Pick Me Up! 05-Mar-2020

I’ve always considered myself a lucky woman. Happily married with two wonderful children and a good income. Only, in 2013, everything changed for us. My then 14-year-old daughter Emmie suddenly became seriously ill. We didn’t know what was wrong and after hours spent with doctors in hospital appointments, she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Within a matter of months, she’d gone from being a normal teenager, to using a wheelchair and not being able to do anything alone. She was unable to wash or get dressed by herself. It broke my heart as I watched her health deteriorate, and soon, I asked my employer to reduce my workload. Only, as I was in a senior position in a school, there was nothing they could do, so I was forced to resign.…

Do you believe this? Nevermind your weak handshake – there are plenty of other things that can scupper you in a job interview. Like admitting you ‘take too much valium’. That’s just one interview blunder revealed in a survey of bosses conducted by HR firm CareerBuilder. They also reported the candidate who acted out a scene from Star Trek, the one who turned up in a tracksuit because he was ‘going jogging after the interview’, the one who called himself his own personal hero, and the one who asked for a hug. And you thought the people on The Apprentice were idiots. Did you know? There really isn’t anything better than a greasy fry-up for breakfast after a heavy night out. A full English is the ultimate holy grail promised…

Weaving through the crowd, I spotted my sister Zoe, 34, sat by the stage, saving us a couple of ring side seats. ‘Go on, hit him,’ I giggled. ‘It’s going to be a good match tonight,’ she replied, taking a sip of her drink. It was September 2017, and I’d met my sister for a local charity boxing match, held in our hometown. After watching a few rounds of fighting, the pair of us felt pumped up. ‘Shall we hit a club?’ Zoe suggested, calling a taxi. When we arrived, we headed to the bar and bumped into a few friends, as well as a few new faces. One of which in particular caught my eye. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked, nudging my sister excitedly. ‘I think he’s called Aaron,’ she…

INGREDIENTS: 1 Drain the mango, reserving 1 tablespoon of juice. Place 100g of the mango in a food processor with the reserved juice. Blitz until it is a smooth puree. Divide between two pots or jars 2 Place the yoghurt, oats, milk, chia seeds and vanilla in a bowl and mix together. Taste, and add a little honey to sweeten if you like. Stir through the remaining mango. 3 Divide between the two pots, place in the fridge and leave to soak and set overnight. Top with nuts, yoghurt and coconut to serve.…

Cradling our newborn son, Oscar, I was completely in love. ‘He’s absolutely perfect,’ I said to my boyfriend, Tim, 26. We were both over the moon, but after a traumatic labour I was just grateful he was here safe and sound. After hours of pushing, doctors started using forceps, but nothing seemed to work and I ended up going into theatre for an emergency C-section. The calm hypno-birth I’d planned had gone straight out the window, but thankfully Oscar seemed perfectly healthy, except for a little bruising on his forehead. ‘It’s probably from the birth,’ the midwife assured us. ‘Nothing to worry about.’ Besides, my mum, Gemma, 42, was a nurse and she thought the same. ‘It’ll clear up soon,’ she explained to us both. We thought little more of…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! This Drawer Tidy triple pack (£14.99) is perfect for storing all manner of bits and bobs that never seem to find a home. Get everything clean and tidy and in its own organiser placed in the drawer. Non slip base and feet ensuring nothing slides around. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Spect-acular tip Use a dryer sheet to clean your glasses. Keep it in your case! A.Cairns, Essex Five bathroom storage solutions Make use of even the smallest spaces! Make more use of your space at home with Rated People’s bathroom space-saving storage tips… 1. CORNER CABINETS Choose shelves and cabinets that can tuck into the corner of a room to…