Table of contents for 17-Jan-2019 in Pick Me Up!

Growing up, the last thing you want to see is your parents kissing! ‘Get a room you two,’ I’d scoff. To which they’d just respond by making some over-the top kissing noises. My mum Alison and dad Alan were blissfully happy together. Dad had been Mum’s rock, helping her when she lost both her parents. They were more than husband and wife, they were also best friends. But, last May, Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, Eight weeks later he died and our worlds crashed down. He was gone before their 25th wedding anniversary and that really crushed Mum. I knew she was distraught, but she stayed strong for me. We were both grieving, I’d lost my dad, but Mum had lost her soulmate. Still, she held the family together…

Kicking my legs as fast as I could, my body felt heavy in the water, a sense of panic growing. Then I looked up, saw a big familiar smile. ‘You can do it!’ my dad William called. And, just like that, I had all the confidence in the world and was swimming into his open arms. By the time I climbed out of the pool that day, I wasn’t scared of swimming any more. Mum’s hands were trembling. ‘Where’s Daddy?’ I whispered Dad was my hero. Made everything seem possible. From difficult Maths homework to riding a bike without stabilisers, he helped me with everything growing up. He adored our mum Margaret, you could tell that by the way he looked at her. Like she was a Hollywood starlet. He…

Lighten up The newest addition to the Ginsters range, the Katsu Chicken Slice, is big in flavour but only 370 cals. So now you can have your pie and eat it too – perfect for a lighter start to the new year! It’s only £1 at Asda (usually £1.60) until 31 January. Home and dry Washing piling up? Fear not, with £5 off the Vileda Premium 2 in 1 Airer. Usually £29.99, you can snap one up for just £24.99 at shop.vileda.co.uk until 3 February. Clean sweep Cut the price of cleaning with the Vileda Easy Sweep Rechargeable Cordless Carpet Sweeper. Usually £44.99, you can buy it for £34.99 at shop.vileda.co.uk until 3 February. Time for a fresh start Marigold has created a limited edition New Year cleaning kit to…

Ovarian cyst Q I have recently had an ultrasound scan and they found a cyst on my ovary. It is about 3cm, apparently. Do I need to do anything about it? Helen, Kent A Simple cysts are very common and if they measure less than 5cm, you don’t even need to rescan them unless you start having any symptoms. At that size, they are usually stable or resolve on their own. Metabolism boost Q I am on thyroid medication for an underactive thyroid and recently I’ve heard that taking more of it might help increase my metabolism – can I do this? Jenny, Norwich A Taking thyroid medication is a balance - not taking enough causes sluggishness and weight gain, taking too much puts you at risk of osteoporosis and…

What’s normal, what’s not? Cold sores They’re painful, irritating and unattractive – but common. Cold sores should start to heal within 10 days, but be careful as they are very contagious. See a pharmacist for help. He or she can provide creams to ease the pain and irritation plus speed up healing time. Have you tried… Boots Sleepeaze Lavender Pillow Mist? At just £5.99, this spray – infused with soothing essential oils – helps you drift into a restful sleep, thanks to its calming lavender aroma. Just spray in the air above your pillow, or even just around your room, to help you feel relaxed. Disclaimer: Medical advice provided is for interest only and should never be substituted for seeing a doctor or seeking medical advice. If you have specific…

Ray Weatherall was dying. Sadly, the father-of-seven had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in August 2015. It was a cruel blow for the former garage boss, 50, who was also diabetic and needed daily insulin injections. Not wanting to waste precious time, Ray married his girlfriend Hayley, 29, in December 2015. Weeks later, doctors said he had 18 months to live, at most. Supporting the couple through their ordeal were Glenn Pollard, 46, and his daughter Heather, 17. Glenn and Ray had been best mates for around 30 years. Glenn’s daughter Heather had known ‘Uncle Ray’ all her life. Now, in the Weatheralls’ time of need, the Pollards were regular visitors to their home in the village of Ash, Kent. Despite the grim prognosis, months passed - then a…

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Demi Harris, 21, Hucknall This 21-year-old woman fatally stabbed her partner in the stomach at a party after she was pulled into a hot tub fully clothed. Her 39-year-old partner had invited friends back to their home in February 2018. Demi Harris complained about the noise and the couple had a row. Harris then  stabbed her boyfriend in the stomach with a knife that he kept at the side of the bed. He died a short while later in hospital from injuries he had received in the attack. Harris was found not guilty of murder following a 16-day trial in November but the jury at Nottingham Crown Court returned a guilty verdict of manslaughter. Harris was jailed for eight years. GREATER MANCHESTER Christopher Partington, 34, Little Hulton Manuals detailing…

1 Switch your stir-fry sauce Chinese sweet chilli, oyster and plum stir-fry sauces can be more sugary than chocolate biscuits! Opting for a dash of chilli flakes instead cuts out a whopping 5tbsp sugar. Check the sugar in salad dressings, too – low sugar is max 5g per 100g. SAVE: 5tbsp sugar 2 Move to the dark side Swap 40g of Dairy Milk for 30g of 70 per cent dark chocolate – you’ll want less of the dark stuff – to cut out at least 3tsp sugar. Limit your intake of chocolate in general, though, to keep your waistline in check. SAVE: 3tsp sugar 3 Hard to believe, but pickle is around one-quarter sugar So swap your cheese and pickle sandwich (for example) for a cheese and cucumber one. SAVE:…

1 Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures. 2 Thecondition can begin at any age, but usually starts in childhood. 3 Seizures – or fits – are the only known symptomof epilepsy. 4 Treatmentsinclude drugs, whilea ketogenic diet (adiet very low in carbs)has been known to help ease symptoms. 1 TRUE The seizures are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily affect how it works. 2 TRUE It is also common for the condition to develop in over-60s. 3 FALSE Other symptoms include losing awareness, becoming stiff, and strange sensations such as a ‘rising’ feeling in the tummy. 4 TRUE In some cases, you may have surgery to remove a small part of the brain causing seizures, or a small electrical device…

Milo The Corgi Heated Slippers, £34.99, firebox.com Adorable, super soft, and you can charge these slippers via a USB to heat your feet too. A night in has never seemed such a good idea! Verdict: BONKERS! But brilliant. We love them! Floating Wine Glass, £12, River Island When even the thought of holding your wine glass is exhausting, this clever glass floats on top of the water so you can enjoy a vino in the bath tub. Verdict: BONKERS! Hilarious though. BeYou Period Cramp Relief Patch, £6.99 for 5, beyou online.co.uk Using naturally soothing ingredients menthol and eucalyptus oil, these discreet patches work to relax your muscles and relieve period pain. You can even sign up for a monthly subscription. Verdict: GENIUS! A great alternative to…

1 Join pickmeupbingo.com  with promo code PMUL3 2 Deposit and play £10 on any game 3 Grab 200 Free Bingo Tickets worth up to £50 *T&Cs: 18+ UK only. New members only, registration and opt in required. Min £10 deposit and wager. Bingo game restrictions apply – £50 value on 25p tickets. 30 day expiry from deposit. Rules apply. Offer in this issue ends 17 January 2019. See full T&Cs at pickmeupbingo.com. Pick Me Up! Bingo is part of the Jackpotjoy.com network. For 24-hour support, freephone 0800 458 0770. Please play responsibly. BeGambleAware.org JOIN NOW AT meupbingo.com…

I’m going to be a first-time granny in February and I can’t wait for the babysitting to start! And they’d better ask me to  – because, in my opinion, it’s what grandparents do best. My mum and dad loved having my son – and, growing up, I loved staying at Grandma’s house. So I can’t wait to look after my own grandbaby! Debbie MacRae, Leicester I think too many people expect it from their parents. At least if they’re going to ask them they should appreciate it and not rely  on them all the time, or give something back. They’re giving up their time to look after the children, so it should be a fair deal for everyone. Caroline Wirt, Crawley I think it’s up to the grandparents whether they…

Halloumi, bean and egghotpot  Serves 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 35 min ◻ 1tbsp olive oil ◻ 1 medium onion, finely diced ◻ 1 clove of garlic, crushed ◻ 2 handfuls of baby spinach ◻ 2 tins of chopped tomatoes ◻ ½tsp salt ◻ ½tsp sugar ◻ 1 tin of chickpeas ◻ 1 tin of red kidney beans ◻ 225g halloumi cheese, cut into 1cm cubes ◻ 4 large eggs 1 Heat the olive oil in a large deep ovenproof frying pan or wide-based ovenproof saucepan. 2 Cook the onions on a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 min while stirring. 3 Add the spinach then turn up the heat and immediately add the tinned tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then reduce the…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Instead of worrying about the things you’re not in control of in your life, why not try putting your time and energy into the things you can change for the better (your personal life being number one)? You’re in charge. Enjoy it. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Do good this week and you will feel good, my friend. I can see that you are still nursing a few wounds from last weekend and I also see that you want to make up for everything that went wrong. Use Tuesday and Friday to make the impossible possible. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Children are highlighted, and there is room for much improvement in the way that you and your loved ones…

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Another night, another unsuccessful date. It was February 2015, and I was stuck in a rut. My job at a health-insurance company was stressful, and living alone in a rented flat, my self-esteem was in my boots. I also hadn’t been in a relationship for 10 years. Had just never found anybody that I really connected with. If I wanted a baby, I’d better start looking at other options So I could only look wistfully on as my friends started getting married and having kids. Of course, I was happy for them, but it upset me. More than anything, I longed to be a mum. I always had. The feeds and baths and cuddles. Even the nappies, school runs, teenage strops. I wanted it all. But at 36, I was…

I was a bag of nerves as I walked into the hospital. It was December 2017, the day after my 20-week scan, but instead of feeling excited, I was terrified. The sonographer hadn’t been able to locate part of the baby’s brain that receives messages from the spinal cord, so we’d been told to come back the next day. But with a recent miscarriage, I couldn’t help but worry that the past was repeating itself. My husband Paul, 36, and I held each other’s hands as the consultant sat us down. ‘Your baby has spina bifida and fluid on her brain,’ he told us. We sat in shocked silence as he explained that there was a gap in her spine where it hadn’t developed properly. My head was swimming as…

Grabbing my cocktail, I strolled over to a fella standing alone at the bar. ‘Hello, handsome,’ I said, winking. ‘Come here often?’ He flashed a smile and soon we were flirting. Rejoining my girlfriends afterwards, one scoffed, ‘I don’t know how you do it!’ I was used to people being shocked by my luck with men. While I was outgoing, bubbly and confident, I wasn’t exactly a supermodel. At 16st and a size-20, I knew men probably preferred one of my skinny mates. I was used to people being shocked by my luck with men So I played up to it, filling the role of the fat, funny one. The truth was, men liked it, finding me more approachable than my pretty friends. ‘And I just get them drunk if…