Table of contents for 21-Jul-2016 in Chat

House tidy This sturdy plant box had handles, so I turned it into a useful container for my cleaning products. I can now carry them all easily from room to room. Heather McEwen, Norwich Rug scraper When your hot-water bottle is starting to crack and beginning to leak, don't throw it away. Cut out a piece, roll it up and it makes a great tool for grabbing fluff and hairs from your carpets. Joan Mee, Doncaster Twinkle toes If your shoe polish has become dry and cracked, mix in a half-teaspoon of olive oil to moisten it up. Gina Storey, North Shields String along After washing celery, run a potato peeler down the stalk to get rid of the stringy bits. B O’Keeffe, Walsall Clear out… To unblock iron vents,…

Tight squeeze Q I can't wear my belt tight because it gives me terrible stomach cramps! Do I just have to let my trousers fall down? Ginny, 40 A A belt that's too tight can disrupt your posture, leading to back pain, squeeze your stomach causing heartburn due to acid leaking into your gullet, or compress your bowel causing constipation. Best simply to loosen off a notch! Itch trouble Q I have itchy spots and my doctor has diagnosed lichen planus. Will it get better? David, 58 A These small, flat spots generally crop up on the inside of your wrists and legs and are very itchy. An overactive immune system could be to blame. They usually disappear within a year but can come back. Powerful steroid cream should help…

I'd lost two sons in just one week. I could barely take it in... My grandson Gwynfor flopped on the sofa, TV remote in one hand, biccie in the other. ‘Anyone’d think he lived here,’ my daughter Gwyneth, 63, joked. I chuckled. Gwynfor, then 14, certainly made himself at home. But I didn’t mind one bit. It was 2006 and, since my husband Huw died about 15 years before, I’d been lonely. I loved the chatter when my kids and grandkids popped over. I saw Gwynfor most. His dad – my son Trevor, 55 – had health problems so I’d helped raise him. I’d make him his tea, take him to the beach. Gwynfor had always been a rascal – getting into scrapes or playing truant. But, as a teenager,…

1 Preheat grill to a moderate heat. 2 Whisk 2 egg yolks with 1tbsp lemon juice in a large bowl and season to taste. 3 Place bowl over a pan of just simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water, and gradually whisk in 125g cubed, unsalted butter until sauce begins to thicken. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick. (If sauce begins to separate, remove from heat and add a tsp of cold water, then whisk again.) 4 Grill 8 pork sausages for 10-15 min until cooked through, and poach 4 eggs. 5 Split 2 English muffins, toast and butter them, then top each with 2 sausages and a poached egg. Spoon over the sauce and sprinkle with cayenne pepper to serve. Serves: 4…

Relatives would tell me not to get left on the shelf! Church? Check! Flowers? Check! Bridesmaids? Check! Groom..? Not essential! All I need is me, myself and I. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a man-hater. In my 20s, I’d had several long-term relationships that just didn’t work out. At 29, I threw myself into single life. I was happy, doing a job I loved as a digital consultant and writer. Far from lonely, I had a blast living with my best mate James McGeown, then 27, in Brighton. Only, entering my 30s, at every family gathering, the question would crop up. ‘When will you settle down?’ asked well-meaning relatives. ‘Don’t get left on the shelf!’ echoed others. Yawn! Frankly, I was fed up of fearing the word ‘spinster’. ‘Eternal…

The thought of losing him terrified me.I loved him to bits… It’s for the best. That’s what I told myself as my husband Neal, then 50, packed up his things. After 15 years of marriage and four kids, the spark had fizzled out. So, in 2010, he’d agreed to move into his parents’ place. ‘I’ll see you soon,’ he told our girls – Holly, then 19, Chloe, 17, Cerys, 11, and Jemma, 10. Over the years, we remained on good terms for the girls. Then in December 2014, Neal had a cough and chest infection. Tests came back clear. But he still seemed sick. Last March, he had tickets to see Bristol City, but was so ill that he didn’t go. ‘It must be serious. You’d never miss a game,’…

  I looked up and saw a huge, dark silhouette looming… My grandfather sat in bed, his naked body covered by a sheet. ‘Come and sit next to Grandad,’ he grinned. It was a weekend morning in 1994, and I was about 6, visiting my grandparents with my mum and brothers. Grandad, then 55, was having a lie-in, so my nan had asked me to take him up an egg sandwich. Nervously, I climbed onto the bed next to him. Why’s he being so nice? I wondered, as he showed me some toy figures he’d found. My nan was kind, warm and loving, but Grandad had always been stern and grumpy. Whenever we visited, my brothers and I weren’t allowed to touch anything. We were to be seen and not…

The jury took just 10 minutes to clear Chris Kahui of two charges of murder and two charges of manslaughter. Following the verdict, he emerged smiling from the courtroom, saying, ‘I’m going to start my life again.’ In 2012, following an inquest, coroner Garry Evans stated that the baby boys had suffered their fatal injuries while ‘in the sole custody, care and control of their father’. Evans claimed that Chris had lied repeatedly. He also said that there was no evidence to suggest that Macsyna had hurt her boys. However, following a review, police said there would be no new charges. Ten years after the deaths of Christopher and Cru, no-one has been brought to justice.…

When he jumped, his ring finger had been yanked off I've told him he's not allowed to jump over walls! Don’t ask me how, but I just knew. Something had happened. A shiver ran up my spine. I felt strangely cold. And that was pretty mad. I’d never had a spooky feeling in my whole entire life. I looked at the time. 10pm. And, suddenly, my phone rang. Whatever had happened, I was about to find out. ‘Sarah, it’s Jet,’ a voice came down the line. ‘Please don’t worry, but I’m taking Sam to hospital.’ It was a Thursday night in May this year. My husband Sam, 25, had been out playing football like he did most Thursdays. If there was one thing Sam loved above all else, it was…

His head went floppy and his body started twitching When my son Noah was born in September 2014, he weighed a healthy 7lb 3oz. ‘He’s perfect,’ my hubby Alex, 31, said. But over the next few weeks, I noticed Noah didn’t focus with his eyes. He didn’t seem to move as much as other babies either. Doctors soon discovered that he was blind. I was distraught. Noah underwent lots of tests and scans, including a chromosome test. And when he was 4 months old, doctors discovered he had a rare chromosome deletion known as 1Q44. Little was known about it, but it was thought the condition affected his vision, weakened his immune system, caused breathing difficulties... ‘Is there a cure?’ I begged. But doctors just didn’t know. The condition is…

I knew I was a big girl, but I never realised how big I burst into tears. I hadn't weighed 12st since I was 9! As I flicked through the holiday brochure, I fantasised about sitting on a white, sandy beach and sipping a cocktail in the sun. ‘Let’s book something – we deserve it!’ I said to my mum Debbie, 56. We narrowed down a few destinations, and finally settled on a hotel in Spain that had stunning sea views. Then it came to booking the flights and, suddenly, my heart sank. A size-28, I was morbidly obese. The last time I went on a plane, I could barely fit into the seat, and spilled over into the ones either side. I couldn’t face that again. ‘I’m going to…

1 Extensive sandy beaches  Le Bois-Plage-en-Re (on the southwest coast) is 6km long - and, with 2,600 sunshine hours a year (more than the Cote d'Azur), there's lots to do, including surf kiting, windsurfing and dinghy sailing - or just lying back and soaking up the sun! 2 A five-star holiday park  The Sunelia Interlude is a luxury holiday park offering accommodation from tent pitches to high-calibre lodges. Right by the beach, it has indoor and outdoor pools and a fabulous restaurant. 3 Endless cycling paths  The highest point on the island is just 19m up, so cycling is the easy, fun way to explore the island's 10 picturesque villages - and there are 100km of cycle paths to ride. 4 The village of La Flotte  It's considered one of…

When he was 3 months old, the laughter stopped It was as if he'd passed on his heartbeat to her It was early days, but I was beyond excited about the new life forming inside me. A second baby for me and my fiance Tony, 29. And a little brother or sister for our Anthony. Perhaps that’s why I was scared, too. Anthony had just turned 1. We’d had a birthday party for him a week before with balloons and a Spider-Man cake. It’d been a happy day…even though we knew he was dying. ‘Let’s make this the best 1st birthday party ever,’ Tony had said. So we’d hired a local hall, decorated it with streamers and got all our friends and family around. But it was impossible to pretend…

The vet said strong UV light could cause further damage There was something wrong, I could tell. It was two years ago, and my Border collie Maya, then 2, just didn’t seem herself. She was nervous and a lot quieter than usual. ‘What’s up, girl?’ I said, giving her ears a stroke. When I looked into her eyes, I noticed little white spots in them. Concerned, I took her to the vet. Eventually, Maya was referred to a specialist, who diagnosed superficial keratitis. It’s a degenerative eye condition causing blood vessels to grow over her cornea. ‘Her breed can be prone to it,’ the vet explained, ‘although she’s developed it very young.’ I was told Maya would need eye drops twice a day, every day, for the rest of her…

Tomato & Herb Pasta Mug Shot On The Go! 64g, 94p This has masses of thin sauce, but even after leaving it to stand for the allotted 5 min, some of the pasta was still crunchy. Sainsbury's Tomato & Herb Pasta Pot, 61g, 70p Just add boiling water and leave for 5 min. While the sauce isn't thick enough to coat the pasta, it is tasty, and we found it simplest to eat with a spoon. Dolmio Tomato & Basil Pasta Vita, 300g, £1.98 This is different, as the pasta has already been cooked and you're simply heating it through. It's far tastier than the other two, but it also costs more. NEW Whaoo! Chocolate Filled Crepes, £1.80 for pack of eight, Sainsbury's, Morrisons Delicious as they are, or warmed…

220g unsalted butter (room temp), plus extra for greasing 140g light muscovado sugar 140g honey ½tsp of salt 4 large eggs 280g self-raising flour 2tsp baking powder 3 balls stem ginger, chopped 3tbsp milk 2tbsp elderflower cordial For the icing: 100g double cream 200g mascarpone cheese 3tbsp elderflower cordial 100g icing sugar 1 Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4 and grease and line two x 20cm cake tins. 2 Beat butter, sugar, honey and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, sift in flour and baking powder and fold in with stem ginger and milk. 3 Divide between tins and bake for 25 min until golden and risen. Allow to cool for 10 min, then turn out and place on cooling rack. Pour 1tbsp of cordial…

I'd search online constantly for other sufferers We're hoping both boys will be ushers at our wedding Googling the unfamiliar words, dread gripped the pit of my stomach. Schwartz-Jampel syndrome, I typed. All I knew was that it was an extremely rare genetic condition. And my little boy Owen Howkins, 2, had it. Owen’s dad Will and I noticed there was a problem after Owen’s 1st birthday. He hit all his milestones OK – crawling, walking, talking only he looked awkward. His puppy fat fell away, but his muscles bulged out. For months, poor Owen endured tests. I’m in the Royal Air Force, and was posted to the Middle East for four months. Being thousands of miles away from Owen was heartbreaking. When Will called and told me the diagnosis,…

Brave mum I'm impressed by Steph Webster's optimism (9 June issue) - she shows real courage in dealing with Oscar's skin condition. Medical science is advancing all the time and perhaps, one day soon, there'll be a cure for Oscar. He's a lovely little boy with a gorgeous smile - people should stop staring at his bumps. It's so true that beauty's not just skin deep. Shula Clarkson, Great Yarmouth Kids’ stuff Now that the school holidays are here, have your children write down activities they’d like to do that are free – say, have a picnic, feed the ducks, play a board game. Put the suggestions in a box and pick one each day. It keeps them occupied with no arguments because everyone gets a turn. Christine Underwood, Woking…

Soon, I was secretly bathing two or three times a day… After meeting my partner Mark in 2009, I knew one thing for sure – I wanted kids with him! So, after three months together, we started trying. Only nothing happened. ‘It will when it’s meant to,’ Mark said supportively. Four years on, heartbroken, I began to resign myself to the fact I might never be a mum. Then, in June 2013, Mark and I moved house. Weeks later, I was due to have a procedure at the dentist’s, under sedation. So I did a pregnancy test to be sure. Blind hope, maybe, but… Positive! ‘What the..?’ I spluttered. Though we hadn’t given up trying, I wasn’t expecting it after all that time! Shocked, I bought another test, which confirmed…

I can finally hear my family…and tell them to be quiet when they’re noisy! Most mums would love nothing more than a bit of peace and quiet. Me? I’d had more than enough of it. Born profoundly deaf, I’d spent over four decades in near-silence. At 14 months old, doctors discovered that I was actually 95 per cent deaf, and I’d been fitted with every kind of hearing aid. But none had really helped much. I could hear some things, but they were always so quiet. Growing up, I learned to lip-read, and found I could pick up some sounds on the phone and detect very loud noises, so I managed to get by. And I had a happy life. Married to Mark, 45, we’d three beautiful children – Chloe,…

Cancer 22 June - 23 July Is it time to move on? Your choice, of course, but the opportunity’s there. If you wait, you might miss your chance. The two never quite line up - you always have to jump the gap between them. Call 0905 817 0693* for more Leo 24 July - 23 Aug Would you like to jump in the air and shout ‘yes!’? Or just carry on as normal with a smug smile on your face? You get some good news this week. You were expecting it, but it’s nice to have it confirmed. Well done, you. Call 0905 817 0694* for more Virgo 24 Aug - 23 Sep This week has one of those wrong-but-right moments in it, where you do something you hadn’t intended,…

NOW THAT’S CUTE..!  fter driving 300 miles from A Birmingham to the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall, Lieutenant Nick Grimmer, 32, heard ‘quiet meowing'. A search revealed a furry hitchhiker - a kitten inside the rear bumper. Saved by a whisker! FAIRYTALE ENDING  ichard Schaefer, 21, can R transform himself into a dead ringer for his favourite Disney princesses. Four years ago, while a student at a high school in Californian, he taught himself make-up and costume skills to take his mind off being bullied. Pretty awesome! BEAR NECESSITIES  vetlana and Yuriy S Panteleenko, from Moscow, enjoy watching TV and hugs on the sofa…with a brown bear! They adopted Stepan, orphaned at 3 months old. Now 23, he's a big softie. ‘He's really sociable,' said Svetlana. TROUSER MISHAP…