Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Jan-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Owls on the prowl “It was when our now thirty-something son was just a baby that I was invited on an all-night wildlife expedition to Dartmoor. We decided that such an adventure was probably a little premature for such a youngster, so my wife and baby had a cosy night in a hotel, while I tramped around the Dart Valley with other intrepids and two wildlife experts. We examined bugs and lichens, listened on a monitor to a myriad of bats, and heard the iconic twit-twoo call of the tawny owl. But I was amazed when they explained that the sound is made by two birds; the female goes twit and the male replies twoo! See page 10.”…

I’ve always been a positive person and make the most of every day, but losing my brother Charles three-and-a-half years ago turbocharged the attitude of, ‘I have the privilege of being here and he doesn’t.’ It’s a reminder of how precious family and life are. Even on mornings when I wake up and feel a bit sluggish, I think, ‘Get your backside out of the door and into some fresh air.’ It can be quite meditative, and I never come back without feeling like a fresh, happy person who is ready to hit the day. ‘My advice is buy less, buy better’ Having a dog is a wonderful excuse to get out into nature and move my body. I’ve got a crazy little Labrador called Luna. She is three-and-a-half years,…

3 FOODS TO... Boost your health 1 THE GREAT BRITISH PORRIDGE CO APPLE & CINNAMON PORRIDGE High in fibre and made from 100% natural ingredients with zero added sugar. £3.20 for 385g, Sainsbury’s. 2 CYPRESSA’S GREEK OLIVE POUCHES A healthy on-the-go snack in three flavours. Olives are high in vitamin E, good fats and antioxidants. £1.35 for 50g, Asda. 3 YAKULT PLUS PEACH Packed with 20 billion friendly bacteria to feed your gut health, and rich in vitamin C to support your immune system and help reduce fatigue. £3.70 for 8 x 65ml, Ocado. NEWSFLASH Lift weights to slash your biological age An hour’s strength training three times a week could cut your biological age by more than seven years, according to new research. Every 10 minutes a week of…

3 OF THE BEST... Table lamps STYLE TIPS 1 STICK TO NEUTRALS Bright, natural tones are a must for achieving the Scandinavian look, helping to bounce light around a room while creating a cosy feel. 2 ADD AN ACCENT Bring in sage greens or fresh teal blues to add colour to the otherwise neutral scheme. If you’re feeling bold, a feature wall will create a statement backdrop, but colourful cushions and vases will work just as well. 3 HANG A GALLERY WALL Simple prints are the easiest way to zhuzh up plain, neutral walls. Cluster a set of three similar pictures in matching frames, either in a neat row or staggered together, to help add interest. 4 LET THERE BE LIGHT Flood your room with maximum natural light, using minimal…

YOU WILL NEED ✱ Plain tea towels ✱ An orange ✱ A lemon ✱ Fabric paint in Orange, Yellow and Mint Green ✱ Iron ✱ Knife ✱ Paint palette ✱ Paintbrush ✱ PVC tablecloth (to protect surfaces) STOCKIST Fabric paint, £4.50 for 60ml, Hobbycraft 1 Wash and dry the plain tea towels, then press to remove any wrinkles. Cut the orange in half and the lemon into quarters. Gently push into the citrus flesh, leaving the pith higher to form the fruit stamp. 2 Protect your surfaces with a wipe clean tablecloth and place the tea towel on top. Squeeze a little paint on to the palette, then use the paintbrush to apply a thin layer on to the raised parts of the lemon or orange stamp. 3 Apply the…

Instructions overleaf TESTED BY US so they work for you MEASUREMENTS 46x46cm/18x18in. MATERIALS 3 x 100g (200m) balls of King Cole Fashion Aran (70% acrylic, 30% wool) in Wedgewood (3319)*. Pair of 5mm (No. 6) knitting needles; 46x46cm cushion pad; zip fastener of appropriate length (optional). Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 18 stitches and 25 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 5mm needles. 23 stitches and 24 rows to 10x10cm, over blackberry stitch, using 5mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS Inc2, increase by working k1, p1, k1 all in next st; k, knit; p, purl; rev ss, reverse stocking stitch (p on right side and k on wrong side); skpo, slip 1, k1, pass slipped stitch over (to decrease 1 st); st(s), stitch(es); tog, together (decrease by working as many sts…

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: ruler. Average = 15 More than 25 = 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: Illegal or dishonest behaviour by those in power. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded…

CLASSIC CHOICE Pantone’s Classic Blue comes out on top as the most popular home-decor colour of recent years, based on shares and likes on social media. This Chesterfield sofa from Furniture And Choice is £799.99. A clean sweep The ever-popular Wombles, based on the books by Elizabeth Beresford, have fans around the world. Now their care for their surroundings and enthusiasm for litter-picking has inspired The Wombles Community Charity. It’s set to become the country’s largest local environmental action organisation, bringing together local groups, large and small, to make a difference to their areas. From planting trees and wild flowers to shopping sustainably, it’s hoped there will soon be an Official Wombles Group in every town, city, village and school. ✱ thewomblescommunity.com Did you know? Shortlisted by booksellers and voted…

There are around 250 owl species around the world, but only five residents in the UK – the barn owl, tawny owl, little owl, long-eared owl and short-eared owl. They share a characteristic disc-shaped face, and their facial feathers funnel sound towards their ears when hunting. The Romans believed owls were witches in feathered form, and they’re associated with magic to this day, like Harry Potter’s snowy owl, Hedwig. Their huge eyes and impassive stares have also given them a reputation for cleverness, and Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, is often pictured with an owl. But a barn owl’s chilling call has also been thought to herald death, as in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, when the ‘fatal bellman’ is heard to shriek as King Duncan is murdered. Barn owl With its…

1 FRESH TIPS Try adding a new spin to your at-home manicure with a crisp, grassy shade of green. This matcha-inspired tone is more wearable than you’d expect, with a sweet and elegant look. And it’s an easy way to perk up a long, grey January day. Mavala Nail Color in Yummy Matcha, £6.40, John Lewis 2 PAMPERING TREAT Give lacklustre complexions a bit of a brightening boost while taking some relaxing time out with this vitamin-infused face mask. Slather over your skin for a few minutes before rinsing away – your face will feel refreshed and look dewy. W7 Vitamin Glow Face Mask, £6.95, w7makeup.co.uk 3 BRIGHT EYES This volumising mascara provides a serious lash lift, and the waterproof formula means that it will stay budge-proof during damp, wintry…

Curried chickpea jackets Spice up your evening with chickpeas nestled in crispy baked potatoes for a hearty, protein-packed dinner. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 1 hr ✱ 4 baking potatoes ✱ 2tbsp olive oil ✱ 1 onion, sliced ✱ 2 garlic cloves, crushed ✱ 1tsp cumin ✱ 2tsp garam masala ✱ ½tsp chilli flakes ✱ 1tbsp tomato puree ✱ 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained ✱ 400g tin coconut milk ✱ 400g tin chopped tomatoes ✱ 2tbsp yogurt, to serve ✱ Small bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C Fan/Gas 7. Rub the potatoes with 1tbsp oil and a sprinkle of salt. Bake for 1 hr, or until soft when pierced with a knife. 2 Heat the remaining oil in…

Unhealthy food ads The House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity committee proposes a total ban on advertising of unhealthy foods high in calories, fat, salt and sugar, across all physical and digital media, to halt the obesity crisis. It states the UK government’s 9pm TV advertising watershed of less healthy food and drink, starting in October 2025, doesn’t go far enough. The ban would include sports event sponsorship by large food businesses that fail to reach mandatory health targets. DIABETES DRUG UPDATE A small study has shown empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2) drug used in diabetes, is as effective in reducing liver fat in obese individuals without diabetes as it is in those with type 2 diabetes. It offers a potential therapy against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver…

I’ve decided to become a goddess,’ Freya announced. Angie laughed, assuming this was another of Freya’s jokes. ‘No, I mean it, Angie. It seems like everyone’s a goddess these days. How hard can it be?’ ‘You’re asking the wrong person, Freya,’ Angie giggled. ‘So how do you become a goddess?’ ‘I’ve seen a goddess workshop advertised on my local Facebook group, so that sounds like a good place to start. Fancy coming along?’ ‘It’s not my kind of thing,’ Angie said. ‘And I’m busy...’ ‘Come on. Don’t you want to embrace your feminine power, channel your inner goddess? And you deserve some me time. It’ll be fun,’ Freya said excitedly. ‘I’m not sure. Let me think about it.’ ‘OK, Angie, but honestly, you’ll love it.’ The following week, Angie’s heart…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR You may be facing some important choices. Don’t allow yourself to be rushed into making any decisions. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Maintaining a positive attitude, no matter what’s going on around you, is your biggest challenge right now. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Many opportunities for meeting interesting people can occur now. Stay open and reach out. You’ll be very happy you did. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL Your attention is often focused on the past or the future. Make a concerted effort to live in the present. You’ll feel happier. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG This is a week of acceptance, surrender and compromise. Say less, observe more, and magically all your interactions with others will be harmonious.…

Letter of the week The joys of tech Though I rail against the hours my grandchildren spend on techy stuff, it does provide a bridge between us. They get me on apps to search the names of plants and trees. They also show me how to navigate systems that are like falling off a log for them. When I have no idea of answers to weird questions they ask, I can search the internet for the answers. How I wish they’d find pleasure looking things up in a book, but now it seems speed is of the essence. I wonder how other readers feel? Lynn Manning, Dagenham, Essex PAWS FOR THOUGHT My friend Molly the cockerpoo is challenging me to her favourite game – ‘You Can’t Have My Ball’. This sometimes…

We all forget things at times. Everyday stress, a poor night’s sleep, and the general wear and tear on our brain as we age can affect our thinking and concentration. But if your memory fails are starting to happen a little too often, you might start to worry about dementia. And no wonder, because diagnosis of the brain disease is at a record high, with recent NHS data* revealing that nearly half a million people in England now have it – and numbers are continuing to rise. But it’s not just dementia that can have an impact on our memory. Vitamin B12 deficiency Not getting enough of this vital vitamin can cause cognitive changes, such as problems with memory, understanding and judgement. ‘Other symptoms include extreme tiredness, pins and needles…

TAILORED COATS A coat that lasts from one winter to the next is well worth the splurge. Stick to tried-and-trusted cuts – shape-skimming, single-breasted fastenings or waist-cinching, belted designs. DENIM SKIRTS Easy to dress up or down, find a silhouette that works for you, whether that’s a pencil or fit-and-flare style. THROW-ON DRESSES A effortless outfit that will have you out of the door in minutes, a printed midi dress is a no-brainer. Look for relaxed shapes and classic prints such as florals. CASHMERE KNITS Upgrade your sweater drawer with this super-soft yarn – perfect for adding a luxury finish to your look.…

Excluded from close friend’s party Q We live next door to another family with children the same age as ours. The kids play regularly with each other, and my children think of the neighbour's children as close friends. One of the next-door children is having a birthday party, and my son hasn't been invited. They go to different schools and they've invited their boy's class. My neighbour says they didn't want my son to feel left out, not knowing all the boys, so thought it best not to invite him. He is six, and my son will be so sad when he hears them all playing next door. Lynne, Brighton A It sounds like your neighbour has made a decision based on her assumptions of how her own son would react.…

Flora rings me when I’m on the bus home from town. Some parents don’t hear from their grown-up children unless they want something. I’ve always counted myself lucky my daughter still considers me interesting enough to call me just to chat. Except this time, it’s not just to chat. Serves me right for being smug. ‘Honest, Mum, I wouldn’t ask. Only, I can’t see any alternative.’ This is what they do, isn’t it, kids? Demand the unreasonable and assume it’ll cause you no inconvenience whatsoever. On top of which, they totally forget every previous conversation you’ve shared where you’ve expressed a strong opinion on a topic – in this case, dogs and your dislike of them. And they imagine, somehow, that since you last discussed the topic you’ve changed your…

An Almost Perfect Summer by Jill Mansell (£16.99, HB, Headline) Life’s little twists can sometimes take you in a different direction. In the quaint Cotswold village of Starbourne, Nella meets Nick and changes jobs, Hollywood star Lizzie takes a break, and pregnant Cami is evicted by her lowlife partner. They say every ending is a new beginning, and fresh opportunities are certainly on the cards in Starbourne as new friendships bond the newcomers and locals, and it suddenly seems as if love is in the air. It’s impossible not to become invested in Mansell’s characters. A delightful read. The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook: One Basket Meals by Clare Andrews (£22, HB, Michael Joseph) Discover delicious meals without the hassle! With 80 mouth-watering recipes from the queen of air frying, you…

When my little sister Deb’s name appeared on my phone, I knew at once what she wanted. Now she is the owner of our little town’s best bookshop, I have become an unpaid assistant. You’ll remember that Deb is quite well off and bought the bookshop from her fiancé Miles just before Christmas, for reasons I have never quite understood. If you’re marrying into a bookshop, why hand over good money? My prediction turned out to be correct. ‘Rosie, love, would you be an angel and look after the shop tomorrow? I have to go up to London.’ ‘Can’t Miles look after the shop?’ ‘He said to me, “I’m looking for romance”’ ‘No – he’s coming with me. We’re going to look round a couple of bookshops and we’re making…