I love to travel light. The idea of striding off into the sunset with just a clean pair of pants and a toothbrush in my backpack is my idea of heaven. Well yes OK, passport, credit cards, medications, shampoo, deodorant, fleece, rainproof mac, plug adapters, insect repellant, portable kitchen sink etc etc too, but my heart’s in the right place and my dreams are real.

So I’m all set for my trip to La Gomera – a small island off Tenerife which involves dashing off the plane, sprinting through passport control and around the corner to leap onto a local bus, followed by a twenty minute yomp from nearest bus stop to ferry, which departs around two hours from plane touch down. Clearly with these optimistically tight timings, waiting at the luggage carousel isn’t an option – so hand-luggage it is. Which isn’t a problem except for those, oh so tiny, plastic liquids bags in which I have to squeeze all my ‘look at least ten years younger’ potions plus, and, this is most important, my perfume.

So thanks heavens for Marc Jacobs, for making Daisy Eau So Fresh Parfum capsules, and Perfume Direct for selling them at a crazily competitive price.

I can tell you that Daisy Eau So Fresh (part of the Daisy collection) is a lovely light fragrance, perfect for summer, but you’d have to take my word for that. So what I love about Perfume Direct, is their clear, objective descriptions to help you make your own decision. And they tell you that Daisy Eau So Fresh is a floral, fruity, fresh fragrance. A sparkling, light and sunny scent with a vibrant energy. Sweetly feminine with enticing top notes of raspberry and grapefruit, a sensual heart of wild rose and a musky, sophisticated base of warm plum and cedarwood. There, you can almost smell it now, can’t you?

The Parfum capsules are just brilliant. Tiny capsules, so the tin containing all 30 fits easily in the palm of your hand, and, more importantly, takes up almost no room in the airport liquids bag. You simply twist a capsule and more than enough perfume is released to apply to neck, wrists, temples and other pulse points.

So if you’re planning a hand-baggage only trip, or simply want a small and convenient perfume to pop in your handbag, do try Daisy Eau So Fresh by Marc Jacobs, available at Perfume Direct for just £17.99 for 30 capsules (RRP £28).

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

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.

Frank Family Butchers offers the most amazing and wide range of locally sourced meats from either Thirsk auction or their family farm (Toft Gate Farm, Greenhow). Lucky lucky us, for Frank is now in its fourth year in Thirsk and just goes on extending its range with no lowering of quality. On the contrary, Frank’s rib of beef is something out of this world, and and let’s not forget the mince, and the big fat sausages… but I mustn’t go on though it would be so easy to do so, given the quality and choice.

Come along with me, as I need to tell you that their renovation which has just seen its first anniversary, has transformed the shop and made it so much easier for them, and us. Have a look.

Clearly a great deal of thought went into re-shaping the premises. Roll of drums: bring on the renovators: clatter clatter as everything was improved, from the tiles to the flooring, to the lighting, to the display counters, which were moved to form an L shape allowing more room for customers and making it easier for us to see ALL the pies at the end of the shop as well as ALL the meats. Honestly, it is a lesson in temptation. I can’t tell you how often I have gone in for just those big fat scrumptious sausages, and come out staggering under the weight of food I couldn’t resist.

The lack of resistance factor, sadly for my chubbiness, includes their pies. I am a sucker for crisp tasty pastry. Are you? If so, you will think you have entered a space called ‘happy’. My favourite pie is the pork and stilton. Or I think it is. It could just be the straight pork pie, or the pork with- No, I must stop. The only thing to do is to work your way from one end of the pie counter to the other. Probably take a year. No rush because you haven’t even started on the meats, and neither have you finished your conversation with Chief Honcho Simon Frank, who is serving you.

Eventually I move across to the meats, and start chatting to Jack, as I did yesterday. Don’t be fooled though, because all the while the customers are actually multi tasking. Yes, they are nodding and talking but are also eyeing the quite impossible to ignore cuts such as rib of beef, shoulder of lamb, chicken and on, and on but I’ve already mentioned the beef… I’m on a roll, you see.

One of the strengths of Frank Family Butchers is the prepared meals, and inevitably I gravitate to them because they make life so much easier. The choice is wide, so yesterday I picked out just one; the Italian Jobs. Jack had been busy earlier rustling up a few of these Italian treats and I felt sure they would be sublime. Naturally I needed to know the recipe, and how to actually make a good fist of cooking the chicken breasts. The real question was though, between you and me, could I possibly pass it off as my own work from start to finish? No? Oh, all right, you’re quite correct, my mother would be proud of you. ‘That’s fibbing, and not funny, nice or kind,’ she’d say.

However, this is what you would say, should you be tempted to claim all credit: lay out your chicken fillet , and fill with creamy mozzarella cheese, then wrap it in streaky bacon and finish with a light herby tomato marinade. And the cooking? Ah, easy peasy, just oven bake for 30 mins at 180 in the foil trays provided and enjoy with courgettes sauteed with rosemary tips, and sauteed potato, or salad. I’d suggest a glass of a decent Merlot would not go amiss. I confess I haven’t given it a go in an air fryer, but on a low heat I think it should be fine. Try it and see is the answer.

As for the Italian Jobs enjoyed yesterday evening. Honestly – perfection, and my family agreed. I cannot tell you if I fibbed or not. They could be reading this. But hooray for Frank Family Butchers. Great team and fabulous products. https://www.facebook.com/p/Frank-Family-Butchers-100083173420033/?locale=en_GB

A Digital Hub is what every community needs, but to be able to collect a laptop from the office and sit in the comfy area with a laptop or wherever you wish within the CCA, and type the lettter, or work on the internet in safety (because all data is removed once you are finished) is quite perfect. But how did a Digital Hub and the CCA come together?

Ah well, Nicol of the Sunderland City Council visited, and asked Marion if she’d be interested in adding a Digital Hub to all that the Columbia Community Association had to offer. Naturally Marion and Red Shoes Bob, our intrepid duo who have given their all to get the CCA up and running, snatched up the offer. How wonderful to add this free facility to the Community Association.

Without further ado, the equipment started arriving: a cabinet in which to house all the laptops:

A printer and a shredder:

Paper for the use of, and on and on… plus two great lads who came to fix all the online gubbins enabling the beast to awake. (I believe you can also be helped to get started.)

So, now the Digital Hub is up and running, and of course Dick and I had to pop along to my old stamping ground of Brady Square/Columbia to catch up with the gang, which were deep into the Friday coffee, cake and bingo morning.

Bob was the caller, we each had cards and when our number was called we had to shout whatever the shout-out word was that day, and sit down. It is hysterical, and often there is time for reminiscing. Not this time, but the time before it was fascinating to catch up with the gossip and boy, did we catch up. The CCA has now started proper reminiscing sessions to make sure the area is not forgotten. I am hoping to go to them, when time permits.

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/columbiacommunityassociation/

My mother-in-law always used to say ‘All youth is beautiful’. As the years have slipped by I realise her wisdom. Sadly my wrinkled skin no longer qualifies for the youth category, even at a stretch, and so I need all the help I can.

A number of scientific studies suggest that taking collagen supplements can improve skin hydration and skin elasticity and more and more people are using collagen supplements for healthier skin, hair, and nails. However collagen molecules themselves are too big to be absorbed well, so one must first break down the collagen into smaller peptides to enjoy the benefits.

Thankfully TIDE is on the case. A husband and wife team, both with impressive experience of running businesses, the founders, Louise and James Gray are passionate about their collagen sparkling waters. Do check out their informative website.

Not only is the delicious raspberry drink a very enjoyable way to take collagen supplements, but each 250ml can contains 3.5g of collagen peptides, sustainably-sourced from MSC-certified wild-caught fish. The founders have perfected an enzymatic processing system and precise spray-drying for optimal absorption of this high-quality collagen and it’s great to know that the drink is free from artificial sweeteners too.

So having really enjoyed my first can, I’m excited to watch for my new radiant, wrinkle-free skin and healthy hair and nails.

You can buy this great product from the TIDE website at £30 for 12 cans, or just £27 if you go for the subscribe and save option. A great healthy treat for your skin, hair and nails.

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.

Easter is my favourite time of year, a time of hope on so many levels. One of those is regaining the ‘something’ we have gone without, which so often includes little treats. So, here we go, a walk through just some of the Yarnbombers’ dreams to cheer us on the way.

Who doesn’t love bacon and eggs. Or perhaps boiled eggs?

Then, moving on through the day:

And on, and on. Even perhaps the flowers that are struggling through the cold dawn to bring cheer.

Just a very few of the Yarnbombers offerings: so many bollards to decorate, so many meals to summon up, flowers to remind of us the coming spring and summer. How lucky Thirsk is to have this constant group of busy ladies in our lives … knitting and imagining and celebrating with us the passage of the year, the seasons, the remembrance of times, and hope. A Happy Easter to each and every one of you.