Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Pick Me Up! Special

The month of March is all about celebrating women. With International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, it’s our time to shine. So, we’re making sure you know the famous and ordinary women across the globe who are taking a stand for equality (pg12). Life has a habit of throwing some nasty curveballs, but us women are known for making the most out of a bad situation. When Zu (pg14) was dealt a devastating blow, she refused to let it beat her and lived a life of happiness. Now, she wants to show others just how strong they can really be. Being a mum is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world and we strive to give our children the best life possible. As Louise (pg40) watched her own…

Kay Scudder, reviewing lawyer for Crown Prosecution Service London, said: ‘Russell Chandler may have thought he got away with these terrible crimes, but he has now been convicted. He pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the two women, but was not prepared to admit that he had raped one of them and attempted to rape the other. We were determined that he would be held responsible…and proceeded with the case to trial. More than 20 years after their terrifying ordeals, the victims showed great bravery in giving evidence against their attacker in court.’…

Shuffling the cards and handing them out, I played Sports Cars Top Trumps with my family. ‘Top speed: 198mph,' I read out. It was 2002, and I'd just been gifted my first pack of Top Trumps. That was 18 years ago, and ever since I have been collecting Top Trumps in my spare time. When I was younger, it was just the odd pack to play with. If I saw them in shops or in a garage, I'd buy them with my pocket money. Gumball, Smash Hits Pop Stars, Shrek 2 and Shrek 4 – it was just a bit of fun. Eventually, I had loads and it turned into a fun hobby collecting Top Trumps. Scanning Amazon and eBay for retro and fun Top Trumps, I added them to…

Setting my rucksack down, I took a deep breath. ‘Home at last,’ I smiled. Taking in the familiar surroundings of my house, I was a far cry from where I’d been 48 hours earlier – diving with sharks in Costa Rica! It was January last year, and I’d just returned from an epic holiday. A risk taker, I’d loved getting close to sharks in the warm sea, spending my time on small boats, and getting to know the locals. Now, it was back to reality, and the next day, I was due back at work as the managing director of a retail consultancy. I’ll just get unpacked and then get dinner on, I thought. But as I leaned over to pick up my bag, I suddenly had a sharp pain…

This month... BAKING FROM SCRATCH These simple steps help you to bake impressive homemade treats like a pro... 1 Room temperature Always have the correct butter consistency. Most recipes call for room temperature, so take your butter out one hour prior to baking. 2 Baking is a science Before beginning baking, read the recipe from start to finish. It sounds silly but knowing a step ahead of you will ensure no mistakes. And weigh everything beforehand! 3 Keep your oven door closed Although it might be tempting to constantly open and close the oven door to check on your bakes, letting cool air in greatly interrupts cooking. 4 Purchase cooling racks Never let your cakes cool in the hot pan. Cooling racks stop the cooking process…

Pigs snuggle close to each other and prefer to sleep nose to nose Pigs are actually clean animals and prefer to bathe in water to mud! There are around 2 billion pigs in the world and in Denmark there are twice as many pigs as people! You can find pigs on every continent in the world except for Antarctica Pigs are very intelligent and are thought to be smarter than young children, dogs and even some primates!…

Film and TV 1 In the show Gilmore Girls, who plays Rory Gilmore? a Kelly Bishop b Alexis Bledel c Lauren Graham 2 Which Disney film is set in Scotland and has Billy Connolly as the voice of Fergus? a Frozen b Tangled c Brave 3 Who killed Lucy Beale on EastEnders in 2015? a Peter Beale b Bobby Beale c Ian Beale 4 Jennifer Lawrence played Dominika Egorova in which 2018 Russian spy thriller? a Red Sparrow b Salt c Bridge of Spies 5 What is the name of the good witch in The Wizard of OZ? a Glinda b Elphaba c Dorothy 6 Who directed The Lord of the Rings trilogy? a Christopher Columbus b Woody Allen c Peter Jackson Showbiz 7 What is the name of Rebekah…

TRAVEL FEAR Travel fear is a real thing and with the holiday season just around the corner, many of us will start to wonder where it is safest to go. And although the destination is top of our safety priorities, Taxi2Airport.com has revealed our other travel fears. Unsurprisingly, safety at our accommodation is also at the top of our concerns, followed by lost luggage and losing important documents. Terrorism, natural disasters and sexual harassment are also our top concerns. For the full report, visit: www.taxi2airport.com/eu SAVE AND GO Want to go on holiday, but worried you can’t afford it? Well, the Chip app is your answer. It will automatically put money aside for you, so you can save up without thinking about it. It will allow you to build your travel…

There is tons of information out there when it comes to taking care of our teeth, but how much of it is true? We've enlisted the help of dentist, Sally Rayment, to help sort the fact from fiction and debunk some common myths. Sally Rayment is a restorative dentist at The Implant Centre. (www. theimplantcentre.com) FALSE You should brush your teeth straight after eating We brush our teeth to remove plaque, which is the sticky layer that forms on our teeth. It's the bacteria in this layer that eats the sugar from your food and converts it into acid, which causes tooth decay. The best time to brush your teeth is actually before eating, as it will remove the plaque and what you eat won't end up as cavity-causing acid.…

After years of struggling with IBS, which resulted in many embarrassing situations, personal trainer Emma Spencer has finally found relief for it. After being diagnosed with the condition as a teen, Emma struggled to go to the toilet and always felt extremely bloated. ‘It took a mental toll on me, too,' she said. ‘I was so worried about passing gas at school and I felt so embarrassed all the time.' As a personal trainer, Emma has always enjoyed a good, balanced diet, which she now enjoys with her family – husband Kevin, 42, and kids Leighton, 13, Mason, 11, Abigail, six, and Lillie, two. There were no obvious causes, and she she tried everything to alleviate the problem. ‘I was taking laxatives for years to try and help, but I…

My mum Madge, 88, sat in her armchair, gripped by her favourite game show, while I slumped on the sofa feeling sick. Bless her , I thought. It was February 2018, and even though she was nearly 90 and in the grip of dementia, Mum was still lovely company to have. As for me, I’d been laid up with a virus for a few days. The doctor said a bug had been going around, and I’d had to take time off from my secretarial job. I'd been in a coma for a month Still, it’d been nice to spend time with Mum. Me and my brother Anthony, 54, were her live-in carers. She’d spent most of her life looking after me and my six brothers, so now it was the…

Playing with my action men, I dressed them up in their camouflage outfits and chunky boots. It was the late-1970s, and at six years old I was obsessed with all my figurines. Back in the day, they were expensive, and I really treasured my toys. ‘Your Action Men need girlfriends,' my gran told me. And then she gifted me my first ever Sindy doll. Holding the glamorous, plastic little diva, I fell in love with dolls. And I've been collecting them ever since... As I've grown up, my collection of dolls has grown, too. Hunting around charity shops, car boot sales and eBay, I find all different kinds of dolls, accessories and outfits. Some are more expensive if they're rare or limited edition, and others are as cheap as chips.…

Posing for a pic with a fan, I spotted a mop of greying, brown hair bobbing toward me. It’s him , I realised. My heart skipped a beat. Moments later, the man in his 50s pulled his mobility scooter up in front of my stand. He was funny-looking, a bit on the chubby side! But, as he flashed me a huge grin, butterflies fluttered. ‘I’m Mason Reese,’ he smiled, holding out his hand. ‘Nice to finally meet you,’ I blushed, bending down to shake it. It was October 2018 and I was working at a sci-fi convention, signing photos and doing promotional work. Mason and I had mutual friends and had been chatting on Facebook for a few months before arranging to meet up. As a model, I was used…

Would it be a good test to take? My boyfriend has suggested we take a break. He says that he wants to be with me, but to make sure we’re right for each other, we should see other people. Should I consider it? Grace, Glasgow YES  Pick Me Up! reader Ellie from Dorset says: In reality, you like him and he’s questioning whether he wants to be with you. So there really is no point insisting he stay. I’d suggest you do what he says and when he comes crawling back, realising what a fool he’s been, he’ll really have to win your heart! And you’ll know for sure that he’s the right person for you. NO  Pick Me Up! reader Kelly from Birmingham says: I’d be so offended if…

Collecting a tower of beer glasses, I faked a smile at my regular pub customers as a pang of pain hit my stomach. It was the week before Christmas 2018. In the middle of my third 13-hour shift in a row, I was exhausted. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ I yelled to a punter as I poured pint after pint. I noticed blood in my knickers Usually, despite the crazy chaos, I loved the festivities. The twinkly lights that lined the bar, the smell of turkey dinners served to Christmas parties. Only this year, I had felt unwell for weeks. In October, I noticed blood in my knickers and I had lost a bit of weight, too. Then, in December, the stomach cramps hit me hard. It’s just…

I’ve always believed that the secret to a happy life is not to take it too seriously. And when it comes to my family, that’s what gets us through every day. You see, all three of my children have autism. When I met my partner Kenny, now 43, back in 2005, it had been love at first sight. We got together pretty quickly and couldn’t wait to start a family of our own. And our dreams came true the following year when I fell pregnant. Cradling my growing bump, I dreamed of our happy future. Our son Stanley was born on 25 June 2007, a perfectly gorgeous little bundle of joy. ‘He’s beautiful,’ Kenny smiled. We quickly adapted to life as a family of three, got used to night feeds…

CLEAN UP YOUR ACT With spring just a month away, many of us will start to think about that yearly clean out. Commencing on 20 March, spring will see many of us clearing out our cupboards and old belongings. By cleaning out your home, you will remove all the clutter in your life, making it not only tidier but calmer, too. When there is less mess around us, we naturally feel better and more organised. With the early signs of the sun putting us all in better moods, it's time to open up our windows, get the duster out and start getting rid of some of our unwanted belongings. Whether you bin them, recycle them or give them to charity – you will reap in the rewards of having…

Bustling around the house, I realised that I hadn’t seen my Border Collie for a while. ‘Red, where are you?’ I called out into the garden. Usually, when I call him, he comes running over, but this time, there was nothing. ‘Could he be inside?’ I shouted over to my husband Ian, 50. ‘I don’t think so,’ he replied. ‘Actually, I haven’t seen him for a while now.’ That’s not like Red, I thought to myself. It was quite unusual as most of the time, Red was with me, Ian or one of our sons, Tom, 20 or Alex, 19. Only, this particular Friday evening, there was no sign of him. Not by the fire, or out in the fields on our horse and cattle farm. ‘I’m worried,’ I fretted…

Rubbing my bump, I ruffled through the second-hand gems at a local jumble sale. ‘This one is beautiful!’ I said to my husband Adam, now 46. It was 2008 and I was on maternity leave from work with our first baby. Hunting for vintage treasures, I had started to buy and sell handbags on eBay. Along the way, I ended up keeping the special ones. ‘I can’t sell this one, it’s far too unique!’ I said to Adam. That’s how it all began... You see, some people collect coins, others keep train tickets and cinema receipts – I collect quirky vintage handbags. Ticking 1960s designers off my list, I scan vintage shops, jumble sales and charity stores. ‘You’ve got far too many,’ my husband sighs, as I admire my kitsch…

Treat any coffee lover to this show-stopping dessert. The delicious combination of coffee, chocolate and cream is always a winner! Preparation time: 15 minutes Setting time: 3 hours YOU WILL NEED: 250g Biscoff biscuits 80g butter, melted 6 sheets of gelatine or vege-gel 1 carton Arctic Iced Coffee Latte 400g cream cheese 400g mascarpone 3 tbsp icing sugar TO MAKE: 1. Put the biscuits into a blender and whizz to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and blend again. Tip the mixture into a lined, spring form 23cm tin and press down evenly and firmly. Refrigerate while you make the topping. 2. Put the gelatine in a bowl of water and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Pour the Arctic Iced Coffee into a saucepan, squeeze out the gelatine…

Drink Me Chai has five delicious powders to create your own Chai Latte – a warming drink made with black tea and a blend of spices. But you can also use the powders to create some tasty sweet treats! Drink me Chai superblends are available in Ocado, Wholefoods, Waitrose and Amazon (£3.95). For more recipe inspiration, head over to drinkmechai.co.uk Chai & raisin jumble loaf FOR DOUGH: 7g fast-action dried yeast 500g strong white flour 7g sea salt 2tsp caster sugar 250ml milk 50g unsalted butter 1 medium egg 75g raisins FOR FILLING: 65g light muscovado sugar 1tbsp Drink me Chai Spiced Chai Latte powder 1tsp strong white flour METHOD: 1. To make the dough, put the flour, yeast, salt & sugar into a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Once…

INGREDIENTS 1 large onion ½ butternut squash 2 large carrots ½ savoy cabbage 2 celery sticks 1 large courgette 2 garlic cloves 80g spinach leaves 400g tin chopped tomatoes 400g mixed beans, drained 2 vegetable stock cubes 50g tomato purée 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp Paprika ½ tsp ground black pepper Sea salt 50ml olive oil 1 litre boiling water METHOD: 1. Peel and finely chop the onion, squash and carrots. Wipe and then chop the celery finely. Peel and mince the garlic. 2. In a large pan, sauté the onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil for a few minutes then add the chopped carrots and squash. 3. Add the water and tomatoes, then crumble over the stock cubes. Bring to the boil, stirring as you cook.…

Heading into my daughter’s room, I tried to ease her back to sleep. Madison was just seven, and she was struggling with her dad being away. Unfortunately, as a military family, it was just something she had to get used to. I’d joined the army in my late teens and that’s where I met my husband, Tony, 38. I knew she needed help We were constantly moving, but when we had Madison, that’s when I really noticed the affects. I slowed down my role as an army clerk, but as a solider, Tony was always out on mission. Madison could go weeks without seeing him or even talking to him, but there was no support. I just kept getting told that as her dad was alive, ‘she was not a…

Slowing my car to a stop, I rolled down the window. ‘A double sausage and egg McMuffin, and a large full-fat Coke, please,’ I said into the speaker. A few minutes later, sat in the car park, I tucked into my delicious McDonald’s breakfast, ready to start my day. After filling up, I headed across town to my job as a hairdresser. ‘I’m starving,’ I moaned to my colleague an hour later. ‘I haven’t eaten anything all morning.’ Of course, it was a complete lie. But it meant that I could join her on a mid-morning trip to the bakery across the road, and tuck into a warm pasty without anyone judging me. It was 2006, and for years, I’d been eating in secret, not wanting anyone to know how…

Aries March 21st - April 20th Everything happens for a reason, but we don't always need to know what the reason is. Enjoy the surprises as your life unfolds this month. I can assure you they are all with your best interests at heart. Time you spend on paperwork can help make your future a more secure one. You may feel older in some respects, but you are most certainly wiser. There is more of a routine to your life now and even though you may feel restricted, you actually have more freedom than ever before. Faith you show in a younger face pays dividends. Taurus April 21st - May 21st With a sign such as you Taurus, when you love yourself and take care of yourself, other people will…