Table of contents for 24-Nov-2022 in Pick Me Up!

Making the most out of the summer heat, in August 2016, with my kids staying away at their dad’s, it was my time to have a little fun. Sitting in my friend’s garden we talked about everything. Only, disturbing our gossip, my phone buzzed with a Facebook message. Would you be able to come and pick me up? the message read, before cutting off. Opening my phone to see who it was, I recognised the name – Ally Thomson. That’s odd, I thought. I’d never even met him, let alone message, I only knew of him in and around the local area – but I could tell that he needed help. My girlfriend has kicked me out of the house, he typed. Can you come and pick me up from Edinburgh?…

Wrapping my son Jude’s arms around me, we set off back home. Both myself and my partner Katie, 36, rode motorbikes – and the kids loved it, too. With Jude, then 12, on the back of my bike, and my daughter Ferne, then 10, on the back of Katie’s, we were heading home in August 2017 after a fun day out together. As we rode home, the roads were quiet and the driver behind us went nice and slowly to give us enough space. We had done this hundreds of times before. Only that day was different. Another bike overtook the car behind us. Not seeing us in front, he zoomed past and crashed into Jude and me. Within seconds we were flung from the bike. It all happened so…

Mess-free decorating Trying to arrange the garland on the mantlepiece, or making sure that fairy lights stay exactly where you want them can be a difficult game to play during the festivities. Command strips are known for hanging frames on the wall without leaving any residue or damage – but what about using them for your decorations? Verdict: GENIUS! Deck the halls Simply remove the sticky backing, place into position and your wreath will hang perfectly. And when it’s time to take it down, you can remove the strip without making a mess! Command Christmas Clips, £4.50, Wilko A novelty Christmas Kitsch and quirky decorations have been around for years. Only flooding festive shelves more recently are a selection of the most weird and wonderful baubles – making the mother-in-law…

BUY OF THE WEEK A peaceful slumber is the key to feeling rested, relaxed and ready to tackle anything life throws at you. This new Zen alarm clock radio from Roberts is designed to give you a perfect night’s sleep – packed with clever features to help you drift off, snooze soundly and awake refreshed and reinvigorated. Awaken to a gentle marimba tone or FM radio station of your choice, with the option of setting two alarms in case you accidently snooze back off – so you’ve got no excuses for sleeping in! Available in black, white or duck egg blue, it also has an auto-dimming display and buttons, to keep light levels low in the bedroom. • £59.99, please visit: robertsradio.com Jazz up your morning routine! GET IN TOUCH…

Whipping three pairs of socks from one side of my bra, it was time to show off my party trick… ‘Look at my one enormous boob!’ I screamed, showing off my uneven rack – the socks had helped to keep my smaller boob in place. And at age 18, getting drunk and messing around, it was my go-to excuse for a good laugh. Rocking my lopsided chest was the norm – it gave me a newfound confidence. Only, it hadn’t always been that way. Hitting puberty and starting my period at just 11, it was clear that my boobs were starting to come in a lot earlier than my friends. In comparison to other girls my age I was a lot curvier, so I just assumed that was why my…

Jo Howarth is a mindfulness practitioner. She works alongside schools, individuals, and businesses, teaching them to look after their emotional wellbeing. (thehappinessclub.co.uk) Festive feud… Q I am starting to feel really nervous about the festivities – my son and his wife are supposed to be coming around this year, but I can't hide the fact that I don't like my daughter-in-law. She is always so obnoxious. I'm dreading it – can I ask them not to come over? Matilda, Norwich A You have the absolute right to decide you would prefer them not to come over, this is your life. Obviously that request may cause conflict within the family, there are always consequences to our decisions and choices, but you can absolutely ask them not to come. Would it be…

There are a number of routes you can take to get into a career in nursing: Degree-level nursing apprenticeship – The nursing degree apprenticeship allows people to train to become a graduate registered nurse through the apprenticeship route. People will study part-time in a higher education institution and train in a range of placement settings. Become a healthcare assistant – Healthcare assistants are essential supporting members of the team, providing personal care to patients – including washing, dressing and making sure they’re comfortable. Although there are no set entry requirements for the role, you may want to consider volunteering, shadowing or work experience in order to gain an understanding of the job. Do a nursing degree – For most courses, you’ll require three A-levels or equivalent qualifications. This will usually…

Meet Puffin… After being found as a stray, Battersea’s Old Windsor centre took two-year-old Puffin under their wings. After being On the arrival, veterinary experts noticed that she had an injury on one of her back legs, causing her to limp. After finding that her leg was not healing, Battersea’s team made the decision to amputate Puffin’s leg, so that she was able to live her life to the full. Zenya Green, Battersea Team Leader and Puffin’s foster carer, said: ‘After Puffin’s amputation she coped really well, all she really needed to work on was her balance. ‘Despite only having three legs she was all go and loved to spin and do zoomies around the house and garden. ‘She’s very cheeky though and did chew through my trainer laces a couple…

Unclipping my life jacket and docking up to the harbourside, it was time for a good old mooch around Norwich. With my partner Jacob, 29, and son Jamie, 12, holding on to our Italian Cane Corso dogs Bentley and Mercedes, we had our first ever boating trip planned as a family. With the boat secure on the water’s edge, we took to the streets to see what was about for the first day of our holiday, at the end of August this year. We didn’t really have anything planned – we were just going with the flow. Always going for walks near the water back at home in Cambridgeshire, Bentley and Mercedes loved to bound through the lake, paddling up to their chests. So, when we had decided to switch…

Running a catering business, bakery, and café it was true that masses of fresh produce would come through my doors every day. And serving delicious bakes to the local community in Horsey Road, London, it was clear that there were some hungry bellies to fill. Only, when lockdown hit in March 2020, and there were pallets of food with a nearing sell by date, time was of the essence. With no customers to serve, I didn’t need it to run the business anymore, but instead of letting it all go to waste, I snapped it up – ready to give to those who needed it. Starting with three huge palettes of yoghurt, I’d never seen so many people come out of their houses. It wasn’t quite what I had expected. Yet,…

BASE PERFECT Party season is right around the corner and with all that extra makeup, a strong skincare routine is a must – but you don’t have to spend a fortune. Simple has the perfect routine for all skin types to help you remove product and cleanse your skin. Available from Boots Step 1: Initial cleanse Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Water, £5.50 Micellar water is a beauty favourite when it comes to removing makeup and this one from Simple is no exception. Designed with skin-loving ingredients, it will not only remove your makeup, but it will boost your hydration and needs no rinsing! It’s a win, win. Kind to Skin Eye Makeup Remover, £3.45 The party season is all about the eyes. With glitter and waterproof mascara, a gentle…

Growing up with her four sisters, Ingrid Escamilla, 25, from Mexico, was always there for the people she loved. Raised by her beloved father, her family were a tight-knit group. Ingrid dearly cherished her father, and would sing his praises at every opportunity. She was a real Daddy’s girl. Sadly, he passed in 2016, leaving Ingrid very close to her sisters. Having just completed a master’s degree in Tourism Business Administration, she was an intelligent woman. She was also a pet lover, and known to be an adventure-seeker amongst friends, with many travel plans for the future. He flushed her organs down the toilet A keen reader, Ingrid is said to have loved the magic of the Harry Potter saga. At aged 20, she entered a relationship with Erick Francisco…

Here’s my little Wiggles writing out his Christmas cards to his fur-iends – isn’t he cute?! Krissie Cope, Manchester Here I am helping our wee Alexander climb up a wall while holding his McDonald’s drink. Oh, the joys of multitasking. I guess he just needed a ‘pick me up’! All I could hear was my husband behind the camera saying: ‘Please Alexander, don’t pass wind!’ Fiona Deans, North Ayrshire STAR LETTER Here’s me and my hubby celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in romantic Rome – the Colosseum was amazing and now ticked off our bucket list. Here’s to the next 25 years! Michelle Beacham, Halesowen Here’s my dog Lucy waiting for a treat in Peasholm park, Scarborough! Dawn Humphrey, Scarborough If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a product from Addis. This rattan effect bin and toilet brush is a perfect accompaniment to your loo! Cleaning detergent can be dispensed in the toilet brush, pressing to dispense when required. The bin can also be used as a storage basket for your toiletries. To make life easier, visit: addis.co.uk Loo-king good I wanted a tall, plain vase to display my autumnal flowers but couldn’t find what I was after. When I was doing my weekly food shop, I saw this toilet brush holder for only £3. I think it does the job perfectly. Nicola Richardson, East Sussex Cake-tastic Instead of splashing out on a Cocomelon cake for my daughter Olivia’s birthday, I bought a cheap iced sponge and cake…

We are NHS For the fifth year running, We Are NHS is back, encouraging young people to pursue a career in the healthcare sector. Not only that, but the campaign also champions the extraordinary work of our nurses, allied health professionals and healthcare support workers. This year, the campaign will focus on shining a light on nursing roles, and in doing so, aim to inspire people to undertake a life-changing career in nursing and also increase applications for nursing courses, too. In June this year, the NHS had a shortage of 47,000 nurses, and has warned that younger nurses are leaving the NHS in great numbers. This comes with calls for strike action and a ballot for fairer pay for our nurses. The latest campaign will run across TV, radio,…

INSTANT appointment With Ann Clare, physiotherapist for MBST Medical UK (www.mbst-therapy.co.uk) New diagnosis Q My hubby’s recently been diagnosed with MS. He used to love football, but can no longer play, as his coordination isn’t as good as it used to be. What sports or exercises would be good for him to try? Christine, Oxford A It is important that MS patients keep active, sometimes it can feel hard to do that, however, it is the best thing to do. Exercise will still help your hubby’s strength, fitness and endurance. It will also help with his mood and tiredness. Stretching, strength training and walking will do him great. I hope this brings him good news. There is the Walking Football Association across the country that has teams for people of…

As my baby girl was placed in my arms, I smiled through tears – I was exhausted, but I’d never been happier. After a devasting miscarriage, my longed-for little girl was finally here. Born at 7.14am on 7 November last year, weighing in at 7lbs, she was happy and healthy, which was all that mattered to me. ‘Isn’t she perfect?’ I smiled at my partner Paul. ‘She really is,’ he said, softly stroking her chubby cheeks. We named her Molly. My older girls – Leah, 12, and Kacey, 11 – were so excited, too. We’d decked out a corner of our bedroom for her, and as I placed her into her crib and she gurgled back at me, my heart was full. I settled into life as a mum-of-three, and…

Glancing across the party, someone caught my eye. Wow, I thought, my jaw dropping. Suzanne and I were in the same year at school, but we’d never crossed paths. But as I looked at her, I was transfixed. Her curly blonde hair bobbed as she danced, her smile lit up the room and her striking blue eyes bewitched me. I was smitten. She saw me looking, and headed over. ‘Want to dance?’ she smiled. And when she asked for my number at the end of the night, I couldn’t believe my luck. We started dating, and at 16, we were each other’s first relationship – and first loves. We didn’t know what MS meant for our future In August 2012 I popped the question, and on 31 July 2014 we…

Here’s a list of some of the items that you can donate, many of which you may have never even thought about… Non-food items: • Toiletries – deodorant, toilet paper, shower gel, shaving gel, shampoo, mouthwash, toothbrushes • Household items – laundry detergent, laundry powder, washing up liquid • Feminine products – such as sanitary towels and tampons • Baby supplies – nappies, baby wipes, and baby food • Face masks and hand sanitiser Food items: • Packet stuffing • Tinned custard • Christmas cake • Selection boxes for children • Tinned ham…

LIFESTYLE…

The nation’s favourite Italian chef is back with a brand new cookbook. Inspired by his mama, Gino D’Acampo shares his ultimate recipes for classic Italian meals: moreish antipasti, silky pasta sauce, decadent meat mains, elegant fish dishes, simple seasonal veg and of course desserts to die for. This personal book with family pictures features all the effortless and satisfying recipes from the accompanying six-part primetime ITV series. • Gino’s Italy: Just Like Mama Used To Make, £25, WHSmiths Slow-cooked Pork Shoulder with Super Crispy Crackling FOR THE BASE □ 2.2kg pork shoulder, with skin on – ask your butcher to score the skin□ 2 large onions, halved horizontally□ 3 large carrots□ 5 rosemary sprigs□ 200ml red wine□ 200ml water□ 1 tsp cornflour□ sea salt flakes FOR THE DRY RUB □…

Peter Pan, Opera House Manchester, 10-31 December Join Peter and Wendy for a high-flying adventure across the theatre stage. With magic dust, barrel-loads of laughs, and a hint of unexpected danger, The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan will whisk you and your family away to Neverland – you won’t want to go home! Comedy superstar Jason Manford is also starring as Captain Hook, so make sure that you don’t get on his bad side. It is a pantomime – who knows what could happen?! • Tickets available from just £13, to book your seats visit: atgtickets.com Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 10 December – 15 January Fee fi fo fum – I smell the blood of an Englishman… Climb high and experience the magic of a growing beanstalk with…

ARIES 21 March–20 April It is never too late to start over and it is never too late to be happy. You realise this with the unexpected changes that those around you have made and continue to make. Dig deep and find your courage, my friend. What you do next marks the beginning of the rest of your life. Sales and purchases this week go better than you’d ever dreamed – good luck. Call: 09058 170 710* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Beware of giving ultimatums to those who have already been pushed further than they have before. You think you know how they are going to react, but Mars is bringing out a more fiery side of many of our natures that could cause damage which will take you months…