Table of contents for 24 November 2022 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat… Can’t wait to hear what you think of one story this week. Bed-hopping Colton spends one night with his wife then the next, down the hall, with another woman… And nobody minds! So-called throuples seem to be more common but is it something you’d ever try? Get in touch at the address over the page! Plus we’ve tons more real-life reads, your fave prize puzzles and more, including tasty meals for just 50p a portion! Have a fab week, PS If you’re entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

TRUE-LIFE As the stench of booze wafted from my dad’s lips, my stomach began to churn. ‘You know I love you, Susan,’ he slurred. The only person to call me Susan. To everyone else I was just Susie. But my dad, Robert Henderson, thought he was different. It was 1969 and I was 3. But I already knew that I was in trouble. ‘I’m going for a nap,’ he announced to Mum. ‘I’ll take Susan with me.’ Dragging me by the hand. I didn’t dare refuse. He was so strict and quick to temper. I always scrambled to do as I was told. In bed, he climbed on top of me. It hurt, but I was too terrified to make a sound. Dads were supposed to love you. This didn’t…

Q I’ve lost my sex drive since going through menopause. I’ve read about testosterone, could it help me? Kym, Chichester A Testosterone is the so-called male sex hormone, but it’s also present in lower levels in women and has a number of effects, including maintaining your sex drive. Doctors have tried adding it to HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to boost interest in sex after the menopause. Usually in the form of a cream or an implant under the skin, testosterone does seem to help some women, although can have side effects such as hair growth and acne. And it isn’t a guaranteed cure. There’s a lot more to emotions, including sex drive, than hormone levels. The time around your menopause often brings major life events, such as children leaving, illness,…

Q My doctor says I have gallstones, does it really mean an op? Lynda, Halifax A Not necessarily. Around 15% of us have gallstones, though most people don’t even know it and gallstones that cause no symptoms can usually be left alone. They form inside your gallbladder, which is a small bag that stores digestive juices and lies beneath your liver, just under the lower right edge of your ribcage at the front. Sometimes stones can inflame your gallbladder or block the tube that leads out of it, resulting in symptoms such as pain and sickness, especially after a meal. On rare occasions they can cause a more serious blockage leading to damage to your liver or pancreas. Tablets to dissolve gallstones are a last resort if you’re not fit…

Mummy’s the bad guy Q Me and my partner have a 3-year-old daughter and though he’s great with all the ‘fun stuff’, he leaves everything else to me. I have to put her to bed, make her dinner, discipline her and stay awake with her when she’s poorly. No wonder Mummy’s the bad guy and Daddy’s the favourite. It’s so draining. Josie, 31 A It’s so unfair when one parent takes on the ‘fun parent’ role, flower. But it’s important that you But it’s important that you communicate with your partner about this. He might not realise you even feel this way. Ask him to take on more of the responsibilities you shoulder, and that way you can lean in to the more fun stuff as well, meaning you’re both…

3 Ways to… Save £££s on gifts There’s no need to break your budget on presents this Christmas, just try these cost-cutting ideas… 1 Keep a look out for price drops Set a budget before you go Christmas shopping. Work out what you can afford to spend on the festive season overall, then how much of that will go on gifts. Allocate an amount to each person you’re buying for - and stick to it. Now shop around to find the best prices. At idealo.co.uk you can check the price history of products at hundreds of UK shops and set up alerts to let you know if the item drops in price. You can also search online for offer codes or download a free browser extension such as Pouch (joinpouch.com),…

Wednesday NETFLIX • This Addams Family spin-off from director Tim Burton stars Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. The eight-parter follows the creepy and kooky, mysterious and spooky teenager as she becomes a student at the Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts and misfits. But as she desperately tries to fit in to her new surroundings, she must master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that’s terrorised the local town of Jericho and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán play Wednesday’s parents, Morticia and Gomez Addams. DON'T MISS DON'T MISS You won’t Believe This C4 • Hosted by Strictly star Ellie Taylor, this game show sees members of the public turn amateur sleuth as they try to work…

Q My scalp feels so itchy and irritated - are there any treatments to help? Hayley Reid, Nottingham A Itchiness and irritation are both telltale signs of a dry scalp, which is most common during the colder months. Using the right products can help. Apply ARKIVE The Crown Scalp Scrub, £14, Boots after shampooing. It uses a nourishing blend of oils and fruit enzymes to provide much-needed hydration, vitamins, and minerals. When washing your hair, it is also worth using a scalp brush like the Imbue Scalp Massage and Shampoo Brush, £5.99, imbuecurls.co.uk. It removes dead skin cells while also increasing blood flow and stimulating the production of natural oils. Before styling, apply the Noughty Care Taker Scalp Soothing Tonic, £9.99, lovenoughty.co.uk to damp or dry hair. It uses soothing bisabolol…

Aveeno Daily Moisturising After-Shower Mist, £7.49, Superdrug Busy schedule? This efficient body mist will make sure you never skip moisturising again. Its spray application makes it speedy to apply, plus a non-greasy formula containing oat extract will leave limbs smooth. Lacura Vitamin C & Turmeric Oil, £5.99, Aldi This innovative beauty buy is the key to radiant skin. Its clever formula blends ginger and orange essential oils to brighten the complexion and reduce redness, revealing a healthy glow. The Jojoba Company Jojoba Water Toning Mist, £13.95, lloydspharmacy.com Deeply hydrating and full of nutrients, make jojoba your skin’s new bestie. Use this mist after cleansing or throughout the day to keep skin protected against aggressors. Bioderma Sébium Micellar Water, £5.29, Superdrug If your skin is oil-prone, this is for you. It…

After visiting her divorce lawyer, Elizabeth Sullivan was looking forward to beginning a new life. A new start for her and her two girls. It was October 2014, and Elizabeth was ending her marriage to US naval officer Matthew Sullivan - things hadn’t been right for some time. Just six months before, in March 2014, Elizabeth had called police to tell them that there’d been domestic violence in their relationship and that they were arguing about custody of their children and child support. She was worried the situation might escalate -they were living on separate floors of their shared house in Liberty Station, San Diego. Elizabeth had met someone else on a dating site, something that Matthew had found out about in September. But after the meeting to discuss a…

Dear Mam, I ’ll never forget the day we found out. December 2017, at an appointment with the consultant. A biopsy confirmed what we’d feared. You had a malignant brain tumour. And worse, we learned it was terminal. Docs gave you a prognosis of 14 months. Devastating. You weren’t just my mam, you were my best friend. ‘But I’ll live every last day to the fullest,’ you vowed. In January 2018, you started radiotherapy, followed by chemo. Hoped it would buy us more time. By then, you were using a wheelchair, without the strength to stand for long periods of time. My stepdad Mick, then 47, was your main carer and I helped out, making the 15-minute journey to see you at least four times a week. Sometimes my fiancé Phil,…

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Crate idea When my husband was given a small wooden crate of beers, I didn’t want to throw the crate away. I filled it with toilet rolls and it fits perfectly into the corner of my bathroom! Madeline Robbins, Port Tennant, Swansea Dust the thing! Find cleaning blinds fiddly? Use a pair of plastic tongs wrapped in rolled-up dusters. Secured with elastic bands, it makes dusting blinds a breeze. Josie Drury, Buckley, Sir Y Fflint Crafty corsage My homemade corsage brooches make great little gifts for anyone who has lost a loved one. I handsew them using felt, with a pocket on the back to hold a photo. Justine Machin, Preston, Lancashire Dryer power To save energy, I’ve been drying my clothes in my pop-up greenhouse instead of using my…

YOU’RE THE JUDGE! He was a basketball legend. A 6ft 5in man mountain who’d smashed scoring records. As a teen, Andre Emmett had been a standout star in the basketball team at Texas Tech University. He’d gone on to sign with major league teams in the world-famous NBA. But off the courts, this ‘gentle giant’ simply ‘loved to love’. A doting daddy to two beautiful girls, he’d share pictures on his social media accounts of little Kennedy and Zara giving him kisses and standing courtside at his games. He even found time to run a charity for disadvantaged kids, which he called ‘Dreams Really Exist’. But in the early hours of 23 September, when Andre was just 37 years old, his incredible life came to a horrific end. First responders…

WANT DR MARTIN EDWARDS’ ADVICE? WRITE TO CHAT_MAGAZINE@FUTURENET.COM. SORRY, HE CAN’T REPLY PERSONALLY Whistling hearing aids Q My dad’s hearing aids whistle all the time. He won’t do anything about it, but surely they’re faulty? Claire, Birmingham A Chances are there’s nothing wrong with his hearing aids. The whistling means feedback, when sounds coming from the earpiece of the hearing aid find their way back to the aid’s microphone. The sound loops round and round from earpiece to microphone, resulting in a high-pitched whistle. Feedback often means the earpiece isn’t fitting properly into his ear, and sound can leak out. Your dad might need to be taught how to fit his aid, or have a custom earpiece made that’s moulded to the shape of his ear. Another possibility is earwax,…

1 Limit the booze Alcohol consumption increases by 40% in December, according to Drinkaware, but clever tricks can help reduce your intake. Use a tall glass - US research found we pour up to 30% more booze into short, wide glasses. And put your glass down. Hold it and you’re more likely to keep sipping. Plus, pouring a drink into a glass that’s set on a table rather than in your hand will reduce the amount you’re sloshing in by 12%. 2 Relaxation matters Did you know finding your ‘Zen’ could help you avoid any lurgies? Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University found that volunteers who participated in eight weeks of meditation training produced significantly more flu-fighting antibodies than those who didn’t. 3 Get creative Staying indoors during cold…

Magic on the dance floor Last year, singer Sophie EllisBextor took her Covid kitchen disco to new heights when she took to her pins to dance for 24 hours. Her phenomenal danceathon raised over £1 million as she performed karaoke, sang with Tony Blackburn and appropriately ended the marathon session on Dancing Queen. On yer bike! In 2012, the rickshaw challenge saw six teenagers who’d been supported by Children in Need provide pedal power for the epic trip. They started in Llandudno and cycled 411 miles in eight days to BBC’s Television Centre. Presenter Matt Baker had achieved the feat the previous year, but this time the youngsters grabbed the handlebars and led from the front. Frog in her throat In 1997, TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson writhed and slithered her…

34p per serving! Sizzling stir-fried rice Cheap and cheerful rice is easily transformed into a delicious and easy dinner with just a few thrifty additions! SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 25 MINS Top tip This meal is really adaptable! Use any veg you have instead of carrot and cabbage. PER SERVING: 593 CALS, 12G FAT, 2G SAT FAT, 103G CARBS Fiery garlic spaghetti Simple dinners are often the tastiest - this spaghetti proves just that! SERVES 4 PREP 5 MINS COOK 10 MINS PER SERVING: 392 CALS, 10G FAT, 2G SAT FAT, 63G CARBS 23p per serving! Top tip For an extra luscious sauce, reserve some of the pasta cooking water and add to…

18-24 November 2022 Aries 21 March-20 April During a phone call, you’ll learn about your feelings, which helps you understand family dynamics. As your imagination runs wild with ideas, put pen to paper. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You are exhausted from sorting out everyone else’s problems. It feels like completion is close, yet so far away. Be patient, as success is close at hand. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June There could be a family expansion if you visit a loca animal rescue centre and adopt a new pet. You will be surprised how quickly they fit into the family. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July You could feel an urge to do…

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Length Retention Biotin Pack, £2.99, Amazon Including biotin in your haircare routine will help optimise the hair growth cycle and strengthen existing strands. This great-value treatment blends the powerhouse with cocoa butter and vitamin E, leaving locks stronger and less prone to breakage. MUA Lash & Brow Clear Mascara, £2, muastore.co.uk Well-groomed lashes and brows will pull together any make-up look, from natural to full glam. This clear gel brushes through strands to tidy them up and lock them in place, creating shape and structure around the eye area.…

Chat winners issue 34 (25 August 2022) £1,001 CASH A Platt, Luton £500 CASH £250 CASH £200 CASH £100 CASH £75 CASH £50 CASH £40 CASH £30 CASH Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £25 CASH £20 CASH Chat PUZZLE 1 39566 Chat PUZZLE 2 BOURBON Chat PUZZLE 11 5 3 1 •Any material submitted to Chat must be original, not copies or duplicated to other editors. Upon submitting material you warrant that you own or have the right to licence the material to Future plc for publication. Chat reserves the right to shorten, edit or modify…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Walking up the stairs, I felt a twinge in my chest. It was June 2017 and my son Wills had been born six weeks earlier. I was still getting used to life with him and my daughter Olivia, 3. I kept feeling chest pain while pushing the buggy, too. ‘I must’ve pulled a muscle,’ I said to my husband Rich, then 37. With him busy travelling with work, I was rushed off my feet. Eventually, I confided in a friend about my pains. ‘You need to see a doctor. That’s not normal,’ she warned. But with Rich still away, I couldn’t just leave the kids. Waiting for him to get back later that day, I told him I was popping out. I didn’t want him to worry.…

Polishing off a large pepperoni pizza, my stomach groaned and gurgled. ‘I’ve eaten too much,’ I said to my partner. It was March 2017, and we’d treated ourselves to a takeaway tea. Not unusual! We loved pizza, burgers, fried chicken and chips… Anything to avoid cooking. And although I enjoyed indulging in junk food, my waist was paying the price. I’d always been big. At 15,I was a size 14, bigger than other girls at my school. They made fun of me, called me ‘Farting Fat Finau’. Even created a website dedicated to making fun of my weight. The cruel jibes hurt me. But I consoled myself with crisps and chocolate. In 2008, aged 16, I fell pregnant with my first son, and my second followed two years later. By…

Groaning, I flopped into bed. We’d had a busy weekend. Been to a family party and had a right giggle. But now… ‘I’m wiped out,’ I croaked to my fiance Matty, then 39. It was April 2016 and when I didn’t perk up, I figured I’d picked up a virus. With two kids in the house, Ami, then 17, and Ellis, 7, there were always bugs flying around! I hoped to have another baby soon. Yes, life was hectic. But’d always wanted a house full of kids. Bring on the chaos! I worked for the probation service. But now I felt so ill, I had to ring in sick. Then I noticed a lump on the right side of my neck. It swelled to the size of a 50 pence…