From rat racer to positive parent: September 2012

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Testing, testing... Fill in the Blank

Fill in the Blank: look before you buy
at Amazon.com

Fill in The Blank comes out this month in the UK! A press release appeared in my inbox early this month and since my daughter Michela, five, is a dedicated doodler and wannabe artist - and ballerina and cook when she is too old to paint and dance - I couldn't resist trying it out.

I had to discourage Michela from drawing into books, tricky if they are annuals, which encourage children to scribble away on dedicated pages but end up being totally defaced. Still, better than scribbling away on my books or family encyclopedias.

Fill in The Blank takes the semi-anarchic view of kids' annuals and goes a step further as it allows full creative reign on each page. It's a clever concept and no doubt it will appeal to adults too.

Michela was delighted with it. Drawing inside any book is not allowed since she defaced a number of annuals by scribbling everywhere, so Fill in The Blank was, for her, a breath of fresh air! The adult doodler will find plenty of scope too - this can truly be a cross-generational book for the whole family to enjoy.

Each spread prods your creative bones by suggesting a scenario - Michela loved the "cookery" challenges, especially the birthday cake spread as she loves decorating cakes and biscuits. I liked the branding exercises, where you are asked to come up with logos and images for a variety of products: from a footie team to soft drinks.

My partner Michael loved the "You are a business person" challenge, where you can devise all sort of business cards for fantasy businesses. I had a go too and a Monty Python sketch came into my head. Parrot peddler, anyone? My partner, cheekily, turned the page to "You are a control freak" and plonked the book on my lap.

I showed this book to a friend who is a photographer and she found it highly creative and stimulating. I agreed with her that the design is very modern but with a touch of nostalgia in the use of black and white photos.

Fill in The Blank, which has an RRP price of £13.99 in paperback format, offers 100 different spreads and carries on the bestselling tradition of Wall’s Notebook from Quirk. Part doodle pad, design and drawing board, or inspiration workbook, it is guaranteed to stimulate creativity in both adults and children. It's a great gift for all ages and a potential lifesaver for half-term holidays and rainy weekends.

Toyota travelogue: from Cambridge UK to Castagnole, Italy

It was our third time, travelling from England to Italy through France (read about previous journeys here and here). Could our nine-year-old Toyota Yaris do it again? If you are thinking of doing the same, do read about all the trips - the itineraries are all different (we only visited the same city twice as it was handy logistically).

This time I'd rather do a photographic record rather than article and give you some useful links. First of all, you must find out what you need to drive abroad: a top-up for your car insurance, breathalysers, yellow jackets if you break down and sticky pads to put on your lights if your car is old and doesn't match foreign legislation in terms of lights. You will find plenty of information online. If you don't have a numberplate with GB on it, you'll need a sticker too. Do your research before you set off. If you google for French Aires, you will find lists and information about the stops alongside most motorways - handy if you have kids. Some airs, like the Air de Jugy (pictured below) have free games and playgrounds. Motorways are expensive but they save time and are not as busy as UK motorways, handy if you are struggling with driving on the right. If you are driving a British car, your passenger will have to deal with tickets and payments - toll stations are built with European cars in mind. If you are alone, you will have to get off and go round to the other side.

We used the Eurostar again, booking an early slot saved as money, plus we could board an earlier train if arriving at the terminal well in advance - we always do. Photos are not in a particular order.

Our 2012 itineraries: Cambridge (out), Langres, Chambery, Castagnole; Castagnole (return), Lyon, Salon en Champagne (missing from Rough Guide, sort it out!) and de Panne (Belgium), just after Dunkerque.

I will make a few comments here and there... for instance why we didn't go via the Frejus tunnel this time round.

Aire de Jugy: free mushroom-themed playground

Aire de Jugy: poisonous (deadly) mushrooms

Aire de Jugy: edible mushrooms

Aire de Jugy: mushroom walk for young children

A mountain platter - cold cooked meat and cheese on top of Mont Cenis

Why Mont Cenis? Because we did the Frejus twice and it now costs 40 euros each way. This mountain road is OK for cars and even caravans - I even spotted cyclists. There are restaurants, shops and a museum on top. When you descend you are in Italy or France (depending which side you start with). It is closed at certain times of the year, I guess because of snow and ice problems.