Pick Me Up! 04-Mar-2021

Like most teenage girls, I struggled coping with my hormones. Whenever I was sad, it felt like the end of the world, and when I was happy, I was absolutely euphoric. There was rarely a middle ground, but most of my friends were like it, too. Only, as we left school and grew up, my hormones never seemed to balance out. Soon, it was clear that there was more to the situation. So, getting in touch with a mental health specialist in 2004, at the age of 18, I was diagnosed with bipolar. I was glad to have answers, but something told me there was more to it. My hormones were as bad as ever, so I kept pushing. It took six years, but eventually, I was diagnosed with borderline…

DON’T MISS THIS While a trip to the cinema might still be off the table, Asda have created the perfect alternative by partnering up with Sky Store! Their new Movie Nights In Pizza Meal Deal is unbeatable value. For just £5, you can get two medium pizzas from the pizza counter, a bottle of Coke or Fanta and a Sky Store Online Movie Voucher, to watch a movie rental worth £5.49! And don’t worry, you don’t need to be a Sky customer to watch the movie, just claim by uploading your receipt to the dedicated website within 7 days. So, whether you’re planning a family fakeaway or a much-needed movie weekend, the only thing you need to worry about is which movie to watch! GOOD DEED OF THE MONTH Bit of…

Boarding the plane to Olu Deniz, Turkey, with my husband Wayne, then 27, I couldn’t have been more excited to jet off on our honeymoon together. It was summer 2014 and we had just tied the knot. ‘It’s going to be a trip to remember!’ I smiled. Wayne and I had been together for over two years. Our wedding had been a massive celebration, and we had wed in the same church as Wayne’s parents. Our favourite thing to do together was travel the world. Trying local cuisines, sightseeing and exploring. This holiday was going to be the best one yet – our first trip as man and wife. Only, it wasn’t quite smooth sailing… On the second day, we had a delicious Turkish meal at a local restaurant, then…

Looking at my husband James, then 34, I felt overcomewith shock. 'Twins… Are you sure?’ I asked the sonographer, confused. ‘Definitely two babies,’ the sonographer smiled back. We hadn’t expected to fall pregnant so soon after our last baby – let alone have twins! It was early 2016, and we already had three children together, Jack, then seven, Abby, then four, and Matilda, then one. My bump would be the first set of twins in the family. At 15-weeks pregnant, I was referred to Birmingham Women’s Hospital for a scan, which confirmed the babies shared a placenta, and were identical twins. We had a consultation to learn about the risks associated with identical twin pregnancy. I remember the consultant mentioning Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) at the time, but…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! The Mode two piece bathroom set is a sleek addition to your home. The pedal bin has a separate liner making disposing of items easier. The new ultra-convenient and ultra-hygienic toilet brush with storage station offers discreet storage for your cleaning detergent. Hard wearing and wipe clean. Will not dent or rust. For more ways to make your life easier, visit addis.co.uk 12 Budget Such a breeze Always put something small next to the clothes prop on the washing line so it doesn’t get tangled up in the wind. Tina Vowles, Gloucestershire Home-schooling helper Feed your child’s sensory needs by keeping plastic lids from wipes, stick them to a piece of cardboard, and filling with different…

1. KITCHEN CHECK Many ingredients you may have in your kitchen can be used as plant starters – try planting a garlic bulb or the root of a leek or an onion. 2. CLEVER COMPOSTING Create a compost heap in your garden from your food waste, which you can later use as soil – it just needs the occasional stir around and drop of water. 3. CAREFUL CUTTINGS Ask friends and relatives for trimmings of their plants, fruit or veg which you can then plant in your own garden. 4. PRELOVED ITEMS Go on a hunt for hidden gems which you could turn into something fabulous – like turning a pallet into a mini veg patch. 5. SAVING SEEDS Any foods you buy, save their seeds and plant them –…