Table of contents for 08-Nov-2018 in Chat

Double tip! When making bread, I put a tea towel under the bowl to stop it sliding around. Kneading the dough in the bowl saves my worktop from mess, too. Rachael Cleak, Ivybridge Keep them clean  You can keep your earphones clean by using a cotton bud. Judith Cairns, Colchester Every little helps  To save on plastic use, we repurpose everything we can, including using our loo-roll packaging as a bin bag. Karen Hill, Caernarfon Matching mat I used some leftover carpet as a doormat, but it kept threading and getting caught. I sewed some string around the edges, and now it doesn't fray and is perfect. Jackie Davis, Weston-super-Mare Hammer time When I'm hammering, I use a comb to hold the nail in place. It keeps it secure and…

Pregnancy positions  Q I want a baby. Is it a problem that my boyfriend only comes if I'm on top? Maryam, Dalston A People will tell you that your chances of pregnancy are greater with the man on top, because his sperm doesn't have to travel upstream. But there's no evidence to support this. Position probably doesn't matter, though it might help to lie on your back with your legs raised after sex. Colourful poo Q Why has my poo turned pale yellow? Kate, Guildford A It might be the result of what you're eating, though black or bloody poo should always be checked. Persisting pale poo, especially with dark urine, could point to a blockage in the bile duct in your liver - possibly the result of gallstones or…

Q I’ve got very dry skin, and it feels even drier once I’ve cleansed my face What should I be using to take the day off? Lorraine, 45 A Dry and hydrated skin both benefit from a rich, creamy cleanser that will remove make up, dirt and dead skin cells without stripping moisture and worsening that tight post-cleansing feeling. It may seem a bit of a faff, but double cleaning using the RIGHT type of cleanser will improve your skin texture and overall tone. First, remove make-up with a cleansing oil. Next, massage a cream cleanser into wet skin, and flannel off to ensure every scrap of the day is removed without being too abrasive. Q I keep hearing about ‘lip oils’. What are they, and should I be using…

It’s hardly an Olympic feat – climbing a flight of stairs. But back in July 2010, there was probably more chance of me winning a pole-vaulting Gold than there was of me walking anywhere without gasping for breath. Why? To be blunt, I was fat. Too fat. A whopping 27st fat. With a hulking 56in waist, I felt beyond miserable Beyond help, I thought. I’d first started putting on weight at secondary school. Bullies left me feeling like food was my only friend. My confidence plummeted. No-one would ever love me... I didn’t even love me But at 18, when I started working as an estate agent, I did what so many big people do. I hid behind a bold, bubbly exterior. I made friends easily, cracked people up with…

Aries 21 March - 20 April A side road may appear to offer a way round traffic jams, but may take you somewhere unexpected and not actually save you time. So do take care with any quick-and-easy solution you’re offered… • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May Have recent months been a bit of a mad rush? If so, you can slow down now. Rethink what you’re doing, too, as some stuff you brought with you won’t be needed - so chuck it and lighten the load. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Can something old be given a new lease of life? Yes, with a bit of imagination, and the result will delight someone you hoped…

And still have fun!  t Chat Mag Bingo, we want you A to enjoy the experience without spending beyond your budget. We've got handy tools, such as setting your deposit limit or adding a session reminder, which are all easily accessed. We also have some useful tips to help you get the most from your Bingo fun. • There are value Bingo games with tickets between just 1p and 10p each. • Look out for Promotional Games with special offers where you can Buy 2 Tickets and Get 1 or even 2 Free Tickets. • Always check on the site as there are often Free Bingo games on offer. • Join in the fun by playing in the bingo rooms, where the Chat hosts play games with members and you…

Doing Money BBC2 Known as Downton Abbey’s Irish chauffeur Tom Branson, Allen Leech now has a far more modern role, playing DI Dougie Grant. He’s a key investigator in a shocking true story of modern slavery in Britain and Ireland. This one-off thriller follows a young Romanian woman called Ana, played by Anca Dumitra, who’s snatched in broad daylight from a London street to be used as a sex slave in a series of pop-up brothels in Ireland. Sheridan Smith: Coming Home ITV Sheridan Smith talks about her personal battles, her love for her family and her passion for music in a one-off documentary. She also goes to her hometown, Doncaster, for the first time since losing her father. There, she performs an emotional one-off gig on the stage where…

Frosty knickers! During the summer heatwave, my wife put a clean pair of briefs and a bra in the fridge every night. So I asked her why. ‘Nothing beats putting on an icy cold bra and briefs in the morning,’ she laughed. ‘It really wakes you up!’ DW Shattock, Bristol Pricey prawns I know prawns are very expensive, but I just couldn’t believe the price of this salad I picked up for my lunch recently! Tony Harper, Plymtree Where is the love? I find it depressing when friends are shocked to find I walk to and from work alone, on a semi-rural path. Honestly, I’m neither very brave, nor stupid, and have sympathy for anyone who has been attacked. But there is far more risk of tripping and breaking a…

She had such a promising future ahead of her. E’Dena Hines’ gran was married to Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman. Although her grandparents divorced before E’Dena was born, step-grandad Morgan remained an important figure. Growing up, E’Dena had small parts in films and attended red carpet events with her step-grandfather. Morgan married his second wife Myrna Colley-Lee in 1984, and the pair doted on little E’Dena. When her mother Deena could no longer look after E’Dena, Myrna adopted her and raised her as her own. And when E’Dena reached adulthood, her step-grandfather bought her a $781,000 (nearly £600,000) luxury apartment in New York. She became a respected actress in her own right, taking on roles on the stage and screen. She dreamed of following in her step-grandfather’s footsteps and becoming a…

Gemma Keir, 28, Stevenage It’s the event to which every mum-to-be counts down – the moment of the precious baby scan. But the sonographer looked worried at mine, and I found out my baby had a small hole in his heart. ‘What will happen?’ I asked. The midwife wasn’t sure and told my husband Max, 29, and I to hope for the best. It was May 2012, and weeks of check-ups followed – with the news just getting worse. The doctors said that, along with the defect in our son’s heart, further scans had shown additional problems. ‘We’d advise a termination,’ the doctors urged us. No chance, I thought. ‘He’ll be perfect to us, no matter what,’ Max told me. Whatever the future held, we knew we’d love our baby.…

Loose stools My 2-year-old Q has constant diarrhoea and tests show it's toddler diarrhoea. What's that? Marie, Clitheroe A It's important to rule out serious causes - but some toddlers are prone to diarrhoea, simply because their bowels are developing. It's harmless, even though undigested food might appear in poo. It should stop by the time the child reaches 3. There's no need for treatment, other than cutting down fruit juice. Write to Dr Martin Edwards at Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Or e-mail chathealth@ti-media.com Sorry, he can’t reply personally.…

I want him back! Q My ex and I have a 14-month-old son. We’ve been apart for over a year but I want him back. I love him, I want a family unit with him. He says he loves me but just isn’t ready to settle down. I know I should move on. But it’s hard when I have to constantly see him and talk about our son. I find it hard to date other men because I just want my ex. What should I do, Nelly? Katie, 24 A Fact: you’re in love with the father of your child. Could someone else be at home when your ex visits? Could he drop your son off with your mother or a trusted friend, perhaps? Seeing your ex, even briefly, is…

So Me Brow Kit, £24, amazon.co.uk The powders adhere well to your natural brows, giving a bold look that stays put.  L’Oréal Paris Brow Artist Genius Kit Medium to Dark, £9.99 This great kit has a pigmented wax powder, tweezers and an angled spoolie brush. Sleek MakeUP Brow Kit, £8.49, lookfantastic.com A travel-friendly compact with mini tweezers for precise grooming. Benefit Brow Zings, £22.53, lookfantastic.com  This sculpting kit has everything you need to tame, shape and set your brows.…

Blushing, I ordered a pair of size-XL, black Spanx knickers from Amazon. I shudder to think what’s going to come up on my recommended list now, I thought. They arrived the next day. ‘These are never going to fit!’ I squeaked, holding up what looked like the tiniest piece of black stretchy fabric. But, nothing ventured. Breathing in, I wiggled and wriggled, pulling and pushing my wobbly bits into place. And when I was done... I could zip up my jeans! Throwing on a T-shirt, I grinned at my reflection. For once in my adult life, I looked slim. Amazing! But I didn’t want to wear women’s underwear every day. For a start, going to the loo without a fly wasn’t easy! And what if I met a new man…

1. Get updates  Monzo customers can use the bank's Bill Tracker service, which lets users know when a direct debit is higher or lower than usual. As well as helping people budget, it could also alert customers if they've been overcharged in error, so that they can take action. 2. Stay in control…  Get a full overview of how much money you have and what you spend it on with Moneydashboard (moneydashboard.com). It lets you see how much you've spent on bills each month - and compares it with previous months, which makes it much easier to spot if they're beginning to creep up. If users haven't been shopping around for better deals, then this may trigger them to start. 3. Taking notes! You don't need technology. Put notes in…

Linda Green, 66, Skelmanthorpe, Yorkshire As I made my husband Peter his favourite dinner, I heard the sound of his footsteps. It was a summer’s day in 2008 – and soon, the smiling face I adored was next to me. ‘Hello, love, that smells delicious,’ Peter smiled. As always, there were splodges of grease on his face. His passion was cars. He’d spend hours building them in the garage or racing around a track. From the first day of our relationship, Peter had enchanted me with his gentle nature, generosity and kindness. And now, here we were, almost 30 years later, and still very much in love. I wasn’t the only one who adored Peter, 67. Peter had a gentle nature, was generous and kind Always doing favours for others…

EastEnders Baby blues for Hayley The Slaters continue their search for Hayley and the baby. Bev covers for her daughter and tells Kat she hasn’t seen her. Hayley’s struggling to come to terms with what she’s done, but Bev tells her she made the right decision. Mariam and Arshad care for the baby but, after Arshad realises that Mariam lied about calling social services, she admits the baby is Hayley’s. Feeling guilty, Hayley returns to the Square… Coronation Street Gina’s after sis Sally’s hubby… Sally’s only been in prison for five minutes, and already her sister Gina has set her sights on Sally’s husband Tim! Gina developed feelings for Tim after she was dumped by Dev and moved in with the Metcalfes. Tim’s dad Geoff notices her flirting and…

Pearl Derriere, 29 Some people spend their lives trying to find The One. But I’ve never understood that. Why settle with just one, I say... I’ve always had an open mind towards sex and relationships. In 2005, when I was 16, I was on my way to help my mum Christie, 46, with the weekly shop when she asked me a surprising question. ‘Do you like girls or boys?’ she asked casually. There was no judgement in her voice at all. Me and Mum were close, I felt comfortable talking to her about anything. ‘I think I just like people,’ I told her honestly. I was lucky to grow up with accepting parents. One man or one woman could never be enough for me When I was 17, I experimented…

I trusted him...until I found those pictures on his phone! Shanita Harris, 31, Ipswich As I opened up my Facebook account, I felt myself blush. It was all down to a friend request from a man I’d met six months earlier, in October 2013. Back then, I’d been interviewing Pete, 31, and his colleague for a feature in a business magazine while I was working in the US. Tall, with long dreadlocks, Pete was gorgeous. But I was already in a relationship, so didn’t pursue things further. Now though, here he was, with a Facebook friend request. I was newly single, too! There was no harm in getting to know him, I told myself, clicking Accept. Within minutes, Pete had sent me a message. I’ve been trying to track you…

Lamar Davenport, 33, was found not guilty of second-degree murder. Justice Biben instead found him guilty of first-degree manslaughter after agreeing with the defence’s argument that he’d been in a state of reduced emotional capacity at the time of the death due to drugs. E’Dena’s mother Deena left the courtroom without speaking to reporters. The first-degree manslaughter conviction carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison. At time of press, Davenport is still due to be sentenced.…

Painful dimple  Q I've always had a dimple in my ear, where it joins onto my face. But it's turned red and sore. Why? Ruth, Berwick-upon-Tweed A Sounds as if you've been born with a preauricular sinus, a small hole in the cartilage of your ear. This is common but harmless, and doesn't usually need treatment. But a preauricular sinus can become infected, as yours has done. You may need antibiotics or a small op to drain any pus. Map in my mouth  Q My tongue's covered in red blotches and my doctor says it's geographical tongue! Emma, Skegness A It's so-called because the lines look like a map. It's harmless but can, rarely, be a sign of vitamin-B12 deficiency. Ask your GP to check. Drugs worked… Q My long-standing…

Ruth Holt, 79, Kirkham, Lancashire Hearing a knock at the door, I unhooked the latch and let in my sister Miriam, 80. ‘Hello, I was expecting you an hour ago,’ I said. ‘Where have you been?’ Most afternoons, Miriam stopped by to visit. One of the main reasons I’d moved into the same housing complex as her, two years earlier in 2010, was because it made it easier to see each other. ‘Sorry, Ruth,’ she said as she bustled in. ‘I was listening to a fantastic singer in the community room – a new resident, actually.’ ‘Oh, yes? What’s their name?’ I asked, closing the door behind Miriam. Could it be the same man who’d broken my heart all those years before..? ‘Ronnie Ray,’ she replied. And, all of a…

Rainbow cake Serves: 8 Prep: 30 min Cook: 20 min Cost per serving: 52p • 280g self-raising flour • 280g baking spread • 280g caster sugar • 5 large eggs • 2tsp baking powder • 35ml milk • ½tsp each red, yellow, green, blue and orange food colour gel (such as Dr Oetker or Aldi) For the icing • 560g icing sugar • 300g unsalted butter at room temperature • ½tsp yellow food colouring • 1tsp vanilla essence • 40ml milk 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cut out five circles from nonstick baking parchment and line the bases of five small, round sandwich tins. 2 Put the flour, spread, sugar, eggs, baking powder and milk into a food processor and mix until well combined. 3 Divide mixture into…

Bernadine Howe, 60, Scarborough I’ve always loved catching up with my girlfriends for a night of gossip and laughs at our local bingo hall. So, when I heard about playing Chat Mag Bingo online, I had to give it a whirl. I couldn’t believe it when I won two more times Signing up in July 2012, it was easy as pie. Then in February 2014, I won an incredible £31,683 while playing in the Diamond 90 Ball Bingo room. It was a huge shock. I couldn’t imagine such a big win playing bingo! Engaged to Stephen, now 62, my partner of three years, I’d spent some of my winnings on our wedding in November that year. We then had our honeymoon, and had a joint family holiday to Australia in…

A Ministry of Justice spokesman says, ‘Public protection is a priority and a full risk assessment is carried out by the independent Parole Board when offenders are released into the community. ‘Life-sentenced offenders are on licence for life and subject to supervision and a strict set of conditions, which can include exclusion zones which ban offenders from entering or living in certain areas. If they fail to comply with those conditions, they can be recalled to prison.'…

Q How do you make sure the rules are followed at your parties? Heidi Clark, Northfleet AI have a team of dedicated and trained volunteers who help watch for any issues. And as I am in charge of managing each party, I don't get involved at my own events. There's always so much to do! Q Are you careful to maintain your sexual health? Lisa Mack, Welling AI always practise safe sex with traditional barrier methods, and have clear communication with all of my partners before any sexual contact occurs. I also get fully screened for STIs every six months, even if I haven't had any new partners. Q How can sex feel special with a partner when you sleep with other people? Sharon Arnott, Somercotes AI have an emotional…