Pick Me Up! 04-Feb-2021

Growing up, I always admired my wonderful dad, John. He was a loving husband, father and a dedicated police officer. He’d worked in the force his whole life and we often joked that he was always on duty. In 2011, Dad finally retired from the police force after years of service. I think Mum was quite looking forward to having him off the job. They’d planned to travel the world and go on adventures whilst they still could. Only, just two years later, in June 2013, Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Although he’d been showing signs of memory loss for a few months, it was a huge shock. None of us could believe it and he deteriorated fast. Mum became his carer and he stopped smiling as we walked into…

Bitesize! ACROSS 1 Act of selling (4) 5 Parched with heat (4) 6 Organ of flight (4) 7 Savant (4) DOWN 1 Cutting tools (4) 2 Opera song (4) 3 Heather (4) 4 Verge (4) Read down the shaded squares for the answer. Answer on page 47. Follow it! Solve the puzzle to spell out a term related to the picture. The arrows show you where to put your answers. The answer is spelled in the yellow squares. Answers on page 47. Fill it! Complete the grid then read down the shaded squares to reveal the hidden answer. Clue: Insect. Answer on page 47. ACROSS 7 Vagrant (5) 8 The _ Redemption, 1994 film adapted from a story by 20 Across, and starring 17 Across & 19 Down (9) 10…

Don’t miss this It’s never been more important to raise money for Alzheimer’s. So, this year, put your best foot forward by signing up to one of Alzheimer’s Society’s epic Trek26 events. Taking place in one of five stunning locations across the UK, you can choose to take on a 13-mile or 26-mile trek. Alzheimer’s Society’s Trek26 events are all Covid Secure and have all been specially adapted to accommodate social distancing. Signing up to a trek is the perfect way to start the year right – walk for loved ones and raise money to help create a world without dementia. Upcoming events: • 5 June: London • 3 July: Brecon Beacons • 7 August: Lake District • 21 August: Dartmoor • 11 September: Stonehenge • Find out more about…

Pushing the buggy around the park, we stopped at the pond to see the ducks. ‘Look Sylas, your favourite animal!’ I said to my one-year-old son, pointing. ‘Quack, quack!’ Sylas said. ‘Good boy!’ I smiled. ‘Mummy, Daddy,’ Sylas said to me and my partner Nils, 31. ‘That’s right, Mummy and Daddy,’ I beamed. Sylas was so advanced for his age, and we were the proudest parents in the world. He began talking and walking at 10-months old – he was ever so intelligent. He could say ‘hello’, ‘bye’, ‘yeah’ and ‘no’. He knew his head, shoulders, knees and toes, and he loved sticking his tongue out. Full of smiles, he was a proper little character. Sylas was a big eater and loved to demolish a full English breakfast whilst watching…

Get baking! In 2020, searches for banana bread went up around 84% in the UK! And we’re all at it again. Home appliance manufacturer Hisense has proudly united with the Love Food Hate Waste campaign to raise awareness about food wastage. And this delicious loaf is a perfect way to use up those overripe bananas! www.hisense.co.uk □ 4 ripe bananas □ 60g flour □ 2 eggs □ 60g oatmeal □ 3 tbsp honey □ 60g sugar □ 100 ml milk □ 12g baking powder □ 100 ml coconut oil □ 150g chocolate 1 Heat oven to 180°C. Peel 3 bananas and smash them in a bowl with a fork. Add eggs, honey, milk and coconut oil. 2 In another bowl mix together flour, oatmeal, sugar and baking powder. Add dry…

Scrambling into the car in his school uniform, my five-year-old son Kasper said: ‘Hi, Mummy!’ Leaning across, I buckled him into his car seat in the back, giving his hair a ruffle. ‘Hello, darling. How was school?’ I asked, clambering into the driver’s seat. ‘Good. I learnt all about space,’ he said. I smiled at him through the mirror and started to drive. ‘Wow! Look at you, learning all about clever things,’ I grinned. ‘Are we off to see Nanny?’ he asked. ‘We are, are you excited to see her?’ I asked. ‘Yeah, I love Nanny,’ he beamed, smiling. It was just the two of us – my other son Lewis, 15, was finishing school and their stepdad Tom, 33, was at home. We drove the 10-minute normal route to…