Fundee Dundee

Getting into the allotment

2009-03-17T05:36:00.001-07:00

Allotment joy!
I've finally got cracking with the allotment and have some pictures to prove it! I don't know if it's terribly clear, but I'm prepping strips of about 3 feet across the plot. Turning it, then spreading manure, then turning it againg, with a final raking to even it out.
It's back breaking stuff though, this soil is pretty heavy clay, but is soft when I'm forking it over. I've tried to clear as many stones as I can see, but most "stones" turn out to be clumps of soil, or will be a tiny stone in a big lump of soil. I have spent a lot of time bashing the ground with the rake to break the clumps up, which is theraputic; I'd recommend it for anyone with anger issues.
Jamie is quite understanding, but he does get very bored. Last time he managed to entertain himself for about 20 minutes, then announced he was bored, but still let me dig away.
I'm still haunted by the look of abject misery that convinced me to abandon our 1st day on the plot. It was a bit chilly, but he insisted that running around made him colder, and it was windy, and I think this may be something he remembers. I just hope he doesn't develop a problem with gardening, or being outside...
Ah well, everyone needs stuff to tell a psychiatrist if the need arises :)

International Women's Day.

2009-03-09T04:02:00.000-07:00

I am so stunned by what I read in the Metro I just had to share it. I see this as a slightly more productive than screaming at some newsprint...
I know anyone familiar with the rag that is the Metro will not be surprised at rage directed at it, but this rage is not anything to do with the letters page. Not even slightly. It is to do with the article to do with protests about female repression and inequality to mark International Women's Day.
Apparently female applicants for art or fashion at the Wuhan Science and Technology Institute have to parade in underwear to get a place.
Obviously there are many more examples of inequality, repression and pure evil directed towards women in the world because they had the poor luck of being born female. Insisting that prospective students parade about semi naked is degrading and undermines anything they accomplish as students, but compared to systematic rape, torture, and death meeted out at the hands of not just strangers, but governments and family members too, it pales into insignificance.
But that doesn't mean to say that voices shouldn't be raised.

Witty talks about drugs.

2009-02-16T06:34:00.000-08:00

I felt the need to spread the word about GlaxoSmithKline's new Chief Executive's announcement reported in the Guardian. To save any clicking about here it is (full credit is given to Sarah Boseley):

"The world's second biggest pharmaceutical company is to radically shift its attitude to providing cheap drugs to millions of people in the developing world.

In a major change of strategy, the new head of GlaxoSmithKline, Andrew Witty, has told the Guardian he will slash prices on all medicines in the poorest countries, give back profits to be spent on hospitals and clinics and – most ground-breaking of all – share knowledge about potential drugs that are currently protected by patents.

Witty says he believes drug companies have an obligation to help the poor get treatment. He challenges other pharmaceutical giants to follow his lead.

Pressure on the industry has been growing over the past decade, triggered by the Aids catastrophe.

Drug companies have been repeatedly criticised for failing to drop their prices for HIV drugs while millions died in Africa and Asia. Since then, campaigners have targeted them for defending the patents, which keep their prices high, while attempting to crush competition from generic manufacturers, who undercut them dramatically in countries where patents do not apply.

The reputation of the industry suffered a further damaging blow with the publication and film of John le Carré's book The Constant Gardener, which depicted drug companies as uncaring and corrupt.

But speaking to the Guardian, Witty pledged significant changes to the way the drug giant does business in the developing world.

He said that GSK will:

• Cut its prices for all drugs in the 50 least developed countries to no more than 25% of the levels in the UK and US – and less if possible – and make drugs more affordable in middle-income countries such as Brazil and India.

• Put any chemicals or processes over which it has intellectual property rights that are relevant to finding drugs for neglected diseases into a "patent pool", so they can be explored by other researchers.

• Reinvest 20% of any profits it makes in the least developed countries in hospitals, clinics and staff.

• Invite scientists from other companies, NGOs or governments to join the hunt for tropical disease treatments at its dedicated institute at Tres Cantos, Spain.

The extent of the changes Witty is setting in train is likely to stun drug company critics and other pharmaceutical companies, who risk being left exposed. Campaigners privately say the move is remarkable, although they worry that it may undermine the generics industry which currently supplies the cheapest drugs in poor countries.

Witty accepts that his stance may not win him friends in other drug companies, but he is inviting them to join him in an attempt to make a significant difference to the health of people in poor countries.

"We work like crazy to come up with the next great medicine, knowing that it's likely to get used an awful lot in developed countries, but we could do something for developing countries. Are we working as hard on that? I want to be able to say yes we are, and that's what this is all about – trying to make sure we are even-handed in terms of our efforts to find solutions not just for developed but for developing countries," he said.

"I think the shareholders understand this and it's my job to make sure I can explain it. I think we can. I think it's absolutely the kind of thing large global companies need to be demonstrating, that they've got a more balanced view of the world than short-term returns."

The move on intellectual property, until now regarded as the sacred cow of the pharmaceutical industry, will be seen as the most radical of his proposals. "I think it's the first time anybody's really come out and said we're prepared to start talking to people about pooling our patents to try to facilitate innovation in areas where, so far, there hasn't been much progress," he said. "I can't tell you how many speeches I've heard about – oh, you know – 'I wish we could make progress on TB' or 'Why haven't we got treatments for these things?' We all sit there saying well yes, it's terrible isn't it, instead of actually trying to do something about it. So … what I really hope this does is stimulate people to start engaging with us, and maybe other people to say look, actually, if you did it this way it could really work.

"Some people might be surprised it's coming from a pharma company. Obviously people see us as very defensive of intellectual property, quite rightly, and we will be, but in this area of neglected diseases we just think this is a place where we can kind of carve out a space and see whether or not we can stimulate a different behaviour." He is aware that others in the pharmaceutical industry may accuse him of selling the family silver. Some people, he said, "are going to hate this". But he added: "I do think that many CEOs of many companies do worry about this issue and do have it in their minds and who knows, maybe somebody has to move before many people move. Equally I could imagine getting a phone call saying 'What are you doing?'"

Campaigners gave a cautious welcome to GSK's strategy. But Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières both said the company should go further and include HIV drugs in the patent pool, and warned that generics companies have always been able to offer lower prices than big pharma, because of their lower production costs.

"He is breaking the mould in validating the concept of patent pools," said Rohit Malpani who runs Oxfam's access to medicines campaign. "That has been out there as an idea and no company has done anything about it. It is a big step forward. It is welcome that he is inviting other companies to take this on and have a race to the top instead of a race to the bottom.""

This can only be a good thing, surely? I've had a look at a few blogs on this and there's the inevitable occasional bleating about prices being hiked up in the west to pay for it, but I don't think this is the case- although I may be wrong. Please feel free to correct me (with relevant links, got to check these things out!) I do understand how expensive medication can be, even in the UK with prescription charges, and in the US- where, if you don't have insurance, an ongoing medical complaint could bankrupt anyone. But the difference is that in the developing world many often find feeding their families difficult, and the cheapest medication for us is well outwith their budget, as for life saving treatment.... Really, the issues are not the same.

Then there's a few who don't expect this to happen as Mr Witty will be out of his job before too long. Well, I'd be surprised if the company didn't know all this before he was taken on and it's part of their grand scheme.

I think the patents in this "pool" are for drugs not being developed anyway, because they are of no use to the high fee paying west. And by offering drugs cheaper in the developing world they have a chance of pushing the generic manufacturers out of business altogether. Thereby quashing any competition.

Ok, it's not perfect, but the move is astonishing given the status quo. The mere fact that the CE of GlaxoSmithKline puplicly aknowledges that the Pharm industry's primary aim is profit is ground breaking, surely? It's like Thatcher saying "Why yes, I did want to take milk away from the poor little kiddies"

The world isn't fair, and I thank the lord that I was lucky enough to be born when and where I was. And until we can all bask in the joy of a Utopian society this move by Mr Witty should be applauded.

Now, where is that gift horse... I really must take him to the horse dentist.

Crap, it's Christmas

2008-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

Oh, bugger.
Once again I am faced with the prospect of having to get gifts for friends and family on a budget.............well that's a bit of a steaming pile of crap to start with- I have no budget, because a budget suggests you have an amount of money to spend on x people. I have fuck all to spend on everyone.

Ok, no money and some people to buy for, including an excitable nearly 5 year old.
Now, I don't feel the need to spend 100s but I do want to get something good for my little one at least, which brings me back to my 1st thought- what do I get him?
I mean, I do try not to spoil him, but he has so much it is crazy. In fact, I reckon he has as much now as my 2 siblings and I had in our entire childhoods.

He certainly doesn't need anything, but need has long since ceased to have anything major to do with Christmas in this country, and I doubt it will become important in the near future- recession or not.

I think I'll just get him a set of snakes and ladders, and, actually, I think he'll love it. Great!
Now, what do I say to those who spend 100s on their babies (I kid you not, I was at a toddler group where every child was under 3, and the average cost for each was over £150. That was just presents from the parents. One woman bought a TV ffs) they would be horrified that I couldn't find something more expensive to buy him.

Ah, well, I'll just lie.

xxx

Back to work!

2008-09-08T01:58:00.000-07:00

We have just had a lovely week touring the midland visiting friends and family, and are now back to work with a vengeance!
I have a whole load of tasty extras to add to the site over this week, which is quite exciting. I am very happy to be retailing the Hippychick range.
An especially happy addition is the phenomenally popular wheelybug, which is fast becoming the must have walkabout toy for your toddler.
Togz wet weather gear is another welcome addition, and I have heard many stories of holidays saved by the ability to bundle darling little ones up in reliable one-piece, two-piece, and even fleece lined waterproofing. This allows a top to toe cover up, and there is even waterproof bootees for bubs too small for wellies!
Right, well, I guess I'd better get on with it- before I have to pick my bub up from nursery!

Back to school... and off again!

2008-08-19T04:25:00.000-07:00

My wee lad started back at nursery school today. There's going to be a bit of adjusting as he's now there in the morning session, so lazy mornings are out of the question. Just as well really, it'll give us both a chance to get used to it before the stricter big school start times.
He went in after a big hug without a backwards glance, which is an improvement from before when I had to walk him in.
However, I just found out that there's a strike tomorrow, so after all the build up he's off again.
I understand why the strike, but it's so last minute. If I had a proper job to go to I'd find it hard to sort out something else at this stage.
....
I wrote the 1st bit yesterday, which means that today is strike day. We are having a good day, really, although this morning I decided to go to my ECDL course in the local library (they have a creche) only to find they are closed too.
Of course they are, they work for the council.
Idiot.

It's also started raining again so I may be forced into cracking out the paints and make and do stuff again. Don't know what we'll make though, the Tardis is finished, but Davros still needs his switches and levers so we'll maybe get that done.

It's not a bad life. :)

E-mail confusion

2008-07-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

I have a few e-mail accounts, and over time they all end up filled with offers to enlage my manhood and cheap knock off watches ("no one'll know you didn't spend 1,000's!"- except, of course everyone who knows me...)
It's not just irritating, I have even missed a couple of orders from ebay (not altogether but it took a few hours for me to find them) and that is unacceptable.
So I've shifted my notifications to a new google mail account, and as it only gets ebay notifications so orders shouldn't get lost anymore. At least that's the plan. Unfortunately getting into my account is a hit or miss affair. I have bookmarked it twice and the 1st time it took me to a blank page, whereas the 2nd loads then stops, loads then stops ad infinitum, or loads so you are tantalised with the inbox then goes to a blank page.
Pain in the A as I have to get to it through the google home page, I mean google rule the www world and they cant sort out letting my bookmark my own email account!!
Harrumph

Off to the beach

2008-07-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

Today is a fine day here in sunny Dundee, so we are forming a convoy to the beach!
It'll either be a fantastic afternoon, with preschoolers and babies enjoying the sun, sea, sand and the blustery wind, or a rotten time with sand in eyes, screaming babies and our shoes filling up with sand that'll be discovered in dribs and drabs over the next week or so.
It really could go either way.

Now to think of a snack that won't mind being washed in salt water to get rid of the sand...

Fluffles are discontinued...Oh woe is me!

2008-07-07T02:01:00.000-07:00

It happened a couple of months ago but I only just found out when I tried to order some. It looks as though they've been squeezed out by the new product in the Tots Bots stable.
I'm kind of stunned, as they are by far the most popular product from the range as far as orders from Daft On Nappies go.
And I like them! That opinion alone should have ensured their inclusion, but the world is upside down and my declarations are not being heeded!
Absolutely gutted.

Revamp

2008-07-01T05:54:00.000-07:00

Not one to do anything by halves I have been busy coming up with a new design to go with my new name. I'm using grass and sunshine yellow in an effort to evoke memories of fresh air and summer meadows, the idea being it highlights the environmental/natural aspects of real nappies. Some of the coolours don't quite work, so it's definitely a work in progress.

Whilst bonnie-babies.com still points to the site I will henceforth be daftonnappies.co.uk, and am enjoying calling myself a daftie. I am also looking for fellow dafties to join me in selling the products, so if you know anyone that loves their nappies and could persuade others on how easy they are to use and care for then please send them my way!

Birthday shenanigans

2008-02-28T06:24:00.000-08:00

My little one is not quite so very little any more- he's 4! For the 1st time he's really getting the idea of a special day for him, and he's really enjoying himself. He woke up to a pile of presents this morning and did the "Oooo, what's this...yay its a xxx!" chucked it aside and started on the next parcel :) I am chuffed to bits that the big pressie from me has gone down so well. It's a r/c Roary Racing Car and he's pretty much played with it since I managed to wrestle it out of the packaging.

It's funny, but I came to terms with the idea of plastic character toys now, but when J was tiny I was all "it's organic food, and wood toys from sustainable forests". Plastic tat would not be tolerated, and he wouldn't watch telly til he's at school.

Yeah, right.

I'm still resisting sausages that are mostly lips and hooves... but not if they are in a sausage roll.

It's over!

2008-02-05T03:15:00.000-08:00

Not life as we knw it, or anything so melodramatic, but 2 very important events have passed...
1: My 1st online self assessment tax return is in! And
2: My 1st ever sale is over!

I promise, in front of millions of blog readers (well, all 2 of you anyway :) ) that I will never again leave it till the last week. I'm not promising to get it in early, or even in plenty of time, but I will leave enough time to have a few problems, get answers, try them out, get more answers, try them out, get more answers, try them out, and then figure it out myself without developing an ulcer. I certainly do not want to be sitting in front of my computer at 23:15, 45 minutes before the extended deadline screaming "why won't you go through! Go though, or don't go through, just don't show me a white screen and a busy sign for forty minutes when I don't have forty minutes! Arrrggghhh! Please, please, pease..." pause for sobbing.... thankfully I didn't wake up J, or he may have been perplexed to find his mummy sobbing and hugging the monitor.

And the sale was quite a success, I was mildly pleased with it. Here's to people coming back without the sale prices tempting them in! The lesson I learned through the sale was to work out the numbers for every product, as I managed to sell quite a bit of one product that barely scraped even after all the postages were factored in. Also, not to assume things will sell just because they are at a good price. It seems counter-intuitive, but I am coming to the conclusion that there's just some products that I cannot give away.

I blame ebay.

And I love ebay.

It depends on whether I'm buying or selling, really.

Taxes, taxes, damned taxes!

2008-01-24T07:31:00.000-08:00

I have now got a week to finish it off (thank goodness for online forms!) and am getting stressed out about it.

When I was at uni and working hard (yes it is possible for an arts student to work!) I always found that, when I was stressed about whatever I was working on, I'd put the book onto my head and I would feel better. I didn't believe I was absorbing the info, or anything crazy like that, it was like a relief valve and it did calm me. Then, 5 minutes later, I'd have relaxed enough to take said book from my head and get back to work. With the additional benefit of a little light relief for the others in the library.

I can't do that with a computer- at least not with my desktop computer, hence my need for a laptop.

Then everything would be fine, taxes wouldn't stress me, and chocolate would have no calorific value.

You see a flaw in my logic?

The end is here!

2008-01-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

I have finally shipped off my last bogof bumGenius! nappies, and so it is with some regret I end the sale <:(>
Not the whole sale, I will keep the Mother-Ease and Tots Bots sale going (check out my website for further details!) but the version 2 bumGenius!, which were offered as a bogof have ended... and the new and improved version 3 has arrived!
Don't worry if you have the v2, they are still fantastic nappies, but the v3 is a formal roll out of a few tweaks and improvements on the design.

It's a shame as I quite liked doing the sale... but one lesson I have learned is to do my sums properly and make sure I can make something on a sale... I'm not doing it just to break even after all! (mind you it is still more of an expensive hobby at the mo, but I don't set out to loose money on each sale!)

I am such a great business woman lol

Dundee Baby Fair

2008-01-15T02:56:00.000-08:00

Well, the Baby Fair is this Saturday, and I do not feel ready! I think the problem is that I have quite high expectations for my stand, but no idea how to make it happen!

I have no display boards and can't put up posters, or anything on the walls ("It cost over £3000 to repaint this room last year, you knw, s no blu tack!") so all I have is a table. Perhaps I'll make a skirt for it made out of pictures of babies/nappies etc...

I do have a horror of embarrassing myself by looking a bit crap, tbh. Last summer someone had set up a healthy living fair in the City Square with loads of stalls for all the various groups but they were bare tables with a couple of leaflets scattered about on them, and it just left a very bad impression. I know one shouldn't judge the service on the display, but we are a sophisticated audience when it comes to things like image. I don't mind people knowing I work out of my house, and that I'm not a multi national organisation, but I'd like to think I look like I know what I'm talking about. It's not enough to just know what your talking about, you have to look like it to!

Then there's the big Baby Show in Glasgow... but that's a fret for another day!
lol

Winter blues... and pinks

2008-01-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

Tis indeed the season of sickness and we are no exception- colds abound in the Ivory Tower and we are now locked into that fantastic re-infection loop. It's my turn to splutter and splatter, but now J has returned to the germ fest they call nursery school, I'm sure he'll come home with something more interesting some time soon :)

It's a good nursery, don't get me wrong, but it's the way these things go!

And the pinks? Well, that would be my brand new pink bike! My lovely, beautiful friend only went and bought me a bike for my Christmas!

I feel like a 10 year old :)

Fully equipped with a child seat for J I am now mobile(ish). I live on a hill so I'm trying to build up stamina a bit at a time. It's hard enough going up a 45% slope but with a 3 stone backseat driver I do tend to get off and push!

Hope new year finds you all healthy, happy, and hearty!

I've fixed it!

2007-12-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

Hurrah and huzzah! I finally managed to sort the website out without having to pull the computer's innards out! It was, as I suspected, due to my ill-advised attempt to tidy up. Wehehehehell, I won't be making that mistake again!
So, what else is going on... the Chrimbo sale is up and running, and the BOGOFF bumGenius! is going as well a expected. I have big discounts on Tots Bots and Mother-ease too, which is pretty good, but the bumGenius! is definitely the winning horse in generating interest.

Aside from the nappies, I am feverishly knitting up a storm for Christmas presents, desperately trying to get them all done before the big day. I did consider buying a load of scarves and pretending they were my own work, but I resisted. I just couldn't have lived with myself- I would have been a fraud! :)

I've killed it

2007-12-05T06:37:00.000-08:00

My website, that is... I've killed it dead.
B*****ks
I made the dreadful mistake of tidying up my files for the site and must have hidden everything by accident because all I can see now is files....
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!
Ok, calmly I will go back and try and figure this out... just because everything I've tried so far has failed doesn't mean that I will continue in that vein.

Oh, and if I don't post again, you (dear reader :)) will know that I CANNOT, due to the fact that I have killed the computer too.

One more unto the breach dear friends!

BUMGENIUS Buy one get one free WOW

2007-11-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

Well this is quite exciting, for 2 reasons
1: I've never had the chance to do a BOGOFF thing before, and
2: It's an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in getting these nappies at an incredible price!

Everyone knows how these deals work, you have to get 2 of them in order to qualify. It doesn't exactly mean they are half price, but that is essentially what it amounts to- if you buy 2 :)

So, if you were unsure about them, or put off by the full price then now's the time to give them a go!

BTW if you are fast off the mark and there's no sale buttons anywhere then it just means that I haven't finished them yet. So either drop me a line and I can send you a special invoice, or visit again in a few hours!

Dundee Baby Fair 2008

2007-11-26T05:38:00.000-08:00

The Dundee Real Nappy Network has decided to host a Baby Fair on 19/01/08 . We are in the process of inviting exhibitors, doing the advertising and making up a website.

I've taken on the task of doing the website, and have also chosen to use one of these template packages to do it. It's not too bad, actually, you can edit quite a lot of them. I thought the point of them was that they were quick and easy, and all you have to do is put in the data, but finding the perfect template isn't easy! To be fair it's not that difficult to get something online quickly so I'll just have to come here and whinge it it gets too annoying.

The thing I'm annoyed about at the moment was that the best template I could find has pyramids in the banner. Pyramids! What's the connection there? None, it was the closest I could get to abstract but now I'm going to have to get rid of the pyramids somehow... You can check out how successful I am at http://www.dundeebabyfair.co.uk

Daft on Nappies is finally here!

2007-11-20T06:16:00.000-08:00

As it turned out attaching Daft On Nappies to the Bonnie Babies website was an easy process. All I had to do was type "webtapestry" into the box and in 24 hours it should be done! The annoying thing (and there must always be an annoying thing, apparently) is that it costs £10 for web tapestry to do the attaching, whilst heart internet don't charge to let it go. "Free transfers" is a bit of a BIG FAT RED HERRING. Yes, it's free, but only on one end. I don't know if everyone charges for this but I'm assuming its a standard thing. If anyone knows different then please let me know.

I had asked for all the relevant information from all parties and at no point was I told I'd have to pay anything for this. So there's the lesson for today, you may think your saving a couple of quid by going to "A" for a domain registration, but if you don't want them to host it then make sure you ask the right questions- of everyone.

Harrumph

Name change

2007-11-05T06:41:00.000-08:00

Imagine me, the night before the Baby Show in the SECC, all excited and nervous having just set up the stall. I then get a phone call from another business with a very similar name who has had customers contact her about the Baby Show in the SECC, looking forward to seeing her there... Obviously she was a bit surprised as she had no intention of going, but quickly found out that they thought I was her... if you understand...
She was concerned about this, naturally, even though we sell different things customer confusion is no good for either of us. And as she actually owns the trademark the onus was on me to find a new name!
So, after a lot of humming and haaing I finally settled on Daft On Nappies. As well as insinuating a certain light hearted obsession, daft also stands for Dundee, Angus, Fife and Tayside... clever, eh? I can see you all now, nodding your head in appreciation of my cleverness :)
Ah well, I think it's ok, and since I've been putting things off until I came up with a new name (there was no point in promoting a name that I was going to loose any minute, after all) the nappy selling has kinda ground to a halt, which has been painful in the financial district.
I still own bonnie-babies.com though, and I'll have both names directed to the same website until bonnie-babies.com runs out.
The only problem now is that I need Heart Internet to let me transfer daftonnappies.co.uk to Web Tapestry as they host my website, but they haven't replied to my inquiry for a couple of weeks now, grrrrr.

I can slice!

2007-11-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have decided to revamp the bonnie-babies.com website. In fact I've decided to rename it DAFTonNappies.co.uk and change the website, since I don't like to do anything in small measures :)

I had to change the name, actually, but more on that another time.

So I've been trying to come up with a slightly more sophisticated website that is still easy to navigate for everyone. One thing I have just learned is how to slice images up so bits of them can be used as different links. In the past if I wanted an image to be linked the whole image had to be one big link to one place... but no more!

I'm a genius, but more on that later too... I've got to buzz off and pick up J from nursery school.

:P
Tara

What's going on?

2007-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

Seriously, why am I not a tycoon yet? I've been plugging away at this www stuff for over a year now and no sign at all of the expected riches.

It's enough to make me mad.

Ok, once again, I want a castle in the country, a butler/driver, a cook/housekeeper and a minion to do odd jobs, like warm the toilet seat for any wintertime middle of the night visits.

I think you'll find that I've been quite modest in my expectations- I could demand a butler AND driver, as well as a cook AND housekeeper, but I don't want to appear greedy.

So, let's give it another go...shall we?

To Steam Or Not To Steam...

2007-07-12T02:10:00.000-07:00

I have always had to juggle the twin stresses of making sure my house is clean and avaoiding that bleach/cleaner smell- it gives my the dry boak, always has. Then, in addition to this, with a little one about, I was always worried about the amount of chemicals littered about the house, especially where my tiny baby may come into contact with it (like the bath/toys etc- not under the sink!) With the increased choice of steam cleaners I thought I had found the ideal solution... AND they can clean your windows too!

BUT just how environmentally friendly can they be? The lack of chemicals in your home, being absorbed into our bodies, or going down the plughole and into the environment, is a big bonus, obviously. However, it takes electricity to make the steamers work. I know there are gizmos out the that work out the energy consumption and cost of any electrical equipment, but how on earth can you measure the greenness of the 2 methods against each other?
Is it better to have less chemicals, but add to greenhouse emmissions?

Answers on a post card please... :D

BTW I have yet to get my windows completely clean with the steamer, maybe I should go back to the vinegar. :)

Midsummer eve

2007-06-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

It's after 11pm and it's still pretty light outside. From tomorrow the nights begin to draw in, and the days slowley get shorter. For tonight, I feel a strange hush. We have reached the apex of the year, and we are about to head on back down the rollercoaster.
Slow roller coaster, eh?

You'd never get that in Alton Towers...

I must be ready for my bed :-)

Bum Genius take over the world!

2007-06-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

Well after the bust that was the Baby Show bumGenius sales are saving me from the brink of disaster!
It's great really, bumGenius are fantastic nappies, and, if you ever looked at reviews on the forums, there was rarely a negative word about them. I don't know what has happened in the last month, but demand has just soared! It's almost as if a critical mass of popular opinion has been reached, and its now overflowing- kind of like a bath starting to overflow. I'm just a wee trader, but even I have been inundated. I've had a few phone calls from ladies buying up whatever shops have left in order to get a good number!
Unfortunately I'm now down to my last few pink ones and it'll take weeks for the next order to arrive. Fortunately most of the orders I've had are from very organised mummies, who can wait, so I haven't lost out on too many. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

It's the pox!

2007-03-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

Chicken pox, that is!
TBH I would have been surprised if he'd escaped this round of chicken pox, as every kid we come into contact with has had it in the last couple of months. Apparently it's up 70% from this time last year- and I'm not surprised.
On a purely selfish note, it had to appear on my busy day, his one and only session at nursery. Aside from all the daytime tv I was going to watch, I was going to do most of the prep for the Baby Show...

I have had loads of fabulous advertising opportunities in the last week too. I don't know if the season for the advertising folk to cast their nets is deliberately in synch with the home insurance callers, or is just one of these weird happenings, but there sure is a lot to wade through on a daily basis!

Sigh

Comic Relief- The Big One

2007-03-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

Don't know about anyone else, but whilst I usually tune into the Red Nose Day I rarely really enjoy it. I'll often pop in and out of it hoping to see whatever the big event they've been hyping for weeks (remember the Harry Potter spoof??) More often than not the whole thing was a bit rubbish on the comedy side but this year has been really good! And I actually thought Tony Blair was funny!
Controversial?

Comedy aside... this night has broken my heart at least half a dozen times. You see the stories of babies dying from... well, poverty really, and you know that despite sending in all you can afford you can't make it right for all of them. Maybe it's a parenthood thing, but since I had J I can't bare to watch kids in pain. Don't get me wrong, I never liked it! But the thought of him going through what some of these kids go through... breaks my heart.

The Baby Show is coming

2007-03-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

The leaflets have arrived, so everyone should be seeing the publicity around and about soon. And Bonnie Babies is on it! Woo hoo! Well in tiny type in a huge list of all the other stalls, but still there nonetheless!

It looks as if my great plan of keeping spending down to the bare minimum is in trouble. Well the plan holds, but the minimum is getting pretty high. Most of the things I'm hopefully going to sell have a wait time of a couple of weeks at least so I'm going to have to order them well in advance. Then I'll just have to hope that I can actually sell them! If I don't then it is going to take me a loooong time to pay off my credit card!

Please, please, please let me sell them!

Gosh, the exciting life of a high spending businesswoman :)

What to do with an energetic toddler.

2007-02-06T02:37:00.000-08:00

Get a whole load of membership cards!
And I don't mean for Gala bingo.
I have membership for a couple of child friendly places downtown in Dundee, and it is fantastic to know I have somewhere to go that is safe, interesting and "free" at the point of entry.
Obviously finding the cash up front can be a problem- a bit like the real nappy issue, but on a smaller scale- but if it can be done it will save me money, and give me choices of somewhere indoor to go in the cold weather.
(Talking about cold weather, I am relieved to see snow today, after the summer weather we've been having. I noticed some plants budding in mid January! That can't be good)
So now we have Sensation, the local science museum, and under 4's go free with mum's membership. £26 for a year. Science sounds a bit much for a 2 year old, I know, and a lot is way over his head, but they have a preschool area with noisy lights and flashing boxes, and all the exhibits are interactive, so he can play with them anyway. He loves the robot exhibit, especially the one where he can move the cogs as they look like Thomas' train wheels :-)
The new place in town is a soft play called Junglee, and they have a £15 for 3 months membership. They do a whole year for something like £55 but that was a bit out of my league, and I wanted to make sure it was worth it before investing that much. It's not a big place, but it's fine for little ones like J. The only problem is that I don't quite fit down the slide :-D I manage with a squeeze, but that means I don't go shooting down it- unlike the one in Jungle Kids. Man, that was a scary ride!
In fact, I think I may go there this afternoon!

The first cut is the deepest

2006-10-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

At least I hope it will be the deepest-
I have just had my 1st delivery go awol. Well, it may still turn up but I am not hopeful. Thankfully it isn't a big order. Unfortunatly I run so close to the wire that even a small setback really bites. What makes it bite even harder is that I sent the last of some stock I got a while ago, so went to buy some more only to find the price has been almost doubled! So not only have I lost over 30 quid in the missing order I am going to have to pay nearly 50 to resend! Oh, and the postage on top of that will be over a tenner...
Small fry to some, I know, I know, but it's a big fish in my modest pond :-/

Run before you can walk

2006-09-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

That's my problem, I want to run off and fill my website with loads of stuff before I'm properly running with what I have!
Patience is a virtue I clearly don't have.
Why can't I have unlimited, consequence free credit, a massive warehouse, and loads of customers who'll immediately buy whatever I offer? Eh? I can wait for my castle, cleaner, cook and butler. I'm not trying to be greedy after all...
:)

I've signed up to do the Baby Show in Glasgow next April, in the smallest, blink and you'll miss it, stall. It's a bit scary, as it'll take all the money I have, and more, just to set it up. I should make my money back, but if I don't I'm stuffed!
I'm sure I'll be fretting about it here again soon, but for now I'm off to bite my nails.
Tara

I just don't get it!

2006-08-10T03:51:00.000-07:00

I just don't get it, really, I don't. Environmental chaos is likely in my lifetime, never mind my sons' lifetime, yet it feels as though the majority of the world can't see any connection between their actions and any problems there might be in the world at large.

Yes, the government really should be doing more about it, but then so should we. Our refusal to do anything ourselves is as perverse as George W's refusal to do anything because the developing world won't.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no activist, I like the easy life as much as the next person, but when faced with the bags of plastic, from my over packaged purchases, being chucked on the incinerator or buried in landfill, even I see there has to be something I can do to reduce it.
I always paid the idea of recycling lip service, and saved up my paper etc, but usually ended up binning my personal mountain of recycling as getting to the recycling centre was just too much effort.

It was when I used disposable nappies on my newborn and I realised just how much waste we were producing, that I was finally pushed into doing something about it.

A whopping 8% of household waste is used disposable nappies. These nappies take HUNDREDS of years to break down. Essentially your babies poo will still be festering away in their very own time capsule long after your great-great-great-great...grandchildren have been and gone after a long life. A long life balanced precariously on top of the layer of dirty nappies covering the world...

I get the need to make life as easy as possible, really I do, but are the consequences worth avoiding the huge extra effort involved in loading the washing machine twice a week?

updated website

2006-07-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

I finally decided to change the banner on my website. It's kinda sad as I was using a photo of my son in it but it just didn't look quite right. I decided to go for the simple text on white, a la google to try and clean up the page. It does look better but now my pink and blue scheme looks a bit odd!
Slaters

ups and downs

2006-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hurrah! I think I found the distributer of a range of toiletries called Aromakids. You have to be careful with babies and essential oils, and this is a range of aromatherapy type toiletries specially made for little babies. I really wanted to carry this cause I thought it was fab, lovely smelly stuff! Well, fingers crossed for me!

Must admit to feeling a bit deflated about the whole blogging thing. I imagined it was a way to share stuff, but got slapped down when this blogger thought I was advertising my website. I was responding to something she had said by telling her about this nappy trial service that lets you rent loads of kinds of nappy before choosing one to buy, they don't sell nappies and I have nothing to do with them. It's just something I saw online and liked the idea of it. I know it's silly, I mean why should I care that someone got the wrong end of the stick? But, lesson learned, I'll keep my information to my own blog in future.

Blogging virgin

2006-06-29T02:12:00.000-07:00

Well, I've done it, I'm blogging... I'm not too sure how it'll go as I never could keep a diary, but fingers crossed.

The plan is to post items about using real nappies and other green parenting issues, so if you have found some fantastic ways to trim the eco footprint of your little one then I'd love to hear from you!

Tara for now