Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Feb-2017 i Woman's Weekly

One of the big delights about the house I moved into a couple of years ago, which is a little further out of London from my last one, is the number of birds that populate the area. I really enjoy hearing their calls when I wake up in the morning and seeing them swoop in and out of my little garden. I’m not enough of an expert to know what sorts of birds they all are, but there are lots of magpies among them, and on one, really quite thrilling, occasion a woodpecker appeared, presumably looking for the wood or forest it had misplaced. I’ve taken to putting food out for my feathered visitors, something I wasn’t able to do in my last house because of the deviously marauding squirrels,…

‘My most interesting job was on death row’ • Glaswegian comic Susan Calman, 42, gave up her high-flying career in corporate law to become a comedian in 2006. She’s since appeared on BBC Radio 4 and as a TV panellist on shows like QI. She now lives with her wife in Scotland, and is currently touring her latest show, The Calman Before The Storm. How do you take your tea? Strong with a bit of milk. And I only like Tetley. None of your fancy teas. Who would you most like to have a cup of tea with? Dame Helen Mirren. She’s fought preconceptions to become one of the most respected actors of her generation. If they made a film about your life, would you want her to play you?…

From the first quarter of the 19th century, etiquette demanded that a visiting card be delivered to a house prior to a visit. There were sophisticated rules surrounding their use. If turned down at the corner, it would indicate that it was left by the lady or gentleman themselves and not by a servant. This custom carried on into the 20th century, dying out by the Second World War. Cases were required to carry them and would display the owner’s social standing. These narrow, rectangular boxes would have either hinged or pull-off lids. The form was fairly standardised, but materials varied from silver and gold to bone, ivory and tortoiseshell. There are many cases for collectors at prices to suit every pocket, from less than £30 to very high prices…

Francesca Carter, 69 Tell us about your look… I’ve always preferred quality to quantity and have built up a collection from designers, such as Moschino, Guy Laroche and Nicole Farhi – mostly from a second-hand shop in Wimbledon Village. Today I’m wearing a coat by Jaeger and houndstooth trousers by Karen Millen. My ankle boots are Alberto Gozzi. Last year’s best buy was an Adidas Originals Rita Ora jumpsuit. It’s coming out again soon! And the best bit of your body? My hair – I’ve never dyed it as I like the colour! Lucy Thomas, 51 Tell us about your look… I live in jeans and just dress them up or down. These are from Next and are very comfy. I prefer light layers in winter, so this poncho from…

Pastel perk: Lilac polish – especially one with cool grey tones – makes mature hands look more youthful. Pastel perk: If you wear no other make-up, one slick of this glossy peach is enough to freshen your whole face. Pastel perk: A shimmering silvery-blue is a suits-all shade. Press into the inner corner of each eye to illuminate your gaze. Pastel perk: A berry pink mimics the rosebud hue of a healthy, outdoorsy pout, while the glossy finish makes thin lips appear fuller. Pastel perk: Good for all eye colours: champagne and soft coral suit baby blues, mauve enhances hazel and green eyes, and for a dark gaze, try pinky neutrals. Pastel perk: We lose the natural warmth from our face with age. Fake it with a shot of peach…

Tinnitus means ringing in the ears – hissing, whistling, buzzing, humming, music, or any sounds that come from inside our bodies. And while there’s rarely a serious cause, it can seriously affect our health. We all get it occasionally, for example after exposure to very loud noise, but around one in 10 of us has it regularly, and it severely affects everyday life for around 600,000 people. The causes Sound waves stimulate tiny hairs wafting in the fluid inside our inner ear (cochlea); these send electrical signals to the brain along the auditory nerve. Ageing changes (or noise damage) can gradually or suddenly create false signals/sounds that may be permanent or come and go. Tinnitus can also be caused by earwax, noise/ physical damage to the eardrum, middle ear fluid,…

Your Nutrition Choose in-season fruit and veg, which are cheaper and more nutritious than imported out-of-season produce. Try kale, apples, carrots, parsnips and beetroot, all of which are bursting with nutrients. Buy in bulk to reduce costs and then freeze what you don’t eat. Reduce the amount of meat you buy and consume more plant protein, such as tinned chickpeas or black beans. And eat cheaper oily fish (mackerel and sardines) for your omega-3 intake. As usual with nutrition, though, do what works for your body. For instance, pulses may not suit everybody, says Brighton-based nutritionist Kirsten Chick (connectwithnutrition.co.uk). ‘Lentils and beans are a cheaper protein source and provide minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and fibre, but if your digestive system struggles to break them down, they could create inflammation. Instead buy…

Bird As A Branch The brilliantly disguised potoo bird. You’ll have to read my letter to see why I’ve included this pic! Perfect Pan Never thought I’d wax lyrical about a saucepan, but my new Stellar Rockantium fry pan is particularly terrific. Reassuringly sturdy without being heavy, the 24cm one (they come in five sizes) is just the right size for me and the non-stick, scratch-resistant coating really is exactly that. Prices start from £25. Stock Up Theknittingnetwork.co.uk is the new online place to find a huge selection of our brilliant patterns AND everything you need to make them – yarn, needles, hooks, you name it. We love it and we hope you will, too! Better still, there's a free pattern for everyone. Turn to page 48 to find out…

We love letters Woman’s Weekly, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. PS. It really helps when you put your details in capitals We do not return photos (apart from ‘You Wore It Well’) 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! If you’d like updates on wonderful project ideas, video tutorials and all the news about our upcoming craft workshops, it’s simple to subscribe to the Woman’s Weekly newsletter. • The sign-up box is easy to find on the home page of our website. Just pop in your email address. Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original…

Watch Sue Perkins Live! In Spectacles Comedian Sue Perkins reveals what it’s really like to work with Mary Berry on Bake Off as part of her live show, based on her bestselling memoir, Spectacles. The UK-wide tour kicks off in Milton Keynes on 11 February. • To find more dates and venues, visit sueperkinslive.com See David Hockney At Tate Britain As David Hockney prepares to turn 80 in July, the Tate unveils one of its biggest shows ever to chart six decades of the artist’s most inventive works. Runs from 9 February until 29 May. • Call 020 7887 8888 or visit tate.org.uk Marvel at Light Night In Nottingham The popular festival returns on 10 February to shine its light on Nottingham. After-dark activities include candlelit tours of the William…

Aries 21 Mar - 20 Apr The lunar eclipse is encouraging your creativity this week. Time to focus on your own ideas and bring your original flair. Taurus 21 Apr - 21 May This is a good time to clear the air in relationships. Take a risk and share anything you’ve kept under wraps. Gemini 22 May - 21 Jun Communications, networking and creative ideas are being activated. Get out to connect with new people. Cancer 22 Jun - 23 Jul Your finances may need fine-tuning. Look carefully at your spending and saving habits to ease your mind. Leo 24 Jul - 23 Aug The eclipse is in your sign, shining a light on what is and isn’t working in your life. You may wish to make some changes to…

This week’s columnist: Journalist and TV presenter Esther Rantzen I remember the morning the letter arrived. A very upper-class envelope and a letter framed in olde worlde English, ‘the Prime Minister is minded’, and so on, so I couldn’t quite take in what it was about, until my daughter began to jump around the hallway with delight. And she shouted the news in my ear. I was to be made a dame. What an honour. Especially precious, because it was ‘for services to children and older people’. Which meant that it recognised the fantastic achievements of all the staff and volunteers who had been working for Childline for 30 years, and for The Silver Line helpline for two. People ask me if I’m proud. I say yes, proud of the…

‘This land is not as robust as we’d like to believe’ Can there be many people who know more about nature in Britain than Kate Humble? As a co-presenter on BBC's Springwatch and Autumnwatch , she warmed our hearts with her wildly contagious passion for all things outdoorsy. So who better to champion it? ‘Looking back now,’ she says, ‘I realise what a privilege it was to grow up in the great British countryside. Aside from constantly having dirty fingernails and scrapes on my knees from climbing trees, those early experiences gave me a lifelong connection to this beautiful land of ours. Even when I moved to London as a high-flying youngster, I always yearned to return to it. In 2010, that dream…

She understood the way to tease great things from a thinning brow Don’t show me the mirror, Kayleigh Trubshaw,” Nicola said. “Never show me the mirror.” Kayleigh laughed. “The mirror’s not even in the room, Nicky,” she said. “Hardly any of my clients want to look.” “We like to go home and examine ourselves in the kind low lighting of our bedrooms,” Nicola said. She sat up and beamed at Kayleigh. “Thanks, darling. You’re a jewel. Am I your last today?” “Yup.” Kayleigh dropped a wad of cotton wool into the bin. “I’m rehearsing tonight, so you’re my final face.” “You must get tired – full-time here and then off to your band.” “Sure do,” said Kayleigh. Kayleigh had been a beauty therapist at the Yelton Beauty Rooms for seven…

Easy-peasy •A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge Time to make: 1-2 hours Coconut Perches These eye-catching coconut shells make perfect pecking perches for hungry birds YOU WILL NEED Whole coconuts or halved coconut shells Thin rope or twine Dry bird food Lard or suet, melted in a saucepan Berries Drill Sharp knife Wooden spoon Wreath wire Darning needle 1 Use a drill to make two holes in the top of the coconuts and drain off the liquid. Drill two more holes in the bottom for hanging later. Carefully cut the coconuts in half with a sharp knife. 2 Thread the two holes at the top of each halved coconut with a piece of thin rope cut to your desired hanging length. Tie the two loose ends together…

This horticultural fleece creates the perfect growing environment by holding heat in winter and providing shade in summer. It provides protection to -5/-6°C. Dimensions: 2.4 x 5m. Buy 1 for £14.99 Buy 2 for £24.98 – saving £5 £1.95 postage. Dispatched from February 2017. Contract of goods is with Thompson & Morgan, a company wholly independent of Time Inc. (UK) Ltd. Visit thompson-morgan.com/  WWK2142AZ to order or call 0844 573 6057 and quote WWK2142AZ.…

Asthma Drug Approved NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, has approved NHS prescriptions for an expensive but effective treatment for severe asthma in people who have raised eosinophils (allergy cells) in their lungs. Around 100,000 people in the UK have asthma that can’t be controlled with maximal doses of standard treatment. Mepolizumab is a ‘biological’ that suppresses part of the immune reaction in asthma, and can reduce the number of severe attacks in suitable patients. True Or False? Driving if we're sleep-deprived is as dangerous as being over the legal alcohol limit. True, according to US researchers, who say our crash risk increases to similar levels if we sleep less than seven hours in 24 hours, get an hour less sleep than usual, or regularly sleep less…

Warm up Try this routine before you exercise: March on the spot for two minutes, lifting knees high and swinging your arms. Do 10 forward shoulder rolls, followed by 10 backwards. Then do 15 squats (feet hip-width apart, bend your knees and lower your bottom, raising arms out in front of you). Do 30 knee lifts (bringing your knee up in front and touching it with your opposite hand). Then do 30 heel taps (putting alternate heels in front of you). Cool down Try this routine after exercise: Walk on the spot for three minutes, making sure you swing your arms. Hold a calf stretch for 15 seconds (step your right leg forward, with knee bent, while keeping your left leg straight and heel lowered). Swap legs. Stand on one…

Try to embrace getting older QI’ve been reading Woman’s Weekly for years, even though I live in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. I’m in my mid-sixties and I’ve had a few facial procedures, which I must admit have not made me look much younger. I visit London annually and I was told before I came this time that you could buy a tape in the chemist that would temporarily hold up your jawline. I went to lots of shops and was told it doesn’t exist. I really would like to do something to slow down the ageing process if I could. Monique, Mumbai A It’s easy to find ourselves believing that there’s a simple cure for things we don’t like. It appeals to our inner child who, at one level, still…

 How the story began MATTHEW is on holiday in Spain with his two children, MOLLY, 15, and LUKE, 14. Six months ago, his wife, AMY, died. Before her death, she’d left a bucket list to help them carry on without her and this trip to her favourite place is part of it. Amy wrote them letters containing guidance, encouragement and optimism. But Molly can’t handle the emotion her letter induces and goes missing. She’s found at the airport, trying to go home. There is a tearful reunion with her father and brother. Can the healing process now begin? ‘Not everything in this world has to be painfully thought about, Dad’ The story now concludes Three weeks later “Be happy for as long or as short a time as you can…

Having suffered with egg allergies nearly all my life, I was very interested in a health article I read in your magazine about food allergies and intolerances (13 December 2016). It said that alcohol can cause problems because of unexpected ingredients. I’ve always checked the ingredients on food, but never once thought to check wine. After one particularly painful experience, I checked the bottle and, lo and behold, it said ‘contains egg protein’. Now I check every bottle I buy. Thanks for the heads up! Gill Hemming, Gloucestershire • Glad to help, Gill. We love to hear from you, so get in touch if you have something to say…

With our antiques expert, Caroline Hawley rare examples. Precious metals would often be inlaid in tortoiseshell cases. The example above would sell for around £200. This intricate, hand-carved ivory case hails from Canton in China. Despite its laborious manufacture, it’s worth around £100. The most coveted silver cases, known as castle-tops, depict famous landmarks. This 1830 example by Nathaniel Mills is worth between £800 and £1,200. Note: All prices quoted are recent auction prices.…

Mary Hipwell, 1935 Sent in by her daughter Paula Robertson ‘My mum was 17 years old when this photo was taken. She was just off to work at the Co-Op office in Camberwell, London. Doesn’t she look smart? My lovely mum is now 98 years young!’ Madeline James, 81 Tell us about your look… I like to look smart and feel comfortable in what I wear. My jeans and jacket are both from Marks & Spencer, my shoes are from Hotter and my handbag is Matalan. And the best bit of your body? My hair. We’d love to see how great you looked – in any era up to and including the 1980s. Please send a good-quality photo with your name, address and daytime phone number clearly written on the…

‘I realised I didn’t know where Jane Tennison got that cold, aloof exterior, that iron will’ One evening, late in the summer of 2013, celebrated author and screenwriter Lynda La Plante – creator of award-winning crime drama Prime Suspect, starring Dame Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison – was giving a talk at a book festival in Sheffield. At the end, as she usually does, Lynda invited questions from the audience and a young blind woman sitting in the front row, guide dog at her feet, raised her hand. ‘I wanted to ask about Jane Tennison,’ she said, ‘Where did she come from? And how did she get to be such a cold, ambitious woman?’ Lynda found herself in the almost unheard of position of being lost for words. ‘I…

Soya Bean & Super-Green Soup Serves 4 Calories: 234 Fat: 7.5g Saturated fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 19.5g 1 Pour the Stock Pot mixed with ½ltr (16fl oz) boiling water into a medium-sized pan. Add the soya beans, peas, broccoli and onion. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins. 2 Add the soya milk, spinach and basil, and warm through. 3 Pour half the mixture into a blender and blitz, until smooth. Pour this back into the pan, to make a thickened soup with plenty of visible vegetables. Warm through to serve. SOYA FOODS are naturally low in saturated fat, which helps to lower cholesterol. The special proteins in soya also seem to help the body regulate cholesterol. Studies show that you…

Knitting Editor Teresa What says classic knits more than an Aran cardi? Our rope cable and diamond panel design is suitable for both boys and girls. Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge MEASUREMENTS To fit chest sizes 56 (61) (66) (71) cm/22 (24) (26) (28) in. Actual measurements 68 (72) (79) (83) cm/26¾ (28¼) (31) (32½) in. Side seam 24 (26) (28) (30) cm/ 9½ (10¼) (11) (11¾) in. Length to back neck 36 (40) (44) (48) cm/14 (15¾) (17¼) (19) in. Sleeve seam 27 (31) (34) (37) cm/ 10½ (12¼) (13¼) (14½) in. MATERIALS 7 (8) (9) (10) 50g (104m) balls of King Cole Merino Blend DK (100% wool) in White (01)*. Pair of 3¼mm (No.10) and 4mm (No.8) knitting needles; cable needle; 5 (5) (6)…

‘She realised now just how one-sided the communications had been’ Jen stood at the threshold of her 15-year-old’s bedroom, looking with despair at the piles of strewn clothes, sports gear, books, gadgets and games. The room wasn’t unlike Tom himself: dishevelled, unapproachable and a bit of a mystery. Once, she’d known every item in this room, every sock in the drawer. Now, she was banned from going inside. With a sigh, she wrote on a sticky note: Please tidy your room! and slapped it on his door. That it should come to this. She knew when he came home from school he’d head upstairs with barely a grunted hello for a quick change of clothes before leaving to meet his friend Jamie. Jamie’s mum, Sandy, said that Jamie was exactly…

1 Don't poke anything down them – you could perforate your eardrum. 2 Keep the noise do wn – if it drowns someone talking two metres away, it's too loud. 3 You should be giv en ear defenders and regular hearing tests at work if noise levels often reach 85 decibels (shouting is 80 decibels ). 4 At concerts, don't stand next to speakers, and wear earplugs if the noise hur ts your ears or your hearing is reduced by the interval. 5 If listening to music through headphones, turn it down if it's uncomfortable or you can't hear someone speaking, and don't lis ten for long periods.…

‘A Headband Helped My Migraines’ I’ve had really bad headaches since puberty – at least one a week – and was diagnosed with migraines by my GP. He prescribed painkilling medication and I just put up with it. Over the years, I’ve made changes to my diet to eliminate potential triggers and have tried alternative therapies such as acupuncture, which helped to an extent. However, as I got older, the headaches got worse. I’d vomit, become confused, lose sensation in the left side of my body and just have to lie down in a dark room. They were so debilitating. My neurologist suggested a nerve block, which involved injecting a steroid into the occipital nerve at the base of my neck behind my ear. It wasn’t pleasant but it did…

Dear Keren My daughter is having an affair with a very close friend of mine’s son. That would be fine, except he’s married. Her marriage ended three years ago because her husband w as unfaithful and now she’s doing the very thing we all condemned him for. I’ve made my thoughts very clear to her but I don’t know if I should tell his mother. I find it hard to spend time with her as I f eel I’m pretending. We’ve always been open and honest about our liv es and now I’m holding back and it’s making our relationship difficult. I’m sur e she’ll ask me why I’m being distant. Name withheld It’s very difficult when we have split loyalties, as we can find ourselves unable to uphold our…

Where I went Though the south of Tenerife still remains the most popular area for British tourists, my fiancé and I decided to beat the crowds and head north to Puerto de la Cruz, a charming old fishing port full of narrow, cobbled streets and Canarian charm, as well as beautiful beaches and walkways lined with palm trees. What I did Our favourite attraction was the Volcano Teide Sunset and Stars experience (volcanoteide.com). We were driven from our hotel to Teide, and after climbing up the volcano in a cable car, we watched the gorgeous sunset from the peak – the highest in Spain – while drinking a glass of sparkling wine. It was very romantic! After a buffet dinner from a Michelin-starred chef back in the base of the…

This Week FRANCES QUINN is a journalist who specialises in finance and consumer issues. She’ll answer your questions on everything from savings to shopping. Our Experts • Appliances • Internet • Digital • Animals • Finance/ consumer • Legal Home Improvements Q I’ve just had a new extension built, and I’m not happy with the standard of work. What can I do? When you have work done on your home – from building a complete extension to unblocking the sink or putting up a shelf – you’re covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. It says that work must be carried out using ‘reasonable care and skill’, which essentially means the level of care and skill a reasonable person would expect from a professional tradesperson. If the work you’ve seen…

Our loft isn’t ancestral but it is fully insulated Mrs Beasley, the manager of our charity shop, has been reading the newspapers. This is always rather alarming, as it gives her ideas, which are the very last thing you need in a charity shop. They upset the whole rhythm of life: somebody brings in their unwanted wotnots, and we sell them to somebody else to raise money for our good causes. It’s simple, but it does the job. Anyway, Mrs B was having a clear-out and found a newspaper that had escaped from the recycling pile and was hiding under the bed. And a particular piece of news caught her eye. Apparently, a man in the south of France went up to his loft one day and found a lost…