Innholdsfortegnelse for 09-feb-16 i Woman's Weekly

Wandering along my high street recently, my eye was drawn to the window of one of the estate agents who’ve occupied a corner site for as long as I can remember. No, I hadn’t spotted the house of my dreams, sadly the opposite. Because replacing the usual selection of property details in the windows were several large signs saying they’d vacated the premises and would, from now on, be providing customers with their services via their website. Of course, searching for a house online is nothing new, but the business of buying and selling has, until recently, been done through and by agents. Our web expert, Sarah Bee, examines this growing phenomenon and recommends the best way to sell your home online on p53. There are plenty of other experts…

Enjoy The Olney Pancake Race For a flipping great day out on 9 February, make your way to the Buckinghamshire village of Olney where local ladies will go head to head, or should we say pan to pan, in a traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake race that dates back over 500 years. For more information, visit olneypancakerace.org Watch Trumbo Helen Mirren is a vision of Hollywood glamour in this riveting film drama about the 1940s screenwriter Dalston Trumbo, who penned his Academy Award-winning film scripts in secret after he was blacklisted for his liberal views. It’s showing in UK cinemas now. See Painting The Modern Garden This major exhibition at London’s Royal Academy is a visual feast of colour, with 35 paintings by the master of garden painting himself, Monet, plus…

Based on real-life events, this novel brings to life Lyme Regis in the early 19th century. Clever local girl Mary Anning and prickly newcomer Elizabeth Philpot become close companions as they search for fossils along the crumbling coastline. The pair are fascinated by their finds – including an ichthyosaurus first mistaken for a crocodile – but their friendship is fractured when Mary falls for dashing Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Birch, who persuades her to beachcomb with him. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (£8.99, HarperCollins).…

Where I went I went down to Cawsand, a tiny fishing village with quaint narrow streets and old cottages. It has a lovely beach and Plymouth is nearby (by road or ferry). It was where I was brought up, and my parents still live there. As much as I love London, I really appreciate going down to Kernow (as the ‘proper’ locals call Cornwall). What I did I was working on a small documentary about the amount of plastic being washed up on the beaches and what a small, local organisation is doing about minimising its impact on the environment. I also visited Falmouth, a bustling seaside town, which is a really nice place. Where I stayed I stayed at my parents’ but I would heartily recommend The Old Boat…

Scent is our invisible companion. Sprayed or dabbed on in the morning as we blink the sleep from our eyes, it comes with us wherever we go. Some scents cling to their owners for decades. Others lose their appeal in months. They linger only until the next must-have steals their place… 1921 No.5 Chanel Whether or not Chanel’s perfume was entirely original (the perfumer Ernest Beaux may have come up with precursory ideas while still in Russia at Rallet & Co, but the revolution interrupted his work, thus making No.5’s frothy sparkling finish seem utterly original when he worked on it later in Paris), even in 1921 this perfume was perceived as something new. It quickly eclipsed its contemporary, Molyneux’s Le Numéro Cinq, and by the 1930s was being referred…

For most of us, a day at the coast involves lying on the sand soaking up the sun and, if we're really brave, taking a bracing dip in the sea. But for some dedicated souls, relaxing in a deckchair is the last thing they want to do when they're by the water. For them, the beach is a treasure trove and they can't wait to discover what the tide's washed in. Laura Salt, 32, Sheffield ‘My engagement ring is made with sea glass’ ‘When most people organise a wedding, they tend to send out invitations in smart white envelopes. Not me. I’ve carefully rolled each one and placed it in a bottle, containing shells, sand and a piece of green sea glass. I think the guests will understand. You…

He’s bound to meet beautiful Brazilian girls and forget you It’s in your teens that you first hear the expression “quality time”. It’s used by your English teacher, Mrs Watson. She breezes into the classroom and says brightly, “I thought we’d have some quality time this morning! Get out your poetry books.” You groan inwardly. Nothing sounds worse than 24 girls reading poetry in unison. It makes you think of grey skies and wet washing and cold rice pudding. Obviously, Walter de la Mare didn’t intend to get this reaction. “Slowly, silently, now the moon, Walks the night in her silver shoon…” It’s a lovely poem being completely spoilt by the droning voices. The sort of “quality time” you want would be with your boyfriend, Gary, you think. You’re still…

MEET OUR TUTORS Tina Egleton: Woman’s Weekly’s Technical Knitting Editor has over 40 years’ experience. She’s designed many of our knitting patterns and is an expert tutor. Freddie Patmore: Our knitting assistant has been crocheting since she was a child. She’s gone on to become a designer and loves teaching our workshops. Knit & Crochet Tea Party – £69 per person Friday 24 June, 10am-4.30pm Perfect if you can already knit and/or crochet: Freddie and Monika have a choice of lovely projects for you to make. There will also be technical demos for the tricky bits, including knitting in the round, embroidery, beading and a crochet slip (or ‘magic’) ring. How To Design Your Own Knitted Cardigan – £69 per person Friday 15 April, 10am-4.30pm For…

FEBRUARY MARCH • Sow frost-sensitive summer-bedding seeds, such as pelargoniums, in pots on a warm windowsill. For something a bit different, sow and grow climbers, such as Chilean Glory Flower (Eccremocarpus) and Morning Glory (Ipomoea). • Sow beetroot, salad onions, radish and lettuce every two weeks for a ready supply of fresh salads throughout the summer. • Give bulbs the perfect partners by planting the gaps in-between with colourful spring bedding, such as polyanthus, bellis daisies, wallflowers and forget-me-nots - sold in pots and trays at garden centres. TOP TIP Have secateurs, shears, hoes, spades and the lawnmower sharpened ready for action. APRIL • Sow hardy annuals where you want them to flower – mark out a sowing scheme on bare soil with silver sand. • Sow some chilli pepper…

We’ll be colder than cod on ice in their backyard,” growled Arthur. He and Betty were on their way to see their daughter, Lisa, and her boyfriend, Storm, otherwise known as Brian. Lisa called him Storm because he swept everything aside to get to a bargain. Betty admired his spirit and she liked the way he had changed Lisa’s face from peaky pear shade to plump peach since she’d met him. “Storm will have everything figured out,” she reassured her husband. The first time they’d met Storm, he’d said, “Like a load of well-rotted manure, Mr Boon?” Difficult to refuse. But the lad did help spread it. And Arthur’s back soon got better. Arthur and Betty had just got back from a camping break. Moth convention. It was so adventurous,…

Aries 21 March - 20 April If you are job hunting, the secret of your success to land a new position is preparation – practise your interview technique. Being diplomatic will make a good impression. Resist the temptation to put pressure on someone who is dragging their feet. It’s time to back off and bide your time. For more, call 0901 609 2591* Taurus 21 April - 21 May You don’t trust someone who claims to be an expert. Even if they have a list of qualifications, their interpersonal skills are bad. Fortunately, a good friend is being very supportive, so lean on them if you’re anxious. Someone with a gentle inner wisdom and peace will make a great impression on you. For more, call 0901 609 2592* Gemini 22…

We love letters Woman’s Weekly, 110 Southwark St, London SE1 0SU. PS. It really helps when you put your details in capitals We do not return photos (apart from ‘You Look Great!’) so please do not send originals Email us Womansweeklypostbag @timeinc.com  Tell us your full name, address and daytime phone number, please Fancy a chat? Log on to facebook.com/  womansweekly We can’t wait to hear from you! Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original and NOT duplicated to other publications. £25 will be paid to the writer of the ‘Letter Of The Week’, and the ‘Good To Meet You’ contributor will receive a gift or similar as stated at time of publication of contribution, for all rights in each letter printed. The Editor reserves…

Jackie Perrins, 46, from Kiveton Park, Sheffield, is an outdoor play supervisor at an infant school What makes me happy. My family, my two cats, reading and the odd spa day as a treat. I can't live without… Books and I love the TV soaps. My best piece of advice. Have routine in your life, both at work and at home, then the chores don't build up. My favourite bit of Woman’s Weekly . The craft ideas and the fiction. However, it's difficult to choose one area as the whole magazine is fabulous! Tell us about yourself by answering the questions above and letting us know your age and occupation. Send them to us, with a daytime phone number and a good-quality photo/ jpeg of yourself (for…

‘I missed Lady Mae when I was on maternity leave’ Former Coronation Street star Katherine Kelly is the first to agree that no single star is ever bigger than the show in which they appear – but, we certainly missed her when, as Lady Mae, she ducked out of the last series of ITV’s successful period drama, Mr Selfridge. She had a good reason to go, of course, namely the birth of her daughter, Orla, who is now a much-adored toddler of nearly two. ‘But,’ says the actress, ‘while I was away I missed Lady Mae, myself!’ Just like the bolshie blonde Becky McDonald, whom the RADA-trained actress once made her own in Corrie, Lady Mae can elevate the entertainment value of any scene just by walking into it. And…

My parish, Finedon in Northamptonshire, is very well off for phantoms. The Charity School is so haunted that an ode, written to its many ghosts, was published in the papers in 1824. The most famous is the Dutch Doll, a figure of a girl in puritan dress that stood over the door. Once a year at midnight she would stir from her plinth and walk round the village presaging doom. This was so annoying that someone once grounded her by sawing her feet off. She was de-plinthed and chucked into the cellar, where she would terrify naughty girls locked in there for misbehaviour by the headmistress. This was eventually thought too cruel and she was taken to church and screwed down on to a ledge on the wall, until 1981,…

Passion-Fruit & Champagne Cocktail Crab & Fennel Crostini Twice-Baked Cheese Soufflé Lamb Fillet With Celeriac Purée & Tapenade Dressing Boulangère Potatoes Shallot & Almond Green Beans Chocolate & Calvados Tarts Passion-Fruit & Champagne Cocktail MAKES 2 1 passion fruit, halved Chilled champagne Pinch of sugar, optional 1 Sieve the pulp to remove the pips from the passion fruit. 2 Spoon the passion-fruit juice into the bottom of each glass and pour over chilled champagne to serve. Add a pinch of sugar, if you like. Crab & Fennel Crostini MAKES 8-10 1 part-baked demi-baguette 2tbsp olive oil 100g (3½oz) white crabmeat 3tbsp aioli garlic mayo 1tbsp fennel fronds Finely grated zest of ½ a lemon 1 Heat the oven to 200°C or Gas Mark 6 or the temperature stated on the…

MEASUREMENTS Child's mittens: To fit average four-year-old’s hand. Mother's mittens: To fit average adult hand. MATERIALS Child's mittens: 1 x 50g (155m) ball of Sirdar Country Style DK (40% nylon, 30% wool, 30% acrylic) in Dusky Pink (423)*. Mother's mittens: 1 x 50g (155m) ball of Sirdar Harrap Tweed DK (40% nylon, 30% wool, 24% acrylic, 6% viscose) in Flockton (106)*. Small amount of DK yarn in Dusky Pink for embroidery. For both: Pair of 3¼mm (No.10) and 4mm (No.8) knitting needles. TENSION 22 stitches and 28 rows, to 10 x 10cm, over stocking stitch, using 4mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; st, stitch; tog, together; dec, decrease (by taking 2 sts tog); ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); gst, garter st (every…

Patio Raspberry ‘Ruby Beauty’ These compact dwarf raspberry canes reach just 1m (3ft) in height, making them perfect for large patio containers and smaller gardens, producing an impressive 1.5kg of fruit per plant. Ideal for the low-maintenance garden. Height: 100cm (39in). Spread: 50cm (20in). Supplied as a 9cm potted plant. • Buy one for £9.99 • Buy three for £19.99 Visit thompson-morgan.com/ womansweekly to order or call 0844 573 6057 and quote WWK2066A £1.95 for postage. Plants dispatched from February 2016. Contract of goods is with Thompson & Morgan, a company wholly independent of Woman’s Weekly, published by Time Inc. (UK) Ltd.…

Sepsis (blood poisoning or septicaemia) develops when our bodies are overwhelmed by infection. It’s five times more fatal than a heart attack or stroke, and kills around 44,000 people of all ages annually in the UK – one death every 14 minutes, and more than a quarter of them are children. But 10,000 lives could be saved according to the Sepsis Trust. The charity says severe sepsis strikes more than 150,000 of us, costing the NHS £2.5 billion each year, but that treatment using the Sepsis Six guidelines (see box, right) saves resources as well as lives, by cutting time spent in hospital, and long-term disability. What is sepsis? Our immune systems successfully fight off most of the bacteria that attack our bodies. If bacteria do gain access, making us…

TRACEY ALBERT, 47, is a divorced mum of three grown-up children, from Medway in Kent. Until 2009 I was a size 10 with a good job as a sales and marketing manager. After redundancy, depression hit and I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder – and I gained weight. Over four years I went from a size 10 to 26, weighed just over 19 stone, and was being considered for gastric-band surgery. Then, in September 2013, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and prescribed metformin to reduce my high blood-glucose levels. This was the wake-up call I needed. My doctor enrolled me on a six-week NHS nutrition course for people with type 2 diabetes, which taught me all about calorie and carbohydrate content of foods. I learnt that carbohydrates turn…

Never be afraid to say no to your friend QI have a friend who’s become involved with a nutritional product that she says will change my life. It’s tempting to try it but it’s expensive and I don’t think I can afford it. On top of that, I’m not sure I actually believe in it either. My friend also wants me to become a distributor. I’d like to help her as it’s a pyramid-selling venture and I don’t want to say no in case I hurt her feelings. Yvonne, London A So what’s the alternative? Pay for something you can’t afford and become part of a selling system you’re not interested in? I know it’s hard to say no to our friends, but you need to remember you’re saying no…

Is it me or have changing rooms got smaller? How’s the diet going? Why, thank you so much for asking. I’m not going to embarrass us both with figures, but the weight loss is, let me see now, steady. Yes, that’s the word. Slow is also the word, but steady feels kinder. I attribute this success to my will of iron. You need a will of iron when you’re dieting during the winter, and especially this winter. ‘What’s the weather like, dearest?’ ‘Grey and gloomy, just like it was yesterday and the day before and the day before that.’ ‘Never mind, I know what will cheer us up.’ ‘What’s that?’ ‘I’m going to have a couple of those malted milk biscuits. Then, about an hour later, I’ll make myself a…

When my mother died last e year, I found a folder full of old recipes and dress patterns clipped from Woman’s Weekly, dated 1940, when I cleared her house in England. What a treasure! I brought it back with me to Texas, where medicine I now ; it was live a . cure Now -all the are brown and the corners g frayed but, oh, what pages wonderful o memories they evoke. I can remember sa my mother making ou many of the recipes when we were children F s.’ s . Some ’d o en of the patterns she used for g dresses for herself. I will keep these forever . When and I b hope they willWKH be nager EORRG passed , ’ she – WKDQN ’d to…

Oh, No! I would appreciate if you would clarify for me if chorizo and chorizo sausage are the same thing? Margaret Walker, Larbert, Stirlingshire Don’t Worry Yes – while you may see either term in recipes, they are both the same coarsely-textured, spiced, smoked pork sausage. However, you can buy chorizo in several different forms. Our favourite is the soft cooking chorizo sausage – this tends to be the size of regular sausages. Roast, grill or pan-fry. Drier cured chorizo is sold sliced (like salami) or as a big chunky sausage, to be sliced as thickly or as thinly as you like. These need no additional cooking, although the flavour is released if heated. Got a burning cookery question? A problem shared is a problem solved when you ask our…

Linda Kirton, 67, Brentwood Tell us about your look… I go for versatile clothes so that I can mix things up and create different looks. I like my clothes to reflect the trends, but I’m mindful that I’m not a teenager any more. I bought this coat in the Zara sale and my skirt is from Karen Millen. Reiss, Karen Millen and Zara are my favourite shops. And the best bit of your body? I’ve still got a waist. Karen Boswell, 40, Gidea Park Tell us about your look… I wear jeans most of the time as they are comfy and you can dress them up and down easily. I don’t usually wear a lot of brights. My top is from BHS, and my jeans are M&S – I buy…

Mr Selfridge founded his store in 1909, following in some famous footsteps… M&S: ‘Don’t ask the price, it’s a penny’ advertised one of the stalls run by Michael Marks in the 1800s. The store we know today was born when Marks went into partnership with Thomas Spencer, a cashier from Yorkshire in 1894. Harvey Nichols: The opening of Benjamin Harvey’s linen shop in 1831 launched one of the UK’s premier fashion retailers. Harvey died, leaving it to his wife, who went into business with James Nichols. There are now 16 stores. Fenwick: In 1882, John James Fenwick set up shop in a residential area of Newcastle. After his son joined the ranks, the Fenwicks acquired a store in London. Today it has 11 stores. Debenhams: In 1778, William Clark opened…

Where I’ve been... Beside the River Nene in Northamptonshire. What I’ve seen... Ruinous expense as the leaky old boat we bought is gradually restored. Who I’ve met... A hitherto unvisited community of people who live at the moorings, in narrowboats, Dutch barges, and river cruisers. What I’ve bought... A new propeller. The old one dropped off as we were chugging down the river, to the great amusement of our new waterborne neighbours.…

Oven glove Hard–ish YOU WILL NEED Blue gingham fabric, £14 for a metre, from John Lewis Cutting out Enlarge the template (right) by 350% and cut out two glove shapes from the fabric, wadding and lining with pinking shears. Turn the template over and cut out another two reverse glove shapes from the fabric. Cross-stitching the fabric 1 Take one of the gingham fabric cutouts and place in the embroidery hoop. 2 Following the cross-stitch chart (above) as a guide, use two strands of white and then red embroidery thread in your needle to work the cross-stitches in the design, 4cm from the cuff edge. To work the loops linking the cross-stitches, bring the needle through to the front…

Each pattern will be printed on A4 card and delivered to your door To order, call 0800 024 1212* or complete the coupon HOW TO ORDER Order By Phone Call 0800 024 1212* MasterCard, Visa or Maestro cardholders can order direct on this number quoting WW06. Lines open Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm, but closed bank holidays. Fill In The Coupon Payment must be made by cheque, sent with the coupon to the address provided. For more patterns, visit womansweekly.com/patterncollections TERMS AND CONDITIONS Subject to availability to readers in the UK, offers cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions, prices are correct at time of printing. All correspondence concerning this offer should be sent to: WW Vintage Knits Offer, WW06 Vintage Knits Offer, WW Shop Customer Care, Blue…

From May until September, double-flower blooms are a perfect way to create a colourful ground-cover display. They are versatile and look equally attractive in borders or potted up in containers. Height: 90cm. Spread: 60cm. Supplied as bare roots. Buy 3 (1 of each) for £15.99 (rrp £38.97) saving £22.98 or Buy 6 (2 of each) for £19.98 (rrp £77.94) saving £57.96 To order, call 0844 573 6057 and quote WWK2065, or complete the coupon HOW TO ORDER Order By Phone Call 0844 573 6057 and quote WWK2065 Fill In The Coupon Payment must be made by cheque (with your name, address and WWK2065 on the back of the cheque, please), crossed and made payable to Woman’s Weekly . Please DO NOT send in cash. Order Online Visit…

Bogus Brain Beliefs Bigger brains aren’t ‘brainier’, according to international research that concludes that brain size has no effect on IQ, although people with bigger brains may be able to think a bit quicker as they have more neural connections. Meanwhile, Israeli researchers say male and female brains aren’t that different – almost all of us have a mixture of structures linked to ‘male’ and ‘female’ traits. However, they didn’t investigate whether these structures work the same way in both sexes, or if they’re influenced by hormones. True Or False? Pigeons can spot breast cancer in tissue samples. True, according to US researchers who say specially trained pigeons get it right more than four times out of five. They suggest that the cases they miss may be the more difficult…

Tracey isn’t the only person to ‘reverse’ her diabetes in this way. Scientists at Newcastle University, inspired by the diabetes-reversing effects of weight loss (bariatric) surgery, investigated the impact of a short-term, low-calorie diet on type 2 diabetes. Volunteers were provided with a strict, nutrient-rich, diet of 600 calories a day. After a week, MRI scans showed the fat around their livers had dropped by 30% and their blood-sugar levels were normal. At the end of the eight-week trial, fat levels in the pancreas had also plummeted and they were producing insulin again. Participants also lost an average of 2st 5lb (15kg). At a follow-up scan three months later, they had all regained about half a stone but most still had normal blood-sugar levels despite eating normal food again (although…

Dear Keren I’ve been in a relationship with a man f or the last few years, ever since his marriage ended. He said he wanted to marry me, which is important to me. His ex wouldn’t divorce him, so we had to wait until he could file for divorce as he didn’t want to cite any particular reason. She then tried to get as much money as she could from him. He wanted us to live together and although I’d rather we’d married, I agreed. We bought a place and we’re happy. However, he still won’t marry me even though the divorce is through. He says why spoil what we’ve got. It makes me feel insecure being unmarried, which I know isn’t logical as both of us were married before.…

Q Isn’t the idea of selling or buying property online a bit crazy? You may have noticed there are more and more adverts popping up – online, on billboards and on television – for online estate agents. It’s a potentially exciting development, offering a new route to selling your home that bypasses the traditional high-street service. The sites promise simplicity, stress reduction and huge savings. So is it a good idea? Well, selling your house is not so different from selling anything else, and online estate agents are just like their high-street counterparts but with lower overheads. However, the one problem is they may not know the full value of your house in the way an agent, who specialises in your local area and is aware of exactly what has…