Pick Me Up! 25-May-2017

What A Week! Dawn Smith, Associate/Social Media Editor What A Racket! Having misophonia means certain repetitive sounds drive me crazy. I had to get off the bus to avoid throttling a man with hiccups! Know your phobias? Got to www.lifedeathprizes.com/phobias-quiz 86 that’s how old 46-year-old me I felt when popped into my local on a Saturday night to find it’s been taken over by 20-something punters. Grrr! What A Relief! I’ve finally admitted I’m old, and started wearing earplugs to rock gigs. The blow was softened slightly by the sight of someone at least 10 years younger than me wearing some, too. Phew! What A Lucky Escape! Accidentally buying a £16,500 campervan on eBay while my mobile was in my pocket was definitely the terrifying ‘highlight’ of my week! Thankfully,…

Little STA R My daughter Phoebe is 5 years old. She loves anything with a heart on it…especially if that anything is also filled with lots and lots of jam! Caroline Marsden, Nantwich It’s a hard life! All those long walks have left my Westie Ralph exhausted. Either that, or he’s just tired from all the snoozing he does… Kay Bradshaw, Leicester Biker baby She’s just 11 months old, but my little girl Mollie-Mai loves motorbikes. Which is fine with me – just so long as the motorbikes aren’t moving! Here she is embracing her inner biker chick with her dad Louie. Chantel Strange, Burnley Holiday Bond-ing This is my husband Alan’s favourite selfie from our holiday in Thailand. And not just because we both look gorgeous in it…but because…

• Sickening bathroom attack • Shunned by most of her family • Rapist sibling finally jailed BIG STORY ANDREW ARMSTRONG Karina Townsley, 30, Manchester Hearing my name called, I wandered into my brother Andrew’s bedroom. ‘Hey, Kar,’ he said. ‘Can you give me a hand?’ Andrew was 13 – four years older than me. We had different dads, but both lived with our mum and two sisters. ‘OK,’ I said. Sitting on his bed, Andrew asked me to pop his zits. Yuck! Being the youngest, I always did as he said. But my big brother gave me the creeps. His dingy teenage bedroom smelled musty, with a tinge of cannabis. I hated being alone with him. As I grew up, he’d ask intrusive questions about who I was dating, acted…

Tanya Jackson, 30, Merseyside Waking with a yawn, I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Morning, darlings,’ I whispered as my son Aaron, 6, and his sister Eva, 3, crept into the bedroom hand in hand. ‘Cuddles!’ they shrieked, clambering onto the bed I shared with my fiance Kevin, 33. I was just rolling over to kiss Kev good morning, when suddenly I recoiled in horror. His green eyes were blistered shut and weeping pus, his lips cracked and blackened. ‘What’s wrong with Daddy?’ Aaron asked, as Eva’s lips began to quiver. ‘Nothing,’ I blurted, quickly ushering them out of the room. Six days earlier, in September 2016, Kev had complained of a sore throat. I’d insisted he see the doctor, but Kev refused, adamant it was just a cold. ‘I’ll be…

I store my bracelets and bangles on the inside of a roll of gift wrap. That way, I can see them all at once. And it fits perfectly into my drawer. Maggie Cobbett, Ripon Keep your nails squeaky clean with a squirt of lemon juice and a soft toothbrush. Your hands will also smell really fresh. Jacqueline Wilkins, Frome Hold onto your old video boxes. They make fantastic containers for freezing sausages and chops. Alan Winter, Darlington To dry baby socks indoors, use minikeyring loops to attach pegs to a towel dryer. Rebecca Addis, Fareham Don’t forget which books your little reader borrows from the library. Take a photo of them on your phone to avoid them choosing the same ones again. Louise Philips, Pentre Top Mum’s Tip! For a…

Sukhi Atwal, 50, Great Barr, West Midlands Standing in the hallway, I waited for my boys to get their things together. It was half-term and they were going for a sleepover at their cousins’ house. ‘You’re going to be late!’ I shouted up the stairs. A few minutes later, Amar, 12, and Arjun, 10, came racing downstairs, their rucksacks packed and ready. But before they dashed out of the door, Amar stopped to give me a huge hug. He was such a loving, kind boy. ‘I love you so much, Mum,’ he said, wrapping his arms tightly around me. ‘I love you, too, but you’d better get going,’ I replied. I waved them off outside, where their lift was waiting, before going back in to make a start on dinner.…