Debbie Flint

Sunny Somerset, sweltering Fulham, and bon voyage Bruvva

So this week after my whistlestop trip home, I was back at Amchara, The health retreat I booked a long stay at as a treat for my 60th, in case you missed earlier blogs! I was lucky enough that the weather was pretty good most days. So fortunate to be able to spend half an hour, nearly every day, in the pool. The water is always around 30° so once I’ve got used to it, it is heaven. So was some of the food, see below. But considering I’m into my third week there now, in total, I needed a change of scenery.

So I took some trips out to a couple of little cafés. (Don’t worry, herbal tea, green salad or once every so often a… decaf non-dairy latte!) It was very nice, especially when I was compiling my novel from different documents and needed to focus. I’m doing a tutorial at the moment on a piece of software called Scrivener, which lots of authors use. Next step, import the 67,000 words I’ve done so far (no not all here!) I’m getting there, I’m getting there… and I’m still doing yoga every morning with a lovely talented yoga teacher called Donna this week. It feels so good! I must keep it up when I go home.

Hustings

And on Monday on the way back from my three days in London, I went to a hustings event in Exeter. I’ve definitely made my mind up and know who I will be voting for in the leadership but I’m not going to say :-). One of my friends from Torridge and West Devon, Susan, was kind enough to save me a seat. Very interesting to actually be there.

Also there were lots more Vlogs this week from in and around Somerset and the health retreat! Do check out my social media regularly to find out more. (nb if you’re reading this blog on my website don’t forget that my newsletter is now up and running again so do subscribe if you can, to get an alert that the newest blog is up: you will get an email personally into your inbox! You can sign up for the newsletter here.

SNIPPETS


Top Tucker
One of the fabulous meals this week at Amchara in Somerset – I decided that I would just have juices during the day to drop a couple more pounds before I leave. And this was what they presented me with one night, which is chicken with some gorgeous vegetables. Yum Yum! I will miss this when I leave on 11th 🙂

Bon Voyage Bruvva!
Glenn and his gang are off to Sweden! Even Ziggy the dog! So we all had a nice little sendoff get together at his, in Sanderstead, the house where I used to stay all the time when I was working in London before I bought my place in Banstead. His wife Boki has got a job at an electric car company in Sweden and Glenn can work from anywhere, so I hope the two girls settle in, aged 13 and 16. We will miss them all terribly. Ziggy the dog was very excited to see me as usual, but not as excited as he was to get the leftovers from the barbecue! LOL.

Banstead 1939
Been looking at some old archive pictures in my downtime, and found this one on a heritage site, when it was just opened – the new Princess Elizabeth of York Hospital for children. It was just before the war and I think it became a soldiers hospital during WWII. Roll on nearly 80 years and they converted it! Really interesting looking at old pictures like this, isn’t it? Do you ever wonder, as I do, what these people are doing now? How many would still be around? Life was so different back then. The book I’m writing is set about 13 years before this, and I have to bear in mind not just what people wore but how they spoke, what aspects of day-to-day life would’ve been dramatically different too. One of the best parts of writing a novel, the research. Fascinating!

Sunday in London
Had a flying visit back to London for the three shifts at QVC which went very, very well indeed, as did the Sunday afternoon trip to see my lovely son and his kiddies. I took them out to the park. Click here to see a funny with little Blake pretending it’s awesome. It was very humid but we had a really nice time, including Blake kicking up the piles of leaves that had fallen off the trees in the recent dry weather. Kaleb is nearly 1 and nearly walking, but has no teeth, believe it or not! He is not talking much yet – he will probably start saying whole sentences once he does start. I had some lovely cuddles with him 🙂 One of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon!

Watch – The First Lady. Got to do something with myself in the evenings at my health retreat! So when I am watching TV and not writing, I am gripped to this series about strong US first ladies, on Paramount Plus. Starring Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, and Viola Davis as Michelle Obama. Beautifully shot period pieces, with a wonderful supporting cast. What’s not to like! Loving it 🙂 highly recommended 🙂

Podcast

Delighted that my colleague Eilidh is back at long last after a long maternity leave, and the current podcast is all about her return, and features a little bit of her baby Skye! It’s also Will’s 150th episode of Inside QVC! Well done that man. Coming soon, none other than lovely Dannii Minogue on her anniversary at QVC. On Monday it will be Sara Davies all about the new craft offerings. Find it where you find your podcasts or go to our website.

By the way if you’re looking for an intriguing true crime podcast, remember when I mentioned The Teacher’s Pet in 2018? The Australian cold case of a missing mother and a teacher husband who was having an affair with one of his pupil babysitters? Well he is now on trial and the follow-up podcast, The Teacher’s Trial, is just as good! Make sure you catch it if you can on wherever you get your podcasts from.

Vlog – unusual one, it is something I was very very proud of, which was my very own handiwork, a time-lapse video of me using the new Wagner paint sprayer pic of the month in Devon! (See it here.) By the way don’t forget it’s on free postage, how much could you paint in the two month trial period! You will love it!

Book – I’ve gone back to Elly Griffiths for the next story in her Ruth Galloway series of novels set in the Norwich and Norfolk area, revolving around a forensic archaeologist, local crimes, and her tangled relationships! Another clever book, another super page-turning tale. I really love all the detail about the digs and how Elly cleverly weaves them into the plot. Most of all I love the relationships with the ongoing characters who regularly appear from book to book. If you like a bit of a domestic crime/mild thriller, try this series.

PS stop press, ‘Summer People,’ the latest book by my mentor and top friend, master of writing workshops, Julie Cohen, is just out! Watch out for more news next week but get it now if you can 🙂

Funny – Catherine my lovely fellow presenter, is hilarious – check out this funny which she re-posted to remind us all of the time she made a fashion mishap on air! Wonder how on earth she managed to do it and still make it onto the TV! LOL

PS I also loved watching much of the history-making match last weekend! Very funny afterwards to see a billboard from Sainsbury’s with three vegetables on it and ‘well done lionesses’ at the bottom! One was a Swede, the next one was a carrot, and the third one was a lime. Say it fast. Then set it to a Neil Diamond tune… Get it? Very good Sainsbury’s, very good! And amazing times for women’s football. Did you know at the end of the 1800s, beginning of the 1900s, women’s soccer got thousands and thousands of spectators in the stands watching their matches and had hundreds of teams, until the FA decided the women were not allowed to play in the same grounds as the men! Then it fizzled out over the next couple of decades. Booooo!

It could’ve been as big as men’s football nowadays, if only things had been different for women from back then. That’s the period I’m writing my novel in. Fascinating times.

QVC THIS WEEK
Since QVC are taking a hiatus on presenter blogs this summer, I’m continuing my weekly summaries here on my own one. QVCUK.com is where you will find all these deals as soon as they are launched, usually around 8:45 at night unless they go on sale a few days earlier.

Friday 4th August – go to our QVC home page to see & buy what is left of the White Stuff very affordable tunic.

Saturday – wet and forget returns with the rapid 2 L bottle with a sniper nozzle. Get rid of the algae and green stuff on your pavements, fences and walls easily.

Sunday – already online, it’s the Current Body anti-ageing LED light therapy mask with five hydrogel face masks, on easy pays and with a 60 day trial.

Big deals – new ones every Sunday –

Currently:
– Davina fitness multifunction aerobics step
– Dannii Minogue perfection slogan jumper in two different lengths
– doll 10 eight piece ‘speak your truth’ lip crayon collection and tin
– prime 50 effervescent fruit or veg supplements, choice of super greens or super fruits, two lots of 28 days supply.

Launching Sunday:

  • an amazing new Molton Brown offer – four piece hand and body collection, can’t believe the price.
    – Salon step deluxe comfort footrest
    – Dannys perfection jumper continues
    – and the new one – Link-to-home set of two wireless 10 W smart phone charging stations

See regular updates on all the big deals on our website.

And continuing today’s special values:

Monday – Skechers return with an arch fit trainer called the refine.
– Tuesday – ‘cooks essentials’ bring us a multifunction cooker pan set, this will be interesting!
– Wednesday – hair removal time with the ‘finishing touch flawless brow and flawless face set.’
– Thursday – Ashwood handbags are back with a zip front cross body bag with RFID card holder.
– Friday – Rhonda Shear’s four pack ‘Ahh’ bra is here with adjustable strap and comfort option, great for exercising – I could’ve done with one of these for my yoga this week!

  • Friday 12th, 9 pm – the Sbc five piece collagen ultimate face and body radiant collection, brilliant prices. It goes on sale mid week. Looking forward to seeing this one as the collagen body butter has been helping my dry skin this week – I had a reaction to something on one of my arms. And the collagen shower cream is my favourite!

Next Week – The end of my month-long health retreat break and what I learned? Plus looking ahead to an amazing autumn fashion event spearheaded by myself and Ophelia!

Please don’t forget to follow me on my social media below for more immediate updates including that night’s deals, when I’m back on the telly box from Saturday 13th onwards.

Have a lovely week! I know I will…

Debbie Flint