by Dee | Aug 24, 2016 | Featured, General
The day has arrived and all the preparations are in place. Vaccinations and micro-chip booking has been made. I had been contacted by the breeders who have given me a five week free Insurance from the Kennel Club.
I am still checking out on the comparison websites the various pet insurance companies, and am still investigating which one is the most cost effective, without the hidden caveats eg the uplift in price after a period of time versus a fixed rate for years. I will report back to you when I have made a final decision.
Princess Milly is a golden Labrador puppy and when she finally arrived on Sunday, I had her cage comfortably fitted with a furry blanket and safe toys – all purchased from Pets at Home. I would recommend this pet outlet as they are completely geared up to new pet owners and have fantastic assistants who will reassure you and get you started on this exciting adventure.
I was lucky enough to find Nicola in the Maidenhead store who spent half an hour taking me around the various isles, and advising me exactly what to do and what to buy. She also worked within my budget and advised me for instance to buy scented nappy sacks at Asda which were cheaper than the Pets at Home poop bags. A breeder herself she also advised me to get tennis balls and squeaky toys which have already proved to work with the new puppy.
The breeders and my local kennel owner advised putting her in a cage overnight and ignoring her cries like a baby. I was really dreading this part of it, as I was never good at leaving my daughter to cry as a baby. But the first night I pulled the puppy cage into my bedroom – still locked the door but to my amazement Milly slept through the night and only woke early to let me know that she needed to go out for a toilet break.
I decided to take the first week with Milly with no other commitments, as my friendly local kennel owner and trainer had offered to assist me with the toilet training process for the first few days.
To my utter delight and amazement, Milly has had no accidents in the home as a result. It may sound tricky, but I have acted on the expert advice, and take her into the garden every hour, and as a result she is practically toilet trained after only three days. I do believe she had a good start with the breeders, but apparently any animal will welcome boundaries – as they feel nurtured in the same way that children respond to discipline.
A couple of useful tips – I have been setting Milly up by calling out ‘pee pee and paw paw’ as I take her outside and congratulating her when she does both. It has certainly worked so far.
My visit to Vets at Home yesterday for Milly’s vaccinations and micro-chip and flea and ringworm treatment went without a hitch. She received cuddles from the fabulous staff, and the vets bill was reasonable for the entire package, and I have taken out a monthly cover for flea treatment which includes nail clipping and a puppy check for around £14 per month.
My next appointment is in a month’s time, and even though I was warned that she would be quiet for the first 24 hours after her jabs, she has displayed no signs of distress, and will be ready for her first walk and social meet and greet with other doggie neighbours tomorrow.
Check back here for more Milly news next week – I will keep you fully updated.
Need some ideas on activities to do with your pooch? then check out Breedadvisor
by Olivia | Aug 18, 2016 | Featured, General, GloWellness
As Sweden moves to a six-hour working day to help increase productivity and make people happier – it begs the question of whether we are allowing enough time to implement the much publicized ‘work/lifestyle balance’ ethic across Europe and the UK.
Employers in Sweden have already made the change, with the claim to get more done in a shorter amount of time and ensure people have the energy to enjoy their private lives.
The new strategy is already proving a success with Toyota centres in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city, having made the switch 13 years ago, with the company reporting happier staff, a lower turnover rate, and an increase in profits in that time.
Part of the deal is that staff members are not allowed on social media, meetings are kept to a minimum, and that other distractions during the day are eliminated – but the aim is that staff will be more motivated to work more intensely while in the office.
This shorter work day ensures that people have enough energy to pursue their private lives when they leave work –which can be difficult with eight-hour days.
So how long before the UK realizes that the often sluggish workforce is due to lack of stimulation and long hours, often spent with wasted energy from overly tired employees who have little or no energy for their family and offspring let alone any kind of social life.
The UK are certainly behind the times, and should take a tip from Europe where a German couple who were family friends, renegotiated with their bosses a four day week twenty years ago, to enable them to enjoy their country retreat for three days instead of two – and reported that it worked for both and their companies issued new employment contracts for both after a six month trial period.
So how long do we have to wait until our crusty outmoded system of employment and bullish employers realise that they are killing productivity and the entire British workforce.
For those of us who are or have worked in a strictly run office of employment, with an eight hour day, know that a lot of time is wasted with secret texting or sneaky fag breaks and a bellyful of resentment.
Do we really think Brexit will fix it for us, or are we going to fall deeper down the slippery slide to hellish employers and working conditions now that we won’t have Europe to inspire us into a less Dickensian working environment.
by Jackie Brooks | Aug 15, 2016 | Featured
It is true that creativity is 10 percent inspiration and the rest sheer hard graft, and the same can be said with lighting – meaning your room may have beautiful furniture and décor but if your rooms are not carefully lit, your home can fall short of any kind of atmosphere.
You will know yourself that any movie worth its salt will have the most stunning lighting effects to illustrate each scene, from romance to danger or sheer celebration.
You don’t always have to invest in extortionate designer floodlit wall or ceiling lighting to create the desired effect. The Lighting Superstore offer a range of superb products that should light up your day as well as various areas of your home, and depending on your style of interior, there should be a good match, whether it be an ultramodern or shabby chic. There is also a fabulous sale on at the moment which you should investigate if you are looking to brighten up your space.
At http://www.lightinthebox.com/ you will find some beautiful inspirational pieces like the Retro Silk Industrial Plumbing Lamps Cafe Bar Restaurant Creative Chandelier and other unique designs to enhance your home and place your own stamp on your domain.
Candlelight is another favourite when creating an atmosphere, and there are a multitude of great ideas that spring to mind from dinner parties to romantic soirees and bathroom spas. Some of the most beautiful candles can be sourced from uk.merakishop.dk/meraki? where they are free from any kind of pollutants and yet full of stunning aromas in various colours and catering to every taste.
Have a look at http://www.felixlightingspecialists.co.uk/ if you want to invest in some stunning pieces that will see you through as a once in a life time buy. Original outside the box vintage designs with recycled metals and retro-futuristic sculptures. If it is uniqueness you are looking for, you have reached Nirvana.
Last but not least http://www.homebase.co.uk is another superb place to shop, and has a variety to choose from, including some great Tiffany lights – not the real thing of course, but this reflects in the price, and you will want to look around its selection of lighting products which will give you some great ideas and help you select the atmosphere to die for. Not literally of course, unless you are planning a murder mystery night, and you can also achieve that – as it is all in the lighting.
