Innehållsförteckning för 30-Jun-2016 från Pick Me Up!

7 That’s the number of times I’ve gone through literally every drawer in the house in the past two days, hunting for some special greetings cards I stashed away somewhere. Gonna have to accept they may be reaching their recipients once the moment has well and truly passed! What A Flashback! Woolies, C&A… the high street used to look so different. Check out my post on nostalgic shops we used to love by visiting lifedeathprizes.com and searching ‘high street’. What A Good Idea! The sun came out, giving us the perfect excuse for the first Aperol Spritz of the season! Cheers! What A Throwback! It was doubly emotional for me this week when my daughter finally left high school – the same one I left 35 years ago! The words…

‘He told me it was my fault he was violent’ ‘I had a dislocated knee, broken ribs and bruising’ Darryl Moore flashed his trademark cheeky grin. ‘You’re going to be my girlfriend. Just wait and see,’ he said. I couldn’t help blushing. Darryl was a customer in the pub that my mum Suzanne ran. I was just 16 and had never had a serious boyfriend before. But I just couldn’t help falling for Darryl. He was four years older than me, and he had a good job as a wind-turbine engineer. Every day, he’d come to the pub after work and say the same thing. He was so sure of himself. And I had to admit, I was flattered. When we finally started dating, I felt like the luckiest girl…

Sun’s Out! Stock up on the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Sunscreen at www.beautynaturals.com before the end of August to bag it for just £6.40 (normally £7.50), and receive free delivery! It’s water-resistent so great for holidays. Treat Time Being on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself! There’s 25% off the whole Atkins range at Asda until 29 June – including this delicious Crispy Milk Chocolate bar! In A Pickle? Snap up 720g jars of Branston Original and Small Chunk Pickle for just £2 (normally £2.30) at Asda until 13 July. You can’t go wrong! Sweet Music This stylish Aether Cone wifi and Bluetooth speaker system can be used to play music from your phone, tablet, laptop and more, and is available for £49.98 (normally £300) at laptopsdirect.co.uk while stocks…

‘The device would provide sound signals to his brain’ To say my partner Daniel, 38, and I were overjoyed when our baby boy was born on 17 October 2010 would be an understatement. ‘Nice to meet you, Bobby,’ I grinned, holding him. But our joy didn’t last long. ‘Bobby’s suffering from profound hearing loss,’ said the doctor, after Bobby failed all his newborn hearing tests at 5 weeks old. She explained that the profoundly deaf can barely hear any sound, and that the cause was unclear. I was distraught, worried that poor Bobby’s condition would limit him in his future. The first step was trying to fit him with a hearing aid, but, after several test runs, it was clear they weren’t working for him. We’d done some research and…

It was 2 March 2014, and I was two days overdue when I finally went into labour. But, as soon as he was born, our baby boy Oakley was whisked away to the Neonatal Unit as his heart rate struggled to remain stable. We were told his oxygen and blood-glucose levels were dangerously low. ‘Could it be diabetes?’ I asked. ‘It runs in the family, and in my partner’s.’ But that wasn’t it. Three days later, Oakley was diagnosed with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI). ‘What’s that?’ my partner Craig, 31, asked. The condition isn’t very well known, and we’d never heard of it. Normally, the amount of insulin released depends on the level of glucose, but CHI refers to an excessive, unregulated secretion of insulin that causes the levels to become…

Chocolate Cheesecake Serves: 16 Prep Time: 50 min Cook Time: 1 hr Chill Time: 3 hr Filling: To decorate: 1 Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4 and grease and base line a deep, 20cm diameter spring-form cake tin. Double wrap outside of tin with foil to make it waterproof. 2 Mix biscuits with cocoa powder, sugar and melted butter, and press into base of tin. Put in fridge to chill. 3 Mix cream cheese, cream and vanilla together, stir in melted chocolate and beat in eggs and sugar. Spoon into tin and smooth top. 4 Stand cake tin in a roasting tray and pour in boiling water to halfway up side of tin. Bake for 1hr until…

USA: 'TIL DEATH... In 1979, Dorothy Stratten’s career was booming. A Playboy model, that August she was the magazine’s Playmate Of The Month. Her husband Paul Snider believed he was the reason for his wife’s fame and success. He’d met Dorothy when she was 17 and working in a local Dairy Queen in Vancouver. He’d hired a photographer to take nude photos of her, before sending them to Playboy. But, as Dorothy’s fame rose, Snider desperately tried to keep up. Hugh Hefner reportedly told her to sever ties with her husband, calling him a ‘hustler’ and a ‘pimp’. Dorothy’s fame continued to rise when she was cast in a film starring Audrey Hepburn, called They All Laughed. And, while filming in New York, she fell for the director Peter Bogdanovich.…

Try this…. Ryvita Caramelised Onion Thins, £1.89, Ocado Perfect for snacking, munching, dipping and dunking, with a hint of sweetness, a deliciously light onion flavour, and only 27 cal – they’re guilt-free! Body Lab 14 Day Jumpstart Kit, £22.99, Superdrug We can’t promise J-Lo’s body, but this three-step Cleanse, Metabolise and Replenish kit might help you get fit and lean. Take 3… Coffees Large white Americano… 50 cal Large cappuccino made with skimmed milk… 116cal Large latte made with whole milk…309 kcal Flattering Fashion Jump to it in floral jogging-style trousers – they’re cool, comfy, casual and available in sizes 18-32. Get Moving! We’re not surprised that Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Clifton works out daily. Proving you don’t need special equipment or a gym membership to do it, her fitness…

"Calories started to rule my life. I was like an addict" My body felt healthier. My skin started to glow Perfect strangers. Funny, but I’d never really thought about what that means before. But here she was, the girl who was to become my perfect stranger. About my age, she was pretty, smiling. ‘I’d really like you to read this,’ she said, pressing a folded bit of paper into my hand. It was a Saturday afternoon in a busy supermarket back in summer 2014. My mum Carole and I had popped in for a few bits. And the stranger had approached me at the checkout. ‘Erm, thanks?’ I replied, confused. She smiled, then turned and walked away. Once Mum’d paid, we made our way across the car park. I unfolded…

I was eight weeks pregnant. My partner Chris, 29, and I couldn’t wait to be parents. But I’d had one miscarriage, and now, in April this year, I had spotting again. ‘I need to go to hospital,’ I told Chris, trying not to panic. At Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, I had a scan. ‘It’s ectopic,’ the doctor said, explaining that the egg had implanted in a fallopian tube, and that it was life-threatening. The tube – my left – needed removing straightaway. Once again, I wasn’t going to be a mum. Not this time. I was in surgery for four hours, discharged the next day, feeling rotten. Low and anxious, I was grieving our baby, too. And I was off from my job as a mental-health charity support worker.…

Try not to laugh at these fun facts from classic British comedy Only Fools and Horses... David Jason was not the producers’ first choice to play Del Boy. Jim Broadbent was originally asked. Although set in Peckham, south London, the majority of the filming took place in and around Bristol. Elizabeth Hurley auditioned for the part of Rodney’s girlfriend Cassandra. But she was turned down for the role, as it was thought she was too 'model-like’. Over a dozen Reliant Regals (the three-wheeled vans) were used during the series. How Much Do You Know About Made In Chelsea? 1 What year did Made In Chelsea first air? 2 Which of Millie’s friends does Hugo cheat on her with? 3 Who is Spencer dating in the first-ever episode of MIC? 4…

1 Swap your bulbs Switch your light bulbs for CFLs or LEDs. CFLs cost more but will save you £3 a year. LEDs can last up to 20 years! Swapping all your bulbs will cost you about £100 but could save you about £35 a year. 2 Turn off lights The average home spends about £100 a year on lighting, but switch it off every time you leave the room and you could save up to £15 a year. 3 Switch off plugs  It can cost 2p for every appliance left plugged in on standby overnight. You only need to leave the fridge and freezer on all the time. 4 Wash at night…  but only if you’re on the Economy 7 tariff, which gives you cheaper power at night. You…

Breast pain QI get breast pain all the time. It’s worse around my period, but I’m on the Pill. I don’t want to keep taking painkillers. What else can I do? Sue, Aberystwyth A Breast pain is very common. It’s mostly caused by changes in hormone levels, but can be aggravated by some hormonal contraception, so consider changing your Pill. Fungal patch Q My child has had a fungal patch on her scalp for a while, but recently it’s grown and become tender. The doctor gave her antifungal cream but it didn’t help. Why? Claire, Sheffield A It sounds like the infection has a bacterial element as well. It’ll need antibiotics, not creams, to treat it, so she should see her GP again. Prostate drug Q My husband takes goserelin…

As a boy, Williams was smart, took part in Maths contests It was 31 January 2013... A day just like any other as assistant district attorney Mark Hasse, 57, walked to his car near Kaufman County Court, Texas. Without warning, a masked assailant approached Mark and shoved him. The perpetrator shot Mark several times, even standing over his body after he’d been hit. Then the gunman fled in a waiting car. Mark Hasse’s death shocked the community. A major manhunt began and it was suggested the Aryan Brotherhood - a high-profile, white supremacist gang - might have killed Mark. District attorney Michael McLelland had strong words for whoever killed his colleague. ‘We’re going to find you, we’re going to pull you out of whatever hole you’re in and we’re going…

1 Co-Op Loved By Us 4 Vegetable Samosas, 200g, £1.49 Lots of spicy, cumin-flavoured filling, with a good kick of heat. These are delicious served with a sweet-chilli dipping sauce. 2 Sainsbury’s Indian 4 Vegetable Samosas, 200g, £2 Chunky carrot, potato and peas, and not overly spicy. These are a great extra with an Indian meal – or on their own for lunch. 3 Tesco Indian Kitchen 4 Vegetable Samosas, 278g, £1.50 We loved these generously sized flaky pastries with their spicy, very juicy veg filling. Just delicious! Make it yourself... Serves: 12 Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 10 min 1 Preheat oven to 200C/ Gas 6. Heat oil in a pan and fry potato, carrot and onion for 8-10…

Whiskey Wedge, £14.99, www.root7.com If you like your spirits ice-cold, then invest in one of these! Fill the mould with water, then pop in the freezer to enjoy your drink with a perfect triangle of ice! Laser Keyboard, £99.95, www.prezzybox.com This is so high tech – our Jess didn’t believe it was real! The portable projector connects to your phone via a USB connector or Bluetooth and lets you type on the go without having to lug around an actual keyboard. Anti-AGin Gin, £34.99, drinksupermarket.com Ageing is probably the last thing you think about when sipping a gin and tonic. But this new gin is distilled with collagen and anti-ageing botanicals to help keep your skin looking young.…

Karen Chambers, 47, West Wickham When I signed up to Pick Me Up! Bingo, it wasn’t just the games I loved - it was having a natter in the chatrooms, too! My fave games were the 75-ball bingo games, and I enjoyed a few games in the Take Me Out room, too. Last year, my friend announced she was getting married. ‘Hen do!’ I beamed, excited. Over the next few months, I began looking at outfits for the wedding. But there was nothing in the shops that took my fancy. Then, in February this year, I decided to have a few games of bingo before bed. I won a small amount in the Take Me Out room. Then I played a couple of games in SpeedBingo. But, as the game…

"A crowd had gathered, and Mark dropped to one knee" At 18, I met Mark Murphy, then 17, hanging out in town with pals. Deaf, he was at a special boarding school in Brighton, but had aids to help with his hearing and speech. Chatting and lipreading, we became fast friends. But, in time, I moved away and we lost touch. I married in 2004, worked in admin, but never had kids. Separated from my husband, I was back in Dartford in April 2013, seeing my GP. As I drove along, a bloke stepped into the road and I had to swerve to avoid him. Looking closely, I realised it was Mark. I’d not seen him in nearly 20 years! Still, I had to get to the doctor’s... But then,…

‘He’d kiss away my tears, then put his lips all over my body’ I was only 6 when it happened. Too young to really know what was going on... My mum Dot had died from cervical cancer. She was in her early 40s, far too young. Me and my brothers, then 11 and 15, missed her terribly. Every night, I’d have nightmares and wake up crying. ‘It’s OK,’ Dad would tell me, carrying me to his bed for a cuddle. He’d kiss away my tears then hold me until I fell asleep. But it was during a cuddle that horrible things started happening. Dad’s hands would wander down my legs and over my bum. I was too young to know it was wrong and soon his cuddles became even more…

1 Jump around  Turn jumper s inside-out before putting them in – stops ‘pilling’. Florrie Harvey, Stoke-on-Trent 2 Deep clean  Occasionally clean y our washing machine by putting in an old towel with cheap washing powder and running the hottest cycle. Angela Garvin, R omford 3 Save smalls  Protect your delicates by popping them inside a pillowcase before washing. Judy Iles, Bristol 4 Fresh scent  Get rid of any mildew smell in your machine by putting bleach in the powder drawer and running (empty!) on a hot cycle. Kate Richardson, Exeter…

‘Our baby could die. Back home, I broke down, sobbing’ ‘Today, it’s hard to believe how far Maisie’s come’ Me and my fiance Joe Tobin, 28, quickly came crashing back to reality. ‘There’s something not quite right here,’ the sonographer frowned. It was February last year, I was 12 weeks pregnant, and we were at our first scan. We’d been so excited. Now our little bubble had just been burst. The sonographer thought there was an abnormality with our baby’s tummy - couldn’t tell us any more, though. Instead, we had to be referred to Conquest Hospital, Hastings, for another scan, days later. Joe and I drove home in silence. Was our baby sick? Had we lost him or her? At the next scan, we finally had some answers... ‘Your…

Mumps 1 Mumps is a bacterial infection. 2 There is no cure for mumps. 3 The illness is not contagious. 4 Mumps affects the parotid glands. 1 FALSE Mumps is a viral infection spread through infected saliva drops inhaled through the mouth or nose, as with a cold or flu. 2 TRUE While it can be prevented with the MMR vaccine, mumps doesn’t respond to antibiotics. The infection should pass after a week or two, but it’s treatable with painkillers, fluids and rest. 3 FALSE Mumps is highly contagious, and sufferers should stay away from work or school for at least five days after the symptoms first develop, and wash their hands regularly. 4 TRUE The stand-out symptom is painful swelling of the glands that make saliva, found just below…

‘The American Airlines check-in desk was closed…’ Viva Las Vegas! Except, for us, it was more like au revoir... ‘I’m sorry,’ the airline official said. ‘There’s nothing we can do.’ So I stuffed the flight details back into my bag. Along with my dreams. It was March this year. My boyfriend Ben and I were at Birmingham Airport for our flight to Las Vegas. It was his 30th-birthday treat. I’d arranged a party, where I’d made the announcement... ‘Ben,’ I’d said. ‘You mean everything to me. So, to celebrate your big 3-0, I’m taking you to Vegas!’ Everyone cheered. ‘That’s immense! Thanks so much!’ Ben’d said, thrilled. I’d bought a holiday package - five nights, flying from Birmingham. It’d set me back £1,200, but Ben had always wanted to go.…

There’s No Pleasing Some People! The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, Italy: 'Not even straight…the tower is wonky.’ The Statue of Liberty, USA: 'It’s just a statue.’ The Pyramids Of Giza, Egypt: 'It’s boring, it’s blocks on top of blocks… The one good thing about the Sphinx is it’s right next to McDonald’s…’ The Eiffel Tower, France: 'When you got to the top, you couldn’t see the Eiffel Tower in the view. Terrible experience.’ The London Eye, UK: 'Worse than tooth extraction or eating a raw onion…’ Check out these hilarious TripAdvisor reviews! Mad As A Hatter… Historically, many hatmakers suffered mental instability and tremors from working with mercury – the toxic element used in felt production. That’s why the Mad Hatter was, well…mad! FEELING FRUITY?   Fun facts about the…

TRIED & TESTED This week: Sun protect lip balms 1 Solero Lip Protection Stick, £3, Lloyds Pharmacy A brilliant product for the price, I was impressed that this protects against UVA and UVB rays, as well as having a high SPF 50. It helps to heal chapped lips, too! 2 Ultrasun Lip Protection, £6, Marks & Spencer I used this when on holiday in Thailand last year, and loved how soft it left my lips (and the fact it didn’t melt in the tube!) even after long days out in the heat! 3 Nivea Sun Protect Lip Balm, £3, Tesco This felt really creamy and nourishing on my lips, with a lovely summer fragrance. I like that it’s also waterproof, as well as being SPF 30, so I don’t have…

"Her right leg was swollen due to lots of tiny tumours" "She loves the attention, and has become a celeb!" My daughter Tia, then 7, came running home in floods of tears after school. ‘They called me “Fat leg!” again!’ she cried. I hugged her tight. Tia was born with a genetic condition, neurofibromatosis type 1. Symptoms vary, but it meant that she’d developed soft, noncancerous tumours under the skin, known as neurofibromas. ‘There’s a risk they’ll become malignant,’ the doctor had said. At 14 months, an X-ray revealed that Tia’s right leg was bigger than her left, swollen due to lots of tiny tumours. ‘She’ll need an amputation one day,’ the doctor at Royal Gwent Hospital warned. Back then, I was horrified. ‘Surely the solution’s not that drastic?’ I…

"I’d have never believed it could happen to me!" My Amazing £13,480 Win! It all started on an ordinary Friday night at home for Kayleigh… Kayleigh Bennett, 29, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham You know how it is when you’ve got kids. The most exciting thing that could happen to you of an evening is a bag of crisps in front of Coronation Street. I liked it like that. Me, the kids and my husband, Richard, 34... All together, safe and sound. It hadn’t always been that way -Richard had been a soldier. Over the years, he’d been to places like Afghanistan. Then, at the end of last year, he’d left the Army. So he was back at home with me and our two kids, aged 7 and 4. Game time…

My Border collie-kelpie cross was an 8-week-old pup when we got her. At 14, I didn’t know just how special she was. That was, until the next year, 2011, when I fainted and hit my head on a kerb... TurnedoutI’d fractured my skull in three places, leaving me with frequent fainting episodes. I’m still having tests to try to find out why. But, ever since, whenever I faint, Ruby lies beside me, reassuring me as I recover. Two years ago, I enrolled her as a volunteer therapy dog, visiting over 100 nursing-home residents a week. Then, early last year, as part of my degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, an animal-training project was launched. ‘I know! I’ll teach you how to paint!’ I declared to Ruby. So I showed her…

‘If Gary was going to be a keeper, Gran had to like him’ ‘We cut into a joint wedding and birthday cake!’ It was a warm Friday night in June, and me and my best mate Kirsty headed down to our local pub for a girly night out. It’d been ages since we’d had a proper catch-up. ‘What do you want to drink, babe?’ I asked Kirsty as we stood at the bar. Before she could reply, a group of guys came over and started chatting us up. ‘Sorry, it’s girls’ night,’ I said with a smile, trying my best to put them off. But one of them caught my eye - and not just because he was so tall. Instant attraction As I ordered our drinks, he appeared at…

CANCER 22 June–23 July Facing problems getting what you want? Then think about going around what isn’t working, rather than through it. You’ve got more support and help, as you’d discover for yourself if you asked instead of struggling through. Call: 09058 170 713* LEO 24 July–23 Aug Love can be found from someone you’d never viewed from such an angle before. You’ve been looking at life with blinkers on lately, but all that’s set to change with events, which are forecast to take place from Tuesday onwards… Call: 09058 170 714* VIRGO 24 Aug–23 Sept You’ve come to rely on a certain person more than you thought you would. Isn’t it funny how quickly life can change, Virgo? You’ve come a long way and had to grow up a…