Table of contents for 12-May-2016 in Chat

She was tall and glam in her frock and make-up I’m Tamsin… A transgender woman… If you were looking for love online, maybe a profile like that would put you off. It only made me more intrigued… Looking at Tamsin’s pictures, I could see she was tall and glam in her frock and make-up. I think we’ll have a lot in common, I mused, and tapped out an introduction. It was May 2012, and I’d been married twice and had two grown-up kids. Now I was single and bisexual. I’d had male and female relationships, and gender didn’t matter to me – it was the person inside that counted. Tamsin and I exchanged messages… I was born a man called Tim, she explained. I’ve got grown-up kids. I’ve separated from…

Terri stepped up to do the cleaning, and Dad paid her Tucked up in a double bed with my sister-in-law Terri, we couldn’t stop giggling. ‘I feel like we’re teenagers at a sleepover!’ she laughed. It was September last year and I’d invited Terri to stay at my caravan in Heysham, Lancs. We had a great time. We really let our hair down. But space at the caravan was tight, so Terri and I had to share a bed. Not that I minded. Terri and I were close friends as well as relatives. I’d been married to her brother Steve for 35 years. When our kids were little, we all went on holiday to Cornwall. And we’d see each other at family parties and on nights out. Terri’s daughter Hollie…

Megan's special gadgets have helped so much… She was 2 weeks old, when I noticed my baby Megan kept tensing her muscles and her face would go red. ‘What’s she doing?’ I asked my husband Stephen, 43. He was baffled, too. At 4 months old, Megan was referred to Yorkhill Sick Children’s Hospital. There, her oxygen levels were checked, she had blood tests and lumbar punctures, but doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Back at home, Megan’s whole body continued to tense up. After more tests, epilepsy was diagnosed and doctors explained that Megan had been having fits. But the medication they gave her didn’t make much difference. As the months went on, Megan failed to reach her milestones. Her sister Rebecca, then 3, had been crawling in no time. But…

Reading the online messages, I was horrified You know how it is. After you have kids, it’s harder to keep the pounds off. I’d had three, and my weight’d slowly crept up. Happily married to Adam, 36, I didn’t really notice my jeans getting tighter. I wasn’t the healthiest of eaters, though. I’d have full-fat milk, sugar on my cereal, lots of butter on my toast… A size-18, I knew I could do with losing a few pounds. ‘But I’m happy as I am,’ I’d tell Adam. And he was fine with that. Then, last May, I heard about a local family fun day, raising money for charity. A friend and I sometimes dressed up for charity as Elsa and Anna from Disney’s movie Frozen. So we volunteered to put…

1 Cut 225g peeled sweet potatoes and 225g parsnips into 2.5cm chunks and cook in a pan of boiling water until tender when pierced with a skewer - 10-15 min. Then drain and coarsely crush with a fork. 2 Heat 2tbsp oil in a frying pan and fry a chopped red onion over a low heat for 5 min until softened. Tip into a bowl, and mix in 225g grated carrots, 1tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary and crushed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. 3 When cool enough to handle, shape into eight round, flat cakes. Dust with cornflour, brush with beaten egg and coat in polenta. Chill cakes for 1hr to firm up. 4 Shallow-fry for 5 min each side until brown, then drain on kitchen paper. 5 To…

My stomach was churning at the thought of him seeing me naked It was steamy! I’d often enjoy up to seven orgasms a night! At 48 and twice divorced, I felt thrown on the scrapheap. ‘Who wants a fat, single mum pushing 50?’ I sobbed to my daughter Laura, then 29. It was spring 2008, and my second marriage had just crumbled after 18 years. Miserable, I’d comfort eaten my way to a lumpy 15st 3lb – a size-18. And I’d not dated in two decades. ‘Come out with us, Mum,’ Laura pleaded. She’d often go clubbing with her sister, Katie, then 27. The idea of a nightclub, of putting myself out there, was terrifying – but being depressed at home was worse. ‘OK,’ I reluctantly agreed. But, the more…

Dolly's Mixtures Parma Violet Shower Gel, £1, Asda Love Parma violets? Try this! It'll leave you feeling so fresh. Top tip: An invigorating shower gel helps wake you up! Imperial Leather Comforting Marsh Mallow Shower Cream, £1, Boots Smells exactly like marshmallows and nourishes the skin, too. Top tip: Added moisturisers keep skin soft. Patisserie De Bain Lemon Bon-Bon Bath & Shower Creme, £3.99, Superdrug A lovely sherbet scent to start your day right! Top tip: Match moisturiser to shower gel for lasting fragrance. Original Source Liquorice Body Scrub, £2.35, Superdrug Naturally fragranced and packed with almond-shell particles for a really deep clean. Top tip: Use gentle circular motions to avoid damaging skin.…

I was a liar. So people said… I made up stories because I was nasty. A troublemaker. ‘Nobody believes a word a vicious little girl like you says,’ the doctor warned. His tongue poked out of his mouth slightly as he came towards me and pulled up my papery hospital gown. I gulped back tears. Tried to block out the feeling of his warm, clammy hands on my privates. Deep down, I knew he was wrong. I wasn’t a liar, nasty, or a troublemaker. And I knew he had no business touching me. It was 1968. I was 14. I was an inpatient on the psychiatric ward at Aston Hall Children’s Hospital, Derby. Best place for someone like me, everyone kept saying. A couple of weeks before, I’d run away…

Asda Chosen by You Blueberry Yogurt, 4 x 125g, £1.20 A fairly runny yogurt, that's not 7/ too sweet and has fruit pieces in. Makes a tasty, budget-priced treat. Liberte Blueberry Yogurt, 4 x 100g, £2.39 Mix the strained natural Greek yogurt into the fruit compote below. Small, but rich and creamy, it's good for breakfast or pud. Danio Blueberry yogurt, 150g, 85p There's a deep layer of thick yogurt over a good layer of fruit puree. With whole berries, it's 9 delicious! New York Bakery Co Poppy Seed Bagels, £1.50 for four, Asda Crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and delicious toasted!…

Swallowing blood and pus made me so ill, I was hospitalised For most, losing your teeth is something you expect in old age, not your teens! My nightmare started in 2012, aged 14, with a bad toothache in my four back teeth. ‘It’s so painful!’ I cried to my mum Joanne, 46. ‘Maybe your wisdom teeth are coming through,’ she suggested. Unfortunately, it was way worse. The dentist explained my nerves were touching my roots, so she removed my lower-left back tooth and three nerves. Ouch! I’d never even had a filling until then! But the relief was short-lived, as the pain returned in July 2013. Waking in agony one morning, the left side of my face had ballooned. I ran to my mum in tears. The dentist suspected an…

She started wobbling as she walked, as if she was drunk Doctors have never seen narcolepsy in someone so young Like many little girls, my Jayda was totally obsessed with princesses! Age 2, everything she owned was pink and covered in glitter. She loved putting on her princess dresses and tottering around the house. And I was surprised we’d not worn out her Disney Princess books and DVDs. Every night, Jayda listened to her favourite fairytales as she drifted off to sleep. But, last Christmas, she wasn’t only sleeping during the night, she started napping in the daytime, too. She’s probably having a growth spurt, I assumed, not worried. Either that, or all the princess excitement was wiping her out! A month on, though, she was still sleeping for around…

She'd been chained to a wheelbarrow and was drastically underweight I knew my Cinderella puppy would win everyone over When I saw the photos, I was horrified. A matted mess of brown fur, I could just make out two little, sad eyes. It was a poodle-cross dog and she was in a right state. ‘Poor little mite,’ I sighed. The charity Cyprus Dog Rescue had posted the pictures to their Facebook page. This is Binky, she needs a home, their post read. I’d adopted my rescue dog Lu-Lu from them the year before, in November 2013. A terrier-cross, she’d been abandoned on a motorway. I’d taken her in and given her a loving home with my terrier Lily. But now, as I read about Binky, my heart went out to…

You can imagine my shock to get that phone call The phone call came completely out of the blue. ‘Congratulations! You’ve won a holiday.’ I was speechless for a second. But it was true. I’d won a prize draw on Chat Mag Bingo. A fabulous, all-inclusive week for two on the Greek island of Kos. Amazing! And it wasn’t my first Chat Mag Bingo win either. Back in 2011, I’d hit the jackpot and won a massive £8,566! Me and my mum Elizabeth Coney, 69, have always loved a bit of bingo. Mum sometimes went to the bingo hall. But as a busy mum – and a foster parent with my hubby David, 58 – I often didn’t have time. Which is why playing online was so great. Mum and…

1 Hit the beach  With warm weather all year round, make the most of the glamorous south of France and visit one of Nice's pebbly - but stunning - beaches that run along the Promenade des Anglais. 2 See Nice Cathedral  Otherwise known as the Cathedral of Sainte Reparate, this Baroque building makes an interesting - and delightfully cool and tranquil - escape from the heat and bustle of the day. 3 Take the train  The coastal train goes to so many great places! You can visit Monaco, Cannes, Antibes (if only to seek out the amazing cafe and absinthe bar at the back of a corner shop!) or the lovely Villefranche-sur-Mer. 4 Eat and people-watch  Book a meal at La Terrasse, a rooftop restaurant overlooking the riviera. The view…

Taurus 21 April - 21 May The heavens smile on you this week. It’s tempting just to go out and have fun, but the planets are working their magic over the long term - so make this the time you take the first steps towards a better future. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Ever dropped something in a dark room, and had to crawl around trying to find it by touch? This week’s like that, but on a larger scale. And, for some reason, you’d rather keep things dark, so others can’t see what you’re up to! Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June - 23 July There’ve been a lot of little obstacles in recent weeks - what you want…

We decided not to tellHope too much. She was still only 12 As I held her in my arms, she slipped away. I never wanted to let her go There was a reason we named our daughter Hope. She’d arrived after six years of trying for a baby, including one heartbreaking miscarriage. But my husband David and I never gave up hope. And, in June 2001, our daughter was born. And she was worth the wait. Growing up, Hope loved to sing, and adored animals. We’d always find her cuddled up in bed with one of our cats or dogs. When she was 12, she started horse-riding lessons. ‘I love it!’ she told me excitedly, after her very first class. But, after a month, she started complaining of backache. I…

If someone's hurting you, don't keep their dirty secret... ‘It’s not your fault,’ I reassured him. ‘It’s Ian’s.’ Besides, this was about justice, not revenge. Amazingly, after Ian was arrested and charged, two other women came forward as well. Turned out I hadn’t been his only victim. Eventually, in November 2011, at Derby Crown Court, my brother Ian Mackie, 59, admitted one count of gross indecency with a child, and four counts of indecent assault with a female. I hadn’t seen him in years. He looked old and pathetic. Mackie was given a five-year jail sentence, made to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely, and disqualified from working with children. After an appeal in 2012, his sentence was reduced to two years and six months. ‘I’m so proud of you,…

Aircon concerns Q They've turned on the aircon at work and now, as soon as I enter, I start to cough! Fiona, 39 A Could be air-conditioner lung, where your lungs are sensitive to fungus or mould growing in aircon systems. Steroid inhalers like those for asthma might help, but for a cure, ask for the system to be cleaned, or a change of office. Hand paralysis QI fell asleep on the sofa and my right hand and wrist were paralysed when I woke! A&E just said to wait for it to get better. Rosanna, 24 A Had you had a skinful? Sounds like ‘Saturday night palsy'. You fell asleep with your arm across a chair, causing pressure on your radial nerve. The alcohol means you don't wake up, leaving…

Serves: 8 Prep: 20 min Cook: 10 min 200g digestive biscuits 50g butter, melted 1 x 325g tin condensed milk 1 egg 5 limes (grated zest of 3 limes and juice of 5) 1 lemon, juice only 1 Preheat oven to 200C/ Gas 6. 2 Place biscuits in a bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip into a bowl, add melted butter and mix well, and then press mixture into the base of a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin. 3 Lightly whisk condensed milk with egg. Stir in zest of two limes, along with all the lime and lemon juice, then pour mixture into cake tin and level top. Sprinkle top with remaining lime zest, and then bake for 10 min. 4 Leave to cool slightly then put in fridge…

I looked down. Oscar was too still. Something was wrong… Lying on a hospital bed, I cuddled my baby close. ‘Goodbye, angel,’ I whispered gently. Minutes earlier, Joshua, 4 months old, had passed away in my arms. He’d contracted encephalitis, a viral infection of the brain. By the time he’d been diagnosed, it was already too late. As I drank in his scent, outside the sky darkened and the streetlights flickered on. ‘I’m so sorry,’ a nurse said. ‘It’s time to say goodbye.’ It was impossibly hard to hand over my firstborn and leave the hospital with empty arms. Back home, life was empty, too. I longed to be doing feeds and nappies, longed to be a mum. Then, in March 2010, I fell pregnant again. My new baby would…

Friend indeed! Overheard on the bus – a woman saying to her chum, ‘Whenever I make a fool of myself, you never make me feel like I’ve done a permanent job!’ What a great definition of a true friend! Rachelle Harding, Somersham High price As a dad, I’d tell my kids not to stop on a motorway to rescue any animal. Emma Czornobaj (Motorway Madness, 14 April issue) caused the death of two people – a terrible price to pay for rescuing ducklings. Adam Barnes, St Asaph One careful owner? My wife put this sign outside our house a year ago. But, so far, not a single offer! Liam McParland, Huddersfield WE PAY CASH That's me, holding a copy of my fave mag while on holiday in France 10 years…

I woke in Intensive Care – and was still critical Cuddling our kids Eddie and Bethany I choked back tears. ‘Daniel’s gone to Heaven,’ my hubby Dai, 38, told them. It was July 2012, and they’d been so excited about their baby brother. But, after a dream pregnancy, Daniel stopped moving at full term. A scan showed he had no heartbeat and I lost four pints of blood delivering him stillborn. ‘It’s just one of those things,’ doctors said. But we were heartbroken. And it hadn’t been my first traumatic birth. I’d haemorrhaged with Eddie and Bethany, needed transfusions. Nothing could replace Daniel, but we decided to try again. By June 2015, I was pregnant – and it was hell! I suffered countless small bleeds, as I had two pockets…

I only had a tiny bump, it was hardly noticeable. ‘I can’t believe you’re nearly full-term,’ friends would say. I wasn’t worried, though. And doctors didn’t seem concerned, either. But two weeks before my due date in February 2003, I stopped feeling my baby move. ‘I want an ultrasound,’ I told my doctor, fearing the worst. It was only then that my baby’s weight was picked up on. ‘She’s very small,’ the doctor said. He reasoned she might be suffering from some kind of growth restriction, but we wouldn’t know until she was born. Days on, I gave birth to Kenadie by Caesarean. At 2½lb, she was tiny. Whisked away for tests and put in an incubator, my girl was given oxygen to help her breathe. ‘It’s unlikely she’ll survive,’…

NO SALE! An Oklahoma-based online Craigslist seller is offering an intriguing item for just $1. It’s a black-eyed, sinister-looking doll, said to be haunted. Our dog won’t stop barking at it, and we never find it where we left it, the ad says. No takers here! HORNY Body modification fanatic and transgender Eva Tiamat Medusa, 55, from Arizona, already had a full-face tattoo, horns and a forked tongue when she had her ears and nose removed to make her look more like a dragon. What next? Breathing fire..? COLLAR AND CUFFS? Redheads rejoice - well, those in North Wales, anyway. ‘Former ginger' and owner of Ginger's Grill in Prestatyn is offering a 20 per cent discount to ‘genuine gingers'. Not sure what proof will be required... FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE..?…