Table of contents for 04-Feb-2021 in Pick Me Up!

Pushing the buggy around the park, we stopped at the pond to see the ducks. ‘Look Sylas, your favourite animal!’ I said to my one-year-old son, pointing. ‘Quack, quack!’ Sylas said. ‘Good boy!’ I smiled. ‘Mummy, Daddy,’ Sylas said to me and my partner Nils, 31. ‘That’s right, Mummy and Daddy,’ I beamed. Sylas was so advanced for his age, and we were the proudest parents in the world. He began talking and walking at 10-months old – he was ever so intelligent. He could say ‘hello’, ‘bye’, ‘yeah’ and ‘no’. He knew his head, shoulders, knees and toes, and he loved sticking his tongue out. Full of smiles, he was a proper little character. Sylas was a big eater and loved to demolish a full English breakfast whilst watching…

FRESHLY WASHED FEELING Charles Worthington Grow Strong Dry Shampoo, £5.99, available from Boots Delay hair wash day and protect against additional hot water and heated tool damage with this new Grow Strong Dry Shampoo – designed to leave hair stronger and grow longer. This ultra-lightweight, invisible finish dry shampoo is enriched with pro-vitamin B5 and pea-sprout extract, instantly absorbing excess oil at the root for that freshly washed feeling. The odour neutralising fragrance leaves hair smelling clean and fresh all day long, without the need for excess washing. With a beautiful rose gold aerosol can, this will look beautiful on your vanity. Feel luxurious at an affordable price. Silky smooth Herbal Essences Pure Aloe & Avocado Oil Collection Meet the newest addition to Herbal Essences’ incredible Bio:Renew Sulphate Free line…

Leading flower and plant delivery company, Bunches, has launched a range of new large indoor plants. The family-run business delivers ethical flowers and plants, with 10% profits going to charity. They even offer free courier delivery for houseplants standing between 70cm and 95cm tall. Whether you wish to brighten up your home office, turn your bathroom into a jungle oasis, or gift some greenery to a loved one, plants are the perfect home accessory in 2021. Cheese Plant, £ 37 With its unique leaf shape, the Cheese Plant is perfect for an iconic, retro look. Pair with a ‘millennial pink’ backdrop, or bold printed furniture, with the large, glossy leaves for a statement look. They can help to improve concentration, and reduce stress levels. Thriving in warm, humid atmospheres, they’re…

1. Personalised cakes Personalised gifts have seen a dramatic increase over the past year, and will continue to trend. People love being able to send and receive cakes with photos, names and treasured memories. It really adds magic to any gift! It’s also a very thoughtful way of showing you really care about someone by taking the time to create a bespoke, one-of-a-kind cake. 2. Letterbox cakes Many people haven’t heard of letterbox cakes, but they are a fantastic alternative to sending a card in the post. This is especially handy throughout lockdown when you can’t be with your loved ones to celebrate a special occasion. The perfect doorstep surprise! 3. Children’s touches Sending grandparents and family members little snippets of kid’s drawings is great, but having them printed onto…

Tiny hands, £9.99, Firebox.com Replace your boring regular-sized hands with these miniature mitts! Hilarious and creepy in equal measure. Pizza scissors, £9.99, Prezzybox.com Gone are the days of a pizza slicer! These pizza scissors have a practical spatula on the bottom blade. Simply slide and cut. Croissant cushion, £16, RedCandy.co.uk Verdict: BONKERS! A little helping hand. Did someone say breakfast in bed? This croissant cushion is here to cuddle you with its crust.…

The wealthy suburb of Claremont, Perth, was a popular nightspot for the young Australians in the city. But for over a year between 1996 and 1997, Claremont was struck with fear because of a killer stalking the streets. That terror would continue for a decade as the predator remained uncaptured. The case of the Claremont Serial Killer would become one of the state’s longest running and most expensive investigations. The high-profile mystery was a scar on the city and would never heal. On January 26, 1996, Sarah Spiers, 18, was out with friends celebrating Australia Day. Having recently graduated from high school, she’d started a job as a secretary and was sharing a flat with her older sister in south Perth. That night, Sarah arrived at the popular venue, Club…

Bitesize! ACROSS 1 Act of selling (4) 5 Parched with heat (4) 6 Organ of flight (4) 7 Savant (4) DOWN 1 Cutting tools (4) 2 Opera song (4) 3 Heather (4) 4 Verge (4) Read down the shaded squares for the answer. Answer on page 47. Follow it! Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers. The answer is spelled in the yellow squares. Answers on page 47. Fill it! Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Insect. Answer on page 47. ACROSS 7 Vagrant (5) 8 The _ Redemption, 1994 film adapted from a story by 20 Across, and starring 17 Across & 19 Down (9) 10…

Get baking! In 2020, searches for banana bread went up around 84% in the UK! And we’re all at it again. Home appliance manufacturer Hisense has proudly united with the Love Food Hate Waste campaign to raise awareness about food wastage. And this delicious loaf is a perfect way to use up those overripe bananas! www.hisense.co.uk □ 4 ripe bananas □ 60g flour □ 2 eggs □ 60g oatmeal □ 3 tbsp honey □ 60g sugar □ 100 ml milk □ 12g baking powder □ 100 ml coconut oil □ 150g chocolate 1 Heat oven to 180°C. Peel 3 bananas and smash them in a bowl with a fork. Add eggs, honey, milk and coconut oil. 2 In another bowl mix together flour, oatmeal, sugar and baking powder. Add dry…

Lucy Power is a leading Conscious Success Coach and co-founder of Beyond School which offers a new way of learning for families. Lucy helps people to raise their self-awareness and develop into their very best self. www.beyondschool.co Making the break Q I know my friend wants to leave her husband. She’s been sleeping on the sofa for over a year, but she can’t afford to leave and her husband refuses to move out. What can I suggest? Lana, Cornwall A I am sorry to read this and I want you to know that there is hope and there are options for your friend. There are a range of advice lines she could use for legal, financial and support resources. I would start with the Citizens Advice Bureau who are a…

Puppy love Racking up millions of views on YouTube, ‘cute dog’ compilations seems to tug on our heartstrings when we need them most. With recent studies showing that watching videos of cute dogs and puppies can reduce stress, Pet Department at OnBuy, wanted to find out if cuddling our four-legged friends could reduce stress even more, and if so, which breed makes you feel most relaxed. The results show that Labrador Retrievers reduce stress the most, with a 51% decrease from a stressed heart rate after five minutes of cuddling. In second place is Huskies, with owners reporting an average BPM of 52 down from 105 when cuddling the blue-eyed beauties. Which pooch reduces your stress? Insta love @lottie_and_poppy Two little sausage dogs living life to the fullest. Five-year-old Lottie…

Statistics can be boring, but if there is one that should stick in your head, it’s that 10 trillion pieces of single-use packaging are created every year for human consumption. Sadly, us humans can be tough nuts to crack and it can take us up to 45 days to form a new habit. Alison McLagan, co-founder of leading reusables brand Ecoffee Cup, shares her tips for how we can all make small and easy changes to help us live a more sustainable lifestyle. Choose to reuse Ditching everyday single-use items such as plastic bottles, paper coffee cups and plastic food containers doesn’t have to be as daunting as you may think – today there are endless sustainable alternatives to choose from. Think about replacing a single-use option with a reusable.…

28 January - 3 February ARIES 21 March–20 April The way you are talking to your close ones, some people would regard as rude and uncaring. Try to make the extra effort today to compliment those who you love. It can help build important bridges around you. Last week’s Full Moon clearly left you with issues still to solve. Admitting what needs to change in work is your key to finding yourself again. Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Saturn and Jupiter bring unforeseen events. The Sun helps you to feel more positive about the future and you no longer worry about what if, instead you think about when things will happen. Use this determined attitude to talk round a younger face. What you say to them this…

INSTANT appointment With Dr Vipran Vijaya, a GP at Spire Parkway Solihull Living hell Q My menopause symptoms have been making my life hell for the last two years. How long will this go on for? Jill, Suffolk A When it comes to the menopause, every woman is different. I would advise you to see your GP and explain the kind of symptoms you are suffering from that are making your life so miserable. Has hormone replacement therapy (HRT) been considered? By replacing hormones that are at a lower level as you approach menopause, HRT can help relieve some of the symptoms you may be suffering from. Speak to your GP and I am certain they will be able to make life more bearable for you. There are lots of…

Hands planted on my burgeoning bump, I smiled to myself. It was January 2019, and I was nine months pregnant. Despite my initial nerves, I couldn’t wait to meet my little boy. ‘Not long now,’ I smiled to my partner, Mark, 30. ‘I’m so excited,’ he beamed back. The pair of us were thrilled to be first-time parents, and as the days went on, we were itching for our boy to finally make an appearance. But as my due date came and went, I started to worry. ‘Why’s he taking so long?’ I said to my mum, Debbie. ‘He’s obviously comfy in there,’ she reassured me. And after a long 12 days overdue, it finally seemed like our boy was on the way. Doubled over in pain, cramps overwhelmed me.…

Couple John Clark (aka The Meal Prep King) and Charlotte Deniz have lost an incredible 15 stone between them! By prepping their meals in advance, they were able to manage calories, money, and time, while eating delicious food. Their success story went viral this time last year, giving John a massive fan base online and now his first book is here! The Meal Prep King Plan (Michael Joseph, £20) has 80 convenient and delicious batch cook recipes, as well as a helpful advice and a 21day plan. Here’s a taste… Fully loaded dirty fries Serves:2 □ 650g white potatoes□ Low-cal spray oil□ ½ a red pepper□ ½ a green pepper□ 1 tbsp vegetable oil□ 150g 5% fat lean beef mince□ 40G low-fat Cheddar cheese, grated□ Optional: 1 spring onion, finely…