Table of contents for 08-Mar-2018 in Chat

This is just like any other day for Lilly the orphaned deer – hanging out with her human family and helping them to do the laundry in Michigan, USA! Doe-eyed Lilly made a dramatic entrance in life when she was born on the roadside moments after her mother was hit by a car. Sadly, her mum and newborn sibling didn’t survive. But plucky Lilly was soon being fawned over by her new adoptive human family. You can see videos of all creatures great and small by going to lifedeathprizes.com  and searching for ‘animal world'.…

Leaping into the air, I caught the ball, then launched it to one of my teammates. I was 10, and trying out for the school netball team. Only, right after, the coach pulled me and my mum, Lyn, now 71, aside. ‘Can we have a quick chat?’ she asked. Walking into the room, I saw some of the other mums sitting around a table. ‘Maybe it’s best if Deb’s not on the team,’ she said. ‘You know, all the girls are of different abilities, but she might hold them back.’ No objection from the other mums. They agreed. You see, I’d been born without my left arm. Life was challenging, but I never let it stop me chasing my dreams. Mum and my siblings, Christine, now 47, and Tony, 50,…

Tops tip!  You can use the plastic clips from an old shower curtain to hang your vest tops. Just attach the clips to a hanger and voila! No more rummaging around to find the top you want to wear! Zowie D'Souza, Southampton Nice nails  Run out of cotton wool? Cut up a pair of old tights and use to remove nail varnish. It works a real treat! Judith Cairns, Essex Wax on… wax off! Got wax on clothes? Let it dry and go hard, then put kitchen paper on either side of the item of clothing. Iron for a few minutes on a low heat so the wax melts and transfers on to the paper. Katherine Moore, Neath Port Talbot No more knots Keep cables tidy when travelling by putting…

Smelling my husband Nick’s burnt toast, my stomach turned. Lately, the smell of food made me nauseous. It was a familiar feeling… I’d had it when I was pregnant with my sons Caleb, then 3, and Dexter, 10 months. But I couldn’t be pregnant. Just five weeks before, I’d had the contraceptive coil fitted. It’s a small, T-shaped copper and plastic device inserted into the womb. Apparently, it’s 99 per cent effective in preventing pregnancy. Still, my queasy tummy told a different story. So I did a pregnancy test. Positive! I saw my GP, who referred me for an ultrasound. ‘You’re definitely pregnant,’ a doctor confirmed. The coil had dislodged and moved up into my womb, making it ineffective. And it was sitting alongside the sac that held my baby.…

Sweet treat  Serves: 10 Prep: 20 mins Cook: 5 mins Cost per serving: £2 1 Place 100g sloe berries in a pan with 75g caster sugar and warm over a low heat. Stir for 5 mins, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Press the berries through a sieve using a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool. 2 Place 200g 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces, into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, allowing the chocolate to melt slowly. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool for 2-3 mins, then stir in 3 egg yolks (reserve the whites), the sloe mixture (reserve a few berries for garnish) and 100ml Sloe Gin. 3 Whisk 600ml double cream with 25g caster sugar until it forms peaks. Stir in…

Loved like the mum I lost By Leeann Scott, 33, from Knightswood, Glasgow Sipping cocktails in sunny Spain, I felt so relaxed. Me and my mother-in-law Lorna Dolan, now 58, were having a great time. Sunbathing, gossiping... It was just the two of us, you see. And no, I wasn’t forced to go away with her! We regularly go travelling together. First, we went to Paris, in 2009. Since then, we’ve hit Prague and Krakow. When I first met Lorna 12 years ago, I thought she hated me! She was stony-faced and didn’t talk much. ‘Why doesn’t she like me?’ I wailed to her son Sandy, now 33. ‘She just takes a bit of time to warm to people,’ he said. Thankfully, a year on I’d won Lorna over. Soon…

Be happy… I read the story of Beatriz (18 Jan issue) and I must say I really admire her. What a wonderful woman she is. Grown-ups should know better than to tell their children not to go near her. You could understand a small child being a bit wary, but an adult should be setting an example. I wish Beatriz every success and happiness in all her future adventures. June Channon, Falmouth WE PAY CASH Say what!? My friend has a habit of getting her words mixed up. Recently I was going to a wedding and she asked me if I was going to wear a fornicator… I assume she meant a fascinator! Rose Janes, Monmouth No-ga… When I noticed that my mum Madeleine wasn’t doing yoga at home any more,…

Serves: 4 Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Cost per serving: £0.80 1 Mash a drained 400g can kidney beans in a bowl with a potato masher then add 350g beef mince, 1tsp chopped garlic, 1tsp chopped chillies, 2tsp cumin, 2tsp ketchup and 4tbsp chopped fresh coriander and season well. Add 1 beaten egg and mix the ingredients together well with your hands until they're all combined. 2 Divide the mixture into four and then shape into burgers. 3 Preheat the grill to medium/high. Place the burgers on a nonstick baking sheet, brush with oil and cook for 4-5 mins each side, until golden brown and cooked through. 4 Serve the burgers with avocado, sweet potato fries and salsa along with garlic mayo, if you like.…

At 14 weeks, our baby was very real to us… Watching two blue lines appear on the test wand, my heart leapt. It was August 2017, and I was expecting again! ‘I’m pregnant,’ I told my partner Brad, 37, that evening. I already had K-Ci, 19, from a previous relationship, plus Joshua, 4, and Amelia-Sophia, 2, with Brad. Happy with our brood, we hadn’t planned any more kids. But, although it was a surprise, we were thrilled. ‘That’s fantastic!’ grinned Brad, swooping me into a big hug. ‘The more the merrier!’ That’s what I loved about Brad. We’d been together for eight years – he was a happy-go-lucky bloke who adored kids. We decided to keep the news to ourselves for the first few months. ‘Just to be on the…

Beaming, I watched as my little girl Beth twirled straight to the front of the stage. She was 3 and at her first dance class. ‘You’re a natural!’ I laughed. As she grew, so did her passion for dancing, and she dreamt of being a professional. As a single mum, and with Beth my only child, we were best mates. When she wasn’t pirouetting, we’d be watching musicals. Singing show tunes. On 23 September 2015, Beth, then 19, had just started a Healthcare course at college. ‘Bye, Mum, see you later,’ she shouted that morning, slamming the door behind her. Later, Beth was due home any minute, when my phone rang. It was her boyfriend. ‘Beth’s been hit by a car,’ he cried, voice shaking. ‘You need to come, quick.’…

As I got into bed, I heard a sudden rattling at the front door – and went cold with fear. It was December 2016, and my husband Carl, 47, and our three kids – Natalie, 23, Ryan, 20, and Chelsea, 16 – were all asleep. As I looked out of the window, my heart pounded. ‘Carl!’ I yelled, my voice shaking. ‘Hughie Hendry is trying to break in!’ Hendry was a known local criminal and drug addict. Next, he started trying to break into my new car. ‘What?!’ Carl gasped, sitting bolt upright. Jumping out of bed, Carl picked the lump hammer he’d used to wedge our bedroom door shut since we’d been burgled four years earlier. The break-in had left Carl tenterhooks. Now he sprinted downstairs in his boxer…

AMERICA’S FIRST After marrying six men - and murdering four of them - Lydia Trueblood became known as America's first female serial killer, in the early 1900s. She claimed her first four husbands died from serious illnesses such as influenza and typhoid. But suspicion grew and, when an investigation was launched and the men's bodies exhumed, police found they all had deadly arsenic in their systems. On the run, Trueblood had wed another man, who she tried to persuade to take out a large insurance policy. Refusing her request probably saved his life, and she was soon arrested again. But, escaping from prison, Trueblood married her sixth and final husband. Before she could strike again, she was captured and spent the rest of her life behind bars. ‘REVERSE ROBIN HOOD’…

She’d drawn TWO little figures in my tummy... Mia wants to know when they can play football! My head was buried in the toilet while my hubby Mark rubbed my back. ‘Now I know exactly what they mean by morning sickness,’ I groaned. ‘Poor you,’ Mark, 29, grimaced. ‘You OK now?’ I nodded. ‘But we’re going to have to tell the girls,’ I said. Mark and I had two daughters, Mia, 5, and Jessica, 3. I knew they’d be worried that I was being sick every day.’ It was September 2016, and I was five weeks pregnant with our third. I’d not had any sickness when I was expecting either of the girls, but this time I was making up for it! Walking downstairs, I chuckled seeing the girls together.…

Baby knows best! I kept telling my son Amari, 2, that he couldn't fit in the toy pram. He knew best, of course! Look at his face - he's not happy! Antony Salsbury, Stafford What a mess! My little Elvie, 2, loved scoffing spaghetti and meatballs to celebrate her dad's 40th birthday! Clare Andrew, Shrewsbury My cuddly boy My son Fraser Douglas, 3 months, didn't like being compared to his bunny! Look at that pout! Natasha Douglas, Kent…

Giggling with my mate, I typed on my laptop. Looking for love, I wrote. It was March 2011 and, back from the pub and tipsy, we were making a joke profile on a dating site. Uploading an image of a woman in a witch’s hat, we cracked up. ‘Imagine if someone replies,’ I chuckled. I was a single mum to two girls, 11 and 13, and a nurse. Not looking for romance. But checking the next day, I had 12 e-mails. All from the same guy! Fancy chatting? he asked. Nope! I thought, deactivating the profile. Only, a week later, I got a Facebook message from someone called Nigel Wilson. Guess who? it said. It was the bloke from the dating site! I checked him out. Early 30s, not bad-looking.…

After 14 hours, a jury acquitted George Gwaze of the murder of his 10-year-old niece Charlene Makaza. They agreed Charlene died as a result of the untreated HIV virus, not from sexual assault and suffocation. After the verdict, George said, ‘It should never have come to this. It has been a terrible time. This has wasted a large part of my life. But I’m happy common sense has prevailed.’ Following the trial, Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey paid tribute to Charlene and her family. ‘They’ve been through a great deal during the investigation and prosecution over the past five years, and we again express our sympathy to them over the loss of Charlene,’ he said.…

On the line Q Since having my baby, I've got a brown line down the middle of my tummy. Will it ever fade? Ella, 31 A Pregnancy hormones can stimulate pigment-producing cells, causing darkening of moles, freckles and nipples, and a dark line down your abdomen. It's normal, and should fade over a few months, though a mild, lightening cream and avoiding sunlight might help. Double vision Q Sometimes, more so when I'm tired, I see double. I'm fine the rest of the time. Brenda, 72 A Weakness of the muscles that move your eyes is one cause of double vision, and is more likely to occur when you're tired. Other possible causes include head injury, diabetes, thyroid-gland problems, or even a brain tumour. Get your symptoms checked with a…

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Spinach & Lemon Ricotta Tortelloni, 250g, £2.60 Tasty and good quality, but the filling had a gummy texture and could have had more flavour. Morrison's Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni, 300g, £1.50 Well-seasoned filling, with a hint of garlic and a lovely texture. The pasta had perfect bite, too. Top value. Aldi Specially Selected Creamy Ricotta & Spinach Girasoli, 250g, £1.75 Great! The texture of the pasta was just right and the filling had a tasty ricotta flavour. NEW Green & Black's Praline, £5, Tesco These luxurious treats contain a whole hazelnut encased in a truffle filling and covered in a layer of either milk or dark chocolate.…

Pulling on my wellies, I walked out across the field. ‘Grub’s up,’ I called and my flock of sheep came running towards me for their breakfast. It was spring last year and I ran a farm, keeping rare breeds of cattle, sheep, chickens and goats. As a single mum to Thomas, 11, and Jack, 10, it was hard work but I loved it. Only, just then... ‘Pedro, leave them alone!’ I yelled. My 3-year-old llama scuttled off. The woolly South American animals were well known for guarding animals from foxes, and Pedro was amazing. He’d stand watch over a sheep when she gave birth to her lamb, herd the sheep together if he sensed danger, and chase foxes out the field. ‘But that doesn’t excuse this behaviour,’ I scolded now.…

I told my son the amazing news and he threw his arms around me For the past five years, I’ve enjoyed playing Chat Mag Bingo. I’ve always loved bingo, and I’ve found that playing online is just as much fun – especially as many of my friends play, too. I run my own business looking after holiday cottages, and it’s nice to play some bingo after a busy day. It was a late evening on 2 August and I’d decided to have a quick game of bingo before bed. I pre-bought some tickets for Sapphire, which is a 90-ball bingo game, and spent £2 on tickets for the next few games. Playing online, you don’t have to sit and watch the numbers being called, as they are dabbed off automatically.…

He couldn’t even bend down to put his socks on Peering through the net curtains, I saw a car pull up outside. As the man heaved himself out of the driver’s seat, I felt my heart pang. The poor fella puffed and wheezed as he waddled up to my front door. Oh, Son! I thought sadly. Yes, that driver was my lad. Standing 6ft tall and weighing close to 30st, my Robert, then 31, had turned into a man mountain. Hardly surprising with a mum like me, I thought. With my 20st, size-22 frame, I’d constantly struggled with my weight over the years. But things had got really bad after I’d had a hysterectomy at 40 years old. Fat ran in the family. Both my parents had been hugely overweight,…

The answers to all these general knowledge questions - except one - are in the grid in various directions. To be this week's Chat Big Quiz champion, work out which answer is missing. This is your prize answer. Answers are in alphabetical order in each section. THE SILVER SCREEN – POLICE 1 Which Hollywood superstar played the uncompromising San Francisco inspector Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry movies? (5, 8) 2 Which actor played Los Angeles policeman Martin Riggs, the partner of Roger Murtagh played by Danny Glover, in the Lethal Weapon series of movies? (3, 6) 3 What is the surname of the actor Leslie …, who played Detective Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun series of movies? (7) WHERE IN THE WORLD? GREECE 4 Which sea, a branch…

A 12-day trip along the coasts of Spain and Portugal... My niece wants to call me Auntie Floozy Cruisey! Stepping into a cosy little pub, I found myself a table. It was September last year, I was on a coach trip, and we’d stopped in Winchester for lunch. My husband, Jack, 80, had passed away in 2005. So I was used to eating alone. Moments later, I heard a voice beside me. ‘Would you mind if I joined you?’ an elderly gentleman asked. The place was busy, and there was nowhere else to sit. He was polite and looked respectable. ‘Of course,’ I smiled. We got chatting. His name was John Mason, he was 91 and a retired engineer. Like me, he’d been widowed after a long marriage. I told…

He washed his hands and went outside for a cigarette THE STORY The scene was both tragic and distressing. In September 2015, paramedics arrived at a flat in Sunrise, Florida, to find a young man sobbing over the lifeless body of his girlfriend. Blood spattered the walls, the place had been smashed up. The woman, Maria Nemeth, was lying in a pool of blood, with the most terrible injuries. Maria had originally arrived in the US from Peru, aged 20, on a student-exchange programme. A shy girl, she’d quickly learned English and eventually got a job as a leasing manager at an apartment complex. In April 2007, Maria married an American man, but they separated. Then, later, she got together with a young man named Fidel Lopez, who’d come to…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You’re walking a tightrope that is balanced between two outcomes and hoping you can avoid both. Will you make it? Yes, if you move fast. You have to stay ahead of the opposition and maintain your momentum. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May Has it taken until now to realise that you like each other more than just as friends? It seems so. Use this weekend to make up for lost time - and to work out just where you’d like this unexpected romance to go… Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Is this the job you longed for? A year or so ago, the answer would have been yes - but…

A RIGHT ROYAL TREAT A woman's selling Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dolls on Etsy to celebrate the upcoming royal wedding. They come in full wedding attire - and, at £130 a pop, they're certainly made for royalty. But is it just us, or does Harry look a bit more like a Thunderbird puppet than the prince we all know and love? PUCKER UP Camels in Saudi Arabia have got the hump after being booted out of the Miss Camel Beauty Contest. The pageant was rocked by scandal after it was revealed some camel owners had injected their contestants with Botox. Camels are judged on the size of their lips, cheeks and knees. But it seems competition for the perfect pout went a little bit too far. TIC KNACK! This…