Table of contents for 31-Dec-2020 in Pick Me Up!

Putting pen to paper, I got to work. When I was young, I suffered from depression, so I used writing as a way to escape. With a particular love of poetry, it always helped to clear my mind, so it was no surprise that I went on to be a professional poet and author. Then, one day in 2018, walking through the London Underground, I noticed the information boards. With a famous quote from Nelson Mandela, I had an idea. My poems would go great on there, I thought to myself. My work had always been focused on mental health and positivity, and I thought this would be a great way to spread that to the people of London. So, when I arrived home, I sent the tube station a…

Sitting at my desk at work, my friend Jake suddenly approached me with an exciting proposition. He wanted to set me up on a blind date with his close friend Tash, 25. ‘She’s perfect for you,’ he explained enthusiastically. In July 2019, the two of us arranged to meet up at a dim sum restaurant. I wasn’t nervous, but I was excited to meet her – she looked gorgeous in her pictures. Tash strolled into the place with so much sass – I could tell I was going to like her. ‘Nice to meet you,’ she said confidently, giving me a hug. She was so easy to chat with and she wasn’t shy about tucking into the food. ‘I think you ate all the Thai crackers,’ I joked, gesturing to…

Be a winner! This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! When one product can do more than one task then that is winning as far as we are concerned. This microfibre flat mop is great for dusting hard floor surfaces, walls, ceilings and skirtings. Complete with machine washable head and telescopic handle for easy storage what’s not to love? For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Give it a whirl! Keep your washing machine clean by adding a large capful of disinfectant before running a short, empty load. Julie Surtees, Tyne and Wear Space saver Before putting food in the freezer, save space by taking off cardboard packaging and cutting out cooking instructions to stick to the inner plastic wrapping.…

Driving to Heathrow airport to meet my date, David Norris, then 29, I got cold feet and cancelled. I was a taxi driver, from Southampton, and David lived in London driving lorries. After stumbling across each other’s Tinder profiles, a month before, we’d been texting ever since. I have one gorgeous son already, Leon who is 8, and he’s all I want I messaged him that week. If you want children, then we should stop things now because there is no way I’m having another. After a bad break up with Leon’s dad, I’d been left to raise him practically alone, and I was terrified it’d happen again. Don’t worry about that, I found out I was infertile a few years ago, David replied. He sent me the doctor’s letter…

Top tip Wearing white head-to-toe makes you feel powerful! Top tip White looks expensive even when it’s not! Top tip Pair with a gorgeous red lipstick.…

In 2019 more than 1000 children under the age of four were admitted to hospital with obesity, along with over 3000 children aged five to 11. Around one-third of children in the UK are overweight or obese. Because childhood obesity is really in the spotlight at the moment, there is plenty of advice from experts. Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (www.doctorfox.co.uk) states ‘the first step to make is accepting that your child has a weight problem. ‘A massive 54% of parents are in denial about their child’s weight,’ she says. Dr Lee believes that confronting the problem in the correct way could save many children from serious medical conditions like type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure. During the tough times of this pandemic it’s been easy to…

The parents of Menhaz Zaman loved to brag about their son. They’d proudly tell everyone that Menhaz, 23, always put his family first and was about to graduate with an engineering degree so he had a bright future ahead. Other parents in their social circles quietly wished their sons were as straight-laced and reliable. Dad Moniraz, 59, and mum, Momtaz, 50, couldn’t wait to attend his graduation and see him collect the scroll he’d worked so hard for. Menhaz lived with his parents, his sister Malesa, 21, and grandmother Firoza Begum, 70, in Markham, Ontario. His parents had originally emigrated from Bangladesh to Canada in search of opportunities. Moniraz established himself at a local taxi business and when Momtaz got involved in property rental, her mum Firoza had emigrated to…

Support a small business In Senegal, basket weaving is a tradition passed down to generations of women in rural villages to make an income. And now, their wonderful weaving is accessible to you! The independent, online homeware brand La Basketry sells beautiful, colourful baskets handmade by craftswomen in Senegal. Set up in 2017 by sisters Tabara and Mamy N’Diaye, La Basketry’s pieces are made with sustainable and recycled materials, and they give employment and a fair wage to the female artisans in Senegal who make them. Weaving the world into a better place, La Basketry also contribute a percentage of their profits to support local initiatives in the community. To celebrate all things woven, you can purchase your own placemats, fans, laundry baskets and fruit bowls – or even weave your…

Whilst in the surgery, the GP noticed her breathing sounded laboured and she was sent for a scan. I was at work doing a presentation when Tash called me, and immediately made my way to the hospital. She didn’t sound too concerned, so as I made my way to meet her, I didn’t think it was anything serious. ‘We’ve found a shadow on her lungs,’ the doctor told us. It was a bit of shock, but we all just assumed it was a cyst and nothing to worry about. ‘Have you been abroad recently?’ the doctor asked, examining the results. They thought she might have picked up a parasite while travelling around Asia the year before we met. She was prescribed anti-parasite medication and sent home to rest. Only, back…

Survival sex A new study has revealed that sex can help to save people’s lives. The research found that patients who were active in the bedroom in the months after falling ill from a heart attack, were a third less likely to die over the following two decades. The study looked at 500 people who were under the age of 65. The studies discovered that there was a 35% lower risk of death, in the next 22 years of their lives, if they maintained sexual activity during the six months after a heart attack. Also, every year more than 100,000 people are admitted to hospital due to heart attacks in the UK. Experts estimate that there are likely to be around 1.4 million individuals alive who have survived a heart…

Looking down at the wedding bands on my fingers, I smiled at the amazing memory of mine and Derek’s, wedding day on the Cook Islands, which was almost 18 years earlier. I’d stood on powdery white sand, surrounded by glistening turquoise waters, struggling to process how perfect the moment was. ‘I do,’ I’d told Derek, then 32, as he carefully placed the wedding ring on my finger. We’d been together seven years when we’d married, and we were still as crazy about each other as when we’d first started dating. In 2000 we jetted across to the other side of the world and spent two years travelling across Bali, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and finally the Cook Islands. It was a whirlwind wedding – the engagement lasted just seven weeks.…

The hotels you won’t want to miss! When it comes to hotels, sometimes it’s difficult to know where to stay. After the year we’ve had, value for money and cleanliness are at the top of our agendas. Thankfully, AA have announced the latest holders of their prestigious Red Stars award. Celebrating the best hotels in the country, and giving holidaymakers inspiration for when lockdowns lift, these hotels will not let you down. Ranked regardless of size or type of operation, you don’t need to spend a fortune to stay in an AA Red Stars hotel. Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said ‘There is no denying that it has been an immensely difficult time for the hospitality sector, but we have seen hotels across the UK and Ireland rise…

Sitting at the kitchen table, an array of paper, paints and paintbrushes were strewn in front of us. My daughter Daisy, then six, and I were all set for a creative afternoon at home. As a primary school teacher with a degree in art, I always let Daisy and her two brothers – Archie, now 21, and Finlay, 15 – share their creative talents, even if it left my living room a mess! ‘They’re expressing themselves,’ I told my husband Charlie, 50, proudly. Now, sat with Daisy, I thought we could practice painting tulips – always a tricky thing for a beginner to master. With three different colours on the brush, she took it to her paper with ease, effortlessly shaping her first tulip. ‘That’s beautiful!’ I beamed. Daisy had…

Grabbing for my coat and picking up the phone, I called my friend, Jane, 60. ‘Be ready in five minutes,’ I told her. ‘What for?’ she asked, somewhat confused. ‘I’ve found us a Slimming World group,’ I explained. ‘And I’ve booked us in for tonight!’ The pair of us had been on about joining for a little while now, but neither of us had plucked up the courage yet. I’d been inspired after seeing my aunt and cousin a few weeks earlier in December 2018. They’d joined Slimming World together and lost shed loads of weight. ‘If they can do it, surely I can, too,’ I said to myself. I never knew where to start with dieting… And when I mentioned it to Jane, she was ready to give it…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Mythical creatures. ACROSS 1 & 4 Ac. Dystopian action film of 2015, starring 30 Across, 22 Down & 23 Down (3,3,4,4) 4 See 1 Across 10 Ultra (7) 11 Board member (7) 12 Unit of length (4) 13 Unusual and shocking (10) 15 Engineless aircraft (6) 16 Ceremonial position (2,5) 20 US legislator (7) 21 A light wind (6) 24 In a terrible rage (7,3) 26 Statistic (4) 28 Wardens (7) 29 Insincere or candid (7) 30 _ Hoult, actor who starred alongside Hugh Grant in 2002 rom-com About a Boy (8) 31 Detain during wartime (6) DOWN 1 Encounters (8) 2 Sleuth (9) 3 Prayer ending (4) 5 Indefatigable (8) 6 Children (10) 7…

Walking home from university, I was desperate for something to do at the weekend. I can’t spend another day indoors, I thought to myself. Studying for my masters in English Literature, I was broke, but I needed something – anything – to do. So, setting myself up on my laptop at home, I started searching for nearby events on Facebook and social media. No, no… I thought as I scrolled through the various gigs and events in the city. Only then, something caught my eye. A drag competition! Sounds interesting, I thought, clicking on the link. It was a drag competition looking for both kings and queens to perform. ‘It would be different,’ I said, showing my housemate the event’s information. ‘Very,’ he chuckled back. Whilst I’d heard of drag…

Standing nervously backstage, I had to remind myself to breathe as Joss Stone waltzed up to me. ‘I hear you’re singing one of my songs,’ she smiled. All I could do was stare in shock, and nod. ‘Let’s do a run through before we perform,’ she said. My dad had told me that there was someone special coming to see me perform at the Mama Stones music venue in Wellington, Devon, but I had no idea it would be with this singing sensation! I sang my heart out for her, and then we duetted Tell Me About It. It was every 15-year-old girl’s dream. My dad had been my biggest fan since hearing me sing a Lauren Hill track back when I was just eight years old. Seven years later,…

The Great Christmas Bake Off 2020, Channel 4 Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and Matt Lucas are joined by Bake Off: The Professionals host Tom Allen as they celebrate Christmas in the famous white tent. Joining in the festivities are Jamie and Rosie from 2019, Ruby from 2018 and James from 2017, all back and ready to compete in the festive fight for the Christmas Star Baker title. And to round off Christmas, pop star Alexandra Burke performs her magical version of Silent Night. Penguins: Meet The Family, BBC One Enjoy a whole hour dedicated to one of the most adorable birds on earth! For the first time ever, get ready to meet the entire family – all 18 species. In this one-off special, narrated by Liz Bonnin, we will meet…

Each year in Canada, deep in the forests of Québec, a remarkable natural event takes place as maple sap, frozen solid over the cold winter, starts to thaw and moves back down towards the base of the tree. Thousands of producers then collect the sap from maple trees and boil the liquid to make pure maple syrup, a 100% natural sweetener with a high-quality taste and a versatile range of uses. Unrefined and unprocessed, pure Canadian maple syrup is ideal for creating so many delicious dishes. Maple beef casserole with winter root vegetables Serves: 6 □ 2 tbsp vegetable oil□ 850g – 1kg lean braising steak cut into chunks□ 6 bacon rashers, chopped□ 2 onions peeled and diced□ 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks□ 1 small swede, peeled and…

Cheeky P’s 40g bags, £1, Sainsbury’s. High in protein, high in fibre, gluten-free, and vegan friendly, these flavoured chickpeas are ideal for people looking for healthy but delicious new snack. Sea Arch Drinks ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails, £2.35 each, selected retailers and online at Ocado and Amazon. Inspired by a G&T, the ‘Sea & T’ and ‘Rose Sea & T’ provide a refreshing alternative to a regular, boozy beverage. Raspberry and Cream Snowflake Cones, £1.75, Iceland. Shaped like a snowflake, these delicious raspberry and cream flavour ice creams sit on a black wafer cone with chocolate coating and are topped with a generous coating of blue coloured white chocolate. Kallo stock cubes, £1.20 for six, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. Kallo has added two new flavour-packed stocks to its plant-based range –…