Innehållsförteckning för January 2023 från Chat Specials

That’s nuts! This pesky squirrel keeps coming in my garden, and now I think he’s taken quite a shine to me! I would like him, too, if he didn’t keep eating all my birdseed! Susan, Poole Heart-melting Here is my son holding the newest member of our family, Sid. He’s the most precious little thing I have ever seen. We love him so much already. Sian, Tottenham Wet and muddy My puppy, Max, loves the rain and mud almost as much as he loves my cream sofa! Here he is lounging on some wet grass before we headed home. He immediately tried getting on the couch! Linda, Durham Tyrannosaurus-dog Isn’t my dog, Dizzy, scary in her dinosaur costume? She’s getting old now, so she must wear her fleece to keep her joints…

It was a terrible scenario for any husband to find himself in – a wife had gone out for an early morning jog on her own and had not returned. Solo runners were potentially an easy target for an attacker. And it seemed there was every reason to be concerned. There had been a number of high-profile cases in the US when Alexia Daval went missing – and it was no different in her home country of France, too. Alexia’s husband Jonathann was visibly upset after reporting her missing and no one could blame him. A frantic search began. Alexia, 29, was a bank worker. She was married to IT programmer Jonathann, and the couple lived together in Gray-la-Ville, in Eastern France. While Alexia was independent and outgoing, and Jonathann…

A study by a holiday company has found that the ideal modern honeymoon includes a seven-hour flight, four candlelit dinners, 26% of the time sunbathing and a minimum spend of how much in pounds? To find out, solve the puzzle… Fit these numbers into the grid, reading across and down. One number doesn’t fit. This is the answer. Your answer 3 digits 190 254 341 402 427 524 649 765 791 866 904 998 4 digits 1458 2156 3594 4729 4931 5612 6421 7213 8045 9835 5 digits 12830 18643 27865 38281 48322 59919 63186 78268 80976 85124 93626 6 digits 236751 542398 663095 872550 903146 7 digits 2174595 3340748 8805203 9752646 8 digits 73117193 Answers on page 60.…

Tiptoeing out of the room, I breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut behind me. My little girl was finally sleeping peacefully. Getting Rosabella, then 15 months, to bed, was always a task, and I couldn’t help but look forward to some much-needed me-time while she slumbered. Rosabella had torticollis, a tightening of her neck muscles which meant her head tilted at an odd angle, hip dysplasia, where her hip socket had not formed properly, as well as scoliosis from birth, giving her spine a curve. The conditions all affected her upper body muscles and meant she needed round-the-clock care from me and regular hospital check-ups with her designated medical team. She wasn’t even allowed to play in a bouncer like other babies because it would harm her…

Is there anything better than fresh bedding?!…

Spiral crossword A devoted fan of the Twilight movies, who admitted that she’ll never have the chance to marry the star Robert Pattinson, has splashed out $2,000 on a wedding in Las Vegas where she married what instead? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will then spell out the two-word answer. 1 Gateau (4) 2 Business that will sell your house and sell you a new one (6,5) 3 Large hairy spider (9) 4 Female thespian (7) 5 Bird frightener in a field (9) 6 Marine mammal with tusks and a moustache (6) 7 Way to cook an egg leaving the yolk visible (5-4,2) 8 Aeroplane ‘driver’ (5) 9 Hard protective covering at the end of a…

At this time of year, lots of us are looking to get fitter and recover from the overindulgence of the festive season. However, we don’t all have the money to invest in an expensive gym membership that we might never use, especially when juggling the demands of work and family life. So get back to basics – dig out those leggings, dust off your trainers and get ready to make exercise simple – and fun – again! SKIP INTO SHAPE Skipping is a great form of exercise. Not only is it cheap – you can buy a rope for less than a fiver – but it’s a great all-body workout, which will have you using your arms, shoulders and legs. It also burns more calories than running and is great…

Every year we celebrate new beginnings. Maybe you head down to your local and see in the New Year with a glass of fizz, or perhaps you’re on the sofa, watching a little bit of Jools Holland. We all celebrate the New Year in our own ways – but some of these traditions may be a little weirder than what you have planned… AZTEC NEW YEAR March 12 marks the start of the New Year according to the Aztec calendar, and is still celebrated in parts of Central America today. The holiday is special to Nahua communities in Mexico – groups of indigenous people who live in Mexico and parts of El Salvador. In the original Nahuatl, Aztec New Year is called ‘Yancuic Xihuitl’. Participants celebrate via ceremonial dances and…

Sitting in the doctor’s office, my 15-year-old daughter Riszka looked confused. ‘Polycystic ovary syndrome?’ she said. ‘What does that mean?’ ‘It’s a condition that affects how your ovaries work,’ the doctor explained. ‘It’s why you haven’t been having periods.’ ‘But now you’ve diagnosed her, can you treat it?’ I asked. ‘Going onto the pill should help to regulate Riszka’s hormones,’ the doctor smiled. I was relieved. Along with irregular periods, Riszka had been suffering with mood swings – we’d put it down to just being a teenager. But now she had a diagnosis, we could get it sorted. ‘You’ll need to have regular check-ups,’ the doctor said, writing Riszka a prescription for the combined contraceptive pill. ‘So we can keep an eye on your blood pressure and weight.’ After taking…

Watching my daughter Freya, then four, run off into the woods with our new pup Felicity, I smiled to myself. Her hair was tied into two curly bunches and she was completely covered in mud. ‘I don’t know who’s messier,’ I laughed to my partner, Tony, 40. Freya loved the outdoors, and so did her little sister Eliza, then two. When Freya wasn’t spending time with her big brother, Morgan, now 16, she was coming up with ideas on how to make the world a better place – she was such a thoughtful and kind-hearted girl. In summer 2017, we took the girls to Dorchester Carnival. Whilst there, we saw a family friend who had recently cut her hair off to raise money for the Little Princess Trust, a charity…

Looking for some lighter, healthier recipes this January? The Full Diet Cookbook by Dr Saira Hameed is here to help you lose weight and maintain it with delicious, easy recipes for any occasion. The Full Diet Cookbook, £18.99, Amazon SHREDDED LAMB LETTUCE WRAPS Slow cooking transforms a lamb shoulder into a feast of melting, fall-off-the-bone goodness. This makes a delicious and surprising alternative to a Sunday roast and is also perfect for a spring celebration – from Easter to Eid, Mother’s Day to Passover, whatever you are celebrating, this dish is a triumph of good eating and togetherness. YOU’LL NEED… FOR THE LAMB: • 4 sprigs of rosemary• 1 lamb shoulder• 3 tbsps of olive oil• ½ tsp of garlic granules• Salt and black pepper TO SERVE: • 2 romaine lettuces,…

Walking down the hall, shrieks of laughter echoed from my daughter’s bedroom. ‘Here we go again,’ I smiled, rolling my eyes. It was June 2016, and Kelly, 25, was getting ready for a night out with the girls. She’d spent the last four years at Leeds University studying child education, hoping to become a social worker one day. With just me, my husband Paul, now 56, and our son Adrian, 34, at home, the house had been so quiet without Kelly. And now that she was back, I was so happy to hear the laughter again – to hear her voice every day. Kelly had always been the life of the party – her bubbly personality was infectious, and everyone adored her. ‘Cheers!’ I heard her and the girls chime,…

This Chinese New Year, we are celebrating the Year of the Rabbit. Those born in the Year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious. Celebrate this in style with these super-cute bunny products. Which Chinese zodiac are you?…

KEEP DANCING! Start the new year with a shimmy and shake at a brand-new run of the iconic Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage. Following its record-breaking run in 2022, the cast are back in their dancing shoes and ready to give you a performance of a lifetime at the Dominon Theatre, London. With Michael O’Reilly from West Side Story as Johnny, and the beautiful Kira Malou from Fame as Baby, this is not one to miss! With classic hits including Hungry Eyes and (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, you’ll soon be singing all the way into February! After all, nobody puts Baby in the corner. • Running from 21 January to 29 April 2023. • Please visit: dirtydancingonstage.co.uk A PERFECT SPREAD This month, on 2 January, it’s National Buffet Day – yes, you heard…

This January, it’s National Hobby Month, and there’s no better time to pick up a new skill for the new year. We’ve all set resolutions vowing we would read more, start knitting, or become a regular at the gym - but what if you stepped outside your comfort zone and chose something completely different? Whether you’re a homebody or a thrill-seeker, we have something perfect for you… For the nature lovers FLOWER PRESSING Flower pressing is a great way to bring nature indoors, and it also makes for a mindful hobby – research from the Mental Health Foundation has shown that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life. Why not press some flowers for every season of the year? You’ll have your very own nature…

Settling down on the sofa after a long day of teaching, I picked up the remote and pressed play. We can’t go on together, with suspicious minds…the TV blared out. ‘Ahh,’ I sighed. ‘Just what the doctor ordered.’ I’d just finished marking the last of the homework, and had carefully placed the books in a neat pile to hand back to all the kids the following day. For now, I had other plans. Soon, I was swaying in time to the music and dancing around the living room as the familiar tune rang out. Since age six, I had been a huge fan of Elvis Presley. I’d watched my first Elvis film with my parents and had them on repeat ever since. As I got older, I loved attending social…

Being a mum had always been my dream, and I was willing to go through anything to have a baby. I just had no idea the journey would be filled with heartbreak, tough decisions and a life-changing diagnosis before I had my wish granted. In April 2019, I was rubbing my bump, thinking and dreaming about the tiny little human that was curled up inside me. My boyfriend Kieran, 24, and I were expecting our first baby together. At eight weeks, he or she was only the size of a raspberry. I’d experienced all the usual pregnancy symptoms – fatigue, morning sickness and severe bloating. Then suddenly, one day, everything stopped. My symptoms disappeared. ‘I think something’s wrong,’ I panicked to Kieran, looking down at my bump. And sadly, my…

Looking out at sea, I took in the beautiful sunset. ‘Happy birthday, Mum,’ I smiled, cheering with a glass of Aperol spritz – Mum’s first ever cocktail. In May 2019, we were on a girl’s trip to Corfu to celebrate her 80th. Chatting with the locals, eating delicious food and making memories together – it was the loveliest holiday. Mum had brought her watercolour paints and pad, and at every chance she got, she was bringing the gorgeous island to life in her little book. My mum, Rosemary, 80, was an artist, and was well-known at home in Barnstaple for her work. She had trained as an oil painter at at the Royal Academy of Arts in the ‘60s and had always loved to paint. ‘Morning, Rose,’ locals would call…

Number fit Fill in the number grid. Your answer is the number that doesn’t fit. 3670 4307 7044 3746 6734 Your answer Brick trick Safety Beach in Australia changed its name from that originally given in an attempt to drum up the tourist trade – what was it called before? To find out, enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neighbours, plus or minus a letter. Read the shaded squares in number order for the answer. Your answer Answer on page 60.…

Promised yourself that this year will be the year of peace and relaxation? Well, now’s your perfect opportunity to kick-start your resolution. What better way to beat the January blues than with a spa day? Choose from the list of incredible locations below… THE TWILIGHT EXPERIENCE AT THERMAE BATH SPA BATH, SOMERSET Enjoy a magical evening relaxing in the ancient heart of hot springs – Bath. Feel any tension melt away as you enjoy full use of the indoor Minerva Bath and warm up from the winter chill in the Roman-inspired Steam Room. Feeling brave? Why not take a dip in the invigorating Ice Chamber, too? Round off the evening with a night-time dip in the open-air Rooftop Pool, with stunning views over Bath, lit-up in all its twinkling glory. With…

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 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…

Sitting on the sofa with my boyfriend Mark, my hand dipped into a bag of crisps as we watched telly. Then seeing my phone light up with my little sister’s name, I wiped my fingers and tapped to answer her FaceTime call. Her face was glowing, and she looked excited. ‘I’m getting married!’ she screamed, flashing her ring. ‘Oh my God!’ I cried. ‘I’m so happy for you, Lauren!’ ‘You’ll be my maid of honour, won’t you?’ she said. ‘I can’t do it without you.’ ‘Of course,’ I smiled. But deep down, I was a bit nervous. At 14st 4lbs, squeezing myself into a size 16, I was chunkier than I wanted to be. I didn’t want people to stare at the big, fat sister waddling down the aisle. I’d…

FILM AND TV 1 Who played the title role in the 1953 film Calamity Jane? a Colleen Campb Doris Dayc Lynn Whitfield 2 Finish the 2021 film title – The House of… a Louis Vuittonb Dior c Gucci 3 Which British actor was in Notting Hill, Love Actually and Bridget Jones? a Emma Thompsonb Hugh Grantc Colin Firth 4 Which member of The Beatles narrated the first series of Thomas the Tank Engine on TV? a John Lennonb Ringo Starrc Paul McCartney SHOWBIZ 5 What year did Geri Halliwell leave the Spice Girls? a 1998b 2001c 2004 6 Who was the highest-paid actress of 2019, according to Forbes? a Scarlett Johanssonb Jennifer Anistonc Angelina Jolie 7 Lily Allen’s brother was in Game of Thrones, up until season eight. Who did he play? a Theon Greyjoyb Tyrion Lannisterc Bran Stark 8 Which singer…