Table of contents for 30-May-2024 in Pick Me Up!

Sprawling out on the towel beneath me, I soaked up the sun. With the sea air filling my nostrils, I was in paradise. Jetting off to Tenerife in 2018 with my partner Ollie, 27, we’d saved up to go on our first luxury holiday together. But as I laid on the beach, the sand glittering, I only half expected what was going to happen next. As Ollie opened a small, hinged box, the sun bounced off a shining diamond. ‘Lucy, you’ve always been the one for me,’ he said. And as he asked me the ultimate question, I threw my arms around his neck. ‘Yes!’ I exclaimed. Only, as Ollie slipped the diamond ring onto my finger, I couldn’t see it. I could only make out the brilliant light bouncing…

Revamp your inside and outside space!…

Issviva – meaning to be alive – is an online community run by Essity, aiming to help women create a more modern menopause experience. A study of 2,000 people who are menopausal or perimenopausal found 14% have made more friends by sharing their experiences of the life stage than they could have imagined – with one in 10 admitting it felt like a new community of people formed around them. And that’s exactly what Issviva aims to do – with around 3,700 active members, the community platform connects people, shares knowledge and helps solve problems. Instead of hiding their symptoms, more than six in 10 women are happy to share their menopause journey – and a quarter say the best thing about it is that they’re getting a ‘second wave…

Walking woes Q After wearing new shoes, I have painful blisters on my heels that won’t go away. How can I help them heal faster? Chelsea, Litchfield A Blisters should heal naturally on their own over a couple days, but you can put steps in place to ensure that nothing slows down this process. This includes keeping the blister as clean as possible and covering it with a soft plaster, ideally a hydrocolloid blister plaster. If the blister has burst, make sure you wash your hands before and after touching it. Ensure that the fluid from the blister is fully drained too before it is covered with a plaster. This will help to prevent an infection. When you next break new shoes in, wear thick socks and use a hairdryer…

Beautiful tresses Style your hair with confidence this summer with a helping hand from Jerome Russell Bstyled… Choose from: 1. Mermaid waves Transform your locks into mesmerising beach waves, reminiscent of a sun-kissed mermaid, all in under two minutes. Using the Bstyled Salt Spray, in just a few spritzes and a quick scrunch, you'll have that effortlessly tousled look. 2. Voluminous ponytail Say goodbye to flat, lifeless ponytails and add a dose of volume with Bstyled Root Spray. With a few sprays and a comb, you can add instant lift and volume for a light hold that lasts all day. £6.99 each, available from Superdrug Ready, set, glow Get ready to glow this summer with Rimmel London's three-in-one Multi Tasker Better Than Filters (£12.99, available from Superdrug). This lightweight, blendable…

International Executive Coach of the Year, Jo Emerson, answers your questions. Listen to her podcast Tell Me Who You Really Are on your preferred platform. Please make sure to visit: jo-emerson.com. Buy Flying for Beginners on Amazon and follow @jo_emerson_ on Instagram, too. Fighting a losing battle Q I’ve had to move back in with my parents – but my mum is demanding that I do more around the house. The thing is, by the time that I get home from work, it’s all done already. And whenever I tidy or clean, I’m criticised. I’m fighting a losing battle. How can I help? Jessie, Manchester A There’s a simple fix to this which is to ask your mum to give you certain household tasks to accomplish each week and then…

Did you know it’s British Tomato Fortnight from 27 May to 9 June? Celebrate with these recipes using juicy piccolo cherry tomatoes. Visit: piccolocherrytomato.co.uk Piccolo, Mint, Asparagus and Garlic Roasted Prawn Tagliatelle Serves: 4 Time: 30 minutes YOU WILL NEED: † 300g Piccolo cherry tomatoes□ 300g asparagus spears□ 360g raw king prawns, peeled□ 8 garlic cloves, sliced□ Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil□ 350g dried tagliatelle□ 1 lemon, using the zest of 1 and the juice of ½□ ½ red onion, finely chopped□ Fresh red chilli, finely chopped□ Small handful fresh mint, chopped□ Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and place on the prepared baking trays, cut-side up. Trim the…

Buy of the week As the weather heats up, are your furry friends getting a bit hot under the collar? Keep your woofers cool with Aldi’s paw-pular doggy ice cream. Available in Pea & Vanilla or Carrot & Apple flavours, they’re bound to get tails wagging. Head to the frozen aisle now! Doggy Ice Cream, £2.99 for a pack of four, in Aldi stores now Visit: aldi.co.uk Good to know Did you know it was World Bee Day on 20 May? To celebrate, Ocado have teamed up with celebrity chef Nigella Lawson to find Britain’s next Honey Hero. Bespoke beekeepers and honey hobbyists can enter their honey for taste-testing – the competition will be judged by the British beekeeping Association (BBKA), Nigella and Ocado’s buying team, based on criteria like…

Looking for a simple but delicious dinner? Celebrity chef Dean Edwards has teamed up with Love Canned Food to create this Sloppy Joe Traybake. For more, visit: lovecannedfood.com □ 1 x 392g can Princes Hot Chilli Con Carne □ 1 x 400g can Napolina Red Kidney Beans, drained □ 50ml BBQ sauce □ 8 processed cheese slices □ 12 slider/snack rolls □ 50g salted butter □ 3 cloves garlic, crushed □ 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional) 1. Warm the canned chilli con carne, kidney beans and BBQ sauce together in a pan. 2. Pop the butter and garlic into a small pan and heat gently. Once melted stir through the coriander. 3. Without separating the rolls, slice horizontally and place the lower half into a baking tray or…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great prize from Addis. If you’re looking for a solution to your waste needs, this 40L Utility Bin has come to your rescue. The bin lids connect to create the ultimate recycling hub, so you can arrange your waste efficiently. Boasting a large 40L capacity, too, there’s plenty of room inside for all your recyclable waste. For more ways to make your life easier, visit: addis.co.uk Super dry You can use a hairdryer to easily dry your nail polish. Judith Cairns, Colchester The wipe way When eating outside, I thread a kitchen roll onto the parasol. That way, guests from all around the table can easily help themselves to a piece to use as a napkin. Tina Vowles, Stroud Count…

Bracing myself on the busy train, armed with a bag of cleaning supplies in one hand and my shopping from B&M in the other, I prepared for my next big job. And this was no ordinary job – you see, in my spare time, I clean other peoples’ houses. For free. It started in November 2022 – I’d bought some garden furniture online, despite not having a garden myself, and decided to take it over to my neighbour as an act of kindness. I knew her quite well, a single mother of two beautiful girls. Normally bubbly and lots of fun, she opened the door hesitantly – and I saw into the cluttered hallway, from rubbish and toys piling high to the ceilings and clothes all over the floor. I…

It’s time to tackle those gardening tasks you’ve been putting off. Turn your haven from drab to fab with these green-fingered tips and tricks from Dobbies Garden Centre. For more inspiration please visit: dobbies.com Summer bedding It’s best to plant your summer bedding blooms now. From patio containers to hanging baskets, prepare for a bright variety of flora. Geraniums are a top plant, as they require low maintenance. Plant them in beddings next to lavender for an extra eye-catching display. The best seeds to sow Sow cornflowers, sunflowers and daisies this month. And if you’re wanting to grow some fruit and veg at home, cucumbers, broccoli and peas are great options. They’re perfect for salads and BBQs. With quick growing crops like spinach, repeat sow every 10 days. Windowsills are…

With a cramp in my lower belly, I immediately knew what was coming next. And rushing to the bathroom, my suspicions were correct. My period had come. Taking my scheduled week break from my contraceptive pill, I knew it was coming. But for me, it never used to be this way. After all, I’d only recently started my period. Back when I was 12, I expected to get my period, just like all my friends and my sisters Izzy, now 28, and Lydia, now 24. Only, as the years ticked by, there was no sign of the magical change happening. Maybe I’m just a late starter, I thought. Only, as the years went by, my period never came. I had bleeding once when I was 13, but it didn’t last.…

Settling into bed, you already anticipate what’s coming next Your partner is keen to get frisky – even after years together, the spark has never died. Yet for you, that same desire isn’t there. Perhaps it’s never been. It’s not that you don’t find your partner good looking, or don’t want to feel close to them. ‘Sorry, I’ve got a headache,’ you tell your partner, making up an excuse – you don’t know how to explain that you just don’t fancy having sex. Maybe you’ve always felt uninterested in having sex. Is there something wrong with me? you might think. For years, your lack of desire has been something you couldn’t quite explain. At least, that’s until you heard of asexuality. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as ‘the quality…

Slipping my River Island crossbody bag over my shoulders, I was ready to take my three little terrors out for a long walk. Along with my cousin Jade, 38, we were taking my three French Bulldogs Ralphie, River and Reggie to the woods for a nice long stroll. We’d then have lunch at my gran Joan’s house, and an afternoon of work at my salon. And in early January this year, my winter coat matched the neutral tones of my favourite bag – a birthday present from my teenage daughter Tehya, 19. And given that she was a typical teenager and usually forgot my birthday, I was over the moon. So, I was getting my use out of it – the bag accompanied me to work, out with the dogs…

Uploading a new picture to her Facebook page, Clarisa Figueroa clicked ‘post’. Proudly sharing an ultrasound picture of her unborn baby, she couldn’t wait to meet her new arrival Her 20-year-old son Xander had died of natural causes in 2017 – the new baby, due in May 2019, really was a ray of light in a time of darkness. Sharing the news with family and friends in October 2018, it was a miracle – especially as Clarisa, then 46, had her tubes tied years earlier. But when a friend commented asking how her pregnancy was possible, she told them she’d had her fallopian tubes untied when she had emergency surgery for her appendix. And by March 2019, Clarisa was getting things ready for her little boy. Sharing snaps on Facebook,…

ARIES 21 March–20 April You realise this week who has done a good job of pretending that they know what they’re doing professionally. Whether or not they can complete what’s next is something you no longer have faith in. What you are certain of from Friday is that you’re more than suited to taking control. Conversations this weekend confirm what you’ve decided in your career. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May It’s proving hard for you to find the balance between your personal and professional life, but that’s because you’re allowing certain faces to dictate what happens next. What you’re about to find out, as are those around you, is that you can no longer not speak out. There’s no doubt that this week is a week for…

This beautiful sunflower took root from the seeds that the birds had dropped – I didn’t even have to plant it! Tina Vowles, Stroud What a cute lamb my daughter Lacey makes. She looks so adorable dressed up for a school play. Jennifer Prowse, Hull This is my lovely boy Freddie. He loves to pose and is also very loyal. Caz Loughman, Wiltshire I always have a laugh at this sign that is hanging up in the waiting room of our local vets! Carole Gasan, Dundee If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way…

Visit: birdfood.co.uk A safe space Lack of suitable habitats is a big factor in the decline of our insect population – but you can help. Dedicate a corner of the garden to grow wild and pile up some logs and leaf debris, too – this is a great way to support visiting bugs. If you prefer to keep your garden a bit more manicured, an insect hotel is a fantastic option – you can buy these in lots of places, or have fun making your own. Night crawlers All those critters that come out at night need sustenance, too. Moths are a vital part of a thriving environment – but their numbers are down 33% since the late ‘60s. Add night-scented blooms to your flower beds to help them along…

Navigating menopause symptoms can be tough – Agnieszka Kozlowska, wellness expert and founder of supplement brand Miracle Leaf, shares her top tips. Visit: miracleleaf.co.uk Prioritise sleep Create a relaxing routine. Ensure your room is dark and cool to help with sweats. Manage stress Try yoga, meditation and muscle relaxation. Try magnesium Magnesium plays an important role in regulating hormones and easing muscle tension, which can contribute to symptoms like flushes. Catch some vitamin D This plays an essential role in reducing symptoms like night sweats, low mood and poor concentration. Sunlight is your main source, but consider incorporating more into your diet. Little-known symptoms can include hair loss, itchy skin or digestive issues…