Boys safety threatened- Teachers and Police make swift response

Big drama at our boys' school yesterday. After a phone called threatened extreme violence against the school, the boys, who all have some type of special educational need, were speedily escorted to the large sports hall where they stayed along with staff, teachers and even the builders for the next five hours, protected by armed police and the police helicopter.
By all accounts, the boys behaved impeccably, despite the lack of lunch - even the catering staff had to seek sanctuary in the hall.
Parents were kept as informed as possible, given the circumstances, although we were understandably frantic, not knowing what was happening and if our sons were in any real danger.

Debbie Cox, Mum (Meridian TV)

After the police ascertained that it was safe to do so, the boys were let out and the fantastic catering staff got to work to whip up some lunch for the boys, aged from 8-18.
I would like to thank all our school's brilliant and talented teachers and staff and Surrey police who looked after our sons so admirably in an unexpected time of crisis.
The police response was swift and decisive - a lesson to anyone who thinks they can terrorise vulnerable children for any reason. The person who allegedly made the phone call was apprehended before the day had ended on suspicion of making threats to kill. I'm really not sure what makes anyone do such a thing or even if he had the means to carry out his threats, but our police officers are to be praised for their response.
Today, the teachers set about reassuring the boys. My own youngest, who has Asperger Syndrome, was so anxious that we kept him at home for a recovery day.
Today, Meridian Television put together a report on the incident featuring some of our boys, our Deputy Head, Andy Williamson and gorgeous mum, Debbie Cox (not Knox as titled!)
You can view the story here:

http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/threats-to-pupils47416/

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Charity book highlighting dog cruelty released

My friend, author, Mel Comley, has just released a new book. Already in e-format and soon to be published in paperback, the book highlights the horrific practice by unscrupulous owners of killing racing dogs when they're past their useful racing best. Mel has turned this into a short novel featuring her character, DI Lorne Simpkins from her "Justice" novels.The blurb is as follows.

"It may not be homicide, but to DI Lorne Simpkins... ...it’s still murder 

When a reporter friend of DI Lorne Simpkins gives her a tip about a story involving old racing greyhounds, Lorne is sceptical. But after looking into it, she's horrified to discover the grisly fate of racing dogs that are no longer useful to their owners-and she's determined to bring the cruel and uncaring owners to justice."

Mel said, "I’ve released a novellette in ebook format, with the intention of sending all the royalties to a Dog Rescue charity that is close to my heart. About a year before we left England, we met a wonderful lady called Sheila Tremellen. We’d just come back from a holiday in Florida and discovered one of our dogs, Lady, had died in the boarding kennels. Devastated, and needing to find another companion for our other dog, Angel, I bought the local paper and saw Sheila’s number being advertised. When I rang her we clicked immediately and she invited me to her beautiful old cottage, which had a small kennel attached at the side where she cared for the abandoned dogs she rescued. Sheila showed us a litter of border collies that had been found abandoned in a box. I was immediately drawn to the runt of the litter, the only male in the pack, who was picked on by his sisters. We named him Henry and he now features prominently in my books. Almost ten months later we moved to France, but we’ve never lost contact with Sheila. Every Christmas she sends a lengthy newsletter to the people who’ve adopted one of her dogs, highlighting the dogs she has saved and re-homed during the current year. I was so proud of her achievements when in 2002, Sheila won a BBC UK Animal Award for her charity work. Then in 2006, her work got the recognition it deserves when she was awarded an MBE by the Queen. Over the years Sheila has saved a staggering 1040 dogs. From the minute I met Sheila, I knew I had to help out in some way, but donating a small amount to her charity at Christmas wasn’t enough for me. Unlike many other charities out there, I know that every penny donated goes to the dogs in Sheila’s care. Therefore, I have decided that all the royalties I make from selling my story about the plight of ex-racing greyhounds, will be winging its way to PUPS charity in Worcester. So I’m urging people to buy the book at: But if you’d like to make further donations to this worthy cause please contact me at impjust AT orange DOT fr (substitute @ and .!) and I’ll put you in touch with Sheila."
The book can be found at:
http://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Lorne-Simpkins-novellette-ebook/dp/B0063CCIA4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dogs-Lorne-Simpkins-novellette-ebook/dp/B0063CCIA4

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101925

I'll add the paperback link when it's ready.

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My Jamie Oliver Fondue Disaster

Ah, the kids are back in school and it's the half term that runs up to Christmas. It's always a busy time - Christmas Fayre at school, so books and unneeded things to dig out and it's my eldest son's birthday in early December so lots of things to think about. This year, now he has a good group of friends, he's having a paint-balling party.
One thing we won't have to worry about this year though is the neighbourhood Christmas party, because we did it last year, so it's definitely not our turn.

Cheese Fondue.. just not like ours.

We live down a dead-end, un-paved lane, hidden away on the edge of a town. We have lovely neighbours - families like ours and older couples whose children have flown the nest long ago.
So last year, I bought in everything I might need - stocked up ahead of time, taking advantage of supermarket offers.
We decided to make it a bit retro and do a cheese fondue.
One of Jamie Oliver's Christmas magazines that I ferret away each year had a nice looking recipe, "Easy Cheese Fondue", so I checked out the ingredients and made sure we had everything in. We even had a genuine seventies fondue set, courtesy of my in-laws. How hard could it be?
The night arrived and I was super-organised - everything ready except the last-minute fondue. I had a nice table arrangement with candles, which we lit.
The boys skulked about, not sure if they were looking forward to the party or not. They knew all the guests and the kids - no nasty surprises - but still, they aren't used to lots of people in their home space. I put my eldest in charge of entertaining the children, as he is the oldest child in the lane. Thankfully, they perked up and planned some things.
Now for the fondue!. Following the directions to the letter, we lit the meths in the fondue burner and added the Cheddar, Gruyere and Blue cheese to the other ingredients, stirring gently.
For a while, it was looking good. It was difficult to control the burner underneath but we did our best.
Then, disaster. The mixture started to go lumpy, then gloopy and elastic until you could pick the whole lot up in one solid mass. This did not look like Jamie's lovely picture at all. Curses! I think it was very possibly over-heated. Stupid seventies fondue equipment! (That's my excuse and I won't be budged!)
Then, I started to smell burning.
I looked up from the toxic waste that had been cheese fondue. To my horror, the burning candles had set the Christmassy centrepiece alight and it was on the table, engulfed in flames. I shrieked loudly enough to make even the boys think there was something worth investigating.
Leaving the solidifed cheese fondue, I grabbed the base of the burning centrepiece, opened the double doors in the kitchen that leads to a patio area and hurled it into the snow that still lay on the ground from earlier in the day. I grabbed a few handfuls of snow and threw them on top of it to extinguish the flames. Fortunately nothing else had caught alight inside the kitchen, which was lucky as there are sheer voiles hanging only inches away.
As I opened up the double doors fully to let the acrid smell of burning pine cones out, the doorbell sounded and the first guests arrived, trudging up the path in their wellies. Our across-the-lane neighbours had brought their slippers to change into - see, that's what nice about neighbourhood gatherings, no need to dress up!
Everyone came and a good time was had by all, with rest of the evening passing off without incident. Even the dog was well-behaved.
Does this ever happen to Jamie Oliver? I think that's most unlikely, don't you? If you want to have a go at making a proper job of his "Easy" Cheese Fondue (Ha!), you can find it here
What's your worst party disaster? Leave a comment...

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Bamboo Clothes - soft, breathable and eco-friendly too!

From This....

I happened upon a website a few weeks ago advertising clothes made from Bamboo. Excuse me? Bamboo?
Now, I'm a progressive sort of gal, we have strand-woven bamboo flooring in our house that's hard as nails and beautiful to look at. Bamboo is a grass and grows much faster than hardwood and so is more easily replenished and can be harvested more often. It's also more water-resistant than wood such as oak.
Okay, so flooring.. but how are you going to make it into clothes? Apparently, bamboo fibre is produced from the raw materials of bamboo pulp. It's then made into fibre through a process of crushing and mixing with caustic soda, a low impact chemical.
It has excellent wicking properties for sports and performance clothes,  because it absorbs and evaporates sweat in seconds, which means bamboo clothing will keep you dry for much longer.
Bamboo fibres also have a special microstructure that remains present in textiles. Thanks to this microstructure, bamboo clothing has a thermo-control, staying cooler during summer and warmer through the winter. In fact, it's been proven that, during hot weather, clothes made from bamboo will keep you two degrees cooler than those made from other fabrics.

To this.. (unshaven husband modelling BAM
 top & socks)

Bamboo clothing is anti-static, so it doesn't cling and it cuts out 98% of harmful UV rays. If that isn't enough, it's apparently also anti fungal, so it keeps your clothes fresher for longer - no more smelly socks!
Alrighty, then, I'm convinced to give them a whirl. I explored the website, Bamboo Clothing or BAM, and as I was in the market for some new socks, ordered three pairs for myself and a natty looking long-sleeved black polo-top for my husband, smart enough to wear for 'Dress-down Friday' at work. And best of all, not too expensive.
Wow, was I impressed. The socks are FAB. They feel nice and weighty in the hand but fit beautifully and are sooo soft. My husband's top is also really soft, doesn't crease and the fabric feels lovely next to the skin.
So on to the washing machine test. No problems there at all. Tumble dried? Brilliant.
I am planning to buy my husband some running tights and I might even splash out on some underwear for everyone. I am obliged to get some socks for my 12 year old son who I caught walking off with a pair of mine that I hadn't opened.
The range isn't huge at the moment, but I'm sure that will change in time. But if you're into sports, (unlike me) they have a great range of baselayers and other activity wear.
One more group of people that Bamboo fabric is good for - those with allergies, because of the lack of harsh chemical treatments in the fabric. The fibre is smooth and round, so is a non-irritant. This last point brings me to a very special set of people who could benefit - those with sensory issues that arise from autistic spectrum disorders and similar problems. Many people like this find scratchy, rough or itchy clothes intolerable so this maybe one solution for them.
To check them out for yourself, visit: http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk/
This is not a sponsored post - it was written for no incentive, because I was genuinely impressed. However, those nice people at BAM did send me a pair of socks when they'd seen it to say thank you. Which was very nice of them.

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Ritalin, talking therapies and what I think our kids really need

On the Mumsnet blogger site there was a piece by MP Pat McFadden about the increase in prescribing of ritalin. I wrote about it on my www.specialneedsjungle.com blog, but as it's something I feel so strongly about, I'm reposting it here.
Ritalin, talking therapies and what I think our kids really need…The Health Minister, Simon Burns has said that the chief medical officer and the NHS medical director are planning to write to clinicians to remind them of the full range of NICE guidelines on conditions—including ADHD—that affect children’s mental health. It came in response to an adjournment debate called by MP Pat McFadden on the rise in prescriptions for children of the drug methylphenidate (Ritalin, Equasym etc) used to treat people affected by the symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity. These symptoms affect behaviour and the ability to learn and as well as being found in ADHD, are also co-morbid in young people with autism, Asperger Syndrome and other similar development disorders.

Mr McFadden made a plea for the Minister to carry out a proper, comprehensive review of the use of these drugs involving professionals from the medical, psychology and teaching fields, as well as the families of those who have been prescribed the drugs. He asked the Minister, “Will he commit his Department to carry out a proper research project into the use of the drugs, including the age of the children receiving them? Secondly, in the light of the huge growth in prescriptions, will the Government carry out a proper review of practice in the field, as called for by the Association of Educational Psychologists, before the new guidance comes into effect in 2013?”

Mr Burns said he himself had a family member who was successfully being treated with Ritalin. “Across hospital and primary care, the prescribing of drugs for ADHD increased by around 12.5% between 2007 and 2010, the latest four years for which data are available, and by around 6% in 2010 alone. Prescribing in primary care alone increased by 22% in that four-year period, reflecting a significant shift in prescribing activity from a hospital setting and into primary care. Looking back further, one sees that prescribing in primary care has tripled in the past 10 years.”

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The Things We Take For Granted (well I do, anyway)

We have been spoiled, I realise that now. Let me explain. Our dishwasher isn't working. It took me a few days to realise that the reason the dishes were coming out greasy was that the water wasn't heating up.
What to do? Get it fixed or buy a new one? It is seven years old, after all and was in the house as an integrated appliance when we moved in.
£400 for a new one or equivalent spec or £163 to get it fixed including a 12 month support contract. I went with the latter, strangely enough. After all, the contract with the repairers says if they can't fix it, they'll replace it new for old, so I can't lose.

c. Tania Tirraoro. All rights reserved

But they're not coming to fix it until Tuesday so I have been having to WASH UP BY HAND! I know, for many people, this is what they do every day, but when you're used to just bunging plates into the dishwasher it has been a rude awakening. It's so time consuming, and you have to do it after every meal or you run out of dishes or room to stack them on the drainer (no, I'm NOT drying them too).
Technology has revolutionised our domestic existence in so many ways. There is no worse moment for me, appliance wise, than when the washing machine breaks down. There are three grubby males in this house who produce copious amounts of dirty clothes. And yet, my grandmother's generation managed without washers and dryers. Took them all day though, but then looking after house and family was their main job - and no-one lambasted them for it. Mind you, working mothers get it in the neck too, so you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I am lucky that I can work from home and have the best of both worlds, but that is only because of technology and the internet.
We had a power cut the other week. I was unable to get online! Imagine! Much of my work relies on the internet but with the power out, I felt strangely free. I read a magazine. It was Mslexia, a women's writing periodical so I still felt it was work-related, but still. I worried about the fridge-freezer though, if the power didn't come back on. There was the dog's frozen minced tripe in there and it stinks at room temperature. It's not that pleasant when it's frozen either.
The children moped about. No Xbox. No Minecraft. No Electric guitar (mercifully) though of course, the acoustic still worked. Oh, boys, look at this, it's called a book. You don't need to plug it in!
I started off this post saying we were spoiled. Actually, perhaps that is not accurate because it compares what we have now to what we had twenty or thirty years ago. Times move on. Clever people invent stuff that become a daily part of our lives. Not everyone has a dishwasher but a large percentage of the population do. In another thirty years, I might look back at 2011 and think, oh poor us, we didn't have flying cars or world peace and the eradication of poverty. Okay, those last two are not that likely, but flying cars? Hmmm...

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In memory of Sonia, my friend.

Sometimes news knocks you sideways.
Today, just as I was driving home from lunch with my husband and feeling pretty pleased that I'd found a pair of black jeans that actually fitted me, I received a phone call.

My beautiful friend, Sonia

It was from the partner of an old friend, Sonia Robinson, who has been battling breast cancer for the past few years. He was calling to tell me that she had lost the fight earlier this month. She was just 46.
I have known Sonia since I was 19, more than half my life. We met when we were assigned rooms next door to each other in Halls of Residence in Tooting, South London. She was from Birmingham and two years older than I. I was from Warrington, an immature, know-nothing teenager.
We became friends, even though on the face of it we had nothing in common. We would sit on our respective window-sills and talk through the open window or go for a drink in the Student bar. Sometimes we would go up into the centre of London for an evening with very little money to spend, but we always had fun. On my 21st birthday, Sonia plaited my hair tightly into two so that by the evening my poker straight hair would have waves for our evening out. Times spent with her were always easy. When you did something questionable she would give you a 'look' but you knew that you were not judged.
That friendship has lasted 25 years. We were not in each other's pockets, and our contact through most of that time has been sporadic as we got on with our lives and families in different parts of the country. But we always sent each other birthday cards when we could - our birthdays were two days apart.
We were the kind of friends that could speak or see one another after months or years of silence and pick up where we left off. Still, I feel a pang of guilt, wishing that I had been more in touch in the last couple of years. The last time I spoke to her she said she was tired but recovering. Since then I have thought of her often, but always at times when it was too late in the evening to call or when I was out doing other things and something brought her to mind. I must call her, I would think. Now, it's too late and I am angry with myself for not being more organised.
Sonia had a son, who is now grown. She also had a daughter, who is the same age as my eldest son. I pray for them. I lost my mother when I was 38 and that was way too young. She was also taken by the evil that is cancer. To lose your mother when you are not even grown is unthinkable.
To me, Sonia was always a wise, stoic person. She knew how to have fun but I sometimes asked myself when decisions came up in my life, what would Sonia think of it?
She had a beautiful smile and there was a regalness about her that I admired. She had the most amazingly expressive eyes that could say so much with just a glance.
Her partner told me that she was cared for by a hospice in Birmingham called the John Taylor Hospice that included Macmillan cancer care. Just as I was starting to write this post, the doorbell sounded. It was a young man from Macmillan, looking for people to sign up to give monthly. It seemed like a sign, so I immediately invited him in and signed a direct debit monthly pledge.
I'll be sending an additional donation with my card to Sonia's family that will go to the hospice itself. I'm told they cared for her with dignity and that is all we can ask for when our moment comes.
I recently read a book about dying. The book, by Raymond Moody had charted many thousands of near death experiences, where people have been revived to tell similar stories of being met by loved ones, of seeing a bright white light at the end of a long tunnel and going through an all-encompassing life review. When I read that, I resolved to live my life so that I would not be ashamed at my own life review, whenever that happens. I am sure that Sonia's will have shown the love that she had for her family and the happiness that she gave her friends, like me and that her loved ones that had gone before were waiting to take her into their care.
My thoughts and prayers are with Sonia's family. Her partner of so many years, Trevor, told me she was at peace. I believe him.

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How do your children see you?

Have you ever wondered how you children see you? My 13 year old was watching Disney's "Good Luck Charlie" the other day and pointed at the slightly eccentric but savvy and lovable mum and said, "She's just like you."

"What do you mean?" I enquired.
"Mad," he replied. Mad? MAD?
"I think she's a cool mum. She's always one step ahead of her kids," I said, defensively (Yes, okay, I have been known to watch it with him).
My son, teenager that he is, rolled his eyes and gave a derisive snort.
Am I mad, I wondered? Okay, so I sing along in the car to the sound coming from his headphones, but this is a deliberate way of illustrating just how loud he must have them. I laugh at my own jokes even when no one else does. And I do silly dances in front of him when the music from his "Disney & ketchup" programmes are on. But this is because it amuses me to see him squirm and I wouldn't do it if he had friends there. After all, what's the point of having kids if you can't have a little fun at their expense now and again?
This got me wondering what my Youngest, who's 12, thought of me. I know they think their Dad is 'soft as a pillow' because he's kind and softly spoken and lets them get away with stuff. I called Youngest into the room.
"Youngest" I said. "What do you think of me?"
An uncertain look, clearly wondering if the truth was required. Apparently, it was. "You're shouty and stern," he said. Then seeing my hurt expression he quickly added, "But a nice person and... a good bloke. Is that it? Goodbye." And went back to the techno-lair, also known as their bedroom filled with geeky stuff.
So, what am I to take from this? Mad, shouty and stern but a nice person and a 'good bloke'. I suspect the last bit was just because Youngest couldn't think of anything else to say.
I think I'm okay with it. After all, we can't both be soft as a pillow - someone has to lay down the law and make sure stuff gets done in a timely fashion. Sometimes that means being a bit sergeant-majorish, but that's what parenting is all about - giving your kids boundaries as well as loving them to bits. They're not going to like it when they're pulled up about things, but I'm not their mate, I'm their mother. It's in the job description. They may have special needs but I try to treat them as normally as possible. And I don't think that being like the Mum is "Good Luck Charlie" is a bad thing to be at all.

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My new book for Special Educational Needs

In October 2011, I published a book aimed at helping parents with SEN statementing. It's available on AmazonUK & WH Smith among others as a paperback and an ebook. Here's the press release:
A mother of two autistic boys from Farnham, Surrey has published a new book aimed at helping other parents navigate their way through the special educational needs jungle.
While there are other books about the SEN system available, this book, by the creator of the www.specialneedsjungle.com website, Tania Tirraoro, takes a parent-to-parent approach, explaining in detail how to prepare an application for a statutory assessment of special educational needs.
Tania said, "Since I started my website in 2008, it's become clear how daunting parents find the SEN process. Many parents of children with ASDs or dyslexia are affected by the conditions themselves and need help with organising and getting started on their applications. I've helped many parents with their applications and I realised that what they need is not an overview of the whole system that you find in other books, but a basic 'how-to', written in an accessible way. That is what I hope I've achieved."
The book has a foreword by SEN campaigner and former parliamentary candidate Maria Hutchings, who famously hand-bagged Tony Blair during the 2005 election over the closure of special schools. It also contains a section on what to expect if you end up at an SEN Tribunal by experienced SEN Advocate, Julie Maynard.
Maria Hutchings said, "I only wish that I when I was going through the statementing process striving to get John Paul the right education, speech therapy and respite for the family, that I had read this book. Being the mother of two children on the autistic spectrum, Tania has a deep sense of empathy for what it feels like when you have to fight for everything to ensure your child’s future. Tania captures that deep sense we all have as mothers and carers, to do the very best for our precious children."
The book takes parents through the process from a very personal viewpoint with examples from successful applications and relevant quotes from the SEN Code of Practice and Education law.
Tania said, "I've been through the process twice and my boys, who both have Asperger Syndrome, now have access to the kind of education they need to help level the playing field in their future lives. ASD is a lifelong condition and they will always battle the difficulties of their Asperger's, but because I had the ability to present their cases methodically, they got the help they need. Why should other children not have the same as my boys?"

About the Author:

Tania Tirraoro is an author and journalist and has already published two women's fiction novels, This Last Summer and Sweet Seduction, one as an ebook, the other available as ebook and in paperback. She is a former television and radio journalist, having worked as a reporter and news presenter for Meridian Television and NBC/CNBC, and BBC Radio Berkshire among others. She also works as a press consultant for three heart rhythm charities.You can find the SEN site at www.specialneedsjungle.com.

Tania's author site is at www.taniatirraoro.com

She also has a blog at http://notasadvertised.blogspot.com

Linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/taniashieldstirraoro

Twitter: @TaniaLT  @SpcialNdsJungle
Tania Tirraoro can be contacted at info@specialneedsjungle.com

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Trying out "The key to the fountain of youth"

Call me gullible but I received a marketing email the other day from Biovea, from whom I usually buy my Melantonin.
It was pushing a supplement called Hyaluronic Acid, not be be confused with Hydrochloric Acid, which is something very different...
Anyway, this Hyaluronic Acid is apparently also known as the 'Key to the fountain of youth'. Hmm, I thought, I could use a bit of that.
I read the blurb. Apparently in a Japanese village where people usually live a long time and often have perfect skin into their 80's or even into their 90's their diet is rich in a starchy vegetable which is particularly high in HA. A pharmaceutical company in Japan began R&D on a pill supplement containing HA. When they tested the pills on one thousand individuals, around half of them reported smoother skin and even improved eyesight.
Okey dokey, I thought, tell me more....Hyaluronic Acid is plentiful in our bodies when we are born, but its levels gradually recede over time, which may be a big part of the ageing process. Hyaluronic Acid occurs in the deeper layers of our skin known as the dermis and it appears to help keep the skin smooth because of its water retention qualities. It's claimed that HA appears to help maintain collagen levels.
Furthermore, the blurb went on, HA makes up about eighty percent of the human eye and is, apparently, a sort of shock absorber to the retina, which helps to prevent trauma to the eye.
That clinched it for me as I have a rare retinal disease called Punctate Inner Choroidopathy which leads to scarring on the retina and some loss of vision. Great skin and better eyesight? AND it's on sale?
But before I hit the order button, I looked it up on the internet. It's approved by the FDA and is used in other forms injected into arthritic joints and as a dermal filler. I couldn't find anything particularly bad about it, so I decided to give it a try.
Well, mine arrived this week and I have been taking it religiously. I shall update you on whether I am appearing so youthful that people are mistaking me for my sons' older sister.
If your interest is piqued, I got mine from here.
PS, I have no connection with Biovea, other than as a long-time customer.

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The World According to Leo the Labradoodle

Hello, I am Leo the Labradoodle, doing a guest post. This is the world.. according to me.
1. The human who decided kibble was the most complete nourishment for a dog, is evil. And don't think that disguising it with a meaty topper makes it any better. Cat poo tastes better. I know, I've tried it.

2. On the subject of cats, they are the spawn of the devil. No ifs or buts, the spawn of the devil, I tell you!
3. On the subject of poo, fox poopy smells better than Chanel No5, especially when I've rolled in it. I don't know why they always bath me as soon as we get home. Spoilsports!
4. The human boys in this house are very unpredictable. They insist on picking me up and hauling me around. When I hear them coming, I pretend to be asleep. Sometimes this doesn't work.
5. Wet tissue that I find on the ground is a real delicacy. I have to wolf it down quick before they wrestle if off me.
6. The only time I'm allowed upstairs is when I have to have a bath. I forget this EVERY TIME, until I'm on the landing and it's too late to escape.
7. Good things come in crunchy packets. Chocolate biscuits must be tasty too but I'm never allowed one.
8. Begging works.
9. I'm not sleeping, I'm thinking about how to get them to give me a chocolate biscuit.
10. Some other boy dogs have round things between their back legs. I'd like to know what happened to mine. Wait...you did WHAT?!!

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Communication and Kindness are the Key to Lasting Relationships

A woman I once knew was married three times, and each time she made the same mistakes. She didn't communicate, she kept secrets, she was intolerant to foibles and thus she became dissatisfied.
Now partly, she had rushed into things and probably married the wrong men, but her problem was also that her expectations were too high and when she felt they weren't being lived up to she didn't communicate her unhappiness, she just pulled away. She always thought the grass was greener, when in fact, it was just different. She was in love with the idea of being in a relationship, of being cherished and nurtured and loved and when the man of the moment didn't measure up, she became disillusioned and gradually began to look for her ideal elsewhere. She never found it.
I have learned lessons from this lady. When my husband and I married we decided that there would be no 'no go' areas for discussion, because one 'no go' area becomes two and then three and before you know it you can't talk about anything for risk of umbrage being taken.
Just as importantly, we are kind to each other, forgiving each other's weaknesses, supportive and understanding when one of us is down. I have to say that in the course of our marriage it's my husband who has had to exercise most of the 'patience and understanding' that we pledged on our wedding day. We are two individuals but we operate, especially where our boys are concerned, as one unit, pulling together and backing each other up.
He is my best friend, the handsomest man I know and he can still make me laugh with his dumb jokes. I often think of the Carly Simon song, The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of  "What if the Prince on the horse in your fairytale Is right here in disguise? And what if the stars you've been reaching so high for Are shining in his eyes?"
Now, not every marriage is built to last. People make mistakes, sometimes unforgivable ones. Sometimes the person you marry truly turns out to be someone completely different from the one you thought you'd married, and not in a good way.
At the heart of every lasting, happy relationship there has to be love and mutual respect. And if you keep talking, keep being kind, keep looking at each other with love and not mistrust, you're half way there.
I have a lot to thank that lady for. I have learned from her bad luck which, she would be the first to admit, was often of her own making. That woman was my mother and I know it brought her great happiness to know that, through her mistakes, I had learned a better way.

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My article in Hampshire Llife Magazine

I've had an article published in the July issue of Hampshire Life magazine about Hampshire Farmers' Markets and some of its producers who bring local food to various locations throughout the county. If you'd like to read it online, you can find it here: http://hampshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/hampshires-farmers-market-33217/

You can also download the whole edition digitally - my article and byline is on page 83.

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Lovely 5 star review for Sweet Seduction

Had a lovely five star review from Jazzielady on Amazon.com. Thank you, I really appreciate it and it means a lot!
Here it is:
I have read quite a lot of romance books and I have to say this is by far one of my favorites. It's not the usual cheesy romance for which you already know the gist of the story by reading chapter 1. Tania is a very good author. I love the pace of the book - not too sexual from the get go and I love the characters. Livia is sweet, sensitive and not a pushover while Rufus is unlike the usual hero - not too overbearing or downright jerk. This is the first time that I've written a review about a book and this is a big deal coming from me :-) I will be buying her other book later. I hope Tania will write more romance books, she is my new favorite author :)
See the review here on Amazon

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Great Review from Good Book Alert

I had this wonderful review from Good Book Alert that  I had to share with you. Heartfelt thanks to Cindy!

Maddie Chambers reports shocking news about other people – until the emotional disturbances she normally broadcast make her a front-page story. Maddie’s mum is alive and well living in town – problem is Maddie’s mum walked out on her family ten years earlier. Maddie’s brother has Asperger Syndrome, and she fears his reaction to dear mum might devastate him. Her father’s heart has never mended, and Maddie’s heart has long since turned to stone.

On top of this explosive drama Maddie becomes involved with another journalist, one with dark unruly hair and a naughty boy air. An office affair may be just what she needs, except this naughty bloke has more than his share of problems. Maddie needs one more thing to send her over the edge – so, her dear mum gets diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

Review:

This is an emotionally packed drama that will have you turning pages faster than you can blink. Immediately, I bought into the character of Maddie, a woman with unshaken courage to move forward despite being abandoned by her mum. She is focused, and self-sacrificing. Maddie’s emotions and choices she makes in this book are completely in character, and inline with how most people might react to her situation.

However, Mum is not heroic, or easily forgiven. I often saw Maddie’s problem with her. Her father, brother, and Grandmother’s behavior doesn’t help Maddie, and her office romance becomes more complex. Maddie is her biggest antagonist, and the author, Tirraoro really pours out the inner turmoil. There are extreme moments of inner dialogue that pulled at my heartstrings. From the beginning, this story has a bittersweet solution that provokes tears and laughter.

The story telling web was woven with a careful balanced sequence that kept me on track. I never had to question my place in the book. Tirraoro did that for me. My only draw back in the book was the plausibility of the Mum’s actions. I had trouble understanding how someone could continue to make the choices she did after abandoning her family. On the flip side, the main protagonist, Maddie made up for her mum in so many other ways.

Tirraoro puts her years as a TV reporter and her experiences as the parent of sons with Asperger Syndrome into the heart of this novel. If you are looking for a tearjerker, with romance, this is your book, and it won’t disappoint.

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The Ebook Survey RESULTS!

The results of the recent ebook reader survey are in! Some are quite surprising. When asked what the most important factor was when looking for ebooks, the strength of the blurb was top. Ebook authors take note - no matter how good your book, 31% of people say if your blurb isn't up to scratch, you're likely to miss a sale! Just as important it seems and not far behind is good reviews. 29% of respondents said a review was a key indicator in their ebook buying process. Readers pay attention to reviews, especially if by an unfamiliar author, it seems. Price and genre are not too far behind.
Conversely, what actively puts people off buying an ebook? Price here is key again followed hard on the heels by poor reviews. Not far behind is a blurb that doesn't grab the attention.
So at what price should you pitch your ebook? A third said it needed to be under £1 or $1.50 with another third saying they would pay up to £3 or $3.50 for an ebook by an unfamiliar author. 15% said it just needed to be under £5/$6 while 12% said price wasn't a leading decision maker for them.
When it comes to genre, crime and thrillers were way ahead in this category, followed by Sci-Fi/Fantasy. There was a reasonably even spread of people who cited women's fiction/romance, literary fiction, action/adventure and paranormal with other genres less popular. This surprises me as I read that romance was the biggest selling genre but maybe that is due to the profile of the survey respondents. Respondents could pick more than one genre but it is still a good indication of what people are prepared to read.
Is a price of 99c/70p off putting? A third say they would buy at this price as it seems like a bargain but more people - 40% say they would use the same critieria whatever the price. More than a quarter of people would download a sample first - so those opening chapters are crucial!
So, what does this all tell us? Firstly that reviews are key and price is just as important. And while crime and thrillers seem to stand a greater chance of big sales, genre isn't everything - individual blurb is more important.-So make your book blurb sparkle to stand a chance of that all-important sale!

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Asparagus, haddock and smokey bacon fishcakes with herby mayonnaise

It's Asparagus season and this recipe from British Asparagus is sure to tickle the tastebuds. Enjoy it as a Bank holiday lunch or supper and then kick back and relax while reading This Last Summer or Sweet Seduction. Read sample chapters here

Serves 2 adults and 2 children

You’ll need:

1 bunch British asparagus
25g butter
2 rashers streaky smoked bacon, diced
500g mashed potato
500g cooked haddock, flaked
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chives
Sea salt & black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Flour and 2 beaten eggs
200g fresh breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil

Herby mayonnaise
4 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs e.g. parsley, chives, basil, tarragon
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and black pepper

What to do:

1. Clean the asparagus and trim any white ends or peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut the tip off each spear and reserve. Chop the rest of the spear into small pieces.

2. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the asparagus and bacon for 2 minutes, allow to cool slightly and remove with a slotted spoon. Add to the mashed potato and haddock. Add the egg yolks, mayonnaise, parsley, chives, seasoning and nutmeg and combine together.

3. Divide the mixture into 6, shaping it into patties with your hands. Dust each cake with flour, dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs, re-shaping if necessary. Refrigerate for 1 hour, 2 if possible.

4. Mix the mayonnaise ingredients and set aside.

5. Pour ½ inch of vegetable oil into a heavy based frying pan and place over a moderately high heat. When the oil is hot, add the fishcakes and cook for 4 minutes each side until golden brown, basting with oil to brown the sides.

6. Remove the fishcakes from the pan and place on a warm plate. Add the asparagus tips to the hot pan and fry for 1 minute.

7. Serve the fishcakes with the pan fried asparagus, a little wilted spinach and the herby mayonnaise.

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Sample Sunday Cookoff - Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Pate

This is a recipe for a dip that our friends Sharon and Andrew served up as a starter at dinner a couple of weeks ago. It was so fab even my husband, who hates fish, liked it so much he made it himself the next day.

Have some of this with some tortilla chips while you lounge around and read This Last Summer or Sweet Seduction on your kindle- scroll down for the links in US and UK.

Ingredients:
-One pack (120-200g) of smoked salmon. (If in the UK buy Sainsbury's Basics Smoked Salmon Trimmings - it's going in the food processor so it doesn't need to be pretty, just tasty.)
-1 medium tub of cream cheese with chives - you can use low fat version
-Juice of half a lemon
-Salt and black pepper to taste

The method is easy peasy - bung it all in the food processor and whizz around. I prefer it not too smooth but with chunks of salmon still visible so don't get overexcited with the blender.

Serve  on blinis or in a dish with chunks of bread or tortilla chips or bread sticks. I'm feeling hungry just typing this it's so good.
Read Excerpts of This Last Summer and Sweet Seduction at http://www.tirraoro.com/preview.html
Buy This Last Summer ($2.99/£1.71) and Sweet Seduction (99c/70p):
or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords

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Ebook Reader Survey

Thanks for visiting - the survey is now closed while the data received is analysed. Check back for an update of the results in a couple of days!

Update: See the results here: http://notasadvertised.blogspot.com/2011/05/ebook-survey-results.html

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Another supper recipe for a spring evening

When I'm not writing, I work in PR and at Hampshire Farmers' Market we've been working with local environmental group, Greening Petersfield on developing great recipes made with farmers' market produce. This month's recipe is another spring/summer supper special is Goat's Cheese and Swiss Chard Tart. Visit the site for lots more recipes, market dates and great offers as well as for a PDF download of this recipe.
Goat's Cheese and Swiss Chard Tart 
Shortcrust pastry
150 gm plain flour
75gm butter
Filling
350 gm shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp cooking oil
500 gm swiss chard
1 roll soft goats cheese (can use your favourite) from Nutknowle
Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Light oven gas Mk 4,180 C
2. Make pastry. Rub together flour and fat until resemble breadcrumbs. Add a little water and gathe into a ball.
Roll out thinly (1/2 cm) on floured sur-face. Line a 10 inch flan tin. Put aside.
3. Chop shallots & garlic,. Pull chard leaves from stalks, chop stalks into 1cm lengths.
4. Fry onions until they go golden.
Add shallots, chard stalks & garlic. finish frying on gentle heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. Add chard leaves and place in pastry case. Cut the goat’s cheese into chunks and place these on top of the vegetables, pushing them in slightly.
6. Cook for 30mins until golden
 Visit the HFM recipe page for a full colour pdf download with photo of this recipe.
Read Excerpts of This Last Summer and Sweet Seduction at http://www.tirraoro.com/preview.html

or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords

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Romantic Recipe for a spring evening...

We're coming up to Asparagus and Watercress season in the next couple of months so, while you're peckish after reading This Last Summer or Sweet Seduction, why not gather together some yummy ingredients and cook up a storm? It's the perfect dish for a romantic summer evening.
See links for my books below. The recipe is courtesy of Hampshire Farmers' Markets, the home of great local food and the holder of the UK Urban Farmers' Market of the Year award. Check out the link for more great recipes and, if you're in the area, market dates.
Asparagus, Watercress and Pan Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto

Serves 4 -

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil or Pratt’s Rapeseed oil

4 shallots finely chopped

2 garlic cloves sliced

2 bundles of asparagus trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths

100g red and yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half

200g  risotto rice

1 small glass of white wine

1 ltr hot chicken or vegetable stock,

2 bunches of watercress roughly chopped

50g lightly salted butter, cut into cubes

50g grated Parmesan

Salt and cracked black pepper

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then add the shallots and garlic. Sweat for 10 minutes until the shallots and garlic turn translucent without any colour.
2. While the shallots and garlic are cooking, heat a medium sized frying pan, add the rest of the oil. When the oil stars to smoke add the asparagus and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cook for a 30 seconds or until the tomatoes start to wilt slightly, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. By now the onions should be ready, stir in the rice and keep cooking and stirring until the rice has also turned translucent, then add the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half.
4. Now start to add the hot stock, stirring the rice every now and then. Keep adding the stock a little at a time until the rice is cooked with a slight bite to it. About 20 minutes.
5. When the rice is cooked, stir in the watercress, asparagus and tomatoes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and half of the Parmesan, season with salt and pepper.

Buy This Last Summer
or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords

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New Video for Sweet Seduction

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New cover for Sweet Seduction

I was't happy with my cover for Sweet Seduction, my new romance.. so I looked out a better image and I've radically redesigned it. I much prefer this one and the characters look like I imaged them to. The scene is also reminiscent of the pivotal scene in the book.
You can buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk & Smashwords

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My Veg Box Experiment

At the beginning of the year I started ordering a weekly organic veg box. Just a medium one to start with - I didn't want to be overwhelmed by an array of strange, but seasonal vegetables.
I informed the children that from now on, we would be eating more vegetables and they would just have to try them. They took it rather well, with minimum of groaning.
It worked! We ate a lot more veg than usual - they tried broccoli, cabbage, hated courgettes, ate more carrots, leeks, potatoes and swede. I was filling my darlings with goodness! Receiving my box made me feel happy and virtuous.
But to my dismay, even if stored in the fridge, a Friday delivery of broccoli was soft by the following Tuesday. Tomatoes were furry before the end of the week. Potatoes had sprouts by Wednesday.
This put me under pressure to use all the veg before the end of the weekend rather than spreading it out over the week. This was not good - if we went out to eat on Saturday that meant I had less time to use the veg.
Eventually, after two months, I got fed up with feeling rushed. It made it difficult to plan meals for the week if your veg might not make it to cooking day. Organic veg, and from an expensive source (because these veg vox schemes aren't as cheap as the supermarket) were going in the compost. This made me gnash my teeth in annoyance.
So, much to my regret, I cancelled the delivery and now get my organic veg from the supermarket because I know it will last more than a couple of days. This does not make me happy. My local farmers' market is only monthly, so this is not an option on the weeks when it's not in town.
Why does the veg not last? I have no idea and I'm not naming them to save them blushes. It's a great idea and if I could use a whole veg box within three days, that would be fine. But who wants to have their life ruled by a carrot's life span? I want it to last at least seven days till my next delivery. I get that this veg is just picked and has no chemicals. But how does Sainsbury's organic veg last seven days and the beg box doesn't? What do they do it it? (Now there's a question).
Maybe I've just been repeatedly unlucky, but if it happens to me it must happen to others. It wasn't all the veg and maybe I'm expecting too much from my delivery - that's entirely possible - but I can't hope that my kids will go for more than two items of veg per meal.
I'm not giving up totally - I'm going to wait until there new season of more appealing veg is ready before I try it again. Will let you know how that goes!

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Interview on writer's blog

I have an interview on a blog by writer Sibel Hodge. You can find it here

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Getting Back to Work

After eleven years as a stay-at-home mum to two sons, I never thought I would be able to get back into work. My old glamorous career as a television producer and newsreader seemed far behind me.
I’d stopped work aged thirty, after I had two babies in quick succession. My younger son had health problems; he was diagnosed at 13 months with Reflex Anoxic Seizures – a heart rhythm problem that results in severe fainting. There was just no way I could leave him with anyone else as he could have up to three seizures a day.
I joined a patient support group – STARS (www.stars.org.uk) and began to help them out with their publicity and newsletters on a voluntary basis. This led to me learning new skills in web design as I assisted with their website as well. In 2004, I worked with the charity as a volunteer on a campaign to change a key health policy about heart rhythm disorders and felt like I was getting back into my stride.
Then disaster struck. Within the space of a year, both my sons, who had always been difficult to handle, were diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. I focused my attention on finding the right educational solution for them and getting them statemented. I wrote long documents for the Education Authority in support of my application and I was successful both times. We even moved house to be closer to their new special school.
I was exhausted, but I still need an outlet for my creativity and to stimulate my brain. I completed a novel, now released in print and as an ebook, This Last Summer, and started doing some low-level freelancing using the skills I had learned volunteering.
Then one day, I was walking down the street in town when I passed a recruitment agency board looking for a one day a week PR. I passed it by and went into a shop. But as I rifled though the racks, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I could do that, I thought. But, another voice said, who would hire you after all these years?
I ignored the second voice, marched out of the store and into the recruitment agency. I signed up and applied, listing my voluntary work, my work experience before I had children, my post-graduate journalism qualification and my undergraduate business and publicity qualification. As I wrote them down, it dawned on me that I was more than just a mother, I was an experienced professional as well who just happened to have been doing something else important for the past decade.
Reader, I got the job! And to cap it off, when I asked the charity I volunteered for, for a reference, they offered me another one day a week paid job as their Public Relations Officer as well. The other days, when my boys are at school, I spend writing and have now published a new romance ebook, Sweet Seduction.
The truth is, when you’ve been out of work for a while, your confidence is knocked. You spend so much time in jeans that wearing smart clothes seems like it’s not really you. But my experience shows that if you make the effort while at home to keep up your skills and even learn new ones, there is hope that you can back into the workforce doing something that you have a talent for. Volunteering is a great way to do this as well and looks good on your CV.

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New Children's Books by Julie Fison

Two new books from my friend Julie Fison - Bat Attack and Tiger Terror
Bat Attack

It’s New Year’s Eve and Jack Wilde and his friends are getting ready for a night of fun at the local disco. But when a mad driver almost runs them over, things start to go very badly wrong. Will New Year’s Eve be the best night of their lives or the very worst? As the clock ticks towards midnight, only time will tell.

 Tiger Terror

Tigers are on the verge of extinction. Everyone knows that. So why does Jack Wilde think he’s seen a tiger paw in a medicine shop in Chinatown? To find out the truth Jack and his friends must become junior spies. But they soon realize that their mission is anything but child’s play.

The books join two earlier Hazard River tales, Snake Surprise and Shark Frenzy. Well done, Julie!

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YouTube Advert for This Last Summer

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YouTube video for Sweet Seduction

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Like Romance? Love Sweet Seduction by Tania Tirraoro

Surrey author, Tania Tirraoro, has just published her second novel, a romance, entitled "Sweet Seduction".
When multi-millionaire Entrepreneur, Rufus Knightly offers to finance Livia Rosetti's artisan cake business, he doesn't expect to have a fight on his hands. Despite sharing a kiss under the mistletoe a decade before, Livia is now reluctant to mix business with romance—but the strong attraction between them is proving difficult to resist.
Like Tania's first book, "This Last Summer", currently selling well in ebook and paperback, "Sweet Seduction" is set in the county of Surrey, where the author lives.
Tania Tirraoro said, "Surrey is such a picturesque backdrop, it's nice to be able to set books on my own doorstep. I'm really pleased with Sweet Seduction—I wanted to write a feel-good romance because in this climate we all need something to make us feel better."
Sweet Seduction is available on Amazon UK, Amazon.com and Smashwords. It will soon be available on Apple for ibooks, Kobo & Barnes & Noble in the US.
If you love to sample the delectable taste of pure romance, Sweet Seduction is one not to miss!

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