Innholdsfortegnelse for 9-Apr-2024 i Woman's Weekly

A French fancy “Many couples have a special place; it might be somewhere as simple as a bench in the local park where they sat together when first going out, or a riverside spot where they had a memorable picnic long ago, or something bigger like a holiday destination that they particularly loved. For us, it’s the city of Paris, where we travelled on our first-ever trip abroad. We’ve been back many times since, but we still retain a peculiar fondness for its cobbled backstreets and quirky cafes, curious shops and cosy restaurants. It doesn’t hurt that we also the love the French style of cooking! So I especially enjoyed our new serial this week. See page 52.”…

Like most in television, Julia Bradbury’s career contains many rich and diverse chapters. In the mid-90s, the focus was entertainment and she spent a year in the US as GMTV’s LA correspondent before helping to launch Channel 5 in the UK, she then presented motorsport for Channel 4, but it was as the host of UK Living talk show Moral Dilemmas, Julia caught the eye of the editor of Watchdog, which she went on to front for four years alongside Nicky Campbell. It was an invitation from a BBC commissioner in 2009 to host BBC4’s Wainwright’s Walks: Coast to Coast, following fellwalker Alfred Wainwright’s favourite mountain routes, that paved the way for other natural-world presenting work, including Countryfile, Britain’s Best Walks and, most recently, Julia Bradbury’s Irish Journey for Channel…

“I’ve just returned to Emmerdale after a year and a half away on maternity leave. It’s been amazing – chaotic, tiring and turbulent, but beautiful and lovely. I did have mixed feelings about coming back. I didn’t know if I could still walk and talk at the same time, let alone remember lines and act! But while I miss my children an incredible amount, I was excited to be around people that I love and to be an actor again – and to have a piece of me, which I haven’t had for a long time, because I’ve been a slave to two children, basically! Me and my partner Mark [former Emmerdale actor Mark Jordon] have Ronnie, 18 months, and Jesse, three. I had the same amount of time off…

3 WAYS TO... Up your 5-a-day 1 BOOST YOUR BREAKFAST Add fruit, nuts and seeds to your breakfast cereal or porridge. Or try some spinach wilted into scrambled eggs or mash a banana on your toast instead of jam. 2 ELEVATE YOUR LUNCH Soups and salads are a great way to up your plant quota. Out and about? Try a Pollen + Grace super salad from your local supermarket, such as Mezze Houmous + Rainbow Veg Grain Bowl. 3 FILL UP ON FINE VEG Add a mixed-leaf side salad to a meal, throw a handful of frozen mixed veg into that stew, or even crunch on raw carrot sticks while you’re cooking dinner – just think more veg. WHAT’S THAT? It’s a great way to take supplements without having to…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 2.5m bias binding ✱ 50x110cm cotton fabric ✱ Pins ✱ Matching thread Stockists: Riley Blake stripe in Aqua, Gray and Green, £14.40m, sewhot.co.uk 1 For the hanging loop, fold a 20cm length of bias binding in half lengthways and topstitch close to the edge. 2 Fold the striped fabric in half lengthways and press. Open out the bias binding and pin the raw edge of the binding to all sides of the fabric. Sew in place with a 1cm seam allowance, creating mitred corners. 3 Fold the bias binding over to the other side of the fabric, and topstitch or slipstitch in place in matching thread. Before you reach the final corner, tuck the bottom…

Crochet TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS To fit bust 82-86 (92-97) (102-107) (112-117)cm/32-34 (36-38) (40-42) (44-46)in. Actual measurements 100 (110) (120) (130)cm/39½ (43½) (47¼) (51)in. Length to shoulder 55 (56) (57) (58)cm/21¾ (22) (22½) (23)in. Sleeve length All sizes 45cm/17¾in. MATERIALS 5 (6) (6) (7) 50g (140m) balls of Sirdar Stories DK (60% cotton, 40% acrylic) in Beige (Sandy Toes 833) and one each in Pink (Pillow Talk 803), Yellow (Glow Sticks 827), Green (Picnic 815), Blue (Pool Party 819) and Purple (Parade 805)*. Sizes 3.5mm and 5mm crochet hooks. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 20 stitches and 12 rows to 10x10cm, over main pattern, using 5mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; ch sp, chain space; dc, double crochet; htr, half treble crochet; patt,…

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: Increase in volume. Average = 25 More than 45 = well done 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 a word. CLUE: Of detergent, using enzymes to remove dirt. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the…

“‘Twist, Rosie, twist,’ said my little sister Deb. ‘I’m twisting as much as I can. If I twist any more, I might dislocate something.’ ‘All right, all right. We’ll try something a little easier. Let me have a look at the book again.’ We are in the sparsely furnished spare bedroom in Deb’s flat. We can hear, from the kitchen, that Mr Dear and his drill are still busy, putting up some of those rails from which you can hang serving spoons and hand whisks, and other useful kitchen items. As he toils almost uncomplainingly, she is trying to teach me some yoga. To be honest, it is not going entirely well. This is partly because she is also pretty much a beginner. It’s true that she went to a…

FEEL THE MAGIC Take flight with the wonderful touring production of Aladdin, which is coming to Milton Keynes. The glittering show, based on the much-loved 1992 Disney movie, includes new songs, fabulous costumes, singing, dancing – and of course, a magical flying carpet. ✱ On at Milton Keynes Theatre, from 24 April to 19 May. To book, visit aladdinthemusical.co.uk Bumblebee boost With their fluffy bodies and distinctive hum, bumblebees are a welcome sight in our gardens. Vital for pollinating crops like apples, tomatoes and peas, a queen bumblebee emerging from hibernation needs nectar and protein-rich pollen to feed herself and her developing larvae. That’s why the RHS is asking us to help them by recording which flowers bumbles are enjoying the most in our gardens and parks until 31 May,…

Green is a dominant colour in the natural world. Living organisms, both on the ground and in the air, come in myriad shades, and it is used as a form of concealment from predators as much as an attractant to the opposite sex. Here, we share some of our favourite green species. EMERALD DAMSELFLY On the wing from June to September, these fairy-like flying beauties favour still waters with plenty of tall vegetation around the margins. Unlike most damselflies, which rest with their wings closed, metallic-green emerald damselflies characteristically hold their wings open at 45 degrees when perched. Their fluttery flight is restricted to short distances in between regular resting periods. Both sexes are emerald green but the male has a blue thorax and the female has pale green/brown underparts.…

Harissa lamb and feta shells This one-tray sauce packs in lots of flavour with just a handful of ingredients. SERVES 4-6PREP 5 mins COOK 35 mins ✱ 400g lamb mince ✱ Small red onion, finely sliced ✱ Olive oil, for drizzling ✱ 300g pasta shells ✱ 2tbsp harissa (we used rose harissa) ✱ Zest and juice 1 lemon ✱ 200g block feta ✱ 200ml chicken stock ✱ 2tbsp toasted pine nuts ✱ Handful freshly chopped dill ✱ Yogurt, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C Fan/Gas 7. Put the mince and red onion in a roomy roasting tin, side by side, and drizzle with a little oil. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon, then brown in the oven for 15 mins. 2 Meanwhile, cook the pasta in…

Eat more dietary fibre It’s well known that a high-fibre diet protects against bowel cancer. Data from 350,000 participants in the UK Biobank study shows associations between dietary fibre and reduced risk of several other cancers too. After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle factors, those consuming most fibre had a 10% lower risk of many types of cancer compared with those with the lowest intake. The greatest risk reductions were observed for cervical, oesophageal, lung, bladder, bowel and kidney cancers. CHANGING WORLD DEMOGRAPHICS While birth rates are declining in richer nations, creating anxiety about how those countries are going to care for and pay for their ageing populations, Africa is enjoying a baby boom. It’s expected to reach 2.5 billion over the next quarter century. In 1950, Africans made up 8%…

Sonia had never been one for hanging onto things she considered past mending. She had just carried two boxes of junk to the municipal tip when, carrying another, she passed the village cafe. Having eyed it longingly, she doubled back, deciding to have a coffee and a pastry instead. Inside, it was warm and redolent with the smell of fresh baking. As usual on a Saturday, it was heaving, so she was lucky to get a seat – and one for the box too. Sonia studied the topmost items – a painted Victorian box, missing a hinge, and a chipped amber vase, with silhouettes of trees encircled between layers of matte glass. They were gifts from her best friend Betsy. The box was for her 21st birthday, when Sonia had…

Horoscopes ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR Although it may seem tough at times, you are building strength and power. Keep going and don’t give up. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY You may have been feeling as though not much is moving forward. The momentum is ready to build. Get ready! GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN You’re a shining star – but do you realise it? Focus on doing random acts of kindness every day. If you’re consistent, your life will dramatically improve. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL Are you playing life a little too safe? Take a risk, step outside your comfort zone and see what happens. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Your relationships may need more of your attention now. Listen carefully and stay…

Letter of the week Handy helper I have had either knitting or crochet on the go for more years than I care to remember. Apart from my needles and hooks, I have one favoured trusty tool that I use daily, and that is my pattern line magnifier. A fellow crafter saw it this week and commented that it was a useful tool, and asked where I got it. I actually looked at it properly for once and found it had been a free gift from Woman’s Weekly – which I have also bought for more years than I care to remember! I wonder how many other readers still have and use theirs? Dorothy Hawkins, Harrogate GIFTING IDEA It is often a problem to know what to give friends and family…

20 UNDER £20…

Struggling at work Q I have a much older colleague who always makes me feel stupid if I ask her a question. I’m fairly new into the job and there are areas where I’m still uncertain. I recently made a mistake and was pulled up on it by my boss. I knew my colleague could have helped me but I didn’t want to feel stupid. In the end, it was worse being told off. I wonder why she does this? Lara, Manchester A That sounds very unpleasant. The only way you’ll know why is to ask her. She may not mean to be doing this at all. If she’s consciously being critical, it may be that it’s coming from a place of anxiety. You mentioned she’s older and she may…

Books The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse (£22, HB, Penguin) Whether or not you’ve read Lesley Pearse’s novels, you will want to read the extraordinary story of her life. Born during World War Two, a neighbour found Lesley coatless in the snow, her mother having died days before. Sent to an orphanage, she came of age in Swinging Sixties London before falling pregnant, being banished to a mother and baby home and separated from her newborn. Lesley went on to become a successful author at 48. This inspiring, heart-warming memoir will have you captivated. Too Many Cooks by Rosemary Shrager (£22, HB, Little, Brown) Meet no-nonsense retired chef Prudence Bulstrode who, along with her granddaughter Suki, find themselves involved in yet another murder. This time, down-and-out Terry Chandler…