Table of contents for 17 February 2022 in Chat

If you’re a sucker for a happy ending, you’ll love Julie’s love story just as much as I did (p24). No-one thought it’d last but 30 years on, she and Mike are still going strong. Robyn’s not looking for romance this Valentine’s Day – she’s searching for something even more special. Good luck to her and her partner Ross (p10). And a truly chilling true-crime story of how the contents of a bin bag solved a decades-old murder (p54). Plus puzzles, prizes, food, fashion, fun and more. Stay safe and well this week. GET IN TOUCH! EMAIL chat_magazine@futurenet.com FACEBOOK facebook.com/ChatMagazine POST Chat, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR…

SEXY SUPPORT STYLE TIP Look for designs with thicker straps and underwire for added support, and remember every brand fits differently. SOFT BRALETTES STYLE TIP These wireless looks offer all-day comfort without compromising on style. Wear underneath cosy loungewear. SCULPTING BOTTOMS STYLE TIP Try high-waisted styles that will streamline you from your waist to your thighs. SMOOTHING BODIES STYLE TIP Opt for a style with tummy control panelling to help you feel extra confident.…

In November last year, the jury unanimously found Gregory McMichael, 65, Travis McMichael, 35, and William Bryan, 52, guilty of all charges, including murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. In the wake of the killing, Georgia’s citizen’s-arrest law, where an individual could detain someone seen committing a serious crime if the suspect was seen trying to escape, was repealed. The law dated back to 1863 and had links with slavery. A lawyer for Ahmaud Arbery’s family had previously referred to the three white men as ‘a posse who performed a modern lynching in the middle of the day’. Following the verdict, Ahmaud’s dad, Marcus Arbery, was jubilant. ‘We conquered that lynch mob,’ he said. Ahmaud’s mum Wanda wept as she thanked supporters. ‘It’s been a long fight, it’s been a…

Whirlwind love affair Q I’ve been seeing a guy for three months and I’ve fallen hard. I have three kids who he hasn’t met as we both said we’d take it slow. I’m not sure how my kids’ dad will react. I want my new bloke to be a part of my family, but I’m scared my ex or my children will scare him off. I love him, but don’t know how to tell him. Lisa, 31 A Love? After only three months?! It sounds to me that this is a case of red-blooded lust. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Listen, enjoy this exciting time with your new fella, but put the brakes on when it comes to saying those three words or telling your ex or your kids.…

Simonne Rawe, 34, Basildon, Essex Sitting on the children’s ward, I tore into another packet of crisps. This should be the most exciting time of my life, I thought. But I wasn’t excited, I was a jittery bag of nerves. It was May 2014, and after suffering with pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes during my pregnancy, I’d given birth to my daughter Sophie, seven weeks premature. Looking down at my poorly baby, who was struggling to feed, I feared that my obesity had caused her problems. Sophie was soon strong enough to come home. But, in time, she needed a dietician, then speech and allergy therapists. It left me racked with guilt. I’d always struggled with my size, weighing 12st at age 12. Then gaining a stone every year throughout my…

Q If I want to use my car to drive to work, do I need to tell my insurer? H. Dean, Gloucestershire A ‘If your car insurance currently covers you for “Social, Domestic and Pleasure” and you want to start using your car for commuting or business use, you must tell your insurer,’ says Clare Egan, head of motor at Admiral. ‘While we all know it’s illegal to drive without car insurance, it’s also illegal to have the wrong type of cover, so it’s vital to make sure you have the right class of use in place. Your insurer could refuse a claim if you don’t have the right cover.’…

The Woman’s Aid #DeserveToBeHeard campaign highlights the devastating impact domestic abuse has on the mental health of women and their children. The campaign aims to ensure the mental health needs of women are heard and responded to effectively. Research shows almost half of women in refuges have reported feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts as a direct result of domestic abuse. But these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, as stigma and fear around disclosing mental-health problems prevent many women from speaking up. Support is failing survivors – fewer than one in five refuges have trained mentalhealth support workers, and women face huge barriers in accessing support – from long waiting times, victim-blaming and communication barriers to the stigmatisation of mental health and lack of trauma-informed responses and…

The Body Shop Tea Tree Purifying & Balancing Shampoo, £7.50, thebodyshop.co.uk Leaves oily hair and scalps feeling cleansed and invigorated by reducing the amount of grease on the scalp without stripping the hair of that all-important moisture. XX Revolution Liquid Blush Tint, £9, revolutionbeauty.co.uk A silky, creamy liquid blush that comes in four lovely shades and blends in seamlessly to create the perfect flushed effect on your cheeks. Simple Kind Defence Hydrating Mist + ANTI-BAC, RRP £6.99, Superdrug We have never been more aware of germs, so it makes sense you may want your skincare with a side of anti-bac. That’s where this facial spritz comes in. It’s super hydrating and will blitz germs in their tracks. L’Oréal Paris Air Volume in Mega Black, £10.99, Boots If you loved the…

Discarding a cigarette butt and taking out the bins… it was just another day for Thomas Garner. But as the dental hygienist emptied his rubbish outside his flat in Jacksonville, Florida, he had no idea that he was being watched. It was February 2019, and cold-case investigators were on his trail. And after Garner had gone back inside, and a surveillance team had retrieved his bin bag, they found it held the answers they’d been searching for. Over 30 years before, in 1984, 25-year-old Pamela Cahanes had just graduated from the Naval Training Center in Orlando, USA. One of eight children, she’d dreamt of joining the US Navy, getting married and raising a family. To celebrate her achievement, she decided to go shopping. Donned her uniform and headed to a…

What is British actor Sophie Turner’s favourite movie? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Thick blankets (6) 12 Metal (9) 13 Hearing organs (4) 14 Common pet (8) 15 Ancient Italian (5) 16 Arrested, informally (6) 17 Cooked in the oven (7) 18 Unlucky (11) 20 Castles (5) 22 Painting of the countryside (9) 24 Book of maps (5) 28 Collection of books (7) 29 Incorrectly (7) 32 Where an artist works (6) 34 Logical, reasonable (8) 36 Gathers (8) 37 Loosened (6) 39 From the direction of sunrise (7) 40 Biological group (7) 45 Edible bulb (5) 47 Choices (9) 48 _ Simpson, Marge’s husband (5) 51 Substitute (11) 53 Blow up (7) 55 Jail…

Joe Fisher, 39, Nottingham A long slither of dribble fell from my British bulldog’s chin as he stared up at me mischievously. My slipper clenched between his teeth. ‘I’m getting too old for this, Ronnie!’ I groaned as I chased him round the living room. What a menace! He was always getting hold of something. The kids’ school books, a shoe, even my footy shin pads. But he loved a good game of chase as much as I hated it. For 10 minutes, I was running around the house after him, breathless. Eventually, Ronnie got bored and let me snatch my soggy slipper from his dribbly gob. It was beyond saving. I was always telling my kids Joseph, then 12, Isaac, 11, and Edie, 9, to keep things out of…

Is sex a workout? Q My boyfriend says we should have sex more often because he’s read that it’s good for you! Is he fibbing? Amy, Chertsey A Sex might make you sweaty and breathless, but it’s not a great workout, probably more equivalent to climbing a couple of flights of stairs. But although sex is no substitute for exercise, studies have shown possible health benefits. People who have regular sex are less likely to suffer high blood pressure or heart disease and might even live longer. Hormones and brain chemicals released might boost mood and relaxation, and help sleep. It’s possible that sex could also increase antibodies, a vital part of your immune system. Of course, another possibility is that sex doesn’t really make you healthier, but that people…

Best night out It’s Friday night, the WhatsApp group is pinging with messages from the girls. ‘Cocktails?’ one asks. Your coupled-up bestie declines – she’s promised her other half a night on the sofa watching the latest Vin Diesel blockbuster. She spends the evening dozing off, one hand in the biscuit tin, while muscly men jump out of exploding helicopters. Meanwhile, you’re on your second jug of margaritas and spamming her Insta with fun, pouty loo selfies. Stumbling from the dance floor to the chippy is a far better way to spend a Friday. Bedroom bliss Rom-coms have us believing sharing a bed entails a super-sexy affair with romantic romps and lots of loved-up spooning. Yet, most bedroom acrobatics actually involve an eight-hour fight for the duvet while his or…

Knowing time wasn’t on my side, I pushed on with my research. Found a surgeon in Belgium who could do a gastric bypass in just two weeks’ time. It almost seemed too good to be true. Only problem was, it would cost £5,000. I have to do this, for me and Sophie, I thought. So I secured a loan, and before I knew it, in November 2014, I was packing my suitcase. I worried, though. After all, my previous weight-loss surgery had failed miserably. What if this one does, too? Only, diets hadn’t worked – I’d run out of options. The bypass was performed via keyhole surgery, and I recovered quickly, flying home after just two days. It was tough, eating a liquid diet followed by miniscule portions. Yet, within…

Saucy steak with a creamy potato bake We’ve given steak and chips a sexy makeover – as good as any restaurant meal but half the price! SERVES 2 PREP TIME 15 MINS COOK TIME 1HR 30 MINS • 8 basil leaves • 200g jar Bearnaise sauce (such as Maille) • ½ small red chilli, deseeded and chopped • 2 sirloin or fillet steaks • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 1tbsp olive oil Creamy potato bake: • 15g butter, plus extra for greasing • 450g potatoes, such as King Edward or Desiree, sliced • 150ml single cream • Pinch of grated nutmeg • 2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese • Salad, to serve 1 For the potato bake, heat the oven to 150C/Gas 2 and butter a couple of small ovenproof dishes, or…

11-17 February Aries 21 March-20 April Get outside and get your garden ready for spring. Upcycle a windowsill container or buy pots for your balcony, to fill with flowers and trailing plants. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You’re always busy, but be mindful of your wellbeing. Put your feet up, turn off your phone and read. The brilliant news you have been waiting for arrives. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June You’re adventurous and could ask people to sponsor you for charity. Why not conquer your fear of heights by climbing a mountain? ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Keep our eyes on the prize but be open-minded. You could risk overlooking something better…

Sanctuary Spa White Lily and Damask Rose Body Butter, £11, uk.sanctuary.com A gorgeous floral, but not overpowering, scent and a creamy consistency that leaves a subtle sheen to the skin. Boots Extracts Mango Body Butter, £8, Boots This is like summer in a tub. It smells gorgeously tropical and has a lovely thick texture that isn’t greasy and sinks in easily. Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter, £10, soapandglory.com An iconic product and for good reason. It has the unique Soap & Glory scent that lingers on the skin and is packed with skin nourishing vitamin E and shea butter.…

PUZZLES 7 CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 1 MARCH 2022 (Three days later for postal entries) PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT HOW TO ENTER TEXT Simply text CHATD followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. •…

Robyn Dalrymple, 27, Kilmarnock Closing my eyes, I lay on the sofa and fantasised. Whenever I have five minutes to myself, I love dipping into my world of make believe. Dreaming of the day I finally find The One… Will they be blonde or brunette? Have blue eyes or green? Not that it matters, as long as they’re healthy, and aged 21 to 40. I don’t mind what their job is, where they live, even if they’re married or single. All that matters is that I find them, and especially around Valentine’s Day, it’s all I can think about. ‘Daydreaming again?’ a deep voice pulls me into the present and my eyes open. Standing over me is the most understanding man in the world – Ross, 34. Ross wraps an…

Pulling on a white T-shirt and pair of running shorts, 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery headed for a jog. It was 23 February 2020, and Ahmaud lived with his mum outside the city of Brunswick, Georgia, USA. He’d been a top football player in high school. These days, jogging kept him active, running for miles from home through suburban neighbourhoods. It was the same that Sunday afternoon. Except, shortly after 1pm, Ahmaud was killed. Shot dead. He’d been running through the residential streets of Satilla Shores, two miles from his home. Police arrived moments later and an officer’s body camera caught a snippet of conversation. ‘You had no choice,’ Gregory McMichael said to his son Travis as the police officer approached. Ahmaud, who was unarmed, was on the ground. The McMichaels explained…

The advice you need Kirsty Jennings, 29, Malvern Slathering butter on bread and chucking in ham and salad, before placing it in a bag, I started on the next sandwich. It was summer 2010 and I was working in a local bakery. ‘Your elbows look sore!’ a colleague said. At 17, I’d never had a spotty-teen phase, and my skin was usually clear. But recently I’d noticed patches of rough, dry skin on my elbows. Putting it down to working against rough surfaces in a warm environment, I smeared moisturiser onto my arms. ‘It’s just getting worse,’ I told my mum, showing her the red patches behind my knees, too. My brother and Dad both suffered eczema so I started buying creams to target it. Nothing worked. Six months later,…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Brian Betts, Sheffield ACROSS 1 Woodwind instrument 2 Lemon spread 3 Spanish greeting 4 Plague village DOWN 1 Darts toe line 2 Floating device 3 Irish girl’s name 4 Dutch cheese Win 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: CHAIN WORDS One of the biggest meets for racing animals of what species is held at Boulia in Australia every year? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: OR + GAN, GAN +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you the…

FILL ME IN Boat of Garten in Scotland is known as the village of what bird species, which is the focus of the nearby Loch Garten RSPB reserve? 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. WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME In Spanish, the word tuna is used for various species of what type of plant? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters CUT GAS GEL LAB TAB THE TIC TOW WAS 4 letters CAME COMB MOST STAR SWAT YETI 5 letters LASTS ROUGH STAIR THROB 6 letters OCCUPY OUTLAW WEALTH WHALES 7 letters CHAOTIC COUNCIL WIN £100 Puzzle…

3 ways to… Boost your mortgage chances Give yourself the best shot of your mortgage application being accepted with these tips from Brian Murphy, head of lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau. 1 How much can you borrow? ‘It’s important to check how much you’ll likely to be able to borrow on a mortgage before you start viewing properties. So do your research using our mortgage calculator at mortgageadvicebureau.com to help you assess what you can afford,’ says Brian. ‘Once you know how much you can borrow, ask for a ‘Mortgage in Principle’ from the lender. However, this only shows what a lender will offer ‘in principle’ based on your circumstances, it’s not a guarantee your full application will be accepted’. 2 Get ‘mortgage ready’ ‘When applying for a mortgage or…

Q What’s the best foundation for dehydrated skin? Kathy, Watford A As important as it is to find a foundation that’s going to hydrate your skin, you can’t rely on your base alone. Make sure you prep your skin before applying your foundation with products that are going to drench it in moisture. Start with a hyaluronic acid-based serum. Hyaluronic acid is the moisture maker for your skin because it cleverly clings on to moisture, stopping it from leaving and keeping it where it’s needed. We love Your Good Skin Instant Nourishing Booster Hydrating, £8, Boots. Next apply an equally hydrating day cream, this will lock in your serum but also add to the hydration levels. CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF25, £13, lookfantastic.com, is a great choice. Once that has…

Chat winners 44 (4 November 2021) £1,001 CASH N Mackenzie, Killin £1,000 CASH J Lovatt, Stafford £500 CASH A Cook, Crewe R M Pugh, London £250 CASH J Biddle, West Heath £150 CASH R Ingram, Leeds £100 CASH S Bowles, King’s Lynn S Langridge, Fleet M Brotherton, Oswestry B Perks, London M Pacey, Caister-on-Sea £60 CASH A Delaney, Wellington £50 CASH H Thompson, Derby J Edwards, Leeds B Cartwright, Clacton-on-Sea £30 CASH M Pearce, Swindon S Otley, Glasgow M McArthur, Eastbourne A Lewis, Swansea O Smaggasgale, Totnes £25 CASH M Adams, Telford E Taylor, Rugeley E Farrington, Wakefield C Marquis, Fochabers C Lonnen, Southampton M Carver, London J Edwards, Ince F Carey, Bexhill-on-Sea D Brown, Kinlochleven Anyone from your town in the list this week..? PUZZLE 1 743 PUZZLE 2…