I'm a big fan of Michael Rosen, and brand new to Z-Arts in Manchester is the interactive exhibition Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Bad Things. We were really lucky to be invited to be among the first people to explore the interactive experience in a preview on Friday night.


Michael Rosen is the children's novelist and poet responsible for We're Going On A Bear Hunt and around other 140 books. He served as Children's Laureate from June 2007 to June 2009 and is a TV presenter and a political columnist who is passionate about the importance of language and arts in the education and development of children.

Our Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake & Bad Things experience started with an introduction for the children from the storyteller, who also acted as our guide once we went through the blue doors and into the exhibit.


The storyteller was great, and incredibly patient and tolerant with our 6 year old sensory-seeking bundle of fun, who turned the volume and excitement up to 11 as soon as we walked into the exhibit....

When is a book not a book? When it's a Spineless Classic. Posters which have the entire text of a book on one sheet, beautifully arranged, incredibly crisply printed, and still large enough to read - even with my tired aging eyes! We have been sent the ever-popular classic Swallows And Amazons by Arthur Ransome for review.


Swallows And Amazons was released in 1930, and tells the tale of a group of children from 2 families and what they get up to over a Summer holiday in the Lake District. They spend most of their time adventuring outdoors on two small dinghies (Swallow and Amazon), and battle it out to take control of a small island on which they have been playing and camping.

I don't have any clever words or deep sentiments today. I'm still exhausted from writing my #WorldSuicidePreventionDay post last Friday. Writing is cathartic, it is therapy, it sorts out your head, but I can't go through that too often.

Having to face reality head-on is hard, and it'll always be hard. Most of the time I daren't step back and look at the big picture because I fear losing my step. Head down and plug onwards. Just keep swimming Nemo.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who shared, liked, commented and messaged about my post the other day. The online support is invaluable, and I doubt we'd be upright without you. I have always said that if even one person went to get help, it was all worthwhile.

I heard on Saturday about more than one 'even one person'. I held out an accessible and useful net for not just someone, but some. I wish them all of the strength that they will need to go forward. I hope they find their support, and that in 10, 20, 40 years time they remember 2016 with their head held high and know that they didn't fail, they didn't let anyone down, they won. They are still here, and they will have created and shared many thousands of smiles.

The weekend after next I will be attending BlogOn Conference in Manchester and I have to say I'm not particularly nervous - but knowing a lot of people, helping get the goodie bags packed and this being my 4th (?) BlogOn all helps! Zoe over at MamaGeek will be delivering a session, and she has also very kindly offered to host a 'get to know you' linky. So this is me:

1. Share a recent photo of you (or a doodle!)
Here's one my 8 year old took at Specsavers last week. A rare shot of me with my eyes open!


2. Describe yourself in five words or less
Smiley, friendly, perfectionist, tragic backstory. 

The PLAY Expo is Europe's biggest gaming exhibition, and returns to the North of England on October 8th and 9th at Event City in Trafford Park.  This is their 5th year and we'll be there to review for the first time. We've always been busy and missed it before but, after reports from friends who went in 2015, it's been in the diary for months.


It's no secret that our whole family are gamers. Our children have all grown up watching just as much LEGO Star Wars and Tomb Raider as they have TV, and PLAY Expo is a great opportunity for us to show our 6 and 8 year old boys the kind of computer games we used to play - even though they're generally not very impressed with the graphics!


There will be absolutely masses to see and do, including:

I was always a fan of Scooby Doo, so it's nice that my children have all enjoyed the TV show and movies too. The latest DVD release is a bit of a collaboration, and features some of the most colourful characters from the world of WWE, as well as some particularly monstrous Monster Trucks.


In typical Scooby Doo fashion, a trip to an off-road racing competition is made all the more exciting by the fact Scooby Doo and Shaggy have parked at the side of the track, which had my children laughing right from the start of the movie.

Googly Eyes from University Games is a board game that challenges you to draw picture clues for your team-mates within a set period of time, whilst wearing one of the 3 crazy pairs of glasses that are included. Great fun and definitely one that suits multi-generational play, our 7 year old is every bit as good at this as any of us!

Today when I woke up Elspeth was still dead. She has been dead every single day for the last 24 months, 3 weeks and 4 days. But sometimes, just for a moment, I forget.

And then I remember...

And it's not just me. I see it when her Dad, or her brothers and sister forget. And I see it when they realise. I see that flash across their eyes as they remember she died.


Elspeth felt she was alone, weird, different. She felt no-one would miss her, it would make life easier if she went. She thought we'd all just carry on regardless, as if a car backfired outside, or the living room lights simply flickered.

She wasn't alone, she was surrounded by people who cared, but she hid that she needed help, and none of us were able to spot it. We weren't given the opportunity to help.

The Netflix TV show Project MC2  has a great range of accompanying toys designed especially to interest girls who might otherwise not consider Science and other S.T.E.M. subjects to be fun or interesting. This Autumn there are several new sets, and I have one to give away to one of my readers...

The first sets for Christmas 2016 are the Core Dolls - McKeyla, Adrienne, Bryden, Camryn and two new recruits, Devon and Ember (rrp £14.99). Fully articulated and with lifelike features based on the show’s real characters, and dressed to reflect their personality and individual style.

Project MC2 is a Netflix TV Show and a range of toys that are designed especially to interest girls who might otherwise not consider Science to be fun or interesting. This Autumn they've added a bunch of new sets to their range, and we've been sent the biggest of them to review, the Project MC2 Ultimate Lab Kit.


Obviously I'm a bit short on young girls here, so my 6 and 8 year old boys have stepped up to review, and they were instantly very keen to find out exactly what was in the huge bright red/pink case.


The answer is LOADS!! This is a really big kit and it has over 30 pieces - an activity booklet and plenty of equipment to do your experiments including slides, microscope, test tubes and rack, petri dish, flasks, funnel, pipette, jar, pH strips, stickers, safety goggles.