Flashback Hastings hols and Liz Earle deal – now!

Holiday time this week, and we headed for Hastings – our regular childhood haunt. The first three days were lovely and sunny for them, then I arrived and bought this cloud with me! Still, it meant for some bracing walks and fortunately the rain happened mostly at night.

I stayed with mum in a delightful caravan and did a behind-the-scenes tour around it, if you check out my Facebook page. I did lots of other vlogs from the seaside as well, including this one – a time lapse of the promenade walk!

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Hope it doesn’t make you seasick, ha ha. In real life, that took about half an hour and we had already done about 20 minutes from the other end. We walked from the bowling green to the old town at least twice. It was nice to visit the pier, albeit very windy, and had a nice cup of tea outside a classy cake shop near to the ancient old pump house. There is some amazing history in Hastings. Lovely to spend time with sister, mum and co, and get some really good fish and chips!

We also visited my lovely Auntie Sheila, well, my mum’s aunt actually, even though she is two years younger than my mum. (Grandad Jim was from a very large family and his youngest brother, my late uncle Teddy who Sheila originally was married to, was also younger than my mum!) We were there to collect some old photographs and fill out some more of my online family tree. Had a very nice time chatting with Auntie, and her hubby Peter, and they did us a marvellous lunch. Thank you and a belated happy birthday to Auntie Sheila!

Bexhill boo boo

By the way, lots of people laughed about my nearly buying dolls house furniture for the garden last week, thinking it was the real size! Well I did something equally brainless this week while still half asleep… While on the way to see Auntie Sheila in Bexhill, I needed to send off some documents for my mortgage application. Grabbed the white A5 envelope, queued six feet apart for ten minutes, and was about to get the guy to stick recorded delivery on it at the counter, when I realised I had picked up an envelope of blank forms that the solicitor had sent me, and I was about to send it to myself! What an idiot! Had to hold up the queue slightly, very embarrassed, while I rang my sister to quickly run in the proper one, which I had left in my handbag! Well, you had to be there… 🙂

Snippets

My tidy room – at last

Well, the first holiday let guests arrived this week and thank goodness I managed to get my room tidy for the first time in three years! I won’t be down there as much for the time being, as previously explained, but will still do one writing retreat a month, I think, going forwards. I do hope the guests enjoy this massive room – check out the big oak beam that the previous owner put in place when they knocked down a wall. Looks very rustic! And tidy… But I won’t be able to keep it like that. At least I managed to get rid of many of my clothes, some of which will be dropped off to a women’s refuge in Redhill. They need them more than I do. Very cathartic to have a good clear out, don’t you think?

Beautiful blooms

The little garden I’m tending in Surbiton has started producing some gorgeous flowers. The hard work from earlier in spring is starting to pay off! Sweet peas, pinks, roses, and daisies that were already there… Very satisfying to have these to look at when I get back!

First runner beans

And also from the garden – the most delicious fresh strawberries (okay, so far only about six of them!), but the runner beans are going great guns! Had my first meal with fresh ones from the garden this week! Delicious 🙂 PS don’t forget to feed them Richard Jackson’s plant food twice a week throughout the growing season, whatever it is you are growing, indoors and out. I was also impressed in a Hayloft show last week, with some of the really unusual plants that David Ponton brings us – go here to see the selection on QVC.

Watch – Mrs America

I not only finished Ozark, I watched Mrs America right to the very end! Available on iPlayer catch-up, I loved the period authenticity and how some big star names played real life characters e.g. Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids) as the famous Gloria Steinem, one of the early women’s lib icons. Cate Blanchett was outstanding as usual as her nemesis, representing the housewives of America. So interesting to see real life events re-enacted on the screen. Highly recommended!

Lots of people have been recommending things to watch on my Thursday night club as well! But I think the next thing I would like to watch is The Luminaries. This is also on BBC, so available for most people to watch and join in. I have to say it’s got to be better than the book, the audiobook was really heavy going. But then, literary novels often are and this one was a Booker prize winner a few years back. Also setting the Victorian period just as Julie Cohen’s book, ‘Spirited’ is, this deals with a man’s convict past and his attempts to start anew in New Zealand with the help of someone he meets on the journey. In six episodes I believe. Nice when they are quite concise like this!

When we were away, we were talking about recommended TV to watch, and Breaking Bad. came up. My sister said she had got into it when she and my brother-in-law were looking after my house in Dorking, when I went to work in China for three weeks for QVC in 2015. (Regulars will remember that – is it really five years ago!). They said if you like Ozark, you will like Breaking Bad. But you don’t have to like Breaking Bad in order to like Ozark. Well I loved Ozark (did I mention it?!) and I can’t wait for series 4!

Next week we will be discussing either The Luminaries or I May Destroy You – highly recommended by my lovely mate Craig Rowe, who has just finished watching all 11 episodes. If he raved about it, it must be good. A modern day tale of unreliable recollection of events on a disastrous night out, and the chaos that ensues… Watch this space 🙂

We discuss a recommended catch-up series or film, in my weekly Facebook Live – it’s on Thursdays (next one 23rd July). It picks up where I left off after the 100 nightly #singalongadebbie’s and is now a weekly get-together/chat/sing-a-long/book club/review… so don’t forget to join us over on my Facebook page live :-). It’s usually around 7:15/8pm, depending if I’m doing the family quiz that night. Watch out for the post late afternoon with a better idea of the time.

If you missed this week’s, here it is.

And don’t forget to check out my Facebook and other social media as I not only post what is coming up on my shows when I do my QVC shift, I also fill you in on what I get up to behind the scenes in the meantime, share early bird offers and post my new blogs as soon as they come up. Social media links are all at the bottom 🙂

Podcast

This week, Will caught up with the lovely Jamie O’Banion from Beauty Bio! You can listen to it here, and look out for next week, where he’ll be chatting to the lovely FIona Brackenbury!

Book of the week

I am still reading Spirited by Julie Cohen and loving it. However, I may get the book of Little Fires Everywhere. I started watching the series and really must carry on with it, but there is so much good TV to watch! I could always listen to the story while doing other things, which fits a lot more into my time! Yay.

QVC top deals for the next seven days

Friday (17th) – go here to see and by the Hollywood Smoother and for additional replacement blades, if still available.

Saturday – it’s massive television time! The LG 4K Ultra HD smart TV in a choice of screen size is your TSV for Saturday.

Sunday – already online and selling extremely well, the ridiculously low-priced Liz Earle four-piece Botanically Powered Skincare collection including the complete basic skincare routine, plus the addition of the Brightening Drops at a superb price. I do hope I have some left by my evening show. I used the Brightening Drops this week and noticed a considerable glow. Go here to see and buy them now.

Also the Big Deals end every Sunday night, here are the current ones…

Decleor Supersize Prolagene Gel trio
Korres Pure Greek Olive Oil Firm, Smooth and Plump three-piece collection
Greenworks 33cm lawnmower and 25cm grass trimmer with 24v battery
Margaret Dabbs London Ultimate Hand Cleanse and Care collection
Philip Kingsley three-piece Flaky Itchy Scalp Hydrating collection
Homedics UV-CLean portable sanitiser
Crafter’s Companion the Ultimate Christmas Compendium

Go here to see and shop them all

And here are the new big deals launching on Sunday 12th at midnight and lasting only one week:

Hay’ou Restore and Reset collection
Yankee Candle two Large Jars
iFrogz Airtime Truly Wireless earbuds and charging case

Now back to the Today’s Special Values for the rest of the week –

MondayVionic are back, this time with the Honor Dayna  orthotic loafer.

Tuesday – how fabulous is this, a 20-piece Discovery collection from Molton Brown, not expected to last the day.

WednesdayAttitudes by Renee is here with a printed Como jersey tunic with pockets and godet inserts, at a very good price.

ThursdayPerfect Formula return with a seven-piece manicure essentials collection. This is always a really good way to stock up.

Friday (24th July) – today is Christmas in July day (instead of the 25th this year.) We have lots of Christmassy programming all day. We have the Auraglow set of three rechargeable lamps with gift boxes as a TSV as well!

Friday 9pm – Then at 9pm I bring you the top offers with Sealy show, including the new Sealy Response 1500 springs GelTex deep pillowtop mattress, or mattress and divan, going on sale very early in the week. As is the Elemis TSV based on Pro-Collagen with British botanicals and six pieces. Don’t miss them!

Next week – A night of babysitting little Blake while daddy is away for the weekend at a stag do and mummy is out after work. I do love seeing my grandchildren! Have a great week.

Best wishes,

Debs

PS – Keep in touch on TwitterFacebook or Instagram

 

6 Responses

  1. Glad you had a great time in Hastings….sounds like you all had fun. Green with envy, as I’ve been shielding since the 6 th March, and getting stir crazy.!! Have spent time watching QVC, spent far too much, but, hey, why not, not having a holiday, well that my excuse!
    Thanks for keeping us updated at what’s to come, will definately save up for the Dyson hair dryer, looks brilliant.
    Also thank you for keeping us all entertained with your voice, what a great singer you are……you must be exhausted.
    Love watching you Debbie, you’re so much fun…..take care and safe.

  2. Omg Ozark rules ; follow it with The Outsider ( Marty is in it ); Thank you Debbie for distracting us from dreary times , I have been buying from QVC from the start — and it was reassuring that everything seemed normal in your studios as we struggled at home – really appreciate all the laughs .

  3. Hello Debbie, I admit I don’t always comment on your blogs but, I do love reading them!

    First, I think you will love Luminaires, I finished watching it last night. (19/07/20)
    For some odd reason, I can’t get into Ozark, it looks like a slow burner to me…
    Second, I lurve your bedroom and I adore the butterfly chair and footstool! Where are they from?

    I hope that you and your ever-growing family are all keeping well.

    Loads of love from a 100 years younger than your Devon home dweller, Tina xxx

  4. Hi Debbie. Always a treat to read your blog and to know in advance that there would be a Molton Brown TSV and i have just ordered it. It’s now dare i say it the 2nd Molton Brown purchase i have made in the last week and i now have 2 Christmas presents both for my son who loves MB products.So pleased to see that you have been enjoying time with your family. Crazy times now and i have only seen my daughter and two grandsons 3 times since early March. I wish you the very best with your airbnb and hope that it won’t be too long before you are in your new home. Also a big thank you to you and all of your colleagues for being there for us as friendly faces and mental stability during the past months.
    love and best wishes
    Annie
    XXX

  5. Debbie Loved all the Singing in the F B lockdown sing -a-Long Wonderful, Family Hastings and how do you do it all A Joy Always xx

  6. I recognise that,as it’s where I live,loved the video of the seafront ,don’t think it’s as quiet now,as it was in your video

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