Table of contents for 17-Mar-2016 in Pick Me Up!

135 That’s how tall the London Eye is in metres. And yet it looks so small from the office window..! What A Night! One tequila, two tequilas, three tequilas… floor! Thanks to all my girlies (and bridesman!) for the best hen do – hats off to you all! What A Tune! Me and my pal Jaki love a bit of karaoke! Here we are on Saturday night rocking out to Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer . What A Treat! Me and my mates treated ourselves to an afternoon of Tipsy Tea at Mr Fogg’s of Mayfair, with cakes, sandwiches – and cocktails in teacups! What A Friend! Discover which Friends character you're most like. Go to www. lifedeathprizes. com…

‘The lump was unsightly, but we weren’t worried’ My hubby Peter, 46, and I had the perfect life. A happy marriage, a fabulous house. And we were parents to two gorgeous kids - Dylan, 10, and Taneesha, 8. I loved being a stay-at-home mum, while Peter had a great job in construction. But all that changed in July 2013. It all started when Peter came home with a red-raw, crusty lump on his lip, on the bottom left corner. ‘It’s really sore,’ he said. ‘And it looks awful.’ But, unsightly as it was, we weren’t really worried. ‘It’s probably just a cold sore,’ I suggested. Peter put some cream on it, and we assumed it would heal up soon enough. Except it didn’t go down. So, few days on, he…

Take the mint Fresh mint is easier t o chop if y ou sprinkle a little sugar on it first. Florrie Harvey, Stoke-on-Trent Mix it up Combine all those remaining bits of or egano, basil and th yme, etc into one jar to make your own mixed-herb blend. Lisa Ingr am, Holyhead Smoky scents Add herbs like rosemary to a charcoal barbecue – it makes the smoke smell lovely and fragrant. Russell Grif fin, Bristol Bag a bargain Check ethnic f ood aisles or shops as the y often have much cheaper prices for herbs. M Hancock, Reading…

‘It’d make it hard to conceive again. I was so upset’ When I was 28, my husband Tom and I started trying for a baby. A few months on, I got pregnant. But after five weeks, I started bleeding and having pains. It was an ectopic pregnancy, where the fertilised egg had implanted in one of my Fallopian tubes rather than my womb. I needed an emergency operation to remove my right Fallopian tube. My pregnancy was over. The doctor told me I also had scar tissue on my left tube, due to contracting chlamydia when I was younger. It’d make it hard to conceive again. I was so upset, but then a year later, in January 2011, I got pregnant again. It felt like a miracle. But at my…

‘She’s in a lot less pain and is no longer lethargic’ It didn’t seem like life could get any better. We had a beautiful little girl, Maddison, 4. And in October 2013, we had another beautiful daughter, Jessica. A year later, in September 2014, my husband Andrew, 39, and I decided to hold a party for Jessica and Maddison. We hired a bouncy castle for all their friends to play on. After a while, I noticed Jessica had a red rash. ‘I think she’s had a bad reaction to the bouncy-castle material,’ I told Andrew. A week on, we went on a boat trip. And the same thing happened again. I put it down to the material of Jessica’s life jacket. A few days later, Jessica was being really clingy.…

Blueberry & Almond Tart Serves: 6 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 40 min 1 Preheat oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Place blueberries in a small pan with 50g sugar and warm through until juices begin to run. Remove from heat and cool. 2 Roll out pastry and line an 18cm loose-bottomed flan tin. 3 In a mixing bowl, cream together rest of sugar, almonds, butter, eggs and essences, until soft and well blended. 4 Spoon blueberries into pastry case, spread over topping and bake for 30-40 min until topping is set, light- golden and firm. 5 Serve warm or cold, topped with flaked almonds and a dusting of icing sugar. Find more recipes at: www.berryworld.com Bean & Turkey…

Open an ISA today and earn Quidco cashback What are ISAs..? Put simply, ISAs are tax-free or tax-efficient accounts for your savings or investments. There are two types of ISA… One for cash savings and another for investing. You can put up to £15,240 each tax year into either type of ISA, or split the allowed amount between both. How does an ISA differ from my current account? Did you know that when you use a current account, you give 20 per cent of the interest earned to the tax man? Yes, it’s true. Use an ISA and you keep all the profits! Where does Quidco come in? Quidco partners with over 4,200 retailers to help you earn cashback rewards every time you shop. That includes when you open new…

I played on my laptop while watching TV Me and my mum Marlene, 78, have always loved playing bingo together. We had such fun - and, if one of us won the jackpot, we’d always share our winnings. But, really, it wasn’t about winning - it was just a bit of fun. Then, three years ago, I started a new job and couldn’t go out as much. Mum was busy, too, and going tothe bingohallwasn’t convenient. ‘You should try Pick Me Up! Bingo,’ a friend suggested. She said I could play in the comfort of my own home. It sounded perfect, so I signed up. There were so many games to choose from. My fave was Emerald - a 90-ball bingo game. I won a few small amounts over the…

SockShop Beauty Feet, £8.99, www.sockshop.co.uk Save yourself some money on lotions and get softer feet from your socks! They may look like ordinary black socks, but these contain a nourishing heel pad to soften cracked heels in seven to 14 days. The Beurer Monogram Heated Cape HD50, £48, www.currentbody.com If you’re always chilly, we’ve got just the thing! This heated cape is made of super-soft fleece material and contains an extra-large heat pad with six temperature settings to keep you nice and toasty! Curaprox Black is White Tough Whitening Toothpaste, £19.95, www . curaprox. co.uk This charcoal toothpaste tastes of mint and citrus, and uses carbon to absorb stains from teeth. Our Jess was worried it would leave her teeth…

‘The picture has brought a smile to millions of people’ The kids were mesmerised. And I have to say, I was, too. ‘Those are some seriously impressive horses,’ I said nudging my husband Scott, 43. It was January this year. Scott and I had taken our kids - Holly, 14, Shannon, 12, Ethan, 10, Millie, 8, and Elise, 6 - to Florida, USA, for a bit of winter sunshine. We’d spent that day at the Old Town Theme Park in Kissimmee. There’s so much to do there. But only one thing the kids were interested in. ‘The horses!’ Elise cried excitedly as soon as we arrived. Budweiser Brewery used to use Clydesdale horses to pull barrels and kegs of beer around. Now, the horses trotted around in a display at…

‘My armour symbolises my battle with injury’ It’d been raining heavily on 30 November last year, as my mum Linda, 57, and I drove along. Then Mum hit the brakes, and the car skidded wildly. Helpless, we crashed into the car ahead. Mum only had minor injuries, but I fractured my vertebrae near the middle of my spine. I could have permanent damage. I had surgery to have four pins and two rods inserted either side of the fracture. Thankfully, the op was a success, but I’d have to wear a brace 24/7 over my clothes – it’d be too uncomfortable under – for three months to hold my spine in place. Two weeks on, venturing to the cinema, I felt awkward as strangers stared. ‘It’s embarrassing,’ I said to…

‘I think that the younger you are when you’re pregnant, the healthier the baby will be. I had youngest aged 38 and I do regret this, as I worry that I may not be around long enough to see him get married or have a family of his own. I have pretty bad health also, which adds to my worries.’ Val Coombes, Redhill, Surrey ‘These new advances in IVF will really appeal to the career women who leave having a baby until the last moment then find things don’t go quite to plan. My only concern is that the child may still be a dependent when an older mum dies. I expect that’s why Mother Nature doesn’t give us unlimited childbearing years.’ Vivien McLaren, Stoke-on-Trent ‘I think you’ll be moaned…

PISCES 20 Feb–20 March Tough love may well be required this week, if you’re to pull a close one into line. Talk but don’t shout if you’re to maintain respect and control of what’s obviously been a very frustrating and exhausting couple of weeks for you. Call: 09058 170 721* ARIES 21 March–20 April Try to think about the way you’re talking to those around you or, even better, take a moment out to listen to yourself. Aspects suggest you’re being a little harsh. Taking a lighter tone can ensure you hear all the facts and not half stories. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Finally you’re ready to speak out about what and who makes you happy. Game playing in the workplace sees you tired and frustrated,…

Strike a pose! My party-ready girl Abigail, 3, thinks she’s going on 13! Kelly Anne Cox, Spennymoor Dippy gals 'Yay, we’re here!’ Me and my friend Katie are so excited to be on our hols in Dubai. Shannon Lloyd, Rhewl, Clwyd Sight for sore legs After a long trek, my boyfriend Dave and I took a break to relish the amazing views of the Laos landscape. Amy Burwash, West London No long faces! Celebration selfie after Bailey and I won a cross-country event. James McLaughlan, Denbigh Fold-away feline? Here’s my cat Fudge in one of the odd positions only he could doze off in… He’s lovely, but loopy! Michaela Lewis, Burnham-on-Sea Well spotted… I was thrilled when I got this shot of a magnificent cheetah while on safari in Kenya.…

Name That Country... ...from what they’re known as in their local languages! 1. Which country is known to its inhabitants as Shqiperia? 2. Where do you live if your home is in Hrvatska? 3. What is Suomi known as in English? 4. Where is Al Imarat? 5. If you’re in Hayastan, where are you? Songs they REJECTED! Rihanna’s Umbrella was turned down by Britney Spears. Pharrell’s Happy was turned down by CeeLo Green. Stevie Nicks turned down Blondie’s Call Me. Britney Spears’ ...Baby One More Time was turned down by TLC (right). Michael Jackson was originally offered Justin Timberlake’s Rock Your Body. Whitney Houston’s How Will I Know was offered to Janet Jackson. Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone was originally written for Pink. 7 Reasons To Love The Seaside…

Sweating shame QI’m a semi-professional athlete and have an embarrassing problem when it comes to doing sport – excessive sweating. I’ve heard from a friend that there’s a medication I could take. Is it worth trying? Rebecca, West London A If you’re sweating excessively while doing sports, then medication may not be sensible. It stops all sweating and therefore may put you at danger of overheating, so avoid it. Constipation crisis Q Since I can remember, I have always had sluggish bowels. I’ve tried various laxatives but haven’t found one that really helps me enough. Do you know what I can try? Angela, Sheffield A Eating right, drinking enough and exercising regularly all help keep bowels moving, but if you still need laxatives, there are two kinds and you may…

1 Chocolate M&M’s Cookie Mix, £1.98 Add butter and water to make eight small cookies. Very sweet, with a crispy exterior, chewy inside and studs of colourful M&M’s. Kids will love ‘em 2 Morrisons Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix, £1 Makes six big cookies – best scoffed still warm from the oven to enjoy the gooey, choc chunks inside. For a crisper cookie, give them a couple of extra min in the oven. 3 Sainsbury’s Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix, £1.40 Just add water, shape and bake to make six giant-sized cookies. Crispy outside, with a still-squidgy middle, they’re studded with both milk and white choc chunks. Delicious! Make ’em yourself... Serves: 10 Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 15 min 1 Preheat oven to…

‘I grabbed a pillow, used it to smother the flames’ Bedtime in our house was always the same. ‘Can I sleep in your bed?’ asked my littl’un Taylor James, 3. ‘Go on, then,’ I smiled. We’d spent the evening watching films with my fiance Kevin Woodward, 30, and my youngest Alexia Jordan, 2. We were all exhausted, and Alexia was asleep in her room. It wasn’t long before the three of us were snoozing, too. At 2.30am, I woke up to see Taylor padding back to his own bed. It’d disturbed Kev, too. ‘Better pop my e-cig on charge before I forget,’ he said. My bloke had been a smoker for 10 years, but quit last year. ‘I need to be around to see the kids grow up,’ he told…

ASK JESS Q I treated myself to a gel manicure, but since I’ve taken them off my nails keep breaking! How can I strengthen them again? A Try Nail HQ Strengthener, £6.99, Superdrug, either on bare nails or under polish. It contains keratin to encourage growth. I gave it a go and saw good results after a week! Pick Me Up! FOR LESS Buy a 200ml bottle of Bio-Oil for just £13.45 at TJ Hughes (rrp £19.99) Jess’Beauty Hero George Fibre Lash Mascara, £4, Asda, lengthens and thickens my lashes in one swoop! Want the perfect... ANTI-HUMIDITY HAIRSPRAY? Try one of these… Sleek: Lee Stafford Dehumidifier If you straighten your curly hair, you know the havoc that rain can play with your tresses! Spritz this onto your finished style before…

My mum Julie, 42, always said when I met The One, I’d know. I was taking Equine Studies at Bishop Burton College, Hull, when I met Sam Williamson, 18, in October 2010. And Mum was right! Sam was studying Gamekeeping, while working as an apprentice gamekeeper. Four years on, when we’d both finished studying, we moved to Northumberland. Then, in October 2014, late for my period, I took a pregnancy test... Positive! Dazed, I told Sam. He was gobsmacked but, once over the shock, thrilled. We discussed marriage, but decided preparing for the baby was more important. ‘One day, we will,’ Sam smiled. At my 20-week scan, we learned our baby was a girl, and on 2 June 2015, our Bella Rose arrived, weighing a whopping 9lb 11½oz. Then, in…

‘I nearly fell off the bed when we saw two babies!’ Tall, dark, handsome, and so friendly, Dean Carr had been the love of my life since we met through some friends. By 2015, we’d been together three years and often talked about the future. ‘When we get back from Mexico, let’s come off the Pill and start thinking about marriage and babies,’ I said. ‘Sounds like a plan,’ Dean, 31, smiled back. My friend, Sarah, was getting married in Mexico in April. The week before the ceremony, about 50 people flew over. We had some brilliant nights. But the mornings after... ‘I feel awful,’ I moaned to the girls. ‘I can’t stop being sick.’ ‘We’re the same,’ they sighed. ‘Must be the local tequila!’ ‘My period’s late, too,’ I…

‘There was something about Andrew I didn’t like...’ Clutching the stick of rock, I couldn’t wait to give it to my dad. I was 7 years old and had been to stay with my aunt and uncle for the weekend. I’d spent my pocket money on Dad’s souvenir, couldn’t wait to see his face. But when I got home, Dad wasn’t there. Instead, in his armchair was a scruffy man holding a can of beer. ‘This is Andrew,’ Mum said. She explained she and Dad had split up and now her new boyfriend Andrew Martindale was living with us. ‘I wanted to give Dad a stick of rock,’ I cried, disappointed. ‘Give it to Andrew,’ she said. There was something about him I didn’t like and, as time went on,…

To keep fingers bruise-free when hammering in a nail, use a clothes peg to hold the nail in place. Brian Betts, Sheffield I made this pretty table ornament by arranging flowers in an egg cup inside an ornamental birdcage. Sue Angus, Wolverhampton A mobile-phone case makes an ideal holder for a small digital camera. Lilian Smith, Preston When outdoors, attach bike lights to kids’ coats. Now I always know where my 3-year-old son Zachariah is! Stephanie Ng, Musselburgh After eating a piece of fruit, put the core in a glass of water to infuse it with a fresh flavour. Audrey Roome, Manchester By gluing colourful buttons across the corner, I brightened up this plain black handbag. Pat Lowther, Durham Don’t throw away your old pillows, use them to plump up…

1 Brush work  Avoid wastage by only dipping your brush a third of the way into the paint. You’ll get just as good coverage. 2 Fantastic plastic Get plenty of life out of your paint trays by covering them with plastic bags before use. 3 Pick a feature  Choose a feature wall rather than painting an entire room for a striking look while cutting costs. 4 Shop smart Check out websites like Gumtree, where people often give away old furniture that you can do up with a lick of paint.…

1 This condition affects the bladder. 2 Intense pelvic pain is a major symptom. 3 The condition can be easily cured. 4 Interstitial cystitis affects more men than women. 1 TRUE Interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome, is a poorly understood condition affecting the bladder. The causes of it are still unclear. 2 TRUE Other major symptoms are sudden, strong urges to pee, fatigue, and getting up frequently in the night to use the toilet. 3 FALSE There is no cure, and treatments such as surgery, intravenous medication and bladder retraining don’t work for everybody. Lifestyle changes such as avoiding alcohol and reducing stress can help some sufferers. 4 FALSE Ninety per cent of people with the condition are female. It usually strikes women in their 30s and…

‘I could go blind, have a stroke or suffer kidney failure’ You don’t need a slim waist and long legs to be beautiful. There are beautiful women with big boobs, big waists and big bottoms. I was one, and I loved it. My boyfriend Jack, 23, loved it, too! But I was living under a potential death threat I’d been ignoring for years. ‘Carry on like this and you’ll be blind,’ the doctor warned. ‘Or worse. Dead.’ At 9, I’d been diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes. For ages before, I’d felt constantly thirsty and would gulp back pints of juice. Mum had recognised the symptoms. Basically, my pancreas wasn’t producing insulin. Our bodies need it to regulate the amount of glucose - sugar - in the blood. So, I had to…

‘I can treat myself’ Vaishali McMillan, 30 Six years ago, I read about Quidco on a money-saving website and signed up for it straightaway. It’s introduced a lot of great services over the past year, especially one that lets you get cashback on your groceries. I’ve made over £800, which is a real help with day-to-day items, as well as luxuries. Recently, I treated myself to a mini-break to Prague with my cashback! ‘I’ve earned £800’ Sally Barlow, 33 When I first heard about Quidco, it seemed such a good idea. I’m a big online shopper and cashback would really help me out. I noticed the benefits immediately, especially with utilities like insurance. My best amount earned was £120 on a mobile-phone contract. It’s worth signing up your credit card,…

‘Fumbling to start the engine, I heard the driver’s door open’ When heavily pregnant Emma Green picked up her young kids from homework club, the last thing she expected was for drug addict Bernard Hicks to try to hijack her car – with her children still inside. When she put up a fight, Hicks threatened her with a screwdriver. But he wasn’t ready for the sheer power of angry mums… I was 33 weeks pregnant and hobbling around on crutches. I’d developed symphysis pubis dysfunction - pelvic pain in pregnancy - and my bump was already massive. What I really could’ve done with was putting my feet up and reading a book. But there was fat chance of that on 10 November last year. My eldest, Lexie, 7, was going…

‘Seeing the lever in his thigh made me want to pass out’ My two lads Brendan, 10, and Aidan, 4, mean the world to me. But let’s face it - when you’re a single mum, you grab any chance for some ‘me time’ with both hands. Which is what I’d done on that Sunday afternoon. My mum said she’d watch the boys so I could hit the shops. But I’d only been gone an hour when my phone rang. My mate Nikki. She lived a few minutes away from us. Her lad Matthew is Brendan’s age. Brendan’s uncle James had bought him a BMX for his 10th birthday, around four weeks before. Since then, he’d hardly been off the thing, whizzing about with Matthew between his house and ours. And…

Take 3… Chicken salads Flattering Fashion Sumptuously Soft Sports Bra With lightweight, breathable, padded cups, soft fabric and wide elastic straps, this bra’s designed to keep everything in place, no matter what you get up to! Available in sizes 32B-36E. Try this…. Hydratrim, £25, Boots Take before meals and this swells in your tum. It’s claimed you’ll eat 30-40% less grub... Weight Watchers Swedish Meatballs With Red Cabbage, £2.59, Morrisons, Asda Beef and pork meatballs in creamy gravy, with a side of juicy red cabbage – and all for less than 300 cal! Food Swaps Swap A SERVING OF GARLIC DIP & TORTILLA CHIPS 230 CAL For A SERVING OF SALSA DIP & VEGETABLE CRUDITES… 40 CAL Save 190 cal Get Moving! Cycle Tone System, £129.99 Hop on…

One night last June, our normally nifty Horsfield’s tortoise Touche, 8, was dragging his left back leg. Neither my daughter Lena, 3, or her dad Joe, 30, recalled Touche having a fall. Next morning, at Highcroft Veterinary Hospital, Whitchurch, an X ray showed his leg was broken in two places, perhaps from a fall from a step. The kind vet, Sonya, gave us three options - they could attempt to rebuild the leg, but it’d be painful, and recovery was uncertain. They could amputate his leg, then replace it with wheels. Or we could have him put him to sleep... No way - at 8, there was plenty of life in Touche yet! I was amazed to hear toy cars are donated to the vets, so the various wheels can…

7 Things You’ll Know If You‘ve Been A Waitress Some of these might ring a bell… 1 Be nice to horrible people – they might tip you. 2 You’ll drop a tray of dishes and it will make a spectacular crash. 3 You mastered the art of opening wine with a corkscrew just as they all switched to screw-tops. 4 Nice customers sometimes inexplicably leave you a stingy tip. 5 Eat before work: it can be torture serving spaghetti when you’re hungry. 6 You’ll develop a razor-sharp memory after mucking up an order. 7 You’ll steal the odd chip from a customer’s plate (after you’ve cleared it). 5 FACTS ABOUT RATS! It was actually gerbils, not rats, that spread the Black Death. Rats can swim half a mile in the…

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