Table of contents for 16-Apr-2020 in Pick Me Up!

Putting my then 10-month-old daughter, Tegan, into her pram, I walked out of the front door. That day, in November 2006, I left my life and my abusive partner behind me. I’d been putting up with emotional and physical abuse for three years and finally, I’d had enough. After that, I slowly started building up my confidence and in May 2009, I decided to help other survivors. So, I set up a Facebook page – SODA Survivors of Domestic Abuse – in the hopes of helping men and women just like me. Over time, the page grew and today, it has over 800 members on it. I run the page completely alone, but it’s a safe haven for survivors to talk and connect. I know from experience just how lonely…

Looking for a quick, tasty treat for family and friends to enjoy? Creating these Pink Lady® apple lollipops is a fun activity for all to get involved in, whilst being totally scrumptious! For more recipes visit pinkladyapples.co.uk YOU WILL NEED: □ 1 Pink Lady® apple □ Cocktail sticks or lollipop sticks □ 100g 70% dark chocolate FOR THE TOPPINGS: □ 100g sesame seeds □ 100g chopped hazelnuts □ 100g desiccated coconut □ 100g smashed Oreos □ 100g stem ginger □ 100g orange zest □ 100g pistachios □ 100g meringue & freeze-dried strawberry berry pieces Greaseproof paper per 1 Carefully slice the Pink Lady® apple into eighths. 2 Insert the lollipop sticks into the Pink Lady® apple slices. 3 Melt the chocolate. 4 Dip the apple lollipops into the melted chocolate, aiming for approximately…

1 The average produces about nose a cupful of nasal mucus every day!  2 You are about 1cm taller in the morning when you first get up than when you go to bed. This is because during the day the soft cartilage between your bones gets squashed and compressed. 3 If you walked for 12 hours a day, it would take the average person 690 days to walk around the world. 4 The only muscle that never tires out is the heart. 5 The entire surface of your skin is replaced every month, which means you have about 1,000 different skins in your life! 6 The body has 2.5 million sweat pores. 7 Every minute you shed over 30,000 dead skin cells. 8 If you live to age 70, your…

1 Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition. □ True □ False 2 There is no cure for cystic fibrosis. □ True □ False 3 Women are more likely to have cystic fibrosis. □ True □ False 4 Symptoms of cystic fibrosis include recurring chest infections. □ True □ False 5 Newborn babies in the UK are screened for cystic fibrosis. □ True □ False 1 TRUE The condition is genetic and is caused by a faulty gene that affects the movement of salt and water in and out of cells. A child has to inherit a copy of the faulty gene from both of their parents. 2 TRUE Although there is no cure, there are a range of treatments that can help control symptoms and prevent or reduce complications. 3…

Packing toy blocks back into their container, I smiled at my little boy. ‘We have to get this all tidied up before we leave,’ I said. It was December 2015, and Zachary, then one, and I had been playing all afternoon. We were due to pick up my daughter Chelsea, then 11, from school at 3pm. As a single mum, I was rushed off my feet, but I adored my children. They were my world, and I didn’t have time for much else. Looking at my phone, I realised we were running late. ‘Let’s get a move on,’ I smiled to Zachary, grabbing his coat. Just then, my phone pinged. Worried it might be Chelsea, I had a look. But it wasn’t Chelsea – it was a Facebook notification saying…

Crack it! pg 38 Follicles Cross it! pg 45 Hexagon Fill it! pg 13 Poodle Bitesize! pg 3 Stun Number fit! pg 13 9788 Sudoku! pg 45 3, 5, 7 Follow it! pg 8 Entrance 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 week in our sister magazine, Chat. Strike it! pg 13 Headwind (Cross out: 9, 16, 24, 27, 31, 48, 52, 77, 84, 88)…

WE’RE LOVING THIS! Looking for a way to enjoy exercise? The brand-new Blaze class at David Lloyd Clubs, is sure to get your heart racing. Combining cardio, weights and even some boxing, the high-intensity interval training is a whole new way to workout. With a heart rate monitor worn throughout the class, you’ll be able to track your progress as you go and also enter yourself into a little friendly competition. You’ll want to make it into the red zone – where class members are working their hardest according to the tracker. Fancy giving it a go? Visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk to find out more. Just what we need right now As summer fast approaches, a refreshing drink is just what we need. And if it comes with a Southern twist, that’s…

Ripping open a packet of Peanut M&Ms, I sat and enjoyed the sweet treat in my university dorm. As I took a bite into a chocolate ball, I heard a loud crack in my jaw. That doesn’t sound good, I thought to myself. Feeling around inside my mouth, I was certain that I’d broken a tooth. But all my teeth were fine. I wasn’t in any pain, and when I checked in the mirror, everything looked fine. It was 2011, and I was 22, coming to the end of my year abroad in Amsterdam. The next few weeks were hectic, and as I moved home to Sydney, I forgot all about the cracking noise. Then one day, I woke up with a pain in my gums. ‘Maybe you should go…

Sue Tappenden is an experience coach and people expert who helps her clients become more effective in all that they do. www.headspaceforchange.com. He’s so lazy! Q Since we moved in together, my boyfriend doesn’t lift a finger. I’m seeing him in a whole new light as I cook and clean. Have I made a terrible mistake? Helen, Margate A This is a common issue when couples move in together! You don’t say whether you have talked to your boyfriend about how you feel. If you haven’t, that has to be the first step. He may have no idea that it bothers you as much as it does, particularly if he has moved from somewhere where he wasn’t required to lift a finger! Whilst not an excuse, helping out at home…

Coming to a halt in the car, I scanned the food and drink menu. ‘How can I help?’ a voice asked. ‘Morning mate, can I have a breakfast wrap, a double sausage muffin, a couple of hash browns and a coke please?’ I asked. ‘Sure, go along to the next window to pay,’ the server said. My first takeaway of the day. In June 2018, I was used to three takeaways a day. I’d grab a Burger King or McDonald’s for lunch, and always snack on cake or doughnuts in the office. Weighing 24st 9lbs, my diet was reflected in my size. ‘We’ve got your favourite for tea,’ my wife Jennifer, 33, said. Plating up chicken pie, mash and gravy, I tucked in. And the list of food didn’t stop…

INGREDIENTS: □ 800g Heinz Beanz□ 1.2kg potato, peeled and diced□ 1.2kg sweet potato, peeled and diced□ 30g butter or olive oil□ Seasoning□ 1tbsp vegetable oil □ 350g onion, finely chopped □ 400g carrots, finely chopped □ 200g celery, finely chopped □ 2tbsp vegetarian Worcester sauce or Marmite □ 1 tbsp dried thyme □ 200g peas 1 Steam or boil the potatoes and sweet potatoes until cooked. Note, the sweet potatoes will take less time than the potatoes. Drain, then mash with butter and seasoning until smooth. Allow to cool. If making vegan, mash with olive oil. 2 Heat the oil in a large pan and sweat the onion, carrots and celery for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Alternatively, cook in the steamer. 3 Stir in the Heinz Beanz, vegetarian Worcester sauce,…

Hen and stag dares, £8.99 each, Summersdale.com Need to supercharge a stag, hot up a hen do, or pep up a party? These packs of outrageous dares will spice things up! Nights out (or in) will never be the same. Verdict: GENIUS! Play the game, if you dare. Astronaut ice cream sandwich, £4.99, Amazon Ever wondered how astronauts get their sugar kick up in space? Now you can taste it from the comfort of planet Earth! Freeze-dried and tasty. Verdict: BONKERS! Not quite a Mr. Whippy… Gravity weighted blanket, £199.99, Firebox.com This revolutionary blanket is filled with weighted glass beads to apply a soothing pressure across your body. Scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve your sleep quality. Verdict: GENIUS! One very big expensive hug.…

Karl Karlsen had suffered unbelievable misfortune in his life… Tragedy struck on New Year’s Day in 1991 as flames rose high in the Sierra Nevada skies from a former gold miner’s shack at the foothills of the surrounding mountains. The home of the Karlsen family in Murphys, California was ablaze. In the chaos of the smoke, Karl Karlsen had managed to rescue his three kids, two daughters and son, Levi. But Karl’s wife Christina, 30, was trapped in a bathroom behind a boarded-up window. The heat was too fierce for Karl to go back in and she perished in the fire. Young mum Christina had died of smoke inhalation, as she’d cowered in the bathtub with only a washcloth over her mouth for protection. The fire had seemingly started because…

Hellmann’s Squeezy Vegan Mayo, £2.99, Ocado and Waitrose. Proving that plant-based can still taste great, condiment experts, Hellmann’s have launched a brand new squeezy version of their vegan mayo! McCoy’s Fiery Steak (Grab bag), Guaranteed to exhilarate your taste buds, these fiery steak flavoured crisps are made with real cayenne pepper to ensure maximum taste and spice. Young’s Chip Shop Lighter large cod fillets, £2.75, Tesco. You can now enjoy a chippy tea with almost 50% less of the saturated fat, thanks to these lighter fillets from Young’s Seafood. Pink Gin Cake, £12, Asda. If gin is your thing then you’ll love this pink gin flavoured cake, complete with edible gin bottles for the added wow factor! Mr Kipling Minis Selections, £1.99, all major supermarkets. Featuring mini versions of some…

www.theastrologyroom.com ARIES 21 March–20 April Your life feels quite out of kilter lately. But that is because you have allowed others to take total control. Stop asking others what you can give them before you have heard AND seen what they are willing to do for you without exchange. It can help you weed out those who are worth ejecting from your long term plans. Texts are set to cause some family tension. Stay neutral. Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug I know you’re tired of waiting for others to offer to help you, but unless you verbalise your words this week, they are only going to see you as an emotional adolescent. Take a step back and look at how much you’ve had to deal with recently.…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! The under sink storage solution that adjusts to fit the space below your sink (£14.99). Includes 10 adjustable shelves to maximise storage space. Comes complete with assembly instructions, simple and easy to construct and no tools required. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Love to sew An old piece of candle wax is great for holding pins and needles when I’m sewing. I. Tubby, Norfolk Happy nappy Stinky nappy bin? We stick a cute car freshener in ours and our little one thinks it’s funny to say hi to the owl at changing time! And it smells better, too. Amanda Hadley, Hayseech Save the planet with Splosh Worried about the impact of…

INSTANT appointment With Dr Diana Gall from online service Doctor 4 U (www.doctor-4-u.co.uk) What can I do? Q I think I’ve got adult acne, is there anything I can do to help? Samantha, Bristol A Adult acne is most often experienced by women, though men can also get it. It has the same symptoms as teenage or adolescent acne, but occurs in adults. In women, it usually occurs due to hormonal changes, but there are things you can do to reduce the symptoms and appearance. You should make sure to wash your face, but not scrub it, as this can cause irritation and worsen the problem. There are acne treatments available over the counter that contain either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, which are good for reducing the appearance of…

Hamster holiday VIP hotel guests often have access to private butlers and tranquil beaches. Some even have personal stylists and hairdressers. And others… they have hamsters flown across the world. One hotel agent recently confessed to the Mirror that his wildest holiday guest request was for the family’s pet hamster to join them abroad on their holiday. Of course, the hamster couldn’t fly solo, so a pet handler was also hired to escort the furry friend all the way from New York to the hotel in LA. And, the hamster got its very own seat on the plane! Talk about pet royalty. Fruitalicious fun with pets Did you know that hamsters’ teeth never stop growing? To prevent overgrown gnashers, it’s important that they have chewable toys to gnaw on! Go…

Nothing quite prepares you for the moment you hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time. But on that day in November 2018, when that gentle thumping noise on the monitor suddenly doubled, my own heart skipped a beat. ‘Congratulations, you’re having twins,’ the sonographer smiled. I stared at the screen in disbelief, then looked to my husband Oliver, 37, his mouth wide open in shock. With four kids at home – Imogen, now eight, Jacob, seven, Theo, six, and Sebastian, three – we already ady had our hands full. We’d been worried about bringing another baby into the family – let alone two! But when the shock wore off, we were so excited. A few weeks later, we found out we were having two boys. And even though it…

One in a melon Say hello to spring with this new watermelon range from Yes to. 1. Yes to Watermelon Facial wipes, £4.99, Beauty Bay These much loved biodegradable wipes are now infused with watermelon for a super fresh and effective cleanse. Lightly hydrate and exfoliate with just one swipe. 2. Yes to Watermelon Jelly Mask, £12.99, Beauty Bay The perfect drink for thirsty skin. This lightweight, cooling jelly mask instantly hydrates the skin. Apply an even layer and relax for 10 minutes before washing off, to reveal a brighter complexion. 3. Yes to Watermelon Paper mask, £2.99, Beauty Bay Leaving your skin refreshed, bright and smooth in just 10 minutes, this paper mask is perfect for masking on the move. Whether you’re on a plane, train or just at home,…

THIS WEEK Get talking Striking up a conversation with a stranger can be daunting, but it’s an important skill to have. Vanessa Van Edwards, a behavioural investigator with Science of People (www.scienceofpeople.com) shares her top tips on starting a conversation. 1 Give a compliment Compliments are great conversation starters because they instantly flatter the recipient, making them warm up to you and more willing to participate in your conversation. Be specific and sincere. Let the person thank you for the compliment, and then you’ll find it’s so much easier to move on to pretty much any other topic. You’ve charmed them, so they’ll be much more open to what you have to say! It never hurts to be kind! 2 Small talk is key Small talk gets a lot of…

With Spring in full swing, we’re sure you’ve noticed more butterflies! This season, The Wildlife Trusts and Royal Horticultural Society have teamed up to bring you their Wild About Gardens campaign, with special attention on butterflies and moths. They’ve created a free booklet with tips on how to help these delicate garden visitors and have also asked us to pledge patch in our gardens for a butterflies and moths and plot it on their map. visit wildaboutgardens. make your mark – they want to now about every new wild area, box or border that’s been grown for these creatures. Every butterfly counts!…