Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2024 i Saga Magazine

PET RESCUE It's a drizzly morning in a west London park and I'm accompanying a man in his mid-sixties as he walks a lively young dog that looks like a small Alsatian. The observant passer-by would notice firstly that the whip-tailed little dog has a rather anxious, wary demeanour and is on two leads to prevent her doing a runner. A second glance would reveal that the dog's owner looks rather familiar. That's because he is to millions of TV viewers; the man holding on tight to the leads is Rory Cellan-Jones, the BBC's recently retired and greatly loved technology correspondent, now an author and podcaster. And if you think Rory is something of a celebrity spot for a grey morning in Ealing, it's probable that the dog is even…

BLACK HISTORY MONTH ‘The trouble is, you're a bit too old and you're not even famous,’ a literary agent once explained to me in an email that was meant to be a tactful rejection of my novel. Ouch! That was ten years ago. I'm 70 now and I'm still not famous, thank God, but this October, as we celebrate Black History Month, I feel a sense of real pride as I publish a book about my own black history over seven decades – a story that spans countries across the world, from the UK and the US to India and Italy. In my ‘hairmoir’, the personal experience of natural afro hair becomes an exploration of history, identity, resilience and cultural trends while providing an endless source of inspiration and stories.…

RECIPES tip All the filling ingredients should be cold before assembling to ensure the pastry does not melt. Blue cheese and pumpkin pithivier A pithivier is just a pie with a fancy name, but wow what a pie – for veggies and meat-lovers alike. Serves 4-6 (as a main) YOU WILL NEED • ½ butternut squash or 500g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm cubes • 2 tbsp olive oil • 60g butter • 3 small leeks, sliced • A few thyme sprigs, leaves only • 120ml crème fraîche, beaten • 80-100g Gorgonzola, or any cheese of your choice, eg Cheddar, Brie, blue • 500g puff pastry (not ready-rolled) • Plain flour, for dusting • 1 egg, beaten • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper METHOD 1 P…

While at a recent dinner party, a guest piped up, ‘Someone smells divine, who is it?’ I always feel stiff with stress in this situation, mainly because everyone obviously thinks they're the one with the nicest fragrance – that's why they chose it. However, no one wants to be seen seizing the title of most fragrant person in the room, so one must adopt the standard British response and insist that any compliment cannot possibly be directed at you. Hence my reply. ‘Not me, I smell of dog probably!’ (while smugly suspecting it very much was me, given that I had drenched myself in Chanel No 5 Eau Première). And then a curious thing happened. One guest decided to tear up the social contract of self-deprecation completely. ‘Could be me,’…

going places PERU / AMSTERDAM / LETTER FROM AMERICA Britain's favourite bear is returning to his roots on 8 November when Paddington in Peru hits the big screen. The real-life Peruvian Paddington is the shaggy black spectacled bear – the only bear native to South America – which gets its name from the whiteish circles of fur around its eyes. Also called the Andean bear, it once roamed the Andes from Venezuela to Chile. Now, with hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation and logging, there are fewer than 10,000 in the wild, and they're listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List. Paddington's tag ‘Please look after this bear’ has never seemed more fitting. Like Paddington, these bears are remarkably agile, climbing lofty…

EXHIBITION Francis Bacon: Human Presence NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, LONDON 10 October-19 January 2025 npg.org.uk Featuring more than 50 paintings from collections around the world, this is the first exhibition in 20 years to focus on Francis Bacon's portraits. The showcase explores the Irish-British artist's work from the late 1940s to the end of his life in 1992, and includes both self-portraits and depictions of sitters, including those of his friends Lucian Freud and Isabel Rawsthorne, as well as of his lovers. It also features rarely seen photographs of Bacon himself. MUSICAL The Devil Wears Prada DOMINION THEATRE, LONDON From 24 October devilwearspradamusical.com Elton John has written the score for this new musical adaptation of the blockbuster film and best-selling book, which tells the story of a graduate who becomes an…

PODCAST Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy In a quiet American suburb, romance writer Nancy Crampton Brophy penned her steamy novels packed with lust, guns and double lives. Her chef husband Dan liked beekeeping in his spare time and saved leftover food for a homeless shelter. When Dan was found shot dead at work, no one suspected that his bespectacled 68-year-old wife could be involved. But when the police investigation got underway, it looked like her fiction could be a template for murder. This true crime podcast features interviews with witnesses as well as Nancy herself, while a fellow member of her writing group narrates the blood-spattered tale. RADIO US election BBC RADIO 5 LIVE; TIMES RADIO; BBC RADIO 4 Mr President or Madam President? As the US election builds…

£100 letter Historical moment A Sporting Chance (August) brought back many memories for me. In December 1945, aged 20, I attended Middlesex Hospital's nurses’ training course. The 12-week course had evacuated to Stoke Mandeville Hospital from London. The patients were mostly ex-servicemen, all different nationalities, with Polish Army ward orderlies and French-Canadian Army nurses, who were waiting to go home. At the end of the course, we were divided into three; one third of the nurses remained at Stoke Mandeville, of which I was one. My first ward was children's plastic surgery and the burns unit (for children who were burned in the Blitz). I recall 1946 as being a glorious summer. In the afternoons, we wheeled the children out on to the sports field to watch Dr Guttmann's patients…

Each number in the grid represents a different letter. We've given you two letters to start you off, which show that 4=R and 12=O. Write these letters wherever their corresponding numbers appear in the grid and then begin to work out the identity of the other letters. All 26 letters of the alphabet will appear in the finished puzzle. WORD WHEEL See how many words of four letters or more you can make using the central letter in each word and the other letters only once in each word. You can make at least one word by using all the letters. No proper names are allowed, and all words are from the Collins Dictionary. GOOD: 10 EXCELLENT: 14 BRILLIANT: 17 GREAT SCORE FOR KIDS: 10 SET SQUARE Place each of…

EDITOR'S LETTER Hello, and welcome to another jam-packed issue of Saga Magazine, which I do hope will bring joy to your October. One of the weird (but always wonderful) things about working on a monthly magazine is that we don't live in the moment. Take today. While the rest of the country is enjoying the last hazy days of summer, we have been busy at our Christmas planning meeting discussing the latest hot water bottles and the pros and cons of stollen and Yule logs. And when you're opening the first windows on your advent calendars, we will be knee-deep in Easter eggs and daffodils. I wouldn't have it any other way, of course, because editing Saga Magazine is quite simply the best job in journalism. Never more so than…

VIEWPOINT Back in 1969, I had a charming French boyfriend called Jacques. We were both impecunious students. One day we went out window shopping in Hull's posh department stores. I spotted a handbag and fell in love. No way I could afford it. We went home empty handed. Two days later Jacques turned up proudly offering me a present. It was the handbag. ‘How did you afford it?’ I asked. ‘I didn't,’ he said, ‘I stole it for you.’ It was, he explained, something people in France did all the time. They believed shops made a lot of money so they could absorb the occasional theft. I was appalled and insisted he take it back. I could not accept stolen goods. Some years later, while wandering round Camden Market in…

CELEBRATING 40 YEAR 1984-2024 1984 It's time for a celebration. It's our birthday. Saga Magazine was first published in autumn 1984 so here we are at our 40th anniversary – and going as strong as ever. The technology may have made things a little different – there's an app, a newsletter and a website – but there's still the format that for me gives the most pleasure. I like to hold a proper magazine in my hand. I can fold it up, pop it in my bag and take it out whenever I need something interesting to read. I like turning the pages of real paper and not having to faff with reading on a screen. Technology is useful but, for me, the old-fashioned way is still the best way…

home & style INTERIORS / FOOD / WINE / GARDENS / TECH / BEAUTY Who fondly remembers sunken ‘conversation pits’ in sitting rooms, hanging rattan chairs and shag pile carpets that crept up the sides of built-in baths? Yes, 1970s-influenced interiors are back, but not quite as depicted in the play Abigail's Party. Granted, there are flashes of mandarin orange in today's 70s colour palette, but you'll find organic neutrals and earth tones too. Yet the joy inherent in 70s design remains: outsized prints, geometric patterns and bursts of texture – a reminder this was the era when the suburban home was a place to entertain, and design became increasingly adventurous. Perhaps, after years of muted tones and minimalist tendencies, we're all yearning for the fun of it again? It…

ENJOy… gourd times Buxom pumpkins (right) are irresistible and the veg of the season. You can enjoy them for months if their skins are well ‘cured’, which means hardening them off in sunny, warm conditions. Suitable fruit have a hard, sometimes cracked skin that sounds hollow when tapped, while any you can press your fingernail into aren't mature, so eat those first. Harvest with 30cm of stem and stalk attached, to prevent rot at the neck, then move to a warm (over 20ºC), dry and bright place, turning so all sides see sunlight. The drier it gets, the sweeter the flesh. PLANT… garlic bulbs It may evoke the Med, but garlic needs a cold spell to develop sizeable heads, so plant this month or next. Choose from two types: softneck…

HEALTH When Angela Coombes passed her 70th birthday the invitations for routine mammograms stopped. She'd first had breast cancer at 58, which led to a mastectomy. ‘I knew that breast cancer can return many years later, and two years ago I thought it was time for a check-up,’ says Angela, 75, a retired payroll manager, who lives in Bridgwater, Somerset, with her husband Terry, 76. ‘Luckily, I was aware that although routine mammogram screening stops at 70, you can still request one. I checked my breasts regularly, but I know you don't always have a lump or anything obvious.’ Angela's mammogram showed up a small lump in her remaining breast. ‘It was obviously upsetting and a bit of a shock,’ she recalls. ‘But I was relieved it had been caught…

WE'RE LOVING… Hell Jumper BBC iPLAYER By now, we're all too familiar with the grim reality of the war in Ukraine, but this film brings to life the heroism and horror of the conflict in devastating fashion. The Hell Jumpers are a group of international volunteers who go into the teeth of battle to rescue stranded civilians. Their bravery and sacrifice is truly humbling.…

Unfair system I was interested in Paul Lewis's points about Inheritance Tax (IHT) in the August edition, but he doesn't elucidate the unfair issue of the single or divorced parent, who can only leave £500,000 IHT free. I worked for 45 years and have been retired for seven. My husband and I divorced 20 years ago and I bought our home. I just about manage on my state and work's pensions. Happily, my house value has risen to around £550,000 and my savings are around £50,000, which I need to keep for house repairs and my funeral, etc. If I died tomorrow, leaving everything to my two sons, under current IHT rules the £600,000 estate would be reduced by £40,000 IHT. Whereas if I was a widow, I could leave…

1 Barack Obama's mother came from Kansas. He was raised in Hawaii and studied at Harvard. Which African country did his father come from? 2 Who is the only winner of the Best Song Oscar to thank Denis Compton in his acceptance speech? He is also the only one to serve as president of the MCC. 3 Who is the new children's laureate, the 13th person to hold the post since it was instituted in 1999? 4 Desert Island Discs has been running without a break on BBC radio since 1942. How many full-time hosts has it had in that time? 5 Until 1750 there was only one major bridge over the River Thames in London. What was it? 6 What was the name of the club in Harlem, New York,…

For wisdom and a good chuckle, I can always rely on Saga readers. Since I wrote about the subject of ‘nominative determinism’, your own examples have brightened many a cloudy day. In case you missed it, nominative determinism involves individuals whose names seem spectacularly appropriate for their profession. Suffice to say my favourite by a country mile was the reader who shared that their window-cleaner is called Mr Bitt. But this month I'd like to return to another favourite topic, the malaphor. Not the most enticing of titles, it's true, but a subject that, as some of you may remember, is a lot more fun than you might at first think. The word itself is an ungainly mash-up of ‘metaphor’ and ‘malapropism’, and it essentially describes the unintentional mangling of…

Suzi Quatro World According to…, p129 The music legend scored her first UK number one in 1973 with Can the Can and has been touring for more than 60 years. To celebrate, she'll be bringing a five-date tour to the UK next month. Sane Seven Carol Vorderman, cover & p24 The working name of the photographer who captures influential women with striking intimacy, her work has been featured in a host of prestigious publications across the world. Tina Shingler Back to my roots, p38 Growing up in Ripon, North Yorkshire, the author and presenter was one of only two black children in her primary school. As well as writing books, Tina now gives talks on diversity issues. Mark Harrison A dog's life, p30 A photographer whose subjects include Queen Camilla, Stephen Hawking and…

What was the best day of your life? The two days in 1973 and 1987 respectively when I gave birth to my two sons, Charley, by my late first husband Drewe Henley, and Jacob by my second husband Michael Rudman. Charley is 51 now and a visual effects supervisor in film and Jacob is 37 and a barrister. There's nothing else that compares to having children. It gives you a kind of tribal understanding of the future because you see your mother, your father, the whole family, going on and on. And what was the worst day? When Michael died in March last year [aged 84]. We had been together [on and off] for 40 years – some of it turbulent, some amazing – but also there were the dark…

Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire The lighthouse cottages at Girdle Ness are available to hire – you may even meet Pamela on one of her visits. northernlightsapartmentsaberdeen.co.uk Belle Tout, East Sussex Decommissioned in 1902, this lighthouse at Beachy Head is now a B&B, after being rebuilt in the 1950s. The lantern room is a lounge with panoramic sea views. belletout.co.uk Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel, Dumfries and Galloway Constructed in 1816, this has been converted into a hotel and restaurant, with a menu showcasing local produce. lighthousehotel.co.uk West Usk, Newport Next to a 200-year-old lighthouse, this cabin comes with a private hot tub and terrace overlooking the Severn Estuary. westusklighthouse.co.uk…

MEMORIES Cricket is a Trinidadian obsession; my younger brother and I played sprawling, never-ending games on dusty Tarmac with tree branches and tennis balls dipped in water. I wanted to listen to the game so badly that my father eventually bought a battered old radio. Few West Indians ever entertained the extravagant thought of travelling to England to watch their team play. We depended on radio commentaries from the BBC World Service. That's how news about the first ever victory over England in the fourmatch Test series in 1950 spread across the Caribbean, prompting spontaneous outbursts of joy. There are West Indians today who could still quote precisely from the commentaries. As the West Indian batsmen pummelled the English bowlers, one commentator remarked, ‘This is the day England knew would…

Sommeliers don't usually work with mules these days. But that was once their job. The name sommelier comes from the Middle French name for the person who looked after the ‘bête de somme’ – beast of burden – which carried the provisions of a grand household. There would be food, spices and wine. Over time, these roles were whittled down, leaving just the best bit. A piece of golden wine advice is to ‘drink like a sommelier’. Contrary to popular opinion, they are canny, not grand. They might serve fabulous wines to plutocratic guests, but at home they drink on the same budget as the rest of us – only they spend it better, searching out good-value countries and under-appreciated grapes. Up there are wines like El Zumbido Garnacha Syrah…

health & wellbeing YOUR QUESTIONS / MUSHROOMS / BREAST CANCER Q Which is the most effective over-the-counter painkiller: ibuprofen, paracetamol, or paracetamol and codeine (co-codamol)? a The ideal choice varies with the individual and the cause and type of their pain. As a general rule, ibuprofen works best, but has more side effects and interactions with other medicines such as aspirin, antidepressants and anticoagulants, so isn't suitable for everyone. Paracetamol is probably the safest option (unless taken in overdose) but isn't as effective. And I would not bother with over-the-counter strength paracetamol and codeine (co-codamol) as it doesn't contain enough codeine to add much other than side effects like constipation (stronger prescriptiononly versions are much better pain relievers). However, the best remedy for the short-term pain of things like a…

FINANCE Widow payments A new and younger group of widows has been identified as having been paid too little state pension – and that includes widowers and people who lost a civil partner. They reached state pension age on 6 April 2016 or later and their spouse or civil partner was already dead before they claimed their pension. They may be able to get a share of his or her additional pension (what we used to call SERPS) and half their graduated pension. It could amount to £50 or so a week. The rules about what they might get are complex – so much so even the DWP seems to be getting it wrong. Check at go.lcp.com/inheritingstatepension and call the Pension Service on 0800 731 0469 to claim. Tax collection…

TURNING 50 Joaquin Phoenix actor Keith Duffy singer (Boyzone) Matthew Macfadyen actor, below centre Michael Vaughan cricketer, right Simon Gregson actor TURNING 60 Clive Owen actor Harry Hill comedian, below right Ian Hart actor Sarah Lancashire actor, right Yasmin Le Bon model TURNING 70 Ang Lee film director, right David Lee Roth singer (Van Halen) Lee Child writer Mario Testino fashion photographer TURNING 80 Angela Rippon TV presenter, right Fred Housego Taxi-driver-turned-Mastermind-winner Jon Anderson singer (Yes) Mike Harding singer and comedian TURNING 90 Nana Mouskouri singer, below left Timothy West actor, right TURNING 100 Jimmy Carter former US president, right…

THE DROWNED John Banville In a repressed, repressive 1950s Ireland, Banville's DI Strafford and pathologist Quirke must pull together to solve the mystery of a wife reported missing, presumed drowned. Their relationship is fractious as ever. The local garda are worse than useless, and the wrong man is in the frame. Banville's prose flows like Guinness: dark, bitter, with a head of froth. The ending left me aching for more – and there will be more! THE WOMEN BEHIND THE DOOR Roddy Doyle At 66, former battered wife Paula no longer ‘walks into doors’. Your man, Charlo, is long dead. She's off the booze and life is OK, life is grand. Then, amid Covid, her eldest, Nicola, ‘Little Miss Perfect’, shows up at her door in the throes of a…

More puzzles! There are loads more puzzles on the Saga Magazine app. Download from your app store today! £250 prize PRIZE CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 George Bernard Shaw play that features the character Captain Shotover (10,5) 9 Grammatical case indicating possession (8) 10 Capital of the Asian island once known as Formosa (6) 11 Fred's wife in the cartoon series The Flintstones (5) 12 Black confectionery used for Pontefract cakes (9) 14 Middle East country bordering north-east Yemen (4) 16 US dental-care company founded in 1950 (4-1) 17 Name of the Newfoundland dog in Peter Pan (4) 18 Mother of Horus in Egyptian mythology (4) 20 Small fly common in Scotland in the summer (5) 22 Scottish isle west of Mull with sandy beaches (4) 23 Italian conductor at La Scala from 1898 until 1908 (9) 24 Dutch glazed earthenware, often blue and…