Table of contents for 5-Jan-2023 in Pick Me Up!

Taking a step back to admire my handiwork, the bedside table with a fresh coat of sky blue paint took pride of place in my room. Switching off another episode of a true crime documentary, I snapped a picture of my DIY work before uploading it to my Facebook account in November 2017. Not really being a DIY person before now, with an empty nest, I didn’t have much choice – but I knew I could do it. My twins Tony* and Ruth*, 28, had both gone on to live their own lives, leaving me to find ways of entertaining myself. Only before long, it seemed my post had caused quite a stir – so much so, I had a friend request from a stranger. Lee Norris. With a string…

Leaving the hotel, I wanted to go home. Working as a learning development manager, I delivered company training and was away a lot of the time at conferences. So I was always keen to get back to the dog, and my husband Andy, 59. Only as I opened my boot, and put in my overnight bag, my arm seized, and I couldn’t lift it high enough to close it. Not again! I thought. My arthritis had been getting worse and worse, and I had been prescribed arthritis medication not long after my 50th birthday, and now it had been going on for a few years. I can’t keep living like this. My life on the road meant I wasn’t in the best shape. Constant buffets and hotel refreshments meant I…

There are few places in Turkey more magical or beautiful than Butterfly Valley. Tucked away in the port city of Fethiye, on the country’s southwestern Turquoise Coast, the designated nature reserve near Oludeniz Beach is only accessible by boat. Perfect for couples, it got its romantic name thanks to the extraordinary number of tiger butterflies that flit around the protected valley. With trails leading to stunning waterfalls and boasting unrivalled views across the crystal-clear ocean, it drew in locals and tourists alike. A beautiful location for a romantic meander. And it was no different for Hakan and Semra Aysal. To anyone looking at the couple, they seemed to have a happy relationship. Semra, 32, was seven months pregnant with the couple’s first child back when they ventured up the cliff…

Stepping off the plane, I smiled as the warm air washed over me. ‘Ah, home at last,’ I sighed aloud. Myself and my husband, Gordon, then 74, were taking our daughters and the three grandkids to Disney World. It was a special place for us all, having holidayed there for over 20 years. The atmosphere, the magic, the colour… I loved everything about it. Although I left the rollercoasters to the kids! Gordon and I met when we were both just 13 – we were true childhood sweethearts. We tied the knot on 26 September 1964. And our first trip to Disney World was in 1995. Despite it turning into a bit of a disaster – we were robbed at gunpoint in our hotel – we didn’t let it stop…

Hannah Pease is a tea-drinking, dog-walking, energetic mum of three with a passion for reading and the great outdoors. She has been married for 23 years and has a background in communications, too. As a Christian, she has walked through challenges with families who need help. Find her by searching Words for Whatever. It’s like a competition… Q I feel like my sister is always trying to compete with me. She’s five years younger, and despite having everything that I’ve got, she always tried to encroach on my life – talking to my friends, inviting herself over to mine, and copying everything I do. How do I tell her to stop? Brianna, Manchester A Bless her! She must really admire and respect you if she’s prepared to go to those…

On a crisp winter morning, the call of a robin is beautiful. But did you know everyday encounters with birds can boost your mood and help relieve depression? A study, led by King’s College, was published in the journal Scientific Reports and tracked 1,292 participants’ everyday encounters with birds last year, via a smartphone app called Urban Mind. The participants were prompted at random times to record their mood, and asked if they could hear birds at that time. The results showed that participants’ average mental wellbeing scores increased when they saw or heard birds. Andrea Mechelli, professor of early intervention in mental health at King’s College London, said: ‘We know exercise makes everyone feel better. But it’s incredibly challenging to motivate someone with depression to exercise. ‘Whereas contact with…

Shifting the festive pounds… We're all familiar with holiday weight gain – piling on the festive pounds over Christmas only for January to roll around and wonder how on earth you’re going to squeeze back into your jeans. As it turns out, your feline friends are no exception! It’s tempting to give your cat a piece of food here and there from the dining room table, but all the extra treats soon add up, along with their foodie presents under the tree. While it’s all fun and games at the time, according to Cats Protection, overweight cats are at significant risk of developing conditions such as diabetes or arthritis. So, this January, it’s important to help your cat shift the pounds so they can be in purr-fect shape for spring! As a…

Placing plenty of teddy bears into the washing basket, it was time to get to work. Switching on the stuffing machine, placed in the corner of my kitchen, anyone would have thought my house was actually Build-a-Bear. With fluff whirling around the room, and seeing the assortment of teddies taking shape, I had my own workshop. Yet, I wasn’t turning my hand to making bears to keep my son Archie, three, or daughter Amelia, six, entertained. I had a bear-y important mission to complete. With Covid meaning that there was suddenly a PPE shortage in the UK, in March 2020, I couldn’t bear to think that there were hospitals without vital equipment. That’s when I had my very own lightbulb moment. Interested in 3D printing since 2018, a process where…

Pluck perfection As we tighten the pennies this January, you may be turning to a little self-maintenance at home. We all know the dangers of home tweezing, after all, who hasn’t over-plucked once or twice in their life? However, with these expert tips from brow expert and CEO of Rubis Tweezers, Fides Baldesberger, you can get the perfect brows. Top tweezer tips: Product recommendation – Rubis Tweezers Classic Slant Tweezer, £25.50, Amazon 1. Ensure skin and tools are clean. 2. Start by tracing an outline around your brows. If you're growing out your brows, trace this line a little wider to preserve your growth. 3. To tweeze, pull the surrounding skin tight using your non-tweezing hand to minimise pain. Use your tweezers to grip each hair tightly as close to…

Cross it! Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. We’ve put in one word to help. Answer on page 47. 3 letters Mat Mob Sit Spa Sty 4 letters Cage City Cube Scan Spam 5 letters Kites Koala Mouth Pitta 6 letters Alkali Anyone Arable Basket Beckon Doable Sister 7 letters Armband Borstal Efforts 8 letters Nineteen Nitrogen Nobleman Northern Sudoku! To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle, then read down the numbers in the highlighted squares for the answer. Answer on page 47.…

Catch Claire live on Facebook www.clairepetulengro.tv ARIES 21 March–20 April Don’t give in to the emotional tricks which others are trying to play on you. You know the path you want to take and by sticking to it you’ll prove that you were right and they were wrong. Time spent with an older face in your life this week helps put your conscience at ease and stops others painting you as neglectful. Friends will know you for who you are. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May The planets have you on slow mode, but for a valid reason. You’re being given the time you could not find last week to think about what you want to happen next. This is the week that sees you deciding who you…

This week, our tip of the week will get a product from Addis. The Under Sink Storage Solution, adjusts to fit the space below your sink, perfectly. It includes 10 adjustable shelves to maximise your storage space. Coming complete with assembly instructions, it is simple and easy to construct and no tools are required. Visit: addis.co.uk Be a winner! TIME FOR TEA Did you know 64% of tea drinkers know how family D members take their tea, but only 53% know about their family history, according to research by Anchor. Anchor, the UK’s largest not-for-profit provider of care and housing for older people, urges people to chat about their history over a cuppa. Please visit: anchor.org.uk • Tea and a treat A cup of tea goes hand in hand with…

Offering support Children with ADHD often require a lot more support than those who are neurotypical. Sarah Templeton is an ADHD councillor and CBT therapist, who has some savvy tricks for supporting those in your life with the condition. How Not to Murder Your ADHD Kid: Instead Learn How to Be Your Child’s Own ADHD Coach, by Sarah Templeton, £19, available from Amazon 1) Ask. Don’t tell People with ADHD don’t like being told what to do. It’s all to do with how you word things. ‘Would you like to have your shower now or after breakfast?’ is putting them in charge. This will make them feel in control and ‘consulted’, and they won’t put their hackles up. They will also enjoy telling you their decision. 2) Reward based brain…

Winter flare-ups Q I have very sensitive skin and during the winter my facial eczema always seems to flare up. I’m really embarrassed by it – is there anything you can recommend? Corrine, Downham A Dermatologists believe that eczema frequently flares in the winter, because cold, dry air, dries the skin more than during the warmer months. • Keep warm – wear gloves, scarf and a hat outside to avoid getting too cold. • Moisturise more frequently – use an oil-based moisturiser three or four times a day. For example, Epaderm, which contains liquid paraffin (mineral oil). • Take vitamin D supplements – research shows this can reduce eczema flare-ups. • Use a humidifier – this helps keep the air moist in your home. • Use 1% hydrocortisone cream –…

Clutching at my stomach, I screamed out in pain. ‘Ow!’ I called out to my mum, Joanne, 54. ‘I’m in agony.’ I had been writhing around all evening, and this had been happening for weeks. Having recently started a new job as a journalist in January 2020, I had originally put it down to stress. But, by March, the pain was getting worse and I had started to notice blood in my stool. ‘This is getting ridiculous,’ Mum said. ‘Let’s get you to a GP tomorrow.’ ‘I’m going to book you in for a colonoscopy,’ the doctor told me, after hearing my symptoms. Oh God, it’s either going to be bowel cancer or Crohn’s, I thought, jumping to the worst-case scenario. My younger brother, Blaine, 26, had been diagnosed with…

Think green – it’s trending and fabulous for your home…