On Monday's show

Do you know how to use your digital camera? Do you understand what the buttons do? Have you figured out what to do with the photos once you've taken them? No? Neither have I!

So on Monday I'm launching our 'Wireless Women' series, where Judy is going to try and help me figure all this out - and help you at the same time.

Let me know what's confusing you on your camera - or if you have any tips for us that you think we should know.

Also, Rory Bremner is on the show - before he features on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?

Join me on Monday afternoon from 1, on 'BBC Radio Solent', or any time on BBC iPlayer

Bagpipes r us

and all that - well it was Burns Night so where better to be than in Scotland? There were actually people reciting his poems in the pub we stayed in! I visited my father and stepmother who are unwell at the moment and it is so sad when the children start having to take over the parental role. The circle of life and all that. Lovely to see them though. My daughter came with me and spending two days without our partners and her daughter meant we had some special mum/daughter time too. Lovely to hear my grand daughter shouting 'lub you' down the phone to us!

I feel so touched when listeners share their lives with us too, and particularly so when something we have done on the show has meant that things have changed for them. The text from Mark on the show today saying that following talking on air with me he had decided to take some time off work to spend with his terminally ill father was particularly poignant when he sadly died weeks later. Mark is just glad he spent that special time with his dad.

Just a tipple

Well after 20 years of not drinking I have had a half glass of white a few evenings this week! Incredible, and I had forgotten how nice the taste of a good white is! With Mr M deciding to give up smoking I may need the glass of wine to deal with his withdrawal symptoms!

I loved the caller on my show today who said that her 8 year old daughter has taken over discipline matters in their family group. Not only annoying Mum, but her four other siblings - reminded me of the old Clarks' advertisement when the little girl says' My Mummy says when I grow up I'm going to be a proper little madam'!

Monday Monday

and apparently it is the gloomiest day of the year according to the papers. Well that would be right. Tax bills, a shower that scolds or freezes and a number of other things going wrong today meant I was beginning to believe the hype. So I was making sure that I was as cheerful as possible on air today including trying to be convinced that a caravan holiday would be the thing to do this year!

Added to that, I bent down to pick up my grand daughter India on Saturday and a muscle in my lower back went twang! I am now walking around like a constipated duck. (Has anyone ever seen a duck with constipation.......)!

Funny how

a good walk can often end up at a pub! Wanting to tick off another pub from our Hampshire Pub Walks book we decided to visit Minstead. A beautiful village with a church that is one of only two mentioned in the Domesday Book, we went to The Trusty Servant and all of a sudden fire bells were ringing and the cottage next door's chimney was alight! Much running around from villagers to check on the occupant, and all was well after the firemen had done their job!

On Saturday we went to West Wittering for a walk - Mr M had spent childhood holidays there - and when he turned the grey colour of his hair with cold, we decided to go to Itchenor to get a pub lunch ! So a bit of walking and a lot of eating sums up my weekend

So last night I pulled the walking shoes on and braved the cold and felt virtuous as I bit into a french loaf later on that night .... well at least it's not chocolate.....!

Happy New Year!

I hope you had the most fabulous Christmas and got throughly spoiled as I did. Mr M's Christmas feast turned out brilliantly and I managed to burn the Christmas pudding! it seems the very little cooking knowledge that I did have has completely gone to pot and everything I touch turns to being burned in an instant. Mr M thinks that this has something to do with the fact that I know only one setting on the hob ie high and suggested very kindly that maybe I might give midway and even low a chance. Mmmm maybe this is why on my list of resolutions 'learn to cook' figured. I also put 'teach my grand daughter French'. My daughter saw this and nearly wet herself laughing as she said 'Mum she's only just learning English!'. We'll see....

La plume de ma tante anyone????!!!!!!!!!