Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Dec-2024 i Woman's Weekly

An act of contrition? I recently took part in an amateur dramatics production of Dad’s Army in North Molton, here in Devon (luckily as part of a much more experienced cast). I’m not sure what the audiences thought – hopefully they enjoyed it – but we had great fun, notwithstanding the usual scary first-night nerves. I hadn’t done any acting for more than 30 years until this year, and I’d forgotten how surprisingly thrilling it is to make people laugh. I imagine it can be quite addictive, so I was very interested to read in our feature on Sir David Jason that he first got into acting by taking part in amateur shows, then realised he had a gift for it – see page 8.…

When it comes to animals, I grew up making allowances for all cats, however grumpy, and dogs with smiley faces (I apologise unreservedly to ‘resting dog face’ breeds for my blatant prejudice). But I used to draw the line at anything smaller and furrier than my school pencil case, especially if it also moved, squeaked and displayed other signs of being more high-maintenance than said pencil case. During my first flatshare at university, though, my flatmate brought home a pair of fawn dwarf hamsters, claiming she knew little about them beyond their names, Lenin and Trotsky. ‘They can run up to five miles a night’ Unfortunately, Lenin died unexpectedly soon after. But in a reverse ferret of historical parallels, comrade Trotsky seemed to thrive, running round his little wheel at…

Beetroot-cured salmon Create this luxurious recipe at home with ease. You’ll need to start at least 48 hours ahead. SERVES 6-8 PREP 10 mins, plus 2 days curing ✱ 500g piece salmon fillet, bones and skin removed (fresh as possible)✱ Dill and orange zest, to garnish✱ Lemon wedges, rye bread, cream cheese and capers, to serve FOR THE CURE ✱ 3 beetroot, roughly chopped✱ 50g coarse sea salt✱ 35g white sugar✱ Zest 1 orange✱ 1tsp black peppercorns✱ 1tsp fennel seeds 1 Put the cure ingredients in a food processor and whizz until smooth. 2 Line a glass or ceramic dish with cling film; rest the salmon on top. Spread the cure over the salmon to cover the entire surface. Fold the cling film over and chill for 24 hrs. 3 Unwrap the salmon…

Coping with HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE This genetic condition gradually stops parts of the brain from working properly The faulty chromosome 4, inherited from a person’s parents and affecting both men and women, results in parts of the brain becoming gradually damaged. You’re usually only at risk if one of your parents has had it. If someone has the gene, there’s a 50% chance of their children developing Huntington’s, but also a 50% chance of each of their children never developing the condition, and unaffected children can’t pass the condition on. Rarely, it’s possible to develop Huntington’s without a family history, but usually because one of your parents missed being diagnosed. Huntington’s can cause a wide and variable range of symptoms, including problems with mental health, behaviour, movement and communication. Symptoms usually…

Dear Santa, it’s Christmas Eve. Before I leave – I’m going to my sister’s for the holidays – I wanted to drop you a line. Yes, I know I’m 54 years old and haven’t believed in you since my father dropped a pillowcase full of presents on my bed when I was five, but there’s no harm in asking, is there? So here we go. What do I want for Christmas 2024? First, the usual stuff – peace, happiness and good health to everyone. For myself, I’d like to open my presents and not be too disappointed. Last year, among the gifts my family and friends gave me were a lovely woolly jumper (I’m horribly allergic to wool), a bottle of single malt whisky (I only drink white wine), dark…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 10-count plastic canvas✱ Tapestry wool (for the glasses case, two skeins each of blue, purple, green, yellow and pink; for the bookmark, one skein of pink, white, purple and green)✱ Size 18 tapestry needle✱ Brass screw-in stud button✱ Scissors GLASSES CASE 1 From the plastic canvas, cut the front rectangle at 37 squares wide by 80 squares long, and the back rectangle at 37 squares wide by 114 squares long. On the shorter piece, count 19 squares down and 19 squares across, and make a small cut in one of the adjoining squares big enough for the screw of the button stud. On the longer piece, count 8 squares down and 18 squares across. From this square, cut out a 3 square wide by 5 square down section to allow…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR There’s so much inside of you just waiting to be discovered. This is the perfect time to explore your gifts and talents. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Sometimes your energy is scattered due to a lack of focus. Put your attention on one thing at a time, it will greatly help. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Instead of looking outside for answers, trust your feelings, your inner responses and act on your intuitive guidance. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL This week is all about finding balance. Which life area do you need to look at? A happy equilibrium will bring you peace. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Health and wellbeing are of even greater importance now. Only you know what…

A CRACKING SHOW It’s The Nutcracker – but not as we usually see it. Nutcracker in Havana is choreographed and directed by ballet superstar Carlos Acosta. The fairy-tale action is set in Cuba, his homeland, and fuses the magic of the original with the fire and passion of Cuban dance traditions. Acosta Danza is touring the production until 28 January 2025. ✱ nutcrackerinhavana.com Winning shots Imagine how cold this lynx family (main photo) must have been when snapped by John E. Marriott. Camouflaged by the Canadian landscape, the youngsters shelter from the wind behind their mum. The scene was a winner in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest. Another tender parenting moment was taken in Sri Lanka by Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod, who photographed an infant…

Welcome home The UK’s water vole population plummeted due to habitat loss and invasive mink, but in September, over 100 of the fluffy creatures were transported in recycled Pringles tubes to be released in Northamptonshire’s Nene Wetlands. Partners in cuteness are the beaver babies, known as kits, which have been born in West London after an absence of 400 years. Allseeing AI The advance of artificial intelligence is unstoppable and chatbots are becoming our favourite know-it-alls. AI is transforming healthcare, business and education, but it has a way to go before it matches living, breathing humans. One lady asked, ‘Why isn’t my husband working?’ The response was, ‘Try turning it off and on again.’ THE AGE OF THE SCOUSERS Liverpool-born John Tinniswood turned 112 in August, becoming the world’s oldest…

1 LET IT BURN Nothing says Christmas more than a candle in a fun, decorative glass jar wrapped up in your stocking, and PS… Scented Candle in a Festive Lidded Jar, £4.50, Primark, is the ultimate present. The luxe-looking candle has a comforting winterberry and musk fragrance that promises to fill your home with a cosy scent over the holiday season. 2 BARRIER BOOSTERS Looking for something to give a teen? Teenager-approved skincare brand Byoma may have the answer. Byoma Barrier Boosting Duo, £10, Boots, has mini versions of its most-loved moisturising gel-cream and hydrating serum in a bauble, to protect skin this winter. A sell-out last year, it’s set to be popular again this year. 3 PERSONALISED PERFUME Something adorned with your initials is always a winner, and M&S…

I think the school is overreacting Q I went to pick up my four-year-old granddaughter from school. Her parents had not told the school. It was obvious that the child knew me, but they wouldn’t let her come home with me. I showed them family photos I had on my phone, but ended up waiting in the cold and wet for nearly an hour while they tried to get hold of my son and daughter-in-law. I knew both were in important meetings, which is why I was there. I understand they need to keep children safe, but this was over the top. Elaine, Rotherham A I can see it was annoying for you, but was it really over the top? Sadly, as you know, children can be placed in vulnerable or dangerous situations because adults…

After making sure her baby son Joe was asleep, Jessie went into the kitchen. Opening cupboards, she began to gather the baking ingredients she would need for a traditional Christmas pudding. Betty, her four-year-old, sat on a stool, eyes agog at all the spices lined up in their brightly coloured tins, waiting like toy soldiers for their turn to be added to the flour. ‘Do you want to add the spices, Betty?’ ‘Yes please, Mummy,’ Betty replied, moving from a sitting to a kneeling position, ready to flip the tin lids off with the handle of a teaspoon. Jessie watched her daughter carefully measure out each one, and smiled at the concentration on her face. Soon, the smell of treacle, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and ginger wafted through the air. It…

Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets From Around the World by Ben Mims (£34.95, HB, Phaidon Press) It’s the time of year for cosy afternoons spent making cookies and drinking hot chocolate. So this gorgeous book, written by baking obsessive Ben Mims, is a delight. Travel across the world baking and tasting both classic and modern cookies – from snickerdoodles to Spanish almendrados and Thai rolled wafer cookies. Richly illustrated and easily navigable with dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan recipes on offer, there’s a treat for everyone. Gone with the Penguins by Hazel Prior (£9.99, PB, Transworld) ‘I only feel alive when there’s an adventure on the cards.’ In the final chapter of octogenarian Veronica McCreedy’s journey, the very first Penguin Ambassador is on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible. On…

Here’s some advice for young women who are newly married. Or for those who are very much looking forward to being newly married. And let’s not forget those who aren’t looking forward, but are getting married anyway. We are very inclusive here at Woman’s Weekly. Whatever you do, never let your menfolk make porridge. I speak here from bitter experience. The porridge might be quite tasty, but you’ll pay heavily for this brief moment of pleasure (a phrase that crops up occasionally in other areas of relationship advice). The trouble is, the man has not yet been invented who will reliably and regularly clean the pan he has left in the sink, coated with porridge. ‘How long has this porridge bowl been here?’ Come on, gentlemen, you know I’m right.…

Letter of the week Check with your charity shop I have always donated unwanted clothes, books and DVDs to charity, thinking that I was helping. But then one day, when I was going past my local charity shop, I noticed that there were boxes and bags of clothes, books, shoes, suitcases and ornaments piled high outside. They were all in good condition – but then the bin lorry came along and took the lot. When I enquired at the shop about this, they said that all these items were ones that hadn’t sold. What a waste, especially when people like myself donate in good faith, thinking they’re helping a cause. For readers choosing to donate to charity shops, I would always advise checking what exactly happens to their donations. Mrs…

‘It might seem modest, but it’s been transformational’ Jane Davison, 62, is a nursery assistant and lives in Hertfordshire with her daughter Joey, 29. Being a cleaner isn’t anyone’s dream job, but in the early 1990s I chose the role at my local college because it fitted around my caring responsibilities. For over 30 years, I’d start my day at 5am and finish at 8am – leaving the day free to be with my four children, Robert, now 42, Neil, 40, Giovanni, 37 and Joey, 29. When they’d grown, I found myself looking after my elderly father Henry and latterly my husband John, who suffered from a stroke in 2020. Now, I’m a carer for Joey, who has anxiety and anorexia. As I got older, cleaning became more physically difficult,…

3 OF THE BEST... Energy boosters 1 TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE POWER WALK ‘Even light physical activity can invigorate you and improve your mood,’ says NHS doctor Emeka Okorocha. 2 DRINK WATER Dehydration can amplify fatigue, says Dr Okorocha. ‘Keep a reusable water bottle with you and make a habit of sipping throughout your day.’ 3 TRY A QUICK FIX Pro Plus Fizz is an effervescent caffeine supplement with ginseng, guarana and B vitamins to increase alertness without the crashes of a sugar fix. WATCH OUT FOR THE EARLY SIGNS OF SHINGLES Dr Niamh McMillan is a pharmacist. Had chickenpox? You may not know that the virus remains dormant in your system and can reactivate later in life as shingles. One in three of us carries the dormant health condition, and it’s important to recognise…

3 OF THE BEST... Tree decorations STYLE TIPS 1 MAKE IT MONOCHROME Pick out a simple colour scheme of white, cream and beige paired with dark brown or charcoal black. Add in touches of sage green to soften the contrast. 2 EMBRACE NATURE Look for a small potted Christmas tree that can live in your garden all year round, ready to be covered with lights and baubles come December. 3 LET THERE BE LIGHT With such a minimal scheme, lighting is a must to create points of interest in order to draw the eye. Wind twinkly fairy lights around your usual decorations or look for LED decorations. 4 COSY UP Warm up the look through snuggly textures – think knitted throws, bobbly cushions and faux-fur rugs.…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS To fit ages 0-3 (3-6) (6-12) months. Actual measurements 56.5 (61) (65)cm/22¼ (24) (25½)in. Length 45 (50) (55)cm/17½ (19½) (21½)in. Sleeve seam 15 (17) (19)cm/6 (6¾) (7½)in. MATERIALS 2 (2) (3) x 50g (125m) balls of Debbie Bliss Eco Baby (100% cotton) in White (01) and 2 (2) (3) balls in Pink (Rose 12)*. Pair of 3.25mm (No. 10) and 3.75mm (No. 9) knitting needles; stitch holders; safety pins; 6 buttons. TENSION 23 stitches and 30 rows, to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.75mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS Dec, decrease (by working 2 sts tog); inc, increase (by working twice into same st); k, knit; p, purl; ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); st(s), stitch(es); tog, together; up1, pick up loop lying between…

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, for which the clue is: Earth mover. Average = 15 More than 35 = 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 a word.…