know’ the different teas, as a sommelier knows good wines – they can tell you about the type, the size of leaf, the estate and terroir, the grade, what ‘flush’ (harvesting time) – and it all makes a difference to the taste, enjoyment – and price –you can absolutely pay as much for a good tea as a very good wine.

The leaves of Camellia sinensis have many attributed health benefits, including boosting immunity, reducing heart disease and obesity. Certainly they are rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals and some studies back up these claims. As a doctor, I’ve been particularly interested in the claimed anti-cancer properties of green tea.

But now Saicho have taken the leap of developing a tea-based sparkling drink, more akin to prosecco than your morning cuppa.

They’ve taken three teas with distinct and different properties and cold-brewed each one for twenty-four hours to extract the delicate and complex flavours. They’ve aerated the liquid and added a small amount of grape juice to complement the natural umami of the tea.

The three distinct teas complement different foods and so are perfect for a special meal.

First I tried Hojicha, made by roasting Japanese Bancha green tea, apparently it pairs well with Asian salads or cured meats. I really liked it. A strong and complex mixture of flavours, mainly on the side and back of the tongue, which appeared and developed over several minutes, all mixed with the delicate slight sweetness of the grape juice. The fizziness was reminiscent of a pleasant sparking wine. Chilled definitely worked best.

The Saicho Darjeeling – appropriately known as the champagne of teas was a deep yellow ochre, resembling a muscadet, and indeed its flavor has been described as muscatel, and it’s good with grilled meats.

Finally, and maybe no surprise, Saicho have used a green tea from the Fuding mountains of China, infused with jasmine flowers. This is much paler, and I note they have incorporated natural oak flavours, perhaps to emulate a chardonnay? This is delicious chilled, and works well with deserts.

So which is my favourite? I can recommend them all – a real treat, with health benefits and no hangover – well worth a try at just £8.99 a bottle. Available at Saicho Drinks, Borough Box, The Whisky Exchange, Yumbles and The Artisan General Store

By Dr K Thompson, award winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Did Lockdown make you stop to appreciate the simple things? Quality time, quality food, healthy life-style? Of course the coronavirus pandemic was, and is, terrible, but at least for some, being forced off our treadmills has made us take stock perhaps?

I always try to eat healthily, but I certainly put more time and thought into cooking delicious food from good raw ingredients whilst I was stuck at home (and my growing waistband is testament to it). But with an eye for quality not quantity we can eat better without piling on the pounds too.

Not only does good food taste great, but it keeps our immune system strong – so important when faced with unseen assassins like viruses.

If we study ingredients on many foods it’s a real eye-opener. I mean, why put sugar in a meat pie? No wonder our bodies are so confused they don’t know what they need anymore.

If you want to get back to great quality ingredients, from Kent, the Garden of England, by a long-established family firm, look no further than Opies. I’ve reviewed their foods before and they never disappoint.

Many of their ingredients are grown locally and are picked at the prime time for best flavour. Opies produce traditional savoury pickles such as capers, onions, olives, and, their speciality, pickled walnuts, which are absolutely delicious – on their own with cheese and biscuits, or in stews, in beef, ale and walnut pie (see illustration) and even scotch eggs (recipe on website).

As a doctor I’m very interested in the importance of our gut bacteria. Increasingly we’re discovering their influence on our immunity, our body fat, and whether we develop Type II Diabetes – just to name a few health effects. Our diet is key to making sure that we have plenty of ‘good’ bacteria, and pickled foods can help.

However, as you can see from the photos, Opies also have a fabulous range of naughty but delicious fruits preserved in alcohol-infused syrup, which are heaven in a jar, and one doesn’t need a lot for a real treat. The packaging includes novel and tasty recipes, such as Apricots with Famous Grouse trifles (photograph). My absolute favourite fruit is Figs with Luxardo Rum, and why not make a wicked tiramisu using Red Berries With Pink Gin?

Not only do Opies make the most delicious natural products, but they’re very keen that we get the most out of them and commission brilliant chefs to create fabulous recipes which you can view on their website or Facebook page.

Their products are available in most supermarkets including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsburys’ and independent stores. Give yourself and your body a true treat.

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Most photos provided by Splat Marketing