Innehållsförteckning för 04-May-2017 från Pick Me Up!

What A Week! Emmie Harrison, Features Writer What A Treat! I’m off to Copenhagen, Denmark, this month – home to the world’s best cinnamon buns. Here’s me getting some practice in! What A Splash! I’ve been watching this video of puppies learning to swim on repeat. I promise it’ll be the best thing you see all week. See www.lifedeathprizes.com/ pups-learnto- swim 5,000 …that’s how many miles the Earth will travel in the five minutes it takes to read this page! Phew! What A View! I felt like a million dollars when I had a cocktail on a rooftop bar this month as a treat. It was tasty, but my purse wasn’t too happy..! £25! WIN PUZZLE 1 Can you unscramble this eight-letter word to reveal a spice that Emmie finds…

Tina Tappenden, 23, Canterbury Staring at the positive pregnancy test, I felt a rush of emotions. In shock, I told my mum Corrina, 49, first. ‘Everything’ll be OK,’ she promised, hugging me. It was July 2015, and I was just 21 when I realised I’d missed my period. My boyfriend was shocked, too, but, once the news sank in, I started to get excited – planning the future, picking names. Ava, if it’s a girl,’ I told my family. I’d always loved that name. Only, a few weeks into my pregnancy, I noticed I was getting forgetful. I’d forget what I’d had for lunch, which way I drove home from work. It’s baby brain,’ my sister Stacey, 25, teased. I thought so, too. But I was also struggling to sleep,…

Tracy Webster- Walsh, 50, Burnley As I looked out of the window, I watched the raindrops bouncing off the pavement. The weather was rotten. I called upstairs to my daughter Shaunha. ‘I’d cancel your plans to go out tonight if I were you,’ I said. ‘You’ll get soaked.’ But Shaunha, 17, was a typical teenager and she couldn’t wait to meet up with her friends. ‘I’ll be fine, Mum,’ she said. Later that afternoon, on Boxing Day 2015, I dropped her off at her friend Sophie’s house. The plan was for them to do some shopping and then go for a couple of drinks. Shaunha was staying over at Sophie’s. ‘See you tomorrow,’ I smiled as I kissed her goodbye. ‘And be careful.’ That evening, my partner Michael and I…

Amena Henry, 34, London I was 18 when I found two lumps in my right armpit. They were as big as pennies and very tender. Actually, I was in agony. My GP said it was down to how I’d been shaving. But the lumps didn’t go and I got used to living in pain. But two years on, I’d had enough and went to A&E at Central Middlesex Hospital. ‘This looks like hidradenitis suppurativa,’ said the doctor. I’d never even heard of it. I was referred to a specialist who confirmed it. ‘But what is it?’ I asked. The doctor explained that hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an incurable, long-term skin condition that causes boillike lumps to appear, mostly around the sweat glands. Though I was relieved to know what I…

Peanut Butter & Strawberry Jam Cake Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 65 min □ 240g plain flour □ ½tsp baking powder □ ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda □ 1tsp salt □ 25g crunchy peanut butter □ 50g butter □ 170g caster sugar □ 60g dark brown sugar □ 3 large eggs □ 100ml milk □ 1tsp vanilla extract □ 140g strawberry jam 1 Pre-heat oven to 180C/ Gas 4, and grease and line the base and sides of a loaf tin with baking paper. 2 Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a mixing bowl. 3 Put peanut butter, butter and sugars into a food processor. Whiz until blended, then add eggs, one at a time, blending as you go. Add half flour mixture and…

Lisa Kelly, 50, Wirral My daughter Becky flicked the light switch seven times before throwing me a worried glance. ‘My OCD,’ she said to me. ‘I know, love,’ I replied. ‘Don’t worry.’ Becky had never been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder. But she had lots of strange little traits. Recently, her behaviour had changed, too. She’d once been happygo- lucky. But in her late teens, she’d become moody and rebellious. Normal for lots of teens, but with Becky it was cause for concern. When she was 3, I’d split from her dad Mark when he’d turned obsessive and angry. Later, he was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. Doctors explained that Huntington’s attacks the central nervous system, causing symptoms that include mood swings, personality changes, memory problems and loss of muscle control.…

TRIED & TESTED This week: Dry Shampoo 1 Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo in Aussome Volume, £4.49, Superdrug As a brunette, I’m always chuffed to find a dry shampoo that doesn’t give me grey hair! I used this three days after washing to add a little extra oomph to limp tresses and greasy roots. 2 Batiste 2-in-1 Invisible Dry Shampoo & Conditioner, £4.49, Boots This works as a conditioner as well as a shampoo. I sprayed it over the length of my hair to nourish it, after freshening my roots. I’m a sucker for a sweet scent, too, and this had me swishing my hair all day! 3 Umberto Giannini Glam Cheat Volumising Shampoo, £6, Boots What I loved most about this is how it didn’t leave my hair feeling sticky…

WIN PUZZLE 9 How this special puzzle works: If your entry is first out of the hat, you win £25 for every correct answer, and if you’ve correctly completed the lot, we’ll make the winning total up to £1,000! Fill in the coupon overleaf and send the whole page to enter. ACROSS 7 US term for cos lettuce (7) 8 Member of embassy, or document case (7) 9 Slowly become known (4,3) 10 Medieval chemistry (7) 12 Lower floor of house (10) 13 Shoe fastener (4) 15 Synchronised ballroom activity (8,7) 18 Skin irritation (4) 19 Suffering anxiety (10) 21 Large collection of books (7) 23 Pleasantly pungent (7) 24 By this time (7) 25 Consider again (7) DOWN 1 Eventually cease moving (4,2,4) 2 Hanging flower of birch or…

Real-Life PLUS Trends, Info and Advice Roz Gadd, 44, Durham I’m sure that most mums are proud of their children. But my daughter Jade, 16, really is incredible. In 2014, she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). She’d always been supple, but, as she got older, I noticed that she ran awkwardly and had trouble with balance. Then she said that her joints were hurting. ‘Something’s not right,’ I said to my husband Tony, 54. Jade was such an active girl, loved taekwondo. A physio said it was growing pains. Then, when she was 13, during PE, Jade did a press-up and her shoulder dislocated. She was rushed to University Hospital of North Durham, but doctors didn’t think it was anything to worry about. However, by the time she was 14,…

On a bustling campus, Bethany Mitchell, 36, a student at Southern Union State Community College, Alabama, clambered into a Toyota minivan. It was 6 April 2011. Bethany, from Opelika, had recently separated from her husband Thomas Franklin May III, 34, so her mother Brenda Watson, 62, had collected her. Shots ring out Bethany’s grandmother Maude Ethell Marshall, 93, and her daughter, 4, had come along for the ride. But, as Bethany shut the door, her estranged husband’s white Jeep Liberty suddenly pulled up alongside. Aiming a pistol out the passenger window at around 3.25pm, May opened fire. Twelve bullets punctured the vehicle. He’d yelled a message that they couldn’t keep him from his daughter. Bethany suffered gunshot wounds to her left arm, while her grandmother received shrapnel wounds, and her…

Pick Me Up! VALUE 1Lidl Chef Select Chicken Korma With Pilau Rice, 450g We were surprised by the sweet tomato flavour, but it works! The cumin-studded rice is also excellent. 2Tesco Indian Kitchen Chicken Korma With Pilau Rice, 450g The creamy, rich, coconut-flavoured sauce is simply delicious with its huge chunks of tender chicken. 3Aldi Indian Cuisine Chicken Korma With Pilau Rice, 450g The cumininfused rice is great, while the chargrilled chicken pieces come in plenty of rich and creamy sauce, with the odd cashew nut adding a nice crunch. Make it yourself... Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 30 min □ 2tsp sunflower oil □ 1 onion, peeled and chopped □ 4tbsp Korma paste □ 2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into chunks □ 100ml single cream…

I Got A New Boiler Shirley Davis, Bedford I’d always loved bingo, but once I’d discovered Pick Me Up! Bingo in June 2013, I realised I preferred playing in the comfort of my home. In my first month of joining, I won £1,100 playing Tiki. Last August, I bought a few 1p tickets for Tiki and, as the games played, I watched TV. I checked back and I’d scooped the £1,402 jackpot! When I talked to my mum about what we should spend the money on, I suggested we put it towards a new boiler. Mum agreed with me. And so we got a new boiler fitted and we couldn’t have been happier. We were all warm and cosy during the winter months. And it’s all a big thanks to…

We’re brought up to know if you commit a crime, you go to jail. When a paedophile’s caught with indecent images of children, society expects they’ll be punished. But is jail the only solution? According to the NSPCC, the number of people viewing online child sex abuse images in the UK amounts to a ‘social emergency’, leaving the justice system close to breaking point. Statistics show in the past five years, the number of offences recorded by police of people viewing child sexual abuse images under the Obscene Publications Act has more than doubled across the UK, reaching 8,745 in 2015. An NSPCC study late last year suggested those looking at indecent images of children could exceed half a million. A leading child protection police officer, Chief Constable Simon Bailey,…

Take 3… Biscuits Get Moving! Opti Manual Exercise Bike, £74.99, Argos If you’d like to get into cycling but don’t feel ready to hit the road, this static bike is a great confidence builder. It might not be going anywhere but, used at a low resistance so you pedal quickly, it’s a great low-impact exercise for hips, knees and ankles. Try this…. Solero Strawberry Smoothie, 80p Juice-packed, this frozen fruit smoothie has just 49 cal – a treat you can enjoy all summer long. Slim-Nite, £11.39, www.powerhealth.co.uk The amino acids are said to help convert food into energy and lean muscle tissue, rather than fat – all while you sleep! Food Swaps Swap… A HANDFUL OF TORTILLA CHIPS WITH CREAM CHEESE DIP… 200 CAL For… A HANDFUL OF TORTILLA CHIPS WITH TOMATO…

In next week’s Pick Me Up! Chemo And CUDDLES Pregnant By EVIL UNCLE Two Babies… ONE BOOB! On Sale Thursday 4 May ARIES 21 March–20 April You’ve been trying so hard to please everyone else in your life, you’ve forgotten what’s important to you. Try to use this week to get your heart and head communicating. Exciting options are ahead, if you keep the open mind your sign’s known for. Call: 09058 170 710* CANCER 22 June–23 July Family are unlikely to say what you want to hear this week, but you have to remember that their goal is to protect you from those who’ve given you such a hard time of late. Maybe you should tell them the whole story, instead of just half of it? Call: 09058 170…

Stacey Coles, 31, Lincolnshire As I shared a bottle of wine with my mate, I could guess she had something to tell me. ‘Come on, spill the beans,’ I smiled. ‘I’ve agreed to go on a date with Dave,’ Kirsty grinned. ‘That’s brilliant,’ I said. Divorced, Kirsty had been feeling fed up. Dave Dayman had been pursuing her for a while, and this was the boost she needed. Me and my partner John, 45, had a few double dates with them. He seemed like a nice guy who genuinely cared for Kirsty. ‘I’m so glad you encouraged me to give it a go,’ Kirsty said in summer 2015. I met Dave’s daughter Sarah and we hit it off. She often dropped in for a cuppa. Then, on 26 December 2015,…

Choosing A Washing Machine 1 Shop around Prices can vary by £200 between retailers. 2 Spin speed The higher it is, the more water is removed, cutting down on drying time. But high-spin machines are noisiest. 3 Drum size Drums vary from 5-11kg. The average is 7kg. Do you wash little and often, or would a big drum cut down on the number of loads? 4 Check ratings Gradings are A-G - the higher, the cheaper to run. Performance is based on water consumption, energy use, cleanliness of wash and dryness of spin. 5 Installation Will the retailer charge to take away an old machine and fit a new one? Could you do it to save paying them? 6 Feature heavy? Don’t pay extra for features you won’t use, such…

Dr Arabella Onslow has been a GP for 11 years and was Rosemary Conley’s Health Professional Slimmer of the Year in 2012 after losing 10st. HIV hope Q I’ve recently been diagnosed with HIV and have begun treatment. The doctors say I have a normal prognosis, but is there anything I can do to keep myself as healthy as possible? Lacey, Inverness A As with any chronic illness, there’s an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, so stop smoking, if you do, keep fit and eat healthily, and make sure you have more frequent – annual – smears. Constant fear Q I’m terrified I’m going to die. Whenever I feel unwell, I always make sure my symptoms aren’t serious, but what I read online terrifies me. Friends say I shouldn’t look, but then…

Danielle Woollaston, 30, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham Flicking through a holiday brochure, I dreamed of finding the perfect place to get married. I wanted somewhere with white sand, blue sea and sun. ‘Ooh, what about this place?’ I said to my hubby Mark, 39. It was a small village on the idyllic Greek island of Zante. And for the actual wedding ceremony, Cameo Island was just a few minutes away. Plus the flight was only four hours – not too long for our kids Sophie, 7, and Cameron, 5. Finding the perfect hotel, everything fell into place. The wedding package, plus our accommodation, would cost around £20,000. It was a lot, but after being together for 12 years, engaged for five, we wanted to splash out. We happily paid our deposit.…

Actor Danny Dyer is related to Edward III, who ruled for 50 years from 1327. For Real?! These movies about incredible tales of theft and murder are based on real life! Terrifying Towie Tales Essex has its fair share of spooky spectres. Here’s the most-haunted spots in the county. Visit if you dare! Borley Rectory This Victorian mansion has been named the most haunted house in England. Saffron Walden The Old Sun Inn and The Cross Keys pub are hotspots for spooky goings-on. Layer Marney Layer Marney Tower is a Tudor palace, said to be one of the most-haunted locations in all of Essex. Loughton Ancient Loughton Hall – built in the 1500s, rebuilt about 1616, burnt down in a spectacular fire in 1836 and again rebuilt – is home…

Helen Hibbitt, 50, Newcastle It was a Sunday last October. Once I’d run the vacuum round, I got my duster out. After a busy week at work in a school kitchen, it was when I caught up on chores. ‘Put your feet up, Mum,’ my grown-up kids said – but a mum’s work is never done! Later, I settled on the sofa with a brew and my laptop. ‘I’ll have a few games of bingo,’ I told my hubby Richard, 46. I’d joined Pick Me Up! Bingo four years ago in 2012. I’d loved going to the bingo halls when I was younger. But, after having the kids, I just couldn’t find the time. So I loved that I could play Pick Me Up! Bingo at home! That same week,…

We put some truly original products to the test… WonderWoof Activity Tracker for Dogs, £99.99, www.thefowndry.com We’ve seen human activity trackers – and now your pooch can get in on the action! Just pair the bow-tieshaped device with your smartphone. Verdict: GENIUS! It’ll even survive underwater! Apple, Carrot, Beetroot & Ginger Yogurt, £69p, Waitrose Fruit yogurts are so last year. Now veggie ones are all the rage! Once you get past the fact that you’re tucking into vegetables for breakfast, this is an easy way to get more good stuff into your daily diet. Verdict: BONKERS! But oddly tasty – maybe they’ll catch on! Vorwerk VK200 Vacuum Cleaner with Duo Clean SP530 Cleaning Head, £749, vorwerk.com Save yourself plenty of time and effort when it comes to cleaning, as this…

Rosie Skitt, 25, Sheffield, South Yorkshire The pub was rammed, not a free table in sight. So we hovered, holding our drinks. And that’s when I saw her, standing at the far side of the bar. ‘That’s Charlotte,’ I told my mates Rachel and Claire. ‘She used to play football at school with Georgia.’ It was so long since I’d seen her, I wasn’t sure if she’d recognise me or not. So I smiled at her, promising myself I’d say hello later. For now, though, we were enjoying our girls’ night out. ‘To Fridays!’ we said, clinking glasses… It was 29 May 2015, and I’d recently started a new job as an administrator. ‘I love the job,’ I’d told Rachel and Claire earlier when we’d met for a quick bite.…

Vanessa Leppard, 46, Crowborough, East Sussex As the bundle was placed into my arms, I felt a surge of love. I was visiting a local breeder, hoping to find my third dog. Brown eyes peeped up from the blanket, and I knew I’d found him – a Leonberger with brown and black splodges. I named him Fergus and took him home in June 2016. But Fergus barely moved from his bed and, if he did, he shuffled. ‘He’s growing too fast,’ the vet said. ‘His hip might be struggling with his weight.’ But X-rays were fine. We tried everything – from acupuncture to hydrotherapy. But Fergus couldn’t walk. And, if he couldn’t walk by 6 months, he’d need surgery. Contacting his breeder, she suggested myotherapy, a muscle-massage treatment. After his first…

Loretta Pritchard, 45, Wiltshire It’s just an eye infection,’ I sighed. But my mum Wendy, 71, wasn’t convinced. ‘You’ve had it for weeks!’ she protested. She was right. It was September 2012, and my left eye was giving me hell. It was itchy, red and crusty. My GP prescribed antibiotics, but it just got worse. Finally, I took myself to the A&E department at Royal United Hospital, Bath. After tests, doctors referred me to an eye specialist. ‘It looks like a viral infection,’ he confirmed, after an examination. ‘But I’m worried about the mole on the back of your left iris.’ The tests had shown that it was huge – about the size of a fingernail. I needed to get the mole checked out. So, 10 days later, I made…

This T&M exclusive, attractive to bees and butterflies is supplied as 3 plants in 1 single container; each will grow and produce a compact bush with fragrant, Indigo, Ivory and Pink flower spikes! 3-in-1’ is easy to grow and problem-free, with a super longflowering period from June to October. Perfect for patio pots and smaller gardens. Height and spread: 1.2m (47in). Supplied as a 9cm Potted Plant. Buy 1 for £9.99 Buy 2 & Get 1 Free for £19.98 HOW TO ORDER Call: 0844 573 1686 Quote PMU165Z Lines open 9am-8pm (Weekdays) & 9am-6pm (Weekends) Online Visit: www.thompson-morgan.com/PMU165Z By Post: Please fill in Coupon below Offer available to readers on the UK mainland only. All orders will be acknowledged by letter or email advising you of the expected dispatch date.…