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\nIt\u2019s quite a relief to be able to sit down for a while so I can write to you. The last week has been quite exhausting – not just physically – but emotionally too, although I\u2019m hoping we\u2019ve now moved into a less stressful phase. How are you? So many changes over the last week or so, it seems as though September came and went in the blink of an eye!<\/p>\n\n
I have to admit to feeling somewhat guilty for having had the chance to enjoy so much sunshine over the last four weeks. It wasn\u2019t until Colin and I were in Norfolk on Friday when we were submerged in driving rain, howling winds and freezing temperatures that I had a real sense of autumn. Looking at the weather map on the TV it was if a line had been drawn down a third of the country with East Anglia hidden under a shroud of grey! I know having read your lovely comments on the last blog that it\u2019s been that way for a fair bit of September so I very much hope that you my faring a little better now.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6925.jpg\")
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Well, I\u2019m happy to say that my mum\u2019s partner Joe is now set up in his new bungalow in Norfolk. It was a pretty emotional week what with finally emptying their house of the last of the furniture and helping Joe to leave. His son Philip had packed up two Luton vans with Colin\u2019s help, and so I was left to sort through the kitchen. It was full of Mum\u2019s handwritten notes, recipes and memories; I think she must have bought pretty much every gadget and had doubled up on all her pans and Pyrex bowls too. So hard to decide what to take and what to leave\u2026 Having washed and dried Joe\u2019s bedding in the sun and sorted out the few plants we were taking we were ready to go. I\u2019d been okay right up until the last minute when we stood together in the sitting room and said goodbye to the house\u2026 \u201coh Kath\u2026\u201d was all he could say\u2026<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6a0a.jpg\")
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My sister looked after Joe until Thursday when she dropped him over to us and we had a lovely evening together as you can see here! We drove him to Norfolk on Friday in torrential rain and howling gales but managed to get him safely into his bungalow with all the beds made up and the kitchen unpacked before bedtime. Colin and Philip went back to the lock up to collect the last of the white goods and to shift the heavy furniture and then we slept. The carpet fitter was early but that gave us plenty of time to sort out where to put the furniture and to unpack the rest of the boxes. Poor Joe was understandably very muddled by it all, but we\u2019re hoping that with enough of his own things around him, he will settle.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve found that writing things down really helps him, and so when the carer calls in each day, she can list what she\u2019s done and how Joe is and that may help him. It\u2019ll be a year since we lost mum on the 21st October\u2026 her dementia was very different to Joe\u2019s Alzheimer\u2019s but as I am sure you\u2019re aware, any form of \u2018neurodegenerative illness\u2019 is distressing to watch. At least Joe still recognises us, and we can keep in touch by phone so the next time we visit hopefully it will be easier.<\/p>\n
In between all this I\u2019ve been at work, and have had a real mix of shows. Over the last few months more guests have been able to come to the studios, but our transatlantic guests are only able to join us remotely. I had an hour scheduled with the fabulous Harry Slatkin and his range of Homeworx scented candles<\/a>, and as I\u2019m sure you can imagine selling fragrances on TV is a huge challenge, but our expert guests – like Harry and Dom De Vetta from Shay & Blue<\/a> – really know how to describe every note and essence of a scent although sometimes those ingredients are secret! With just 10 seconds to go \u2018live\u2019 I was informed that there was a problem with the video link and I wouldn\u2019t be able to talk to Harry. My first duo of scented candles was called \u201cBlack Magic\u201d but had no ingredients list, so it was purely my own personal take on this gorgeous spicy and warming fragrance! Luckily you know your candles, so we virtually sold out of that option and while I was chatting away our technical team managed to re-connect with Harry for the last 45 minutes of the show! Phew!<\/p>\n Of course candles make a wonderful Christmas present, and although it may feel a little early for some of you, QVC will be embracing Christmas from the beginning of October with some great voucher offers. They\u2019ve created a special campaign online and on air – \u2018Just For You\u2019 – and begin with our Christmas Launch on the 1st October where there will be a huge selection of products available on three Easy Payments across the weekend until 4th October. If you use the code SHOP3Z at the checkout it\u2019ll take you there.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the link if you\u2019re interested ahead of time!<\/a><\/p>\n Oh, and I must mention our two day Fashion Event that is going to be on air on 5th and 6th October. Radley London<\/a> will be starting it all off with a fabulous over shoulder bag on three EZ pays for our TSV on Sunday 3rd October, and that\u2019s not the only amazing deal you\u2019ll find from some of your favourite fashion labels.<\/p>\n Moda in Pelle<\/a>, Skechers<\/a>, WULI:LUU<\/a>, Helene Berman<\/a>, Frank Usher<\/a>, Phase Eight<\/a>, Butler & Wilson<\/a>, Kipling<\/a>, Lulu Guinness<\/a> and MarlaWynne<\/a> are just a few of the major brands that will be featured and throughout the month of October you can buy any of Kim & Co\u2019s fashion with two Easy Payments if you use the code KIM2EZ<\/a>. She has some fabulous new separates coming up and it might make it easier on the budget if you can spread the cost.<\/p>\n From 5th October there\u2019ll be a special offer on all cosmetics and make-up within our Christmas gifting shopping list online and you just need to use code COSM2Z to get two Easy Payments on many of our best-selling brands within the gifting shopping list. If you want to buy ahead of time, here\u2019s the link to see what we have lined up for you<\/a>.<\/p>\n For my part I\u2019d like to mention the magnificent British brand Molton Brown<\/a> who always spoil us rotten when it comes to special offers close to Christmas. With their exquisite and unique fragrances they have a knack of knowing exactly what we love, and this year\u2019s offer is no exception. As part of our \u2018With You for Christmas\u2019 event, the gorgeous @jemmaforte<\/a> will be joining me at 9pm this Saturday 3rd October with a phenomenal 11-piece Ultimate Luxury Collection<\/a>, which is Molton Brown\u2019s Christmas TSV.<\/p>\n This sumptuous hand and body collection is available in a choice of Warm or Floral fragrances is just \u00a354 but only \u00a313.74 if you use one of the 4EZ pays! All beautifully packaged and ready to gift, it\u2019s already available on pre-sale. Just click here to order yours<\/a> and make sure you join me at 9pm on Saturday for more from this fabulous brand.<\/p>\n I\u2019m really glad we have the certainty of Christmas ahead as everything else seems to be constantly changing and we\u2019re all having to find different coping mechanisms. I\u2019ve chosen to escape by listening to my Audible audiobooks. My latest listen was a stunning book written in 2007 by Kate Morton entitled \u2018The Forgotten Garden\u2019. It covers three generations and moves from Australia to Cornwall with an incredible number of twists and turns. It\u2019s the longest book I\u2019ve listened to at 20 hours or so, but I was genuinely sorry when it ended. I\u2019ve just begun David Nicholls \u2018One Day\u2019 as I loved his novel \u2018Sweet Sorrow\u2019, and I laughed and cried my way through the recent screen adaptation of his beautiful story of a relationship that has run its course entitled \u2018Us\u2019. If you get the chance to watch it on BBC iPlayer, I\u2019m sure you\u2019d enjoy it.<\/p>\n Talking of books, and because October is Breast Cancer month, I\u2019ve gone against the grain and decided to read some of my own book \u2018A New Kind of Normal\u2019 for my Saturday night Story Time with Ali. Hard to believe but it was published two years ago this month, and now has 109 five star reviews on Amazon, which I am so incredibly grateful to you for. Since then many women who have been diagnosed with the disease have contacted me. They write because they\u2019re frightened, because they don\u2019t know what to expect and often because they\u2019re isolated, and it\u2019s been a privilege to support and comfort them.<\/p>\n This year has been harder than ever for those going through surgery and treatment because when they \u2018ve needed the support most they\u2019ve not been allowed to have anyone with them. Sharing an experience often takes away that fear, and I like to think \u2018A New Kind of Normal\u2019 has done that. It\u2019s not just about cancer, it\u2019s about love, loss, friends, family, fear and occasional despair, but ultimately hope, and it\u2019s funny too – I\u2019ve found humour even in the darkest of situations. I do hope you\u2019ll be able to join me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at 7.30pm this Saturday for Part One.<\/p>\n Something else I\u2019d like to recommend is QVC\u2019s 100th Podcast featuring my friend and fellow presenter @debbieflintuk<\/a>. These podcasts have become really popular and are a great way to get all the insider information on those you know – or think you know – at QVC! It\u2019s fascinating to hear about all that Deb\u2019s has achieved in her life, and there are some really nice clips from those she admires too. To listen, click on this link.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/stories.qvcuk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Molton-Brown-TSV.jpg\")
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