Innholdsfortegnelse for 29-Jan-2019 i Woman's Weekly

The snow started falling at about two in the afternoon, and by the evening there was six inches up against the front door; come the morning, the whole district was impassable. My friends and I lived on the edge of a Norfolk village and were just able to make it that far through the drifts. But there we found a party atmosphere, with children dodging snowballs and smiling adults coming together in support. The village was cut off for days, the party continued, the pub never closed and snow has made me smile ever since. However, as we get older, slippery surfaces are less fun, so if you’ve got a lot of the white stuff outside, do go carefully! Wearing well I love the varied fashion styles of Woman’s Weekly…

This photo of my mother and me was taken when I was nine years old. My mother made both of our dresses and her handbag. I used to wear my hair in plaits across my head as I wasn't allowed to wear it down. 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 back, to: Fashion Dept, Woman’s Weekly, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Photos will be returned.…

Plug your vacuum in the central room in the house. You can vacuum every room from there without having to change sockets. If the cord is too short, add an extension. Removing built-up residue on your showerhead is easy – tie a bag of vinegar around it and leave it to dissolve overnight. In the morning, rinse the showerhead. It’ll be squeaky clean. For smaller windows and mirrors, use balled-up newspaper because it’s gentle and won’t scratch the surface.…

Where I’ve been… To a swimming lesson – I thought it was time to upgrade my breaststroke. What I’ve bought… A green, corduroy jacket that needs new shoulder pads, different buttons and re-tailoring. I could’ve bought five original jackets for the same price, but who needs five anyway? Who I’ve met… A wonderful hair colourist who knows more about Instagram and vodka than I’ve had hot dinners. What I’ve seen… Several great crime thrillers on BBC iPlayer. The more subtitles there are, the better.…

I stayed positive all the way through my battle with breast cancer and knew I had to be strong for both of us. When you’re faced with a situation like that, you have no choice but to accept it and trust that you’re going to receive the best possible care. It was hard, but I dug deep and focused on getting through it. I spent my birthday having a mastectomy and I saw it as a second chance at life, though it was another year after the surgery before my treatment was finally over. Then, in August 2013, when doctors were sure that my cancer had not reoccurred, I decided to undergo reconstructive surgery. The prosthesis I’d been wearing served its purpose, but it was quite heavy. I used to…

1 Know the system Procedures differ, so know your own surgery, the services it offers and how to be seen urgently or get phone advice. Ask at Reception or look at the website online. 2 Write it down Be clear about your symptoms, what’s worrying you, what help you’d like or what you feel you need. Make sure you wear clothes that make any examination easier. 3 Think ahead If you take regular medication, need a screening check, monitoring or a follow-up, think well ahead, so you can book a time that’s convenient for you. 4 Consider other help You could perhaps get quicker, just as helpful advice from a practice nurse, pharmacist, local walk-in-centre or sexual health clinic (see…

1 Get moving an active lifestyle reduces cholesterol levels. Do 150 minutes a week of moderately hard physical activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing. 2 Swap fats include fewer saturated fats in your diet (fatty meats, hard cheeses, cakes, biscuits) and factor in more unsaturated and monounsaturated ones (oily fish, nuts, olive oil, seeds and avocados). 3 Eat more fibre fruit and veg, wholemeal foods, oats and pulses can help keep cholesterol levels in check, lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke.…

Pop these family favourites on the box for an evening of singing along to classic tunes, nostalgic recollections and amateur sleuthing. 1 ABBA fans who love a romcom will adore Mamma Mia! Here We Go  Again, £9.99, amazon.co.uk 2 A heartwarming tale about the boy who inspired one of the nation’s favourite bears of all time, there won’t be a dry eye in the house. Goodbye Christopher Robin , £5.99, HMV 3 Channel your inner Hercule Poirot for this classic whodunnit. Murder on the Orient Express , £5, amazon.co.uk…

envelopes and collect them up before sending a batch off to macmillan.org.uk. For every kilo collected, they receive £7.50 plus VAT. ✿ Cash in on old clothes Take your unwanted M&S clothing and soft furnishings to Oxfam and, in return, you’ll receive a voucher for £5 off when you spend £35 in M&S stores. ✿ Help the environment with milk-bottle tops Collect all your plastic milk-bottle tops and send them to newforestmencap.org.uk to help them raise money. You’ll be helping to protect the environment as they’re recycled. ✿ Support cancer research with stamps Cut postage stamps from…

The rickety sign pointed down a dark lane to Damson Farm. Marianne took a deep breath and turned in, tyres swooshing through the wet ruts until a dark huddle of farm buildings appeared, nestling in the valley. She stopped beside a caravan before reaching the farm, and was overwhelmed, thinking back to when she left London with Fran. After moving around doing seasonal work, Marianne had moved into a town and, in desperation, paced the streets in the rain asking for work. It had been late afternoon and dark when she’d walked into Terry’s factory. He was speaking to the receptionist, and had turned and smiled at her as if she was just a normal member of the public, and not someone in grubby, wet clothes with a child clasped…

Time to make: 1 hour YOU WILL NEED ✿ 10 small pebbles ✿ Small paintbrush ✿ White acrylic paint ✿ Small burlap bag ✿ Matching thread ✿ Bodkin ✿30cm long thin piece of ribbon ✿Ruler ✿Black marker pen 1 On five pebbles, paint an X and on the other five paint an O. Allow to dry. 2 Turn the opening of the burlap bag under by 1cm and stitch in place as close to the edge as possible. 3 Thread the bodkin with the ribbon and insert into the channel. Pull the ribbon all the way around the channel and pull out at the entry point. 4 Using a ruler and the pen, draw a grid on the front of the burlap bag. 5 Store the pebble counters inside the…

On the go This handy compact mirror is also a powerbank for your mobile phone. Available in Polka Dot, Pink Hearts, and Rose & Bee patterns. ✿ emmabridgewater.co.uk, £29.95 Relaxing massage Bring even more relaxation to your bathtime with this pillow, which provides a gentle vibration massage – ideal for soothing painful backs, aching shoulders or tired calves. ✿ goodlifeguide.co.uk, £35.99 Culinary triumph This apron from the Imperial War Museum shop is a must-have to channel positive thinking when it comes it cooking! ✿ iwmshop.org.uk, £15…

S’mores traybake Inspired by the s’more – which originated in North America and is short for ‘some more’ – this scrummy camp-fire favourite combines biscuit, chocolate and melted marshmallow. Heavenly! MAKES: 12 ✿ 200g (7oz) unsalted butter ✿ 185g (6½oz) light muscovado sugar ✿ 200g (7oz) Lotus Biscoff spread ✿ 150ml (5fl oz) full-fat milk ✿ 2 large eggs, lightly beaten ✿ 300g (10oz) plain flour ✿ 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ✿ 1tsp baking powder ✿ 200g (7oz) bag marshmallows FOR THE SAUCE: ✿ 200g (7oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped ✿ 4tbsp maple syrup ✿ 50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter 1 Heat the oven to 170C/Gas 3. Grease a 20 x 25cm (8 x 10in) traybake tin and line with baking paper. Melt the butter with the sugar, stir in the…

Alcohol in moderation can be enjoyable and sociable, but too much can damage our health and relationships or lead to accidents, violence (in and outside the home) and have other serious consequences. Even if you don’t drink much yourself, someone you know or love could be overdoing it. Latest statistics suggest that a third of men and a sixth of women – especially people in late middle-age – may be drinking at harmful levels. Alcohol is linked to over a million hospital admissions a year in England alone, with over 5,500 deaths being attributed to disease caused by drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. How alcohol affects our health The outward signs (a red, puffy face, weight gain, feeling excessively lethargic, muscle aches, shakiness, palpitations, insomnia and hangovers) can take time…

My friend won’t stop complaining Q I’ve got a friend who lives in a big house in an expensive part of the city, and she’s forever talking about not having enough money. We’re all retired, but compared to many, we’re wealthy. I’m finding it hard to spend time with her as I want to say, ‘Be quiet – you’re sitting on a lot of money. Just downsize!’ Liz, Bristol A I understand it’s frustrating, and people who moan but don’t act on it are difficult to be around. But I wonder if you’re making a lot of assumptions. You’ve decided your friend owns her house and could make money from selling it. Without checking it out, there could be many reasons why she doesn’t move, such as a large mortgage.…

It’s especially important to avoid using soluble chemical fertilisers altogether, as these are the ones responsible on a grand scale for destroying beneficial soil life and polluting waterways. It’s far better to make use of soil-testing kits to identify a particular deficiency. You can then feed individual plants accordingly with organic fertilisers that break down rapidly and naturally after use. Acceptable fertilisers include dried blood that provides essential leaf-making nitrogen; bone meals that feed plants the phosphates that help in root development, and wood ash that adds essential flower and fruit-producing potash. Seaweed-based tonics are useful, too.…

Our 30th wedding anniversary,’ Alison said to herself glumly. ‘And Will hasn’t even mentioned a meal out.’ She could hear a rattling in the loft. Will was having one of his ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ moments, as her sister Nina would call it… ‘Let’s face it, Ali, you did marry a bit of a nerd. Computers by day, model railways in his spare time...’ ‘He’s a good man,’ Alison had fought back, feeling she had to defend Will, no matter what her own feelings were or how frequently his hobby seemed to intrude… ‘He’s dependable. Good in the house. He’ll mend a tap without me having to ask a second time,’ she went on. ‘Course he would,’ said Nina flippantly. ‘But surely there’s more to a marriage than just a…

MEASUREMENTS To fit bust 81 (86) (92) (97) (102) (107) (112) cm/32 (34) (36) (38) (40) (42) (44) in. Actual measurements 90 (95) (100) (105) (110) (115) (120) cm/35½ (37½) (39½) (41¼) (43¼) (45¼) (47¼) in. Side seam All sizes 37cm/14½in. Length to shoulder 63 (64) (65) (66) (67) (68) (69) cm/ 24¾ (25¼) (25½) (26) (26½) (26¾) (27) in. Sleeve seam All sizes 44cm/17¼in. MATERIALS 5 (6) (6) (6) (7) (7) (7) 100g (270m) balls of Stylecraft Wondersoft Stardust DK (95% acrylic, 5% polyester) in Rosebud (2092)*. Pair each of 3.25mm (No. 10) and 4mm (No. 8) knitting needles; pair each of 3.25mm (No. 10) and 4mm (No. 8) circular knitting needles in 100cm length. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 23 stitches and 32 rows, to 10 x…

Apple of My Eye by Claire Allan (£7.99, PB, Avon) Nurse Eliana Hughes is heavily pregnant when a note arrives warning,  ‘You shouldn’t believe everything he tells you.’ It marks the beginning of a mystery that sees Eliana not only doubt her marriage and impending motherhood but her instincts too, as her life spirals out of control. And someone’s watching who desperately wants a baby to call their own. A twisted page-turner. Maybe This Time by Jill Mansell (£12.99, HB, Headline) In true Jill Mansell style, this is another humorous, feel-good novel set in the pretty Cotswolds. When Mimi visits her dad’s new home in Goosebrook she falls for the place and the people – including charismatic Cal. Happy with her career, Mimi returns to the city. When she meets…

Desperate to catch up to her missing mother Marianne, pregnant Fran uses the location tracker on her phone to follow her to Devon. Meanwhile, Marianne arrives at her destination and can’t help reflecting on the last time she was there, pregnant and planning a future with Fran and boyfriend Denny after one last summer travelling around in a camper van. When disaster struck and Denny was suspected of murder, a devastated Marianne took Fran and gave up her old life. Now she finds herself right back where she started. Arriving in Devon herself, pregnant and alone, Fran is determined to get some answers. The story continues……

Dawn Bagley, 50 Tell us about your look… Right now, I’m loving faux fur and anything with a leopard print. I bought my coat from M&S last year – I love the black and white and it looks and feels quite luxe. My leather-look skinny jeans are from Warehouse and my green knit is M&S, too. I found my Gucci-style scarf at a London market and my bag and boots are both Russell & Bromley. And the best bit of your body? My hair. Alexandra Drushinin, ’Age is but a number!’ Tell us about your look… I love experimenting with fashion. I’m always on the lookout for unusual pieces. This polka dot coat is by REDValentino, my pink feathered top is by N°21 and my trousers are from Cos –…

...Watch Ghost The Musical Based on one of cinema’s biggest hits, Bill Kenwright’s production is back in the UK after an international tour. Touring nationwide including Cardiff, Brighton and Glasgow. Booking now until 4 May. ✿ To book, visit atgtickets.com ...Explore The France Show The Flavours of France stage (25-27 January; Olympia London) is the place to go and capture the best of French lifestyle, from celebrity insights to top chefs cooking live on stage. The sweet-toothed among us shouldn’t miss Eric Lanlard as he recreates some of his magical cakes on stage. ✿ Visit thefranceshow.com for tickets ...Book Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition Designed to educate, entertain and inspire using many personal belongings never before seen outside of South Africa – combined with unique insights from close family, friends and…

‘As a female actor, you often had to wait until your 60s or 70s to play character roles’ Hermione Norris has clearly been a busy lady this past year. She’s back playing Karen Marsden in the enduringly popular Cold Feet and has also recently appeared alongside Idris Elba in the detective drama series Luther . ‘Such a generous actor,’ she says of Idris. And possibly the first black James Bond? ‘Oh, that’s certainly something I’d like to see.’ At 51, Hermione is at the peak of her powers, something that would have been unusual for an actress a generation ago. ‘I look at women in their 50s now and I think there’s something beautiful about them,’ she says. ‘I love their wisdom, their openness.’ And professionally speaking, the landscape has…

I have a confession. The other day, the doorbell went and I didn’t answer it, on purpose. Instead, I cowered out of sight behind an anorak on the hat stand and waited for the unannounced person to go away. I thought, Who can this be? Do I know them? And worse, If I do know them, what will I say? In any case, I was still in my moccasin slippers, which even the postman doesn’t get to see very often, so how could I possibly entertain the prospect of social intercourse in such an exposed state? Surely if someone was going to pop round, they should text in advance, politely affording plenty of opportunities for either party to cancel at the last minute. But the knock-on effect of becoming used…

✿ Count them – you may be surprised! ✿ Decide to drink only with meals, only when you go out, and only on certain days. ✿ Volunteer to be the designated driver so you can’t drink. ✿ Set a limit and stick to it. Avoid top-ups, as they make it harder to track how much you’ve drunk. ✿ Find a soft drink you really enjoy – elderflower cordial topped up with sparkling water, for example, is a good substitute for Prosecco. ✿ Alternate or dilute alcoholic drinks with soft ones or water to help you stick to your limit and avoid becoming dehydrated .…

Paul Dolan is Professor of Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics and author of Happy Ever After (£15.99, HB, Penguin). He explains how he boosts his health and wellbeing GO-TO REMEDY Music, played loudly! However I’m feeling, a good tune lifts my mood. I like dance music and dancing. FAVOURITE MEAL I’m a big fan of curry – mostly chicken and often a jalfrezi. With food in general, texture matters as much as taste. I don’t like anything too dry. I love a glass of milk, too. HOW I KEEP MYSELF FIT AND HEALTHY I lift weights, and have done so for almost two decades now. I weight-train as much for my mental wellbeing as for my physical health. I don’t do any cardio…

Q I’m going through a very hard time. My mother is ageing and increasingly dependent, so I’m supporting her as well as my own family and working. I was doing fine until I was knocked off my bike and broke my leg in several places. I’m recovering, but it’s taking a while and I’m getting very down. I know people have tough times, but it’s hard to stay upbeat for everyone else. Mandy, Newcastle A I’m not surprised you’re feeling down. But if you focus on all the hard things, you’ll only feel worse. Our thoughts colour our feelings, and our anxiety about things getting worse somehow draws exactly that to us. Reframing your experience is the first step to changing your mood. I know this might seem an odd…

Colour chart First, choose a palette that makes you feel instantly cosy. Comforting neutrals soften a space, transforming it into a room for recharging your batteries, calming and lifting your spirits. ✿ Sandy Steps, Labrador Sands 2 and Spiced Honey, £15.52 per litre, Dulux Paint Mixing Matt Set the mood To give your living room a soothing glow, turn the lights down low and enjoy these relaxing fragrances and candles just as the sun sets. Indulge in your favourite fragrances with aromatic candles arranged on a metallic tray to add to the ambience. Take comfort Add texture and luxury with a few throws and blankets in various textures and patterns, ruched and overlapped for a lived-in look. Pile on some cushions in a mix of luxe velvets and natural fabrics.…

Pamper yourself at home In the UK, the beauty industry is worth over £17 billion. Choose from our selection of sprucing gadgets to give yourself a spa treatment in your own home 8/10 Braun Silk-épil 3, £34.99 Forget expensive waxing – try this corded epilator. Hairs are removed at the root so your body stays smooth for longer. There’s a bikini trimmer, too, to keep your bikini line in order. OK, it’s not pain-free, but the results are brilliant! 10/10 M&S Facial Cleansing Brush, £22.50 This handy electrical brush gently scrubs away dead dull skin, make-up and bumpy imperfections, leaving skin glowing. Your newly cleansed skin will absorb creams and treatment products more easily. 9/10 HoMedics Luxury Foot Spa, £39.99 This spa is a perfect treat after a hectic day.…

The Story It’s 1946, and as Britain recovers from the Second World War, writer Juliet Ashton is seeking inspiration for a new novel. Then, she receives a letter from a stranger, Dawsey Adams, a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society – a book club for residents who wanted to break the curfew during the war. Juliet sails for Guernsey hoping to meet the Society characters she’s heard about. She finds friendship, love and the power to overcome adversity. Our verdict Simply irresistible with a plethora of quirky and endearing characters, this is a must for any romantics and bibliophiles. And the 2018 film starring Lily James is just as delightful.…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr Keep your schedule flexible this week – there could be last-minute surprises and new connections. Taurus 21 Apr – 21 May It’s a good time for planning a trip. Someone may wish to invest or help you financially. Gemini 22 May – 21 June You have an opportunity to meet someone special, whether a business or romantic connection. Cancer 22 Jun – 23 Jul You may be soul-searching this week. It’s a good chance to focus on the deeper issues in your life. Leo 24 Jul – 23 Aug Relationships well starred. It’s a time for new beginnings and putting the past behind you. Virgo24 Aug – 23 Sep Your health and wellbeing are in the spotlight. Why not try starting a new regime,…

Mr Dear’s voice had a note of unbecoming mockery. ‘Hah!’ he said on entering the kitchen. ‘I thought you were supposed to be on a diet.’ As villains in flat caps used to say in black and white films, he had me bang to rights. The scene of the crime: our kitchen table. The evidence: one plate, one piece of buttered toast containing strong evidence of peanut butter, one facial expression that combined guilt with irritation at being caught. Members of the jury, let us now consider the case for the defence. It is mid-morning, and rain is drumming its impatient fingers against the windows. Outside, the skies are dark and grey. Inside, the central heating, although no doubt doing its best, is struggling in vain to raise the temperature.…