WELCOME TO GIN OR GYM

Ok the weather outside is frightful and the fire is so delightful, and since we have no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Nope, let it rain, rain rain! Today is the shortest day and boy does it feel it. It seems that it has never really got properly light over the last few days and for those of us feeling slightly ‘down’ at the moment, it really does not help lift the mood. The temptation to let the exhausted body and soul take over and curl up under the cov

We all hate it but it has to be done, the H word! HOUSEWORK! So with the help of GymGuyMark, lets try and turn the H word to our advantage and help get the muscles moving and the legs toned! When it comes to house work no one can say it’s not a chore, but let’s make it more of a ‘houseworkout’  and try to put a bit of enjoyment back into it. (this also helps to save time if you can’t get to the Gym GC) Start with a check of the house with a little bit of a pace (warm up), a q

One week to go till Christmas Eve and for a lot of people this is when panic starts to ensue. The ever-growing lists, the kids’ last minute change of their letter to Santa and the teenager has just announced she is vegetarian and won’t be eating turkey this year! You realise that you have bought the same Christmas cards last year and then wonder if anyone will notice. So how can we cope with it all without totally relying on gin? It is actually quite simple. Sit yourself down

There are days when you wake up and just want to crawl back under the duvet. The weather is horrible, you still haven’t bought any presents, the kids are going mental fighting over the remote and the little darlings have used all the milk for their cereal. How tempting to pull that cosy blanket over your head and hope when you finally surface, Mary Poppins will have dropped by and with a spoon full of sugar, the medicine will have gone down. But what if you live on your own,

Ok, sit down, close your eyes and think of your favourite smell! Is it freshly washed sheets or perhaps the smell of a Sunday roast? Scents can evoke memories, changes moods and soothe the stressed out head! At this time of year the aroma of pine trees, spice scented candles and the smell of polish fill the air, not of course to forget the fragrance of de- icer, grit and exhaust fumes hitting the freezing air! One of favourite inspirational women Jo Malone once said … “Fragra

The third gift but by no means the least was of course myrrh! Some myrrh facts for you courtesy of Rae! Myrrh is actually a small tree, native to north-east Africa. Myrrh essential oil is distilled from the sticky golden resin which is removed by cutting into the bark. Myrrh is known as the ‘mucus mover’ as one of its main qualities is to energise the respiratory tract, so perfect for those Christmas/winter bugs. Ancient people recognised the healing powers of myrrh and used

Did you know that frankincense is actually a resin that comes from a tree? Since I started reading up about this amazing oil, it has kind of fascinated me. Its other name is olibanum which roughly means that which results from milking. Milking I hear you say, why? So time for the science bit   ! There are four main kinds of Boswellia, the tree that produces real frankincense, and each type of resin comes in different grades. These depend of when it is harvested and each resin

Many of us will be aware of the story of the Three Kings who came to visit the baby Jesus bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh! Three gifts that I bet Mary thought well I could probably have done with a pile of nappies but thanks! We will never know what she thought or felt, but just imagine if that had happened now.  There would have been a photo tweeted out to the world and a new status on Facebook.  What you could possibly say was a memory of golden moment! Golde

I came across this quote in an magazine article months ago, from actor Kevin Costner. “I  haven’t lived a perfect life. I have regrets. But that’s from a lifetime of  taking chances, making decisions, and trying not to be frozen. The only thing  that I can do with my regrets is understand them.” I wonder how many people are waking up this morning and ‘regretting’ last night. Party night out ? Perhaps one shot too many and ended up dancing on tables? Are your memories of that

Ok guys, it is get the legs ready time! Many of us will be out for office parties, nights out and lots of general merriment, but do you ever think what you put your poor pins and tootises through ? We girls are so guilty of buying that fab pair of heels then not wearing them till our night out … and the next day … ouch ouch ouch! So with a little help from GymGuyMark and the lovely Rae from Aurora Therapy, here is our guide to getting those feet and legs, party ready! Firstly

So here we are at the start of another week, Monday 3rd December 2012. How are you going to start this week? Full of “oh no it’s Monday, it’s cold and I would rather be in bed” or “hey Monday do your worst, I am ready”. Me? I am a mixture of the two, ready for Monday to hit me with whatever its best shot is but would rather be in bed when it does. Sometimes Mondays are like the New Year, we start the week full of good intentions and a fridge full of healthy foods but by Frida

So how are we all this chilly December morning? Glasgow is covered in a blanket of frost with a stunning blue sky full of fluffy little clouds. A good day for a brisk walk in Kelvingrove Park followed by a nice hot cuppa at one of the West End’s many cafés is definitely in order. How many times do you find yourself moaning about the cold and wishing for the sunny summer days? But as James M Barrie put it … “God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” So guys,

The beginning of December means different things to us all. For many of us it is the start of the list making, the house cleaning, the ‘oops can’t buy that I got her that last year’ and for parents the ‘no, Santa isn’t on his way yet’. It can be a pretty stressful time. Me? I love the first of December, it is one of my favourite dates in the year.  It means I get to gut out my untidy room, haul out the decorations box and pray that the tree lights will last for one more year.