At home with...

Who are you at home with? 
Dr Lizzy Kay (AKA Dr Seaweed)

What’s your best book or box set recommendation? 
I'm currently reading 1000 Years of Annoying the French by Stephen Clarke but would always recommend Tim Moore for anyone who loves travel.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off? 
Erm...Being made to help Dr Seaweed in the garden.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen? 
I’m so sick of cooking! But if anything it’d be...any dish because in our house cooking means you don’t have to wash up.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Stretches every morning, cycling, walking, gardening.

Top isolation tips? 
Keep your head in good shape, everything else will follow. 

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle? 
Straight to France to finish work on the latest Take the Slow Road adventure!

Who are you at home with?
Just Liz and I.

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
It has to be Porridge with Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale among others. A classic series with great humour and brilliant timing.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Supervising Liz as she painted 3 bedrooms.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Absolutely none! Liz will not allow me anywhere near her kitchen.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit? 
We live in a village just outside Cambridge and are very fortunate to be able to walk in the country so Liz and I have walked around 5 miles on most days. We have now covered almost 200 miles and worn out a pair of shoes each.

Top isolation tips?
Plan future holidays for when we are free to travel. We have booked to go to Krakow with a very moving visit to Auschwitz during our stay, to Scotland and to the Normandy beaches.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
We have booked both our wonderful sites in the New Forest to take our 2 young grandsons and then Liz and I are going to Cheddar for a rest.

Who are you at home with?
My husband John.

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
No recommendations, I've been so busy in the kitchen I didn't even make a start on my birthday books yet. The only reading I have done is scouring my ancient cookbooks for inspiration.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Setting up a YouTube channel and recording videos for it.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Nothing new but I have learnt how to scale up favourite recipes to serve 100 so that's been a great experience. 

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
A daily walk around the block and my mixing arm is strong now from all the baking for my volunteers group!

Top isolation tips?
Stay in the moment, don't think ahead, make every day special, lay the table and make an event of your evening meal, keep a routine and keep the belief that we will see better times.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
Bladon Chains Club Site so we can see our youngest daughter who lives near Oxford, then on to Brighton Club Site to visit our other daughter and our tiny grandchildren.

Who are you at home with?
My wife Caroline and children James (back from Uni) and Emma (locked down from 6th form).

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is good and long ! We’ve just binge-watched the Crown as a family and next were working through the Ocean’s 11, 12, 13 films.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Tidy the 'man drawer'.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Baking scones, Yorkshire Fat Rascals, and just recently Wholemeal Bread once I got strong flour and yeast (been in short supply in Sussex supermarkets).

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Walking every day, I discovered loads of footpaths near home I never used before and I’m cycling 25-30ish miles a couple of times a week.

Top isolation tips?
Sit in the sun and soak up the vitamin D when you can. If you can have lunch outdoors for 30 mins it really helps. Play your music and listen to podcasts.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
I’m thinking not too far, Cotswolds, Norfolk. But the kids really fancy Scotland...

Who are you at home with? 
I am at home with my wife, my youngest son, and his girlfriend along with our two dogs.

What’s your best book or box set recommendation? 
I have just watched the first series of "SEE" on Apple TV+ and it was great and well worth watching. Books have mainly been me pitting myself against Suduko puzzles!

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off? 
Haha, easy, wardrobe clear-out and a million jobs around the house, from cleaning gutters to jet washing the patio...the glamour!

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen? 
The breakfast wrap! Soft tortilla wrap, chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, spring onion with scrambled eggs, and guacamole.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
I'm trying to walk every day and on average doing between 4k and 6k as it's so peaceful and quiet it is bliss.

Top isolation tips?
For me it's keeping structure and routine, and trying to make sure I address work in the same way as I would from the office. But of course, being at home and using technology does take some time to get set up which is an issue at times!

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
The motorhome is ready and fueled for a trip to the first British Touring Car Race to support and assist our Team MB Motorsport on track.

Who are you at home with?
I’m really lucky to be home with my wonderful wife and 3 children or as I like to refer to them...chatty (4 years old), jumpy (13 years old) and challenging (15 years old).

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
We are currently binge watching ‘Escape to the Chateau DIY’. Dick Strawbridge follows the lives of plucky Brits who have moved to France on their adventures renovating their Chateau. But the icing on the cake was when a few episodes ago Dick started renovating a 36-year-old vintage wedding bus to turn it into a campervan.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
I love restoring furniture and other items that I’ve found either online or in antiquities shops. I’ve been putting off restoring a beautiful travel trunk, but I’ve made a start...however now I’m 3 weeks into it, I can see why I was putting it off.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
I’m in a very fortunate position to be in lockdown with the best baker in my house. My wife is an amazing baker and most weekends she has been baking the most amazing bread. My four-year-old is fully embracing the baking spirit and can now bake delicious banana bread.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
As much as I can to burn off all the bread I’m eating! Several years ago I converted my garage into a gym, so most days I am able to do some form of exercise. At the end of the day, I quite enjoy getting on my exercise bike with my iPad and reading through the emails I didn’t manage to get through in the day.

Top isolation tips?
Keep positive, read positive news, speak to positive people and try to be positive to everyone around you. You’d be amazed what a difference it makes to people to hear some positive thinking. We will get through this challenging time together and my thoughts are with those who are suffering during this challenging time, but we will get through it...so stay positive.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?

It has to be the Lake District. I want to walk up Helvellyn, ride up Wrynose Pass, treat myself to an Americano and a piece of homemade cake at the amazing cafe by the stream at Skelwith Bridge... then return to one of my favourite sites, the Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Borrowdale, nestled into the forest near Derwent water. Ahhhh and relax.

Who are you at home with?
Beanie the chihuahua, Bear and Tinkerbell the springadors!

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
Best catchup on Sky is ‘Get Shorty’.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Tidying my wardrobe.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Nothing - the dogs think I can cook though! 

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Walking and Tibetan rites. They are a kind of yoga/pilates exercise that I do for 10 minutes every day. 

Top isolation tips?
Lots of chats on video calls. Makes me feel close to everyone.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
Can’t wait to hire a lovely caravan and get down to the seaside with my dogs. Just that thought of freedom on the open road is keeping me happy!

Who are you at home with?
I’m home with Monica my wife and our youngest (nearly 20…) Ned. Our eldest, Dan moved out on the day of lockdown… thank Christ.

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
I may sound a little obsessive here, but the book I’m enjoying at the moment is, Generation Friends by Saul Austerlitz about, Friends. And the go-to box set is… Friends.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Renovating the rotting French windows to our garden.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
O' that I were allowed to cook. I have a big shed in the garden and Mon has a big kitchen in the house.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Digging over a newly acquired allotment, that has rendered my back fully broken.

Top isolation tips?

• A regular wine delivery
• Get out of bed at the same time you used to
• Start a project you can dip in and out of
• Learn to love cleaning
• A very regular wine delivery

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?

Biarritz France… If they’ll have us.

Who are you at home with?
My husband Darrill, our two Labradors and our Norwich Terrier. We have both enjoyed the quiet, hearing the birds sing etc.

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
Have read quite a few books and had Zoom book club meetings. Best read has been The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. An excellent story set in France in WW2.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Lovely to have the time to attack the garden. We have finally finished our patio, grouted and sealed after about 4 years!

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
I always love cooking but have enjoyed making and eating too many cakes. Luckily we have vulnerable neighbours who appreciate homemade cakes and soup.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Walking the dogs and cycling, digging the garden and building a dry stone wall around the veg patch.

Top isolation tips?
Motivate yourself to do at least one extra thing each day.

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
We will be taking the caravan away wherever we can, probably along the south coast initially and then further afield when life gets a little more normal.

Who are you at home with?
I am at home with my girlfriend Hannah, doing my best not to annoy her too much!

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
We have been watching lots of series on various channels but I would say some of the best are Killing Eve, Ordinary People and Riverdale.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
We moved into this place quite recently so I'm finally getting round to plenty of things I said that I would do at the start; painting lots of things in the house and generally tidying up the garden.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
I have finally mastered Spaghetti Carbonara!

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
I've been out on the bike as much as possible and doing some HIIT workouts in the garden.

Top isolation tips?
Like a lot of people, I think it's about trying to use the time to try and better yourself. As a racing driver, we can't really practice but I have been doing a lot of sim racing online which has got quite competitive. Then the kid in me has come out as I'm a big fan of model building and they are fantastic at soaking up half a day or so!

Where will you go when restrictions are lifted and you can get back out in your leisure vehicle?
Well the first round of the season for us is looking like Donington Park on August the 1st and 2nd so I'm looking forward to a leisurely summer drive up to the Midlands before some less than leisurely driving out on track!

Who are you at home with?
My husband Patrick Pearson (and we love each others company which is very fortunate!)

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
Books: The Heart’s Invisible Furies' by John Boyne and 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' by Gail Honeyman.

TV: Unorthodox and Afterlife - and we have now caught up with all of the brilliant Fleabag series, after shamefully being ousted from Pointless Celebrities because I didn’t know her best friend was Boo…I do however now know everyone’s middle names and their favourite colours…

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
Painted the shelves in my study (after three years), planted seeds and grown our own herbs and salad leaves (for the first time) and tidied the understairs cupboard so it’s now a work of art and I can actually find things without risking concussion (have put off doing it for 18 months). Also hung lots of pictures that have been loitering without intent for a couple of years. (Oops - that’s four things - am I allowed that?!)

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Some amazing biscuits from a recipe that chef Rosemary Schrager gave me for my Pearls of Wisdom series (for Saga’s Not Going Out Club on their Facebook page). They are delicious (even if I say it myself - and I’m a stranger to baking) especially as they contain no flour, no sugar and no fat - just every seed under the sun.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Patrick and I are walking and cycling more than we ever have before and - drum roll - I have even lost weight! My clothes fit again! (Next on list - to sort wardrobe…) 

Top isolation tips?
1) Make lists - it’s a great feeling ticking things off that you’ve not had the chance to do in years, and also make goals for when we’re back to normal, whatever that’s going to look like.

2) Use Zoom to keep in touch with friends - I thought at first I’d hate it but it’s been a real benefit, and we’ve had some really funny chats on it too.

3) Please watch Pearls of Wisdom on Saga’s Not Going Out Club! (On their Facebook page) I have some fabulous guests - Sir Michael Palin, Michel Roux, Dame Esther Rantzen, Jennie Bond, Toyah Willcox, Simon Rimmer, Michelle Collins and many more. You can hear them recounting the best advice they have ever been given - and get Rosemary’s recipe too! 

Who are you at home with? 
I am home alone. The only big challenge with this has been not seeing my daughter and grandchildren. I have three grandkids, twin boys of four, Blake and Finley and Summer Louise who is now 9, they are the loves of my life.  

What’s your best book or box set recommendation?
I have got stuck into many box sets, and have gone back and watched Greys Anatomy again. It is awesome seeing it the second time around - I seemed to miss so much the first time.

What was the one thing you’ve now had the time to do that you’d previously been putting off?
It's not so much what I have been putting off but have helped launch a chat show with Sherrie Hewson, Debbie Arnold and Harriet Thorpe called Wonderbirds. It is crazy but we have had over a million hits in just 12 weeks and decided to take it beyond lockdown as we realise there is a major audience out there of people who we can banter and engage with.  It has saved our lives, and apparently lots of others to. After all it is good to talk.

What dish have you mastered in the kitchen?
Definitely improved my cooking skills as I can't eat out and have only had two takeaways in all the time in lockdown. I am loving making Spanish omelettes. I got the recipe from a friend's mum who is Spanish, so it is the real thing. It's really sustaining and full of goodness.

What exercise are you doing to keep fit?
Not enough exercise, except for the first few weeks arm movements lifting the wine glass to my lips and back. But now doing the Tibetan Rights which is only 10 minutes a day, but I can see the difference and walking is great too.

Top isolation tips?
Go with the flow. Know your emotions will be like a rollercoaster and there is nothing you can do to stop that. As someone said recently, one minute you are laughing and the next in floods of tears, and drinking gin at 10am. Can anyone relate?