Orange Monte Carlo Android Phone is AWESOME!

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I got my new Orange Monte Carlo Phone this week and I have to say that it a brilliant bit of kit!.
My previous phone was the Orange San Francisco, also an Android phone but with a much smaller screen,lower resolution camera and it ran Android 2.2 (i routed it to Swedish Spring Froyo 2.2 from the original Eclair 2.1 system which it is shipped with by Orange).

The new phone specs are not market leading, but having had it now for a few days I am pretty impressed what Orange are able to supply for under £120....namely....

5 Mega Pixal Camera
4.3" LCD touch Screen
800 Mhz Processor
Android 2.3 (gingerbread...sadly loaded with unwanted Orange branded apps!...will sort that later!)
nice solid feeling case. Some reviews contradict this statement but I stand by my observation :-)

If you fancy an all singing Android with a few more bells and whistles then buy an HTC or a Samsung. If you want a bloody nice phone which can do 90% of the functions (minus, flash, sadly!)of it's more expensive brethren  AND want change out of £120 quid then this is the phone for you.

The Orange Monte Carlo then. Buy one now and laugh at all of those mad Apple iphone lemmings who still think they are soooooo cool :-).

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A tale to warm your heart...or at least dry your washing!

Early in 2008 we had to replace our ageing tumble dryer due to it being "worked to death" by a never ending line of wet washing.

We bought a replacement dryer of the same brand,"White Night".I picked it up from the Curry's electrical store in Sleaford, took it home and put it to work immediately working it's way through our seemingly never reducing pile of newly washed clothes (this is when you know you have 3 children in a household!).

All was well for several months until the machine started to make a rather nasty grinding noise when it was in use, so, after putting up with this for a few days, i got on the phone and called the company to see what could be done.They sent out a fella to collect the dryer, who took it away in his van, then a few days later it was returned fixed!.....great :-).

Fast forward another 6-7 months and the noise began again, we made plans to call the company once more (even though by now the warranty was expired!), but fate intervened and during one particularly heavy drying session Teresa noticed a rather worrying burning smell!.She went into the kitchen and was greeted by a haze of smoke coming from the dryer!. She turned the machine off, opened the door and immediately noticed that the back of the dryer now appeared to be missing...well that was until she found the missing back mixed in with the half dry clothes.

On further investigation she found that a sock (one of mine...typical!) had entered the hole which had been left by the displacement of the rear of the drum, and had been cooking away merrily on the heating element!.......not a good smell she tells me...even with a clean sock :-0.

The following day, after hearing the story of woe from my dearly beloved, i made a call to Crosslee, the company who make the White Knight range of appliances, and explained what had happened. I was expecting nothing to be honest, and was extremely amazed,surprised and chuffed to bits when the lady told me how sorry the company was for our little excursion into toasted socks, and that they would arrange for a new machine to be delivered asap!.......and do you know what? They did what they promised!.A few days later a courier arrived, took the rather sad original machine away, and left a spanking new one for us....how good is that?

Crosslee are based in Halifax,UK and i just really wanted to share this story with you to illustrate that there are still some damn good British companies out there who feel an obligation towards their customers.....Well done Crosslee (White Knight) and i for one will happily recommend you to my friends and family.......now, how much did they say the cheque would be for if i gave them a plug on my blog?....lol :-)

Here is a well deserved link to their site: Click HERE

Been to Wicksteed Park 2day....excellent day out!

Today saw the Ward family setting off on a much anticipated trip down to Kettering en route for the well known venue of Wicksteed Park.

In case you have never heard of this place (and some still haven't!), let me tell you that if like me the thought of going to places like Drayton manor or Alton Towers fills you (and your wallet!) with dread, this is the alternative venue for a fun filled day out with your family.

Set in what is actually a public park (but a VERY big one!), Wicksteed has a long history dating back many years (at this point i was going to feed you lots of facts etc, but i really don't have the time or inclination to do so at the mo...so there!).

You drive (or walk in for free) into the park grounds and pay £6 to the nice fella on the entrance.You then pick a parking space (there is loads of room!) and park up. The kids can play on the fantastic FREE park rides (they really are fantastic...you may of heard of the brand of Wicksteed if ever you have looked at the manufacturers name on any park rides anywhere in any park in the UK over the last several decades!), and mum and dad can chill out watching them wear themselves out!.

If you so wish too, you have the option of buying either tickets or a wristband (band is better cos you can go on anything as many times as you like!), then you have access to the many powered rides in the park area (Pirate ship's..x2,carousel,laser quest,go karts,various log flumes,boating lakes etc,etc).

The beauty of the way Wicksteed is laid out, is that you can still enjoy a look around the gardens,see the animals and have a nice refreshing walk around the park without having to cough up hundreds of quid's to do it (Alton Towers in mind at this juncture!).

The whole day out for 5 of us, including 4 wristbands and car parking was £61.Ok, that may seem a lot, but compare it to Drayton Manor (£120+,family of 5) or Alton Towers (£140+ family of 5) and you see that it is a damn sight more acceptable for families on budgets!.

Funny, but the less i pay for a good day out...the more i seem to enjoy it...and this one was fantastic.Get yourself over to Wicksteed and discover the secret pace that gives you not only a good time, but also is such a refreshing change from the "A list" places who think that we are all still made of money (we aren't!).