I read today that the total number OK UK servicemen killed in Afghanistan has reached 100 when members of the 2^nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment were caught in a bombing in Helmand Province.

Three soldiers were killed and a fourth injured. When a single suicide bomber approached their patrol and detonated his bomb as they were returning on foot, through some villages, to their base.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Defence Secretary Des Browne have paid tribute to the courage of british troops and both have said that their thoughts are now with the families of these latest casualties. But surely now they should question the price they are asking our brave troops to pay.

UK forces have been deployed in Afghanistan since shortly after terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11^th 2001. Now there is a total of nearly 8000 UK service men and women in an area where, since 2006, the fighting has become so intense that it has been described as the fiercest since the Korean War.

More detailed reports can be found at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Also, a shout out goes to the people at Image Group for their swift provision of roller banners when needed.

It’s been very interesting to watch the events unfold with the opening of Heathrow’s new Terminal 5.  As a Heathrow avoider of many, many years (I’ll go to Amsterdam and fly via Schipol Airport rather than endure Heathrow’s horrendous travelling nightmares), I wondered if the airport’s brand new shiny terminal was going to be its crowning glory.  I even considered that if it was so good it might be worth giving Heathrow another try.  Alas the horrors of Heathrow live on in Terminal 5.  From the news reports it looks as if it has even bypassed some of its own records when it comes to throwing into the travel plans of holidaymakers!

Why is it that Heathrow, which should be our country’s flagship airport, has been designed in such a way as to make travelling through it one of the most stressful parts of going overseas on holiday?  Why hasn’t it been designed in a way that makes travel fun and easy?  Last time I went through Heathrow I – as with many other passengers – had to negotiate myself and my luggage from one baggage retrieval point in one terminal to a check-in desk in another terminal.  This meant not only having to physically ensure that all of my luggage made it to the bus, but also having to stand suspended by little more than a leather strap whilst trying to keep a close guard on my bags because the bus was so crowded.   Why can’t something be done – like bigger buses, better thought out layouts for inside buses, even more buses (like a constant conveyor belt of them so that people didn’t all try to cram on the same bus because they had to get to their next check-in desk on time in order to make their flight and the next bus might make the connection too tight)?  I wonder if the Heathrow bigwigs have ever travelled as a regular passenger (ie not staff, not VIP, not first)  If they have, have they done it with two small children and a baby (plus obligatory buggy)?  If not, they have no idea about the real issues facing passengers who use their airport.

The baggage issues are hilarious.  OK, so I’m sorry if you’re one of the people who had their holiday spoilt because of the baggage problems, that’s not fun. No one enjoyes having to deal with the all too beautiful “I’ve just had a face lift“ helpers who just frustrate you even more with their niceness. However Heathrow was notorious for not being able to get baggage and traveler on the same plane before the new terminal was even thought of, so it’s a little strange that they didn’t think about how to make this part of the process more effective (and even –dare one say–test it) when the plans for T5 were being made!  

For the moment, I think it’s safe to say that I’ll continue to avoid the having to que and the dodgy coffee the vending machines give you at Heathrow and it’s horrible reputation for stranding and separating people and their luggage.  There are far more friendly airports to use as a gateway to the rest of the world, and most of them have a reputation for getting passengers where they need to be, with the right luggage, at the right time.  It raises the question however, if other airports can do this, why does Heathrow make such a mess of it?

Breakfast is big business in the fast food industry.  Many fast food outlets are jumping on the wagon with a wide ranging menu of breakfast items.  Yes, having a fast food start to the day may well leave you in need of some lunchtime smart lipo, but it tastes so good! Recently I’ve discovered that whilst burgers may be similar across the board despite specialty breads, burger size and sundry extras, breakfast is one way to separate the best from the rest!

As a regular breakfaster at McDonalds I am used to a varying breakfast menu.  It offers me the choice of a simple bacon sandwich, a more exotic choice of pancakes and syrup, or even a mix of eggs and pancakes, and not forgetting the crunchy hash browns.  I enjoy the range, although I have to confess to a weakness for the pancakes and syrup! 

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A couple of weeks ago however I found myself looking for breakfast in an area where there wasn’t any McDonalds.  There was a Burger King however and so I decided to check out the breakfast competition there.  What an anti-climax!  There is no breakfast competition here – well not to McDonalds anyway! 

The first thing that struck me was the narrowness of the menu, plus the fact that that Burger King was serving burger options as part of their breakfast specials.  There was a bacon and egg sandwich, which I did order, but when it came it wasn’t as tasty as the McDonald’s similar item, plus the bacon wasn’t just crispy, it was completely frazzled.   It was possible to get a Burger King alternative to the large hash browns served at McDonalds, but they were smaller and tasted oilier. The coffee tasted like it was straight out of a vending machine.  Overall I also thought the price for the breakfast menu was much higher than I would have paid for more variety and better quality at McDonalds.

One thing that I did see on the menu that my partner enjoyed was porridge oats.  This was little more than a cup-a-soup in a porridge format, but it was something that I haven’t seen at McDonalds, and as such it did give a slight rise in the interest level of the menu items – but not much! 

So having been forced by circumstance to experience fast food breakfast at one of McDonald’s main competitors, I can safely say that whilst their burgers may be much of a muchness, McDonald’s definitely has the upper hand when it comes to breakfast.  I’ll not be going to Burger King for breakfast again anytime soon!

Okay firstly when digitial TV came out I was over joyed I though it was a fantasic idea, now I can  get channel 5 and all the other crazy cable channel, it would be like living in America. But it hasn’t really worked out that well. Yes I can get a whole load of new channels, yes it is a bit like how I would imagine living in America is like, constant reruns of Scrubs, american who’s line is it anyway and CSI.

The problem is quality when the signal was bad on anoglog, the picture would get a little worse, when the signal is weak on digital the damm thing stops. It just stops, some time just the image, sometime the sound, sometimes both. But it is completely unwatchable and depending on the channel it can be ever five or six seconds. This can completely destory certain programmes, exspecaily comedy, for jokes to work you really need to know the whole set up and the punch line, and timing is kind of important don’t you think. 

Anyway this has driven me to work damm it, the last two page I put together are anti aging products and endoscopic brow lift, and this was done whilst the TV was spluttering.

Don’t get me started on cushions.

OK, here’s the thing. So I’m buying this day bed, it’s brilliant, probably the best thing to ever come into my life. But it needs that kind of squishy, creature comforts sofa type feel to it. The solution was clear and simple- Big cushions, soft fabric, I was thinking maybe three, colour co-ordinated with the duvet cover.

Oh, if only it had been that simple. Here’s the thing about cushions. In the world there are many different cushions. They come in a variety of shapes and shades. This is so that the consumer has a choice about which cushion he or she can purchase. Except, and this is the important thing, this is very important, the only type of cushion NOT available is the type of cushion that looks even remotely like the one you want.

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I am not exaggerating when I say that I have been everywhere in the English speaking world looking for he perfect cushion. I’ve had cushion related adventures that would make your hair stand on end. I even once met this galaxies queen of cushions, who is identified once in each 3 generations by her enormous cushion needing hips.Yet in the fifty thousand miles I have journeyed across space and time I have seen nothing but cushions which hate me as much as I hate them.

I think it’s because cushions are quite a girly purchase, there’s something very artsy, cutesy, “ooh-this-matches-the-lampshade” about cushions. So cushion designers don’t feel the need to come up with anything sensible like, say, a blue cushion. Cushions come in “duck egg” and “aqua” or they have blue stripes interwoven with brown tassels and lace dangly bits. You ask for a simple object in a straightforward colour and suddenly you are sucked into the world of mincing fabric swaddled frippery.

In the end I went with my first instinct and shopped on line. And you know what, I do like my new cushions, I do. I’m looking at them now. Only thing is, they’re just ever so slightly, in a certain light, missing something. I worry that it may be tassels. I hope I’m wrong.

Prince Harry has just returned from 10 weeks at the front line in Afghanistan, something he had expressed a personal wish to do. He served with his regiment the Blue’s and Royals, part of the Household Cavalry, more normally associated with ceremonial duties in London.

Following much debate as to whether he would be able to serve in Helmand Province common sense prevailed and he carried out his duties, along with the other members of his regiment in a way that would be expected of any serving officer. It’s sad that a leak by an American web site has broken the media blackout, forcing a premature end to his tour of duty. 

Flying home to RAF Brize Norton along with two soldiers injured by an exploding mine. Prince Harry humbly belittled his own experiences having returned with no scars and referred to his two travelling companions as the real heroes. Although now separated from the troops he commands, I am sure that the experiences of combat that they have shared over the last 10 weeks will only strengthen the bond between them.

Ow on a work front.Well I've completed the overseas property for sale pages

The joys of a bath are many but especially in the winter, there is anything as indulgent as a warm bath, the windows misting over in the background, cold air all around, but I myself lying contentedly in a pool of delight.  Add bubbles for extra fun, a good book and an hour can easily be spent in this selfish manner.

Which is probably why the shower has superseded the bath for all my own personal hygiene.  A few minutes and the job is done.  And it is more refreshing to get out of the shower than the sluggishly emerge from the bath.  Also it is quick and convenient.  No need to wait for the tub to fill and then to adjust the temperature to something just right.  With a shower, it is just in and out, wash and go and I am ready to face the world.

Bathtime has always been associated with fun and luxury.  As a child, we enjoy splashing in the water and as adults we can take far more from the sensuality of water and soap.  It's also good for the skin, helping to relax everything which helps reduce lines and wrinkles. The shower seems to scream out efficiency, but in the modern world, that is exactly what we need.  No one today has the time to enjoy the frills of a fully fledged bathing session.

However, I implore you all to take some time out, especially while the weather remains cold.  During these winter months, while the nights are long, take some time out for yourself and enjoy the splendour that is a long, luxurious bath.  There is nothing so wonderful as tipping, first your foot then your whole body into the bath tub in order to make yourself clean again.  While the efficiency of the process may be frowned upon, sometimes we need to be spoilt when it comes to the necessities of life.

Pam is going to drive me crazy one day, keeps asking if we can do something more with the oak masters part.
HMph! It's enough to make me… Must remember I'm being paid for this, same old thing day in day out, yeah!?

I wonder if budget airlines hate families because children create too much work for airline flight crews onboard their planes.  Perhaps they don’t like cleaning up the sticky messes that seem to follow young children, or the crying that can be heard over the noisy budget aircraft engines, whatever it is the budget airlines seem to be really targeting those with families as a source of additional funds.

Recently I was flying with two budget airlines, Easy Jet and Ryan Air – of the two Easy Jet is usually the nearest to a professional flight crew with their onboard staff friendly, polite and even helpful (not something always to be said about Ryan Air crew) – and with me on the trip were my two young children and partner.  Anyone with any experience of young children knows that it’s impossible to travel light, so the baggage restrictions required additional payment for checked in luggage before we even left home.  Once at the airport we were met with making a decision about whether or not to purchase priority boarding passes which would allow us to board the plane with anyone else who had such a pass rather than wait at the back with those who didn’t.  It’s bad enough that parents have to buy these, but what’s worse is that they even charge you for the children to have them.  Surely it would be more customer friendly to have them provided free of charge for children under 10 if they are accompanied by a priority boarding pass holder.  I guess customer friendly does not translate well in terms of profit. 

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The amount of priority boarders on our flights far outnumbered the travellers who chose to just take their chances once the priority travellers were seated.  This means that if we hadn’t of paid the additional fees, we would have risked being separated throughout the plane journey.  Isn’t it stressful enough for parents flying with young children without adding separation anxiety to the equation?

Apart from paying for the children, who couldn’t be left in the airport alone if we had decided to just pay for adults and not the children (hence the place where they have a stranglehold over the additional costs that families must pay), my main complaint about this new way of creating additional income doesn’t actually benefit all the travellers.  Getting through a packed departure lounge with young children is quite a feat of physical and mental agility, so the chances of being near the front of the boarding line were minimal.  Because the children are young and needed assistance on steep airport stairs out to the aircraft, not to mention the distance we had to walk to the plane and helping the children board the plane, there were a number of people who were not priority boarders who just rushed past ourselves and other parents who also had small children or babies.  If the airlines must screw as much money out of easy targets like parents, why can’t they at least have the decency to give those parents time to board their children safely before allowing non-priority boarding passengers through to the aircraft? 

I love to travel and believe it’s one of the best forms of education that I can give my children, but if the budget airlines are going to continue to penalize families, it’s going to be cheaper to travel by regular airlines because their cheaper children’s fares, more generous luggage allowance, plus small children being automatically priority boarders will make it a better choice both in terms of finance, and stress.

Living with someone is never easy.

Living with someone who doesn’t have the same standards of courtesy and common decency is extremely taxing.

For example, I had been on a family vacation to Australia. I had a wonderful time with my family – and my partner even came along. The holiday was time well spent, as I have not seen much of my parents in the past few years and my partner enjoyed being out of the country for the first time.

During our Australian visit, we took a tour of the Yarra Wine Valley, as my parents (and my partner’s parents both enjoy wine). Along the route, we stopped at several small vineyards, most of which do not have American distributors. I enjoyed some fantastic wine and even learned how to taste distinct flavors. (Let me just tell you, tasting pepper in a cabernet sauvignon was a REAL shock!)

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At any rate, I purchased a bottle of crisp, oaky white wine from a small family-owned vineyard. It was an AMAZING bottle! And a lovely reminder of how much fun I had with my family and my partner that day.

Upon returning to the States, I placed my bottle of wine on the wine rack in my apartment. The wine rack usually holds olive oil and a pepper grinder. My household doesn’t usually consume wine, but favors beer and mixed drinks. Occasionally, one might find a cheap bottle of wine on the rack, but not often. At any rate, after I placed the bottle on the rack, I pointed it out to my roommate and said, “Hey, this was a fantastic bottle of wine. I am going to give it to my partner’s parents as a wedding anniversary gift.” My roommate agreed that was a fine idea.

Not long after that (we’re talking less than a month), I woke up one morning feeling a bit thirsty, so I went to the refrigerator to get the water pitcher. BUT WHAT DID I SEE?!?!?!?! A VERY, VERY, +VERY+ EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF UN-IMPORTABLE ++OPENED++ PARTIALLY CONSUMED, AUSTRALIAN WINE SITTING NEXT TO THE WATER PITCHER!!!!!!

At that point, it was about 6am. My roommate had been out the previous day consuming mass amounts of cheap alcohol (as my roommate is wont to do on weekends) and was probably feeling particularly hung-over that morning. I knew my roomie was in bed and probably not exactly awake. So, I screamed at the top of my lungs several profanities, which I strung together in a most unmannerly way and punctuated each phrase with a guttural scream. I am quite sure each screamed punctuation pierced through my roommate’s head. I felt much better after that and I am not sorry I gave my roomie a severe headache.

Now I have to go shopping for another present to give to my partner’s parents.

It will never be comparable.

And I could just KICK my roommate in the shins. Hard. REALLY HARD.

It’s coming up to the end of the year and I’m starting to look back on what I’ve accomplished during 2007, and have I done all that I hoped I would.  Fat chance!  Well there are some areas where I have done really well, especially in the professional field where I’ve now managed to create a nice little freelance niche and finally I’m starting to get paid for my efforts.  Ok, so there’s still some work to do in that area in terms of increasing the financial reward for my work, but it’s coming along nicely. 

My boys are doing well, developing more or less as they should into little people.  Neither of them can read but one knows his alphabet and the other is starting to read short words.  Both of them are verbally bi-lingual and both can count to the age appropriate amounts in both languages.  They can even put their laundry where it needs to go – this is probably one of my major accomplishments of the entire year!  I’m still happily married to my partner so I guess that part of life is also going well!

Where the wheel seems to fall off my achievement wagon is in the self-improvement area, particularly the weight lose and taking care of self bits.  I have lost some weight this year, more than any other year, but still nowhere near what I’d hoped to.  In the rundown to Christmas I have no illusions of losing more weight, instead I’m just going to try and do the best I can not to gain weight and put the weight loss dream on hold until the New Year.  As far as taking care of myself is concerned, I think that’s a pretty big failure and something I must address in the New Year.  All of these self-improvement books and programmes telling parents to put themselves first are all very well, but they do make those of us who try but always seem to manage to still come last when it comes down to how much time is left for how much needs to be done feel like we’re doing a lousy job.  Next year I swear I’m going to find time to put make sure my socks match every morning and start to feel like a professional person should, instead of dragging a comb through my hair as I zip up one jacket and push two kids and a partner out the door every day!