Table of contents for 17 August 2023 in Chat

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Slugs be gone! Every year, the slugs get to my favourite plant in the garden… not this year! Put steel wool around the plant – slugs won’t dare cross it. Demi Roberts, Mold, Flintshire What a cracker I’ve always struggled to open bottles, but using a nutcracker works wonders on all bottle sizes. Just grab and twist! Sheila Kelley, Quedgeley, Gloucester Suck-cess Hoover pipe clogged? Use a knitting needle to shift the blockage! Judith Cairns, Colchester, Essex £25 For every photo tip that we print Handy planting I used to love planting hanging baskets, but since needing a wheelchair after my stroke, it’s too tricky. Luckily, my husband came up with a great idea to put the basket on a planter, a perfect height for me to reach. Karen Dennis,…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 With what did singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor entertain the nation during lockdown? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 TV host, _ Kay (6) 12 Daniel _, star of the Harry Potter films (9) 13 Level of command (4) 14 Singer of Wuthering Heights (4,4) 15 Rapper, _ Minaj (5) 16 Place of safety (6) 17 Feeling (7) 18 Light or radiation abbreviated to UV (11) 20 Weeps (5) 22 Study of the world (9) 24 _ Newton, scientist (5) 28 Artist (7) 29 Pupil (7) 32 A dozen (6) 34 Menace (8) 36 Blameless (8) 37 Two-seater bicycle (6) 39 Poisonous substance (7) 40 Planet closest to the sun (7) 45 New _, Indian capital (5) 47 Large reptile similar to a crocodile (9) 48 Dried plum (5) 51 Coffee shop that appears in Friends…

My man leaves a bad taste Q My new boyfriend’s semen doesn’t taste like my last partner’s. Are all men different or is something wrong? Stacey, Burgess Hill A A guy’s semen is mostly water but proteins, minerals, natural sugars, enzymes and vitamins give it a characteristic taste which might range from salty to bitter, metallic or sweet. The taste does vary from one guy to another and might also change in the same guy. Illness or infection, smoking, excess alcohol, drugs including some antibiotics, dehydration or diseases, such as diabetes, can all affect semen taste. The food he eats probably has an effect too and some partners find that onions, garlic, broccoli and asparagus make semen taste bad. A distinctly foul taste, a discharge from his penis or discoloured…

1 Change your diet A nutritious diet is essential during menopause. ‘A diet rich in veggies, oily fish, nuts, seeds and legumes is one of the best ways to stay healthy and control weight gain – factors that contribute to hot flushes,’ says Dr Rebeccah Tomlinson, GP at menopause specialists Health & Her. ‘Increase your protein (meat, eggs, dairy) intake – it will make you feel fuller for longer and reduce cravings for quick-fix sugar boosts.’ Plus, avoid spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine as these can trigger hot flushes. ‘High-sugar foods can also have an impact on body temperature,’ adds Dr Tomlinson. Eliminate one at a time to see if it makes any difference. 2 Use skin compresses ‘When our temperature gauge is thrown, the skin’s selfregulating function is disrupted…

WIN 2 × £25 Puzzle 9 At the time of their death in 2008, which actor was planning an adaptation of the novel The Queen’s Gambit, more recently made into a Netflix series, as their debut feature film as a director? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Film = MOVE + I = MOVIE. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

What was the name of the last member of the Stuart royal house to assert a claim on the British throne, succeeding his brother Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1788? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Short swinging punch (4) 5 American sweets (5) 7 Not difficult (4) DOWN 2 Possess (3) 3 Tim _, comedian and poet (3) 4 Unit of land area (4) 6 Independence _, 1996 film (3) WIN 4 × £20 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Hubby isn't ready for kids Q I’ve been with my husband for over 10 years and we’re really happy. Thing is, we both want kids but while I’m ready for them now, he isn’t. He worries about owning our own home before we start trying, but to me that seems years and years away. Is there a way we can meet in the middle? Phillipa, 29 A Why does he especially want his own home before he has kids? Is it for stability perhaps or could it just be an excuse? Try to understand what his true reasoning behind it is, flower. Ask him again if he wants kids. Discuss it openly – it might be that he’s scared, but you need to know what the future looks like for…

3 ways to… CUT FOOD WASTE 1 Don't bin it Make sure you’re storing food properly to help keep it fresher for longer. You’ll find a useful guide at lovefoodhatewaste.com/foods-and-recipes which details how to store a range of foods from potatoes and mushrooms to bananas and eggs, including advice on how to freeze and defrost them too. Plus, there’s handy tips on making your food go further, for example, cooking cauliflower stalks and leaves along with the florets and saving the end of your hard cheese like Parmesan, including the rind, for enriching soups and sauces – just remember to remove it when it has done its magic. 2 Stay on track To cut the chance of wasting fresh food (and money) by accident, keep items close to the end of…

11-17 August 2023 PHOTO: ELIZABETH KEATES. *STARLINES UPDATED EVERY THURSDAY. CALLS COST 80P PER MIN PLUS YOUR TELEPHONE COMPANY’S NETWORK ACCESS CHARGE AND LAST AROUND 4 MINS. FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. USERS MUST BE OVER 18. YOU MUST HAVE THE BILL PAYER’S PERMISSION. SP: SPOKE 0333 202 3390 Aries 21 March-20 April With the North Node in your sign for the next 18 months, your passion and drive to get things done will only increase. Enjoy this positive, motivating energy! ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Take it easy now. It has been a busy time for you lately, so let yourself relax. Rejuvenate by spending time in nature, and practise being more in the present. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22…

Q How can I stop my make-up from melting off in the heat? Tracy Bennett, 54, Woking A You wouldn’t skip a base or top coat for a long-lasting manicure, so give your foundation the same due diligence. Start with E.l.f. Power Grip Primer, £10, Superdrug, to create a nice even canvas for your foundation to grip to. Avoid heavy, cakey bases – lighter layers of make-up are less likely to slip and slide when it’s hot. Maybelline Super Stay 24H Skin Tint, £12.99, lookfantastic.com, gives buildable coverage and a bright, glowy finish. Finish your look with a mist of NYX Professional Matte Finish Makeup Setting Spray, £8, Boots, to lock everything in place. For oily complexions that are particularly slippery in summer, look for a matt base like Revlon…

Chat winners issue 20 (18 May 2023) £1,001 CASH H Maguire, Preston £500 CASH M Crombie, Leek A Byrne, Manchester £250 CASH P Brookes, Birmingham C Stone, Warminster £200 CASH P Harper, Driffield £100 CASH N Pyatt, Stoke-on-Trent J Spicer, Raleigh J Cox, Harrogate £75 CASH C Hansen, Newcastle-upon-Tyne £50 CASH C Mayfield, Penzance B Moutarde, Isle of Wight N Parks, Nottingham S Simmonds, Whitchurch L Brown, Newcastle H McGarvey, Newtownabbey £40 CASH M White, Lincoln £30 CASH R Foot, Oxford T Perry, Settle Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £25 CASH M Bottomley, Rochdale L Wetherall, Scunthorpe £20 CASH C Reeves, Swindon S Davis, Bicester W Cunningham, Whistable A Lancaster, Southport C Haigh, Ossett N Warden, Oldham M Hancock, Neath I Dyer, Liskeard J Goodall, Bo’ness…

What’s your fave season? It’s got to be winter, because I absolutely love Christmas! I start Christmas shopping in September. I put up lots of decorations, and have two trees, one in the front room and the other in the dining room. I’m like a big kid! What animal would you be reincarnated as? With my menagerie of pets and my boyfriend Mark keeping me busy, I think I’d come back as a cat because all they do is sleep, eat and get stroked by their owners. That sounds a nice life! Who is your bestie? My little Yorkie Wiggles, 2. He loves snuggles, walkies and treats, and hates flies, fireworks and having his nails trimmed! But he’s always by my side, and helps with my depression. I’d be lost…

Filibeg is an alternative term for what item of clothing? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 Soft, lustrous fabric (6) 2 1981 Terry Gilliam fantasy adventure film (4,7) 3 Small migratory bird with a forked tail (7) 4 US film genre (7) 5 East Indian tree seed used as a spice (6) 6 Roman arena fighter (9) 7 Colourful weather phenomenon (7) 8 Male witch (7) 9 Electronic piano (8) 10Eddie Murphy’s character in Shrek (6) 11 Alpine singing (9) 12 Ornamental garden figure (5) 13 Proof, grounds (8) 14 Crisis (9) 15 Jewish vernacular (7) 16 Curse (3) Your answer:…

Q My toenails have turned black and gnarly. My GP says it’s a fungus, how did I catch it? Liana, Havering A Nail fungus often starts in one toenail, though can spread to others, as the result of damage such as an injury or wearing tight shoes. This allows fungus to enter between the skin and nail to cause an infection. Infected nails become thick, crumbly, deformed and black or yellow. Most people are keen to get rid of the fungus because of the way their nails look though it’s also important to treat it as there’s a small risk of passing it to other family members. First step is for your GP to send some nail clippings to a lab to confirm the diagnosis, then treatment is likely either…

Pressing my hand into my lower back, I winced. In agony for days. The GP reckoned it was hormone changes from coming off the contraceptive injection and said I didn’t need to worry. ‘But it’s getting worse,’ I told my best friend Lorraine, then 46. Over the next couple of weeks I went to A&E a few times when the pain became unbearable. Had blood tests, yet they revealed nothing. Was I imagining it? Then in January 2022, I had a night out planned in London for my 48th birthday with Lorraine, my daughters Charlotte, then 28, and Keyona, 18, and a group of girlfriends. ‘Mum, the minibus is here,’ Charlotte yelled at 10:30pm. I gave my long, dark hair one final check, then we were off. ‘Can’t wait,’ Lorraine…

Clutching the pregnancy test in one hand, I threw the other around my husband Ted. ‘Finally,’ I wept. It was July 2017 and after a year of trying and two rounds of hormone injections, I was expecting. All that money and stress was worth it, I thought. Imagining the little life growing inside me. That September at my 12-week scan, my heart fluttered as the ultrasound technician rubbed cool gel on my tummy. I was about to see my baby. Only, her expression suddenly shifted. ‘One moment,’ she said, leaving the room. Ted and I exchanged panicked looks. ‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ he reassured me. What felt like an eternity later, the doctor came in to assess the scans. Then he shook his head. ‘I’m afraid your baby has a…

Q My friend asked me to be his best man, but I’m also getting married and therefore felt like I had to ask him to be my best man too. The thing is, we aren’t even that close. He wouldn’t even have been invited otherwise! Is it too late for me to change my mind? Stuart, 31 A Why has this chap asked you to be best man? It could mean he doesn’t have many other mates. If you want to be his best man, be his best man, but explain that your bride had sorted the bridal party and she’d asked someone already. Say it’s a misunderstanding but you’d still like to see him on the day, pet.…

When Zoe Sullivan first fell pregnant with her eldest, Elizabeth, now 18, she never thought she’d have any more. Only, she soon proved herself wrong and went on to have Olivia, 16. A year later, she and her husband Ben welcomed a set of twins, Isabelle and Charlotte, 15. Zoe then went on to have Noah, 13, Evangeline, 11, Tobias, 10, and another set of twins, Leah and Erin, 7, and then Agnes, 5. Quite the houseful, you’re probably thinking. The couple didn’t stop there. They then had Joseph, 4, and baby Florence, 1, and found themselves with a huge brood of 12 children. Zoe, 44, has spent most of the last 19 years either pregnant or looking after a newborn. The Sullivans are now known as one of Scotland’s…

Chicken, chickpea and yogurt salad Succulent chicken, creamy chickpeas and crisp lettuce combine to make a this tasty and filling meal SERVES 4 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS MARINATING COOK 35 MINS ● 4 chicken breasts ● 1tbsp chicken seasoning ● 1tsp ground cumin ● 1tbsp thyme, chopped ● 1 garlic clove, crushed ● 4 lemons ● 4tbsp olive oil ● 2tbsp tahini ● 250g tub 0%-fat Greek yogurt ● 2tbsp chopped mint, plus extra for garnishing ● 2 × 400g tin chickpeas, drained ● 12 mini pitta breads ● 1tbsp sesame seeds ● 2 little gem lettuce ● 225g olives, drained ● 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced ● 200g feta cheese, cubed 1 In a large bowl sprinkle the chicken breasts with the chicken seasoning, cumin, thyme, garlic, finely grated…

INEOS Moisturising Hand Wash, £1.25, Boots It’s hard to get excited about handwash but this one makes hygiene a joy. Beautifully scented and deeply moisturising, the formula’s infused with phytoncides from plants and trees, which are not only antibacterial, but release anti-stress aromas to help soothe the senses, too. Boots SPF+ Vitamin C Moisturising Lotion SPF50, £8, Boots For less than a tenner, this tube has everything you need in a daily moisturiser, and more. Vitamin C improves radiance to reveal brighterlooking skin, with the added bonus of built-in sun protection.…

Sharon Bryant was worried. The early hours of 23 November 2015 and her daughter wasn’t answering her phone. And she had good reason to be concerned about Dav’niesha, 24. Lately, the single mum had been stalked and threatened by her ex, Dacoby Wooten, the dad of her two young sons. High school sweethearts whose relationship had turned toxic. In 2010, he’d beaten her and been convicted of domestic battery. Despite that, the young mum struggled to disentangle herself. They were on and off until 2015, when Dav’niesha finally separated from him. Yet, she wasn’t really free. He wouldn’t leave her alone, even threatened to kill her and her mum. That October, Dav’niesha bravely reported Wooten to the police in Palm Beach, Florida. He was arrested for stalking, issued with a…

Dear Party Monica, Do you remember lying on the playing fields, watching the stars swim in the night sky? Barely, I know. You were only 14 then, but didn’t it feel great having all your troubles melt away as you swigged from a bottle of cider with a friend? If only your drinking stayed as innocently experimental. You didn’t know that within a year you’d be blind drunk every weekend. Getting dolled up with your mates to look older. Taking turns to buy vodka or cider from the local off-licence. By your 20s you could neck 12 Jack Daniel’s in a night. ‘Party Monica’, friends called you. Sounds terrible now, but all the youngsters were doing the same, and you barely noticed the hangovers. Yet, I’m here to tell you,…

TRUE-LIFE My cheeks flamed as Thomas Parry pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘Add me on Snapchat?’ he asked, eyes twinkling. I nodded shyly, a beam spreading across my face as he walked away. It was June 2014 and, aged 15, me and my mates had been hanging out at our local rec centre when Thomas made a beeline for me. At 21, he seemed so grown-up… And gorgeous. He’d spent the night asking about school, telling me about his factory job. Still, I could hardly believe he wanted to meet again. Home life was hard and I was in the vulnerable unit at school. It felt nice to have some attention. Thomas would meet me after class and take me back to his. ‘Don’t wear make-up to school,’ he…

The six stars that form the head and forelegs of the constellation Leo are known as a separate asterism for what object? Make three, nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the shaded squares to form the answer to this question. KED RIC IDE SAC NTI RAN FAB CAL ATE Your answer: WIN 5× £20 Puzzle 3 TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

SATIN STYLE TIP These would look great with an oversized shirt or blazer. Invest in smooth underwear to avoid any lumps and bumps. MINI STYLE TIP Show off your legs in a thigh-high skirt and team with trainers for a sporty look. WRAP STYLE TIP Wear with a silky lightweight top, half tucked in to reveal the tie-waist detail. FROM £8 TIERED STYLE TIP Perfect for summer holidays, this swishy style works best with flat sandals. Keep your top half neat and simple.…

Pulling into the disabled parking space in June 2022, I displayed my blue badge. Only, stepping out I caught the glares on other people’s faces. I sighed, tired of explaining that not all disabilities were visible. I’d always been bendy. In 2000, aged 10, I could cross my legs, pop my hips. ‘Amazing!’ pals gasped. But that summer, while camping with the Guides, my right shoulder popped while I was trampolining. ‘Owww,’ I shrieked. Taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital, scans showed I’d dislocated my shoulder. Docs clicked it back in. Agony. And life was never the same. Always in hospital with dislocated joints. My shoulders would go if my school bag was too heavy. Then my knees, hips and toes started dislocating too. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ I’d beg Dad.…

JUST FOR FUN Royal approval Prince George affectionately nicknamed the late Queen Elizabeth II ‘Gan Gan’. He and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, reportedly call King Charles ‘Grandpa Wales’ – following his 64-year tenure as Prince of Wales. What's in a name? Researchers have found only 560k of the UK’s 14 million grandparents – that’s 4% – are called granny or grandad. As for the rest… 28% have ‘unique’ names – including Nanny Bingo and Nana Teapot! 21% have ‘baby talk’ names, which stuck when their grandkids were tots, like Gogo, Gra Gra, Gan Gan, Bampy or Bam Bam. 20% had ‘descriptive’ names based on their looks, such as Big Papa or Wee Nana, or even Fat Nanny! 20% are simply known by their first name. 7% are…

Q I’m really worried about my dad, who is recently disabled. Although he can still get around by himself – and seems capable enough – I worry he doesn’t have enough support. I live hundreds of miles away from him. My siblings live nearer but they all have kids. Should I move closer to help him? Rebecca, 34 A AgeUK is fantastic for advice and support, sweetheart. Adult social services can do an assessment and see what care your dad needs. Even if you lived next door, you might not be able to offer the right support. Make sure you check in daily with him. See how he is, make sure he’s taking meds and eating and drinking. Then, if you want to move closer to him then, yes, of…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we’ll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can’t be found in the grid. This is your prize puzzle answer. CLUBS 1 The club motif on a playing card is a stylised leaf of which plant, a four-leaf variety of which is considered to be lucky? (6) 2 In the 1951 Disney film Alice in Wonderland, Alice encounters the Ace, Two and Three of Clubs painting which white flowers red? (5) 3 Which former Manchester nightclub, whose name comes from the Spanish for ‘estate house’, was big in the 1980s…

Garnier Good Permanent Hair Colour, £12, Boots The silky non-drip cream is mixed in the tub, cutting down on plastic waste, and goes on like a hair mask. It comes in 15 shades, each with impressive grey coverage and a glossy, multi-tonal finish that lasts for up to eight weeks. Sanctuary Three-Phase Shower Oil, £9.50, Boots On the skin, the luxurious, honey-like oil releases a warm aroma that enhances your shower experience to spa-level relaxation. The silky lather cleanses skin and replenishes dry spots, for three days worth of hydration. L'Oréal Elvive Full Resist Anti Hair-Fall Serum, £14.99, Boots If you could knit a jumper from the hair on your hairbrush, try this scalp serum, powered by aminexil, a special molecule that is proven to strengthen hair and reduce any…