Table of contents for 11-Apr-2019 in Pick Me Up!

Walking in the front door, the smell of Mum’s home cooking simply made my mouth water. ‘Good timing!’ Mum grinned, as I shrugged off my coat. ‘Grub’s up!’ ‘Cor,’ I drooled, eyeing the plate of spag bol. ‘Looks yum!’ Tucking in, I couldn’t help laugh at how different things might have been if I hadn’t moved back home. I’d chosen to move back in with Mum in May 2018. I’d tussled with it for ages. After all, I’d first left home when I was 29. But after selling my house in a nearby village, I longed to buy somewhere closer to home. And to save a deposit, that meant moving in with Mum. Bless her, she welcomed me with open arms. Of course, we both worried we might argue, be…

Tutti frutti Fab healthy low-cal and no-added sugar fruit pots are great for a mid-afternoon energy boost, Del Monte Fruit Fusion pots are just £1 for 3 pots (usually 70p) at Tesco until 23 April. One for the boys Fudge Urban male grooming products are now available in Asda. Hitting the stores with an introductory offer to purchase any product within their Matte Up and Rough Up ranges for just £5. Available until 10 April. Pizza the action Co-op’s brand-new Irresistible pizza collection features an authentic Italian sourdough base topped with an array of amazing quality ingredients. You won’t believe it’s just a supermarket pizza! Pizza costs £4 (usually £5.50)at Co-op until 16 April. Keep calm and curry on Naanster’s award-winning, hand-held, light and fluffy curry-filled naan breads are great…

Weighty issue Q I’ve struggled with my weight since entering my 50s. Can you help? Sandra, Norwich A Losing weight is more complicated than people think - it’s not just about diet and exercise. Too many people aim for quick success, which rarely translates into meaningful weight loss in the long term. I say, ‘If it feels like you’re always on a diet, then you’re doing something wrong.’ Pick a simple approach, with healthy foods and perhaps a few brisk walks each week. But it’s vital that this is something you can sustain. We want kids! Q My husband and I have been trying for a baby for a year. Is there anything we can do to increase our chances? Amy, Manchester A Around one in seven couples has difficulty…

What’s normal, what’s not? Shin splints  hat pain in the front of the lower legs is usually caused by exercise or poorly fitting shoes. It’s common in people who do lots of running or workouts that put weight on the legs. It’s not serious, but never run through the pain – just rest, take painkillers and switch to low-impact activities, like swimming or yoga. 66% Women who have breastfed are almost two thirds less likely to suffer with mental-health issues in comparison to those who haven’t. Have you tried... Cupsmith’s new spring tea range? Available in Hedgerow Fruit Tea (blackberry, raspberry, rosehip and apple), refreshing Garden Mint Tea and Calm Days (a blend of camomile, lemon balm and lavender), these soothing springtime brews are just £4.25 each from Ocado (or…

Watching a woman lift her giggling daughter into the air and swing her around, I felt pain dagger my heart. That unbeatable mother-child bond was one I so desperately longed for. Back home, I broke down in tears to my husband Naffi, 41. ‘It’ll happen for us one day,’ he soothed. But when? It was late 2016, and we’d already been trying for a baby for over a year. Ever since we’d tied the knot in August 2015, starting a family had been all we wanted. That’s what you do, isn’t it? Fall in love, get married, have babies. But for us, it hadn’t worked out that way. Back and forth to the doctors, they said we could eventually try ovulation drugs. We put it off, hoping to conceive naturally.…

Don’t you think my lovely granddaughter Mia looks beautiful all wrapped up for the park? Carol Adams, Halesowen How lucky was my son Stuart, 31, to get a selfie with Ed Sheeran? Tracey Johnson, Felixstowe Our grandson decided that Granddad should be wrapped up as he was the best present. Deborah Johnston, Stevenage Here is my friend Jo who takes the slogan ‘Always drink sensibly’ very seriously... Anita McWilliam, Kempston Ever since this bundle of joy – Ronnie – came along, he’s been showing us who the real boss is. Adam Bradshaw, Halesowen Here’s me reading my copy of Pick Me Up! just hours after my son Albie was born! Jason Maxey, via e-mail This is Lexie, 2, and she’s so much braver than I am. I think we know…

Then, just before my 14th birthday, in July 1999, Mum had some terrible news. She had breast cancer and it’d spread to her kidneys and spine. I was traumatised by her illness. A year later, the cancer had spread more. I was devastated. ‘I can’t do this any more,’ I sobbed to Andy one weekend, as he leaned towards me. ‘My mum might die. I just need a friend.’ I started to see his abuse for what it was. It wasn’t my fault For the next few days, Andy was in a sulk, gave me the silent treatment. But then he came round and agreed to stop. Afterwards, we stayed close, but the physical contact stopped. When Mum died in June 2003, Andy travelled to Wales for her funeral. But…

1 Buy a lip balm containing petroleum jelly or beeswax – if one isn’t working, just try another, as you could be sensitive to some ingredients. 2 Wash your hands before applying lip balm. 3 Use a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or more during warmer months. 4 Cover your lips when you’re outside in cold weather. 5 Drink plenty of water. 6 Do not pick or bite any flaky skin on your lips (this slows the healing), lick dry or cracked lips (it could make them sore) or share lip balms with other people. See a GP if... …your lips are warm, sore, red and swollen. This could be a sign of infection – you may need an antibiotic or antifungal cream.…

Slipped disc 1 A slipped disc is when a soft cushion of tissue between bones in your spine ispushed out. ■ True ■ False 2 A slipped disc generally has no distinct cause. ■ True ■ False 3 Quitting smoking can help prevent slipped discs. ■ True ■ False 4 Surgery is usually the only course of treatment. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE It can cause lower back pain, neck pain, numbness, weakness and problems bending or straightening your back. 2 FALSE A slipped disc can be caused by exercising too hard, lifting heavy objects the wrong way, being inactive or overweight, or ageing. 3 TRUE Nicotine weakens the disc tissue – instead, keep active and use a safe technique when lifting heavy objects. 4 FALSE Surgery isn’t usually…

Eye Majic Instant Eyeshadow, £5.99 for 5, amazon.co.uk A godsend for anyone who struggles with make-up, this clever transfer helps you achieve professional looking eye make-up in seconds. Just press the fuss-free applicator against your lid and you’re good to go. Verdict: GENIUS! It’s available in loads of colours too. Sea Star Mermaid Tail, from £32.99, planetmermaid.co.uk Available in ages 3-4 up to 12-14, these gorgeous tails are perfect for little mermaids or merboys. They’re 100% swimmable and you can even splash out on matching accessories too. Verdict: GENIUS! Kids will love them. The Artisan Colour Changing Gin Kit, £29.99, firebox.com Finally – a magic kit grownups can get on board with! This fancy kit has everything you need to turn your…

Talk about being organised. There were still two months to go until my beach holiday in Turkey and I was already trying to figure out what to pack. But as I plonked an armful of clothes on my bed that evening last August, I suddenly felt my palms grow sweaty and my heart thump. ‘Oh God, I wish I wasn’t going,’ I groaned. It wasn’t that I had anything at all against Turkey. In the brochures it looked amazing. It’s just, aged 51, I’d never been abroad before because I was terrified of flying. I’d never let it bother me. With six daughters and 17 grandkids, I had plenty to occupy me at home. Only, my partner Julian, 46, loved travelling, had gone abroad all the time before we’d met.…

• Family Lives A national charity that works for and with parents. It gives advice on all aspects of parenting and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call free on 0808  800 2222 or go to family lives.org.uk . • Victim Support This national charity can help you and your child if they’ve been a victim of knife crime. Go to victim support.org.uk or call 0845 303 0900. • Neighbourhood Police To find details of your local team and find out more about the work it is doing in your area, enter your postcode at neighbourhood policing.co.uk or ask via Contact Us.…

Marbled fruity meringues Makes 8 Prep: 10 min Cook: 4-6 hrs ◻ 240g white caster sugar ◻ 120g (4) egg whites, at room temperature ◻ 8tbsp Bonne Maman Conserve (strawberry, raspberry, peach or rhubarb) 1 Heat oven to 200C, Gas 6. 2 Spread the sugar over a baking sheet lined with parchment and put in the oven for 5-8 min or until the sugar begins to melt around the edges, not caramelise. 3 Meanwhile, put the egg whites into a large bowl. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk the egg whites until they are frothy. 4 Take the warm sugar from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to its lowest setting. 5 Continue whisking the egg whites, slowly adding the sugar until the mixture is very stiff, glossy…

ARIES 21 March–20 April I know life has changed a lot lately, but you can change with these events and make your life even better. Unusual requests from family bring out the need in you to ask others some very personal questions. Know how far is too far to go. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Setting goals is the first step to turning the impossible into the possible. Try not to focus on what went wrong but, instead, focus on learning how you can do things the right way. That means doing things your way, instead of continuing with the current compromise, which suits no-one. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June You seem to have been landed with the blame for something that was not…

Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mailpickmeup@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.…

Lounging on the sofa, in front of the telly, I looked down at the pile of chocolate-bar wrappers next to me. Then I checked what time it was. Another hour until Darren comes home, I thought. At least... So I heaved myself up off the sofa and headed to the kitchen for a bag of crisps. It was February 2018, just any other evening for me. My eldest daughter Chloe, 20, was away at uni, while Maisie, 15, and Phoebe, 14, were in their bedrooms. My husband Darren, 49, a carpet fitter, was still at work. But I had all the company I needed in the snack cupboard. Crisps, sweets, chocolate and packets of biscuits. All washed down with a bottle of wine. I ate and ate, yet somehow never…

Clutching my baby bump, I breathed heavily as we pulled into the hospital car park. ‘I’ll get help!’ cried my partner Kelvin, 29. It was 18 April 2012, and I was going into labour three weeks early with my fourth child. But as Kelvin raced off to get midwives, I felt the urge to push. I tried to hold on until help arrived, but it was no use. As little Poppy arrived in the passenger seat, I scooped her up into my arms. When Kelvin returned two minutes later, his mouth dropped open in shock. ‘My body just took over,’ I grinned, dazed. Midwives covered Poppy in a blanket and took us to the ward. By the next day, we were ready to be discharged. Then Kelvin noticed that Poppy’s…

Logging on to Facebook, I noticed an unread message entitled Henna crowns. Intrigued, I started reading... Hi Amy, my name’s Laura, and I have an unusual request. As a professional face and body painter, I’d been doing henna for birthday parties and hen dos since the late 1990s. But Laura’s request in January 2016 really was different. A friend of a friend, Laura explained how she’d been going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, and had lost her bright-red hair. Wigs aren’t my style, she wrote. But then I came across henna tattoo crowns, and I wondered if you might be able to do one for me? I’d never heard of them before. But searching online, I was amazed by the intricate head tattoos that looked like ancient works of art.…

Even when she’s sleeping my cat Felicity is still ever so posh, crossing her paws and purring like a lady. Angela Codling, Halifax ‘But Mum, I’m only looking...’ promises Sooty the cat. Luckily the fish were in a bowl while I cleaned the tank! Carole Gasan, Stroud It’s a doggy duvet day in our house – at least that’s what Bailey told me. Clare Walters, Tonypandy I think I named my guinea pig perfectly, seeing how similar he looks to this toy namesake. Meet the Wombats! Tina Saxton, Kimberley I opened the cage for one minute and Cloud the hamster was making a break for it. Eeek! Trevor Dolling, London My lovely Dove enjoys reading Pick Me Up! almost as much as I do... Pamela Culpan, Thornton-Cleveleys…

‘Discipline has gone out the window and kids are running wild because one or a few do something and get away with it,  so others follow suit. Something is badly lacking in society when kids as young as 4 years old are doing this.’ Sandra Ball, Antrim, Northern Ireland ‘When I was at university, I did my dissertation on how technology has changed childhood and it really has affected it in a negative way. Children see, children do. So when children are playing such violent video  games and thinking this is normal, is there any wonder they are carrying knives now?’ Michelle Slinn, Derbyshire ‘I think the knife-crime culture has stemmed from the macho ego. No-one wants to lose a fight, and carrying  a knife ensures that a fight is…

Vaseline Original Petroleum, £2.99, Superdrug Ahh, Vaseline. The amazing jelly that treats and works in so many places – from cuticles, elbows and even lips. But did you know it’s excellent at moisturising and conditioning lashes and helps them grow longer, thicker and stronger? Just pop some on a clean mascara wand and apply through the lashes. Zoeva 322 Brow Line Brush, £8 The style of this brush is perfect to use with a brow pomade, gel or cream – or even an eyeshadow – for really natural-looking brows. Dip in, remove excess, then draw on hair-like strokes and fill in blank spaces for a thicker-looking brow. Pukka Castor Oil, £9.99, Holland & Barrett Psst! Did you know castor oil is one of the best-kept secrets in beauty? High in…

CUMBRIA James Thompson, 23, and Lexie Elliott, 22 Callous thieves who stole a taxi are getting a one-way ride – straight to jail. On 11 December last year, James Thompson and Lexie Elliott, both from Carlisle, phoned for a taxi into town. Asking the driver to make a stop to pick someone up, Thompson, who had a Stanley blade, then opened the driver’s door and demanded he get out. The driver ran off, unhurt, and reported the crime. The taxi was later found on fire. Thompson was sentenced to 41 months after admitting robbery, arson and possession of a knife. Elliott, who admitted robbery and arson, was sentenced to 49 months. DURHAM Bradley Dyer, 24 A master thief, who has carried out 83 offences across the north of England, has…