Innholdsfortegnelse for 24-Apr-2018 i Woman's Weekly

I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I love looking at other people’s houses – whether it’s watching old repeats of Grand Designs with Kevin McCloud, checking out what’s for sale in the local estate-agent office, or taking a sneaky glance through un-curtained windows when I walk past… very slowly! I say it’s all in the name of research for doing up our own home, but my husband calls it ‘being nosy’! Luckily, our fabulous Home Editor Esme has made my pastime less intrusive by showcasing a beautiful home on page 30 owned by Amy Cope, who has a fashion and textiles background. It’s given me some great and inexpensive ideas for brightening up our house. Believe To Achieve Aged 14, Sammi Kinghorn broke her back in a horrific…

• Tidy up flowerbeds for spring. Lightly fork over the bare soil around overwintering herbaceous plants to get oxygen to the roots before top-dressing with bark mulch. • Prepare for runner beans by digging a trench one spade-head deep in a sunny spot and add layers of (uncooked) kitchen waste topped with a layer of compost to nourish the soil, so it’s ready for planting in June. • Hoping to sell your house this summer? Then my advice would be to lift and pot up plants you wish to take, so that the garden can reestablish itself and buyers can see exactly what they’re getting for their money.…

Book The Big Feastival This family-friendly festival (24-26 August) has an amazing line-up, including Craig David, Mel C, Paloma Faith and many more. Celeb chefs will cook on site, and kids’ TV mega stars Justin Fletcher, Peppa the Pig and The Gruffalo will be there, too. • Kingham, Cotswolds. Visit thebigfeastival.com Explore Fashioned From Nature This new exhibition at the V&A in London will present fashionable dress alongside natural history specimens, innovative new fabrics and dyeing processes, inviting visitors to think about the materials of fashion and the sources of their clothes. Tickets are £12. • Visit vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/ fashioned-from-nature for more information Support The London Marathon Of course, running 26 miles isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, but being there watching other people do it is! The atmosphere is electric. •…

Asparagus, Mackerel And Mustardy New Potato Salad A filling and super-healthy dish, packed with omega-3 fatty acids. SERVES 4 (AS A MAIN, OR 6 AS A STARTER) 1 Bring a pan of water to the boil with the potatoes. Once boiling, cook for 10-15 mins until just cooked through, throwing in the asparagus spears 5 mins before the end of cooking time (they should retain a little ‘bite’). Drain. 2 In a large bowl, mix together the dill, parsley and chives. Stir in the mustard, sugar, 150ml (5fl oz) water and olive oil. Add the warm new potatoes and asparagus and mix well. Top with chunks of mackerel and watercress. SERVES 4: 610 calories, 39g fat, 6.5g saturated fat, 42g carbohydrates SERVES…

Knitting Editor Teresa Tunisian crochet is a great technique that’s similar to knitting in the way that loops are held on the hook rather than slipped off when every stitch is worked. The fabric produced has a beautiful texture, and this jacket is the ideal starter project to get you going with the technique. A Bit More Tricky MEASUREMENTS To fit bust 81-86 (86-91) (91-97) (97-102) cm/32-34 (34-36) (36-38) (38-40) in. Actual measurements 93.5 (98.5) (103.5) (108) cm/36¾ (38¾) (40¾) (42½) in. Side seam 30.5 (31) (33) (34.5) cm/12 (12¼) (13) (13½) in. Length to back neck 53 (55) (58) (61) cm/21 (21¾) (22¾) (24) in. Sleeve seam 30 (30) (32) (32) cm/11¾ (11¾) (12½) (12½) in. MATERIALS 22 (24) (27) (31) 25g (55m) balls of Erika Knight British Blue…

Many of us need reliable contraception until our ovaries call it a day. We may be less fertile with age, but could still get pregnant until we’re 55 or have reached the menopause (no periods for at least a year in over-50s, or two years if we’re under). The combined oral contraceptive Combined oestrogen/ progestogen hormones in the form of the (COC) pill, patch or vaginal ring can provide effective, convenient contraception with extra benefits, including regular periods, reduced flow or anaemia, and protection against some cancers and gynaecological conditions – even relief of menopausal symptoms (although ‘standard’ HRT isn’t contraceptive). You insert the vaginal ring and leave it in for three weeks out of four. Your doctor may not prescribe COC if you smoke, are extremely obese, have just…

3 HEALTHY HERBS To Add To Your Cooking 1 TURMERIC Its anti-inflammatory properties make it great for helping improve your joints and digestion. 2 SAGE This nutritious herb from the mint family can help reduce hot flushes during menopause. 3 CINNAMON Believed to help balance blood-sugar levels, it’s a tasty and less calorific alternative to sugar or honey. A Great Exercise To… Improve Balance And Keep Bones Healthy Fake Skipping Stand with knees slightly bent and arms slightly out from your sides, as if holding an imaginary skipping rope. Start ‘skipping’ by jumping off the balls of your feet, while rotating your wrists to move the ‘rope’. Keep jumps small and regularly paced for two minutes. Top Tip To make this move more difficult, add a real skipping rope. To…

Reading your article Beating Loneliness (26 December) reminded me of a recent encounter. As I settled on the bus, reaching for my book, an elderly man sat in front of me and turned around to chat. My heart sank. Oh no, I just wanted to bury myself in the book! Had I watched Strictly Come Dancing the previous Saturday? What did I think about the dancers? Who was my favourite? We soon got chatting. A retired teacher living on his own, he ventured out each day for coffee or lunch, visiting neighbours, helping with shopping. Time flew by as we discussed various topics. As he bid me a cheery farewell, I thought what a positive outlook on life he had and how his neighbours must appreciate him. Food for thought…

Pat Bisiker, 74 Tell us about your look… I’ve had this suede jacket for over 20 years and was thinking about getting rid of it. However, my friend popped round and insisted it still looked good. Today, I’m wearing it with my new Seasalt sweater, which was a Mother’s Day gift from my children – they know it’s one of my favourite places to shop. The rest of my outfit – jeans, boots and bag – are all from M&S. I also love Phase Eight for special occasions, and White Company. And the best bit of your body? My smile. I like to think I’m still young at heart! Lorraine Johnston, 63 Tell us about your look… I tend to mix designer with high-street pieces. I like high-heeled shoes and…

Aries21 Mar – 20 Apr Stop procrastinating – this is a week for action and tying up any loose ends. Taurus21 Apr – 21 May Meeting new people is starred. Networking could be stimulating and productive, especially at work. Gemini 22 May – 21 Jun You’re ready to explore some new horizons, and it’s time to tick something off your to-do list. Cancer 22 Jun – 23 Jul You push yourself too much. Take time – preferably outdoors – to relax and smell the roses. Leo24 Jul – 23 Aug If you’re interested in anything with a psychological or mystical bent, this is a good week for learning more. Virgo 24 Aug – 23 Sep You might find a terrific bargain if you look carefully enough, and a bit of…

One of the more digitally confusing challenges of my middle years is having to grapple with the evolution of bra numeracy. It seems that alphabetical letters are now the ‘go-to’ barometer when it comes to the crucial sizing marker – whereas the numbers are rather ‘yesterday’ and have far less emphasis for the bra-seeker in a hurry… I remember my first bra fitting as if it was yesterday. I went on a special, purpose-built outing with my mother, and we didn’t leave the shop until a nylon, blue-and-white gingham, teen bra had been neatly wrapped and parcelled up into a special bra bag (with a second bra attached to my chest for decorum purposes). This visit had been a slightly reluctant rite of passage for me – if a necessary…

I want a new fragrance for spring. Can you recommend something fresh and floral? There are lots of gorgeous, floral fragrances out now. Try Philosophy Amazing Grace Ballet Rose, £30 for 60ml, which blends rose with peony and lychee for a bright and cheerful springtime fragrance. Or treat yourself to Mon Guerlain EDP Florale, £48 for 30ml – a feminine blend of jasmine, peony and vanilla. Help! I love getting my nails done, but my manicure habit often leaves my nails brittle, weak and peeling. What can I do to nurse them back to health? There’s nothing better than a fresh, shiny, manicured nail, but, as you’ve discovered, it can leave nails weak, thin, peeling and even discoloured. Try to give your nails a break from polish every few weeks…

Amy Cope and her husband Phil have two children, Evie and Sonny, and they bought their Victorian terraced home in Darlington, County Durham, in 2007. ‘Back then, it had a small kitchen and three bedrooms, but it had bags of character and a big garden with space to extend. The decor was lovely, but not to our taste, so we were able to put our own stamp on it,’ says Amy. ‘As the house was built in 1900, we’ve been careful to retain the character. It didn’t need major work, as it was already well presented, but, over time, we’ve had the walls skimmed and we’ve decorated every room. The biggest change was adding a two-storey extension to give us a larger kitchen-diner with an extra bedroom above. ‘The downstairs…

All container-grown fruits need regular, hearty feeding A sunny, sheltered spot is key to growing fruit, so a corner of the patio is ideal for pots. Alternatively, stand potted fruit in front of a south- or west-facing wall (the brickwork traps warmth to act like a night-storage heater), or line pots along a path, avoiding windy or east-facing spots. We’ve all heard of ‘superfruits’. It’s a common term used today to describe fruits loaded with nutrients. But did you know that strawberries rank No2 in antioxidant capacity out of the top 10 fruits? Their sweet, delicious, ruby fruits provide an abundance of health benefits. The antioxidants in strawberries, for example, can help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol. If you fancy growing strawberries, you’ll find they are a lot easier to manage in…

Vaping Risks Around 2.85 million people in the UK use e-cigarettes, and Public Health England (PHE) says supplying them on the NHS could help an extra 20,000 smokers to quit each year. But, although they’re believed to be less harmful than cigarettes, new US research says they may still trigger DNA changes that could lead to cancer or heart disease. It could be years before we know for sure, so stopping altogether is the safest option. Visit nhs.uk for support. True Or False? You’re safe to drive if you're below the legal limit for alcohol. False, say Irish researchers who put drivers who’d passed the breathalyser on a test course. Alcohol limits are lower in Eire, but still the drivers made errors including running a red light and reversing over…

It’s important to find time just for you QI’m 62 and have spent a lot of years looking after everybody else, both at home and work, and I’m feeling a bit worn out. Everyone says I should focus on myself, but I’m finding it very difficult and I don’t really know what I should do. Caroline, Hull A It’s not surprising you’re finding it hard. Many of us have spent years looking after others and not ourselves, and it’s become a habit. We find ourselves feeling guilty if we’re not doing something for someone else. But this has to change. We deserve a bit of me-time. I suggest you make a list of the things you’d like to do for yourself – for example, have a new haircut, go for…

How different this place must have looked a century ago, Charlotte thought, driving through the gates and past the solitary cedar tree to the front of the old manor house. There’d have been no signs directing you to staff or visitor parking, no need for an Ambulances only sign. Of the original two cedars of Lebanon growing either side of the big, wrought-iron gates, only one remained. The trees had given the house its name, and the surviving one always brought a lump to her throat as it towered over the drive looking so strong nothing could ever topple it, while the absence of its twin told a different story. To use one of Scotty’s favourite, but slightly wrong, sayings, she’d have been ‘chuffed to little mince balls’ to be…

‘I love, LOVE David Tennant - his voice, attitude...’ How do you take your tea? Violet herbal tea – throw in a little bit and drink it. What's your favourite biscuit to have with it? No biscuits. It was my New Year’s resolution, so I have a stick of chicory. What's your favourite thing to watch on TV? McMafia got close to reaching the parts of me that The Night Manager reached. That was my favourite thing recently. What's your favourite snack? What I want is a box of rose and violet creams but what I eat is a stick of chicory. Who is your TV hero? David Tennant – but he’s not on television enough any more. I love, LOVE David Tennant – his voice, his attitude – it…

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 latest 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. womansweekly.com Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original and NOT duplicated…

‘I found it difficult when Maia was younger. I felt guilty’ ‘I’d love to play a woman who’s strong, slightly flawed, a bit vulnerable’ She became a regular on the nation’s screens as feisty Cindy Beale in EastEnders from 1988 to 1998, and Michelle Collins went on to solidify her soap-star status in 2011 by joining Coronation Street as Stella Price. But despite being off our screens for the past couple of years, Michelle, 55, has been busier than ever, turning her hand to a new venture – launching her own skincare range, Pellum Vero (‘skin truth’ in Latin). So what made her swap acting for beauty? ‘It came out of the blue in a sense. I was going to endorse something else and I thought, “I don’t like these…

Staying active as you age is the most important thing you can do for your health. Physical activity helps you fight back against chronic ‘age-related’ diseases such as diabetes, dementia, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and cancer. It’s also great for your mental health – helping to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and making you feel happier. Exercise expert Sarah Russell offers her advice and some simple exercises to keep you strong, healthy and happy... Keep Strong Resistance training is one of the best ways to reduce risk of injury and conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis. From our mid-30s we lose around 3-5% of our muscle mass each decade, known as sarcopenia. The old adage ‘use it or lose it’ is the motto here. Resistance training should be the priority…

‘She didn’t look the type to pull on her coat and boots and escape’ The little girl on the pebbled track reminded me of my Lucy, though this version of her only exists now in my head. She would have been all long blonde hair and brightly coloured Wellingtons, just like this one. Don’t fret, though, Lucy hasn’t gone anywhere, not in that sense. She just grew up. I smiled at the little girl on the track, estimating her age to be about three. ‘Hello there.’ I waited for her mother, and probably a dog, to appear. I didn’t often walk down this way any more. Today I’d felt the need. I’d left the house in a huff leaving Dan, my husband, frowning at my bad mood. The girl before…

TAKES 24 hours, inc. drying time YOU WILL NEED 22bluetiles Tray table with tray measuring approximately 58 x 38cm Tile cutter Tile adhesive and grout Grout spreader STOCKISTS Batik patchwork blue tiles, 44p each, Topps Tiles. Mac Allister tile cutter, £20; Diall ready-to-use tile adhesive and grout, £16.57 for 6.6kg, both B&Q. 1 Position the tiles on top of the tray, with no gaps in between. Move them around until you’re happy with the layout. There will be a gap along one or two edges that you’ll need to fill by cutting more tiles to fit. 2 Follow the instructions on the tile cutter to cut a tile carefully, so that at least one half can be used to fill a gap (if the other half also fits, use…

Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones helplines Stress 0904 470 0681 Migraine 0904 470 0682 IBS 0904 470 0683 Varicose veins 0904 470 0684 Heartburn 0904 470 0685 Heavy periods 0904 470 0686 Jan de Vries alternative helplines Osteoporosis 0904 470 0812 Bladder problems 0904 470 0813 Rheumatism 0904 470 0814 Losing Dad – how will Mum cope? 0904 470 0871 Depressed 0904 470 0873 Arthritis 0904 470 0874 Calls cost 65p per min plus your telephone company’s network access charge and last approx. four mins. Users must be 18+. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Service provider: Spoke, 0333 202 3390…

Our Experts • Appliances • Internet • Digital • Animals • Finance/ consumer • Legal 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. QI work from home, and I get nuisance calls almost every day. How can I stop them? First, make sure you’re not unwittingly giving companies permission to call you. When you order goods online, enter a competition, use a price-comparison website, or, for any other reason, fill in a form for a company or charity, there’s a box asking whether you’re happy for that organisation to contact you – and, often, for them to pass your details on to other organisations (which, in practice, means to sell your information to them).…

Eventually, we liberate the cabinet used for sawing women in two Here’s how it all started. You’ll remember my mentioning Michael, who met Mrs Beasley, our charity shop manager, in a bookshop while they were both reaching for a copy of Far from the Madding Crowd. They are now officially an item – and, what is more, Michael has started volunteering in the shop. Here we are, then. Scene 1: The shop. Michael and I are standing behind the counter, and nothing much is happening… Now, if you are a regular reader, I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself, ‘Do they actually ever manage to sell anything in this ruddy shop? If they’re not standing behind the counter at a loose end – usually watching rain hammer against…