Innehållsförteckning för October 2025 från Chat Specials

Welcome to the October issue of Chat Monthly! Get the kettle on and settle in. We’ve got pasta recipes for a quick and tasty dinner, bargain bedroom makeover ideas, easy-to-wear fashion and youth-boosting beauty. And, of course, tons of shocking real-life stories. Kirsty tells us how she and her hubby Xander have one working leg between them (p10). Wendy shares her terror being trapped in a violent relationship, and how her dog Rupert helped her (p26). And we meet twins April and Amelia who share everything – and we really do mean everything! (p62). Plus there’s loads more, including plenty of fun puzzles. Have a great month.…

Kirsty Van der Poll, 25, Coventry Standing on the basketball court, I scanned the room for help. I saw someone who seemed to know everyone – one of the coaches, I assumed. ‘Which wheelchair should I use?’ I asked him. ‘Dunno,’ he replied, shrugging his shoulders and wheeling himself away down the court. Charming! It was October 2021 and I was at Loughborough University’s wheelchair basketball try-outs. And while I may not have been in a wheelchair that day, I often needed one. Born with a club foot, I’d been racked with pain for years. As a child, I’d worn splints and been unable to walk long distances because of the lack of leg muscle. Over the years, I’d had four surgeries to lengthen my Achilles tendon, which was too…

He’s a no-good dad Q My ex and I share custody of our daughter, but he always lets her down. He cancels their plans at the last minute, doesn’t pay me child support and then blames me when she’s upset. I don’t want to bad-mouth her dad in front of her, but I’m sick of making excuses for him. How do I handle this to best help my girl? Sharon, 38 A Your ex is the one that keeps dropping the ball. You don’t have to bad-mouth him, but stop sugar-coating his mess. Say something like, ‘Daddy couldn’t make it today, and I know that’s really disappointing.’ You’re doing double the work and carrying double the emotional load. Don’t let his chaos become your burden. Just keep being loving and…

Kainth, 33, Birmingham As my classmates sat cross-legged on the floor for the school assembly, I felt their stares. Because, unlike them, I was sat on a chair. I hated that I couldn’t just blend into the crowd. See, under my trousers, invisible to everyone, I wore leg splints. Protecting my ankles and legs, they helped prevent injury. But they left my legs burning, with ulcers. I wore Piedro boots too, designed to relieve pressure on my feet and ankles. At birth, I’d been diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and ataxia. They were all conditions that left me with little muscle control. Prone to falling over, I couldn’t play with the other kids. Comments from the bullies stung. ‘What makes you so special? Cripple!’ they’d taunt me. I…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Retro, lidded footstool (we found one for £14 online at eBay)✱ Tape measure✱ Fabric (measurements will depend on the size of your stool)✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Fabric scissors✱ Pins✱ Staple gun 1 Unscrew the legs from the stool and set to one side. Measure all around the lower box part of the stool. Cut fabric to this measurement plus 3cm x the height plus 10cm (A). 2 Machine-stitch the short edges together, with right sides facing and 1.5cm seam allowances, to make a band. If your chosen fabric isn’t wide enough to wrap the whole way around the footstool, join two pieces together. Press seams open. 3 Slide the fabric band up over the lower box part of your stool, ensuring the seam is…

Open Mediterranean lasagne Add a speedy sunshine twist to this classic Italian favourite. SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 25 mins ● 2 medium aubergines, each sliced into 12 rounds● 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling● 1 large red onion, sliced into rings● 4 sheets fresh lasagne, halved● 2 x 125g packs mozzarella drained, each sliced into 8● 4tbsp red pesto● Few basil leaves, to garnish 1 Set the grill to high. Brush both sides of the aubergine with a little oil and put onto a baking sheet. Grill for 4-5 mins on each side, until browned. Set aside, then oil and grill the onion slices until just browned. 2 Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pan of boiling waterfor about 4 mins. Drain well and set aside. 3 Heat…

Angie Burrows, 61, Hinckley, Leicestershire Pottering around at home one day, I saw my phone screen lighting up with a video call. My daughter Hollie, then 31. I swiped the screen, expecting to see her grinning back at me. Only, tears were streaming down her face. ‘What’s wrong?’ I gasped. Hollie held up six white sticks in front of the camera. ‘I’m pregnant!’ she said, grinning through her sobs. ‘Congratulations,’ I cried, bursting into tears myself. What a pair! It was November 2021 and Hollie and her partner Paul had been trying for a baby for years. Her endometriosis made it hard to conceive. They’d had a failed round of IVF, too. Now, I was over the moon. ‘My first grandchild!’ I whooped. As weeks passed, Hollie’s bump grew. And…

As Maddox Lawrence approached her second birthday, her family had a lot to celebrate. Just a year earlier, in 2014, the blonde-haired little girl with big, brown eyes had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer. Her parents, Ryan and Morgan Lawrence, had noticed her left eye becoming darker over time. It’d led to docs discovering a tumour behind her eye – a parent’s worst nightmare. The next few months were filled with appointments. Living in Syracuse, New York, the family had to travel into New York City for treatment, which was a four-hour drive. It was time-consuming and expensive. While Morgan worked at a clothes shop, Ryan delivered pastries to local coffee shops, taking Maddox along with him. The pair earned as much money as they…

Steph Jenkins, 38, South Wales My finger hovered over my phone screen. It was March 2022 and I was scrolling through dating site profiles. Single for two years after my divorce, I was nervous. But the handsome man in the photo looked friendly. Feeling brave, I swiped right and Marcus, then 33, replied straight away. Messages flying, he asked me out for a drink. Days later, our date at a pub went well. Marcus was funny. Keen too. Maybe a bit too keen? Afterwards, my phone didn’t stop pinging with messages from him. Marcus even turned up on my doorstep. ‘This is moving too fast,’ I said, gently. We agreed we’d take a step back. Only, next month, on holiday in Ibiza with friends, my phone buzzed. Marcus, again. But…

Claudia Novek, 30 Walking hand in hand with my hubby Adam, then 25, through Central Park in New York, I felt so lucky. After marrying in December 2016, we’d decided to go travelling. Had the chance to see the United States including Dallas and Washington, and parts of Australia, where we were from. We’d wanted to enjoy some time together, with just the two of us, before our next adventure… ‘Let’s have a baby,’ I said to Adam. I had a job working for the local government, and Adam was a landscaper. We were ready. Adam was one of a big blended family, while I had one sibling. Family meant so much to us, so we couldn’t wait to have a little one of our own. Back home from our…

Born prematurely, Evelyn Mae Boswell didn’t have the easiest start in life. But she thrived. A sweet baby, her proud mum Megan, 17, boasted that she hit every milestone early. By 15 months, she was already a little chatterbox, adored by her family. But in February 2020, Evelyn’s grandad Tommy Boswell was worried about the little girl. He hadn’t seen her in months. Megan claimed she was with her dad. But Tommy was concerned and called the Department of Children’s Services. Then, on 18 February, Evelyn was reported missing. Megan told police that she’d last seen her daughter in December 2019. They wasted no time in searching for her. But Megan kept changing her story. She first told police that Evelyn was with her father Ethan Perry. Then she told…

‘I don’t want to see a ghost, it’s the sight I fear the most, I’d rather eat a piece of toast’ In her 1998 hit single, Life, songstress Des’ree sounds like she’s hoping pesky poltergeists will be scared off by a slice of Hovis slathered in jam. You’d butter hope so, Des! ‘I am the eggman, they are the eggmen, I am the walrus, goo goo g’joob’ The Beatles set the standard for modern pop writing, but what’s the bizarre reference to eggmen and goo goos in 1967’s I Am The Walrus? John Lennon revealed the lines were inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. So we can all just let it be. ‘Slowly walking down the hall, faster than a cannonball’ Judging by the words to Champagne Supernova, released…

Wendy Turner-Webster, 58, London Looking at the cutest little kittens with big pleading eyes, I wondered how anyone could abandon them. ‘Heartless,’ I said to David, then 32, who was standing beside me. It was October 1984 and, aged 17, I was at a meeting about homeless cats. I’d always loved animals, and advocating for animal rights was a passion. David felt the same. ‘Fancy a drink?’ he asked. ‘OK,’ I agreed. A manager over at the local radio station, David Donahue was tall, dark and handsome. At 32, he was much older than me. Still, he showered me with compliments. ‘You’re so clever,’ he gushed as we chatted. For the next month, we met in secret. I worried my parents, Jean, then 54, and Brian, then 51, wouldn’t approve…

Could it be cancer? Q I’m a 38-year-old man and can feel a lump in my balls. I’ve never checked them before, so I don’t know how long it’s been there – it’s on my left ball and feels like a pea. Mark, Nottingham A It’s great you’re taking steps to look after your health. Finding a lump on your testicle can be worrying, but it’s important to stay calm. It could be testicular cancer, but it could also be something harmless, like a cyst or growth, especially if it’s small like a pea. Testicular lumps can come from different things, such as cysts, hydroceles (which are fluid build-ups), or varicoceles (enlarged veins that feel like a bag of worms). It’s best to see your doctor as soon as you…

10 SIMPLE STYLING TIPS 1 FAST FIX Upgrade your headboard for an easy refresh. Buy an inexpensive slipcover for the existing headboard or make one with a length of fabric. 2 RENEW ARTWORK Wall art can transform a bedroom. Buy plain canvases and acrylic paints to create your own custom designs. 3 SWAP TO SHEERS Heavyweight curtains can block light and make a bedroom feel gloomy. Lighten the mood with sheers or lightweight cotton panels. 4 PAINT A CANOPY Define the area around the bed with a painted canopy in a contrast colour. Make it slightly wider than the bed and extend roughly a third over the bed on the ceiling. 5 SWITCH LIGHTS Free up space by swapping bulky bedside lamps for wall-hung lights. Plug-in designs can be fixed…

When Tim Bradbury tucked his little girl Angela into bed each night, he’d kiss her on the forehead, wishing her a good night’s sleep. Born on 7 April 1992, Angela grew up on a farm in Nora Springs, near Mason City, Iowa. Her mum Bonnie lovingly took care of her when she was feeling ill – checking for a temperature by pressing a hand against her forehead. And she had a sister, Alyssa. The two girls shared their hopes and dreams for the future. Angela loved animals, especially her little Chihuahua, Batman. Her kind and caring nature was plain to see. She was a hugger, with a cheeky smile and a joyful giggle. Always rooting for the underdogs in society. All too soon, Angela was grown up. In April 2021,…

When the Fireflies Dance by Aisha Hassan (£20, HB, Orion) Inspired by a true story, this poignant tale follows Lalloo’s relentless pursuit to save his family from slavery and debt after his brother’s brutal murder in Lahore. Haunted by the past, his journey is a battle for survival. To break free from grief and guilt, Lalloo must confront his darkest memories, learning that love, sacrifice and redemption are intertwined in ways that will forever change his desires and his family’s fate. The Tenant by Freida McFadden (£9.99, PB, Sourcebooks) Danger is closer to home than you think. Life is treating Blake Porter well – he has a beautiful fiancee, a gorgeous new town house and a high-flying job. But when everything comes crashing down, Blake is left jobless and struggling…

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CODE CRACKER ANSWER: RAIN AND FOGGY DAYS FILL ME IN ANSWER: ULYSSES JUMBO PUZZLE ANSWER: MOUNT VESUVIUS THE BIG QUIZ ANSWER: GOLF WORDWISE Accent, acetic, ache, acne, actin, aitch, antic, cache, cachet, calcine, calcite, cancel, cane, cant, canticle, cantle, catch, ceil, cent, chain, chalet, chalice, chance, chancel, chant, chat, cheat, chela, chic, chicane, chicle, chile, chin, china, chine, chit, cinch, cite, clan, clean, cleat, clench, client, clinch, each, echt, enact, enatic, etch, ethic, ethical, ethnic, ethnical, hectic, inch, itch, lace, lactic, laic, lance, lancet, latch, leach, lech, lectin, lentic, letch, lichen, nice, niche, tach, tache, talc, teach, tech, technic, telic, tench, tich ANSWER: TECHNICAL LINKWORDS BARREL, SECOND, FELLOW, BUBBLE, PADDLE, BOTTOM, SINGER, MOTHER, TASTER, LITTER ANSWER: BERNADETTE CROSSWORD ANSWER: CROSS SWORDS CIRCLE TIME ANSWER: PESTO WORD JUMBLE ANSWER: DIESEL…

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Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares for the answer. CLUE: Argue with this puzzle setter, initially about bit of solution (5,6). EASY CLUES ACROSS 6 Porcelain (5) 7 Verge (8) 10 Rubbing out (7) 11 Comprehend (7) 12 Cooking area (7) 13 Occurs (7) 14 Endings (11) 19 Hurriedly (7) 21 Vent (7) 23 Sweet biscuits (7) 25 Profound (7) 26 Protection from rain (8) 27 Walk heavily (5) DOWN 1 Enormous (8) 2 Disappear (6) 3 In the beginning (10) 4 Reasonable (4) 5 Counsel (6) 6 Verifies (6) 8 Hair cleanser (7) 9 Intuit (5) 13 From the past (10) 15 Louder (7) 16 Biology and physics, for example (8) 17 Hit (5) 18 Tallied (6) 20 Tempestuous (6) 22…

GUILTY After a week-long trial, on 13 February 2025, the jury found Megan Boswell, 23, guilty on three first degree murder charges relating to the death of Evelyn. Megan cried in the courtroom as the verdicts were read out. She was also found guilty of aggravated child abuse, aggravated child neglect, abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, 11 counts of false reporting and failure to report a death under suspicious, unusual or unnatural circumstances. Before her sentencing, Megan’s mum Angela asked for leniency for her daughter. Said Megan was ‘kind’ and ‘generous’ and had ‘potential’. She added Megan was primarily raised by her grandparents and had frequently witnessed her parents’ drug use and fights. ‘I’ve learnt the importance of a mother’s role. But not for Megan, I didn’t. I failed…

Kelly Barnes, 39, Ards, Co Down As my partner Gareth, then 44, pulled me into his arms, I let the tears fall. ‘I can’t believe it’s happened again,’ I sobbed. Gareth was just as upset. Neither of us knew what to say. We just held each other in silence. It was early 2018, and a hospital doctor had just confirmed what we already knew. I’d had a miscarriage. My fourth in two years. Heartbroken was an understatement. Together for two years, Gareth and I were desperate to be parents. But it just didn’t seem to be happening for us. I was referred to the recurrent miscarriage clinic. My danger zone was between five and nine weeks but docs had no idea why. I was given progesterone to take if I…

Stacy Louise, 44, West Sussex The engine hummed gently as the car rumbled along the road. But the silence between me and my partner Andy, then 45, was deafening. It was November 2022, and I’d just had an MRI scan confirming the worst. I had a brain tumour. Now, driving home from the hospital, neither of us knew what to say. For more than a year I’d ignored the symptoms. Crippling headaches, blurry vision. By the time a lump had appeared on the left side of my head, I couldn’t even walk in a straight line any more. Andy had rushed me to the GP, who’d referred me to hospital. ‘It’s a large meningioma,’ the neurologist said after the scan. His words now echoing in my mind. With the tumour…

Sharon Owens, 52, North Yorkshire The comforting smell hit me as soon as I walked into my nana’s kitchen. Roast chicken and freshly baked pies. Delicious. And there was Nana bustling about in her pinny. ‘How was school?’ she asked, wrapping her arms around me. Nana Glenys, 67, was tiny, only 4ft 9in, but she had a huge heart. And I adored her. Three years earlier, when I was 9, my dad John – Nana’s son – had died of cancer, aged 41. Mum struggled to cope, so I’d moved in with Nana. Her three-bed terraced house was my sanctuary. We’d settle on the sofa, watching EastEnders and eating chocolate biscuits. I slept soundly in her bed at night, piled high with blankets. She taught me how to cook, clean…

Megan Street, 27, Solihull, West Midlands Placing a nice hot cuppa on the table, I sat down with Nanny Val, then 82, my boyfriend’s grandmother. ‘What was Harry like as a kid?’ I asked, sorting out jigsaw pieces. Nanny Val beamed. ‘He was my little man,’ she said. It was August 2020, and Harry, then 22, and I had met through a dating app three months earlier. As we’d done laps of the local park on our first date, in the middle of the Covid-19 lockdown, he’d told me all about Nanny Val. ‘She has dementia so can get confused,’ he’d told me. But it was clear he totally adored her, so I was chuffed to meet her at last. As we did the jigsaw, Harry and his mum Debbie,…