Chat -julkaisun 30-Apr-2020 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Laura was expecting twins when she got terrifying news. You’ll smile at the pictures that show her journey to a happy ending (p36). What happened to Gabriella after a family day out has left her scarred, mentally and physically (p46). And Moira shares how reuniting with her childhood friend was life-changing in more ways than one (p18). Check out our budget-friendly dinners to make ahead and freeze (p42) and pens at the ready for all your fave puzzles. Stay safe and well this week. During this worrying time, we wish all of our readers good health. We hope Chat offers some welcome distraction. If you’re staying in and don’t want to miss out on your copy, you can download an issue from the App Store or Play Store direct to…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 What connects singer Debbie Harry and tennis star John McEnroe? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 __ Parker, Spider-Man’s real name (5) 4 Stinging insect (4) 6 Harry Potter’s school (8) 13 __ Jones, archaeologist played by Harrison Ford (7) 14 American state (7) 15 Country, capital New Delhi (5) 16 Speak (4) 17 Ballerina (6) 18 Expel from a country (6) 20 Street (4) 21 Correct (5) 22 Dark or dismal (6) 25 Orations (8) 28 Exert (6) 30 Sudden increase (5) 32 & 62 Actress, played Amy March in Little Women (8,4) 34 Goes by car (6) 35 Openly resist (4) 38 Felt jealous (6) 39 __ Arterton, actress in 2007 film of St…

Moira Neil, 64, Wishaw Checking Facebook, I noticed a red notification in the corner of the screen. New friend request. It was from a lady called Mae Maginnis. Where did I know that name from? Then it hit me and I couldn’t believe I’d ever forgotten. I’d met Mae in primary school, back in 1966. We’d been inseparable, playing hide and seek on the farm where Mae grew up. We stayed close right through leaving school and meeting our other halves. And when my fiance Andrew proposed in 1984, I had a question for Mae. ‘Will you be my bridesmaid?’ I asked. ‘Of course!’ she cried. I didn’t have a sister, saw Mae as family. Then, a couple of years later, after Mae had married, too, she dropped a bombshell.…

Why can’t I lubricate myself? Q My vagina is constantly dry and sore, and it makes sex so painful it’s impossible. What’s wrong? Hannah, Rochdale A It’s a common problem. If you’re approaching menopause, a lack of oestrogen hormone could mean your vagina is producing less natural lubrication. Oestrogen hormone cream, or tablets in the form of HRT, should help. The contraceptive pill and some antidepressants or cancer treatments can also be to blame, so consult your GP if you’re using any. Some women become dry while breastfeeding, and rarely there’s a different cause, such as diabetes. Often the problem is that you’re not becoming aroused before and during sex. Use moisturisers and lubricants, but make sure they’re water-based and intended for your vagina. Don’t use soap, bubbles or douches,…

What name connects a 1982 track on the album Mirage by the band Fleetwood Mac with a 1985 album by US jazz trumpeter Chet Baker? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow shaded squares to spell out the prize answer. ACROSS 1 Maggie May singer, __ Stewart (3) 3 Chest bone (3) 5 By way of (3) 6 Amusement (3) 7 Allow (3) DOWN 1 Opponent (5) 2 Sketch (5) 4 Lead singer of band U2 (4) WIN £5 0 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit lifedeathprizes.com/win…

Laura Etherington, 37, Stamford Unpacking after a day out biking, my husband Peter, 33, looked at me suspiciously as I flapped around the kitchen. I was nervous, and it was obvious. ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked. ‘I took a test while you were out. I’m pregnant,’ I said. ‘Gosh, it’s really happening!’ he gasped. It was November 2017 and Peter and I had been married for six months, together 10 years. We’d always wanted to have children. At our 12-week scan, As the sonographer moved the wand to one side of my stomach and then back the other way, Peter and I glanced at each other. We’d both spotted the same thing on screen. ‘Are there two?’ Peter said. ‘Yes!’ she smiled. My mind raced. How would we manage with…

3 ways to… cut the cost of insuring your car Around 16.8 million drivers let their car insurance auto-renew last year, despite the vast majority seeing hikes to their premiums*. Here’s how to reduce what you pay… 1 Shop around Research is essential. Start by getting quotes from price comparison sites, ideally at least three. Also get quotes from insurers you won’t find on price comparison sites, such as Aviva and Direct Line. If you have more than one car, investigate multicar deals available at insurers such as LV too. And bear in mind that some insurers offer discounts if you have other products with them, like life insurance. Once you’ve found the best price for the cover you need, try haggling with your current insurer to see if it’ll beat…

Aries 21 March-20 April Temptation could be all around you this week, so be sure to weigh up all your options before steaming ahead or making any unnecessary mistakes. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Giving up something you enjoy will prove to someone that they mean more to you than anything. Asking for a compromise may be necessary for progress. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Having cause to reprimand someone may put you in a difficult position. Be firm but fair and this will set the record straight and put you in a stronger position. Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Be careful of an investment opportunity offered to you, because it may end up costing…

Dear Marble, Gizmo and Clio, Walking into that house, where a litter of kittens ran around my feet, I’d no idea how important that day would be for me. It was December 2016. Truth was, I was lonely Had been ever since my little girl had started school a few years earlier. I’d struggled to find work. At home, the days were silent and endless. So, in October 2012, I began volunteering at the Blue Cross, Ludlow. I’d always loved animals. My childhood cats Diamond and Boris had meant the world to me. I staffed the charity shop over the next two years. It made me want a cat of my own. A furry friend to keep me company when loneliness hit. And at that house, my eyes fell on…

This was meant to be the holiday of a lifetime. Four teenage school friends, two of them heading off to university in just a few months, were enjoying the school break together. Pals from Nevada, Dylan Mack, 18, Brooke Hawley, 17, Albert ‘AJ’ Rossi, 17, and Alexis Vargas, 17, had booked hotel rooms in California, the neighbouring state, over the Easter holidays. Spring break had started – the holiday on every American teen’s calendar. So many fun plans for the days ahead. Parties and shopping in the huge malls. The teens had met at school, their friendship blossoming in class. AJ was the son of a disabled Vietnam war veteran. He’d just won the ‘Best Smile’ award during his last year at school. Brooke was an athlete, a gifted football…

Kate Tuckwell, 40, Bath True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Packing my hospital bag, excitement fizzed inside me. Not long now! It was December 2017 and me and my husband Nick, then 39, couldn’t wait to meet our little boy. We’d had to prepare more than most parents. See, our family had a history of Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS), a condition that affects the bones and tissues in the face, seen in the film Wonder, starring Julia Roberts. The cheekbones, jaw and eye sockets don’t develop properly during pregnancy. Sent for a scan at 26 weeks, we were relieved to see our baby showed no visible signs at all. Only, when William was born in January 2018, chaos quickly erupted. We saw him for just a moment before he was whisked off to…

Helen Ghosh, 43, Copthorne, West Sussex Watching my daughter Poppy, then 17, hobble downstairs, I frowned. ‘I’ve got a really sore back,’ she winced. It was April 2018 and we’d been at a community Easteregg hunt the day before. Running around, helping the little kids find hidden treats, it was no surprise she had a few aches. ‘It’s probably just a pulled muscle,’ I said, handing Poppy some painkillers. Since it was the Easter holidays, I told Poppy to rest at home while I headed to work. But then she called me in tears. ‘The pain’s really bad, Mum,’ she sobbed – usually so bright and positive, it wasn’t like her to cry. Usually so bright and positive, it wasn’t like her to cry Back home, when I saw how…

Chilli beef burgers SERVES 4 PREP TIME: 10 MINS COOK TIME: 10 MINS • 400g minced beef• ½ small red onion, finely chopped• 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped• 2tbsp mixed chopped herbs• 1 egg, lightly beaten• 2tsp Mexican spice blend• 1tsp Tabasco sauce• 50g fresh breadcrumbs• 2tbsp sunflower oil• 4 wholegrain burger buns• Selection of toppings, such as salsa, avocado and lettuce 1 Combine the beef mince, onion, chilli, mixed herbs, egg, spice blend, Tabasco and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and mix well. Form into four large patties about 1.5cm thick. 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the burgers over a medium heat for 8-10 mins, turning once, until cooked to your liking. 3 Serve in the burger buns with your choice of toppings, as…

Gabriella Marabet, 26, Oxford Cheering in excitement, I watched as the horses thumped along the dusty track. ‘Thanks, Dad!’ I grinned as he topped up my glass of fizz. It was August 2018, and I was at Newbury Racecourse for the day with my dad Patrick, then 53, my brother Jude, 20, and two sisters, Abbie, 26, and Imogen, 24. We’d just enjoyed a slap-up meal and now we were watching the horse races in the sunshine. ‘Yes!’ I cried, as my horse came in third. ‘Lucky!’ laughed Abbie as I jumped up and down in my heels, trying not to spill my drink. All dressed up in a new white frock, I’d taken ages blow-drying my hair and had had my nails done specially. We went every year and…

PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT HOW TO ENTER TEXT Simply text CHATA followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 84988 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from TI Media Limited and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with TIOPTIN. Texting tips INTERNET. Join our Chat Comp Club now and enter your puzzle answers directly online at our website address comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles Existing puzzles and prizes members may need tore-register, just click on the ‘Join now’ button once you are on the website. PHONE Simply call 0906 470 7004 For every call to…

Ruth Crockett, 52, Liverpool As the ice-cream van sounded in the street, my youngest boy Joel, then 5, jumped up and down. ‘Can I have an ice cream, Mum?’ he pleaded. ‘OK,’ I smiled, handing him a fiver. But when Joel walked back, he was clutching five ice creams. ‘What are you doing?’ I cried as they dripped through his fingers. ‘You gave me £5, so I got five,’ he said innocently. ‘I meant for you to get one and give me the change,’ I sighed, shaking my head. Then, the next week, I gave him £5 for ice cream and he came back empty handed, giving me the bank note with a proud grin. That was Joel all over. He saw the world differently to other kids. Full of…

Laura Bailey, 25, Coventry Slipping a shiny promise ring onto my finger, my boyfriend Matthew, then 29, grinned. ‘I love you,’ he said. It was March 2018 and we’d just made our relationship official. I knew it was early to be saying the ‘L’ word. But I couldn’t help but say it back. ‘I love you, too,’ I smiled. Meeting through mutual friends in December 2017, I was impressed by how polite and chivalrous Matthew was. I fancied him silly from the off. And now we were exchanging rings and house keys. Matthew moved in with me soon after and, for a while, things were perfect. But before long, I saw a different side to my once-courteous companion. Between jobs, Matthew spent his days drinking. And as soon as he’d…

Bani Duarte was found guilty of three counts of second-degree murder and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury. In February this year she was sentenced to 51 years to life behind bars. Addressing the victims’ families in court, Duarte said, ‘I understand you hate me, wish I was dead. You want me to suffer. I just want to say that I’m truly sorry and maybe one day you will forgive me.’ But at the hearing, Dylan’s mother Renee held up a tiny urn containing her son’s ashes. ‘This is all we have left of him,’ she said. And, Brooke’s father Aaron said the trial wasn’t about Duarte. ‘It’s about three young adults doing nothing wrong and [who] paid the ultimate price because one irresponsible person decided…

Appy & healthy Maybe you’re missing the gym in our strange, new lockdown world… Try personal training app Auro – it includes motivational audio workouts guided by expert trainers and is tailored to your fitness goals and levels. All from your front room! Available for IOS and Android, £11.99 a month. Swap and see Lots of us struggle while working from home. Ditch your coffee for a ginger and lemon sparkling Aver Boost drink. Infused with 25mg of CBD, it’ll help you stay focussed throughout the day. £3.75, averlondon.com The science behind your siesta Can’t get through the day without your afternoon nap? According to a recent study, this might be cause for concern, as older people who nap during the day are at higher risk of being diagnosed with…

MANCHESTER ARENA BOMBING On 22 May 2017, a homemade bomb, filled with shrapnel, was detonated inside Manchester Arena. Around 14,200 people were leaving the venue after an Ariana Grande concert when the device exploded. An inquest said it was strong enough to kill people up to 20 metres away. Twenty three people died, including the bomber, later identified as Salman Ramadan Abedi, 22. A further 139 people were injured, with more than half of them children. Greater Manchester Police treated the attack as a terrorist incident and suicide bombing. PAEDOPHILE NETWORK An investigation in 2017 by Hertfordshire police into a Berkhamsted-based paedophile network led to eight convictions and the uncovering of other child abusers worldwide. Leader of the ring, Michael Emerton, 33, used dating or social-media websites to contact other…

She’s drinking so much Q My wife drinks at least two bottles of wine a night. I rarely see her sober. Before the lockdown, at social events, she’d get drunk, upset someone or pass out. It’s making my life miserable, but what’s scaring me is her parents were heavy drinkers and died as a result. How can I make her see she’ll follow them into their grave at this rate? Dougie, 53 A Dearie me. I’m sorry for both of you. She doesn’t think it’s a problem, but the moment Alcohol affects behaviour negatively and offends people, it becomes one. You can tell her you’re concerned, but if she can’t see that, it’s not your job to show her. For advice, call the Al-Anon helpline on 0800 0086 811. He shared his…

Q How can I stop my nail polish from chipping off? Siobhan Hutchings, 60 A One of the most common causes of chipped polish is unhappy nails, so some TLC might solve the problem. Dryness and peeling can be caused by anything from changing temperatures to cleaning chemicals – never underestimate the importance of Marigolds! Barry M Nail & Cuticle Oil in Avocado, £3.99, Superdrug, is blended with glycerine, avocado and almond oils to hydrate and nourish. Keep a bottle close and massage into your cuticles before you nod off. Thick layers are prone to peeling off, so keep them thin. Essie Expressie Nail Polish in The Timezone, £7.99, dries in about a minute, so there’s not a long wait between coats. Finish with Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, £9. Paint…

Chat winners issue 5 (30 January 2020) £1,001 CASH P Askey, Aylebsury. £1,000 CASH K Walker, Scarborough. £500 CASH G Winn, Milford Haven; T Mason, Newcastle upon Tyne. £250 CASH P Arnold, Leicester. £150 CASH T Harvey, Cheddar. £100 CASH G Warren, Ipswich; E Davies, Newport; M Hall, Coventry; J Upton, Ely; E Bache, Halesowen. £60 CASH S Conway, Dewsbury. £50 CASH C Storr, Gainsborough; M Sullivan, London; K Kay, Sandown. £30 CASH C Elliott, Redditch; H King, Mablethorpe; S Wright, Bath; J Czajko, West Yorkshire; K Lockey, Hook. £25 CASH G Owen, Oswestry; J Madeley, Crewe; J Brooke, Hull; A Dennis, Haverhill; A Gale, Hull; J Mason, Bourne; G Evans, Pontefract; F Richards, Hailsham; T Dupont, Newbury. Anyone from your town in the list this week..? PUZZLE 1 1021142…