Pick Me Up! 10-May-2018

There’s over a million reasons why I’m nominating my wonderful mum... She’s been my rock through some difficult times and her strength really is unparalleled. We’re so close, I can talk to her about anything and everything. She’s my best friend! When we lost my dad Barrie in 2013, then my sister Tracey in 2015, both to cancer, most people would crumble. But she didn’t. When everything seemed hopeless, she managed to find a way to brighten each and every day. She’s the glue that keeps our entire family together and she stays strong for all of us. It’s been a tough few years but that doesn’t stop her from fighting every single day. I honestly don’t know where she gets the strength from, but she really does mean the…

I think the bubble bath has overrun… Getting all soapy for charity! Stacey Hill, Torquay I got to feed some of the cutest little lambs! Jessica Evans, Halstead, Essex Getting ready to take on the Trent in my first attempt at kayaking! D Hunt, Beechdale, West Midlands My baby girl Mia climbed to the top of the pyramids – well not literally… Lisa Adams, Halesowen Where did they come from? We got a great surprise at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! Rob Cheetham, Mansfield, Notts Lily… You’ve got a little something on your face! Hooray, it’s ice-cream weather! Zoe Yetton, Papworth Everard, Cambs I took my turn at being Mastermind and I’m proud to say I got 14 points! Tina Williams, Beaufort My brother Sean is completely batty sometimes! Hayley Tomkins, Swansea…

Reading the message on my phone, I couldn’t help but giggle. I was on a dating app and Lee Blackley, then 27, had just messaged me. Hi Mario, I really miss you. Where have you been hiding? My profile picture was of me at a friend’s fancy-dress party, dressed as Mario from Super Mario Bros. And Lee’s profile pic was of him dressed up as Luigi! His message was a great icebreaker. And his playful cheekiness just set the tone for things to come. After sending a few silly messages, we agreed to meet up for a drink a few weeks on, in February 2015. Lee was just as funny in real life. But he had a genuine and honest side, too... When we got onto the subject of exes,…

Friends/spends? Zoe, 38, Cheshire Over the next year, a lot of my close friends are getting married and having big birthdays and hen parties. I live far from my friends, and my partner and I have just bought a house, so we’re scraping by. No events are just for one night, but whole weekends. I can’t afford to go to them all unless I dip into savings. It’s so difficult, as I don’t want to let people down. I’ve already spoken to my best mate who was disappointed when I said I was thinking about giving her hen do a miss. These events are once in a lifetime and I really can’t choose between my friends. So should I just bite the bullet and go to everything? YES Pick Me…

As I watched from the living-room window, my son Karl, 7, pedalled furiously after his new friend Anton. Anton lived in the next street to us - and, although he was four years older than Karl, they were joined at the hip. I was glad Karl had found a little mate. Karl was a quiet lad. Anton was, too. But both had a big passion for their bikes and loved being outdoors. It wasn’t long before Anton was tagging along on our camping holidays and days out at the beach in Wales. He became like part of the family. As teenagers, the pair would cycle all around Salford and they had the same group of friends. ‘Here comes Karl’s shadow,’ I joked to my husband Malcolm, 50, in January 2015,…

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