Table of contents for 12-Jan-2023 in Pick Me Up!

Glancing at my mirror, I merged into the inside lane. Heading down the M1 back from Sheffield, I had been Christmas shopping with my mate, Lesley. ‘I’ve got so many bargains today,’ I grinned at him. ‘Me too!’ he smiled. We couldn’t wait for Christmas 2008. As we laughed and joked down the motorway, I felt secure. I loved driving, and my little Mini Hatchback was my pride and joy. Checking my right mirror again, I noticed a huge, arctic lorry behind me, indicating into the inside lane. ‘I think he’s going to have us,’ I said, anxiously. We were pinned to the lorry’s bonnet Putting my foot on the accelerator, I realised there were roadworks ahead and I would have to slow down. However, there was not enough stopping…

Winding down the car window, I watched a big group of boys pile out of the pitch. ‘Hi darling,’ I called to my son, Umair, then aged 10, as he clambered into the car. ‘How did training go?’ ‘I was so out of breath!’ he replied, panting. ‘I couldn’t keep up with the others.’ ‘Oh dear, maybe you need to get your stamina up,’ I said. ‘You’re probably just unfit.’ His breathing problems had started when he was four. But, it wasn’t like it was affected all the time, so I drove home, and we soon forgot all about it. Except, as the years went on, the same thing kept happening. Talking to my husband, Qamar, 48, about it one evening, I wondered if there could be anything more to…

BUY OF THE WEEK If you’re giving Veganuary a try this month, it doesn’t mean you have to give up a nice, warming hot choccy on those cold winter nights. Try Cocoa Canopy’s Rich Dark drinking chocolate, with 61% cocoa, or the 70% Ecuador Dark for an intense chocolatey drink. Simply mix with plant-based milk and enjoy! • From £6.25, please visit: cocoacanopy.co.uk Good to know We all know cycling is good for our health and good for the environment – but thanks to voco hotels, you can now get special rewards for every mile you cycle, too! Their Very Important Peddler (VIP) service rewards guests for miles they clock up as they cycle around new cities, to tie in with the premium hotel brand’s sustainability ethos. Cycled two miles…

Cathy Press has been working as a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor for over 25 years, specialising in domestic and sexual violence and abuse related issues with young people and adults. Her new book When Love Bites is available to buy now for £14.99. Visit: cathypress.co.uk for more information. She’ll never learn… Q My friend has just come out of a long-term relationship and has jumped into another. They have only known one another for a week – she always falls head over heels for every man that takes an interest, and she won’t listen to anything I say. Is it fair to let her make her own mistakes? Lucy, Reading A It can feel really difficult watching a friend seemingly make the same mistakes again and again. It can be…

With food prices soaring, we’re all trying to find ways to save pennies and cut down on the cost of the weekly shop. Follow these top tips from PriceRunner’s consumer expert, Evelina Galli, to slash your supermarket spend! 1. Batch cook with your slow cooker A slow cooker is a hero in the kitchen – not only does it make cooking easier, it actually saves energy and is cheaper to run than an oven. You can more or less throw in anything you’ve got in your fridge and easily create a nice stew, warming soup or chilis and curries. 2. Shop smarter and save By changing the way you shop, you can save money. As a rule it is better to buy loose products as opposed to pre-packaged food, but…

Dashing off to the toilet for what seemed like the 20th time, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. ‘It must be all those BBQ’s we’ve been having,’ I chuckled to my husband Kris, 35, before needing to get up again. After enjoying the summer sun in August 2020, with our little boy Liam, five, I noticed that my toilet habits had started to take up most of my day – it was out of the blue. I’d get an overwhelming urge to go, but hardly anything would come out. And as soon as I went back to teaching in September, I quickly realised I’d have to get up more times than the reception children. So, finally phoning my GP, I raised my concerns. ‘It sounds like constipation, we’ll give…

Founder of Eternally Cherished, bespoke award-winning jewellery and gifts business, specialising in breast milk, ashes and DNA jewellery • Follow @eternallycherisheduk on Instagram or visit: eternallycherished.co.uk 1. Tell us more about why and how you started your own jewellery business… I started my weird and wonderful business after going through my own journey. They say breastfeeding is supposed to be the most natural thing in the world, however, this wasn’t the case for me. After months of pumping and feeding, I decided I wanted a special keepsake and created something for myself. My friends encouraged me to start a website, and almost five years later, here I am! 2. What are some of the unique services that you provide as part of your business? I started out just using breast…

This is a picture of my See adorable what I 12-year-old found living in my ground floor rescue housing car, Miz. association Always flat… I’ve never looking seen for one the next that big in the UK! I’m coming adventure. up to 83 but I managed to get up a ladder, popped a plastic mug over it, used a piece of cardboard to slide across the mug and slowly walked backwards down the ladder. I was so relieved to reach the bottom, quickly out the door and deposited it over the hedge! Rosemary Webster, Windsor ‘Now just behave and stop making an ass of yourself!’ That’s what my three-year-old grandson Billy seems to be saying to this donkey when we took him and his sister Nikki, six, to the Sidmouth Donkey…

Vases aren’t just functional – they’re a statement…

When it’s raining cats and dogs it can be tempting to hunker down and stay inside. But experts and M&S believe there’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes – so grab your wellies and raincoats and make the most of these fun rainy-day ideas for the kids. Please visit: marksandspencers.com Go outside Explore the great outdoors with laminated fact-filled bingo cards to help children learn to identify different plants, trees and wildlife, even in the city. Make sure to keep eyes peeled for creepy-crawlies that love the wet weather. Dig it Make a rain-gauge or water collector out of plastic bottles and use them as a starting point to explore eco-friendly ways to conserve rainwater for household and garden use. Get creative Draw around puddles with…

SUPPORT YOUR SKIN Going through chemo can be a harrowing time. And the last thing on your mind is your skincare routine. Oncology nurse and co-owner of Dermavitality, Mark Brown, has these handy tips on looking after your skin when going through chemo treatments. Please visit: dermavitality.com 1) Gentle products As chemotherapy can make your skin highly sensitive, you should avoid products with harsh ingredients, as these can irritate or even break your skin barrier. We recommend using mild and unperfumed products, as these are very gentle on the skin. Look for non-alkaline and lanolin-free products to minimise reactions. 2) Lukewarm showers When undergoing cancer treatment, you should avoid showering at extreme temperatures, as both hot or cold may irritate your skin. You should avoid hot showers in particular, as…

Sensitive skin Q My skin has flared up recently and it’s constantly red and itchy. I’ve changed my washing powder and my shower gel, but nothing seems to make it better. Could I be allergic to something? Joanne, Derby A Hygiene products frequently contain substances which can cause skin allergies – contact dermatitis – also called eczema. Manufacturers want these products to look, smell and feel good – so you will buy them! But often they cause an adverse reaction when they come in contact with the skin. For sensitive skin, use a hypoallergenic shower gel – take care as some labels can be very misleading. Also consider switching to a non-biological washing powder and fabric conditioner. Sensitive skin requires copious amounts of moisturiser, to prevent dry skin cracking open…

If colour is absent in your wardrobe, there’s no need to fret – grey is the new black! With darker shades, and subtle lilac hues, it’s a colour that makes you appear modern and stylish – what more could you want? Mr. Grey is waiting for you……

Getting out of the car and walking up to the manor house, the scene in front of me was perfect.  Surely this is the one, I thought, waiting for a certain someone’s approval. ‘Now look at this, Joanne,’ my dad Clive, 64, said, stunned. With my husband to be Mark, 42, nodding in approval. Wanting to get my whole family involved in my wedding preparation, I thought it was the right opportunity to bring Dad along to De Courceys Manor, Cardiff, so he could get a glimpse into where we would be having our big day. Plus, he wasn’t going to get involved in the dress shopping, or the girlier sides of everything, so it felt nice to bring him along. Not long retired, both him and my mum, Jeanette,…

Gel Wax Melts, from £2.95, Ella and I Lighting your wax melt after freshening up your home is a great feeling. However, having to remove the solid wax that’s on top of your burner isn’t so relaxing – and no matter what it’s a pain to get out. Small business Ella and I have a solution. Using a gel formula, instead of wax, you can get an intense scent and can simply peel the gel straight off your burner – now that really is a scent-sational home idea! Verdict: GENIUS! Mess free solution XL Bucket Candle, £560, Amara It’s true that sometimes you just can’t get enough of a certain smell, and many of us hoard plenty of candles – but one that is 11kg in weight? Now, that is extreme.…

Giving Veganuary a try this year but don’t know where to start? With these delicious recipes from plant-based chef Lisa Marley, you won’t be missing your favourite meaty meals. What’s more, you can cook up this grub from just 20p per person • Please visit: lisamarleychef.com Tempeh Buddha Bowls YOU WILL NEED: ◻ Brown rice◻ 16oz tempeh FOR THE SAUCE ◻ 100ml hoisin◻ 2 tbsp soy sauce◻ 2 cloves garlic, minced◻ 2 tsp grated ginger◻2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder FOR THE BOWL ◻ 1 large bunch kale◻ 1 tbsp oil◻ 2 carrots, sliced◻ 4 radishes, thinly sliced◻ ¼ red cabbage◻ ¼ cucumber, sliced◻ ½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced◻ Coriander, to garnish 1 Cook the brown rice according to packet. Preheat the oven to 190o C. Steam the tempeh for 12…

The red-light district of San Bernardo Avenue is a popular spot amongst sex workers in Laredo, Texas. Groups of women will patrol the streets looking for work, often being picked up by passers-by on their commute to and from work. One of these women was Erika Peña. On 14 September 2018, she was picked up on a street corner by one of her regulars, Juan David Ortiz. He had been a regular client of hers for five months, so she hopped into the car happily. Ortiz had a wife and three kids, and worked within border control. He often made polite chitchat, and to Erika, he seemed a nice, normal guy. Only, that evening, something seemed off… According to Erika, the drive started off with the usual innocent small-talk, but…

Tucked away in South West Wales, Pembrokeshire is a unique and beautiful part of the UK. Wrap up warm and blow away the cobwebs with a stroll in one of these dreamy spots. It may be chilly outside, but there’s still nothing quite like the feeling of fresh sea air! With its stunning coastal scenery and picturesque towns and villages, it’s perfect for a holiday at any time of year. Tenby No visit to Pembrokeshire would be complete without a trip to Tenby, a picture-postcard town with pastel-coloured houses, a historic harbour and no less than four sandy beaches! Most of old walls remain, capturing a maze of cobbled streets and historic buildings. While you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches, the town’s North Beach, overlooked by the…

Who doesn’t love a Jaffa Cake? Bonne Maman? Well, why not make your own with this easy recipe from YOU’LL NEED… ◻ 2 eggs◻ 50g caster sugar◻ 50g plain flour, sifted◻ 1 packet of orange jelly cubes, chopped◻ 1 tbsp Bonne Maman Bitter Orange Marmalade◻ 125ml boiling water◻ 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces METHOD: 1) Preheat the oven to 180°C. 2) Place the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat continuously for five minutes. 3) Add the flour, still beating, until a batter forms. 4) Half-fill each well of a 12 hole muffin tin with the batter. Bake in the oven for eight minutes, then set aside to cool in the tray. 5) To make the filling, mix together the jelly,…

Catch Claire live on Facebook ARIES 21 March–20 April You need to make a list of what is most important to get done, as Mercury is still retrograde and it could take you twice as long to do things. Relying on others promises could be your biggest mistake. Taking time out to alter the path you are on can save you a small fortune. You were giving into others ways of doing things and it’s time to take back some of your control. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS  21 April–21 May You’re finally ready to wear your heart on your sleeve again, but due to the fact you haven’t been, those around you try to convince you that you don’t know what you want. Take a leap of faith! It’s…