Welcome to our Blog
Here we will keep you up to date on all things water related.
Favourite Watery Words
We can’t always be stats and measurements and water saving tips. Sometimes we just have to go with the flow (aha) and celebrate the joys of descriptive language. Keeping it watery, here are a few words from A to Z (or thereabouts) to describe the liquid bringer of...
Water Conservation down the Garden Path
I know we bang on a lot about water (no surprise there, Murphy Brown) and most of it’s to do with keeping ourselves happy and hydrated (and our children and the elderly and the animals), but seeing as there’s a whole planet out there that needs water to survive, I...
Across the Water – British Isle Islands
To avoid any confusion, the title refers to islands around the island of Britain and Ireland and Scotland and not to the island of Britain itself. Yes? Picture the scene – summer holidays many, many summers ago. An avid bookworm already at eight stands in a bookstore...
Protectors of those on the Water – Lighthouses
Lighthouses have long held a fascination for many people, me included. Perhaps it’s to do with the analogy between the wild seas and the shining beacon and staidness that a lighthouse offers; the fact that many lighthouses may have started out in the era of...
Vikings across the Water
There are so many schools of thought when it comes to our origins that it’s difficult to get a clear idea of which is correct (unless you have the moola to shell out for DNA testing which most of us don’t.) Having looked at the historical migratory patterns of the...
Summer Fun in the U.K.
Summer is upon us – lift your hands in air and say – Hey ayyy! But what to do and where to go inside of our now less than frosty shores? Here are a few suggestions that may shine some light on your wintery grey matter: Woodland Trust - The UK has centuries-old oaks,...
Water(y) News – Just keep swimming
On Monday I received a quick update from AquAid South Coast about their supplying the Glastonbury Festival with the festival’s drinking water requirements – to quote it directly, it read, “Things are going swimmingly ... LOL ...” Seems as if the famous British weather...
Water(y) Events – Glastonbury 2016 – all aboard!
The Glastonbury Festival has a long and illustrious history stemming back to the first ever festival which began the day after Jimi Hendrix died, in 1970. This year the Festival is running from the 22nd to the 26th of June. Attendance has gone from a modest 500...
AquAid Water Coolers for Construction Companies
Construction companies are part of a specialised industry, as are their requirements, as they need to ensure that their construction sites adhere to regulations that ensure the health and safety of all on site. One such requirement is that there is adequate hydration...
Collecting Water – How Many Hours in Your Day
It’s not often that I can say that I’m truly overwhelmed. I may drama queen a little about being overwhelmed but that’s not often the case. What I did find truly overwhelming was my recent nine day visit to Ethiopia at the behest of AquAid and at the invitation of a...
Water Cooler Wonder – the Glowing Jellyfish
Jellyfish and me – we don’t have the happiest co-existence historically - jelly, totally different story. Mulberry and orange flavoured jelly remain my favourites, but before I get sidetracked ... The unfortunate history began with summer hols at the ocean, wonderful...
Ethiopia – Land of the ‘Burnt Faces’
Ethiopia is without a doubt one of the most fascinating countries on the African continent. It has an incredibly ancient and cultural history and is believed to be (by some) to be a cradle of civilisation and the birthplace of Christianity. Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s...
The Talking Water Bottle
We should all know the direct correlation between drinking sufficient water and keeping healthy by now (OK, well I should, I’ve researched and written about it often enough - maybe you shouldn’t), but quite surprisingly in spite of a plethora of information from just...
Too Cool for School – the Water Cooler that Could
Schools are back and summer is on the way. It’s always a concern that your child is getting enough water to drink during their busy school day. Fortunately, school water coolers are pretty much de rigeur in schools across the length and breadth of the U.K. But what...
Brain Power and Water – Part II
I was quite amazed and impressed with the extensive, almost unending list of one’s brain function and how something as simple as drinking water can radically affect how our brain function. So impressed in fact, that I’ve written a Part II, because as we know,...
Brain Power and Water
My brain (oh Pooh of very little brain) is wont to skip along from thought to thought not unlike a greased toboggan on a stretch of snow. On occasion though, it hits the tarmac or an unsnowed patch and sticks a little. And ..... then it’s off again. One of these...
Tales from the Water Cooler – Dinky Toys and Venomous Snakes!
Here’s a true tale for you to relate at your next water cooler gathering. Please feel free to relate your own ‘you’ll never believe what happened to me as a sprog’ story too! I recently wrote a blog about loves of my mine that started in childhood – the first one...
Water Cooler Manners – Two Point Oh One Six
Many moons ago I blogged about water cooler etiquette – this year as we segue into spring (actually, spring was officially on 22 March) I was wondering if, four years on, there’s been any change about the ‘do discuss’ versus the ‘do not discuss’ topics especially with...
Think Tank at the Water Cooler – for the love of architecture
My particular love arrived when I started playing with my brother’s hand me down Lego. In this I must say, I’m a purist – the old Lego is what Lego is meant to be. I’ve never quite understood all the pink and purple brightly coloured weirdly shaped pieces Lego is...
The ‘Cuddle Hormone’ – Oxytocin
I’m always amazed at the amount of information available online. It boggles my brain. Take f’r instance, Oxytocin. I came across the name as I was researching the benefits of taking a hot vs. a cold shower. According to the article, if you shower using hot water, this...
Hot Water? Cold Water? What’s your opinion?
I’ll admit I’m the world’s biggest wuss when it comes to bathing or showering in cold water. Even when there are scorching hot temperatures, I’ll still opt for a mildly warm shower instead of ice cold. I may slowly turn the hot water tap down during shower but even...
Can Mindfulness Help in Schools?
This word has been popping up often across the web and I’ve oft wondered what it meant. Because I’m an inquisitive so-and-so I read further and found out a little more. Essentially the concept of mindfulness is rooted in Buddhist philosophy and according to our dear...
Driver Hydration and Other Hydration Type Scenarios
As I’m typing this, I’m literally looking (through?) a glass of water waiting for inspiration to strike. Rather funny, that, considering what the topic of this blog’s about. Have you guessed yet? *eyes slide back to the glass of water* *ponder* *ruminate* *again, eyes...
Inspirational Water
You may have gathered by now that I rather enjoy writing (or typing I suppose is more correct). In fact, I generally find it the best way to express my thoughts. I think a LOT and am a visual person; however the path between my brain and my mouth isn’t always a clear...
Does Drinking Water make you Smarter?
Does Drinking Water make you Smarter? Quite simply, yes, it does. How so, you ask (with a healthy lean towards scepticism)? Well, it’s like this: Every single organ in our bodies relies on being hydrated (i.e. water) to function; this includes the brain. While you may...
Leap Year Two Point Oh One Six!
What is Leap Year exactly? Simply put, it’s basically a catch-up day once every four years due to the disparity between the solar system and the Gregorian calendar. A complete orbit of the earth around the sun takes exactly 365.2422 days to complete, but the Gregorian...
British Food Habits – the times, they are a changing
*Figures charting the UK's changing food-buying patterns since 1974 have been released. So what’s changed since then? Data from 150,000 households who took part in the survey of their food and drink habits from 1974-2000 has been published by the Department for...
A Water ‘Trend’ (hopefully) Here to Stay
Two weeks ago I was blathering on about how simple it is to effectively reduce vehicle incidents on the road by instituting driving hydration (and no, this doesn’t mean hydration through drinking your favourite alcoholic tipple and then roaring off down the M1). I...
Hydration and Healthy in the Workplace (Water in the Workplace II)
Two summers ago, I blogged about keeping yourself tuned and fit while at work. Now, apparently it’ll be spring in a few weeks but for the moment it looks like we’re really still in the grip of winter. Despite this rather chilly weather, now is a good a time as any to...
Driving and Hydration – does drinking water make a difference?
A while ago I wrote about a slight accident I had while driving a friend’s car, entitled A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Water Cooler. The blog was all about irony, karma, call it what you will. I’ve also mentioned day-time fatigue that’s brought on by not...
AquAid and Carrington Dean: A Partnership of Care
If you have ever struggled with debt, you may have heard of our company, Carrington Dean. What we do is simple: we help those who are hopelessly in debt to get out of debt through management plans like IVAs, debt arrangement schemes, and bankruptcy. But it’s one thing...
Immersed in Water – The Submarine
Before you start up with an eager rendition of ‘We All Live in a Yellow Submarine’, just .... don’t. Please. I’m not anti one of the greatest bands of all modern time, but that song, just ... no. Anyhow, I digress. Being a touch claustrophobic, the mention of...
2015 – A Year in Review for AquAid
As always, thanks to the commitment to top service and maintenance from everyone at AquAid and because of the provision of top quality products, 2015 was a very productive and successful year. One of the most important aspects of the company experiencing a bumper year...
AquAid does January – Up Helly Aa!
Did anyone attend any Hogmanay events this year? I missed it but I heard they were marvellous! A few ancient Hogmanay traditions still to be found are: Redding the House - Like the annual spring cleaning in some communities, or the ritual cleaning of the kitchen for...
Musings at the Water Cooler – New Year’s Resolutions to consider for the big Two Oh One Six
Me personally, I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions. I stopped around 1990 something. Not sure why, just did. Just in case you do though, I thought it only polite to share an amusing and sometimes witty selection of resolutions and opinions about resolutions just in case...
AquAid and the Maasai Sports Bottle
Some 11 million children are at risk from hunger, disease and water shortages in east and southern Africa because of the strengthening El Nino weather phenomenon, this according to UNICEF. The worst affected countries are in east and southern Africa including Tanzania...
AquAid Quirks and Christmas Fun
If there’s one thing I absolutely love, it’s Christmas time. It starts with the advent calendars (no, they’re not just for the children), ramps up with the decorating of the tree and then continues at full steam ahead for the entire month of December. Wrapped up in my...
Water Christmas Trees
Did you see the double edged meaning there? Who’s a clever clogs then? In case you didn’t, it’s like this: If you’re having a real fir tree this Christmas, you need to water it. Then, there are Christmas trees that are made out of water. I know that beggars’ belief...
Witticisms at the Water Cooler II
A ways back, I should cocoa (I did) – I presented the first in a series of two blogs about *points to headline*. Recently, I went back to that blog and realised that it was a Part I, which meant, at the very least, a second instalment was needed. So, without further...
AquAid’s Bottled Water Cooler goes Viral in peppy Vevo Music Video!
Just when you thought AquAid were all about the staid and serious supply of a quality range of water coolers and water related products, we show that we too, can be frothy and fun. How, you may ask? Well, our Free Standing Bottled Water Cooler is a music video...
Traditional Autumn Festivities you may need Water for
Last year I blogged about Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night as it’s also called. Although the tradition of Guy Fawkes stems from an historical political event, it’s lighting up the darkness, so to speak, and so fits right in with a number of autumn time traditions,...
Water and Your Health – The Grapefruit
Typing the query ‘which fruit contains the most water’ into the omnipresent Googlio, and BAM! this is what came up: ‘Grapefruit.’ Then more about watermelon and strawberries - thing is, watermelon and strawberries seem to contain more water than grapefruit – ninety...
Trending at The Water Cooler – What’s Wrong with Plates
Funny story. I social media-ed a friend the other day to ask him his opinion on a newish restaurant in our area – the type of jeuj (my word) restaurant that one usually only finds in town or city centres. He replied that the food was really good, but his one question...
The Culture Vulture Circles Britain
Recently I blogged about various dishes with really bizarre names that originate from different cultures. I also mentioned that we Britons certainly aren’t alone when it comes to naming our scoff weirdly. I said that at a later date I’d be expounding further on more...
The AquAid Compact Water Boiler vs. a Kettle
Switching from a kettle to a hot water boiler not only reduces the amount of time spent waiting for a cup of hot water but the cost involved in production time and energy bills. Obviously, each work environment is different, so this information will assist you in...
Trends at the Water Cooler – We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!
I was trolling the net, looking at what’s trending this week in the U.K. when it occurred to me – whatever happened to all of those ‘Pet Rocks’. No, I don’t mean your pet rocking out on some YouTube clip, I’m referring to the 1970 something craze of having your own...
The Culture Vulture at the Water Cooler
That would be ... me! Yes, yes, on occasion (usually during the change of season) I don my culture vulture headgear (a jester’s cap no less) and get out there in the World Wide Web and eddicate myself. I was all geared up initially to find out which countries were...
Say Hello to our ‘Baby’ Elephant
Here at AquAid, we’ve always believed that an integral part of good business practice is helping those less fortunate – especially those far flung communities in Third World countries. This philosophy was put into effect by ensuring that a portion of proceeds from all...
Need a bit of Laugh? Here is are some jokes from AquAid
Of course, it is! And to prove as much, we’re including a photo of one of our environmentally friendly delivery vehicles. Works really well until such time as they encounter a low bridge. Bada-dish! You didn’t like that? Then may I draw your attention to a selection...
Keeping hydrated during the Rugby World Cup 2015
Great excitement abounds as we draw closer to the 2015 Rugby World Cup being held in the U.K. this year, starting on 18 September and the final being played at Twickenham on 31 October. One would hope so, as rugby was invented in England in 1823. Legend has it that...
‘Red Sky at Night …’ and other weather adages
I’ve always loved adages and how they evolve, but I love them especially when they relate to predictions about the weather and the natural world. For example, one of my favourites, which I’ve never quite understood is: ‘Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in...
To Beer or not to Beer? The Sugar Shock.
Everyone knows that if a person is in shock one of the most effective ways of combating it is to give the person some sugar water to drink. This raises the blood sugar levels almost immediately. But perhaps we haven’t realised just how bad sugar can be for us and also...
Water and Food – When a Pizza isn’t a Pizza
I recently read a delightful article about a woman who ordered a pizza in Italy and was told that such a pizza doesn’t exist. The gist of the *article is about how the journalist, who resides in Italy, went to her local takeaway pizzeria and ordered a marinara to...
Water Cooler Wonder – Pluto that Was and Wasn’t
Some time ago I wrote a blog about poor Pluto – the planet that was a planet, and then it wasn’t annnnnd ... now it looks like it may, once again, be reinstated as a planet. Confused as I am? It’s no wonder. Imagine how the planet / non-planet feels? As a popular meme...
Water Cooler Trivia or How I Trivia’d My Way to Fame
I hope you aren’t surprised about the ‘I’ in the title; by now you should be well aware that a lot of this blogging stuff is about me. And why not – it is me that’s writing them after all. I actually didn’t really trivia my way to fame – no Slumdog Millionaire me –...
What Makes you Thirsty?
Let’s fact check here for a moment. This is a blog page. The running (aha) theme is generally about all things watery. There’s heaps of information about the supply of water and how we deliver said water to you, dear customer, through the provision of our spankingly...
Water Cooler Trivia – Facts that aren’t actually Factual
Last week, we sent a mailer to all you wonderful people with 4 different articles, one of which was a quick quiz. Gauging the response to these articles, it seems the quiz came up trumps. I found this very interesting. Humanoids like to engage, one and two, like to be...
The Origin Of The 99’er – The Flake in the Ice-Cream Cone
While doing research for a ‘Hydration in Summer tips’ (aside from drinking good old water) blog, and as my mind skittered crazily from one topic to another in a burst of what I call, ‘The Frenetic Frenzy of Fern’, I chanced upon a delightful article written about the...
How a Water Cooler can save your Life
Aha! Bet that got your attention. Now I have it, can I direct you towards this selection of wrist watches I’m selling? Only joking – however, in all seriousness, when the temperatures start to soar in the summer months, dehydration can occur quicker than you may...
Trends at the Water Cooler – Are you a Smoaster?
Caught me by surprise too – smoaster – what the hey does that mean, I asked myself? Being all things food and drink, I though perhaps it was something to do with s’mores or boasting at the water cooler, but it isn’t. Apparently, it’s unnecessary boasting on social...
The Blogista at The Water Cooler
I cain’t get noooooo .... respect. Weather’s improving and I’ve been cartwheeling down the corridors with excitement all the way up to the water cooler station, believing that somewhere in the period that I’ve been writing blogs, some of my advice about heat,...
The Great Unicorn Debate
I saw a post this morning on social media. It read “Google Scotland’s National Animal”, which I, of course, immediately typed in. Tadaa - it presented me with the Unicorn being Scotland’s National Animal. If that doesn’t cement my love of all things Scottish, nothing...
Witticisms at the Water Cooler I
Having a great love of all things English – the language itself, the gram-mar, pronunciation, etc. – I’m always interested in the foibles and eccentricities that I hear about or read. In particular, I often wonder where certain expressions originate from and how they...
HSF Training builds an Elephant Pump in Liberia
There’s definitely more involved than just the usual supplier / customer relationship when it comes to AquAid and its customers. Not only do AquAid provide a high standard of service to their customers through the supply of a range of top-quality water coolers,...
Emir Dobson – AquAid Middlesborough
The Swimming Scuba Diver One of the aspects of working in the marketing and social media sphere that I really enjoy is getting to ‘know’ some of the many people that work at AquAid. To date, I’ve ‘met’ a serious traveller - Josh; a carer of animals and Tough Man...
Water & Your Health – Can You Unplug?
I know this blog is horribly ironic, speaking as we are about the benefits of not being connected with our electronics for a whole day and here I’m blogging about its importance and benefits. Mea culpa. However, in my defence – dee- fence! – I am posting this ahead of...
The Sore Head at the Watercooler
A while ago, I blogged about the dreaded headaches that affect most humanoids. There are so many types of headaches, one hardly knows where to begin, but I’m going to give it the good old college try in the hopes that this will provide useful information so you can...
Summer Holidays Homework – a Fresh Approach
The Summer Holidays will soon be upon us and for many parents this can be more a cause for concern than a reason to celebrate – namely, what are the kidlets going to doooo all summer? Stroll-surfing along the internet, I happened upon this rather lovely article: *‘An...
Queueing at the Water Cooler
I’m sure, like me, (and countless other humanoids) queues and queueing are the bane of your life. In my case ‘bane’ is too soft a word. I have a pathological dislike of queuing. I’d like to say that the introduction of the World Wide Web and the ability to connect to...
Are Water Coolers Funny?
Last week I blogged about memes (see image above); the word itself always makes me a little uncomfortable – memes … Manitou’s …mammaries – but then that’s how my brain processes word association – it may not be how yours does. (Aren’t you lucky?!) With memes in mind,...
A Tomato = Fifty Litres of Water
I’m sure you all have a pretty good inkling about some elements of what your carbon footprint is and have, in your own way, implemented certain strategies on how to lessen that footprint. But are you at all aware of what the water footprint is for each bit of food you...
Water & Nature – The Versatile Dandelion
Dandelions, long immortalised in Dance, the Media Arts and Music are, in fact, weeds. If you don’t believe dandelions have been used in popular music over the last few decades, boy oh boy, are you in for a surprise! Just to get the dandelion swaying, here’s a fine...
Ice Cold Water or; what’s in a Meme?
Do you get it? ‘ey, ‘ey, ‘ey? I decided it’s again time for a little humour at the water cooler. Googling as I’m wont to do, I happened upon the above humorous meme. What’s a meme you ask? Well, before you think I’m becoming all teachery on you, I didn’t know what...
Water & Nature – Why do Zebras have Stripes?
I was wandering through the dreaded social media the other day and I saw an absolutely beautiful black and white (ha) photo of zebras drinking at a water hole that an acquaintance had taken whilst on tour in Namibia. Those who are into photography will know that...
Water & Nature – How Cacti Can Save Your Life
Before you start hissing like an old boiler at the use of the word ‘cacti’ (pl), I’ll remind you that it is correct. It is a cactus and many cacti. Anyhow, the point of this blog from your (occasionally) friendly blogista, Fern, is that although I’ve never been a fan...
‘I am Cynthia M. Brown, a former child soldier.’
These are the opening lines that I read after receiving an e-mail from Ian Thorpe of The Africa Trust. I had asked for an update on the progress of the work that the charity carries out throughout countries in Africa. I thought it was high time that we had a more...
Cocktails and Mocktails – Hydration, Island Style
I’m aware that you may sometimes feel that you’re being waterlogged with information about how important it is to stay hydrated by drinking sufficient water, so this month, the wonderful, glorious month of May, pre-cursor to high summer, I’m easing back on the water...
A Braai is a Braai unless it’s a Barbecue (but even then, it’s still a braai).
Living in South Africa as *I do, but having lived in the U.K. for a number of years, I’m often struck by the differences when it comes to barbecuing in the U.K. versus braaing in South Africa. One needs to understand that to a large proportion of South Africans,...
Wishing for a Water Well
‘A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the idea that water housed deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods, since...
Like Water for Chocolate
Quite some time ago, I wrote a blog about chocolate – and all its health benefits. Yep, you read correctly – all chocolate’s health benefits. Go and have a squiz and be amazed. So, this Easter, I was going to write more (as promised) about the origins of chocolate and...
Myth Busting 101
I’ve been hard at work here at work, so my water cooler station lurking has been at a bare minimum for the last few weeks. Whereas I doubt that my absence has had a detrimental effect on any of my colleagues (I had visions of said colleagues’ grey matter rapidly...
Water & Your Health – It’s all about Balance in the Belly – Part II
Last week, we spoke about us having 2 brains – the one in our head and the one in our stomach. This week we continue talking about stomach and digestive system health and how having a happy tummy is vital to your general health and well-being: It’s all about balance...
Water Cooler Wonder – A River Runs through it
I’ve always wondered why certain cities are more appealing than others and it struck me that it’s generally because those cities are near water. I’m not referring to seaside cities, but cities that have a river running through them. Think of London and the Thames...
Water & Your Health – It’s all about the Brains and the Belly – Part I
There’s long been debate about how best to maintain and prolong your body’s health. Now it turns out, you don’t have just one brain to take care of so it takes care of you, but two. Who knew?! This is the case, apparently: Brain 1 is the central nervous system (brain...
Hot Cross Bunnies and other Easter delights
As you may have gathered by now, I quite like the origins of ‘stuff’. Couple this with a love of celebrations and traditions and you end up with enough reading material to last you aeons. For example, where did hot cross buns originate and why? As with a lot of...
Paint your Eggs and Other Easter Delights
Easter has always been my favourite time of year – followed closely by Christmas. Perhaps it’s the idea of celebrating; the colours, the decorations, festivities, the delicious food – whatever the reason, I’m in like Flynn when it comes around. It could also stem from...
Ancient Methods Making a Splash Today!
It would seem that ancient methods are best when it comes to saving water in a ‘Modern Age’. *Recently, The Stockholm Water Prize was awarded to Rajendra Singh, who is known as the ‘Water Man of India’. Rajendra’s methods have brought water to over a thousand villages...
Weird at the Water Cooler – A Day for EVERYTHING
I’ve noticed a rather disturbing trend has raised its invasively shaped head on the worldwide web in the last few years. The every single day of the year allocated to some cause or other trend. Frankly, I find it exhausting. There seems to be a post 20th Century gene...
Bubbles at the Water Cooler – The Good, The Bad and The Sad News
"Terry Pratchett 2005". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons Ever have one of those weeks where you’re just ‘blah’. A friend of mine explained it as ‘when your spirit is disconnected from your body and your physical being bumps into walls and stuff’. This...
World Water Day – 22 March 2015 – Should you care?
In a previous blog, I spoke about the rather disturbing trend where almost every single day of the year has been tagged as a Day of Something or Other. One seems hard pressed to wheedle out a day that has actual significance or some real meaning or; that is of...
Beware the Ides of March
March actually isn’t an unlucky or ‘bad’ month at all. It’s just that peskily prolific Shakespeare whose line it is that’s responsible for the month’s bad reputation. We've all heard the saying, 'Beware the Ides of March.' The actual quote is from Shakespeare's...
‘You Can Lead a Horse to Water …’ and other such expressions
‘You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.’ Have you ever wondered who comes up with such expressions or idioms? I often do. Keeping matters pet friendly (aha aha) and water related (because that’s what we’re about – us here at AquAid, dont’chya...
Ross Dowsett – Super Manager, Super Dad and Super Walker
Regional Manager - AquAid Surrey To date, meeting some of the AquAid team has taken us all over the U.K., as far as San Francisco in the USA, and even Tanzania, Africa with Ian Thorpe of The Africa Trust for Christmas with the Maasai. Today we learn a bit more about...
Water Cooler Wonder – Is There a Difference Between Indigo and Violet?
Here’s some bamboozely info. to bandy about at your next network at the office, home or school (hopefully at school, you’re not networking as yet, but just chatting to your mates) water cooler – just what are indigo and violet and is there any difference between the...
Shimi, Mavournin and Watery Adventures
Once upon a time there was a family – the dad of who had a dream. The dad in the family had dreamt from when he was a nipper that one day he would have an ocean going yacht. So that is what the Dad did. He worked hard and scrimped and saved, then he retired and he...
Watery Tales We Were Told
‘You must wait for an hour after eating to go for a swim. If you do not, you could get a stomach cramp and drown.’ Does anyone else remember that old chestnut? Absolute torture for us otters who literally lived in the water from sunup to sundown in the summer months....
Water & Wasabi – Ways to Heat up this Winter
I cannot, for the life of me, when I think of the word Wasabi, say it as it’s written. I always martial-art-movie the pronunciation. And I do mean always. Say it with me now,’Wa-saaaaaabi!’ I have wondered whether wasabi was a chilli, pepper or mustard, but apparently...
Water Cooler Wonder – Why are Snowflakes all Different?
Some days, it’s all about wishing for warmer weather, sun peeking out, birds tweeting and other days, you just go with the chill. Today is one of those days. I’ve always had a fascination with formation of snowflakes – to the point where I wished I could carry a...
Are you barnacles if you like to go camping?
So it started like this ... (I’m tempted to say ‘and that’s how the fight started’) ... but that wouldn’t be correct. Or true. It wasn’t a fight. What it was was the seemingly endless discussion about whether to go camping or to not go camping. Whether camping was...
AquAid Birmingham, Scott Barnbrook and Man’s Best Friend
Charity can often be a word bandied about but with no real meaning behind it. If there’s one thing I’ve discovered about AquAid it’s that you’ll find tons of individuals throughout the AquAid network that aren’t just committed working professionals, but they’re really...
Fidelity Facts of the Feathered (and otherwise) for February
In case you were thinking that fidelity only applies to us humanoids, think again. All of these water loving/living creatures pretty much mate for life: ALBATROSS - Other bird species can boast about their monogamous relationships, but albatross display a unique...
Water Cooler Wonder – February and St. Valentine
Speculation is that the word February comes from the Roman festival of purification called February where people were ritually washed. There is a Roman god called Februus, but he is named after the festival, not the other way around. The interesting linguistic story,...
