Table of contents for 10-Oct-2024 in Pick Me Up!

We had a beautiful day at our sister’s wedding in the Manor Hotel, Enniskillen. The weather was glorious and the food was delicious. Martina Galbraith, Northern Ireland My precious grandson Branson, 11, lives in Africa and loves all animals – including this live snake. Teresa Nel, Essex STAR LETTER I was topping up my windscreen washer when my moggy Minnie decided to get involved – she’s our new me-cat-nic! Heather Smith, Wiltshire Nothing like burgers and a pint after an autumnal walk. This hit the spot!  Harriet James, Worcester 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…

Hearing the doorbell ring, I ran to answer it – it was my order from DoorDash, a fast food delivery service. As the driver handed me a bag packed full of McDonald’s breakfast, I felt excited. But this wasn’t a group breakfast – it was all for me. I devoured all five meals – five brekkie sandwiches and five hash browns – in one sitting, hiding the wrappers at the bottom of the bin. And it barely touched the sides. Despite eating five portions for breakfast, I’d grab a box of six doughnuts as a snack – demolishing five in one go, I’d save one for my boyfriend Houmin, now 25, pretending I’d only had one, too. I’d devour five hash browns all in one go I’d always been a…

Walking into the busy lecture hall, I got out my stationery ready to take some notes. Attending Staffordshire University to study adult nursing, it had been a lifelong dream of mine. Only, it was something that I thought would never happen. Being married three times, and having to support my five children – Kieran, 27, Joshua, 25, Grace, 22, Isabelle, 10, and Alice, eight – I’d worked around being a mum. It wasn’t until the kids got older that I realised nursing could still be an option. If I really made the effort, I could live my dream, even if I was in my 40s. Plus, I’d found the perfect uni partner to share my experience with. My daughter Grace! We were studying together. ‘Here comes double trouble,’ our friends…

Buckling my seatbelt, I was ready to make the journey from Port Talbot to Pontypridd. Before I sped away, I checked Facebook one last time to make sure I had the right location. Please be OK, I thought as I showed up to the location. I’d driven roughly 50 miles in the hopes of saving a certain someone in particular. Only, this wasn’t a person – it was poor, injured pigeon. Back in February this year, I stumbled upon a Facebook post from a lady I knew from my hometown. It said that a pigeon was injured and desperately needed help. As it was so far away from me, I assumed someone closer would’ve helped it. But keeping a close eye on the post, as a week went by, no…

Sitting down for my GP appointment in February last year, I was getting my implant fitted. But first, I had to do a pregnancy test. With my period coming and going as it should have, I wasn’t worried at all. Until the doctor told me otherwise. ‘You’re pregnant,’ she told me. I was six weeks. ‘How?’ I asked. It came as a surprise. I was on protection. However, I knew I needed to tell my partner Ozkan, now 46. I had my daughter Veronika, now 10, from a previous marriage and Ozkan and I had thought about having children in the future. But this was totally out of the blue. Thankfully, they were over the moon. Ozkan rushed out to buy me a huge bouquet of red roses. I could…

Natasha Page is an experienced counsellor, psychotherapist, business coach, writer and founder of My Little Therapy Box. She is an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and is passionate about mental health and supporting others. Please visit: bacp.co.uk and natashapagemsc.com He wasn’t in the picture Q Growing up, my parents were separated. My dad never bothered to reach out, so I cut contact. My mum recently told me that he’s not my real dad. For years I thought it was because he didn’t love me. How do I get over this? Emily, Shropshire A Learning that your dad isn't your biological parent is a huge shock, especially when you've spent years believing he distanced himself because he didn't care about you. This will understandably stir…

Shoved into the back of the car with cable ties around my arms, I had no idea where I was being taken. ‘What is going to happen next?’ I asked my fiancé Gavin, now 31, who was bundled up alongside me. Then, with the doors opening, on 28 April this year, we were dropped off at a farm in the middle of nowhere. ‘Let’s get this started,’ Gav’s mum Lynn joked, grabbing a cup of wine and throwing it towards me. By now, I’d quickly accepted my fate. Lifted into an empty bathtub alongside Gav, a crowd of people gathered around. ‘Ellie, I’m so sorry,’ one said. Only before I had a chance to respond, the smell of rotten egg hit me straight in the face. Followed by spoilt, lumpy…

Bitesize! Read down the shaded squares for the answer. Answer on page 44. ACROSS 1 Globule (4) 5 Fury (4) 6 Ladies’ fingers (4) 7 Seven days(4) DOWN 1 Forehead (4) 2 Large pond (4) 3 Monster(4) 4 Bill (4) Follow it! Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers. The answer is spelled in the yellow squares.  Answers on page 44. Fill it! Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Type of wild canine. Answer on page 44. ACROSS 7 2024 comedy action film starring 13 Across, 17 Across, 9 Down, and 21 Down (5) 8 Quentin __, director of films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill (9) 10 Anne…

What are the symptoms? Know the signs and take action Are you thirsty? A lot of people don’t notice any signs of type 2 diabetes. But there are some symptoms to be weary of. These include: • Weeing a lot, especially at night • Being really thirsty • Feeling more tired than usual • Losing weight without trying to • Genital itching or thrush • Cuts and wounds that take longer to heal • Blurred eyesight • For more information, guidance and support, please make sure to visit: diabetes.org.uk…

Enter now to win these and many more fantastic prizes… Find out more at comps.lifedeathprizes.com How to register It’s FREE to enter and it’s so easy to do. Just visit, comps.lifedeathprizes.com and register by hitting the Create Free Account button and then you can enter as many competitions as you like. Go on, have fun! For website rules of play, visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/rules. T&C’s apply, UK only.…

FULL FACE FOR LESS Cover all bases this October with Catrice Cosmetics' all new autumn/winter collection. Offering a line-up of makeup essentials, you can complete your look for under £30. Available from: justmylook.com MEET THE COLLECTION: Invisible Cover Foundation, £6.99 This lightweight foundation gives a matte finish that is easy to blend and sits comfortably on the skin. Bright & Blur Loose Powder, £5.49 Instantly blur and brighten the skin for a soft-focus finish with this finely milled rosy, pink loose powder. Care in Colours Lip Balm, £3.79 Shea butter and cocoa butter intensely nourish and hydrate the lips while also delivering a hint of colour for a natural-looking shine. Brow Sleek Laminating Wax, £4.79 For flawless brows, that will stay in place all day long, this double-ended applicator lifts…

Bitesize! pg 3 Bark Strike it! pg 13 Retriever (Cross out: 2, 19, 20, 39, 44, 56, 70, 77, 83) Crack it! pg 23 Throughout Fill it! pg 13 Coyote Sudoku pg 36 7,7,9 Cross it! pg 36 Aeroplane Number fit! pg 13 5853 Spot it! pg 28 Riddle me this pg 28 Library Follow it! pg 8 Carnivore PLEASE NOTE Pick Me Up! will still be bringing you great puzzles to pit your wits against, but will no longer be offering prizes. Don’t forget, you can do puzzles for big cash prizes every weekin our sister magazine, Chat.…

Bloomsbury Festival, London With over 100 events, workshops, crafty activities and exhibitions to explore, the Bloomsbury Festival is back and better than ever before! Famous for science, literature and arts, it’s time to unleash your creativity and get involved. And although some sessions are paid experiences, there are plenty of free opportunities. From LEGO building, family art days, music concerts and drop in craft sessions to name a few, you can build your perfect free itinerary. And with the festival running from 18-27 October, you can slot it into your half-term plans, as well. What are you waiting for? • Bloomsbury Festival, London, running from 18-27 October. To find out more, please visit:bloomsburyfestival.org.uk Manchester Science Festival Are you ready for WOW moments that will leave your head in a spin?…

Touches of red can make any room pop!…

INSTANT appointment With Dr Babak Ashrafi, Superdrug Online Doctor GP Keep bugs at bay Q My son had an operation a few weeks ago and is still recovering. How can I keep his immune system strong as we head into winter? Emma, Dewsbury A Eating a balanced diet which is rich in nutrients is a good place to start when looking to support the immune system. Foods that contain high levels of vitamin A, C, D and E and zinc provide the body with the essential vitamins and minerals that are needed to help fight off illness. If you struggle to get these vitamins from your diet, then supplements can be a good alternative. Staying hydrated is key. Aim to drink eight glasses of water every day to help remove…

Verdict: GENIUS! Dry your eyes Onion Goggles, £10, Menkind Onions are the foundation of many family favourites – from spag Bol to Shepherd’s pie. But there’s nothing worse than stinging, streaming eyes. Luckily, these handy goggles keep tears at bay. Specially designed to shield your eyes from harsh onion vapours, you can slice and dice to your heart’s content. If you do cry, it will be tears of joy after getting though the chopping. Verdict: BONKERS! Cash, card or veg? In for a penny… Imagine getting an onion for Christmas? Or heading into Tesco and paying for your meal deal with a couple of onions. Well, that’s exactly what people got up to in medieval England. Onions were seen as an acceptable form of currency and could even be used to…

Got a sweet tooth? This is the recipe book for you! Founded by mother-and-daughter duo Janine and Charlie, Dolly’s Desserts are known for their homemade gelato and delicious treats. There’s always room for pudding! Dolly’s Desserts by Charlie Smark and Janine Davies, £25, available from Waterstones This showstopper is the ultimate indulgent treat Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 10 mins Banoffee Pie Pancake Stack YOU WILL NEED: ☐ 75g butter, melted☐ 50g granulated sugar☐ 2 eggs☐ 350ml milk ☐ 1 tsp vanilla essence ☐ 1 tsp salt☐ 300g plain flour ☐ 2 tsp baking powder☐ 2 bananas, sliced☐ Cookie crumb (approximately 100g, but you can follow your heart!)☐ Caramel spread (approximately 100g)☐ Whipped cream, to serve 1 Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and salt…