Table of contents for 29-Dec-2022 in Pick Me Up!

Looking for a classic chick lit book to curl up with for some light-hearted escapism on those cold, dark nights? Look no further! When Emma Love’s mum retires, she decides to freshen up the family dating agency – with a Jane Austen-style ‘Regency Season’ of events, where potential lovers can actually take the time to get to know each other in person. Not a dating app in sight! Emma has no intention of becoming romantically involved herself – she’s everyone else’s matchmaker, after all – so why is the irritating Mr Knight ruffling her calm, ordered life? She’s far too sensible to take a chance on love – isn’t she? If you love Jane Austen and Sophie Kinsella, this hilarious new romance comedy is for you! • A Season for…

sipping my drink, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the sun on my face. ‘This is the life,’ I said to my best mate Becky*. She was hosting a summer BBQ back in July 2010, and as the afternoon wore on, the party ramped up. Then a bloke walked in. Opening a beer and cracking jokes, he was the life and soul of the party – people gravitated towards him. I recognised Carl Tymon – he was local, and I’d seen him around. But I didn’t really know him. He had a bit of a bad reputation, and he was known as a ‘Jack the lad’, but I didn’t see him like that. Carl was charming – I fell head over heels for him When he came…

Tipping Pets at Home kibble into a dish, and placing it high on the windowsill, I fluffed up my pillows and headed downstairs. With my cat Billy leaving my mum’s room and bolting past me as quickly as possible, it was a rarity to actually see him. It was clear from the start, seven years ago, that he took an instant shining to my mum Karen, 69. He’d sleep on her bed day and night, snuggle up close to her face, and even had to hold her hand as he slept – they were truly a pur-fect match. Yet, that wasn’t the case for me. In fact, the only reason Billy would want to even get close to me was because of food. No cuddles, no lap-sitting sessions, he certainly…

Heavy Duty Portable Garden Kneeler, £16.99, Amazon We all know the pain of putting the kneeling pad on the floor before realising we’ve left the trowel in the shed. Verdict: GENIUS! Green fingers This clever device means that you can sort all of your tools and garden essentials into the side pocket, with the kneeler attached – it could save a whole lot of trouble! Oh that smells… horrible! Sniffing a flower is a natural instinct, especially when they look so pretty – but not this one! A rare orchid, the Bulbophyllum Phalaenopsis, has been collected in Papua New Guinea with a distinct smell. Verdict: BONKERS! Gross discovery Described as packing a punch with its scent similar to rotting fish or dead rats it really is a disgusting addition to…

The hydrating, lightweight tanning formula leaves your skin with a long-lasting, natural-looking tan, ready for whatever Christmas and New Year might throw at you. For a light to medium tan, leave on for 30 minutes, for a dark tan rinse after an hour, or leave on for up to three hours for the darkest of colour. The perfect tan if you need something quickly! Available from Boots. CHOOSE FROM: 1 Hour Express, £11.99 1 Hour Express Face Mist, £13.99…

Solve the puzzle to find a word. Fit the words back in the grid and the letters in the highlighted squares spell out the answer. We’ve put in one word to help. Answer on page 47. 3 letters Add Age Odd Orb Roe 4 letters Foal Fork Seal Shoe Shop 5 letters Atlas Beams Heart Shack 6 letters Adhere Afloat Alkali Leered Listen Reader Rolled 7 letters Enabler Entitle Puddles 8 letters Academia Earpiece Energise Euphoria Cross it! pg 45 Podcast Sudoku! To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle, then read down the numbers in the highlighted squares for the answer. Answer on page 47. Sudoku pg 45 5,4,5 In next week’s Pick…

you might be thinking about As the new year rolls around, having a wardrobe clear-out – and we’re loving this initiative from Cotton Traders. They’ve teamed up with The Salvation Army to launch a new online clothing bank – a sustainable and charitable way to donate any unused clothing, shoes and accessories. Any profits received go straight to The Salvation Army, so it’s win-win! • To find out more please visit: cottontraders.com GET IN TOUCH Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail hello@pickmeupmag.co.uk WRITE TO Pick Me Up! Media Centre, Emma-Chris Way, Abbey Wood Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7JU PHONE 0117 440 0607 FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com Future Publishing Limited reserves the right to re use any…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis. Organise your wardrobe with these non-slip, easy to use hangers which will keep your clothes in order, and easy to find! They can be used to hang scarves, belts, and ties, as well as jumpers without stretching. You’ll have an easy to access wardrobe in no time. For more ways to make your life easier, visit: addis.co.uk Easy eats! My husband loves apple crumble, but I didn’t want to waste electricity by putting the oven on! I quickly softened the apples in the microwave and chucked some granola on top and served with cream. Delicious. Rose Janes, Monmouth First aid kit Put a plaster on your fridge so you know where to find one if you have…

Fixing one last piece of coloured plastic to the wreath in front of me, my glue gun sizzled. Perfect, I thought. As we headed into Christmas last year, my Kitsch Christmas Wreaths were incredibly popular with customers. You see, running my quirky upcycling business, Muck N Brass, my punters knew to expect beautifully different designs – and Christmas was no exception. My Kitsch Wreaths were constructed entirely from recycled children’s toys! I had set up a toy amnesty in 2019, whereby people could send in their old toys, and I would pay for the postage and send them a little gift as a thank you. This meant I had a constant supply for my wreaths. And soon I was inundated with toys. A variety of Barbie bodies contorted from boxes…

Lying in my hospital bed, nothing was happening. On 27 June this year, I was taken to The Royal Sussex County Hospital to be induced. But my baby was nowhere to be seen. Reaching for my husband Ben’s, 34, hand, I tried not to feel nervous. My pregnancy with my soon-to-be fifth child had been a little rocky – my iron levels had dropped throughout, and I had gestational diabetes. But aside from this, everything had seemed healthy, and we couldn’t wait to meet our baby. Only, after my waters broke, I wasn’t having contractions. What’s more, I wasn’t dilating either. ‘We recommend going for an emergency C-section,’ the doctors said a few hours after we had arrived. But I was reluctant. I had four kids at home – Matthew,…

SPRITZ TIPS Want your perfume to last a little longer? Fragrance Expert and head of marketing at The Fragrance Shop, Iember Gordon, reveals some handy hacks on how we can make a couple of spritzes last all day long. 1. APPLY PERFUME RIGHT AFTER YOUR SHOWER The best time to spray perfume on your skin is right after your shower. This is because moisture gives your scent something to hold on to, so spraying your signature scent on after your skin has been freshly washed boosts its staying power. 2. MOISTURISE SKIN BEFORE APPLICATION For situations where you can't have a shower before going from desk to dancefloor, use an unscented moisturiser on your skin before you apply perfume. This will help lock the fragrance in better as it gives…

Christmas is all about the food, but come Boxing Day, we’re often dealing with an awful lot of leftovers. Knowing what to do with all that food, especially the sprouts, can be a bit of a mind boggle. That’s why Hellmann’s, Marmite, Knorr, and Colman’s have teamed up with Mimi of @Beatthebudget to create leftover meals that will feed a family of five for less than a fiver – it really is a win win. Creamy Brussels Sprout Pasta Bake TOTAL RECIPE COST: £4.13 COST PER PORTION: 83p MAKES: 5 YOU WILL NEED: □ 5 tbsp Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise□100g+60g Cheddar□300g Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced, with stiff stems removed□1 onion, finely diced□ 3 cloves of garlic, minced□ 500g pasta shells (conchiglie)□ Fresh basil or parsley, finely chopped to serve□ 400ml pasta…

If you haven’t binge-watched season five of The Crown yet, where have you been hiding?! We might have to wait nearly a year for the final season, but fear not – you can still get your Royal fix! From majestic castles to magnificent manor houses, experts at slotbox.com have revealed some of the most Instagrammable filming locations from the hit series that you can go and visit for yourself. Winchester Cathedral, HAMPSHIRE You might recognise this grand cathedral as the location of King Charles’ marriage to Lady Diana Spencer – standing in for St Paul’s Cathedral. Built in 1039, Winchester is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe. • Visit: winchester-cathedral.org.uk Waddesdon Manor, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE This stately manor house has often been used as a stand-in for the famous…

Catch Claire live on Facebook www.clairepetulengro.tv ARIES 21 March–20 April The opportunity to build up your funds, rather than worrying about how much you’re spending this festive season, should do much for your mood. Caution of mixing with those who bring out the spender in you. This is your chance to get things back in your control, Aries. A surprise gift is about to reveal how much you mean to a certain person – watch out. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May You need to show a little more patience with family during this Christmas. It seems to be all about phone calls you have been expecting to receive. Giving others time that they’ve been asking about for an age, will ensure you can go forward as a…

This is a picture of my adorable This is my 12-year-old eight-year-old granddaughter car, Miz. Always Billi rescue looking receiving for her the award next after adventure. making her Mandy Brownie Mogg, West promise. Midlands This photo is extra special for us because Billi has autism and has always found it difficult to mix with other children. I’m such a proud Nanny! Patricia Cordon, Cheltenham I said to a friend, ‘I took the wife shopping at Morons.’ He said, ‘don’t you mean Morrisons?’ So, I showed him the photograph… Mike Lunn, North Ayrshire I had a beautiful relaxing holiday in Greece. Here in Zagoria, I felt it was time to relax and read my favourite magazine. Sara Alcraft, Melton Mowbray Does anyone else stop to look at the intricate patterns…

With household energy bills Wexpected to be £190 more a month than last year. Ali Clabburn, founder of Liftshare Group, offers his top tips on saving money on fuel this winter. Please visit liftshare.com • Stay streamlined Have you got a boot full of rubbish? Unused roof racks? Or, do you have the heating on with the windows wide open? All these things impact fuel consumption. The heavier your car or vehicle is, the more fuel you are going to need to power it. Why not empty the boot if you’re using it as storage space? • Slow and steady wins the race It’s time to ditch your boy racer ways. Erratic driving sees vehicles consume up to 60% more fuel. Easing up off the accelerator, braking smoothly and not…

Winter woes Navigating type 2 diabetes during winter can be hard. With shorter days and cold weather, staying in becomes much more appealing. Dr Sarah Brewer, diabetes expert at CuraLin, offers her top tips for those with type 2 diabetes on staying healthy this winter, and preventing the isolation and loneliness that comes with the season. Please visit: curalife.co.uk Check in with your mental health: Loneliness can have a major impact on health and wellbeing, and it is suggested that it can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, with those living with conditions such as type 2 diabetes being particularly vulnerable. According to Diabetes UK, three out of five people with diabetes struggle with mental health issues. People with type 2 diabetes who develop depression are also…

Recent diagnosis Q My daughter has been recently diagnosed with polycystic ovaries. What can she do? Carole, Bristol A A diagnosis of polycystic ovaries is very different to a diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), so I would suggest anyone in this position sees their doctor to assess further the condition. If your daughter has polycystic ovaries, this is often found on a routine pelvic ultrasound scan and generally is not a cause for any concern. If she does have a diagnosis of PCOS, this is also a common condition and is generally nothing to be worried about. PCOS sufferers may either have no symptoms at all, or notice things such as irregular periods, excessive facial hair, weight gain, breakout-prone skin and thinning of hair on the scalp. Women with PCOS have…

Your weekly fix of all creatures great and small! Spring into action Last month, the team at Battersea’s Old Windsor Centre worked their magic once again to turn five scared pups into confident woofers ready to take on the world. Rescue teams up and down the country work hard every year to ensure abandoned animals are given the care and attention they deserve. And with an estimated 2.7 million animals entering UK animal shelters each year, it’s certainly not an easy task. In November this year, Battersea sprang into action upon the arrival of five Miniature Schnauzers who were found abandoned in a park and in desperate need of help. They were found in poor condition, with heavily matted and overgrown fur and treatment required for their ears and teeth. Ranging in…

It’s time for your best downward dog, your quickest 5k run, or even getting off the sofa to reach those 10k steps – fitness fashion is the best way to get you started. Damart’s new sports range is sure to get you in an active mood… • Shop online by visiting: damart.co.uk Sports bras are an essential – find one that fits Treating yourself to new gym clothes is a great boost NEW BRAND ALERT: GYM + COFFEE If you’re an early morning runner, someone who appreciates comfort or someone who loves to finish their fitness routine with a coffee, then Gym + Coffee is the athleisure brand for you! Looking the part is perfect for motivation, and with a size range from XS – XXL there is something for everyone.…

In the suburban township of South Fayette, Pennsylvania, one person stood out to the locals in particular. That was 67-year-old Margaret Sumney. With her radiant beauty, caring nature and love for family, it was clear that she had so much to offer to the small, yet close-knit town. Always being the first one to welcome new neighbours comfortably onto the street, Margaret would visit with bundles of goodies on their arrival, without wanting a thank you in return. And with a pure gift and passion for dance, Margaret fuelled her drive into teaching others alongside her family at Shafe Sisters Dance Studio, not only working as a dance instructor but a co-owner of the business, too. As for her family, she was a devoted mother, who would give her all…