It’s time for a break – sit back with a cup of tea and see if you can solve this month’s puzzles! First up is a Sudoku …

Sudoku

Pictograms

2 words

HOROBOD

5 words

GGRACE
NINDIANA
IBRIDGET
PALED
EVINNIE
ETOM
KALEX

4 words

PAPER
CRACK CRACK

The answers can be found on page 63 of this month’s Directory.

Hello!

I do believe in the saying “to get something done, give it to a busy person.”  As a working mum, housekeeper, dog walker and chief bottle washer (I know I’m not alone!) this time of year is a testing one. If it’s not buying new uniform, filling out form after form (and writing endless cheques) to the school, I’m now driving round the country looking at universities for my eldest.   I shouldn’t be cynical but what sways her decision will not be the course itself but the choice of sports facilities, how many nightclubs are in town and the how big the bedrooms are!   If there are parents out there in the same boat then I empathise.

New venture

On top of the back to school activities, I’ve just bought Discover Meon Valley magazine with a friend (I can hear another saying “never work with friends and family”!) which is delivered to Bishops Waltham, Wickham and surrounding villages in Meon Valley.  So, if you’re a business looking to reach 52,500 homes in and around Southampton then you should be talking to me!

Makes approx 550g (1¼ lb)

450g (1lb) granulated sugar
75g (3oz) butter
150ml (1/4pt) milk
170g can evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100g (4oz) glace cherries, chopped

Place the sugar in a large heavy-based pan with the butter, milk and evaporated milk. Heat gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved.

Bring the mixture to the boil, without stirring, and continue to boil until the mixture reaches 116C/240F on a sugar thermometer (see tip). Stir the boiling mixture occasionally to prevent it from sticking.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla essence and chopped glace cherries. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is stiff, grainy and paler in colour.

Quickly pour the mixture into a greased 18cm (7in) square shallow cake tin. Leave until almost set then mark into squares. When completely cold, cut or break into the squares. Store the fudge in an airtight container.

TIP

If you don’t have a sugar thermometer, place a jug of very cold water by the hob. After boiling the fudge mixture for about 5 minutes, drop a teaspoonful of the hot syrup into the water. If the syrup forms a ball which you can roll between your fingers then its ready – if not, boil for a further few minutes then test again.

SWEET HALLOWEEN TREATS

If you’re planning a Halloween party here’s a few more quick ideas to keep hungry trick or treaters happy…

EYEBALL CUPCAKES – top vanilla sponge cupcakes with a layer of glace icing. Using a tube of red writing icing, pipe lines to resemble veins and place a red cherry in the centre.

SPIDER’S WEB COOKIES – top plain digestive biscuits with a thin layer of black ready-to-roll sugar paste icing. Using a tube of white writing icing, pipe a spider’s web pattern on each topped biscuit. Leave to set.

HUBBLE BUBBLE JELLIES – make up lime and orange flavoured jellies according to the packet instructions. Leave until just beginning to set and then divide the lime jelly between 6 clear plastic cups. Add a few bug-shaped jelly sweets then top with the orange jelly and a few more sweets. Leave until set.

WITCHES BREW – make some red coloured ice cubes by pouring cranberry juice into ice cubes trays then freezing until solid. Pour lemonade into tall glasses and add the ice cubes. Add a couple of jelly sweet snakes to each glass.

Renault Koleos

You only have to look over the fence to sister firm Nissan to see that crossovers can be successful – try and order a Qashqai or Juke now and you’ll be looking at a rather long wait. So it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the Renault Koleos flopped. Renault launched it in 2008 and by 2010 it had been axed, selling just 2,890. The Qashqai, by comparison, sold 9,253 models in March alone.

Nissan Cube

The Cube has been a cult hit for years with unofficial imports snapped up by style conscious buyers keen for something unique. So when Nissan decided to bring the latest model to the UK officially in 2009, it was sure it had a hit on its hands. Unfortunately, the maker gave it little publicity, it was expensive and soon became too costly to import from Japan. 1,000 were sold which Nissan says was ‘over its estimate’. We don’t believe them.

Citroen C6

We all know that large French saloons haven’t been the most popular cars in Britain. Despite this, Citroen launched the C6 in 2006 with phrases like ‘free-thinking’, ‘svelte’, and ‘unmistakable’ in its marketing bumpf. From its launch to the end of 2010, Citroen sold just 889 units – the E60 BMW 5 Series sold ten times as many in the same period. But Citroen always said it had expectations the C6 would find homes ‘in the hundreds, rather than thousands’.

Chrysler Sebring

Chrysler had its eye on entering the D-segment back in 2007 – and thought the Sebring was the answer. It wasn’t. The press packs said it combined ‘striking design with interior craftsmanship’ with ‘great performance’ thrown in for good measure. The public disagreed and bought only 2,652 of them before it slipped off the price lists in 2009. In the same period, Ford sold 126,368 units of the Mondeo.

Subaru Tribeca

Like Renault, Subaru believed it needed an SUV in its range. So, in 2006, along came the Tribeca. Intended to offer a ‘practical SUV with great handling and a sporty drive’ it failed to find buyers. A face-lift in 2008 did nothing to improve sales and it bowed out that year with just 750 sold. In contrast, the Volvo XC90 – a car Subaru was competing with – sold 11,897 units in the same three years.

Toyota Urban Cruiser

The Toyota Urban Cruiser went on sale in May 2009. Designed to meet a ‘growing demand for vehicles that are cut out for life on urban roads’ it didn’t do the job. Sales at the end of 2010 were 3,017 – the maker had planed to shift 2,000 units a year.

Chrysler Crossfire

Launched with great fanfare in 2003, the Crossfire was Chrysler’s sports car for the masses. Based on the first-generation Mercedes SLK, it came in coupe and convertible forms with retro American styling. However, only 4,544 units were sold in five years, and the Crossfire quietly died in 2008. In contrast the SLK sold 4,362 units in 2004 alone.

Vauxhall Signum

More than just a cut-down Vectra, the Signum was intended to offer the executive experience in an otherwise humdrum Vauxhall and arrived in 2003. But almost five years to the day, Vauxhall called time on the Signum, axing it with just 17,344 sales to its name. This was ‘on target’ according to the firm but industry experts say it was well off what was originally planned.

Ford Cougar

Along with the Focus, the Cougar was one of the cars that demonstrated Ford’s ‘new edge’ look in the late 90s. Available with the Mondeo’s 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol engines, the Cougar was loved by the press. Sadly, the public wasn’t convinced – the lack of a prestige badge meant sales totaled 13,958 in four years. In contrast, the BMW 3 Series Coupe sold 44,420 between ’98 and ’02, showing a badge makes all the difference.

Mercedes-Benz R-Class

Billed as a car that combined ‘an SUV, sports saloon, and luxury estate car’ into one package, the Mercedes R-Class arrived in 2005 hoping to carve a niche of its own. It was such a niche that few Brits bought it, and even a makeover in 2010 did little to improve the 3,433 sales clocked up so far. Mercedes says those numbers are ‘in-line with expectations’, but we’re not so sure about that…

By James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine (CarDealerMag.co.uk)

Amazing Autumn Colour is just too tempting

Autumn colour has always had the ability to make me go weak at the knees. I love it….just as the temperatures are dropping and there’s too much potential for things to become dull, gloomy and miserable, your garden can develop a new potential – to be positively glowing with fantastic foliage colour. If you’re looking to add some glorious golds, passion-filled purples, ravaging reds, yummy yellows or perhaps some outrageous oranges to your garden, then now is a perfect time to buy those autumn colour plants. Not only is autumn a great time to plant trees and shrubs, but if you buy the plant when it is showing its beautiful autumn colours, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting.

If you want to indulge in a little planting for autumn colour on vertical surfaces such as walls, fences or arbours, there are several plants I’d suggest you consider.

Vitis coignetiae – a rampant grower, the heart-shaped leaves may measure up to 25-30cm across and their splendid scarlet and crimson colours are un-missable. This vine can be grown through large trees and over sturdier supports. The colours tend to be especially good if the soil is miserable or the root run restricted.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia – more commonly known as the Virginia creeper, it’s another sizeable climber, and this also offers a good degree of self-clinging ability, so it can be used to clothe walls where you have not fixed up a support system. In autumn the leaves are numerous shades of scarlet, orange and red. It can grow taller than you want, so will ultimately need trimming if, say you grow it on a house wall, or else it will move on to the roof.

Parthenocissus henryana – a relative of the Virginia creeper, but much more restrained. For much of the year its divided leaves are a dark green to bronzy colour with pretty silvery white veining. In autumn they turn rich shades of red.

If you are after a shrub or two then there is an even wider range to choose from. Fothergilla major or Witch Alder is a gorgeous smallish to medium-sized shrub that is covered with scented creamy white spiky flower clusters early in the year, before the leaves appear. Pale green for much of the year the foliage turns shades of yellow and orange in the autumn. Fothergilla needs a lime-free soil.

Amelanchier lamarckii, also known as the snowy mespilus or serviceberry, is a large shrub or small tree and produces lovely whitish blossom in spring (that is much longer lasting than the flowering cherries!) In spring the new leaves are a coppery colour, changing to bright green and then come the autumn it is one huge mass of fiery colours.

Acers or maples are generally reliable autumn show stoppers, and for smaller gardens you find it hard to beat one of the Japanese maples with their stunning divided leaves turning rich purples, reds, oranges and yellows depending on exactly which one you have planted. The Japanese maples also do well in large tubs, perfect for a sheltered back yard.

Cotinus or smoke bush is a shrub with attractively rounded leaves that come in shades of green, pinkish–orange or purple. Come the autumn they produce a bright display to be proud of. The fluffy seed heads that are left after flowering look just like little clouds or plumes of smoke….perfect with the bonfire effect of the leaves.

It is a great time to choose plants for autumn colour, but if you’re not sure what’s available, treat yourself to a visit to an open garden, arboretum or park, and note down the names of what you like best. Planting at this time of year works well, but if your garden soil is waterlogged now, then wait a week or more until it is in better condition. If the soil is on the dry side, it will still need watering well, and the soil around the roots will need to be kept moist. Always check the ultimate or potential height and spread of trees or shrubs you’re considering…..there’s no use planting something that will out-grow its space in a couple of years time. Then sit back and enjoy your own bit of autumnal magic!

***Make veg growing fun and productive with Pippa’s unique ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ system. Select your veg plants from www.pippagreenwood.com and your garden-ready plants are delivered in May at a great time for planting and then, what makes it unique is that Pippa will email you every week about what you’re growing – lots of tips and help, ensuring great results. It is great value with various pack sizes available, eg up to 66 plants plus 6 packets of seed for just £39.00, plus that weekly advice. ***

Yes, it’s hard to fight the allure of the brand and the promises that come with it, not to mention the sublime packaging and determined sales pitch from the assistant.

We all have a tendency to think that if it’s designer and expensive, then it’s guaranteed to make our skin more youthful, our lips look fuller and our lashes appear longer. We reassure ourselves that the expense is, of course, worthwhile but in reality, are there other products that can transform us from plain to gorgeous, for half the cost?

Is a healthy glow, flawless skin, luscious lashes and perfect pout only available if you buy into expensive top brands or is there an effective value for money alternative?

Well, thanks to the new trend in budget beauty, a superb range of affordably priced buys are emerging. They might not be quite as exciting and glamorous as designer alternatives, but they do offer surprising results at pleasing prices.

The once uninteresting ‘value’ ranges have been overhauled and replaced with ones that are far more likely to grab our attention and make us realise that these products can stand up well against the competition. After all, what makes a beauty product great is what it can do for you, not the name on the container.

With supermarkets like Tesco leading the way with unbelievably cheap prices on cosmetics, these budget buys provide a great way for us to try out different or fashion-forward make-up looks, that we usually wouldn’t want to invest a lot of money in.

The cheap price tag makes experimenting fun, and a few pounds lost in an unsuitable lipstick is easy to live with, unlike the hefty credit card bill from the beauty counter of a top brand.

And it isn’t just cosmetics that are available at bargain prices. Everyday essentials are great value too. If you love relaxing with expensive bath and body products then you won’t be disappointed. The Body Shop – although slightly more expensive than some of the really cheap budget buys – is always the best for sumptuous, sweet smelling ranges that are perfect for pampering, cater for all needs and rival any designer fragrance.

More than ever before value-for-money products can even be found in your favourite clothing store. Next have a fabulous range of items that are fashion inspired and affordably priced, so you can finish a trendy new look perfectly. Their vast range of varnishes bring nails up-to-date, at a price that allows you to try out every colour in the range.

Although it is hard to deny that a lipstick clad with an iconic designer logo looks so much more sophisticated in any handbag than a budget alternative, when on the lips the two look equally effective. And of course, with what you save on a designer lipstick, you can invest in expanding your make-up bag, finding a new look that really suits you and a satisfaction in knowing that, even with all the new purchases, you are still saving money.

Children can be disruptive in the classroom in many ways: playing up when they should be working, refusing to carry out requested tasks, talking back to the teacher and distracting other children from their work by their behaviour. Often parents do not recognise this disruptive behaviour in their child at home but one survey found that 80% of primary and secondary school teachers blamed poor discipline at school on a lack of parental control at home. While this may be the case, research also shows that early intervention by parents and the school in dealing with difficult behaviour brings long-term beneficial results.

The effects of disruptive behaviour

A child’s disruptive behaviour at school not only affects their own schoolwork, it affects the concentration and behaviour of other children in the class. It also means the teacher has to spend time controlling poor behaviour rather than teaching.

While bad behaviour may seem amusing to other children, in reality a disruptive child tends not to have close friends, or doesn’t keep friends for long and they may find other children avoiding them at break-times. Teachers, too, may find it difficult to keep a balanced view of the child.

Future consequences

If a child is not taught how to become a considerate and active member of the class, then they are more likely to become disaffected with school and start to play truant – it’s estimated that 55,000 pupils skip classes every day. This means not only are they missing out on the social interaction gained from peers, but are less likely to do well in exams and gain employment in the future. As a result of a child’s behaviour they may be excluded from school for a fixed period of time or permanently.

Getting support for your child

All schools have strategies in place to help control behaviour. The school may suggest a written action plan, agreed by you, your child and them on how to deal with disruptive behaviour. They may impose sanctions, such as the withdrawal of break or giving a lunchtime detention. Your child may be mentored by an older pupil or supportive adults. If a child can see themselves as others see them and understand how their behaviour affects others, it can help them to behave in a more responsible way.

Your child may be referred to an educational psychologist, employed by your local authority, to assess the best way of helping them.

There are also parenting support programmes available which can help you to build on your parenting skills and open the lines of communication between you and your child – knowing that they have solid support at home will help your child to deal with problems at school.

Parents are often surprised it is their child being disruptive at school, but if a teacher feels the need to point it out to you, listen and take action.

Ask to have a meeting with the school and your child to discuss the problems and to try and work out solutions.

Remember that it is your child who will benefit from guidelines and support.

Research shows early intervention is the best way to prevent your child’s behaviour from getting worse – and to give them the chance of a good education.

1) Karin Wootten – Totton
2) Rachael Hartup – Marchwood
3) Mike Collingwood – Marchwood
4) Kate Rawlins – Totton
5) Mike O’Neill – Totton
6) Elizabeth Beevers – Hythe
7) Mandy Tizzard – Dibden Purlieu
Lynsey May – Marchwood
9) Stacey Smith – Totton
10) Lisa Prince – Totton

Two adult tickets went to the following people:
1) Martyn Knight – Southampton
2) David Flower – West Totton
3) Richard Levett – Southampton
4) Bob Kitcher – Dibden Purlieu
5) Sandie Smith – Marchwood
6) Anna Kavanagh – Southampton
7) Adele Higginbottom – Shirley
Mrs M. Long – Totton
9) Abbey Baker – Totton
10) Margaret Montpellier – Lordswood
11) Patricia Norman – Marchwood
12) June Roberts – Bassett

One adult ticket went to the following person:
1) Mary Coat – Hythe

Total prize fund: 10 family tickets and 25 adult tickets