Table of contents for 09 June 2022 in Chat

Ican’t wait to hear what you think of Monica’s story in this issue (p34). It’s a controversial one, that’s for sure. With her agreement, her hubby is in charge of everything – right down to what clothes she wears! I can’t imagine having a marriage like that. Can you? Let us know what you think! We hope you enjoy the issue – it’s our usual fab mix of real-life, true crime, puzzles prizes and more! PS If you’re entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Charles Wolfenden, 41, Oakham Peering out of my bedroom window, I waved down to my two sisters – Laura, then 7, and Emma, 4, as they chased our chickens around the garden. Being the big brother, I doted on the pair of them. But baby of the family Emma, with her whiteblonde hair and cheeky grin, held a special place in my heart. She’d crack us up with her crazy antics, putting on shows in the living room, making the family watch. Over the years, I always kept an eye out for my little sisters. Even when I moved to London in 2004, I always kept in touch. Laura settled locally while Emma was living in Tenerife, working in a bar. Then, in 2006, Mum, Anne, 57, was diagnosed with…

Julie Ruggiero, 67, Bedford Looking up at the stage, I couldn’t take my eyes off the performer. Dripping in sequins, slick make-up, hair coiffed into a towering beehive… That’s my boy! I thought, feeling proud. I could never get enough of seeing my only son Edward, then 20, performing as his drag alter-ego Eddie OK Adams. It was 2008 and he’d been performing drag since he was 17. Not only did he look the part, he was an amazing singer, too. Now he performed at glitzy venues all over the country. ‘You were brilliant!’ I gushed in the car on the way home. Being my only child, Edward and I had always been close and I often doubled up as his taxi driver, ferrying him to drag shows around the…

When Jussie Smollett walked into a hospital in Chicago in the early hours of 29 January 2019, he had a horrific story to tell… Jussie, then 36, had been a child actor, but he’d been propelled into the limelight after starring in popular Fox TV series Empire. Playing a gay, black musician, he had a huge following, and was used to getting stopped in the street by fans asking for a selfie. Only, tonight, as he munched on his Subway sandwich, he’d been approached by two men. Things had quickly turned sinister. The men were masked and they’d punched the actor in the face. Shockingly, they’d poured a chemical liquid over him and wrapped a rope around his neck like a noose. They’d then shouted ‘Make America great again’, the…

Why has the pill made me horny? Q My friends warned that the contraceptive pill might reduce my sex drive, but it’s had the opposite effect! Am I weird? Lucy, Southport A Not at all! Taking the contraceptive pill can affect your sex drive, although we don’t understand exactly how. Some women find that the pill increases their sex drive, others find that the pill reduces it, and many don’t notice any difference. This could partly be a hormone effect and one theory is that taking the pill makes your body produce less testosterone hormone, which has an important role in sexual arousal and might reduce desire. Another theory is that the effects are psychological and being freed from the worry of falling pregnant means you’re more relaxed and prepared…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p4. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled byConnor Mcguire, Cleethorpes, NE Lincs ACROSS 1 Foot warmer 2 Asian food 3 Expresses an opinion 4 Young children DOWN 1 Immediately 2 American Midwestern state 3 Wagon 4 Caress with lips WIN 5x £25 puzzle 6 Your answer CHAIN WORDS Lyonnaise, pétanque and raffa are three varieties of what sport that have featured at The World Games, a tournament including sports not contested at the Olympics? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: GA + SP, SP +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two…

ARROW WORD Founded in 930 AD and considered the oldest parliament in the world, The Althing is the elected chamber of which country? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £1,000 puzzle 10 Your answer: SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN £60 puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH Mount Capanne is the highest point on which Mediterranean island? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BRAČCHIOSCORFUCORSICACRETE CYPRUSELBAGOZOIBIZAKOS MAJORCAMALTARHODESSARDINIASICILY WIN £50 Puzzle 12 Your answer: TO…

Kate White, 42, Exmouth Getting home after work, there was only one thing on my mind. ‘What’s for dinner?’ I asked my fiancé Alan, then 40. It was February 2020, and my yearly attempt at a January diet had failed. Scanning the fridge, I looked at my options. Peered past packs of sausages, joints of beef, stacks of bacon rashers. Spotting a pack of cheese slices, I peeled one out as a pre-dinner snack. Nothing green in sight! I loved meat and couldn’t imagine a dinner without it. Bolognaise, lasagne, steak, shepherd’s pie… Of course, any good dinner also requires a tall glass of wine, in my eyes. But my true love was cheese. I could get through whole packets of the stuff. My weight had fluctuated growing up, even…

Q My home is looking tired and dated. Where can I get some inspo on new looks? H. Freeman, Carlisle A According to research by Very, 47% of UK homeowners are planning to have work done on their homes this year, spending an average of £3,659 (14% will spend more than £10,000). The research also found that TV (23%) and magazines (20%) are the most popular sources of renovation inspiration, followed by friends’ homes (19%) and social media.…

Aries 21 March-20 April Take strides not steps, think positively, ask questions and say how you feel, and you could become a closer family. A psychic reading might help solidify your direction. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You’ve been talking about love but not taking action. Make the most of every situation with your partner, enjoying any opportunity that comes your way. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Your planetary ruler Mercury is in direct motion, enhancing your influence over others. Your offer of help will be accepted graciously by a colleague. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You prefer your own company, sitting in front of the TV, relaxing. It may be better…

LETTER of the week! Q How can I keep my make-up looking flawless in the summer heat? Lynne Docksy, 53, Gloucestershire A Switch up your make-up routine when the seasons change to avoid melting foundation and blotchy concealer. The key to looking fresh and flawless when the mercury rises? Light layers of sweat-proof product. Swap your usual foundation for a lighter formula like No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced BB Facial Sun Protection, £14.95, Boots. It has an SPF of 50 to keep skin protected and has a subtle tint for a more even complexion. To cover blemishes or imperfections, give 17 Second Skin Enhancing Concealer, £2, Boots, a try. This creamy concealer camouflages without caking and stands the test of time in warmer weather. To really keep your make-up…

CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 21 JUNE 2022 (Three days later for postal entries) PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS THROUGHOUT HOW TO ENTER TEXT Simply text CHATD followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can…

What shall we buy today? My cheeky sons Jamie, 8 months, and Henry, 3, are always excited to find some yummy treats at the supermarket. Ben Berry, Essex I had a great time visiting the set of Coronation Street in Salford. Here I am on the tour, outside no.9 with its distinctive blue and yellow bricks! Luke Ithurralde, Durham My dog Henley, 10 months, always has a big smile on his face after a trip to the groomer! Julie Graham, Ballynahinch A recent day trip to a nearby lake for a picnic was a much-needed chance to relax and unwind. Samantha Mckibbens, Glasgow Our two Pomeranians, Teddy and Bear, are such happy chaps. They’re my whole world! Clare Turner, Plymouth My beautiful 3-year-old granddaughter Lucy loves going on trips to…

After just one day of deliberation, in March 2022, the jury of six men and six women found Jussie Smollett guilty of five of the six counts of disorderly misconduct. Smollett’s grandmother begged the judge for mercy during the trial. ‘I ask you, Judge, not to send him to prison, ’ she said. ‘If you do, send me along with him, OK?’ But Smollett was jailed for 150 days and ordered to pay a $145,000 (around £110,000) fine. He was also sentenced to 30 months’ probation. After sentencing, he removed his face mask to speak out. ‘Your Honour, I respect you and I respect the jury, but I did not do this, ’ he insisted, addressing the judge. Six days later, Jussie Smollett was released on bail from prison, pending…

1 Drink a glass of ice-cold milk A protein found naturally in milk – alpha-lactalbumin – improves both the quality of your slumber and your alertness the following day, found a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Alternatively, Montmorency (sour) cherry juice helps you sleep an average 25 minutes extra a night by increasing levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, found researchers at Northumbria University. 2 Create your own breeze Silentnight’s sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan advises placing ice cubes in a bowl and turning on a fan next to it. As the ice melts, you’ll get a cool breeze circulating around the room – but do make sure that the ice is a safe distance away from the fan. 3 Cool your creams Keep…

Julie Duff, 49, Cheshire As my newborn son peered up at me with almondshaped eyes, I felt a rush of love. ‘Hello, Josh, ’ I smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead. It was July 2006, and I was already a mum to Cameron, then 4. My husband Andy, then 34, and I had longed for another baby. After successful IVF treatment, Josh was finally here and our family was complete. We couldn’t wait to take him home to meet his big brother. But doctors had some concerns. His limbs were measuring short, the bridge of his nose was flattened, and those beautiful almond eyes slanted upwards slightly. ‘We think Josh has Down syndrome, ’ the doctor said. I was shocked. The condition hadn’t been detected during pregnancy, and I…

Although Monica, 37, and her husband John may look like any other modern couple, things are not all they seem. The dynamics between this pair might remind many people of a marriage more commonly seen back in the 1950s. Not only does Monica, from Arizona, USA, take on the role of traditional housewife in the home, but she lets John take the lead in their relationship. Even to the point of letting him choose her clothes for the day. ‘I like my husband to pick out my clothes because I like pleasing him, I like to look hot for him, ’ Monica explains. ‘I feel a lot more confident when he picks out my clothes because then I know that I’m actually wearing what he likes, ’ she adds. ‘Anyone…

Still full from Christmas dinner, I scrolled through my Instagram feed and saw an ad for Veganuary. I thought I’d tried everything, but I’d never considered going vegan. Cutting out my beloved meat and cheese for a diet of rabbit food? How would I ever be full? But I was curious. ‘I’m going to try Veganuary, ’ I blurted. Alan was surprised, but supportive. ‘I’ll try it, too, ’ he offered. I read that a vegan diet can give you more energy, and the idea of being less sluggish sounded good. After all, it would only be for a month. The next day, we went to the supermarket. Swerving the cheese aisle and the meat freezers, I explored new areas. I was surprised to see all the vegan options. ‘We…

Top tip No tuna? Canned salmon, sardines, pilchards or mackerel would work equally well in this dish. Tasty tuna tomato pasta In the time it takes to cook a pan of pasta, you can make this speedy sauce SERVES 4 PREP TIME 5 MINS COOK TIME 10 MINS • 300g pasta • 2tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, sliced • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 400g can chopped tomatoes • 1tbsp balsamic vinegar • Pinch of sugar • 2tbsp capers • 160g can tuna, drained 1 Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 10 mins, until just tender. 2 Heat the oil in a pan. Stir in the onion and cook for around 3 mins. Add the garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and capers. Bring to…

Susan, 46 Hearing the rattle of wheels, I saw a shadow whizz past the window. ‘That’s Laura off out then, ’ I thought with a smile. My daughter, then 14, had set off on her skateboard to join her mates at the skatepark in town. It was June 2021, and most nights she went down there after she’d finished her homework. ‘I learnt to jump in the air without touching my hands on the board, ’ she’d told me proudly the night before. I knew she was with friends, and was sensible, well-behaved. And me and her dad Matthew, then 53, always insisted that she was back by 9pm. Only, tonight, minutes before her curfew, she texted me. Lost track of time, can Dad give me a lift? she asked.…

Garnier SkinActive 2in1 Eye Make-up Remover, £3.49, Boots Take your make-up off in a matter of seconds with this non-greasy make-up remover. Shake up the bi-phase formula, sweep it onto eyes with a cotton round and watch stubborn mascara disappear. Simple Kind To Hair Gentle Cleansing Shampoo, £3, Boots Fragile hair and a sensitive scalp? Give this caring shampoo a try. It doesn’t contain any artificial colours or perfumes and effectively cleanses without stripping your scalp of its natural oils.…

Heading home from a school trip, a group of 26 children were looking forward to telling parents about the fun they’d had. It was 4pm on 15 July 1976. Bus driver Ed Ray, then 55, was driving the 19 girls and seven boys, aged between 5 and 14, home. They’d been at Chowchilla fairgrounds swimming pool, in California. As Ed drove along, he spotted a van parked in the road, blocking the way. Ed wondered if the man standing beside the vehicle needed help. Stopping the bus, he gasped as the man pulled out a gun and boarded. Then another man appeared, wearing nylon stockings over his head, and held a gun to Ed’s head. Ed was yanked from his seat while one of the gunmen drove the bus down…

Chat winners issue 10 (10 March 2022) £1,001 CASH M Cooke, Thatcham £1,000 CASH M Broe, Hunstanton £500 CASH E Moore, Whitley Bay L Dobbin, Kettering £250 CASH J Lawton, Stourbridge £150 CASH K McKay, Skipton £100 CASH M Rhodes, Bakewell J Kirkby, Withington J England, Goole L Osborne, Ludlow N Houlihan, Swindon £60 CASH T Robertson, St Neots £50 CASH R Campbell, Sevenoaks R Webster, King’s Lynn J Robertson, Canterbury £30 CASH M Wilson, Wisbech E Jarrett, Rochdale S Hill, Bedworth C Dennis, Torpoint M Benton, Newark £25 CASH N Laurie, St Andrews J Trudgeon, Chippenham P Bright, Maldon R Walling, Wisbech L Hamilton, Newtownabbey M Riley, Solihull J Jones, Llanelli J Meadows, Boston M Stubbs, Sunderland Chat PUZZLE 1 31194370 Chat PUZZLE 2 HERNIA Chat PUZZLE 11 4…

BETH NICHOLSON, FROM MANCHESTER, SAYS: My Local Hero nominee is Emma Brewer, owner of First Dance Studios in Woking. During the January 2021 lockdown, Emma, 47, wanted to keep the spirit of her local community alive. So she started a virtual interactive A-Z challenge, where participants would try their hand at a creative task for each letter of the alphabet: making art for A, baking for B, cooking for C and so on. Everyone shared their work in weekly online video calls for eight weeks. With the help of her sons Max, 15, and George, 13, Emma judged more than 1,600 submissions, and at the end, they held an online awards ceremony. Emma’s challenge boosted her community and brought everyone together. She was recognised for her efforts and, later in…

What is US singersongwriter Norah Jones’ most treasured possession? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the three-word prize answer. ACROSS 11 Mythical figure with snakes for hair (6) 12 Stand for (9) 13 Thought (4) 14 Jewellery item (8) 15 City in Yorkshire (5) 16 Find (6) 17 Common jam flavour (7) 18 Jumping insect (11) 20 Sledgehammer musician, _ Gabriel (5) 22 Late actor who played landlady Mrs Hudson in Sherlock (3,6) 24 Citrus fruit (5) 28 Black-and-white bird that swims (7) 29 Smiled broadly (7) 32 The Notebook actor, _ McAdams (6) 34 Royal daughter (8) 36 Mediterranean island (8) 37 Most up-to-date (6) 39 Type of rice (7) 40 Rich red colour (7) 45 Blusher (5) 47 Channel 4…

Gemma Kennedy, 43, Haslemere, Surrey True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Tidying up the living room, I could feel my eyes getting heavier. My brain foggy. Glancing at the clock, I sighed and climbed the stairs to bed. Just a quick nap, I thought to myself. Setting the alarm so I wouldn’t miss school pick-up, I lay on the bed and quickly nodded off. A daily routine. It was so frustrating. From March to October, every year, for as long as I could remember, I’d be plagued with blocked sinuses and ears, sneezing and streaming eyes – thanks to hay fever. And to curb the symptoms, I’d swallow one antihistamine a day. Only, while they helped my stuffy nose and watery eyes, they left me sleepy and unable to concentrate. Even ‘non-drowsy’ ones!…

Take back sexting cheat? Q I split from the father of my kids after I caught him sexting a friend. It was a shock as I didn’t think anything was wrong with our relationship and we always had a good sex life. I had to leave him for my own self-worth, but recently we’ve been having sex again. He wants to get back together properly, but I’m not sure… Kirsty, 50 A Ask yourself this: if you take him back, will you be setting yourself up for a life of wondering who he’s texting or where he’s going? If the answer’s yes, then it’s probably time to move on. A relationship without trust just won’t work. Only if you can forgive this guy and never mention the sexting ever again…

FILL ME IN At the time of his death, Felix Mendelssohn was working on an opera about which figure from German mythology? (Answer is English spelling of the name, not Germany title of the opera.) Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Hamal and Sheratan are the two brightest stars in which constellation? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters ELF IMP IRE LEA LET LOP OAF OAT ORE 4 letters AGUE AJAR GASP GOLF SAGA TAXI 5 letters EMPTY FATES FIRST FRIAR 6 letters AIKIDO ANGELS ANGORA APATHY 7 letters EPISODE EXTREME…

3 ways to… cut the cost of going to a wedding It’s exciting when wedding invitations drop through the letter box, but being a guest can be expensive. Try these ways to keep the costs down. 1 Be an early booker If you need to stay overnight, book accommodation as soon as possible so you have the best chance of finding somewhere affordable. Check the cancellation policy, just in case you’re not actually able to travel, and factor in the cost of getting to the wedding and back. If booking cheaper accommodation means you’ll be spending loads on taxis, it could cost more in the long run. And consider self-catering options too, especially if you’re part of a big group. 2 Gifts on a budget If there’s a wedding gift list…

Essie Apricot Nail & Cuticle Oil, £7.99, Boots Dry cuticles can end up tearing but you can avoi this by applying a cuticle oil every night. This Essie formula is particularly good as apricot kernel oil is known for its nourishing properties. CaudalÍe Vinoclean Moisturising Toner, £9 for 100ml, lookfantastic.com Catch any leftover impurities from cleansing with this soothing, skin-softening toning water. It’s lightweight, nongreasy and will flood the skin with hydration before you apply the rest of your skincare routine. L’Oréal Paris Professionnel Infinium Extra Strong Hairspray, £12.25, justmylook.com Achieve mirror-like shine and keep your style in place with this strong hold hairspray from L’Oréal. It delivers a fine mist to every strand, doesn’t feel crunchy and leaves hair looking luxe. Catrice Wild Hibiscus Glow Lip Balm, £4.99, justmylook.com…