Pick Me Up! 25-Feb-2021

Walking through the front door, we welcomed the newest addition to our family home. It was February 2018 and our Dalmatian Rio, was just eight-weeks-old. Immediately, he developed a special bond with our daughter Maisie, now 10. Full of life, Rio bounces everywhere and loves going for long walks. Over the past three years, Rio and Maisie have grown so close to one another. They do everything together. Despite having scoliosis, she never misses a walk with him. Their bond is lovely. Only, in August last year, we started to notice that Rio was acting a bit strange. He wasn’t drinking much, was straining to wee and he seemed very quiet. We knew something wasn’t right, only due to Covid-19, both me and my husband had found ourselves out of…

SUPPORT A SMALL BUSINESS Send a hug in the post with a candle from Cutch! New Cheshire-based candle company Cutch has launched a range of natural soy wax, hand poured, luxury scented candles, which ooze sophistication, style, and visual punch. Cutch was born in June 2020 when the simple act of a consoling hug had disappeared overnight. Wanting to send that warmth and comfort during a time when you couldn’t wrap your arms around your loved-ones, Covid-entrepreneurs, Fiona Crownshaw and Sarah Dickinson, started working on their new fragrance range together. The candles are themed around Friendship, Lovers and Self Embrace, and the hand-illustrated packaging is recyclable. • Available to order from £18 on www.cutchcompany.co.uk Good deed of the week Share a Meal began in spring 2020, when Jane, Catherine, Laura…

Walking down the aisle in a beautiful red floral dress, I held a bouquet of roses and smiled at my husband-to-be, Jason Cartledge, then 38. As we said our vows and shared our first kiss as husband and wife, I hoped this marriage would be everything that I’d ever wanted. Jason and I had met working in construction in 2013. We became friendly, then started dating and lived in a rented house together. And just one year later, we got married. I had been married previously once before, but it didn’t work out. I hoped my relationship with Jason would be different – we’d be partners forever. Jason was nice, romantic and hard-working. We enjoyed spending nights at home together on the sofa and going out for dinners. Everything seemed…

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Sleeping in my bed, in September 2017, my boy Adam, then two years and eight months old, came shuffling into my bedroom to wake me and my husband Guy, 47, up. ‘My legs and belly hurt,’ he told us. ‘Whereabouts in your belly? I asked. Adam rubbed all over his tummy as he winced. ‘Have a lay down and I’ll get you some Calpol,’ I told him, after givinga kiss on the head. It was impossible to do any normal activities He couldn’t sleep and was unable to lay down, it hurt more when he did. It was really out of character, he never usually complains about a thing. He has always been a happy, bubbly kid who gets on with his life, running around dressing up as Spiderman. Adam…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! Convenient and easy to use, this folding step stool comes complete with a carry handle and non-slip surface. Perfect for when you need a little boost for those hard-to-reach places. It even folds flat for storage. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk Pretty poisonous Don’t put daffodils in vases with other flowers as their sap will kill the others. Carol Casan, Devon Happy plates To keep both of my children happy and smiling through these tough times I create food art on their plates for mealtimes. Stacy Chapman, West Midlands Tip of the week Playtime Tape your little one’s paper down to save mess and frustration. Amanda Hadley, Cradley Heath Homeschooling hack…