June frenzy on handmedowns-online 50% off everything!

It's the time of year when we refresh our stock online. That's right, finally the thermometer has crept above 20c so we can upload hundreds of summer weight items of second hand clothes. Just one thing first though - we need to make some room on the servers so we're having a massive June frenzy sale that's 50% off everything on the website for the whole of the rest if the month. Take a look at http://www. Handmedowns-online.co.uk for a massive selection of excellent quality used childrens clothes and maternity wear.

Squiddles lunch top

We've had a bit if a mystery to solve here at lunchboxesetc.co.uk HQ: We keep getting orders from the US for photo lunchboxes bearing the same photo image. After a few minutes research we found out all about squiddles (completely unknown over this side of the pond), and I have to say I think our take on the squiddles lunch top is pretty accurate!

Finally, a new tenant is almost signed up

We moved business premises last year and since October our old shop unit has been vacant. After a couple of very frustrating false starts we have at last found a prospective tenant who is actually capable of doing what they say they are going to do and signing on the dotted line. With a bit of luck well be able to reveal all in a weeks time and tell everyone about a new exciting shop in Tavistock.

Cooking with boy no 1

Dad on wire's eldest son (boy no.1) turned 8 just after Christmas and I've been encouraging him to take on some cooking challenges. Just to make a change from biscuits, cakes and cookies we had a bash at some pasta the other day. I have to say I was impressed by the results; and he did enjoy using the pasta machine and making the ravioli.

Maybe 8 is too young to start the beer tasting though. The rather excellent local ale was strictly for dad!

Bouncing around with the boy

Thank god for tesco vouchers.  Boys 1 & 2 have been trampolining on Saturday mornings for a few months now at the local leisure centre and were desperate to get a trampoline at home.  Tesco came up trumps with a great summer offer that increased the value of our stach of clubcard vouchers to a point where we could buy a 12ft trampoline basically for nothing. 

Its been a great investment as they have spent much time on it when they would otherwise be under my feet at home.  And, whilst their bouncing skills are improving, the safety net and enclosure have given it something of a cage fighting feel which is not lessened by the amount of wrestling and play fighting that goes on in there!

The end of two eras...

January is a great time for a clear out.  And once I'm in the mood I do actually enjoy the feeling of decluttering my life by getting rid of a few old possessions that I no longer use.  This year I've taken it a little further than before and decided to sell two of my most precious (but still never used!) possessions.  Both have been part of my life for over 20 years and both bring back some very fond memories.

Back in sixth form our group of friends split down the middle when it came to the analogie vs digital music debate.  I was firmly in the analogue camp (those pesky CD players will never catch on right?) and to prove it I dropped a huge amount of money on a beautiful Linn Axis turntable which has been the centrepiece of my Hifi ever since and has given faultless service for nearly 25 years.  Well now, with 3 kids, ipods, ipads, spotify and cds I've come to the conclusion that I am likely never to ply a record again so, being ruthless with myself, I've listed it on ebay in the hope that someone with more time and a quieter household will buy it and cherish it for another 25 years.

A few years after buying the Linn Axis I went mad and bought a lovely Marin Pine Mountain MTB that saw me all through University and beyond but has spent more and more time in the garage in recent years and, after I bought a new bike in a fit of pre-christmas optimism last year I'm afraid the old warhorse has to go! Once again its been listed of ebay, but I have an interesting question about when something that is simply "old" becomes "vintage"!

New marshmallow lunchbox - Sweet!

I'm pretty pleased with how our new marshmallow lunchbox has turned out.  You can see it (and buy it on our website www.lunchboxesetc.co.uk