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Raisie Bay

Word of the Week #20 2019

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Hello and welcome to the home of Word of the Week, a nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. The idea of the linky is to reflect back on your past week and share it with us. It’s great if you can sum it up in a word or phrase, hence giving us your Word of the Week.

I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase but please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week.

There are not too many rules with this linky, just remember to read at least another couple of posts in the link up after adding your link. I will read and comment on all posts and tweet them out for you. I also have a Pinterest board devoted to Word of the Week and I will add posts to Mix Please add the badge below to your post so that others may find us and join in. If you comment or tweet then please use the hashtag #WotW

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

My Word of the Week.

Retreat 2019

retreat 2019

Today I’m off for a weekend of learning and relaxation with some lovely blogging buddies. We are spending a few days in Wales on a blogger retreat.

Last year, I went on the retreat in Somerset and had a wonderful time. I’m a bit nervous about the Retreat 2019, but I’m sure it will be just as nice this time.

I may be a little late in commenting on your posts but I will get around to it as soon as I’m home.

If you haven’t entered already, I’m holding a fabulous competition where you could win a $100 Jord Wood Watch (open worldwide) You could bag a great Father’s Day gift or a lovely watch for yourself. The competition finishes in a few days so please go along to https://www.woodwatches.com and fill out the form to enter. Good luck!

Here’s the badge

Raisie Bay



Instructions: Select all code above, copy it and paste it inside your blog post as HTML

Now it’s your turn to join in and tell us about your week.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Let’s Talk Mental Health

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I’ve started this post so many times, I have three posts in draft that probably won’t be published. But with the Jeremy Kyle drama going on, I guess it really is time to talk about mental health.

Just in case you don’t know, Jeremy Kyle is a ‘talk’ show which gives people the opportunity to sort out their problems…in front of a live audience and thousands of television viewers. Trust me, this is no way to sort out your problems. The show attracted those that wanted lie detector tests and DNA tests because they couldn’t afford them. It also attracted those who wanted their 15 minutes of fame on television while having their hotel and expenses paid for.

The show also helped drug addicts by providing them with very expensive rehabilitation treatment and re-united families.

I stopped watching years ago. Jeremy Kyle got way too big for his boots and treated his guests like scum. He ranted and raved at those that didn’t work, adding to the belief that those that don’t work are the scum of the earth. He called people liars and encouraged the audience to boo and jeer.

These are not actors, but people with real problems that were being exploited. Yes, they may have done wrong (and boy did the show do their best to point that out,) but they still had feelings. Feelings that were trampled all over no matter what the situation.

I Had Family on the Jeremy Kyle Show

Okay, they were from my ex husbands side, but still family. The Dad was re-united with his two estranged son’s in the hope of rebuilding their relationship. I guess by now you are thinking it’s one of the nicer shows, yes?

Well, no! Jeremy Kyle took great pleasure in telling his viewers that the reason the Dad had been separated from his children was because of a nasty attack on their Grandad, his own Father. Then he was told on national television, with no prior warning, that his Father had died. There was a whole background to this story that was left out, and what a way to find out about the death of your Father!

What Causes Mental Health Issues

Lots of things can affect your mental health, grief, estrangement, divorce, losing a child, losing a job and many more big and little things. They can all affect a person very deeply. These things should not be jeered at or called out on.

Some mental health issues are not caused by anything in particular. It’s an illness and anyone can suffer just like anyone can suffer from a cold or a headache.

Someone with Mental Health issues, no matter how they start, should be treated with care and respect. They certainly should not be exploited in the name of entertainment.

I’m not saying that everyone who has been on Jeremy Kyle has mental health issues, but I’m pretty certain that anyone put through that experience is more likely to be left suffering.

So, you cheated on your wife and the lie detector found you out. There is no going back, you made a mistake and now you have to pay for it. Everyone in the world knows what a mess you are, what mistakes you have made. No-one will ever speak to you again. You are done, your life is done…. Anyone in the right frame of mind will be able to recover from this. But you’d have to be strong, and some people just don’t have that strength.

There isn’t anyone in this world who is totally innocent. I’m not saying that everyone is a cheat, but we all make mistakes. Those mistakes should be resolved amongst the people that are involved. If outside help is needed it can be found. It shouldn’t be broadcast on television.

What if you take the lie detector and you are found innocent? Again, that opens up a whole load of wounds to be dealt with.

Jeremy Kyle claims to have a dedicated team of people who help people recover after the show. I can imagine just how much they are needed!

Is There Real Help?

Why do people turn to Jeremy Kyle for answers? Where else can they get help?

DNA tests cost around £100. It may seem a lot to some, but not an impossible amount. I’m sure if it was really important to you, you could scrape that amount together.

Private Lie Detector tests cost around £150. Again, not totally un-affordable. Personally, I don’t agree with lie detector tests though, marriage counselling would be much better. Or if you really didn’t trust someone because you thought they were stealing from you, or had stole from you, then just cut them out of your life. You don’t have any kind of relationship without trust. If the person being accused is innocent or guilty, the fact is there is a lack of trust. The person proven innocent by lie detector would always be aware that they are not trusted.

If you have problems there is always someone to talk to, your GP, a mental health drop-in centre, even A&E if you are feeling really bad or suicidal. A&E have a RAID team to deal with mental health issues.

Or call the Samaritans who can help, or point you in the right direction for more help. 116 123

Remember one thing, you are never totally alone.

The reason Jeremy Kyle has had so much popularity is because people love to hear that other people are having a bad life too. But, honestly, it never makes you feel any better just because someone has it harder than you.

Here is a mental health post I wrote last year that offers some advice for looking after your mental health.

Mix It Up Linky
“Reflections

Discovering Architecture and My First Book of Relativity.

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I was sent two fabulous children’s books to review. Discovering Architecture and My First Book of Relativity.

Discovering Architecture

Discovering architecture book cover
Discovering Architecture
  • Hardcover: 48 pages
  • Age Range: 8 – 12 years
  • Authors: Eduard Altirriba & Betra Bardi I Mila
    Publisher: Button Books (1 Sept. 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1787080293
  • ISBN-13: 978-1787080294
  • Product Dimensions: 25.4 x 1.3 x 25.4 cm

This book can be purchased at Waterstones for £12.99

The Blurb

Igloos, skyscrapers cathedrals, pyramids, cottages…Buildings come in all shapes and sizes but they have one thing in common – they were all once just an idea in someone’s head. In this beautifully illustrated introduction to architecture you can find out how the buildings around you came into being and about the people who created them. Packed with interesting details about everything from humble homes to awe-inspiring towers, this book features charmingly quirky illustrations that bring the subject to life. One you’ve learned about how influential designers produced iconic structures ranging from the Parthenon to the Burj Kalifa, the budding architect inside you will be inspired to dream up the buildings of the future.

My Thoughts

A fabulous hardback book with delightful and details illustrations. Starting from the pyramids and working all the way through to contemporary and even futuristic architecture. This book will ignite a love of buildings in any child and would be perfect for the background information for a school project.

The book also tells about the basic elements of architecture, so you can see how your own home is built. It also describes what it’s like to be an architecture and what skills you would need if you wanted to pursue a career in architecture.

My First Book of Relativity

My First Book of Relativity
  • Hardcover: 48 pages
  • Age Range: 8 – 12 years
    Authors: Sheddad Kaid – Salah Ferron and Eduard Altarriba
  • Publisher: Button Books (1 Aug. 2019)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1787080331
  • ISBN-13: 978-1787080331
  • Product Dimensions: 25.1 x 1.3 x 25.4 cm

The Theory of Relativity Can be purchased at Waterstones for £12.99

The Blurb

Einstein’s special theory of relativity is one of the corner stones of modern physics but it requires a total rethink of our notions about time and space. Strange things happen in a relative universe: length and time are not fixed and depend upon your frame of reference. A Period of time on Earth that lasts for hundreds of years might only be a couple of hours for someone to travelling in a rocket close to the speed of light.

Find out more about how our universe works and how to space and time are connected in this fascinating introduction to relativity. This book introduces complex science to children though bright illustrations and amusing text, because it’s never to early to start exploring big ideas.

My Thoughts

Another hardback book full of delightful images to capture the imagination of your child.

We all know that Albert Einstein’s relativity is the theory of space and time don’t we? And we all know what space and time are, but although we think of them of simple concepts, a little more thinking makes fascinating things happen.

Starting with time the book explains how we measure time by clocks, but how do clocks measure time? The book then looks at several different types of clocks.

Then we move on to space and how we measure it.

Finally after measuring time and space we can work out speed and movement and how we can measure them. Then we look at the speed of light and how fast that travels.

Then we come to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, in as simple terms as you can get. This is Special relativity, the speed of the universe and the speed of light. Einstein had another theory of Relativity, General relativity which is his theory about gravity.

This book takes something complicated and breaks it down to easy to digest pieces so anyone can gain a better understanding.

Other Books in this series include My First Book of Quantum Physics and Discover our Solar System.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. These books were gifted to me

awin

My Sunday Photo 12th May 2019

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A dedication to my cat Ash.

a cat looking through a door while outside in the rain.

My Cat is a daft cat,
He likes to sit in the rain.
I open the door, but he chooses to ignore
me as I call his name.

A cat in a box in a weird twisted position fast asleep

My cat likes to sleep in boxes
Sometimes he doesn’t fit
I don’t know how he can be comfortable
But he seems to like it.

Ash one year on.

It’s been almost a year since we brought Ash home. He was a diddy kitten with big feet. We thought he was going to be a huge cat, but he still isn’t that big. Maybe he will grow some more? He should have reached full size by now. He’s a lover of the outdoors, he can’t wait to get out of the house. He chases flies, insects, mice, birds…whatever moves he’s stalking it. Thankfully, he’s not bought us any live ‘treats’ yet.

He’s not a ‘sit on your lap’ type of cat, he shies away from human contact. It’s a shame because we all want to cuddle him, maybe we’ll have to wait until he gets older and less energetic.

He comes to the door and noses inside. We don’t have a cat flap so we have to let him in. But when we open the door he runs off! Now we don’t open the door unless he’s climbing up it and meowing.

He likes boxes! I mean most cats like a box, but Ash just can’t resist them. He’d much rather sleep in a box than anywhere else, even if he doesn’t quit fit in.

He gets on much better with his big sister Sabrina now. Sometimes they even cuddle up together. At least they don’t chase each other around all the time.

He’s still so very cute, he has the sweetest little face. I really wish he loved cuddles.

I’ve a competition that ends in a few days where you could win a lovely wood watch…go take a look at Wood Watches and fill in the form to enter. Good Luck!

On Yer Bike! Or Tricycle?

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Do you remember your first bike, or tricycle? I’m not sure if I had one when small but I do remember coming home from school one day and my Mum had bought me a brand new bike.

I could ride it, but if I’m honest, I didn’t go out on it much and ended up selling it about a year later. Then I spent a day with my step-brother’s and sister at their home (ironically, not far from where I live now) and we rode our bikes all day. I had not had so much fun in ages.

You Never Forget How to Ride a Bike

Many years later we had a wonderful holiday at Whinfell Forest and I got on a bike again for the first time in a very long time. It was amazing at how quickly I picked it up again, it was so much fun wheeling around the park and seeing all it had to offer.

I have to admit though, I was a little sore that night!

My balance is really poor now, I would never be able to ride a bike. If my legs worked properly though, I certainly consider one of these tricycles.

This one is my favourite colour, and it’s electric too, great for when the going gets tough. You have to admit, it’s a lot prettier than a mobility scooter!

A purple tricycle with a basket on the back.
Jorvik folding electric tricycle.

How great is it that you can fold it and put in the car boot!

Star has never been able to ride a bike because of balance issues. She has recently been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome which means her limbs are longer than usual and her connective tissue is looser. A tricycle like this would mean she’d get the chance to ride a bike for the first time.

Jorvik Story

I was intrigued to learn more about these tricycles. Of course my first instinct was how wonderful they would be for people like me and my daughter. Little did I realise that they were invented for people like us.

This is the Story from the website;

Born out of love.

When James Walker needed to find a good quality trike for his father, Stuart, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, he discovered a problem.

Choice was limited, designs were outdated, and most were out of his budget.

As any family facing hardship would attest, James felt compelled to help his dad continue to do what he loves. But he was running out of options.

Not willing to give up hope, he decided to take matters into his own hands.


And Jorvik Tricycles was born.

Isn’t that just lovely. The company also supports charities that might one day find a cure for Parkinson’s, MS and other life-limiting illnesses. Just like mine and Stars.

*collaborative post