Chatの 30 January 2025 の目次

Welcome to this week’s Chat… Everyone thinks their pet is the dog’s doodahs. But ask yourself – can your furry, scaly or feathered friend use a skateboard or play the piano? Paula’s can! She has talented dogs, cats, reptiles and more as part of her animal talent agency, and she trains up the clever critters for starring roles on telly and in adverts. I’d love to think my beagle Daphne has fame in her future but after reading Paula’s story (p38), I realised she’s far too lazy! Have a great week,…

Kelly Farndale, 42, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Rolling along the pavement on my skates, I laughed. My dad Mark followed behind. ‘You’re doing great!’ he beamed. Wobbly as I was, I felt confident, zooming along. Dad will catch me if I fall, I thought. It was 1985 and I was 3. Dad, then 21, was my hero, I felt safe in his arms. But our happy family didn’t last long. That year, Dad moved out. I stayed with my mum Gill, then 19. She was incredible but I missed Dad. I rarely saw him. ‘I’ll take you to feed the ducks,’ he promised on the phone when I was 5. But he never turned up. ‘Is it my fault he didn’t come?’ I asked Mum. ‘Of course not,’ she said. I’d see Dad…

Actor Kristin Scott Thomas’ film debut was in Under the Cherry Moon, which starred and was directed by which musician? Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the shaded squares to form the answer to this question. IMP IVE ANI ORA UMS PAN ULS MIC GER WIN 5 × £20 Puzzle 3 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

BARREL STYLE TIP Wide at the top with curved seams that taper in at the ankles, these versatile jeans look best when a sliver of ankle is showing. WIDE LEG STYLE TIP This style flatters wide thighs and hips best when worn long. Ensure you tuck in your top to make the most of your waist. CARGO STYLE TIP Wear low on the hips and update the 90s look by choosing a chic pointed flat shoe instead of a trainer. FROM £17 STRAIGHT STYLE TIP Perfect over winter boots, try a sleek Chelsea or biker flat. If you roll up the hem, make it wide – around 10cm.…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Jane Evans, 60, Saffron Walden, Essex My eyes drifted from my laptop screen to the window. The sun was shining and the Welsh hills in the distance were so inviting. Stretching my arms above my head, I decided it was time for a break. Which meant just one thing – getting on my bike. It was July 2021, I was 56, and I’d been a keen cyclist since my 20s. Loved nothing more than being out in the beautiful Elan Valley near my home in Llandiloes, Powys. Some weeks I clocked up to 200 miles. My hobby had even helped me through the loss of my husband John. He’d suddenly passed away from a heart condition in December 2020. Cycling had been a shared passion of ours.…

Richard Rennison, a blacksmith and ‘anvil priest’, is a notable figure in the early 20th-century history of which town? WIN 2 × £25 Puzzle 9 To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Hint of colour = TINE + G = TINGE. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. Hint of colour Actor’s equipment Inexpensive Outdated Dangles Highways Stoppers Fairytale creature Sheer Large mammals Shelled insect Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Wedding woes As any bridezilla will confirm, your wedding should be the best day of your life. But it doesn’t always turn out that way. What if the weather’s awful and your spouse gets sloshed before the first dance? Meanwhile, Auntie Janet’s moaning on and on about the canapés… Perhaps there’s something to be said for running off to Gretna Green? Queue-grumping A day or two at a fun-packed theme-park resort. What could be better, eh? Well, actually, a lot of things, it seems. While we all love the idea of making memories at a major theme park, whether here in the UK or abroad, any frazzled parent will tell you, from bitter experience, the reality is endless queuing, managing tantrums and wincing at the gift-shop prices. Oh boy! Aurora…

Lemon loaf cake Zesty and light, this is the perfect bake served with a cuppa. MAKES 2 LOAVES PREP 20 MINS COOK 50 MINS • 4 large eggs • 275g caster sugar • Zest 3 lemons • 275g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for the tins • ½tsp baking powder, sifted • 130ml light double cream • 60g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for the tins FOR THE ICING: • 300g icing sugar • Juice and zest 2 lemons YOU WILL NEED: • 2 × 450g loaf tins, buttered and floured 1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan. Whisk the eggs and sugar with a pinch of salt until foamy but not too thick. Add the zest and whisk in the flour and baking powder in 3 batches, stirring to…

Aries 21 March-20 April Now the North Node has moved out of your sign, this is a particularly great time to reflect on your career with a view to moving in a different direction. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Your self-awareness is developing rapidly, and this will help you to make choices from a higher perspective. Keep focused on what is most important. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June It’s better to be peaceful than to be right – choose a peaceful path and keep your communications light and upbeat. By doing this, you will achieve much. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Mars in your sign gives you the drive to move forward…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we’ll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can’t be found in the grid. This is your prize answer. SAHARA 1 Fennec, pale and Ruppell‘s, which all live in the Sahara, are species of which mammal? (3) 2 The Sahara Desert spans much of North Africa between the Atlantic Ocean in the west and which body of water in the east, which lies between Africa and Asia? (3,3) 3 What is the stage name of the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, whose self-titled debut solo album featured the song…

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Bag it up Take an old pillowcase. At the open end, split one seam by a few centimetres, fold over the top edge and sew around it so you can thread string through to hang it up. A cheap, easy, and generously sized gym bag! Kathryn Vipond, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Hair raising Cleaning out the drawer where we store my daughter’s hair accessories and brushes, I use a lint roller to collect the debris inside. Stacey Greenwood Bullock, Wakefield, West Yorkshire Funnel vision I hate making a mess on my worktops, so when pouring out spices, I use a rolled up piece of paper as a funnel to prevent spilling anything. Amy Boardman, Nottingham £25 For every photo tip that we print Best laid plans It was never easy to…

What home furnishings did TV presenter Carol Smillie buy after watching drama series It’s a Sin? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Super-soft yarn made from rabbit hair (6) 12 Quentin _, film director (9) 13 Norse god of thunder (4) 14 Capital of Finland (8) 15 Of a town or city (5) 16 Stand against (6) 17 Naval leader (7) 18 1994 film directed by 12 Across (4,7) 20 Matt _, Doctor Who actor (5) 22 Necessary (9) 24 Monstrous giants (5) 28 Strange or rare (7) 29 Common jam flavour (7) 32 Fire-breathing creature (6) 34 Blows air into (8) 36 Scottish royal residence (8) 37 Angle (6) 39 Agrees (7) 40 Put on…

Suffering in silence Q I have severe period pains that run down my leg. My mum used to have the same, so my family doctor has said it’s just ‘something we have’. Is there anything I can do? Lydia, Bradford A You don’t have to accept your painful periods as normal. Keep a diary of your symptoms, noting when the pain happens and how bad it gets. This can help your doctor understand what you’re experiencing. Be open with your doctor about how much the pain affects your life. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your worries. If you feel you’re not getting the help you need, consider getting a second opinion from another doctor or a gynaecologist. They can look into options such as medication or treatments…

Grace True, 28, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Rows of tiny colourful outfits, sparkly high heels and mini handbags covered my bedroom carpet. Picking out a pretty pink dress and matching accessories, I grabbed my favourite doll and dressed her up. ‘Come on Barbie, let’s go party!’ I said, walking her towards the Dreamhouse. Just 7, it was the same every day after school. I’d spend hours playing with my dollies, lost in a world of make-believe. As a teen, I started to lose interest, but never lost my love of fashion and colour. Dreamt of being a model. Only, I was suffering badly with joint pain. Made it hard to walk, had to take painkillers. Docs did tests which came back clear, so I struggled on. ‘I can’t come,’ I’d say…

Kirsty Mullet, 39, Maidstone, Kent One wobbly foot in front of the other, me and my partner Graham, then 40, watched our little girl Molly, 1, make her way across the living room. She’d been walking for a few months, was doing great. Then she toddled into the wall and burst into tears. ‘It’s like she didn’t see it,’ I frowned to Graham, rushing over to cuddle her. It was 2019 and Molly was a dream baby. Chilled out, a great sleeper. She adored her big sister Emilia, then 4. But now she’d found her feet, it was like she couldn’t see where she was going. Bumping into walls. Tripping over toys. I’d noticed her right eye wandered slightly too. I took her to the GP. Molly was referred to…

3 ways to… book a bargain holiday Planning a trip to get rid of the January blues? Avoid paying over the odds… 1 Do the legwork When you’re booking flights, see if you can save by playing around with your dates. For example, Tuesday is often the cheapest day to fly, but be sure to check. Also, booking your flight with an online travel agent could cost you more overall, Which? warns. Its research found that while headline prices for flights may look enticing, there were cases where the real cost was much higher than booking direct with an airline once things like hold luggage and other extras were added on. Find more info at which.co.uk. With hotels, using travel comparison websites can help you shop around, but you should also…

The Apprentice BBC1 ● It’s 20 years since the business show first began on BBC2, and it’s back for a 19th series with Lord Sugar putting a new bunch of 18 entrepreneurs through their paces as they compete to win his mentorship and a £250,000 investment to catapult their business to the next level. In episode one, the candidates’ first task takes them to the Austrian Alps, where they must sell tour packages while Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell keep an eye on their progress. But one wrong move and their dreams could come crashing down when they return to the boardroom to have their efforts dissected, and Lord Sugar tells one of the crew, ‘You’re fired!’ DON’T MISS DON’T MISS Death in Paradise BBC1 ● It’s back to…

Rachel Priest, 31, Northampton My eyes scanned the pub and landed on a familiar face. ‘Long time no see,’ I said, walking over to David, then 31. We’d hung out together as teenagers. David was the joker of our group, always made me laugh. But we’d lost touch until he’d messaged on Facebook, suggesting a drink. Arriving now, in July 2021, I realised it’d been eight years since we’d last met. Full of apologies, he said how much he loved me ‘You haven’t changed,’ David said, pulling me in for a hug. ‘I missed you.’ Ordering drinks, we caught up on the lost years. I told him I’d moved to a different town for a while. ‘What have you been up to?’ I asked. ‘Nothing much,’ he said. Mysterious… But…

Chat winners issue 42 (17 Oct 2024) Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £1,001 CASH P Gilbert, Tewkesbury £500 CASH C Robinson, Bedlington A Clark, Braunton £250 CASH V Heal, Fleet J Ibidapo, Wembley £200 CASH J Morton, Washington £100 CASH S Frostwick, Norwich E Jones, Cwmbran J Jones, Glossop £50 CASH D Langton, Liverpool I Akhtar, Sheffield PK Worrall, Walsall A Ward, Lowestoft P King, Cirencester PA Williams, Ellesmere £40 CASH S Smith, Deeside £30 CASH C Willard, Folkestone S Jones, Crymych £25 CASH P Davies, Worthing L Metcalfe, Rossendale £20 CASH N Freeman-Smith, Ipswich H Fairweather, Hunstanton G Cousins, Driffield HM Skinner, Boston J Lomax, Holmfirth C Fraser, Glasgow D Potter, York S Grehan, Newport V Silverthorn, Chorley T Lauder, Galashiels C Heyworth, Blackburn P Rouchias,…

This week we meet Briony Baxter, 31, from Atherton Do you prefer summer or winter? Why? Winter, because I hate the sun. I personally love the rain and dark nights. What’s your favourite part of a roast dinner? Roast parsnips. I love them anyway and roasting them just makes them more sweet and tasty. What’s your favourite film and why? The Wild Robot. Went the cinema recently to watch this animation and it was amazing. So moving and emotional. Wild night out or cosy night in? Cosy night in. Believe it or not, I’ve never been on a wild night out. It’s not my thing at all! Finally, please tell us your favourite joke! What do you call a rooster who lies on a pile of salad? A chicken sees a salad.…

The ‘northern’ rules are the version of which game as stipulated by its UK national association? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 _ quartet, singing group (10) 2 Large bird with pouched bill (7) 3 Gobbledegook (8) 4 Late part of the day (7) 5 Car building (6) 6 Great circle with a latitude of 0 degrees (7) 7 Scott Joplin’s style (7) 8 Capital of Scotland (9) 9 Stew with potatoes (6) 10 Astronomer’s instrument (9) 11 World’s highest mountain (7) 12 Descartes quote, ‘I think _ I am’ (9) 13 Time when day and night are of equal length (7) 14…

Izzy Farrell, 34, Whitstable, Kent Rolling over in bed, I felt a pain in my stomach and reached down to my huge bump. ‘Shall I run you a bath?’ my partner Christian, then 34, said. He’d done the same when I’d gone into labour with our first child. It was 3am on 5 April 2024 – my due date. I knew only 5% of babies arrive on time. Our eldest daughter Calliope, 2, had been six days late, and when I’d finally gone into labour she’d taken 22 hours to make her appearance! ‘It’s probably a false alarm,’ I told Christian. ‘Let’s go back to sleep.’ An hour later I felt it again. A contraction, but stronger and more painful this time. My screams competed with the roar of rush-hour…

When Harmony Montgomery went to live in the loving home of Michelle and Timothy Raftery, they welcomed her with open arms. It was January 2018, and Harmony, then 3-and-a-half, had already been placed in their foster care twice during her short life. Born while her dad Adam Montgomery was in prison, her mum Crystal Sorey had addiction issues. But Harmony had made an amazing bond with the Raftery family. Called Michelle ‘Momma’ and Timothy ‘Dadda’. This was the new start she needed. She thrived in their care, hit all her developmental milestones. Always happy and full of life, Harmony loved dollies, Minnie Mouse and playing dress up. Left a sparkle wherever she went. Lost contact But in February 2019, with Adam Montgomery out of prison, he was granted full custody…

1 Eat oily fish It’s the best source of omega-3, a healthy fat with anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 also helps to protect against the breakdown of cartilage (the flexible, tough tissue that covers the ends of bones and joints). Good sources include salmon, sardines, mackerel and pilchards. Aim to eat them at least once a week. ‘Walnuts and flaxseed are good vegetarian sources,’ adds dietitian Linia Patel. 2 Drink plenty of water Staying hydrated helps your blood carry vital nutrients to your joints. It also helps cartilage to regenerate and stay lubricated, reducing joint inflammation. Drinking enough water is particularly important during the menopause and the run-up to it, says consultant rheumatologist Dr Rod Hughes. ‘This is due to oestrogen levels starting to decline, causing a reduction in collagen, loss of cartilage…

Georgie Cook, 32, Kingston upon Thames Rushing down the stairs, my five kids stood lined up by the door, waiting to go. ‘Coats on!’ I called, helping each of them zip up. Next it was wellies, hats and gloves. By the time everyone was ready, I was struggling to catch my breath. It was winter 2022. We were only going for a walk to the park, but here I was, worn out just getting ready for the outing. Even worse, my heart was doing that thing again… I’d been suffering with heart palpitations for years, as I’d had Anabelle, then 9, followed by Zackary, 5, Roy, 3, and Percy, 2. But it wasn’t until my last pregnancy with Edward, 1, that doctors did an ECG. It showed I had something…

Can’t go cold turkey Q I’m in my 40s and have been drinking since my teens. I don’t touch a drop in the week, but come Friday and Saturday, I’m necking three bottles of wine like clockwork. I’ve got my own business, the kids are doing well and my marriage is solid, so I am high-functioning. But sticking to one drink is impossible, and a dry weekend sounds so bleak. Kat, 44 A You’re definitely highfunctioning, sweetheart. You’re keeping all the plates spinning during the week, but booze is giving you an escape on the weekends. It’s wearing you down, petal. You don’t have to tackle this alone – ask for help. Try your GP or reading books or blogs from others who’ve quit or cut down on drinking. You…

Paula Stewart, 43, Halifax, West Yorkshire The creature in the palm of my hand was shivering, small and slimy. And I loved him. ‘He’s so cool!’ I told my dad Paul, then 39. It was summer 1989 and, aged 8, I was helping Dad save a group of toads. Their home had been made into a building site. So we were moving them to a spot in the woods where they could nest near water. Dad, a conservation officer at the council, was passionate about animals. We had a house full of dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. Over the years, I helped him rescue a family of badgers from hunters and countless toads, birds, hedgehogs and rabbits. But after graduating from uni, I went down a different career path…

Q I’m looking for a new shower gel - is it worth spending more than a few pounds on one? I usually just buy what’s on offer! Angela Richards, Swansea A Little luxuries can make a really big difference to your mood. We’re not talking about spending £100 on an eye cream – it’s about making those everyday essentials feel more upscale. A swanky shower gel is the perfect example – it transforms your daily routine into a spa-like experience that’ll make you feel fabulous. You don’t have to spend a fortune, either – even luxury brands have affordable options. Caudalie Soleil des Vignes Shower Gel, £10, uk.caudalie.com, smells like a holiday in a bottle – the notes of orange blossom, jasmine and coconut will transport you to a sunny…

After a divorce, some people swear off relationships for life – not Melissa Ann Shepard. After her marriage ended, she had no intention of giving up on finding love. So in 1989, Melissa, then in her 50s, struck up a relationship with widower Gordon Stewart, 42. He was smitten, and the pair soon got hitched – but there was no happy ending. Within months, Gordon was dead, run over on a road in Halifax, Nova Scotia. And behind the wheel was Gordon’s new bride. Melissa told police her new husband was an abusive alcoholic. That Gordon had driven her to the quiet road by the airport and tried to rape her at knifepoint. In her desperation to escape, she’d accidentally driven over him. A jury believed her story. Melissa was…