Table of contents for 22-Nov-2018 in Pick Me Up!

In 1997, when I was just 18 years old, I lost two of the most important people in my life - my mum Teresa, then 53 and my uncle Frank, 58. Mum lost her battle to cancer and Uncle Frank’s death was totally unexpected. But as bereft as I was, my dad Joe, then 60, and my aunty Teresa, then 49, were both left devastated, they’d just lost the loves of their lives. Aunty Teresa became Dad’s shoulder to cry on and the woman I turned to as well. The mother figure that I so desperately needed. She and my dad became a couple and, later, they married and became husband and wife. She could never replace my mum, but she helped me with everything and looked after me and…

1 Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a suddenmovement that throws the head forwards, backwards or sideways. ■ True ■ False 2 Symptoms include neck pain, tenderness, stiffnessand difficulty moving your head. ■ True ■ False 3 Symptoms will always present immediately. ■ True ■ False 4 It is not necessary to seea GP for whiplash. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE It occurs when the soft tissues become stretchedor sprained. 2 TRUE Other symptoms may includeheadaches, spasms, shoulder and arm pain, memory loss and dizziness. 3 FALSE Theyoften take several hoursand can worsen the nextday. 4 FALSE If you have been in an accident or present these symptoms it’s always best to visit aGP.…

Amazon Basics Hands-Free Bungee Lead, £9.99, amazon.co.uk/amazonbasics Walkies just got even better! Designed for running or hiking, instead of a handle, this lead attaches to your waist so you can stay hands free and stop your pooch getting under your feet. Wasabi Beer, £5.99, firebox.com Not for the fainthearted, this beer is brewed with wasabi – aka Japanese horseradish. As spicy as the real deal, it’s a must-try for anyone who loves Japanese food. Nailfix & Chill Nail Polish Eraser Cream, £12.95, thisisbeautymart.com The first of its kind – apply a thick layer to painted nails, wait for up to three minutes, remove with a dry cotton pad, wash your hands and you’re good to go! It’s acetone-free too, with a lovely fresh scent.…

Staring at the colouring book, I picked up a purple crayon and began to scribble. ‘See, Taylor,’ my mum Natalie, 23, smiled. ‘There’s nothing you can’t do.’ It was 2004 and, like most 3-year-olds, I loved colouring. But no-one had expected me to ever pick up a pencil, let alone draw. Even then, I knew I looked different from other children - like my newborn baby sister Brooke... She had chubby little hands and feet. But I didn’t. My legs stopped just above my ankles, and my left arm stopped at my wrist, too. On my remaining right hand, all the fingers had gone except my little finger. But that was all I needed to grip my crayons and start drawing. As soon as I was old enough to understand,…

Profusion Mixed Metals Palette in Amber, £8.50, Boots Featuring nine super-versatile shades of warm nude in a mix of matte and shimmer tones, you’ll be an eyeshadow pro in seconds with this palette and be able to take your look from day to night effortlessly. Pears Transparent Soap, 79p, Superdrug Not just one to wash with, did you know that soap can go a long way in terms of grooming your brows too? Just moisten a brow brush into a little lather against the soap, brush through your brows and voilà! They’ll stay in place all day and will even look fuller as well. MasqueBar Charcoal Cleanser, £10, Urban Outfitters Soothe and detox your skin with this cleanser. It helps unclog pores and brighten your skin as the gentle foam…

Were you smacked as a child? Many of us remember receiving a tap on the bottom or a light slap on the hand if we were very naughty. And while some of us recall feeling embarrassed or even hurt, many others will say, ‘It never did me any harm!’ But is that actually true? It’s been a controversial issue for many years - but earlier this year, psychologists called on the Government to ban smacking, arguing that it is indeed harmful for children’s mental health. A motion was put forward to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in September this year from the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) urging the Government to ‘acknowledge that physical punishment can have negative long-term effects on a child’s development.’ Confusingly perhaps, it is already illegal…

A recent day trip to Brimham Rocks left my nephew Charley as a giant! Here he is placing my daughter Sam on a rock. Gill Dennis, Scarborough Rocking out at my friend’s 60th birthday party. I'll let you guess what the theme of the night was. Penny Morris, Ashford My grandson Max did say he was ready to explode after we had lunch, although this isn't quite what I’d pictured. Mel Griffiths, Anglesey Staying at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, I met some great new friends. Here we all are, united in our endeavour to help stop cruelty to elephants. Alexa Poole, Helsby Wandering about in London, we bumped into none other than Hollywood movie star Christian Slater! I couldn't believe our luck. Sian Cowley, Birmingham When the rain settles…

I grew up in a country so different from the UK - war-torn, dangerous. But, as a 19-year-old girl, I wasn’t so different to the trendy teens I see in my home town of Croydon now. I loved fashion, boys, pop music. But, more than anything, I loved my 12-month-old son Junior. ‘Mummy’s going to miss you,’ I told him one day in December 1998. I was driving to a neighbouring country on family business, would be away for a few days. I missed Junior something rotten, but he was safe with my family and, before long, I was on my way back. Singing along to my car stereo, I thought of Junior and smiled. I couldn’t wait to kiss his chubby cheeks. But, as I approached the border, two…

Logging onto my online banking account, my heart sank. Despite being a university graduate with a full-time job working in a school, I was frustrated at how big a chunk of my earnings went on paying off debts, rather than going toward the future. It wasn't that I was a big spender - not now, at least. Ever since I’d moved into a flat with my boyfriend Shane in August 2010, we’d budgeted carefully. But the truth is after three years of living it up at uni I’d been left with debts that were hard to make a dent in - especially with all the interest. It felt like I was still paying for the takeaways, nights out and clothes I’d treated myself to all those years ago. So now…

It was a warm evening this July and, after a busy day, I was looking forward to unwinding. One thing I do enjoy on an evening like this is Pick Me Up! Bingo. I’d joined in November 2014, and the games were so colourful and easy to play. It was the perfect way to relax and have a bit of me time. Now, as I was settled, lounging in my PJs, I bought 12 tickets for 10p for the next Bingo Lounge game. And with the offer - ‘buy two get one free’ - for this game, I got 18 tickets. Result! I liked Bingo Lounge, it’s 75-ball bingo where games are played in patterns not lines. Plus the cards were funny shapes like bow ties or hearts. The chat…

Pulling on my wellies, I breathed in the crisp country air. Perfect day for a walk, I thought, opening the door. It was a lovely Saturday afternoon in April 2017 and my Labrador Tara, 7 and sheepdog Sam, 1, came bounding out of the house behind me. ‘Walkies,’ I cooed. They barrelled past me toward the fields that made up our family farm. Trailing behind, I planned the rest of my day. Lemon drizzle cake, I thought, that’s what I’ll bake. But before I’d begun ticking off what ingredients I’d need in my head, I caught sight of one of our cows. Nestled just inside the cattleshed, she was laying down, letting out strained mooing sounds. She was in labour. I kept my eyes glued on the mother-to-be. I’d lived…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Try to find a little more patience where your loved ones are concerned. They’ve taken as much as they can and unless you show them some commitment, you could miss out on turning your biggest corner this year. Stop thinking short term and think long term. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Saying sorry does more than simply remedy past mistakes. It builds a connection by showing vulnerability and honesty. Contracts you sign around this time can help ensure long-lasting security. New flirtations make for an unforgettable weekend. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June I know you’re worrying about what others think of your actions, but stop. What happened is in the past and all you’re doing is keeping the focus on…

Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail pickmeup@ti-media.com CALL 020 3148 6460 WRITE TO Pick Me Up!, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium. Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae. Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.…

Severe tummy pain Q My daughter often gets extreme stomach ache. It knocks her sideways and she needs to lie quietly for an hour or two until it passes. It’s hard to predict and not much helps. A This is abdominal migraine, related to migraine headaches and responsive to similar treatment. It usually resolves in the late teens, but it can represent as migraine headaches later. Ask your GP about treatment options. Is it an STI? Q I have a new partner and we both have pain and discharge. We went to the GP and were both checked out, but we still have these symptoms. What could be wrong? A Mycoplasma genitalium is a highly resistant bacterium that lives in the genital tract and causes a reaction and symptoms that…

Hurtling off the road, the Volkswagen van crashed into two pine trees. Inside it were two young men, apparently not wearing seatbelts. They were both thrown from the car, through the windscreen, and towards the trees. Both died instantly from major head injuries. It was the afternoon of 26 June 1995, in Virginia, America. One of the victims - the driver of the van, student Michael Eric Hager, 21 - reportedly had fallen asleep at the wheel. He was carrying ID, so could be quickly identified. But the police couldn’t identify the second man, who was thought to be in his early 20s. His injuries were so severe, he was unrecognisable. So photos of his face couldn’t be used for identification purposes, nor could they be released to the public.…

HOW TO JOIN? Register and create an account on Pick Me Up! Bingo. Choose a name and a password. Then deposit some money in your bingo account, so that you can start enjoying some online bingo fun! WELCOME BONUS When you join Pick Me Up! Bingo as a new member and have played £10 on any game, you’ll receive a bonus of 200 Free Bingo tickets worth up to £50*! HOW DO I PLAY? Check out our varied assortment of games and pick your favourite. Many games cost from 1p a ticket. Then choose the number of tickets you’d like to buy and relax. The bingo numbers are called out, and your tickets will be automatically dabbed off – so you never need to worry about missing a number! HOW…

Super green macaroni cheese Serves 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 20 min For the cheese sauce ◻ 25g butter ◻ 25g plain flour ◻ 600ml milk ◻ 100g mature Cheddar, grated For the bake ◻ 250g pasta or macaroni shapes ◻ 200g cauliflower, cut into small florets ◻ 50g curly kale ◻ 1 courgette ◻ 2tsp olive oil ◻ 75g grated cheese (eg Cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyère) 1 To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 min. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring all the time until you have a smooth sauce. Stir in the grated Cheddar and season. 2 Heat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Cook the pasta shapes according to the pack instructions, then drain and mix…

I knew I’d done wrong if I had a smacked hand. It taught me right from wrong, and I am respectful,  and grew up knowing how to behave. Do I smack my own children? No. Does this mean they’re less respectful than those who are smacked? No. Time outs and privileges revoked worked just as well. Rachel Pollard, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire I don’t think hitting a child hard or leaving a mark is acceptable – but I don’t agree with outlawing physical  punishment. There are so many young children out of control and I often see the parents trying, and failing, to reason with them as if they’re small adults. Ann Johnson, Cheshire I personally don’t hit my kids. I don’t think our first resort should be to smack a…