A vehicle that was once thought to be impossible is now quickly becoming the norm is some parts of the world. If you’re considering making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) here are pros and cons that should be weighed before you go down to the dealership.

Cons of Owning an Electric Vehicle

There are a lot of upsides to owning an electric vehicle, but no vehicle is perfect. Automakers are significantly improving the technology year after year, but there are still a few downsides to EV ownership.

Increased Electricity Costs

The efficiency of EVs is measured by the number of kilowatt-hours needed to go 100 miles. While it is cheaper than a gallon of gas, charging an electric vehicle will increase your energy bills. An electricity comparison company like Alberta Energy can help you reduce your overall electric costs by providing rate comparisons for deregulated energy areas. The money you save with a lower cost per kilowatt-hour could negate the cost of charging up an electric vehicle.

Upfront Investment for At-Home Charging Equipment

Do you need a full-on charging station to power up your electric vehicle at home? No – but you do need to invest in some essential equipment. As noted by the Department of Energy, an AC Level 1 EVSE and nearby power outlet is all you need to charge up. If you want to charge an EV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) even faster you’ll have to upgrade to an AC Level 2 charger. No matter what type of charging equipment is installed it must meet federal, state and local regulations.

Expensive Batteries

We’re reaching the point where the first electric vehicles need their batteries replaced. It’s one thing that’s held drivers back from buying electric vehicles. Even though engineers have improved battery life and reduced replacement costs, a new battery will still cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately, Business Insider recently reported that manufacturers are on the cusp of creating much cheaper batteries, which will likely move this factor out of the con category. For example, GM batteries used to cost $400-500 per kilowatt-hour. Today the company’s lithium-ion battery is just $145 per kilowatt-hour.

Finding Power Stations Isn’t Always Easy

Some cities like Austin, TX are heavily investing in public EV charging stations. However, Austin is the exception, not the rule right now. Many local municipalities and states have plans to increase the number of EV charging options, but that is still years away.

More Difficult to Plan Long-Distance Trips

Because of the limited charging stations, taking a seaside excursion or even a car ride to the next major city requires a lot more planning. You’ll need to power up before you leave and find a route with at least a few charging options along the way. If you own a Tesla you’re in luck. The company has strategically positioned its own charging stations so that their drivers are able to take a cross-country trip without gasoline.

Short Driving Range

Another thing that can make long-distance trips difficult is the short driving range of EVs. Most can only go up to 80 miles before they need to be recharged. Here again engineers are making huge improvements. The latest lineup of EVs can go up to 200 miles on a single charge. That’s exceptional right now, but soon it should become the norm.

Pros of Owning an Electric Vehicle

Now that you know the downsides, it’s time to consider the benefits of owning an electric vehicle.

Fuel Savings

You may spend a little more on electricity, but you’ll spend virtually nothing on gas. With prices hovering around $2.25+ a gallon you should see savings right from the start.

Less Maintenance

Electric vehicles don’t need oil to run smoothly, and there’s typically less wear and tear on the engine in general.

Better for the Environment

Early EV adopters were concerned more about their eco footprint than saving money on fuel. One undeniable benefit of electric vehicles is they are much cleaner than gas-guzzlers. If your electricity is produced by renewable resources, then your EV is even more eco-friendly.

Incentives and Rebates

When you go electric with your vehicle you can offset some of the cost with incentives and rebates. They vary depending on where you live, but all drivers can take advantage of federal tax breaks for electric vehicles. Depending on the model you buy you can get a tax credit of up to $7,500.

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Something the 12 Year Old has always wanted to do is swim with a dolphin, so our first activity, the  Dolphin Interaction, did not disappoint.  Our family spent 30 minutes with a dolphin and its trainer where we learned about dolphin behaviour and the individual markings and personality traits of our dolphin, Yoko. We were taught how to ask Yoko to perform different behaviours and also got to give her a kiss. Awesome! We all left the water in awe and wonder at our dolphin experience, it really was very special and the 12 Year Old decided then and there that she wanted to work with dolphins.

Soon after we donned snorkels and swam around the The Grand Reef. The 12 Year Old has had issues with putting a snorkel mask on before, due to claustrophobia, so we weren’t sure whether she’d be able to do it or not. Within five minutes she had conquered her fear and was joyfully snorkelling above tropical fish and rays. The beach into The Grand Reef is gradated so you can go as deep or as shallow as you like which is perfect for little ones to gain confidence or simply paddle. We wore life jackets so that we could just float around the 2.5 acres of reef. The 10 Year Old spent all of his spare time snorkelling, even when a storm passed overhead and the heavens opened, he was head down searching for new sights.

SeaVenture is an underwater walking tour. Wearing a heavy oxygen filled diving helmet (which helped to keep us weighted to the sea floor), we walked among shoals of tropical fish and rays, came face to face with sharks (behind a panoramic window) and had one-on-one experiences holding starfish, giant sea snails and hermit crabs. A highlight was when someone fed the fish from above which caused a feeding frenzy around our helmets. We didn’t think that the 12 Year Old would be able to take part in SeaVenture, due to her previous problems with masks and claustrophobia but after a few worried tears (hers) and our cajoling she did it and didn’t stop smiling the WHOLE time. The 10 Year Old didn’t like the feeling of the helmet so asked to go back up as per the instructions given in the safety video.

Birds have never really been my thing, I can take them or leave them… until I visited Explorer’s Aviary and was given a cup of food and told to hold my hand up in the air towards the sun. Within moments I had stunning colourful birds sitting on my arm literally eating out of my hand. It turns out, that as a family, we’re rather popular with the birds of Explorer’s Aviary! The 12 Year Old wandered round with a hand reared bird who just wanted to sit on her shoulder the entire time we were there. The 10 Year Old and The Husband made friends with a variety of birds and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Discovery Cove felt quite exclusive and, as only around 1300 people visit each day, it never felt busy. As the park is all-inclusive the children could help themselves to snacks and drinks all day without having to pester us. We definitely relaxed while at Discovery Cove and really had nothing to worry about all day long. It was the perfect family friendly end to our hugely memorable trip.

Highlights :

Meeting and interacting with Yoko the dolphin, snorkelling among 125 different species of fish, rays and sharks, our SeaVenture walking tour and feeding exotic birds.

Tips :

• Snorkels are provided so there is no need to bring your own
• Sunscreen is provided which is safe for the animals
• Take your passport with you to prove you are over 21, if you want to partake in an alcoholic beverage
• Don’t worry about food, drink or snacks as Discovery Cove is all-inclusive

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

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First up was Cobra’s Curse which is described as a spin coaster which brought back memories of a waltzer, at a fair, circa 1988. It wasn’t a good experience for me, or the other people sat with me.  So, I was apprehensive to say the least. The ride starts off by taking you up 70 feet in a vertical lift at which point you are face to face with an 80 foot cobra and just behind it sat vast swathes of the park’s Serengeti Plain at which we oohed at giraffes in the distance shortly before speeding along at 40mph… at one point backward, with a bit of snake-like twisting and turning. Then the spinning began which was actually really good. We span, backwards, forwards and then freely. We ALL loved Cobra’s Curse so much that we went back on it another four times. Each time we had a different spinning experience depending where we sat and who was on the ride as its dependent on your, and other, passengers’ weight. It’s a definite family-friendly ride and The 10 Year Old’s favourite rollercoaster.

At Jambo Junction The 10 Year Old discovered that if a flamingo chest bumps you it’s trying to make friends.  I’m not sure what the consequent preening and nibbling, by the flamingo, of The 10 Year Old’s neck meant, but it was super friendly. We blame his shorts which were somewhat flamingo coloured. We spent a bit of time feeding the flamingos in all their majestic long legged glory before meeting Harry the sloth. This was a particularly lovely experience for me because I had met Harry seven years ago during a previous trip.  It was nice to see him, give him a head scratch and see that he was still enjoying a long and healthy life. This animal interaction is a highlight of Busch Gardens.

Cheetah Hunt was the 12 Year Old’s favourite rollercoaster at Busch Gardens. The coaster mimics the speed and agility of a cheetah and we were all amazed by how smooth the movement was, especially when the coaster accelerated, as though in hot pursuit of its prey.

We visited the Animal Care Centre where the children were invited to prepare breakfast for Berko the Ground Cus Cus. He was very cute and had a penchant for corn. The Animal Care Centre is where animals are cared for, from nutrition to treatments, x-rays and surgeries.  The children loved finding out about the care that animals get at Busch Gardens and felt very privileged to be involved in the feeding of Berko.

The heat of Tampa in August was in the high 90s so a ride on the Congo River Rapids was definitely a welcome relief. Spinning through waterfalls and river rapids was good fun and for some reason myself and The Husband seemed to get drenched whereas the children got a mere sprinkling. Still we were dry again within half an hour!

Falcon’s Fury was my Busch Gardens nemesis, a 335 foot high drop tower. Having watched a YouTube video prior to our visit I was absolutely terrified, but very determined. In the queue I was pensive but wanting to prove to the children that I wasn’t a scaredy cat. When I sat in the seat and we began moving upwards I decided to shut my eyes and just pretend it was a bad dream. The Husband, on the other hand, was cackling with glee and telling me “Open your eyes, you can see the sea from up here!” As I prised open my eyes to mutter something, possibly sweary, the seats pivoted forwards by 90 degrees, making us face the ground. We sat there for all of three seconds before plunging at 60mph towards the ground. I have never experienced such terror before and won’t again, while The Husband returned two further times, to ride, I watched from the comfort of the ground.

Our Serengeti Safari open truck tour was magical. We saw zebras, rhinos (including a baby rhino), eland, ostriches and giraffes. Feeding giraffes, such beautiful and placid animals, in close proximity is something we will never forget. The tour lasted approximately 45 minutes and our guide was able to answer all our questions about the animals. The 10 Year Old was fascinated, in particular, in the fact that giraffes can pick their own noses with their tongues.

SkeiKra was our final dive coaster of the day, and much like Falcon’s Fury had a 90 degree drop, however as it was a coaster I was happier about it. SkeiKra had been looming large all day, we’d occasionally see it from another ride or animal experience and I’d pretend it wasn’t actually there. But when you are strapped in and dangling over the 90 degree drop there is no denying that it’s real. I think because this was day three and I had by now conquered many coaster fears I took it in my stride and loved every minute of it. Sitting at the front of the coaster, something I wouldn’t normally do, seemed nothing compared to Falcon’s Fury and away we went, with my dulcet screams ringing out.

We were lucky enough to be invited to feed the lions, at Edge of Africa. The children and The Husband hand rolled meatballs and threw them into the enclosure and the waiting mouths of lion Kembe and his lionesses. A once in a lifetime experience for all three but especially The Husband who absolutely adores lions, he’s still talking about it weeks later. Bucket List ticked right there!

For us Busch Gardens was the perfect mixture of amazing animal interactions and great rides. In one day we had so many experiences that it’s hard to pick for us to pick just one or two highlights each.

Highlights :

Feeding giraffes and being so close to them, the twists and turns of Cobra’s Curse, the height, sheer presence and enormity of Falcon’s Fury, befriending flamingos, the acceleration of Cheetah Hunt, feeding the lions and getting to meet Harry the sloth for a second time.

Tips :

• The Serengeti Safari open-truck tour is a park extra, make sure to book before you go and take sunscreen and a hat as there is no shelter from the sun.
• Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking and like the other parks there is plenty to see and do between the bigger rides.
• For kids who aren’t up for the big rollercoasters Cobra’s Curse and Cheetah Hunt are the perfect family-friendly introduction to rollercoasters.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

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As with our previous day, at SeaWorld, we started the day with a buttock clenching, heart rate increasing ride. Ihu’s Breakaway Falls was the slide that I was fairly nervous about and once I climbed 80 feet I realised why, as the sound of a heartbeat throbbed around me as I stepped into a capsule. The tallest and steepest water ride of its kind in Orlando certainly lived up to its hype and as the capsule door closed and I was asked by way of a thumbs up if I was ready to ‘drop’, I was petrified. It took everything in my body to move my hand to the ‘thumbs up’ position, before a countdown started and there was no turning back. Dropping at 20 feet per second meant the ride was over in four seconds and when ‘I broke on through to the other side’ I felt exhilarated and absolutely thankful that it was over. Whereas I was just really glad I’d done it and also that it was over, The Husband loved it and wanted to do it again and again – definitely a highlight of Aquatica for him.

Our favourite family ride was definitely the Taumata Racer which was an eight lane, 300 foot long, mat ride. With race times on a screen at the bottom you can compare and gloat, in my case, if you are the winner. We went on the Taumata Racer a few times and it was lovely to all be able to ride, as a family, at the same time.

Next up was Dolphin Plunge, a ride with a clear underwater tube which takes you through the habitat of Commerson’s Dolphins. We made sure to keep our eyes wide open, which is sometimes difficult when hurtling through water, for a glimpse. Don’t worry though, if the speed means you don’t see a dolphin, you can walk round to the viewing area at the bottom of the ride.

Omaka Rocka was an unexpected thrill. I assumed it would be a sedate ring ride, but no! Splashing backwards, forwards and up the sides of the flume walls I screamed all the way down before popping out in a pool looking, and feeling, slightly dishevelled but wanting to repeat the experience straight away.

Everyone knows I love a ‘lazy river’, they are definitely my thing, and Roa’s Rapids is probably my favourite of all time. Wearing a life jacket we were carried along and drifted 1500 feet through waterfalls, and geysers. As it is three to four times faster than the average lazy river it was a lovely feeling and every so often a stronger current would hit and you would speed up. The family all enjoyed this as we could float round chatting, laughing and spending quality time together.

We explored Walkabout Waters which is a 15000 square foot watery wonderland for little kids, and big kids if our family reaction was anything to go by. We drenched other people and each other with water cannons, tipped buckets of water over unsuspecting folk below and waited for a ginormous bucket atop Walkabout Waters to fill and plummet down all over us. This is great fun for little ones, there is so much to do and explore.

Alongside the water rides there is a laid-back beach area called Big Surf Shores and Cutback Cove. The beach area looks out over a double wave pool, one offering a regular wave pool experience while the other is unpredictable, like the real sea. In-between waves you can swim in the pools or relax on a sun lounger on the shore. If you need a bit of a rest after riding the water slides and your kids are still going strong Big Surf Shores and Cutback Cove is the perfect place to kick back and relax and is a great base for the kids to return to.

A mixture of thrills and relaxation, Aquatica is a fun family water park where you can spend the whole day.  The size and layout of the park meant that we didn’t have to worry about our children getting lost and restrooms with showers and lockers were plentiful.  With something for everyone; thrilling rides, relaxation and the layout of the park, Aquatica truly is one of our family’s favourite water parks.

Highlights :

The exhilarating drop of Ihu’s Breakaway Falls, Taumata Racer for family fun and Roa’s Rapids for the ultimate lazy river experience.

Tips :

• Get a locker for the day so you don’t have to worry about your belongings. The park is small enough for you to go back to your locker as often as you need.
• Forgotten something? Don’t worry the shops, at Aquatica, are stocked with suncream, goggles and clothing.
• The life jackets are optional on Roa’s Rapids but I would definitely recommend wearing one for the ultimate fast floating feeling
• Ladies – wear a full swimsuit to avoid any embarrassing rearrangement issues when climbing out of a rubber ring or when you’ve just dropped 80 feet through a tube in front of an audience.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

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The start of our day was particularly monumental because the 10 Year Old had never ridden a large coaster (due to his age and height). Mako – (actually a hypercoaster) the tallest, fastest and longest coaster, in Orlando, it turns out would be his first dalliance into ‘proper rollercoasters’.  The twists and turns mimicked that of a shark and with speeds of 70MPH there may have been relentless banshee like screeching a couple of screams coming from my direction. Being strapped in by my waist was unusual, because I like the full safety of an over the shoulder protection bar, but I went with it and quickly realised why. Mako is so fast that when you surf the smooth peaks and troughs at such speed you have a total feeling of weightlessness, something you don’t get from other roller coasters. The verdict was that we were all slightly shaky at the end, but loved it. The 10 Year Old’s verdict was that it was AMAZING, but not something he wanted to repeat immediately!

We arrived at the Manatees just as they were having their breakfast of lettuce and it was clear to see that they LOVE lettuce! Gentle and slow moving herbivores, Manatees are one of my favourite creatures – their faces are incredibly cute, especially their snuffly noses. They vary in size and the average adult manatee can weigh anything between 800 and 1200 pounds! We were lucky enough to be taken behind the scenes where a tour guide showed us some rescued manatees and sea turtles. The expert care that goes into the recuperation of an injured animal was evident and the ultimate goal is always to return the animal to the wild – although when an animal has been orphaned or has injuries that would make it difficult to survive in the wild, they continue to be lovingly cared for at SeaWorld.

We stopped for lunch at Sharks Underwater Grill which was a dining highlight for the whole family. The wall of the restaurant is a floor to ceiling aquarium that hosts the Shark Encounter Attraction, which is the world’s largest underwater viewing tunnel. The food was excellent; we can eagerly vouch for the Grilled Mahi Mahi and the Tempura Shrimp which was not the sort of food we expected from a theme park. The kids menu was good value and included a reusable cup. Sharks both fascinate and scare me, in equal measure, so to sit so close to them as we dined was a real treat and the children loved being eyeball to eyeball with these amazing predators.

At Antarctica : Empire of The Penguin we were given the option of ‘wild’ or ‘mild’ and having ridden Mako earlier in the day we were feeling invincible. We opted for the wild ride in a unique trackless motion vehicle which spins through an adventure and insight into the life of a baby penguin named Puck. There is a drop in temperature during the ride from ‘Orlando heat’ to ‘Antarctica chill’ so take a hoodie for those in your group who really feel the cold otherwise you won’t want to hang around at the end of the ride at the penguins’ habitat, where you can see four species of penguin interacting and swimming underwater.

I was delighted to revisit my favourite coaster of all time, Manta. Once you are secured your chair tilts forward so that you are facing the floor and soaring through the air. The head first face down coaster feeling is something I haven’t come across anywhere else and the feeling of gliding smoothly manta-like through the sea makes this still my number one coaster.

Journey to Atlantis, a ‘log flume’ type ride, takes you up to heady heights through the special effects of a lost city before plunging you down, not one but two, steep drops. We were soaked by the end of it, which was welcome in the 90 degree heat! I had forgotten that there were two drops and it took the 12 Year Old a while to forgive me for not telling her about the secondary surprising splash.

We saw three shows throughout the day. One Ocean, Clyde and Seamore’s Sea Lion High and Blue Horizons. My favourite show was Blue Horizons which featured dolphins. The children loved Clyde and Seamore’s Sea Lion High which was a comedy featuring sea lions, a mahoosive walrus, birds,  a janitorial  otter and lots of giggles. We also saw One Ocean which demonstrates killer whale behaviours while educating about the importance of protecting the ocean. There is a Splash Zone for each of these shows but we opted for some shade instead.

Our day at SeaWorld was a great experience, we loved the educational side of the theme park and came away with a wealth of knowledge passed on to us by the passionate experts we met throughout the day. We were really proud of the 10 Year Old for being brave enough to ride Mako and I was thrilled to ride Manta again. As well as big thrilling rides there is plenty to see and do for all ages – one day is just not enough!

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel which was a perfect base for our trip. Situated opposite SeaWorld it is also within a five minute drive of Discovery Cove and Aquatica.

Highlights :

The three ‘M’s – Mako, Manta and the Manatees and dining at Sharks Underwater Grill.

Tips :

• Park close to the exit at the beginning of the day. At the end of the long day you’ll be thankful not to have to wait to leave the car park when the queues are long.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Take a hoodie for those who feel the cold when going on the Antarctica : Empire of the Penguin attraction.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

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We can’t wait to have a break from everyday life and experience the massive range of activities that are just not possible in the Yorkshire climate. We’ll be visiting the four SeaWorld parks; SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and Aquatica, SeaWorld’s Waterpark. Amongst other things we’ll be swimming with dolphins, watching shows in the parks, feeding giraffes on the Serengeti Safari, trying out new roller coasters and visiting some old favourites too.

Excitement has been palpable in the Driver household in the past few weeks in preparation for our holiday. The 10 year old has thoroughly researched, on You Tube, the newest SeaWorld roller coaster, Mako, which covers two of his favourite things in the world – sharks and speed. Meanwhile the 12 year old is eagerly hoping to realise her dream of swimming with a dolphin, something she never thought she’d get chance to do.

Orlando is the ‘Theme Park Capital of the World’ and although theme parks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea I’ve found that there is something for everyone from the daring thrill-seekers to the more laid back sedentary sort.

Away from the parks you can enjoy a game of golf, go horse riding and take an airboat ride. Orlando has hundreds of lakes perfect for the 12 year old’s most recent hobby, which she discovered during a recent camping trip, fishing. She’s yet to catch anything, so I hope she’ll have better luck in Orlando than on our camping trip to the Lake District.

Because I’m ever so slightly obsessed with food I am really looking forward to eating authentic southern food. Dining in Orlando always feels far more relaxed and as an adventurous family, with one super fussy eater, we know that we’ll all be catered for.  The three more intrepid members of the Driver family are looking forward to discovering new restaurants, while our fussy eater will spend his time trying to find THE perfect burger.

We’ll be stopping by shopping malls on International Drive, before we head home, to bag some bargains, and for a hit of air conditioning. We’re contemplating buying another suitcase while out there to bring back the inevitable shoe/clothes/handbag haul. The malls in Florida are vast so it’s a good idea to have a list of the things you need, and make sure you have plenty of refreshment breaks where you can take time out to rest your feet! We also fancy visiting the new I-Drive 360 retail park which is home to The Orlando Eye (I’d love to see the theme parks in all their glory from high up!).

Most of all during our trip to Orlando we’re looking forward to us spending quality family time together, creating new memories, trying new things and taking part in activities that we wouldn’t normally have access to at home.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

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So, when I met The Husband and we moved in together it seemed like a natural course of action.  We got Peanut, a chocolate Labrador who was our first baby and when we had children their first pet. Having a dog is always a good excuse to get out of the house and explore. Living in West Yorkshire we discovered do many new picturesque places to visit. As long as you have all the right gear you can walk at any time of year – there’s is nothing better than wrapping up super warm and going for a crunchy crisp, and slightly icy walk up on the Yorkshire Moors.

As Peanut got older it was apparent that she was slowing down, she would take a bit longer to get around and would take herself off to bed. I read an article that said that it was a good idea to ‘overlap’ your dogs. The idea being that a new dog gives your old dog a new lease of life and the new dog learns good behaviour from the old dog.

Cue Jessie pup, another chocolate Labrador. When we brought Jessie home Peanut looked at her as if to say “How long is she staying?” but after a few days they became the best of friends and they would nestle up together to sleep and play together.

Of course the sad day came where we had to make tough decisions about Peanut and as she became poorly we decided to make the hard decision to let her go.

She was 14, a good long life for a dog and I hope we filled it with happiness for her.  We were all devastated. She was part of our family and brought us all so much happiness. We all have several funny Peanut stories – the time she ate the candles, the times she escaped the garden to walk three streets away to visit the old lady who fed her Custard Creams, the times she took herself to the local park for a sniff, the inappropriate crotch sniffing of visitors.

A year went by and life seemed a bit strange with just one dog. I knew I had to have another dog but this time I wanted to adopt, I didn’t want to go through the puppy stage again and I wanted to rescue a dog. I looked far and wide and knew I’d know when I saw the right dog. And I did, Cleo arrived with us, from Spain, in October last year. A Podenco, found with pups on waste ground she was rescued and now spends all her free time, when she’s not having a siesta, chasing squirrels in the woods, playing with Jessie and generally lolling around in any patch of sun she can find.  We can’t imagine life without her.

There isn’t a day that goes by where our dogs don’t make us smile. Every morning Cleo and Jessie race upstairs for their morning head rubs.  Every day I take them out for a walk, which is my favourite pastime, I get exercise and do all my best thinking and the dogs are happy.  Of course they have other benefits; Winter Foot warmers, Super Enthusiastic Children Cheerer-Uppers, Canine Vacuums, Mood Enhancers and they will always look at you as if you are THE best person in the entire world – who doesn’t need that at 9pm of an evening when you’ve battled two grumpy children into bed?

Life is definitely better with pets and I wouldn’t be without my waggers.

Purina believe that pets are better with people – and you can’t argue with that! You can make a commitment to your pets with the Purina GIF Generator here – http://bit.ly/29aEJT5. It’s been lovely reading through other people’s commitments. Why don’t you join our movement, spread the message, and share your own commitments – big or small – with Purina?

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It had been a fairly normal Tuesday: Kids to school, work, unhealthy lunch, work, too much coffee, kids back from school, dog walk, pretty spectacular spaghetti bolognese. The only addition was a really positive high school second term parents evening for the 11 year old.

Back to the blubbing on the sofa; I was suddenly overcome with emotion because I had a moment, a parenting rarity. The girl who makes me clutch my sides as I laugh at her ridiculous faces and sharp wit. The girl I pull close for a hug and realise that my head now rests atop hers. The girl who has no problem communicating her feelings, good or bad. The girl who is doing so well at school she’s even impressed a particular teacher who is, apparently, very difficult to impress. This beanpole of a girl with a sparkle in her eye. I just sat there in complete bewilderment as I realised that despite the blatant winging and my motherless-mother-parenting-repertoire, I had got something right.

It may be all downhill from here, mind you, although the 10 year old is shaping up rather nicely too.

And the emotion, the big fat tears, surfaced because I so wished, in that moment of happiness, that my mum was here to see her, to see the spirit and fire that lives on in the gentle soul of my daughter.

Grief is a funny old thing, I’ve always talked about how it changes constantly, lurking and hiding before ambushing in the most unlikely of places.  This is one of those times…

Last night, in my living room, I sat alone and I cried.

Disclaimer : I am not claiming I am a wonderful mother, I am referring to a moment, because I know that in this journey of parenting there will be a million moments in the future where I’ll wonder how I got it so wrong. Parenting is like that, an eternal expedition of winging it and getting some things right and some things wrong and hoping that at at some point you emerge blinking into the light with successful, kind natured, feisty, funny kids who still want to spend time with you and vice versa.

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I wander out of the kitchen leaving him alone, proud that he’s using his initiative. Seconds later I come to my senses and realise that he may follow in his Grandpa’s steps where it comes to experimentation, and could possibly maim himself. I return to find him with his nose pressed against the microwave door, peering at something rotating within.

Me : Sheesh, what are you doing?
10 year old : My experiment. I’m seeing what happens if you microwave a custard cream.
Me : Erm … OK, but while we’re on the subject what must you NEVER put in a microwave?

A look of both panic and utter glee passes across his face.

10 year old : A CUSTARD CREAM?
Me : nope, anything made of or containing metal.

Just for the record he’s discovered that absolutely nothing happens, of any great interest, if you microwave a custard cream. He has big plans for an egg and/or a melon, at 800w for 5 minutes, though.

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Meet Cleo (AKA Cleopatra, Cleekie, Cleeks, Cleo Bear and several other variations), she’s a rescue dog from Spain.

When Peanut died last year she left a big hole in our lives, albeit a less smelly one, and I’ve wanted a second dog ever since.  I knew I didn’t want a puppy again – having a puppy is like having a newborn; lack of sleep, carpet stains, repeating yourself over and OVER and I felt strongly about rescuing a dog.  I kept my eye on several websites in the hope that I’d see ‘the one’ … and three long months later I did. She popped up on the local vet page on Facebook, via a lady in our village, who we now affectionately refer to as ‘The Dog Fixer’.

Cleo popped up on The Asociacion de Animales de Berja’s Facebook page. A charity, they rescue stray dogs in Spain, foster them in local homes and once a month do a run over to the UK to re-home the lucky ones. We paid the charity £150 which included vaccinations, neutering, travel costs and really is nothing when you think about what goes into rescuing a dog, the vet bills and bringing her from Spain.

Cleo was found with five pups on some wasteland.  She stayed with C&J, a lovely couple, who foster dogs alongside their family pets. They gave her such a loving home and kept us updated regularly on how she was getting on which really helped us to bond with a dog we’d never met.

She’s been here just over a week and has slotted into our family without any problems. We had never heard of the Podenco breed before but she’s such a gentle soul who runs like a whippet and has the BEST bat ears. She was quite timid to start with but over the last week has come out of her shell. She’s not a fan of baths, loves walks, chasing squirrels and trying to infiltrate the sofa. The rest of the time she likes her sleep – the 11 year old thinks it’s because she’s Spanish and used to having siestas. She can be quite aloof in a mañana, mañana fashion and we have had to wake her to feed her and let her out a few times.

If you are considering getting a dog please think about a rescue dog. There are so many dogs out there who just need the right family.

We think Cleo has found hers.

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