Caring for your Cat

Many years ago after getting married,we found are self's buying two cute kittens, they were tortoise shell,naming them was easy we got them on Guy Fawkes day ( a UK tradition) so we named them Guy and Fawkes, at that time  I did not really know much about cats, as a youngster we always had dogs.  I always thought cats took care of themselves and they generally do, but I did learn a few things along the way which I would like to share with you.

Although my Mum did tell me about a cat she once had, at the time she was living in Plymouth Devon England very close to the dockyard, where the naval ships came in, the funny thing was when a ship went to sea her cat would disappear, three months or so later the cat would reappear stroll in and demand something to eat, a few days or so later the cat would be gone again and then return in a few months, if only the cat could talk!!!


Kittens and cats are cute fuffy animals and yes they generally can take care of themselves, But there are a few things you should know about caring for your cat, usually you get your cat as a kitten and eventually grow up in to an adventurous cat

If you decide to get a kitten, and are concerned if you have other animals and how the kitten would react, generally they adapt well and it will accept that the other animals rule.

At first your kitten will not be able to go out until it has had his/her first injections from the vet, so you will need to train your kitten to use a cat litter tray, Cats are very clean animals so make sure the litter tray is cleaned regularly also decide where you are going to put the litter tray so the kitten will learn that its his/hers, if it gets moved around the kitten will become confused and accidents will happen.

At first like any other your animal the kitten will follow you around, he/she will also jump and climb, from the moment you have your kitten it is best to discourage them from jumping on your kitchen tops or tables especially if you have food on there, the easiest method to teach your kitten not to do this is by keeping handy a small squeezable bottle filled with water which you can just squirt in the face of the kitten.

Another thing I discovered is kittens and cats lover to scratch, so to save your furniture, its a good ideal to invest in a scratching post, scratching is how they sharpen their nails, however if they try to scratch elsewhere, again spray some water at them.

As with dogs it is best to take them occasionally to the vet to trim their nails, or if you are confident you are able to buy from your local pet shop nail clippers and you can trim them yourselves, to do this you will need to hold your cat firmly and then press down on each toe which will make the claws extend, if you start this when they are a kitten then will get use to it, so try to inspect them regularly.


As for shedding hair, kittens do not tend to shed that much until they become cats, but you should comb them, again to get them use to it start combing then regularly no matter if they are a short or long haired cats.

For a healthy kitten/cat, just like us to stay in tip top condition they need to eat good quality cat food, this you can purchase from your local pet store, if you are unsure what to feed your kitten/cat ask the vet for advice he will recommend a brand that is high in vitamins and minerals. Also always make sure your kitten/cats water bowl is clean and fresh, so they don't get dehydrated.

Coming back to the kittens first and yearly injections, you should register your kitten with a local vet who will administer the necessary injections to protect your kitten from diseases,you will be given a record card showing you what and when they had done and it will also be a reminder to have your kitten done each and every year.

If you decide to get a cat and not a kitten, you will need to give them time to adapt to their new home, if you have other pets they may have a little argument, don't intervene it is normal and they will come to terms with each other, if however it does get a little out of hand you will have to separate them into different rooms. Over time they will either get on or just simply ignore each other.


As with a kitten, a cat needs to learn your rules to, so use the same tactic and squirt water at their face, it is the best way to treat them without physically hurting them.

Is your cat going to be an indoor or an outdoor cat, it has been show that by keeping your cat indoors it extends their life for over ten years, outdoor cats run the risk of being hit by cars or picking up a nasty virus from stray animals, stray cats generally only live for a couple of years.

That's it really taking care of your new kitten is relatively simple,you just have to decide whether your kitten will be an indoor or and outdoor cat.

Oh not forgetting cats love attention, they will lay on your lap, enjoy a good pampering and will purr like crazy to show they are contented.

If you are stuck for names for your new kitten here are a few suggestions.



Male

Max -  Sam -  Sooty - Gizmo - Lucky - Charlie - Toby - Buddy - - Simba

Female

Sassy - Missy - Misty - Samantha - Molly - Coco - Lucy - Maggie -  Sophie -  Daisy

Or you could name your cat according to its colour, such as a white cat can be called snowdrop
or maybe your kitten has distinguishing  marks , then you could name it a tabby, patch etc

But remember if its an outdoor cat, it will be you who's calling out the name so be sure you want to be shouting out its name.

Lazy Sunny Sunday.

Yet again we are having a glorious day in England, the sun is shining, what to do 

Gardening? 
Clean the House? 
Maybe do the ironing!!

No we decided to take advantage of this beautiful day and go to a country park, with the dogs of course and water for when they get thirsty and Ice Cream for us mmmmm.

Great exercise for us and the dogs and to breath in some of that lovely clean fresh air.

However got to be back for about 2.30pm.

Its a big day today in England and for Germany too, well it is if you are a footy fan.

England v Germany, lets hope the English fans drown out the noise from them annoying vuvuzelas, I really cannot see how they can watch the football and blow them things at the same time!!


So I would like to Wish England Good Luck, and to hope it is an enjoyable 90 minutes, with some great football from both sides.


Then to finish off the evening hopefully with a win, were off down the club with family and friends for a drink and some bingo., where hopefully I will be shouting out HOUSE!!!!

Update

England Lost no surprise there - Well done the Germans you ran faster, you found space, you scored goals.
England you turned up.....

Good News.

While over the Park, Tammy fell in the water or did Gunner nudge her in? not sure, We had a lovely stroll in the sunshine and the dogs throughly enjoyed theirselves..

And I got to shout House twice on the bingo....

Aerobics For Kids

Whether your children are energetic or not they should be introduced into the world of a healthy and fitter lifestyle.

Introducing your children to aerobics as an exercise will teach them about health and also movement and co-ordination skills, at the same time their energies would be put to good use and will benefit them in the long run.

Studies show that 25% of children and teens do not do any form of vigorous physical activity. 

Its also reported that approximately 14% of teenagers  do physical activity, for example daily walking or cycling. Many children today are considered overweight this could be due to the many modern gadgets they have to play with and the fast food that can be purchased, unfortunatley we all seem to be living at a fast pace and because of lack of time quick meals are eating throughout the day.

However it is now becoming a problem for tots to teens, as they grow older health problems will eventually appear, for those that are involved in physical activities lowers the risks of developing health issues.

By teaching your child to exercise you will be lowering the risks of obesity,diabeted,high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Exercising needs to be fun, so don't rush  out and buy a DVD with a 30 minutes of exercises to do, they will simply get bored.

You could go to your local fitness center, they not only have programs for adults, but cater for children to teenagers and they will be able to help your child with a workout program to suit their age and fitness level, which would involve cycling, swimming,walking,and even playing games which will inturn introduce low,moderate and high impact aerobics and physical activity.

By doing aerobics your children would become more active and they will see a differnet outlook on how they live their lifes and what sort of life they want as they grow older.  

Now I know I said earlier not to rush out and by an exercise DVD, however, there are fun CDs and DVDs that have a mixture of aerobics and dance workouts, Children love to dance and they would be able to dance to hip-hop and modern dances and  be exercising at the same time.

There are others they could try such as kickboxing,yoga and pilates, your child could also take part in their schools organized sports and activities.

If you are concerned in anyway about your childs need for physical activity, please consult your doctor or local health centre for more information first.

Generally children should be doing at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activites everyday. For moderate to vigorous activity this should last no more that 15 minutes, this does not include things such as playing games with their friends, riding bikes,walking or running they should be doing this daily.

How can you help your child change their lifestyle and look forward to a more healthier, fitter life.

First you will need to encourage your child to undertake physical activity, then as with many things we need rules.

1. Time Setting - Watching TV.
2. Time Setting - Computer games
3. All meals should be eaten at the dining table (No TV No Computor/games,

Number (3) would be the ideal opportunity to talk to your children about their day with no distractions.

Coming back on how to encourage your children to exercise, thats where you come in.

Everybody needs to have some form of exercise, not just for the overweight, even thin people have health issues.

The simplest way to encouragement is set an example by exercising too.

Exercising as a family, will also build a much stronger and closer relationship.

Not only will Aerobics benefit your child but the whole family too.

Kids and mobiles!!!

Finally succombed to my 10 year old daughters nagging, she was beginning to sound like Bart and Lisa.

Can I have a moblie mum
Can I have a mobile mum
Can I have a mobile mum

I decided to succomb and buy my daughter a mobile phone, but with some ground rules of course.

Not allowed to take it to school
Not allowed to take it to her bedroom

But one rule I did not forget to make but did not realise she would do is constantly text me even if we were in the same room!!!

Can I have a drink Please mum
I'm hungry

Luckly this was just a novelty and has warn off now.

But on a serious note:-


Mobile Phones and the Teenager

Mobile phones for teenagers and younger are a growing trend
in England, America in fact all over the world.

Although it a little concerning as to who they are texting
and chatting to, depending on the mobile they are able to
take photos send photos etc.

Every child is different and some are very responsible,
however as a parent you will want to keep your child safe.

Before handing their new mobile to them you must have a gently chat
of the safety issues and being responsible.

Bills, before they run up huge bills you will need to set up
some limits and explain that the last thing you want to do is
confiscate their phone.

So as a parent it is up to you to stay involved and keep on top
to prevent any problems from happening.

Set some rules

Know who your child is talking to
How long they are allowed to use their phone
Know who they are sending and receiving pictures from

This also goes for text messages.

If your child is old enough to drive, make sure they
do not text or chat while in control of a vehicle, it would be more
safer to invest in a hands free kit, however definitely no texing while
driving.

Our Feathered Friends

Recently I had a 100ft tree removed from my garden, unfortunatley it was blocking light into the back of the house also it was far too close to the house and could cause foundation problems so we had no choice but to have it removed.

However we did keep one branch, for the intention of building a Bird tree/house.

And here it is

Apart from sitting in the garden relaxing watching the bird come down to feed, Birds are also very useful for your garden, as they love to eat pests that love to eat your plants.


Bird Watching with Kids

If you have been thinking what to do with the kids, here is a fun family way you could spend a weekend and have a break from the activities that can tire you.

Turn to nature and go bird watching, you could start slowly by watching the birds in your garden, if you feel creative you could build a bird table or hang some bird feeders around your garden to encourage the birds into your garden so the your children can learn about the local species..

Go to your local library or bookshop if you prefer and grab yourself a good bird guide, try to find a book that is easy to read and contains colourful pictures to help keep your children interested.


Take the kids out to your nearest natural trail, not only will they have fun looking for different bird you will be gently strolling giving you exercise and fresh air, also it may inspire your children to have more interest in the environment,inspire them to care more for the environment.

If you feel you need help looking and naming the birds, at most natural reserves you should be able to find a guide who will know exactly where to go to discover these amazing flying creatures.


A good guide will also teach children what they should or should not do in different situations like when they find a bird’s nest, bird’s eggs and even newly hatched chicks. Part of the guide’s responsibility is to spur interest on birds and nature, if possible. A challenging job for a guide, but as parents you have a share to that responsibility as well.

The second important thing that you will need would be a good pair of binoculars. You can find binoculars for kids in the market. You might want to think of settling for those kinds so your child can properly hold them. They might find it difficult to hold the big ones. Another option would be to position the binoculars to focus on the bird feeders and then mount it on a tripod so your child doesn’t need to hold it.


You could make it more interesting by taking photos of the birds and keeping a journey or a scrap book of your weekend bird watching, when winter comes it will be a nice way to sit down and chat about  memories of your fun Bird watching weekend.

Bird watching is a great way to bond with your children, its hard to chat with your child when riding on the Big Dipper in a theme park, it will also help your child to develope new skills, not forgetting the healthy aspect of exercise and clean fresh air.

Mischief Puppy

At the moment I am taking care of my eldest daughters doggie, although we have had little Tammy living longer with us then my daughter.

For some mad reason I decided to buy my husband a dog for his birthday,he named her Gunner, and he's a football fanatic you may realise it has something to do with Arsenal F.C.

Gunner is a Staffordshire Bull Terror, who has a very mischief side to her.

As you can see in these images, she does see Tammy as her mum, and tends to torment her.

Organization is the key to a healthy - Happy Life.

An organized home is the tip to a happy home.

In my household I have 2 rules, Simple Rules anyone can follow.

1. If you get it out > put it back <
2. If you undo it > do it up <

Its that simple you will be amazed how time saving that is.

How many times do you find the lid off the toothpaste, the toilet roll empty if everyone in your household just did these simple tasks how easier life would be.


I am a Minimalist, I really hate clutter,to me they are just dust collectors. I am not saying you should't have ornaments, just keep it to a minimum.


Benefits of living in an uncluttered home.

You will be able to move around more freely, Cleaning time will be greatly reduced, Your home is your sanctuary, you want to be able to walk in make a cuppa sit down and relax,

What you don't want is to trip over when you walk through the front door, struggle in the kitchen to make a cuppa, nor move things so you can sit down.

Advantages to a clutter free home.

Time

If your home was organised, everything in its place and everyone follows the aboves two simple rules. TIME is what you will have.

Time to spend with your children
Time to spend with your spouse/partner
Time for YOU, to do whatever you want.

Your Children will be more contented, why?

Because Mum and Dad are more relaxed

Disadvantages to a cluttered home.

Mum and Dad mainly mum though running around picking up, putting away, before actually starting on the general things dusting, ironing etc

Results

Stressed Mum's
Stressed Dad's
Stressed Kids's

No time for Fun.

So pull up your sleeves - declutter your house - everyone stick to two simple rules - Happy Days

How to Stay Healthy and Love Life.

It may surprise you that too much stress can cause deficienies, You can easy turn this around just by loving yourself and loving your life.


However many people do find it hard to keep their life simple. The variety of people find it hard simply, because outside your front door the world is moving at an pace they feel they cannot keep up with.

Too many to do's , but not enough hours to them in.


How can  you change your hectic lifestyle to a more relaxed lifestyle which in turn will bring those stress levels down.

The beauty is by Keeping it Simple

First you need to understand what you can and cannot do. You have to accept that sometimes there are things you cannot afford, You can not jump into adventure that you don't have the time to do, let alone the risks that you could bring to your health.

However that does not mean to say you cannot spice up your life no matter what your budget is.

By being creative and sharing your passion and dreams with your family and closest friends, doing just that will help you to maintain a healthly attitude and you will not be risking your health unto any untoward scenes.

If you are worried about how stress can affect your health in the long run. Here are a few activities you should consider doing.


Its time for you to take control of your life, remove the stress, be more productive an at the same time be healthy.

...If you are stressed out, your way of coping is to resort to the wrong foods. You tend to eat treats with high levels of fat, salt and sugar. This is caused when the levels if your cortisol or your stress hormone increase. Other people tend to gulp a whole gallon of ice cream after a stressful day. Imagine what it can do to your body in the long run. You may want to rethink things and consider the harmful effects of these activities before resorting to them.

...Stressed out people also resort to coffee to increase their energy level. This may be a good morning starter. But if you become too much addicted to caffeine, this will cause your health trouble in the long run. You must not depend on coffee to keep you alert throughout the day. When a minute-long walk or a quick exercise can do the trick, then do such before you start going for another refill of your caffeine addiction.

...Another thing that happens more often when a person is stressed out is that they skip the important meals. They do their best in order to keep up with a deadline and finish all their task. But they no longer think about their own health in the process. Such bad behavior will take its toll on your body as you get older. This may cause more problems in the end. It will be better if you will learn to finish your tasks but be mindful of eating the right meals in between.

This way, you are loving life and loving your obligations at the same time. And both may prove to be rewarding in the process.

Chickens

Talking recently with my mum, I discovered that when she was little my Grandma  kept chickens.

I am very into growing my own fruit and vegetables,Although I have the room for chickens, however not sure what the dogs would think?

If you fancy having chickens running around here are 5 great reasons why raising chickens are a good idea.

Raising chickens is one of the easiest things to do, however if your garden is full of beautiful flowers chickens may not be a good idea, unless you can section off a part of the garden for them.

Chickens love leftovers.

Instead of throwing your garbage in the bin, Chickens will eat it, they will eat almost anything,however it is best not to feed them to much onions and garlic not only that you will save on chicken feed, although you should still feed them with Special Chicken feed,

Free Fresh Eggs!

Eggs I love them, boiled, scrambled, sunny side up. To wake up in the morning pop outside and pick up your breakfast, fresh eggs. Eggs taken from chickens minutes or hours ago are more tasty and nutritious than those purchased in the grocery store. You’ll notice the texture and color is way different than that of the fresh ones.

Source of Natural Fertilizers

Chickens love to wander and will peck all day long, Your lawn will look amazing as they peck and eat garden pests such as, grubs, beetles, insects, earwigs, and anything that comes close.

Like any animal after they have digested the food it will eventually turn in to poop, but now any old poop, this poop is a natural fertilizer, and if you love growing vegetable,flowers this free fertilizer will keep your soil healthy and your plants will thrive.

Low Maintenance Pets
Chickens do not need as much attention as dogs who need brushing, walking etc. You simply provide Chickens with food and water, In there Chicken coop where they can sleep and lay eggs, just needs to be cleaned out at least twice a month and change their bedding, and then gather the eggs, you could even start your own business by supply fresh eggs to your local grocers.

Grass and Weed Clippers

Not only have you fresh eggs for your breakfast, you will also save on mowing your lawn, for you a bar of chocolate is a treat, to a chicken grasses,weeds and leaves are a delicious treat for them.

They will dig through whatever it is without even complaining about the hard work. Chickens will clip it then clean it all at the same time.

Chickens:- Love garbage - Great lawn mowers - an Organic Fertilizer and lay Fresh Tasty Eggs.

Sunny Days

We had a few sunny days  last week in the UK,  so its been non stop fun in the garden.

Looked in the garden shed for the paddling pool, found the box, but no pool just the pump?

It was my turn for a house full of kids all wanting to jump in a pool, ok no problem, jumped
on the internet and made a search, jumped in the car and purchased a 10ft pool.

Took ten minutes to set up, but it took absolutely ages to fill it up with water.

It was a mad house, kids in the pool, kids on the trampoline, footballs going in every direction,
water pistols,drinks, sarnies, cakes and crisps.

The odd small accident, no problem, plasters available.

After all kids had been safely returned to there mums and dads, I went in the cupboard under the stairs and there hiding in the corner was the missing swimming pool, typical...

Why it was in there and not in its box in the shed I have no clue, however my daughter's reaction was,

" Hey cool, I can have two pools up and more friends over"

No problem I'm going shopping, but your dad will be in. lol

Holiday in England

Have Fun in the City of London
 

Visiting London is something you should give serious thought to.

Why visit london, Ok England is not know for hot sunny days, but more of the rainy ones, but really don't let that put you off visiting an amazing city steep in history.

There are so many places to visit, from beautiful parks to historical buildings.

Listed below are just a few places of interest.

 
Tower of London.

It keeps the world renowned Crown Jewels. This is the very site wherein the famous historical icons of England had been imprisoned and executed. The names of the Duke of Norfolk, Katherine Howard, and Anne Boleyn, among others make up the list.
 
Tower Bridge.

This served as the entry point of the Thames. The museum allows the visitors a good look of the city as they pass by the old yet memorable pedestrian paths.
 
The London Eye.

Also one of the major attractions, it had been crafted by the British Airways. The gigantic Ferris Wheel includes about 32 capsules which lets the people take a glimpse of the entire city by up to 360 degrees. Visitors of all ages are surely going to enjoy a visit to this theme park.

Westminster Abbey.

Known to be a religious venue, this had been labeled as the official site for the coronation of the English monarchs and likewise their own burial.

The British Museum.

Art lover or not, you will love this art and history museum. It stores the widest collections of all antiquities from Greece, Rome, and Asia. The artifacts from the ancient and prehistoric Britain are also housed in here.
 
 Buckingham Palace.
The home of none other than but the British Royal Family, it is always entertaining to see the changing of the guards which is known to be one of the city's best attractions.
 
The Houses of Parliament.

A combination of three big attractions, this location lets you see the House of the Commons, the House of Lords, and the awesome Big Ben. Its Gothic architecture has been inspired from the Victorian Age.
 
The National Gallery.

If you want to see the greatest collections of European paintings, then better grab the chance of going to the National Gallery. 
 
St. Paul's Cathedral.

Another historic site, the Cathedral had been a witness to several memorable events such as the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales and the funeral of Winston Churchill. Rebuilt by none other than Christopher Wren in the year 1710, it houses a 530-stair high gallery and provides a breathtaking view of the city itself.
 
Shakespeare's Globe Theater.

Also considered to be a historical site, this had been the venue of the genius, undying, and timeless plays of Shakespeare. The site is a perfect one for a cultural vacation since it is the exact replica of the original Globe Theater which burned down.
 
Trafalgar Square and the Admiralty Arch.

This monument is built in honor of the much respected maritime heroes of England. The statue of Lord Horatio Nelson is featured in the monument and it towers at about 145 feet high. It is likewise regarded as the centermost portion of the city of London. Across this landmark stands the Admiralty Arch which had been built in 1910.
 
Sir John Soane's Museum.

Its architectural design is indeed eccentric that it embodies a rich blending of colors, perspectives, and various ornaments that date from varying historical eras.
 
Notting Hill.

Popularized by the film starred by Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, this district gives a comfy feeling of a tiny village without forgetting the sense of fashion and trendiness.
 
All these and more await you as you venture into an England Holiday!

Summers nearly here

Time to get out the garden furniture or maybe you are considering a new look for your garden, you may even have moved into your very first house so you are looking to purchase your first deck chair.

Choosing the right garden furniture is just as important as choosing your settee for your lounge.

There are many things to consider.

• Price
• style
• material
• comfort
• maintance

Price

First you must consider the price, depending on your budget may depend on what you can afford, however spending a little more could in fact save you money in the long run.

Example:- there are many garden chairs to choose from, but is buying the cheapest a wise decision, it all depends on how long do you want the garden chair to last, one year, two years or more?

So it important that you make the right choice, not only will you benefit from the right choice, but you will also save money.

Style,Material and comfort.

Now days you are spoilt for choices from rustic wood material to a sleek contemporary designs made from aluminum and seats made of a mesh of vinyl covered polyester fiber. Not forgetting plastic wicker and comfy cushions.

Maintance

How important is maintance to your garden furniture, You should consider the amount of time and effort that maybe needed to take care of your outdoor furniture.

Aluminum can be easily washed and maintained by regular cleaning by hosing it with water, soaping and rinsing it.

Wood, the rustic look, you will need to varnish or treat the wood with weather proof oils to maintain its rustic look for when winter comes.


Teak,  Furniture made from teak is used widely for boat building,ship decks. Teak is very robust to weather conditions, soaking it with water does not cause any harm to it, however it will age caused by the weather and will eventually go a silvery grey colour, but thats fine because it will give it a sturdy and rustic look.

Teak has a natural durability and does not usually need a great deal of maintance, If desired you could let it grow old gracfully or if you decide you would rather keep it looking a golden brown colour then you will need to sand the wood with a standard furniture quality sandpaper and give it a good coat or teak oil, this should be done at least once a year.


If you decide that plastic is the garden furniture of your choice, then maintance required is to wash it with warm and soapy water, to remove grease and grime giving it a brush down with a nylon brush will remove any dried stubborn stains.


Plastic based and wicker material will need to be cleaned on a more regular basis, to remove dust and dirt you will need to hose down with water, concentrating on the cavities of the wicker material, it is best not to use a lot of detergent as this can cause the material to harden and become brittle and will break up as time goes by.

If however you spend a little more money on genuine wicker, cleaning with water would cause more harm than good as the wood based wicker mesh tends to absorb the water and the furniture would have a shorter life.

To maintain genuine wicker it is best to follow the manufacturers instructions.

For a more sturdy kind of garden furniture it is best to go for steel or cast iron, to maintain simply coat with a colourless varnish or gloss this will stop water from getting into contact with the metal and prevent rust.

Powder coating material is generally used by manufacturers and will protect your garden furniture in all kinds of weather.

Using the powder coating gives a thicker weather proof protection, it is much thicker than metal paint

Decision time, are you looking for price, style, comfort or easy maintance.

Which ever you may choose I wish you lots of sunny lazy days

PS. Dont' forget the Sun Cream.

Hello and Welcome to My Blog.

Life can be so hectic with every day to day challanges.

Work,Family Commitments and Household chores take over, having very little if at all any Free Time for you or your family to enjoy.

Subscribe to Family Tips and Ideas.

Find out how to

• Manage your time
• Have fun with your kids
• Healthy recipes
• and much more.