I don’t care what type of gadget it is, whether its a business one (i.e PDA etc) personal one (latest phone) or whether its a household one that’s just going to make my life so much easier that I’m going to wonder how on earth i’ve managed to cope for my 48 years without it!

I suppose that in all honesty, the latter are the best. Well they must be. I have cupboards simply bursting at the seams with kitchen gadgets that I just couldn’t live without. Last week, the disability catalogue (chester healthcare) had me drooling (yes, its another problem i’m now having……) at their array of ‘must haves’ but to date I have resisted. You can almost hear an audible sigh from ‘R’ when a new catalogue drops through the letterbox. If there was an award to see how much money you can spend from the comfort of your La-z-boy chair….then for sure its mine! (i’m joking…I don’t have one of those chairs…oh perish the thought) and of course, with the internet, that world of opportunity has now widened immensely.

I’v just opened the chestercare brochure. How I’ve lived without a ‘leg lifter’ I shall never know. I might just have to order one and have it dangling on the bedposts, for those moments when my legs might need lifting……ooh, hang on darling, dont forget the ‘leg lifter’ !!!!! at £14.99, that’s a cheap bottle of supermarket champagne. After a bottle of that, I can lift my own leg thank you

So, for those of you that may like a preview of what’s to come in old age, I can thoroughly recommend a cup of tea, biscuits to dunk…..and a healthcare catalogue. It’ll be guaranteed to have you limping to the gym in no time. This should be in all doctors surgeries as ‘forthcoming attractions’ should you not heed their warnings!

There actually IS a point to this. Now you have seen the ridiculous, we move onto the sublime! I have now found ‘THE’ gadget that is going to be in everyones Christmas stocking this year! I kid you not…… This gadget actually HAS revolutionised my life, and for anyone thats security conscious I think this is a fabulous idea.

If you haven’t yet found a company called Lakeland www.lakeland.co.uk then I suggest you take a look . They are a kitchen/homeware company. For foodies amongst you, they have some fabulous must haves. Admittedly, I do have rather a lot of gadgets from them that were entirely necessary at the time of ordering, but are now relegated to the back of the many drawers and cupboards, but sometimes you find a gem (They have lots of gems!). I have to say that the relegation of my items is more to do with my reluctance to cook than their inability to function as intended.

So….THE Christmas gadget…. Is called ‘Hide Id’ – Its a hand held stamp which prints a series of random symbols in black. You use it to stamp over your personal details on letters and important papers etc. Yes, i’m aware that you can shred them, but not everyone has a shredder, and THIS gadget works. You really can’t see your details. Its very handy and not bulky like a shredder, and without the mess. You click and then bin your letter….. voila…..

I like simple and quirky things and this reminds me of being a child….playing at post office! Its very satisfying, clicking through a pile of papers, deleting your name and address and other details…..take that sucker!!! Fabulous stress reliever too, so its dual function. Oh and another plus….it doesn’t need batteries What more could you want from a ‘gadget’ ? Does it get more perfect than this………

Right, coffee in hand I’m now perusing the latest Lakeland catalogue. Currently on my ‘must have’ list;

Silicone chocolate moulds (no, I don’t make chocolates….but I might

Dual oven tray (there are two sections, allowing you to cook two types of food at once….i.e fish and chips!)

Strawberry huller (gadget for taking the hull from strawberries…strange that!)

I shall pass on the mushroom brush (yes seriously……) and the yoghurt spoon….again yes seriously! a spoon with a pointed tip to get into the corner of yogurt pots!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF

So, Chestercare done, Lakeland done…..ooh, I think Ann Summers could be next. Could be a LONG morning.

Now where did I put those new batteries……………..

ps. Should anyone like to send me any ‘gadgets’ with or without batteries to research or report on, then by all means do….I shall be very pleased to post my findings here!

Louise, P.O Box 779, Bedford, MK45 5YN