Table of contents for 19-Oct-2017 in Pick Me Up!

Hilary Browning, Senior Sub-editor What A Performance! We saw Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour in London’s West End. The explicit language and narrative is not for the faint-hearted, but the young actresses sure can sing – classical as well as rock. Stunning! What A Shocker! We played a family game of Bean Boozled – where it’s a toss-up whether identicallooking jelly beans are delicious or disgusting. Dog food or smelly socks anyone? My face says it all… What A Scamp! On a London sightseeing tour with friends, we found a shady spot in Green Park for a picnic. This cheeky squirrel stopped at nothing to share the goodies, even running up our legs! Check out more cute, cheeky squirrel photos at lifedeathprizes.com/cute-squirrels Ed’s Test £25! WIN PUZZLE 1 Can you unscramble this 11-letter…

Stacey Worsley, 30 Leeds As a nurse, you get used to seeing the worst. But you just don’t expect it to happen to your loved ones... Last December, my boy Toby, 3, wasn’t feeling great. Christmas had just passed, and he had a runny nose. His face was all red and puffy. ‘Mummy, my legs hurt,’ he said. ‘He’s got a winter bug,’ I said to my hubby Simon, 30. Next morning, Toby wouldn’t get out of bed and cried when I tried to move him. Something wasn’t right… I took him to the GP, who also thought it was a virus. ‘Come back in a few days if it doesn’t get better,’ he said. I hoped for a quick recovery. In a few days, Toby was turning 4 and…

1 Go free It’s free to sign up for a basic account on most cashback sites, but some will charge you for a premium membership. So stick to the free service to avoid hidden costs. 2 Nothing is guaranteed Don’t count your pennies until they’re in your account. There are often tracking issues with cashback, which means that you may have to wait a while to be paid. 3 Shop around Don’t be seduced by cashback offers. If there’s a better deal elsewhere, then you should go for that. 4 Get your mates involved, too… Many sites will let you earn money rewards if you refer a friend to the site. Use the links to ensure that you receive your bonus.…

Megan finally has an answer after 15 years Megan Phillips, 30, Abingdon, Oxfordshire ‘I’ve taken up pilates and yoga to help relax the muscles’ My periods have been painful ever since they began when I was 13. ‘It’s completely normal,’ my mum Dawn, now 67, tried to reassure me. Little did we know, these were not ordinary cramps… By the time I reached 16, the agony had only got worse, and I was practically bleeding for the whole month, but with a break of five to 10 days. I didn’t know that it wasn’t normal. Everyone hates their periods, right? My cycle regulated when I started taking the Pill, but the pain stayed – at times so bad, I couldn’t even go to work. At 19, I thought I’d found…

Joanne Armitage, 35, Derby By the time she reached nursery, I knew there was a problem with my daughter Bethany – I just didn’t know what. She meant well, but didn’t understand personal space, which made her interactions with other children difficult. Bethany also fell over lots and struggled to concentrate on activities at nursery. School was no better, as she’d get frustrated when she couldn’t complete work, and had trouble keeping friends. Me and husband Iain, 42, had taken Bethany to countless doctors, but nobody knew what was wrong. Doctors thought she was on the autistic spectrum, they just couldn't tell where. ‘We’ll find out what it is,’ Iain reassured me. It was clear Bethany had some form of special needs, but with no diagnosis, people just thought she…

Karen Chambers, 49, West Wickham, Kent Getting in from work, I flicked on the kettle . After a long day, I loved unwinding with a few games of Pick Me Up! Bingo. I’d recently been playing Bingo Lounge and loved it – a member of the site for years, I’d made loads of friends in the chat rooms. Hi everyone, I typed. A flurry of replies came back. While I chatted away with my bingo buddies, or roomies as they’re fondly known, I let the games play out. My numbers were automatically dabbed off one by one. Then I realised I only needed one more number to scoop the jackpot. You’re going to do it, someone messaged me – and they were right. Soon a winning message and confetti filled…

Serves: 16 Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 30 min For the blondie base: □ 200g unsalted butter (melted) □ 150g light brown sugar □ 150g granulated sugar □ 2 eggs □ 1tsp vanilla extract □ 300g Hplain flour □ ½tsp bicarbonate of soda □ 100g white chocolate chips □ 3tbsp confetti sprinkles For the cheesecake: □ 300g full-fat cream cheese □ 75g golden caster sugar □ 1 egg □ 1tsp vanilla extract □ 2½tsp custard powder □ Gel food colours (pink, blue, purple) 1 Stir the butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and vanilla. 2 Add the flour and bicarbonate and mix well. 3 Fold in the white chocolate chips and sprinkles, then pour into a lined tin and spread evenly. Set to one side. 4 To make the…

She’d been likened to Joni Mitchell, tipped for stardom. But, in 1972, folk singer Shelagh McDonald, 24, vanished into thin air, just as she was on the brink of hitting the big time. Shelagh had moved from Edinburgh to London in the 60s, searching for fame and fortune. The singer-songwriter soon took the folk scene by storm. Her haunting voice and bewitching performances were raved about by music mags like NME and Melody Maker. Talented and beautiful, audiences loved her. Shelagh was snapped up by record company B&C Records. And, by 1970, her first, eponymous album Shelagh McDonald was released, with modest sales. Yet, when her second LP Stargazer was released in 1971, copies flew off the shelves. Shelagh began recording tracks for her third solo album. Only, she suddenly…

CHIC STRIPES The thin, vertical stripes on this high-necked shirt will streamline your shape. Wear it loose with skinny jeans or tucked into a curveskimming skirt. Try this…. Specially Selected Organic Avocado Oil, £3.49, Aldi Containing four times more cholesterollowering beta-Sitosterol than olive oil, each tasty bottle contains the oil of 20 avocados. Skinny Brands Lager, £5.10 for 4, Tesco Enjoy a tipple without worrying about the calories – these contain just 89 calories each. That’s 35% less than the average lager. Take 3... Pick Me Up! FOR LESS THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS NAME: Anne Marie Duffie, 56, Falkirk VITAL STATISTICS: I have been dieting for years. I’d lose a bit, then go back to my old ways. At my biggest, I was 13st 4lb and a size 18.…

Mary Catherine Murphy, 45, Gorey, Ireland ‘If you’d told me I’d be a runner, I would’ve laughed’ Making it to the finish line, I was ecstatic. I’d just taken part in my first half-marathon, and actually completed it! It was 2015 and I’d just finished the Rock ’n’ Roll run in Dublin. If you’d told me a few years before that I’d be a runner, I would’ve laughed at you. I’d always been overweight, was known as the chubby one at school and just kept getting bigger. Soon, at over 20st, I’d barely waddle to the chip shop without needing a lie down. ‘You’ll need medication,’ said my doctor in early 2010. I was 38, and had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. My hubby Willie and I were shocked.…

Puzzle 1 Ed’s Test p3 Final answer Puzzle 2 Follow It! p8 Final answer Puzzle 3 Bitesize! p29 Final answer Puzzle 4 Cross It! p32 Final answer Puzzle 5 Sudoku! p32 Final answer Puzzle 6 Crack It! p37 Final answer Puzzle 7 Strike It! p44 Final answer Puzzle 8 Number Fit! p44 Final answer GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR READERS! Pick Me Up!, published by Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, will collect your personal information solely to process your competition entry. We will not be using this issue’s competition entries to send you special offers or to pass on to third parties. 4 WAYS TO ENTER EASY TO ENTER ONLINE! ONLINE It’s free and only takes a moment to enter from your smartphone or on your laptop. Join our Pick Me Up! comp club now and enter your puzzle…

Karen Walkup, 35, Kirkcaldy Browsing profiles on a dating app, I felt a surge of excitement. I’d been divorced for three years, and was ready to find love again. I got a match! My phone suddenly buzzed with a message from a guy called Stephen Lynch – I recognised him as a friend of a friend. Chatting away, the conversation flowed. I told him about my daughter, then 3, and he seemed so interested in my life. ‘Let’s go for dinner,’ he said days on, in December 2012. After a few dates, I was smitten. Introducing him to my girl, weeks on, felt natural. Stephen would buy me flowers, wine and dine me. He seemed the perfect boyfriend. ‘Move in with me,’ Stephen, then 30, asked, two months after we’d…

What treatment? Q I’ve got fibromyalgia, which is exhausting, and I’d really like to know what treatment is best to help improve my pain and disability? Carlene, Andover AThe best evidence is that regular exercise can help reduce pain and improve function. Cognitive behavioural therapy is also effective and has a sustained response. Evidence that medication is beneficial is less compelling. Poorly ears Q My son isn’t even a year old and already he’s had a couple of ear infections, which make him miserable. Is it normal, and should he be given antibiotics next time he’s infected? Philippa, Dudley A Ear infections are very common in children between 6-11 months and rarer beyond 3 years old. Your son will eventually grow out of them as he gets bigger. They come on rapidly…

Glitzy decor, three floors pumping out upbeat tunes, and glamorous dancers on the stage. This was once the positive image of the popular Pulse bar in Orlando, Florida. The muchloved nightclub, founded in 2004, often held events for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities, but was open to everyone, young, old, gay and straight. It epitomised the diversity of the LGBT community and its supporters. State of panic Sadly, on 12 June last year, this unique space, where people felt secure and comfortable, became the scene of a horrific massacre that rocked America. It was a deadly act of violence against LGBT people and a shocking terrorist attack. This tragic and horrific loss of life was down to one man – Omar Mateen. The 29-year-old opened fire inside…

PLUS £25 FREE-PLAY* How to claim your gift card: 1 Visit pickmeupbingo.com/offer 2Join today with promo code PMUJ42T 3 Deposit £10, play with £35* plus a £10 Gift Card will be posted to you** Hurry – last few days! Terms and conditions:*18+ UK only. Registration required. New members only. Minimum £10 deposit. Welcome Bonus: You must accept the Welcome Bonus when you deposit £10 to receive £25 bonus play. 250% Welcome Bonus – max £250 bonus. Bonus must be wagered four times before withdrawals (including, but not limited to, any cash winnings or deposits related to the applicable bonus) from your member account. Wager and cash out requirements apply. The Welcome Bonus will expire within 30 days if not used in its entirety. See full T&Cs at pickmeupbingo.com **Gift card:…

Hedgehogs go by many names – urchins, hedgepigs or even furze-pigs! A group of them is called an array. HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW… • Candy Crush is so last season. Now, the person sitting next to us is streaming the telly live on their tablet. • So many of our vegetables have become spaghetti – think courgetti! • Vaping has well and truly taken off! • Now making a major fashionstatement comeback – it’s that old fave, the slogan T-shirt! FEELING PECKISH? There are about 10,500 chippies in the UK and it’s our favourite takeaway. Here’s some fishy facts... 1 One of our fave gongs – The National Fish & Chip Awards – has been going for 27 years! 2 Chips (or pommes frites, as they are also known!) arrived…

Bring a splash of colour to your winter wardrobe with this gorgeous purple beaded bracelet – for absolutely FREE. Simply send a 75p-stamped, self-addressed envelope with the completed coupon to the address below. And why not team your bracelet with the matching 42in long necklace, which has large lustrous purple beads that look great over a jumper or dress, at the great price of £6? There’s also a 17in silver-plated snake-chain necklace with a dragonfly charm and extender chain for just £5. Silver-plated purple studs and knots are only £6 for both pairs add a fabulous finishing touch. The full set costs just £17, and if you order it all, we’ll enclose another jewellery gift – absolutely free! How to claim your free bracelet * Complete the coupon and send…

Russell Hobbs The Impact Iron, £49.99, Argos If you’re as clumsy as we are, you know that ironing can be pretty dangerous! Luckily, the folk at Russell Hobbs have created an iron that’s been built to survive being dropped up to five times from the height of an average ironing board. Ferrari iPhone Cover Spray, £30, The Perfume Shop Keep the man in your life smelling good on the go with this fragrancefilled phone case. Containing 25ml of Ferrari Black Eau de Toilette, this case is the first of its kind to hit the market. Jimini’s Edible Grasshoppers, £6.99, firebox.com Next time you’re feeling a bit peckish, why not reach for a delicious packet of grasshoppers? Available in four flavours, these crunchy little fellas are high in protein and iron…

Angel Sallai, 19, Polebrook Looking out at the huge crowd, I took a deep breath. ‘Good evening, ladies and gentleman!’ I bellowed to the 800 faces. Then the rest of the evening went by in a flash of juggling, tightrope walking and acrobatics. Just another night doing the best job in the world – circus ring mistress! And, at 19, I’m one of the youngest in the country. I was born in the circus – Dad’s a juggler, Mum’s a trapeze artist. We travelled around England for about eight months of the year while I was growing up. I went to school for four months of the year, then did the rest by correspondence. I had such a brilliant childhood, watching the circus every day and playing with all the…

Caitlyn Fulton, 17, Kilmarnock Aged just 7, I zipped along with my walking frame... At birth, I’d been 14 weeks premature. My mum had noticed I took longer to roll or sit up than other babies. Then I couldn’t stand or take my first steps without help. Turned out I had a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia that affects the limbs. For me, it’s my legs that are affected. Growing up, I couldn’t walk unaided because of high muscle tone in my legs, which means they’re tight and difficult to separate. But I went to a mainstream primary school and took it all in my stride – well, the stride of my walking frame! Still, I made friends – I was just a little slower moving about than…

Kirsty Weston, 29, St Albans, Herts Admittedly, Rita Ora would look fab wearing a bin bag. But her funky, rainbow-dyed hair was really doing it for me! Rita wasn’t the only supercool celeb opting for the ‘unicorn’ look, with trendy pastel highlights. Everyone from Britney Spears to Lady Gaga had it. It looked amazing! I could do with a change, I thought, running my fingers through my long, dark locks. My mum Helen, 57, was a hairdresser, but there was no way I’d ask her to do it. I could imagine what she’d say… ‘Kirsty, you’ve got beautiful hair. Why do you want to ruin it?’ she’d nag. No, I was going to do a bit of DIY. Surely, it couldn’t be that hard…could it? I just had to lighten…

Bargains galore With more than a thousand different items on sale daily, flubit.com is a fab place to bag a bargain! Working with more than 1,500 UK and Irish online retailers, it offers products from brands such as Cath Kidston and Sony for great prices. Mix and match Pick up any three products in the new Tesco Deli Range for just £5 (usually £2.50 or £2.30 each). Tasty treats include these meatballs in a smoky marinade. Goodbye stains Dr Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover shifts stubborn stains and neutralises pet odour. Try it for just £3 (usually £3.50) in Sainsbury’s until 31 Oct. Sweet shot Sweeten your coffee with the delicious new Monin Salted Caramel Syrup. It’s now just £2 (normally £3) at Sainsbury’s until 31 October. Fancy feet Head to…

1 Turner syndrome only affects boys. □ True □ False 2 The condition causes growth spurts. □ True □ False 3 TS can result in learning difficulties. □ True □ False 4TS is incurable. □ True □ False 1 FALSE Turner syndrome only affects females. Girls with TS have one normal X sex chromosome instead of the usual two. 2 FALSE Women with TS can be shorter and may have underdeveloped ovaries, which can lead to a lack of periods and even infertility. 3 TRUE Some girls with TS have learning difficulties – including hyperactivity, plus problems with attention, social relationships, spatial awareness and numeracy. 4 TRUE There’s no cure, but treatments include growth-hormone therapy and oestrogen-replacement therapy. Regular health checks are recommended to rule out complications. Next Week DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS…

Katie Addison, 36, Great Ponton ‘ Remember to put on your seatbelt,’ I told my son Hugo, 4, as he clambered into his child’s seat on the passenger side of my car. We soon set off, so I could drop Hugo off at his nursery before making my way to the nearby school where I worked as a teacher. It was Tuesday 11 July. We took the same route we did every day, along the A1. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Until... SMASH! Something came crashing through the windscreen, sending shards of glass everywhere. The next thing I knew, I was heading into the central reservation. Dazed, in shock, I couldn’t open my right eye, didn’t understand what’d happened. ‘Dazed, in shock, I didn’t understand what’d happened’ Ambulance! ‘Mummy,…

Francisca Sofley, 39, Lisburn, Northern Ireland My heart sank as I heard the words, ‘I’m so sorry, but I can’t find a heartbeat.’ It was May 2010 and I was 17 weeks pregnant with my first baby. But recently I’d felt something wasn’t right, and I’d started to bleed. Now the sonographer was confirming my worst fears. My precious baby had died in my womb. ‘We’ll try again,’ my husband Brian, 48, promised. In time, we did. A surprise ‘I was as wide as I was tall – took early maternity leave’ When I fell pregnant exactly a year later, we weren’t taking any chances. Royal Hospital Victoria in Belfast arranged for me to have an early scan. At nine weeks, Brian and I held our breath as the sonographer…

TRIED & TESTED This week: Mauve nail polish 1 Essence The Gel Nail Polish in Gossip Girl, £1.60, Wilko Forget grey and beige, mauve is the new neutral! Essence polishes always give a lovely glossy finish, and this didn’t disappoint. I’ll be choosing this shade often throughout autumn. 2 Essie Nail Polish in Girly Grunge, £7.99, Superdrug I’m totally sold on this shimmery, metallic mauve – it reminds me of my favourite 90s nail polishes! The wide, fan brush makes it easy to apply for a super-speedy mani. 3 Jessica Custom Nail Colour in Haute Hoodie, £11, John Lewis I usually hunt down the best beauty bargains, but this luxury polish is well worth splashing out on for the salon quality. It’s so highly pigmented that one stroke gives perfect…

Isabella, 20 Slipping on my favourite boots, I checked my reflection one last time. ‘You look lovely,’ my mum Jenny smiled. It was Saturday night and my girlfriends and I were going into Birmingham to celebrate my friend Sophie’s 18th. I couldn’t wait. We all met for pre-drinks in another mate Chloe’s house before heading into the city. ‘I’m so excited,’ Sophie giggled in the back of the taxi. ‘It’s going to be fab,’ I agreed. After paying our fare, we hopped from club to club, downing shots and singing our favourite songs before heading to our favourite haunt, The Nightingale Club. The DJ played all our favourite songs, and Sophie, Chloe and I boogied to Beyonce before snapping a group selfie. ‘Happy birthday, Soph!’ we chorused, having another shot.…

Elena Bates, 29, Southampton Standing at the top of the aisle at East Horton Golf Club, I was so excited. I was about to marry my best friend Oliver, 29, watched by my friends and relatives. But then I heard laughter behind me... No, my wedding gown wasn't tucked in my knickers... Isabelle, my gorgeous mastiff, was trotting up the aisle with my bridesmaids. She wore a flower collar to match the pink-and-green theme we'd chosen, and she had an important job. ‘We both knew Isabelle had to be part of our big day’ She was carrying the rings in a pouch around her neck. I’d met Isabelle four years earlier, while working for the Blue Cross. She'd been abandoned in a park after being brutally attacked, was covered in scars…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Time is money this week, Aries. Utilise your time properly or it could end up costing you financially and professionally. You’d be wise to make a plan before you begin your week so you know that your priorities are in order, my friend. Success awaits if you do. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Someone who you thought wasn’t on your side in a personal issue will surprise you. Money matters come to the fore on Thursday and Friday when you’d be wise to be honest with your figures. The stars say those you’re dealing with know a lot more than you think! Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June You’ve got some really serious questions to ask your head and your heart.…