Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Take a Break Monthly

Our Lives Running as fast as we could, my brother Carl and I caught up with our grandad who was holding tightly on to a lead. His Rhodesian Ridgeback dog, Major, was too big for me and Carl to handle. However, we loved joining them for walks around the reservoir near to our home. We were both curious about the wildlife and the trees. ‘Look, a carp,’ Carl said, peering over and gesturing towards the water. He was a year younger than me and I did my best to look out for him. He didn’t like school, and the teachers would often come to fetch me when he was upset about something. ‘There, there,’ I’d say, cuddling him close. We had an older sister, and the pair of us would…

Solve our puzzle to find out who it is. HOW TO ENTER Solve the crossword. Then, from the top, list the letters in the yellow squares to reveal the identity of the chopped-up celebrity. Enter by post, phone, text or online — see page 73. ACROSS 1 Sullen and moody (5)6 Celine Dion ballad,- - - You Loved Me (7)10 Fellow (4)11 Type of power produced by a reactor, anagram of LEAN CUR (7)13 Inventor’s copyright (6)14 Free time, or the title of Blur’s first album (7)15 So strange it’s hard to believe (6)17 Sugary fluid from flowers (6)19 Foreboding (7)20 Second-in-command (6)22 Skin ailment (6) 24 Cut of beef such as T-bone or ribeye, eg (5)25 High-IQ society (5)28 Take small bites out of (6)30 Scant, thinly distributed (6)31…

Hello summer! The sun is shining and it’s time to make the most of the warm weather with a celebration you and your family will love — so, we’re giving away £1000 for you to spend on the garden party of your dreams! Win our amazing cash prize and you could be enjoying your very own back garden festival. Just think of all the wonderful things you could buy with all that dosh… How about giving your outdoor area a makeover with some super-stylish garden furniture? Imagine the joy of surprising the kids or grandkids with a new climbing frame and swing set. Or perhaps you’d prefer to get green-fingered with some new plants. You might fancy doing something different, like adding a quirky water feature or some unusual garden…

• Up to four nights’ accommodation• Entry to Blenheim Palace• £200 spending money Make some magical memories on us… We’ve joined with Darwin Escapes to give you the chance to win a self-catering break for four people, for up to four nights, at Blenheim Palace Lodge Retreat. Solve our puzzle and you and your loved ones could be off to Oxfordshire to stay in this lovely lodge retreat, set in the grounds of Blenheim Estate. Entry to Blenheim Palace for four is also part the prize. Enjoy 2000 acres of parkland and 300 years of history, plus exhibitions all year round. We’ll also wave you off with £200 to spend on treats! • For more information, visit darwinescapes.co.uk • Our prize is a break for four people for up to…

As my 12-week-old miniature lop Thumperlina happily hopped around her new home, I smiled in what felt like the first time in months. Recently, my lovely dad had passed away, and grief had hit me hard. To try to ease the pain, I’d decided to get a therapy animal. And my house bunny helped me no end. Caring for Thumperlina gave me a purpose, and having her around just brought me out of myself. ‘She can be a mischievous little madam though,’ I told my mum Debbie, who lived down the road in Caerphilly. It was her bunny way or the highway. She’d come to you when she wanted attention or affection, otherwise she explored, ate and slept in peace. One day, when my girl was three, I felt a…

Strawberry frosé Serves: 4 Takes: 10min (plus freezing) ■ 1 bottle of rosé wine■ 50g caster sugar■ 150g strawberries, hulled and chopped, plus extra, hulled, to garnish■ Juice of 1 lemon 1 Put the rosé, sugar, strawberries and lemon juice in a blender. Blitz well. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a freezeproof container. Cover and freeze for 6hr or overnight. (The mixture will not completely freeze solid due to the alcohol content.) 2 Spoon the frozen mixture back into a clean blender and blitz until fluffy. Pour into four serving glasses. Serve straightaway, garnished with the extra strawberries. Cook’s Tip We love Jam Shed Rosé (RRP £7/Tesco). Rich and juicy, with fresh red summer berries and cream flavours, it’s packed with flavour and perfect for this frosé.…

I bent down to pick up a set of weights and felt a twinge. ‘Ouch,’ I said, rubbing my lower back. I liked to keep fit and healthy, and visited the gym five days a week. But I thought: I hope that’s not sciatic nerve pain. I’d started renovating my house in Inverness, where I lived with my kids Kaiden, 11, and Jiah, eight, so it would be bad timing. My mum Diane had been looking after the kids, and when I arrived home after my session at the gym, Kaiden noticed me wincing in pain. ‘Are you OK, Mum?’ he asked. I kissed him on the head. ‘I’ll be fine,’ I said. I rested and took paracetamol. But the pain persisted. In the weeks that followed, I suffered pins…

Amid the waggy tails and woofs, there was one pup who stood out. With a daft smile on her face, she bounded up to everyone at the shelter adoption day, tail wagging fit to fall off. ‘Oh, I’d have you if I didn’t live in a high-rise flat,’ I told her, tickling her ears. Her name was Beautie and she was 18 months old. She was so friendly and sweet, doing her best to find a home. But, one by one, people left with other dogs and Beautie was led back to her cage. It wasn’t hard to work out why. She had three legs, with a shaved patch where the fourth should be. ‘What happened to her?’ I asked the rescue centre boss. ‘She was a stray and someone…

LEO 23 Jul - 22 Aug July could begin as a gentle stroll, but by the month’s end, you’re running like the wind. A little soul-searching wouldn’t go amiss, so pause for thought and see what pops into your pretty head. With Mercury in Leo from the 2nd, old habits can be ditched, and new ideas turned into actions. Venus helps you form fortuitous connections from mid-month. Share what you’ve got cooking and everyone can prosper. Shake up your love style VIRGO 23 Aug - 22 Sep Your zone of ambition and public standing is turbo-charged by Jupiter and Mars this summer. This once-in-every-12-years celestial happening can see you rise to new heights. After the 21st, snap up any opportunities you get to prove your point or show off your…

Flicking on the television news, a map showed a scary virus spreading across the world. ‘I bet we get it,’ Dad said glumly. ‘Yep, you can count on the curse of the Dudleys,’ I sighed. It was a grim family joke, but we weren’t really laughing. If anyone was going to get this coronavirus thing, it would be us. We just seemed to be prone to bad luck. The hardest thing we’d faced was losing my sister Stacey when she was hit by a car at 13. That left Mum, Dad, me, and my big brother Daniel. Now we were all worried about this virus that seemed to be sweeping the globe. And sure enough, my dad Graham and I started with a cough soon after. Two weeks later, his…

BIG RELAX WINNER Derek Cheung, London ‘I was thrilled to hear that I’d won £500 in one of the many competitions I’ve entered in your magazine. They’ve been a welcome pastime for me for over eight years. Thanks to your timely gift I can spoil and treat myself a little bit.’ THEME PARK HOLIDAY (PRIZE ANSWER: VISTA) Mr S Golzey, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. SCARBOROUGH BREAK (PRIZE ANSWER: DRIVE) H Dooley, Helston, Cornwall. £1200 BIG BONANZA (PRIZE ANSWER: MESH) A Craig, Ballymena, Co Antrim. £1000 CELEBRITY CROSSWORD (PRIZE ANSWER: SHAVED HEAD FOR A ROLE) Miss A McConnell, Glasgow. ISLE OF WIGHT BREAK (PRIZE ANSWER: ASCEND) N Hall, Redditch, Worcs. EXPERIENCE AND VOUCHER BUNDLE (PRIZE ANSWER: LEARNS) J Brummell, London. E Murdoch, London. H Tuddenham, Bicester,…

My daughter Amanda brought two cups of coffee over and sat next to me at the table. ‘Thanks, love,’ I mumbled. ‘Something on your mind, Mum?’ she asked. I sighed and said: ‘I’ve been single for 13 years today.’ Amanda reached for my hand and squeezed it. ‘I’m so proud of you for having the courage to leave Dad,’ she said. It had been a miserable marriage, where I’d been subject to brutal beatings and rape by my husband. Finally, after 33 years, I’d found the strength to put a stop to it. I’d reported him to the police, and he’d ended up being jailed for 17 years. But ever since, my self-esteem had been in tatters. Although I wanted someone loving to share my life with, I was too…

Daytime chic Great for sightseeing and long lazy lunches in the sunshine Evenings out A maxi dress is a must for those balmy evenings Hit the beach A one-piece and kimono are perfect on the sand or poolside…

From Nicole Leadbitter, 20, of Ormskirk, Lancs The best health advice for you and your family Wincing, I rubbed my lower back. I thought I was about to get my period, but it wasn’t that. And over the next few hours, the pain grew worse. By the next day, it was so bad my mum Lesley took me to the doctor. ‘It might be kidney stones,’ the GP said. It didn’t make sense, because I was a healthy 17-year-old, hoping to join the Army the following year. But soon the pain moved to my thigh. ‘I’m taking you to the hospital,’ said Mum. We went straight to A&E where an MRI scan revealed I had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and a pulmonary embolism. Doctors immediately put me on blood thinners…

Our Lives Turning the shopping trolley into the baby clothes aisle in Sainsbury’s, I spotted a pretty dress with flowers. That’s perfect for her, I thought. I propelled the wheels forward and soon the dress was nestling on top of the fruit and veg. Back home, I showed it to my one-year-old daughter, Poppy. ‘Lovely,’ I said, when she wore the new dress for the first time. She smiled happily and grasped her favourite toy, a white floppy-eared rabbit called Bunny, as she toddled around the room. Poppy was mine and my husband Tom’s first child, and she’d just learnt to walk. She had a big appetite — she loved sweet potato and avocado — and whenever she saw me preparing it, she would laugh loudly and rapidly. ‘Her laugh’s…

Read it! This month’s Book Club read is a charming and uplifting work of historical fiction The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson Grieving after her father, Alan, died of Covid, Helen escaped into her imagination and back in time to the summer of 1919. She says: ‘I hoped that writing about the aftermath of the Spanish flu pandemic might help me understand our own pandemic. As I immersed myself in stories from seaside Sussex, I read of ladies who wanted to continue their wartime work and who raced motorcycles. And everywhere were the war planes, repurposed for pleasure trips.’ Constance Haverhill is sent as a lady’s companion to a family friend convalescing at a seaside hotel. Constance meets Poppy, the daughter of a baronet, who runs…

As my mates and I rang the doorbell waited for someone to answer, I nervously twirled my long hair with my fingers. It was my 16th birthday, and we were going to a party at my crush’s house. Although I dreamt of getting together with Steve, he was four years older than me, so I didn’t think I stood a chance. ‘Happy birthday, Carissa,’ he said, opening the door. ‘Thanks,’ I replied shyly. We spent the night chatting and listening to music. Steve was flirty, but nothing more. If only I were a couple of years older, I thought wistfully. Then we could be together. For a while, we kept up a slightly flirtatious friendship. But my family weren’t keen on me hanging out with an older guy, so eventually…

Fancy stocking up on a free weekly shop? Enter our brilliant competition and you could win £200 in the supermarket vouchers of your choice! You can take your pick from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S or Iceland. Just think of all the tantalising treats that could be in store — big juicy steaks, delicious ready meals, smoked salmon, Belgian chocs, your favourite wines and beer. And of course you could fill your store cupboard with a host of essentials, from washing powder to tea and coffee. Sounds like a tasty prize? Then grab that pen and get puzzling! 3 LETTERS Add, Cod, Egg, Fry, Jam, Tea, Tin, Use 4 LETTERS Cash, Dill, Foil, Oats, Peas, Root, Sage, Stir, Taco, Unit 5 LETTERS Bread, Deals, Honey, Jelly, Kilos, Plain, Salad 6 LETTERS…

As I woke up one morning, I felt a pain my stomach. ‘Ow!’ I winced as I sat up in bed. I’d been suffering from abdominal pains for a while, and they didn’t show any signs of going away, so I called my GP to make an appointment. A few days later, after seeing my doctor, I was sent for scans, which revealed I had cysts on my ovaries. I was shocked. More scans followed and eventually, I was told I needed my ovaries removed. By now, I was a mum to three boys, so losing my ovaries wasn’t an issue for me and if it sorted out the pain, it was a no-brainer. In the end, surgeons removed just one of my ovaries during the keyhole procedure, as the…

Shop watch: F&F at Tesco Whether you’re jet-setting this summer or having a staycation, F&F is your one-stop-shop for the perfect holiday wardrobe. From trendy co-ords to timeless tailored pieces and gorgeous floaty dresses, we can’t get enough of these styles from the aisles. Summer stripes This classic print is always a style winner at this time of year. Ooze sophistication in our top picks from the high street. Get them before they go A pair of sunnies is always a chic finishing touch. Get sunshine-ready with a pair of M&S classic square-shaped shades.…

The holiday money mistakes to avoid Here are some tips for keeping on track with spending abroad and the pitfalls to look out for… In the thrill of getting away for a summer break, holidaymakers may end up spending more than they bargained or budgeted for. But by being mindful of a few money matters, you can make the most of your holiday without coming home broke. Here’s what you need to know… Preparation is the key Mike Barrow, a financial coach at Claro Wellbeing, says: ‘It’s a good idea to split your spending money up by day, to make sure you’ve got enough for shopping and eating out throughout your trip. Consider what you’ll need based on your plans and holiday habits. Of course, take a small amount of…

Whole BBQ cauliflower with roasted pepper sauce Serves: 6 Takes: 1hr ■ 3tbsp ground almonds■ 280g jar chargrilled peppers, drained and oil reserved■ 50g sundried tomatoes■ 1 slice crusty bread, toasted and torn■ 2tsp paprika■ 2 garlic cloves, crushed■ ½tsp dried chilli flakes■ 2tbsp red wine vinegar■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper■ 1 large cauliflower, outer leaves removed■ 150g plain yogurt (or plant-based alternative)■ Handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 Preheat the barbecue according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Put the almonds, peppers and 2tbsp of the reserved oil, sundried tomatoes, bread, paprika, garlic, chilli flakes, red wine vinegar and 100ml water into a food processor or large blender. Season with salt and pepper and blitz until smooth. 2 Put the cauliflower on to a large square of foil.…