Table of contents for 4-Jan-2024 in Pick Me Up!

Wheeling out onto the stage, anxiety flushed through me as I looked out at the huge crowd. Leading my assistance dog Ocho, now two, out with me, I tried to calm my nerves. Don’t mess it up, I thought. Then, I opened my mouth and started to speak… Attending the Mendip Hills Area of Natural Beauty Annual Conference, in October 2022, I gave my first public speech to spread disability awareness. Speaking about my own experience and advocating for greater accessibility in nature, I was overjoyed. I wanted everyone to know that despite having a disability, you can still achieve your biggest dreams. You can always fulfil your dreams As that’s exactly what I did. When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with multiple disabilities including hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos,…

Opening the fridge, I took out a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries and started piling them up onto a crystal plate. Arranging them artfully, I snapped a pic to send to my mum Sue and sister Hannah. They look great, Mum quickly text back. I’d always been close to my family, sending messages back and forth with Mum and Hannah several times a day. Mum, 74, and my dad Joe lived on a farm two hours away from my home in Texas – but I saw them a few times a month, and spoke to Mum every day. Dad had taken over the family farm from my grandparents, and when he and Mum married she helped out, too. Although they were retired, they still kept a hand in. Married nearly 50…

Be a winner! This week, our tip of the week will receive a great prize from Addis. This classic 9.5l Sink Bowl is a kitchen essential. With a high-gloss finish and easy to clean, it can protect your sink at the very same time. Made from a durable material that is heat resistant up to 100°C, you don’t have to worry about putting hot pots and pans inside – perfect. For more ways to make your life easier, please visit: addis.co.uk Sow the seeds I use the shower caps from hotel stays when planting seeds in pots indoors back home. It helps them grow. Brenda Mathews, Sussex Tip of the week Stress buster I easily made stress balls with a few balloons and some dried rice. Place the opening of a…

Paint Racer Paint Roller, £24.99, JML at ASDA Want to give your home a spruce this new year? This clever gadget will help you redecorate in no time! By pouring paint directly into the middle of the roller, you don’t need to dip. It means less drips, spillages and gone are the days of patchy paint, too. And with no faffing around, you can decorate in half the time – brilliant. Verdict: GENIUS! Lick of paint Verdict: BONKERS! Paint the town Well, that’s a whopper! We thought the Paint Racer meant speedy redecorating but imagine if you used this! In South Carolina, the world record for the largest paintbrush was set in December 2015. A huge 37.8ft and weighing just over 12st, it’s a massive brush. Aiming to spark creativity…

Rushing downstairs, I knew we were strapped for time. Hurriedly, I dressed my son Logan, then five, in his school uniform and started preparing his breakfast. It was 22 May last year and Monday mornings were always a nightmare for us. With my partner Sean, 28, already at work – having left the house at 7.30am – I had to get us both organised. ‘Make sure you put jam on my crumpets Mummy,’ Logan called from the living room. Luckily, Logan was easy to please. A couple of crumpets with a slathering of fruity strawberry jam did the trick. Only, as I waited for his crumpets to finish toasting while Logan watched Kids YouTube on the TV, an acidic taste filled my mouth. And soon, alarm bells started to ring…

We all know about the importance of eating a healthy diet. Eat your greens, get your five a day and carrots help you see in the dark. And going on Instagram, hundreds of influencers promise to get your gut health on track, sharing trendy healthy recipes. While they look tasty, the ingredients list is long and complicated, and you end up buying items you will only use once before they go off. For families, convenience or processed food can sometimes seem like the easier and cheaper choice. It begs the question – can we be healthy on a budget? In 2022, 7% of the UK population and 12% of children lived in food poverty, according to a report by Parliament. And in June last year, 17% of households were food…

Rummaging around in my bag, I had a realisation that I’d forgotten something. ‘You’re going to have to pretend to be my dad,’ I hushed as we approached the till with a bottle of wine in hand. ‘I haven’t got my ID.’ Able to hold himself with grand confidence and a glimmer of grey showing through in his stubble, I knew that Mars wouldn’t have a problem. ‘Ah this is for me, she’s my daughter,’ he grinned as I nodded innocently. And coming out of the supermarket with a bottle of wine in hand, we’d done it. Only, it wasn’t the first time that Mars had found himself in this position. ‘Can you go and get your father to hurry up,’ the shop assistant insisted when we’d been out clothes…

We’re loving That post-Christmas slump has hit our bank balances hard – but you can still have fun on a budget. Ditch an expensive night out at the cinema for a cosy film night at home, and give it an authentic feel with B&M’s new Movie Night box. Including cinema snack classics like popcorn, Pick ‘n’ Mix, a choccy pouch and two drinks cups with straws – sit back, relax and pretend you’re in front of the big screen! • £7 each, available from B&M What film’s on your mustwatch list? Buy of the week Planning to throw yourself into a new fitness routine this January? You don’t need to join an expensive gym – head to Aldi for all the equipment you need for an at-home workout. From just…

The kitchen has been the centre of all the mess and chaos throughout the festive season. Give your kitchen that much-needed refresh with these top organisation tips from Looeeze Grossman, founder and CEO of The Used Kitchen Company. • For more, please visit: theusedkitchencompany.com 1. Smart storage Empty out your cupboards and get rid of any food that has now expired. Arrange what’s leftover into different baskets, keeping different types of foods separate and clear. Label them, too, so it takes you less time to find what you’re after. 2. Fuss-free fridge If you constantly find yourself throwing things out that have gone off in your fridge, you might be organising it in the wrong way. Your fridge has different temperature zones. The bottom shelf is usually the coldest, so…

Who are CHAS? Everyone deserves a good life Every year, around 150 children in Scotland die from a life-shortening condition. For any family who has lost a child, they know how devastating this is. And that’s why CHAS – Children’s Hospices Across Scotland – exist. With their strategic plan ‘Reaching Every Family in Scotland’, they aim to contact every family affected by a life-shortening condition. The children who need care and support are at the centre of CHAS. And even when a child is seriously ill, they still deserve the chance to create precious memories. CHAS makes this happen – by organising group or family activities, attending concerts or performances and themed activities and challenges, too. The charity is also on hand to support the family. With one-on-one support for…

Isabella Rose, 23, an avid collector of retro toys dating back decades. But what inspired her to start collecting? • For more, please follow @bellasretro_ on Instagram 1. Why did you start? My first inspiration for wanting to start a collection was stumbling across my now favourite artist Melanie Martinez in 2019. Vintage toys from the ‘40s to the ‘70s appear in her music videos. After doing more research, Rushton Toys was the brand that intrigued me the most. They were considered a ‘luxury’ toy if you were growing up in the ‘50s and can now set you back a few thousand dollars. From there, I started collecting My Little Pony, Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake toys, too. 2. How do you source the retro toys you’re looking for? Toy…

DON’T MISS The Traitors, BBC One Claudia Winkleman is back and this time she’s greeting 22 strangers as they arrive at a beautiful castle in the Scottish Highlands to play the ultimate reality game of detection, backstabbing and trust, all with the hope of winning up to £120,000. And it’s not long before the players are questioning everything, and everyone, as Claudia secretly assigns the Traitors. The Traitor’s task is simple – under the cover of darkness, they must pick off their fellow players ones by one, murdering them from the game. The lucky ones who make it to the final have a chance of winning the cash prize, but if a Traitor remains, they’ll steal all the money. Canary Islands with Jane McDonald – Tenerife, Channel 5 Jane undertakes…

STAR LETTER 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.…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Type of ruler. Answer on page 44. ACROSS 7 Wisdom tooth (5) 8 Took back (9) 10 Develop (6) 11 Futile (8) 12 Reasons to be __, Part 3, 1979 single by Ian Dury and the Blockheads (8) 13 __ Taylor-Joy, star of film The Queen’s Gambit and The Witch (4) 15 Mysterious (7) 17 Joaquin __, star of films Walk the Line and Gladiator (7) 20 Second-hand (4) 22 Exact (8) 25 Activity (8) 26 __ Everett, star of The Happy Prince and My Best Friend’s Wedding (6) 27 The __ Thing, 1996 single by George Michael (9) 28 Old Testament tower location (5) DOWN 1 __ de Beauharnais, first wife of 2 Down…

Taunting the idea of having a ring on my finger, I couldn’t help but suggest the grand idea. And it wasn’t the first time I had helped to plant the seed. ‘This would be the perfect spot, wouldn’t it?’ I swooned, as me and my partner Andy, now 40, sat overlooking an idyllic view in Northumberland. Nature was something that helped me to relax. So, suggesting walks was the norm in our relationship. Meeting Andy back in 2021, he lived in the flat above me with his girlfriend at the time. We’d simply interact with a friendly hello or a smile from time to time. However, in May 2022, after finding out that Andy was single, our neighbourly interactions became something more after exchanging texts. And after our first date,…

New in Meet the newest line up from pharmacy brand E45. With three new facecare products, each with targeted skincare benefits, the new range provides long lasting care for a well-rounded skincare routine. Available from Superdrug Hydrating Facial Serum, £16.99 Give your complexion instant hydration that lasts up to 48 hours. Suitable for dry, sensitive and eczema prone skin, this lightweight serum quickly absorbs for a hit of deep moisture. Daily Protect Facial Moisturiser with SPF30, £13.99 Protect your skin, even in winter, thanks to this nourishing moisturiser with SPF30. Helping to lock in moisture during the day, with added vitamin E and betaine, it soothes and nourishes the skin for a healthier complexion. Night Cream, £14.99 Take beauty sleep to the next level with this gorgeously hydrating cream. With…

My legs ached and my face was wind beaten. It had been a long, hard scramble up Snowdon, but we were nearly at the summit. I looked around and saw my dad James, 55, struggling just as much as I was – but when my eyes fell on my eight-year-old son Jacob, I knew we had to keep going. The pride I felt when I looked at him, leaping and bounding up the rocks excitedly, was immense. ‘Slow down, Jacob!’ his Grandad shouted. ‘We can’t keep up!’ But even when he waited for us, he’d just as soon zoom off again before we could even catch our breath. I didn’t mind. There had been a time when I had thought none of this would be possible. A time when a…