Innehållsförteckning för January 2024 från Chat Specials

Number fit Fill in the number grid. Your answer is the number that doesn’t fit. 4024 4742 6720 4062 6047 Your answer Brick trick It’s said that 95% of the world’s population have never been where? 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 1 Artist 2 Mum or dad 3 Narrow to a point 4 Bog fuel 5 Primate 6 Cut crops 7 Musical theatre 8 Release on licence 9 Big cat Answers on page 60.…

Natasha Terry, 46, from Gosberton, Leicestershire Watching the kids tear around the garden, I was determined that we would all make the most of the sun. In April 2020, we had been in lockdown for about a month, and I was grateful we had a garden large enough for the kids to run about in. Suddenly, my youngest daughter, Eliza, 12, stopped. Fixated on the small patch in front of her, she’d grabbed a perfect four-leaf clover. ‘Look what I found, Mum!’ she called to me. ‘Well done!’ I said. ‘They’re lucky so make sure that you keep hold of it.’ Soon after, Eliza, her brother Blake, 17, and big sister Daisy, 15, went inside, so my husband Mark, 51, could mow the grass. Yet not long after he started,…

We’re sure you’ve been poring over board games withthe family for the past few months. So, why not take it to the next level this year? Here are some mindboggling days out, guaranteed to get your brain pumping. Twist Museum, London Put your mind to the test and experience all the joys that wonder and illusion have to offer. Designed by artists, neuroscientists and philosophers, Twist Museum wants to challenge the way you see the world. Each room is mindaltering in its own way – can you see colours that aren’t there? Does that corridor really go on forever? Do you know which way is up? By manipulating our senses, Twist teaches us all about the philosophy and psychology of perception. It’s very rare that our senses get it wrong,…

Don’t forget to get your eyes tested every two years! More than meets the eye Haven’t thought about how you can keep your globes in check? Nimmi Mistry, a professional services optician at Vision Direct, shares exactly how to enhance your eye health. Some may surprise you… Quit smoking When you smoke you are at risk of damaging your optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain and if the nerve is damaged it can lead to blindness. When tobacco is burnt it produces 7,000 chemicals, many of which will irritate and harm your eyes. Change your pillowcases You should change your pillows and pillowcases regularly. Not changing them frequently can lead to a build-up of oils, sweat and bacteria. In fact, a study by Amerisleep found…

Follow it page 9 Answer: Structure Number fit page 24 Answer: 6047 Brick trick page 24 Answer: ONAPLANE Movie links page 36 Pedro Pascal – THE GREAT WALL – Willem Dafoe – SPIDER-MAN – James Franco – SPRING BREAKERS – Selena Gomez – MONTE CARLO - Leighton Meester Spot it page 40 Hide and seek page 3 Answer: 11 Riddle me this page 9 Answer: Towel Cross it page 16 Answer: DISDAIN Number jig page 30 Answer: 532 SETS The biggie page 55 Answer: VINEYARDS IN AUSTRALIA…

Just for FUN FILM AND TV 1 In the movie FindingNemo, what is the name of Marlin’s wife? a Coral b Star c Dory 2 What is the name ofSimon Pegg’s and Nick Frost’s film trilogy? a The Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy b The Three Flavours Feast trilogy  c The Three Flavours Magnum trilogy 3 In Only Fools and Horses, who was the actor who played Uncle Albert? a Roger Lloyd Pack  b John Challis c Buster Merryfield 4 What were Inspector Morse’s last words before the ITV series of the same name ended? a Thank Lewis for me b Goodnight and goodbye c I always drink at lunchtime 5 Which county in theUK was the detective series Broadchurch both filmed and set? a Cornwall b Dorset c Essex 6 In Last…

We’ve all daydreamed about having Patrick Swayze guiding our hands on a pottery wheel ever since Ghost hit our screens, right? But pottery can be a difficult skill to master. So, we are taking it back to basics with air dry clay to get you started. No kiln, wheel or hunky man required. With thanks to Pott’d, here’s everything you need to know… CLAY COLLECTION It’s time to get your creative cap on – and Pott’d have given you everything you need to get started. With an Air Dry Clay Home Pottery Kit including all of your tools, equipment and inspiration, too, you’re prepped and primed. Beginner friendly, you can design at your own pace or host a pottery get-together with your friends if that’s more your style. Each kit is proportioned for one…

Marjory Day, 89, from Dunfermline Popping the kettle on, I heard a knock at the door behind me. After putting my teabag in the mug, I walked over to the door and opened it. In front of me stood a tradesman holding a huge box. ‘Hi Marjory, I’m Alistair,’ he began. ‘Morris said these might belong to you.’ Morris was my granddaughter Sara’s husband and had been working with Alistair, fitting windows in a loft. ‘What have you got there?’ I asked him. Handing me the box, Alistair smiled brightly. ‘We found some letters in the house we were working on,’ he answered. ‘They are all addressed to you.’ It was our old family home – we had moved from there in the ‘70s and a new family had lived…

Bethany Homar, 30, from Sheffield Driving along, I stared out the window and let my mind wander. Will it be a boy or a girl? I thought as I headed to my 20-week scan. I had three boys – Alex, 12, Arlo, four, and Ari, three – and with another little one on the way, I knew it would be a lot to manage. But I was also excited – I loved being a mum and couldn’t wait to go through the baby stages again. ‘Imagine if it’s another boy,’ my partner Reuben, 28, said, as if reading my mind. ‘It’ll be four against one!’ And later that day, we found out that he was right! I couldn’t wait until the day I got to welcome him into the world…

Kayleigh Robus, 31, from West Sussex Putting my little girl to bed, I dropped a few granules straight into her mouth. ‘Yum,’ Imogen, then three, smiled. Just like me, she suffered from asthma, and the granules were to help her sleep at night. Although, I think she just thought they were sweets! Having suffered from asthma since I was five, as soon as she began to show symptoms at the age of two, I took her to the doctor. Knowing how bad my own can be, I wanted to get it under control as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with brittle asthma around eight years ago, making me more susceptible to attacks. It’s been hard, but I always hid my condition from Imogen. Me and my husband Michael,…

Want to lose those festive pounds this January? Well, forget plain boring food that will leave you reaching into the cupboards of a night – slimmers Zoe and Clinton Navarro are here with delicious grub that will satisfy all your needs. All healthy and calorie counted, with their new cookbook, you can still eat all the food you love. • The Navarros’ Kitchen, £25, Waterstones • Follow on Instagram: @topchefnavarros_sw COFFEE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 6 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES | SERVES: 4 | CALORIES: 390 YOU WILL NEED: • 1-1.5kg beef brisket joint• 1 onion, sliced• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced• 600ml beef stock• 2 tsp beef gravy granules (optional) FOR THE BRISKET RUB • 15g ground coffee• 1 tbsp garlic granules• 2…

Ask our doc With Cheryl Lythgoe, matron at mutual healthcare provider, Benenden Health In my shoes Q I’ve taken up walking as a hobby but I can’t walk for long without feeling out of breath. Is this normal? Bethan, Yate A How your body manages additional exercise depends on your current level of fitness.When we walk with purpose, rather than meandering, it can be a great workout. Therefore, sometimes feeling out of breath can be perfectly normal and it’s the body’s way of improving and increasing its fitness. If you are struggling to breathe, slow down and concentrate on breathing long, slow, deep breaths. You could look at increasing your distance, or the intensity of your walk. If your breathing isn’t improved after four to six weeks, it may be worth…

Stepping up to the plane door, I felt a gust of wind smack me in the face. I was a whopping 13,500ft in the air. Taking a deep breath, I squeezed my eyes shut tight, leaned forward – and jumped. My stomach dropped as I plummeted to the ground. As air whooshed around me, I opened my eyes. The view was incredible. This is like flying, I thought as I soared, completely in awe. I could see for miles, and as adrenaline pumped through me, I pulled my parachute and floated back to earth. ‘I can’t believe I did it!’ I said to my instructor, as my feet landed on solid ground. I got the bug, and from that first jump, I was hooked. Between 2015 and 2020, I did…

In the suburban township of South Fayette, Pennsylvania, one person stood out to the locals in particular. That was 67-year-old Margaret Sumney. With her radiant beauty, caring nature and love for family, it was clear that she had so much to offer to the small, yet close-knit town. Always being the first one to welcome new neighbours comfortably onto the street, Margaret would visit with bundles of goodies on their arrival, without wanting a thank you in return. And with a pure gift and passion for dance, Margaret fuelled her drive into teaching others alongside her family at Shafe Sisters Dance Studio, not only working as a dance instructor but a co-owner of the business, too. As for her family, she was an extremely devoted mother, who would give her…

Annabel Mulcahy, 39, from Oxfordshire Stirring from my slumber, I felt my long hair tickling my chest. It was 3am, and still away with the palm of my hand. But then I felt something strange. What’s that? I thought, suddenly very awake. It felt like a lump on my left breast. And grabbing it with my fingers, I realised it was the size of a Kinder Egg. Jumping out of bed, I ran to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. As I stared at my reflection, everything around me went blurry. What the hell is that? I panicked. But then my fight or flight kicked in. There’s nothing I can do now, I told myself, getting into bed. I’ll phone the doctor first thing. Somehow, I managed…

Cate Campbell is a sex, relationship, and trauma therapist. She is also a writer, co-host of The Real Sex Education podcast and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. To see more please visit: catecampbell-psychonatter. com and bacp.co.uk Head over heels… Q My dad falls in love too quickly. He has so much to give, but he’s being blindsided. I’ve tried to tell himthe truth but he doesn’t want to listen. I need to intervene before he gets hurt. Help me… Amelia, Margate A It’s incredibly hard to watch someone you love in a relationship that doesn’t seem good for them. But perhaps your dad is quick to fall in love because he is lonely. If so, it’s unlikely he will want to hear that his relationship is inappropriate, especially if he…

The classic board game Scrabble has sold over 150 million sets in 30 languages worldwide. But how many sets did it sell in 1948, its first year of manufacture? 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 134 166 275 318 481 532 592 622 690 792 823 927 961 4 digits 1342 2128 3436 4980 5541 6793 7094 8719 9630 5 digits 13856 22393 34031 57865 44514 59918 63128 75081 89167 95124 95762 6 digits 187105 562188 665543 813092 935626 7 digits 1806069 3648272 8669135 9629428 8 digits 42178534 Answers on page 60.…

A statement vase will give your home someva-va-voom…

*Miss Twiggy, 55 djusting my lingerie, I smiled coyly at the camera. I looked great. And what’s more, I felt great. Watching the video back, I couldn’t take my eyes away from my body. I felt empowered, and you could see it was radiating from my body. ‘Good morning sexy,’ I said into the microphone, as I jiggled in my lingerie. ‘Do you like the sound of my thighs?’ Uploading the video to my OnlyFans from my home in Mexico, I was so excited. I felt so confident and beautiful – a powerful woman. My content was never too explicit. I’m all about the tease! Posting in swimwear and lingerie, my content is suggestive and flirty not the The Full Monty. However, I didn’t always have this power. In my…

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Sarah Curran, 34, from Keswick Feeling the hot Spanish sun on my back, I was living the good life. Throughout my childhood, my grandad Henry, 86, and nan Patricia, 84, would take me and my sister Kirsty, 33, to Benidorm every year. Splashing in the water, I remember Nan and Grandad treating us to ice cream and sweets – all holiday treats. In fact, they were always spoiling us – if we were ever off sick from school then they’d take us up to Liverpool for the day. So when Grandad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in September 2019, I was truly devastated. It was awful watching him gradually forget things – it was like he was disappearing. When lockdown hit in 2020, Grandad was suddenly locked in, and the disease…

What possessions linked late singer Olivia Newton-John and golfer Nick Faldo? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the answer. JUST FOR FUN ACROSS 1 Decision of a jury (7) 5 Three-sided shape (8) 9 Long necked, graceful bird (4) 13 Narrow to a point (5) 14 Boat used to widen a river (7) 15 Ceremonial salute by aeroplanes (3-4) 16 Cake’s sugar coating (5) 17 Volume of maps (5) 18 Garden summerhouse (6) 20 Financial funding (5) 21 Portuguese island and also a cake or drink named after it (7) 23 Length times breadth (4) 26 Large extinct bird (4) 27 Cook quickly in a wok (4,3) 30 Drive backwards (7) 34 Drinking with a straw (7) 36 Unoccupied…

Get your home in order for 2024 with these organisation essentials – perfect for every room in the house.…