Table of contents for 11-Mar-2021 in Pick Me Up!

I’ve loved two women in my life – both of whom I have lost. When my first wife passed away in 1996 from MS, I wasn’t sure I’d find love again. But then, two years later, Jenny came along. I’d met her at the local swimming club where we were both swimming officials. Jenny was a free spirit and a go getter – she never let anything hold her back. In 1999, the two of us tied the knot in front of our closest family and friends. Jenny’s three children were amazing and welcomed me into their family. Me and Jenny went on trips together and were always keeping busy. Life was good, but then in 2006, Jenny was diagnosed with early onset dementia with Posterior Cortical Atrophy, at the…

Follow it! pg 6 Lobster ‘Baked vanilla cheesecake’ drink ⁕ 3 heaped tsp Horlicks Vegan ⁕ 200ml oat milk ⁕ 1 tsp vanilla essence TO GARNISH: ⁕ Vegan-friendly whipped cream ⁕ 1 crumbled vegan biscuit ⁕ Drizzle of vanilla syrup ⁕ Dusting icing sugar 1 Bring the oat milk, vanilla essence and Horlicks Vegan to a gentle boil, whisking to get a rich, foamy consistency. 2 Pour into your favourite mug, top with vegan whipped cream and garnish with the crumbled biscuit, a drizzle of vanilla syrup and a light dusting of icing sugar. Take a moment with Horlicks Vegan! Cookies and cream shake ⁕ 3 heaped tsp Horlicks Vegan ⁕ 200ml almond milk ⁕ 1 vegan-friendly cookie (eg Oreo) ⁕ 1 tbsp vegan chocolate chips ⁕ Ice cubes TO…

Lying on my side, Iran my hand all over my breasts. Still there, I thought with a sigh. I’d noticed a tiny pea-sized lump on my left breast a few weeks before and had been keeping a close eye on it since. My dad’s mum Pauline, had sadly passed away from breast cancer at the young age of 39, and her sister had also suffered from it. As a result, I’d always kept a close eye on my breasts and this lump was bugging me. At first, I hoped it might just be connected to my menstrual cycle, but when it failed to disappear, I decided to consult my doctor. ‘Well, you’re only in your 30s,’ she began. ‘However, I can refer you to a specialist.’ And so, just a…

Laying on a sun lounger, I watched my little girl crawl along the sand. Oonagh, then one, loved the beach. ‘Let’s go in the sea!’ I smiled, scooping her up. It was 2018, and my husband Steven, then 34, and I were living in Dubai with our daughter Lois, then five, and newborn Oonagh. Oonagh was a happy but serious baby and knew exactly what she liked from day one. Whilst in Dubai, I fell pregnant with our third baby. We moved back to the UK in July, and welcomed our son Clark into the world in November 2018. We didn’t plan on staying at home for long. Steven’s next work venture was in Spain, so we had organised to move out there in the new year. Only, five days…

DON’T MISS The Great Celebrity Bake Off For SU2C, Channel 4 This is just what we need! The return of GBBO in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, with the comforting familiarity of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, plus edible treats aplenty. Even better, there are four episodes and 20 celebrities. Each famous amateur baker will put on their aprons to raise some money and to win star baker. They’ll battle it out through three rounds – the Signature, the Technical and the Showstopper. Matt Lucas will be on hand to help with the pressure. First up is renowned singer Alexandra Burke, comedians Rob Beckett and Tom Allen, and Star Wars actor Daisy Ridley. Other celebs include actor James McAvoy, Little Mix’s Jade Thirlwall, Olympic medalist Dame Kelly Holmes and…

Maple from Canada is an initiative representing over 11,300 maple syrup producers from Quebec, where over 72% of the world’s supply is produced. Pure Canadian maple syrup is perfect for creating some treats for someone special. For more inspiration visit www.maplefromcanada.co.uk Treat of the week Coffee, maple and walnut cake Serves: 12 □ 5 tsp strong instant coffee□ 2 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably golden colour for its delicate flavour)□ 150ml buttermilk□ 175g unsalted butter□ 150g maple sugar□ 3 large eggs□ 200g selfraising flour□ 50g cornflour□ ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda□ 75g rough chopped walnuts FOR THE BUTTERCREAM ICING & FILLING: □ 300g softened unsalted butter□ 275g maple sugar□ 4 tbsp instant coffee granules□ 25g walnuts, chopped/halved for decoration 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and lightly grease…

Cadbury Dairy Milk Brownie Bites, £1.80, Tesco. Treat your tastebuds to a combination of smooth, velvety Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate and rich, fudgy brownie with these brand new Cadbury coated brownie bites. Kingsmill 50/50 Multi-Seed loaves, £ 1.35, supermarkets nationwide. Kingsmill is helping families across Britain up their daily wholegrain with its new 50/50 Multi-Seed and 50/50 No Bits Multi-Seed loaves. Carr’s Flour Six Seed Mix, Malted Grain and Sundried Tomato & Chilli, 95p (500g) or £ 11.40 for a case of 12 shop.carrsflour.co.uk. With the nation putting their bread baking skills to the test at home during the past year, Carr’s have added three brand new bread mixes to their range. Galaxy Chocolatey Moments, £ 1.50, Sainsbury’s and These delicate shortcake biscuits are smothered in Galaxy chocolate and are just 114 calories in a two biscuit serving!…

WE’RE LOVING THIS! It’s never easy to find the perfect gift for Mum, but this Reasons Why Book from Prezzybox could be just the thing. A lovely memento for Mother’s Day, this book allows you to tell your mum exactly why you love her, with your own personalised reasons. Inside, you’ll be able to add 15 of your very own reasons by text. You could include how she inspires you, what she’s taught you, what you admire about her, and some of your favourite memories and times spent together. Made beautifully with a hardback cover and a gold finish, you can choose any name. It’s a gift your mum will cherish forever! • Available for £24.99 on prezzybox.com Tell her why you love her! A card that gives back! Good deed…

Walking the streets of Barcelona, we headed to the nearby bars. Smack bang in the centre, they were always filled with tourists, so I tended to drink in the more local, back alley spots. Only, with a few friends visiting, they wanted to be where all the action was. So, heading into a busy bar in November 2019, we ordered our drinks and took our seats. Keeping to ourselves, we were having a great night, when suddenly I noticed two men walk through the door. They were both dressed in shorts and a tank top which showed off their broad shoulders and toned bodies. Not bad, I thought to myself. Over time, I noticed the two guys spark up a conversation with the people next to them. Making their way…

Be a winner! This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! From the new Lynsey Queen of clean collection is the Bamboo sponge and triple pack of super sponges, complete with the Addis caddy to store the cleaning must haves. Made with natural bamboo, which is a renewable and naturally anti-bacterial plant source. The bamboo coating eliminates odour and prolongs sponge life. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Bready brilliant If your butter is too cold to spread, pop it on top of the warm toaster for a few minutes to soften. Lucy Travell, Gloucester So cool Fill an empty milk bottle with water and freeze it so that you can take it with you when you do freezer shopping…

Walking through the door, I was ready for a chilled night. Only, as I made my way into the living room, I stopped in my tracks. ‘What on earth?!’ I gasped. My beautiful grey cuddle chair had been ripped apart. The stuffing was scattered across the floor – and there, in the middle of the mess, was my 12-month-old Boxer, Cooper. ‘What have you done?’ I shouted, as he bowed his head in shame. Walking into the kitchen, I tried to compose myself. We’d only left him alone for a couple of hours and my husband Steve, now 60, was due home any minute. Just then, Cooper came wandering over to me, trying to act cute. ‘That was Hollie’s chair, Cooper!’ I snapped. Hollie – who is no longer with…

Scrolling through Facebook, a familiar name popped up. Well I never, I thought to myself. I’d known Eddie Matheson, now 61, many moons ago and now he was appearing on my suggested friends. Well, this is a blast from the past, I typed. We’d met over 40 years ago as I was friends with his little sister, Lorraine. The two of us were never exactly close and as adults he went off to the army and I went on to get married. Hello, you! he soon replied. The two of us got chatting and he told me about his two children, Symon, now 40, and Clair, now 38, and I told him all about my own – Ann-Marie, now 39, Donna-Louise, now 37, Michelle, now 35, and Jack, now 22.…

Walking down the hospital corridor in my blue scrubs, I smiled at one of my patients ‘When are you due, dear?’ an older lady asked me. I felt my cheeks flush red as I touched my tummy quickly. ‘Oh no, I’m just fat,’ I chuckled to her, turning it into a joke. I didn’t know how else to handle a comment like that. I’d been mistaken for being pregnant a number of times in work – when really, I was just very overweight. Every single time, it was a crushing feeling. At the start of 2017, I wore a dress size 24 and XXL scrubs. They were the largest size the hospital had, and they were still really tight and uncomfortable around my middle. I hated getting dressed for work.…

Making of a MONSTERMONSTER There was a note stuck on the door of Julie Ann Cooper’s home in Perth, WA. It read: Dear visitors. I’ve gone away for two weeks with my wonderful new partner. No one would have wanted to deny the kind grandmother the chance of happiness, but it was very unlike Julie, 55, to just go away without telling her family or friends. And neighbours noticed that there were some comings and goings at Julie’s home. A man had moved in who they didn’t recognise. Something wasn’t right, but no one could have predicted just how horribly wrong things were. It was August 2018, and Julie was popular and wellloved. Her children had grown up, with families of their own and she lived alone. She was known…

Even if neither of them liked me, I jumped at the chance to spend more time with them both. So, I helped them find somewhere nice to stay and decided to show them the ropes. They’d seen the tourist side of the city, now it was time to show them the real Barcelona. I spent every moment I could with them. We went to the beaches and I showed them some of my favourite restaurants. It was the happiest I’d felt in a long time. Only, as the days passed, my feelings for them only deepened. However, I knew how complicated it was. Firstly, I didn’t know if either of them felt the same, but what if they did? Would I have to choose? Would I end up breaking a…

BIG health story Staring in the mirror, I was fed up. With angry, red patches spreading across my face, all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed. In fact, I’d felt like this for years now. Ever since I could remember, my skin had always been problematic. Patches of red, inflamed skin covered my face. I hated how I looked and my confidence was at rock bottom. Back and forth to the doctors, nobody ever seemed to have answers. ‘It could be eczema,’ one doctor mused. But nothing I was prescribed ever seemed to do the trick. And as I got older, my skin only got worse. Impossible to conceal, the painful, red welts were making me miserable. And a widower, after my fiancé died, I felt like…

THE FUNKY ONE This chunky high collar is sure to keep you snug outside. Wear with classic black accessories or neutral shades. THE GLAM ONE The pearl detailing adds a touch of glam to this jumper dress! If you prefer to keep your legs covered, leather leggings are the perfect pairing. THE CLASSIC ONE This sleeveless tunic is right on style with the knitted vests that are all over the high street. Pair with a white shirt underneath and rock with tights if it’s chilly. THE KNITTED ONE Khaki is such a gorgeous shade to wear during the colder months. Don’t be afraid to incorporate it into your accessories, too!…

There is a dating site out there for every type of person. Whether you have a kinky fetish, a soft spot for a bald head or for a small penis – nothing is too strange on the quest for love. The Niche Online Dating Man, David Minns, created these niche dating sites to help people all over the world connect and form relationships – no matter what your ideal type. SHINING HEADS Hatfishing: When someone on a dating site is ashamed of their lack of hair and tries to hide it underneath a hat. In 2020, the hatfishing dating phenomenon surged online. Many bald people hid their insecurities behind props in their dating profiles. Bald Dating was created to solve that problem, and remove the stigma of hair loss. To…

Ordering another round at the bar, I stood chatting with my friends. ‘Cheers!’ I said, clinking glasses. It was Christmas 2020, and we were all on a pub crawl around Guernsey. ‘I need to go to the loo before the next stop!’ I said, hurrying to the bathroom with a friend. On the side of the sink, there was a little box filled with free sanitary products. ‘How nice is that!’ my friend said to me. ‘If only every toilet had that,’ I said. The bathroom was surprisingly clean for a public toilet on a night out. ‘Wow, I’d give this a solid 9/10!’ I said, impressed. And that was when the idea hit me – to rate public toilets. Everyone dreads going to the loo on a night out.…