Table of contents for 18-May-2017 in Pick Me Up!

What A Week! Gemma turner, Senior Sub editor What A Read! Call me a geek, but I love a good war read. And Three Soldiers by John Dos Passos is quickly making its way to the top of my best books. 4 … that’s the number of weeks left till two days of fun at a Butlin’s Big Weekend. My sister-in-law and I are gearing up to be the new Ghostbusters! What A Pussy! Just look at my little Vernon – he might not be the sharpest tool in the box, but he certainly makes up for it with that little face… What An App! I may be slow on the uptake – but how much fun is Snapchat? My phone is running out of memory from all the silly photos! Ed’s…

Up, up and away, web! Noah’s no ordinary boy, he’s a superhero – and ready to take on the world. And when Little Spidey met Big Spidey, they were invincible! Claire Carrick, 34, Congleton My little boy Noah pulled his mask over his face and spun around. ‘I’m Spider-Man! I’m here to help!’ he shouted. Me and my hubby Keith, 48, shared a look and burst out laughing. Noah was 3, and superhero crazy. In the mornings, he’d be Spider-Man, throwing out imaginary webs. After lunch, he’d be Captain America, charging about with his shield. It gave him courage, and the belief he could beat cancer There wasn’t a superhero Noah didn’t love. But, to us, he was the biggest little hero of them all. See, he’d been fighting a…

Kineta Kelsall, 28, Manchester Smash! ‘Not again, butterfingers!’ my girlfriend Grace, 28, said, laughing. It was March 2014, and I’d just dropped a bowl of soup all over the floor. I’d been carrying it fine when suddenly my arms went numb. ‘Whoops!’ I chuckled. This sort of thing had been happening a lot recently. The next week, I was out partying with family and I bought a round of drinks. Crash! I dropped the lot all over the dance floor – and no-one had even knocked me! It was getting strange. I was 25, had never been so clumsy before. I’d been stressed and tearful, too. Then, when I felt numbness down my whole left side and my arm felt floppy, I went to see my GP. ‘It’s muscle strain,’…

Interstitial cystitis 1 It affects the bladder. True False 2 The symptoms are quite mild. True False 3 You get it from an infected person. True False 4 It can be treated with medication. True False 1 TRUE It’s a poorly understood bladder condition that causes long-term pelvic pain and problems with urination. 2 FALSE The condition causes intense pelvic pain, sudden, strong urges to pee, and the need to urinate more frequently. 3 FALSE The exact cause is unknown. It may be caused by problems with pelvic floor muscles, damage to the bladder lining, or the immune system mistakenly attacking the bladder. 4 FALSE There’s no cure, and it can be difficult to treat. Lifestyle changes are usually recommended, including reducing stress and avoiding certain foods or drinks that…

• January 1986: Student Robbin Brandley, 23, stabbed to death in a California parking lot. • July 1988: Californian prostitute Julie McGhee, 30, shot dead. • September 1988: Prostitute Mary Ann Wells, 31, shot dead in San Diego. • April 1989: Palm Springs prostitute Tammie Erwin, 19, shot dead. • Sept 1992: A Californian girl, then 19, was kidnapped. After an attempted rape, she claims to have escaped and survived. • March 1995: Palm Springs prostitute Denise Maney, 32, found dead from wounds possibly caused by a knife or gun. • April 1996: Lori Uylaki, 25, shot and stabbed, dumped in Wolf Lake on the Illinois/Indiana border • July 1996: Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Corum, 21, found shot dead in the Vermilion River in Livingston County • August 1996: Lynn Huber, 22,…

▪ 150g rough oatcakes, crushed ▪ 50g melted butter ▪ 20g golden syrup ▪ 200g strawberries, plus extra for serving ▪ Juice of ½ lemon ▪ 150g caster sugar ▪ 150g cream cheese ▪ 250g mascarpone ▪ 300g whipping cream 1 In a bowl, mix crushed oatcakes with melted butter and golden syrup, press firmly into base of a greased 20cm spring-form tin, then put in freezer to set for a few hours. 2 Blend strawberries with lemon and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl beat together cream cheese, mascarpone and whipping cream. 3 Gently fold two mixtures together, take biscuit base from freezer, and pour strawberry mix on top. Return to freezer overnight to set. 4 Remove from freezer 30 min before serving, and decorate with reserved strawberries.…

The Grenadier, London SW1 A soldier who cheated at cards was beaten to death here in the 1800s. now, footsteps pace empty rooms, objects vanish, chairs and tables rattle and the place feels icy cold. The Devils Stone Inn, Shebbear You may hear loud footsteps, a girl giggling or knocks on the doors of this 17th-century former farmhouse in Devon. The spirit of an rAF pilot who died there haunts the bar. The Red Lion, Avebury, Wiltshire The ghost of a lady called Florrie, killed by her husband after he discovered her unfaithfulness, can be found by a well in the pub. It’s said he threw her down the well and sealed it. OH, JAMES! What’s Your bond Girl name? Follow these two easy steps to find yours… Step 1:…

Verdict: GENIUS! Pricey, but a great anti-ageing product. Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Neck Gel, £35 for 4, Marks & Spencer We’ve all used a facemask – but what about one specially made for your neck? Use these once a week to tighten and firm sagging skin around your neck in just 10 minutes. Kids Stuff Crazy Soap Bathtime Fun Foaming Soap, £2, Boots Forget using toys to keep the little ones entertained in the tub and get them a bottle of this fun soap instead. The thick formula can be moulded into shapes and comes in lots of different colours. Verdict: BONKERS! But kids will absolutely love this. SensorWake Olfactory Alarm Clock, £99.99, www.thefowndry.com How often do you wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and croissants?…

Want the perfect... Avocado Beauty Product? Try one of these… Bath: Avocado & Strawberry Shower & Bath Soak Give your morning shower a boost with a hit of fruity freshness. This smells really lovely and the bottle is a great size for the price. Hair: Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Nourish Deep Treatment Feed your hair with avocado oil and eucalyptus with this super-food filled mask. It turns lank, dry hair into healthy, swish-worthy tresses. Body: Dove Nourishing Secrets Revitalizing Ritual Body Lotion Inspired by the beauty rituals of South American women, this is all about using natural ingredients. As well as avocado oil, it contains calendula which is great for dry skin. ASK JESS Q I’ve got dyed blonde hair but it keeps going brassy and yellow. Is there anything…

Jen Gill, 32, North Shields Chilling in the garden with a cuppa, I gossiped with my neighbour Gemma. ‘I’ve met someone,’ she smiled. I lived next door to Gemma, and we’d spend afternoons watching our kids play outside, or chatting over the fence. That spring afternoon in 2015, she told me about her new bloke, Nathan Brunton. ‘He’s a personal trainer,’ she said, smitten. Within a few months, Nathan moved in. Then everything changed. I barely saw Gemma. I was never invited over for a chinwag, and her kids stopped playing with my two, Saphia, then 9, and Oscar, 2. And the blinds are always down,’ I told my new partner, Wayne, 36. I got the feeling Nathan disapproved of our friendship. ‘I don’t know what I’ve done,’ I worried…

April Carberry, 29, Stockport Ever since I was a teen, I’d dreamt of a big wedding. The meringue dress, the castle…I just needed to find my prince first! When I started clubbing at 18, I met Dan. There was a spark, but we were seeing other people. It was unrequited love – just like in a fairytale. For years we were friends, and spoke most days. ‘Fancy coming over to hang out?’ Dan asked me one day. Under The Sea Disney-loving Melanie has a tail to tell Typical Dan, so relaxed… I agreed immediately. Both then single, I never left! People thought we’d rushed into things, but it felt natural. Our first child Ethan, 8, was born in 2009 and it was perfect. But, at a friend’s house party the same…

Chantelle Edmund, 26, Huddersfield Cuddling my daughter Keira Jade, 8, I broke my big news. ‘Mummy’s having another baby,’ I smiled. Only, Keira burst into tears! ‘I don’t want you to,’ she said. I’d had Keira at 17, and it’d always just been the two of us We were as thick as thieves. ‘That’s not going to change,’ I promised, holding her close. ‘OK,’ she sniffed. ‘As long as it’s a boy.’ Bless her! It’d been a shock for me, too... Pain clamped around my stomach... I sank to the floor Things hadn’t been serious with my ex, so I’d not introduced him to Keira, and he didn’t want to be involved with the baby. Keira sulked a bit when I found out I was expecting a girl, but she…

Veena always feels off balance Veena Jassi, 32, Warwickshire Have you ever felt seasick? Dizzy, off balance, nauseous… Well, I feel like that all the time! It started in 2011, after returning from Gran Canaria. I started to feel queasy and, a week later, I kept throwing up and it felt like the room was spinning. Probably a tummy bug, I reasoned. My GP agreed, said it’d pass in a few days. When it didn’t, he explained it could be vertigo. Sufferers feel like the space around them is moving or spinning. I was told it’d soon settle. But my symptoms just got worse. I could barely stand without falling over. I couldn’t drive, and I felt sick 24/7. Eventually, I was referred for an MRI scan. The results were…

Kerrylee Glass, 26, Blackpool At just 10 months old, my son Thomas has been through more than most people do in a lifetime. See, he was born with a rare heart condition, transposition of the great arteries. It means the two main blood vessels leaving his heart were the wrong way around. Left undiagnosed, Thomas would’ve died within 20 days of being born. Thankfully, it’d been picked up at my 20-week scan. A Caesarean was arranged at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in July last year. But before I could see Thomas, he was whisked away. ‘Go with him,’ I told my partner Tom, 23. Thomas was transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for specialist care. And it was three long, torturous days until I finally got to see him, because I’d…

Across 1 Great affection 5 Sector 6 Small carpets 7 Unsightly mark Down 1 Baby sheep 2 Spoken, not written 3 Authoritative prohibition 4 Compass point Read down the shaded squares for the prize answer. To enter, see p53. I WANT ONE OF THESE... Serve the kids’ squash in these colourful milk bottles with re-usable plastic straws. The six bottles come in a wire storage crate, and the set costs £6, from wilko, www.wilko.com £12 at The Original Factory Shop until 21/5/17 Usually £29.99 60p per pot Bag A Bargain Oykos Pina Coco Paradise, £2.39 pack of four, Asda Give your brekkie a tropical flavour with creamy Greek-style yogurt with a layer of pineapple and coconut. £1.30 per pack Schwartz Gluten- Free Recipe Mix A range of eight gluten-free mixes…

Caroline Evans, 28, Kingston-Upon- Thames Cuddled up in bed, I was awoken early by the baby wriggling around inside me. I loved feeling her kicks, and couldn’t wait to meet her. ‘Not long now, baby girl,’ I whispered. At 37 weeks, I knew I could go into labour at any moment. Luckily, everything was ready for my girl’s arrival in September 2013. Her nursery was decorated beautifully and her wardrobe was full of gorgeous little outfits. Even my hospital bag was packed, ready to be thrown into the car as soon as my contractions started. My bump was massive, but I quite liked waddling around. I’d enjoyed a textbook pregnancy all the way through, with no complications. And, when we’d found out we were expecting a girl, my partner and…

MY WIN MEANT LOTS OF FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY Laura Reid, 30, Bideford You can’t beat family time. Me and my partner Mike, 29, love to have fun with our kids. Last July, Mike took a week off work and one evening after a day out, I did some housework. After, Mike was watching TV, so I put my feet up and logged into Pick Me Up! Bingo. I joined in March 2012, and had a few wins – including £800 a couple of months after joining! I played a couple of games in Sapphire, a 90-ball bingo game. Then I played slots, including Double Bubble, and went in the chatroom. It was a giggle in there. Later, I decided to have a few games of bingo before bed.…

Have You Tried? Florette smoothie Mixes, £1.50 each, ocado Make a superfood or energy Boost smoothie with a bag of fresh leaves that comes with a sachet of seeds and dried fruit. Just add your fave fresh fruit and juice, then blend. skinny coffee club, £24.95, holland & Barrett Packed with fat-burning ingredients, this 28-day programme is designed to speed up your metabolism, curb cravings and increase energy, helping you get rid of bloat and lose weight – and just 6 cal per serving. Flattering Fashion Perfect for summer days and holidays, this striped all-in-one has a drawstring waist that you can cinch in – or let out – as you like! £18 George at Asda £44.98 ElectriQ soup maker at www.appliancesdirect.co.uk (usually £69.98) Food Swaps Swap A HANDFUL OF NUTS… 170…

ARIES 21 March–20 April an amazing upcoming line-up means that life’ll be anything but boring over the coming days. You’re growing in confidence by the day, and you no longer worry about how things look, but you’re thinking about how you feel. Welcome back! call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May travel you wanted to invest in may prove more costly than you were first led to believe. Don’t panic – and don’t pull out. everything’s doable with patience and careful planning. More people than you think are willing to invest in you. Put feelers out now and see! call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June try not to say what you think others want to hear, just to look good. it’ll only come back on you if…

• Preyed on by Grandad • Abused and raped in secret • Not his only victim Stacy Levett, 32, West London As my grandad, Mick, pulled me into his arms, he tickled me to the floor. ‘Give me a kiss,’ he said, puckering up. Then he planted a slobbery smacker on my lips. Michael Slark – known as Mick – wasn’t my biological grandad, but he was as good as. He and his wife had fostered my mum when she was 7. And Mick had been in my life forever, so he was the closest thing I had to a grandad. He was always affectionate. Cuddling me, kissing me on the lips… Then one day when I was 6, he sat me on his lap and put a crochet blanket…

1 Download the Trainline app or visit www.thetrainline.com and make an average saving of 43% by booking in advance. 2  Travel with friends or family – check out GroupSave on www.nationalrail.co.uk where small groups of passengers who travel together are eligible for a third off fares. 3 If trains are cancelled or delayed for more than an hour, you’re entitled to claim at least 20% of your single ticket and 10% of your return. 4 If the train company offers ‘Delay Repay’, you can claim if the journey is delayed for 30 minutes or more, although get-outs include extreme weather, vandalism and trespassers. 5  National Railcards offer around a third savings off most fares. For more details, visit www.railcard.co.uk…

With Dr Arabella Onslow Eating issues Q My daughter has always been a finicky eater, and now she’s been diagnosed with coeliac disease, so we’re worried as it’s even harder to find things she can eat. Janet, Middlesex A There’s actually an increased risk of eating disorders with women with coeliac, so you should consider getting a dietician involved early on to support her eating habits. No more periods Q I’ve been getting terrible menopausal symptoms, and I want to start HrT. I’ve had about two periods in the last 12 months. What type of HrT can I have, as I don’t want any more periods? Angela, Warwick A As it’s not 12 months since your last period, you either need cyclical HRT, which gives you a withdrawal bleed, or a…

Bound with duct tape, stabbed and shot dead. Such was the grisly fate of a woman found dumped in Wolf Lake, along the Illinois-Indiana border, in April 1996. Later identified as 25-yearold prostitute Lori Uylaki, the crime shocked the Chicago community. There were no clues, no weapon…the police had nothing to go on. Then, four months later, another prostitute Lynn Huber, 22, was discovered dead at the same lake, with starkly similar injuries. As a gruesome pattern emerged, it was clear a dangerous killer was at large… In November 1996, a police officer pulled over Andrew Urdiales, then 32, for a routine traffic stop. An ex-marine, Urdiales then worked as a private security guard, and appeared to be a functioning member of society. When asked if he had a gun,…

Chelsea, 25, Basildon I don’t have any children yet, but my partner and I are planning to start a family in the next few years. I’ve always known what I’d call my firstborn baby – it’s a unisex name, so I know we can definitely have it, no matter what – and I’ve also chatted about it with friends on many an occasion. But now one of my friends has fallen pregnant, and when we were talking about names the other day, she told me she’s planning on using the one she knows I’ve already chosen! I feel so angry about this. Is it unreasonable to ask her to choose something else? YES Pick Me Up! reader Jenna Morris says, ‘I’m afraid it is. You can’t really tell people what…

1 Morrisons Chocolate Chunk Cookies, 200g, £1 Eight crunchy cookies with oatmeal, topped with chocolate and studded with chunks of choc. Perfect for sharing. 2 Fox’s Chunky Cookies, 175g, £1.77 Seven toastyflavoured cookies filled with huge choc chunks and topped with even more choc. A treat with a cuppa. 3 Waitrose Milk Chocolate And Chocolate Chip Cookies, 150g, £1.80 What’s not to love about a chocolatecovered chip cookie that’s as buttery as shortbread? There are only six in a pack, but they’re delicious. Our Fave! PLUS How to whip up your own at home! Make it yourself... Serves: 20 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 16 min ▪ 100g Trex, plus extra for greasing ▪ 100g self-raising flour ▪ ¼tsp salt ▪ 25g ground rice ▪ 100g golden caster sugar…

Sarah Biela, 25, Doncaster As I rolled over in bed, I could hear groans coming from the toilet. I stretched out my arm to reach across the bed for my boyfriend Chris, but he wasn’t there. ‘You OK, babe?’ I shouted across the landing. There was no reply. A couple of minutes later, Chris stumbled back to bed, clutching his stomach in agony. ‘I feel awful,’ he croaked. ‘Oh, no! Maybe you’ve picked up a tummy bug,’ I said. I cuddled him until we both fell back to sleep. But, the next morning, Chris, 28, was up before me, doubled over with agonising stomach cramps. Convinced he just had a bout of gastroenteritis, I went off to work, hoping a day on the sofa would make him feel better. As…

Sammi Evren, 31, Hull i used to go to bingo with pals and we’d have a right laugh. But, over the years, with two kids, I had less time to play. A friend had won £1,000 playing Pick Me Up! Bingo, so, last May, I decided to join. I had a couple of games on Sapphire, then, after tea, I had another quick game. Soon I needed one number. Then…it came up and I’d won £1,250! When my husband got home, we had a bottle of bubbly and booked a family holiday to Majorca. I also booked a weekend away to Scarborough for me and a friend – we had a lovely time being able to relax and unwind. Now I can’t wait to go to Spain. I know the…

Hellen Ellis, 41, Rowley Regis, West Midlands it only takes a minute girl,’ I crooned along. The five gorgeous lads on TV were amazing! I fell in love with Gary Barlow. Soon, my bedroom wall was covered in posters, and I’d queue for gig tickets for hours. My mum Linda, 40, didn’t mind my growing obsession. Except, it wasn’t just my love for Gary expanding… I’d always been big, wearing size-18 aged 14. By 18, I was working as a retail shop assistant. Working shifts, I’d eat 12 packets of crisps a day. Then, I’d hit the chip shop or tuck into roasts with all the trimmings. At 21, I was a size-28. In 1996, when Take That split, devastated doesn’t cover it. I cried for hours, scoffed more crisps…