Blogs

The Modern Checklist for Long-Term Life Planning

Many of us have an image in our heads of what old age should and will look like for us. Where we will settle, who will be in our lives, and ways in which we will occupy our time are all ideas in our heads.

Long-term life planning is no longer something to ignore until disaster strikes. With varied careers, homes, and responsibilities, your plans should reflect your real life. Preparing now and using tools like savings, wills, and opting in to life insurance reduces uncertainty and builds confidence for the future, whatever it may bring.

Getting the Basics Legally Sorted...

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A New Year will see a brand new me (well mostly)

For my final blog of 2012 I was going to do a review of the year. I mean, no one else does that do they? However I’ve been worn down by the endless stream of reviews so that’s a no go, writes blogger Ali.

So what to write about? 2012 has been a huge year of change for me. And I guess along the way I’ve learnt a few things. Only a few mind – I still don’t have any basic plumbing skills, and frankly technology is a baffling world of acronyms, none of which make any sense to me at all. But there are a few things I’ve learnt. And I guess that’s the hook on which I will hang my blog...

"Good reasons to be single... 1,2,3" says blogger Ali

Weeks back I had a bit of a rant about singledom being a perceived state of deficiency. Well, I’m back on my high horse about it again, writes our regular blogger Ali.

‘What’s caused this?’ I hear you cry… probably literally sobbing as you realise I’m off on a rant again. Well – it was a conversation with a bloke who basically said that he didn’t believe me when I said that I was happy being single. Of course, an hour of being brow beaten later, he backed off but I remain indignant at the thought and so, yet again, I’m going to use this blog as a low cost form of therapy to...

Three Christmas performances... one frantic mum

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure (and I do mean pleasure) of not one, not two, but three Christmas performances to watch in one day. All very different, of course, but in their own way each one of them was special and warmed my heart. The first was at Pip-Kins Day Nursery, Barnfield Hill to watch our three-year-old (and three quarters) son taking part in a rousing post-lunch performance of 'Jingle Bells', 'When Santa got Stuck up the Chimney' and 'Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star'. Led by an enthusiastic Rosemary, Pat and Eileen, who visit the nursery on a regular basis for sing-alongs,...

Fat loss pitfalls and how to avoid them part 1

Fat loss seems to be a very misunderstood subject. Some people insist that it simply all about expending more calories than we consume, ‘calories in verses calories out’ while others realise that the type of food we eat and its effect on our hormones may be the key to fat loss or indeed fat gain.

Here is a list of ’fat loss fails’ to be aware of and how to avoid them. In no specific order but all worthy of note I reckon.

1. Not lifting fairly heavy weights. Weight training has been proven time and time again to be extremely effective at increasing metabolic rate, increasing...

Message from city MP: Some good news for Exeter...

Behind the gloom of this week’s Winter Statement from George Osborne promising at least six more years of austerity because of his failed economic policy there were two bits of potentially very good news for Exeter and the South West, writes Ben Bradshaw.

The first was that Exeter was being invited to bid for a slice of Government money to help fund the upgrading of our flood defences. It shouldn’t have needed the recent floods and Exeter’s “near miss” to spur the Government into action, but this is welcome none the less. We’ve been campaigning for more than two years – ever since...

It's the "most wonderful time of the year"

It’s official, I’ve got Christmas envy. Everywhere I go lights are twinkling and festive songs are ringing out. But, we have yet to put a single decoration up at home yet.

Now, everyone has a different opinion on when you should ‘deck the halls’ and get festive with it…but normally we will make our annual trip to a local farm, where they have mulled wine and reindeer to keep everyone happy, and pick out our Christmas tree in early December – I think if you’re splashing out on a Norwegian Fir tree you might as well get your money’s worth!

But, this is not for everyone. I...

Diary Of A Dad To Be: Our tricky 20-week scan

It was meant to be straight forward. We had booked in for our 20-week scan and had both agreed that we wanted to know the sex of our baby.

My partner was keen to find out so that she could plan the nursery’s colour scheme and I’m, well, just impatient.

If the baby was a boy, we’d already decided we were going to call him Harry but the jury was out on a girl’s name.

We’d even taken something of a gamble and had bought a beautiful patchwork cushion with Harry emblazoned across the front in huge letters from a craft shop in Fowey during a summer break.

So there...

Blogger Ali is loving London but not the cyclists

My blog’s late and that is just one symptom of a newly acquired disease. I’ve fallen in love. With London. As you may remember from my previous blogs, I was feeling the pain of leaving Devon behind. My circumstances dictated much of the change – I needed a job, I couldn’t seem to get one in Devon – and so whilst I was excited about London, I was worried that I may not be doing the right thing. Well already my doubts have gone. It feels like having been in a rut personally for some years, I am now living again. And a lot of that is down to London. I wish I could give you some deep and...

Exeter's Quay on flood watch once again

In true British spirit, the establishments along Exeter's Quay, many of which my family and I frequent on a regular basis, were open as normal today despite the imminent threat of flooding. With further rain and heavy showers expected into Monday, their fate depends on what the weather decides to throw at them this evening and over the next couple of days.

It was quieter out today, naturally, with many deciding to stay indoors rather than face the elements, however having seen an earlier tweet from The Prospect Inn that they were open and serving a warming roast lunch...

Women Bishops: every cloud...

The decision by the General Synod to reject women bishops has left the Church of England in crisis.

On one side are the great and good of England’s established Church. The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev Michael Langrish, was “strongly” in favour of women being appointed as bishops.

The Bishop states that "Many, right across the Church of England will be feeling stunned. The mood among all Synod members is subdued.”

"The rejection of the measure to enable women to be ordained as bishops will be a cause of disappointment, anxiety and even anger among those who...

Blogs

The Modern Checklist for Long-Term Life Planning

A New Year will see a brand new me (well mostly)

"Good reasons to be single... 1,2,3" says blogger Ali

Three Christmas performances... one frantic mum

Fat loss pitfalls and how to avoid them part 1

Message from city MP: Some good news for Exeter...

It's the "most wonderful time of the year"

Diary Of A Dad To Be: Our tricky 20-week scan

Blogger Ali is loving London but not the cyclists

Exeter's Quay on flood watch once again

Women Bishops: every cloud...

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