Kate Davis-Holmes

Your home is one of the places you feel most comfortable. After a long day at work, you head home, lie on your couch or bed and relax. It’s your safe place. As this is the case, you need to take the necessary security measures in order to ensure that your home is protected at all costs. No matter how safe the neighbourhood, you never know who could be passing by. You must protect yourself against attempted theft, in addition to natural disasters or any other unfortunate event. Consider even protecting your home against animals and pests with a free termite inspection so that your home and garden are not ruined. In order to effectively do all of this, there are a few steps you can follow. Keep in mind that these security measures should be adopted both indoors and out. More information on this specific topic can be found below.

Security cameras

This step is a classic security measure, and it involves setting up the best home security cameras. You want a camera that works well in a low light situation – one that has excellent facial recognition, and a high-resolution screen and video capacity. These cameras should be set up both indoor and out. While you are shopping for cameras, it is also worth noting that an alarm system, inside your house, will put your mind more at ease. A camera can only go so far, as although it will catch the burglar, it will not alarm your neighbours and anyone around the home that someone is inside. After you have purchased a security camera and system, you can move on to the next step.

Window blinds

Cover your windows by purchasing blinds. Some homes have more windows than others, and especially at night with the lights on, your house will look like a fishbowl. Anyone walking by can see everything inside, and for anyone who wishes to commit theft; the lack of blinds could be an invitation to steal that expensive TV near the window. Try to make sure your windows have facilities to keep them covered, specifically at night and when everyone in the home has gone to bed.

Secure doors and locks

In addition to security cameras and blinds, what is the use of any security measures if you don’t have secure locks? Never leave your home unlocked, and especially when it is unattended. Double-check the door behind you is locked every single time you leave the house, and make sure that the locks in place are secure (meaning it isn’t easy to lockpick). In addition to the door, it would be beneficial to install window locks. Although window blinds, as mentioned previously, are beneficial at night, anyone could still push them aside and hop in your home if they desired. Ensure all your locks are secure before you leave your home and go to bed.

Speak to neighbours

Through getting to know your neighbours, you are building a rapport with them so that they can also help you when needed. Imagine a situation where you aren’t home, and your security systems are not working. However, if your neighbours are home and they hear or see someone attempting to break into your home, they can take the necessary steps to call the authorities and alert you in the process. While it’s important to get to know your neighbours, for this reason, you should get to know them regardless as you could form a new friendship in the process.

Working outdoor lights

A home that has lights outside, especially at night, will give the impression that someone is home. If it appears that the home is not left unattended, the chances that someone would attempt to break in would drastically decrease. Setting up lights should not be a tedious task, and you can use lights as both a security measure and for your home design. While you are buying lights, consider what type would look good outside of your home, and how they would also compliment the landscape and garden around you.

Put up a fence

Putting up a backyard fence can both help keep intruders out and make your garden look spectacular. A fence in the backyard (and front yard if you so desire) will further help keep animals out at night. Animals that get in your backyard could ruin your garden, eat your vegetables and trample over your flowers. Furthermore, in the same way, your lights will compliment your home’s exterior, so can a fence. This task should not be a chore! You can make it fun by purchasing a chic fence that matches your home and personal taste. Add some pop of colour, some fancy materials, or create a DIY job where you purchase a white fence you decide to paint yourself.

Equipped with insurance

Equipping your home with the appropriate homeowners insurance is both a preventive measure and will assist you in the even a theft occurs. The type of home you have will affect the type of insurance you need. Consider the value of your possessions and your home in order to choose the best possible policy. Examples include dwelling coverage, personal property coverage, and liability insurance, among others. Speaking to financial advisers can further help you decide what type of insurance works best with your financial situation. Insurance could also help cover not only theft but if a natural disaster were to occur. Consider the location of your home when choosing the best insurance as well. Are earthquakes common? Is theft common? This can further help you choose the best option.

It’s always important to be prepared and secure your home should anything unfortunate happen. Theft and even natural disasters sometimes occur, and you must have the appropriate insurance, security systems, fences, locks, lights, blinds and so on that protect your home as best as possible. Of course, in the event of a disaster, your only saving grace will be your insurance, which is why you must choose the appropriate level of insurance based on your home and even location. Once you are fully equipped and have taken all of the necessary security measures, you can rest easier when you go to bed, and every single time you leave your home.

Dorset is a county that I don’t know very well at all. My parents took me all over England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland but some counties slipped through the net. Dorset was one of them and I visited there for the first time when I became a nanny many years ago.

Of course, so many friends have recommended the county to me as a holiday destination. It’s about time I took Dorset off the bucket list and actually booked a holiday cottage break for us all. I think most people know about the fine beaches and the Jurassic nature of the coastline. Fossils and dinosaurs always appeal down the generations. However, I decided to look into the other things families might enjoy in Dorset before we make your trip there.

Nature

I love to encourage my children to get away from screens and outdoors as often as possible. My parents used to take me to country parks as a child and it is great to know that Durlston Country Park offers 280 acres for them to explore. There are walking trails which we always enjoy, beautiful views and wildlife which can inform our home education journey.

I have always admired the work of the RSPB. My late Mum loved watching birds and knew a lot about them too. So in her honour it would be great to visit RSPB Arne Nature Reserve where you can also see beautiful butterflies and six British reptile species. Again, this visit would add loads to our home education journey.

History

I was brought up with a love of learning and my oldest son has a passion for it shared by my parents. My younger two did not enjoy history much in school but they do now. Dorset is full of historical locations including Sherborne Abbey, Maiden Castle and Dorchester’s Roman Town House I am particularly interested in Tyneham village which was evacuated in World War Two and stands still deserted as a memorial to those very challenging times in British history.

Beaches

There are lovely beaches around the UK but Dorset’s really do stand out. Studland Beach is one example where you can swim safely and even catch a glimpse of the Isle of Wight. I am not really a fan of beaches which are not sandy but you have golden sands in plentiful supply here and in the county as a whole. Check out Durdle Door’s arch and beach. This is part of the Lulworth Estate and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

I have more research to do but Dorset clearly has so much to offer for a great family holiday. I would love to hear your tips about the best places to visit especially those that might appeal most to teens.

Days Out In Dorset For The Family

I know it might not suit many home educators but I have decided I need a written home education plan to steer our days and to help me on those days where I wobble a lot about our decision to home educate. I thought I would share what we are working to currently in case readers are looking for a home education plan. We can all learn from one another.

My personal struggles with mental wellbeing have proved to me how valuable it is go get outdoors for some of that delightful Vitamin D. It is also a good time to talk and to share. We live in the countryside so the beauty feeds our souls and we can take our two dogs and cat with us. Yes, I have a cat who loves to go on walks!

One of the things I have missed not knowing enough about in life purely for my own interest is art appreciation. So I try to ask the children to consider a painting every day and to share their thoughts and feelings.

On the other side of things, I cannot quite abandon the idea that they do need to have good English and Maths abilities. I use Edplace and other resources online to help with this. My son in particular enjoys doing worksheets whereas my daughter is more reluctant but will do them in amongst her self-directed learning.

We do worksheets on science too and the occasional experiment but I plan for that to be part of our standard home education day moving forwards. There are so many fun things you can do in the kitchen or outdoors teaching you lots about physics, chemistry and biology.

I love history as did my parents. I want my children to share that passion ideally. We watch documentaries about history a lot and will be doing more visits to enhance our history studies.

I did not study geography myself for long but I can use online resources to help with this. I certainly want them to have an awareness of diverse countries, their cultures and foods. I know there is more to geography than that so need to do further research as to how best to teach this.

I was always impressed how my brothers could always find work in cookery jobs as Mum had ensured that they could cook from an early age. She was a trained cook so they have very good skills or should I say had remembering that my oldest brother passed away last year.

Languages wise, we will focus on French for now and again there are so many resources online and I have my French A-Level to help me a bit.

As I write this I realise I need to build in money management and also music. My parents never taught me about money and I want my children to be equipped for the financial side of life. Music was a big part of my life growing up with so much singing in the house and on stage too. My youngest son has a real feeling for music so I want to encourage that. Music, like a good story, can ensure you realise you are not the only one to feel a certain way. As my late Mum said to me “With a good book you are never truly lonely”

What do you think of my home education plan? Have I forgotten something? What would you add?

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I did not have a clue what title to use when writing this post. I don’t want to get the tone wrong in the slightest way but I do feel I want to say something. If anyone has an issue with this post at all, please let me know and I will take it down.

Last Sunday, I was outside a bar as France won the World Cup. I felt a little tearful as that day would have been my Dad’s 91st birthday. He died in 2012 so the grief has eased so that I love to think of him and almost always with a smile. We talk of him often as a family and he is very much a part of who we are and what we do.

Monday passed apparently uneventfully (little did we know) and then the blogging world was rocked when we heard the news that the amazing woman Kate behind the blog WitWitWoo has passed away. At first the information did not compute with me – it could not be true. I did not know Kate particularly well but I did know she was so full of life with strength, humour and the warmest of hearts that it seemed impossible that she had died. Of course she was very young too and leaves behind 2 sons and other family members who will miss her desperately I am sure.

Please take a look at this page and if you can help at all financially please do so because you know what, Kate would have done.

https://www.gofundme.com/funeral-fund-for-mum

The thing about blogging is that when big things happen, you very quickly get to know what bloggers think and feel. We all like the sound of our own words after all or we would not be bloggers in the first place. At the beginning of the week, I had to come offline as there were so many tributes to Kate and the more I read them the more unfair it seemed that such a good woman should be taken too soon.

Kate was not one of my blogging buddies which is why I feel a bit uncomfy writing this post. She had commented on my posts, I had commented on hers from time to time and we had tweeted. What I can tell you is that every time I saw her at a blogging event I used to think to myself “Why can’t I be more like her?” There are some beautiful bloggers with lovely qualities but Kate stood out in every way. She appeared to be permanently smiling or laughing and with gusto too.

Blogging had apparently changed over the years. It felt to me as if the thing had lost a little of its original soul. Connections seemed a little more shallow and bloggers are driving themselves so hard to increase statistics, gain an award or a ranking or make money. There is nothing wrong with those things but I missed the old days when it felt that every blogger was at least a little bit your friend.

Kate passed away and blogging founds its soul again. A Twitter hashtag of #bemorewitwitwoo started up and reminded us to live hugely and with good hearts like Kate did. Even if you are not on Twitter join today and check out that hashtag and you will be saner for it. Lessons are shared with that hashtag that are already changing the world one baby step at a time.

People started living their lives differently. They allowed themselves treats. Mine involved hot chocolate with swirly cream and chocolate sprinkles. They indulged in self-care. I felt a need to nap. They wore make-up if they didn’t normally and if they did, they went bare-faced. I very almost wore red lipstick last night and I never wear make-up. I bottled it but will put that right soon. How incredible that Kate continues to make such a strong impact even after passing away.

Today, people have faced their fears and punched through their own comfort zones to post pictures of themselves in swimwear. Take a look on Instagram again looking for that powerful hashtag and see an array of beauties because we all are you know. It is just that some many of us struggle to feel that.

I don’t know but I can guess that behind those photos are several outtakes that never saw the light of Instagram. How many of gave into negative self-talk tearing our bodies to bits before finally realising that body confidence is a choice or at least increased body confidence is. How liberating to show our true selves wobbles, back fat, mum tums stretch marks and all!

I did not own a bikini so I went to buy one today. I clearly bought a size too small. It went on but there was much boobage escaping out of the sides. I looked at myself, I slated myself and then I had a firm word with myself. We can always do more than we think we can and today I posted myself in a far too small bikini out in the garden. It felt quite liberating.

So a woman called Kate died last week and her legacy is already huge. How amazing is that! She will remain a positive influence in so many lives moving forwards.

Instead of saying “Why?” let’s say “Why not?” and see what happens.

Rest peacefully Kate and thank you.

I have always known how important taking out the right insurance is. My Dad worked in insurance for a number of firms. I cannot remember a time when I did not know what insurance was all about. Today I am talking about the importance of commercial building insurance for those in business.

Things go wrong for business owners from time to time. If you have a building, you might wake up one day to find your building is fire-damaged. What happens if you lose all your fixtures and fittings? What if a car crashed into your building? It can be so dangerous to think these things will never happen because history proves they do. Some landlords rent out property to businesses such as shop owners and some also might be letting out flats above such premises. It is vital to find the right commercial property insurance policy and ideally at a competitive price.

Commercial properties tend to be riskier than residential ones often due to the number of employees using the premises or any potentially hazardous materials kept on the premises. Don’t neglect your hard fought for business for not having the right insurance in place. It is soul-destroying to see a business go down in any circumstances but if you know you should have done something to prevent it, is it that much worse.

Tales of the unexpected always cause stress of course and it will not be an easy time for you as a business owner if you are faced with a huge flood or an employee experiences a devastating injury. However with the right insurance in place, you have one headache less at a challenging time.

If you are not sure where to start it is a good idea to consult a broker such as Rigby’s Financial to work out your next steps.