Had the most lovely day on Tuesday this week, when I tried hard to switch off my brain of all the things I’ve been doing lately. The tenders finally went out to the four property managers on the shortlist, for our flats (where I am a director – of course I am! Regulars will know this is a saga that’s been going on for ages)! So I can practically forget about doing any more hard work on that until the tenders come in just before Christmas. Plus I’ve more or less sold all the tickets for the final event I’m organising this year, at the end of next week in Devon. Just 12 of 100 left to sell as I write this blog. Hopefully they will all be gone by Friday! And my final retreat of the year down at my guesthouse, with five lovely ladies :-). And finally I’m up-to-date with all my blogs and updates and posts and newsletters on the various platforms! (Just got to get a good guest for the next event probably in April, but that can wait till after Xmas. However I’m a glutton for punishment as many of you know, I like organising events and I will be likely doing a very special one next year. Which may involve up to 50 people going to dinner with me and some friends from QVC. Probably in aid of medical detection dogs, but just because I like going to dinners and organising them. It will not be my event, I’ll just be helping behind the scenes; it will be run by someone else who is very in touch with lots of fellow Facebook peeps! Watch out for the news! I’m going to trial something, and that is find out who is interested by joining a WhatsApp group. Click on this link if you’d like to be kept informed about the event in London, probably at the end of April beginning of May, you’ll end up in my Friends of QVC sharing group. But initially you will only go into a holding group & that’s what this link is for, so be sure to answer my question within 24 hours otherwise it will disappear and you won’t get the chance to join 🙂
So Tuesday this week was my big day for going out out! For my QVC presenter, my lovely mate Ali K and I, along with one of my good mates at QVC, producer Andrew Collins who I’ve known for 40 years, went to the theatre in the evening. Plus I had already been for lunch with my friend Christina and another friend I’ve known since 1981, (42 years)! a really knowledgeable fascinating solicitor called Graham Skippen. There’s a really interesting story if you’ve never heard it before about how I met Graham but that’s for another time.
Anyway, at lunchtime Christina and I had a quick coffee and a catch up, then we went to the Law Society for lunch with Graham. It’s such a fascinating place, with copies of books about law going back to 1725, there’s even something from Cromwell’s time in the 1600s, in one book I spotted on the shelves in their beautiful ancient library!
Graham is one of those fascinating people who has endless stories about his cases, quirks of the law, and useful advice and we both enjoyed it very much!
Then after our very long lunch, I headed straight to Hammersmith to go to the theatre!
See below for what we went to see, but it was lovely catching up with Ali. And Andrew of course with whom I went out to dinner recently, to commemorate FOUR decades of friendship 🙂
The theatre was in the Riverside Studios, which is a very well-known place for recording TV shows. We even found some posters commemorating when they used to do Doctor Who years ago, hence the photograph of us pretending to be scary on the newsletter this week, which you may well have got by now. (See the PS at the bottom, to find out more about how to get the newsletter in your email inbox each weekend, or just spin down to the bottom of this page and click the newsletter icon and fill it in, and don’t forget to confirm!)
We had a lovely meal in their little bar/restaurant beforehand, and had a good old chinwag, mostly not about QVC thank goodness! Must do it again soon and she sends her love to everybody! Don’t forget to find her name online and go and sign up for her newsletter on her website where she does a regular blog, and follow her social media where she does regular Vlogs, like me!
Later in the week I also had a lunch in the House of Commons courtesy of my mum‘s partner David who knows an MP. And then the same evening out to another organised dinner, fortunately someone else doing it, not me ha ha :-). More about that next week though.
SNIPPETS
Quacktrick Update
Patrick from Quacker had this update this week, sad news for Quacker factory fans but don’t forget to try denim and co and others :-). I thought I’d let you know just in case you were looking. Frank Usher also has some wonderful decorated items this year so does Danny Minogue 🙂 fingers crossed you find something you like 🙂
Crowning Glory
Had the first appointment for a new crown done this week and my dentist Sach, in Dorking, used this clever wand that waves around your teeth and creates a 3-D version for impressions, saves sticking that horrible pink gungy stuff around your teeth! Looking forward to seeing what the new crown will feel like, he asked me to get it done 13 years ago and it lasted ever since!
Holden On
Amanda Holden and lovely Victoria were doing a very glamorous photograph in the studio this week, just before one of my shows. I actually bought the cocktail trolley on clearance, incredible value! It will make a lovely decoration for my spider plant to go on and I can have maybe some of my fossil collection on the bottom layer. This week on Friday I have a shoot for my new personality showreel, we are all doing them as they will be going at the top of the new presenter section planned for our website and they said bring something to talk about your hobby. I can bring my novels obviously but I think I will bring a fossil! More next week about how that goes 🙂
Watch – Flowers for Mrs Harris AND The Newsroom.
Firstly, ‘Flowers for Mrs Harris’, based on the novel by Paul Gallico, (which also spawned the superb film version called ‘Mrs Harris goes to Paris’ starring Lesley Manville). I loved the film, and I loved the theatre production even more. It’s a musical (I’m a sucker for a musical and so is Ali K)! Oh my gosh did we need tissues!
Set around the story of a cleaner who falls in love with a Christian Dior dress and slogs for years to save up for it and what happens when she’s in Paris, which is much of the second half. Absolutely delightful premise and brilliant twists and turns! It’s only until Saturday week I think, at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, there may be some tickets (try the website ‘todaytix’), it’s well worth going to. Jenna Russell was absolutely incredible, one of the best leading ladies I’ve seen in London at the theatre, and this wasn’t even in the West End. Every single character played more than one role apart from the lead, and they were all genius. Totally genius. Loved it, loved it. Nine out of 10! I don’t actually know what would’ve given it an extra mark to be honest, possibly just the songs not being massively memorable, but everything was fabulous!
‘The Newsroom’ – I just devoured the whole series one after the other. Loved this fictional newsroom setting, revolving around events in 1980s that actually happened. Loved what happened to the characters, love their rapport, love the conflict love the drama. And it’s BBC Two as well, see if you can catch it!
Blooper – I’ve got an amazing one for you this week, check out Charlie on a bedding show, having a little trouble with a headboard… He is so flipping funny! I love my colleague! And poor Becky Redfern lost it hehe x
PS if I can find it or if anyone else can, there was a howler this week – live on QVC, in one of the reminders about the today special value at the end of the 9 pm show on Wednesday night when we were doing the skechers, I was trying to say the words ‘tight fitting’ and I ended up mixing up some of the letters in a proper spoonerism that was very embarrassing!
Podcast – Go here to get the latest Inside QVC podcast from Will, and the current one if you haven’t listened yet :-). Don’t forget there’s a massive back list to catch up on, too!
This week Will Gowing speaks with TV presenter and resident foodie Andi Peters who talks about his favourite Christmas traditions, festive food and his nine years on Air at QVC. Nine! Wow!
Vlog – omg #hotelchocolat is back with lots of fab flavours! This is a look behind the scenes at QVC one night this week when I indulged! (See it here).
Book of the Week – I’m actually listening to my friend Merryn Allingham’s ‘Murder in a French Village’ and I’m nearly through it. Delightful and charming, with the same sort of mood and interactions as with the previous novels from this series, 1950s setting in the vein of a typical cosy crime. Only this time they are in France with lots of information about local places which is quite fascinating! It’s a nice listen.
Next, I will get my teeth into something gutsy, having met with the solicitor this week, it’s giving me the taste for listening to something else from the legal thriller category! I will keep you informed…
QVC TOP DEALS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS
Friday (today) – go to qvcuk.com and search ‘today’s special value’ to see and buy what’s left of what’s left of the home reflections set of two real touch double stem orchids in ceramic pot
Saturday – already online, L’Occitane 4 pc festive Bath and Body gift collection
Sunday – A super chance to get one if you haven’t in the past – the halo bolt ultimate power bank with car jump starter, air compressor and charger 🙂
Big deals ending Sunday night
Go to this section of our website each week to discover the current ones which often end on Sunday nights if there are any stocks left!
Big deals are available on air for usually a week, they may be longer online if stocks last. Occasionally they last a couple of weeks but there are new ones every Sunday night so come back again and see them on the link above.
Next week should include:
– Extra – Luminara fragrance diffusing candle bundle
– Beauty – spectrum collections pantherine collection (? Don’t know what this is!)
– Main – another super Tili one – a lay-flat faux leather cosmetic bag
– Style – Frank Usher sparkle jumper, super affordable!
Now back to the today’s special values for the rest of the week –
Monday – Doll 10 4 pc TCE luminous collection with bag
Tuesday – Liz Earle Supercharged Superskin Heroes collection – great value!
Wednesday – Octasmart hybrid plus mattress with pair of pillows
Thursday – centigrade Teddy long line coat, and watch out for the kickoff of our big weekend of Black Friday deals starting at 9 pm with ABC
BLACK FRIDAY – ABC 3pc tea tree skin wash supersize collection, going on sale earlier in the week
Friday 9 pm – THREE big TSVs! Nails Inc, Moda in Pelle boots and Clickfree phone/tablet/laptop back ip storage for videos n pics.
Watch out also for the Tweak’d by Nature supersize shampoo and conditioner hair care set with treatment balm going on on sale earlier in the week.
Next week – a shoot, a lunch in the Commons, a dinner I’m NOT organising, cinema with Alison, a retreat in Devon and babysitting the grandchildren in Fulham! Is it any wonder I never get my book finished! LOL.
Best wishes
Debs
PS –
Patrick Hoy gave an update on Quacker factory plans on QVC UK this week (see it here), so for those who asked, I thought I’d mention it here :-). Hopefully he’ll be back soon in general fashion shows, anyway :-). TBH he’s one of our favourite fashion guests! And so knowledgeable! We luv Patrick!
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