In Winter's Leap, a book by Timothy Raine, with some charming illustrations by Haleema Karim, we meet Tommy.
Tommy has a mild form of cerebral palsy and the reader is given the opportunity to take a peek into Tommy's life and the problems and trials that he finds himself having to face and to deal with.
Winter's Leap takes a snapshot of his life on one significant day, Christmas Day.
He explores what Christmas means to him and also he contemplates the meaning of "family."
The tale that Timothy Raine weaves is a naturalistic one as it sees glimpses of human frailty, sadness and joy as we see what life means for Tommy.
It is an important and compelling book as not only does it make a good read it also looks at important concepts such as joy, identity and empathy.
It's a story with some sadness, yet also hope, too. It will make people think, which is all to the good.
It's ideal for everyone from young teenagers to adults it is published by The Book Guild at £6.99 and can be bought at the that's Books Bookshop which you will find here:- https://goo.gl/Ltov34.
Britain has seen enormous changes in the last 54 years especially in technology and fashion.
Many have said that quality has been lost and that British manufacturing is not what it used to be.
However British firm www.Mathmos.com has proven that things only get better over time. Everyone has experienced that moment when a youngster says "what was it like when you were my age?"
It is often difficult to explain but thankfully www.Mathmos.com has solved that for us too. When asked we can now say "'I'll show you!"
If you were around in the '60s and '70s you will know what a Lava Lamp is but there are not many millennials that do!
There is always someone ready to copy a great idea and the original Lava Lamps have been copied but never beaten in their unique British design. Mathmos Lava Lamps are as good if not better than when Mr. Edward Craven-Walker made the first one in 1963, under the Crestworth brand, latterly changed to Mathmos.
Mathmos have been producing to the same quality in Britain ever since 1963 using the unique formula that keeps the lamps clear, bright and absolutely captivating.
The swinging sixties was a time of mystery and legend to today's youngsters. The '70s were colourful, vibrant years and defiantly an amazing experience.
The Mathmos Astro says the 1960s all over again, it was designed in 1963 and 54 years later spare parts and replacement bottles are available from www.Mathmos.com. The Astro Baby lamp is slightly slimmer and has remained in popular demand. The Telstar design was inspired by the space race fever of the 1960s.
The Telstar is an absolute design classic. The legs are made of Zinc and are polished to an incredible shine together with the bottle cover on the top it looks as though it is ready to launch into space!
After turning the lamp on and allowing it to warm up, it has the ability to convince an observer that they have indeed been launched into some mysterious environment. Bubbles gyrate, twist and turn as they rise upwards defying gravity and gently slide downwards in a truly mesmerising display of fluidity.
Nothing can equal the clarity, colours and especially the wide range of designs that www.Mathmos.com have on offer. No matter what design is chosen each part of it is individually inspected and tested here in the United Kingdom.
Replacement parts can be obtained from www.Mathmos.com for Crestworth lamps purchased from
the 1960s.
www.Mathmos.com are based in Poole and are able to produce individual designed lamps to a customers specifications. Mathmos Monster Lava Lamps are becoming very popular for individuals and companies that wish to maintain their individuality and remain loyal to British engineering and manufacturing.
WWW.mathmos.com have Lava Lamps that are powered by Tea Lights.
They even some specially commissioned lamps taller than a human.
That in itself should be enough to convince youngsters that Britain was 'Great' before their time and will continue to be Great into the future.
Take a look at www.Mathmos.com, they are out of this world! Launched in a Telstar!
Sometimes, it seems that no matter how hard you work and plan, something goes wrong.
Your plan to have a Christmas present delivered to a loved one or a good friend is thwarted by circumstances that were outside of your control.
A delivery company goes broke, an order went astray or you forgot to make the order.
But rather than let people down, you can use The That's Christmas gift shop to order them a present that they will get before Christmas is over!
As well as a wide range of books, DVDs, food and drink items TVs and audio gear and a whole host of other gift ideas including perfumes, jewellery, watches, etc., we also sell Amazon Gift Vouchers!
You can email these gift vouchers to your gift recipient so they could even use your gift to buy themselves the exact gift that they want within minutes of them receiving their gift from you!
All you need do is follow this link to the Gift Card department of our online retail store and click on "email gift vouchers, >>> https://goo.gl/GM7F3v.
Empty houses and heaps of Christmas presents mean that December and January are the months people are most likely to be a burglary victim.
Homes are already filling up with presents while families make plans to visit friends and relatives over the festive period.
But the increased number of expensive items in our home and the longer hours they are left empty. A perfect opportunity for thieves.
But there is now a growing number of devices that can help in protecting your house and everything inside it.
Security-boosting devices include smart lighting systems that mimic your typical household lighting usage pattern while you're away, automated smoke-releasing generators, cameras with facial and number plate recognition, and sensors that learn your behaviour and notify you when something out of the ordinary happens. All of these can be linked to your mobile phone via integrated smart home controllers.
Simon Mathieson of Finite Solutions North West points out: “Nothing concerns us more than the fear of someone breaking into our own home, yet very few homeowners know about an intruder until they are already inside.
"A simply burglar alarm system is no longer a good enough warning for homeowners or deterrent for burglars as research commissioned by GoCompare last year concluded that over three quarters of brits ignore burglar alarm sirens on neighbours’ homes.
“A bespoke smart home solution can provide the benefits of intelligent entertainment and lighting but it can also provide peace of mind. It allows you to see, hear and check on your home at all times and warns you of the presence of an intruder as soon as they step foot in your garden.
“A good integrated home security system can be automated to arm/disarm itself through sensors inside and outside the house. Smart home systems also provide a view of the CCTV cameras and door entry systems, allowing you to remotely open the door and let people in.
“An exterior perimeter heat or mass based detection system surrounding a property will warn whenever an intruder steps foot in your grounds by displaying CCTV footage on your TV screens and giving you early warning of a problem before the intruder ever reaches the property.
The smart integration of security systems also extends beyond in-house control. Thanks to the latest bespoke security solutions, our clients are able to monitor their home security remotely. Dedicated iPhone and iPad apps offer access to the home automation alarm system remotely and this provides an extra level of security and peace of mind by instantly displaying CCTV images on your phone and activating lighting inside and outside the property to give the impression you are at home and even giving you the ability to “shout out” to intruders via exterior speakers to inform them police have been called.”
Finite Solutions has a show house in Leeds dedicated to showcase integrated smart home technology and security as described above.
Whilst we would be the last people to tell you to spend more money than you really can afford, we are also mindful of the Brexit nonsense that has crept in to everyday conversation ever since the vote to leave actually did vote to leave!
No pay rise due to Brexit, no Christmas Party due to Brexit, etc., etc., etc.
Sales figures are up this year, so post-Brexit Britain looks to be doing OK, so let's get down to a bit of retail therapy!
This is the latest book from Colin West and it's going to be a must buy Chirstmas gift for the children in your life!"
It's a fun book filled with more of the great and hilarious poems of Colin West and there are wonderful and very witty cartoons on each and every page, all these illustrations are from the highly imaginative and creative pen of Colin West, himself.
You and your children and grandchildren will reads about and see a whole gallimaufry of wonderful characters such as the Lollopibg Lollop, Miss Fibbery-Gibert, frollicking Fritz, the Wizzard who met up with a lizard, (with somewhat shocking results!) learn what the girl in curlers did, how problems with spelling might occur, what might make Michael feel sick and what a fussy pussy likes to dine on.
It is a book that is to be gleefully and joyously shared with children and you can be certain that these poems will be remembered and recited by you and them for many, many years to come.
It is published in hardback by Matador at £9.99 and is available for purchase from our own book and gift shop which you will find here >>> https://goo.gl/AzQ0XD but please do remember that if you want it before Christmas you should request exress delivery.
