Table of contents for 25-Jan-2024 in Pick Me Up!

STAR LETTER You’ve heard of the classic ‘Puss in Boots’ – here’s my wife Fiona’s remake, called ‘Fee in Wellie’. Mike Lunn, North Ayrshire My four-year-old granddaughter Poppy is such a comedian and is always making us laugh. Patricia Beasley, Swadlincote My little Wiggles is all sorted for the next time he goes out on walkies and it’s raining cats and frogs… I mean dogs! Krissie Cope, Manchester I fundraise all year round to raise money for animal rescues. Meet my three rescue doggies – Willow, George and Annie. Debbie Farley, Cumbria If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying…

Idyllic countryside, a fresh sea breeze, quaint towns and plenty of stunning natural beauty on show, the New Forest should definitely be on your radar this winter. It’s the perfect place to reset and roam wild! Giddy up! The forest is famous for its horses and the native breed of New Forest ponies that live there. In fact, you can spot up to 5,000 ponies grazing in the forest. You may even see some cattle and wild boar, too. The ponies have lived in the New Forest for over 2,000 years and are now considered a rare species. But don’t get too close, these are wild animals after all. The ponies are only rounded up once a year and are not used to being handled, so you shouldn’t pet them…

Going in for my scan with my husband Mark, we were both feeling very nervous. Already suffering from two miscarriages, we’d booked an early scan at eight weeks. We hoped this time would be different. ‘It looks like your dates are wrong,’ the sonographer said. ‘You’re measuring at six weeks – come back again in two weeks.’ After an agonising two weeks, we discovered I’d miscarried – my body still thought it was pregnant. ‘Because you’ve had three recurrent miscarriages, we will do some tests,’ the doctors then said. I was booked in for surgery in August 2018 to remove the remnants of the pregnancy. It was a horrible time and the only way Mark, 33, and I could get through it was to check in on each other. We’d…

Fall in love with cooking again with Ian Bursnall’s debut cookbook The Skint Cook. With over 80 simple, delicious and budget-friendly recipes, there are tips and tricks for every budget and skill level. • The Skint Cook by Ian Bursnall, £20, Amazon Treat of the week Blackberry Fool & Ginger Nut Topping Serves: 4 YOU WILL NEED: ☐ 250ml double cream☐ 3 tbsp icing sugar☐ 1 tsp vanilla extract☐ 150g cream cheese☐ 100g Greek yoghurt☐ 200g fresh blackberries☐ 2 tsp caster sugar☐ 4 crunchy ginger biscuits TIP: You could make these ahead and chill in the fridge, then add the biscuit crumbs just before serving. I might try this again adding a splash of balsamic vinegar to the blackberries before mushing them up. 1 Take the cream cheese out of the…

Looking out the shop window, it was pouring with rain. On 27 September 2017, I was finishing up my shift at Barnardo’s in Dublin city centre. I was moving to London and it was important that I visited my family before I left. So after my shift, I would be catching the 39 bus all the way to Blanchardstown. At 5.30pm, the packed bus arrived. Finding a spot at the front of the lower deck, it was so busy I couldn’t take my jacket off. I’ll pick you up when you get to Blanchardstown, my dad Noel, 68, had texted me. We were packed in like sardines on the bus Getting as comfortable as I could, the journey would take about 45 minutes. But after about 20 minutes into the journey,…

Lowering my headset onto my head, I picked up my controller. Loading up the game, I grinned gleefully as the opening scenes of Dragon Age: Inquisition flashed across my TV screen. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, I thought. And diving straight into the 2015 release, I found myself getting lost in a whole new magical world. For the hours that I spent gaming, I wasn’t just a 50-year-old social researcher – I was an armoured hero instead, fending off huge dragons with my valiant sword. I could be anyone I wanted to be and explore new worlds, all in the comfort of my home. Only, when I put in my annual leave request at work, not everyone truly understood. I’m booking a week off, I told my…

With Dr Elise Dallas, women’s health GP at The London General Practice (thelondongeneralpractice.com) After-sex spotting Q I’ve noticed that I get blood spotting after having sex. Should I be worried? Carrie, Stratford-upon-Avon A Discovering light spotting, bleeding or pink discharge after intercourse, even without pain, can be concerning. However, bleeding after sex is a common symptom and there are various reasons for it. While occasional spotting is normal, if you’ve experienced bleeding for more than three months then you should see a specialist. This can be attributed to benign causes like minor trauma caused by vaginal dryness or hormonal fluctuations that change throughout our menstrual cycle. Some lubricant and local oestrogen can help with this. It could also indicate underlying issues such as infections like chlamydia, which is very common…

Leaning forward to give my webcam pal an eyeful of cleavage, I smiled alluringly. ‘Tell me your fetishes,’ I purred. ‘My husband’s at work, we can have some fun…’ As I struck naughty poses in my lacy lingerie, I grabbed a dildo from my nightstand and the man on the video went wild. But just then, I heard the front door open. ‘I’ve got to go,’ I said, blowing a kiss to the screen and packing away my video equipment. Pulling on a dressing gown, I ran downstairs to greet my husband John, 45. ‘How was your day?’ I asked, giving him a peck on the cheek – but I wasn’t having a torrid affair or hiding a dirty secret from my hubby. I was an OnlyFans star – and…

Janey Morrissey is an accredited BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) psychotherapist and counsellor, with a passion for helping people with all sorts of life challenges. To find out more, search Janey Morrissey Psychotherapy and visit bacp.co.uk Love after loss Q Will I ever be able to find love again as a widow? It just seems like an impossible feat as I’ve got what is considered ‘baggage’. Shauna, Salford A We all bring our own world of experience and pain, love and loss to every interaction and relationship we have. Your history is what makes you unique, and this is what will be loved, honoured and held by the right people in your world. It is absolutely possible to find love after loss. It is just about finding a…

Living her life to the full, those who knew Lynn Hernan couldn’t keep up with her extensive list of passions and hobbies. Surrounded by the same lifelong friends in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lynn graduated from LaFollette High School in 1974. It was then that she went on to chase her dream of becoming a hairstylist, owning her own salon. Something she was well-known for in the community. And for the first 40 years of her extraordinary life, friends claimed that she had lived more than most people did in a lifetime. In her spare time, the 62-year-old would soak up the sunshine, splash around in the water, and loved to entertain and cook, too. However, most of all, she had a deep passion for vintage black and white movies, the actress…

Catch Claire live on Facebook ARIES 21 March–20 April A close one is willing to give you the support you want, if you’re willing to accept it. Some would say you’ve been blaming others for help you would not let them give you at the end of last year. New faces you meet via old friends adds sparkle and opportunity to your personal life as never before. A split in the family should not see you taking sides. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May For a sign such as you, if you have accomplished all you planned for yourself, you have not planned enough. You know you are born for great things, so stop playing down what you want. Family pressures haven’t eased, but take time out to…

Get in a feel-good mood with these stunning scents from Good Aura Co – they’ll keep your home smelling scrumptious. Whatever the mood, set the tone with a signature scent. • Please visit: goodauraco.com…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great prize from Addis. Convenient for ease of storage, this colander is collapsible and can be expanded when ready to use. Simply fold away after use and pull out again when needed. Great for vegetables, pasta and washing your fruit, it’s a kitchen must-have. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Be a winner! Keeping tabs On holiday, I started reading and realised I didn’t have a bookmark. The only thing I could find in my handbag to use was a face mask. I fastened it onto my page to make the perfect bookmark! Mel Lodge, West Yorkshire Tip of the week Messy makeover I always tape over the lids when buying new tins of paint. It saves…

1. Murder on Lake Garda – Tom Hindle, £14.99, Waterstones Got a taste for classic crime thrillers? Author Tom Hindle is giving Agatha Christie a run for her money! If you’re a fan of Murder on the Orient Express or Death on the Nile, you’ll love this. On the private island of Castello Fiore, the wedding party are surrounded by the blissful waters of Lake Garda. There’s one happy couple despite two divided families. But when the ceremony begins, there’s a startling scream that dooms the big day. Can the wedding guests unite? Or will family rivalries mean everything comes crashing down? And most importantly, will the killer strike again? 2. Daughters of Warsaw – Maria Frances, £8.99, Waterstones Calling all history lovers – if fiction based on real-life events…

Getting the iPad out my bag, my son Noah snuggled into my legs. Switching on Toy Story, this wasn’t a case of settling down on the sofa for a movie and cuddles. We were watching from his hospital bed. Noah, now six, was born incredibly poorly and as a result, he needed 24/7 care. My husband Craig, 47, and I found out I was pregnant in 2017. Only a rocky pregnancy had resulted in Noah being premature at 27 weeks. He came into the world on 31 July 2017, weighing just 2lb. I had to have an emergency C-section under anaesthetic, and Noah was rushed from Grimsby to Sheffield Hospital while I recovered. Noah was born with bleeds on his brain and chronic lung disease. He was fighting for his…

Boiling the kettle, I got the milk out of the fridge before realising that I couldn’t make my usual drink. There’s not enough left, I thought, unable to make my typical morning iced brew. Normally waking up at 7am, I’d leave my hubby Danyal, 23, to snooze as I headed to the kitchen, before sticking something on the TV for my daughter Alayla, now one. Which is exactly what I did on 16 August 2023. After celebrating Alayla’s first birthday just the day before, coffee was exactly what I needed. With pink balloons around the room and a smash cake in the fridge, we’d made the day as special as we could. So somewhat returning to normality, getting Alayla’s porridge and toast ready, that’s when I realised I didn’t have…

Bitesize! pg 3 Trek Strike it! pg 13 Vampire (Cross out: 6, 11, 25, 38, 40, 52, 66, 67, 72) Crack it! pg 23 Milestone Fill it! pg 13 Vacation Sudoku pg 36 3,5,6 Cross it! pg 36 Hotels Number fit! pg 13 4626 Brick trick! pg 10 Ride a bike Number fit! pg 10 3746 Follow it! pg 8 Journey 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 weekin our sister magazine, Chat.…