Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer Special - 2016 i Pick Me Up! Special

‘My spinal cord had been badly crushed’ Triple trouble!’ smiled a neighbour, as me and my sisters skipped down the pavement, arms linked. We giggled. Identical triplets, we were used to getting lots of attention. I was the youngest, and looked up to my sisters, Gillian and Kerry Velloza. Gillian was the oldest by a few moments, but was the leader. A tomboy, she loved climbing trees. Kerry was the girly-girl, always playing with her dolls. As for me, I was footy mad. Growing up, Gillian and I would squabble. She loved football too, but I had a real talent for it, which made her jealous. Then, I was spotted by an Everton football scout and was signed by the team aged 16. Gillian was bitter. ‘Please don’t fall out,’…

Wine buyer Joe Wadsack is a brand ambassador for Plantation Rum and co-hosts BBC2’s Food & Drink with Tom Kerridge Mojito: Life’s a beach Kate, 34, Amersham Ingredients: White rum, mint leaves, soda water, fresh lime juice, sugar Joe says: The mojito is the best-selling cocktail in Britain right now. The drinker typically yearns for the exotic and doesn't want to be thrown in with the lager and white wine crowd. They probably have a large group of friends and are hip and vivacious. They also have a penchant for travel. Kate says: Interesting… Not sure I'm hip and vivacious, but I'm an escapist who yearns for exotic climes and I have itchy feet - but with a toddler, it's hard to fulfil those ambitions, so I'll stick to sipping…

Turkey Tortilla Pizza Serves 2 Prep Time 2 mins Cook time 8 mins 1 Lay the two tortillas on a pizza tray, one per tray. 2 Spread the passata over each tortilla, pushing right to the edges. If the passata is too runny, add tomato puree to thicken. 3 Smother the tortillas with the mozzarella, then cover with the spinach and roast turkey pieces, saving the eggs until last - aim for the centre. 4 Cook in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 8-10 minutes, or until the outside has gone slightly crispy and the cheese has melted. 5 Transfer to a plate, and slice four times with a pizza cutter, letting the egg yolk ooze. • For more recipes like this, visit www.bernardmatthews.com…

My precious Chihuahua, Tyty, has always been a handful. Ever since I got him in 2010, aged 1 and a half, he’s terrorised my other three dogs. The pooches loved roaming around the surrounding fields. But the moment I tried to get Tyty to the nearby beach, he’d start growling and biting the others. Though he was the smallest of the bunch, he had the personality of a dog ten times his size! Little did I know he would soon get a belly to match... Over the next three months I set to work training him and helping him become part of our family. Soon he started towing the line. As a dog groomer, my love for my four-legged friends was never ending, and I loved spoiling them. By April…

‘At 10 weeks my baby bump was already huge’ ‘They said: Mammy, will you... Marry Daddy?’ Bibs, nappies, bottles… It’s the same routine every time me and my girls go out for the day. A far cry from the bag I was packing last July. See, I was going to Marbella for my sister Marianne’s hen do. A weekend by the pool - bliss! But before our flight I realised I’d not had a period in a month. So I did a test. Next... ‘I’ve got some news,’ I told my carpenter boyfriend, Lee Purnell, 28, on the phone. The test had been positive! We’d only been together a year, and not talked about kids. How will he take it? I wondered, nervous. ‘Amazing!’ he cried. It was a lot…

1 Sainsbury's BBQ Sauce, 500g, £1.20, Sainsbury's Not only does this sauce hit the spot as a condiment, it's also strong enough tasting to make a great marinade! 2 Morrisons BBQ Sauce, 310g, 50p, Morrisons If you like your sauces on the savoury side, this is the one for you. It's got a nice distinctive smoky taste too! 3 Asda Classic BBQ Sauce, 450g, £1.10, Asda With a lovely tang and sweetness, it's a lovely summery dip! We love it with party food. Brazilian Coconut Kisses Serves 26 Prep Time 10 mins Cook time 5-7 mins 1 Add the condensed milk to a saucepan with the butter and half the coconut. Cook over a medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted. Continue to cook…

‘To my horror, I saw Francis, his shirt ablaze’ The fridge was loaded with burgers and sausages. We were all set. My hubby Francis, 40, and our kids, Kara, 12, and Jayden, 8, were hosting a barbecue the day before my birthday, on 9 April 2014. It’d rained all week, but the sun was finally shining, so we’d brought my party forward. Around 5pm, when our friend Jesse, 40, and family arrived, Francis took charge of the cooking. ‘The coal’s damp,’ he sighed, and went off to get some firelighters. Tummies rumbling, Francis was anxious to get started. I’d ducked indoors to prepare the salad when, suddenly... BOOM! A deafening explosion shook the house. Dropping everything, I ran outside. To my horror, I saw Francis, arms flailing, his shirt ablaze.…

‘Just like the real thing – but without the crying!’ Logging onto my Instagram account, I had tonnes of new notifications. Adorable! one comment read. Oh my God, congratulations, said another. My baby’s ultrasound picture was attracting a lot of attention. What a little star! I felt like such a proud mum. Being organised, I already had the blue babygros and milk formula, ready for his arrival. A few weeks later I shared the next stage of my pregnancy with the world - my belly. It's so believable, I thought, looking at the picture, I really could be pregnant! You see, the baby wasn’t real. The scan was a fake I made on Photoshop and my growing bump was just my belly. Within weeks, a doll would arrive in the…

‘I had to go to hospital to have a chemo drug’ In August 2014, aged just 17, I dislocated my knee during a cheerleading session. While I was discussing physio with the doctor, I thought I’d mention the two massive bruises that had appeared on my wrist only the day before. ‘I’m giving you a blood test,’ the doctor said. And that evening, I got a call telling me to go straight to A&E. I was nervous, confused. When I got to Bristol Royal Infirmary I had more tests. That’s when they told me the bruising can be experienced by people with leukaemia. The next day at hospital, a doctor came to see me. ‘You have idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP),’ he said. ‘It’s an autoimmune disease, where your body doesn’t…

THEY SAY Apply this gel two to three times a day for natural, soothing relief for skin irritation caused by too much sun-exposure. YOU SAY ‘This cooling gel felt lovely and helped moisturise my parched skin after I overdid it on the sun lounger!’ Diane, Colchester WE SAY With a fresh, subtle odour, this colourless gel absorbs into the skin quickly and leaves no sticky residue – so you don’t have to worry about it staining clothes. It’s a must-have for the suitcase this summer!…

‘He raped a woman and cut her throat’ Kenneth McDuff grew up in Rosebud, Texas, with a wealthy father and domineering mother. Mum Addie and her eldest three daughters worshipped Kenneth. He ruled the family like a little god. Schoolmates were awed by his wealth. He bullied classmates, and terrorised teachers. McDuff dropped out of school and became a burglar. Then, aged just 17, he raped a woman, cut her throat, and left her in a ditch. He avoided capture - McDuff must have believed he’d got away with murder. However, at 18, he was convicted of so many burglaries that an adult would have served 52 years for the same crimes. Amazingly though, McDuff was out in just nine months. Addie gave him a car to celebrate and McDuff…

‘I can't wait for Lexi to have a dressing up box’ They say that you turn in to your parents. Well if that’s the case my little girl’s going to be a star. You see, me and Lexi’s dad are born entertainers. And our 8-month-old girl Lexi is already following in our footsteps! ‘Pick a card,’ James, 36, asks, before she takes one to chew. ‘One day she’ll be up on stage!’ we joke. And I can’t wait for her to have a dressing up box. Then she’ll get a feel of how James and I met. Back then we worked as theme park performers, wearing costumes and entertaining the kids on summer days out. One night, five years after we started dating, he had a surprise. I was backstage…

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept Something that has bubbled away in the background of your situation can come strongly to the fore this month and will really start to gain traction from the 23rd. You're going to be taking greater control from then, and it's possible this could be linked to an emotional issue or to where you reside. If you have felt that your needs have been pegged back, you're going to want to get on the front foot and from the 13th you can show how resourceful you are. Anything to do with managing, be it the household budget or a role at work, can see you dedicated to getting all the foundations in place. You're going to be in demand socially from the 6th, perhaps even romantically, when…

‘The more I yanked my hair out, the better it felt’ Getting ready for a family day at the beach, I’d not seen the kids so excited for ages. Sun cream, a picnic and towels for those brave enough to face the sea, the car was packed! ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ my youngest, Taylour, 13, asked, five minutes after we’d left our house. They were all champing at the bit, but I was dreading it... You see, I have a secret. I’ve been pulling my hair out in my sleep for the past 25 years and now I’m almost bald. I wear a heavyweight 16-inch wig, in blondes and brown, to cover up the scalp, but when the wind blows, my bald patches are obvious. The morning before that…

‘I'd noticed lumps on my neck and under my armpits’ After an intensive workout, I flopped on the sofa. ‘Ahhh...’ I beamed, admiring the muscles on my stomach, feeling pretty pleased with myself. It was April 2015 and I was juggling a busy job in human resources, seeing friends and hitting the gym at least five times a week. Since graduating from University of British Columbia in business management, life had been pretty good. I had my own place and even started bodybuilding with a couple of friends I met down the gym. But, last summer I started feeling exhausted. ‘Take it easy, honey,’ my mum, Lynn, 60, soothed, worried I was pushing myself too hard. ‘I’m fine Mum, don’t fuss,’ I said. What I didn’t tell her was that…

1 www.skyscanner.net This is a site frequent and seasoned travellers love! Pop in where and when you want to travel, and it will search through loads of airlines including Thomson, British Airways and easyJet, to find the cheapest deals. 2 www.cheapflights.co.uk The name is a bit of a giveaway but this site really does find cheap flights for you! It’s really simple to use and you’ll find hotels and holidays on there too. 3 www.expedia.co.uk This site is home to loads of travel deals and there’s a dedicated section for flights as well as flight and hotel combos. If you click on the advanced options you can choose a preferred airline too. 4 www.easyjet.com It’s no secret that easyJet offers great budget flights to loads of destinations, and the website…

MEET THE EXPERT   Dr Caroline Hough is a life coach and founder of Aspiring 2 Wellness and is an ex GP. Visit aspiring2wellness.com SPIDER-MAN Protect yourself and your family from a tangled web of financial problems... ‘If you’re in financial trouble, it’s important to get the facts straight. Remember, facts and feelings are different,’ says Dr Hough. ‘Then, before you jump into a financial commitment, it’s good practice to discuss it with several different people – friends, family, a bank, charity or an agency. ‘Collecting all the information you can is going to help you come to an informed decision. Check out the debt advice at www.citizens advice.org.uk Download a budgeting app or write down your weekly outgoings INCREDIBLE HULK Channel your inner strength and rise above setbacks you’ve…

Born just one minute apart, my twin sister, Laura, and I have always been close. And, since the age of 8, we’ve both known what we wanted to be. Flight attendants! After studying travel and tourism, we both managed to get jobs on reception at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel. And, in January 2014, a chance meeting with an airline employee changed everything. Laura had been helping a customer, but when she went on her break and I took over, he’d no idea that he was talking to a different person! He turned out to be a recruiting manager for Thomas Cook - and invited us to join his cabin crew! Since our first flight in April that year, we’ve tried to work as many shifts together as possible. In…

‘After a fortnight, I began enjoying healthier snacks’ Summer parties were great... unless you were the host! But today, I was determined not to stress. It was June 2014, and me and my housemates from Birmingham Aston Uni were hosting drinks, before breaking up for summer. It had been a demanding term and we were ready to party! After doing a massive food shop, we could feed a small army. Crisps and dips, party rings, mini pizza... The list was endless! I wouldn’t be tucking in, though. On a healthy eating kick, I was determined to preserve my slender size-10 figure. Just seven months earlier, I would have scoffed the lot. You see, I’d once weighed 23 stone and worn size-24 clothes. Always chubby, so were most of the women…

Ruby Berry Nests Serves 12 Prep Time 30 mins Cook time 10 mins 1 Warm the butter until melted and use a little to grease a 12-section muffin tin. Separate the pastry sheets, brush each with butter, then cut into 12 rectangles. 2 Lay one piece in each section of the muffin tin, arrange a second and third at a slight angle to the previous one to give a nest-like effect. 3 Bake at 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 6-8 minutes until crisp. Leave in the tin to cool. 4 Take the pastry cases carefully out of the tin and arrange on a large serving plate. Whip the cream until it forms soft swirls, then fold in the custard and orange rind. Spoon…

‘There are 26km of bike-only paths to explore’ ‘We all agreed our summer holiday was brilliant’ We're off to… France Finding a summer holiday to suit our family wasn’t easy. It had to be adventurous enough for our speed-loving, heights-addicted 11-year-old, Max, but not too dangerous for our 3-year-old, Eve. Otherwise there would be no peace. Eve will do anything to keep up with her brother and there’s hell to pay if anyone tries to stop her! On top of that, our break had to be at least a little bit relaxing for me and their dad, Mark. And it needed to be affordable too. Our answer? A cycling holiday in the Vendée. This part of France isn’t as flashy - or expensive - as say, Paris and Provence. But…

Blocked up Q Is it normal to get constipated on holiday and is there anything I can do about it? Jackie, High Wycombe A This is a really common problem and there are several reasons for it. Firstly, stress! Get organised so the holiday is relaxing. Dehydration is a major issue. Long periods on planes, increased alcohol consumption and hot sun can all dry you out which slows down your bowels. Keep a bottle of water to hand. A change in time zones and different food can also upset your normal bowel habit. Good sleep and plenty of fibre should keep you regular. Battle the bloat QI suffer from quite bad bloating. Are there certain foods and drink I should avoid? Sarah-Jane, Poole A Bloating is one of the most…

Think I'm getting to Benidorm on this? Yeah right, pigs might fly! Double decker? Double trouble more like! Holy diving Batman! This Batplane isn't getting us very far! The Force wasn't strong in this bunch You said you wanted to fly like a bird and they took it a bit too literally. They probably just forgot the rocket fuel! We don't mean to badger you, but we need to find alternative transport...…

Gazing up, my fella, Liam, 31, nudged me. ‘Look, a UFO!’ he said, pointing to a light. Liam’s convinced there’s life ‘out there. I’ve always loved hearing his alien theories! In 2013, Liam proposed. We couldn’t afford a wedding, so I contacted BBC programme Don't Tell the Bride - where the groom secretly plans the big day - and we were chosen! It’d be a laugh... and free! We’d be separated for three weeks before our wedding, which was set for 1 June. Then, on the big day, a black limo took me, Mum and my five bridesmaids to an airfield’s underground bunker. Inside, fairy lights surrounded our guests - with Liam stood at the front. Beside him stood an alien... who I realised was going to conduct the service!…

‘He took two rings and stole her purse, which had £100 in’ Wandering through the DIY store, I felt like a fish out of water. ‘I’m looking for CCTV cameras,’ I told the girl on the checkout. I decided to get them installed in my mum Alice’s house in Hull, worried she might be vulnerable living alone. She’s 89 you see, but fiercely independent. ‘Why don’t you come and move closer to us in Nottingham,’ I’d asked her countless times. ‘We can keep an eye on you.’ But she was adamant she wanted to stay in the family home, where she and my dad, Geoffrey, had lived for 64 years. They’d brought me up there. And, after Dad died 11 years ago, I think it was her way of staying…

1 Check the thermostat Check the radiators are off! It sounds silly, but if you've got your heating on a timer it can be easy to forget to turn it off. 2 Curtain call Keep the curtains closed in sun-filled rooms, particularly if you've got black-out curtains. 3 Window of opportunity Keep the windows shut during the hottest time of day. Unless there's a good breeze it may make your home hotter. 4 Keep grounded Stay on ground level! Heat rises, so it will be cooler to stay downstairs rather than go up. 5 Freeze up Keep a steady supply of ice cubes in the freezer and pop some in glasses around rooms - they'll emit a chill! 6 Knock knock Keep doors closed, so if you have a fan…

‘If I wore trousers rather than a skirt he'd threaten to fire me’ Some bosses expect you to make them tea or go out for their lunch. Not mine... ‘Could you pull the straps down on your top?’ my boss, Colin Cromie asked. ‘They’re creating shadows.’ I’d agreed to pose for some head shots for his dental practice’s promotional material. ‘Can you pull your top down a bit further?’ he asked. ‘No, I can’t!’ I replied, sternly. It was June, 2011. I’d been training as a dental nurse under Colin for a couple of years. Back home, I tried to shake off the uneasy feelings I’d been having about his behaviour. I decided not to mention it to my boyfriend, Paul, 29. I didn’t want to upset him or give…

‘We've rescued more than 1.5 tonnes of food!’ I know eating dinner from chucked-away food doesn't sound appealing at first... But four years back, friends introduced me to dumpster-diving – foraging in bins for items still in useful, working condition. And I found lots of great grub. 'I can't believe how much gets thrown away!' I gasped. Businesses were binning edible food, still in its use by date. All because veg was misshapen, or a label was printed wrong. There has to be something we can do with all this food , I thought. That's when I had my light bulb moment. With mates, I set up a pop-up cafe serving dishes made from rescued food – like curries, soups and cakes – depending on what we found. Technically,…

‘It's a really fun way for us to spend time together’ And, action!’ I called, brimming with pride. It was the school hols and my 5-year-old daughter was having her big moment in front of the camera. Scissors, coloured paper, glitter and glue were strewn across our table - and down Amelia’s top, too! She was well and truly at work! Amelia had always been arty. Forever coming home from school with weird and wonderful creations, me and my hubby Joe, 28, thought it was just a bit of fun for her. But then... ‘Mummy, I really want to do videos about making stuff , she said one night. She’d been watching fun YouTube channels since she was 3 on my iPad. But I was unsure about her making videos…

‘The look in his eyes chilled me to the bone’ ‘I saw the tiny kitchen window was ajar’ Hearing a knock at the door of my dad Anthony’s flat, I jumped up excitedly. ‘Hello,’ I grinned. My dishy new boyfriend David held out a bunch of daffodils. ‘They’re gorgeous,’ I said, walking through to the kitchen to put them in water. ‘Evening, David,’ Dad nodded from his chair. ‘You two enjoy your night.’ Waving goodbye, we strolled to a nice pub, where David treated me to a slap-up meal. We’d only been dating for a couple of after meeting over Blackberry Messenger, but I was smitten. A single mum to my two kids, I didn’t get out much. But David promised to treat me like a princess. Now I’d started…

The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean, Monmouth The Forest of Dean inspired authors J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling when they were writing The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter books, and bits of the latest Star Wars movie were filmed there too! Hop on your bike and see if the famous woodland can inspire you too! • Visit www.wyedeantourism.co.uk The Phoenix Trail, South Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire This Phoenix Trail is a seven-mile route between Princes Risborough and Thame, which promises stunning views and loads of wildlife for budding cyclists to enjoy. The area is home to a variety of birds, badgers and bunnies, and there are benches every 500 metres if your legs get tired! • Visit www.sustrans.org.uk Yorkshire Dales National Park The Yorkshire Dales featured in…

Leg cramps Although painful and a huge nuisance, leg cramps are usually harmless and no real cause for concern. The sharp pain you experience is caused by muscles suddenly contracting tightly and going into spasm – you won't be able to use the muscle properly until the cramp goes. This problem often occurs during or after exercise, possibly due to dehydration or excessive strain. Some medications, and also pregnancy, can increase the chance of cramping too, and some people suffer from night-time cramps. Increasingly frequent or unexplained cramps however could be a sign of underlying health problems, including liver disease or neurological conditions. Remember – it's very unlikely cramps would be the only symptom if this was the case, but see your GP if concerned.…

Cut the coffee Caffeine can make you feel more anxious, so swap your usual cup of coffee for a nice warming cup of chamomile tea instead. Chamomile tea is well known for having a calming effect on us, but black tea can also lower stress levels, so a cuppa – which has less caffeine than coffee – might just be the answer. Deep breaths Just slowing down your breathing can make you feel more relaxed. When we’re worried, we don’t take in enough oxygen, so stop what you’re doing and take 10 deep breaths. Pop your hand on your stomach to feel the breath come in and out and notice how much calmer you feel. Smell the flowers One of the best things about summer is all the heady scents…

Sunshine, sand and my daughter for company. The perfect cocktail for a relaxing holiday in the Dominican Republic. But, it's always the way isn't it? Before I knew it, our two weeks were over, and Demi, 21, and I landed in rainy Manchester. Arriving at the airport on 20 May, I spotted an official man in a high-vis jacket approaching me. 'Excuse me, can I check your name?' he asked. 'Karen Blackburn,' I replied, a little taken aback. 'Right, can you come with me please? We're doing extra checks.' Confused, I followed. A few steps later, I was startled to hear Bruno Mars' Just the Way You Are blasting out. Hang on a second... As soon as the music started, I knew my partner Chops Owen,…