University Care Box

So my cousin has been at university for a couple of months now, and even though we hardly hear from him, I thought it would be nice to send him a little box of goodies. I remember one of the best things about uni was getting mail so I hope he likes it and actually gets in contact to say thank you!

Here's what I'm putting in it:

So we have the uni kitchen essentials like coffee and pot noodles, and some Mikado to snack on while concentrating really hard on his studies.
I put in some toiletries like toothpaste and shower gel, and some easy cleaning products like 'Multi Action Wipes' and some in-cistern blocks for his toilet, both from Tesco, to keep it fresh. Boys rooms can get a bit smelly so I included an air freshener to keep it nice and fresh.
One of the best things we had at uni were door wedges so we talk to each other from our rooms, I have no clue if this is something Dan needs, but I think it's a good idea for that all important socialising.
For the drinking, there is Jägermeister for those bombs and drinking games, a pack of cards featuring the rules of Ring of Fire (making it much quicker to start drinking as you don't have to work out and write down all the rules), shot glasses, straws, the basics.
And then for when he has a hangover, and feels awful, there's Berocca to give him a boost and some soothers for that sore throat.
Other little extras I put in include Pro Plus and a Rock Star energy drink to help with those all-nighters sat at the computer trying to finish an essay by morning, some Glu Dots to harmlessly stick posters up on the walls and some face paints and glo-glasses for the themed fancy dress nights out.
And, of course, because I like to be embarrass my younger cousin (and also so he's safe!), I put in some Durex condoms.

I hope Dan enjoys my little care box, I doubt I'll hear a thank you from him as he's not been chatty at all so far! I like to think he'll like it though, otherwise I'll just have to think of more embarrassing things to send up to him. My Mum use to send me postcards featuring Jax once a week, maybe I could do something like that...

Any ideas of what to put in the box next?
All help is appreciated! I started running out of ideas near the end!

Doddle Collar Review and Giveaway!

I was given a great opportunity to try out a Doddle.

As usual, Jax was very excited to open the parcel (he somehow always knows it's for him).








The Doddle is a red collar that has a 1m length lead built into it with a looped handle at the end for an easy hold. It isn't heavy, weighing only 39 grams, which means it doesn't encumber your dog. They are available for small and medium dogs up to a weight of 27kg, and a neck size of 40cm, perfect for my little Jax.






It does look a bit bulky, but it didn't bother Jax at all, he gave his head a little shake to settle the collar then didn't even notice it. He's still able to run madly after his ball with no problems, and this way it's easy to grab hold of his lead if needed, that's if we can catch him first!





This collar is great as it means no more carrying (or losing, as that has happened before!) the lead, and if you quickly need to have your dog on a lead it's already there. Jax can sometimes get a bit intimidated by other dogs, especially ones that are bigger than him, and this collar gives us a quick way to pull him away.
It's also great for little journeys in the car when he's taking me to work, or popping to the shops, he can just wear this collar in case we need the lead, which in all cases we don't.



There is also a great option of having your Doddle collar engraved for a bit extra, up to two lines are available which means you can put your dogs name and your telephone number as you would on a dog tag.

You also have the great opportunity to win a Doddle for your dog below.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

www.doddlefordogs.com

Doddle on Facebook

Doddle on Twitter

Disclaimer: We were sent the Doddle lead for free, but have received no other form of compensation to provide this review. All opinions are my own.

Le Bistrot Pierre

Gary and I went to a new restaurant in Torquay, Le Bistrot Pierre, a French-style bistro.
It's a lovely two-floor restaurant located on the sea front of Torre Abbey decorated as a French bistro with lots of vintage-styled wooden furniture and a fully stocked high bar.

The food is amazing!
They have different menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner with lots of intriguing, tasty food. We went for dinner, and we'll definitely be going again.
I had the Saucisse de Toulouse for starter, a poached egg on slices of Toulouse sausage with a warm tomato dressing, was delicious. Gary had the Moules au Roquefort, mussels in a Roquefort sauce, he said they're the best mussels in Torquay, he was very impressed.
For main I had Gratin de Pates et Fromage, a macaroni and cauliflower cheese gratin, it was gorgeous! You can choose a side from skinny fries, salad or potatoes and vegetables. Gary had the Cassoulet d'agneau, lamb with a 'cassoulet' of bacon, beans and tomatoes, which he loved as well. We tried a bit of each others, all the flavours were rich and moorish, haven't had great food like this in a while.
We shared a Macaron for dessert as we were both a bit full. The macaroon and ice cream were nice, but I'm not a fan of fruit compotes, so I found that a bit too rich with the dessert. I really want to try the creme brulee next time.
We both can't wait to go again, we want to share the camembert, and I want to try the St Marcellin cheese and the mushroom brioche and the mini chorizos roasted in honey, and then mains I want to try chicken dish, and the pork, and the burger, oh I really can't wait to go back! Especially when they've given us a loyalty card where you collect stamps to get a free two course meal!

They also do 'Dine with Wine' and 'Soiree Gastronomique' evenings, where they have a set menu for a set price. We have one booked for next month, really can't wait, it's gonna be yummy.
I'm also trying to convince work about having our Christmas meal here, I've not really given them much choice about it though as I've only brought in the one menu! It's definitely worth coming here though!