Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Apr-2024 i Woman's Weekly

It’s never too late When I was a boy, my father couldn’t swim, which was a matter of some sadness to my mum, who loved the water. Somehow he’d missed out on learning as a child, perhaps because of wartime disruption, and had seemingly come to accept his inability as permanent once he was an adult. But I still remember sitting on a holiday beach much later with my mum while my dad was in the sea with friends, and her pointing and exclaiming, ‘I think Dad’s swimming!’ Surreptitiously he’d been learning, and eventually he became very good – even saving my mum’s life once, when she was swept out to sea. So it’s never too late to learn new skills! See page 20.…

I read recently that an adult who dislikes people borrowing their stuff is probably an only child, because those of us raised with siblings tend to be more ‘relaxed’ about it. It’s one of those old chestnuts that ripens over time, along with, ‘My grandad smoked 50 Woodbines a day and it never did him any harm.’ ‘I thought he died at 40.’ ‘Yes, but he fell off a ladder.’ So it’s probably time to debunk the ‘relaxed about borrowing’ myth. For starters, I refuse to accept that possessives scribbling ‘hands off!’ on yogurts or locking the office stapler in an uncrackable safe every night were all raised as begrudging only kids. I grew up with several light-fingered siblings and therefore have the vigilance of a caffeinated meerkat. Not that…

‘Thanks to my children, I’m finally learning how to swim’ Ali Walsh, 47, is the founder of lifeonaricecake.com, supporting people with coeliac disease. She lives in Brislington, near Bristol, with husband Tim, 51, and their two children, Aidan, seven, and Christina, six. ‘Come on Ali, you can do it!’ the instructor cheers as I approach the halfway mark. Although I don’t quite make it to the end, I smile as I grab on to the side and accept his congratulations. I may not be crossing the Channel or chalking up the laps, but I’m getting better at swimming each week – and it feels like an enormous achievement. As a child, I didn’t have much opportunity to go swimming. I went a few times with my school but because I…

3 TEAS TO... Help your health 1 Boost bones Tick Tock Rooibos, £2.50 for 40 bags, Asda. Rooibos is linked to higher bone mineral density by US research, particularly in postmenopausal women. 2 Promotes sleep Joe’s Tea Company Sweet Chamomile, £3.95 for 16 bags, joesteacompany.com. A calming, caffeine-free infusion to help you switch off before bed. Made with 100% organic chamomile flowers. 3 Aids digestion Pukka Three Fennel £4.75 for 20 bags, Tesco. Fennel acts as a diuretic, to help with water retention and bloating. TRAIN YOUR BRAIN AND BOOST YOUR THINKING Creating a healthy cortex through stimulating and training the brain can help us to think and feel better. The more we read and learn, the more our brain increases its cognitive functioning. The brain will be stimulated by…

Knitting Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Approximately 15cm/6in tall, excluding tail MATERIALS Green budgie 1 x 50g (140m) ball of Sirdar Stories DK (60% cotton, 40% acrylic) in each of Green (Gin Fizz 826) and Yellow (Glow Sticks 827)*. Length of Blue DK yarn for embroidery. Blue budgie 1 ball in each of Blue (Pool Party 819) and Cream (Invite 836)* Both budgies 1 ball in Black (Silent Disco 839) and small amount in Natural (Glamping 832). 1 skein of yellow embroidery thread. Pair of 3mm (No. 11) knitting needles; washable toy stuffing. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 26 stitches and 36 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS Dec, decrease; inc, increase (by working twice into the same st); k, knit; k2togb, k2tog through back of sts;…

Books Every Move You Make by C. L. Taylor (£14.99, HB, HarperCollins) Always watching over their shoulders, days filled with terror – Alexandra, Lucy, River, Bridget and Natalie are being stalked, and it’s a lonely place to be. Finding each other online, they form a support group. But when Natalie’s stalker catches up with her, five becomes four. Handed a wreath at her funeral with a card and date for 10 day’s time, the group knows one of them is next. It’s time for them to turn the tables and seek out their stalkers. This chilling thriller will keep you on tenterhooks – you’ll find it unputdownable. Way Back by Sara Cox (£16.99, HB, Hodder & Stoughton) Sometimes it’s necessary to go back before we can move forward. Josie’s life…

FLIGHTS OF FANCY Murmuration is an exhibition devoted to birds and the key role they play in our environment, as well as their symbolic significance for us through the ages. Artists and makers interpret our relationship with birds through drawings, paintings, sculpture and installations, as well as examining the complex issues around the role of taxidermy. ✱ Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham, until 23 June 2024; thebowesmuseum.org.uk Creature comforts It’s been a hectic time at Chessington World of Adventures, where the 1,000 resident birds and animals have all had a thorough health check. Kito the giraffe’s pedicure will keep her hooves in trim, while California sea lion Carla’s dental examination checked for ulcers or damage. Bubo the Mackinder’s eagle owl was weighed and measured, while Sulcata tortoise Belle relished…

From hot cross buns to bunnies, Easter is a time for celebration and observing the resurrection of Christ. However, many Easter traditions are rooted in earlier paganism – honouring the rebirth of nature – and were adopted by the Christian church when Britain was converted. Here are some of the customs that take place across Britain. BUNNIES AND EGGS It wouldn’t be Easter without eggs – preferably foil-wrapped, not scrambled – and the Easter Bunny is said to hide chocolate eggs for well-behaved children (although in some countries it’s a hare, not a rabbit). In certain parts of the UK, egg-rolling contests are held, in which competitors vie to see whose egg can roll the furthest without cracking. The tradition is said to represent the rolling away of the stone…

1 DO YOUR RESEARCH Knowing where to shop is key. Check in on your favourite stores and see what sustainable practices they are adopting, and what materials are being used. ‘Focus on natural fibres like 100% organic cotton, especially GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified where possible – because a GOTS label means you can be sure that it has achieved strict criteria for social and ecological compliance. So better for the environment, the workers and you!’ says Kate Tailyour, head of designs at Nomads Clothing, an ethical and sustainable fashion brand. 2 QUALITY OVER QUANTITY While you may gulp at the initial splurge, premium clothes are likely to last longer, so you will essentially be buying less over time. ‘Consider how many times you wear the items you already…

Steak and tomato salad with basil oil dressing This spin on the classic Italian tagliata proves that you can’t beat juicy steak for an easy and satisfying dinner. SERVES 2-3 PREP 5 mins COOK 6 mins ✱ 1 garlic bread baguette✱ 300g pack bavette steak or rump steak✱ 50g pack fresh basil✱ 350g mixed heritage variety tomatoes✱ 30g Parmesan, shaved PLUS ✱ 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing✱ ½tsp red wine vinegar 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6 and cook the baguette according to the pack instructions. Cut it into chunks, then put back in the oven to crisp up for 1 min. 2 Meanwhile, heat a griddle or a heavy-based frying pan, season the steaks with oil, salt and pepper, then fry on a…

Diabetes risk Unsurprisingly, in a longitudinal investigation of 150,000 people on the Swedish diabetes register, those whose risk factors (blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, Hba1c, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and smoking) were at recommended levels, were only slightly more likely to develop peripheral arterial disease than matched controls without diabetes. However, in contrast, people with five risk factors above target were 10 times more likely to develop arterial disease. It’s why your diabetes nurse checks and helps you manage them. Coping with HEART VALVE REPLACEMENT Four heart valves ensure that blood flows in only one direction through your heart When a heart valve is damaged, it affects blood and oxygen flow through your heart and body. Valves may narrow (stenosis), slowing down blood flow, or develop a leak (incompetence), allowing blood…

Difficulty level Finished size: 12½ x 48½in Finished block size: 12in square YOU WILL NEED ✱ 25in x WOF background fabric✱ Scrap fabrics for tulips and leaves✱ Four 1½ x 5in strips for stems✱ 32in x WOF backing fabric✱ 52 x 16in batting✱ 10in x WOF for binding✱ 5in x WOF of sew-in lightweight interfacing✱ Pencil, for drawing on interfacing✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Matching thread Key: WOF = width of fabricSA = seam allowanceWS = wrong sidesRS = right sides Cutting out From the background fabric, cut four 12½in squares. From the backing fabric, cut two 16in x WOF strips. From the binding fabric, cut four 2½in wide x WOF strips. Join to make a continuous length with bias joins. Trim the SA to ¼in, then press open. Press the long…

Wordwise You have 15 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the grid. Each word must contain four or more letters, one of which must be the central square. No proper nouns, plurals or foreign words are allowed. There is one nine-letter word in the grid, for which the clue is: tough. Average = 25 More than 45 = well done SUDOKU To solve this puzzle, fill in the grid so that each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column contains the numbers 1-9. LINKWORDS Fit 10 words into the grid so that each links with the end of the word on its left and the beginning of the one on the right. Then unscramble the letters in the shaded squares to make…

Horoscopes ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR It’s time to activate your leadership qualities. Come out and share your inspiration and ideas with others. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Financially, there are fresh opportunities on the horizon. Keep your eyes peeled and you could take advantage of them. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN You’re coming into a new phase in your life. Embrace the changes with joy, and you will feel much happier. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL Your relationships may be going through some changes. Be as kind as you can and you’ll deepen your connections. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG It’s time to express what’s inside of you. If you have the courage to do it verbally, that’s great. If not, at least write…

Crafting therapy Here’s a charming fox figure, felted by my daughter, Elizabeth. She created many felt animals while recovering from Lyme disease. This debilitating condition, which she didn’t know she had when she was bitten [by a tick] years ago, caused a slow deterioration of her body. These little felt creatures have brought great delight to various children. Rosemary McIntosh, by email PAWS FOR THOUGHT This is our crazy little miniature Jack Russell, Bruno (everyone thinks he is a dachshund due to his rare fur colour). He was six months old here, and decided to try and get up the stairs. He got halfway but then couldn’t get either up nor down, as his legs are tiny! He is now 14. ✱ Got a pet pic that makes you smile?…

Fearing for my memory Q A few weeks ago I forgot something I’d arranged to do with a friend. I wouldn’t have turned up if she hadn’t reminded me. Even when she reminded me, I had no recollection of agreeing to go or paying her for the ticket. I didn’t write it down, which is what I normally do. My mother had dementia and now I’m really worried. Gilly, London A We all forget stuff we’re not invested in at that moment, especially if we’re focused on other things. It takes time and effort to ‘log’ or ‘catalogue’ a memory. Writing it down certainly helps but if it’s something we do in a perfunctory way, it might not register properly. What I do know is that worrying limits our ability…

Writing for Woman’s Weekly is a real treat, but I can’t help wondering whether I might have been better turning out scripts for films or television. People who work in films and television are taken seriously. Newsnight would probably invite me into the studio to ask my views about inflation in Venezuela, and that sort of thing. This assumes, by the way, that they do have inflation in Venezuela. What has prevented me from being huge in films and television is that I’ve never had a single idea for a script. Most of my career has been spent as part-owner of a provincial hardware store, and there isn’t much scope for action and adventure in small hardware stores. Even the comic potential is rather limited, despite a brave attempt by…