Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Feb-2025 i Woman's Weekly

Weekend treats Who doesn’t love a relaxing weekend? Surprisingly, it’s quite a modern phenomenon. In Christian societies, Sunday has always been a day of rest and worship. But for farming communities, such as those that surround me, there’s always work to do, even on Christmas Day. It was industrialisation that initially brought in the idea of extra time off on Saturday afternoons, and eventually the whole day, making our modern two-day weekend a time to relax. And it’s such an attractive idea that even my parents, after being long retired, still treated the weekend as a time to unwind and take it easy! If you feel the same, why not try our recipes on page 34?…

Graham Norton has been one of the nation’s favourite entertainers for three decades – and we’re currently being treated to a double dose of the showbiz stalwart, in the shape of the classic quiz show Wheel of Fortune and his long-running Friday-night chat show, which attracts A-list guests. In 2023, he ticked a huge one off his wish list when Julia Roberts made her first UK talk show appearance alongside Tom Hanks, Timothée Chalamet and Cher on the eponymous Graham Norton Show. ‘It was a ridiculously starry show… That’s too rich. In terms of a cooking metaphor, it’s a bit creamy. That is a lot to have in one dish. Julia was kind of the secret sauce. She was great. She kind of fangirled over Cher.’ Who is still left…

I’m very lucky that we have a tight extended family. We live side by side in the countryside and can get to each other’s houses across fields. We also have a strong friendship network, which is super important. I think you need to surround yourself with sunny people but that doesn’t mean avoiding your friends who are a little bit cloudier. It’s even more important to help share that sunshine with them. If there’s one thing I have learnt over the years, it’s the importance of community values and speaking to neighbours. I’m passionate about trying to tackle the loneliness epidemic. An estimated 10 million people would describe themselves as lonely in this country, and that is shocking. It’s so important to bring conversation to those people and do whatever…

‘Getting married never really interested me’ Megan Lomax, 55, is creative director of PACMAT picnic blankets, in Hackney, London, where she lives with her husband Guy, 58, and their children Eliza, 20, and George, 19. I was 45 when I married Guy in 2015. We’d been together 24 years, had two children and ran a business together. We met in 1991 at a party in south London. We played hard, worked hard and were happy as we were. We felt there was no need for us to get married – we weren’t religious or traditional. We bought a house together and moved in 1998, which was a big commitment. My parents enjoyed a long marriage, as did my grandparents. I had plenty of hobbies, worked long hours and always had…

3 WAYS TO... Top up vitamin D 1 GET OUTDOORS ‘Sunlight is the main contributor to vitamin D,’ says Boots nutritionist Vicky Pennington, although it’s difficult to get enough during the winter. 2 TAKE A SUPPLEMENT ‘The government recommends a daily vitamin D supplement between October and March,’ says Vicky. Take it alongside fat-containing food to help absorption. 3 EAT SMART ‘Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods,’ says Vicky, ‘including oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, fortified foods like breakfast cereals, and light-cultivated mushrooms.’ HELPING THOSE WITH DEMENTIA IS MY THANK YOU Irene, 76, is from Northumberland. My husband Mel died in 2022 but was living with dementia for many years. We had noticed symptoms for some time, but it took about 18 months for him…

1 MAKE A MINI PANTRY A set of shelves hung in a corner of your kitchen will put unused space to good use, plus it will provide the perfect spot to display recipe books and dried goods. Store pasta, rice, dried grains and beans in pretty but practical glass jars. ✱ Spice jars, from £1.50 each, extendable bamboo cupboard organiser, £8, and glass jars with lids, from £3 each, all B&M 2 REFRESH TEXTILES If your tea towels are looking a bit tatty and your oven gloves are sporting burn marks, it might be time to replace them. Look for a matching set with an earthy-coloured pattern to help disguise any future stains. ✱ Woodland Friends tea towel, £11.50, Sophie Allport 3 PAINT A FEATURE WALL If you’re looking to…

The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain (£18.99, HB, Simon & Schuster) Having escaped a life of slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation, Daniel’s military success assures him and his young sister Pearl freedom in England. But it’s a false promise. Poverty and life as outcasts awaits them in London’s St Giles, the dark alleyways of which are controlled by despot Elias and his henchmen. Can Daniel and his fellow Blackbirds, as they are known, defeat Elias and win back the freedom he was guaranteed? A captivating story of a little-known period in history. Genuinely heart-stirring. Grandparenting by Terri Apter (£14.99, PB, Duckworth Books) Few moments in life are more joyful than the arrival of a grandchild. But changes in family structure can cause tensions to arise. Helping you…

DEVIL IN DISGUISE Miranda is back in The Devil Wears Prada musical. Based on the novel and hit film, with music by Elton John, we follow aspiring journalist Andy as she struggles to navigate life at Runway magazine. Editor Miranda Priestly is brilliantly played by Vanessa Williams of Ugly Betty fame. Expect fabulous fashion, whip-smart put-downs and great dance routines. ✱ Dominion Theatre until 18 October, devilwearspradamusical.com Peru comes to Kew It’s no surprise that orchids are among the UK’s favourite indoor plants. As well as their incredible variety of colours and markings, the flowers last for ages. So the 2025 Orchid Festival at Kew Gardens promises to be a visual feast. This year, it’s inspired by the flora and fauna of Peru, which has 3,000 species of orchids. Along…

‘Even just saying the word “ukulele” makes me smile’ Amanda Crossland, 63, is the co-founder of the Dukeries Ukeries Ukulele Group. A learning experience designer, she lives in Worksop with her husband Michael, 73. For Christmas 2018, Michael thought that it would be fun to buy me a ukulele. For a year it sat in the box, untouched. I had no musical experience but eventually summoned the courage to follow a YouTube tutorial to learn Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. I enjoyed myself so much that I decided to join a local ukulele group. Nine months later, lockdown hit. I entertained my friends by doing the annual 100 Days of Ukulele Challenge. Soon after this, my friend John and I decided to create a ukulele band called the Dukeries Ukeries, appealing…

1 SPEEDY TREATMENT Want salon-worthy strands in seconds? Then look no further than this game-changing formula. Getting to work in just eight seconds, L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Wonder Water, £9.99, Superdrug, is a rinse-out liquid conditioner that uses Lamellar Water Technology to resurface hair fibres, revealing silky, smooth and shiny strands. 2 ALL-ROUND OIL Want glossy, healthy and hydrated hair? Then you need to invest in a rich oil like Wella Professionals Oil Reflections Luminous Smoothing Oil, £11, Boots. Powered by a nourishing blend of camellia oil and white tea extract, this adds shine to your lengths and minimises the look of dry strands. It also has anti-frizz properties. 3 PROTECT FROM DAMAGE An icon for a reason, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Deep-Conditioning Treatment, £21, lookfantastic. com, is the ultimate…

Baked Camembert with hot honey For the cheesy romantic, a melty dipping cheese with garlic and chilli. SERVES 2 PREP 15 mins COOK 25-30 mins ✱ 1 whole Camembert (about 200g), the top scored in a criss-cross pattern✱ Toasted sourdough, pickles, crudité veggies or charcuterie, to serve FOR THE HONEY ✱ 100g runny honey✱ 1 small garlic clove, crushed✱ 1tbsp chilli flakes (see tip)✱ 1tbsp white wine vinegar✱ 1 thyme sprig, plus extra leaves to garnish 1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan/Gas 4. Put the honey ingredients in a small pan and simmer gently for 2-3 mins until fragrant. 2 Put the cheese in a snug-fitting dish, or if it comes in a wooden box, use that, removing any other packaging. Drizzle over 2tbsp of the honey mix, top…

ADVICE FROM OUR WOMAN’S WEEKLY DOCTOR Home UV psoriasis treatment Narrowband Ultraviolet-B (UVB) phototherapy is an effective treatment for plaque or guttate psoriasis, but usually involves multiple visits to a dermatology department. An American trial shows that it can be delivered at least as effectively at home. After 12 weeks, more patients receiving home-based phototherapy achieved clear, or almost clear, skin compared to those treated in hospital, with no discontinuations of home-based treatment because of adverse events. Comparative cost of machinery needs investigating here. ACT FAST ON STROKE NHS England has relaunched its Act FAST (face, arms, speech, time) campaign, emphasising the importance of dialling 999 immediately stroke symptoms occur; currently, people wait for more than an hour. Anyone experiencing one of the three common symptoms – struggling to smile, struggling to raise an arm, slurring words – should call 999. Faster specialist treatment helps prevent death or long-term…

Chocolate Bundt The food of love – a chocolate cake is the perfect Valentine’s bake. SERVES 12 PREP 25 mins COOK 1 hr ✱ 100g cocoa powder✱ 3 medium free-range eggs✱ 150ml soured cream✱ 2tsp vanilla extract✱ 275g butter, softened✱ 350g self-raising flour✱ 1½tsp baking powder✱ ½tsp bicarbonate of soda✱ 400g caster sugar✱ ½tsp fine sea salt YOU WILL NEED ✱ 2.36ltr Bundt tin, greased and dusted with cocoa powder 1 Heat the oven to 160C Fan/Gas 4. Mix the cocoa powder with 200ml of boiling water until smooth. Add the eggs, soured cream, vanilla extract and butter. Beat for 1 min using an electric whisk. 2 In a separate bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and fine sea salt. 3 Gradually add the…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Fabric scraps✱ Paper and pencil✱ Scissors✱ Pins and sewing needle✱ Thin ribbons✱ Embroidered daisy ribbon✱ Buttons✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Dried lavender✱ Stuffing 1 Fold the paper in half and draw a half-heart shape to the folded edge. Cut out and open out to create a heart template. Repeat to form different-sized templates. 2 Using a template, cut out two pieces of fabric. Cut a 20cm length of ribbon. Pin the fabric hearts right sides together, sandwiching the folded ribbon in between the pieces. Then, sew around the edge with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving a small gap along one of the sides. 3 Snip into the curves of the seam allowance. Turn the heart right sides…

TESTED BY US so they work for you Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Length 51cm/20in. Width 36cm/14in. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (250m) ball of DK yarn (100% acrylic) in each of Light Blue, Green, Red, Pink, Orange, Yellow, Dark Blue, Cream*. Size 4mm crochet hook. 20cm/8in piece of card. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION Not essential for this project. ABBREVIATIONS Bobble, yrh, insert hook in next st, yrh and pull loop through (3 loops on hook), yrh, pull through first 2 loops on hook (2 loops on hook), yrh, insert hook in same st, yrh, pull through (4 loops on hook), yrh, pull through first 2 loops on hook (3 loops on hook), yrh**, insert hook in same st, yrh, pull through (5 loops on hook), yrh, pull through 1st 2…

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: Government by the few. 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: __ Monk, US jazz pianist. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded…

yourastrologysigns.com ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR Don’t take anything at face value. Dig deeper and listen to your inner voice. Only you know what’s right for you. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Give yourself time to think and consider the consequences of your actions. An electronic fast might calm your restless mind. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN Instead of looking for the next big thing, focus on small successes. You have many positive traits. Praise yourself! CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL Home and family are highlighted now. If making constructive changes to your environment, now is a good time for completing renovations and upgrades. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG You have many creative talents waiting to be explored. Take baby steps and begin cultivating these…

Here is one of my occasional lifestyle tips, which I offer to you at no extra charge. Do you feel that the daily round has become a bit routine? Have things become so dull that your heart beats a little faster when somebody from the WI invites you to a charity beetle drive? Then my advice is to get yourself a naughty little sister. If you don’t already have a naughty little sister, these can be hired at reasonable rates from the town hall. Believe me, once you have a naughty little sister, life will never be dull again. My own sister Deb phoned me early yesterday morning, when I was wrestling with my schedule. What should I do first: scrubbing the damp bits from the window in the spare…

PAWS FOR THOUGHT Here’s our dog, Buster, enjoying some Cheshire snow. He’s a one-year old rescue dog, a standard poodle. As you can see, he is ball-obsessed! Claire Green, Sandbach, Cheshire ✱ Got a pet pic that makes you smile? We can give it a good home Letter of the week A taste of yesteryear I wonder if anyone remembers Olivers coffee shop and bakery? This little gem was popular in the 1980s, when my friends and I were students. Most of us were living on a meagre budget, and a cake and cuppa was our favourite treat on a Saturday afternoon. I can’t quite remember, but back in the day it may well have been our lunch as well! I eventually purchased these lovely mugs from our local branch…

FIRST THING Set yourself up for a happy and enjoyable day 1 Take a peppermint shower The uplifting and invigorating scent of peppermint is an instant mood booster. Try Faith In Nature Mint Body, Wash, £4.33 for 400ml, Waitrose. 2 Be grateful Take three minutes every morning as you brush your teeth to list the things in your life you’re grateful for. Practising gratitude has been shown to help elevate mood. 3 Supercharge your breakfast with an egg Eggs are a real nutritional powerhouse. ‘Not only are they quick, easy and versatile to cook with, they’re packed with vitamin D and zinc for immunity, B vitamins for energy release, magnesium for mood, and the powerful antioxidant selenium,’ says dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton. ‘Eggs contain unsaturated fats, which are better for the brain,…

THE COAT Practical outerwear can also be pretty. A wild print will elevate even the most casual of outfits worn underneath, adding an element of drama. THE TROUSERS Neutral clothing keeps leopard print jeans looking chic. But don’t be afraid to add a pop of colour with your accessories – these Boden ballet pumps are a classic choice. THE SHIRT Tuck the shirt into an A-line skirt or wear untucked over trousers and jeans. By layering it with a knitted tank top you can keep warm but still add interest with statement sleeves. THE SKIRT The soft satin finish makes this skirt easy to dress up or down throughout the seasons. Strike the perfect balance with a cosy tonal knit, practical boots and a polished handbag.…

Am I really too old to be a bride? Q I’m 58 and I’ve been single until recently. I’ve finally met the man I want to marry and he has proposed. I showed my married sister a photo of the dress I wanted to buy and she laughed. She said I was too old to wear a traditional white wedding dress and I should get something more suitable. But I’d like to do it the way I always dreamed I would. Alison, Solihull A Congratulations! That sounds wonderful. You should wear any dress you want. It’s your day, and you need and want to feel special. Your sister has had this experience and may not want to do it again, but you haven’t. It’s your dream to wear a white dress to meet your future husband on your…

No-pamper plants It may be grey outside but you can enjoy a green oasis inside with houseplants adorning shelves and windowsills. You don’t need a green thumb, either, to keep them looking lovely. Instead, choose forgiving plants that cope with low light and infrequent watering. To check if a room has enough light, try reading a book or magazine. If you can do it comfortably, then it’s light enough for most houseplants to thrive. Cool customers Although many houseplants hail from tropical regions, several prefer cool rooms with low light. Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) is one such beauty, its elegant fronds spraying up and out like a jade fountain. Grow it where the temperature hovers around 18C, as if conditions are too cosy and dry, its leaf tips turn brown.…