Wild west Wales with Lolly plus sneaky peeks

What a fabulous time I have had this week with my lovely girl and family in her beautiful countryside home in west Wales. They live about half an hour past Carmarthen, nearer the coast. I just love visiting them.

We had one gorgeously sunny day, which was beautiful. I stayed once again in their little shepherd’s hut, which has power and is perfect (complete with portaloo ha ha) and slightly away from the main house… So I can sing and stay up and be loud watching TV while they are all asleep!

Little Phoebe is absolutely adorable and so damn clever! She is speaking quite whole sentences now, although she is only two-years-old next month. Very astute, very dexterous, and eager to learn. I said to her “daddy is building your new home”, and she repeated it more or less straight away. In the picture of me and Lolly, you can see the de-tiled roof of the dilapidated barn that they are converting gradually into their new house.

I do love being a nanny. I wheeled my adorable nearly 2-year-old granddaughter along in the wheelbarrow for a little while, then she’d had enough and I said “okay, my turn!” She actually tried really hard to push me as well 🙂 bless her little heart! Lol.

So lovely to spend so much time with them. Can’t wait for them to come down again next month and see me… Hopefully in my new flat!

Flat update

One of the reasons I was there this week is because I had earmarked this time to move into my new flat… which obviously has not happened. However, at time of writing I have a completion date of Friday 18th… So this time next week, hopefully, I will be the proud owner of my own place in Surrey for when I work at QVC on the weekends. Watch this space…

Snippets

Poggy love

It was lovely to spend time with Lauren’s spaniels Baloo (brown) and Luna again, of course. Baloo loves finding the afternoon sun on the carpet – here she was posing for me just as Luna photobombed! They were thinking about breeding Luna, but I talked Lauren out of it considering how hard work puppies are and they’ve got enough on their plate with converting the old barn! Maybe one day though.

Children’s BBC #BroomCupboard35!

I had several pings on my phone this week to tell me that the BBC were remembering me! It was when I was tagged in lots of posts on Wednesday, as CBeebies (originally Children’s BBC,) announced the 35th anniversary of one of my early jobs – hosting children’s programs in the afternoons on BBC One – with a picture of 20 past presenters. Lots of people said “who is number two”! I was the first girl in the BBC broom cupboard introducing afternoon children’s programs and reading out cards, but I was only there for a few months in 1986, then I went off to have my baby.

I told my friend, Andy Crane from Picadilly Radio, that there was a job going, and the rest is ‘his-story’!! I am sometimes asked what would have happened if I had stayed. Well, I know a strong children’s presenter career would have happened because I had offers from agents, but I’m happy I had Bradley. Plus it led to lots of other things – presenting a show called Open Air with Eamonn Holmes in the early days of his BBC One career (I was pregnant so did the BBC London based reporting) and I went off to do 10 years with children’s SVC television, from 1985 to 1995 (for the forces’ kids TV, beamed to army bases abroad, before satellite took over). But I do love reminiscing when things like this happen! Which CBBC era were you? Or your kids?

T-shirt

Thank you so much to my lovely Facebook friend Pauline Houghton,for this T-shirt. She is one of my regulars on my Thursday night Facebook live (see below). She just sent this in to say ‘thank you’ for doing 100 nights of sing-a-long during lockdown – how lucky am I to have friends like this. 🙂 (Hope you can read it backwards, writing always comes out this way in a selfie!)

Watch

I got Lolly Pop into watching the first three series of Strike! Don’t miss it on BBC iPlayer. (See last week’s recommendation.)

I’m currently enjoying the return of all the politics programs. Some of you may know, I work for an association down in Devon on a voluntary basis, doing fundraising et cetera and I’m deputy chairman – so thank goodness for Zoom meetings. I do what I can and it’s great fun. I used to want to be a politician when I grew up, but now I will settle for just joining in from the sidelines. :-). But I must say, I have enjoyed the return of Andrew Neil to online TV with the advent of spectator television. What a brilliant laser shop brain he has. Watch out for it online.

Or in the cinema, given the Oscars have been in the news this week, I’m looking forward one day to seeing Tenet. My local cinema down in Okehampton announced that they are back up and running, with social distancing et cetera, and some of the screens there have massive gaps between the seats so that was going to be easy – for them at least. This film is really appealing to me, as regulars will know I love things to do with second chances/time travel/doing things again. So the notion of an action adventure film that involves reversing time is very exciting to me. When you fire the gun, you’re not firing the bullet, you’re catching it… Look out for it and attend your cinemas if you get the chance, they need you!

Blooper 

Charlie had a bit of an incident on air this week – lucky he was presenting a Centigrade show full of jackets!

Golden QVC moment

Had some proper belly laughs with the wonderful Lisa from Benefit cosmetics, on their Today’s Special Value day this week. But Rachel, their national trainer, got a look in too when, without realising that the camera was close-up on her eyelashes from the side,  I asked her to turn around from the mirror during a live show, and she jumped and said “Oh! Hello!” You had to be there…

Do have a look at some of the Benefit demos on the online videos on our website, you may see some other funny on-air moments. 🙂

Podcast

So lovely to see the return of Alison O’Reilly to our fold, via another fascinating insight into one of our QVC guest’s lives courtesy of Will Gowing’s Inside QVC. This one has some nitty-gritty sharing about what she has been through with her illness and how she has recovered, thank goodness. Also some fascinating stories about jewellery as she is our regular Diamonique guest. Go here to see our range and also check out the new design of the month here. Plus Diamonique Day gets a mention below.

If you’re a fan of Tarte, be sure to tune in next week when Will speaks to brand ambassador Shanna Chamberlain.

Vlog

This week’s #thursdaybantz (Thursday night’s live cast on my Facebook page) was from inside the shepherd’s hut! Go here to see it, and also look out for videos from Wales while you are on my Facebook page.

Plus, look out for QVC‘s own Facebook live events, including on Friday 18th in the evening at around 8pm when I get my turn at the weekly gameshow/quiz – see if you can beat me and come and join us!

Book of the week – It Takes Guts, Audible original with Dr Giles Yeo and Tim Anderson

I do love a free audiobook, and this is really, really well done. These guys examine how the bacteria in the gut is revolutionising science and treatment of both body and mind – yes, mind. It’s in six parts that are about 25 minutes long and very very easy to listen to. Highly recommended.

QVC top deals for the next seven days

Friday (today) – go here to see and buy what’s left of the Diamonique emerald-cut 3.56ct ring!

Saturday – go here to see and buy the brand new knitted animal print jumper with front zip detail launching for Saturday by Ruth Langsford!

Also a big heads up that Estee Lauder will be coming to QVC with Alison Young at 1pm for a whole hour! It will be amazing.

Sunday – I’m absolutely delighted to say that the Amazon Echo for the car is here on Sunday all day – the Echo Auto, at a brilliant, brilliant price. If you’ve always wanted to be able to say “Alexa, add sesame oil to my shopping list” (or whatever!) while you are driving, so you don’t have to press any buttons or forget things, this is an amazing addition. Don’t miss it 🙂

Plus, I’m here at 9pm on Sunday with the new TSV from Denim & Co. with Glenn Campbell, we always have fun so I can’t wait!

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

Maxcom 4G Smart Feature Phone MK241
Korres Black Pine Firming and Lifting skincare duo
Cozee Home animal butterfly embossed Velvetsoft four-piece duvet set
SFIXX SBond and Ultra Pen set
Prai Ageless Throat & Decolletage Day & night Creme
The Real Pie Company 12-piece assorted meat or veg pies

Go here to see and shop them all

And here are the new Big Deals launching on Sunday 13th at midnight and lasting only one week:

Moda in Pelle Calita Western boot
Shay & Blue three-piece Fragrance collection
Kuhn Rikon Colori seven-piece kitchen knife and utensil set in Easy Clean caddy
Cozee Home animal print Faux Fur throw and cushion set

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

Monday – Denim & Co. bring us a printed floral French Terry crew neck top for a really good price, perfect for this time of the year.

Delighted to say I am also going to be launching Alison Cork’s new round velvet storage ottoman, 9pm and midnight, plus, it’s Tuesday’s TSV.

Wednesday – it’s Philip Kingsley’s turn to bring us another supersize collection with the Elasti-Styler, this time with Coconut Breeze shampoo and conditioner. It goes on sale early, so look out for it at the start of next week!

Thursday – time for something I cannot live without – the Ring video doorbell is back, this time in its #markthree iteration, with an additional battery pack. I am so going to be buying another one of these to keep an extra eye on my Devon home. The other two work perfectly, and this will be an amazing addition.

Friday – Revamp five in one purple Progloss Airstyle in an exclusive colourway. A really affordable way to style your hair, with a tight curl tong attachment, and a smooth and shape hairbrush attachment so you can style your hair with hot air.

Friday 9pm – we get healthy with the Ninja Health Grill and Smart Fryer with auto IQ. I’ve heard a lot about this one and it looks fantastic. I will get a whole hour with it on at 6pm Saturday!

Plus launching mid week, the Elemis four-piece Pro-Collagen Skincare Heroes collection. It’s a great time to stock up and also to think about presents. We have a whole day of beauty extravaganza offers as well on Sunday!

Next week – more fun pics from Wales, and the news about the completion date for my new flat… I hope!

Best wishes,

Debs

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