Innholdsfortegnelse for Holiday Special - 2016 i Pick Me Up! Special

‘As we rowed, he got an evil glint in his eye’ Dumping his sports bag in the hallway, my brother Andrew came dashing in with a grin. I could tell he was bursting to tell me something - and it wasn’t about the game of squash he’d just played. ‘Guess what?’ he said. ‘Andrew Munro has just asked if you’d go for a drink with him?’ Wow! I thought, blushing. Tall and good-looking, I fancied him from the times my brother brought him home, so I didn’t think twice. The pair of them had the same name, worked in IT together and shared nights out having a beer or playing squash, like tonight. Now it looked like they’d have me in common, too! A few nights later I met him…

Greg Tucker is a psychologist and flavour expert. He is working with Knorr on its Love At First Taste campaign, exploring how flavour preferences can affect relationships Minted! Favourite flavour Mint choc chip Fay says: I love how fresh mint choc chip tastes. I find other flavours can be a bit heavy and can make me feel a bit sick if I have more than one scoop, but I reckon I could eat a whole tub of mint choc chip and feel fine! It's the perfect end to a summer's day. Greg says: This is someone who avoids excess and likes what they know, wanting to maintain a healthy touch of refreshment and be energised. More of an active character – but not a real risk taker – lively and…

Salmon Skewers Serves 2 Prep Time 10 mins Cook time 15 mins • 2 salmon fillets • 1 red pepper • 1 green pepper • 1 red onion • 250g halloumi • 50g sweet chilli sauce 1 Chop the peppers and onion into evenly-sized square chunks 2 Slice the halloumi into thick cubes to avoid crumbling when assembling skewers 3 Cut the salmon fillets into evenly sized pieces (approx. 2cm wide) and place in a bowl alongside the peppers, halloumi and red onion 4 Put the sweet chilli sauce into the bowl and mix with your hands to coat all the pieces 5 Assemble your skewers by alternating between peppers, salmon, red onion and halloumi and place on the BBQ 6 Turn the skewers every few minutes until the salmon…

Some people like to take photos of their baby, others, their cat. But whenever my husband Jurgens, 52, and I go out on his motorbike, it seems like our dog Billy is the main attraction. See, he likes to ride with us. We got Billy, a Jack Russell, six years ago, in December 2010, when he was then just a pup. Of course, we walked him every day, to keep him fit. But when my motorbike-mad hubby got a nippy racer four years ago, we suddenly had the idea that it would be fun for Billy come along for rides with us. On our first date, 23 years ago, I hadn’t been that keen myself about getting on the back of Jurgens’ bike when he came to pick me up.…

‘He pulled me into his lap, forcing his lips onto mine’ ‘My rapist was now a woman called Davina’ A proper teenage tearaway, I was a street kid - always getting into trouble, sleeping rough. I did have a home, but really hated it. Just 15, I was caring for my disabled single mum and looking after my three younger sisters. No wonder I preferred hanging out with my mates and sleeping in abandoned buildings, or even on the street, several nights a week. A born leader, the people I hung out with looked up to me. And whenever police officers found me, they had to drag me home, kicking and screaming. ‘One day you’ll get yourself in trouble,’ they warned. As for Mum, she was at her wits’ end.…

DRINK UP Fancy a drink? Why not go on a brewery tour in Suffolk ? Adnams Southwold has been brewing beer since 1872 and is famous for its hearty tipples. Find out exactly how they make it – tasting as you go! If you then need fresh air, walk along Southwold’s quirky pier afterwards! • Tours, £12. Over 18s only. Visit adnams.co.uk IT’S JUST BEACHY Grab your sunhat, pop on your flip-flops and head to Folk estone in Kent. The seaside town is surrounded by long stretches of beach. Sunny Sands hosts an annual sandcastle competition, while Folkestone Beach has an amphitheatre, so you might catch a gig! The coastal path has a new play area too. • Free. Visit www.folkestonetourist information.co.uk THE BEST…

1 Asda Chosen By You Bourbon Ice Creams, £2 for six, Asda Love Bourbons? You'll love these! The biscuits taste just like the regular ones and the creamy chocolate ice-cream goes perfectly with it! There's also a custard cream variety. 2 Nestle Maxibon Ice Cream Sandwich, £2 for three, Tesco The ultimate holiday treat, Maxibon taste just as good at home as they do lying by the pool on your week away. The chocolate coating with hazelnut crunch is delicious and the soft biscuit half is so tasty! 3 Ben & Jerry's Son of a 'Wich, £4.94 for eight, Morrisons You can't go wrong with Ben & Jerry's, and these definitely impress. The crunchy chocolate chip cookies house loads of rich vanilla and chocolate chip ice-cream.…

‘In shock, I caught my guts in my hands’ As I stared at the positive pregnancy test, my heart was thumping. ‘It’ll be OK,’ my partner, Matt Perman, 28, said. Part of me was excited. A little brother or sister for our son, Mitchell, would be wonderful. But the rest of me was terrified. Mitchell was still only 4 months old, and it’d been a traumatic birth. Over 24 hours of agony. The water birth I’d chosen had to be abandoned when Mitchell’s head got stuck. I suffered a tear, bleeding. Luckily, when Mitchell finally arrived, he was healthy. ‘But I can’t do it again,’ I shuddered. Thankfully, doctors suggested I should have a Caesarean, and I was booked in to have it on 24 March this year, at 38…

Jersey, Channel Islands It may be small, but it certainly packs a lot of activities! Whether you’re interested in incredible watersports, fun with friends, having a nice romantic meal or checking out the wildlife with the kids there’s loads to do! • For more info, visit www.jersey.com Isle of Skye, The Hebrides If you love the great outdoors, you’ll love Skye! This Scottish island is really beautiful and there’s plenty of wildlife to see. Why not go on a boat trip and see some of it! • For more info, visit www.skye.co.uk Isle of Wight, England Situated just off England’s sunny south coast, the Isle of Wight is a brilliant destination for a family holiday. There’s plenty of festivals that take place on the island and loads of attractions too!…

Even as adults, peer pressure can be a worry for some of us. But as Dr Elle Boag, senior lecturer in social psychology at Birmingham City University, points out, saying ‘no’ doesn’t have to be such a big deal... GOOD FRIENDS If you’re good enough friends to go on holiday together, you should really know and respect each other well enough to be able to confidently say, ‘I don’t want to drink any more’. Remember, it’s okay to say no – real friends won’t judge. FUN FOR ALL The fact you don’t want to get drunk doesn’t mean you can’t all have a good time. On nights out, if you’re worried about boozy rounds, get your own drinks from the bar. Nobody need even know there’s no vodka in that…

Brittle nails Brittle – or dry, flaky and crumbly – nails are very often caused by over-exposure to water and chemicals that have dried them out. For instance, you probably notice your hands and nails get dry if you keep doing the washing up without rubber gloves on. Severely crumbly nails however, particularly if they're also a bit discoloured, could indicate a fungal infection. They can also be signs of a condition called lichen planus, nail psoriasis, thyroid imbalance or nutritional deficiencies. If you have concerns, make an appointment with your GP.…

‘He wanted to be seen. He wanted to be famous’ First he wanted fame, then he became the serial killer who wanted to die. In March 2011, Edward Wayne Edwards, 77, of Louisville, Kentucky, already serving multiple life terms, pleaded guilty to a fifth slaying and was given the death sentence he so desperately wanted. But the murder that he’d just admitted to was even more callous than his others. Even more twisted. This time, he admitted killing his 25-year-old foster son in 1996. His motive was the $250,000 life insurance. In doing so, Edwards secured his own fate and was labelled by one detective as the ‘worst serial killer that’s ever been’. But who was Edward Edwards? And what turned him into such a monster? Edward Wayne Edwards was…

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept Someone can grab your imagination in the early parts of this month and it may be a meeting of minds as much as anything else which compels you to get closer to this person. Ironically, you can find yourself drawn in a much rawer, direct way to someone romantically between the 5th and the 11th, but this could be much more to do with pure attraction. This can also be a time when you may need to balance the needs of a close partnership and your social activities. But as the month winds on, particularly from the 14th when your ruler Mercury relocates into Leo, you may feel less inclined to join in, and gain satisfaction from embracing peaceful pursuits or even spending a little time…

‘The cancer's terminal. There's nothing we can do' ‘Will had an idea. He still wanted us to get married’ Everyone dreams of the future. Finding The One, settling down, having kids, then growing old together. It’s what I imagined for my husband Will and I. First meeting at 16, he’d been a chef at a restaurant I’d gone to for a work do. We’d dated for a few months but the timing hadn’t been right. Still, we got our happy ending eventually. Five years later, in 2008, we bumped in to each other on nights out in Mansfield. ‘Hi stranger!’ Will smiled. We got chatting and, two years later in June 2010, had our beautiful daughter, Kelsa-Mae. Blissfully happy, our future looked set. However, in December the following year, I…

‘We had someone we could rely on to be left on her own’ As soon as the front door opened, I could hear the sound of giggling coming from downstairs. ‘They’re here,’ I smiled to my husband, Tom, flicking on the bedside light as my daughter, Alicia, and her best mate, Gina, nattered away in the kitchen. They had just got in from a night out together. True to form, Gina was so loud she almost woke the whole house. The pair of them had been inseparable since they met at high school at 14. They were like chalk and cheese, but they just clicked. Alicia was quiet and laid back, while Gina’s larger than life character would fill any room! She soon became part of our family, always coming…

1 www.postoffice.co.uk/foreign-currency The Post Office is often the first place you think of when it comes to getting money for your holiday. If you’re after at least £400, you can order on their site and get free next day delivery. 2 www.caxtonfx.com Don’t like the idea of travelling with wads of cash? Then get a prepaid currency card. What’s great about these is you can use them like a regular debit card but you won’t face expensive ATM charges. 3 www.fairfx.com Another prepaid card option, order a currency card and load it up with money before you travel and you can use it abroad – like a modern day version of travellers cheques. What’s more, you can top it up with extra money online. 4 www.thomascook.com/travel-money…

Alix Fox is a sex and relationships expert for Durex UK and works with sexual health charity Brook. She also answers listeners’ intimate questions as resident Agony Aunt on hit podcast The Modern Mann. Visit www.durex.co.uk Bedroom boost For many long-term lovers, the desire is there - it's just about rekindling the fire. Alix says: ‘After years with the same partner, sex can have a tendency to become more predictable and less frequent, and in some cases the sauciness stops altogether. In a recent Durex survey, over 15% of Brits admitted their sex lives were entirely non-existent. ‘If you want to boost the mood in the bedroom, start by making more of an effort to get out of the house together. Make a pledge to go out at…

When my dad installed an exercise bike in the spare room, it was no great surprise. A businessman, he loved going for long walks. And he and my mum Jane, now 64, were still very active. On 11 October, 2012, mum was due to umpire a netball match. But it was called off because of rain, so Mum planned to spend the evening at home instead. ‘I’m going for a spin,’ Dad said, and headed upstairs to his bike. Later on, Mum heard a sudden thud. And rushing upstairs, she found Dad slumped on the floor, not breathing. Calling 999, Mum performed CPR before an ambulance came. When paramedics took over, she called me in tears. ‘You need to come right away,’ she cried. Jumping into my car, I drove…

‘My binge eating was slowly killing me’ Yanking up my trousers, sweat dripped down my back. Even the generous air conditioning couldn’t keep the Florida heat out of our hotel room. ‘Come on love, are you ready?’ my hubby, Tom, 39, asked, grabbing his rucksack. Nervously nodding, I slipped into my sandals and followed him out into a wall of heat. We’d flown to Disneyland, Florida, to enjoy a week of fun in the sun. But I’d never felt more miserable. ‘Let’s go to the pool,’ Tom said, before stripping off and diving into the water. Staring enviously at women my age, lounging in bikinis, I anxiously fiddled with my trousers. No way was I squeezing my large bulk into a swimming costume. Instead, I stood there, fully dressed and…

‘I'd be the English rose, waiting for my prince!’ After kissing a number of frogs in my time, when I got married, I was determined it would be to a prince! My local pub hadn’t been quite where I’d expected to find him, though. When I got chatting to Nigel Crosthwaite at the Venue in Cleveleys on January 11, 2013, I knew he was The One. A beautician paired with a punk band’s lead singer may sound like an unusual match. Still, I was drawn to Nigel, a handsome older man. An engineering manager by day, he was confident and charming. We really hit it off. ‘I really like him,’ I gushed to friends. Soon, we were seeing each other every weekend. And I found myself dreaming about the future.…

‘Could I be in labour? I was only 24 weeks gone’ Standing by the loo, hands trembling, I took a deep breath, before looking at the pregnancy test. One line formed. Then... a second. Pregnant. Just weeks earlier I’d celebrated my 17th birthday with my mates and then boyfriend Zak, 20. Now I was going to be a mum. Thoughts of A-levels and university were swept aside. In their place came visions of tiny baby booties, nappies and Moses baskets. ‘I’m going to be the best mummy in all of Yorkshire,’ I whispered, nervous, but excited. Telling my mum Andrea and dad Mark, both 35, was hard, but they were kind. ‘Well, I didn’t expect to be a nana in my 30s,’ Mum laughed. ‘But I guess it means I’ll…

My husband Naz, 38, and I had always dreamed of having children. But our road to parenthood was fraught with complications. After a miscarriage and a stillbirth I wasn’t sure whether a baby would be in our future. So when I discovered I was pregnant again, I was delighted. Then, at our 20-week scan, we discovered the devastating news. ‘Your child will most likely be born with complications,’ said the doctor at Homerton Hospital in Hackney, east London. ‘It may be Down’s syndrome or a heart or respiratory problem - but there’s a one per cent chance that it could be something else.’ My heart sank. What would my poor baby have to deal with? There was nothing for us to do but wait. Twenty weeks later, my precious baby…

Nicole, 30, Tyne and Wear Five years ago my man went on a holiday with his mates. We’d been together for a couple of years at that stage and while he was away he ended up having a one-night stand. I was heartbroken that he could do this to me. He told me as soon as he got back and said he instantly regretted it and just got caught up in the whole ‘lads on tour’ thing. Our relationship was a bit touch and go, but we made it through and two years ago got married and are now very happy having left the past in the past. He’s never been on holiday with his friends since - it’s been a sort of unwritten rule. However, now one of his…

Whose turn is it to do the washing up? There's one way to resolve it. FIGHT! Duel battle, £24.99, www.menkind.co.uk Getting a bit thin up top but can't afford an pricey hairpiece? We've got just the answer. Inflatable Toupee, £5.99, www.prezzybox.com Deep pockets? Big hands? This is the beach toy for you! Giant beach ball, £149.99, www.findmeagift.co.uk Who doesn't need a 10ft-long dinosaur in their life? Massive Triceratops, £249.99, www. flamingogifts.co.uk He always acts like a big baby – now he can prove he really is one! Adult baby costume, £24.99, www. findmeagift.co.uk The sun's out and you don't want to miss a second of it traipsing back to the kitchen. You need this! Beer ice…

Long distance relationships were tough. When we’d met, back in November 2005, at Portsmouth uni, where I was studying computer animation, Sam Faulkner and I were inseparable. But now I lived in Waterlooville, Hampshire, with my parents, while Sam, who’d studied film studies, was in Essex, over 100 miles away. Weekends together felt like mini breaks! We still enjoyed going out for romantic dinners and walks, but all too soon it was time to say goodbye. We’d go on sun-soaked beach holidays when we could, though, and made sure our limited time together was extra special. In March last year, we finally got a place together in Portsmouth, after Sam started working closer to me. ‘We should do something special for our 10th anniversary,’ I told Sam, 28. ‘What about…

‘Then suddenly… Winner! flashed across my screen’ Jenna Radford, 25, Tipton, West Midlands I couldn’t seem to stop smiling. It was May last year, and my partner Dave, 33, and I had recently tied the knot. The day had been beautiful. Our son, 2, had looked adorable I couldn't be happier! in his shirt and tie. ‘I couldn’t be happier,’ I smiled. Then, in July, I read in Pick Me Up! that a woman had won a few thousand playing Pick Me Up! Bingo. Even happier! She’d used the prize to buy a new car and a holiday. So I thought I’d give it a try. As a beginner, I thought I might find the games too complicated. A few weeks later, Dave and I…

How insane Ð a leech using my nose as its nest As I walked off the plane, basking in the sunshine, I couldn’t believe I was finally in paradise. My friends Lois, Clare, Kieran and I had made it to Bangkok, and were about to have the best six weeks of our lives. With so much culture and scenery to explore - not to mention the nightlife - I couldn’t wait to get started. ‘Come on,’ I said to the others, grabbing my rucksack. ‘Let’s go and have some fun.’ For the next few weeks, we jumped on planes, buses and boats as we made our way through south-east Asia, ending up in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was a trip of a lifetime. Next, we took a trip to one of…

1 Get the barbecue out! You can have bangers for breakfast and burgers for dinner if you make use of your barbecue. 2 Pick up the paintbrush Whether it's that rickety table or a set of chairs, if you're put off your outside space because things look old and flaky, give them a lick of paint to make them look like new! 3 Make your own lollies If you can't face the kids screams of: ‘I want one!' every time they hear the ice-cream van go by, make your own ice lollies by popping juice in moulds and sticking them in the freezer. 4 Put out the bunting For a couple of quid you can give your garden a village fete feel, even if you live in a city! 5…

‘Girls would shout at her on the bus, in the street’ ‘She's getting praise from all over the world’ Every parent dreads their child being bullied. In November 2011, my daughter, Eve, then 11, came home from school in floods of tears. Some girls had nicknamed her ‘Fat Eve. So cruel. ‘You’re perfect as you are,’ I told her. ‘I know that,’ she smiled, through her sobs. Thankfully, bubbly and outgoing, she soon recovered, didn’t let the cruel jibes bother her. I was thankful she didn’t cave in to peer pressure and start a dangerous diet. Eve had always enjoyed her food, just had a bit of puppy fat. Sadly, though, the name-calling continued. In September 2012, Eve started secondary school. I hoped the torment would stop. Helpless Turned out,…

‘I'm still no closer to ripping up my L-plates’ At the end of the driving lesson, I pulled up into the bay. 'When can I take my test?' I asked my instructor. 'You're not ready yet,' he said. I'd heard that before... It began when I was 17. I started having lessons, making the usual beginner's mistakes like crunching the gearbox. I'll get better , I thought. But 14 years – and over £5,000 on 250 lessons later – I haven't! I find driving a car unnatural. I can't get the hang of having to use both my hands and legs at the same time! And while I've never had a crash or an accident, I can't pass my test, despite four attempts. I've had five instructors, not including…

‘I hadn't seen them growing up in Isreal’ Wandering down the high street one day in 2005, something caught my eye in a charity shop window. It was a cute, pink rubber duck, watching me go by. That'll look great in the bathtub, I thought, nipping inside and buying it. Rubber ducks were a new thing for me... I hadn’t had them growing up in Israel, but after moving to the UK, I kept seeing them. That night, I popped the rubber duck by my sink. Every time I saw it, it made me smile. It was around that time that I met Colin, now 58, through my IT job. By then, I’d added a few more ducks to my collection. ‘I think they’re great,’ he smiled. Soon, I started…

‘The island is compact, but never feels crowded’ ‘We tucked into locally-caught fish’ On the busiest week of the school holidays, I just wanted to flake out with the hubby and kids in a quiet resort where you didn’t have to fight for a sunbed. The Croatian island of Brac proved the perfect choice. After a short two-and-a-half-hour flight, we landed at Split and were transferred to the ferry, on which we could enjoy the sunshine on deck as we caught the first glimpse of the island we’d be staying at. The ferry only took 45 minutes so we arrived in no time at all - certainly better than sitting on a stuffy coach! Once we docked at the pretty capital, Supetar, where the beaches are super-clean, it was only…

Hair-raising Q Since coming off the pill, I’ve developed a bit of excessive hair, particularly around my upper lip and chin. What’s going on? Leena, County Durham A It is possible there is an underlying hormonal issue or imbalance, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can be ‘unmasked’ when coming off the pill, which was previously suppressing it. Excessive facial hair, very oily skin, and severe acne in women can sometimes be due to an underlying hormonal issue. Talk it over with your GP. Stubble trouble QI’ve got a stubborn ingrowing hair from shaving my bikini line. It’s gone swollen and is oozing a bit of puss, is it infected? Vikki, Norwich This is likely to be a localised A infection and you should see your GP for an assessment,…

They’re totterly unsuitable... Packing your suitcase full of your snazziest peep-toe heels? Think again. High heels are responsible for everything from bunions and calluses to back pain, so make sure you have a good solid comfy pair of sandals or trainers to walk around in by day – and save the heels for the evening. Wash ‘n’ dry After a hard day’s sightseeing, you might like nothing better than a good foot soak. But don’t just wash ‘em with soap in warm water, make sure you dry your feet thoroughly too as soaking can destroy your skin’s natural oils. Pay special attention between the toes as that’s where fungal infections such as athlete’s foot like to grow. File it away... The sound of a pumice stone scraping over your hard…

In 2012, I was on holiday in Finland, when a Facebook message popped up. It was from a bloke called Santeri. Nice profile pic , it read. He was a stranger but we'd a mutual friend. We were both keen on Finnish rock bands, too. When I got home to Kendal, I thanked him for the message. And we chatted online daily. Santeri was 23, lived in Pihlajavesi, Finland, and worked there as a writer. Within a week, I started getting feelings for him. He seemed different, genuine. But how could I be falling for a bloke I'd never met? We started Skyping and both changed our Facebook status to 'in a relationship'. Three months on, I travelled to Finland to meet Santeri. The first night, we went for…