Table of contents for 13-Jun-2024 in Pick Me Up!

Playing in my bedroom with my toys, I was completely lost in my own imagination. At nine years old, I’d run upstairs after having tea with my mum Sarah to enjoy my playtime. And like most nights, my stepdad Pete would join me. ‘What are you up to?’ he’d smile, sitting on the floor. Grabbing my hedgehog toy, he’d start playing with me. Then, he’d tickle me. Giggling, he’d lift up my vest and place his lips on my belly. Blowing hard, raspberries rippled across my skin. I started laughing. ‘You’re my favourite,’ he’d say. He always made me feel so special. With Mum splitting from my dad when I was three, I didn’t have a father figure. At least until Pete moved in when I was eight. Mum and…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great prize from Addis. Sweeping up mess can be a thankless task – but with this cleaning tool from Addis’ Comfi Grip range, it’ll become so much easier. Ideal for cleaning your indoor surfaces, the brush has a soft bristle to collect even the finest dust and dirt. Plus, the pan’s rubber lip provides the optimum floor to pan transfer of dirt, too. For more ways to make your life easier, visit: addis.co.uk Carby cleaner To clean the page edges of books stored in a book case, simply wipe with a slice of bread. It easily gets rid of the dust! Judith Cairns, Colchester Feeling evergreen Tired of herbs going off in the fridge? I freeze my coriander as soon…

Grace Cordell, writer and host of REDRUM true crime. • Stream on your chosen podcast platform now 1. How did you get into true crime? I started reading my mum’s magazines when I was about 10 and there were always one or two true crime stories. I was hooked from an early age! 2. How do you make sure that you deal with crimes sensitively? The victims come first. So, I always try and tell the most truthful story that I can, focusing on the victim’s life and who they were. 3. What is your research process? I started by focusing on lesser-known crimes, but now I look into any case that intrigues me. I use various sources, including news archives, court documents, trial transcripts and social media, too. 4.…

Buy of the week Need to give your home a spruce up? The new summer fragrances from Fabulosa will leave it smelling scent-sational! The Soft Nectar collection with three new aromas is bursting with ripe notes of nectarine and apricot, alongside infusions of amber and musk and undertones of sweet coconut milk – summer in a bottle. Choose from Apricot & Pink Pepper, Sweet as a Peach and Nectarine Raspberry. • From £1, available in B&M stores Fun days out Did you know 8 June is World Gin Day? If you love the herby tipple, you have to try Padstow Distilling’s new gin walks. Along one of North Cornwall’s most idyllic coastal paths, join the distillery’s founder David McWilliam on a tour through the stunning landscape that inspired his award-winning…

Master the art of dressing up this season. If you need to reply to that RSVP or you fancy the races, we’ve got you covered… HIRE A HERO! Did you know that you can also rent statement pieces for all sorts of occasions? Whether you’re looking for a cocktail dress, race outfit, a black-tie gown or a must-have weekend piece, Hirestreet have you covered. With a range of brands, all you need to do is choose your wanted item, select how long you want to borrow it for and the rest is history! Rent one, two or five items, for up to 21 days at a time. And once you’re done, return your items on time using the pre-paid return label. Hirestreet will even handle the cleaning for you! If…

Feeling fruity Bright orange is the colour of the season, so why not incorporate it into your beauty routine with these goodies from Soap & Glory? Call of Fruity Exfoliating Body Scrub, £9.99, Boots Transport yourself to an island paradise with this exotic scrub. Enriched with pink jojoba buffing balls and naturally exfoliating coconut shell, this will gently buff away dead skin cells for smooth and shiny skin. With a tantalising scent of tropical fruits and hibiscus, this will whisk you away to the Bahamas – sort of. Vitamin C & Glycolic Acid Instant Brightening Sheet Mask, £3.99, Boots Want bright, radiant skin? This face mask will give you just that! Plus, it’s super refreshing making it perfect for the warmer weather. Simply place onto the face and relax for…

Written by real-life detective Stephen Fulcher, this book tells the true story of how he was thrust into a race against time to save 22-year-old Sian O’Callaghan, who went missing in Swindon. Only, after discovering her body, it led him to discover another victim, Becky Godden-Edwards, who had been missing since 2002. Find out how Stephen Fulcher was able to link Christopher Halliwell to these murders, as well as those of other victims, catching one of the UK’s most prolific serial killers, once and for all.…

Vegetarian cooking doesn’t have to be difficult – whip up one of these simple but delicious recipes from Rukmini Iyer that are bound to impress. • The Green Cookbook by Rukmini Iyer, £25, WHSmith Treat of the week All-in-One Orzo with Baked Feta, Tomatoes & Olives YOU WILL NEED: □ 200g orzo□ 450ml boiling vegetable stock□ 300g baby plum or cherry tomatoes, halved□ 50g olives, pitted and halved□ 200g feta cheese□ 2 tbsp olive oil□ Couple of handfuls fresh basil leaves□ Freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE: □ Extra virgin olive oil□ Chilli flakes (optional) 1 Preheatthe oven to 180°C fan. Put the orzo into a medium roasting tin, pour over the boiling stock and stir thoroughly. Then, top with the tomatoes and olives. 2 Place the block of feta cheese…

Bitesize! pg 3 Tune Strike it! pg 13 Tangerine (Cross out: 3,10, 21, 35 47, 56, 60, 78, 82) Crack it! pg 23 Cloudless Fill it! pg 13 Smooth Sudoku pg 36 9,6,8 Cross it! pg 36 Antelope Number fit! pg 13 2937 Spot it! pg 24 Follow it! pg 9 Saxophone 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.…

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 a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

With pharmacist Duncan Reid at Pharmacy2U (pharmacy2u.co.uk) Spinning around Q I feel really dizzy standing up after sitting for a long time, but my GP blood tests have confirmed I don’t have an iron deficiency. What could this be a symptom of instead? Melanie, Scunthorpe A Firstly, this is a common symptom that is usually no cause for concern. This can simply be due to a form of low blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension, where blood rushes away from your brain to your lower body. Orthostatic hypotension can be caused as a side effect of using some medications, too, including medication for high blood pressure and certain psychiatric disorders. It can also be caused by underlying conditions such as certain heart problems, and hormone imbalances, often caused by thyroid issues.…

Visual Endoscope Ear Wax Scoop, £14.99, The Range Everyone does it, even though you may not want to admit it – we all have a peek at the yellow wax on the end of the cotton bud when cleaning our ears. But what if you could clean your lobes fully and see all the contents? Gross, but satisfying, too! With this handy endoscope, you can. Better for your ears and the environment over cotton buds, it’s waterproof, reusable and there’s a camera inside. Connect it to your phone to see the inside of your ears for a deep clean! Pull someone’s ear… We’re surprised this man still has his ear left! Georgian born Lasha Pataraia currently has the world record for pulling a range of enormous items with his ear…

Peeling the plastic film off a cucumber, I placed two edible googly eyes on top and stuck some candles along its back. It may sound strange, but my daughter Macy, now 18, had a different birthday tradition. I didn’t need to splash out on an M&S Colin the Caterpillar cake as we had Colin the Cucumber instead. Cutting a slab of the watery vegetable, I dished it up on six separate plates. That way, my other children, Gabrielle, now 28, Lucus, now 27, Brooke, now 21, and Bailey, now 16, could enjoy a slice. Bringing the kids up on my own, we’d formed our own traditions over the years. However, it wasn’t the fact that Macy didn’t like icing. Cake was enough to make her shake, gag and vomit. In…

Intrigued, curious and desperate to find out more, you reach for your phone. The disappearance of Madeleine McCann. How old was Fred West when he met Rose? Did Jeffrey Dahmer really eat his victims? And before long, you’re now deep in the Google archives. Opening tabs, collecting your own evidence and trying to wrap your head around what really drives a person to kill. Not only that, but you begin to come up with your own theories. Could it have really been JonBenét’s older brother Burke who killed her? Was the ransom note an attempt to stage the crime? Did the FBI reveal the true identity of The Zodiac Killer? At times, it’s hard to imagine that such troubling crimes were committed in real life and happened to ordinary people…

Madeleine Kingsley is a highly experienced and qualified BACP registered relationship counsellor. She has over 30 years’ experience of working with couples, individuals, families, children and young people on a wide range of issues. To find out more about counselling visit: bacp.co.uk Will I ever be me again? Q Cancer treatment has completely knocked my confidence. The relationship I have with my husband isn’t the same anymore and I’m worried that he is going to leave me due to this. How can I find myself again? Bea, Liverpool A It’s a huge shock to be diagnosed with cancer. Treatment can leave you feeling less like a person and more like a patient, as your life is measured out in hospital appointments and test results. When your world is interrupted it’s…

ARIES 21 March–20 April The Sun in Gemini squares Neptune to Pisces and what you were imagining would happen next is now placed by a feeling of stark reality. What you forget is that you hold the power to decide what happens. Think outside the box and be open to suggestions this weekend from both friends and family. This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Good things happen in your life when you surround yourself with positive people. Your intuition in love is strong and you can afford to act only from the heart. Time you spend talking to older faces helps them shape a future which is more in their control than has been the case so far. Now, you…