Table of contents for November 19, 2015 in Pick Me Up!

What a job! Years ago, I worked in a pub, so I really feel for staff working over Crimbo! Read about things you’ll know if you’ve worked in a bar at www.lifedeathprizes.com  – search ‘pub’. What a hoot! I saw this on Facebook recently, and it really made me laugh. Well, it seems as good a reason as any to tuck in! What a racket! Recently, l've been doing lots of karaoke. My fave song is Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse Of The Heart . Earplugs at the ready! 5 That’s the number of nieces and nephews I’ll have by the end of the year. Our family is ever expanding, but being an auntie is the absolute best! What a treat! The lovely people at Hotel…

As break-ups go, it was pretty amicable. ‘I think we need some time apart,’ I told Dean Holmes, 31. He agreed. We’d been mates since we were kids, a couple for six years. We had a beautiful daughter, Isabella, then 5, too. But things had just fizzled out. ‘But we’ll stay friends,’ I promised. Not just for Bella’s sake - I still cared deeply for Dean. Me and Bella moved in with my mum, Annette, who babysat while I did shifts at a local pub. Despite being a 28-year-old dedicated single mum, my partying days weren’t over. I loved dressing up for work. Slipping on skinny jeans, my fave stilettos and enjoying a few drinks with mates after my shift. ‘Don’t forget your lipstick, Mummy!’ Bella smiled. ‘Mummy will be…

It was 12 April 2013, and me and my partner, Owen, 34, had just become the proud parents of twin boys. Cooper had arrived first, weighing a tiny 4lb 14oz. He was dwarfed by his younger brother, Lucas, at 7lb 9oz. The pregnancy had been fine, but the twins had been in an awkward position and I’d needed an emergency Caesarean section. Five hours after they were born, a nurse came to me. ‘Cooper isn’t feeding,’ she said. He had his blood-sugar tested, and the results came back low. Then, during the night, he started having seizures. It should’ve been the happiest day of our lives - but we were terrified for Cooper. An MRI scan showed he had multiple bleeds on the brain. ‘It’s likely he’ll be left with…

It didn’t seem right, the pea-sized lump sticking out of the left side of my neck. So I went to the doctor about it. ‘Doesn’t look like anything nasty. It’ll probably go away on its own,’ she told me. That was back in 1996. After that, life moved on. I was self-conscious about the lump, but did my best to ignore it. I married Daren, now 44, and fell pregnant not long after with my first child, Liam, now 18. During pregnancy, the lump grew to the size of a marble. But, with a newborn to look after, it wasn’t really on my radar to get it checked again. I had another son, Sean, two years later, then a daughter, Jessica, now 11. And it was after Jessica’s birth that…

Standing in the school toilets, I ran my hands through the ends of my hair. Suddenly, a girl appeared behind me. ‘That looks so fake,’ she sneered, pointing at my head. Humiliated and self-conscious, I ran out of the toilets and burst into tears. Calling my mum, Lynne, now 45, I sobbed down the phone. ‘A girl just made fun of my wig,’ I cried. ‘Come home and we’ll talk about it,’ she said gently. It was 2008, I was 14, but had been diagnosed with alopecia at 18 months. Growing up, I had random patches of hair - not enough to style or really put in a ponytail. So I covered up with bandanas and hats. But hitting my teens, I wanted hair like the other girls. At 12,…

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 50 min Frosting: 1 Preheat oven to up 180/Gas 4, and oil and line an 18cm round loose-bottom tin. 2 Whisk sugar and 150ml vegetable oil, and then gradually add in eggs. 3 Fold in flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in carrots, raisins and yogurt. 4 Tip mixture into tin and bake 40–50 min until firm to touch. Transfer to a cooling rack. 5 To make frosting, beat soft cheese with icing sugar and yogurt until smooth. 6 Spread frosting over top of cake and sprinkle with cinnamon to serve. Find more recipes at: www.rachelsorganic.co.uk PLUS  How to whip your own at home!…

Winner Just Weeks After Joining! Jenna won an amazing £1,000 Jenna Radford, 25, Tipton, West Midlands I couldn’t seem to stop smiling. It was May this year, and me and my partner, Dave, 33, had recently tied the knot. The day had been beautiful, so special. And our son, Jacob, 2, had looked adorable in his little shirt and tie. As well as paying for the wedding, we were in the process of buying our first home. We couldn’t wait to move into our new three-bedroom house when it was ready. ‘I couldn’t be happier,’ I smiled. Then, one afternoon in July this year, I was reading my favourite magazine, Pick Me Up!, when something caught my eye - a woman had won a few thousand pounds playing Pick Me…

READER’S TIP Treat spots by applying tea-tree oil to them with a cotton bud. Ellen Cleary, 31, Carlisle ASK JESS I got my hair dyed at the hairdresser’s Q recently, but it’s fading already. What can I do to stop this happening? Sarah McNamara, 23, Filey A Try Andrew Barton Protect My Colour Treatment Mask, £4, Asda. It’s formulated to shield hair against colour fade and contains Moroccan Argan Oil to keep locks nourished. Jess’ Beauty Hero Cussons Carex Nourishing Shower Cream, £3, Tesco, locks in moisture and leaves my skin feeling soft. Want the perfect... NUDE EYE PALETTE? Try one of these… 1 SEVENTEEN Easy on the Eye Palette in Birthday Suit, £7.99, Boots I like the pink hues in this one – which are great for paler skin…

With tears in his eyes, my partner, Steven Midgley, cradled our newborn daughter. ‘She’s gorgeous,’ he grinned. It was last December and 7lb baby Jasmine had just been born. My older children, Chloe, now 23, and Angel, 12, couldn’t wait to meet their baby sister! She was such a content bundle - ate and slept relatively well, loved being around people. A week later, I was feeding Jasmine at home when I noticed a red, mottled mark in the folds of skin on her neck. ‘I think it must be a birthmark,’ I said to Steven. Raspy breathing I wasn’t worried - my other kids had all had birthmarks that’d faded over time. Still, I checked with the midwife and health visitor to be sure. ‘Ask your GP at her…

Five days overdue with my son, Reuben, I was feeling constipated. That morning, 2 March 2013, I was in the bath, when I had a sudden urge to push. ‘Erm…I think I’m in labour,’ I told my hubby, Peter, 30. He rang the midwife, who sent paramedics and, 45 minutes on, I was guided into the ambulance. Peter acted as midwife while paramedics sped us to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. ‘I’m not going to make it!’ I cried. My waters went and, 10 minutes into the 30-minute journey, Reuben was delivered on the A47! Healthy and happy, we laughed the drama off. Then, I discovered I was expecting our second boy, Edward, in September last year. On 9 April this year, at 2.45am, I felt a contraction. ‘It’s started!’ I…

Get Dating If you’re looking for like-minded love, then mumsdatedads.co.uk might be just the site for you! You can even receive an exclusive 40% off a six-month membership with the code PICKMEUP40 until 19 November. Power Source This Dual USB Powerful 7800mAH Portable Power Bank is now just £9.97 (normally £24.98) at www.appliancesdirect.co.uk until 5 January. It contains enough charge for three full mobile phones, and even has a handy flashlight! Sweet Smellies With Christmas fast approaching, it’s time to start shopping! Luckily, Grace Cole has plenty of gorgeous gift sets, and you can enjoy 20% off until 19 November with the code PICKMEUP20 at www.gracecole.co.uk Say Cheese! Pick up a box of Jacobs Savoury Favourites for just £1 (normally £2.19) at Asda until 23 December. They’re perfect with cheese…

Chilly fingers Q My hands are always cold, and sometimes my fingers go white. It’s really painful, even when I wear gloves. What’s wrong? Ann, Teddington A Covering your torso and limbs with warm layers ensures the blood reaching your digits can keep them warm - just putting on gloves isn’t enough. But see your GP, as you could have a condition called Raynaud’s. Poisoning fear Q I always wake up with a dull headache, feeling nauseous and slightly breathless. It eases at work, and doesn’t happen when I’m away from home. Is it an allergy? Annabel, Gateshead A Have your gas boiler checked immediately - by emergency appointment - as it could be leaking carbon monoxide. These are typical symptoms of carbon-monoxide poisoning, which can be lethal. Wheezy girl…

As the train rolled into the station, bullet casings rolled around the floor of the third carriage. Pools of blood covered the train floor and, as the doors opened, gun smoke drifted out... Wounded passengers spilled onto the platform. Pinned down on the train by three brave commuters was Colin Ferguson. Witnesses said he’d opened fire on the 5.33pm commuter train, shooting left and right, picking off passengers as he went. Ferguson was arrested at the scene. Inside his pocket was a handwritten note reading: Reasons for this: Adelphi University’s racism; Worker’s Compensation Racism; New York City Transit Police racism, racism by Caucasian and Uncle Tom’s racism; filthy Caucasian racist female on Line One. After his arrest, Ferguson told police he hadn’t shot anyone. He said he’d fallen asleep on…

Apricot, Apple & Walnut Loaf Serves: 12 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min 1 Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4 and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper. 2 Sift flour and salt into a bowl, rub in Trex with fingertips and then stir in sugar, apricots and walnuts. 3 In a jug, beat together eggs and milk. Put lemon juice into a bowl. Reserve a quarter of apple, then peel, core and chop rest and toss it in lemon juice. Mix apple into dry ingredients with egg mixture. 4 Spoon mixture into tin, then core and thinly slice reserved apple, toss in lemon juice and arrange slices on top of cake. Sprinkle with…

Atlantic Kitchen Sea-Spaghetti Seaweed, £5.95, www. natreco.com Packed full of vitamins and minerals, this unusual spaghetti is also high in protein to help you feel fuller for longer. Our Jess gave it a go and found that it did have a slightly fishy smell, but didn’t taste of much! Verdict: GENIUS! A healthier alternative to spaghetti. Kebab Rotisserie Grill, £79, www. prezzybox. com Avoid the end-of-the-night queue in your local takeaway by whipping up your own at home! Just stick some meat on the skewers, put it in the grill and let it work its magic. Verdict: BONKERS! Good fun, though! Odor-Eaters SlimSoles, £4, Asda These soft, thin insoles will make your shoes more comfortable, as well as protect your…

GERMANY: BURIED ALIVE Ursula Herrmann, 10, was cycling home through woods near her home in Eching, Germany, on 15 September 1981, when she was kidnapped. The man who snatched Ursula had a sinister plan. In the forest, he’d buried a small wooden crate, just one-and-a-half metres deep by a metre wide. It was rigged up with a lightbulb, and contained comics, biscuits, and bottled water. It was to be Ursula’s prison until her kidnapper received ransom money from her parents. By the time they received the note, the Herrmanns were frantic. In a note cobbled together using type cut out of newspapers, the kidnapper was demanding 2million deutschmarks (£750,000) for Ursula’s safe return. A phone call followed, warning the Herrmanns not to go to the police, or they’d never see…

GREATEST DAY! I’d bonded with fellow teacher Nicki Burton, 36, over our lifelong love for Gary Barlow. We’d worked together for seven years at Lobley Hill Primary School, and all the pupils knew of our obsession. We’d often reference Take That in lessons, and instructed morning exercise classes to a medley of their tunes. We’d also adopted Sing, which Gary wrote for the Queen’s Jubilee, as our school song. This July, Nicki and I were set to move jobs to different schools. In May, we read how Gary had surprised several fans recently. ‘We could ask Gary to visit the school,’ Nicki suggested. Neither of us had met him... and it’d be fun for the kids, too! We had tickets to see a Take That gig in Newcastle on 26…

GEORGE AT ASDA TIP Keep on a hanger at home to stop the fringing from getting tangled Click today: direct.asda.com/george AVON TIP A plain beige style will go with anything! Click today: www.avonshop.co.uk MATALAN TIP Wear with a simple black outfit Click today: www.matalan.co.uk ACCESSORIZE TIP The faux-fur collar on this will keep you really snug Click today: uk.accessorize.com JD WILLIAMS Click today: www.jdwilliams.co.uk MARKS & SPENCER Click today: www.marksandspencer.com WALLIS TIP Dress up with a pair of high heels Click today: www.wallis.co.uk VERY Click today: www.very.co.uk Pick Me Up! Loves...  …a tie waist! Great for adding structure. Treat yourself to... Autumn Ankle Boots…

A new vaccine to prevent meningitis is being offered to babies as part of the routine NHS childhood vaccination programme. The Men B vaccine is recommended for babies aged 2 months, to protect them against infection by meningococcal group B bacteria, which is responsible for more than 90 per cent of meningococcal infections in young children. The new programme makes England the first country in the world to offer a national, routine and publicly funded Men B vaccination programme.…

When my best mate, Danielle, introduced me to her brother, my heart raced and I’d butterflies in my tummy. Jamie Boughton, 32, was a bit older than me, but, with his shaved head, stubble and rugged charm... There was just something sexy about him. ‘And he’s single,’ Danielle, 35, smiled. Mates initially, by January this year, we were an item. Fresh from a five-year relationship and with two children, Jamie didn’t want anything too serious. ‘Let’s take things slowly,’ he suggested. So we did, spending nights at the pub, or snuggling up on the couch watching films. But, after a couple of months, Jamie started to become paranoid. He accused me of cheating on him. ‘You’re sleeping with other men, aren’t you?’ he snarled at me. ‘Of course not!’ I…

As my son, Luke, 9, came down the stairs for breakfast, I had to laugh. He was wearing a pirate’s bandana, football shorts and a pyjama top - and pulling funny faces! Well, it was National Goof Off Day, after all! ‘Today, we can be as silly as we like,’ he told his little sister, Lottie, 2. Days before, we’d celebrated Barbie Day, Swim Like A Squid Day, even Sticky Bun Day! In December 2014, Luke had made it his mission to celebrate a national holiday every day of the year. And, true to his word, we’d done just that. It was all in the name of charity, too. You see, when Luke was born he was diagnosed with a set of complex heart conditions. It meant his oxygen levels…

LUNG CANCER 1 This is a rare cancer. True False 2 There are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages. True False 3 Only smokers will develop it. True False 4 Chemotherapy is used to treat it. True False 1 FALSE This is a common, serious cancer. Around 41,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the disease each year. 2 TRUE The outlook for lung cancer can be poor as there are usually no signs until it’s advanced. Eventually, people with the condition will go on to develop symptoms such as a persistent cough, fatigue, breathlessness and unexplained weight loss. 3 FALSE Although smoking is the main cause in around 90% of people who have the disease, it can develop in people who’ve never smoked. 4 TRUE…

1 Asda Carrot Cake Kit, £1.69 So quick to mix, this makes a light-as-air cake that’s well risen with a mild, spicy flavour – and there’s just enough buttercream to sandwich and top the cake. 2 Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix, £1.85 If you’re after a big cake to feed a dozen, this mix makes two huge, well-risen sponges. But you’ll need to buy a separate pot of icing. 3 Morrisons Carrot Cake Kit, £1.69 Not the biggest cake, but this easy-mix sponge makes up for it with a light-but-moist texture and delicate flavour. Masses of buttercream is literally the icing on the cake!…

I was only 8 years old. But I knew I was different. While the other boys at school were always having a kickabout, I dreamed of spending the day with my sister, dressing up and playing with dolls. Confused, I tried to fit in, but failed. I just didn’t understand - why was I born a boy? With troubles at home, at 10, I moved into a foster home for a while. But my desire didn’t wane. I’d hoard girls’ clothes from the dressing-up box at the home, keep them hidden in my room. Then, when I was alone, I’d pose in front of the mirror. I lived in fear of being found out. But, one day a couple of years later, my foster mum was tidying when she found…

SCORPIO 24 Oct–22 Nov Someone that you’ve been wanting to get to know on a more intimate level is finally going to get in touch with you. Take it slowly, though, for there’s no use in rushing things – you have more time than you think, so use it to your advantage. Call: 09058 170 717* SAGITTARIUS 23 Nov–21 Dec A fun atmosphere in the Stars is going to make it difficult for you not to spend money that you know you should be saving. Be careful, too, of what you say to a friend about their ex – they may not be as much a part of the past as you think! Call: 09058 170 718* CAPRICORN 22 Dec–20 Jan It’ll not be as much in your favour as…

One Direction, fizzy drinks and kids. A scary combination. Still, there we all were - me, my husband, Mitchell, 31, and mate, Angela, 28, in our local community centre - running a tot disco. And, in the middle of it all, our little treasure, Martha, 3, twirling round with her two brothers, Zak, 13, and Kallum, 10, and sister, Katy, 11. So worried ‘Martha’s smile makes listening to Justin Bieber worthwhile,’ Mitchell laughed, hugging me. But it wasn’t Martha’s birthday. We were celebrating the fact she was here at all. And the money we’d raised would go to the hospital that saved her life. Three times. The first time was two years ago, when Martha was just 1. Born profoundly deaf, at 6 months old, she’d had surgery to put…