Chat -julkaisun 8 August 2024 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Don’t judge on appearances, so they say. And that’s true of a few stories this week. If you spotted Ann out and about with her family, you’d see a smiley nana, dressed casually in jeans. You’d never guess what she does for a job – or what she wears to do it (p10)! Same goes for Sarah. Pics of her being rescued from car wrecks and hauled from plane crashes make you think she’s the unluckiest woman alive (p30). But things aren’t what they seem… Have a great week,…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 4 What do racing driver Lewis Hamilton and singer Lorde have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the fourword prize answer. ACROSS 1 Very large (5) 4 _ LeBlanc, actor (4) 6 Jeans, for example (8) 13 Small glass balls (7) 14 Mythical marine creature (7) 15 _ Parker, Spider-Man’s real name (5) 16 A fake or fraud (4) 17 Give up a job (6) 18 Actor, _ Clooney (6) 20 Iridescent gem (4) 21 Shade of green (5) 22 Great unhappiness (6) 25 Least expensive (8) 28 Very soft fabric (6) 30 Christens (5) 32 Owned up (8) 34 The sign of the bull (6) 35 Poor Things actor, _ Stone (4) 38 Bug (6) 39 Capture, trap (5) 40 Erase (6) 43 Circuits of a track (4) 44 Relating to teeth (6) 45 Prepare for a show (8) 48…

A hairy problem Q After I shave my bikini line I get lumps around my groin. I want to get rid of them for my summer holidays. Leah, Stirling A Ingrown hairs often occur along the bikini line due to shaving, waxing or plucking. Exfoliate gently and regularly to remove dead skin cells, use a mild scrub or exfoliating glove and avoid harsh products. Before shaving, soften the area with warm water and apply shaving gel or cream to reduce friction. Use a sharp, clean razor and shave in the direction of hair growth to minimise irritation. After shaving, apply a soothing, alcohol-free moisturiser. And avoid tight clothing that can irritate the area. For chronic ingrown hairs, treatment may include letting the hair grow longer, not shaving or removing the…

1 Say 'no' more Do you have a tendency to say ‘yes’, then feel overwhelmed? ‘Many of us lose focus because we have too much to do,’ says Chris Griffiths, co-author of The Focus Fix*. ‘But being successful isn’t about saying yes to everything, but knowing which things to say yes to. Firm boundaries allow us to give full attention to a few things, boosting our focus.’ 2 Dodge tech overload If you constantly check your emails or messages, you’re harming your concentration. ‘While it’s tempting to deal with messages and emails by responding as and when they come through, this is damaging your focus,’ says Chris. He recommends ‘chunking communication into one point within the day’ so you’re not distracted from your current task. 3 Know your energy levels…

Founded in 1990 and based at the Lillekula Stadium in Tallinn, the most successful club in Estonian men’s football shares its name with which Roman deity? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Singer, _ Richard (5) 4 Make a choice (3) 6 1962 James Bond film (2,2) 7 Body of water (3) DOWN 1 Bonnie and _, criminal duo (5) 2 Presses clothes (5) 3 In good physical shape (3) 5 Edgar Allan _, writer (3) WIN 4 x £20 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

My hubby is so lazy Q My husband does nothing around the house – after work, he sits down and expects me to cook dinner and clean. I get home from work before him so it does make sense for me to sort tea, but I wish he cleaned more. I have asked him to pull his weight but he does it for a couple of days then stops again. Please help! Lisa, 41 A You did the right thing by having the conversation, hun, but it’s a shame what you’ve said isn’t sinking in! Could it be that he’s not understood that you need help all the time, not just as a one-off? Even so, you shouldn’t have to nag to get him to do his bit so have…

Walking along the high street, I paused to take a look through a clothes shop window. It was May 2012 and I’d come into town to take my mind off my horrible week at school. Then I heard it. The word that followed me around the school corridors and even online. Ballena… It was Spanish for whale. Spinning around, I saw a group of my classmates, pointing and laughing. Tears sprung into my eyes as I turned the other way and raced home. But I wasn’t even safe there – as soon as I switched my computer on, Facebook notifications popped up. More nasty comments. Someone had even posted a photo of me next to a picture of a whale. Ever since the age of 5, I was bigger than…

2-8 August 2024 Aries 21 March-20 April With the Sun now in a fellow fire sign, you may feel like you can conquer the world! Use this energy to help you fulfil your most important objectives. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Remember, you are the authority in this situation, so don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. While this may feel challenging, it’ll be worth it. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June With both Mars and Jupiter in your sign at present, your energy and confidence are at an all-time high! Ensure you make the most of this empowering vibe. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Is there something you…

Q I always dread showing off my skin in summer, how can I feel more body confident? Amelia Harris, Sunderland A Most of us will be feeling a little apprehensive about getting our limbs out in the warm weather, but there are a few ways you can give yourself extra confidence. Start by dry brushing your legs, arms and stomach to aid the lymphatic drainage of toxins. Water retention, toxins and trapped fluid can make you look and feel puffy and bloated so use Legology Lymph-Lite, £16, amazon.co.uk. Use on dry skin before jumping in the shower, brushing upwards towards your heart in flicking motions. Follow with a gradual tan like Garnier Summer Body Gradual Tan Lotion, £11.99, Superdrug, which gives you a lovely natural-looking tan after just a few…

Chat winners issue 19 (9 May 2024) £1,001 CASH A Williams, Swansea £500 CASH M Lewis, Stoke-on-Trent P Lee, Chesham £250 CASH K Hipkin, Newcastle upon Tyne P Miller, Kidderminster £200 CASH K Coyne, Walsall £100 CASH D Cheung, London R Painter, Maidstone M Cross, Alfreton £50 CASH K Thompson, Stowmarket J Herniman, Bristol M Mills, Hereford J Wheeler, Haverhill A Tebay, Macclesfield A Midwinter, Swindon £40 CASH L Tickner, Leeds £30 CASH K Taylor, Aylesbury V Harrison, Castleford £25 CASH C O’Neil, Glasgow L Greenway, Birmingham Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH J Halliday, Calne I Sedgwick, Burntwood E Carolan, York J Foster, Newcastle upon Tyne E Baldwin, Hemel Hempstead J Edwards, Fleetwood V Waltho, Newton Abbot C Greenwood, Rochdale P Franks, Spalding L…

We pay £25 for any photos that we use on Chat To Us! Get in touch! EMAIL chat_magazine@futurenet.com POST Chat, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR Find us online at facebook.com/ChatMagazine…

As the emergency call connected, the operator heard a teenage boy’s voice. ‘My brother is dead,’ he said. ‘He’s been dead for a while.’ It was mid-afternoon on Sunday 24 October 2021 and the 15-year-old had dialled 911. ‘It’s just me and my two other brothers here,’ he said. Squalid flat Cops raced to the City Parc II West Oaks development, Houston, Texas. They found a squalid property, crawling with flies and cockroaches. No furniture or electricity. The 15-year-old and two younger boys, 10 and 7, were in a terrible state. Malnourished, unwashed and covered in injuries. One had a broken jaw. Investigators found a blue blanket lying on a bedroom floor. Lifting the fabric up, they gasped. Underneath the blanket was a child’s skeleton. Grim discovery It was the…

Q Since giving birth two years ago I feel loose. Is there an op I can have to tighten it? Suzy, Castleford A Yes, there’s a surgical procedure called vaginoplasty that can tighten the vaginal muscles and surrounding tissues. Vaginoplasty is often sought by women who feel a loss of vaginal tightness, commonly after childbirth. The procedure aims to restore the vaginal muscles to their pre-pregnancy state, potentially improving sexual satisfaction for both partners. Consult with a qualified gynaecologist or plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns, expectations and potential risks involved. Non-surgical options, such as pelvic floor exercises (Kegels), can also help strengthen pelvic muscles and improve tightness. Talk to your GP about the best option for you. Every body is unique, and the right approach depends on your individual…

Brazilian marrom glace, Philippine camote halaya and Chinese fan su tong sui are all desserts made predominantly from what ingredient? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Exclaims = GAPS + S = GASPS. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. WIN 2 × £25 Puzzle 9 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Bad romance Apetrified Colombian woman had her heart stolen when her fella staged a fake armed robbery to pop the question. The stunt saw a group of pretend robbers pull the couple from their car and hold the groom at gunpoint. Only as he was forced down to his knees, he whipped out an engagement ring! Jumping for joy Adaredevil from Scotland took his relationship to new heights when he proposed to the love of his life during a bungee jump. After proposing on the platform, the cheeky groom-to-be even pretended to drop a fake ring 40 metres below, before grabbing the real sparkler from the staff nearby. Courtly love It was an open-and-shut case for one loved-up lawyer in the US, who spent five months setting up a fake…

TRUE-LIFE Heart pounding, I huddled in the mangled plane seat. Tried to block out the deafening sounds of screams. The cabin was chaos. Bags spilling from overhead lockers, a drinks trolley on its side. Injured passengers wailing. Then, I saw a firefighter charging towards me. Reaching out a reassuring hand, his face was etched with concern. ‘It’s my wrist,’ I winced. ‘I think I broke it when the plane crashed.’ ‘Don’t panic,’ he said, as he helped me out through the wreckage of the plane, on to the tarmac at Southampton Airport. All around me were passengers with broken limbs or covered in blood. Horrific. A paramedic strapped up my wrist, smiled and asked, ‘Time for a cuppa?’ That’s when everyone else sat up and started chatting too. Even the…

NO-FUSS FOOD Mince, bean and mash pie Using baked beans and extra veg helps make the meat go further Total cost £4.96 Top tip Assemble the pie up to 1 day ahead, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and add 30 mins to the cooking time. SERVES 4 PREP 10 mins COOK 1hr ● 400g lean minced beef ● 1 onion, chopped ● 400g can whole plum tomatoes ● 1tsp dried mixed herbs ● 1kg potatoes, cubed ● 1 large carrot, sliced ● 2 garlic cloves, peeled ● 1 leek (about 250g), sliced and rinsed ● 100g kale, shredded ● 400g can baked beans ● 5tbsp full-fat milk ● Knob of butter 1 Dry-fry the mince in a large frying pan, breaking it up with a spoon, until…

When I found out I was pregnant at the age of 40, it came as a shock. Already a mum of two, I hadn’t been planning on having any more kids. But when my daughter Nadine was born in September 2014, she was perfect. All 8lb 7oz of her. With masses of dark hair and big, beautiful eyes, I was so in love. ‘Our little surprise,’ I said to my husband Conrad, then 43. Taking Nadine home, her big sisters Vanja, 11, and Isabella, 4, were besotted, showered her with kisses and cuddles. But after five days, we were back in hospital. An emergency caesarean and three epidurals had left me with neck pain and I needed tests. Docs prescribed a muscle relaxant, which helped, but I needed a scan…

W7 Creaseless Hair Clips, £6, w7makeup.co.uk The ultimate make-up must-have, these hair clips are so handy for when you’re applying make-up and want to keep your hair out of your face. Or for when you’re styling your hair and want to section off your strands. These bargain creaseless hair clips will come to your aid and keep locks in place without the dreaded creasing. PS… Poreless Prep+ Perfect Oil Cleanser, £5, Primark Designed with combination and oily skin in mind, this hard-working cleansing oil is formulated to melt make-up, debris and dirt away in seconds. The lightweight oil also works to nourish, smooth and refresh your complexion, while minimising the appearance of pores. Use every morning and evening to keep your face clean, balanced and hydrated.…

Dear Mum, Struggling to get through my latest 15-mile training run, I picture you at my age. Breezing through all sorts of challenges. It helps push me on. I was a teenager when you started running in your late 30s. I didn’t get it. ‘It clears my mind, helps me process things,’ you said. These days, I understand. As a single mum to me and my younger brother Dominic, running offered you much-needed peace. Soon, you were signing up for races. Then triathlons. ‘I’m doing Ironman,’ you announced a few years later. Swimming 2.4 miles, cycling for 112 then running a whole marathon. Although I wasn’t into fitness, it felt pretty cool to have a mum who could do that. But you never let training take over family life, always…

What are you most excited for right now? I’ve just started a new job closer to home. It’s with a great company and I’m getting to meet some really good people and work on interesting projects. Where was the last place you visited? The last place I visited was Manchester. My family all live there and we try to visit as often as we can. We pack up the five kids and travel four hours to see them. But it’s worth it. What advice would you give to your younger self? I would encourage myself to be more social, to get out of my comfort zone and explore new places and new adventures. Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? I’m not sure if I’m an…

Which genus of plants is named for the Croatian scientist who was physician to Francis II, the last Holy Roman Emperor? 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 1 The act of sticking together 3 Exclamation of surprise • Trembling poplar 5 Require • Fair, impartial 7 Large meal • Definite article 9 Get the better of Your answer:…

STYLE TIP Dress down a bold midi skirt with a stylish printed T-shirt or dress it up for the evening with a white shirt and blazer. STYLE TIP Wear metallic heels and accessories with this co-ord for a special occasion. You’ll also get three outfits for the price of two! STYLE TIP Show off your tan in a classic strappy top and shorts combo. Mom shorts are longer in length and flattering around the thigh area. FROM £8 STYLE TIP Wear this dress with chunky sandals for shopping or throw it over swimwear with a basket bag and hat for the beach.…

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3 ways to… ask for a pay rise Want a raise at work but not sure how to go about it? Here are some expert tips. 1 Do your research ‘Before asking for a pay rise, find out how much a competitor would pay for your role and if you’re often asked to undertake responsibilities of a more senior position, check the salary levels for that too,’ advises career coach Victoria McLean, CEO of citycv.com. ‘Some companies have policies of when pay reviews can happen and you may need to wait,’ she adds. ‘But if not, ask your manager for a meeting; it’s better to conduct salary negotiations face-to-face than by email.’ Be sure you’re clear about what you want to say before the meeting. 2 Know your value During…

E.l.f. Cosmetics Soft Glam Satin Foundation, £8, elfcosmetics.co.uk This longlasting liquid foundation offers medium coverage with a satin finish. Coming in over 30 shades and infused with nourishing ingredients, this is a no-brainer. Body Proud The Hot Yoga Firming Body Cream, £12.95, iamproud.com Use this firming body treatment to target your stomach and arms to help firm and tighten skin. The lightweight cream not only smells amazing but it boosts skin’s elasticity, too. The Inkey List Hydrocolloid Invisible Pimple Patches, £9, Boots Clinically proven to reduce breakouts in just 4 hours, these pimple patches are a must-have for spot emergencies. Place over imperfections and watch them disappear. With salicylic acid to unclog pores and ectoin to hydrate the skin. Morphe Huephoric Rush 3-in-1 Silk Blush in Pleasured, uk.morphe.com A buttery-smooth…