Table of contents for 30-Jul-2020 in Pick Me Up!

When my grandfather Eric, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 62 and then Parkinson’s at 64, the whole family was shocked. He and my grandmother Mollie lived a 45-minute drive away from us, and we knew they were going to need all the help they could get. So, we moved them into a purpose-built annex next to our family home. However, we soon realised we needed professional support to help my grandma when we were not there. Bringing in outsourced care was great, but we still felt out of the loop. Although there was a file logging everything that happened during the day, we wanted more detail. And so, my husband Jason gave up his job to become a fulltime carer, with the help from my family. Now,…

Opening my mouth, I let out a big yawn, feeling exhausted. It was June 2018, and I was sat on the sofa after a sleepless night. As a single mum, taking care of two lads had taken it out of me, especially as they were both autistic and had epilepsy. Back in 2000, at just two days old, my son Peter had started having fits. In and out of the hospital for various tests, he was eventually diagnosed with epilepsy at a year old. As he grew, I noticed he wasn’t developing the same as other kids – Peter wouldn’t interact with people, and never learnt to talk. Finally, at five years old, he was diagnosed with autism. It was a big blow, but knowing the truth made it easier…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Personal quality. ACROSS 1 The _ Bones, 2009 film starring Mark Wahlberg (6) 4 Rapturous (8) 10 Hushaby (7) 11 Herb type (7) 12 Charged particles (4) 13 Ability (10) 15 Public speaker (6) 16 Monotonous (7) 20 In succession (2,5) 21 Rosario _, Men in Black II actor (6) 24 Unusual and shocking (10) 26 Eye up (4) 28 Shoulder parts (7) 29 Break in racing for refuelling (3,4) 30 Remote (8) 31 Colouring stick (6) DOWN 1 Sweet on a stick (8) 2 Done of one’s own free will (9) 3 Unauthorised disclosure (4) 5 One in charge of a gaming table (8) 6 Excessively dramatic (10) 7 Linked railway carriages (5) 8…

Breeding dogs is very big business. In recent years, the multimillionpound puppy industry has rocketed. Thanks to recent trends on social media, we are seeing more and more first-time buyers purchasing popular puppies online. These new owners can spend thousands of pounds adopting their four-legged friends, but are the pups really as healthy as they think? And what actually goes on inside licensed premises? Pomeranian puppies have recently become a social media sensation. Their fluffy coats, adorable faces and snub noses have taken Instagram by storm. In May this year, Love Island’s Tommy Fury gifted his Influencer girlfriend Molly Mae a Pomeranian puppy for her 21st birthday. The puppy, known as Mr Chai, was transported to the UK from a known Russian breeder. After just six days, Mr Chai suddenly…

The party was in full swing in a camper van parked next to a house in Prosser, Washington State. Amy Brown had turned 36 the weekend before, and now she was having birthday drinks with her fiancé Brandon Fayard, her friend Amanda Hill, 35, and Amanda’s boyfriend. Laughter and chatter rang out as the foursome celebrated together. It was the night of 9 February 2018. Amy and Brandon ran a small business together that made soap, lip balm, body butter and scrubs. On her website, Amy also described herself as a stay at home mum, caring for her two boys from a previous relationship, as well as Brandon’s three sons. The couple had first met when they’d both worked in a local travel shop together years earlier. Amanda had a…

www.theastrologyroom.com ARIES 21 March–20 April Don’t look for more opportunities, but make them instead. You start to see yourself as the person you want to become, rather than the person others painted you out to be. Conversations which start off as polite soon become personal. Try not to worry about those that we know don’t want to help themselves. Be the teacher in the lessons they need to learn. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Sudden actions by others took some planning, which means they have been keeping you in the dark for some time. Rather than be angry, consider yourself lucky to be gone from the influence of those who only ever brought you down. Juggling funds would be better done out in the open with those…

Who would have thought? Does your street have a happy name? After analysing thousands of road names in the UK, Bankrate.com has found that houses on a ‘happy’ street can increase your home’s value by an astonishing average of over £24,000! When house hunting, most of us don’t pay much attention to the road name, but this seemingly small feature can have a significant effect on the value of your house! Who would have thought it? Street names that can increase your property’s value, and the area they are most frequently found in are: GAY: worth £40,293 more in the South West PLEASURE: worth £39,029 more in the South East DANCERS: worth £32,029 more in the East of England BEAM: worth £30,623 more in the North West and North East HEAVEN: worth £29,273 more in…

Cradling my newborn baby girl, I rocked her from side to side. ‘Five days old today,’ I smiled. It was April 2016, and my partner of six years, Luke, 30, and I had just welcomed Layla into the world. Whilst I was enjoying being in a baby bubble, I was also worried about my son Kye, then eight. Kye was usually a bubbly, happy boy who loved watching SpongeBob SquarePants and Star Wars on repeat. We were so close and he was excited to be a big brother. Only, straight after Layla had been born, Kye fell ill. ‘I think he’s got a tummy bug,’ I said to my mum Veronica, 53. ‘I’m concerned that it could be meningitis,’ she replied. ‘No, it can’t be!’ I said, considering his symptoms.…

As the sun streamed through my window, I opened my eyes. Reaching my hand up to my face, I felt familiar painful lumps across my cheeks and frowned. It’s going to be another bad day, I thought. I followed the same routine every morning – feeling my face for any flare-ups, and knowing that if there were any, it was probably not going to be my best day. Growing up, I’d always had spots of acne on my face, but always put it down to normal teenage hormones. By the time I was 20, though, the spots hadn’t disappeared, and instead had turned into large, painful and rather unsightly pustules. Desperate to be rid of them, I started a rigid routine of scrubbing my face twice a day with strong…

Piling the dirty dishes on top of one another, I just had no motivation to get them done. I hated housework and with a seven-month-old on my hands, I just didn’t have time. This was the first time I’d lived away from home and I didn’t know where to start. Although my parents tried to get me to be domestic when I was a child, I just had no interest and so I never learned. When I first gave birth to Freddie, now three, myself and my partner Luke, 25, lived with my mum. It worked for us, but we needed our own space. However, when we moved in and Luke went to work, my depression and anxiety bubbled to the surface. And with that, the housework piled up. I…

Being a mum was my dream, and I was willing to go through anything to have a baby. I just had no idea the journey would be filled with heartbreak, tough decisions and a life-changing diagnosis before I had my wish granted. In April last year, I was rubbing my bump, thinking about the tiny little human that was curled up inside. My boyfriend Kieran, 22, and I were expecting our first baby together. At eight weeks, he or she was the size of a raspberry. I’d experienced all the usual pregnancy symptoms – fatigue, morning sickness and severe bloating. Then suddenly, one day, everything stopped. My symptoms disappeared. ‘I think something’s wrong,’ I panicked to Kieran, looking at my bump. And sadly, my maternal instinct was right – we…

Dearest Toby, Travelling in the car to the rescue centre to collect you, I was ever so excited and happy. It was 5 November 2006, a day that I will always treasure. Your elderly owner had gone into a hospice, and you needed a home. At four years old, you only had one eye, but that didn’t matter to me. Iwas anticipating all the cuddles I’d get from my cute, fluffy little bundle of love. Only, you weren’t what I had pictured at all, Toby… Your filthy, matted hair and stubborn ways came as a shock. Growling and snarling, I thought you’d never want to be my friend. On the way home, I stopped at a petrol station and bought you a breakfast roll – a peace offering of sorts.…

Stroking my baby bump, there was a twinkle in my husband’s eye. It was 2014, and Dan, now 32, had big dreams for our first child. ‘I bet he loves racing,’ he smiled. Dan’s dad had started him go-kart racing when he was a kid, and in his 20s, he’d been stock car racing at a national level. But after about six years, a nasty accident had forced him to give it all up. Still, it made way for other things, like me, buying a house, starting a skip hire business, and now, starting a family. But Dan would still get itchy feet sometimes, and now he had big hopes for our little boy. When George came along a few months later, Dan was a brilliant dad. Our son Tommy…

Walk for dementia For thousands of people with dementia, the coronavirus pandemic has meant they’ve been cut off from support networks and services that are needed the most. But with one single step, you can make a difference. Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk, sponsored by Santander, is a great way to walk for a loved one, walk for a shared goal and to help raise money for the charity to support those affected by the illness. It’s free to register and it’s up to you where you walk, from lapping your garden or local park to revisiting somewhere special. Whether it’s on your own, with your household or with your four-legged friends, it’s your walk, your way. You can either virtually unite with the nation by signing up to a special…

Satin is back in town. This slinky, lightweight fabric is far from being just evening wear – you can dress it up, dress it down, or even wear it to bed. Turn heads in a satin dress, or slip on a satin midi skirt with a casual tee and trainers. The styling possibilities are endless!…

As the sand squelched under my feet, I clasped my boyfriend Marc’s hand. Strolling along Chapel Porth beach in St Agnes, Cornwall, we wound around the headland towards a secluded cove a few minutes’ walk away. It was 24 May 2009, and Marc, then 26, and I were on a break from our busy lives in Swanscombe, Kent. I’d always loved this part of the country – Marc and I had even talked about moving down here. Now, though, at 35 weeks pregnant, I knew there wouldn’t be another chance where I’d be able to manage the walk, so I soaked it all up. ‘I can’t wait to know what we’re having,’ I smiled. By the time we reached the cove, I was tired. ‘Let’s sit here for a few…

A Suitable Boy, BBC One Vikram Seth’s classic novel A Suitable Boy is one of the longest novels in the English language, and Andrew Davies (Sanditon and Pride and Prejudice), has been tasked with bringing it to us in a six-episode period drama. It’s an epic saga set in the 1950s as India grapples with its newfound independence. Passionate student Lata (Tanya Maniktala) is determined to carve her own independence, rejecting her mother’s attempts to find her ‘a suitable boy’ to marry. Meanwhile, wayward young man Maan (Ishaan Khatter) is an embarrassment to his politician father. Joining the cast is legendary Indian actress Tabu (Life of Pi). Stunning acting and scenery. Anthony, BBC One Anthony Walker was a Liverpool teenager who was known to his family and friends for his…

Eggs are a fantastic ingredient to help you create nutritious and delicious food, and with the British Lion stamp of approval, you can cook with confidence. Try these recipes including one of Olympian Tom Daley’s favourites! Drunken noodles with boiled egg Swap the chicken and oyster sauce for tofu and soy sauce to make this dish vegetarian… □ 4 medium British Lion eggs, boiled□ 1 tbsp vegetable oil□ 2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips□ 1 onion, finely sliced□ 5cm piece ginger, peeled and grated□ 2 garlic cloves, crushed□ 400g veg stir fry pack□ 2 tbsp oyster sauce□ 2 tbsp fish sauce□ ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar□ 250g thick rice noodles□ 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds□ A large handful of coriander, roughly chopped□ 1 lime, cut into wedges 1 Heat the…

Aldi’s Austin jelly jars Make your own jelly from scratch with these strawberry-flavoured, sugarfree jelly crystals from Aldi, which are combined with fresh strawberry slices, blueberries and Austin’s Summer Punch for that extra little kick. Refreshingly cool and syrupy sweet, these desserts are bound to fulfil all of your fruity desires and are perfect for keeping you hydrated in the heat! INGREDIENTS: □ 2 Sachets Delicious Desserts Strawberry Flavour Sugar Free Jelly Crystals□ 370ml Austin’s Summer Punch□ 570ml boiling water□ 100ml cold water□ 400g strawberries, sliced□ 150g blueberries METHOD: 1 Place half of the strawberries and blueberries evenly between the jars. 2 Pour the jelly crystals into the boiling water and stir until they have dissolved. 3 Add the Austin’s Summer Punch and cold water to this mix and stir.…