review Archives - The Only Girl in the House

Jess February, 2018

The Only Girl Guide #3 – The Unplugged Edit – Books, Audio Books, Podcasts and More

It might seem paradoxical at best, hypocritical at worst, for someone that makes a (meagre, supplementary) living from the online, plugged-in world to be harping on about what’s keeping me off the web! But in the post-Christmas-gooch, dare I say it, I just got a bit bored of scrolling, staring, lurking and double-clicking. I’ve been craving tangible, wholesome goodness, something that doesn’t succumb to an algorithm – real books, actual newspapers, Sunday supplements and good TV dramas – so, have made it my, erm, perhaps ‘mission’ is a bit egocentric, my…. ‘goal’ for 2018 to enjoy these non-digital pursuits a little more and share them with you!

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Jess January, 2018

My Steamy Mini-Break with Breville Home Heroes #Ad

I’ve heard “no one enjoys ironing”, well “hello”, call me a crease obsessed domestic freak ‘cos I bloomin’ love ironing! I’d almost go as far to say that with enough time to get my (ironing) kit out, it’s actually a pleasurable luxury – after all, nothing beats regaining half my wardrobe by freeing the garments from the shackles of the ironing basket; in essence, it’s like going shopping for new clothes while ticking a job off ‘the list’ which you can martyr yourself with at the altar of relationship chore-tit-for-tat at a later date, what’s not to love?!

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Jess October, 2017

Even Monsters Sleep with The Great Little Trading Company

They’d long been the unmentioned, embarrassing and hidden away members of our family; neglected, covered up and forgotten about. But after our extension was complete and we’d all moved back in to our immaculate white walled rooms, I couldn’t take the shame under the fitted sheets any longer. Hugo and Bruno had had their knackered, Swedish super-store, grey (with various other colour markings!) mattresses for far longer than they should have, and at 9 and 10 had earned the trust to not piddle in their beds any longer – so began the hunt for quality mattresses to ensure those two monsters got the best nights sleep possible.

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Jess July, 2017

Our Trip to Kynren – An Epic Tale of England

This weekend will mark the opening show of the North East’s outdoor spectacular known as Kynren, in its second year, on a 17 show run throughout the summer. Last weekend, I was lucky enough to head up to Bishop Auckland, for the final dress rehearsal with two of the boys to experience Kynren in all its dazzling glory.

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Jess June, 2017

My Utility Room of Dreams | John Lewis AEG Washing Machine & Tumble Dryer #AD

One of the things I love about being a blogger is the weird and wonderful stuff that comes into my inbox; from offers of lube reviews to can I make pet insurance an exciting content matter? (The answer was NO!) But sometimes, some brands just ‘get me’ – get my blog, my family and come up with a collaboration that’s so god damn on point even I recoil in amazement. When John Lewis asked if I’d like to try out their new AEG washing machine and tumble dryer, it was as if all my parental dreams had come true! Needless to say, a family of 7 gets through a shiz load of washing and for anyone who follows my insta-stories, you will only be well aware of the drama it causes when one of my trusty washing steads fails me.

For a long time, as a family of 7, it’s been necessary to have two fridges, two lounges, two bathrooms (even two houses in the beginning) so it seemed almost a natural progression to upgrade my domestic goddess-ry to two washing machines and tumble dryers. I’ll be keeping my old work-horses (for now) as it seems a travesty to be loading the new shiny machines with muddy football boots and questionably stained bed sheets!

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