Table of contents for 16 May 2024 in Chat

This week we’ve spoken to Eurovision superfan Sylvia. Now 59, she’s been obsessed with the song contest since she was a tot and watching with her family on their black and white TV. Sylvia’s passion has been lifechanging – she’s travelled the world and made many new friends because of it. It just goes to show that no matter how busy life gets, it’s important to find time for the things that bring us joy. Have a great week,…

Lying in bed, I tucked into breakfast as my boyfriend handed me a cuppa. ‘How did I get so lucky?’ I grinned. ‘Only the best for my girl,’ Thomas, then 31, smiled. It was July 2019, and I’d been dating Thomas a month, though I’d known him for years. His family lived a few doors down from me and my mum, then 55. Thomas was 10 years older and a true gent. Since we’d got together, he’d showered me with compliments, treated me to meals out. And now, enjoying breakfast in bed, I was the cat that got the cream. But a month down the line, Thomas became moody, especially after he’d had a few drinks. One night that September, he even booted me in the legs while we were…

Clip, don't snip Instead of scissors, use nail clippers to remove stray threads from your clothes – you’re much less likely to damage the garment. Mark Attwood, Basingstoke, Hampshire Grand stand This unwanted TV stand was taking up room in my garage – but luckily, it makes a fab plant stand for the garden! Lillian Burden, West Bridgford, Nottingham Cereal saver Save money on expensive branded cereals by mixing aa small box of fruit and nut into a big box of basic flakes instead. See if your family notices the difference! Linda Dennis, Exmouth, Devon £25 For every photo tip that we print Greenhouse effect I don’t have a greenhouse, but these large upturned plastic storage boxes work a treat on a tight budget. Ann Johnson, Runcorn, Cheshire Lush brushes…

What do actors Tobey Maguire and Liam Neeson have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the six-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 ACROSS 1 Go in (5) 4 Serving platter (4) 6 Farm vehicles (8) 13 Souvenir (7) 14 Interrupt (7) 15 Dens (5) 16 Desire (4) 17 Wax pencil (6) 18 Anton _, Strictly judge (2,4) 20 Utensil (4) 21 Sample food (5) 22 Be very hungry (6) 25 Simple egg dish (8) 28 Make possible (6) 30 Unit of weight (5) 32 Italian city (8) 34 Period of 10 years (6) 35 Hire car (4) 38 Refuse to notice (6) 39 Wash with clean water (5) 40 Venue for gambling (6) 43 As well (4) 44 Chemical element with the symbol Na (6) 45 Performs surgery (8) 48 Rough sketch (5) 49 Summer month (6) 51 Navigating (8) 54 Breakfast food (6) 55 Steam bath…

Toe woe Q I have an ingrown toenail that hurts whenever I put on my shoes. What can I do? Siobhan, Croydon A Ingrown toenails can be very painful, but there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Start by soaking your foot in warm, soapy water to soften the nail and reduce swelling. Then gently lift the edge of the ingrown nail using a clean, sterilised tool, to relieve pressure. Avoid wearing tight shoes or socks, which may make the problem worse. If there’s no improvement or if you notice signs of infection, such as increased redness, swelling or pus, it’s best to visit your GP. In severe cases or recurrent ingrown toenails, your doctor may recommend a minor procedure to remove a portion of the nail. Usually, though, early…

1 Check for deficiencies If you have an unhappy thyroid, you may notice symptoms. ‘A typical modern diet is often lacking in essential nutrients such as iodine, selenium, vitamin D and B12, leaving gaps that can affect thyroid function,’ says Marie Peinert, co-founder of duyucare.com. ‘Brittle nails, hair loss, low energy levels and brain fog can indicate a deficiency.’ 2 Follow a healthy diet Inflammation can cause damage to our bodies, including our thyroid. Try eating an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet – this means plenty of wholegrains, fruit, nuts, seeds, oily fish such as salmon, and olive oil. 3 Avoid certain foods Processed, deep-fried and junk food as well as too much sugar do your thyroid no favours. You should limit red meat, too. Surprisingly, if you suffer from an underactive…

Pulling on my wellies, I tramped outside to check on the sheep. Aged 13, in 2017, I loved helping out on our family’s farm. ‘I want to be a vet,’ I told my parents. So, at 16, I began studying biology, chemistry and history at college, working weekends for extra cash. Was a waitress, and bottled milk at a local dairy farm. Eventually, I got a job at M J Laycock Heavy Haulage too, hosing down lorries. I loved being outside, and developed an interest in the wagons as well. At 11ft, they towered over my 5ft 3in height. But back at college, my enthusiasm dropped. Sitting in a classroom left me frustrated and bored. ‘I can’t wait to go to uni,’ a classmate said excitedly. But I couldn’t think…

Bear huggers If you sleep locked in a tight embrace, it’s safe to say you’re happy in your relationship. And you know how to make your partner growl, as you’re pretty good between the sheets! You like the bare essentials (seven hours a night), but are still the life and soul of the party. Face to face People who cuddle nose to nose have a passionate relationship. You and your partner adore each other – and are unafraid of morning breath! You have the same taste in films and books and both get a decent seven hours of sleep a night. Bliss! Top and tail Partners who top and tail are likely to be a pair who love going on dates – up to eight a month. It’s not clear…

Proper carbonara Master this creamy classic for a quick dinner the whole family will love. SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 20 MINS ● 2tbsp olive oil ● 50g butter ● 1 shallot, finely chopped ● 6 garlic cloves, crushed ● 300g smoked pancetta or bacon lardons ● 5 eggs ● 100g Parmesan cheese, grated ● 50g pecorino cheese, grated ● 300g spaghetti 1 Place a large frying pan over a low heat and add the olive oil, butter, shallot and garlic. Cook for 5 mins, add the pancetta and cook for a further 6 mins until cooked through, then set aside. 2 In a large bowl, combine the eggs, Parmesan and pecorino, season and set aside. 3 Add the spaghetti to a saucepan of boiling salted water and cook according…

TRUE-LIFE G rabbing a glass, I flicked the beer tap down and poured a pint. It was 2017 and my first shift in a new job at a pub. As the bar filled with customers, a bloke pulled up a stool. ‘I’m Kevin,’ he smiled. A pub regular, he soon had me roaring at his jokes and as my shift ended, he asked for my number. At 30, he was almost a decade older, and cute rather than handsome. Not my usual type. But I’d recently escaped a miserable relationship and Kevin was a breath of fresh air. We started dating and, after three months, moved in together. Fast, but it felt right. Kevin was sweet and kind. There was just one sticking point. While we’d slept together in the…

W7 Playful Pout Lipstick in Wait For It, £4.95, w7makeup.co.uk Introduce some colour into your complexion by opting for a bold lip colour. This one is a soft, satin berry that makes a welcome change from a muted nude shade. The buttery formula promises not to dry out your lips, while also offering a pop of gorgeous burgundy. Plus, the fun case looks so good you can show it off! Collection Cosmetics Incredibrow Micro Brow Pencil, £3.99, collectioncosmetics.com If you have thinning or sparse eyebrows, try using a brow pencil to fill them in. This bargain buy ensures you can create natural-looking hairs, thanks to the delicate precision tip and the styling end which will brush any stragglers in place. The formula is smudge and waterproof, plus it lasts up…

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EDITOR’S WARNING Putting the finishing touches to my make-up, I smiled in my dressingroom mirror. ‘Let’s do it,’ I grinned. Striding out on stage at a bar, the crowd cheered. It was 2015, and I loved my job as a performer, feeling gorgeous as I belted rock songs into the mic. But off stage, I didn’t always feel so glam. A few days later, I went to my school reunion with my husband Redd, then 32. Walking across the school yard, we got chatting to other guests. ‘Is this your son?’ a lady asked, curiously. Her words stung. Yes, Redd was 10 years my junior, but surely I didn’t look old enough to be his mum? And it wasn’t the only time the mistake had been made. ‘I’m sick of…

TRUE-LIFE Dawn and Antonio Armstrong were the kind of couple others envied. While raising three bright, outgoing children, the pair ran a chain of three gyms together. A power couple, respected in the community. They’d met at Antonio’s mother’s church. Antonio was an assistant pastor and professional American football player, while Dawn already had a baby boy, Josh, who Antonio adopted when they wed. They had two children together, Antonio Jnr – known as AJ – and Kayra. Once his football career ended, Antonio loved to coach AJ and Josh in sport. After almost two decades together, Antonio and Dawn were still utterly in love. Dawn was always on hand with a camera – desperate not to miss any poignant moment of family life. And that month, she posted a…

Q For the past month I’ve been unable to hear properly out of one ear. It’s not painful, but everything sounds muffled. What could be causing this? Sam, Colchester A is could be due to a build-up of earwax. Try over-the-counter treatments first, such as olive oil, almond oil or sodium bicarbonate drops to soften the wax. Warm the drops to room temperature and put a few into the affected ear. Then lie with that ear facing the ceiling to let the drops soak in. This process can be repeated two to three times a day for three to seven days. If drops don’t work, you may need to clean your ear (known as ear irrigation). Speak to your GP before trying this to avoid infection – they can also…

TRUE-LIFE Crowding round the TV with my mother and big sister Kate, I was mesmerised. I was only little, and it was the first time I’d been allowed to stay up past my bedtime to watch the Eurovision Song Contest. It was in black and white on our 60s telly. But though I couldn’t see all the colourful glitz and glamour, I still thought it was magical. ‘Can I stay up next year,’ Mummy?’ I pleaded. She said yes, and after that, every spring it became that one special Saturday night where I got to stay up with the grown-ups. I loved seeing the audience, all dressed up for the occasion in posh frocks and fancy suits. Listening to the catchy tunes, in different languages and styles. After a few…

FLOWER POWER COASTAL COOL VIBRANT BOTANICALS…

3 ways to… SAVE ON YOUR MOBILE Don’t pay more than you need to for your mobile phone – here’s how to cut costs. 1 Slash your bill If your mobile phone contract ends soon, you could save serious cash by keeping your current handset and switching to a SIM-only deal for your data, calls and texts, compared to if you took out a deal to get a new handset. However, if you do want a new phone, be sure to do the maths before signing up to a long-term contract. While contracts allow you to spread the expense, they can often cost more in the long run and you may also be stuck with mid-contract price rises – which vary depending on the provider, warns Which?. If you can buy…

What’s your favourite season? I’m a summer person through and through. There’s nothing better than sitting in the garden with a glass of something cold while the kids play in the paddling pool. What was the last film you watched at the cinema? I recently went to see the new Wonka film with my husband and daughters, a prequel to the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. We all loved it – the songs are still stuck in my head! Early mornings or late nights? I’m definitely more of a night owl than an early bird. Getting up at the crack of dawn never gets any easier, and don’t even get me started on the school run! Your fave thing about yourself? I think my best quality is…

What name is popularly given to a medieval dungeon only accessible from above, into which prisoners were apparently thrown to be forgotten? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 2 Underwriter 4 Long, thin fish • Mild and pleasant 6 Number • And the rest 8 Without formal education Your answer:…

STYLE TIP A striped shirt is a classic. Add a pop of colour to some neutral jeans or layer over swimwear in the summer. STYLE TIP Lean into the nautical vibes with a blue-andwhite stripe for an easy daytime get-up. A slogan tee keeps it playful. STYLE TIP This do-it-all dress works for any occasion. The nipped-in waist and flared skirt give it a flattering finish. STYLE TIP With vertical lines and a wide leg, these are serious leg-lengtheners. Pair with an on-trend waistcoat for a polished look.…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Scooping my son Aidan, then 3, off the pavement, I checked his knees for grazes. ‘Clumsy boy,’ I said to my husband. ‘Just like me as a kid.’ It was 2007, and Aidan was forever covered in cuts and bruises. It didn’t help that his left leg had started crossing in front of his right leg when he ran. Growing up, I was forever tripping over my own feet, too. ‘I’m not much better now,’ I said. Even as an adult I was uncoordinated and ungainly. So accident-prone, I often dislocated joints. I’d become relaxed about popping my hip or thumbs back into place. But when Aidan, then 4, began having bowel issues too, we sought medical help. After a few years of misdiagnoses, in 2011, aged…

Since 1927, Warsaw, Indiana, has been the headquarters of a medical supplies company after which what item of equipment is named? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Sleeps lightly = DOES + Z = DOZES. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2 x £25 Puzzle 9 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

UK aside, here are Sylvia's picks for 2024 • One of the favourites is Croatia – an act called Baby Lasagna with the catchy Rim Tim Tagi Dim. It’s a bit shouty, but it gets in your head! • Netherlands is a fan fave – Joost Klein with Europapa. A bit of a throwback to some of the crazy songs of the past. And he has some impressive shoulder pads! This is a bit of fun! • One that I predict will do well is a traditional yet poignant song from Ukraine –Teresa and Maria by Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil. I am not a fan of the rap section in the middle but I can forgive it, and there is just something about this song. • Ireland’s song is…

De Koninklijke Porceleyne Fles (‘the Royal Porcelain Bottle’) is a ceramics factory founded in 1653 and still operating in which city? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Dish of mixed greens (5) 4 Film, A Nightmare on _ Street (3) 6 Disappear gradually (4) 7 Part of a tennis match (3) DOWN 1 Rides the waves (5) 2 Northern English city (5) 3 Faint or badly lit (3) 5 Comedian, _ Mack (3) WIN 4 × £20 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Fella won't let me move in Q I want to move in with my boyfriend – he owns the house he lives in. However, he’s not keen on the idea at all. He thinks we should start fresh somewhere else. It seems silly and like a waste of money to me, but he doesn’t agree. How can I convince him that moving into his house is a good idea? Poppy, 28 A He’s being really clear here, love. He doesn’t want you to live with him in his current house. So why are you pushing this idea? Take your foot off the pedal and slow down a little. You both need to be on the same page before you jump into living together, pet. Listen to what he’s saying. We're…

A knot of worry tightened in my tummy as I read the text from my wife Jess, then 34. I still can’t sleep, she wrote. It was December 2020, and Jess had just given birth to our second daughter, Freya. I’d left them in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital overnight while I looked after our eldest, Lola, then 4, at home. But Jess kept texting saying she couldn’t sleep. ‘Go straight to bed,’ I told her when I brought her and Freya home the next day. ‘I’ve got the baby.’ Yet she still couldn’t nod off. Jess and I had met in 2012 through work at a residential care home company. Kind and caring, it was easy to fall in love with her. We married in August 2015 and within months…

10-16 May 2024 Aries 21 March-20 April Mercury and Mars are now both in your sign, helping you to communicate more assertively. So, is there something you need to ask for? Now is the time! ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May The Sun is in Taurus, giving you the courage to follow your heart and pursue your boldest dreams. What do you need to change to move in a new direction? ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Go forward fearlessly this week! Whichever direction you feel drawn to, follow it. Whatever makes practical sense is the right path for you to place your energy in. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Your strong intuition never…

Q How can I go about protecting my hair from frizz and rain? Nicola Draper, Basildon A Showers spell bad news for frizz. Choose haircare products with smoothing formulas to help control it. If your hair reacts to humidity or wet weather conditions, invest in a goodquality smoothing shampoo such as Noughty Frizz Magic Shampoo, £7.99, Boots. The moisturising formula is packed with marula oil, which works to tame flyaways and frizz, plus it will add shine. Before styling your hair make sure you use a heat protectant with an added frizz shield, like PS… Pro Frizz Shield Mist, £5, Primark, which fights against frizz caused by the weather and styling with heat. Spritz all over your hair, from the roots to the ends, for best results. It’s also a…

Charles Worthington MenoPlex Healthy Scalp Serum, £12.99, Boots Infused with clary sage extract, this soothing scalp serum is ideal for counteracting the effects of thinning menopausal hair. Leaves hair visibly fuller and the scalp in good condition. Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Super Volume Mascara, £11.99, Boots Help volumise and lengthen your eyelashes with this hardworking mascara Formulated with false lash fillers and no-flake technology, it’s a no-brainer. E.l.f. Cosmetics PrimerInfused Matte Bronzer, £7, elfcosmetics.co.uk This long-lasting powder bronzer is infused with priming benefits to ensure it stays put all day and is effortless to blend in. It’s available in six gorgeous shades. Nails Inc Plant Power Nail Polish in Sky's My Limit, £9, nailsinc.com This vegan polish is packed with all the strengthening and nourishing ingredients your nails…

BEHIND THE BIG CRIME TRUE-LIFE E very day, as she headed to work, Ella French, 29, would call her mum Elizabeth for a chat. And before they hung up, Elizabeth’s words were always the same. ‘Love you. Be careful and be safe.’ Ella’s job as an officer for the Chicago Police Department saw her patrolling dangerous neighbourhoods. It made Elizabeth a proud yet nervous parent. She’d adopted Ella at 8 months old. Delighted in watching her grow into a bubbly, kind and empathetic young woman who wanted to make a difference in the world. In July 2021, Ella saved the life of a newborn baby shot in the head during a mass shooting. Whisked the 1-month-old to hospital. Then, on 7 August, Ella began her shift as usual. ‘Be careful, be…

Chat winners issue 7 (15 Feb 2024) £1,001 CASH E Beavon, Rhyl £500 CASH CA Gray, Sheffield L Aylesbury, St Leonards on Sea £250 CASH C Jones, Caldicot J Sherburn, Wakefield £200 CASH S Smith, London £100 CASH M Speed, Sutton Coldfield S Shelley, Leicester P Robbins, Leamington Spa £50 CASH D Dorrington, Conwy J Underhill, Basingstoke G Whiteley, Accrington L Canty, London G Procter, Newport M Price, Wolverhampton £40 CASH R Kettle, South Ockendon £30 CASH S Chaplin, Scunthorpe M Newsham, Wigan £25 CASH J Jolley, Kettering M Turner, Blackburn Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH J Thorn, Weston-super-Mare P Cooper, Manchester A McMillan, Larkhall B Porter, Thornton Cleveleys A Bridle, Port Talbot S Barclay, Penicuik K Howlett, St. Ives J Patmore, Barking K…

Dear Braxia, I ’ll never forget watching you tear off down the children’s hospital corridors, desperate to avoid the doctor’s needle. Or giggling while you squirmed so much in your seat, the lab tech accidentally pricked herself with it. ‘The terrible twins,’ they called us. We weren’t twins, of course, but with only 16 months between us, we were the closest sisters. But it was those constant hospital appointments that really bonded us. You’d been 9 months old when you were diagnosed with thalassaemia, a genetic condition causing low blood haemoglobin levels. Our Mum, Elenie, then 40, and dad Costas, 40, both unknowingly carried the gene mutation. The news was a double blow, because Mum was pregnant with me at the time. And when I came along in June 1960,…