Pick Me Up! 17-Mar-2022

Pulling a pink leotard over my head and grabbing my matching shoes, I was ready for ballet. I was only three, but loved everything to do with dance and I signed up to a whole range of different classes from jazz to contemporary. In secondary school a new hobby topped them all – cheerleading! The colourful poms and eager team spirit was something I couldn’t get enough of, plus the lifts and chanting was a perk, too. Attending practice five times a week, our team was driven to achieve it all. After a lot of hard work our cheer team had won UK, British, and World Champion titles. The thrill of cheer was a feeling like no other, but there came a time when I had to have both feet…

Have you heard of? The Great Daffodil Appeal is back and is taking place throughout this month. With your help, Marie Curie support people in the UK dealing with illness, death, and bereavement. This year, they have created a thoughtful spring collection. From pin badges, shopping bags and gorgeous home and garden buys, these products will brighten up your life whilst helping the charity. Marie Curie will be holding a Day of Reflection on 23 March to help people to connect with those bereaved due to the pandemic. • Prices from £2.99, visit shop.mariecurie.org.uk WHAT’S TRENDING Wedding bells and ringing! With wedding season just around the corner, many couples are planning their big day. And now, brides and grooms can choose a unique day. The Crystal Maze Live has announced…

If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30 years’ experience of helping celebrate life’s special moments and FREE delivery by post, a gorgeous bouquet by Flying Flowers is a lovely way to celebrate sharing smiles and happiness. See flyingflowers.co.uk for more details.…

Opening up my letterbox to check for post, I found a red envelope. As I opened it up, I realised it was a Valentine’s card. Love, Craig. I’d known Craig Pilkington for years through a friend, but I’d never really spoken to him. Recently though, we’d got chatting and we’d been exchanging messages ever since. The sweet card sealed the deal. This could really be something. Craig, 34, was sweet and kind. Do you fancy grabbing something to eat? he text me. Go on, then, I replied. I felt excited. As a single mum-of-two, it was nice to feel wanted. ‘I really like you,’ Craig said, as we shared prawn crackers. He was charming. We hit it off, and our romance was a whirlwind. He made me feel special and…

Follow it! Furniture Cocoa French toast Serves 2 ◻ 20g ground flaxseed◻ 260ml milk (or dairy free alternative)◻ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract◻ 45ml maple syrup◻ 25g Food Thoughts cocoa powder◻ 2 teaspoons butter (or dairy free alternative)◻ 4 slices of white bread◻ 40g Food Thoughts dark chocolate chips◻ Coconut yoghurt to serve◻ Fresh raspberries to serve 1 In a large shallow dish, add the flaxseed, milk, vanilla extract, maple syrup and cocoa powder. Combine the mixture with a whisk. 2 Heat a large non-stick pan on a medium heat and add one teaspoon of butter. Whilst it melts, take a slice of bread and submerge it into the cocoa liquid. Turn it over to coat the other side, then take it out of the liquid mix. 3 Allow any excess…

Watching my son Samuel, then six, playing so nicely with his little sister Addy, who had just turned four, I smiled. They could bicker like cat and dog at times, but it was clear to see their sibling bond was so special. I’d been worried about Addy. She’d always been a normal child in every way, hitting all of her milestones. But I’d noticed in the past year she’d been struggling with her speech. I hadn’t been too concerned at first – Samuel had struggled with his speech at that age, too, and after a bit of speech therapy he was fine. But that hadn’t helped Addy. She could say the odd word like ‘mumma’ and ‘dada’, but other than that she just didn’t seem to be progressing any further…