Category News

Last year I fell down the stairs and fractured a vertebra.  Three weeks in hospital and more weeks in a special bed at home, it is proving a very long haul to recover.  I’m trying to do all the right…

Water spray is a great alternative to smoke for controlling honeybees. Yesterday, we were extracting over 20 kg of honey from the wax honeycomb frames  from three of the sous-chef’s hives. Sticky work: removing the cappings from the honeycomb; spinning…

I confess that I was incandescent yesterday hearing that proposed tax reductions would be funded by removing benefits from many disabled people.   But I took a bit of time to mull it over and realise it was just appalling presentation.…

As likely as others to be working but less likely to be self-employed.  We tend to work longer hours  and to work in public administration and defence sectors (no surprises there) Especially for fellow ex-Wrens, on the gender front, we…

My latest cooking experiment: pear and cardamom almondine courtesy of Sarah (another with the patience and understanding of a beekeeper’s wife).   I was testing out with the amazingly complex Thermomix that has been languishing on the worksurface until friend, Joan,…

Here are the last questions in the Personal Independence Payments consultation being undertaken by the government. You can answer some or all the questions and I’m very happy to gather responses and send them off as one group input. Chapter…

Many people with health conditions (long-term physical or mental health or learning disabilities) may have fallen foul of the DWP benefits system over the last 10 years.   It can be hugely demeaning, distressing and add new mental health illness or…