News & reviews

This section contains reviews, information, collaborations and sponsored posts, and anything else that doesn’t fit into my primary categories.

Let’s Explore West Lothian’s Diverse Takeaway Scene from Home

Food & drink /

West Lothian has quietly transformed into a premier destination for food lovers who prefer the comfort of their own dining room. Stretching from the historic streets of Linlithgow to the bustling heart of Livingston, the region offers a culinary map that rivals any major city. It’s no longer a case of settling for whatever is closest. Residents now enjoy access […]

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mother's day gift guide

Mother’s Day: Gifts you can buy that actually seem thoughtful

Gift guides /

Mother’s Day arrives every year with absolutely no element of surprise and yet still manages to catch people out. One minute it’s February, the next it’s disappeared and you’re panic-buying flowers. We can do better than that. Here’s a mixture of Mother’s Day gifts that feel considered, useful, and unlikely to end up in a drawer with dead batteries. Cica

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Tieks folding ballet flats shoes review

Tieks shoes: Folding ballet flats with attitude (A review)

Clothes, shoes & jewellery /

I need to start with the important bit, before anyone gets twitchy: these Tieks ballet flats were sent to me for this review. I didn’t buy them. They were freebies. You can read more here. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about Tieks shoes. Tieks are an American brand of folding ballet flats with a

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December 2025: In which Fran watches far too many awful Christmas movies

Parenting, Politics and Life, Wine /

Welcome to 2026! 2025 is officially old news. December was, predictably, a lot. It started with good intentions and a vague sense that I would ease gently into the festive season. It did not end that way. I was ill for approximately three quarters of the month, and somewhere between school deadlines, end-of-year admin, dark afternoons and a frankly ill-advised

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November 2025: Theme parks, music and people that don’t get the joke

Parenting, Politics and Life, Wine /

And just like my washing machine eating my favourite pyjamas, December arrived with zero remorse. November in my experience is largely rubbish – cold, wet, dark and uninspiring. But this one was alright! Let’s get straight into it, shall we? It’s long, but you can skim it if you like. I won’t tell. (If you want to read my other

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Christmas at home Very.co.uk

Christmas at home with Very: Making the house feel festive

Collaborative posts (#AD), Home & Garden /

This post was written in collaboration with Very.co.uk. There’s a very particular moment every year when the feeling of Christmas sneaks up on you. For me, it was the first Saturday in November after the clocks changed; the sky was grey, the dog was refusing to go out because of the cold and wet and I got the overwhelming urge

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September 2025

October 2025: Day trips, comedy, gigs and best of all: A new vacuum cleaner

Parenting, Politics and Life, Restaurant reviews /

October has been and gone and now – without wanting to sound too negative – we’re being launched headfirst into the worst months of the year. It’s cold, it’s miserable, it’s too dark to do anything after 4pm apart from get ready for bed, and every other bastard you come across is trying to kill you by coughing a new

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British Boxers Women's PJs review

Review: Women’s Bamboo Pyjama Set from British Boxers

Clothes, shoes & jewellery, Collaborative posts (#AD) /

This post is a collaboration with British Boxers and these PJs were free. I’ve been on the hunt for decent pyjamas for a while now, something that feels like actual loungewear luxury rather than old band t-shirts I should be ashamed of and leggings that have lost just enough stretch to be classed as outerwear. Oh, and ones which won’t

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