Father’s Day 2016 was a pretty special one. We had a pretty chilled out afternoon, all the family came round for tea and cake and the sun shone. We all tumbled out into the garden and I took a hundred photos of us all having a nice time. One week later I got a phone call to say my Dad had died and everything fell apart.
It’s been a tough twelve months, there’s no denying that. I’ve cried every day. Our family has laughed, cried and remembered all the good and great things about him. But there’s a massive Dad sized hole in my life which can never be filled.
Father’s Day is coming. It’s not a date which can be ignored, we still have a Dad in the house so he needs cards, presents and cake. He will need a bit of fuss and some thank yous for being the “World’s Greatest Dad” or whatever. As much as I’d like to sweep Father’s Day under the carpet and erase this annual celebration of masculine parenthood from existence, I can’t. It doesn’t work like that.
I don’t resent anyone having a Dad. I don’t resent anyone celebrating Father’s Day. I will celebrate as much as I can along with them, but always with a knot in the back of my throat holding my grief inside for just one more day.
I can’t pretend it isn’t hard. Walking past card shops filled with cards and gifts makes me hold my breath until they’re out of sight. Actually going into one a couple of weeks ago and having to buy a Father’s Day card and a gift for my husband was ridiculously hard. Is this one of those things which is supposed to get easier with time?
As social media fill with gift ideas and Father’s Day memes it becomes harder not to look it all in the eye. Most days of the year I wake up, hug my son, talk to my husband and remember that my Dad is dead. His absence is always there. Each day the place where he once sat in my life just yawns a little wider as I realise even more what I’m missing.
This Sunday, this Father’s Day I’m going to have to stick a very brave face on and swallow down my grief for another day. I’ve no idea how I will actually get through the day without crumbling completely. My first Father’s Day without a Father will probably break my heart all over again. Maybe I’ll use the day to remember him, just like I remember him every day.
My husband is a late convert to exercise. Like many of us he was put off sport and fitness at school. As a result it’s taken him 20 years to put on some fitness gear and get off the sofa. In fairness to him he’s remarkably sporty now. In the last couple of years he’s taken part in Born Survivor (one of those military style races where they roll you in mud and make you crawl under barbed wire). He’s taken up Kettlebells, then had to give that up due to a dodgy elbow. Now he’s joined a running group.
We’re keen to encourage his sportiness, partly because he really enjoys it and partly because it gets him out from under our feet for a few hours a week. With Father’s Day approaching we thought that giving him some new fitness gear would be a nice supportive gesture.
We thought we’d treat him to a new pair of shorts, a couple of new tops and some running socks. But is it possible to get some decent fitness gear with a budget of just £50?
We checked out the DW Sports website and found that we could find good quality running gear to suit budgets both large and small. We were pleased to be able to almost entirely him kit out so that he looks the part when he meets with his weekly running club.
The New Balance t-shirt in heather is £14 (currently reduced from £22) it is lightweight and made from moisture wicking fabric (which takes the sweat off you body and dries quickly). It also has an antimicrobial treatment which resists odours and skims the body, so it’s not too tight and is comfortable to wear.
It’s always good to have a couple of running tops to choose from, so we also bought this colourful Puma Core Run t-shirt in bright plasma (£12). Again this is a lightweight material, it’s moisture wicking and comfortable. It’s also very, very bright. Much brighter that it appears on the website. It may be bright, but it does make it ideal to wear when running down the road when the evening light is fading.
My husband lives in shorts for about 8 months a year, but he does have a selection of shorts he wears for exercise. With new running tops, he needs new running shorts, so we chose the Nike Dri-Fit Academy Knit Shorts (£15.99) in a lovely shade of blue and white which will go with almost anything. Again they’re made with moisture wicking fabric, Nike call it “Dri-Fit Technology”. They’re a nice length, not too short or too long. They also have an elasticated waist which makes them comfortable to exercise in.
Last but by no means least, we got him some new running socks. I learned long ago that normal socks are no good for running in. Not only do they wear out pretty quickly, but they often slip down your foot causing blisters and other problems. We went for a two pack of Sof Sole running socks (£7.99). Made from a Polyester material, with moisture management technology, these socks are ideal for anyone racking up the miles. These specially designed running socks minimise movement and friction.
So for a fraction under £50 we’ve kitted him out ready for his running club. We think he looks really smart. He feels really comfortable and the small boy thinks he’s nailed his Father’s Day presents for this year. And he’s right.
We’re really impressed with DW Sports. We ordered the products on Friday, they arrived early on Monday and delivery is free when you spend over £40. It’s all brand named products at what I felt were very reasonable prices too.
Note: We were sent these products for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.
Over the weekend the Stuff And Nonsense Theatre Company brought their production of The Emperor’s New Clothes to The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays. This new adaptation of the well-known tale, written and directed by Niki McCretton is currently on a UK tour.
This one hour show is for ages 3+ and brings to life the Hans Christian Andersen tale of an eccentric Emperor who loves clothes more than anything. It’s his birthday and he wants a new designer outfit to wear to his birthday parade. Two ‘designers’ (Bolshie and Banana) promise to create him an outfit that’s “never been seen before”, and the eccentric and vain Emperor doesn’t quite realise the spectacle he is about to make.
It’s only the village pig herder Molly who is brave enough to break the news to the Emperor. Thankfully some well appointed bunting saves his blushes and a happy ending is guaranteed all round.
The Emperor’s New Clothes is brought to life by versatile performers Jenny Harrold and Toby Gascoigne who play couple of quirky characters and each manages a plethora of puppets. The show is packed with pithy dialogue, funny puppets as well as music and song.
The puppets, many of whom are made in the style of Muppets are the stars of the show. Each one has a funny accent and great dialogue. Jenny and Toby are lively and engaging, and my six year old son loved the play. It is pitched at 3+ but I think some of the younger audience members struggled to stay engaged during some of the wordier portions of the performance, so perhaps 5 or 6 is about the right age.
The set is one of the stars of the show. The action takes place in and around a huge wardrobe and dressing table. Throw in a couple of screens and this homely set is transformed, with the help of your imagination into a town, a palace for the Emperor, a bolt hole for Bolshie and Banana and the scene of the great birthday parade.
The Emperor’s New Clothes is a triumph of storytelling. In the hour long show Jenny, Toby and the puppets really brought the story to life. With enough audience participation to keep most of the little ones engaged, this production of The Emperor’s New Clothes was funny, fun and captivating.
The Emperor’s New Clothes is funny, energetic, charming and captivating. It’s as engaging for parents as it is for children, and for me that’s the secret to really good family theatre.
We were given tickets to The Emperor’s New Clothes for review purposes. All opinions are our own.
My son is six now and does seem to enjoy doing maths at school and at home. I’m keen to encourage this, especially as I was always terrible at maths myself. I’m a great believer in making learning fun, so when we were sent the Orchard Toys Magic Maths Game I thought he would like it, and I was right!
The Orchard Toys Magic Maths Game is for ages 5-7 and helps to teach and reinforce addition, subtraction and multiplication. Designed for 2-4 players this is a game my son really, really loves and makes us play every night after dinner.
The game play is really easy to get your head around. Each player chooses one of the four wizard boards, you spread the magic sum cards face down and star up on the table. You also have a selection of spell ingredient cards, deal each player six of these cards, these have a number on one side and a gruesome spell ingredient on the other.
To play you turn over a magic sum card and do the sum on the card eg 5+2= if you have the number 7 on any of your spell ingredient cards, shout abracadabra and put your gruesome spell ingredient onto your wizard board. If you need to check your answer is correct, rub the star on the back of the magic sum card and this will magically reveal the answer.
If there’s no match or you answer the sum incorrectly then the other players have a chance to win that card if they get the sum right and have a spell ingredient card to match. The winner is the first layer to fill their wizard board with all six spell ingredients. It’s actually much easier than it sounds.
The horrible spell ingredients include worm-infested cupcakes, brains and bogies. For my son the eye of newt and wing of bat element is something he particularly enjoys.
The game has been designed specifically for KS1 maths in collaboration with teachers and educational professionals. It incorporates a broad range of sums including addition, subtraction and multiplication to offer a challenging game.
The Orchard Toys Magic Maths Game helps to develop the following areas of learning –
Develops Number and Counting Skills
Supports first multiplication, addition and subtraction
Encourages Observational Skills
Develops Personal and Social Skills
I know from playing the game with my son that he is very engaged with it, he enjoys creating the spells and the challenge of doing the maths to get enough of the cards to win the game. For my money, this is probably one of the best Orchard Toys games we’ve had and is perfectly pitched for my 6 year old.
If you do get this game, can I offer a small tip. The magic sum cards are in sets for addition, subtraction and multiplication. I know my son is pretty confident with addition and subtraction; so for a while we just played with these cards to bolster his confidence. Over time we have introduced the harder sums, the multiplication cards etc and he has found those easier to do and has approached them with greater confidence.
I didn’t think it was possible, but this game really makes maths fun for us all!
The Orchard Toys Magic Maths Game is available from a wide range of retailers and costs around £12. For more information, visit the Orchard Toys website.
Note: We were sent the Orchard Toys Magic Maths Game for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.
On Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th July this year the good people of Nantwich in Cheshire will be bracing themselves for a celebration of all things dairy (but mainly cheese) as the 120th International Cheese Awards 2017 rolls into town for their annual cheese extravaganza – held in tandem with the Nantwich Agricultural Show.
Tuesday 25th is Trade and Judging day, but on Wednesday 26th the enormous cheese pavilion is open to the public. Browse and buy cheese direct from the makers, find out more about the dairy industry, sample some of the thousands of cheeses there or spot a famous face and join one of the celebrity chefs in the demo kitchen.
Tickets for the demo kitchen sessions are limited, so if you’re heading off to the show then don’t forget to book before you go. Watch top chefs James Martin, Will Holland, Sean Wilson and Jonathan Harrison demonstrate their skills in the kitchen and learn how impress and delight your guests with some delicious cheese based cookery!
Last year’s International Cheese Awards attracted an amazing 5000 entries, making the International Cheese Awards the biggest and best cheese show in the world. Last year’s Supreme Champion and winner of the Westminster Cup 2016 was Treur Kaas for their aged Jerseyhoeve Schorren, with Waitrose scooping Supreme Retailer for 2016. Which cheese will come out top this year?
The International Cheese Awards is a fantastic day out. The Nantwich Agricultural Show and the International Cheese Awards are a great way to spend a day out with the family at the start of the summer holidays. I go every year, and for the last few years I have been a cheese judge, which is the most fun ever!
For more information about the International Cheese Awards and to buy tickets to the awards and the Nantwich Show, visit their website.
The Merlin Annual Pass BIG SUMMER SALE starts at 10am on Thursday 1st June and ends at midnight on Monday 3rd July 2017. So there’s never been a better time to start planning adventures for your family this summer. With access to 32 top attractions across the UK, grab a Merlin Annual Pass in the sale for just £119 per person.
Escape this summer to the Alton Towers Resort, home to some of the world’s most iconic rollercoasters. While you’re there, visit CBeebies Land which has new additions for 2017, including a live and interactive show hosted by the fuzzy puppets from The Furchester Hotel and the Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom ride which little thrill seekers will love.
Go in search of The Gruffalo at the Chessington World of Adventures Resort. Visit Sea Life Centres across the UK; explore the wonders of the ocean and come face to flipper, fin, tentacle, turtles, sharks, rays and octopuses. Or start your ninja training at the new Lego Ninjago World at the Legoland Windsor Resort.
We have had so many wonderful days out with our Merlin Annual Pass. It’s very easy to quickly clock up excellent savings, especially over the long summer holidays. So whether you’re planning a staycation or just some fun family days out, a Merlin Annual Pass is a great way to maximise the good times this summer.
See what you can save on your Merlin Annual Pass
For more information or to buy passes in the Merlin summer sale, please visit www.merlinannualpass.co.uk.
I am a Merlin Annual Pass Blogger Ambassador. I was not paid to write this blog post.
I am part of a Facebook group called “North West Bloggers”. There are over 500 bloggers from across the whole blogging spectrum in the group. We all have at least one thing in common; we are from the North West of England. Many of us live or work in Manchester, those who don’t live here know the city fairly well.
The shockwaves from the bombing on 2nd May 2017 were felt across the North West, and throughout the UK and beyond. Many of us in the group knew, or knew of people injured in the bombing. Some of us knew people who died that night. All of us were shaken by the tragedy that night.
In the days following the atrocity, several members of the group wrote blog posts expressing their shock and sense of loss. Others wrote about their pride for their city, some shared photos of their bee tattoos and experiences visiting the memorial in St Ann’s Square.
There was a feeling, a suggestion in the group that we should bring all of our blog posts together in one place. This is that place.
If you’ve written a blog post in remembrance of what happened, or perhaps a blog post celebrating the city of Manchester, please do join in the linky below.
Rules:
Please add the linky button below to your blog post (just copy and paste the code onto the bottom of your blog post).
Please do try to leave a comment on some of the blog posts. Also please feel free to share, tweet, stumble, whatever every click, like, love or share helps your fellow blogger.
Please feel free to Tweet me your link and I will happily retweet it.
I reserve the right to remove any blog posts which are not in the spirit of this link up.
About North West bloggers
North West Bloggers are a network of bloggers in the North West of England. We have parenting bloggers, fashion and beauty bloggers, business bloggers, Dad bloggers, fitness bloggers, you name it we have them in our group bloggers.
Mancunians are a pretty special kind of people. I know I’m biased because I am one, but its clear from talking to incomers to the area just how much this fine city gets under your skin. Manchester is a beautiful city, inside and out. Its people have more heart that they know what to do with and I’m blessed to have been born and bred here, and I’ve always felt that way.
Mancunians are a breed apart, different in outlook and temperament to their cousins in Liverpool and across the Pennines into Yorkshire. The rivalry may be fierce, but it is for the most part good humoured and affectionate.
Manchester is an industrial city. It blossomed, bloomed and boomed during the industrial revolution and was known as Cottonopolis. From Manchester came the first passenger railway, the first computer and the invention of graphene. It was the birthplace of the Pankhurst’s and Karl Marx lived here for a time. We created a whole genre of music, and we’ve got famous actors, poets, writers and artists coming out of our ears. But what makes Mancunians special (apart from absolutely everything)?
We bloody love Manchester. We really bloody love Manchester. We’re incredibly proud of where we’ve come from and what a glorious, inclusive, cosmopolitan, historic, forward-thinking city it is. We love that we’re good at music, sports, science and the arts. We love our industrial heritage and our industrious nature. Manchester is awash with entrepreneurial spirit, we are grafters, thinkers and doers. We are rich in social history and compassion.
Manchester is a city filled with many different kinds of people. City fans, United fans, indie kids, goths, we have a beautiful LGBT community who bring more to Manchester than I think even they realise. We have people from all over the world coming to live and work here. We have several huge universities and it seems that most people who come to Manchester to study never really go home again afterwards.
Mancunians are not generally intrusive people, but if someone is looking lost, upset or in trouble, we will step in and offer to help if we can. We are an incredibly kind people, sharing what we have with those we meet with no expectation of a reward beyond thanks.
We make eye contact on public transport, we talk to our neighbours and our neighbour’s neighbours. We’ll nod hello to strangers on the street. We rally round when people need us, we join together to show the world our collective strength. We are Manchester.
Mancunian women have a reputation for being strong, some people call us battleaxes. Well, we are strong, we can be fierce, but we’d do owt for anyone and woe betide anyone who looked at our kids the wrong way.
Manchester is a diverse and wonderful city. Its people are full of good humour, with notable funny Mancunians including Les Dawson, Steve Coogan, Victoria Wood and Caroline Aherne, to name just a small handful.
Music has always been important to us, but we’re not *just* all about Oasis and The Stone Roses. The Halle Orchestra are resident here, and we have the world famous Chetham’s School of Music in the city. But yes, you’re right, we do love a bit of indie around here – Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, Happy Mondays.
Tony Wilson is often quoted as saying “But this is Manchester, we do things differently here.” And we do.
We have beautiful green spaces, great parks, botanical gardens, wonderful architecture. We are a city and a people looking forward to the future, whilst embracing and taking pride in our industrial past.
Pride is important to us. We are Proud Mancs. We’ve always been Proud Mancs. We are proud of our roots, our achievements, our attitude and our compassion. We are proud to be from this amazing city. This gorgeous, gleaming metropolis we call Cottonopolis. Its streets packed with history and hidden gems, its eye always on the future.
I asked my friend Bob about what he thought made Mancunians special. He gave this lovely answer…
“Going to Love Train at the Ritz. Rubbing shoulders with goths and beardy old leather-clad rockers in Jilly’s back in the day. We’re such a strong community, even the venues have their own personalities. They come and go, Jilly’s and Hacienda have gone, but still loved and never forgotten. The city itself is our extended family. The City of Manchester stadium as the train pulls into Piccadilly. Beetham Tower on the horizon as the bus approaches Salford. It’s iconic from every angle and every time you pass a ‘Welcome to Manchester’ sign it’s a homecoming, whether you were born there or are adopted by the city, its people and its heart.”
Mancunians. We’re brave, bold, funny, kind, loving, we have heart and soul in spades. Int that right r kid?
The Whit Week Half Term falls under the sad shadow of the Manchester bombing. I live 5 miles away from the arena, and we’ve felt the emotional reverberations of the atrocity. The mood is defiant but subdued. Everyone I know wants to stay at home, holding their kids close where they can keep them safe. But generally kids don’t always love being stuck at home and will want to do something over the half term regardless.
For us our half term fun will be had on the fringes of the city. Whilst I’m happy to visit the city centre myself; for the next week or so at least we won’t be going in as a family. I know we can’t wrap our children up forever. We can just make sensible, informed choices and get on with life and live it well.
If you’re keen to avoid the city centre with your kids for now, I’ve selected a few out of town things to do in Manchester over the Whit Week Half Term. I’ve not included them here, but there will be lots of things to do over the Whit Week Half Term in the city centre, at the Whitworth Art Gallery, the Museum of Science and Industry, and at the People’s History Museum. However you choose to spend half term, enjoy it.
Waterside Arts Centre, Sale
We will be going to seeThe Three Musketeersat the Waterside Arts Centre in Saleon Friday 2 June. Presented by The Three Half Pints; Fresh from Justin’s House and Spot Bots, we will be joining CBeebies’ favourites in this hilarious new slapstick adventure of chivalry, swordplay and suddenly falling over!For ages 5+
For ages 3+ catch Julia Donaldson’s famous book The Scarecrows’ Wedding, brought to the stage by Scamp Theatre. Running on Friday 26, Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May. Scarecrows Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay decide to get married and Harry sets off for their wedding day essentials. This truly heart-warming adaptation promises wit, drama and wedding bells!
On Thursday 1 June, Waterside will be screening Sing-a-long Trolls. Bring the kids and sing your socks off to Trolls hits such as Can’t Stop The Feeling and True Colours. Come along in Troll-themed fancy dress or costumes in bright rainbow colours. Prizes will be given out for the best outfits! Tickets just £5 (or £2.50 for Family Club members).
Based on the fabulous new book by Steven Lee and with magic designed by Paul Daniels, Don’t Dribble on The Dragon is a spectacular musical adventure about growing up and the importance of family is the perfect feel good show. For ages 3+ on Saturday 3 June. Steven will also be signing copies of Don’t Dribble on The Dragon after the show.
Salford Quays Culture’s Summer Showcase
Over half term, endangered species from land and sea migrate to the metropolis of MediaCityUK, in the form of four gigantic sculptures for Quays Culture’s Unnatural Borders exhibition, which will run from Saturday 20th May until Monday 29th May.
Four large sculptures represent endangered species – Polar Bear, Whale, Red Squirrel and a Bee. By day the sculptures tower over the public on large separate plinths. When the sun sets at 9pm they are illuminated with stunning visual projections, bringing a magical show of light and illusion to these 3D animals and their location. Day or night, these sound pretty awesome and worth seeking out, especially if you’re visiting Media City for other reasons too.
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre
Ok, so this means a bit of a drive to Widnes, but the boys go here often and they really enjoy their visits. This amazing science centre has three interactive galleries to explore as well as a stunning rooftop observatory. During this half term they have two interactive workshops for budding scientists to enjoy.
Ludicrous Liquids –A chance for young scientists to get some hands-on fun in the lab, experimenting with interesting and surprising liquids. How many colours can you get into your rainbow straw and do you make a lava lamp? Hands-on workshops at 11am and 2pm
Fantastic Plastic – One of their most popular hands-on sessions. Enjoy working with an amazing plastic material to make a keyring to take home. Hands-on Workshops at 12 noon and 3pm.
Wythenshawe Community Farm
Join the Junior Farmer’s Club and learn how to care for the animals on the farm. Groom and feed Pip the friendly pony, feed and muck out the pygmy goats and collect the eggs from the chickens. Available on Thursday 1st and Saturday 3rd June from 1-3pm. The cost of the session is £10, for more information or to book phone 0161 946 0726.
Over Whit week half term, Shift Digital will be running a series of free events in libraries and other venues in Cheshire. If you’ve got kids who are into coding, computers or science, it’s well worth taking them along.
Join Shift for Superhero Sewable Circuits on Wednesday 31 May at theElectric Picturehouse,Cross Street, Congleton. Make your own light up superhero mask. Learn the basics of e-textile sewable circuits and stitch light up LEDs onto felt to customise and create your own design. Ages 7+ FREE Places limited – to book call 01260 270908.
Minecraft fans should go to PatternCraft at Congleton Library on Tuesday 30 May – 10am-12noon / 1-3pm. Go along and create 8 x 8 punchcard designs; feedback your card into the reader and by the magic of python code converting the physical holes in to binary files of 0’s and 1’s, build it on a minecraft map. Drop In – FREE – All Ages Call 01260 375550.
At Holmes Chapel Library on Thursday 1 June 10am-12noon / 1-3pm, learn to program the Micro:bit LED display and create interactive bitmap art that responds to movement and button presses. Ages 7+ FREE Places limited – to book call 01477 689550.
The full SHIFT programme – including talks, workshops, professional training, tech meet ups, art installations, family events and drop-in coding sessions – is listed on their website: www.shift-digital.co.uk
We hope you have a great Whit Week Half Term. If you’ve got any ideas for other fun things to do, please do mention them in the comments below!
Scrolling through Twitter on Monday night, I was already tucked up in bed when a minute after the Manchester bomb I saw a tweet saying something was going on at Victoria Station. We often get these “I heard a big bang, what was that?” kind of tweets in Manchester, so at first I didn’t think much of it. But I decided to dig around Twitter to see if there was anything else in it.
Within minutes it was apparent there was a real situation unfolding at the Manchester Arena. I got online and started chatting in a Facebook group with some friends, all of us scrolling and searching for info. We all hoped against hope that it was a popped balloon, that it was a speaker which had exploded, that no one had been hurt.
We all stayed up, screenshotting and sharing statements from Greater Manchester Police. We checked as far as we could that people we knew weren’t there. We realised in the darkness of our early hours chat that this was deliberate, this was timed for maximum impact and it was designed to hurt children.
The swear words and tears flowed. This was our city. Our beautiful, cosmopolitan, inclusive city and someone wanted to hurt our children. It was about as low an act as it could be. We couldn’t do anything but re-tweet and share information. Helpless and despairing we all went to bed at 3am knowing we would wake up to terrible, terrible news.
Tuesday brought a whole range of emotions. Anger, pride, sorrow, love, anger again and fear. We all hugged our little ones close, were extra vigilant when we were out and about. They started to give names to the dead and the missing. All young, vital, full of joy and promise. I’ve wept for every one and each of their mothers too.
We heard tales of bravery. We were scared and brave and bold and devastated in equal measure. We watched the vigil. We wept with pride, passion and sorrow when Tony Walsh known as Longfella, a local poet and Mancunian legend read his poem, This Is The Place.
We are broken.
Less than 48 hours after the attack I am numb. My heart is broken for the children and families caught up in this atrocity. My heart is broken for my friends who are sat by hospital beds with their poorly babies. My heart is broken that someone could do this to my city. My home town. To our children. To our people.
I love my city. Manchester gets under your skin and flows through your veins. It fills your heart with pride. I’m a Proud Manc. I could never be anything else but a Proud Manc. Those who want to divide us will only ever unite us further.
This is Manchester. We are Manchester. This is The place. Our place.
