Table of contents for 01-Apr-2021 in Pick Me Up!

In January last year, I discovered I was pregnant with my first child. Browsing online, it wasn’t long before I came across a post on Mumsnet, linking to a Facebook page for babies due in September. The group had been started by a lady in France named Emelie Valla, and around 20 women had already joined. Almost immediately, we all started sharing our early symptoms and scan results. For most of us, this was our first time, so it was nice knowing we were all in the same boat. And when news of the coronavirus came flooding in, we all leaned on one another. As lockdown loomed, we were all due our 20-week scan and none of us knew how it would unfold. When the national lockdown came into force,…

Standing on a chair, I passed my stepdad Steve*, the flour. ‘Good job,’ he smiled at me. Steve and my mum Jenny*, had been together for about a year, but with no relationship with my real dad, he’d really stepped up to the plate. In a busy home with his two children, as well as my three younger siblings and myself, it was hard to get any attention, but Steve was always so caring. Caribbean, it’s in our nature to cook and although I was only six, Steve always let me help. It’s where my love of cooking stemmed from. So, when Steve brought his friend, who was a chef, home one weekend, I was thrilled. As far as I was aware, David Tiley, now 47, had been close friends…

Be a winner! This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! And this product can do more than one task. The microfibre flat mop is great for dusting hard floor surfaces, walls, ceilings and skirtings. Complete with machine washable head and telescopic handle for easy storage. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Cracking idea I made boiled eggs for my grandchildren’s breakfasts and stuck funny Easter stickers on them to encourage them to eat them. Colleen Brunton, Enfield Hoppy Easter! The guinea pig hutch was a good hiding place for a treat in our Easter egg hunt. Katie Gooding, Tidworth Tip of theweek Sparkling spin To freshen up your washing machine, run a hot wash with half a cup of…

Brushing my teeth, I felt something unusual on my tooth. As I peered into the mirror to inspect it, I noticed a little hole. That can’t be good, I thought. Better have that checked out. And so I booked an appointment to see my dentist a few days later. Leaning back into the dentist chair, I listened as he told me that I had an abscess on my tooth. I nodded as he explained that it would be best if I had an X-ray to check it out. I didn’t feel worried. I wasn’t in any pain, but I went along for the X-ray just to be safe. ‘You could have a surgery to remove it,’ the doctor said. ‘But it is very close to your nerve and could cause…

Top tip Available in sizes 8-24! Top tip Stripes are gorgeous in spring. Top tip Express your personality in your clothes.…

Treat of theweek Nan’s‘long-distance’ roastlamb Serves: 6 □ 2kg lamb whole leg joint□ 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated□ 20g rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped□ 20g thyme, leaves picked□ 6 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and finely chopped□ 3 tbsp olive oil□ 750g baby potatoes, halved if large FOR THE GRAVY: □ 3 tbsp plain flour□ 150ml dry white wine□1 chicken stock cube, made up to 300ml 1 Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before roasting and place on a large, shallow roasting tray to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Finely chop 3 garlic cloves and mix with the rosemary, thyme, anchovy fillets, 2 tbsp of olive oil and seasoning. 2 Cut multiple 1cm deep incisions into the lamb,…

YOU’VE SMILE! Digging through my cupboards, I came across a pack of pregnancy tests. Ahh, what’s the harm? I thought to myself After my mum passed away from ovarian cancer when I was just 16, I’d more or less convinced myself I couldn’t have kids. However, with the old pack in my hand, in August last year, I figured I’d give it a try. I didn’t know how long they’d been in the back of my cupboard, but I knew it would come back negative. Only, after the two minutes were up, two clear lines appeared. ‘It can’t be,’ I muttered. ‘It’s got to be the test.’ I refused to believe it, so I took another test, but again – it was positive. How is this even possible? I wondered.…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Vegetables. JUST FOR FUN Fillit! pg 13 Radishes ACROSS 7 Nun’s costume (5) 8 Athletic contest (9) 10 & 6 Dn. _ _ 1984, superhero sequel starring 28 Across, 21 Down, 23 Down & 24 Down (6) 11 Motorcycle sport (8) 12 African country (8) 13 Set of actors (4) 15 Survive or last beyond (7) 17 Place where vehicles are cleaned (3,4) 20 Heroic (4) 22 In addition to (2,4,2) 25 Reddish-brown to brown colour (8) 26 Raid or incursion (6) 27 Calamities (9) 28 Gal _, Israeli star of films such as Triple 9 and Fast & Furious (5) DOWN 1 One skilled in telling stories (9) 2 Structure with revolving vanes (8)…

Horlicks crumble & custard shake INGREDIENTS: □ 3 heaped tsp Horlicks Original□ 200ml milk□ 2 scoops vanilla ice cream□ ½ tsp vanilla essence□ ¼ tsp cinnamon GARNISH: □ Pinch of cinnamon□ ¼ finely diced green apple□ 1 crumbled biscuit 1 Place the milk, Horlicks Original, ice cream, vanilla essence and cinnamon into a jug blender and blitz at full speed to make a smooth, creamy drink. 2 Pour the drink into a glass, and garnish with a crumbled biscuit, diced green apple, and a pinch of cinnamon 3 For a garnish to truly impress, thinly slice an apple and dip each slice in sugar syrup (50% water, 50% sugar). Place on a tray and dry in the oven at 70°C until crisp. Horlicks banoffee pie frappe INGREDIENTS: □ 3 heaped…

DON’T MISS The Syndicate, BBC One The hit drama returns for a fourth series, and as always, it follows a new lottery syndicate. It’s Keeley’s (Katherine Rose Morley) birthday and she could really do with some luck – she’s defaulted on a payday loan, and debt collectors are knocking on her door. Winning the lottery would certainly solve all Keeley’s problems! She’s been playing for years in a syndicate with the rest of the staff at Woodvale Kennels. When Keeley takes the syndicate’s lottery ticket to the local shop to check, the newsagent Frank (Neil Morrissey) tells her she has won something – £500! But when the syndicate discover they might have actually won the jackpot of £27 million, they think Frank must have made a mistake with their ticket.…

The parents of Savannah Gold could not have been prouder. At high school, sporty Savannah had played lacrosse, loved dancing, and inspired everyone with her positivity and motivation. She also had a creative side and excelled at art school. Friends called the animal lover, naturally kind and compassionate. On August 2, 2017, Savannah, 21, left her parent’s home where she lived in Jacksonville, Florida ready for her 5.30pm shift at Bonefish Grill – a restaurant, where she worked as a server. She was dressed in her uniform, which included black trousers and shoes, with a white chef jacket. Savannah left at around 5.15pm in her white Kia car, but Savannah never turned up for her shift. Colleagues contacted Savannah’s family to say that the young woman hadn’t arrived at work.…

Cadbury White Chocolate Oreo Egg, £6,stores nation wide. Created out of a tantalising blend of Cadbury White Chocolate and Oreo cookie crumb, this egg is a sure favourite for both Oreo and Cadbury lovers out there. HotCross Bun Yumnut,£1.50each or£4 for a pack of three, M&S. This bakery hybrid is made up of a yum yum and doughnut with an added hot cross bun twist. What’s not to love? Walkers Flamin’ Hot, multipacks£1.65, retailers nationwide. Available now, the new spicy crisps from Walkers are made with beetroot, fiery chilli flakes and paprika extract, making them a naturally vivid shade of red. Fruit Bowl Dino Yogurt Eggs, £2(5pack), Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, The Co-Op, Asda, Wait rose and on Ocado. Chocolate eggs aren’t the only way we can treat our little ones…

Wiping my brow, I plonked myself down on a chair, exhausted. It was 1 March 2020, and I had arrived at the monthly county meeting to discuss the local carnival. ‘You look like you’re coming down with something,’ my friend said to me. Nodding back, I felt completely drained. Everybody could tell I wasn’t my usual chirpy self. I was normally the loudest one in the room, throwing around lots of fun ideas – but not today. Trudging home, I collapsed onto the sofa with a cup of tea, hoping the illness would pass. ‘I must have the flu,’ I told my husband Koalan, 26. We tucked our two children, Phoenix, five, and Khalessi, one, into bed, and then went to sleep ourselves. The next morning, I suddenly woke up…

Know your stuff Drinking debunked William Porter, author of Alcohol Explained shares five fascinating facts about alcohol which may change your relationship with it forever. 1. Water won’t help hangovers Drinking alcohol causes a chemical imbalance in your brain which impacts your sleep – which is why the biggest symptom of a hangover is tiredness. Drinking lots of water won’t affect this chemical process. 2. Controlling cravings Desiring a drink isn’t something that you just have to try and ignore. Cravings can be controlled and negated with some simple thought techniques. 3. Relaxing and intoxicating Alcohol gives you the feeling of relaxation, but the feeling of intoxication far outweighs this. People drink more to get the relaxation back, but it soon wears off, often leaving them more intoxicated. 4. Bad…

Walking in the cold and rain, I counted my steps. ‘That’s another mile towards my goal!’ I grinned at my boyfriend Grant, 25. It was February this year, and I had set myself the goal to walk 26 miles for Sam’s Diamonds Cancer Support. It was wet and windy in Cumbernauld, Scotland, but every single mile would be worth it to raise money for charity. Cancer research is a cause incredibly close to my heart. Last year, I lost my kind and caring dad Eddie, 62, to lung cancer. And I am also a cancer survivor myself. When I was just 20-months old, I was diagnosed with a rare type of children’s kidney cancer. My dad and my mum Elaine, now 52, couldn’t believe it. I had a bilateral tumour…

Getting out of bed, I headed down to the kitchen to give Jester his breakfast. ‘Come on then,’ I cooed as he merrily hopped towards his bowl. Me and my husband, Peter, now 55, welcomed Jester into our home in July 2019, and we’d had the same morning routine ever since. He likes to have his breakfast before enjoying a good old roam around the garden. Although this is no different to most pet rabbits, Jester definitely stands out from the crowd. Not only is he a house bunny, but he also weighs in at 20lb! Around the size of three Chihuahuas. Although he loves his food, this isn’t from over feeding and thankfully, we were prepared! As a continental rabbit – also known as the German Giant – Jester…

HOT TOPIC We are a nation of animal lovers. Britain was the first country in the world to start a welfare charity for animals, dating back to 1824. Now, over 20 million cats and dogs have loving homes. According to PDSA, there are more of us with pets than without pets. But what about the animals in the UK that aren’t pets? Dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rabbits are being used for animal testing each year. Alongside mice, rats, horses, pigs, goats, cows, monkeys, birds and fish. An animal test is any scientific experiment or test in which a live animal is forced to undergo something that is likely to cause them pain, suffering or distress. Animal experiments include: injecting or forcefeeding animals with potentially harmful substances, exposing animals to…

THIS WEEK fun photo challenge With the beautiful spring weather brightening our days, it’s the perfect time of the year to get your camera out. Snap your surroundings every day of the week and take a look at what’s been under your nose the whole time. Photo expert Clare Moreton from CEWE shares seven phone activities to challenge avid photographers. For more information go to cewe-photoworld.com Day 1: Explore your back garden at home Your back garden might have been overlooked until now, in favour of places further afield, but only being able to focus on a small space could help you get more creative than having the big wide world to play with. Photograph nature’s finest scenes in your back garden. You could even share your photos on social…