Out with the old and in with the new
But keep the memories is what you should do
2015 ? well, that is all gone
2016 ? move up, and move on

Victoria Welton 5th January 2016

Welcome to the January edition of the Poetry and Prose Round-up. Here?s wishing you a happy, healthy and harmonious 2016.

I really do enjoy the festive season and turn of the year for all of the creativity it brings out in people. It seems to make everything magical ? including people?s imaginations.

There were some great seasonal pieces of fiction. Maddy from Writing Bubble, my Britmums round-up co-editor, wrote a two-part Christmas Ghost Story which I found sad but a really great read. Antonia from 38to39 shared a great piece of writing ? with some very recognisable names for this time of the year, there was a lovely short and snappy piece of fiction from Fifty-Something Fruit Cake and Agent Spitback shared her version of the Christmas List.

Whilst I am on the subject of fiction, I absolutely loved the gripping three-parter from One Frazzled Mum entitled ?There?s Something I Need to Tell You?. She is looking at turning it into a full book ? and I really wish her well with this.

There were a number of Christmas-related poems including My Helpful Little Elf from Pickles and Pords (although it could be used for any time!), the brilliant Arthur?s Letter to Santa from The Brightness of These Days and Mrs Teepot with a poem to help us remember those less fortunate at this time of the year.

Christmas is also a time for lots of us to reflect on many different things. Glasgow Dragonfly does it beautifully in her Deep Midwinter Reflections, whilst Leigh at Headspace Perspective asks How Long is Forever? Mum Turned Mom looks at Gratitude and Jo at Ojos World asks What is Love?

Being a parent at this time of the year brings with it so much happiness and I enjoyed the fact that this shone through in a poem from Collecting Moments.

I love being able to look back on the year that has gone before, acknowledge what has happened, learn from the bad memories, take the good ones with me and then say farewell. All year I was following a set of photography and poetry prompts and I was able to look back with my very last prompt, ?Reflect?. I wasn?t the only one to look back and say goodbye to 2015. Lisa?s Life reflected fondly on Christmas, The Uncheshire Wife says goodbye in a funny fashion ? which I can certainly relate to ? and, finally, The Parent Game looks forward to a far more organised 2016.

All it remains for me to do now is to wish you a wonderful January and try not to let the Christmas excesses weigh you down ? roll on pay day! 

Read this practical guide

 These beetballs are based on a beetroot burger recipe from Lee Watson?s incredible vegan recipe book, Peace And Parsnips. If you follow my social media, you might have seen me evangelise about this book once or twice; in fact, such is my vim and vigour for this beautiful culinary bible that I put it on the desks of the country?s best food magazine with an insistence that they read it first out of the hundreds of books piled on their desks. I have given copies to friends, new and old vegans alike, carnivores, and today thrust my own copy at my friend Jane with corners folded down and jabbing a finger at the photos asking her how she could refuse a beetroot burger from a man who looks like Jesus himself. So thankyou, Lee, for the inspiration for these beetballs ? I started off making your burgers and got carried away ? so apologies that they aren?t in their original carnation, but here we are. 

For a gluten-free version, simply replace the slice of bread with a tablespoon or two of your preferred gluten free flour; it?s just to bind the ingredients together to hold them in shape. Add one and see how firm it is, then add a little more if required.

It?s also worth noting that sometimes in the World Food aisle at the supermarket, the KTC brand of red lentils are £3/2kg ? but not everyone has the space to store 2kg of lentils nor the initial financial outlay for bulk buys, so I try to keep my recipes based around reasonable purchases ? I know I don?t have space for 2kg of lentils in my tiny kitchen on top of the bulk carrots, spuds and onions for a start!

With the beetroot, at my local supermarket the fresh bunched variety is £1.80 for 500g, and the peeled and cooked vacuum-packed beets are 80p for 250g, so they actually work out cheaper. It seems illogical but I can only imagine they would be the smaller beets or the ?less pretty? more than the big glorious ones that make it into the bunches. Which is speculation, but I?m applying Tinned Spud Theory and it makes sense. Anyway, it?s a matter of personal preference and budget, but unless I?m seducing someone with a raw gorgeous salad, (and let?s face it, who even does that?!), I?ll take the pre-cooked cheaper beets every time. They don?t stain your fingers as much either.

Makes 20 beetballs at 6p each

(Prices based at Sainsburys because that?s where I shop ? similar products widely available at all major supermarkets. If you find anything cheaper than listed below, comment and let me know; other readers love a bargain and it?s good to share!)

200g red lentils, 44p (£1.10/500g)

150g cooked beetroot (not the kind in vinegar), 48p (80p/250g)

1 small onion, approx 100g, 6p (Basics, 90p/1.5kg)

2 fat cloves of garlic, 4p (Basics, 2 bulbs/35p)

½ tsp cumin or coriander, 3p (£1/38g)

2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, 3p (£3/3l)

a pinch of salt, <1p (Basics, 25p/750g)

1 tbsp bottled or fresh lemon juice, 3p (50p/250ml)

1 slice of bread or a pitta, 4p (Basics, 6/22p)

First thoroughly rinse your lentils under a cold tap, then pop into a pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil; do not add any salt at this stage or your lentils may seize and never ever soften. Sad but true. Reduce to a simmer and cook for around 15 minutes, until very soft, swollen and translucent.

Meanwhile, slice your onion and garlic and toss into a pan. Finely dice your beetroot and add that too. Add the oil and spice of your choice, and bring to a medium heat to soften, stirring regularly to stop them from sticking and burning.

Skim any scum from the top of the lentils using a tablespoon, then drain and rinse them thoroughly. Tip into a mixing bowl along with the onion, garlic and beetroot, and mash to a pulp. An ordinary jug blender, or any kind of food processor, will make this job easier, but it?s not essential; a fork or masher and a good dollop of elbow grease will yield a pretty satisfying result too.

When it?s a rough pulp, grate the bread into crumbs and mix through, with a pinch of salt and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Cover the mixture and chill it in the fridge for half an hour to firm up.

When firm to touch, pre-heat your oven to 180C. Shape the mixture into small balls and place on a lightly greased baking tray. Drizzle the top with a little extra oil, or brush each one if you can be bothered, and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes, turning over halfway through. And serve. I like mine with mayo (vegan, garlic), a generous helping of slaw, and a pile of little socca pancakes (recipe here: )

Jack Monroe. You can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr @MxJackMonroe

Yes! It is time for yet another lovely 31 Days of Love guest post! Today, we have a great paper bag crafts from the gorgeous Rachel at I Heart Crafty Things. These Paper Bag Puppets are so bright and cheerful and a bound to delight the kids this Valentine?s Day. Such a perfect Valentine?s Day craft for kids! Follow the DAILY 31 Days of Love, or browse by group ? Valentine?s Day Decorations, Valentine?s Day Cards, Valentine?s Day Treats and Valentine?s Day Gifts!

Paper Bag Crafts ? Valentine?s Day Puppet

A big thank you to Maggy for having me as part of the 31 Days of Love series! My name is Rachel and I blog over at I Heart Crafty Things where I focus on creating fun and simple children?s arts and crafts. I often find my best inspiration from children?s books so I love to create crafts that go along with books. Please stop by and say hello! One thing we love Paper Bag Crafts.

Today I?m very excited to share these paper bag love bug puppets. They are super simple to create and they make a perfect Valentine?s Day craft for kids. My favorite part is how kids can play with their love bug after making it!

Paper Bag Crafts ? Love Bug Puppet Supplies:

• Paper lunch bag
• Paint (color of your choice)
• Paintbrush
• 4 pipe cleaners (we used shimmery ones)
• Heart washi tape
• Googly eyes
• Black marker
• Tape
• Tacky glue

How to make a Paper Bag Craft ? Love Bug Puppet:

1. Start by cutting off about 1.5 inches off the top of your paper bag. This makes it a perfect length for kids arms. Turn your bag upside down with the bottom of the paper bag (the flap) at the top. Paint the entire front of your bag with the color paint of your choice and then let it dry completely.

2. Cut all of your pipe cleaners in half. Make your heart antennae by folding one of the pipe cleaner halves in half again and twisting the ends together, leaving a loop at the top. Bend the top of the loop down to make a heart shape.

3. When your paint is dry, put stripes of your heart washi tape down your paper bag. Then use your washi tape to tape the heart antennae to the back of the paper bag, and the six pipe cleaner legs onto the side flaps of the paper bag. You can bend the legs however you would like.

4. Finish your paper bag love bug puppet by gluing on the googly eyes, pom-pom nose and then draw on a mouth with your black marker.

Now your paper bag love bug puppet is all ready for play! Simply put your hand inside the paper bag and have hours of fun pretend play with your cute little love bug. Don?t you just love Paper Bag Crafts?!

Here are more fun kid crafts you might enjoy:

  

Egg Carton Whale Craft

Paper Bag Monster Puppets

Cupcake Liner Shark Craft

You may also like these TP Roll Love Bugs from last year?s 31 Days of Love:

Tags: 31 Days of Love, activities, kids, paper bag, paper bag crafts, valentine’s day, valentine’s day crafts, valentines day for kids

Category: Paper Crafts, Valentines

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There?s no getting away from it: Family holidays versus school term times has been an issue testing the patience of parents and schools. How do you balance school schedules with the need for families to book time away without breaking the bank?

This morning I appeared on Sky News along with a Tom Bewick from Brighton and Hove City Council about that council?s move to address the problem. They are considering moving a week of summer holiday time to earlier in the year so parents could take advantage of cheaper rates from the travel industry.

Is this a good idea?

My take? It?s great to see a council responding to parents and the way we live now.

We all know the incredible benefits that travel provides to children and families. It expands our minds and our horizons. We know the importance of being able to visit extended family who might be scattered around the country or the globe. Plus, not all of us have the kind of jobs where we can dictate our time off to coincide with school breaks. 

On Sky News, presenters Stephen Dixon, Samantha Simmonds and Jacquie Beltrao pointed out that rescheduled term times could simply result in the travel industry jacking up prices at an additional time of the year.

Sure, while high season getaways can scoop out loads of cash from your wallet, I?ve talked to enough owners of hotels, resorts, cafes, attractions and more to know that many rely on the demand-led prices at busy times to carry them through the lean off-season months. Without high-season rates, we would have a lot fewer groovy B&Bs, unique local restaurants or luxury resorts with platinum-quality service.

That doesn?t excuse the unscrupulous players in the industry just looking to gouge travellers (at any time!). But by spreading the demand throughout the year, schools can help make the family holiday away more manageable and affordable for a lot of families.

What do you think? Would you like to see a similar measure taken up by your local school?

Here a link to it

In the round-up: Toro Rosso designer James Key says it will be more useful to compare Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jnr after their second season together in 2016.

here the link

This one sounds like an 80s TV show.

In 2029 an ex-military drifter risks his life to protect a woman from her dangerous ex in the lawless State of Jefferson. He?s aided by his A.I. implant Clyde who proves partner and friend.

It stars Sam Daly, Simon Templeman, Andrew Wilson and Leilani Sarelle. I?m a big fan of Sam Daly after watching him in The Daly Show.

This adult

Since 2011 F1 Fanatic readers have been selecting the best drivers during each race weekend.

After almost 100 polls, it?s time to reveal which drivers have been your top picks over the last five years ? and who missed out on a place among the leading ten.

10: Nico Hulkenberg

Hulkenberg led convincingly at Interlagos in 2012

Nico Hulkenberg has the unenviable status of being widely considered one of F1?s most impressive drivers not to have been given a chance with a top team.

He arrived in the sport having won the GP2 title as a rookie, a crown he added to his F3 Euroseries and German Formula BMW titles. But late in 2010 within the space of a few weeks he went from scoring Williams? first pole position for five years to being dropped by the team to make way for Pastor Maldonado and his PDVSA millions.

After a year on the sidelines his 2012 return with Force India yielded another impressive showing in Brazil which saw his first of four Driver of the Weekend wins ? despite the fact he only finished fifth after colliding with Lewis Hamilton.

Nico Hulkenberg?s Driver of the Weekend wins

9: Kimi Raikkonen

A winning start for Raikkonen in 2013

Kimi Raikkonen?s comeback to Formula One since 2012 as been a tale of two halves ? plucky underdog heroics with Lotus and a thus-far disappointing reunion with Ferrari. Unsurprisingly, it?s the former which saw him voted Driver of the Weekend three of the four times so far.

A strong showing by Raikkonen early last year in Bahrain suggested he had been rejuvenated by Ferrari?s gains with the SF-15T, but over the balance of the season he was decisively outclassed by Sebastian Vettel. He has an important season ahead of him.

Kimi Raikkonen?s Driver of the Weekend wins

8: Mark Webber

Webber won the poll after Vettel pinched 2013 Sepang win

Over the last three years of his F1 career, Mark Webber was increasingly dissatisfied with the sport?s move towards gimmicks such as DRS and high-degradation tyres. Meanwhile team mate Vettel was piling up the silverware.

However Webber impressed with several wins of his own and at Shanghai in 2011 raced from 18th to finish on the podium. His final Driver of the Weekend came after Vettel disobeyed an instruction to finish behind him at Sepang in 2013.

Mark Webber?s Driver of the Weekend wins

7: Valtteri Bottas

Bottas resisted Hamilton at Hockenheim

One of the breakthrough talents of recent seasons, Valtteri Bottas hit a superb streak of form in the middle of 2014 when he was voted Driver of the Weekend in three consecutive races.

F1 Fanatic readers had already acknowledged his talents after he hustled his uncompetitive Williams to eighth ? its best result of the season ? on his first visit to the Circuit of the Americas.

Valtteri Bottas? Driver of the Weekend wins

6: Nico Rosberg

Rosberg has been unbeaten in Monaco since 2013

Nico Rosberg had previously struggled to match Hamilton during their spell together at Mercedes. In 2014, despite Rosberg taking the championship fight until the final round, he was only voted Driver of the Weekend once, at the penultimate race.

But has he now unlocked a new level of performance which could allow him to take the fight to his team mate in 2016? It certainly looked that way late in 2015 when he reeled off six consecutive pole positions and three consecutive victories.

Nico Rosberg?s Driver of the Weekend wins

5: Sergio Perez

Perez won Driver of the Weekend on his debut in 2011

The Pirelli era could have been made for ?tyre whisperer? Sergio Perez. Nursing his rubber further and faster than anyone else has always been one of his greatest strengths ever since he won the Driver of the Weekend poll on his debut.

Perez has become a more well-rounded driver since then and in particularly has cut out some of his more impetuous moves. He came of age in the second half of 2015, leading the charge for Force India and putting his highly-rated team mate in the shade.

Sergio Perez?s Driver of the Weekend wins

4: Jenson Button

Last-lap Montreal win for Button in 2011

Jenson Button habitually conjured up brilliant wins in mixed conditions when McLaren were a race-winning force. The team haven?t been that competitive for three years, however, and Button?s efforts have been much less conspicuous as a result.

While both he and Alonso had been regular Driver of the Weekend winners before 2015, the uncompetitive MP4-30 meant both lacked the hardware to demonstrate their talent last year. For the sake of both champions, hopefully that is about to change.

Jenson Button?s Driver of the Weekend wins

3: Fernando Alonso

Alonso charged from 11th on the grid to win at Valencia

Alonso led the championship for months in 2012 and came within three points of taking a third title. It wasn?t to be, but he frequently topped the Driver of the Weekend poll during his stint at Ferrari ? even when he wasn?t on the top step of the podium.

Like Button, it was slim pickings for him in the 2015 McLaren. At times Alonso?s frustrations with the car seemed to get the better of him, and more than once he threatened to park it.

Fernando Alonso?s Driver of the Weekend wins

2: Sebastian Vettel

Vettel at his imperious best at Singapore in 2013

Vettel netted three of his four world championships during the last five seasons but at times some felt the performance of his Red Bull gave him too great an advantage. It?s perhaps to be expected that despite having taken 32 wins in the past five years he has less than half as many Driver of the Weekend poll victories.

The past two seasons have been more difficult for him and this seems to have prompted some re-evaluation of his efforts. He even took one Driver of the Weekend poll win during his win-less 2014 campaign.

His 2015 season compared as well as any of his world championship years in the eyes of F1 Fanatic readers, who also voted him Driver of the Year in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Sebastian Vettel?s Driver of the Weekend wins

1: Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton prevailed in a close fight with Webber and Alonso at the Nurburgring in 2011

Half of Hamilton?s 20 Driver of the Weekend poll wins came before had the crushing Mercedes W05 and W06 at his disposal. His 2012 season was especially impressive but the unreliability of the McLaren MP4-27 ultimately thwarted his title ambitions and prompted a move to Mercedes which has proved highly successful.

Hamilton has often said he prefers to win races after scrapping with his rivals rather than dominating from the front, and this seems to resonate with F1 Fanatic readers. His triumphs at the Nurburgring in 2011, Monza in 2014 and the Circuit of the Americas in 2012 and 2014 demonstrate that wins earned through passes on the track are always well received.

Lewis Hamilton?s Driver of the Weekend wins

NB. Where two drivers had the same number of wins the number of races they had started over the past five seasons was taken into account. If this failed to produce a winner the highest voting percentages were used.

All the Driver of the Weekend winners, 2011-2015

Among the drivers who failed to reach the top ten are Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, each of which have won Driver of the Weekend three times. Impressively, Verstappen took three wins in his first championship season last year.

Romain Grosjean is the only other driver to have won more than once and not place in the top ten.

And there?s an unwanted record for Felipe Massa ? he?s the only driver to have competed in all five of the last seasons without being chosen as Driver of the Weekend once.

The other Driver of the Weekend winners:

Over to you

Which F1 drivers have impressed you the most over the past 12 months? Have any received too little recognition from F1 Fanatic readers?

Have your say in the comments.

2016 F1 season

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This adult

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In the round-up: Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne believes BMW and the Germany-based Toyota F1 teams made a mistake by leaving the sport when they did.

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According to Lewis Hamilton he ?never really used to go out? until 2015. That certainly changed last year and despite winning the world championship he was accused of putting his globe-trotting lifestyle before his racing commitments.

Just how busy Hamilton was away from the track during 2015 is illustrated in the data assembled by F1 Fanatic in the interactive map below based on his Instagram posts.

Hamilton made at least 14 separate visits to the USA during the year involving around two dozen transatlantic crossings in his private yet, only a small number of which were necessary commutes to and from race weekends from his Monaco base.

Hamilton attended fashion shows, charity fundraisers, music concerts and film premieres. He watched the NASCAR championship decider in Miami, the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao boxing match in Las Vegas and the Wimbledon tennis final (though famously he was unable to take his place in the royal box due to a dress code error).

But did this have an effect on his commitment in the cockpit? Hamilton conceded that after wrapping up the title at the Circuit of the Americas he wished the season was over. Once it was he quickly headed State-side once more.

Hamilton indicated his performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix ? his worst result of the year ? was affected by a celebrity rendezvous on the morning of the race. Having been invited to watch Ridley Scott filming The Martian at a nearby studio, Hamilton later revealed to the BBC in an interview he ?didn?t sleep until like one o?clock and then I woke up at 4am? on the morning of the race and as a result he ?felt terrible? before the start.

When the race began he immediately lost his advantage from pole position, then went off while trying to pass his team mate and later collided with Daniel Ricciardo. He finished sixth behind Fernando Alonso?s McLaren.

While former team principal Ron Dennis tutted at his jet-setting, Hamilton has embraced the greater freedom offered to Mercedes. As the maps below show, he is taking full advantage of it.

However the opportunities for him to do so will be reduced this year as the 2016 F1 calendar has 21 races instead of 19, including six back-to-back events.

And if Hungary showed he has reached the limits of how far he can exploit that freedom before it begins to affect his performance, he may feel those limits even more keenly if he finds himself with a tougher title fight on his hands in 2016.

Follow Lewis Hamilton?s 2015 world tour place-by-place

Planet Hamilton: The world according to the world champion in 2015

NB. Some locations are approximate.

2015 F1 season

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