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A time to look back over this year
Reading other people’s blogs I can see that December after Christmas is a time to look back over this year. I only started my blog in October, so have blogged about very little that has happened to me earlier in the year, so here we go.
January and February 2018 – Very cold and snow, the children absolutely loved it, my car however didn’t. When the temperature hit minus 7, my car broke down on the main road. Theory being that the supermarket diesel had frozen so when I started the engine the diesel blocked the fuel filter. I had an ambulance driver and our Hermes delivery driver push my car to the side of the road, where it then sat for over 2 hours waiting for the breakdown truck.
This saga did continue but a few days later the car was fixed, new fuel filter, another breakdown truck and a day in the garage. I complained to the supermarket about their fuel and they kindly sent me some vouchers. I am praying this year that it really was the fuel, my car has had Esso diesel since that day because I do not want to break down again.
Snow in February The cold was detrimental to my garden plants. My palm tree had had a fleece top on it but still died. It’s replacement is now sat in my summer house. I’m not trusting it this year to the elements with just a fleece.
Asking daddy what has happened this year, he said nothing. I think you very quickly forget events that have occurred. Things feel incredibly stressful whilst living through them but later forgotten.
March – was Easter and we had the Easter bonnet and buggy parade at school.
April – I had started to write my book around October 2017, I purchased my laptop November 2017 to help me work on it. Around April time I found some nice writing forums on Facebook which gave me encouragement to continue writing. I now got more of my book written and looked at writing short stories.
My daughter also had Chicken pox. She was covered from head to toe in spots and very itchy. We were all relieved when they finally went away.
May – I decided to create a pond in the garden. I bought some pond plants of Amazon which my 5 year old then 4, threw around the garden and destroyed. I have not replaced them.
June – was the children’s birthdays. Yes we timed having our children well, their birthdays are about 2 weeks apart.
July – more short stories written, it might have been the time I found Reedsy writing prompts and signed up to receive their emails.
August- school holidays and we visited some castles together. The children can be good when their brains are occupied.
September – the children started new school years. Year 1 and year 3, my daughter is improving with her reading slowly. My son continues to do well but both kids continue to get me very stressed. They are getting older but their behaviour is not improving,
I now started to really feel that I needed to do something else. I work part time and I do not feel I could commit more hours to full time. Then I started to look at writing and what I could do. This finally led to me finding word press in October, writing my first blog entry and entering into the blogosphere. Whether my book will eventually be finished and published , I hope so, but I do at least have my blog and people reading what I have to say.
October – I started my blog, – first blog post ever
Then my – 1st poem on my blog
It was also the time of – halloween and pumpkins
Then – Losing the car keys thanks to our 5 year old
My first short story on Lornas Gin and Lemonade blog at the end of October – https://ginlemonade.com
The worst road trip we have ever had
And my first short story for blog battle in November – https://blogbattlers.wordpress.com
https://justmuddlingthroughlife.co.uk/2018/11/13/a-fork-in-the-road/
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Amazon deals and Alexa enabled devices for the Smart home.
Note: This post does contain affiliate links so I will earn some commission for anything purchased through it. This will then help to pay to keep my blog going. These links now include America and the UK.
Have you ever wanted to turn on the kettle downstairs whilst lying in bed upstairs? Or turn off the landing light without moving from your armchair? Or turn the lights on or off in the children’s bedrooms without going upstairs to them? Or turn the lamp on or off without having to find the button? Or play some music without having to search for the correct Cd? Or talk to and see Grandma without leaving your house? Or talk to the television to find the programme you want to watch? Well, Amazon and Alexa have made all of this possible.
These are the plain white normal bulbs. Available in (Bayonet in the UK) and screw in fitting.
2. Philips Hue White and colour ambience bulbs
Needed to control the lights and smart devices. Unless you have an Echo Plus or Echo Show which has a Zigbee hub built in. Note though that you can do more with the Hue bridge. Some functions are not available with just the Plus or the Show.
Philips Hue smart bridge and bulbs
These can make your devices smarter. Enabling you to be able to talk to your kettle or Christmas tree lights or the lamp and many more as Alexa is controlling the power socket.
There are other brands of smart plug on Amazon. We only have one and it is the one above. My husband is enjoying the luxury of walking into the kitchen every morning with the knowledge that the kettle is already boiled.
5. App Kettle
If you really want to be smart and also control your kettle from your mobile phone.
6. Amazon Echo Show with built in Zigbee hub to control smart devices
The echo show can be used as a video phone. If a friend or relative has one, drop in can be enabled which means if you ask Alexa to drop in on mum, Mums echo will ring and you can then have a conversation. This can also be used around the house, from the kitchen to kids bedroom or kitchen to master bedroom. The echo show will also play Amazon music, just by asking Alexa to play an artist that you want to listen to.
Drop in is also available on the other Echo devices. Instead of shouting up and down the stairs, we can simply drop in on the dot in the bedroom or the echo in the front room or show in the kitchen.
Amazon has 30 day trials for Amazon music –
Amazon Prime
Amazon prime delivery will also give you access to prime music. However music unlimited will give you access to about 40 000 tracks. Prime music is about 2000 tracks. With Prime, you also have access to Prime video as well as unlimited free delivery. You will also be eligible to subscribe to Amazon channels for a small fee.
Prime Video channels – America
7. Amazon fire television stick, now with Alexa – streaming media stick, for use with prime video
8. Amazon echo plus with built in Zigbee hub to control smart devices
I have been advised that the sound quality of the Echo show is better than the plus. The sound of the plus is advised to be better than the Echo. It depends what you are really wanting your device to do. The Echo show is great in the kitchen, especially as it has a screen but it is the most expensive.
10. Amazon Echo dot – a good competitor to the other devices11. Echo spot – which also has a small screen.12. Ring video doorbell – which can connect to your smart devices.
Essentials for a smart home. Alexa is fun to have and watching her turning devices on and off can be amusing. My kids love her and my 7 year old wants an echo dot in his bedroom. These devices (except ring doorbell) also have skills that can be attached to them. Asking Alexa to play animal noises is funny and on the echo show, you can see the animal, once the skill is enabled.
Please let me know if I have missed anything. We personally own the Echo show, Echo, Echo dots, a smart plug, Hue light bulbs and a Kindle Fire 10 also with Alexa.
If you are interested in ideas for children’s toys please see below link.
Amazon – Christmas, birthday present ideas for Children
If you are interested in a new Amazon Kindle E reader, please see below link.
If you are interested in a new Amazon Kindle Fire, please see below link
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