Table of contents for 21-Jan-2021 in Pick Me Up!

Pottering around the house, I was getting ready to head to work. It was a Sunday morning in February 2018, and I was on a relief shift at the local children’s home. ‘See you later,’ I called out to my daughter Emma, now 20. Arriving at the home, I got stuck in. After a few hours, I noticed a tiny red paper cut on my index finger of my right hand. As a single mum of two, Emma and her big sister, Kim, now 29, I was more than used to these annoying little cuts. I had no idea where I got it from, but I put it to the back of my mind. Only, the next morning when I woke up, I noticed a blue blister surrounding the skin.…

ACROSS 1 Single-room accommodation (6) 4 Evaluator (8) 10 Self-service restaurant (9) 11 Freeze over, as a windscreen (3,2) 12 Australian wild dog (5) 13 Snooker-like game (9) 14 The _, new Roald Dahl film adaptation starring 19 Across, 21 Across and 5 Down (7) 16 Twelve months (4) 19 _ Hathaway, actor who played Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises (4) 21 Octavia _, actor who won an Oscar for her role in The Help (7) 24 Or else (9) 25 Decorate (5) 26 _ MacArthur, yachtswoman (5) 27 Expenses (9) 28 Ragged or torn (8) 29 Iran’s capital (6) DOWN 1 Concede defeat (4,4) 2 Clearly stated or decided (8) 3 Introduction, in short (5) 5 _ Tucci, actor whose film credits include Spotlight, The Hunger Games and…

Wiping down the bar area, it was another busy Sunday down at the pub. ‘Pint of Tennent’s please,’ a familiar voice called over. ‘Right away, Steve,’ I smiled. I’d been working in the pub for about a year by now, and every Sunday, without fail, Steve would come in for a pint of Tennent’s lager. Him along with the usual bunch of locals. All huddled around a table, they’d come and go throughout the day. ‘Oh, you can do better than that!’ Steve chuckled, once again poking fun at my pint pouring skills. Over the past year, I’d grown rather fond of Steve and looked forward to his weekly visits. He’d always find a way to make me laugh, even if it did involve complaining about the head on his…

The originals The much-loved brand that never goes out of style – Clarks! Their Originals range includes iconic and timeless women’s designs in classic silhouettes and updated versions. 1. Wallabee, £135 2. Desert Mali, £130 3. Arisa Desert, £125 4. Arisa Desert, £125…

Flicking aimlessly through Facebook, I came across a picture with a familiar view. What a great way to start the morning, the woman had captioned it. ‘What the?!’ I cried, recognising it was my boyfriend’s balcony. At 19-years-old, I felt the sting of my first heartbreak. I’d been with Kyle* for three years and he was charming and incredibly handsome. But after confirming he’d been cheating on me for most of our relationship, I ended it. Only, my sadness quickly turned to anger as Kyle, 23, constantly messaged me. Please, let’s talk, he’d write. I blocked him, but he changed numbers and spammed my phone again, before switching to email. Then, he even started recreating photos that the two of us had taken with his new flings - sometimes streets…

Pulling the weeds out of my flower beds, in July this year, I paused for a second to listen carefully to an unusual sound. It was a squeaking and squealing that I didn’t recognise, and I know my animals – I’ve a Bachelor of Science, from Bath University, I’m a biologist. I have a huge passion and love for all creatures we share our world with. Why don’t I recognise that sound? I thought, as I stood up to have a search for the source of the racket. Approaching the patio, I saw a tiny little ball of fluffon the ground, it looked up at me with its huge baby squirrel eyes and hopped straight over to my feet. The little thing was desperate for my help. It looked cold,…

Fitness guru Rosemary Conley has a brand-new recipe book out now to help you build up your defences against illness, lose weight and improve fitness, through your diet! The 28 Day Immunity Plan (Penguin Books) contains over 60 delicious recipes devised to boost your immune system and improve your gut health, and a simple weekly workout programme to get us all feeling stronger. Here’s a taster! Beef and ale stew PER SERVING: 256 calories, 8.7g fat Serves: 2 □ 1 red onion, diced□ 1 clove of garlic, crushed□ Rapeseed oil spray□ 200g lean diced beef□ 1 stick of celery, chopped□ 10g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped□ 250ml ale or stout□ 250ml beef stock□ 1 tablespoon gravy granules□ 150g small button mushrooms□ 2 teaspoons mixed herbs (parsley, thyme, chives)□ Freshly ground black pepper…

DON’T MISS THIS Ever wish you could bottle up the smell of your home? Now you can! Relocation website My Baggage is offering fresh air bottles from the four home nations – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – for £25 each. The perfect thoughtful gift for homesick Britons living overseas. My Baggage is also offering new special limited-edition bottles featuring air captured on the London Underground and air from a Norfolk fish and chip shop. Each 500ml of air comes with a cork stopper so the owners can open for a moment, take a breath and quickly close again, allowing many weeks or even months of use. Even more, My Baggage is willing to fulfil special customer requests by bottling air from any UK location. They have already fulfilled an…

Throwing clothes onto the floor, I looked around me in horror. Standing there half-naked, I caught a glance of myself in the mirror and it took all my strength not to burst into tears. ‘What’s going on here?’ my husband John, 47, asked, coming into the bedroom to check if I was ready. ‘I can’t go,’ I whimpered. ‘Everything looks awful on me.’ I’d been big since hitting puberty, but after getting married in 2002, things had really gotten out of control. Even on my wedding day, I was too large for John to carry me over the threshold – something I would have loved! It wasn’t that I ate a particularly unhealthy diet, but my portion sizes had become massive and just seemed to keep on getting bigger. ‘I…

Cradling my stomach, I winced in pain. It was January 2019 and I was struggling with terrible tummy trouble. Any time I needed to go to the toilet, I was in agony. It was like I was giving birth! ‘Could it be IBS?’ I asked my doctor. ‘Maybe,’ he mused. ‘We’ll try you on some medication and see if that helps.’ But as the months went on, I was back and forth to the doctors all the time. None of the medication I tried seemed to do the trick and my GP was beginning to think it was crohns disease. Only, it wasn’t until a year later that I was finally referred for a colonoscopy. But stuck on a waiting list, by the time my appointment rolled around Covid-19 had…

Holding onto my wife’s hand, I smiled as the sonographer ran the ultrasound across her tummy. ‘Let’s have a little look at your baby shall we,’ the sonographer beamed. But as she studied the monitor, her face suddenly seemed to change. ‘I’m just going to get a doctor,’ she told us both, a worried look etched across her face. And for the next few moments, we both waited with baited breath. It was March 2017 and my wife Olivia, 26, was 12 weeks pregnant. She already had my seven-year-old stepson Isaac and we couldn’t wait to expand our little family. But when the doctor arrived, we both knew something had to be up. ‘Would you like to come with us,’ he said gently, leading us into another room. And as…

When you think about sex toys, you most likely imagine vibrators, dildos, rings and stimulators. Few of us would consider investing in a sex doll. After all, you’ve probably only seen them in whacky, eccentric documentaries. They’re not actually something people invest in, right? Wrong! Sex dolls are soaring in popularity and they’re looking more life-like than ever before. From people who want to enjoy a girlfriend-like experience to those with a very specific kink, sex dolls are catering for a range of sexual fantasies as they redefine the sex industry. Gabriela Rocha, CEO of a leading provider of realistic sex dolls, StuffGoodies (stuffgoodies.com), shares a peak inside the mind-blowing world of sex dolls. The pandemic has led to a spike in the sex doll industry Gabriela believes that dolls…

It was a hot day in Moreno Valley, California, when Norma Lopez left her last class and headed off to meet her friends. Norma, 17, was attending summer school at Valley View High School and had finished a biology lesson. Norma was a regular teen who enjoyed dancing and fashion. She had a boyfriend and friends she loved spending time with. But Norma also wanted to make something of her life and was going to summer school to stay on top of her learning. It was the morning of July 15, 2010, and usually Norma walked with her boyfriend, but he was running late so she set off on her own. It was unusual for her to be alone. She was going to a friend’s house, which was a few…

Ten Acre popcorn, 95p, www.tenacrecrisps.co.uk If you’re after a healthy snack, then Ten Acre popcorn is just the thing. Choose from Sweet and Salty, or for something a bit different try their Cappuccino flavoured popcorn. Shaken Udder Chocolush, £1.45 per 330ml bottle, all major supermarkets. Made from British milk and real Belgian chocolate, simply pour Chocolush into a mug and heat it in the microwave for one minute. You’ll be able to enjoy a steaming cup of delicious hot chocolate with none of the hassle. GRO range, Co-op, from £2.50. Co-op are expanding their plant-based offering this month – nearly doubling the choice available to shoppers. From a winter-warming spiced pie to Asian-inspired noodles, 18 new products will join the yummy vegan GRO range. Violife’s Cocospread, £2.30, Asda. The UK’s…

Scrolling through the Pets for Home website, I fell in love with the cutest face. ‘His name is Charlie,’ I smiled to my boyfriend Lewis, 28. It was May last year, and I was on the hunt for a little one to start our family. I’d never had any pets, but I had always wanted an African Pygmy hedgehog. ‘Please!’ I begged Lewis. After some persuasion, we travelled to Derby – to bring 12-week-old Charlie home. Driving back with a special fleece carry case on my lap, I tried to take a peep at his face. Only, because he was out of his comfort zone, he’d rolled himself into a tight ball – with his face nowhere to be seen. ‘I’m going to give him so much love!’ I told…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This stylish soap dispenser and sponge keeps your sink side area organised and clutter free, with a soft touch non-slip base. Fill with your favourite detergent or hand wash. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Save your pennes A fab pasta tip is to portion out your dry pasta into bowls before cooking it. Angela Garvin, Romford Vanishing keys Never forage for your keys again! Simply tie them to a long piece of string and hook them around the front door handle – add a mini bell for safety. Julie Surtees, Tyne and Wear Perfect display Glue together three open egg boxes and attach some string to hang it from. Pin photos…

Bizarre bathing benefits New research has discovered that there may be health benefits from taking daily baths. A 19 year long study in Japan looked at 30,076 people aged between 40 – 59 to analyse whether there was any correlation between bath frequency and the development of heart and circulatory disease. They found that daily, hot baths were associated with a 28 per cent lower overall risk of heart and circulatory disease. There was also a 26 per cent lower risk of stroke in those who bathed daily compared to those who didn’t. 24%… That’s the amount the chance of death by cardiovascular disease is reduced by, for those who cycle to work. Have you tried… Calming Cream, £12, thebeautyofeczema.com This face and body cream is so delicate that it…

Laying in bed with a thumping headache, I wondered what could be putting me in this horrendous pain. ‘It’s probably just your hormones,’ my GP had told me. But I knew it was something more than that. I had been suffering with headaches for months. The pain changed placement in my head and caused terrible pressure in the base of my skull and neck. In 2017, I was finally referred to a neurologist – only, she said the same. ‘I’ll put you on some new migraine medication,’ she said. ‘Migraines are just migraines…’ she continued. I hated the drugs because they caused awful side effects and didn’t fix the problem. On one occasion, I was sent to A&E and whilst I was waiting to be seen by a doctor, I…

Silenced: The Hidden History Of Disabled Britain, BBC Two In this moving film, Cerrie Burnell uncovers the hidden story of how disabled people have fought back against prejudice and have been denied basic human rights for generations. Cerrie was born without the lower part of her right arm. As a CBeebies presenter, she was astonished to learn that some viewers thought her appearance would ‘scare’ children who were watching. Now, she wants to find out where these attitudes towards disabled people come from, and why they persist today. She’ll follow history back to the workhouses of Victorian Britain. Cerrie will hear astonishing stories of heartbreak and cruelty. But she will also meet the pioneers who changed the lives of disabled people forever – including Alia Hassan, who brought the streets…

For years, reports have predicted that robots will replace human workers. And now, it seems they might. LumiDolls is the world’s first sex doll brothel franchise, based in secret locations in Spain, Russia and Italy. Sex doll brothels have the advantage of being legal in many countries, where human sex work may not. Instead of paying women, clients are allowed to pay for sex with dolls. In each room, you can find a bed, a TV, a shower and of course, a doll. Clients can go on the website and choose a male or female, hair colour, body shape and an outfit. Brothel owners believe that it is ethical because there’s no exploitation of real women. However, critics argue the dolls teach men dangerous lessons about sex with women. Do…

The Armed Forces Charity, SSAFA, is calling on the public to don their best running shoes this New Year and take on the Virtual Marathon Series to raise vital funds for the Armed Forces community. The Virtual Marathon series is designed to make you the best that you can be – virtually! Each event can be undertaken as an individual, in part of a team or with a running buddy, and participants are able to tackle them in one go or over the course of a month. Each Virtual Marathon has a bespoke collectable medal and special challenge linked to the event. The challenge is based on a piece of marathon history specific to the event’s location. So, whether it is beating ancient marathon times or getting your next personal…