Table of contents for 17-Aug-2023 in Pick Me Up!

Sitting in my local Toby Carvery, an idea suddenly came to me. ‘Hans, whenever my friends want to have a big chat, they say they want to vent,’ I explained to my best mate Hannah, 29. ‘I want to start my own thing, but I don’t know if it will help anyone,’ I wondered. ‘Fred, if it helps one person, you will have done your job!’ Hannah said. Mental health and helping others was always my passion, especially as I’d gone on a mental health journey of my own. Having been bullied for nine years at school, I’d gone through rounds of therapy to start recovering. At university, I didn’t want to tell the medical centre the true extent of my situation. I just needed someone to talk to More…

Settling down on the sofa with a cuppa, I logged onto my Facebook dating profile. Having been happily single for the last 20 years, I’d decided it was time to see what was out there. You have a new like, the notification read. Intrigued, I clicked onto the profile. Mark looked like a nice chap, and a wholesome photo of him with his grown-up kids drew me in. What a lovely family, I wrote to him. And it wasn’t long before he got back to me. How are you, Liz? he asked. We got chatting and I found out that Mark Woodcock, now 60, lived near me in Mabe, Cornwall. We both had older children, and as the conversation flowed we really hit it off. Mark explained he was at…

Be a winner! This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis. Organise your wardrobe with this 20-pack of non-slip, easy-to-use hangers which will keep your clothes in order as well as easy to find! They can be used to hang scarves, belts and ties, as well as jumpers without stretching, making your wardrobe easy to access in no time! For more ways to make your life easier, visit: addis.co.uk Brilliant bakes Scones are so simple to make! Leave the dough under a damp towel to proof in just 10 minutes, then start shaping it. Heather McEwen, Norwich Simple serves Before freezing a large tub of ice cream, divide it up into individual portions – this makes it so much easier to serve! Hayley Veales,…

Laying back on the bed and getting into position, I was ready for some self-love. Reaching for my trusty dildo, measuring in at 12 inches – something that me and my husband Richard, now 56, had also incorporated in the bedroom – I couldn’t wait to quickly be transported to another dimension. Calling my faithful toy Blue Heaven, that’s exactly what it gave me a slice of. With my toes curling and moans escaping my mouth just moments later, I had one overwhelming thought… Oh my God, that was absolutely AMAZING! Only, it didn’t stop there – I was able to have orgasm after orgasm – reaching up to what felt like 15 times by the end of it all. It just feels so different this time around, I thought.…

Staring at myself in the mirror, I looked good. Full of self-love for once, this wasn’t a usual feeling for me. Suffering with eczema since early childhood, never knowing when the next flare-up would be or why it was triggered, I’d been on steroid creams since I was seven – so I was so happy when I had a clear spell. And as I packed my suitcase, my skin wasn’t the only thing I had to look forward to. After finishing uni at Canterbury Christ Church in the summer of 2020, I was 24 and ready to take on London. My boyfriend of nearly a year, Aiden, 27, was coming with me, and my skin had never been so good. As I prepared for this new beginning, I couldn’t help…

Setting up the aquarium heater, adding water and pebbles to the plastic container, I was finally ready to introduce my latest arrivals. And opening the travel tub, feeling both excited and apprehensive, I couldn’t wait to see my two new pets in the flesh for the first time. Only, these weren’t colourful tropical fish like you would imagine – I had a fascination with the weird and wonderful instead… Squirming and wriggling around in the container, I had one overwhelming thought. OMG! Look at your little faces, you’re too cute. For looking back at me were two juicy, big black Asian Buffalo leeches – it’s like I’d stepped back in time to the Victorian era! And looking around the room at my animal family, full of snails, centipedes and 11…

Celebrity MasterChef, BBC One The heat continues and the four remaining celebs face three more culinary challenges as they battle for a place in the Quarter Final. The first challenge, The Pairs Challenge, is a test of teamwork and communication. Split into two pairs, they are tasked with cooking a crowd-pleasing fish, which must be identical in both appearance and flavour. But only one team member has the basic instructions of how to cook the dish and will have to communicate with their teammate to get the job done. With the pressure on to impress, will the celebs be able to deliver? Or will things get a little too hot in the kitchen? Henpocalypse! BBC Two Zara and her bridal party leave their Birmingham council estate for a messy hen…

YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE Lugging our bags onto the train, I was buzzing with extreme excitement. My boyfriend Will, 20, and I were always going to festivals and gigs across the globe, but our upcoming week at Glastonbury meant so much more. Growing up listening to the Rocket Man himself, Elton John, with my nan Joan and flicking through her dedicated vinyl collection, he truly was my childhood hero. And so after his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour was announced, I seized the opportunity to see him at the UK’s biggest and best festival – it was my last chance! I had never been to Glastonbury Festival or seen Elton live before either. Arriving at Worthy Farm, we set up our tent and kicked off our weekend on the Friday, watching…

Good to know It’s not just any café… it’s a café where your little ones can eat for free! That’s right – this summer at M&S, kids can enjoy a £4 Kids Munch Menu for free, every time you spend £5 or more in the café. Kids’ mains include delicious favourites like jacket potato with beans or cheesy tomato pasta, a snack including carrot sticks or mini chocolate chip cookies, and a drink. Plus, you can now get the Percy Pig™ and Colin the Caterpillar™ Slushee drinks as part of the Kids Eat Free offer, too – they’re bound to be a hit with little ones. • Offer running until 1 September 2023, weekends not included • Follow @marksandspencercafe on Instagram Fun day out If you’ve got budding historians on…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Type of researcher. Answer on page 47. ACROSS 7 See 3 Down (5) 8 Imperils (9) 10 See 3 Down (3,3) 11 Meticulously (2,6) 12 __ Ford, star of films The Fugitive and Witness (8) 13 Street (4) 15 Vintage (7) 17 In the normal way (2,5) 20 Rotisserie (4) 22 Swiss cheese (8) 25 Fire starter (8) 26 See 3 Down (4,2) 27 Capital of Victoria (9) 28 __ Allen, co-star of films Raiders of the Lost Ark and Scrooged (5) DOWN 1 Nothing like (3,6) 2 False teeth (8) 3 7Ac, 10Ac, 26Ac & 19Dn. 2023 swashbuckling adventure film starring 12 Across, 4 Down, 21 Down, and 23 Down (7,5,3,3,4,2,7) 4 Antonio __, star…

Ice cream! Whatever your preference, whether that’s something rich and chocolatey or fruity and refreshing, everyone has their favourite lollies! So why not take inspiration and create outfits that are good enough to melt? Stay cool… FAB Fruity, chocolatey and finished off with sprinkles – what more could you want? MAGNUM Calling all chocolate lovers – this is one you won’t be able to resist TWISTER Zesty and creamy, a dreamy combination! Fashion inspiration can be found everywhere – so don’t discount your favourite ice lolly SOLERO Perhaps one of the nation’s favourites – a splendid colour palette to inspire you, too 99 FLAKE A classic – because sometimes the simple things really can be the best……

Who said washing has to be boring?!…

Espresso martini stracciatella ice cream PRICE PER SERVING: 51P [FOR 6 SERVES] YOU WILL NEED: □ 1 tbsp ground coffee, heaped□ 50g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks, plus extra for serving□ ½ 397g tin condensed milk□ 300ml pot double cream□ 1 tbsp coffee liqueur, plus extra to serve (optional) 1 Place the coffee in a small cafetière or jug and stir in 80ml of just-boiled water. Let brew for five minutes and then strain through the filter, or a very fine sieve. Set the coffee aside to cool. 2 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, or in 20-second bursts in the microwave. Set aside to cool. 3 Add the condensed milk, cream and brewed coffee to a large bowl. Whisk…

If you’re feeling a little frazzled, take this as your sign to schedule in some me-time and check out these relaxing spa experiences from Virgin Experience Days. • Please visit: virginexperiencedays.co.uk Floatation Tank Therapy at Dragonfly Skin Spa Leeds, West Yorkshire Ever dreamed of drifting off and floating into a state of complete and utter Zen? Well now you can! Floatation Tank Therapy is the ultimate self-care experience. Entering the private floatation room, you’ll be shown how to use the tank – a large pod filled with 12 inches of water and over 500kg of Epsom salts. All you need to do is lean back, relax and float your way to inner peace, enjoying the minimal sounds, comforting darkness and feeling of weightlessness for a full hour. When you’re done,…

If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

Holding the little bundle close to my chest, I couldn’t possibly be happier. My partner Ben, 24, and I had just welcomed our second child together, and along with my three boys from a previous relationship, we were now a family of seven. And Mikey, 11, Danny, nine, Rory, five, and Amelia, now two, couldn’t wait to meet their new sibling. However, my pregnancy wasn’t smooth sailing. I had a subchorionic haemorrhage which meant I was bleeding the entire time. I was originally pregnant with twins and sadly one of them didn't make it at the very start. But despite all the complications, our beautiful little girl Ember arrived on 31 January 2022 at 7.19pm, weighing a healthy 7lb 11oz. Ember was born with a head of thick, dark locks…

Hello gecko! With World Lizard Day approaching on 14 August, it’s time to celebrate this very special scaly species! From tiny geckos to huge Komodo dragons, lizards come in all wonderful shapes and sizes. And what better way to show them the love they deserve than by getting up close and personal with them? Their big eyes may be intimidating, but they’re surprisingly social, too! • For more information, visit: buyagift.co.uk Reptile Handling Experience for Two at Animal Rangers, £75 In this unique hour-long experience with Animal Rangers in Berkshire, you can learn all the fascinating quirks of these cold-blooded reptiles. See bearded dragons and tiny geckos up close while you learn more about their roommates, too – snakes and stick insects! Find out what they eat, where they live…

Over the years, it has become commonplace to keep your wits about you when using the internet. Being instructed to switch your Facebook to ‘friends only’ or your Instagram to a ‘private’ visibility option, internet safety is part of everyday life. And with the rise of social media making it even easier to share our lives with people across the globe, from family holiday snaps to what we’ve eaten for breakfast, we’ve never been more chronically online. In fact, over 4.74 billion people across the world use social media, according to a study conducted by Hootsuite in January 2023. But many may not be aware of the new risks of sharing so much of our lives online. We use artificial intelligence every single day! We have all used a camera…

Bitesize! pg 3 Seep Strike it! pg 13 Festival (Cross out: 5, 11, 19, 27, 33, 52, 61, 75, 82, 86) Cross it! pg 45 Panama Fill it! pg 13 Archaeologist Movie links! pg 24 (Leonardo DiCaprio – TITANIC – Kate Winslet – THE HOLIDAY – Cameron Diaz – BAD TEACHER – Jason Segel – FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL – Mila Kunis) Crack it! pg 38 Brightens Number fit! pg 13 8981 Sudoku pg 45 2,6,1 Follow it! pg 6 Seaside PLEASE NOTE Pick Me Up! will still be bringing you great puzzles to pit your wits against, but will no longer be offering prizes. Don’t forget, you can do puzzles for big cash prizes every weekin our sister magazine, Chat.…