Deciding what's for tea is almost as trying as the cooking process itself. That's why every Sunday I'll post a list of suggestions for the week following. Pick and choose, be adventurous and try something new. If you don't know how to cook something or have a suggestion just drop me a line.

Now I know I’ve already written about violence. But in the newspaper the other day I saw a picture which almost made me vomit.

I am shocked at the lack of responsibility in some of the younger parents of today. Why are they not making a total commitment to family values?

Every now and again my friends used to kiss me hello or goodbye on the cheek. I felt very cool and European. Then I moved to a hot sweaty country (and I don’t mean that in the good way) where everyone wants to kiss your dam cheek. And I don’t feel cool and European.

Accidental Renovator: A Paris story

Barbara Biggs

Southern Publishers

When an opinionated Aussie moves to moves to France and finds herself in the midst of a DIY disaster, what follows should be a hilarious farce.

Owning a home comes with regular responsibilities from, rates to insurances, maintenance, electricity and telephone.

While many of these costs are hard to avoid, some can be drastically reduced with a little planning.

Space travel is now becoming a commercial entity, a reality to the general public, should you have a spare US$200,000 to spend that is. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group is opening up space to the public with a fascinating development in space tourism. 

I've been busy moving from the North to the South Island and working two jobs as well as teaching adults at nightschools, so I'm really flat tack and had no time to think of what to have for tea myself, let alone for everybody else. Frightfully sorry, but next week I'll be back on track.

I always thought they were exaggerating when friends told me about people who will only eat fatty fried slop, such as hash browns, plasticky-looking sausages, soggy bacon, battery eggs and tons of oil-dripping chips – all washed down with gallons of fizzy drinks like coke or energy fiz, half a teaspoon of which would make me look as if I’d slept with my fingers plugged into a power socket.

Building something from scratch or renovating involves stretching savings and making the most of our money.
 
Whether you are building a new house or preparing to renovate every project should begin with knowing what you can afford.