Table of contents for 07-Mar-2019 in Chat

Christine has always had a spiritual gift and now she’s put it to use to help solve a murder – with a rather unexpected helper (p46). Pauline thought she’d been given a second chance at life but she couldn’t have been more wrong (p52). And in the age of selfies, there’s something refreshing about a good old-fashioned photo booth. If you agree, Michelle’s story (p34) will really make you smile. You’ll also find the usual great mix of more real life, chances to win, fuss-free food (p44), fashion, home buys (p27) and more. Have a brill week!…

All white  My wife's make-up remover is always a winner to get my trainers back to bright white. But for some tougher marks, I sometimes use whitening toothpaste. Let it soak in for a bit, and then, boom, back to bright white. Richard Adams, Halesowen Take a pop If you have a problem uncorking your prosecco by hand, a pair of nutcrackers will get the bubbles flowing in no time. Maxine Brand, March Shine on I use window cleaner on my kitchen sink and draining board. It brings it up nice and shiny, is cheap and does a better job than most products. Claire Prince, Walton Cold frame I had to take a metal rack out of my freezer to create more room. So instead of throwing it out, I…

The Coronado Police Department, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Sheriff’s Homicide Squad announced that Rebecca’s death was suicide. Her DNA was found on the ropes, the knife, the black paint, and the brush. Her foot and heel marks were imprinted on the dust of the balcony, and there was no evidence of any struggle or attack. They concluded she had killed herself out of guilt for Max Shacknai’s accident. But, in February 2018, Rebecca’s family began a civil lawsuit, accusing Adam Shacknai of causing unlawful death. Shacknai strongly denied this. The 12-member jury ruled Shacknai responsible for her death in a 9-3 vote. Jurors awarded $5 million (around £4 million) to Rebecca’s family for loss of companionship, and $167,000 (around £130,000) for financial support she could…

Scared of sex! Q Everyone says the first time is very painful when your hymen tears. Is this true? Lily, Taunton A Your hymen is a thin sheet of skin across the entrance to your vagina and it's likely already to have torn due to everyday activity. Sex might enlarge the tear - but if first sex is painful, it's probably due to anxiety causing muscle tension and dryness. Relax and use lubrication. Nipple niggle Q My nipples are erect most of the time and show through my clothes. Is there a cream to shrink them? Polly, Braintree A Muscles inside the nipples cause them to become more prominent. Cold is a common trigger, so keep warm - and lose weight if you need to. Cover up with a padded…

Joyce Williams, 83, Glasgow Scanning my local meet-up web page, something caught my eye. Blogging for Beginners. It was July 2016, and after moving from Yorkshire to Glasgow to marry my husband David, 81, I’d made it my mission to try new things. A retired physiotherapist, with one son and two grandkids, blogging had never crossed my mind. I’d even needed my grandson’s help to set up a Facebook account! But I was curious. So in October 2016, I headed to my first blogging class. Taking my seat, I glanced at the other students. Chuckling, I realised I was the oldest by 50 years! But the group made me feel really welcome. ‘You need to find a niche,’ the teacher said, asking us what we’d be blogging about. ‘Career advice,’…

So I asked doctor after doctor… ‘Am I losing my babies because of my size?’ None of them would confirm it. But I became convinced. I’d never nurtured my body. Only stuffed it with fast food or starved it for weeks at a time. How could I expect it to nurture a baby? ‘I have to change,’ I vowed. Traditional diets didn’t work for me, so I devised my own fitness routine. Began doing weight-based cardio six times a week and started yoga. Now working three jobs in different restaurants, I was on my feet all day burning off more calories. I completely overhauled my diet. Cut out cheese, used low-fat oil sprays for cooking and filled my plate with steamed vegetables, egg-white omelettes and lentils rather than chips. Eating…

Kick-start your life with a positive frame of mind - and it doesn't have to cost you a penny! 1 Get moving  Don't let cold, wet weather put you off getting outside and doing some exercise. Try joining a Parkrun - these are free, weekly 5km timed runs (parkrun.org.uk) that take place in local parkland areas, where you'll get the added benefit of exercising alongside other people. You can also download the free Nike Training Club app ( nike.com/gb/en_gb/c/nike-plus/training-app ), which is packed with individual workouts you can follow. 2 Time to chill  Why not use your phone to help you reduce your stress levels? There are fantastic meditation apps you can download, such as Headspace (headspace.com), which offers a free 30-day trial so you can enjoy the…

✔ Do: Use concealer on eyelids ‘Dark circles can make eyes appear smaller. Apply Collection Lasting Perfection Colour Correction Concealer in Lemon, £4.19, around eyes to brighten and balance out purple tones.’ ✔ Do: Give your brows an arch ‘Eyebrows frame the face and draw attention to your eyes so it’s important to complement them. Tweeze any stray hairs, lightly fill any gaps with a brow pencil that matches your hair colour and brush brows up to set them in place.’ ✔ Do: Pick a mascara to suit your eye-shape ‘Small eyes really benefit from a lengthening mascara with fibres that extend the lashes. Those with bigger eyes should look for mascaras that add volume instead, such as Collection Volumising Mascara, £3.99, which is perfect for a full-lash look.’ ✘…

Rose Stewart, 52, Glasgow Switching on our ambulance’s blue, flashing lights, my colleague screeched off. ‘Young male, aged 16, face down, lying on the street,’ the operator said over the radio. It was around 5pm one evening in July 2017. The call was vague, so we weren’t sure what to expect – but after being a paramedic for 23 years, I’d pretty much seen everything. Just another day at the office, I thought. But while my job could be unpredictable, I loved it. Ever since I was young, I knew it was what I wanted to do. Of course, there were challenges. Sometimes desperately sad moments, too. But saving lives and helping people – patients, their families and their friends – was so rewarding. When we arrived at the scene,…

Coronation Street Will Clayton kill Shona? Shona’s son Clayton has escaped from prison, where he is serving a sentence for fatally stabbing David’s late wife Kylie. Now the young killer has taken his own mother hostage in a warehouse and is threatening to kill her too, unless he gets a load of cash and a car. With the building surrounded by police, David watches the drama unfold with his heart in his mouth. Is history about to repeat itself? Emmerdale Honeymoon for four! Almost two months after they tied the knot, Marlon and Jessie are finally off on their honeymoon. The couple are heading to Belfast where Bear Wolf happens to be on tour. So, when Paddy finds out, he asks to join the couple on their special trip so…

Samera Tomlinson, 31, Burton upon Trent The minute I heard my daughter Marnie’s piercing scream, I knew. The day I’d been dreading had come. My little girl had finally broken her leg... Marnie had been born with a bent tibia bone in her left leg. Doctors told me and my fiance David, 25, it had happened due to her position in the womb. But when she was 8 weeks old, we noticed a strange pale brown patch beginning to develop on the same leg. She had an X-ray – and five weeks later, was diagnosed with a condition called neurofibromatosis type 1. ‘It’s a genetic disorder that can cause bone problems,’ the doctor explained. The brown patches usually indicated this condition, too. David and I were crushed when we heard…

Q What do your grandchildren think about your blog? Jackie Wilson, Basingstoke A I don't think they read it. I want to spare them the blushes from talking about sex with their grandma! But if they found the blog on their own, I wouldn't be embarrassed. It's just part of everyday life, after all. Q Was your husband embarrassed about you sharing your experiences on your blog? Colleen Brunton, Enfield A David knows I'm not sharing anything too personal. Also, it's not like we're doing something weird or taboo. Just look around at all the older couples holding hands in the park... They're not just holding hands behind closed doors! Q Do your friends have thriving sex lives in their 80s, too? Ayla Cavell, Richmond A Actually, it's not something…

2014: Life for brutal killer Evil serial killer Joanne Dennehy, 31, laughed in court as she was given a whole-life jail term on 28 February 2014. She began her rampage in Peterborough, stabbing to death Lukasz Slaboszewski, 31, then her housemate John Chapman, 56, and landlord Kevin Lee, 48. Next, she drove to Hereford, where she tried to kill two strangers. The judge described her as ‘cruel, calculating, selfish and manipulative'. 2012: Campaign of cruelty On 3 March 2012, 4-year-old Daniel Pelka was murdered by his mother  and her partner at their Coventry home. He was starved by Magdelena Luczak, 27, and Mariusz Krezolek, 34, and died of a head injury. The pair denied murder, blaming each other, but were convicted for their ‘incomprehensible brutality' and ‘campaign of cruelty' and…

Michelle Paley-Phillips, 36, Seaford, East Sussex Shuffling my bum on the seat, I made room for Giles, 21, to sit down, too. Giggling nervously, Giles closed the curtain and we both stared straight ahead, grinning as the camera began to flash. I was 17, and Giles and I were on our first date. We’d known each other since we were kids, after meeting at a drama group. But it was only recently that Giles had plucked up the courage to ask me out. The photos had captured our first-date excitement After spending the day walking along Brighton Pier together, we’d headed to the train station to make our way home to Seaford. That’s when I’d spotted the photo booth and suggested it might be fun to have a picture taken…

Kathryn Ennion, 28, Whitehaven Back in October last year, I heard the key turn in the lock, and jumped up off the sofa. I’d just finished getting our two young children ready for school. We’d been waiting eagerly to greet my husband Stuart, 28. He’d been working a long night shift. And today was a particularly exciting day. The moment Stuart walked in, the kids threw themselves around his legs. ‘We’re going on holiday!’ they chorused. ‘I know! Can’t wait,’ he laughed, giving me a peck on the cheek. ‘I couldn’t resist. What do you think?’ I asked, pointing to my laptop. A photo of the sun-soaked shores of a Turkish resort. ‘Get it booked!’ he nodded. I was so excited I almost had to pinch myself. The night before,…

Chicken curry Serves 4 Prep: 5 min Cook: 10 min • 1tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, chopped • 2 red chillies, seeded and finely sliced • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • 1cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced • 1tbsp ground turmeric • 2tsp garam masala • 1 tin coconut milk (reduced fat) • 4 chicken breasts, diced • 1tbsp mango chutney • 1tbsp tomato ketchup • 2tbsp soy sauce • 1 bunch fresh coriander • Juice of 1 lime • Cooked brown rice, to serve 1 In a large frying pan or wok, fry onion in oil on a high heat for a few min until coloured, yet still retaining some texture. 2 Add chilli, garlic and ginger to the pan, stirring continuously. After 30 seconds, add…

Christine Hamlett, 62, Northwich, Cheshire Reading the e-mail, a chill ran through me. It was July 2012 and I’d been contacted by the family of a man called Fouad Nayel, 28. Weeks earlier, the construction worker, from Ottawa, Canada, hadn’t arrived for a family dinner. Since then, he hadn’t phoned or used his bank account. He’d vanished. The Canadian police had drawn a blank, and Fouad’s parents Amine and Nicole were frantic. They’d asked their friend Andreia Esteves to e-mail me. They’d seen me on a Canadian TV show Rescue Mediums . I’m a UK psychic but had filmed three series in Canada, exploring haunted houses. I’d always had a ‘gift’ for communicating with the spirit world. As a child, I’d had visions, and even played with a ghost called…

To our hospital family, Whenever I flick through our photo albums and see our son Rio’s smile beaming out, I can almost hear his infectious giggle. Memories of him playing with his brother Jai, cuddling me in bed, and eating his favourite food – pepperoni pizza! – come flooding back. Memories that wouldn’t have been possible without you – his hospital family. Rio was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, meaning the left side of his heart was underdeveloped. At just five days old, he needed open-heart surgery to prevent a heart transplant. He came out the other side. ‘You’re a little warrior,’ the boys’ dad, my partner Jay, 27, told him. But in October 2014, when Rio was 2 – and after a third heart operation – his health…

Diane Gomes, 52 As I re-read the Facebook message on my phone, I felt my jaw drop open. Hi Mum, how are you? it read. It was from my son, 19-year-old Zachary. Then another message pinged on the screen. Can I see you? I reeled in shock. It was October 2015 and I hadn’t seen Zach for almost 10 years. He was the middle child and had some serious behavioural issues. A couple had adopted him when he was 5, during a time when I was struggling to cope. At first, I’d sent letters and birthday cards, but Zach’s adopted parents said he found it too upsetting. Since then, I’d had no contact with him. But my son had never been far from my thoughts. This was a day I’d…

TRAGEDY: Two deaths, just days apart Rebecca Zahau was always looking for her place in the world. Born in Burma, she was uprooted throughout her childhood, living in Nepal, then Germany, before finally moving to the United States. Her parents settled in Missouri, but Rebecca decided to make her home in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was here that she met and married a 36-year-old nursing student. But, despite the marriage and her job as an ophthalmic technician, it seemed Rebecca was not completely content. That was until she met Jonah Shacknai, then 50. The CEO of a pharmaceutical company making a type of Botox, he was charming as well as successful. The divorced, single dad lit up Rebecca’s world and she was soon head-over-heels. And she adored Jonah’s young son Max,…

Going grey Q I'm only 28 but I've noticed some grey hairs, and my mum was totally grey by 40! How can I stop it? Kaye, Fraserburgh A The tendency to go grey early is often inherited. Most white people start to go grey in their 30s, and black people about a decade later. There's not much to do other than colour your hair or flaunt your grey! Is a tattoo safe? Q I want to get a tattoo but I'm taking blood-thinning tablets. Will they cause a problem? Jenny, Southport A Tattoos bleed while they're being done and for up to 36 hours afterwards. Blood thinners reduce blood clotting and are likely to increase the bleeding. Talk to your tattooist and ask your GP whether it's safer to stop…

Catarina Merighi, 30, south London Flopping on the sofa, I opened the multipack and grasped handfuls of crisps. I shovelled them into my mouth. Soon, I had 23 empty packets at my feet. The shame was overwhelming. But it didn’t stop me trudging to the kitchen for a big bar of chocolate to devour. I’d always had a huge appetite. When I was younger, my mum Rosie had cooked healthy meals. But she hadn’t realised I’d been scoffing pies at school, and sneaking chocolate bars up to my room. Then, at 18, I’d moved in with my boyfriend, and we’d indulge in cakes and takeaways every night. I smothered everything in cheese, too. Working as a cook in burger vans and greasy spoon cafes didn’t help either. I’d eat more…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You’re fired with enthusiasm for a new idea, and already shopping for the things you think you’ll need. Shouldn’t you wait until you get there and see what you really need before splashing your cash? Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May If you’re going to throw that old jumper away, then do it; saving it in case you change your mind just makes clutter. The same applies to jobs, places, even relationships. Make a clean break. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June You had high hopes, you were disappointed and you’re on your way out of the door - but just before you take that crucial step, you wonder whether you were…

Revlon So Fierce! Vinyl Eyeliner, £6.99  Eyeliner usually falls into two categories: kohl, which is easy to draw on but smudges off again within hours, or liquid, which is a nightmare to apply but your efforts are rewarded with serious staying power. Now you can get the best of both worlds with this easy-peasy gel pencil. It glides on smoothly, stays soft for a minute so you can correct any mistakes, then sets and stays put all day. Radox Scent Touch Feel Positive Body Wash, 200ml, £2.99 There’s nothing like a zesty shower gel to start your day the right way, and this fruity little number with melon and papaya couldn’t fail to get your juices flowing. What’s more, it contains encapsulated fragrance beads that last all day on your…

Job share! asked my grandson I Jason, 5, what he wanted to be when he grew up and he impressed me by saying he wanted to be a vet so he could help all the poor animals. Then he continued, ‘but on Saturdays and Sundays I want to be a circus clown!’ Roger Ainsley, Bebington Give a little Charities rely heavily upon the support of the public and I am grateful to all those wonderful people who give up their time to stand with collecting tins for charities. Sometimes, I haven’t a lot of money on me, but I put something in, even if it’s only 1p because every penny counts. Usually I can spare 20p or a £1 on a good day. On those days, I am certain there…