Innholdsfortegnelse for 12-Apr-2016 i Woman's Weekly

A confession – my boredom threshold for housework is about half an hour. I start off enthusiastically enough, but my zeal wanes severely after the first 30 minutes. I’ve learnt over time to do the stuff that really needs it (bathrooms) in that small window of efficient eagerness and leave the rest – dusting especially challenges my interest levels – for later. I should say, in my defence, I don’t count the kitchen in the list of housework tasks because I clean at least some portion of that every day. However, I hope it redeems me a little when I also confess… that I LOVE ironing. I can’t say I get a particular thrill out of doing the washing part of laundry (though my satisfaction levels will definitely be increased…

Discover Delacroix And The Rise Of Modern Art Eugène Delacroix was the Damien Hirst of 19th century Paris. Rediscover the genius of his works at the National Gallery in an exhibition that runs until 22 May. For more details, call 020 7747 2885, or visit nationalgallery.org.uk Sing along to Calamity Jane A new singalong version of the 1953 musical, with subtitles for the songs, returns to selected cinemas across the UK from 8 April. Starring Doris Day as the gun-toting, whip-cracking Wild West whirlwind, this is classic Hollywood at its rip-roaring best. So ready your vocal cords for a workout. Place your bets The Crabbie’s Grand National Put the Champagne on ice and dust off your fanciest hat as horse racing’s most famous event returns to Aintree for a long…

Woman’s Weekly Deputy Features Editor Helena says, ‘Guinevere Glasfurd’s novel is an absorbing and moving read. Set in 17th-century Holland, it’s the story of the love between Helena Jans, a maid, and the French philosopher, René Descartes. We see how limited life was for women, especially from the lower classes; even though Helena could read and write, she was never allowed to aspire to anything above her station and her affair with Descartes had to be hidden. The Words In My Hand by Guinevere Glasfurd (£15.99, Two Roads) is out now…

It was a very grand hotel, the Sroubek – the smartest on Wenceslas Square. I used to watch people strolling into the lobby and they would look around them, trying not to appear too much awed by its grandeur. One of them would say to the other, “It’s art nouveau, of course.” People like to show their knowledge and their culture, and in those days, Prague was a place of considerable culture. The Sroubek was painted golden on the outside, and it had statues of angels way up on the very top of the frontage. Me, I lost interest in the architecture after a few months of working there. I cleaned the lavatories, and hauled great loads of bed linen so heavy my back nearly snapped, so I didn’t have…

Cut out the clutter with this all-singing, all-dancing Laundry Sorter & Hanger. It includes three laundry bins, a shelf and a hanging rail, £139, The Holding Company. Polder Countertop Drying Rack is ideal for tight spaces and has a flat mesh section, £17.72, Amazon.co.uk. Free up floor space in a small room with this wall-mounted, slimline Doris Laundry Ladder, available in pine, ash or white, £198, Julu. This heated airer costs under 4p an hour to run and is kinder to clothes than a tumble-dryer, Dry:Soon 2-Tier Heated Tower Airer, £78.99, Lakeland. To discover the neatest way to fold a fitted sheet, go to womansweekly.com/fittedsheet…

We’re holding more of our fiction workshops at our London office. Learn how to write fiction or poetry in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. What are you waiting for? Book your place now by phone or by coupon! ABOUT OUR TUTORS Writing A Short Story With A Twist Monday 18 April, Friday 8 July and Friday 28 October With Gaynor and Della 10am MEET AND GREET, with tea and coffee 10.30am TALK Writing for the Woman’s Weekly audience 11am TALK Dos and don’ts when writing a twist 11.30am BREAK for tea and coffee 11.45am EXERCISE Write an opening paragraph 1pm BREAK for lunch 2pm EXERCISE Write a 100-word twist/outline and share it with the group 3pm BREAK for tea and coffee 3.15pm GROUP DISCUSSION What makes a good twist in…

Benefits Of The Ban Indoor smoking bans have cut hospital admission rates for heart disease and stroke around the world, according to a new analysis of 77 international research studies. Smoking–related diseases and death rates have also fallen, although the effect on admissions for lung disease is less clear as other factors, such as dietary changes, also have an effect. But passive smokers and non-smokers have benefited too, so that’s good news for all of us. True Or False? Four out of five women follow the ‘five-second rule' and will eat food that's been dropped on the floor. True, according to UK researchers – but they say food immediately picks up bacteria, especially from tiles or laminate flooring, or if the food is moist. Personally, I throw it in the…

My family have been going through a very tough time recently following the loss of our beloved son-in-law, so when I came across ‘Cushion To Care For’ [16 February 2016], which showed how to transform old shirts into cushion covers, it felt like a gift from above. What a perfect way to keep his memory alive. I asked my granddaughters to choose their daddy’s favourite shirts, and a good friend is now in the process of making them up into cushions. I can’t wait to see how they turn out. Let’s hope it goes some way to healing the sadness in our lives at this time. Sandra Hanham, Bournemouth, Dorset We hope so, Sandra. We love to hear from you, so do get in touch if you have something to…

Born Free (1960) The heartfelt true story of Elsa, a lioness rescued and later successfully released into the wild by naturalist Joy Adamson, became an iconic feature film. All Creatures Great And Small (1972) Alf Wight's memoir (written under the name James Herriot) of life as a country vet was a major success and was later turned into a BBC drama. My Animals And Other Family (2012) Broadcaster Clare Balding's account of life as the daughter of a champion thoroughbred trainer jumped straight up the bestseller charts when it was released four years ago. H Is For Hawk (2014) When Helen Macdonald lost her father, she channelled her grief into taming one of the wildest of birds – a northern goshawk named…

The US road trip had been going well. I’d fired machine guns in Las Vegas. Landed a hot-air balloon in Lake Havasu within sight of London Bridge (no, they didn’t think they were buying Tower Bridge – it’s an urban myth). I’d become a cowboy on a dude ranch in Arizona and beaten a Texan at a shooting competition. I’d eaten rattlesnake and raced quad bikes on a frozen lake. I’d even wrestled alligators in southern Colorado. So, a successful trip so far and I was feeling rather pleased with myself as the plane landed in Oklahoma City. I was going to attend rodeo school, to learn to ride bulls. What could possibly go wrong? As we arrived, I got a weird feeling that this might be a bit different.…

Your Shopping List Fruit & veg 1 medium, 3 large potatoes 3 small onions (1 red) 1 red pepper 4 carrots 2 leeks 75g (2½oz) green beans 4 spring onions Tenderstem broccoli 2 lemons 1 bulb of garlic 100g (3½oz) baby spinach 2 courgettes 4 plum cherry tomatoes 1 sweet potato Chives and rosemary, optional Meat & poultry  1 chicken breast on the bone 2 rashers smoked back bacon 150g (5oz) calves’ liver 2 lamb cutlets Fish  2 small lemon sole fillets 200g (7oz) salmon fillet Dairy  2 eggs 100ml (3½fl oz) crème fraiche 60g (2oz) butter Frozen food  60g (2oz) peas 125g (4oz) raw jumbo prawns Store-cupboard essentials  Olive oil 60g can no-drain tuna steak in sunflower oil 2 Knorr Chicken Stock Pots Dijon mustard Thickening granules Caster sugar…

Washing Cotton wash (no bar underneath image) Synthetic wash/mild treatment (single bar) Wool wash/very mild treatment (double bar) Handwash only, maximum temperature 40°C Not suitable for washing Dry-cleaning May be dry-cleaned May be dry-cleaned (letter indicates process to use) Do not dry-clean or remove stains with solvents Bleaching Any bleach allowed Only oxygen bleach/ non-chlorine bleach allowed Do not bleach Natural drying Dry flat Hang/line dry Drip-dry Tumble-drying May be tumble-dried Tumble-dry low (low heat setting) Tumble-dry high (high heat setting) Do not tumble-dry Ironing Cool iron (one dot). Steam ironing may be a risk Warm iron (two dots) Hot iron (three dots) Do not iron (steaming not allowed)…

COLOUR RUNS Rewash items on their own while still wet and, if traces of colour remain, try Dr Beckmann Colour Run Remover, £2, Morrisons. CLUMPS OF TISSUE STUCK TO CLOTHING Rewash, adding fabric conditioner in the final rinse, then tumble-dry. Once dry, shake vigorously and remove remaining flecks with sticky tape. SHRUNKEN SWEATERS Some are beyond redemption, but it’s worth trying to reshape knitwear by relaxing the fibres. Soak for 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water after adding 3tbsp of hair conditioner or baby shampoo. Rinse in cool water, then carefully roll between two clean dry towels to remove moisture, gently stretch and reshape. RUBBER MARKS Grey marks on clothes are caused by clothes being pushed against the gasket (the rubber door seal), normally due to overloading. Get rid of them…

Give your garden a bold new look using strong geometric shapes like a perfect circle, squares or rectangles. Link all elements – lawn, patio and flower beds – with seamless edges and use plants to soften lines. An infusion of bay leaves added to bathwater is a great way to ease aching limbs, and to refresh ‘city-skin’, treat your face to a steam bath made by immersing borage or fennel leaves in boiling water. Experiment with colour. Trendy shades are periwinkle-blue, coral, burgundy, and green as well as pink and ivory.…

‘I lost over 3st with a hypnotherapy app’ My weight crept up and I was a size 18 after I got married and had two children. Feeling stressed and tired all the time, I knew I was eating too much but I just couldn’t stop. I tried fad diet after fad diet and even considered gastric surgery. A year ago, I was trawling the internet when I found an advert for Easyloss, a hypnotherapy app. It appealed to me because it promised to change my way of thinking. It seemed simple and cost only £4.99. What did I have to lose? The app involved me listening to a hypnotherapy session every morning and evening and following four guidelines: eat what you want – not what you can; eat only when…

Q How do I go about buying specs online? It took me a while to come around to the idea of buying glasses online – it seemed like one of those things you just have to do in the real, rather than the digital, world. But I’ve found it really straightforward, and even fun. You still need to go to an optician for an eye test, of course – make sure you’ve got an up-to-date copy of your prescription, and remember to ask them to check your pupillary distance, as that’ll help online specs makers get things right for you. Then take to the internet for a huge array of options. I use Glasses Direct (glassesdirect.co.uk) – other big providers include selectspecs.com and glasses123.co.uk. You can get pretty much any…

This proud young lady is Robyn, and she’s showing off the bronze medal she just won in the cross-country competition at her school. Not only that, she’s also sporting some rather fetching hedgehog mittens (featured in our 31 December 2015 issue) knitted by her nana Hazel Dilnot (inset), from Eastwood in Nottinghamshire. Robyn is following in her nana’s footsteps and has started a crochet club at her school. Have you made something gorgeous? Well, don’t be shy – we want to see it!…

‘All that gore was wonderful for a 12-year-old’ How do you take your tea? I prefer aromatic tea, like lapsang souchong. Who would you most like to have a cup of tea with? Richard Burbage [an actor who was friends with Shakespeare and starred in many of his plays]. I’d ask him what it was like working with the Bard. What was the first play you ever appeared in? It was a youth club production of King John. I had to act out a scene where the princes had their eyes removed with hot pokers. All that blood and gore and horror – it was wonderful for a 12-year-old boy. What are your plans for the year ahead? I’m touring a live concert about the Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. During…

We love letters Woman’s Weekly, 110 Southwark St, London SE1 0SU. PS. It really helps when you put your details in capitals We do not return photos (apart from ‘You Look Great!’) so please do not send originals Email us Womansweeklypostbag @timeinc.com  Tell us your full name, address and daytime phone number, please Fancy a chat? Log on to facebook.com/  womansweekly We can’t wait to hear from you! Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original and NOT duplicated to other publications. £25 will be paid to the writer of the ‘Letter Of The Week’, and the ‘Good To Meet You’ contributor will receive a gift or similar as stated at time of publication of contribution, for all rights in each letter printed. The Editor reserves…

Barbara Simons, 54, Tunbridge Tell us about your look… I like pretty things but they have to be casual and comfortable. I got this top from Sainsbury’s and the necklace was my Secret Santa gift this year! I love big statement necklaces and I make a lot of my own jewellery – I often shop for clothes to go with it, rather than the other way round. I’m not loyal to any particular shop – I like to look in lots of places. And the best bit of your body? My face and smile. Caroline Harper, 52, London Tell us about your look… I’d say my style was smart casual – I like clothes that are comfortable but stylish. I wear a lot of dresses with…

‘There’s a very good reason why people hire professional movers: because it’s their job to lift and carry’ After living for many years in rural Lanarkshire, Scotland, the time had come to sell up and move. We had raised our three kids in our rambling old family home and, now our twin sons were preparing to leave for university, I wanted to downsize to an easily managed Glasgow flat. We put our house on the market and found a city flat to rent. How easy it all was – it had gone so swimmingly! Now all we had to do was move. It would be fine, I reasoned. With five of us – all willing and able – we had no need for professional removal men. We would enlist the…

The Printed Mac Don’t worry about getting caught in a shower, grab a mac and you’ll stay dry and look stylish whatever the weather. This one looks great with and without its matching belt Coat, £99, sizes 8-22, Monsoon; top, £29.50, sizes 6-22, M&S; skirt, £39, sizes 8-22, M&Co; bag, £180, Folli Follie; shoes, £18, BHS; watch, £22, sunglasses, £15, both Next The Bomber Jacket A new trend for 2016, this versatile jacket works well worn over a T-shirt for a slightly more dressed-up casual look Jacket, £39.99, sizes xs-xl, Zara; top, £29.99, sizes 6-16, Great Plains; trousers, £12, sizes 6-22, Primark; bag, £15.99, New Look; shoes, £69, Kin by John Lewis The Duster Coat On cooler days when you need a heavier layer, try a duster. They’re universally flattering…

Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge MEASUREMENTS To fit chest sizes 91-97 (102) (107) (112-117) (122) cm/36-38 (40) (42) (44-46) (48) in. Actual measurements 103 (109) (115.5) (122) (128) cm/40½ (43) (45½) (48) (50½) in. Side seam 41 (41) (41.5) (42) (42.5) cm/16 (16) (16¼) (16½) (16¾) in. Length to shoulder 63 (64) (65) (66) (67) cm/24¾ (25¼) (25½) (26) (26¼) in. Sleeve seam All sizes 48cm/19in. MATERIALS 13 (14) (16) (17) (19) 50g (85m) balls of Rico Design Creative Cotton Aran (100% cotton) in Cherry (65)*. Pair of 4mm (No.8) and 4½mm (No.7) knitting needles. TENSION 19 stitches and 28 rows, to 10 x 10cm, over pattern, using 4½mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; st, stitch; tog, together; dec, decrease (by working 2 sts tog);…

Dr Beckmann Pre-Wash Stain Devils, £2.29 With an easy-to-use applicator, this treatment can rescue clothes from even dried-on stains. Carbona Color & Dirt Grabber, £5.96, Lakeland This reusable product prevents fading and lets you wash whites and colours together. Dryerballs, £8.25, Lakeland These spiky balls save time and money by softening clothes without fabric conditioner and reducing drying time by 25%. Mrs White’s Linen Spray, £12, Roullier White This fragrant spray helps smooth creases while ironing.…

Have fun using up your favourite remnants of fabrics to create containers to store those little sewing essentials. Home Editor, Emily Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge Finished sizes Large tray: 16 x 16cm Medium tray: 13 x 13cm Small tray: 9 x 9cm YOU WILL NEED For the large tray: • Two pieces of 25cm-square cotton fabric – we used two contrasting designs • Two pieces of 25cm-square medium-weight iron-on interfacing For the medium tray: • Two pieces of 20cm-square cotton fabric • Two pieces of 20cm-square medium-weight iron-on interfacing For the small tray: • Two pieces of 15cm-square cotton fabric • Two pieces of 15cm-square medium-weight iron-on interfacing For all trays: • Damp cloth and iron • Matching sewing thread • Sewing machine • Scissors…

More than 100,000 people in the UK have multiple sclerosis (MS), a long-term condition that affects the nervous system. It occurs in three times as many women as men and often starts in young adulthood. The cause isn’t known, although it’s more common in people of Caucasian ethnicity, in people who smoke, in more northerly parts of Europe, and there’s a hereditary element in some families. MS is triggered by the body’s own immune system, which targets myelin, the fatty ‘insulating’ tissue that helps electrical signals to travel rapidly through the brain, spinal cord and along nerve fibres. MS produces gaps, scars and nerve damage, slowing, distorting or blocking the signals, and interfering with sensation and/or movement. The symptoms These include numbness, pins and needles or pain, muscle stiffness, weakness…

Respect his choices and give him time Q My grandson was a very affectionate little boy and wasn’t worried about showing that he loved us. Now that he’s 15, he won’t kiss us. When I try, he ducks away. Is this normal or has he gone off us? Diane, Bury St Edmunds A Even if you don’t remember being a teenager, your children will, so ask them how they felt about being kissed by their older relatives. Most young people go through a period when they can think of nothing worse than kissing older people. It’s nothing to do with how much they love you. I’d just let him do what he wants and don’t even try to kiss him. Pressuring him into it is only going to make him…

Where I went It’s been on my travel bucket list for years, so when I finally touched down in the Big Apple I couldn’t quite believe it. Most of my time was spent in Midtown Manhattan, using Times Square as my base. What I did On the sunniest day, I ventured around Central Park, stopping to take photos with the iconic Alice in Wonderland statue. From there, I headed to the Top Of The Rock (Rockefeller Center), where the views across Manhattan are sensational! But probably the highlight was going to see the Body Worlds exhibition at Discovery Times Square (discoverytsx.com). Where I stayed The Roosevelt Hotel (theroosevelt hotel.com) in Midtown, is in a great location just a 15-minute walk from Times Square. What I ate There’s a wealth of…

Get your diary out and plan a day out at one of our needle-felting workshops run by our felting experts Judy Balchin and Roz Dace. These workshops are fabulous for complete beginners or for anyone keen on needle-felting, which is an easy technique to pick up. You just need a needle and a pile of fluff and, once you’ve learnt the basic method, you can make almost anything. D Judy is a designer who’s written numerous craft books and articles. She attended Cardiff and then Maidstone College of Art, where she studied graphic design, before starting work as a designer at the BBC. D Roz has always loved creative writing, drawing, painting and all crafts. For many years, she was Search Press’s editorial director, commissioning practical art and crafts books…

Aries 21 March - 20 April An unexpected chance to show off your skills will happen. Don’t turn down an offer to speak or perform. Your income may improve, giving you a chance to splash out on the things you want. Eating regularly and wisely will give you more energy to do things instead of feeling tired. For more, call 0901 609 2591* Taurus 21 April - 21 May Someone will tell you a secret. Resist the temptation to share it with all and sundry. Some things need to be kept quiet for as long as possible. This will turn out to be a week of surprises. Diplomacy and discretion will help you steer clear of any pitfalls and problems. For more, call 0901 609 2592* Gemini 22 May -…

‘I said I’d check the storeroom. It just seemed easier’ Do you have this jacket in a size 14?’ ‘I’m afraid not.’ ‘Would you mind looking out the back for me?’ Ah yes, of course – the back. Clothes shoppers have tremendous faith in this place called ‘Out The Back’. In their view, people like me deliberately fill the racks with clothes that aren’t their size and are, in any case, the wrong colour. Everything they really want is kept hidden out the back, in a magnificent storeroom that is oak panelled and contains rack upon rack of clothes that are exactly the right size and style they’re looking for. This is also why you can never find an assistant at a clothes shop. We’re all out the back, lolling…