Innholdsfortegnelse for 4-Feb-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Heartfelt thanks "Ageing is a privilege sadly not given to everyone. But being in the possession of a more mature body is a bit like owning a classic car – one must expect that things are more likely to go wrong, necessitating time in the garage for repair. The problem is, health scares are, by their very nature, scary. At a recent check-up a doctor noticed an anomaly with my heartbeat, which is always concerning. Luckily, our amazing NHS immediately arranged an ultrasound examination that confirmed there was nothing to worry about. But that sort of thing focuses the mind wonderfully! So I read our feature on page 12 with great interest."…

Emilia Fox has grown up with Silent Witness. She was still in her late 20s when she landed the role of Dr Nikki Alexander, which means she has been cutting up cadavers and solving tricky murder mysteries for 21 years on the much-loved BBC pathology drama. In Emilia’s time on the show, she has been through relationship ups and downs, become a mum and fallen in love. So it seems apposite that last July, Emilia turned 50 while filming an episode of the show. It was on a night shoot at an airport somewhere outside London, and she celebrated with the cast and crew, who have become her second family. ‘I had a cake at midnight on the runway, which was really lovely,’ recalls Emilia when we meet for a…

"I’ve never had a routine. You don’t really think about it in your 20s, and television isn’t exactly conducive to keeping one. Working seven days a week, having a social life and travelling for my job made it almost impossible. But, being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 made me look hard at my lifestyle. I didn’t blame myself, but I did wonder what I could do to optimise my health going forward and prevent recurrence. What were the easy wins and what wasn’t working well. People think it’s genetic, but actually that accounts for less than 10% of cancers. Lifestyle and exposure to toxins certainly play a role, and 30-40% are preventable. But that’s contentious. Can you prevent where you live and what you’re exposed to? Everything is nuanced.…

Coping with GLAUCOMA This group of diseases damages the optic nerve and is associated with high pressure in the eye The optic nerve sends information from the eye to the brain. If damaged, it causes sight loss. Glaucoma diagnosis isn’t always easy. Usually, but not always, glaucoma is associated with high intra-ocular pressure (IOP). Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), is the commonest type, affecting about 2% of UK adults aged 40+, rising to 10% in the over 75s. But it can affect people at any age. Slowly damaging the optic nerve, it’s often symptomless, especially early on. Your IOP is controlled by watery fluid called aqueous, made in a ring of tissue behind the iris called the ciliary body. It then flows through the pupil and drains through tiny channels…

Triple chocolate cookies These soft and chewy cookies are so quick to whip up, and you can easily double the recipe and make two batches. MAKES 4PREP 5 mins COOK 3 mins ✱ 40g unsalted butter✱ 50g soft brown sugar✱ 2tbsp milk✱ 110g plain flour✱ ¼tsp baking powder✱ 20g milk chocolate chips✱ 20g white chocolate chips✱ 20g dark chocolate chips✱ Pinch of salt 1 Put the butter and sugar into a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high (800W) for 30 secs, stirring halfway through. Check that the butter has melted; if it hasn’t, microwave for a few seconds more. 2 Mix in the remaining ingredients; be careful not to overwork the dough. 3 Line a microwaveable plate with baking paper. Form the dough into 4 balls and put them…

Instructions overleaf Difficulty level TESTED BY US so they work for you MEASUREMENTS To fit Adult shoe size 4-7. MATERIALS 2 x 50g (125m) balls of MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino (100% wool) in Green (Sea Green 170) and 1 ball in Pink (Lilac Blossom 123)*. Pair of 3.25mm (No. 10) knitting needles. TENSION 22 stitches and 34 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.25mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; skpo, sl 1, k1, pass sl st over (to decrease 1 st); sl, slip; ss, stocking stitch (k on right side and p on wrong side); st(s), stitch(es); tog, together (decrease by working as many sts together as stated); up1, pick up horizontal strand lying between needles and k into the back of it (to increase 1 st).…

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: Act cautiously. 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. CLUE: London borough, home to Battersea Power Station. Codeword…

SUGAR AND SPICE The thriving spice trade of the 1700s brought the key ingredients for ginger beer: ginger and sugar. The drink was created in Yorkshire before going countrywide. In 1851, over a million bottles were sold in just over five months at the Great Exhibition that was staged in London’s Hyde Park. Original fermentation produced a fiery drink with 11% alcohol, hence the beer name. But brewers chose to shorten the fermentation time to keep the drink under a new 2% tax threshold. Modern ginger beers are classed as non-alcoholic, with less than 0.5% alcohol. Lashings of ginger beer featured in picnics in 1930s children’s books, and grown-ups now add it to rum to create a Dark and Stormy cocktail, and to vodka and lime for a Moscow Mule.…

Get a big chop Winter isn’t always kind to hair. Bitter temperatures and moisture-sapping central heating can turn it dry and brittle. ‘To strengthen hair during the winter months, have a trim every six to eight weeks to remove dry/split ends,’ explains Lesley Drummond, senior stylist at John Frieda Salons. Plus, a restyle feels like the perfect start to a new year. ‘Going for the big chop in winter is not only a great way to get rid of brittle hair,’ says Lesley, ‘I love the feeling of a fresh haircut – it’s a great pick-me-up.’ Look after your new ’do with Aussie SOS Super Serum, £12, Tesco, which promises 100 hours of moisture. And sleep in a Hair Wrap, £20, M&S. It helps your hair’s natural oils spread evenly,…

I’m fed up with their lack of planning Q My children seem incapable of planning anything. My granddaughter was turning three and I asked her parents several weeks ago when they thought her party would be. They hadn’t thought about it! They finally came up with a date and their cousins, with whom they are very close, can’t come. I’d offer to change our arrangements to accommodate in any way I can. The one day over three weekends I can’t make is, of course, the time everyone else can do – and I’m now seen as the problem. Lisa, Northallerton A Seen as the problem by them or by you? I’m sure that your children understand that you have a life and that you are accommodating when you can be.…

The doorbell rang just as Layla sat down with a cup of coffee. Odd. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Peering through the spyhole in the front door, she saw a delivery man holding a small package. Probably for next door, thought Layla. Vicky was always ordering stuff. ‘Layla Simmonds?’ the delivery man asked. ‘Really?’ Layla was surprised. ‘I haven’t ordered anything. Are you sure it’s for me?’ He showed her the parcel with her name printed on the label. Back in the lounge, she opened the package. Inside was a cardboard tube containing a red lipstick. There was no paperwork to give her any further clues. ‘How strange,’ Layla’s daughter Molly said. ‘Have you used it yet?’ ‘No,’ Layla replied. ‘Whoever ordered it will want it back.’ ‘Perhaps someone ordered it…

Difficulty level TESTED BY US so they work for you YOU WILL NEED ✱ 32 charm pack squares of patterned fabric (5in)✱ Matching sewing thread✱ 45cm square of fabric for base✱ Three 4cm-deep 40cm square foam blocks✱ Hand-sewing needle✱ Embroidery needle✱ White embroidery thread✱ Needle threader (optional) STOCKISTS Moda Fruit Cocktail charm pack, £14.50, sewhot.co.uk; foam blocks, £16 for four, Dunelm. 1 Arrange 16 charm pack squares into a four-by-four seat top. Once you’re happy with the layout, sew into four rows with right sides together and a 1cm seam allowance. Press seams open. Pin and sew the rows right sides together with a 1cm seam allowance, then press the seams open. 2 Arrange 16 charm pack squares into a single strip for the sides. Sew the strip of…

ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR What’s truly important to you? Redesign your life according to inner priorities and you’ll feel much more fulfilled. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Put more energy into your physical health and wellbeing. It may mean tweaking your diet or exercising regularly. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Studying and teaching are under positive stars for you. Your gifts with words and speaking can be upgraded. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL This is a week for taking action. Daily baby steps will help you gain a feeling of momentum. You can achieve a great deal. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Keep your plans flexible, as last-minute changes may be needed this week. All kinds of spontaneous meetings are indicated. Enjoy! VIRGO 24…

Letter of the week Mrs Dear’s fan club I would like to tell you about my friend and neighbour, Wyn, who is 106 years old. She loves your magazine (as did her mother), and is a fan of Mrs Dear. I also like your magazine – I’m 85 years old – and pass it on to another friend who is 90. Us oldies really enjoy all the stories and dream of doing the craft features, but unfortunately dreaming is as far as we get. Please keep up the good work. We are already wondering what Mrs Dear will get up to next year! Pauline Wood, Heybridge, Essex PAWS FOR THOUGHT This is our adored moggy Daisy asleep in her favourite place – on someone’s lap. She’s the most affectionate little…

3 WAYS TO... Treat norovirus 1 Drink plenty of fluids, advises clinical pharmacist Kiran Jones*. ‘Try oral rehydration solutions that provide hydration and electrolytes, and eat broths to restore and prevent dehydration. Once vomiting subsides, you can try introducing bland foods like rice, bananas or toast.’ 2 Prevention ‘Wash hands frequently, disinfect surfaces and avoid preparing food for others until at least 48 hours after symptoms subside,’ says Kiran. ‘Remember, if you’ve had it before, you can catch it again. Immunity lasts one to two years.’ 3 Rest ‘Stay home and look after yourself,’ says Kiran. ‘Avoid others for 24-48 hours after the last symptoms started. If symptoms persist beyond three days, or your dehydration becomes severe, seek medical attention.’ NEWSFLASH Using the internet may make you healthier and happier Going online regularly in…

M&S NEXT JOHN LEWIS…

We’re not what you’d call frequent shoppers at Shelly’s Deli. Feeding our family of six on a budget usually depends on our big, weekly supermarket delivery, packed with pasta, fish fingers and the fat, pink sausages I try not to think about too deeply because the kids love them. ‘I’ll take two of the beef stroganoff bombes,’ I told Shelly. ‘And a tray of garlic potatoes.’ ‘Is it a special occasion, Jan?’ Shelly enquired as she parcelled up my purchases. ‘Date night,’ I told her. ‘With my husband.’ ‘Ooh. Good for you,’ Shelly replied. ‘It’s important to keep that spark alive. How long have you been married?’ ‘Twenty years – I can hardly believe it.’ ‘Kids?’ ‘Four.’ ‘Lovely. What ages are they?’ ‘What ages?’ Good question. I used to know.…

Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell (£16.99, HB, Simon & Schuster) There’s a poetic, raw energy to this remarkable tale of coercive control. You’d imagine it might be miserable – Ciara is in flight mode with her young children – but it isn’t. You see how her husband twists reality, experience her uncertainties, understand why she had to leave home, find lodgings and start anew. There’s a quiet determination in Ciara, an indomitable mother figure, and great supporting characters along the way. A poignant, beautifully written novel that opens your eyes to the often hidden abuse some ordinary, good women face every day of their lives. Island Song by Pepsi Demacque-Crockett (£16.99, HB, HarperCollins) Labour shortages in 1950s post-war Britain entices adventurous Agnes Deterville to dream of a better life in England,…

"Mr Dear is not what you might call a regular reader of Woman’s Weekly, but he does dip in from time to time to give me the benefit of his critical opinion. ‘Did you have to go on about my wicketkeeping?’ he might say. ‘I can still crouch down, you know. Your readers must think I’m about 150 years old.’ He also complained when I compared his snoring to a warthog with catarrh who is grubbing for truffles. ‘Apart from anything else,’ he said, ‘I don’t think warthogs hunt for truffles. That’s normally the domestic pig.’ ‘Would you feel any better if I said you sounded like a domestic pig with catarrh who is grubbing for truffles?’ ‘Not really,’ he muttered, and went out to seek sanctuary in the shed.…