Pick Me Up! 17-May-2018

Where to start! My mum is one of the strongest women that you’ll ever meet. Whenever you need her, she drops everything to be at your side. Throughout my life, Mum, 77, has always stayed strong, putting on a brave face in the toughest of times. She has lost two daughters - my sister Karen, aged 7 in 1967, then Tracey, who was 40 when she died of leukaemia in 2002. I lost two sisters, but my mum lost her beloved children. Our relationship has always been very strong. She’s my best friend. I even moved to the same street just so that I could be closer to her. Right now, she’s caring for my dad David, 80, as he struggles not only with inflammatory arthritis but is also fighting…

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Grinning, I unlocked the bathroom door and yelled for my partner Dave, 51. ‘What is it, love?’ he asked. Then he glanced at the pregnancy test clutched in my shaking hand. ‘We’re having a baby!’ I squealed. I’d met Dave at a nightclub where he was a bouncer, back when I was 19. Despite the 30-year age gap, we’d fallen for each other hard. Two years on we were living together, and now expecting our first baby. I already had a 3-year-old daughter Rosie, who Dave had taken under his wing. We were all so excited about the baby’s arrival. On 22 August 2009, our son Buddy-Lee arrived. And it wasn’t long before we started thinking about having another. On 28 November 2012, our second son Denny-Rea was born. We…

Night in – on the tiles! Create a romantic table for two by using Scrabble tile letters for place settings or a 'reserved’ sign. Makes dining in feel more like dining out! Karen McGuire, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire Sweet smell For a simple, DIY car air freshener, just use essential oil and a clothes peg. Attach the peg to the vent, apply a few drops of oil and your car will smell sweet in no time. Angela Clifton, Felixstowe Holiday freshness Keep your holiday clothes and shoes smelling fresh by stuffing your suitcase with tumble-dryer sheets! Lee Hall, Sittingbourne, Kent Simply jean-ius Give plain flip-flops a chic and easy makeover – cut off the waistband from an old pair of jeans and attach to your sandals. The finished look is perfect for…

Since the moment I was born, I was Nana’s little angel. ‘She’d steal you if she could!’ Mum would joke. But she and Dad didn’t mind really. I’d spend most weekends being spoilt rotten at Nana’s and it gave them a break. Nana would catch a bus from across London on a Friday and drop me off on Sunday night. She loved baking, bought me dolls, took me to the zoo and on holidays. Such a caring woman, it was no surprise when she agreed to take Eddie in. Eddie was Dad’s half-brother, Grandad’s son from another relationship. By 1980, Eddie was 15 and had landed on hard times. I was 4 at the time and painfully shy, but Eddie seemed nice. ‘I’m your uncle,’ he winked, as I sat…

Hand care Palmolive Liquid Handwash + Lotion is just £1 at Asda (save 99p) until 13 June. Available in-store and online at asda.com Full flavour Coconut milk is a versatile ingredient that gives richness and flavour to so many dishes – try using it in a home-made Thai curry. And now Asda’s Reduced Fat Coconut Milk has been rolled back to 89p (usually £1). Snack attack! Arden’s Gruyere & Spinach Twists are the perfect party snack. They’re made from flaky, buttery pastry, combined with smooth and mellow Gruyere cheese and spinach, before being baked to perfection. They’re now £1.27 (usually £1.69) at Waitrose until 15 May. Taste of summer Lambrini Skinny is a light and bubbly alternative to prosecco that has only 29 calories per glass! You can…