Table of contents for 31-May-2018 in Chat

Overwhelmed with emotion, I rubbed my little bump. ‘There are definitely two heartbeats,’ the nurse confirmed. It was April 2012 and, after years of trying, discovering I was pregnant with two babies felt like winning the Lottery! ‘Twins!’ I beamed to my husband Mehdy, 34. A few months on, at my 20-week scan, we were told we were having a boy and a girl. Perfect! I bought a double pushchair and two sets of everything – one in pink and one in blue. I went on maternity leave from my job as a nursery nurse in November 2012 and, one Saturday night, I invited my best friends – Jenny Drew, 30, and Kirsty Faulder, 28, over. We settled down to watch The X Factor, taking turns to feel the babies…

Serves 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Cost per serving: 82p 1 Halve and deseed two red and two yellow peppers. Rub with a little oil and barbecue or cook on a hot griddle, cut-side down, for a few minutes. 2 Transfer peppers to a chopping board and fill with a 350g pack ready made roasted-veg couscous. Sprinkle over 2tbsp raisins and top with slices of Gruyère cheese. 3 Line squares of tinfoil with baking paper and use to tightly wrap peppers. Cook on barbecue for 10 min, until softened and cheese has melted. Unwrap parcels and serve peppers, topped with sprigs of basil and sliced cucumber.…

Blind for a few minutes Q Last week, I went blind in my right eye for about 15 minutes. I'm fine now - should I tell my doctor? Pam, Bristol A See your doctor immediately. Possibilities include migraine, but a likely cause is that a blood clot broke loose and temporarily blocked the blood supply to your eye. Without proper treatment, you could be at risk of a stroke. Burning mouth Q My mouth burns constantly but doctors and dentists can't find anything wrong. It's really getting me down. Mary, Brighton A Iron or vitamin deficiency, or infections such as thrush, can be to blame, or this burning-mouth syndrome is sometimes linked to depression. Antidepressants, relaxation therapy, and avoiding smoking, spirits and spicy food can help. Restless legs Q I…

I was lonely when Scott O’Brien started chatting to me on Facebook. It was February 2015, and I was a single mum with three kids. It felt good to have some male attention. Plus, Scott, 27, was gorgeous! He was easygoing and funny. We got together and he was great with my two sons, 7 and 5, and baby daughter. That July, I discovered that I was pregnant. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ I admitted to Scott. With my hands full already, I wasn’t sure how I’d cope. ‘I’ll support you,’ Scott promised me firmly. And, with him by my side, I felt as if I could do anything. However, a few months on, things started to change. Scott would get jealous at the silliest things. Once, we were…

Denise says, ‘I love having my family around me. We're always in and out of each other's houses and I couldn't imagine my life any other way.' Kelly says, ‘There are lots of advantages to being a younger gran. My son Archie is only 5, so when Nellie's a bit older, he'll be a playmate for her and I'll take them both to the park. He was so excited to become an uncle!' Ellie says, ‘History is repeating itself in so many ways but, as a family, we couldn't be happier. I feel blessed, and Nellie is surrounded by an incredible amount of love.'…

Stacking shelves, I heard a tinkle of bells. Customer, I thought, as I hopped behind the cash register at my family’s corner shop. In walked Pete Bridgeman, then 18 – like me. It was 1990 and I’d always liked him coming to the shop. I thought he was cute. ‘Anything else?’ I asked, feeling myself blush. ‘Just your number,’ he winked. Cheeky! We dated for two years after that, until – like a lot of young loves – it fizzled out. Life went on. I married and had two sons, Nathan, now 23, and Christopher, 19. I heard Pete married, too, and had a son, Carl, now 23. But in November 2009, I plucked up the courage to send Pete a Facebook message. I waited for a reply nervously, and…

He practically pushed us into each other’s arms With my 37th birthday coming up fast, my thoughts turned to presents. Fingers crossed Dave comes up trumps, I pondered. It was September 2010 and I’d been with my partner Dave Wing, then 48, for almost a year. We were in love and totally committed. Shortly after, as we enjoyed a drink in our local pub, he asked me what I wanted. ‘Surprise me,’ I shrugged. I was hoping for some jewellery, or a city break. Maybe both! Only... ‘How about a threesome?’ he suggested with a cheeky grin. ‘Yeah, good one,’ I snorted. Yet one look at his face told me he wasn’t joking. We had a healthy sex life. But this was the first time that Dave had suggested anything…

Putting my baby boy down for his afternoon nap, I switched on my laptop. Excitedly, I typed in the website address. The screen quickly filled with images of sexy lingerie and sex toys. That looks fun, I thought, ordering a brightly coloured vibrator, along with a few other items that caught my eye. It was March 2006, and I was on maternity leave from my £60,000 a year banking job. I’d always had a high sex drive and had got my first vibrator aged 20. Even now, looking after a 6-month-old baby, didn’t stop me experimenting in the bedroom. Eventually the time came to go back to work. Only, a large chunk of my salary went on childcare. Plus, while I earned good money, I was bored. There’s nothing sexy…

Placing a hand on my son’s forehead, I realised he was burning up. It was October 2015 and Jack, then 3, was feverish, dizzy and kept vomiting. He’d been ill on and off for months. We’d been back and forth to our GP. But whenever he was checked over, I was told it was just a bug. Days on, Jack seemed a little better, so I took him to pre-school. A single mum, I’d given up my job as a home-carer because of all the doctors’ visits over the last few months. Jack’s health was far more important. As I pottered about at home, a few hours later I got a call. ‘Jack’s unwell, you should collect him,’ his teacher said. Dropping everything, I headed straight there. Poor Jack looked…

I stirred from sleep as my wife Jacquie leant over the bed. It was 8.30am on a chilly January morning in 2005. Jacquie was off to take our dog Rosie on a walk. ‘Love you, see you later,’ she said, kissing my cheek. As she crept out, I dozed off. By 10am, I was up, and had dressed our two boys, Ben, then 6, and Oliver, 5. Only, Jacquie still hadn’t come home. Strange, I thought. She wasn’t usually out longer than 30 minutes or so. I called her mobile. No answer. ‘Maybe she got chatting along the way,’ I told the boys. Jacquie owned her own nail salon and loved a good natter. But at the back of my mind, I was worried. By 11.15am I was ringing her…

You could say I was a bit of a pro – after three babies, I knew what to expect with labour. ‘This birth should be a breeze,’ I told my partner Stephen, 34, stroking my bump. It was March this year and I was due any day. Our kids – Charlie, 7, Alfie, 6, and Amelia, 1 – were so excited. And when my waters broke on 3 March, I wasn’t worried. ‘We’ve still got a few more hours yet,’ I told Stephen –after all, I knew the drill by now. But we phoned the hospital anyway to let them know. ‘Please keep us updated,’ a midwife said. As time ticked by, I started getting cramps. I phoned the hospital again and they told me to come in. York Hospital…

Polka dot..? Working in a food shop, I overheard a mum and daughter choosing lunch. ‘Would you like a cheese roll?’ asked the mum. ‘Mummy, I’d like a ham bikini!’ she replied, to her mum’s (and my!) surprise. I really hope that she meant ham panini! Karen Baker, Watford Level best School pupils have to take far too many subjects at A level. It should be more specialised – four is enough. Sixth formers should be concentrating on subjects that’ll help them in a career, not just sitting exams to impress unis with as many good grades as possible. Shona Lloyd, Clywd Bring your own... This sign at our local pub made me laugh. Happy to say I did get served! Lucy Neville, West Bromwich Photo of the week Here…

Rocking my baby to sleep, I gently lay her in the cot. ‘Sleep tight,’ I cooed, pulling the door closed. It was October 2012, and me and my partner Sean, 34, adored Isabella, then 1. We were planning more kids. But, as I made myself a brew, I looked around at the cluttered and cramped space. With all the furniture and baby stuff in our two-bed house, there wasn’t room for much else. If we have another baby, we’ll have to move, I thought. So, as I sipped my cuppa, I browsed the Internet for new houses. No harm in looking, I thought to myself. One of the first that flashed up looked really perfect – a five-bed Georgian house, with a garden – and well within our tight budget!…

Anna Ecklund was brought up in Wisconsin, USA, as a devout Catholic. But around the age of 14, strange things started happening to her... She couldn’t bear to be around holy objects – bibles, crucifixes... It was as if the mere sight of them hurt her. Anna couldn’t enter any churches, either. An invisible force seemed to block her way. She’d lash out at priests, spitting curses and blasphemy with a snarl. Then there was her unsettling obsession with perverse sexual acts. Doctors were baffled. There was only one possible remaining cause. Demonic possession. By the time she was 26 years old, Anna was completely consumed by evil. In 1912, Father Theophilus Riesinger, a well-known expert in exorcism, was brought in to help. Riesinger performed the rites of exorcism on…

M&S Lemon Tart, £3 This tart looks beautiful and has a nice flavour, but too much pastry compared to the amount of filling. Asda Extra Special 2 Sicilian Lemon Tartlets, £2 These mini tarts had a lovely lemony flavour, although they were a little on the sweet side. Sainsbury's Lemon Tart, £2 This dreamy dessert was our clear winner. A beautiful filling with the right level of sharpness and sweetness, and lovely crisp pastry. NEW Branston Smooth Pickle, £1.40, Morrisons  A new, smooth version of the iconic pickle. Try using it as a cooking ingredient as well as in sarnies!…

There’s a saying that’s been my mantra in life. ‘When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.’ You see, when I was a year old, I was dealt a tough hand... Tests revealed I had spinal muscular atrophy. It’s a genetic condition that makes the muscles weaker and causes movement problems. My parents, Jackie, now 56, and Rolf, 60, were warned that there’s no cure and it gets worse over time. Symptoms include floppy and weak arms, problems walking and spinal curvature. I had to wear a spinal brace, which encased my torso to keep it straight. But growing up, I never let any of this hold me back. Aged 2, I got my first powered wheelchair. ‘Race you,’ my big sister Candice, then 4, beamed. I loved whizzing around the…

GUILTY But not of murder. In February this year, Bob Ward was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter by the discharge of a firearm which inflicted death. The jury did not convict him of the second-degree murder charge that the State originally wanted. Both of Ward’s daughters, who had remained supportive of their father, cried as the verdict was delivered. ‘It’s not fair!’ one screamed. ‘My mom tried to kill my dad and now he’s going to prison for it.’ Bob Ward is yet to be sentenced, but faces up to 25 years in prison.…

Face feelers can make up to £28,000 a year, touching people's faces after they've applied beauty products, to test how soft they feel. Professional snugglers, can earn £40 an hour just for cuddling someone in need of TLC. It's strictly professional! And, for those who love diving, but can't quite reach exotic shores, there's always golf diving, which requires collecting lost golf balls. They're paid less than 10p per ball, but with more than 400 million balls a year going missing in America alone, it could certainly add up!…

Strapping our son Owain, 6 months, into a sling, my hubby Phil prepared for a hike. ‘Come on!’ he beamed. It was 2005, and Phil, then 26, had always been an action man. Windsurfing, running marathons, climbing mountains. A personal trainer, he’d get me out on walks too. He’d carry Owain for miles. When our daughter Rhiannon arrived in April 2007, I assumed he’d be doing the same for her. Only, Phil started suffering from leg pain. Our doctor didn’t know what was wrong. But one night, Phil came in from a jog clutching his leg. ‘I’m going to stop running,’ he groaned. He was in agony. And as the months went on, Phil became less active. It broke my heart to see my once-energetic hubby slumped on the sofa.…

DIY pedicure Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Foot Magic, £4, Morrisons Slather on before bed and top with socks to give your feet a real hit of hydration. Essence The Gel Nail Polish in 90, £1.60, Wilko Treat yourself to a colour-pop pedi in time for summer. This gel formula has serious staying power. Skin Republic Foot Repair Foot Mask, £5.49, Superdrug Use every couple of months to keep on top of dry skin and cracked heels. Carnation Hard Skin Remover Pen, £3.33, firstaidfast.co.uk Great for targeting specific areas, this softens stubborn patches of tough skin.…

Serves: 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 5 min Cost per serving: 86p 1 Beat 75g melted butter with 2 eggs and 50g caster sugar. Fold in 75g ground almonds, 75g self-raising flour and 2tbsp elderflower cordial. 2 Mix 6tbsp raspberry jam with 1tbsp of elderflower cordial and spoon into the bottom of 4 x 300ml microwave-proof mugs, then divide half the cake mix between them. Add another ½tbsp jam to each, then top with the rest of the cake mix. Scatter over 15g toasted, flaked almonds. 3 Put 2 mugs in the microwave and cook on full power for 3 min (based on 800w) until risen and firm to the touch. Repeat to cook the other 2 cakes. 4 Leave to stand and cool for 5-10 min, then dust with…

Dancing around the room with friends, my eyes were drawn to a handsome man standing in the corner. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked a pal. ‘I think his name is William,’ she giggled. It was October 1960 and I was just 16. This was our Friday night routine. Each week, a group of us went to the local community centre for a boogie. Suddenly, I saw William striding towards me. ‘May I have this dance?’ he asked, offering me his hand. As he whirled me around the dance floor, my heart melted. And I started to look forward to Friday nights even more! Within four months, William, then 21, had asked me to marry him. ‘Yes!’ I grinned. When we exchanged vows, I was still just 16. Looking back now, I…

Remember me? I was in the magazine in May 2017 after I scooped my second big win on Sapphire Bingo, winning an incredible £1,000. That was just a year after I had my biggest windfall of £1,250 in April 2016. And now I’m back! I first joined Chat Mag Bingo in September 2013 and I’ve loved every minute of it. Even my daughter Glynnis, 47, has signed up. My favourite games are Sapphire Bingo and the Tiki slot games. And there’s such a welcoming community. I really enjoy chatting away with the other members. I used to go to the bingo halls after a shift at the bakery where I worked, but now I’m retired, I prefer to play from the comfort of my home. Glynnis and I love nights…

1 Walk the Strip There are hotels as far as the eye can see on the Strip, each with their own weird and wonderful themes. You won't want to miss any, so grab a map. Enjoy a gondola ride at The Venetian, dancing fountains at the Bellagio and check out the Eiffel Tower at Paris. 2 Fly over the Grand Canyon Soaring over the Grand Canyon, one of the wonders of the world, is a real one-off experience. On a Maverick Helicopters tour you can land in the canyon and enjoy champagne and nibbles while snapping photos. 3 See a show  There are up to 100 shows in Vegas at any one time, from comedy and magic to musicals. For a fantastical blend of carnival and spectacle, catch Absinthe at…

There, under the rubble, they found a man – alive! FIRE DOGS Dashing through the rubble, Kirby searched, determined... He kept going, sniffing for any signs of life. Suddenly, he stopped. ‘Woof!’ he cried. ‘Woof, woof!’ Barking to get the attention of his human partner, Graham Currie. Then Graham and his fellow firefighters concentrated their search on the spot Kirby had sniffed out. And there, under four feet of rubble, they found a man. Trapped, but alive. Kirby the English springer spaniel had saved his life. That was back in 2012, when Kirby was just days into his job as a trained rescue dog for Essex Fire Brigade. His team had been called to a block of flats in Clacton-on-Sea where there had been a gas explosion. And in less…

THE STORY: When Natalie Finn was adopted, she must have hoped to start a new, happier chapter in her young life. After years of being passed from pillar to post, it looked as if she finally had a place to call home and a woman – Nicole Finn, 43 – to call ‘Mum’. Nicole also adopted Natalie’s three siblings, and it seemed there was a chance for them to be one big, happy family. But, instead of a heart of gold, Natalie’s adoptive mother was cruel and cold. Initially, she cooked family dinners that everyone sat around and ate together at their home in West Des Moines, Iowa. But, quickly, Nicole’s ‘good mum’ mask began to slip and she launched into a systematic programme of abuse against three of the…

Aries 21 March - 20 April Just because you’re offered something, it doesn’t mean you have to take it. There’s talk of new projects - but it’s just that - talk. Knowing you, you’ll offer to go first and do well - but take care, all the same. Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May You really thought that you knew what you wanted, but your preferred option is denied, while an alternative is virtually pushed into your hand! It’s just the forces of fate guiding your choice, that’s all. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June Ever bought a second-hand car that needed a few repairs, but it ended up costing more than you paid for it? You’re in…

CAT BURGLAR? The police in Warwickshire ‘anticipated the reaction' they'd get when they posted this e-fit of a man who was wanted for a distraction burglary in Stratford-upon-Avon. The photo - showing a suspect with an impressive set of gnashers - went viral, with the man likened to Alice in Wonderland's Cheshire Cat, and Rainbow's Zippy. Think we know what the ‘distraction' was! CRACK JOB Portuguese police arrested a man trying to smuggle a kilo of cocaine through Lisbon airport, in a pair of fake buttocks. He'd attached two brown bags filled with the drug to a pair of swimming trunks, which he tried to hide under his clothes as he arrived from Belem, Brazil. SPACE HOLIDAY The first-ever luxury hotel in…