Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Pick Me Up! Special

HOW TO REGISTER It’s FREE to enter and it’s so easy to do. Just visit entry2.it/ldp-pd and register by hitting the Create Free Account button and then you can enter as many competitions as you like. Go on, have fun! For website rules of play, go to comps.lifedeathprizes.com/rules. Terms and conditions apply, UK only…

Eye see you My cat Fred is definitely not camera shy – he really likes to get up close and personal! But if I was that handsome, I’d be a bit of a poser, too. Anne-Maire, Hereford King of the jungle On a recent visit to the zoo with my grandkids, we saw this majestic tiger relaxing in the shade. The children are only three and five and this is the first time they ever saw one before! They really are amazing creatures. Angela, Bolton Llama queen My local farm has a herd of llamas you can pet. I was surprised by how friendly they were and just had to snap a selfie. Meet my new bestie. Aimee, Birmingham Sharing is caring My two pooches, Maxwell and Poppy, hate sharing their…

Tucking into the pasta in front of me, I was glad to be home. It had been another full-on day of rushing around as a working mum-of-two. With two strapping lads, Kieran, now 28, and Nathan, now 23, I certainly had my hands full. My husband Gary, 61, and I were always running the two of them around in the car. So, as we sat at the dinner table, I tucked straight into the delicious, cheesy lasagne in front of me. Thankfully, Gary loved to cook, so we always had a big hearty meal to come home to. Life was definitely busy – especially as we were the boys’ personal taxi service! But that’s just what happens when you’re a parent, isn’t it? I’ve never thought twice about it. Only,…

Is that a ghost? When wanting to dry your bedsheets quickly in summer, place the entire sheet over the top of the clothes horse rather than just placing on one side – you can dry your washing in the middle and you’ll find the sheets are ready to go in no time. Lana, Hampshire Tea-rrific idea If you have a cracked nail – my nail technician told me to glue a tea bag to the crack and then paint over it with a clear varnish – it seals the crack and looks as good as new. Try it – it works! Hallie, York Glitter babe Glitter gets everywhere – but if you want to wear it to a festival, I’ve got a hack for you. Use Vaseline to stick the…

Do I need to seek out help? Each month I’m dipping into my overdraft, using my savings and working to live. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to keep going. I’m at the point where I’m anxious and I think I need to seek out a loan, should I do it? Katie, Ipswich YES Pick Me Up! reader Yasmin from Newcastle says: If you feel like you can’t manage then yes you should seek out a loan. But you need to do your research. Can you ask a family member or trusted friend for an IOU instead? Or use a credit card where you can transfer money to this for a year without any interest? DO NOT use payday loans or fall victim to loan sharks – this…

As a nation we all love a good sarnie. Cob, bar cake, roll, baguette – while everyone likes something different between their bread, the bottom line is, you can’t beat your favourite! 5 questions with The Afternoon Tea Expert Eileen Donaghey, AKA The Afternoon Tea Expert, is here to explain how to up your sandwich game! With years of experience in producing the perfect afternoon tea, Elieen’s knowledge of British customs is unmatched. Please visit: afternoonteaexpert.co.uk or follow Eileen on Instagram @afternoontealondon How do I stop sandwiches going soggy? In order to stop the sandwich filling from seeping into the bread, it is important to make sure you butter the bread first to the edges. If you don’t like butter, you can use mayonnaise but either one will act as…

Dear Phoebe, Gathering pink clothes together, I couldn’t wait to meet you. It had only been a few weeks since I stared at those two lines, back in September 2019, but I was already getting ready for your arrival. As the weeks passed, holding you in my stomach was the most magical feeling. And you had a special treat for me in return – craving fruity ice lollies. We really must have gone through boxes and boxes of them, even in the winter! With every kick in my stomach, me and your daddy Sam, now 30, would rush to feel you, a sign that you would be with us really soon. Even when our lives plunged into dealing with Covid, we made sure to protect you the best that we…

When starting a diet, you may notice that your food bill goes up. Junk food tends to cost less than organic veg, for instance. WW nutritionist Harriet Joy explains how you can stay healthy and on track while on a budget. Batch cook and meal prep A great way to stay on track with your eating plans is to batch cook a big healthy pot of stew, curry or ratatouille, whatever your favourite meal, is then save it to eat throughout the week. These dishes are generally very easy to pack a lot of tasty and ZeroPoint veg into and you can add plenty of seasoning to make sure they’re delicious and to your taste. Seasoning like spices, paprika and lemon are healthy ways to make things delicious without increasing…

There are a number of routes you can take to get into a career in nursing: • Degree-level nursing apprenticeship – The nursing degree apprenticeship will allow people to train to become a graduate registered nurse. People will be released by their employer to study part-time in a higher education institution and to 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, you may want to consider volunteering, shadowing or work experience in order to gain an understanding of the job requirements and strengthen your application. • Do a nursing degree – For most courses, you’ll require three…

Perfect to keep little hands busy this summer! AN IPAD-FREE SUMMER! Are your kids bored by the first day of the holidays, and you fear the iPad will take over? The Kid Collective have created Busy Bags, designed for kids aged two to five who want to let their creative side loose. Whether they prefer to play in the woods or in animal kingdom, they can immerse themselves with this bag that is stuffed to the brim with: • Magic water easel• Squishy globe• Reusable stickers• 12pc rocket puzzle• Colouring book• Mini colouring pencils• Wooden fidget screw toy• Craft kit• Snacks! • Bags cost £35 each. Visit: thekidcollective.co.uk SLEEPING WITH SHARKS Ever wondered what underwater magic takes place at night? Well, the National Museum Aquarium, Plymouth, is opening its doors…

Aries March 21st - April 20th We enter the new month with a full moon in Aquarius. We will be inclined to rely on others more than ourselves. Don’t forget what lessons this year has taught you. Draw on the experience of knowing what you don’t want and fight harder for what you do. I know a recent drama has affected you more than you thought. Talking to those who know the real you is the key to making some of your best decisions in a decade. Use meetings between the 15th and 20th to sign important papers and make plans. Ring now for astral advice. Taurus April 21st - May 21st It’s going to be easy for you to forget arrangements made and to let down those you know…

What game will you choose?…

The sun is still shining in all its glory – thankfully it isn’t showing any signs of stopping just yet. And here at Pick Me Up! we’ve got some thrilling August content to keep you and your loved ones entertained throughout the holidays – you really can have your best summer yet. Whether that’s getting a little competitive with a range of outdoor games (pg66), planning a summer road trip that means swapping high-end destinations for budget-friendly, stunning alternatives in the UK (pg52) or even turning your hand to a range of new hobbies, from a mixology masterclass (pg10) to picking up Pilates (pg48) – boy, have we got some scorching content for you. And trying a new hobby is something that Nicola (pg38) knows all too well… Plunging into…

Rubbing my hands to keep them from going numb from the cold, I shifted from one foot to the other. ‘Go on, son!’ I cheered from the sidelines, as Liam, 18, zipped in and got hold of the ball. As he dribbled it up the pitch, getting closer and closer to the goal, I felt the tension rise. And with one mighty kick, he smashed it straight into the back of the net. Cheering and whooping along with my partner Mike, then 33, as we watched Liam play at Holywell Town Football Club in September 2017, I felt so proud. That’s my son, I thought, my heart ready to burst. As a mum of four boys, I felt like I spent my whole life standing on the sidelines at football…

What do Hollywood stars Cameron Diaz and Jack Nicholson both refuse to do when they’re out and about? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the five-word answer. ACROSS 11 Hair-washing lotion (7) 5 Explosive stuff (8) 9 Movie (4) 13 All night dance parties (5) 14 Early nighttime (7) 15 House-breaker (7) 16 Frantic terror (5) 17 Clemency, forgiveness (5) 18 Powerful (6) 20 - - - Dahl, author of The BFG (5) 21 Creamy toffee (7) 23 Polluted fog (4) 26 Quiet and obedient (4) 27 Opens a wine bottle (7) 30 Mexican liquor (7) 34 Hardest mineral (7) 36 Water down (6) 37 Select group (5) 39 Central heating temperature regulator (10) 40 Head over heels (10)…

This month… CLEANING HACKS TO TACKLE HAY FEVER! With a pollen bomb hitting the UK, lots of us are experiencing pesky hay fever. Mira Yordanova, owner of Top Cleaning GB, has shared her best cleaning hacks to help you get a better night’s sleep… • For more information, visit: mattressonline.co.uk 1 Dry your clothes inside After doing your laundry, avoid drying your clothes and your bedsheets outside in the fresh air where pollen and dust can collect on them. Instead, dry them in a tumble dryer or hang them up inside. 2 Make your own dust-repellent spray Mix the following ingredients to create a homemade dusting spray that will keep your surfaces cleaner for longer: 125ml of water 60ml cup of vinegar 2 tablespoons of olive oil A few drops of…

On the NHS’s 75th birthday, We Are NHS needs you. Results from The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s 2022-23 annual report shows an increase of 18,919 registrants from the previous year, with over 15,000 more nurses, 1,225 more midwives, and 2,444 more nursing associates registered to work in England. Additionally, figures released by the UCAS revealed there were 56,155 applications to study nursing in 2023. Now in its 75th year, the NHS is filled with hundreds of thousands of dedicated health and social care staff and volunteers, who care for us in our time of need – and you could be one of them. To find out more about the range of nursing, allied health professional, and healthcare support worker roles available, search ‘NHS Careers’.…

Spotted – an amazing outfit, put-together and stylish. That could be you thanks to George at ASDA. With co-ords, heightened basics and prints galore, own the streets and walk the walk. • Shop in store or online now, visit: direct.asda.com Green is trending this summer – it’s a glorious shade for all skin tones. Think neon hues, stunning emeralds and dark greens, too – try adding a pop of colour to your fit! Build a wardrobe full of basics and statement pieces, this way, you can be prepared for every occassion – and what’s more, you can do so on a budget, too! All that shimmers… The perfect accompaniment to any outfit – especially with a golden, glowing tan. Up your jewellery game this summer with these luscious pieces from…

My superheroes My husband and the kids dressed up as superheroes for a cousin’s birthday party. I know that the city is safe with them nearby! Don’t they look fearsome? Gina, Glasgow Why do bananas use sun screen? Because they peel. How funny! Hot summer nights… Living our best life Me and my daughter Chloe took a disposable camera to Greece this summer. Here she is sat by the super yachts in Corfu as we had a few pornstar martinis. It really felt like we were living the high life. Kathryn, Manchester Jolly holiday Here is my son James outside Butlin’s on our summer holiday this year. We haven’t had a proper family holiday in years so it was lovely having everyone together. I can’t wait to come back next year. Darren, Leeds I…

Slumping down on the sofa in a bit of a fluster, I reached for an ice-cold glass of water. With the peak of summer hitting me at full force in July 2019, alongside the stresses of being a primary school teacher, it was far from a day in paradise. To give myself a bit of a break from staring at numbers, I switched to scrolling through Facebook. Seeing the conventional posts from friends on my timeline, I was about to exit before my thumb stumbled across one post in particular, pausing. As some of you know, my brother Connor is ill with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare disease which attacks the bile ducts and he desperately needs a liver transplant, a post from a local girl Alex Neville read. I’d…

Try your hand at making your own macrame mirror with this simple step-by-step from Hobbycraft. For more inspiration, visit: hobbycraft.co.uk. More images for this tutorial available online. You will need: • A small round mirror• Bamboo embroidery hoop 9 inches (inner circle only)• ReTwisst yellow macrame string• Embroidery scissors• Mini glue gun How to make: 1. Sut 60x80cm lengths of macrame string, fold each length in half and attach to the embroidery hoop using the Lark’ Head knot. Divide into 10 groups of 12 strings. 2. Take the first group and work three square knots. Work a row of alternate knots. Work a final square knot with the central four strings. 3. Using string one as a guide, work a row of double half hitch knots to the centre. 4.…

• To see Sophia’s work, please visit: petsbysophia.com 1. How did you get into photography? It all started during lockdown when I bought a camera to take photographs of my own dogs for fun! I found an amazing YouTube channel called That Photography Spot and watched their tutorial videos – and here I am! 2. Is it tough to juggle alongside your full-time job? I won’t lie, it can be! But it’s all about being organised, and working weekends – so as long as I make sure to plan my time efficiently, everything runs smoothly! I definitely don’t have as much free time as I used to, but then if I did have more time, I would probably only be out photographing my Dalmatians anyway! It’s a side hustle but…

Swimming further up the river, life seemed to come to a standstill. I had entered a dead zone, with no fish or creatures in sight. But pushing on upstream, I was soon rewarded with the sight of a beautiful chalk river. Swimming for miles already in the late-April heat, I was exhausted. But as I turned around to head home, I suddenly noticed a pillowcase, snagged on a fallen branch. Why would someone throw a pillowcase away? I thought. Grabbing it, its weight threw me off. Then, I realised it was filled with lots of jewels! Throwing away the jewellery boxes and stuffing as many of the little treasures into the pillow case as I could, I quickly swam back downstream with it in hand. When I got back home,…

INSTANT + APPOINTMENT With Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy (doctorfox.co.uk) Awful ulcers Q I keep getting painful mouth ulcers. How can I stop them happening? Kirsty, Stoke-on-Trent A Most of the time mouth ulcers do not have a serious underlying cause. However, if you keep getting them you should check in with your GP. Mouth ulcers can be caused by vitamin B12 deficiency or iron deficiency. They can also be caused by viruses such as herpes and the coxsackie virus which can then develop into hand, foot and mouth disease. Skin conditions such lichen planus, Crohn’s and Coeliac disease also cause mouth ulcers. HIV infection or a weakened immune system. Mouth ulcers can be treated with salt water or other antiseptic mouth washes and steroid lozenges. Pain killers may be…

Peeling back layers of greasy paper, I couldn’t wait to get to the warm chips inside. Plating up three portions of fish and chips, I was ready for a nice girly evening with my mum Helen, 70, and nan May, 86. We’d been her carers for years. As May got older, she needed a little extra support, and mine and Mum’s diet went out the window. Nan hated us cooking for her and making a fuss, so she would always insist on a takeaway. Quick, easy and tasty – how could we say no? Soon the pounds piled on. I had always been active, kickboxing in my spare time, but looking after Nan meant I didn’t have time to stay healthy. And Mum had always been a bigger lady, too.…

PINK PERFECT Thanks to the new Barbie movie, pink is back in fashion. Perfect for summer, the balletcore trend celebrates natural beauty with a soft, sugarplum spin. With Catrice and Essence this summer will be your prettiest yet! Available from JustMyLook Catrice Blossom Glow Eye & Cheek Palette, £8.99 Need a multi-tasker for any upcoming events? This pigmented, pink-hued six-pan palette is the perfect one-stop shop for adding a flush of rosy colour to eyelids and cheeks. Essence Tinted Kiss Hydrating Lip Tint in Pink & Fabulous, £2.99 Gloss is back, with a pretty upgrade! Complement your look with this nude-pink gloss. This hydrating lip tint pairs nourishing shine with subtle colour for a natural, rose-bud finish – without that sticky feeling. Catrice All Over Glow Tint in Keep Blushing,…

Fill your tummy with these sunny treats…

Beautiful, strong and kindhearted. That’s how friends described Crystal-Lee Selwyn. Crystal, 38, lived in Hamilton, New Zealand, and was a mum of eight. Her children were her whole world. Whether it was a sports event at school, helping with homework or a fun day out – Crystal was there giving the kids her full focus. She was a woman who knew her own mind and said what she thought – but when it came to her children, she always put them first, without fail. It was 2019 and she’d even just become a grandmother for the first time. Crystal loved how her family was growing and couldn’t have been prouder. The six youngest children were all under the age of 12 and their dad was Reuben Paul Peeni, 36. Crystal…