Table of contents for 11-Jul-2024 in Pick Me Up!

Flipping over the next page of the book, I started to read aloud. Counting to 10 in English, I soon switched into another language. One that meant much more to me as a local – Cornish. ‘Onan,’ I began. ‘Dew, tri…’ Watching the children’s faces light up in the crowd, I was overjoyed. ‘I didn’t know we had our own numbers,’ one said. To their surprise, neither did I until I had grown up. But that’s exactly why I’d written my children’s books – including Cornwall: The Land You Can Count On – to spread the word about the culture of my home. As a child, I grew up with Cornish legends about giants and witches. Although it was all hearsay from my parents Angela and Andrew – I was…

Jazz up your notebooks, denim jackets or even your homeware by easily stitching on one of these beautifully embroidered wildlife patches from Arcana. A small, eco-lifestyle business aiming to raise awareness of the world’s wonderful wildlife, you can find out more about your favourite animal, as each patch comes enclosed in an envelope packed full of fun facts. Plus, you can even find your patch match with Arcana’s personality quiz, finding out which animal is most like you! They make a perfect gift! • Patches are £15. To buy, please visit: arcanaliving.com…

Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Type of flower. Answer on page 44. ACROSS 1 Non-liquid food (6) 4 Level (8) 10 Get better (7) 11 __ Stewart, star of films Twilight and Panic Room (7) 12 __ Fisher, star of films Confessions of a Shopaholic and Wedding Crashers (4) 13 Draws near (10) 15 __ Bledel, star of films Gilmore Girls and The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (6) 16 Extended (7) 20 __ Speaking, 1945 romantic comedy film starring Rosalind Russell and Jack Carson (7) 21 __ Le Bon, wife of Duran Duran’s lead singer (6) 24 Estates (10) 26 Never a __ Moment, 1968 crime comedy film starring Dick Van Dyke and Edward G Robinson (4) 28 Baked…

Showing support A brain tumour diagnosis can be terrifying for both the patient and all their family and friends. If someone you care about has received a diagnosis, it can be hard to know how to support them. The Brain Tumour Charity has shared their practical tips for helping someone navigate brain tumours. • For more advice and support, please visit: thebraintumourcharity.org 1. Offer practical support Talk to your loved one and find out what is best for them. How would they like you to support them? It can be hard to ask for help sometimes, so be sensitive to their needs. 2. Help around the house Ask what household tasks you can help with. Why not mow the lawn, do the food shop or help with ironing? 3. Help…

There’s a whole smoothie of colours you should be exploring this summer. With rich purples, creamy lilacs, flirty pinks and showstopping reds, the fruits of your styling will not go unnoticed. Pair your bright pinks and purples with gold accessories to create a warm summer vibe…

Anyone going through the breakdown of a relationship knows it can be a difficult time. But when Sandra Pagniano separated from her husband David, the estranged couple continued to live together, along with their two daughters, at their home in Prescott, Arizona. Sandra started divorce proceedings back in May 2017, and she’d arranged to meet a friend one weekend that month – but when she didn’t show up, her friend got worried. On Sunday 21 May, no one had heard from Sandra in two days. Concerned, the friend contacted the police and reported Sandra missing, telling cops it was very out of character for her to leave her two girls. Speaking to police who were investigating the disappearance, David claimed that Sandra had walked out, leaving behind two handwritten notes.…

Reason to smile Meet cute kitty Morgan – the Vets Now Pet of the Year 2024! When he was a kitten, five-year-old rescue Morgan was stricken by allergies that led to him tearing his fur off – so his owner Rhia Watson, from Norfolk, started dressing him in cute and colourful coats to protect his skin. He gained a big following on social media and has a whole catalogue of ‘Morgan merchandise’, snapped up by fans from Canada to New Zealand – all of which have helped him raise an a-meow-zing £40,000 for charity! • Visit: vets-now.com Fun days out Neon lights, big hair, leg warmers and banging beats – who doesn’t love the ‘80s?! Well, get your crimpers out and get ready to step back in time with Martin…

Wiping away the excess ink, I stepped back to properly admire my latest piece of artwork. Even after being a tattoo artist for two years at the time, the excitement of seeing my next piece never wore off. ‘All done,’ I grinned at my customer in January 2021. Only, as I waved goodbye, the door to my tattoo studio suddenly chimed. Turning around, I spotted the most handsome man I’d ever seen. Tall, stocky and covered in tattoos, I was drawn to him. ‘I’m here for my appointment,’ he told me with a smile. ‘My name is Daniel.’ Gesturing him into the nearest seat, I got to work. Daniel had seen my tattoo art on Instagram and had instantly booked in for his next piece. Spending seven hours tattooing the…

Walking in through the front door after school, Mum was exactly where I knew she would be. Sitting at our dining table, pouring over her textbooks. But even if my mum Tereasa, then 49, was buried in her books, she always stopped to ask me and my brother Danny, now 25, the same question. ‘How was your day?’ she smiled at us. Then, I’d take my seat at the other end of the table. Just like clockwork, Mum and I settled into our routine – getting our heads down and revising. All before she cooked us a hearty homecooked dinner – she was a chicken pie specialist! While I was studying for my A levels, Mum was busy studying to become an accountant – something she wanted to do after…

Quickly shoving spare clothes into an overnight bag, I was not getting ready for a last minute getaway. As soon as my husband Martin, 56, got back from the football, we’d be heading to Colchester Hospital to be with our son, Bob, 28. After suffering a random seizure in May last year, an MRI scan in September revealed Bob had a mass on his brain. They think I have a brain tumour, he’d text me. Despite knowing Bob was going for tests, it was the last thing I’d ever expected to hear. We drove the three hours to Essex in a total daze. But seeing Bob the next morning, he had a Subway, Costa coffee and a huge smile on his face. ‘Are you OK?’ we gave him a huge…

Verdict: GENIUS! Tag, you’re it! Groov-e My Tag, £17.99, ASDA If you’re jetting off this summer, you want to keep your luggage safe. Luckily, Groov-e My Tag is a Bluetooth tracker that can pinpoint the exact location of your items – be it your wallet, suitcase or even your house keys! Connect the device to your smartphone before attaching the tag to your belongings. The tag is waterproof and buzzes loudly – in case the item is closer than you think. The perfect solution for the forgetful among us. Verdict: BONKERS! All eyes on you Nothing to declare… Customs or security can cause us all anxiety – even when you know it’s only going to be your earrings setting off the buzzers. But back in 2007, even airport officials at Stansted Airport…

Sending a hockey ball screaming up the pitch, dusting off your tennis racket or giving cricket a try – sports are a great way to have fun and socialise. As kids, most of us had a host of sporty hobbies. You may have loved being part of a dance squad, stretching with your local gymnastics team or scoring in a netball match. So why does it all change for us as adults? According to Sport England, 29% of adults in the UK are inactive – with one in four doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. We can all agree that heading to the gym or pounding the pavement is not for everyone. But have you considered joining a sports club? It’s easy to assume you must…

Walking into our local diner, anyone would have thought I was hand-inhand with an A-list celeb. Everyone dropped their forks, stopped eating, and all eyes fell on me. ‘Oh my God, have you seen her?’ someone whispered. ‘What do you think the difference is?’ another pointed. And those weren’t the only reactions that I’d received in our hometown, Louisiana, US. Some people were giggling, and others had even started to get their phones out to film me. ‘Just ignore them,’ my hubby Zach reassured me. There was no denying that Zach would make an entrance wherever he went. With his hunky physique and bulging muscles, he looked just like Thor. But I was mortified. I knew why people were making a fuss. Zach, now 43, was young enough to be…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great prize from Addis. This classic 9.5L Sink Bowl is a kitchen essential! With a high-gloss finish and easy to clean, it can protect your sink at the same time. Made from a durable material that is heat resistant up to 100°C, you don’t have to worry about putting hot pots and pans inside – perfect. For more ways to make your life easier, please visit: addis.co.uk Easy breezy When hanging sheets on a rotary airer, I spread them out over a couple of lines with the smaller items in the gaps. Lucy Travell, Gloucester Egg-cellent idea! Arranging my bottles of nail varnish in old egg cartons allows me to find the colour I need at a glance. It’s much…

Happy Campers: The Caravan Park, Channel 5 Down on the Cornish coast at Tencreek Holiday Park, ex-army sergeant Mark and his faithful pooch have up for a quick birthday getaway. But he’s forgotten a birthday cake – can reception manager Nicky save the day? Meanwhile, assistant housekeeping manager Carrie is up to her elbows on change over day. Carrie and her team have turnaround to a fine art, but when confronted with disaster zones like today’s departure, not even a superhero could get it all done in time. And it’s a big night over at Unity for holiday park regulars Paul and Charlene – the couple don’t know if they’ll be invited back to perform again. Head of entertainment Chunky has kept tight lipped about a contract renewal. Can Paul…

Stepping out onto the rugby pitch, I felt nervous. I loved competing for Old Brodleians Ladies in the women’s NC2 league, but still got butterflies. Aged 21, I was working and living in London and realised my life had become insular. I wanted to meet new people and get fitter, too. Scrolling Instagram in 2019, an ad popped up for a beginner’s session of rugby. Having watched rugby on TV, I wanted to give it a go. I’d played a bit of tag rugby at school but other than that, I was completely inexperienced. And heading to my very first session, I was nervous. I had no idea what it would be like. I’ve met people from all walks of life through playing rugby But everyone was so welcoming. I quickly…

Possessive Tarikjot Singh and Jasmeen Kaur had a tempestuous relationship – and when Jasmeen ended thing in January 2021, he didn’t take it well. He became obsessed with 21-year-old Jasmeen – telling her he’d try to kill himself if she wouldn’t be with him, following her from her workplace to her home in Adelaide, Australia, and begging her to take him back. Jasmeen was so worried that she even went to the police, concerned about his erratic behaviour. And in February, he was officially cautioned by cops for stalking. But on 5 March 2021, Jasmeen went missing from work. And what happened to her was truly horrific. The day before, Tarikjot had downloaded a map of local security cameras, and swapped cars with his flatmate. He’d also purchased cable ties…

Straightening his bow tie, my model looked at me inquisitively. ‘Well?’ I asked, showing him a mirror. ‘What do you think?’ Wilson tilted his head, looking unsure. ‘I think you look handsome!’ I said. We were trying out Wilson’s wedding outfit, so it had to be perfect. But Wilson wasn’t my groom – he was my 12-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer. I couldn’t say ‘I do’ without my faithful pooch by my side! It might be a bit unusual, but for me and my fiancé Nathan, 37, having our two dogs at our wedding – Wilson and our Greyhound Nyx – was never a question. We’d never been bothered about marriage – after 12 years, we knew we were going to be together forever – but one day last year, we…