Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Pick Me Up! Special

Are you ready for a holiday season bursting with excitement and fun? Your July Pick Me Up! Special is jam-packed with puzzles, true crime and real-life reads to enjoy during those rare moments you get to relax and put your feet up. Could you be a ‘trad wife’ like Grace (p58)? Meet Kate (p60), a genuine hero who saved a total stranger from 10,000 miles away. Super mum Victoria sniffed out her son’s deadly disease (p8), and find your perfect cossie on p12!…

Cynthia Ruth Wood was a free spirit. Known as ‘Cindy’ by her friends, the 33-year-old mum was kind and loving. In the summer of 1984, she was working in a nursery, had three children, aged 3, 5, and 12, plus a stepdaughter, then 20. But she was embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband Barry Wood. She’d accused him of physically abusing one of her children, a son from a previous marriage. Cynthia felt optimistic about her chances in the court case. Especially when a hotel janitor named Charles Michael Stevens approached her, promising damning information about her ex that would help her case. She agreed to go on a date to find out more. On 6 June 1984, Charles picked her up from her home in Bradenton,…

According to the running times listed on imdb.com, what was the combined length in minutes of all the nominees for Best Picture at the 96th Academy Awards earlier this year? Fit these numbers into the grid. One number doesn’t fit. This is the answer. 3 digits 231 345 413 503 564 580 733 821 914 991 4 digits 1381 2118 2359 2675 2802 3698 5014 5330 5917 5938 6958 7322 7336 7481 5 digits 14743 19470 20620 35316 45915 62067 81039 84569 91033 92050 98000 6 digits 131346 374442 802614 7 digits 2253206 5509958 7182437 8 digits 10574974 41973297 72488282 89166789…

3 OF THE BEST… CUSHIONS STYLE TIPS 1 Add some accent pinks Intense fuchsia and pale pink will help ground the tropical motifs. Cushions, bedding and rugs are an easy way to inject colour. 2 Introduce a few animals Incorporate lighting, objets and vases featuring big cats, monkeys, zebras and exotic birds into the scheme. Gilded finishes add eclectic glamour. 3 Turn up the texture Add to the tropical theme with bamboo and rattan materials. Try a woven laundry basket in a pineapple or palm shape, rattan furniture or a printed bamboo shade.…

A codeword is like a crossword puzzle but there are no clues! Every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. Just decide which letter is represented by which number. To start you off, we’ve revealed the codes for three letters. Once you’ve filled in these letters throughout the puzzle, you’ll have enough info to guess words and discover other letters. Use the letter checklist and letter grid to keep track of the letters you have found.…

Veronica Drysdale, 34, London As I opened my car boot, a bushy brown ball came leaping out. ‘Good girl,’ I smiled as my terrier-cross dog, Shrimpy, then 2, roamed around, sniffing everything. It was December 2020, and I’d just arrived at my parents’ house in Northamptonshire. My mum Rachel, then 58, lived there with my stepdad Clifford, then 60, on an equestrian farm. Shrimpy loved exploring when we visited. I’d got her in 2018 as a puppy and she was the most gorgeous thing. She’s like a little shrimp, I’d thought, and the name just stuck! Now she was adventuring outside Mum’s house with her mate Cromwell, my stepdad’s English pointer. Ten minutes later, Cromwell came in. Shrimpy must still be out there having fun, I thought. She loved finding…

Leo 23 July – 22 August The Sun shines in Leo from the 23rd and that’s a great time to strategise a task. Get the message out before the 18th. Call 0905 789 4154* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates Virgo 23 August – 22 September Having action planet Mars onside all month is great if you’re busy, but can make you restless when trying to relax. After the 18th, avoid reverting to an old habit. Call 0905 789 4155* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates Libra 23 September – 22 October The 2nd is your day for getting a new project going. Then look out for news about exciting developments. Call 0905 789 4156* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates Scorpio 23 October – 21 November…

How funny! How does the ocean say hi? It waves!…

Who would be model Kendall Jenner’s dream dinner guest? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the two-word answer. ACROSS 11 Relatives (6) 12 South American country (9) 13 Religious song (4) 14 Pink wading bird (8) 15 Prod gently (5) 16 Lethal (6) 17 Fastest land animal (7) 18 Town in which The Simpsons is set (11) 20 Most bad (5) 22 Unidentified or without a name (9) 24 Begin (5) 28 David _, Doctor Who actor (7) 29 Chuckled (7) 32 Place of learning (6) 34 Gentle and caring quality (8) 36 Precious gems (8) 37 Jumped (6) 39 Place to see art (7) 40 Watered down (7) 45 Thierry _, former footballer (5) 47 Vegetable also known as an eggplant…

You will need… • A proper teacup with curved sides, and a saucer to complete the look. Straight-edged coffee mugs are no good here.• Loose tea – whether that’s herbal, green or black. Don’t be tempted to cut open your usual teabag, as the tea will be too fine to make shapes.• A teapot (it might need a quick rinse first!).• Biscuits are optional. Just kidding, they’re obviously essential! 1 Brew up and enjoy Add your tea leaves to the pot and fill it with boiling water. Let it brew for about five minutes, pour your tea into a cup and enjoy. Leave a small amount of tea in the bottom of the cup, swirl it around three times, while you think about your hopes, your worries and any burning…

Coconutty prawn curry A shop-bought curry paste is your ticket to flavour in this speedy fakeaway. MAKES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 10 MINS ● 1tbsp sunflower oil● 1tsp turmeric● 2tbsp Thai green curry paste● 40g desiccated coconut● 350g green beans, trimmed and halved● 350g raw peeled king prawns● 160g tin coconut milk● 1 lime, zested, cut into wedges● 2 x 250g packs Tilda Coconut Basmati Rice 1 Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan, add the turmeric, curry paste and desiccated coconut, and cook for 1 min until fragrant. Add the green beans and stir-fry for 2 mins. 2 Add the prawns and the coconut milk, plus 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 2 mins until the prawns are pink. Scatter with lime…

Kate Heron, 32, Sheffield, South Yorkshire I patted my golden retriever Mac on the head and logged into my emails. Spam, Amazon orders… but then one caught my eye. Urgent! It was from Anthony Nolan, the charity helping people with blood cancer and blood disorders. My mind raced back to 10 years earlier. In September 2011, I’d been a new student at Leeds Beckett University, looking round stalls at Freshers’ Week with mates. A volunteer from the charity had been there. ‘It only takes two minutes to register,’ they explained. ‘And you could save someone’s life.’ So I’d signed up to donate stem cells and bone marrow. My cheeks were swabbed, my DNA sent off to store on their database. ‘We’ll contact you if you’re a match,’ they said. Now,…

Caroline Lyons, 42, Haddington, East Lothian Watching him stood outside his mum’s house in jeans and a hoodie, old feelings came flooding back. The skinny, mousy-haired teenager I remembered was now a balding man who’d filled out and got tattoos. But I was still smitten. ‘All right gorgeous,’ Steven, then 33, smiled. As his brown eyes met mine, I felt like a kid again! It was September 2015 and I’d reconnected with Steven a few weeks before. Childhood sweethearts, we’d dated when I was 15 but lost touch after school. In the years since, we’d both married, had kids. But I’d come across Steven’s profile on Facebook following the breakdown of my 12-year marriage. Single too, he’d been keen to meet in person. And our chemistry was stronger than ever.…

ONE-SHOULDER STYLE TIP Asymmetric swimsuits naturally draw attention to the collarbone, so they are perfect for drawing eyes upwards and balancing wider hips. RUFFLE DETAILS STYLE TIP Ruffles can give the illusion of more volume in areas that may be straighter or smaller, and can add curves around the bust area, too, if you need a boost. WAIST ENHANCING STYLE TIP Clever optical prints or belted styles will create a flattering silhouette by slimming your mid-section and defining the waist. WRAP STYLE TIP For a fail-safe flattering shape, opt for a wrap style. The V-shaped neckline slims the upper body and suits bigger busts, while ruching around the tummy tames lumps and bumps.…

Rayven Hennecy, 31 Dressed in a blue cocktail dress and dangling gold earrings, I was ready for a night of fun. My friend Lisa had invited me to her mate’s party. And although I didn’t know anyone there, I didn’t really care. It was August 2021 and I needed to let my hair down. It had been a long week at my oncology job, treating children with cancer. Outside of work, I was an avid traveller, adored the outdoors. And I had a new, exciting job on the horizon, too. Was about to move to a military base to continue my oncology work helping families of cancer patients in the army. ‘Here’s to new beginnings,’ I said to Lisa and we clinked glasses at the party. Everyone there seemed nice.…

Amy Thompson, 26, South Shields, Tyne and Wear Clinking our alcopop bottles, me and my friends were all buzzing for a great night ahead. ‘Cheers!’ I chimed along with my partner Jamie, then 26. We were gathered in our kitchen with our mates Sarah, 25, Lauren, 23, and Josh, 22. Enjoying some drinks as we waited for a taxi to take us into town. It was July 2024, my first proper night out in years. Since having our little girl, 3, Jamie and I didn’t get out much. We both deserved to let our hair down. We’d pre-booked tickets months earlier to a gig at a nightclub called Industry. An event called Genesis, with some of my fave MCs from the rave scene. ‘I’m so excited,’ I told Jamie as…

Marrissa Mullans, 45, Manchester The front door opened and my son Alfie came in, looking wiped out. It was 8 June 2023. After all day at college, training to be a barber, Alfie, 18, usually headed for the fridge. But not now. ‘I’ve got a headache, I’m off to bed,’ he groaned. Had he picked up a bug? Fun-loving and thoughtful, Alfie enjoyed rugby and watching Manchester United with his brother Leo, then 24. But all he wanted now was to sleep. I checked on him through the night, gave him paracetamol. Next day, he felt worse and my husband Leni, then 56, saw a faint 10p-sized rash on his chest. He rolled an empty glass over the speckles. ‘That rash isn’t going,’ he said. We exchanged worried glances. Knew…

Rolo cheesecake The classic choc-caramel combo makes this pud a real showstopper. MAKES 10 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS CHILLING COOK 10 MINS ● 50g butter, melted● 200g chocolate digestive biscuits, finely crushed For the filling: ● 300g milk chocolate, broken up● 100g Bournville dark chocolate, broken into chunks● 250ml double cream● 2x250g tubs mascarpone, at room temperature● 6tbsp thick caramel sauce For the topping: ● 170g dark chocolate● 55ml double cream● Rolos, chopped and a few left whole, to decorate You will need: ● 23cm springform cake tin 1 Pour the melted butter into a large bowl and stir through the biscuit to coat. Press into the base of the cake tin and chill. 2 For the filling, melt both chocolates in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering…

Marine wonderland Bring the family to the Sea Life Centre (visitsealife.com/great-yarmouth) where you’ll encounter penguins, learn about marine life and walk through a shark tunnel. Little ones have the chance to explore a rockpool, watch clownfish play hide and seek around a coral reef and be mesmerised while watching jellyfish gliding among coloured lights. Historic house Need a break from the beach? Explore the Elizabethan House on South Quay, a former merchant’s house that’s now cared for by the National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk/elizabethan-house-museum). Experience what life was like ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ in Victorian times, and enjoy tales from costumed actors, like the medicine woman. There are craft activities and a toy room for kids, and a restful garden for grown-ups. Circus nights Built in 1903, the Hippodrome (hippodromecircus.com) is the last…