Innehållsförteckning för APRIL SPECIAL 2019 från Chat Specials

Sometimes life can test our limits and it can feel really unfair, but the human spirit is an incredible thing. Karlla (pg10) and her daughter felt beyond lucky to survive the Manchester terror attack, but now she’s fighting cancer and she still won’t let it break her. Sarah (pg14) has spent years believing she could lose her son Ted at any moment, and was even told to say goodbye, but they’ve both been rewarded with amazing news. We’re supporting Bowel Cancer Awareness Month with the moving story of Sarah and her mum Sally (pg18). Sarah beat the disease years ago with her mum’s support, but never thought it would come back to haunt her family. Take note of the symptoms – they could save your life one day. Talking of…

SMOKED HADDOCK SCOTCH EGG MAKES 1 SCOTCH EGG YOU’LL NEED... ● 1 large British Lion egg ● 60g un-dyed smoked, skinned haddock fillet cut into small pieces ● 60g cooked mashed potato ● ½ tsp fresh dill, finely chopped ● 1 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper ● 1 large British Lion egg, beaten ● 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs ● Salt and pepper ● 1 tbsp vegetable oil HOW TO DO IT… 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/ 200°C. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and boil the egg for 6 minutes. Cool under cold running water and peel off the shell. 2. In a bowl, mash together the smoked haddock and mashed potato. Add the dill, season with salt and pepper and mix…

Guilt-free indulgence In search of a quick, healthy snack? Try the Carb Killa Birthday Cake bar (£2.49, grenade.com). The latest addition to the renowned Carb Killa snacking range, this colourful sprinkle-laden bar has an irresistible white chocolate coating and indulgent nougat, with a birthday cake flavoured centre. With less than 2g of sugar and 20g of high-quality whey protein, this bar is the ultimate guilt-free treat which isn’t just for birthdays. An apple a day As hay fever season draws in, it’s a good idea to get a head start on preventing the symptoms. Why not have an apple a day? Apples are high in quercetin, a plant pigment that has anti-inflammatory properties, and have been shown in studies to help reduce sneezing in those allergic to pollen and dust.…

A mindful work Take a walk and instead of letting ANTs take over your mind, really focus on the journey. Notice your breathing. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Listen to your footsteps. Be aware of the feel of the surface that you’re walking on. Are there sounds? Traffic? Trees rustling? Notice the buildings around you. Their shapes, colours, and textures. Are they brick or stone? If thoughts come into your mind, then that’s fine. Acknowledge them, let them go and re-focus on the senses. The more you do this, the easier you’ll find staying in the moment. It’s a great way to prepare for a busy day ahead or unwind at the end of the day. The NOW technique A very quick mindfulness exercise is…

MARISSA CARTER GEL LINER Marissa Carter created the popular tanning brand Cocoa Brown and now she brings us Carter Beauty. The easy-to-blend eyeshadows and colour-pop matte lipsticks are already a hit, as is the Gel Liner which was used in the latest Ariana Grande video to create her iconic flick! £5.50, selected Primark stores and www.carterbeautycosmetics. com ALL THAT JAZZ POLISH Celebs love All That Jazz varnishes and so do we. As well as giving a salon finish at a great price, they have every colour you can imagine. They predict their beautiful coral Hawaiian Paradise and vibrant pink Sunset Blush will be really popular this spring. Makes us think of holidays! £3.99 each, www.allthatjazzuk.com PRO:VOKE TOUCH OF SILVER LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER Touch Of Silver…

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Bad holiday Q My sister and her family want us to go on holiday with them but I hate the idea. We have different parenting approaches – I’m strict and her kids run riot! Rachel, Edinburgh A A shared holiday can sound like a good idea, but the truth is that intense periods of time spent with our extended families can be challenging, particularly if you and your sister have different parenting styles. The best way to enjoy a shared holiday is to have agreed expectations. Think about what type of holiday would enable everyone to enjoy themselves and discuss this with your sister. For example, could you book separate accommodation so that everyone gets some time out during the day? If you do decide to go on holiday together,…

Carrie Johnson, 38, Nottingham When Matthew Ibbett first started chatting to me at the bar, I thought I’d struck gold. It was June last year, and I’d come out for a few drinks in the Nottingham town centre with my friend Shelley. Although I’d been single for a while after 20 years with my daughter’s dad, I wasn’t looking for a relationship. But Matthew, 35, seemed nice. He was good looking, too, but it was his personality that I fell for, as he told me about how, on his weekends off from being a labourer, he’d go and do his granny’s shopping. ‘What a love,’ I gushed, smitten. So when he asked me if I wanted to meet him the following weekend for a bite to eat in town, I…

Amanda Lewis, 31, Nailsea As I dropped my son Alfie, seven, at my grandad’s, we found him peering at a letter with an annoyed look on his face. ‘I’ve gone through the red light at the top of the road,’ my grandad, David Williams, grumbled. He’d have to take the driver awareness course or accept three penalty points and pay a £100 fine. A few weeks on, my nan, Toni, looked after Alfie as Grandad headed off to Filton, near Bristol, to undergo the course. That  afternoon, my phone rang. It was my mum Tracey, 57. ‘Your grandad’s collapsed and been taken to hospital,’ she cried. We rushed to Bristol Royal Infirmary to hear that Grandad, 78, was already having life-saving surgery. He’d had a heart attack, tearing his main…

Contain your roll My kids are always wasting loads of loo roll. But by tying a rubber band around the roll, it makes it harder for them to unravel, leaving my bathroom neat and tidy. Kayleigh Vincent, Bristol No more rust Cans of deodorant or hairspray kept in the bathroom tend to become rusty after a while. Stop this from happening by covering the bottoms of the can with clear nail polish. Mia Chadwick, Plymouth No more hang ups Moving house? Instead of taking all your clothes off their hangers, simply hang batches of them onto one hanger for easy transportation. Georgia Carlin, London Very sneaky! If you’re too embarrassed to buy something, get a birthday card with it so the cashier thinks it’s for someone else! Elena Odom, Derby…

Natasha Smith, 31, Mansfield Helping my mum clear up the last of the dinner plates, I smiled at her. ‘That was lovely,’ I said. We’d all gone round to her house for a Sunday roast. She only lived round the corner and it was nice to get out of our place for a bit. ‘Come on then,’ I told the kids. ‘We best go home and give your gran some space now.’ As we headed home, my partner, Craig, 36, scooped up Rihanna, eight, on his shoulders. ‘Yay,’ she cried out. ‘A shoulder ride!’ But it didn’t take long for Romeo, 10, to get jealous. To look at him, he seems like any other ten-year-old, and in many ways he is. But Romeo has autism, and that can make social…

Liz Walton, 44, Cheam, Surrey Wrapping the fluffy dressing gown around my body, I couldn’t help but smile. It was 10 July 2017 – my 43rd birthday – and I was celebrating with a spa day. ‘43 is going to be the new me,’ I smiled, as I went in for a relaxing neck massage. Afterwards, I went out for a lovely dinner to celebrate with my partner Martin, 41, and my three children – Joe, 14, Amy, 13, and Emma, eight. ‘What a lovely evening,’ I said to myself that night, exhausted and falling into bed. The next morning, though, I woke up feeling a bit stiff across my left shoulder. But I blamed it on the neck massage and brushed it off. As a busy mum, I didn’t…

Charlotte Potter, 27, Bristol It was the cutest thing ever. A tiny little Babygro, covered in superhero bunnies. ‘That’s adorable,’ my mum Claire grinned. I was 15 weeks pregnant with my first baby. This had announced itself in spectacular style. Crossing the road in front of a police car, I’d fainted. I was rushed to hospital, and after blood tests, I was told that I was four weeks pregnant. ‘What?’ I spluttered. I’d already split with the baby’s dad, and was more interested in going out with my mates. The clot in my head had burst and I’d had a stroke Besides, I already had seven babies, all with four legs and hooves – the horses I cared for at the stables where I worked. But as the news sank…

Kathryn Ennion, 28, Whitehaven, Cumbria Back in October last year, I heard the key turn in the lock. My two kids and I were waiting to greet my husband Stuart, 28. ‘We’re going on holiday!’ they chorused when he walked in. ‘I know! Can’t wait,’ he laughed, giving me a kiss. ‘What do you think?’ I asked, pointing to a photo of sunny Turkish shores on my laptop. ‘Get it booked!’ he nodded. The night before, I’d decided to play Chat Mag Bingo on my mobile. I’d won £20 earlier that week, so I used some of it to play a couple more games. A bit of fun! I bought six 25p tickets for Blox Bingo – a 90-ball game similar to traditional Bingo. It has a twist at the…

Megan Jackson, 28, Leigh-on-Sea We were so excited going to see our unborn baby for the first time. ‘I can’t believe we’re going to be parents!’ my husband, Danny, 31, grinned. ‘Neither can I!’ I giggled. We’d been together since I was 18 and he was 20, but we’d only just decided to take the plunge and start a family. I knew he’d make an amazing dad from the way he looked after me with my morning sickness! At the scan, we looked at the screen in anticipation as the sonographer squirted gel onto my rounded tummy. Danny squeezed my hand. Then…. ‘Oh, there’s two in there!’ the sonographer said abruptly. What?! My heart dropped. ‘Are you joking?’ I gasped, turning to Danny as he stood with his mouth hanging…

Lauren McMahon, 30, Hull Stirring the cake mixture, I called for my kids. ‘Who wants to stir the cake and make their Christmas wish?’ I shouted. As a child, my mum always made sure that I had a stir of the Christmas cake batter, so I’d carried on the tradition with my kids, Evie-Mae, then six, and Mason, one. As they skipped into the kitchen, I held Mason up to the bowl on the counter as he squeezed his eyes shut and made his wish. ‘What did you wish for Mason?’ chirped Evie-Mae at her little brother. ‘He can’t tell you, otherwise Santa won’t let it come true,’ I chimed in, an excited grin sweeping across Mason’s face. Our family are huge fans of Christmas and always make sure we’re…

No symptoms Idon’t have any symptoms, but I’ve just received the bowel cancer screening test in the post, do I need to do it? Helen, London Screening is a way of testing everyone to see if they show any early signs of cancer. It aims to detect bowel cancer at an early stage, when treatment has the best chance of working. The test can also find and remove polyps (noncancerous growths), which might develop into cancer. Quite simply, bowel cancer screening saves lives, so yes, it’s vital that you take part in the test when you receive it in the post for free. For more information about bowel cancer screening, visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk/screening. Bad history I have a family history of bowel cancer, am I more likely to be diagnosed? Katherine,…

1. STRESS CAN MAKE YOU ILL April is Stress Awareness Month Stress gets a bad press and deservedly so. Chronic stress makes people ill and can trigger conditions from heart disease to digestive disorders. We may suffer ill health but not realise stress is playing a part. However, stress also has a positive side that we’re less aware of. We’re motivated through stress. Stress gets us up and out of bed in the morning. 2. NOT ALL STRESS IS BAD Think of stress as a bell-shaped curve. The bottom left of the bell is rusted out, where a lack of purpose brings boredom. It’s why sometimes when people retire, they quickly decline in health. At the top of the bell curve is where you’re busy with life which brings you…

Lovely Lady Lottie My grandmother’s pup Lottie is such a little lady. This is her just after one of her weekly pampering sessions at the salon. Chelsea, Bristol She’s a big baby Sophie loved to be carried when she was a puppy, but I don’t think she’s realised how much she’s grown! Emma, Newport She’s so fluffy This is my adorable kitten Bella. I can’t get enough of her. Isn’t she gorgeous? Celia, Hull Best gift ever The best Valentine’s day present ever – my little puppy Pixie! I love her to bits already. Faye, Milton Keynes…

It’s a 90-ball Bingo game – you can win cash prizes on one line , two lines and Full House . You can win the Progressive Jackpot if your Full House is called within a set number of ball calls. Buy six tick ets to have a chance of winning Bingo tick ets in the Blox Blitz Challenge bonus game. Blox Blitz Challenge bonus is one lively minute of matching three or more coloured Blo x to get both a high h personal and group score to win Bingo tickets for the next Blox Bingo game. Tickets prices are from just 10p.…

Scrolling through pictures, I squealed with delight. ‘Just look at his cute little face,’ I cried, staring at a snap of an adorable kitten. My friend’s sister’s cat had recently had a litter of Tabby-Bengal cross kittens. ‘You just have to have one,’ my pal, Sarah, told me. ‘Don’t tempt me,’ I laughed. When she sent me a few photos, I was smitten. And when I went around to her sister’s house a few weeks later to see them, I instantly fell for a little bundle of fluff. At five-and-a-half weeks old, he had just opened his eyes, which were still a bit wonky, and with the biggest paws out of the whole brood, I should have known he was going to grow into a monster. I’d just split up…

THE LEFT-HANDED BURGER On April Fool’s Day 1998, Burger King introduced a new item to their menu: The Left-handed Whopper. The new burger included the same ingredients as the original Whopper – lettuce, tomato, cheese, hamburger patty, and a signature sauce – but all the condiments were rotated 180 degrees for the benefit of their left-handed customers. It was an instant hit, with thousands of people across America flocking to the burger outlet, requesting the left-handed alternative, while many others even requested their own ‘right-handed’ versions. FLYING PENGUINS We all know that penguins can’t fly. But what if the BBC told you they did? Back in 2008, the respectable TV company announced that camera crews filming near the Antarctic had captured footage of Adelie penguins taking to the air. They…