Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-Sep-2024 i Woman's Weekly

Swearing an oath My parents never swore, at least in my presence, and I’m pretty sure they regarded doing so as unpleasant and uncouth, but they were born in the 1920s and 30s, when society’s norms were rather different from today. For someone of my generation, and for my children, hearing people swear has become an everyday experience. Earlier in my career, I worked for a while on daily newspapers, and in that environment, swearing from both male and female colleagues was a habitual element of every conversation, and perhaps that’s the case in a lot of high-pressure workplaces. But many people still find it offensive – see our debate on page 25.…

"Before I started in The Wives, in February, I hadn’t had any alcohol since Christmas. I was trying to be really healthy! I co-star with Jo Joyner, who I know well, and my close friend Angela Griffin. We’re playing women who have all married brothers from the same family. When our characters get together, they drink a lot of wine and, let’s just say, when I arrived on set, the research began! When we had finished a day’s filming, we would go back and sit in one of our apartments or go to the hotel bar, and get our scripts out for the next day and have a drink. When we weren’t on set, the three of us would meet and have cocktails, go to dinner and watch the sun…

Is your blood pressure higher than it should be? If it is, you’re not alone – an estimated third of us in the UK have hypertension. But many more of us have it without knowing, because high blood pressure produces few symptoms, so many of us don’t know we have it until a routine health check picks it up, or we have a stroke or heart attack ‘out of the blue’. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to fatal heart attacks, stroke, kidney disease and vascular dementia. So, step one to getting your blood pressure under control is to know what it is. You can get yours checked at a routine health MOT at your GP surgery. If you’re aged 40-74, you should be invited to an NHS Health…

3 WAYS TO... Cut cholesterol 1 DAILY TABLESPOON OF OLIVE OIL It’s rich in monounsaturated fats, which lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in cholesterol-cutting plant sterols and polyphenols. 2 TAKE PLANT STEROLS They help lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by competing with it for absorption in the intestines. Try Healthspan Plant Sterols, £19.49 for 90 tablets, healthspan.co.uk 3 ASK YOUR GP ABOUT STATINS They work by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver, and helping it remove cholesterol that’s already in the blood. Statins can also protect blood vessels by reducing the risk of fatty plaques breaking off – they raise your stroke and heart-attack risk. NEWSFLASH New sepsis test to save thousands of lives A new technique could…

1 SET UP A SEWING STATION Designate a desk to be your sewing space, keeping your machine out at all times (although dust jacket-covered) and ready to sew when you want to. A well-ordered collection of cotton threads always looks appealing – and makes it much easier to find the right colour just when you need it. Wall-mounted designs will help if you’re short on room. ✱ Lift Top Draftsman Desk, £429, similar cantilever sewing box, £129, 120-spools holder in beech, £30, scalloped-edge linen lampshade, £5, and cushion, £16, all Dunelm 2 CREATE AN INSPIRATION WALL Staple fabric over an MDF board, with a layer of wadding in between. Criss-cross ribbons over the front, securing with gold drawing pins. Now you can slip any inspirational bits on to your pinboard…

Books The Wedding People by Alison Espach (£20, HB, Phoenix) Phoebe decides to end her life after she hits rock bottom – IVF has failed, her husband left and the dog died. Intending to do it in style, she books in to a lavish hotel, only to find the venue taken over by a wedding party. Her comic yet touching encounters with the bride and her eclectic guests pull Phoebe back from the brink of despair. But will her new lease of life survive her burgeoning love for the groom? A wonderfully entertaining novel exploring life, love and loneliness with empathy and plenty of sparkling one-liners. Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson (£22, HB, Transworld) A complex real-life art heist collides with a chaotic murder-mystery weekend…

IT’S PARTY TIME! Alison Steadman was unforgettable as Beverly in the original 1970s stage and TV productions of Abigail’s Party. Now Tamzin Outhwaite (pictured above) plays the hostess of an excruciatingly awkward drinks party that takes place while a neighbour’s teenage daughter is also entertaining. From 6 September at London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East. ✱ stratfordeast.com High society If you saw the recent John Singer Sargent exhibition at Tate Britain, you’ll be intrigued by Strike a Pose at Kenwood House in Hampstead. Artist Stephen Farthing takes inspiration from the ‘swagger’ portraits of Sargent, as well as William Larkin’s grandiose paintings of Jacobean nobles. At Kenwood, some of Farthing’s interpretations are shown alongside the original works. They include a portrait of Margaret ‘Daisy’ Howard, Countess of Suffolk, first painted by Sargent…

She may have just celebrated 60 years in show business, but Lulu insists the best is still yet to come. She recently appeared in a coming-of-age comedy film, Arthur’s Whisky. Reflecting on her latest role, for which she was awarded Best Supporting Actress at the National Film Awards, the songstress says of her accolade, ‘I couldn’t believe it. I asked them, “Are you having a laugh?” ‘I started taking acting classes about seven or eight years ago, and I loved working with my coach, so then to be asked by [producer] Stephen Cookson to be in a film with Diane Keaton and the amazing Patricia Hodge – I am the luckiest girl. And at 75! This might be a new beginning for me, you never know,’ she hints with a…

1 PIGMENT PERFECTER As well as softening the skin, this lotion is designed to lessen the appearance of brown sun spots and uneven tone on your hands after just a few weeks of use. It contains SPF 15 to protect from future damage too, plus it leaves no greasy feeling. Nivea Luminous 630 Anti Dark Spot Hand Cream, £6.99, Boots 2 CUTICLE REPAIR Healthy cuticles make for happy, strong nails and longer-lasting manicures, so if yours are feeling a little dry or damaged, give them a boost with this light oil. Gently rub a couple of drops on to your nails before you go to bed each night. Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil, £11, Boots 3 CALMING CREAM Perfect for restoring dry and peeling cuticles to their…

Mozzarella-stuffed chicken bake The chicken cooking juices mix with the tomatoes for a easy flavourful sauce. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 40 mins ✱ 4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts✱ 125g pack mozzarella, drained and sliced✱ 50g baby spinach leaves✱ 2tbsp olive oil✱ 390g carton chopped tomatoes with garlic✱ 150g kalamata olives, pitted 1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast and stuff with the slices of mozzarella and half of the spinach leaves. Place the chicken breasts, skin-side up, in a baking dish. Season well and drizzle over the oil. Bake for 15 mins. 2 Pour the chopped tomatoes into the dish around the chicken. Bake for a further 25 mins, adding the olives for the final 5 mins, until the chicken…

Coping with… DYSTONIA This is the name of a condition giving rise to uncontrolled and sometimes painful muscle spasms Dystonia is caused by a problem with the part of the brain that controls movement, and can affect your whole body or just parts of it. It may start at any age, depending on the cause. Symptoms include uncontrolled muscle cramps and spasms, shaking (tremors), uncontrolled blinking, or parts of your body twisting into unusual positions – such as your neck being twisted to the side or your feet turning inwards. Symptoms may be continuous or come and go. They may be linked to conditions such as Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy or a stroke, or simply triggered by things like stress or certain activities. See a GP if you think you might…

Latte panna cottas The ideal way to end a meal, with a sophisticated hit of coffee. SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins, plus at least 4 hrs setting ✱ 3 gelatine leaves✱ 500ml whole milk✱ 100ml single cream, plus extra for drizzling✱ 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds scraped✱ 50g caster sugar✱ 2tsp hazelnut liqueur (optional) FOR THE SYRUP ✱ 100g caster sugar✱ 150ml strong espresso coffee✱ 1tbsp hazelnut liqueur (optional)✱ Praline, to serve YOU WILL NEED ✱ 6 x 120ml dariole moulds, lightly greased 1 Soak the gelatine in ice-cold water for 5 mins. Put the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds in a pan and warm over a low heat until steaming. Stir in the sugar to dissolve and the hazelnut liqueur, if using. 2 Squeeze the softened gelatine…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 40x78cm plain cotton✱ 39x40cm fusible interfacing✱ 40x52cm pink patterned cotton✱ 40cm square of green patterned cotton✱ 60cm length of pink cord or ribbon✱ Water-erasable marker and ruler (optional)✱ Matching thread✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Sewing machine✱ Quilting foot with guide (for sewing machine, optional)✱ Pins✱ Scissors 1 Cut the cord or ribbon in half. Cut the plain cotton in half, so you have two rectangles each measuring 39x40cm. Fuse the interfacing to the reverse of one of these pieces. Fold the pink and green cotton pieces in half and press. 2 Place the folded pink piece on top of the interfaced plain cotton piece with right sides facing, followed by the folded green piece, with all the raw edges lined up along the bottom edge. Pin in place. 3 To create…

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 bust 95 (105) (116) (127)cm/37½ (41½) (45¾) (50)in. Length to shoulder 50 (51) (52) (53)cm/19¾ (20) (20½) (21)in. Sleeve seam All sizes 35cm/13¾in. MATERIALS 3 (3) (4) (4) x 100g (208m) balls of Emu Cotton DK (100% cotton) in Pistachio (010)*. Sizes 3.5mm and 4mm crochet hooks. TENSION 19 stitches and 8 rows to 10x10cm, over main pattern, using 4mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; patt, pattern; st(s), stitch(es); sp, space; tr, treble crochet. NOTES Back and fronts are worked all in one piece to the armhole. Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate. Instructions are given for small size. Where they vary, work figures in round brackets for larger sizes.…

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: Skilled in practical or mechanical arts. 25 = average 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 Lourdes, saint who was canonised in 1933. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then…

Horoscopes ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR This is a time for persisting and staying strong. You’re building muscles in new life areas. Be patient and kind to yourself. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Letting go is not always easy for you. However, you really need to make space for better things to come along. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Follow your interests and your curiosity. They will guide you to your next chapter. It’s a good time for learning something new. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL This week is important for you to relax, rest, recuperate and rejuvenate. You can expect lots of positivity in your life. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Relationships of all kinds are in the spotlight. Listen carefully and only respond…

ROSEMARY Let me begin with an apology. If you were here for last week’s exciting episode, I am sorry to have kept you waiting for the good bit. You might remember that it ended on something of a cliffhanger. Clinging to the cliff by the tips of his slightly dirty fingernails was David, the only male volunteer at our little charity shop, who was about to reveal why he doesn’t want to reunite with his first wife. She, by contrast, seems keen to have another turn on love’s merry-go-round. At least, I think that’s what he was about to reveal because, at the crucial moment, we came to the end of the page. As it happens, that wasn’t the only interruption. He got as far as ‘well’ and ‘you see’…

SO MUCH JOY Some years ago my daughter, Kathryn, bought me a subscription to Woman’s Weekly as a Mother’s Day gift. It’s a present that gives me so much pleasure. The magazine is always full of interest, humour, and sometimes the sadness and endurance of readers’ complex lives – more often than not, their beloved pets are involved. And I am constantly amazed by the skill of people in the crafts projects they undertake, however daunting. At 92 years of age, I’m not so capable of handicraft, but I am always reminded of things I made in the past. I still enjoy lots of reading, puzzles and cooking from scratch. Thank you so much for providing my ‘look forward to’ moment. Joy Anderson, Bishop’s Stortford PAWS FOR THOUGHT We got…

As an island nation, we have a remarkable maritime heritage. Ships helped us establish trade with faraway countries, bringing tea, silks and exotic spices. We built them to ferry goods and people to and from far-flung ports, to defend ourselves, and to transport the rich on luxury liners. While most have long-since perished at the breaker’s yard, or even on the high seas, here are just a few of our amazing historic vessel survivals which can be visited today. HMS Cavalier, The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent Built on the Isle of Wight in 1944, HMS Cavalier is the last surviving British destroyer from World War Two still in the UK. It undertook Arctic operations against German shipping and was retired in 1972. The Cavalier is now on show at Historic…

FIGURE-ENHANCING FROCKS Dresses with structured belts, soft ties, shirred detailing or even elasticated ruching at the middle, will all accentuate natural curves or help to create them on straighter figures. WAIST-CINCHING JACKETS Show off your silhouette even when you’re layered up, with jackets and blazers designed to pull you in and create an effortless hourglass effect. SCULPTING DENIM Get more from your everyday jeans with firm-yet-stretchy denim fabrics, high waistbands and clever cuts that will instantly lift, shape and define your bum and thighs. SMOOTHING SHAPEWEAR Whether you’re looking to flatten your tummy or streamline the shape of your hips, some hard-working underwear can give you a confidence boost.…

He says we’re unsupportive Q My son and daughter-in-law are often unwell. I pick up their children from school twice a week, and take them to my house and get them ready for bed. Their parents are often late home. Last week, as both parents were at home unwell with a virus, I said I’d drop the children home but not come in, as I didn’t want to catch anything (my husband and I are both in our late 70s). My son was cross and said I was unsupportive. Judith, Worthing A It sounds like your son’s expectations are unrealistic and, at that moment, he forgot he was an adult responsible for his children. When we’re feeling unwell it’s easy to revert to behaving like a child, but the reality…