Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, March 27, 2023 i Woman's Own

Imagine packing it all in and heading off for exotic climes. A life of fun and adventure sounds like the ultimate goal. But for some women it’s not just a dream – on p38 we meet Camilla, Francesca and Janice, who have actually gone and done it! On p26 we bring you the six simple tricks you need to help get to sleep fast. It can be a nightmare when you don’t get enough rest, and we all have our own ways to help us nod off – whether that’s counting sheep (jury is still out for me on this one) or imagining something relaxing (which happens to be trick number 4). If I’m struggling tonight, I’ll be thinking back to p38 and picturing myself on a beach with my…

BLOW FOR THE ELDERLY In yet another round of bashing the older generation, the government is considering moving the age at which you can access free prescriptions to the current pension age of 66. Oh brilliant idea. Stop even more vulnerable elderly people getting the health care they’ve paid in for all their lives! There’s this myth that all baby boomers are wafting around their fully paid for mansions on gold-plated pensions. That they’ve had it easy all their lives compared with younger generations. Oh go and do one, will you? One in five UK pensioners lives in relative poverty and the UK state pension is one of the worst in Europe. Stop demonising the old. They didn’t always have it easy and deserve nothing but our respect. If you…

Have you heard about? ONE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION EACH DAY BOOSTS HAPPINESS Need some laughter in your life? Catch up with a friend, says research*. Findings showed that people who had a face-to-face chat with a friend felt less stressed, anxious and lonely by the end of their day. Those who had more than one chat had even better days. Scientists believe this is because high quality conversation helps us meet a need to feel we belong. It worked for me Laurie Robbins, 52, London ‘I battled a horrific facial eczema just after entering the first stages of menopause. My face looked red, blistered and swollen, and everything I put on it stung. I now use Hydrosil Turmeric Butter & Hypoallergenic Milk Salve (£10.95 for 75ml, hydrosil.co.uk). Within weeks of using…

Health ask us I can’t stop fantasising about him Q One of my husband’s friends is a man known for his affairs, and my husband often comes home and tells me what he’s been up to. My husband doesn’t know I have been fantasising about this man and meeting him for coffee. I pretend we’re just friends, but he said he finds me attractive and I love it. I can’t stop imagining us together. What do I do? I have been married for nine years and have two small kids. A Fantasies are very common for both men and women. However, fixating on a person over and over and trying to make that fantasy come true is something very different. While the thrill of being desired may be exciting, you…

READER QUESTION Q I’d like to save cash by growing my own vegetables but I don’t know where to start. Help! A You’ll find great advice on the Royal Horticultural Society’s website, including its Get Set, Grow! videos, which will guide you through the basics of growing your own fruit and vegetables. You’ll get advice on sowing, planting, nurturing and harvesting. Visit rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own. Go green for less Don’t chuck used batteries in the bin; the materials in them can be reused, so recycle them instead. Find out where you can recycle batteries at hubbub.org.uk/recycle-your-batteries. 3 easy ways to... cut food waste and save cash Reducing the amount of food you end up throwing away is better for the environment and your pocket. Here’s how to do it……

21-27 March 2023 ASK ALEX A ‘WHAT IS MY HOROSCOPE TODAY?’ ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Do your research while the Sun is in your sign. You tend to charge ahead, but consider all options before diving in. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May You devote yourself to providing a safe family home. You may find something online that creates a relaxing mood. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Get creative with clothing for an upcoming family party. A child needs help with a fancy dress costume. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul Set aside time for self-care by making the most of relaxing, staying off social media and enjoying a bubble bath. LEO 23 Jul – 22 Aug You’ll receive a gift that will mean so much to…

LAST SUMMER ON STATE STREET by Toya Wolfe (£16.99, Cornerstone, HB) When you lose everything, what remains? Chicago, 1999. A dark shadow looms over the housing projects of State Street. As the authorities prepare to tear down their neighbourhood, three friends form an unlikely trio and seek solace in games. There’s Fe Fe, loved fiercely by her protective mother, Precious Brown, daughter of a devout church elder, and Stacia Buchanan, the child of a renowned gangster disciple. But when the mysterious Tonya comes into their lives, everything changes. As their homes and families are torn apart, the girls face impossible decisions. A luminous, poignant novel about friendship, loss and finding one’s place in the world. THE BOATHOUSE BY STEPPING STONE BAY by Helen Rolfe (£7.99, Orion, PB) In her youth,…

Meghan’s GAME PLAN? She’s now the Duchess of Sussex and her wedding was watched by 29.2m people across the globe, but before she became a royal, Meghan appeared to have very different plans. Former close friend of the duchess, 41, and socialite Lizzie Cundy, revealed what was on the actor’s agenda before she met Prince Harry. Lizzie, 54, shared, ‘I was friends with Meghan for a while and I really got on with her.’ Adding, ‘She wanted a boyfriend and wanted to get on to the showbiz scene… [she] wanted a job in British TV, and wanted to be [in] Made in Chelsea.’ In addition to revealing that Meghan wanted to star on the London-based reality TV show, Lizzie divulged, ‘I said I’d try and hook her up with a…

ALL SET Invest in good foundations to make yourself feel fabulous. Bra, £26, sizes 30A-42E, and briefs, £12, sizes 6-28, both M&S SINK ESSENTIALS Cleanse, then moisturise. Habitat hand duo, £8, Sainsbury’s LET THERE BE LIGHT Create a warm glow. Tealight holder, £9, Oliver Bonas HEAVEN SCENT A handy travel-size fragrance. Nectar & Passionfruit Eau de Toilette, £6, M&S FLORAL FANCIES Elevate your look with statement earrings. £9.99, parfois.com AL FRESCO DINING Everything you need for outdoor entertaining. Picnic tumbler, £15 for a set of four, place mats, £20 for a set of four, picnic side plates, £15 for a set of four, napkins, £9 for a set of four, and candle holder, £12.50, all M&S GREEN WITH ENVY Team this jacket with dresses and high-waisted bottoms. £20, sizes 4-20,…

Longline waistcoat An on-trend waistcoat is a great alternative to a blazer. Look for a longline cut to wear open, so it skims over your hips for a slimming effect, or buttoned up with a belt for a svelte, waist-defining look. This beige style from V by Very has extra cinching points at the side for a truly fitted outline. Trench coat The perfect way to finish any outfit is with a timeless double-breasted trench coat, which will complement your figure whichever way you choose to wear it. Throw it on and leave it open for a figure-skimming ‘window’ effect where the eye is drawn to the narrow area beneath the open coat, or wear it belted for a more va-va-voom silhouette. Printed frock Make a printed dress your go-to…

We know that we should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, but the recent cost of living crisis has made that trickier than ever. Half the nation isn’t getting enough sleep, with a quarter getting five or fewer hours a night, according to a recent national sleep survey*. And while staying up too late watching TV or films is the cause for 19% of people, feeling stressed about finances (17%) and worrying about work (15%) are also often to blame. If you’re lying in bed wide awake, mulling over your bank balance into the early hours on a regular basis, counting sheep just won’t cut it. Try these expert-approved, natural techniques, which could have you drifting off in no time. 1 THE SOOTHING SOUNDSCAPE Instead of…

Easter bunny cake SERVES 12 Some simple decorations make this chocolate cake a real showstopper. YOU WILL NEED 100g cocoa powder, sifted240g self-raising flour, sifted1½tsp baking powder¼tsp bicarbonate of soda¼tsp salt240g butter, softened400g caster sugar1tsp vanilla extract4 medium eggs For the buttercream: 200g white chocolate, melted and cooled250g butter, softened500g icing sugar, sifted2-3tbsp milk For the decoration: 1 white chocolate egg, split in half, and smaller chocolate speckled eggs You will need: 2x25cm round baking tins, greased and lined with baking paper. HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. In a bowl, mix together the cocoa powder and 400ml boiling water; leave to cool. 2 Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at…

‘I’ll keep travelling as long as I can’ Camilla Randell, 54, from Kent, currently works as a housekeeper in Switzerland. I’ve always loved travelling. My favourite childhood book was a Reader’s Digest atlas: I’d pore over maps of distant landscapes, dreaming of visiting exciting places. When I was 28, my boyfriend and I decided to leave our jobs and head to Greece to pick fruit. I wanted to work to live, not live to work. We travelled for two years and, by the time we returned to the UK, I’d learnt some life lessons. BIG DECISIONS I didn’t want children and knew my relationship was over. I went to visit a friend who was living in an alternative community in Holland, and stayed for five happy years, living in a…

Jake Quickenden ‘I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THOSE I’D LOST’ ‘I NEEDED SOME ANSWERS’ The singer and reality TV star on investigating the spooky goings-on in his home… As Celebrity Help! My House is Haunted continues on Discovery+, Jake Quickenden is the latest celeb to invite a team of ghost hunters into his home. The series sees paranormal investigator Barri Ghai, psychic medium Ian Lawman and paranormal researcher and historian Jayne Harris helping celebrities who are being plagued by supernatural entities. So far in this series, the team has come to the aid of stars including Pineapple Dance Studios’ Louie Spence and Changing Rooms legend Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, and this week it’s the turn of former X Factor contestant Jake. ‘There were a few things happening in my house with lights…

Just a few weeks ago, fans were questioning whether everything was OK between Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford after noticing that they rarely post about each other on social media any more. One even commented, ‘Sure they have split.’ Now, Eamonn has broken his silence, suggesting that he is unhappy. Posting a selfie on Instagram, Eamonn – who has been battling chronic back pain for years now – wrote in the caption, ‘Don’t know why I’m smiling,’ to which a concerned fan commented, ‘You’re a happy person and a lot to be happy for, so smile.’ Eamonn then replied, ‘u would be surprised at the things that conspire to make me unhappy,’ followed by a sad-face emoji. It seems the presenter is struggling, so what’s making him so fed up?…

Tearing into my birthday presents, I was so excited to see what my husband Mark had got me. It was my 57th birthday in January 2021 and as I peeled back the paper, the words 23 and Me peeped out underneath. ‘I thought you might want to give it another shot,’ Mark smiled. It was a DNA test – I’d done one from a different company a couple of years before to try and find my biological mum, but hadn’t been successful. Maybe this time I’d have more luck. The next day, I put some saliva in a container, sealed up the kit and popped it in the post, full of hope that I’d finally find my long-lost mum. Growing up, my parents Rochelle and David were very open with…

Watching as my husband Jerry wowed a few of our friends with a magic card trick, I couldn’t help but laugh. Jerry was such a people person – he loved making everyone smile and thought nothing of producing a pack of playing cards, mid-conversation, to miraculously make someone’s chosen card end up stuck to the ceiling. Jerry really was talented. An actor and singer, we’d met when we were both acting in the same West End theatre production, The Wood Demon, in 1997, and we got together four years later. He was the kindest person I’d ever met and there wasn’t a day that he didn’t make me laugh. But in 2006, when our son Jack was still only a few months old, I began to notice changes in Jerry’s…

WHY IS HE SUDDENLY OUT OF BREATH? Q My husband and I are keen walkers. We try to walk about five miles each morning. In recent weeks, I have noticed that he gets short of breath on hills and has to stop for a few moments to catch his breath. I’m worried that this could be a problem with his heart, but he insists that it’s to be expected at 70. Should he see his GP? A Yes, I think he should. It sounds like your husband’s baseline fitness is quite good, and a new onset of shortness of breath on mild exertion should be checked out. His GP will want to examine his lungs and heart and may arrange some tests to check this out. CONTACT DR DAWN Send…

Instant volume Hairdresser Sam McKnight’s most famous client was probably Princess Diana. But this tip comes from another icon. ‘Kate Moss has naturally fine, flat hair,’ he reveals. ‘To give her hair some volume, she dries it upside down, then pulls it to the top of her head and twists it into a knot. After a few hours, it has a little bit of natural movement in it, plus volume at the root.’ There’s nothing better than a beauty tip that costs less than our morning coffee. Hair elastics, £1 for 60, Primark. Keep things simple Don’t overcomplicate your skincare routine. ‘I get excited about new ingredients but sometimes we don’t need to reinvent the wheel,’ says skin expert Abi Cleeve. ‘Focus on your skin barrier and UV protection before…

M&S VINTAGE VIBES Mix mustard shades with faded florals for a hit of nostalgia George Home at Asda EXOTIC ESCAPE Bring holiday hues home with these hot and charcoal colours…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) has its headquarters in which city? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BANGKOKBEIJINGDELHIDHAKAHANOIJAKARTAKARACHILAHORE MANILAMUMBAIRIYADHSHANGHAITAIPEITEHRANTOKYO CROSSWORD ACROSS 6 Halloween _, 2021 horror film featuring the villain 21/27 Across and starring 17 Down (5)7 Pertaining to business and finance (8)10 Grittiness, or the state of being uncooked (7)11 More cruel (7)12 Trampled (7)13 _ film, horror sub-genre of which 6 Across is an example (7)14 Fantasy, pretend (4-7)19 Spartan (7)21 First name of horror movie character who wears a white mask and a jumpsuit (7)23 Visual…

Film A GOOD PERSON Out in cinemas 24 March and on Sky Cinema from 28 April After a tragedy, Allison (Florence Pugh) turns to pills to numb her trauma, and finds herself battling addiction and her former fiance’s dad (Morgan Freeman). Emotional drama written and directed by Scrubs’ Zach Braff. Music JEFF GOLDBLUM Plays Well with Others (Decca), out 24 March Ahead of a gig at London’s Royal Festival Hall in April, actor and musician Jeff Goldblum collaborates once again with The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra as well as famous singers such as Kelly Clarkson and Freda Payne. This EP proves he’s a hit even away from Hollywood. Event WINNIE THE POOH THE NEW MUSICAL STAGE ADAPTATION – UK TOUR Until 2 September 2023, multiple venues, from £13 Join Pooh, Piglet,…