This week on Almost the Weekend, we hit a big first — you can now watch us, not just listen. Episode thirty one is our very first video episode, and there is even a certain unimpressed Chihuahua making her on-screen debut.

Almost Fit is thriving on a brand new routine. If it is not in the calendar, it is not happening — so it is now firmly in the calendar, with something every single day. Steps up, Vitality points and a free coffee banked by day two, Mr Almost lifting the big bar, sneaky extra weight on the leg curl, and the folding bench earning its keep with barbell and kettlebell sessions. We feel great for it, and rather proud of each other too.

Almost Blooming is the usual battle of wills. More bulbs planted, more bulbs promptly dug up by a very determined squirrel who adores the loose soil of the raised border. The pepper plant delivered lovely peppers, all promptly eaten, and the tomato plant is still going strong with sweet red tomatoes fresh into our lunches. Next year, planters, and no digging squirrels, we hope.

We have also, at long last, joined the food-recycling revolution. Our area is one of the last to get a food bin, so the black bin is now fortnightly and the food caddy weekly. Day one did not go to plan — spring onion trimmings were found in the wrong bin within hours — but we are determined to build the habit, waste less and only buy what we will actually eat.

The big news: the whole family now has Cineworld Unlimited cards, which for a media-studies student is basically homework. It also means our daughter watched Resident Evil three times in a single weekend — in 4DX, IMAX and Screen X, no less. While she did that, we finally saw Practical Magic 2 with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, directed by Susanne Bier with Maisie Williams and Joey King. Better than the original, and we came out buzzing. Watch the first one first.

On the telly, series five of Trying on Apple TV brought Rafe Spall and Esther Smith’s warm, chaotic, tear-jerking adoption story to what feels like a beautiful conclusion — we have cried in every single series. And for a film night we revisited an oldie, The Lakehouse from 2006, a time-crossed Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves romance that remains a total feel-good treat.

Almost Edible saw the Barbecue King return, Jamie Oliver book in hand and not a burger in sight — chicken and chorizo skewers, sirloin beef skewers, a surprising and delicious Greek yogurt pasta, and rainbow carrot and feta veg with roasted orange. A confident eleven out of ten. For pudding, Mrs Almost treated the kids to Heavenly Desserts (now simply Heavenly) — a waffle with ice cream, banana and Nutella, and cookie dough all round. Pricey, but a proper treat.

Tipple of the Week is BrewDog Elvis Juice, a grapefruit citrus IPA — a first IPA for us, and the verdict was a very honest “bearable, but not our favourite.” At least it was not the sour beer.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, we hit a milestone — episode thirty — and celebrated in the most Almost way possible: a new coat, a new weight bench and a washing machine that very nearly ruined our week.

First, a heartfelt thank you. Thirty weekends spent with you, and not a cross word between us — well, not on air anyway. We have loved every single one, and we would happily do thirty more. Thank you for being here.

Almost Fit is flying. The steps keep coming, the Vitality points were done in two days, and our brand new folding weight bench has been the best addition yet — built-in leg curl, bicep attachments, a bar for lifting and just enough room to fold away. We are taking it in turns with the kettlebells, feeling the aches already and, we are convinced, looking a little more muscly for it. Next stop, heavier plates. We also tackled an intermediate Peloton core class with Emma Lovewell that thoroughly humbled us.

Almost Blooming has been all about the tidy-up. The tomato plant has had a proper trim to let the sun at the fruit — and still another couple of bowls picked this week — the overgrown roses have been cut right back in the hope of a late bloom, and the pepper plant has been pruned after the slugs got there first. We have planted alliums and tulips in the fox-proofed raised planter, with daffodils still to go in.

It was week two of sixth form, and it is going beautifully. After a timetable scare, our daughter landed all three subjects she wanted — media, music and computer studies — and the school is even funding her individual guitar lessons because her teacher adores her. A new common room with a kettle and microwave, plenty of free periods and one very happy student.

With winter on the way and a forty-five minute daily walk to the station, Mr Almost has invested in a Deltaroam coat — a long, warm, waterproof outdoor coat with pockets galore, an oversized hood and a matching waterproof roll-top rucksack for the laptop. It passed its first test in pouring rain with flying colours. The big question this week: should Mrs Almost get one too? Green or grey? We need your votes.

And then, the washing machine from hell. A lovely evening, a penny found, telly on — and then the machine lit up like a Christmas tree, full of water and refusing to open. After visions of an expensive replacement, a bit of googling led us to the filter at the bottom, three washing-up bowls of filthy water, and a horror show of trapped hair, metal and a stray button. Crisis averted, machine saved, teamwork triumphant.

On the telly we discovered Best Medicine on Sky — the American remake of Doc Martin, and a rare remake we loved instantly. Josh Charles and Abigail Spencer lead, with Annie Potts and a wonderful Martin Clunes cameo in series two. We also watched Mayday on Apple TV — a Cold War action comedy with Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh that is warm, funny and thoroughly feel-good.

Almost Edible was week two of Mr Almost in the kitchen — a semi-healthy chicken pasta bake with peppers, courgettes, olives, tomatoes and chicken, mozzarella standing in for some very hard-to-find ricotta. Scrummy, and even better as leftovers.

Tipple of the Week is a Pika Pika rosé wine spritz — crisp, elegant, raspberry-forward and, at a sneaky eleven percent, stronger than it lets on. A lovely one we would happily have again.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, autumn has crept up on us, the tomatoes are thriving and a houseplant is still slowly taking over the stairs.

Almost Fit is going from strength to strength. The step challenge continues with some seriously big days, and we tackled an intermediate Peloton strength class — bilateral lunges into burpees and all — adapting where we needed to but finishing every minute. Best of all, a proper weight bench is arriving in time for the weekend, so barbell training is finally on the cards. And the year-on-year Apple Health numbers are all up, which was a lovely bit of proof that it is working. The commuting scooter is still waiting on a helmet, but it is coming.

Almost Blooming is a happy place right now. The cooler, wetter weather has sent the tomatoes crazy — two bumper crops already, eaten fresh and roasted — and there are five little peppers on the go, though something keeps nibbling the biggest one. We have grabbed daffodil and tulip bulbs from The Range ready for next year, the lawn has bounced back beautifully green after the rain, and yes, the Monstera has crept down another whole stair. This weekend, we tackle it.

It was also back to school — or rather, back to sixth form. No uniform, a fresh short bob and a whole new hippie wardrobe that suits our daughter down to the ground. We made a day of it in Brighton — Churchill Square, Hollister and a wander through the North Laines, taking in Black Pearl and a favourite crystal shop. She is funding the new look herself by selling books and buying vintage, and we could not be prouder. We have, it seems, officially become the hippie family. We are embracing it.

On the telly, Trigger Point is back on ITV for a fourth series — Vicky McClure returning as bomb disposal expert Lana Washington. We binged all six episodes in a single weekend. Fast, tense, thoroughly entertaining and brought to what feels like a natural and satisfying conclusion. We also finally caught Michael on Apple TV — the biographical film of Michael Jackson’s early life, with a stunning debut from his nephew Jafar Jackson, a surprise turn from Mike Myers and, above all, that incredible music. Take it for what it is and enjoy the songs.

And because it was National Cinema Weekend, four pound tickets took us to the Moana live action remake — and we adored every second. Dwayne Johnson was born to play Maui, the young lead was wonderful, and we may have got a little emotional by the end. Slated by the critics, loved by us.

Almost Edible saw Mr Almost ordered back into the kitchen for a chicken and chorizo jambalaya from the Good Food Guide — chicken, chorizo, peppers, onion, long grain rice and stock, all simmered together into something genuinely delicious. A confident eleven out of ten, and the recipe is heading to the Facebook group.

Tipple of the Week was a walk on the wild side — a Vault City Orange Creamsicle ice lolly sour beer. Our very first sour beer, shared cautiously from one can, and, well... let us just say it was an experience. Two and a half out of five, and a hard-won lesson before any future trip to Scotland.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, the twist we have been teasing is finally revealed — we went full Harry Potter — and a houseplant began plotting our downfall.

Almost Fit has been a week of big steps and honest confessions. Over eighteen thousand steps in a single day — with a sore ankle to show for it — but strength training slipped in a gloriously busy three-day weekend. Mr Almost is also plotting a new London commute, weighing up an e-bike against an e-scooter, and fully expecting to be clinging on for dear life. Helmet on order.

Almost Blooming has taken a sinister turn. Our Monstera, the Swiss cheese plant, has sent long aerial roots creeping down the stairs, along the floor and towards the front door. We are half convinced we are about to be ensnared like Harry in the Devil’s Snare. If anyone knows whether we can trim these tentacles without upsetting the plant, please tell us — before it takes the whole house.

And then, the big one. The twist. We went full Harry Potter. It began with a surprise birthday gift of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, so we made a whole day of it. A morning in London took in the Kings Cross store and the site on Oxford Street where the largest ever Harry Potter shop opens on the 4th of November across three floors. Then a train to Watford, where the Night Bus shuttle was waiting to whisk us to Leavesden. Giant wizard chess pieces, a wand shop to lose yourself in, the Great Hall doors swinging open, Dumbledore’s office, the Forbidden Forest, platform nine and three quarters with the real Hogwarts Express, butterbeer in souvenir cups, a screaming mandrake, Diagon Alley and a full-size Gringotts that quite literally made our hearts skip a beat. Ten years on from our first visit, it has grown into something truly magical. We cannot recommend it enough.

And because it is the twenty fifth anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, all the films are back in cinemas — so we saw the Philosopher’s Stone in 4DX, whizzing around on our seats like broomsticks. Pure magic.

On the telly we tried Benidorm is Murder on Channel 5 — a light-hearted crime drama starring John Hannah as a retired British detective turned reluctant consultant for the Spanish police. Cheesy, easy watching, six episodes and we would happily watch a second series. We also caught 72 Hours on Netflix — a madcap Kevin Hart comedy about a forty-year-old advertising exec swept into a chaotic stag weekend. Crazy, funny and, of course, a happy ending.

Almost Edible went to Café Nero — and the bacon roll was a revelation, absolutely loaded with bacon compared to the measly couple of slices you get at another well-known chain. Add a pastel de nata and a pain au raisin, impeccable service and a pup cup for Honey held patiently by the lovely manager, and it was a real treat.

Tipple of the Week is Mountain Dew Citrus, no sugar — refreshing, pleasant and, in Mr Almost’s expert opinion, looking rather like it has something questionable floating in it. We would have it again. On a hot day. If any were left.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, it has been a very good week indeed — results are in, the marathon rolls on and we spent a glorious day at a food festival in a very familiar house.

The big one first — it was GCSE results day, and our daughter was incredibly nervous. She had convinced herself she had not done well, and in the end she passed everything she needed with no retakes. There may even be a remark on the cards for English Literature. A few tears over a subject-block clash in sixth form, but she is signed up, settled and ready. We could not be prouder. And a heartfelt well done to everyone who got their results this week — GCSEs do not define you, this is only the start. We celebrated with a spontaneous meal out at Smith and Western overlooking the park.

Almost Fit has been a week of ups and downs. Plenty of steps racked up while out and about, but strength training fell by the wayside in a gloriously busy week — an up week for steps, a down week for the weights. We are still weighing everything, counting calories and noticing just how much our portion sizes have shrunk, and our own food-tracking app is nearly ready to share with the world.

Almost Blooming is all about patience. The pepper plant now has two little peppers, one growing into a proper miniature, and another crop of tomatoes is ripening in the sunshine. Lesson learned — they need far more support and a much deeper pot, so it is bigger tubs and cone frames for next year.

On the telly we finished Him & Her on BBC iPlayer — a wonderfully quirky twenty ten sitcom about a very lazy, very broke twenty-something couple who barely leave their flat. Russell Tovey, Sarah Solemani, Kerry Howard and Joe Wilkinson, four series of brilliantly relatable chaos, and one Christmas special left to savour. And the Harry Potter marathon rolls on — films two through seven done, and Mr Almost has completely changed his mind on Deathly Hallows Part One, finally loving a film he has always disliked. With the twenty five year anniversary bringing the Philosopher’s Stone back to cinemas next month, and a special free elf named Dobby, there is real magic in the air.

The big day out was the Great British Food Festival at West Horsley Place — which, to our absolute delight, turned out to be Button House from the BBC comedy Ghosts. A wonderful, well-run, dog-friendly day with live music, brilliant stalls, handmade Welsh pottery gin cups made with Snowdonia minerals, and a VIP section that was worth every penny for the shade, the cider and the front-row view. The paint and sip was a lovely idea, though we would have liked a little more guidance.

And Almost Edible was a real highlight — a build-your-own smash burger masterclass with Daddy Bear Grylls. Thirty five percent fat mince, no breadcrumbs, pressed on parchment for the perfect char, cowboy butter seasoning, a whole onion cooked right in the coals and squeezed out sweet and soft, and classic burger cheese. Hands down one of the best burgers we have ever tasted. Ten out of ten and absolutely being recreated at home.

Tipple of the Week is a chai masala cold brew from the House of Angara, a lovely family business we discovered at the festival — ten fresh-ground spices, served over ice with cold milk. Refreshing and full of goodness, and even better with a touch of sugar. Four out of five at home, a full five at the show.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, the garden may have given up in the heat, but we found corn growing somewhere else entirely — and came home to the loveliest surprise of all.

Almost Fit is now a proper roller coaster. The step challenge continues — walking to work is racking up the steps, and the Step Up app turned out to be a messaging app too, which has led to some very cheeky family competition. Strength training has begun in earnest, with aching thighs, a loosening-up treadmill session and, oddly, no after-effects the second time around. We’re also trialling our own food-tracking app to log the journey — fixing the flaws as we go, with a plan to get it out there for everyone soon. Watch this space. And yes, today was GCSE results day — more on that next week.

Almost Blooming went off the beaten track. When you can’t garden, go and see what other people are growing — so we took on the Maize Maze at Cowdray Park in Midhurst. A brilliantly run day out with six stamp stations, huge ears of sweet corn, polo in the background, undercover seating, a food van and — best of all — a field of sunflowers you cut yourself with borrowed secateurs once you’d collected all six stamps. Dog friendly too, so Honey came along in her sling. It runs until the end of August and we cannot recommend it enough. We’re even hoping to grow next year’s sunflowers from the seeds.

On the telly we’ve got a double bill. First, The Housemaid on Amazon Prime — a 2025 erotic psychological thriller directed by Paul Feig, based on the Freida McFadden novel, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. Twisty, tense and rather gory in places, so be prepared. Four out of five. Then Ann Droid on BBC iPlayer — a warm British comedy written by and starring Diane Morgan as a widow whose son brings in an android for company. Funny, unexpectedly emotional and also starring the wonderful Sue Johnston. Five out of five.

Our weekly Café Nero treat — reached on foot as part of our weekend walk — brought a new pistachio croissant with an almost white-chocolate texture. Lovely, though the almond croissant is still champion.

Almost Edible this week belongs to our daughter. On her own health journey since before prom, she’s started cooking her own meals — weighing ingredients, counting calories and, one evening, having a full chilli cooked and dinner on the table by the time we walked home from work. We nearly fell over with pride. We also taught her to cook a steak, and tried Bisto Peppercorn sauce alongside it — fine, but it could do with more pepper and a splash more water.

Tipple of the Week is a raspberry kombucha sparkling tea — lightly fizzy, genuinely refreshing, just 26 calories and a lovely surprise. Four out of five. Next week, Mr Almost is under strict instructions to find the tipple — and we’d love your suggestions.

And next week — the secret is finally out. We’re off to the British Food Festival, where paint and sip and a smash burger are very much on the menu.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, it is scorching, the garden has surrendered and we have launched a brand new segment.

Introducing Almost Fit — our weekly fitness check-in now the Race for Life is done. Our son got the whole family onto the Step Up app for a step challenge, and it has been the making of it. It has given our daughter a real focus after a long, low summer, she has taken up strength training too, and she now genuinely cannot keep up with us — especially uphill, where we are cheerfully running away. Next up, we are easing into strength training on the Peloton, starting with the beginners and seeing how much our muscles ache. We want to be around for each other for a long time, and this feels like the right way to do it.

Almost Blooming is a tale of survival. In this heat the front garden has been given up as lost, but the back garden lives on — the bonsai, the herbs and the tomatoes are all being kept going, with a lovely sweet second crop already eaten at a barbecue and a third on the way. Lesson learned for next year: bush tomatoes in a deeper pot.

We also gave the lease car a proper bucket-and-sponge wash before handing it back — done in the dark once the sun was down to avoid streaks — and in this dry spell the water came out absolutely filthy.

Mr Almost has finished building the Lego Harry Potter Knight Bus, the adorable purple triple-decker complete with figurines, and it has sent us straight back to the beginning of the films for a full Harry Potter rewatch. With a new Harry Potter shop opening on Oxford Street on the 4th of November and the new series on the way, there is magic in the air. We have a deadline to finish all the films — but we are not telling you what it is just yet.

We have been watching After Life on Netflix — Ricky Gervais writing, directing and starring as Tony across three perfectly judged series from 2019 to 2022. A black comedy that is funny, tragic and genuinely moving. It made us laugh and it made us cry. Five out of five and one we wish we had watched sooner.

We also finally caught The Devil Wears Prada 2 — a great returning cast in Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci, but a sequel we do not think needed to be made. Enjoyable enough as a standalone, but it could not live up to the original. Three out of five.

Tipple of the Week is Barr Flava Explosion Peach Punch — a no sugar sparkling soft drink with an Irn-Bru orange glow that led us to discover Barr make it. Very peachy, very fizzy and a genuine surprise hit. We would happily have it again.

And Almost Edible went a little off-piste — our weekly Caffè Nero treat on the Vitality voucher brought an almond croissant, a delicious tiramisu and a rather disappointing apple crumble and custard tart, all wonderful but wildly overpriced for the size. We also tried a new ASDA tomato, bacon and cheese quiche alongside the barbecue — sloppy on day one but much nicer reheated on day two. Quiche Lorraine, however, remains the champion.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️

This week on Almost the Weekend, it’s Mrs Almost’s birthday — and it was a weekend full of gifts, tears, waffles and one very determined squirrel.

The birthday started with gifts in bed and breakfast, and just kept giving. Hotel Chocolat truffles from the Tipsy Collection, a pistachio and honey bar, a Highland cow charm for the Pandora bracelet, lovely Body Shop bits and cards that brought on the happy tears — including one with a Highland cow drawn inside by our very talented daughter. There was even a Birthday Queen badge, worn proudly into town for compliments.

The celebrations continued at Creams with a shared waffle, a free scoop milkshake and a spirited debate about how cookie dough simply isn’t cookie dough anymore.

Honey has had another vet visit. It turns out her murmur is on the other side, so she’s dropped the water tablet and is now on one tablet for life, an hour before food each day. She’s full of energy and back to her old self.

On a morning walk we spotted a water leak a few doors down — a puddle and a steady stream with no rain in sight. A quick online report to Southern Water and contractors were digging within hours. In a drought, every drop counts, so if you spot something, report it.

We’ve also let you in on a little secret — Mrs Almost is an artist. A perfectionist one, prone to painting over her work, but now armed with two enormous canvases and a plan to paint a Highland cow. Keep an eye on the Etsy store for original artwork coming soon.

Almost Blooming this week is a comedy in itself. A new crop of tomatoes is ready to pick, but a single squirrel has declared war on the raised border, digging soil everywhere while the magpies egg him on. These are the cheekiest, funniest magpies we’ve ever seen — taunting Honey on the fence, fighting over sticks and generally running the garden.

We watched Enola Holmes 3 on Netflix — Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter in a Malta-set mystery. Five out of five, and well worth watching all three back to back. We also braved Screen X 3D for Spider-Man Brand New Day — emotional, a bit of a set-up for what’s coming, and the source of a genuine disagreement in the house. Three out of five from Mr Almost, five out of five from our daughter.

Tipple of the Week is 7Up Zero Pink Lemonade — raspberry, lemon and lime, zero sugar, zero caffeine and very refreshing. All it needs is a splash of gin.

And Almost Edible is Miller & Carter for the birthday — a dirty burger with brisket and onion loaf, a half rack of ribs, sourdough with oil and balsamic and a sirloin steak for our daughter. Ten out of ten. A proper, and rather expensive, treat.

Pull up a chair. You’re one of us now. 🎙️