Innehållsförteckning för October 2021 från Chat Specials

Checking into the resort, the girls and I couldn’t wait to let our hair down. ‘What shall I wear tonight?’ I asked after I’d unpacked my suitcase. In September 2007, my girlfriends and I had booked a week-long trip to Jamaica. At 25-years-old, it was our third trip to the country and we always had such a good time. Within a few days, we became well acquainted with the area. We got to know the staff at the hotel and one member of the team had caught my eye. He was a handsome guy – who lived locally – and he would spend his evenings mingling with guests. ‘He’s coming over,’ my friend smirked, giving me a nudge. As a guest entertainer, he was definitely good at his job! He…

How would you like to get lost in a maze? Well, these incredible images show the longest and wildest hedge maze in the UK – built from 15,000 handplanted beech trees. The 3.4km hedge maze has been relaunched at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, with a unique bird’s nest tower at its centre to celebrate British Wildlife. The maze was originally constructed from over 25,000 British beech trees that were handplanted by the zoo team in 2003. They’ve since grown from small saplings to mature hedges. Larry Bush, managing director of Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, said: ‘We wanted to celebrate our amazing British wildlife for all to enjoy. ‘The amazing nest tower with slide at the centre of the hedge maze, along with new British wildlife themed questions, provide a really…

1. Saul Hay Gallery, Manchester A diverse selection of contemporary paintings, drawings, sculptures and photography from emerging and established artists with art available to buy while you’re there. 2. Sculpture Park Chapel, Yorkshire An open-air sculpture trail with work from famous sculptors such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth. 3. Bow Arts’, Gal-dem, London Bow Arts are collaborating with Gal-dem for a display of art with varied political themes such as inequity, climate change and gender identity and our ability to regroup, reorganise and reimagine after a time of crisis. 4. Watts Gallery, Guildford Nestled in a quaint village called Compton, Watts Gallery showcases all of George Frederic Watts’ art and crafts, who is known as ‘England’s Michelangelo’, as well as regular exhibitions and contemporary art. 5. Contemporary Arts Gallery,…

Coming through the front door after a long day at work, the first thing I heard was a pitter-patter of paws followed by lots of loud, excited meow-ing. ‘Hello, you,’ I smiled, scooping up my grey Chartreux cat, Poppy. She purred contentedly, her own way of saying hello. She was followed by Lulu, my Russian blue, and KitKat, a chocolate point Birman. I was a bit of a crazy cat lady, but I worked as a veterinary pathologist, so being an animal lover definitely came with the territory. Originally from Belfast, I’d trained as a small animal vet in Dublin and worked in a small animal practice for a couple of years after moving to Yorkshire, England. But I’d always been interested in pathology, and spent three years specialising in…

Lightweight shackets are a great transitional item It’s easy to stay warm and cosy, but stylish, too!…

Do you know your Chardonnay from your Chablis TINWOOD ESTATE, WEST SUSSEX Since the first vines were planted in 2007 at the foot of the South Downs National Park, Tinwood Estate has quickly established a reputation for producing the very finest English sparkling wines. Meet the winegrowers themselves, Art and Jody Tukker, and gain an insight into how they grow the vines and make their delicious sparkling wines. During a 90-minute tour, you’ll be shown around the vines and the estate, followed by a tasting of three crisp glasses of Tinwood’s finest bubbly. After the tasting, indulge in an extra glass or chilled bottle while you relax on the expansive Calfornia-esque deck, a stunning south-facing terrace overlooking the vines. • Prices from £18 • Visit tinwoodestate.com THREE CHOIRS VINEYARD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE…

Shaking my head, I watched my friends singing and dancing around. ‘Can we listen to something else?’ I whined. They were obsessed with One Direction and had been singing their songs for weeks on end. It was driving me nuts! I had grown up listening to my grandpa’s music, so I preferred older, classic bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Most of my friends thought I had a weird taste because I liked ‘old’ music, but I had been a figure skater since I was three years old, and I appreciated a good beat. The Beatles were probably at the top of my list. Whenever I felt low, I would play their 1968 hit, Blackbird, to calm me down. They just didn’t make music like that anymore. One day,…

HOW TO REGISTER It’s FREE to enter and it’s so easy to do! Just visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com and register by hitting the join button and then 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. This promotion is running concurrently in the October issues of Chat Monthly, Chat it’s Fate and Pick Me Up Special.…

The slim one In 1967, the town of Picoazá in Ecuador held an open election for mayor in which anyone could be put on the ballot paper. A brand of what was elected into office? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, ODD = WEIR + D = WEIRD. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the answer. Tooth tape Kiosk Set hard Flower part Ladle Oily fruit Quick Odd Grab Long for Your answer _____________________________ The slim one Answer: FOOT POWDER The little one A Californian boy invented and built a machine to print Braille documents using what construction material? Solve the crossword, then read down…

Keeping a close eye on my two children Leo, seven, and Isabella, four, I smiled. ‘Carefully,’ I said, watching them approach the hive in their little white suits. My husband Alex, 40, and I took up beekeeping as a hobby a few years ago, and we haven’t looked back. I’ve always been fascinated by bees and pollinators. A few years ago I did a 10- week course on the theory of beekeeping, and dragged Alex along with me. We both loved it, and we knew straight away we wanted to get our own hives. Once we moved house and had a bit more space, we went for it – we started with one hive, and now we have 12. Leo was only three at the time and Isabella was just…

What did the business card carried by prohibition gangster Al Capone say he was? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. Unscramble the shaded squares to spell out the answer. 1 Monarch’s hat (5) 2 - - - Lawson, TV cookery expert (7) 3 Flight departure location (7) 4 Violent spinning storm (7) 5 Classical music drama (5) 6 Second-largest continent (6) 7 Clap in appreciation (7) 8 Jacket with an overlapping front and two rows of buttons (6-8) 9 Laundry powder (9) 10 Day after today (8) 11 Monster who becomes monstrous at full moon (8) 12 Chewy snack made from oats and golden syrup (8) 13 Rap, word that when said twice is a type of joke (5)…

Watching as my boys pushed their little brother, Theo, along in the pram, I could tell that they both loved helping out. ‘He’s asleep, Mum!’ my eldest, Noah, nine, shouted over to me. ‘Well done,’ I smiled. It was March 2018, and me and my husband, Joe, 37, had just welcomed our third baby boy into the family. Both Noah and Toby, seven, were thrilled about being older brothers and despite arriving three weeks early, Theo seemed to be doing well. He had a little bit of jaundice, but nothing for us to worry about. As the months went on, the boys remained just as smitten with their baby brother. ‘He should start to recognise you when he sees you soon,’ I told Noah one afternoon. But so far, Theo…

Ian Hay, director of The Saul Hay Gallery, saulhayfineart.co.uk, in Manchester shares his top tips for buying art… DO YOUR RESEARCH Look at as much art as you can before buying and head to as many galleries as possible as nothing beats seeing something in the flesh. BUY WHAT YOU LOVE Don’t buy a piece of art for the purpose of handing it down to family and for it to increase in value. Unless you’re a top expert, you’re not going to know what will go up in value. LOCAL ARTISTS Buy art from local artists that resonate with you – perhaps from the same place as you or it has a special connection to you somehow. HAVE CONFIDENCE Trust your own taste. Beauty is subjective, so whatever you like…

THE HOLLYWOOD RIPPER A killer was on the loose and the body count was rising… On the morning of 14 August 1993, Rick Pacaccio opened the front door of his house in Glenview, Illinois, and found his 18-year-old daughter, Tricia Pacaccio, dead on the steps. She had been stabbed more than a dozen times, and her left arm had been twisted so hard it had snapped. Although police collected DNA from underneath Tricia’s fingernails, the limited forensic technology at the time left them without any concrete suspects. Investigators questioned Michael Gargiulo, a neighbour who’d driven Tricia to a friend’s house two days before her murder, but they couldn’t link him to the crime. The case went cold and the killer, who’d lived only a block away, moved west to Los…

Rolling the bowling ball down the alley, I cheered as the pins knocked down. ‘It’s a strike!’ I said. ‘You got lucky!’ Heidi, then 19, laughed. It was the start of 2015, and we were on our first date. I’d been introduced to Heidi through friends on a night out. The moment I met her, I knew she was someone special. Soon, Heidi and I had made it official, and after two years, we moved in together. ‘Let’s go away for the weekend,’ I said to Heidi one day, wanting to take her to Brean Down where I grew up. Swinging Heidi’s hand, we walked across Brean seafront eating fish and chips together. ‘I used to love watching that sand artist,’ I said, pointing down to the beach. ‘Let’s see…

3 letters Ape Ash Eye Icy Inn Raw Sag 4 letters Bask Hire Jive Sick Visa 5 letters Clear Ocean Reply Unite 6 letters Adjoin Innate Pocket Safari 7 letters Currant Enquiry Snowcap 8 letters Assassin Idleness Insomnia Lifebelt Oiliness Terminus Your answer _____________________________________ Cross it Answer: LEGACY…

Watching Mum open her post, I sipped on a cup of coffee. ‘It’s here,’ she beamed, flashing her brand new organ donor card. ‘When did you sign up for that?’ I asked, confused. ‘A couple of weeks ago,’ she said. ‘When I had to renew my drivers licence.’ I was baffled. My mum Pauline, then 69, was against organ donation. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but she didn’t like to talk about death. If anyone ever broached the subject, it was immediately shut down. But now, as she waved her organ donor card about, it was as if she was brandishing a gold credit card. With the rest of the family all signed up to be donors, I was pleased she’d changed her mind. Without saying much more…

SWAP YOUR SPRAY DEODORANT FOR… Akt Deodorant – this unisex deodorant is specially formulated with active botanicals and a unique deo-barrier complex, to keep you feeling dry and confident all day long. Akt prides itself on its plastic free packaging, and it also comes in aluminum tubes which are durable, recyclable and portable, so much more sustainable than a spray can. • Prices from £9, available from aktlondon.com SWAP YOUR RAZOR FOR… Hey Estrid – Estrid works to create a sustainable process for the planet and the body, and by shunning the pink tax, it’s good for the wallet, too! The handle and wall mount are made of durable steel to last longer, packaging is 100 per cent recyclable, the razor blades are vegan and cruelty free, and shipping is…

Sitting on my break at work, I sighed. It was January 2018, and I’d had a long day working as a firefighter in Indiana. Scrolling through Instagram on my phone, I stopped at a photo of a black Labrador. Her brown eyes stared back at me. I felt overcome with emotion seeing her burnt face poking out of a little pet cone. I thought of my dog, Odie, sat at home. Hi! I’m Lexi, the caption read. I survived a house fire a few days ago, and was rescued by some really awesome people at Ruff Start Rescue. Her burns were so bad that her family wanted to put her down, but she’d been rescued by a vet. I’m working towards finding my furever family, the post continued. I’ve been…

INLAND EXPLORING Why not start your new adventures with the greatest sites in the UK? Rabbie’s is now offering a brand-new two-day tour that starts in London and combines several of their most popular English destinations – from Windsor and Stonehedge, to Bath and Oxford. After kicking off in London, the tour takes guests to the historic market town of Windsor where there will be the opportunity to visit Windsor Castle before heading to the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge. One lovely night in Bath gives guests the chance to explore the beautiful Georgian architecture. Then on to the Cotswolds to see Castle Combe. Finally, the tour will venture to the home of the world’s oldest English-speaking University, Oxford, allowing guests to explore the famous city before it…

Standing on a chair, I passed my stepdad Steve*, the flour. ‘Good job,’ he smiled at me. Steve and my mum Jenny*, had been together for about a year, but with no relationship with my real dad, he’d really stepped up to the plate. In a busy home with his two children, as well as my three younger siblings and myself, it was hard to get any attention, but Steve was always so caring. Being Caribbean, it’s in our nature to cook and although I was only six, Steve always let me help. It’s where my love of cooking stemmed from. So, when Steve brought his friend, who was a chef, home one weekend, I was thrilled. As far as I was aware, David Tiley, 47, had been close friends…

In a bid to be sustainable, I have always bought the majority of my clothes and furniture from different charity shops. However, it hasn’t always been easy. Some days, I would wander from shop to shop, unable to find anything. By 2015, I was growing frustrated. As the world was moving online, I couldn’t understand why charity shops weren’t online, too. And that’s when I had the idea of Thriftify. I wanted to create an online space where consumers could buy everything they needed from charity shops. So, in 2018, from the comfort of my second-hand couch, I launched the site. At first I only had one charity on board, but it was still enough to get me started. The idea was simple. It was an online marketplace where consumers could…

What job did Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman do while waiting for her big break? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the answer. ACROSS 11 Green gems (8) 12 One who conducts and controls a meeting (5) 13 Spring religious festival (6) 14 Strategy (4) 15 Marine plant (7) 16 Table-server (8) 17 Footballer who attacks and scores (7) 18 Emit from a central point, glow (7) 19 Twelve months (4) 21 Dentist’s tool (5) 23 Badly behaved (7) 24 Perused very closely (7) 28 Musical work (4) 29 Atmosphere (3) 30 Speculate financially (6) 33 Study of the past (7) 35 Embrace, cuddle (3) 36 Simple (4) 38 Pavement edging (4) 39 Lumberjack’s tool (3) 40 Refrain from voting…

To be an artist you don’t have to be fantastic with pencil sketches or oil paintings. There are lots of different mediums to try out and it’s all about personal expression. Here are a few mediums you could experiment with to see what works best for you! 1. Drawing This doesn’t have to be with a pencil, try with different pens, markers, chalks, pastels or charcoal, too. But if you do prefer the traditional black and white pencil drawings, try some different gradings of pencils – these determine how hard or soft the graphite is. The letter B indicates a soft pencil and a H is the hardest of pencils. 2. Painting There are lots of different techniques to try, so keep it very experimental to begin with. Try different…

Ahybrid trend, Japandi combines Scandinavian modern-rustic vibes with the traditional elegance of Japanese design. This relaxing interior style offers a zen-like retreat from daily stresses. Furniture and Choice show you how to achieve the look at home in four simple ways. • For more inspiration visit furniturechoice.co.uk 1. Begin with a warm, neutral palette to create a calming ambience. Balance light grey and cream with earthy tones like beige and terracotta, and use black accents for a sleek contrast. Hayward dove grey L-shaped sofa, £699.99 2. Go for modern furniture with clean lines and a low profile. In the bedroom, for example, a low bed and side tables help to create a sense of openness, a key principle in Japanese design. Layer on soft, cosy fabrics to include that Hygge…

Friends and family had high hopes for 18-year-old Lauren. She was intelligent and beautiful, with a generous nature that captivated everyone she met. But instead of having a bright future, Lauren’s mutilated body was found dumped in a swamp. Her only ‘crime’ was ending a relationship with her talented footballer boyfriend, Nathanial Fujita, 20. He felt humiliated by her rejection – so he lured Lauren to her death. Lauren Astley was a much-loved daughter, and the only child of Mary and Malcolm. She’d just graduated from high school and had plans to go to university and study business. She also wanted to continue her passion of fashion designing, and she enjoyed singing when she had the chance. Lauren was selfless and always thinking of others. She made three trips to…

Sitting on the sofa in October 2018, surrounded by my entire family, it was one of the happiest days of my life. My three wonderful sisters had thrown me and my mum Prevanda a surprise party for both of our birthdays. It was a little early considering my 40th wasn’t for another two weeks in November, and Mum’s wasn’t for another few days. But it was the only opportunity Mum and I had to celebrate. You see, on 31 October 2018, on Mum’s actual birthday, we’d be heading to Hammersmith Hospital to undergo surgery. I would be giving her my birthday present – a kidney. Mum had been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2006, after suffering with tiredness and fatigue. As her health deteriorated, she grew short of breath…

Go green from the inside out Going vegan isn’t only good for the planet, it can be good for your health, too! Meat can be hard to digest, so why not try introducing one meat-free day a week to see if your gut health improves? It can be as easy as swapping your burgers, sausages or chicken for plant-based substitutes. Our favourite brands are Future Farm, BirdsEye Green Cuisine and Spanish brand Heura. Stuck for inspiration? Try Green Chef – a brand new, healthy eating recipe box, delivered straight to your door. And if you’re not convinced by going vegan, Green Chef offers other options, too, including vegetarian, low-carb and keto – all full of natural, quality ingredients. Not only does it bring variety to dinner time, all the meals…

Chatting away to my old friend, Sara McMaster, who’s the clinic manager of Esteem Cosmetic Clinic, she squinted and stared at my face. ‘Danni,’ she said. ‘Have you ever had that mole checked?’ ‘No, what makes you say that?’ I asked, tracing my fingers over the mole on my left cheek. ‘It’s just that I’ve never noticed it until today which makes me think it’s got bigger,’ she explained. ‘Will you get it checked?’ ‘Yeah sure,’ I said, knowing that I probably wouldn’t. ‘No, do it Danni,’ she pressed. ‘Promise me you’ll get that checked.’ ‘I promise,’ I smiled. As soon as I got home I rang the GP and texted Sara. It’s all booked for next Thursday Mum, I joked. Let me know how it goes, she immediately replied.…