Probiotics

yogurt

Probiotics! This is the new buzz word. Have you had yours today? The misuse of anti-biotics over the past few decades has lead to super bugs that are anti-biotic resistant. What can we do? We can revert to using probiotics to keep our bodies and our environment in good health. [Read more…]

BT Answer phone

On a BT (British Telecom) landline, if you dial 1571 who will be able to pick up any messages left on the answer phone.

If you dial 1471 on the telephone, you will be able to see/hear who the last caller was.

London Trip

14 February 2012: I went to London with friends. We did the Big Bus Tour in the open topped bus!  It was freezing and just part of the experience. Not too much point doing the tour if you can’t see properly. The bus ticket includes a Thames cruise, so we did that too. We sat up on deck in the biting cold to get the best vantage point.

We did a bit of walking too, and went to the Mayfair Hotel where my friend’s son worked for a few years until quite recently. We were treated like royalty by the staff. The loos are something else…. I kinda couldn’t find the doors at first. Everything is clad in black shiny stone, so it is difficult to differentiate the doors from the surrounds. We wondered around and checked out the dining room which was being prepared for the Valentine’s night dinner. I think going to the Mayfair was the highlight of my day.

Mayfair Hotel

Mayfair Hotel

Then we walked through Piccadilly where my friends were photographed by Samsung promoters and their photo appeared up on the Samsung ad that flashes up on the side of the one building!  A statue of cupid stands in the middle of Piccadilly and there had been 3 proposes of marriage by the time we got there! We saw one in progress, and she said yes!!! And at the end of this month, being a leap year, the girls can ask the guys to marry them. Watch out, guys!

Fame in Piccadilly

Fame in Piccadilly

We continued on, as we wanted to get to Covent Gardens for good food.  We were headed to Neal’s Yard which is a tiny area where healthy vegetarian food can be got. We stopped at one restaurant where we got veggie juice but did not stay for food as we did not like the music and the atmosphere. Then we found a raw food restaurant but they were only serving food from 7pm and it was too long for us to wait. We all would really have liked to have eaten there. I would go back there for the food!  You can see the food being made, and the staff were all happy and friendly. They really enjoy what they are doing. We wondered off to another place that had been recommended called Food for Thought, this amazingly tiny place where you might have to share a table with others as it is so small!  What a novel idea and a wonderful way to meet new folk. We had lovely home cooked veggie food!! Just what my body needed! We all felt better afterwards.

Food For Thought

Food For Thought

By that time it was dark and then we had to catch the tube!!!! In rush hour!!!! An experience that Liz will never forget. She couldn’t get her head around how many people there were and why the tube was still so busy at 6.30pm.  A wonderful day was had by all and we all slept well that night!

Simon’s Town

Simon's Town Spring Regatta

Simon’s Town Spring Regatta

This weekend sees the celebration of the Simon’s Town Spring Festival over the three days of 23, 24 and 25 September 2011. It also takes in Heritage Day, 24th September.

I have woken up early, before the duiker colony on Ark Rock, outside my window. They are waiting for their advant-garde to bring back the news of where the fish are! There is little wind to-day, thank goodness. Why do I always forget that the wind blows so here?

The wind has been good for the False Bay Yacht Club Spring Regatta.  Not sure what they will do to-day? The yachts made such a pretty picture on The Bay yesterday, their white sails billowing out, trying not to keel over.  In the afternoon there were yachts with grey sails.  Not sure what class they were?

There are so many things to do! I am deciding whether I will go down to Long Beach, Simon’s Town (not to be confused with Long Beach, Noordhoek)  to see the start of the Paddlers Annual Spring Kayak Race. Am sure I could get a good vantage point from the road to Redhill. There will also be a motorcycle display on the Town Jetty with Harley Davidsons.  A must of course!

Think I will go and have breakfast overlooking the Jetty!

HMR&C

HMRC

HMR&C

As a Care Giver working through an agency, you will be self employed. Whether you need to register with HMR&C (Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) will depend on your intention to remain in UK. If you are in the country for 183 days per year you will need to register. As it is a bit complicated to work out which side of the line you fall, it is useful to use a company like 1stContact to evaluate your situation.

Or you can deal directly with HMR&C. They are most helpful if you have a head for doing your own paperwork.

The agency you work through should give you the information that you need in order to register. There is an information book with a form that you need to fill in. Make sure you put money aside each week or month at a rate of at least 22% of your earnings so as not to have a heart attack when you get your Tax Statement.

South Africa and the UK have a reciprocal tax agreement. This means that you may have to pay tax on your UK earnings to the SA Revenue Service but you would not have to pay in both countries.

Feel free to contact me and I will answer any questions that I can or point you in the correct direction.