Innehållsförteckning för October 15, 2015 från Chat

Thank God for my husband Peter. He always knew what I needed. As I sat grief-stricken on the sofa, Peter, 54, leaned down and kissed me three times. 'It’ll be OK,’ he told me. So sweet. My stepdad David Brown, 70, had died three weeks earlier from a stroke, and today was his funeral. David had been like a father to me from the age of 3. I’d even called him Dad. His death had been a shock, and the other man in my life was helping me cope. Peter and I had been together for 26 years, married for 19. He was funny and outgoing, and we’d spend time playing bingo or going for drinks together. He really was my other half. We were so close, Peter even got…

Sore calves QI'm 5ft 2in and I've always worn high heels. Now, whenever I wear flats, my calves hurt. Why? Heather, 42 A Years of high heels have shortened your calf muscles and now, wearing flats stretches them. The damage might take months to reverse. Try gradually reducing the height of your heels, and do daily calf-stretching exercises. Red-handed QI have very red palms and my friend says they're a sign of liver damage. Now I'm worried! Mel, 39 Kids' bit! Wee problem Q My baby's willy is deformed! His wee-hole opens onto the underneath instead of at the tip. Does he need an op to put it right? Nuala, 34 A It's called hypospadias, and affects one in 300 boys. If his wee opening is only a little out…

Chat, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU chat_magazine @timeinc.com On Facebook at www.facebook.com/  ChatMagazine We pay £25 for each letter published, and a fiver for each Facebook thought, £25 if we use your Facebook photo on here. • All contributions to Chat must be original, not copies or duplicated to other editors. Subject to these conditions, payment as set out above will be paid for all rights in each letter printed. The Editor reserves the right to shorten or modify any letter or material submitted. Time Inc. (UK) Ltd reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Letters, Tips, Kids, and Chat to us! columns of Chat magazine, in any format or medium. We regret we cannot answer letters. We cannot take…

Little princess What a pretty fairy I found in the garden - she looks remarkably like my 3-year-old daughter Sienna! Annika Maughan, Gosport Planecrazy! You won’t find my daughter Evelyn, 3, crying on an aeroplane – she always finds a way to entertain herself! Kirsty Lodge, Wakefield That’s a good one! My little cousin Dylan, 1, is my main man – mostly because he laughs at all my jokes! Jake Johnson, Harold Hill Sunny smile Already a heartbreaker, here's my gorgeous son Connor, 3. Lisa Stuart, Carshalton IT’S A Chat BABY! Here's my little sweetie Sonny - he's only 5 weeks old, but he's already perfected the selfie pout… Donna McCann, Abridge, Essex (Chat designer and new mum!) Grub’s up! She refused to eat her own dinner, but my 9-month-old…

Packing the kitchen cupboards with biscuits, cakes, crisps and bags of sweets, I struggled to shut the door. My hubby Stuart, 47, and I had just done our weekly food shop. It wouldn’t take us long to get through this lot, though. Stuart and I were big eaters. And we had the bulging bellies to match! Sure, we knew we were on the larger side, but we were oblivious to how big we actually were. Tired from the food shop, neither of us felt like cooking. 'Takeaway,’ we agreed. An hour later, we’d scoffed a large pizza each, chips and garlic bread. Then we devoured a family-sized bar of chocolate, and washed the lot down with a bottle of full-fat cola. Takeaways and fast food weren’t occasional treats for us.…

Coronation Street On the fiddle! Ken buys Amy a violin and, despite the racket she makes on it, her family are encouraging. Plus one of the Platts breaks ranks and confides in Billy. And Hope has to have chemo, but there’s an 80 per cent chance that she’ll recover. EastEnders She needs cash – quick! Kathy builds bridges with Ben plus admits that Gavin has taken Phil hostage and she needs to get hold of some money fast. Meanwhile, Roxy becomes the manager at Blades, but she and Dean soon get into a row. Hollyoaks Unfair cop! Ashley dresses up as a copper, kidnaps Sienna and Nico, then locks them in a car and threatens to pour some petrol over them! Plus Nancy overhears John Paul and Harry talk about…

Ginger & Co Soft On You Comforting Body Butter, £3.99, Ocado Absorbs well and leaves skin smelling amazing. Top tip: Moisturise after bathing to prevent dryness. Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Body Cream, £5, Boots Made with natural coconut oil, this moisturises intensely. Top tip: Use twice a day to keep skin super-soft. Sanctuary Spa Air-Whipped Creme Souffle, £11, Boots Worth the extra money for its luxurious feel - a tub of this thick, indulgent cream lasts for ages. Top tip: Use before a night out to pamper your bod. Nature's Ingredients Mango Body Butter, £7, Marks & Spencer The fragrance alone is fabulous! Top tip: Don't forget your neck and chest when moisturising. Treaclemoon The Honeycomb Secret Body Butter, £3.99, Tesco Leaves skin feeling like silk from the very first…

It’s a website where savvy shoppers can earn money by getting cashback and using voucher codes and money-off coupons when they shop online. Once you’ve signed up at www.quidco.com, you’ll get your own Quidco account – then as you shop, your account will be topped up with real money, which you can choose to go directly into your own bank or PayPal account. HOW DOES CASHBACK WORK? Rather than going straight to a retailer, if you find a link to its website via Quidco, you’ll get cashback when you shop. One recent offer at Quidco was £100 cashback on an iPhone! TWICE AS NICE! There are also lots of voucher codes. But with Quidco, most of the voucher codes also come with cashback amounts on top, letting you save not…

There’s nothing better than having a moment to yourself at the end of a jam-packed day. And, for me, one of the things that I most like to do is to play a few games on Chat Mag Bingo. I’ll usually buy some tickets, and enjoy a few games. And, best of all, join my bingo friends in the chat rooms for a good old catch-up. I love a good natter. It probably comes from having four sisters! In fact, there are a lot of women in our family… I’ve two daughters, five close female cousins, my sisters and our lovely mum Patricia. Two of my sisters live abroad, but we make sure we get together when we can. And it’s always a giggle! Recently, we’d booked ourselves a spa…

Libra 24 Sep - 23 Oct Actions speak louder than words. If you want a certain someone to get the message about the way you feel - and, more importantly, if you want to make sure their interest isn’t taken by someone else - you’ll have to take command of the situation. But don’t hesitate or wait to be asked - just do it. • Call 0905 817 0696* for more Scorpio 24 Oct - 22 Nov If you watch snooker, you’ll notice that, before a key shot, the players walk around the table, looking at the ball from all angles, working out where it’ll go and what’ll happen next. You’re at that stage now. Time spent in preparation is never wasted - just don’t make a move until you’re…

This epic retro machine measures a whopping 4.41m tall and 1.06m deep. Standing taller than an African elephant, this is the world's largest arcade game, and took nearly two years to build. Jason Camberis, 44, from Chicago, builds and sells custom machines. He said, ‘I wanted to recreate the excitement I felt at arcades in my youth.' The machine runs 200 classic games, including PacMan. With giant buttons and a 16in glass track ball, players have to climb stairs to get to the controls. It's a tall order but we're game for a go!…

As I sang the words to If You re Happy And You Know It, my daughter Leilah Rachel, 15 months, clapped away excitedly. 'More,’ she gurgled when I stopped. Leilah loved singing along to nursery rhymes. Her favourite film was Frozen. When her big sisters Alexia, 8, and Kendra, 6, sang the words to Let It Go, Leilah would join in. 'Goooo,’ she’d screech at the top of her little lungs. Such a happy girl, she always made me smile. Then, in December last year, she had a chesty cough. Taking her to see our GP, he put it down to a virus and gave her medication. She seemed to get better in the coming weeks, was soon back to her giggly self. But, in January this year, when I…

THE STORY SO FAR... On 8 September 2013, Morgan Huxley's flatmate had come home after a night out to find Morgan's semi-naked body, punctured with 20 stab wounds to the neck, face and torso. The police launched a murder investigation. And then Daniel Kelsall came forward. He claimed Morgan had invited him over and, while the pair were undressing, an intruder had attacked… The case… STRANGERS INTHE NIGHT Daniel Kelsall looked around the courtroom through his steel-rimmed glasses. 'I was scared,’ he said, lowering his curly-haired head. Behind where he was sitting in the witness box, Daniel’s mum clutched his favourite Pokemon toy. It seemed impossible. No-one could believe it. Daniel, a boyish-looking 22-year-old, in court supported by his mum, was accused of murder. A violent, brutal and senseless murder.…

Boarding the cruise ship, me and my hubby Dennis, 69, couldn’t wait to set sail. It was our first-ever cruise, and we were looking forward to a relaxing holiday. But, on the second night of our trip in September 2012, there was a huge storm. 'You might need these,’ a crew member said, handing us some sick bags. The seas were really choppy, and the ship rocked. In bed that night, Dennis and I were thrown from side to side. I worried I’d wake up with terrible nausea. Remarkably, we both felt fine. And by next morning, we’d reached calmer waters. 'This is more like it,’ we grinned when we finally arrived in Norway. But, when we got home a week later, I noticed my head felt dizzy and light.…

Tesco Peanut Cookies, 200g, 89p Sweeter than the other biscuits in our tasting, and with a milder peanut flavour than the others - but only just. These are just the ticket with your cuppa at elevenses. Hellema Peanut Cookies, 200g, £1, Morrisons Despite there being loads of peanuts in these crispy biscuits, the flavour isn't overpowering. Sainsbury's Peanut Cookies, 200g, 85p Light and very crunchy, these were our favourites thanks to the toasty, full-on peanut flavour. Tyrrell's Tortillas, £2.19, Co-op Delicious chips in a hexagonal shape. Choose from Chilli With Chopped Jalapeno and Sour Cream With Poppy Seeds.…

Jumping into bed with Mum and Dad, I snuggled under the duvet happily. I loved our morning cuddles. My dad John would tickle me into fits of giggles. 'You’re my special princess,’ he’d smile. I’d always done it. Then one morning when I was 11, Mum got up to make the breakfast. Grabbing me playfully, Dad wrestled me under the duvet. 'Stop!’ I giggled, as he tickled me all over. Suddenly I felt his hands slip into my knickers and touch me. Although I was young, I knew it was wrong. I loved Dad more than anything, though, hoped it was just an accident. But I was wrong… After that, when he was tucking me in bed at night, he’d grope my thighs and bum. Maybe thats what daddies do,…

Secrets we keep Q At my nephew's wedding, his bride gushed how lovely he was despite his criminal past - as a teen, he had convictions! My kids grew up thinking their cousin was perfect because I always held him up as an example. How could my brother keep such a secret? I feel a fool, praising my nephew for years. Marice, 44 A Why? Your brother wouldn't want to holler his son's mistakes from the rooftops. He believed he'd come good - and he has. It really is his time to be praised. Ditto your brother, who's shown him the way to overcome a troubled past. So don't fall out. You care deeply for him. That’s his first step to seeing he’s worthy of love... He was beaten by…

Ican’t stop raving about the fantastic cashback I’ve pocketed by shopping through Quidco. From mobile phones to maternity wear, there are bargains to be had on so many items. As I’ve been on maternity leave, I’ve had lots of time to bargain hunt. It’s certainly paid off! In fact, just by continuing to shop with Quidco, I’ve actually pocketed £1,300, and that figure is rising! One of my mum’s favourite sayings is, 'Every little counts.’ With Quidco, a little can turn into a lot really fast. Want to know how? It’s easy! Last Christmas, I splashed out on clothes from Banana Republic for my mum and mother-in-law. Well, I say 'splashed out’ – more like spent and scooped back, as I got £60 cashback! Then I got £175 just for…

How I lost it! 've been on a diet for I over 20 years! If I added up the weight I've lost over time , it'd probably be about three of me! Diets? I've done 'em all. In fact, after following one in particular , where I ate eight yogurts a day, I still can't look at a strawberry yogurt! A seasonal dieter , I'd lose weight to go on holiday , put it back on when I was away , then start again when I book ed my next hol. But I knew enough was enough when I weighed almost 15st. A size-20 was too small and my tum was touching the steering wheel of my car! So I rejoined Scottish Slimmers in 2010 , started eating healthily and…

When artist Bill Stoneham found an old photo of himself as a 5-year-old boy, taken 20 years before, he decided to use it as inspiration for his next painting. The photo was taken during an unhappy time… His parents were struggling financially and they’d had to move into Bill’s grandmother’s tiny apartment in Chicago. 'The place was so small,’ recalled Bill. 'I had to sleep on a mat in a closet filled with dresses, coats and hats.’ Now, married and living in California, the sad little boy looking back at him from the old photo became the basis of Bill’s next project. It was 1972 and Bill was being paid to paint two pieces of art every month for gallery owner Charles Feingarten. He decided to call his latest work…

Angela Johnson, 31, and her boyfriend, from London, took a weekend break... My fella Stephen’s never been further north than Birmingham. Easily fixed! So we packed up the car and went to explore this beautiful county. Where to stay? Winding country lanes led us to Matfen Hall Hotel and Spa – a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Set in sprawling 300-acre grounds, the scenery was breathtaking. And the rooms were pretty impressive, too – ours had a four-poster bed! What to do? After checking in, Stephen perused the various golf packages available. But my attention was drawn to the Aqua Vitae Spa! After a dip in the pool and relaxing in the whirlpool, I left Stephen to his own devices while I indulged in a…

My grandma Annie always knitted at home, watching TV. Then 7, I was fascinated as she taught me how. Soon, I was whipping up scarves, jumpers. Sadly, Gran has since passed away, but I’ve carried on having a ball knitting. Meeting my partner Matthew, now 54, in 1984, he was amused by my hobby. We’d two boys, Joe, now 15, and Sidney, 13. I loved knitting clothes for my tiny models! But I always down my tools for the Eurovision Song Contest! Since 1987, we’ve hosted a themed party. And, in November 2011, I’d an idea… I’d knit a dress with every flag from Eurovision! I did them alphabetically, starting with Albania. 'What do you think?’ I asked Matthew. 'Nil points!’ he joked. My ensemble came together over three months.…

THE STORY n 1991, a man wearing I a Santa outfit robbed his local bank. He’d been desperate for money to feed his drug addiction. But a bank clerk recognised him as a local, Sture Bergwall, 41. Bergwall was arrested, deemed mentally unstable and held in a psychiatric hospital for treatment. But Bergwall craved attention. 'I was in a place with violent criminals and I noticed that the worse or more violent or serious the crime, the more interest someone got from the psychiatric personnel,’ he later said. In hospital, Bergwall was heavily medicated and, during a session with a therapist in 1992 he asked what they’d say if he 'had done something really bad’. With that, Bergwall confessed to murdering Johan Asplund, whose death was one of the greatest…

Finishing off the huge bowl of curry, I let out a sigh. 'Well I am eating for two,’ I chuckled to my fiance David, 30. It was this July and, at seven months pregnant, I was fit to burst. Still, that didn’t stop me from being constantly on the go. Mum to 2-year-old Elijah and Amelia, 1, my life was a juggling act of bathtime, feeds and nappy changes. Plus we had three beloved huskies, one of which, Akira, had just had seven puppies. 'You get your rest, I’ll be on pup duty tonight,’ David smiled, clearing the table. Like newborns, one of us had to be on hand to feed and look after the litter in the early hours. While David kipped on the sofa for the night, I…

Growing up, I always knew exactly what I wanted to be – a mum. So, when I got married at 18, in March 2004, I’d hoped a baby would soon follow. Two years later, though, my marriage broke down and I worried it’d never happen. But shortly after, I met someone new. 'I want a baby,’ I told him early on. Luckily he felt the same way. But years on, we still hadn’t conceived. 'Give it time, it’ll happen,’ my mum Christine, 63, said. Though soon I noticed my periods weren’t regular. My GP referred me for tests. Then… 'You’ve got polycystic ovaries,’ a doctor confirmed. I had so many cysts on my ovaries, they weren’t producing eggs. Doctors put me on a fertility drug, which helps to stimulate ovulation.…

Open up! On a trip to Australia, I noticed that all the public toilets had automatic doors. Great idea. What's the use of washing your hands, then using the door handle, when I see others who don't wash their hands reaching for the same handle? That's how germs spread! It's time Britain followed Australia's lead. What do other Chat readers think? Genna Burton, Corwen n response to Irene Cox’s I Gotta roll with it… letter (We hear you!, 13 August issue) about vintage kitchen items, I’m pleased to report that my rolling pin is over 100 years old! It’s made of wood and is used regularly. Oh, and my ironing board is coming up to 50 years old! Kath Peel, Southport It’s a fair cop! When I asked my son…

Settling on the sofa with my laptop, I logged into my e-mails. My face lit up when I saw a message from my friend Karen Baksi, 63. We’d been mates for 52 years. But, with her in Toronto, Canada and me in Nottingham, there were nearly 3,500 miles between us! The distance meant we’d never met. Not once in more than half a century! Instead, our friendship had developed through letters and e-mails. See, when I was 11, my schoolteacher paired my class with a school in Canada. Karen, then 12, and I were matched due to our love of sport. It ll be smashing writing to you, I wrote to Karen. A few weeks later, I received a reply. We have so much in common, she agreed. We clicked,…

Serves: 12Prep: 15 minCook: 40 min Butter for greasing175g plain flour2tsp baking powder75g ground almonds175g caster sugar150ml natural set yogurt75ml corn oil3 medium eggs½tsp lemon extract25g poppy seeds75g white cooking chocolate150g fresh berries 1 Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4, and grease and baseline a 3lb loaf tin. 2 In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, ground almonds and sugar, and in a jug, beat together yogurt, corn oil, eggs and lemon extract. 3 Whisk wet ingredients into dry until smooth, and then stir in poppy seeds. 4 Pour into tin and bake for 40 min until risen and firm. Leave to cool in tin for a few min, then transfer to a cooling rack. 5 Melt chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan of water. Decorate cake with…

The police prepare to do a reconstruction of the night Robert was shot – but when Adam looks through the video that he made for baby Johnny, he’s horrified to see footage that incriminates Aaron… Later he shows Aaron the film of him hiding the gun and asks him straight out if he shot Robert… Whatever Aaron’s answer, the cat’s well and truly among the pigeons when Victoria uploads the video to the Internet, blissfully ignorant of what she’s about to expose. And before long, the police turn up and Aaron gets arrested. Elsewhere, Jai’s putting his life at risk as he continues with his cocaine habit and gets Kirin involved, too. The police stop them with a bag of coke on board and Jai offers Kirin money to take…

• Quidco has a great price-comparison tool - Quidco Compare. It found me the cheapest car insurance this year. We saved £500 on our renewal price and got paid £35 cashback on top of that! • Join Quidco on Facebook for updates - and get tipped off about bargains and deals. I got paid £150 when I changed broadband supplier - which now only costs me £15 a month! • Put the Quidco app on your phone so you can use it when you're out and about. You can show staff money-off deals on your phone, and use the app to unlock additional cash amounts. These are available when purchasing with a debit or credit card registered on your Quidco account.…

Swap…4tbsp potato salad…270 cal For…half jacket potato with dollop of salsa…160 cal SAVES 110 CAL! Diet bites It’s yummy! Itsu Thai Yum Yum Crystal Noodle Cup, £2, Tesco, Sainsbury's Gluten-free, crystal clear noodles and a fresh broth, made with ginger, coriander, chilli, lemongrass and lime leaves. And just 136 cal! Get going! This Girl Can T-shirt, £16, 6-22, Marks & Spencer Perfect for any exercise, 8 per cent of its price goes to Sport England, to fund projects that help women become more active. £50  What worked for you? I'll pay a full-fat £50 if I use your weight-loss story. Write to me, enclosing before and after pictures at: Losing It, Chat, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU, or e-mail me: christine.parsons@timeinc.com Not all diets, products or…

This was kept in Sean Robinson's grandmother's attic for 25 years before he inherited it. She'd always said the painting was evil. She claimed the artist had used his own blood mixed with the paint, then killed himself. She insisted she'd heard voices and crying when the painting was displayed, and that she'd seen a shadowy figure in her house, so she locked it away. When Robinson took the painting home, he and his wife also heard crying and saw a shadowy figure. His wife even felt someone stroke her hair. Robinson set up a camera. His YouTube videos show slamming doors, smoke, and the painting falling from a wall for no reason. He put the painting in his basement but won't sell it.…

1 Preheat oven 180C/Gas 4. 2 Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish over a high heat, add 500g diced turkey thigh and cook until brown and juices run clear. Remove from pan, set aside. 3 Pour 1tbsp olive oil in pan, add 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped cloves of garlic and ½ sliced courgette and cook until onion is soft. 4 Add 1tsp lemon zest and cook for 30 sec, then stir in 250g Arborio rice, 600ml chicken stock (use a cube), 100ml white wine (or use more stock) and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. 5 Cover and bake for 10 min, then stir in turkey and 100g asparagus cut into short lengths, re-cover and bake for another 10 min. 6 Remove from oven, stir…