TIPSS Content Catalogue September 2017 by Tania Houston

Content Catalogue September 2017

Article Index And Another Thing... : Tom Meets Parker Knoll

Baking: Coconut Rice Pudding With Caramelised Apples 6 Computer Tip: Wireless Black Spots 7 Beauty: Shiny New Things

Book Reviews: Intriguing Reads 10 Driving: Motorways: Four Lanes, or Three with a Hard Shoulder?

Finance: How to Build Up Your Credit Rating at University

Gardening: Houseplants Go Home

Health: Organ Donation Week

History: Man’s Best Friend

Hobbies: The Magic Of Toy Making 18

Home & Interiors: Inspired By Colour

Life Begins: Why My Charity “Gifts” Are Staying Put

The Life List: Colourful Language

Motoring: Husband And Wife Taking On 10k-Mile Rally In Electric Car

Pets: How To Keep An Eye On Your Rabbit’s Health

Parenting: Creative Writing – Helping Your Child To Create Stories

Recipe: Lamb Koftas With Minted Couscous

Short Story: Hair Of The Dog

Technology: Tech For The New Term

Travel Feature: Patagonia Lake District

Puzzle Index Cartoon 1 32 Cartoon 2 32 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page 33 Codeword 34 General Knowledge Crossword 34 Cryptic Crossword 35 Hidato 36 Mini Cryptic Crossword 36 Pictogram 36 Quiz 1: Fish and Chips

Quiz 2: Animal Anagrams

Simple Crossword 38 Spot the Difference 38 Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

Two Minute Trial 40 Word Ladder 40 Wordsearch - Education 41 Wordwheel 41

And Another Thing..

And Another Thing... Tom meets Parker Knoll by Tom Hughes @groomsdaybook

Whilst slumped in front of the TV one Sunday afternoon, I watched through the patio doors as the angry wind of late summer forced Sarah’s line of washing into a headless dance routine. Tired, bored, overcome with ennui, I sneered at a smug couple deciding not to cash in and buy a ramshackle pile of bricks on a Place in the Country. What to do? I decide to enlist the help of My Dearly Beloved. “Sarah? Do you want to have another stab at Line of Duty IV?” Enter my betrothed, purposefully wiping her hands on a tea towel. Clearly unimpressed with my virtually supine position, she said, “Thomas (immediate use of my Sunday name – bad start), do you think I’ve time to gawp at the box all day?” “But darling, it’s Sunday - a day of rest after the travails of the week.” “Well that’s fine, but I’ve got

a house to run and anyway I’m not ploughing through the whole thing if you’re going to shout, ‘As if that would happen!’ every five minutes. And can you sit up properly? Look at that cushion; it’s practically on the floor. Actually, come to think of it…” As Sarah inspected the condition of our oldest item of soft furnishing, my blood slowly turned to ice. “In fact, that’s made up my mind - I’ve put up with this tatty old thing for long enough.” “Are you leaving me?” “Not you, this sofa; it’s a disgrace.” “Olly likes sleeping on it.” “Well, when the new one arrives he will be relegated to his bed under the stairs. You’ve got to stop treating him like a baby.” I glanced over at my slumbering Best Friend, who - mirroring his master - raised an eyebrow of concern.

So, strapped into the Mondeo Ghia, off we set towards that vast expanse of corporate real estate - the retail park. “Let’s try this one first.” Sarah pointed at a bland unit sat in between an industrial sized chemist and a massive pet shop. We parked up and alighted onto the fading tarmac. Involuntarily, my shoulders began to sag. “What’s up with you?” Half-heartedly I raised a solitary finger and pointed to a garish sign in the window. “Look Sarah, they’re actually having a sale. What amazing good fortune.” Through the double doors we went. A tired-looking chap in early middle age padded over. Wearing a badly fitting tie and a short-sleeved shirt, he did his best to raise a smile. “Welcome to Furniture World. And today sir, you’re in luck. We’ve an offer on our Guardprotect™ - guaranteed to resist every stain, which by the way also includes vomit

and blood.” Back outside on the pavement, Sarah and I had words. “Do you have to be so rude?” “I’m here to buy a couch, not re-enact an episode of CSI Miami.” We trudged into the next emporium where a wild-eyed woman with her hair in a tight bun clopped over at such a pace she was forced to use an armchair as a makeshift break. “Hi guys! I can see you’ve already been acquainted with Parker Knoll.”

here next to me, come on, get comfy.” Gingerly, I eased myself down onto the sofa which, I had to admit, was indeed very comfortable. As the woman prattled on, my hand reached out absent-mindedly for the tag hanging off the arm. I turned it over and glanced at the price.

I looked around. “Is he the store manager?”

Ninety seconds later, we were standing back outside the shop, where Sarah sighed, “Tom, I’m meeting Hannah now for lunch. Listen, come to think of it, it’s you who always sits on the blasted thing so I’ll let you decide.” And with that, off she went to meet our daughter.

A quizzical look from our new friend. “No sir, now sit down

Later that evening, as I was sat in front of the TV working

out who Balaclava Man could be, in walked Sarah, who after looking around said, “So, where’s this amazing piece of furniture you’ve bought then?” I pointed to the corner of the lounge. “Luxurious, soft and incredibly comfortable, I think you’ll agree.” Sarah’s gaze alighted upon Olly, curled up asleep in the middle of a huge round furry dog bed, comfy as anything. “You see, darling, you’re right once again - we did need something to keep him off the sofa.” I glanced over at my best friend, who mirroring me once more, gave me a conspiratorial wink.

Cake and Bake

Baking

Coconut Rice Pudding with Caramelised Apples A classic with a twist, this creamy rice pudding has added coconut milk for extra flavour and is served with spiced apples in a caramel sauce.

Ingredients: • 50g unsalted butter, softened • 100g pudding rice • 400ml full-fat milk • 200ml coconut milk • 40g caster sugar • 1 tbsp runny honey • 2 red apples, skinned, cored and cut into wedges • 75g demerara sugar • 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon • 2 tbsp apple juice

Serves 4 Ready in 2 hours 30 mins

TIP

You can use other fruit slices instead of the apples – try peaches or pears or halved apricots.

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C, fan 130°C, gas 2. Use a little of the softened butter to thoroughly grease a 1.2-litre shallow ovenproof dish. 2. Tip the pudding rice into the buttered dish and stir in the milk and coconut milk. Add the caster sugar and stir again. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Carefully remove the dish and give the pudding a good stir, then stir in the honey and dot with a little more of the butter. Return to the oven for a further 1 hour 30 minutes or until a golden skin has formed and most of the milk has been absorbed by the rice. 3. About 10 minutes before the rice pudding is ready, melt the rest of the butter in a heavy– based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the apple slices and fry for 1-2 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and cook gently, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the cinnamon and apple juice and simmer for a further few minutes until syrupy. 4. Stir the rice pudding (remove the skin first, if preferred) and spoon into bowls. Top with the apples and syrup and serve.

Wireless Black Spots

Computer Tip

Wireless networks do have coverage ‘black spots’ in the home. Some bits of your house get a great signal, while others don’t. The culprit is often metal - radiators, filing cabinets, cookers and other big metal things can block Wi-Fi’s radio waves - and there are all kinds of obstacles between your router and your devices. But before you consider buying a gadget such as a Wi-Fi extender, try moving your router: it might be in a particularly Wi-Fi unfriendly place, and just moving it a few feet up could make all the difference. If it’s an old router consider getting a newer one: the latest Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac, is much, much faster and stronger than older standards. Does this all sound like gobbledygook and you just want the problem fixed?! Be assured it can be fixed and call an expert.

Beauty

Beauty Shiny New Things Shorte by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

New brands, new products, new looks... Lighter, summery shades of lipsticks tend to give way to warmer, deeper hues as the weather gets colder. This autumn, we’ll be seeing two extremes when it comes to lip colours – ‘barely there’ and deep berry shades. Clarins have brought out three new shades of their bestselling Joli Rouge lipstick – Deep Red, Litchi and Guava. Brighter shades can be difficult to carry off, but these three are surprisingly wearable. They’re also formulated with mango oil and other moisturisers, to leave your lips feeling softer and more hydrated. £20, www. clarins.co.uk. Autumn might be just around the corner, but that’s no reason

r 1 page forthe to ditch msunscreen. at al As well as helping so avatheilariskbofle to reduce skin cancer, protecting

your skin also helps to prevent visible damage, including pigmentation and wrinkles. If time is an issue, you’ll love Origins’ Ginzing SPF40 Energy Boosting Tinted Moisturiser. Suitable for all skin types, it protects, moisturises and conceals in one go. Personally, I love it – the colour is very natural, it’s easy to apply, and it doesn’t feel too heavy. £30, www.origins.co.uk. Crabtree & Evelyn have brought out a new range of body care products to complement their flower water perfumes. Choose from Florentine Freesia, Venetian Violet and Old World Jasmine. Each fragrance is available in a hand cream, body lotion, body cream, bath & shower gel and flower water. Old

is an organic hair care brand that focuses on natural ingredients. The fine hairJasmine range, for World is aexample, personalincludes favourite, extracts of lavender, grapefruit and with its subtle fragrance of white jasmine, ginger, as well as rosemary leaf oil and orange, lemon and spring flowers. Try the sage oil. Together, to givegel, extra Old World Jasminethey bathhelp & shower body to limp locks and reduce hair loss. which features skin-loving ingredients There aremoringa, ranges toevening suit most hair types, such as primrose and so whether you want some extra bounce rosehip oils. £18, www.crabtree-evelyn. toco.uk. your curls, or need to control excess oil, you’ll find products to help. See www. New to our shores, Angel En Provence mrventuresstore.co.uk. is an organic hair care brand that focuses on natural ingredients. The fine hair range, for example, includes extracts of lavender, grapefruit and ginger, as well as rosemary leaf oil and sage oil. Together, they help to give extra body to limp locks and reduce hair loss. There are ranges to suit most hair types, so whether you want some extra bounce to your curls, or need to control excess oil, you’ll find products to help. See www. mrventuresstore.co.uk.

exfoliates away dead skin cells, and leaves skin feeling more nourished. It also If you love natural skincare, you’ll want smells good enough to eat. to check out Beauty Kitchen. Or if you want a treat that This British is costs less beauty than a brand sandwich, 100% natural,Me cruelty free, the Inspire Triple Action and great value for money. Is a Body Mist is just £2.99 for your skin feeling a bit dry after handbag-friendly bottle. It’s the summer?with Try the Inspire fragranced essential oils, Me Brightening & Toning and helps to hydrate skin Body Polish (£14.99). It gently and refresh your senses. See exfoliates away dead skin www.hollandandbarrett.com. cells, and leaves skin feeling more nourished. It also smells good enough to eat. Or if you want a treat that costs less than a sandwich, the Inspire Me Triple Action Body Mist is just £2.99 for a handbag-friendly bottle. It’s fragranced with essential oils, and helps to hydrate skin and refresh your senses. See www.hollandandbarrett.com.

Book Review

Intriguing Reads Secrets, lies and mysteries are at the heart of this month’s picks.

The Marriage Pact – Michelle Richmond Newlyweds Alice and Jake are invited to join The Pact. The group seems to have just one goal – making marriages work. All members need to do is agree to follow the rules for a happy marriage, and accept support if they struggle. However, as Alice and Jake soon find out, there are consequences for breaking the rules, and The Pact is, like marriage, for life. A tense psychological thriller you’ll want to devour in one sitting. The Life She Was Given – Ellen Marie Wiseman Lily knows she’s different. After all, her parents have kept her locked away for all of her nine years, in case she scares people. But then one day, in 1931, her mother drags her away from Blackwood Manor, and sells her to the circus. Fast forward to 1956 and Julia returns back to the home she ran away from. Two women, one house, 25 years apart; will the secret of Lily finally come to light? Well researched, with believable characters and a story that really draws you

in, this is a must for fans of historical fiction. Pieces of Happiness – Anne Ostby Recently widowed, Kat invites her four old school friends to join her on a cocoa plantation in Fiji. Now in their sixties, the women each have their own reasons for wanting to leave their old lives behind. Together they set up as chocolatiers, and let the island heal old wounds and allow them to make peace with their lives. As the subtitle says, this is a ‘Novel of Friendship, Hope and Chocolate’. Perfect for fans of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Don’t Close Your Eyes – Holly Seddon Sarah is the good girl, the one her parents can always rely on to behave. Robin is the impetuous one, who can always be relied on to cause havoc. The twins are devastated when their parents’ divorce separates them. Now in her 30s, Robin lives alone, trapped in her home by crippling agoraphobia. Sarah has built what seems to be the perfect life, but after being forced to leave it all behind, she goes in search of the only

person she feels she can turn to – Robin. There’s just one person missing, their stepbrother Callum. Flesh and Bone and Water – Luiza Sauma André Cabral is divorced and living in London when he receives a letter sent by a woman from his past - a letter that may just call him back to Brazil. Rewind a few years and we meet the teenage André – grieving for his mother, frustrated by his father’s demands, and infatuated with his 16 year old maid, Luana. An enjoyable read that paints a vivid picture of Brazil, from its beautiful beaches to its rigid social structure. The Good Daughter – Karin Slaughter Charlotte and Samantha Quinn’s lives are changed forever when a violent crime destroys their family. 28 years later, Charlotte is working as a defence lawyer. She finds herself embroiled in a tragic event that leaves the town reeling, and the memories she’s tried so hard to bury come rushing back. Gripping.

Motorways: Four Lanes, or Three with a Hard Shoulder? If you’ve driven on Britain’s motorways recently, you can’t fail to have noticed that the hard shoulder is sometimes being turned into another lane. On some motorways this new lane is at times a lane and at others a hard shoulder. Indications on gantries above the lanes tell you when this is the case. These roads are termed “smart motorways” and there are three types: those with “Dynamic Hard Shoulder Running”, ones with “All Lane Running” and a third called “Controlled Motorways”. So, what exactly are these? When driving on a Dynamic Hard Shoulder motorway, expect the hard shoulder to be a lane at busy periods and a hard shoulder at other times; when it’s a lane you can use

refuges, placed every 500m or so, to stop in an emergency. All Lane Running is just that: the hard shoulder has gone, replaced by an emergency refuge every 2.5km. Controlled Motorways are like old style motorways: three or four lanes with a permanent hard shoulder. Except now the carriageways are subject to variable speed limits. If you breakdown on the first two types of motorway, and can nurse your car to a refuge, don’t just set off after fixing the fault: gone is the Highway Code directive of “gather speed on the hard shoulder and rejoin the carriageway”. Now you must contact the Highways Agency, who will then escort you back onto the carriageway. Statistically motorways are the safest roads in the UK, but with three lanes or sometimes four, variable limits and no continuous hard shoulder, it’s still best to know what kind of road you are travelling on. By Iain Betson

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Driving

Finance

By Ann Haldon

How to Build Up Your Credit Rating at University unlikely to have a credit history that lenders can use. They can’t predict how you’ll manage your money, so having no credit history can be as bad as a poor one in their eyes.

Being able to borrow money when you need it is a crucial part of everyday life for most people. It enables you to enter the property market when the time comes, helps you buy your first car, and provides the means to deal with emergencies when they happen. Many undergraduate bank accounts offer a credit card and arranged overdraft facility when you start university, with the overdraft facility often being increased over the following years depending on the risk involved to the lender. Do lenDers think you will Default? This is partly how lenders decide whether or not to accept an application for borrowing – it’s based largely on the risk of default that you present to them. This risk is assessed using your credit file, which contains a credit rating and other information. The problem for you as a university student is that, because of your age, you’re

There are certain steps you can take to address this problem, however, and build up a good credit rating at university. The earlier you start, the better your credit file will look to a lender later on. Building a good credit rating certainly takes time, but when your degree course is finished and you start work, you’ll be thankful for the steps you’ve already taken. So what can you do to help yourself at this stage? • apply for a credit-builder credit card These credit cards are for people with no credit history, or a poor credit rating that needs to be rebuilt. In your case, a card such as this will allow you to build up a good credit history, as long as you are sensible and use it in the right way. You should use it each month to pay for regular but relatively low outgoings - your food shopping, for example, or rail tickets. The crucial part is to pay off the balance in full, and without

fail, every month. Missing a single payment will instantly damage your credit rating. You will also be charged a high interest rate on the outstanding balance, and late payment fees. Using a credit-builder credit card is one of the most effective ways to build a good credit history if it’s used properly.

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So that you don’t miss a payment, it’s a good idea to set up a direct debit from your bank – then at least there’ll be a minimum amount paid to your credit card each month, which you can always add to if necessary. • Make sure you’re on the electoral register Any lender will want to see that you have a fixed address, and be able to confirm your identity. This increases confidence that you’re trustworthy, but as a student living in halls the best option is to use your home address. You can apply to be included on the register by contacting your local council or using the gov.uk website. • if you apply for credit, use a landline number Putting a landline number on an application for borrowing, rather than a mobile number, indicates stability and will work in your favour when the lender

makes their decision. • Don’t exceed your overdraft limit without authorisation Going over your arranged overdraft limit, even for a day, will trigger high interest charges and other fees, but crucially it will also damage your credit score. If you know that you’re going to need extra money for a limited time, talk to your bank and see if they’ll agree to increase your limit, even if it’s only on a temporary basis. • avoid taking out store cards Store cards often have higher interest rates than credit cards. If you’re offered one when you’re shopping, it may give you 20% off your bill, but the risk

of overspending on it and damaging your credit rating for the long-term just isn’t worth it. • avoid multiple applications for credit If you’re refused credit by one or more lenders it will adversely affect your credit rating, so it’s a good idea to avoid making multiple applications at the same time. • Pay all your bills on time It’s not just your credit card bill that you need to pay on time – you should make sure all your household and other bills, such as broadband and mobile phone, are paid promptly. Setting up a direct debit ensures that you don’t forget.

• include rent payments in your credit file The Rental Scheme was first introduced in 2016. It involves paying your rent to the landlord through an intermediary, who informs the credit reference agencies that you’ve paid on time. The three main credit reference agencies in the UK – Experian, Equifax, and Callcredit – each hold their own information about your credit history. At some point whilst you’re at university, it would be worthwhile checking with each agency to ensure the information they hold is correct. http://www.savethestudent. org/money/student-banking/ student-credit-rating.html

Gardening

Houseplants Go Home by Pippa Greenwood

This year I didn’t get a summer holiday but I’m proud to say that my houseplants did – no need for costly air fares or overpriced hotels and dodgy meals out however, because they spent the summer in the garden. Most houseplants grown widely up and down the country need to be just that, plants in houses, but come the summer it usually gives them a real boost to get the higher natural light levels, refreshing (relatively warm) rainfall and seriously fresh air. But now that September is here it is time to bring them indoors. The daytime temperatures are generally warm enough in almost all areas of the country but there will soon be some noticeably nippy nights and these can do untold damage, especially to some of the more tender varieties.

from your seasonal break! First I go over them checking for dead, damaged or dying leaves, and then use a sharp pair of scissors to remove these, cutting back neatly into clean, healthy growth. Next it is time to inspect the stems, foliage and any flowers for pests and diseases. There is often a wide range of these problems that can infest or infect your houseplants, and it always pays to bring them in totally clean. Look out for white powdery mildew deposits, often accompanied by a bit of leaf yellowing, and check for greyish fuzzy fungal patches caused by the notorious Botrytis or grey mould - this will often start out on an already dead part of the plant such as a faded leaf or flower, but is often associated with yellowing, petal browning and dieback too.

Before bringing them in though, it is essential to put your plants through their paces; think of it as being a bit like going through Customs on your way back

Also look for pests like scale insects - tiny brownish elliptical insects which feed beneath leaves or on soft stems, often producing copious quantities of sticky,

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sugary honeydew - or aphids, which may be found clustered on the more tender, newer growth. If you find any infestation, it is essential it is dealt with before the plants go inside, as once the pots are back indoors the pests will flourish in the now warmer and more protected conditions, and will soon multiply and may even spread to other healthy plants, causing potential chaos! Most problems like these, if caught early, can be dealt with by using a sharp pair of scissors or secateurs to snip off infected areas, or by some careful picking off by hand. If you find scale insects, aphids or fluffy patches of mealy bug, you can purchase a brilliant biocontrol to sort them out in a totally environmentally friendly way that is also completely safe for you and your pets. For more information, visit www. pippagreenwood.com/ products/protect-your-crops. Once the plants themselves have had a check over, I

always inspect the pots, including the surface of the compost and beneath the base and rim of the pot itself. If you can, and as long as the plant won’t be damaged in the process, gently ease it out of its pot and check the root ball. This may sound a little extreme but all of these more ‘hidden’ and out of the way places provide perfect places for stowaways: the pests which live in the garden but would appreciate spending the cooler weather in your house - things like vine weevils, slugs and snails. Not the sort of house guests you or your plants would appreciate, I’m sure. When the check over is complete, gently scrape away the uppermost surface

of the compost and replace with the same quantity of fresh, similar compost, wipe down the sides of the pot and take your plants inside, taking care not to put them anywhere which is too hot, too dry or too draughty for their liking.

couple when I was working at The Woburn Abbey Garden Show this summer, and they’ve proved to be a beautiful reminder of a lovely show and I know that even with my sometimes erratic care they should keep on performing for years to come!

Once your old favourites are safely re-installed in their old positions and are free from unwanted guests, you may like to treat yourself to a new houseplant or two. There are some wonderful (and amazingly good value) houseplants readily available in garden centres now and you’ll often find some gems in the supermarket too - how about a marvellously elegant moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) or two? I treated myself to a

Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for her ‘Winter thru’ Spring Collection’ of gorgeous UK-grown garden-ready vegetable plants ready for delivery in September. You’ll also find many gardening items including growing frames, SpeedHoes, SpeedWeeders, raised bed kits, Nemaslug and other nematode controls, copper tape, pull-out EasyTunnels, signed books and lots more besides.

Health

By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk

Organ Donation Week

too, along with tissues such as corneas, heart valves, skin, bone and tendons. BecOmiNg aN ORgaN DONOR Joining the Register expresses your wish and legal authorisation to donate organs. Organ Donation Week (previously National Transplant Week) runs from 4th-10th September this year. This awareness week is vital because organ donation is still mired in myths. But it saves lives, and that life could be yours or that of a loved one. 96% of us would take an organ if needed. Yet only 29% of us are on the Organ Donor Register. “People waiting for transplants depend on people being willing to donate their organs and sadly, on average, three people die every day across the UK due to a shortage of donated organs,” says Sally Johnson, Director of Organ Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant. The NeeD fOR DONaTiONs In the UK, fewer than 6,000 people a year die in circumstances where they can become a donor and many are unregistered. There are currently 6,342 people on the UK transplant waiting list. During the last financial year, over 400 people on the waiting list died. The most commonly transplanted organs are the heart, kidney, lungs and liver. But the pancreas and small bowel can be transplanted

Everyone who is legally competent can register, irrespective of age and health. However, you cannot become an organ donor if you have Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), cancer that has spread in the last 12 months or HIV (although you may be able to donate to another person who has HIV). Although children can register, their parents or guardians are still asked for consent before donation occurs – except for Scotland, where parents or guardians of children aged 12 and above can’t legally overrule their wish to donate. Donation of organs usually occurs after brain stem death (permanent loss of brain activity) or circulatory death (irreversible loss of heart and lung function). However, currently living donors outnumber deceased donors from either group. So, what’s ‘living donation’? LiviNg DONaTiON In 2016/17, 950 people became living donors. Living donors can donate a kidney, a small part of their liver or discarded bone (after a replacement operation). If you have a planned caesarean, you can donate blood from the umbilical cord after birth. This contains stem cells that can treat lifethreatening diseases like

leukaemia. Living donation is particularly vital for the 5,000 people in the UK who need a kidney transplant. Last year, more than 250 patients died waiting for a kidney. Donating your kidney straight to a recipient you know is called directed kidney donation. “We hope people across the UK will get behind the week and the opportunity it presents to focus people’s attention on organ donation,” says Sally Johnson.

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hOw TO RegisTeR as aN ORgaN DONOR You can register online at www.organdonation.nhs. uk/register-to-donate/ or at your GP surgery. You can also register when applying for a driving licence, European Health Insurance card (EHIC) or Boots Advantage card. Wales adopted a soft opt-out policy in 2015. If you don’t opt out of organ donor registration, you’re presumed not to object to being a donor. hOw TO DONaTe ORgaNs OR Tissues as a LiviNg DONOR: To donate organs, contact the transplant centres listed at www. odt.nhs.uk/transplantation/ transplant-units-in-uk/ To donate tissues, contact the National Referral Centre on 0800 432 0559 or email: national.referral.centre@nhsbt. nhs.uk. for more information, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk www.nhsbt.nhs.uk www.organdonationscotland.org (Scotland) organdonationwales.org (Wales)

History

Man’s Best Friend By Catherine Rose to obey the rules of their pack. Scientists believe that our hunter-gatherer forefathers took grey wolf puppies from the wild, taming and interbreeding them to have traits according to the needs of their owners – from being hunting companions to helping herd livestock.

The domestic dog (canis familiaris) has been around for almost 20 thousand years. Despite much speculation, modern research has concluded that all dogs are descended from the grey wolf (canis lupus), although it is difficult to see what some of today’s diverse breeds have in common with them. Today’s domestic dog is the most varied mammal on earth in terms of shape, size and behaviour. The oldest dog remains date back 19 thousand years and were uncovered at a Palaeolithic site close to the Ukraine. Another Palaeolithic tomb excavated in Israel contained the skeletons of a man and his dog who had been buried together, demonstrating the bond in life between the two. Like man, wolves are sociable pack animals who accept the authority of a group leader. This made them readily adaptable to human leadership, being naturally loyal and able

This selective breeding meant that some dogs developed an acute sense of smell, hearing or vision, while others developed speed and stamina, or guarding, hunting and retrieving skills. These traits evolved over thousands of years to produce diverse canine types that were then bred within those types to evolve into the domestic dog breeds we have today. We know from murals that dogs were kept by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Chinese emperors lavished so much care on their canine companions that they were even said to have their own servants. In Europe, owning a dog gained popularity from the 13th century onwards, and during the Middle Ages it became a status symbol. Dogs were still largely kept for purpose rather than pleasure until the mid-19th century, when the Victorians made family pet-owning a sought-after social practice. With it came organised dog shows and the birth of the Kennel Club in

1873 to differentiate between and regulate ‘pure’ or pedigree breeds. Dogs outside of the specialisations came to be known as mixed breed or mongrels. The first Crufts was held in 1891.

longer 1½ page format also avadog ilabreeds Different blediffer widely in their life spans. Larger dogs tend to be shorter lived: Great Danes, for example, typically only survive eight years. The breed with the shortest lifespan - around five years - is said to be the Dogue de Bordeaux, while the longest-lived breeds are Toy Poodles and Border terriers, both of which can survive for up to 15 years. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest dog was a mongrel named Pusuke, who was almost 27 years old when he ‘crossed over the rainbow bridge’.

Our long relationship with dogs runs deep into the backwaters of human history and will no doubt continue to do so. With the right training, dogs have consistently proved themselves to be intelligent, loyal, affectionate and often invaluable companions, rightfully earning themselves a place within our homes as a much-loved member of the family.

Image: Grey Wolf (canis lupus) at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust

Hobbies

The Magic of Toy Making By Kate McLelland

“There’s a tactile, magic quality to a handmade toy. It stimulates the imagination in a way nothing else can”, says Giles Brown of Dorset Model Soldiers, a company that has been producing traditional lead toy soldiers since 1976.

Shorter 1 pagrelatives, his success at creating these e and are wondering where to go from here. But high-flying toys allowed him to fointo rma at abefore you launch into your turn a part-time hobby lsoyou hobby should be aware full-time job. a v that as a toymaker a i l Recently there has been abbelebound by certainyouruleswill a resurgence of interest in

David Plagerson would agree. After carving his first wooden Noah’s Ark toy to celebrate the birth of his daughter in 1971, he has never looked back. He says: “What makes me happiest is all the correspondence I receive from parents, saying how much their children love playing with my toys.” Karl Longbottom is equally enthusiastic about his reasons for taking up kitemaking, claiming that “nothing beats the satisfaction” of watching a child’s face as he or she flies a kite for the first time.

artisan-made toys, reflecting a growing movement against screen-based entertainment for children. There has been considerable online debate about “unplugged vs. electronic toys”, with many parents taking the view that simpler toys are more likely than their electronic counterparts to stimulate children’s imagination, speech and motor skills. Retro fashions are also popular at the moment, and vintage toys such as spinning tops, wooden bricks and string puppets are now being rediscovered by a new generation of children.

Whether they are making lead soldiers, carving wooden figures or creating new kite designs, what many of these professional toymakers have in common is that their work grew out of a passionate hobby. Karl Longbottom, for example, drew on his background in engineering to design and build kites, and

If you are thinking about taking up toy making as a hobby, the chances are that you have reached this point because you have skills in a certain area – perhaps knitting, wood-carving or sewing. You have probably created well-loved toys for your own children, or the children of friends and

and legal restrictions, even if you intend to give your products away. The most important aspect of making toys is safety, so do consider whether there is anything in the design or manufacture that may prove dangerous to a child before proceeding to the making stage. Under UK law, anything made to be played with by children under 14 must be tested in accordance with the Toy Safety Directive and must display a “CE” logo on its label or on any packaging. Unfortunately, this means that hobbyists and small business suppliers have to work to the same safety specifications as large-scale toy manufacturers: ignoring this legal requirement can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and in some cases even a prison sentence. A copy of the EN 71 Toy Safety Regulations – giving details of what is required to achieve a CE mark – can be obtained from your local

library services or by applying to a trading standards office. Alternatively visit the website of product safety specialists Conformance (conformance. co.uk), where you will find some very useful pointers on achieving the CE mark. In order to find out whether the design and manufacture of your toy conforms with legal safety requirements, you may need to submit the product for certain tests (depending on what type of toy it is). After that you will be required to put together a ‘technical file’ of information, demonstrating that it is safe. You will also need to make a ‘Declaration of Conformity’, which is your official statement that the toy meets all the relevant standards and directives. If you need help,

Conformance sells a self-certification pack for handmade toys, backed up with thirty minutes of expert support time, which will guide you through the CE marking process. The pack is available at a cost of around £50 (telephone 01298 873 800). Once you have achieved a CE mark, you might wish to sell some items to cover the administration costs of CE certification. You can approach local, independent toy stores to see if they are willing to stock your products, or alternatively try out websites such as Etsy.com or Ebay.co.uk (it costs nothing to set up shop on either site, but you will be liable to pay fees if you sell). Alternatively, try your luck at a car boot sale, where you can meet potential customers and see their

reaction to your products at first hand. Making toys can be a hugely enjoyable pastime, with the potential to make money if your product proves popular. Devonshire doll-maker Eric Horne never intended to turn his wood-turning hobby into a business, but after a local shopkeeper displayed his toys in her shop window, he quickly began to receive offers from other retailers, and soon his hobby snowballed into a flourishing international business. Toy making may require more administration and legal boxticking than your average hobby, but the reward can be priceless: it lies in the joy and pleasure your toys bring to the children who are lucky enough to own them.

Home Interiors

Home & Interiors Inspired by Colour

By Katherine Sorrell basics; at a price, however, it was possible for strong, bright pigments or dyes to be extracted from other sources. Ultramarine blue, for example, came from ground lapis lazuli gemstones, and was once more expensive than gold (hence in art it was often reserved for painting the robes of Mary and the infant Christ), while Tyrian purple required 10,000 boiled snails to produce one gram of dye, and was employed for fabrics worn only by kings, queens and emperors.

Shorter 1 page format also available

the story of colour is the story of society, of fashion, of the way we live, of science, of art – in fact, of mankind itself. We look at all aspects of colour, from its history to this year’s most fashionable shades. Did you know that there was a time when green wallpaper could kill you? Or that a very expensive dye was once made from boiled snails? But first, the early history. It was back in the

Palaeolithic era - about 35,000 years ago - that Stone Age man began to create cave paintings in which earth pigments were mixed with resin, water or glue made from animal bones and hides. For many centuries, the most widely used natural pigments were extracted from soil and rocks, plants, insects (cochineal, for example) and animals (the distinctive Suffolk pink was made by diluting whitewash with bull’s blood). Ash and chalk were also

Historically, the use of colour was governed by its ease of availability – and therefore its cost. The richest colours were always reserved for the most important parts of religious and royal interiors. In the Georgian period, the ‘common’ colours that were affordable and widely available included stone and timber colours, greys and whites – in the form of distemper and white lead. Middle class households would often use the slightly more expensive

What are this year’s most fashionable colours? greenery: Colour authority Pantone’s colour of 2017, Greenery is described as ‘a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew’. Greenery is ideal for adding pops of colour in the form of cushions, cupboard fronts or vases. It also lends itself beautifully to the botanicals trend that’s so hot right now. millennial PinK: Also known as Tumblr Pink and Scandi Pink, Millennial Pink is a soft, dusky pink that was inspired by Wes Anderson’s film The Grand Budapest Hotel and the rose gold iPhone. It’s been called gender-neutral and post-pretty, and it’s literally everywhere. Denim Drift: Dulux’s colour of the year for 2017, Denim Drift is versatile and easy to use in every room of the house, from kitchen cupboards and soft furnishings to floor coverings and entire walls. It’s easy to co-ordinate with, too.

oil colours such as ‘drab’ (dull brownish grey), olive, pea green and sky blue. More expensive paints included pink, lemon, orange and straw colour, while the most costly were verdigris, ultramarine and smalt, a glittering blue. It was household income, on the whole, rather than personal taste, which determined how colourful a home could be. Everything changed from the early 19th century, however, when chemists, spurred on by the industrialisation of textile production, began to develop synthetic colours, and the price of ‘colour’ began to fall. Many new colours were developed and old ones were improved – though there were exceptions. Emerald Green, for example, commercially available from 1814 to the early 1900s, was based on arsenic, and fumes

from wallpaper – including designs by William Morris – printed with the ink could be deadly. The new Victorian palette included bottle greens, gold, burgundy, crimson, rose, violet and mahogany, as well as intense chemical yellows, blues and greens, the results of the invention of aniline dye colours used first for wallpapers and textiles, and then for paints. Stronger colours were mostly used for rooms deemed ‘important’ (not to mention the fact that deeper colours helped to hide the soot produced by oil lamps), while white and lighter colours were considered more appropriate for bedrooms. In a reaction to these bold Victorian colours, perhaps unsurprisingly, Edwardian hues became softer and paler and, ever since, colour has followed the roller-coaster of fashion

as well as inevitable scientific advances: from the ‘greeneryyallery’ of the Aesthetic movement to the brilliant white produced by the introduction of titanium dioxide in 1916, and from the sorbet colours of the Fifties right through to the ontrend pinks, blues and greens of 2017. These days, readymade paint colours are inspired by historical periods, fashion themes, travel, architecture, the natural world – or you can have them specially mixed to any hue you desire. It’s fair to say that the modern world of colour has no limits.

main image: Plushious quilted and hand-embroidered bedspread in velvet by linum, £320, the french bedroom company: 01444 415 430; frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk.

Life Begins

Why My Charity “Gifts” Are Staying Put by Kate McLelland

There’s a little basket in a corner of my hall that has, over time, gradually filled up with pens, greetings cards, notepads, coasters and calendars. These items have all arrived in letters I’ve received from charities, hopeful that they will receive a donation in return. Once I have received these unsolicited “gifts”, I’m at a loss to know what to do with them. Sending them back would be time-consuming and expensive and throwing them away seems unnecessarily wasteful, but using them without offering anything in return feels equally wrong. Hence the basket and its slowly growing pile of contents. There have been a number of cases recently involving people (typically older, more vulnerable individuals) who have become distressed – and in some cases, suicidal – because of the aggressive fundraising techniques used by certain charities. Under Charity Commission guidelines, charities in England and Wales are free to use their funds to send out speculative items, although the Commission makes it clear that in the event of a complaint from the public, the charity should be prepared to justify spending funds in this way.

Another method charities use to secure donations in is employing lively and personable “chuggers” (an abbreviation of the darkly humorous term “charity muggers”) to approach members of the public in the street. Visit any busy high street or shopping mall and you’ll spot them: a small group of young people wearing branded tabards and carrying clipboards, confidently introducing themselves to passers-by. These teams of “chuggers” are usually provided by professional fundraising companies and may not therefore be directly employed by the charity they represent. Their patter is slick and highly effective, but they’re not looking to receive a few pence in a half-empty collecting tin: what these fundraisers want is for you to sign up to a direct debit. That’s because receiving regular monthly payments – rather than one-off donations – is hugely beneficial to charities, allowing them to predict their future income more accurately and plan long-term campaigns. If you are elderly and living alone, it may be tempting to stop and chat when approached in this way. However, when the conversation comes round to signing on the dotted line, you may find it difficult to say

longer ‘no’, ending up with a financial 1½ youpacangilleafford commitment to make. format aeconomic lso In this challenging climate it’s hard for charities a v a alast blething to thrive, andilthe anyone would want is to see

them starved of cash. However, it’s important that their methods don’t put pressure on individuals who can least afford to donate. That’s why a new initiative known as the Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) is scheduled to launch this summer. It is intended that this system will help people manage the way charities approach them, giving them more control over the communications they receive. It will operate as a web-based system, but a telephone helpline will also be available for those who are unable to access the internet (for more information contact The Fundraising Regulator on 0300 999 3407). I certainly intend to sign up to the FPS when the service launches. I won’t stop giving to good causes, but the use of aggressive tactics and hard-sell techniques is more likely to alienate me than win me over: that’s the reason why my basket of unwanted gifts is staying where it is, for now.

The Life List Colourful Language Advertising spellbinds some people, while others find it about as interesting as watching paint dry. But when it comes to advertising paint, the labels don’t always make sense. Isn’t it time for a colour palette we can all relate to? WHITES - Sterilised milk you meant to put in the fridge yesterday. The bath needs a clean but it’ll do for now. Celebrity teeth. Unwritten essay page. REDS - Bloodshot eyes. A tomato juice smoothie. Chilli pepper you shouldn’t try to eat in one bite. Of course I’ll be careful with the needle. ORANGES - I spent too long in the tanning booth. Rather like the fruit. Road works’ warning lights. Goldfish.

YELLOWS - I think that might be infected. The cheese from an in-flight salad. Badly made homemade custard. Come on, referee!

Portrait Halabandoned f Paginea BROWNS - Rusty bicycle hedge. Ditch water. Chocolate brownie. I can’t Version als drink this tea. o athat GREENS - I wouldn’t eat cheese if I were v a i lablethese you. There can’t be any goodness left in

Life List

boiled vegetables. Grass stain on a new pair of white jeans. Kermit.

PURPLES - Heavy bruising. That Teletubby with a TV aerial on its head. Red cabbage. Somewhere between blueberries and bluebells. GREYS - Actual British summer sky. It looked more like silver on the tin. Senior citizen in need of a hairstylist. Somewhere between an elephant and a rhinoceros. BLUES - Paraffin. Like the Bayou. We need to put the central heating on. How we remember British summer skies from childhood. By Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.co.uk

Motoring

By James Baggott

Husband and wife taking on 10k-mile rally in electric car but meaning drivers can interact with locals along the way. The drive is unsupported, with no backup all the way from Goodwood to Ulan-Ude. As if tackling the gruelling, 10,000-mile Mongol Rally wasn’t tough enough, adventurer Chris Ramsey will be upping the ante, competing this year in an electric Nissan Leaf. With just a few modifications, EV evangelist Ramsey, 40, from Aberdeen, and his wife Julie, will set off from Goodwood on 16th July on an adventure they expect will take up to two months to complete. Not only will they be forced to tackle tough terrain and unfamiliar roads, they’ll also have the added challenge of finding somewhere to charge up every 90 miles. Here Chris explains why he chose to take on the epic drive in the first electric car ever to enter the rally. What is the Mongol Rally? It’s a 10,000-mile charity drive across the mountains and deserts of Europe and Asia. To make it more challenging participants must drive a sub-1.0-litre car, increasing the chance of a breakdown

Why did you choose to do this in a Nissan Leaf? This is the first time anybody’s ever entered the Mongol Rally in an electric vehicle - and of the 330 other teams entered so far, not one is electric. People think the biggest challenge will be the charging infrastructure and how to get a charge, but for me the tough bit will be crossing borders like those of Russia and Ukraine. Have you done anything like this in an electric car before? I’ve completed a number of electric vehicle adventures in Nissan Leafs, such as John O’Groats to Land’s End and back in just over 48 hours, and I was the first person to complete the North Coast 500. The Mongol Rally, for me, was always the next challenge. It’s all about an adventure and having a long experience, and with only 90 to 100 miles per charge I can stop and enjoy the whole scenery, the cultures and environments – and meet the public along the way, who will hopefully help with charging.

longer 1½ page format also available

What are you looking forward to most? We’re attending a future fuels event in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, where we’ll be showing the Leaf off to the public there, because the country’s government is keen to be part of the electric vehicle revolution. How have you prepared the Leaf for the trip? We’ve done very little in terms of the drivetrain – the car is a bog-standard 30kW Nissan Leaf. We’ve stripped down the back of the car to reduce the weight, and added a 6mm aluminium plate to protect the underside on rough terrain. We also have a roof rack, LED lights and some rally tyres for when we get to the rougher stuff. How long do you think the rally will take you? It’s going to take us about six to eight weeks. There’s some slack in there because it’s about having an adventure, not about getting there first, so we’ve planned it so that we can stop off along the way. I’m fortunate to have my wife as my co-driver, and she’s just as passionate about electric cars as I am and loves to travel - so it’ll be a perfect combination.

To keep up to date with Chris and Julie’s adventure, visit Adventurists.com or follow Chris on twitter @pluginadventure or on Facebook.com/ pluginadventures

How To Keep An Eye On Your Rabbit’s Health It’s important to regularly check your rabbit for signs of illness, as it’s not always obvious when they’re unwell. One of the best ways to do this is to wrap them in a towel to stop them moving around while you check the following: Eyes Eyes should be bright, clear and dry. If they’re runny it could be a sign of dental problems, a scratch on the

PETS

eye, or possibly in-growing eyelashes. Nose and mouth The nose should be dry and clean. Check that your rabbit’s front teeth aren’t chipped or broken by holding their head with one hand, and gently lifting their lip with the other. Ears There should be no redness, dirt, wax or discharge in your rabbit’s ears. You may need to sit in a good light or shine a torch when checking their ears, as it can be difficult to see potential problems in this area. Feet You’re checking for any abrasions, inflammation, or build-up of dirt in their paws,

Pets

and also that the heels of their back feet are not sore. The best way to check the feet is to hold your rabbit with their back against you. Bottom It’s crucial to check their bottom is clean as flystrike is a serious threat to rabbits during the warmer months of summer and early autumn. You may need to bathe their bottom regularly for this reason. Skin Rub your hand against the direction of their fur - skin should be free of lumps, abrasions, and inflammation.

Portrait Half Page Version als o available

http://best4bunny.com/simpleways-health-check-rabbit/ By Ann Haldon

Creative Writing

Parenting

Helping Your Child To Create Stories by Kate Duggan kateduggan.co.uk Whether they’re slaying dragons or discovering new worlds, children’s imagination knows no bounds. When it comes to creating stories with characters and plots though, it can be difficult to get started when faced with a blank page. A few props and story prompts can really help to get those creative juices flowing. Creating CharaCters Fill a cloth bag with accessories, such as perfume and aftershave samples, a silk tie, an old pair of glasses, a toy, a brooch, a hat, a watch and other personal items. Try to avoid things that your child already associates with someone they know. Scour your local charity shops and ask friends for donations. You could also add a few fantastical items to the bag, like a pirate hat, fairy wand, bottle of witch’s potion, toy spaceship and so on. Ask your child to choose two or three items from the bag, without looking. Then ask them to create a character based around the items. Ask questions to help. What does the character look like? Are they male or female? How old are they? What do they like doing? Where do they live? And so on. Your child can then write about their character, or draw a

picture of them, or both. Creating stories If your child is struggling to think of a story, creative prompts can help them to get started. You could come up with a scenario and ask them to think about what might happen next. For example, ‘Your character finds a door hidden behind a bookcase. It’s only two feet high, so they have to crawl through it. What do they find when they do?’ Alternatively, you can write short story prompts on pieces of paper. Here’s a few to get you started: • Goes to space • Gets lost • Makes a new friend • Invents something • Has their wish come true • Goes on holiday • Discovers they have a superpower • Finds a hurt animal • Discovers a secret door Fold each story prompt up so it can’t be read, and ask your child to choose one or two. They can then use the prompts as the basis for their story. Don’t be too rigid. If they don’t like the prompt, let them pick another. If they have a different idea for a story, even better! telling their story Storytelling isn’t just about

writing. Your child could: • Tell you the story • Act it out • Make puppets and put on a show • Create a comic strip extra resourCes There are lots of free online resources to help you. A good place to start is www. youngwriters.co.uk, which offers downloadable workshops and activities. Creativity for Kids makes fun craft kits, including Create Your Own Pop Up Books. The kit includes two books, several colouring pens, stickers and pop-up elements (see main picture). It kept our young testers entertained for a good couple of hours, and the results have become treasured keepsakes. The kit costs £16.50 and can be bought from Amazon, Hobbycraft and independent arts and craft shops. If your child needs a bit of motivation, they could enter a competition. Libraries and literacy organisations often organise or advertise children’s creative writing competitions, as do Writing Times (www. writingtimes.co.uk), Young Writers (www.youngwriters. co.uk) and Families magazine (www.familiesonline.co.uk).

Lamb Koftas with Minted Couscous Serves 4

Ready in 50 minutes

Recipe

This flavour-packed dish is great for a late summer lunch or dinner. Serve with warmed flatbreads and tzatziki, if liked.

Ingredients: FOR THE KOFTAS • 350g lean minced lamb ½ red onion, finely chopped • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 2tsp ground coriander • 2tsp ground cumin • 1tsp smoked paprika • 2tbsp fresh chopped coriander • Squeeze of lemon juice FOR THE COUSCOUS • 225g couscous • 3tbsp olive oil • 1tbsp lemon juice • ¼ cucumber, finely diced • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped • 3tbsp fresh chopped mint • 4 tomatoes, cut into chunks • Lemon wedges and mint sprigs to garnish

To make the koftas, place the mince, onion, garlic, spices, fresh coriander and lemon juice in a food processor. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then process until very finely minced. Divide the mixture into 12 and using clean damp hands, shape each into an oval. Push each oval onto the end of a long wooden skewer (see tip) and place on a foil-lined grill pan. Cook under a preheated medium grill for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through. Meanwhile, make the couscous. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over 250ml boiling water. Cover and leave to soak for about 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, cucumber, spring onions and mint. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the koftas with the couscous and tomatoes, garnished with lemon wedges and mint sprigs.

TIP Soak the wooden skewers in cold water for about 20 minutes to prevent the ends burning under the grill.

Short Story

Short Story Hair of the Dog “The Euclidian Geometry course is cancelled,” the registrar informed Eugene brusquely. “Too few people signed up.” “How many?” Eugene asked in astonishment. ”Just you.” The lady avoided eye contact. “I suggest you choose something else.” Eugene was perplexed, yet relieved, because he didn’t want to study Euclidian Geometry either. His sister had spent the entire summer bullying him into attending a night class. “You’ve got to get out there and meet new people,” she’d insist during their evening dog walks. “Choose anything. Just be creative with it.” Eugene believed his knitting brought out his creative side, but, according to his sister, knitting wasn’t going to help him meet new people. He sat in the college cafeteria and took the dog-eared brochure from his satchel. The college offered everything from Origami to Beginners Taxidermy. There was too much choice. “Penny for your thoughts?” A lady in a fluffy black beret put her coffee down on his table. “I’ve been ordered to choose a course that is both creative and sociable, or my sister will never speak to me again,” Eugene said. “Any advice?” “What sort of thing are you into?” The lady smiled sympathetically and held out her hand. “I’m Megan by the way.” “Nice to meet you, I’m Eugene.” He shook the proffered hand.

“That’s a lovely beret.” “Thank you,” she grinned. “I made it myself.” “Beautiful wool,” Eugene said. He had an eye for these things. The corner of Megan’s mouth twitched as she regarded Eugene thoughtfully. “I believe you’ll fit in just fine on my course,” she said finally. “We’re a friendly bunch.” “Which course is that?” Eugene asked. “Perhaps we shouldn’t discuss details here.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Some people are a bit squeamish about it.” Well, that rules out origami Eugene thought. “Do I need any special equipment?” he asked tentatively. “Nothing expensive.” Megan smiled and blew at the froth on her coffee. “Though it does help if you have access to a dog.” She’s one of the taxidermy crowd, Eugene thought. He had wondered what people who stuffed animals for a hobby were like. It turns out, he thought, they were rather nice. “So you’re working on dogs this term?” he asked as casually as he could. He’d assumed they’d start on something small like a vole. “Dogs are ideal,” she said, “particularly the long-haired kind.” “My sister has a Collie,” he said slowly, fearful of what he was agreeing to. “But she’s not dead.” Megan snorted, spraying her

coffee across the table. “That’s fine,” she laughed grabbing a napkin, “we only want the bits that drop off her.” Goodness me, thought Eugene, is she talking about a leg or a tail? He would have to have a serious discussion with his sister about how much she really wanted him to take an evening class. “Perhaps you could bring some next week?“ Megan said, as though it was decided. “If not, I’ve got plenty of my Cocker Spaniel, Wilson, to share.” Eugene wondered what part of Wilson he would be entrusted with. “That’s very generous.” Eugene realised there was no backing out. “You’d better go and sign up, class starts in five minutes.” Megan finished her coffee. ”Just tell them you want to join ‘Chiengora - wear your best friend’.” “Wear your best friend?” Eugene asked. He’d remembered seeing that mysterious course title. “Knitting with dog wool.” Megan gathered up her bags. “I’ll see you in class.” Eugene beamed with relief. “I can lend you some knitting needles,” she called across the cafeteria. “No need,” he said, because he always carried some in his satchel. By Jackie Brewster

Technology Technology

TECH FOR THE NEW TERM The best solutions for students and schoolwork It’s that time of year again: schools, colleges and universities are readying for a new term and parents are running around trying to get everything their children need. Increasingly that includes technology, whether that’s a basic laptop for younger children’s homework or an allrounder for studying, social media and streaming video at home or in student accommodation. It’s worth thinking about streaming video if your children are staying away from home, because you can get almost all the TV you want for free, entirely legally, via the internet and most catch-up TV apps (BBC Iplayer does need a licence). There’s no need for a pricey Sky or Virgin contract, just a decent broadband service. If video is going to be a key thing, make sure whatever you buy has a good-sized screen or buy a Chromecast, which enables you to stream video from your computer to a TV. The best allrounder is a Windows 10 laptop, and you’ll find lots of really good bargains from the likes of Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer and Asus around the £400 mark. 2 There’s another option: tablets such as the iPad. Previously we’ve said they aren’t really ideal for serious work but that’s changed with the arrival of the iPad Pro, which is a genuine alternative to a powerful laptop. It’s pricey though (from £619) with another £159 for a keyboard cover or £99 for the Apple Pencil (£99). 1

In the unlikely event that your child doesn’t already have a phone, give Apple a miss unless you’re really fond of their products or don’t care about the cost: Lenovo’s 3 P2 and the Moto G5 are both brilliant Android smartphones and cost less than £150 SIMfree. And if they need an e-reader, Amazon’s all-conquering Kindle remains the one to get - but you don’t need to buy the top-end Kindle Voyage (£169): the basic Kindle is just £59.99 and does the job perfectly well. It’s worth checking your insurance policies too, especially if your children will be moving out for college or university. Your home insurance might already cover your children’s gadgets when they’re away from home, but don’t assume that’s the case - and if they do, check the excesses, which might be higher than the cost of repairing or replacing a gadget. The same applies to any contents insurance you may take out for your children’s accommodation. Lots of companies have insurance policies specifically designed for students’ computers and smartphones, and sites such as money.co.uk enable you to compare the cover, cost and excesses quickly. We’d particularly recommend insurance that covers you for accidental damage: if something can be dropped, smashed or accidentally covered in liquid, it probably will be. Main Image- iPad Pro 10.5” £619. 1. Google Chromecast £30-£69. 2. Dell Dimension laptop £369. 3. Lenovo P2, around £300.

Travel

Patagonia Lake District By Solange Hando In the southernmost reaches of the American continent, Patagonia is divided between two countries. To the west Chile owns a mere 25%, while Argentina to the east claims the remainder. Between them rise the Andes, but in the ancient land of the ‘big feet’, so called by early explorers, the beautiful Patagonian lakes have no borders. A thousand kilometres south of Santiago de Chile, Puerto Varas sits on the bank of Llanquihue, meaning ‘blue water’ in the local Mapuche language. Protected from the Pacific by a mere strip of land, it is the most popular and second largest lake in Chile. It opens out like a fan, looking across to mighty volcanoes where snowy tops barely disguise the danger. At over 2,600 metres, Osorno has been dormant for almost 150 years but its neighbour Cabulco erupted in 2015 with hardly any warning at all. Yet on the southern shore, the pretty resort of Puerto Varas is as relaxed as ever, sprinkled with alpine chalets, manicured lawns and flower gardens, hence the name ‘City of Roses’. From the cuisine to the architecture, there is much German influence around, reflecting the ‘selective immigration’ of the 19th century

designed to boost development. Below the lush meadows where the red-topped church spires rise, dark sands glisten along the lakeside promenade and after dark, garlands of lights twinkle around the bay. Here you can kayak, trek, ski in winter or explore the Perez Rosales National Park, home to the Petrohué waterfalls, exotic birds and over 100 species of trees. Puerto Varas is the departure point for the scenic boatbus crossing of the Andes to San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina, taking in a string of lakes. Most visitors overnight in Peulla, a magical sort of place by a tiny remote lake, before facing every type of weather the Andes can conjure up in 48 hours. At 893 metres, on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, San Carlos de Bariloche owes its name to ‘the people behind the mountains’, hidden for centuries from missionaries and conquistadors. Today visitors come from afar to ski on Cerro Catedral’s slopes, trek in the forests of the National Park or sunbathe on the beach. Swimming in the glacial waters is not recommended. The lake is up to 157 metres deep, measures 357km around, has

seven branches connecting it to other lakes and its own monster, Nahuelito, discovered in the early 1900s but long known to aborigines. It is rich in trout and salmon, attracts kelp gulls and blue-eyed cormorants and is the source of the Limay river. Wooden chalets and stylish villas doze on the shore while downtown, myriad chocolate shops beckon along the high street where brightly-clad women shelter under the arcades, knitting ponchos and woolly hats. The church boasts over 45 stained glass windows and on the quaint clock tower, traditional Patagonian figures come out twice a day to strike the hours. But when the sun is shining, the unmissable attraction is the 360° panorama from Cerro Otto, at 1,405 metres. A cable car glides silently to the summit’s breathtaking view, stretching from the toy-like town below to the vast expanse of Nahuel Huapi, the islands, the neighbouring lakes and the rugged hills and mountains all around. It’s cold and windy on the top but the revolving restaurant welcomes you with hot food and drinks at reasonable prices and the most stunning views of Patagonia’s Lake District.

Cartoon Panel

Cartoon Strip

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page

Code Word

CODEWORD Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

11 17

2 10

10 26

23 24

23 6

7 2

10 11

General Xword

1 17

19 5

6 6

17 23

12 17

26 15

15 3

12 21

12 19

18 7

12 13

4 1

21 21

7 12

14 22

12 10

15 24

3 5

3 20

General Knowledge Crossword Across 1. Extracts an essence by heating or boiling (7) 5. Distinctive spirit of a culture or an age (5) 8. Union of political organisations (13) 9. Melody (3) 10. Beneficiary (9) 12. Peninsula of Ukraine, on the Black Sea (6) 13. Shooting star (6) 15. Cold drink with a sweet flavouring such as fruit or chocolate (9) 16. Close-sleeved linen vestment worn by priests (3) 18. Vision correctors worn directly on the eyes (7,6) 20. Franz ___,

Hungarian composer (1811â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 86) (5) 21. Porridge ingredient (7) Down 1. Russian country house (5) 2. Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma, Hierro, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, collectively (6,7) 3. Causing sad feelings of gloom (9) 4. Preliminary drawing (6) 5. Ms Cassidy, singer whose albums include Songbird (3) 6. Emperor of Ethiopia (1930â&#x20AC;&#x201C;74) (5,8)

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity 7. US legislator (7) 11. Law established by following earlier judicial decisions (9) 12. Arousing or provoking laughter (7)

14. Fidel ___, former Cuban socialist leader (6) 17. Aromatic annual herb of the mint family (5) 19. Social insect (3)

Cryptic Xword

Cryptic Crossword 1

10 11

13 14

16 17 20

Across 1 Mother, say (father split) (6) 4 Avoid speed – it’s bad! (8) 9 Former duo’s odd flight (6) 10 Sara mostly eats fish (8) 12 Observe an item boiling (8) 13 It’s not just fun Ira ruined! (6) 15 Nothing surrounds a tack (4) 16 Record back below loot (7) 20 Boy in discomfort is a champion (7) 21 Current from red dynamo? (4) 25 Fits out line ending jokes (6) 26 Massive moose run wild! (8) 28 Blokes sot in error refers to (8) 29 Bold or heartless sweetheart (6) 30 Great work Theodore aimed for (8) 31 Bag a pain in a short street (6)

Down 1 Good gaps line rewritten (8) 2 Old country duff hero aids (8) 3 Nothing got Hun agitated (6) 5 Country led by yours truly (4) 6 Close bug producing risk (8) 7 Retain funny tone deafness (3,3) 8 Foodstuff secretaries taste (6) 11 Hazy kinsman after sides (7) 14 Very old cent in a surgery (7) 17 Stone perhaps damaged, one added (8) 18 Cast Simon had to rebuke (8) 19 Aye, a number without vision (8) 22 Inherit from fourth recluse (6) 23 An artist beheaded her after a revolution! (6) 24 Car’s occupants enraged a fleet (6) 27 Cone designed in the past (4)

Solution Across: 1 Parent, 4 Sidestep, 9 Exodus, 10 Sardines, 12 Seething, 13 Unfair, 15 Nail, 16 Plunder,

Hidato & Pictogram

Pictograms

Hidato Starting at 1 and finishing at 49, track your way from one square to another, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, placing consecutive numbers into the empty squares as you go. Some numbers are already given.

4 words

J ER

26 32

Mini Cryptic Xword

6 5 10

12/06/2017 Mini Cryptic Crossword

Hidato.indd 1

4 words W+H+E+R+E RED ORANGE YELLOW GREEN BLUE INDIGO VIOLET

8:53:08

Across 1. Fish possessed by harbour (7) 7. Man given a message (5) 8. It’s departed, if I recall (7) 9. Male with skill and courage… (5) 11. A territory, say (5) 12. Little devil ending Skye’s first and second stint (5) 14. A tree in Venice, darling (5) 16. Scheming American after edited video (7) 18. African outlaw some study (5) 19. A player a deviant recasts (7) Down 1. Warm home’s first plant (5) 2. Five hundred in a row (3) 3. Notes about beginning (5) 4. New beginning for Yeats, poet (5) 5. Mother will tail fat duck (7) 6. Wardrobe not quite shut (5) 10. Stupid Asian down a mine topless! (7)

THE MORNING

12 16

4 words

a bay (5) 12. American uncle back 15. Deceptions rich from bad dance (5) leader employs (5) 13. City residence Una 17. Lyrical poem in emptied (5) Modern English (3) 14. Desire to cut behind

Fish and Chips

Quiz 1

1. What sport does the title character play in the long-running cartoon strip Billy The Fish in the British comic Viz? 2. What brand of crisps were launched in the UK in 1985 with the slogan "the big chip from the big country"? 3. Would you find a fish's dorsal fin onâ&#x20AC;Ś a) its back; b) its side; or c) its tail? 4. First broadcast in 2010, Rock And Chips was a prequel to which other TV show? 5. What type of fish is generally thought to have been named after the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea? 6. First broadcast in 1977, what do the letters stand for in the title of the American TV series CHiPs? 7. Which cartoon character would often fish for catfish with Muskie Muskrat and Vincent van Gopher? 8. A golden robot called Mr Chips is the mascot of which TV game show? 9. Also the name of a type of fish, what is the name of Nemoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father in the film Finding Nemo? 10. Which darts commentator once said "the atmosphere is so tense, if Elvis walked in with a portion of chips, you could hear the vinegar sizzle on them"?

also available as a quarte r page

Animal Anagrams

Quiz 2

Can you unscramble the anagrams below to come up with the names of 10 different types of animal?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

IQ rulers I'm a dollar Grips knob Is alone Go anorak Clean home Stupidly packed bull See law Obtain cod Good dark moon

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity

Simple Xword

QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

6 Attractive (6) 8 Allow (6) 9 Bite persistently (4) 10 Chosen (8) 11 Ripping (7)

13 14

13 Acknowledge (5) 15 Quarrel (5)

19 20

17 Secured (7) 20 Non-military person (8)

21 Neat (4) 23 Suppose (6) 24 Surplus (6) Down 1 Midday (4) 2 Reply (6)

Spot the Difference

3 Type of fruit (5)

14 Alter (6)

4 Found (6)

16 Special (6)

5 Similarly (8)

18 Unbroken (6)

7 Relieving (6)

19 Conceals (5)

12 Soonest (8)

22 Hurry (4)

Sudoku Easy

Sudoku Hard

Trial

P RYAI T You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

3 letters: 18 4 letters: 12 5 letters: 2 6 letters: 1

Word Ladder

3 Letters AIR APT ART PAR PAT PAY PIT PRY RAP RAT RAY RIP

TAP TAR TIP TRY YAP YIP 4 Letters AIRY ARTY PAIR PART PETA PITY

Word Ladder

Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

C O L D

Here is one possible solution (others may exist) COLD bold bolt belt beet BEER

PRAY RAPT TARP TRAP TRAY TRIP 5 Letters PARTY TAPIR 6 Letters PARITY

B E E R

Education Class Coach College Course Degree Diploma Doctorate Exam Form Games Gown Hall Head Honours Master Music Nursery Pupil Scholarship

Word Search

School Student Study Term Test Textbook Tuition Tutor

Find the words associated with education in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase

WORDWHEEL

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

Word Wheel

TARGET Excellent: 26 or more words Good: 23 words Fair: 18 words

S C U

Answer: CLUSTER

R E 41