Marion is thrilled with the  beautiful red roses, gifted to her by Sister Scholastica, and on that note, there are bound to be  knitters amongst you, Sister Mary’s sent her hat pattern (for the Seaman) which is on the CCA social media pages at copies are available at the Centre. As the evenings are drawing in,  I think Frost Magazine  will be hearing  the click of needles any minute now. More school uniforms have arrived, and will be collected by Equans. Was there ever such a smooth running operation courtsey of the CCA. But that’s not all, a freezer has been donated and so it goes on.  And, wonderfully, amidst all the mayhem still the groups arrive

The dancers are strutting their stuff,  Fat quarters  and  Shake that Boogey too.
Marion tells Frost Magazine that  ”Him indoors’ Bob, has put up a book stand in the office for the community to come along and browse the Margaret Graham books amongst others. Margaret is ‘our very own Brady Square lass and my friend.’  Which pleases Margaret, Frost Magazine’s editor, enormously.

During the week the CCA hosted a new programme of training with MBC Art Wellbeing which delivers free activities for children. This programme is funded for the next year, particularly during school holidays,which thrills Marion and the committee  Pottery class was the kick off activity and I daresay Marion got stuck in.  Roll on the 24^th and the making of Wind Chimes

Is that it for Week 4? Don’t be silly. Another friend of Marion’s is to visit to discuss delivering some First Aid training for all. and says Marion, ‘A little tea party was held  for two of our regulars, Sandra Noble and Ray Turnbull, both celebrating their birthdays (ages undisclosed!) Cake flowed in abundance. Refurb, what refurb who needs doors, thingamabobs or thingamajigs when you are having a great time.’ Frost Magazine, who love a bit of a ‘do’  has to agree.

And so exciting. The CCA should now be ‘live’ online, and soon there will be an email address. and everyone was on their marks waiting for the Asbestos check. Would hoards of men in white coats? No, to Marion’s intense pleasure it was a handsome young man named Chris who arrived. (Lord the woman’s so easy) She says, ‘That’s two handsome young men in my life today as my grandson Daniel has just arrived from Texas and the doors are back!! Hurrah hurrah. (will need priming and painting, but they have come home)

Another grand end to the week!’

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

Margaret Graham is an author, tutor, editor of Frost Magazine and grumpy when it’s too hot,. She just loves the fish and chips at the Washington Arms  near the green in Washington Village. Yep, got it, Margaret is greedy.

Nowadays, more people are going on luxury holidays. In fact, Yahoo Finance reveals that the global luxury travel market is predicted to reach $965.8 billion (£803.2 billion) this year. It’s also expected to reach $163 trillion (£135.5 trillion) by 2027. Driving this growth are several reasons including the increased interest in luxury trips, rising millennial spending, and tourism developments. Additionally, luxury holidays offer an elevated experience with minimum dissatisfaction and maximum comfort.

If you’re planning to go on a luxury holiday of your own, then you’re going to need to prepare for it. With that said, here’s how to prepare for your first luxury holiday:

Pick your ideal luxury tour

First, determine the type of tour you want. Two of the most popular options are luxury rail and sea tours. For those who want to tour a whole country in five-star luxury, the Transcantabrico sleeper train takes passengers on an 8-day tour from Spain’s historic Santiago de Compostela to Leon. The train includes reservations at some of the country’s best restaurants, as well as luxurious suites, jacuzzi ensuite bathrooms, and vintage dining cars onboard.

For those who prefer to travel by boat, Explora Journeys highlights how luxury sea voyages can expand your horizons by providing you with a holistic well-being experience, exposing you to diverse culinary riches, and amazing leisure activities. For instance, their Caribbean tour will take you through the different islands in the region, exposing you to various cultures and cuisines. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can even go on a helicopter tour to view gorgeous sights from above, such as the reefs and clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

After choosing the type of luxury tour you want to go on, then you can proceed with the other steps, as these will revolve around your decision.

Make early reservations

Establishments in luxury destinations are hard to book due to their popularity. Case in point: the Michelin-star restaurant Noma in Denmark is always fully booked, especially after being named the world’s top restaurant in 2021. Their menu focuses on unique seasonal ingredients, so it’s always a different experience every visit. Another example is the 3 Michelin Star restaurant El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, where you can only book on the 1st of each month at 12 midnight on their website.

As soon as you’ve picked your tour type, book reservations for everything—including hotels, restaurants, and activities—immediately. You’ll make the most out of your first luxury trip by securing the best food and experiences.

Prepare a luxury travel itinerary

Now that everything is set, it’s time to map out the trip. Because this is your first luxury holiday, it’s best to follow a plan to make the most out of it. Start your itinerary planning by listing your departure date and time, the reservations you made, and the date of your trip’s end. Then, this is when you can insert any activities in between, like a day trip to Sicily or a shopping spree in Paris. By creating an itinerary, you will be prepared to do as much (or as little!) as you want to make your first luxury holiday one to remember.

Alternatively, you can book a dedicated tour package if you want to do away with the stress of planning where you need to go. Just make sure that your tour gives you ample free time in between schedules to explore the destinations on your own time, letting you experience everything your destination has to offer.

Acquire travel insurance

Anything can happen on your first luxury trip, including accidents or sudden hospital visits. We at Frost Magazine acknowledge the importance of travel insurance, as this will safeguard you during the trip. Contact your insurance company to inquire about travel insurance. Make sure it includes any medical expenses acquired abroad, personal injuries and accidents, and cover for lost baggage. Another is cover for getting home should you be unable to complete the trip for health reasons.

Getting travel insurance gives you peace of mind, allowing you to enjoy your first luxury trip without any worries.


Going on your first luxury trip should be comfortable and relaxing. With these preparation tips, may your next luxury holiday be one for the books!

Sleep is an elusive thing when you become a parent. Anything that can result in a good nights sleep is worth a try. Glow Dreaming is a smart idea. A humidifier and sleep light, it also has pink noise, and releases aromatherapy. It is so clever and innovative. It is also stylish and looks great in your child’s room.

I love Glow Dreaming. It is easy-to-use. I think it is a wonderful idea for babies and children. I think it will result in many good nights for both parents and little ones. Very impressive and I recommend it.

Most parents will know the stress of having a baby or child that won’t sleep – it can be an extremely emotionally and physically draining time for the whole family.  However a new 5-in-1 sleep aid that helps babies and children to nod off in a matter of minutes is now being hailed as a ‘godsend’ by weary parents. Within months of launching the product had sold out and  has now been snapped up by more than 200,000 families in Australia and across the world.

 

Whether you want to enter a new industry or just improve your current situation, you may find the situation is not as bad as it may seem. There are several things you can do to improve your career prospects, and it is up to you to be proactive and take the necessary steps to get there.

Start Learning New Skills

If you have limited skills, it can be easy to get stuck in a job without room for advancement. Whether you want to get a new job or just grow in your current position, growing your skillset can be the key to moving forward. Doing so will increase your abilities so you can be more proactive about your career. Start by creating a five-year plan as to what you want to achieve. That can help you gain the needed education and skills.

Pick a couple areas to improve upon each time period and spend some time getting the needed training you need. One way to gain the needed skills is by getting your degree. You can search for scholarships you might be eligible for with an online search tool. These can pay for some or all of the cost of tuition. No matter how you go about it, the key is to be consistent in your learning process. Working hard can help you make regular progress toward your goals. Check in regularly to see how you are doing and make sure you are still on track.

Break Larger Goals Up

You won’t automatically reach your career goals, so don’t feel like you have to get there right away. Instead, consider breaking things up into smaller bits so you can make regular progress. Make sure you can mouser each goal, setting realistic expectations for yourself. You can set a timeline on when you want to accomplish certain tasks, which will help reduce stress that you are not staying on track. It also prevents you from working too much on a goal and then getting burnt out before you are able to finish the task.

Don’t Settle for Second Best

To make yourself appear successful in business don’t settle for anything less than what you want to get out of your career. Make sure you are always striving to do your best, whether it is getting new opportunities or gaining new skills. While it can be tempting to stay where you are comfortable, doing so might lead to getting stuck with a job that is going nowhere. If you have advanced as far as you can in your current company, you may want to think about moving on.

Taking risks can help you find positions that will help you better meet your career goals. Be proactive if you find you are not getting the number of opportunities you need. If you work in an industry that is growing quickly, you may have all the opportunities you need. However, if your industry is growing slowly or even declining, you may want to broaden the possibilities. That can lead to more upward growth.

 Collaborative post with our brand partner.

A few holdups as the team toddle through week 3. The doors, sent  off to be stripped (if Imight be indelicate) have not yet found their way home. Those in place are sanded and soon to be ‘tarted up’ – Marion’s words.   The flooring has to wait for the Asbestos check…

The delivery of the new bespoke kitchen is not yet confirmed. So the team wait – thrilled to bits. ‘Once it is here, work will begin immediately,’ so says Stu the gaffer. 

Marion is going to move  the existing benches into the computer room,which she showed me when Dick and I arrived to have a look. That woman’s mind works at the speed of light. 

Marion tells me, ‘One of the Forever Young ladies has very kindly donated a printer which is great as it saves me carting mine back and forth. This fits in well with the installation of our WIFI on the 11th; now, we need to locate the best place to purchase the ink cartridges, a job for Pauline our treasurer who enjoys shopping.’

John at Cosmic Blinds has produced a fabulously reasonable quote and food hampers are being made by Marion to raffle in aid of Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal. She asks again for food donations. By the way, the winning raffle tickets will be drawn at CCA’s coffee morniong on 26th August and Marion is so pleased because while telling me this, a lovely couple from Age Concern popped in to buy some raffle tickets. 

More good news: The Nationwide bank in Washington Galleries have kindly offered to display CCA posters on their notice board ( food donation requests and much needed medical supplies for the appeal. ) The CCA  accept medical supplies at any time and pass these onto the Polish Centre in Newcastle.

And… And…  Marion has made contact with the Washington Heritage Project Co-ordinator Arwa. Marion is hoping this will lead to the CCA being able to offer CCA resources to a wider audience and promote Columbia’s heritage.

Now onto the classes. Tuesday is  dancing day when the centre becomes alive with music and laughter. Last Tuesday was  no exception, and has actually put on an extended session. Marion laughed, and told me: ‘I love how the dads cannot wait to make a hasty retreat.

Aimee instructing her class just a shame we cannot hear the music

Fat Quarters, due to unforeseen circumstances,  cancelled their session for Week 3 and were missed,’ 

And here we have news of the “Shake that Boogie” group strutting their stuff to “Long haired lover from Liverpool” among many others. Marion wants evertyone to know: ‘It’s electrifying and so much fun with Claire at the helm.’

    Tuesday evening session                   Wednesday morning session

Dianne, CAA  chair, took over the reins for a while and did a bit of weeding on the pots at the front of the centre. ‘Then she did a walk around video with running commentary whcih has been posted  Columbia sites for all to see. (But has Marion told her that it IS UP for all to see?) 

Liam rang with an update on the doors. It appears it will take a little longer to strip the paint from them as around 80 years of gloss is taking some shifting. (83 to be exact and who knows what they used in those days)

 Apparently, the Openreach broadband Engineer was a young man by the name of Declan Garrigan and he was amazing, Over to Marion ‘ He worked three hours solid in heat of 31 degrees, refused to stop for refreshments saying he just wanted to get it sorted for us. What more could anyone ask for. Thank you, Declan it was much appreciated.’ Also said Marion.  ‘We did have our first volunteer come forward; Ray Turnbull you are a star, and he bought raffle tickets for the hampers.’

.Marion wanted me to say that she thanked me for the books (Really?! Must I?! 

I think the books will be there for you to borrow, or so Marion said. She also asked me to thank Sister Mary on her behalf for her flowers and gifts, and of course, ladies, we are all to knit titfers (hats) for the seamen. Righto. I have my orders, but am s-l-o-w.

Frost Magazine, in the rather rotund shape of Margaret, had a great visit to Brady Square which stirred many memories of my holidays with Uncle Stan, and my return visits since,  and I just know that the heart of the community is alive and well. Can’t wait to hear that the doors are in, the Asbestos flooring test is OK, and that the Fat Quarters are back sewing away soon.