Hannah Jones

A hospital visit with her ageing father prompts Hannah Jones to reflect on the NHS, family caregiving and the emotional importance of compassionate healthcare. She criticises waiting lists, cancelled appointments, poor communication, limited GP continuity and hospital food, but argues that the kindness and humour of doctors, nurses and other staff make the service deeply valued. Memories of a trusted former GP and of clinicians joking during her endoscopy and colonoscopy show how ordinary conversation can ease fear and preserve patients’ dignity.

Funerals often prompt people to discuss ordinary subjects rather than death, because everyday details make overwhelming grief easier to manage. Recalling funerals involving memorable buffets, ABBA songs and eccentric conversations, Hannah Jones argues that these apparently trivial moments preserve the personalities of the dead and help mourners connect. The stories, objects, food and humor people leave behind may be a more enduring legacy than formal tributes, with even the distinction between real butter and margarine becoming part of how someone is remembered.

Tea is portrayed as a uniquely Welsh and deeply personal form of care that offers comfort, connection and routine. Hannah Jones humorously explains her strict standards for tea and her “Cup Of Tea Test,” which she uses to judge the cleanliness and hospitality of homes. She prefers a dependable Yorkshire Tea bag, five Canderel sweeteners, boiling water, generous milk and a carefully timed brew, while conceding that there is no single correct method—only the way that makes each person feel properly looked after.

Hannah Jones describes retiring early to care full-time for her ageing parents after their health deteriorates through sepsis, pneumonia, falls and repeated hospital admissions. She details the exhaustion, bureaucracy and emotional strain of unpaid caregiving, including navigating social care, benefits and unsafe discharges, while grieving her parents before their deaths. Despite feeling overwhelmed and having sacrificed her career and independence, she finds dignity, solidarity and unexpected fulfilment in caring for them, reassuring other carers that they are not alone.

Acorns and conkers can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, lethargy, intestinal blockages, toxic shock and, in severe cases, kidney failure or death in dogs. Veterinary expert Sean McCormack advises owners to prevent dogs from chewing or swallowing them and to seek veterinary help immediately if ingestion is suspected. Treatment may include rehydration, medication and surgery when a blockage occurs.

Adele originally named her dachshund Britney Spears after attending a Britney Spears concert in London, but changed the dog's name to Louis after he began howling along to her Louis Armstrong records. The story also mentions Adele's late dog Atilla and previews her then-upcoming song “Easy On Me.”

Aunt Bessie's has launched a limited-edition Yorkshire pudding-shaped dog bed for small-to-medium dogs and cats. Priced at £50 and sold through the Guide Dogs Shop, all proceeds will support Guide Dogs’ work helping people with sight loss. The product was created to celebrate Bessie, a golden retriever guide-dog puppy sponsored by Aunt Bessie's, and to mark the company's partnership with the charity.

A 24-hour account follows Brynmor Bobbles Boogaloo III, a 12-week-old cockapoo from Llanbradach, through games of chase and fetch, chewing, naps, belly rubs, gardening and treats. The lighthearted feature promotes the newly launched TeamDogs site and highlights the energetic, repetitive routine typical of a young puppy.

A humorous look at how dog photography has reflected changing fashions from the 1960s to the present, including wicker baskets, sheepskin rugs and handbag-sized pets associated with celebrities such as Paris Hilton. The piece concludes by promoting TeamDogs’ free ebook, which offers practical advice on photographing dogs, including using treats, choosing backgrounds and getting down to the animal’s level.

Modern school meals are presented as more varied, creative and internationally inspired than the stereotypical bland dinners of the past, with examples including chow mein, fajitas, Spanish omelette, tortilla boats and curry burritos. The Lead Association for Catering in Education and National School Meals Week are highlighted for promoting healthier eating, culinary standards and engagement among schools, families and catering staff across England and Wales. The feature also praises the 2017 event’s activities, including school chefs working in Michelin-starred restaurants and Karen Robinson’s marathon project.

A nostalgic tour of cars and vans familiar to British children and families in the 1970s, contrasting them with the glamorous General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard. The feature recalls the Vauxhall Firenza, Citroën 2CV, Toyota Corolla, Austin Allegro, Bedford HA van, Renault 14 and Triumph Herald, highlighting their distinctive designs, performance, practicality, quirks and reliability problems.

Flamingo Land theme park in Yorkshire has opened Peter Rabbit Adventure, a children's playground based on the CBeebies series. Visitors can explore themed areas, complete activities and meet Peter Rabbit and Lily Bobtail in costume appearances. The attraction is located near the Mansion House & Tea Rooms and complements the park's existing Lily Bobtail’s Nature Discovery experience.

Anthony Scaramucci was dismissed as White House communications director after only 10 days, prompting widespread online ridicule. Kate Hudson joined thousands of social-media users by sharing a spoof of her film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, while comedians, commentators and other users posted jokes comparing Scaramucci’s brief tenure with celebrity marriages, television appearances and office furniture assembly.

A five-year-old girl was fined £150 and forced to close her lemonade stand while selling drinks to festival-goers near Lovebox in London's Victoria Park. Her father, Professor Andre Spicer, said she was deeply upset and became afraid to run another stall. The piece satirically condemns the council officers' intervention by imagining other absurd ways officials could damage children's innocent games and beliefs, including prosecuting tooth-fairy stories, cops and robbers, and Santa Claus.

Archaeologists in Turkey believe a smiley face painted on a pitcher dating to around 1700 BC may be the oldest known emoji. The discovery would predate a smiley face drawn on a 1635 legal document in Slovakia, previously considered the earliest example. The piece humorously lists other supposed historical emoji appearances at the Acropolis, the Grand Canyon and in Egyptian hieroglyphics, while noting that some interpretations may be doubtful.

Asda is promoting a £3 Afternoon Tea Summer Selection box containing ten cakes: four custard-filled puff pastry slices, four lemon-cream profiteroles and two strawberry-filled doughnuts. The sponsored feature presents the box as an inexpensive and convenient way to enjoy afternoon tea at home for family gatherings, birthdays or everyday treats, avoiding the cost and booking difficulties of hotels and restaurants.

Weight Watchers is recruiting four Coaches in Wales and promoting recruitment events in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest during June 2017. The employed, flexible roles are aimed at people with positive attitudes and personal weight-loss experience. Benefits include commission-based pay, paid holiday, parental leave, free membership, training, employee discounts and referral incentives; applicants unable to attend an event are directed to the Weight Watchers jobs website.

Fix Auto Cardiff South and Motorvation, both part of TST Accident Repair Group, are recruiting customer service advisors, paint technicians and panel technicians across their South Wales and Hereford sites. The article describes their vehicle repair services, training, facilities and specialist work on prestige vehicles, and outlines the available salaries, benefits and qualifications.

Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield appeared on This Morning after partying until 4am following the National Television Awards. They looked tired and sounded different, but wore fresh clothes rather than repeating the previous year’s outfits. Schofield said they had not obtained the tattoos they had promised because no parlour was open.

New UK vehicle excise duty rules starting in April 2017 will generally charge newly registered cars a £140 annual flat rate, with higher first-year charges based on CO2 emissions. Electric and hydrogen cars remain exempt, while many low-emission cars that previously qualified for free or reduced tax will become more expensive. Cars priced above £40,000 will also face an additional charge, and buyers may save money by purchasing before the changes or choosing a nearly-new vehicle taxed under the old system.

A humorous, affectionate reflection on attending a Christmas carol concert in the South Wales Valleys. Despite the choirs being out of tune, the accompaniment being improvised and the readings difficult to see, the warmth, exuberance and authentic emotion of the singers create an uplifting experience that captures the forgiving spirit of Christmas.

Hannah Jones humorously lists nine aspects of Christmas she dislikes, including festive clothing, compulsory card writing, loud party venues, elaborate food, tins of biscuits, unexpected visitors, social-media Christmas-tree show-offs, idealized lifestyle imagery and the pressure to enjoy the season. The column argues that Christmas creates unnecessary expectations around cheerfulness, hospitality and perfection, while favoring a more relaxed and irreverent approach to the holiday.