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

Like most teenage girls, I struggled coping with my hormones. Whenever I was sad, it felt like the end of the world, and when I was happy, I was absolutely euphoric. There was rarely a middle ground, but most of my friends were like it, too. Only, as we left school and grew up, my hormones never seemed to balance out. Soon, it was clear that there was more to the situation. So, getting in touch with a mental health specialist in 2004, at the age of 18, I was diagnosed with bipolar. I was glad to have answers, but something told me there was more to it. My hormones were as bad as ever, so I kept pushing. It took six years, but eventually, I was diagnosed with borderline…

Looking at my husband James, then 34, I felt overcomewith shock. 'Twins… Are you sure?’ I asked the sonographer, confused. ‘Definitely two babies,’ the sonographer smiled back. We hadn’t expected to fall pregnant so soon after our last baby – let alone have twins! It was early 2016, and we already had three children together, Jack, then seven, Abby, then four, and Matilda, then one. My bump would be the first set of twins in the family. At 15-weeks pregnant, I was referred to Birmingham Women’s Hospital for a scan, which confirmed the babies shared a placenta, and were identical twins. We had a consultation to learn about the risks associated with identical twin pregnancy. I remember the consultant mentioning Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) at the time, but…

ACROSS 7 Emigrant (5) 8 & 17 Ac. _ _ _, 2010 film starring 10 Across, 11 Across, 20 Across, 28 Across, 19 Down & 24 Down (3,6,7) 10 _ Timberlake, the singer who rose to fame while in the boy band NSYNC (6) 11 Andrew _, played pacifist Desmond Doss in 2016 war film Hacksaw Ridge (8) 12 Minor planet (8) 13 Requirement (4) 15 Weight capacity of a ship (7) 17 See 8 Across 20 Rooney _, star of the 2013 thriller Side Effects (4) 22 L-shaped tool (5,3) 25 Flourish or wave (8) 26 Foolishness (6) 27 Game like snooker (9) 28 _ Eisenberg, played Lex Luthor in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (5) DOWN 1 Short journey or trip (9) 2 Ancient temple in…

Checking into the resort, me and the girls couldn’t wait to let our hair down. ‘What shall I wear tonight?’ I asked after I’d unpacked, holding outfit options to pick from. In September 2007, my girlfriends and I had booked a week-long trip to Jamaica. At 25-years-old, it was our third trip to the country and we always had such a good time. Within a few days, we became well acquainted with our surroundings. We got to know the staff at the hotel and one member of the team had caught my eye. He was a handsome guy – who lived locally – and he would spend his evenings mingling with the guests. ‘He’s coming over,’ my friend smirked, giving me a nudge. As a guest entertainer, he was definitely…

As Instagram’s popularity has soared over the last decade, with it a whole new industry has come into the spotlight. The online world of Instagram influencers is now big business. Simply put, an influencer is a person with the ability to influence people into buying a product by promoting the items on social media. And for the majority of us, it’s become something we see every day. Scrolling through social media, it’s hard to ignore the sponsored posts and ads filling our screens. Wou ld you follow a virtual influencer? With millions of followers watching their every move, social media stars can charge a pretty penny to be seen to have their endorsement. In 2019 it was reported that Kylie Jenner charged $1.2million (?960,000) for one single post to her…

It was date night for Jeffrey and Kathleen West and the couple had exchanged affectionate messages as they’d planned their evening. The pair had been married 14 years but they still had passion in their relationship. Jeff and Kat had met back in 2004 and married in Las Vegas the same year. They had a 12-year-old daughter together and lived in Calera, Alabama. Jeff was a security guard on a college campus, and he had also served 21 years in the US army. Stay at home mum Kat, 42, was recovering from her recent breast implant surgery that she hoped would boost her already big following on her subscription adult account. Jeff was aware of what Kat was doing: in fact, he’d often take the photographs for her fans. On…

DON’T MISS THIS While a trip to the cinema might still be off the table, Asda have created the perfect alternative by partnering up with Sky Store! Their new Movie Nights In Pizza Meal Deal is unbeatable value. For just £5, you can get two medium pizzas from the pizza counter, a bottle of Coke or Fanta and a Sky Store Online Movie Voucher, to watch a movie rental worth £5.49! And don’t worry, you don’t need to be a Sky customer to watch the movie, just claim by uploading your receipt to the dedicated website within 7 days. So, whether you’re planning a family fakeaway or a much-needed movie weekend, the only thing you need to worry about is which movie to watch! GOOD DEED OF THE MONTH Bit of…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! The Mode two piece bathroom set is a sleek addition to your home. The pedal bin has a separate liner making disposing of items easier. The new ultra-convenient and ultra-hygienic toilet brush with storage station offers discreet storage for your cleaning detergent. Hard wearing and wipe clean. Will not dent or rust. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk 12 Budget Such a breeze Always put something small next to the clothes prop on the washing line so it doesn’t get tangled up in the wind. Tina Vowles, Gloucestershire Home-schooling helper Feed your child’s sensory needs by keeping plastic lids from wipes, stick them to a piece of cardboard, and filling with different…

Reaching down to pick something up off the ground, I felt my back give way. ‘Not again,’ I winced, lowering myself onto the floor. I was in agony and if past experience had taught me anything, there was little I could do about it. Having suffered with back problems for years, I was used to this happening. The last 30 years of my life had been plagued with the problem and I’d tried all sorts to finally be free of my pain. Acupuncture, physio, massage therapy - you name it, I’d tried it. And while they all helped slightly, I never got to the root cause of my pain. Nor did it stop my back from completely giving way on me. Aged 19, I was at the gym with a…

Sitting in the gynaecologist’s consultancy room, I felt extremely nervous. I’d been to all of my smear tests up until 2019, when I was too busy with work to make it to my appointment. Meaning to rebook it, I never got round to it, which I greatly regret now. After that, the constant bleeding started, and every now and again I suffered from unexpected seizures. I referred to the gynaecologist at the start of September 2020. ‘We’ll wait for the biopsy results, which should take about a week, but I can tell just from the internal examination that there could be something wrong – there’s a chance it’s cancerous,’ the gynaecologist said. The news hit me like a brick. But I’m only 39, I thought to myself. In that very…

Let’s get cooking with high-quality, reliable kitchenware from Judge. Whether you are a novice or a consummate pro, reliable equipment makes a huge difference to the cooking experience – from the ease of preparation, through to the finished results and also ensuring you can use your kit for years to come. With a portfolio of more than a thousand kitchen accessories (and counting), Judge extensively covers all everyday kitchenware tasks of cooking, baking, food prep, eating & drinking as well as small electricals. Start at the beginning with a great selection of weighing and measuring tools, move on to chopping & mixing with traditional whisks, bowls, knives and chopping boards, or opt for a clever Judge electrical gadget. Then bake in our comprehensive range of bakeware and ovenware or cook…

Spicy Cajun-Style Lentils and Red Kidney Beans, £2, Waitrose and Ocado. From soft red kidney beans cooked slowly in a rich tomato sauce, to warming jalapeno and paprika seasoning, these Cajun-Style lentils offer a taste sensation with every single bite. New York Bakery Co. Sourdough Deli Bagels, £1.80, Sainsbury’s Adding to its fancyschmancy deli bagels range, New York Bakery Co. have added a sourdough bagel to the line up. Lunch has never been easier! Slingsby Gin ready to serve canned drinks, trio pack £7.50 or case of 12 for £30, www.spiritofharrogate.co.uk. These new pre-mixed G&T cans, Slingsby Solo and Slingsby Spritz, are a combination of Slingsby gin, sparkling water and a burst of fruit flavours. Violife’s Smoky Cheddar Flavour Slices, 2.79, Tesco. The UK’s leading vegan alternative to cheese brand,…

Boarding the plane to Olu Deniz, Turkey, with my husband Wayne, then 27, I couldn’t have been more excited to jet off on our honeymoon together. It was summer 2014 and we had just tied the knot. ‘It’s going to be a trip to remember!’ I smiled. Wayne and I had been together for over two years. Our wedding had been a massive celebration, and we had wed in the same church as Wayne’s parents. Our favourite thing to do together was travel the world. Trying local cuisines, sightseeing and exploring. This holiday was going to be the best one yet – our first trip as man and wife. Only, it wasn’t quite smooth sailing… On the second day, we had a delicious Turkish meal at a local restaurant, then…

1. KITCHEN CHECK Many ingredients you may have in your kitchen can be used as plant starters – try planting a garlic bulb or the root of a leek or an onion. 2. CLEVER COMPOSTING Create a compost heap in your garden from your food waste, which you can later use as soil – it just needs the occasional stir around and drop of water. 3. CAREFUL CUTTINGS Ask friends and relatives for trimmings of their plants, fruit or veg which you can then plant in your own garden. 4. PRELOVED ITEMS Go on a hunt for hidden gems which you could turn into something fabulous – like turning a pallet into a mini veg patch. 5. SAVING SEEDS Any foods you buy, save their seeds and plant them –…

Littlelifts, a breast cancer charity, have launched a new fund for those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment for primary or secondary breast cancer in England and Wales. The charity have created a little gift box full of thoughtfully selected items which aim to both alleviate some of the physical side effects that some may experience during treatment as well as hopefully providing a dose of emotional support during their tough time. They aim to support up to 5,000 women and men nationwide within the next 12 months! To find out more visit: www.littlelifts.org.uk…

Walking around the fairground holding my daughter’s hand, I pointed at the rides. ‘Wow, look at that!’ I said excitedly to Felicity, then four. It was October 2018, and we were on our annual family trip to Butlins. My husband Rob, then 30, pushed the buggy round with our new-born baby Falcon peacefully sleeping. ‘Can we go on this one?’ Felicity asked me, suddenly stopping in her tracks. Looking at the size of the seats on the ride, I sighed. There’s no way I’ll fit, I thought. ‘Daddy loves rides,’ I smiled, offering up Rob. Really, Rob hated theme parks, but at 18st, I was always too scared of getting stuck in the seat. So I never even tried. Instead, I watched Felicity having fun and smiled from the bottom…

Need a little newness in your life? Nasty Gal has got you covered. Bringing you the latest drop of stylish clothes, versatile accessories, stand-out footwear and much more. Update those everyday essentials with denim and funky prints – the ultimate streetwear. Shop the range on nastygal.com…

The Surrogates, BBC Three Filmed over 18 months, this documentary delves into the subject of surrogacy, by following the experiences of five young British women, all trying to have babies for other people. The number of children born through surrogacy in the UK has tripled in the last three years and this three-parter looks at the reality of choosing to have someone else’s baby and what it’s like for those competing for surrogates. In the first episode, we meet Caitlin who offers to have a baby for her boss Kate, and 23-year-old Emma who is pregnant with the baby of a gay couple she met on a fertility matching app just a few months earlier. As her bump grows and she discovers the gender of the child, it begs the…

Pulling up my top while I lay in front of the sonographer, I took a deep breath in and tried to relax. It was my 20-week scan, in December 2019, and naturally me and my partner David, 31, were slightly nervous. When the sonographer turned to me with a look of concern on her face, my entire body tensed. ‘What is it?’ I asked. ‘Don’t panic, I can see an abnormality and we’ll need a couple of extra scans,’ she said. I’d always wanted children, but being a workaholic my entire life – spending all hours of the day managing a cafe, family hadn’t been a priority. After suffering from a stroke on 19 October 2018, life was suddenly put into perspective. It was time to settle down and put…

Chef and food writer, Alan Rosenthal, is sharing 60 fuss-free and delicious recipes in his new book, Foolproof One Pot (Quadrille, £12.99). From weekend slow cooks to easy-going traybakes, the dishes are simple and big on flavour, and can be created in just one pot! Chicken cacciatore Serves: 4 'Chicken cacciatore is one of those dishes that can change radically from recipe to recipe. My version doubles down on sweet cherry tomatoes and white wine to create a rich, fruity and indulgent sauce.' □ 8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of excess skin□ 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil□ 10 garlic cloves, unpeeled□ 2 bay leaves□ 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped□ 250ml dry white wine□ 1kg cherry tomatoes, halved□ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper□ Basil leaves 1 Season…

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Walking to work every morning always got my blood pumping and set me up for the day. I started my quilting business in August 2020, called Dragons Dream Quilting. Being creative my entire life, I knew I was destined to make things for a living. Heartbreakingly, during my two-hour morning walk I’d smile and say hello to a total of 12 homeless people. In Grimsby, we have a huge homeless problem. As the nights drew colder I’d wrap up warmer, but the unfortunate who were huddled on the floor shivered more violently. I knew that volunteering at the soup kitchen helped, but I felt like I needed to do more. But how do I help them more? I thought. One evening, after work, when I was browsing through Pinterest, a…