Pick Me Up! 17-Nov-2022

Loading up muddy football kits in the washing machine, it didn’t feel like a miserable task to me. There was something so rewarding about seeing the children happily running around in the fresh air. Since 16, I had spent all my time babysitting. My Friday nights as a teen weren’t spent heading out to wild parties, but instead singing lullabies to babies. So, when I met my first husband, aged 20, I couldn’t wait to have my own. James was born in 1990, and 10 years later, I got remarried to my partner, Chris. We did consider having more kids of our own, but settled on fostering instead. ‘We’ll give it a go for a couple of years…’ we said to each other. We’ve now fostered over 90 children! Except,…

WHAT’S TRENDING Give your home a spruce up and think pink with cleaning icon Elbow Grease’s new limited-edition range. Clean your home in style with the gloriously scented Pink Blush Degreaser, Pink Blush Washing Up Liquid, Pink Scrub Mate, Pink Scrubbing Pad and Pink Hand Grip Scourers – and share snaps of your sparkling abode along with ‘clean-fluencers’ like Mrs Hinch and Lynsey Queen of Clean on Instagram, using the hashtag #PinkWednesday. • Prices from £1 • Available in B&M, Home Bargains, Poundland and The Range • Please visit: elbowgreasecleans.com We’re loving Up your at-home cocktail game and let the celebrations be-gin! Aldi’s new Christmas hosting range is a Specialbuy spectacular. You can be the hostess with the mostess, without breaking the bank. Shake up their favourite tipple with the…

My little Wiggles met an ‘unusual doggy friend’ on a recent visit to Threlkeld! Krissie Cope, Manchester Recently we found ourselves in the charming city of Troyes in France. I could not resist such a beautiful invitation to kiss in the city known for its love of cheeses! Maybe her name was Helen – well, it was Troyes! Mark Dabbs, Great Wyrley The best thing about turning 30 was tucking into to this homemade Lotus Biscoff cake, thanks to my sister! Vicky Cooke, Doncaster As you can see, Polly the cat takes her babysitting duties very seriously when asked to look after the guinea pigs, Eeeny, Meeny and Mo. Tina Vowels, Stroud If your letter makes Star Letter of the week, you will receive some beautiful blooms from Flying Flowers. With over 30…

Snuggled up under a blanket, I watched bolts of lightning rip through the sky, from the conservatory at my grandparents’ house. Every weekend for as long as I could remember, I’d swing by to see my nan Sheila, 78, and grandad Richard, 70. They only lived a 15-minute drive away – so come rain or shine, I’d pop over for a catch up. Seeing them so much made our relationship even stronger. We’d usually have a Chinese every Friday at Nan and Grandad’s, then a roast round my parents on Sunday, too – my mum Sue, 49, and dad Stuart, 41. He was the glue who held the family together Nan and Grandad – Dad’s parents – were the life and soul of the party. ‘Thanks for braving the storm,’…

Despite previously confessing, Moses Christensen pleaded ‘not guilty’ to murder at a preliminary hearing – so the case would go to a trial. Tears began streaming down my cheeks as I felt a mixture of emotions. I went to a few of the pretrial hearings, but I couldn’t bring myself to sit in court every day through the trial. I didn’t want to hear about Grandad’s final horrific moments – it was still too raw. But Mum, Dad, Nan and her brother went every day to the trial at Stafford Crown Court, in April last year. As I struggled to process what had happened, I blocked everything out and struggled to talk about it. All I could think about was the last time I’d seen Grandad. Why hadn’t I given…

Dabbing the finishing touches on for a client, I spun her around to face the mirror Gorgeous!’ I exclaimed. ‘You’ll look beautiful tonight.’ Being a beautician, it was my job to make other people feel pretty. But ironically, I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror – I was too ashamed. Weighing in at 20st, I felt enormous, constantly comparing myself to others. And coming home that night, I gorged on enough KFC for a family of three. Devouring chicken wings and a family portion of chips, I licked my lips as I scoffed down a whole bucket. It was my usual routine. Takeaway for lunch and dinner, seven days a week. It hadn’t always been like that, though. Growing up, I was a healthy size and never struggled…