Innholdsfortegnelse for 02-Aug-2021 i Woman

I sometimes wonder how we will look back at the past (almost) year-and-a-half of our lives. Each of us will have a different tale to tell. But one thing that unites us is the history we’ve been a part of. I tried to get my children to write a diary, but with homeschooling, working and providing snacks every five minutes, it was one stretch too many! It got me thinking, though, about the people who have their own daily struggles without the pandemic wreaking havoc. On p32, Penny Hoskins opens up about her husband’s dementia and how the restrictions have impacted their life. So many people have had such a lot to deal with and their resilience should be applauded. Hats off to you all.…

Amanda Holden has admitted that she’s envious of how controversial her pal Piers Morgan is. When Piers shared on Instagram that he’d bagged four spots in the top-10 most-complained-about moments from the past 12 months, Amanda commented, ‘Jealous.’ Piers has hit the headlines over the past year, most recently for his run-in with the Duchess of Sussex. In March, the broadcaster walked off screen on Good Morning Britain while live on air and subsequently quit his job. Amanda and Piers have shared a strong friendship over the years, with Piers supporting her following her famous fallout with This Morning’s Phillip Schofield. He said, ‘Trust me, Amanda Holden is one of the nicest and most genuine people in this tawdry business – and I’ve met most of them.’ Maybe it’s time…

TOP TO TOE Loose smock frocks and relaxed-fit jumpsuits in this picnic print are the easiest way to get on-trend this season. Try this throw-on-and-go look in pastel colours to brighten your wardrobe or add printed mules to your fail-safe jeans. STYLISH SEPARATES When it comes to chic summer skirts or pretty tops, gingham will elevate your look. Try tucking in a T-shirt to an A-line skirt that skims over your thighs for a figure-flattering look or add a patterned blouse to wide-leg trousers. MIX AND MATCH Get suited and booted with modern printed blazers, trousers and shorts for an outfit that oozes fun. Whether you opt for a coord or team a patterned piece with a plainer option, you’ll feel effortlessly put together.…

WORDS: LAURIE DAVIDSON AND ROSIE BENSBERG Best: overall hand blender Russell Hobbs desire 3 in 1, £39.99, Currys This 500W hand blender spins at 12,000rpm, so its stainless-steel blades have no problem crushing hardy items like ice in seconds. It has two speeds, comes with a mini chopper, whisk and a 700ml beaker, plus a detachable blending arm – a handy feature. Its versatility will save you both storage space and time, equalling convenience and delicious culinary creations. Best: if you want lots of attachments Dualit 88910 Hand Blender Set, £89.99, John Lewis Yes, we know it’s not cheap, but the Dualit 88910 hand blender set’s overall value for money is difficult to argue with. At 700W, this model is among the most powerful hand blenders on our list, making…

With our brilliant new tech you can hover your phone over an image and: ✱ Go straight to the link and BUY IT ✱ Go to an online article to FIND OUT MORE ✱ Visit sites recommended by our team of experts to get HELP AND SUPPORT ✱ Go to social media and JOIN THE CONVERSATION HOW TO USE IT 1 Scan the QR code on this page or visit explorewomanmag. womanandhome.com on your phone browser (eg Safari, Chrome). 2 Save the tech by Bookmarking it. (Android users will receive a prompt to do this, iOS users will find a Bookmark button at the bottom centre of the screen). 3 A Woman EXPLORE app will now be stored on your home screen – but don’t worry, it doesn’t cost anything…

We’ve all heard the adage ‘if you’ve got nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all’ but more and more people are using the anonymity of social media to abuse others online. Following Italy’s victory against England in the UEFA Euro final, three players, Marcus Rashford, 23, Jadon Sancho, 21, and 19-year-old Bukayo Saka, were subjected to horrific racial comments online after missing  penalties. With the likes of Prince William and Boris Johnson condemning the abuse, a petition, currently with over 686,000 signatures, was started to make it impossible to open up a social-media account without revealing your identity. With figures showing that around one in three social-media users have suffered online abuse, what more needs to be done to eliminate this vile hatred? ‘THE ABUSE BROUGHT ON TERRIBLE…

Alcohol and I hadn’t been getting along for some time. I should have seen the relationship red flags years ago – every party we went to together may as well have had them up as bunting. We’d been together for decades, and in this time, alcohol ruined hundreds of social gatherings. At my cousin’s wedding, I threw my bra chicken fillets at the DJ after he refused to play Wham!’s Love Machine. I’m barred from a London members’ club after booze put me to bed on the podium, and once alcohol dared me to kiss my then-boyfriend’s sister on the dance floor at his birthday party – and those are just the ones I can remember. Inevitably, the next day booze would taunt me with increasingly unbearable ‘hangxiety’, which would…

Plant borders It’s never too late to introduce greenery into your garden and a border full of blooms is a great way to soften the edge of a patio. Stick with flowering perennials for low-maintenance, year-round coverage that adds colour during summer months. Refresh tiles Outdoor tile styles have come a long way in the past few years. Go all out with a patchwork-patterned effect in simple monochrome or stick to similar designs in navy blues or deep greens. Pick up a paintbrush If you have a concrete patio or paving slabs, a lick of paint and some stencils is all you need to transform your space. The prep is a little gruelling, but the results are worth it. Don’t forget to spruce up your walls while you’re at it,…

April heaved a sigh as she stopped in the doorway to the spare room. Josh had said he’d do more job-hunting after breakfast but he was sitting at his laptop with his back to her, playing some sort of game. He must have sensed her presence as the image on the computer snapped to a company website. ‘What time are you off to work?’ he asked, feigning interest in the words on the screen. ‘I’m not. I told you last night that the shop’s having new electrics put in.’ The manager of the hairdresser’s where she worked was giving the place an upgrade. ‘What about you? Any joy?’ ‘Nope. Don’t know why I bother.’ There it was again, that dull, resigned tone. Sometimes she despaired for the man she loved.…

LET’S ALL GET MOVING The Couch to 5K App has hit a mighty five million downloads and marked it by signing Olympic champion Denise Lewis as its latest coach. Denise, one of Britain’s best-loved athletes, joins the likes of Sarah Millican and Jo Whiley as the voice you can choose to have in your ear as you haul your bones around the local park. For anyone who doesn’t know – you just do what they tell you to: Run for a bit. Walk for a bit. Repeat. Then the runs get longer and the walks get shorter until you can hit 5K. Two years ago, aged 47 and a total non-runner, I decided it was time to take the plunge. One of the great things about the app is that…

Hello, lovely people! This week’s column is about acceptance of ourselves, but not about complacency. Genes play a part in our physical shape and in our health, and it’s important we take stock of that inheritance and respect it. Take me, for example. I’m short, broad-shouldered and have sausage fingers. I ain’t ever going to have Amanda Holden’s willowy arms or Elle Macpherson’s legs (or anything else of Elle Macpherson’s for that matter), but I can proudly churn out press-ups, squat jumps and burpees like hot dinners. It’s a case of working with (and loving and embracing) what we’ve been given. In terms of shape, if you’re a pear, you will carry fat on the lower half of your body. To change that, it’s tempting to focus on the lower…

Alton Towers Gangsta Granny The 4D Gangsta Granny experience is finally here after two years in the making. Based on David Walliams’ best-selling book, it’s tipped to be a firm family favourite. You start by climbing aboard a royal carriage before being propelled into the greatest jewel heist in history with Ben and his gran. Prepare to drop down into the sewers and swim beneath the Thames, with the police in hot pursuit. Packed with 360° special effects, it’s a fully immersive experience designed to help you feel, hear and even smell Walliams’ wonderful story. To make the most of your visit, you can even stay overnight in a Gangsta Granny themed room. ✱ Tickets to the park start at £34 per person, under-threes go free, Rainy Day Guarantee –…

Best known for the Harry Potter films and Killing Eve, Fiona Shaw stars in the second series of Baptiste on BBC1. She plays British Ambassador Emma Chambers, who’s relying on retired detective Julien Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) to find out why her husband and sons vanished on a skiing trip in Hungary. What did you think, reading the script? The things that happen to this woman are unbearable. It’s six hours of quite diabolical events and discoveries, and you can’t believe the turns, the twists and the surprises! I have watched the first series and The Missing, which spawned Baptiste, and I think this is darker! How would you describe the relationship between Julien and Emma? It’s both formal and incredibly intense. One of the great pleasures of filming has been…

LISTEN UP Riveting podcasts to listen to when you’re out and about Spinning Plates with Sophie Ellis-Bextor Disco queen and working mum Sophie meets everyone from Denmark’s former Prime Minister to Spice Girl Melanie C. Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts. Unearthed: Mysteries from an Unseen World Join botanist James Wong and Kew’s experts in this fascinating docu-series on the roles plants play in life, health and crime. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, Podfollow. WHAT’S ON TV? Our top picks from BBC, ITV, C4, Channel 5, Sky and more... Buffering ITV2 Comedian and Love Island narrator Iain Stirling stars as a reluctant children’s TV presenter, also called Iain. The six-part comedy follows the struggles that he and his housemates face as millennials. Guest stars include Joel Dommett and Sam Womack. Stirling…