Table of contents for 14 November 2024 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat… How ace are Jo and Natalie on p30? The pair of besties are plus size and proud. Fed up of being forced to miss out on fun because of their bodies, they’ve teamed up to test rollercoasters and let fellow big girls know what to expect at theme parks. I love their gung-ho attitude to life. You go, girls! Another hero in the issue is Ellie (p10) who is bravely sharing why she’ll never have sex again, to help other women break the taboo. Have a great week, PS If you’re entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Melanie Phelan, 42, Manchester Stretched out on the sofa, my brother William, then 14, was transfixed by the telly. ‘Watching Stand By Me again?’ I laughed, flopping beside him. ‘Best film ever,’ he grinned. It was April 1993 and the 80s classic was always on. Like the group of lads featured in his favourite movie, my brother had a tight-knit crew of pals. They’d hang around together, having a laugh. Our family was close too. With nine of us kids in total, there was only three years between Will and me. I adored him. Mad on cars and tinkering with bikes, he loved music and playing piano. After leaving school, he worked in factories, seemed to be doing well, but by his 20s, he’d changed. Still living with our mum Linda…

Ellie Waters-Barnes, 23, Stoke-on-Trent The sound of giggling echoed through the classroom as a group of girls gathered around each other. ‘Did you kiss him?’ I heard one ask. Her friend’s cheeks blushed red. At 14, boys were the main topic of conversation at school. In the playground, rumours flew about on the subject of who fancied who. And at home, me and my twin sister Olivia flicked through teen magazines, sniggering when we found questions about sex. But I was different, didn’t want a boyfriend. I was more interested in sports. In July 2015, I was taking part in a 5km run for charity with Olivia and my mum Sam, then 41. Usually, I was way out in front, but this time, I struggled to keep up. ‘I’m taking…

Georgette Kaufmann, 50, lived a full and busy life. A ‘deeply spiritual lady’ and regular churchgoer, she was a high-flyer too. A lawyer, she’d worked her way up to the role of assistant attorney general in El Paso, Texas. She loved her job at the Office of Attorney General Child Support Division. Devoted to her family, who called her Gigi, she was happily married to Daniel and a loving mum to their son Connor, then 16. Their family home was in the peaceful, leafy Manhattan Heights region of El Paso, right beside picturesque Memorial Park. On 13 November 2020, Georgette and Daniel celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. And it was to be a month of celebrations because Connor’s birthday was also coming up. On the evening of 14 November 2020,…

1 Find a buddy Getting active with a friend who’s also on a mission to get fit can help keep you on track and accountable, says fitness and nutrition expert Penny Weston. You’ll also reap all of the benefits of a social connection and be less likely to cancel because you don’t want to let your friend down – and vice-versa. 2 Keep the warm-up ‘Cold weather causes your muscles to contract and be less elastic, which can increase the risk of injury,’ says personal trainer Chris Ward. Stretch for at least five minutes before and after working out. 3 Reward yourself As it gets colder, 48%* of Brits find it harder to stick to their usual exercise routine. But regular exercise can boost mood by releasing endorphins and reduce risks…

TRUE-LIFE Jo Frost, 38, Manchester Seagulls squawked and the smell of candyfloss wafted. It was August 2004 and, aged 18, I was queuing at Blackpool Pleasure Beach for a turn on their scariest rollercoaster, ‘The Big One’. I’d always been a bit of a thrill seeker. As a kid, I spent birthdays and school holidays exploring theme parks. My parents even drew a height chart on our garage wall so we knew when I was tall enough to go on the wildest rides. But as I’d grown up, I’d also grown out. Now size 20, I weighed 18 stone. As I climbed into the seat of ‘The Big One’, pulling the safety bar down, it wouldn’t click over my boobs and belly. ‘It’s not safe for you to ride,’ the…

TRUE-LIFE Chloe Ingrey-Smith, 39, Epsom, Surrey Prepping dinner, I heard a familiar request from the living room. ‘Cuggle,’ my son Ellis said to his big sister Lily. I peeped in, saw her wrapping him a hug. It was July 2023, and cuddle was Ellis’ favourite word, though he couldn’t quite say it properly. Ellis, then 1, and Lily, 4, were two peas in a pod. Lily was a born big sister, a little mother hen, always happy to share her toys. And though Ellis was a happy boy with a cheeky smile, he’d been blighted by constant illness. Chest infections, spiking temperatures… More recently, he’d had a stay in hospital following some seizures. We still hadn’t got to the bottom of it, despite being under consultant care and having streams…

Aries 21 March-20 April The Moon in your sign on 12 November gives you the confidence to start something new. If you’ve been wondering whether to go for it, now is your time. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May In the lead-up to the Full Moon in Taurus mid-month you should reap the rewards of your hard work. Patience and persistence are about to pay off so stay focused. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Normally, you are a very sociable and light-hearted soul, but something has got you down. Reflect on what is challenging you so much, breathe and then let go. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You are facing a dilemma that’s…

Q Do eyebrow serums really work? I overplucked mine years ago and they never grew back! Jane Smithson, Glasgow A Yes! Eyebrow serums really can help bring back fullness to sparse arches, but it can take time. Serums like The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash & Brow Serum, £14.20, Boots, contain growth-boosting ingredients such as peptides and caffeine to strengthen individual hairs. When it’s applied daily, it can improve overall appearance and depth in just 12 weeks. In the meantime, try filling in gaps with a smooth pencil like Pink Honey Wonder Whip Pencil, £6.50, beautybay.com. Draw very short and fine lines in the same direction as your hair growth to add extra oomph. Or use a liquid tint such as the double-ended Kiko Milano Gravity-Proof Eyebrow Serum & Mascara, £14.99, kikocosmetics.com,…

Solutions to Chat issue 42 (17 October 2024) Puzzle 2 Dance Puzzle 3 Pose Puzzle 4 They have eight children Puzzle 5 1A,1B,2C,3D,4C Puzzle 6 Root Puzzle 7 Darts Puzzle 8 Pesata Puzzle 9 Protestants Puzzle 10 Singapore Puzzle 13 Akron Puzzle 14 Atacama Puzzle 15 Mammal Puzzle 16 A football player Puzzle 17 Column Puzzle 18 Blue bird WE WON! Chat winners issue 33 (9 August 2024) £1,001 CASH S McIntyre, Bromley £500 CASH N Douglas, Gillingham S Woodbridge, Brighton £250 CASH H Clayton, Haverfordwest S Read, Plymouth £200 CASH B Waite, Bury St Edmunds £100 CASH M Walters, Nottingham S Marky, Newport C Southall, Worcester £50 CASH G Berrisford, Market Drayton S Ball, Kingsbridge M Bruce, Longniddry J Humphries, Walsall D Kidman, Huntingdon A Hanna, Newtownabbey £ 40 CASH…

On a walk along our local canal path, I came across a boat that sums me up now that I’ve retired. Melanie Lodge, Mirfield My husband Chris took part in the Cancer Research UK Run 100 Miles challenge, even though he’d never run before. He raised a whopping £810 in memory of my lovely mum Sandra, and we’re all so proud. Stacey Greenwood Bullock, Wakefield Found this little guy running around the car park at work. He’d been abandoned by his mum. Here he is having a little sleep before the rescue people came. Hannah Brown, Helston We pay £25 for any photos that we use on Chat To Us! Best pals Riley and Tortie are clearly ready for hibernation! Tracey Pascoe, Illogan Get in touch! EMAIL chat_magazine@futurenet.com POST Chat,…

DENIM STYLE TIP Denim skirts aren’t just for the summer. For the colder months, style with tan knee-high boots and oversized jumpers. LEATHER LOOK STYLE TIP Leather skirts will never go out of fashion. Choose a pencil style for work or opt for an A-line mini for a night out. MINI STYLE TIP Miniskirts are trending this season-keep warm with tights and sleek boots and a longline coat. FROM £14 SLIP STYLE TIP Slip skirts are a wardrobe must-have. You can wear them all year round, either dressed up or down.…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Sian Golding, 33, Chesterfield Rubbing my tummy, I flinched. It was October 2023 and I was 35 weeks pregnant with my second child. But something didn’t feel right. My baby’s movements seemed reduced. ‘I’m going for a check-up,’ I told my husband Jake, then 32. At Chesterfield Royal Hospital, the midwife ran the scanner over my bump and frowned. ‘Your baby’s measuring small,’ she said. ‘We’ll run some tests.’ While I was strapped to a monitor, the baby’s heart rate dropped. From that moment, things moved quickly. ‘You need an emergency C-section,’ the consultant told me. Jake arrived as I was given a general anaesthetic, rushed into surgery. Waking up an hour later, I peered around. ‘Where’s our baby?’ I panicked. ‘She’s having tests,’ Jake said, squeezing…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p4. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Linda Keen, Sheffield, South Yorkshire WIN 5 x £20 Puzzle 6 ACROSS 1 Italian capital 2 A warning sign 3 Terra firma 4 Responsibility DOWN 1 Vintage toffee/chocolate 2 Arabian country 3 List of available food 4 Stops Your answer: HALF & HALF The film award considered Mexico’s equivalent of an Oscar has what name? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed out letters in the shaded squares give the prize answer. WIN 3 x £50 Puzzle 7 Your answer: BRICK TRICK Since 1576 and continuing…

FILL ME IN WIN £100 Puzzle 14 In the 2016 EU referendum, Gibraltar had the highest remain vote by percentage of all 382 voting areas with 95.9% but which area had the highest of those in the UK with 78.6%? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Sir Henry Bessemer developed the first commercially viable industrial process for the production of what material? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters AIL DEW EEL FEW FIT GEL OIL SAD SAT SEW 4 letters ALTO EACH FAST FATE HALF RATE SWAT 5 letters FERAL FIFTH FLUTE 6 letters FAFFED…

Top tip Try boiling frozen cherries with sugar and lemon juice to make your own jam. Jam roly-poly Embrace those childhood memories with this comforting treat. SERVES 6 PREP 30 MINS COOK 50 MINS • 200g self-raising flour • 1tbsp caster sugar • 100g vegetable suet • 130-150ml whole milk • 1tsp vanilla extract • 1tsp almond extract • 200g cherry jam • 50g marzipan • 500g tub custard, to serve • Flaked almonds, toasted (optional) You will need: • Large sheet of foil, lined with baking paper 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Position a large roasting tin in the bottom of the oven and set a rack just above. Fill the roasting tin with water. 2 In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and a pinch…

Cacey Orrick, 20, Blyth As I chatted to my mates, a good-looking bloke in the corner of the room caught my eye. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked. ‘Curtis,’ my friend replied. ‘He’s single…’ It was January 2021 and I was at a house party. I was 16, Curtis was 20 – we chatted away, added each other on Snapchat, started messaging daily. You’re so pretty, he wrote, and, in March, we became a couple. ‘You’re mine now,’ Curtis said. I smiled, feeling loved. ‘He’s lovely,’ my mum Rachael, then 39, said, when I introduced him. That November, I missed a period, so I took a test. ‘It’s positive,’ I said, showing Curtis. ‘Get in!’ he grinned, jumping for joy. Mum was supportive. Shortly after, Curtis and I moved into our own…

This week we meet… Abby Williams, 59, from Worcester How do you unwind on a Sunday afternoon? I love a walk to the highest point of my home city of Worcester. I look across the allotments, canal, rows of terraced houses, the cathedral and beyond to the Malvern Hills. Then it’s home for a cuppa and a few chocolate biscuits. What was your dream job when you were growing up? I’d read a book called Dust of Life by Liz Thomas. She was a nurse who worked in an orphanage in Saigon and went on to run her own for children living on the street. I wanted to do that. My mum persuaded me to train as a secretary instead! Later, though, I volunteered with the homeless and at a…

THE BIGGIE What do entrepreneur Samantha Cameron and actor Haley Joel Osment have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 ACROSS 1 Encounters (5) 4 Comedian, _ Whitehall (4) 6 Pause (8) 13 James _, Titanic director (7) 14 Educator (7) 15 Verify (5) 16 Fair or impartial (4) 17 Frightened (6) 18 Choose (6) 20 Virtuous (4) 21 Painter’s stand (5) 22 Place inside (6) 25 Animal with a trunk (8) 28 Brings together (6) 30 Recording of a film/TV show (5) 32 Brass instrument (8) 34 Bicycle for two (6) 35 1990 film, _ of Thunder (4) 38 Bowman (6) 39 Long narrow hilltop (5) 40 John _, comedian (6) 43…

Worried about spotting Q I’m an overweight 64-year-old woman who hasn’t had a period for 15 years. Recently, I’ve noticed some brown discharge. Should I be worried? Dora, Bury St Edmunds A At 64, not having periods for 15 years is normal if you are postmenopausal. Brown discharge could be old blood or spotting. However, any new or unusual discharge should be checked by a doctor. While brown discharge is often harmless, it’s important to rule out other issues. It could be due to thinning of the lining, fibroids or, rarely, more serious conditions like endometrial cancer. See your doctor to discuss your symptoms. They may perform tests, such as a pelvic exam or ultrasound, to determine the cause and ensure everything is OK. Help! I’m losing my hair Q…

Helen Lee, 46, Northwich, Cheshire By the time the movie credits rolled, me and my boyfriend Warren, then 39, were deep in discussion. ‘Krull has the best soundtrack,’ I sighed. ‘What about the Legend theme tune?’ he frowned. It was October 2015, and our love of classic movies was how we’d first bonded. Messaging each other on Geek2Geek, a dating site. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, The NeverEnding Story… Films were our love language. We had other things in common too though – we’d both lost our mums. Warren’s mum Patricia in 2011 and my mum Pauline in March 2012. The perfect pair – like Superman and Lois Lane, King Arthur and Guinevere… On Warren’s 40th, in January 2016, we were at a restaurant with friends and family when he proposed.…

ARROW WORD WIN £500 Puzzle 10 The Second Barbary War was fought between the US and which quasi-independent city state in 1815? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. Your answer: SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 × 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN 2 × £30 Puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH WIN £40 Puzzle 12 Which of these settlements gives the title of the first novel in American Nobel laureate William Faulkner’s Snopes trilogy? The answer is the one missing from the grid.…

Help! I’m hooked on housework Q I have a bit of an obsession that I’m not sure how to handle. I can’t stop cleaning! I’m hooked on TikTok videos showing people scrubbing, organising and tidying up, and now I clean all day and night. I spend all my money on cleaning products. I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something more going on. Could I have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)? Jenny, 40 A Social media platforms can become addictive especially when it’s something you enjoy. But while it’s easy to make light of OCD, it’s a very serious, debilitating condition that takes over people’s lives. Reflect on how much your cleaning is impacting you and the people around you. Is it a slightly barmy hobby or is it damaging your life?…

3 Ways to… save smarter Here’s how to find the best account to save your money 1 Get it right Research the different types of savings accounts and the rates you can get. It’s crucial to consider how easily you’ll want to be able to get your hands on your cash. With an easy access savings account, you can access your cash when you need it. With ‘notice’ accounts, you’ll have to wait a period before you can get your money, and with a fixed-term savings account, you usually can’t withdraw until the end of the term. When researching, don’t forget to look at cash ISAs, which are savings accounts you don’t have to pay tax on. All UK adults get an ISA allowance each tax year, currently £20,000*. Find more…

Children in Need 2024 BBC1 • It’s time for the annual telethon which puts the fun into fundraising as celebrities join Pudsey Bear in support of projects helping children and young people across the UK. Featuring the usual mix of comedy, music and surprises, this year’s show will be hosted by Mel Giedroyc, Lenny Rush, Vernon Kay, Rochelle Humes, Ade Adepitan and Chris Ramsey. Among the highlights are a visit from the stars of Gladiators, a Strictly Come Dancing spectacular and a special edition of Dragons’ Den. And Paddy McGuinness will find out how much his Radio 2 Ultra Endurance Cycle Challenge has raised for the cause. DON’T MISS Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: South Africa DON’T MISS ITV1 • As well as being in one of the biggest bands on…

Brittanee Drexel was the oldest of three kids – brown hair, bright blue eyes and a beautiful smile. ‘My firstborn,’ her mum Dawn Pleckan, said. Brittanee loved watching Barney the purple dinosaur on TV, played football from the age of 5. She grew into a sweet, fun-loving girl. Never caused any trouble. By 17, she had a boyfriend John, dreamed of becoming a nurse, getting married. In April 2009, Brittanee asked her mum if she could go away with friends. Planned a trip to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, over 800 miles from her home in Rochester, New York. Dawn didn’t want her to go. ‘Why, Mum? Nothing is going to happen to me,’ Brittanee replied. Dawn had a bad feeling. ‘Something is going to happen,’ she said. But Brittanee…