Author: Jennifer Aldley

Oh my goodness it can be a real challenge to try and find a really fun thing for a child’s birthday present.  How many times have we gone wandering around the local stores with absolutely no idea what to get…

Oh my goodness did I have some fun before Christmas when I was looking out for toys for one 9 year old, one 8 year old and a toddler soon to be 3.   If you don’t have the joy of…

I was leafing through a couple of 1950’s newspapers recently, together with a much prized copy of a magazine for women from a similar era.  Apart from everything being in very plain black and white, or now sepia and black…

One of the most joyous mornings was spent recently in a retro store in a very smart and busy northern town.  I’ve never been in anything quite as fantastic.  There was so much stock from decades back – everything from…

There is a fine line between buying toys for a child who really does like board games and group competition and those who absolutely hate having to try and match or beat the others around the table.  I suspect the…

I was helping at a historic house the other day there hadn’t been many folk through the house at this point, but there had been several families spotted parking up in the top car park.  Whilst they meandered around the…

We are currently enjoying a splendidly dry and hot summer season.  This week anyway.  There are signs of life from local children who come out of tv and electronic game induced hibernation.  Toys are beginning to make their way out…

We had a clarion call recently from one of our socially minded group of pals.  They were planning to do something sponsored in order to get funding for a special project.  The usual ideas were floated and gradually rejected.  Things…

One of the things I notice was greatly different to home, when I travelled to the Statees recently. . . .   the families who take a great deal of time to ensure their children get the very best sports coaching…