Table of contents for 12-Jan-2017 in Pick Me Up!

What A Move! My dad is finally hanging up his farming wellies and retiring… No more freezing-cold farmhouse for Mum! I mean, this is how they heat the bathroom at the moment… It’s like something from the 1940s! Brrr! 70 I’m rich! The human body of a 70kg person contains 0.2mg of gold… Might be time to cash in my bod! What A Cheeky Monkey! I was lucky enough to go on safari in South Africa’s Kruger Park recently. Here’s the stealthy monkey that jumped through the tiny crack in the open car window and stole our snacks! What A Gag! If you were 7 years old when Red, Red Wine was released, UB40 today! What A Trip Tip! If you do get the chance to…

Kelsie’s mum Susan, 51, says, ‘I never liked James, he had an attitude problem. I suspected Kelsie was covering for his jealous behaviour, but never anything as sickening as what he did. He’d been mouthing off that night, so I kept my phone by my bed in case she needed me. Thank goodness I did. My blood ran cold when I read that message. Finding my girl covered in bruises was horrendous – the memory will haunt me forever. I’m just glad I got there in time. I’m relieved McCourt will never touch Kelsie again. And I’m proud of her for speaking out. Others need warning about McCourt and scum like him.’…

1 Zip tip  Rub the tip of a graphite pencil along the t eeth of a stuck zip. It’ll wax it and make it run smoothly. Georgia Peters, Spalding 2 Stake it in  If you have a small plant that needs support, stake it with a pencil, a s they’re the perfect size. Olivia Parker, Livingston 3 Fresh keys  To help ease a newly cut house key into your lock, run a penc il over the teeth of the key. Fiona Sidney, Gainsborough 4 Dig out mud  Both ends of a pencil are great for digging out dried mud from the treads on your shoes. Michelle W est, Salisbury…

‘I had visions of my dead body on the floor’ ‘I’m angry that my symptoms weren’t spotted earlier’ After a relaxing pregnancy massage, I tucked into a delicious three-course dinner at a luxury hotel in the countryside. It was all to celebrate my first year of being married to Adam, 31. ‘It’s been a perfect day,’ I smiled at him. ‘Well, we need a chance to relax before this baby arrives,’ he replied. I had just eleven days to go before my due date. With full bellies, we headed back to our room to cuddle up in bed and watch some TV. I soon fell asleep. But a few hours later, I suddenly woke up in pain. ‘Babe, I think I’m in labour,’ I cried out. ‘Oh, my God!’ Adam…

Bubble risk QI get frequent urine infections, but I’m very hygienic and keep clean with regular bubble baths. Why are they still happening? Tegan, Birmingham There’s some evidence A that bubble baths can increase the risk of urinary infections, so perhaps changing to showers and using non-soap cleanser might help. Swelling solution Q Each morning my eyelids and lips are swollen. I take antihistamines, but though it settles over the day, it’s there again when I wake. Diana, Hitchin A This might be hereditary angioedema, which is not an allergy, but an inherited condition requiring specialist input. See your GP for a referral. Paracetamol for pox My daughter currently Q has chicken pox and she’s fine except she occasionally gets a temperature. Which is the better medicine to give her,…

‘He opened poor Oliver’s head with an axe’ ‘Even when sentenced to death, he didn’t flinch’ Albert W Hicks wanted what he’d never had - money. He said so himself, in the memoirs he wrote shortly before his execution. My ambition was get rich without working, he wrote. And then give free rein to the passions and desires that governed me. Growing up, he’d seen his father try to eke out a living and support his family by working the land. But the land he worked was poor and rocky. Little would grow there. It was hard, back-breaking work for Albert’s father. Work Albert didn’t want to do. He wanted money - fast. And the best way to get it? Crime. At a young age, Albert left the family farmstead…

Apricot And Pistachio Palmiers Serves: 20 Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 15 min 1 Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4 and cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper. 2 Unroll the puff pastry, sprinkle with sugar, spread with apricot conserve and then scatter liberally with pistachio nuts. 3 Fold two sides of the pastry rectangle halfway into centre, and then fold two sides into centre again, this time allowing them to meet in middle. You should be left with a long, sausage shape. Lightly pass a rolling pin over the pastry roll to get rid of air in between layers. Cover and chill in fridge for 30 min. 4 Slice sausage into rounds about 1cm thick and place onto baking tray, leaving enough space around each…

‘I could barely climb the stairs, my chest felt so tight’ ‘Now I know that I was one of the lucky ones...’ Rolling over in bed, I felt awful. Tired, achy, with a pounding head... ‘I’m sick,’ I complained to my then boyfriend later. ‘A cuppa will sort you out,’ he replied, making me one. We’d had a few big nights out recently, so I must’ve been run down. But, as the day wore on, I began feeling worse and worse. Must be a rotten cold , I thought. Feeling sorry for myself, I decided to stay tucked up in bed for the rest of the day. The next day, I developed a really bad cough, and began feeling very weak. I tried to get on with things, working full…

‘I could play Pick Me Up! Bingo at home in my slippers!’ It was a Sunday last October. After running the vac over the carpet, I got my duster out. After a busy week at work in a school kitchen, it was when I caught up on chores. ‘Put your feet up, Mum,’ my grown-up kids said - but a mum’s work is never done! Later that evening when I’d finished, I finally took their advice, settling on the sofa with a brew and my laptop. ‘I’ll have a few games of bingo,’ I told my hubby Richard, 46. I’d joined Pick Me Up! Bingo four years ago in 2012. I used to love going to the bingo halls when I was younger. But, after having the kids, I just…

TRIED & TESTED This week: Brightening face masks 1 Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Ultra-Cleansing Mud Mask, £8.99, Boots This worked wonders on my greasy and spot-prone skin! By removing built-up dirt and oil, it left my face feeling fresh and much clearer. 2 Skin Republic Brightening Vitamin C Face Mask Sheet, £4.99, Superdrug I love a sheet mask when I’m short on time, as they’re much less messy than liquid ones. The serum on this made my skin feel so soft and helped to even my skintone. 3 Nspa Radiance Boosting Mask, £1.59, Asda You can’t go wrong with a sachet. I like to use them when I’m away for an extra treat. This gave my skin a real boost and calmed any redness. Jess’Beauty Hero Palmolive Gourmet Chocolate…

‘Before I knew it, he shoved his hand down my trousers’ Abbie Johnston, 18, Leigh, Greater Manchester From the moment we met through friends, Shane and I were inseparable. We shared a connection through a love of dance music and our daft sense of humour. At 18, I looked up to Shane, 23, he was so mature and grown-up. In a matter of weeks, I’d met his mum and dad. And, after just a few months together, early last year, I moved in to his one-bedroom flat. It was a bit of a whirlwind, but we were both so happy. There was only one thing I didn’t like - the constant visits from Shane’s older cousin, Philip Smallman, 42. He’d just sit there all day, slurping cans of lager and…

As a kid I’d sit, thrilled, in the sidecar of my dad’s motorbike. At 19, I got my first scooter - a Honda 90 - my pride and joy. Biking must be in the blood, as my daughter Jess, now 23, loves motorbikes. As a member of local scooter club Wimpson Old Boys, we go riding every weekend. One night in October 2014, I went to a music night with my scooter-loving pal Sue, 48. There, she introduced her brother Paul Haines, 51. Also scooter-mad, we instantly hit it off. Single, following two failed marriages, I wasn’t looking for love. But, somehow, it rode right into my life! As Paul lived in Slough, we could only chat on Facebook. But our romance accelerated when, in May 2015, he moved in…

ARIES 21 March–20 April If you can learn to forgive and let go of the past, you’ll release yourself from anger, pain and worries. Then you can focus on love and happiness. Tuesday and Friday give you just such a chance. Make sure you grab it with both hands. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May The younger generation listen when you speak this week, so try to put some time aside to help them make their lives better. Last-minute invitations to major gatherings help you get back on track with someone close. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June You thought you knew a close one, but recent events have taught you otherwise. The good news is that the person they actually are is someone you could…

Serial Soapers Doing a double-take while you’re watching ? Here’s why... Claire King Glam Claire (left) played Emmerdale bitch Kim Tate for 10 years, then appeared as a barrister in Hollyoaks. Claire now plays Corrie cougar Erica Holroyd. Kenneth Farrington Ken’s done the triple! He starred as Billy Walker in Coronation Street, Jack Gates in Family Affairs and then ruthless Tom King in Emmerdale. Sue Jenkins Sue was Corrie barmaid Gloria Todd, and before moving to Brookside Close to play long-suffering Jackie, wife of Jimmy Corkhill. Naff Now...   …but not in the 80s. Most eighties’ kids had these in their bedroom! Way To Go We  love these crazy vehicles that’ve been used for funerals Name That Tune CAN YOU REMEMBER THE 90S HITS THAT THESE LYRICS ARE TAKEN FROM?…

‘Dylan had been deprived of oxygen for 45 minutes’ ‘We’re raising money for the unit treating him...’ Icouldn’t get my head around what had just happened. It’d been a normal day. Just like every other normal day. Except now, my 4-year-old son Dylan was being airlifted to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. And me and my mum Sweetie were bombing up the A39 in a police car, my partner Roy, 41, following close behind. Please be OK, please be OK... I kept repeating what had happened in my head. As if it would make any difference. Dylan had choked on a ham sandwich. He ate them all the time. But this lunchtime, a bit of ham had got stuck in his throat. Doing CPR ‘You OK, pet?’ I’d asked him…

‘Our brave girl’s won medals for baton twirling’ An almighty scream rang through the room. I knew it immediately - my daughter Mika-Lee. We were at a play area in Beverley. She’d fallen and was clutching her left arm in agony. Her forearm looked wonky and bent. Clearly broken. It was April 2014, just before Mika-Lee’s 6th birthday. I took her straight to A&E. Doctors confirmed that her arm was broken in two places, and set it in plaster, telling me that it should heal on its own. ‘Plaster alone isn’t going to fix that!’ I protested, but they didn’t want to operate because Mika-Lee was so young. She had regular X-rays over the next few months, and we learnt that Mika-Lee had a spiral fracture, where the bone had…

1 Cystic fibrosis is inherited. 2 Symptoms only arise in adulthood. 3 Cystic fibrosis is curable. 4 It can be fatal. 1 TRUE The condition is caused by a faulty gene passed to the child from both parents. As a result, cells struggle to move salt and water across the cell wall, causing a build-up of sticky, thick mucus. 2 FALSE Problems usually start in early childhood, but in some cases aren’t obvious until adulthood. Symptoms include recurring chest infections, diarrhoea, wet coughs, shortness of breath and difficulty gaining weight. 3 FALSE There’s no cure, but symptoms can be controlled with treatments like antibiotics and other forms of medication. If the lungs are badly damaged, a transplant may be needed. 4 TRUE If the condition leads to a serious infection…

1 Morrisons Lemon Mousse, 6 x 60g Light yet very creamy with a sharp lemon flavour, it’s the perfect end to any meal! At less than 13p each, they’re also great value. 2 Nestle Ski Lemon Mousse, 4 x 60g Very light, this has a ripple of meringue-style sauce running through it. With only 76 calories per pot, it’s a tasty, guilt-free treat! 3 Sainsbury’s Lemon Mousse, 6 x 62.5g Rich and creamy, this light-as-air pud was tops with us for its delicious fresh lemon flavour. Yummy! Make it yourself... Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 5 min • 300ml double cream • 60g caster sugar • Zest and juice of 2 lemons • Extra lemon parings, to serve 1 Heat cream, sugar and lemon zest in a…

‘The site’s so easy to use, I soon found my fave games’ I’d first started playing bingo online, back in the noughties. My daughter Anna, 29, and my son Jamie, 27, had showed me how to get online and I saw an ad for Pick Me Up! Bingo. It looked like fun and so easy to use, so I signed up and soon found my fave games, Emerald Bingo and Tiki. I also enjoyed the slots, loved Double Bubble. Over the years, I’d had a few small wins and, once, I scooped more than £3,000 in just one week! I liked talking to people in the chat rooms, too. It was such fun. Then, in May this year, I won a couple of quid playing a slot game. So I…

Olive: Max Factor Velvet Matte Lipstick in Sun Kiss Anyone with tanned or olive skin should look out for pinks with a touch of coral. This one is soft for a matte lipstick and won’t dry out your pout. Fair: No7 Match Made Lipstick in Honey Bloom Pale ladies should opt for nude or rose lippy to compliment your porcelain complexion. The satin finish and creamy formula makes this lipstick ideal for everyday wear. Dark: Essence Matt Matt Matt Lipstick in shade 04 Women with darker skintones are lucky enough to be able to pull off pretty much any shade of pink, but a punchy, bright hue is a great way to make a statement.…

‘Any trace of the man I loved was gone’ Row over cigarettes sparked brutal assault Locked up and battered in four-hour ordeal Rescued by Mum in the nick of time At 17 and single, I felt flattered when a cute lad messaged me. You’re gorgeous, it read. I’d never met James McCourt, also 17, but we had mutual Facebook friends. He made me smile as we chatted online. We got together a few weeks later, in February 2015. Teenagers, we had no money but we had fun hanging out at weekends. I studied Hairdressing while James worked on building sites. ‘You’ll be with me forever,’ he promised. James was often sweet and attentive. But at times he was immature and would start rows. Once, he threw a drink over me…

An easy way to thread a needle is to place it on a sheet of white paper and spray the end of the cotton with hair spray. Gloria Wilding, Prescot To stop my clothes slipping off the hangers, I just use an elastic band. Now, everything stays put! Lindsay Matthew, Heywood Cut rounded edges from the sharp points of your tablet strips to avoid cutting your fingers and going back to the chemist for plasters! Margaret Anderson, Sunderland Rubbing half a lemon on glass shower doors and other shower parts twice a month causes the hard water stains to bead up and roll off. Rebecca Lunt, Willesden Use a jug when you’re mixing together cake ingredients. The mixture will be easier to pour into the cases, rather than struggling with…

1 Install an alarm  Choose one that’s been approved by your insurer, and turn it on when you leave. If the alarm isn’t on, your insurance won’t pay out if there’s a burglary! 2 Fit good locks Your front and back door should have mortise locks, and all windows should have approved locks on them. 3 Keep your keys safe Don’t put them near your letterbox. Burglars can use a hook device to steal keys through it! 4 Put in external lights Place them out of reach and fit with a timer to come on in the evening, giving the impression that you’re at home. 5 Join your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme Or just get to know your neighbours, as…

Diarrhoea is usually nothing to worry about, as most cases pass after a few days. Bowel infections from a bacteria or virus are common causes, along with anxiety or the side effects of medicines. Drink small, frequent sips of water, as diarrhoea can lead to dehydration. If you begin to lose weight, have severe stomach aches or find that stools are too dark or contain blood, see a GP immediately. Give Yourself A Lift Lemons are great stimulants for the liver, and can also dissolve uric acid and liquefy bile. Drinking a glass of water with some fresh lemon juice each day is a good way to detoxify your liver.…

Seeing my baby bump, a kind stranger got up to offer me their seat. Only, I wasn’t pregnant. The trouble started back in September 2013... My stomach had become swollen and huge. I was having pregnancy symptoms like absent periods, sickness and fatigue. But when every pregnancy test came back negative, my partner Dave, 36, and I grew more concerned. It got worse and, by May 2014, I was suffering hot flushes, backache and piles. Referred to a gynaecologist, doctors ran blood tests and scans for polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, but found nothing. Then, in September that year, I finally got a diagnosis. ‘You’ve got pelvic congestion syndrome,’ the doctor said. I’d never heard of PCS, but it meant my ovarian veins were enlarged, straining my body. A rare…

So Wrong, But SO FUNNY! You can never unsee these celeb face shrinks... HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW... THE BIG BANG THEORY? 1 When was The Big Bang Theory first shown in the UK? 2 Where do the characters live? 3 What type of scientists are Sheldon and Leonard? 4 Where do Sheldon, Leonard, Raj and Howard work? 5 At what age did Leonard get his PHD? Before I Die… Our bucket list is a long one and includes these silly things… • Teach our gran’s parrot to swear. Nothing too crude, mind. • Bag a Guinness World Record. If Ed Sheeran can hold 52 Maltesers in his mouth – both extraordinary and random – we can do better! • Learn falconry so we can have an eagle fly off…

‘All of our adopted children have some form of disability’ I looked at the image of 2-year-old Sophia on my computer screen. She’d big brown eyes, dark hair and such a sweet smile. My heart melted. ‘She’s meant for us,’ I told my husband Jeremy, 38, who nodded in agreement. It was March 2010. Jeremy and I were in the process of adopting a child from China - Lexi, 5. We already had three biological kids - Taylor, 10, Parker, 9, and Jessica, 6. And Lexi was to be our fourth adopted child. We’d already given a home to Gracie, 11, Ellie, 5, and Zander, 5. We’d started adopting children after we’d tragically had two stillborn babies. Becoming parents to children in China had helped heal our broken hearts. All…

‘If men, as well as women, are able to take responsibility, for birth control, it eases the burden on women. For even greater peace of mind, both can use contraception. I think it’s a great idea, long overdue.’ Regina Skinner, London ‘If a man doesn’t want a partner’s pregnancy, he should take responsibility. Until you’re in an established relationship, and decide jointly, it’s best to take care of yourself.’ Michelle McGrath, Grantham, ‘You’d be a fool to trust a man to be responsible! Unwanted pregnancies would rise, not to mention STIs. It’d be easy for some men to tell a woman they’re on the Pill, so they can get what they want.’ Gemma Carrick, Sunderland ‘I think it’s great, but would men actually take it? I’d prefer to take precautions…

Jimini’s Dark Chocolate Bars with Cricket Flour, £26 for 12, www.thefoodmarket.com Having an energy slump? These slightly weird bars are free from wheat, but contain cricket flour (made from the insects!) for a protein boost. Verdict: BONKERS! We’re so not ready for this! FORMcard, £6.99 for three sheets, www.firebox.com Pop these bio-plastic sheets into hot water, and they become mouldable, so you can bend and shape them before they cool and harden again. Amazing for doing anything from making a stand for your phone to fixing things around the house! Verdict: GENIUS! It’s the perfect size to carry with you, too. Breakfast Master, £59.95, www.prezzybox.com Whip up a whole cooked breakfast with this one clever gadget! It combines a toaster with an egg boiler/poacher.…

Flattering Fashion WORKOUT WEAR Whether you’re off to the gym or doing a keep-fit DVD at home, this is the perfect workout outfit. A great way to give yourself a bit of extra motivation to get moving! 100-Calorie Gallery Get Moving! Scarlett’s SuperSlim Me Plan, £12.99, Amazon Find out how Gogglebox’s Scarlett Moffatt lost 3st and dropped six dress sizes! She and her trainer demonstrate 5-7-min max workouts with plenty of fast moves that last no longer than 30 seconds! Try this…. LighterLife Fastpot Porridge With A Hint Of Vanilla, £2.49, Superdrug Great for 5:2 dieters or if you want a tasty breakfast that has only 153 cal! Fat Trappers, pack of 10, £5.29, Lakeland These ultra-absorbent pads soak up fat when you’re oven-cooking meat. The reflective coating ensures even…

‘Funnily enough, I’ve never had a sweet tooth’ When my son, Jamie turned 5 in 2000, I tackled a recipe for a Pokemon-ball-shaped cake. ‘Cool!’ Jamie declared, devouring it. Funnily enough, though, I’ve never had a sweet tooth. More of a savoury girl, I’d tuck into takeaways and salty junk food when hunger struck. So, when I’d requests to bake similar cakes by friends and family, I found it easy to resist licking the spoon, or sneaking slices. In 2007, I took a sugar-flower making course. ‘You should sell these!’ my hubby Mark, 40, said. So I did! Through word of mouth and Facebook, I got orders of up to 10 cakes a week. Too busy to cook dinner, I’d scoff quick ‘ ready meals each night, then buy in…

At 16, I was ready to start work. Only, due to family circumstances, I’d not taken my GCSEs. A girly girl, I decided I’d train as a masseuse – a hands-on job! Only, when I tried to enrol on a college course, I was rejected. Turned out I needed English and Maths GCSEs. Deflated, I spoke to a family friend. A carpenter, he offered me a fortnight’s work experience at his company. It’s a good trade, but I’d just never considered manual labour – it wasn't girly, so I was hesitant. But I did fancy working with my hands… ‘I’ll give it a go!’ I agreed. That week, in February 2011, constructing a garden fence all on my own, I felt proud. And I was even more chuffed to be…

Relationships are always a focus of concern in our lives. Are you seeking a romantic partner? Are you experiencing difficulties in your current relationship? Are you both compatible? Our team of specially selected love psychics can help you find the answers you’re looking for on all matters of the heart. Using the ancient art of the tarot, your psychic reader will provide revealing answers. LIVEPSYCHICS & MEDIUMS! Call our live Psychics and Mediums now! Pay by your phone bill… Love Psychics 0906 174 1693 (£1.50/min)** Live Mediums 0906 174 1777 (£1.50/min)** Call Freephone 0800 063 0687 Book your reading with our friendly advisors Enjoy your consultation Or simply text LOVET (Space) plus your question to 82229 (Texts £1.50 per msg x 2)***…

 I squeezed my nana Betty’s hand as I was wheeled into theatre. ‘The surgery had left me in a coma-like state’ ‘Love you,’ she smiled, but her brow was creased with worry. I wasn’t nervous. I’d lost count of the number of operations I’d had. And I was still only 14! Born with half a heart, I was in and out of hospital for regular MOTs. But this time it was different. A procedure called Fontan surgery would hopefully strengthen my one ventricle, so I wouldn’t be constantly out of breath. On 16 October 2006, I lay down and waited for the anaesthetic to kick in... Next thing I knew, my mum Lesley was whispering my name. Squinting at the bright lights, I felt like I’d been run over by…