Innehållsförteckning för April 2024 från Chat Specials

Hello and happy spring! Family means a lot to us here at Chat, and it’s at the very heart of this issue. When her mum was given a devastating diagnosis, Lana (pg30) put on her running shoes and took to the streets. Pushing through mile after mile, she thought of her mum every single step of the way. Meanwhile, little Remi has the best nanny ever (pg22). Born a little different, her nanny did everything she could to make sure she felt included. This is a story that really will tug on the heartstrings. For Leanne (pg26), she realised just how important her family was to her in the dead of night. Shaken awake by her son, she was forced into action – to save her hubby’s life. When it…

Settling down for the night with a cuppa and Netflix, I put my feet up and wrapped a blanket around me. I’d just been through a break-up, so my Friday nights were looking rather quiet. On my third Rich Tea biscuit, my phone lit up with a friendly message from a chap I’d met a couple of years before. Hey Stacey, I’d love to take you out on a date – I’m not letting you slip through my fingers this time, it read. It was from Phillip McGlinchey, then 31, who I’d met in a bar back in 2018. We’d exchanged social media handles at the time, but nothing came of the encounter and we both went on to date other people. I always thought of him as a charming…

Cracking open a fresh bottle of Ribena, I just couldn’t get enough of the fruity drink. ‘Tash, you’ve already had three of those today,’ my friend Jen said as we stopped at the corner shop. For weeks on end, at just 14, I really did have a sweet craving for that beverage in particular. A month before that I’d been addicted to having the same dinner on repeat and after the Ribena addiction, I swiftly moved on to my next craving. ‘What’s got into you?’ my mum Lorraine, now 73, asked. ‘It’s just who I am, Mum,’ I insisted – I was just a teen with an obsessive personality. Albeit a little strange, if I had something that I really wanted to do in my thoughts, I went out of…

In the wild While creepy crawlies have earned themselves a squirm-worthy reputation, they’re rather important. Eric Michel, head of pro at CJ Wildlife, is here with a few ways you can turn your garden into a bug-friendly paradise. For more, please visit: birdfood.co.uk Grow wild! Rewild a section of your garden by leaving garden debris, such a piles of leaves, on your lawn. It will still provide insects with shelter and even a source of warmth for birds in winter, too. Insect-friendly wildflowers For a bug-friendly garden, plant foxgloves, cornflowers, poppies and sweet peas in your flower beds. If you plant a variety together, you will be able to achieve a lovely wilding effect in your garden. Provide shelter Logs, twigs and pinecones can provide shelter from predators and harsh…

Funny Story EMILY HENRY, £16.99, WATERSTONES If you enjoyed Emily Henry’s Happy Place or Book Lovers, you’re in for a treat with this novel. Everyone has a funny story to tell, especially when it comes to how you might have met your partner. Daphne always loved the way that her fiancé Peter told their tale. How they met one another on a blustery day, fell in love over an errant hat and moved to their lakeside house to start a family. The real dream for many… However, there was a part of the love story that Peter would leave out – perhaps the juiciest part. How he realised that he was actually deeply in love with his childhood best friend Petra, instead. Only in a turn of events, left heartbroken,…

Reaching for the remote, I switched on an old episode of Britain’s Got Talent. ‘Come on then kids,’ I said, scooting over on the bed so my two boys, Alfie, now 13, and Brody, now nine, could squeeze between me and my husband Sam, now 34. On Monday 29 August 2022, it felt like a Sunday. We’d spent the last day of the bank holiday relaxing at home with my mum Debra, 58, popping round for a family tea. Sat eating meat and potato pie, we made the most of the last bit of the weekend. ‘Back to school tomorrow,’ I said, clearing the plates. ‘Early nights tonight.’ And after getting the bookbags and lunches ready, we all had a touch of the Sunday blues. So, it was nice snuggling…

In a poll by an internet music site, what has been voted as the scariest song of all time? 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 Report in a newspaper 2 Sell to the public 3 1,000cc 4 Wall ceramic 5 Knot 6 Eating regimen 7 Exhausted 8 Hesitate, waiver 9 Flourished and prospered Brick trick Answer: THRILLER…

Buckle up as things are about to get wild! Animal prints are trending – and what’s more, you can pair them with delightful desert shades. Your fashion game will roar to all new heights……

Stiffness, swelling and pain – these are all common signs of arthritis, something that is often a part of ageing. But by getting clued up and adopting a few easy exercises into your routine, it is possible to help ease any potential symptoms. GET CLUED UP Arthritis is an umbrella term meaning painful, stiff and restricted joints. But did you know that there are different types of arthritis? Dr Benjamin Ellis, senior clinical policy advisor and consultant rheumatologist at Versus Arthritis, is here to walk you through the different types, myths and symptoms. For more, please visit: versusarthritis.org Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis – and it’s likely the one you’ve already hard of. It’s often mistaken as an inevitable condition caused by ‘wear and tear’ as…

Rain, rain, go away – but if you do have to battle the elements, here’s everything you need for whatever you have planned. They say that April showers bring May flowers – so get your wellies on and embrace the weather!…

Perched in the hospital waiting room with my husband Jack, now 32, I pictured the chaos to come. It was September 2020, and while I was 20 weeks pregnant, our firstborn Rory, was still only nine months. We’d struggled when trying for Rory, so it’d been a shock when I fell pregnant so quickly the second time round. And two children under two wasn’t going to be easy. ‘But think how close they’ll be,’ I smiled at Jack. ‘Best friends,’ he agreed. So far I’d had a healthy pregnancy, just like I had with Rory. Only 20 minutes later, as I had our first scan, our bubble burst. ‘Your baby is missing their right forearm,’ the technician said, pointing at the screen. My heart dropped as I listened to the…

Pulling up my chair by the window, I set up my canvas and settled in for a painting session. With my furry friend by my side, it was bliss and my favourite way to chill out – but my Enzo wasn’t your usual household pet. He was my little sloth! I’d always loved sloths and dreamed of having one of my own, but my husband Terry, 44, had been reluctant – but after seeing them on a trip to the zoo, he fell in love. ‘They are pretty cute,’ he agreed with me. Needing no more encouragement, I started researching and found a sloth that needed rehoming – and that’s how Enzo came to live with us, back in 2016. With everything we needed to home an exotic animal as…

A survey by a manufacturer of uniforms has found that 10% of British woman admit to going home from work at lunchtime to do what? 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 Classical dance (6) 2 Flower from Amsterdam, we are told in the song (5) 3 BBC programme featuring audience letters (6,2,4) 4 Doing the dishes (7,2) 5 Woman’s underskirt (9) 6 Slab of grassy earth for making an instant lawn (4) 7 Illumination at a sports stadium (11) 8 Lubricant for removing bristles (7,5) 9 Car engineer in a garage (8) 10 Spider’s trap, the target of a feather duster (6) 11 Yellow meadow flower (9)…

Even though Moriah Wilson had shifted gears multiple times in her life, no matter what she decided to do, it was clear that she excelled. Born Anna Moriah Wilson in Northern Vermont, U.S., Moriah, known as Mo, was a driven athlete. Taking part in alpine skiing at school, Moriah then went on to major in engineering at Dartmouth College – from then on, she swapped skis for wheels, becoming an ‘exceptional’ endurance cyclist. In 2022, with a busy racing schedule ahead of her, 25-year-old Mo liked to work hard and play hard, too. Not only was she on a ‘beautiful trajectory to win races’ but she also wanted to ‘win and open hearts’. Something that she had seemingly achieved with her lover Colin Strickland, 35. Also considered a ‘pioneer’ in…

Natasha Page is a counsellor, psychotherapist, business coach, writer and founder of My Little Therapy Box. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. For more, please visit: bacp.co.uk and natashapagemsc.com Can I just have fun? Q I want to have sex, but I’m not interested in dating apps or a relationship. I don’t want other people to judge me or call me a slut. Am I wrong for feeling this way? Hayley, Plymouth A We all deserve the right to feel sexually fulfilled. And it is entirely natural and OK to say you want to have sex. You sound concerned about what others think, but it is your body and your decision. If you do choose to engage in casual sex with others, the important…

Carefully carrying a tray of drinks from the bar, I placed them down on the table. Passing them round to my mum Sharon and sisters Kelly, now 42, and Vicki, 39, I raised my glass. ‘Cheers!’ I smiled, as we all clinked our Pornstar martinis. We had reason to celebrate – Mum had just been given the all-clear from breast cancer back in 2017, after five years in remission. She fought it like a trooper, never once losing her positivity or sparkle. After a year of treatment in 2012, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and a lumpectomy, she was doing well – and after five years of yearly check-ups, she was officially in the clear. Mum had been given a second chance and we weren’t going to waste it. I felt like…

Satisfy your sweet tooth with these simple yet delicious no-bake baking recipes from Eloise Head, AKA Fitwaffle. With 100 delicious and oven-free recipes, her latest cookbook No-Bake Baking is designed for people of all ages and baking abilities – meaning the whole family can get involved! Although you may not want to share these treats… Fitwaffle’s No-Bake Baking, £22, Amazon BANOFFEE PIE JARS SERVINGS: 4 BAKE TIME: 20 MINUTES PLUS ONE HOUR CHILLING YOU’LL NEED: FOR THE BISCUIT LAYER: ● 60g digestive biscuits (or Graham crackers) ● 30g unsalted or salted butter, melted FOR THE CREAM LAYER: ● 150ml cold double cream ● 50g icing (powdered) sugar ● 1 tsp vanilla extract TO ASSEMBLE: ● 1 large banana or equivalent, sliced into coin-sized pieces ● 100g ready-caramel sauce (melted if it isn’t a runny…

Sending my good morning message with a smile on my face, it was the perfect way to start the day. Rise and shine – hello darlings, I typed. Soon, I had over 100 guys eagerly chatting away in my inbox. And it seemed that nothing was off topic… From steamy affairs, the day in the life of a CEO and compliments galore, to say that it wasn’t an ego boost would be a lie. I need your help Lesley… I’ve lied to my girlfriend and told her that I was in a coffee shop – but I was actually meeting another woman. So using my best photo editing skills, I took his picture, making it look like he was sitting in a coffee shop, before sending the final edit over.…

Carrying our kitten home, we heard his meows as he tried to claw his way out of the cat basket. ‘It looks like he’s going to be a cheeky one,’ I said to my husband Duncan, 35, laughing. It was May 2022 and we had just picked up George, the third addition to our crazy cat family. We already had two black cats, Bella and Betsy, who I don’t think were best pleased about his arrival. George was the odd one out with his pristine white fur! Letting him out of his basket for the first time, he certainly wasn’t a shy type, running up and down the stairs and jumping on the furniture. ‘George!’ my daughter Freya, now five, laughed. We all found him hilarious. After a few weeks,…

HELLO SPRING Put a spring in your step this April with these seasonal beauty must-haves. Bubble Skincare Bounce Back Balancing Mist, £14, Beauty Bay Face mists are great all year round, but as the weather starts to warm up, there’s nothing better than a refreshing spritz. This one from Bubble is infused with skin loving ingredients to help exfoliate and improve skin texture. Plus, it’s available in a handy compact size, so it’s great for on the go, too! W7 Magic Exfoliating Foot Mask, £2.99, W7 With sandal season just around the corner, it’s time to get your feet in tip-top condition. Formulated with lactic acid, this mask exfoliates dead skin and softens dry heels. Finish by painting the nails and your tootsies are ready! Bondi Sands Technocolor 1 Hour…

Pulling up in the pick-up truck in the heart of the Ozark National Park, Arkansas, I was off on a hike with my grandparents Jay, now 85, and Joyce, now 80. I was only six, and while I don’t remember loads, it was my first time visiting the park. My grandparents – who I called Mimi and Pop – picked me up from my parents Steve, 56, and Kelly, 56, one early morning in April 2001. With the park an hour’s drive away, I remember being grumpy about being up early. While I loved spending time with them, this was our first big hike together. I had a typical relationship with Mimi and Pop. They didn’t live too far from me and would frequently take me on fun days out.…

Staring into the rubbish bin, I couldn’t believe my eyes. What are you doing here? I thought, picking a tatty teddy out of the trash. Brushing off his fur, I felt like I needed to apologise. At the charity shop I volunteered at a few years ago, if donated bears weren’t good enough to sell in the 50p section, they’d go into the bin. And with a huge influx of plush teddies dumped in bags at the door, they’d all been cast aside. With a natural affinity for stuffed animals, even as an adult, I went home that evening feeling glum. Thinking back to my childhood, all my bears had names, personalities and were arranged on the bed in a certain way. ‘I’m so sorry, Soppy Dog,’ I’d whisper, if…