Table of contents for 23 November 2023 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat… Dog lovers are in for a treat this week with stories about two good boys and two owners who have their hands very full (p24)! I loved reading about life with 6ft 2in Wellington and 11st Sherman. If you’ve got an even bigger pooch, write in to let us know. Another feel-good read in this week’s issue is about Rachel - a cancer survivor who’s now facing life with a twinkle in her eye, literally (p30)! Have a great week! PS If you’re entering the puzzles online, this is the link to use: comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

The Dinosaur National Monument, a national park straddling the Utah/Colorado border, is located near a Utah city with what name? Make three nine-letter words using all of these three-letter sections and enter them in the grid as the starter letters indicate. Then make an anagram of the letters in the yellow squares to form the answer. ING NEG DIC VES TWI PRE ATI TED NKL WIN 5x £20 Puzzle 3 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

STYLE TIP A vibrant top works as a focal point. Team with a soft, neutraltoned skirt or trousers in silver or grey. TYLE TIP Keep it simple by focusing on one key item and adding subtle, metallic accessories. STYLE TIP For an impactful look, dress in one colour from head to toe. STYLE TIP Don’t be afraid to mix and match similar shades like fuchsia pink and deep purple together.…

WHAT’S THE VERDICT? Mum Rita Pangalangan yelled, ‘Oh my God!’ as she and her ex-boyfriend Larry King Jr were both found guilty of murder and unlawful conduct towards a child. They were cleared of criminal conspiracy. Before sentencing, Pangalangan begged for mercy and insisted she wasn’t a drug addict. Circuit judge Clifton Newman rejected her pleas. ‘It’s not a traditional murder,’ Judge Newman told the pair. ‘It’s not you pull a gun and shoot someone in the head. But your conduct was so extremely reckless that it constitutes a wilful disregard for human life. And it constitutes murder.’ Judge Newman added that King put Cristina in the car, and they then both ‘just left the child there to die while they’re pursuing each other’. ‘It’s almost unbelievable,’ he said. ‘How…

Are my mates bragging? Q After I orgasm it’s hours before I’m ready for sex again, but my mates say that they can go several times a night. What’s wrong? James, Nelson A Nothing’s wrong, we’re just all different - or your mates are just showing off! During an orgasm your body releases chemicals that temporarily switch off sexual arousal and your ability to orgasm again. The time for which this effect lasts is known as your refractory period. In women, it might only last a few seconds but in men it’s longer, varying from several minutes to a day or more, and usually increases with age. You might shorten it by having fewer orgasms, including less masturbation, not smoking or overdoing alcohol and practising pelvic floor exercises. Drugs, such…

1 Bottle it Leave your reusable bottle where you spend most time as encouragement to drink, and take a filled water bottle with you when you’re out and about. ‘Some bottles are even designed with motivational time markers to help you reach your goal,’ says nutrition expert Penny Weston. 2 Pop the kettle on Rely on a cuppa to warm you up? It still counts towards your fluid intake and it’s good for your health, too. It’s full of flavonoids - health-enhancing plant compounds that help fight inflammation in the body, boosting circulation and supporting brain and heart health. 3 Set reminders Forget to hydrate? Use your smartphone to jog your memory. ‘I’d recommend using an app or the alarm on your phone,’ says registered dietician Sasha Watkins. ‘Set these reminders every…

GIANT WUSS Alice Banister, 21, Castleton I watched my Great Dane furrow his wrinkled brow and start backing away. Squashing his huge behind up against the corner of the living room, his eyes were wide. ‘It’s OK, you big wimp,’ I chuckled, rushing over to give him a scratch behind his enormous floppy ears. It was January 2023, and my 6ft 2in dog, Wellington, then 2, looked like a pooch to be reckoned with. Towered over most people and dwarfing me at 5ft 4in. Truth was, Wellington was afraid everything. And this time it’d been the steam rising up from my cuppa that sent him into meltdown. After a few friendly scratches, he was back to his usual laid-back self, snuggling under his pink fluffy blanket on the sofa. Some…

Q I want to move abroad but my hubby is reluctant. We said when we got married that once we had enough money we’d move somewhere like Spain to retire early and enjoy the rest of our lives. Our kids have flown the nest and we have no other responsibilities, and I don’t know what’s changed. Sylvie, 56 A There’s no point sitting there wondering what’s got into him. Why not get out your pen and notepad and draw up a list of pros and cons with your husband. You’ll soon find out what his worries are. Maybe book an extended holiday to where you want to go - give yourselves an idea of what it’d be like to live there. And the sun and sangria may win him round!…

The Denver Broncos in the NFL, Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred cricket tournament and FC Shakhtar Donetsk in the Ukrainian Premier League traditionally play in shirts of predominantly what colour? Unscramble each group of letters to discover six essential oils. Now fit them across the grid and you’ll spell out the answer to the question. 1 ACTOR NEILL 2 ET EATER 3 AS DOWNLOAD 4 DENVER LA 5 GOT AMBER 6 SORE ARMY WIN £75 puzzle 17 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Chilli veg hot pot This comforting classic is great for getting you to your five a day. SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 20 MINS •1tbsp olive oil •2 onions, chopped •2 garlic cloves, crushed •1/2tsp Very Lazy Chilli •500g carrots, cut into chunks •400g tin chopped tomatoes •500ml vegetable stock •1/4 savoy cabbage, shredded •400g can cannellini beans •Handful of fresh basil leaves, optional 1 Heat the oil and fry the onions in a large saucepan over a medium heat for a few mins to soften. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for a couple of mins. 2 Tip in the carrots, tomatoes, stock and cabbage. 3 Add beans and 2tbsp basil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until veg is tender. Serve with basil leaves and crusty…

Paige Woodward, 29, Leeds Delicious smells filled the kitchen as I watched my boyfriend Ross, then 34, serve up our dinner. Handing me a tasty-looking chicken dish with a kiss, I felt pretty lucky Gorgeous and a good cook! It was January 2020 and we’d been living together for a few months. We’d got chatting the year before in the charity shop where I was volunteering, and become friends. So when he needed somewhere to live, I offered him a place to stay. Over time, our friendship blossomed into romance. Polishing off my dinner, I cosied up to Ross. ‘Check me out,’ he said, showing me his phone. The photo showed Ross on a stage, wearing just a tiny pair of trunks and a ton of fake tan, flexing every…

Nuage Ceramide Gentle Cleanser, £1.99, Home Bargains If you’re looking for a great everyday cleanser that’s both gentle and seriously nourishing then look no further than this bargain. Ceramidesare fantastic for hydrating and protecting the skin, helping to create a protective barrier, and retaining plumpness, strength, softness, and moisture. Use this formula in the AM and PM for the best results. PS… Pearl Nail Polish in Gold, £2, Primark No need to worry about lastminute nails for the festive season with these bargain metallic polishes from Primark. Offering affordable yet luxelooking formulas, these polishes come in everything from shimmering pearlescent finishes to sparkly glitter gems, so there’s something for every occasion. Simply use it as a top coat or the main colour on your nails -gorgeous!…

TEXT Simply text CHATB followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future pic and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can use capitals or small letters, but don’t use any commas, etc. • Leave out answers you don’t wish to enter. INTERNET Join our Chat…

To Whitney, O ne moment in time, that’s all it took for you to change my life. Before you, Whitney, I didn’t have a voice. Not one like yours! I was 2 when I was hospitalised with the measles in 1983 and had a life-threatening allergic reaction to penicillin. My head and tongue swelled and while I made a miracle recovery, my swollen tongue remained. Just a toddler, I struggled to babble. Speech therapy helped and at school, classmates understood that I spoke differently from them. My speech slurred and I struggled to pronounce ‘th’ words. But when we moved from Manchester to Northern Ireland when I was 10, I was teased mercilessly. But it wasn’t just my speech, it was my accent, clothes, hair. I’d sob on the bus…

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What is actor Jenna Ortega’s go-to item of clothing when she is not working? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the threeword prize answer. WIN £1,001 puzzle 4 ACROSS 11 Former Bond actor, _ Brosnan (6) 12 Sign of life (9) 13 Iridescent gem (4) 14 Unmarried man (8) 15 Blur’s lead singer, _Albarn (5) 16 Specialist (6) 17 Dazed and Confused actor, _ McConaughey? (7) 18 Second child of Homer and Marge (4,7) 20 Star Trek character played by Leonard Nimoy (5) 22 Wrong (9) 24 Dairy product (5) 21 Strange or rare (7) 29 Thrown out of one’s home (7) 32 Where boats are kept (6) 34 Hand over (8) 36 Foolish talk (8) 37 Take place (6) 39 Common dessert flavour…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p4. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Linda Keen, Sheffield, South Yorkshire WIN 5x £20 Puzzle 6 ACROSS 1 Disturb or disconcert someone 2 Dry and barren 3 Give something temporarily 4 Made of delicate fancy fabric DOWN 1 Go down 2 Region 3 Metal 4 Small whirpool Your answer: CHAIN WORDS Agnomon is a typical part of what object? Get from Start to Finish, making words by joining two boxes together as you go, eg: SOC + CER, CER +… you decide! When you reach Finish, two unused boxes join together to give you the prize answer. WIN 3x £50 Puzzle…

I’ll still be standing There are already plans for a ‘postbiological’ Elton John! Yes, the Piano Man may be alive and kicking, but Ben Casey, CEO of creative agency Spinifex, is capturing every aspect of his performances, speech and behaviour to make sure later replications are as authentic as possible. Spinifex have already recreated a six-minute virtual reality video including Elton’s iconic first concert in California when he was 23. The original recording was mapped onto a body double to capture Elton’s finger movements and detailed mannerisms. This 3D data was applied to a computer image, making it completely lifelike. This same fancy tech could one day help us all live on… virtually. Billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reckons we’ll all be able to live for ever -…

I hate my nose Q want a nose job - my family and friends say it’s a bad idea, but they don’t understand how insecure I am. At school, I was taunted about my big nose and it crushed my self-esteem. My mum and dad say they’ll be really disappointed in me if I go through with it. Kelsey, 22 A If you’d said you wanted a nose job because of someone you’d seen online I’d be against it. But this sounds like a long-term issue and low self-esteem can affect your whole life. Get all the information you can and if you still want to go ahead make sure you choose a reputable surgeon. At the end of the day, it’s your body, my love. Sometimes we have to…

3 ways to… dodge winter fraudsters Don’t let scams ruin the festive period. Here’s what to be on the lookout for… 1 Don’t be fooled In the run-up to Christmas, many of us will have more items delivered to our homes than usual and it can be hard to keep track of them. So be extra careful not to fall for a delivery scam. This is when fraudsters send texts or emails pretending to be from a delivery company claiming they need to reschedule a delivery of a ‘package’ of yours, or that you need to pay additional delivery fees, in an attempt to steal the victim’s personal details or bank details. Read Yorkshire Building Society’s tips on avoiding parcel delivery scams at ybs.co.uk for more information. 2 Foil fake charity…

Dawn Humphrey, 60, from Scarborough What tunes get you dancing? There’s nothing better than dancing and singing along to some Bon Jovi - they always put me in a great rockin’ mood! If you could be famous for anything, what would you choose? As a dog lover, I’d love to be known for opening a dog rescue centre in every town across the country, to save as many animals as I could. What’s your favourite memory from this year? It was brilliant to have my three grown-up lads, Joe, Wayne and Lee, all together with me in Scarborough for a day. Lee lives further away now, so getting a chance to spend time together was so special. Go-to comfort food on a chilly day? It’s hard to choose, but my…

‘Time’ is the Norwegian and Danish word for what unit of measurement? The answer to each clue (apart from the first) begins with the last letter of the preceding answer. The shaded squares will spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 1 Fruit with a hard green rind and red flesh (10) 2 _, Voyager, 1943 film (3) 3 Geographic feature also called a force or cataract (9) 4 Tyrolean leather shorts with braces (10) 5 Stone Age period (9) 6 Summer Olympic sport split into slalom and sprint (8) 7 Greenish-yellow plum (9) 8 Where earrings are worn (7) 9 London district associated with film comedies (6) 10 Older male relative (11) 11 Proof of purchase (7) 12 Southeast Asian country (8) 13 In the _,…

YOU’ RE THE JUDGE! Rita Pangalangan had twice been named teacher of the year. It was a proud accolade for the single mum from Walterboro, South Carolina, who juggled her career with caring for her youngest child Cristina, 13. Cristina had been born with cerebral palsy. She was unable to speak or walk and needed round the-clock care, but she was a ‘sweet’ girl who loved cartoons, playing with her toys and being in the swimming pool. Cristina had a beautiful smile, and she would babble to show excitement or happiness. Rita and her boyfriend Larry King Jr had a rocky on-off relationship. By summer 2019, they’d patched things up. Rita would drive to Larry’s place in Colleton County with Cristina. But, during one roasting hot afternoon, shortly before 5pm…

Q Whenever I’m ill I turn a bit yellow! My GP took blood tests and said it’s Gilbert’s syndrome. Is it serious? Klaryce, Tower Hamlets A Probably around one in 20 of us have Gilbert’s syndrome, although often it’s so mild that we don’t even realise. It usually passes in families through a defective gene, and means your liver can’t properly break down bilirubin, a chemical formed from old red blood cells. Often your liver can cope, despite the rogue gene, until there’s extra strain placed on it, such as when you’re ill, tired or overdoing alcohol. When this happens bilirubin builds up, causing jaundice - a yellow tinge to your skin and eyes. Jaundice should always be checked by a doctor as other causes can be serious, but Gilbert’s…

Q Sex is painful due to skin tags inside my vagina. My GP says they’re hymen remnants - can’t I get rid? Becs, Herne Bay A Your hymen is a thin membrane across the entrance to your vagina and usually by your teens it’s been broken due to sex, using tampons, or everyday activity. Sometimes its remains are left behind as pink skin tags around the opening to your vagina, and childbirth can leave more. These tags are called hymen remnants. They’re normal, quite common and don’t usually cause any symptoms. However, occasionally they might rub and become swollen, inflamed and painful during sex. Often the tags will eventually disappear on their own, and painkillers plus gentle sex with plenty of lube should help in the meantime. A small op…

Skipping round the playground, I didn’t have a care in the world. ‘Do you remember having two eyes?’ a classmate suddenly asked. I stopped, looked at him and shrugged. ‘Not really,’ I said. It was 2000 and I was 10. Had no memories of being 18 months old and diagnosed with retinoblastoma, cancer of the eye. After emergency surgery to remove my left eye, I was in the clear. Having one eye affected how I saw depths and distances, but I was too young to notice much difference. Given a prosthetic soon after, this was the only life I knew. It was glossy white with a hazel iris, a good match for the eye that was removed. In the morning before school, I rinsed it in the bathroom sink, dried…

Q My colleague got promoted over me and I’m really bitter about it. He’s worked for the company for longer, but I have more experience in the role. I don’t know what to do now. There are no other ways to get ahead in the company, and I worry about leaving a stable job in this climate. How do I move on from this? Nicky, 46 A You went for a promotion and didn’t get it - that’s not to say that the person who did is better than you are, so don’t hold it against him. You’re right not to storm into your boss’s office and slam down your resignation letter. Keep working hard while keeping an eye out for opportunities elsewhere. Maybe you’ll find something even better, pet.…

truly Chat! Secondary school should have been a time to grow up, make friends and dream about the bright future ahead of her. Yet, the second that Chelsea walked through the doors other new classroom, her life was made hell. ‘School was extremely difficult. I would just dread going in,’ says Chelsea. ‘I started getting picked on when I was 11, and that carried on until the age of 15. ‘Everyone, when they get into secondary school, is hitting puberty, and they start wearing make-up. ‘But I never really changed, and I think that’s what made me different from everyone else. ‘It was just one girl at the start. ‘Then one girl turned into a group, and one group turned into many groups.’ ‘And not long after that it got…

Aries 21 March-20 April If love is on your mind, know you’re being guided to make the best choice. Consider what’s important in this area and follow your heart to a happy outcome! • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May You’ve asked for help on something, so listen to the advice you’re being given. Decide if it resonates with you now, then move forward with confidence. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June You’ve been through a challenging time, but know the worst is firmly behind you. Having learnt some valuable lessons, you can discern what’s right for you. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Keep the faith because your desired outcome is coming to fruition, taking…

Q Is there a trick to applying liquid eyeliner? Stacey Collins, Maidstone, Kent Applying liquid eyeliner can be tricky. But, equipped with the right products and some industry hacks, you can create a professional cat eye in seconds! A best-kept secret is to use a pencil kohl, such as Maybelline Tattoo Liner Smokey Gel Pencil Liner, £6.99, Boots, to create the shape of your line with little dots and then blend with the sponge. To get a precise jet-black winged effect, take Lottie London Stamp Liner Wing Edition, £5.95, Lottie.London, and run it over your pencil line for ultimate impact. It even has a stamp end so if you’re in a hurry you can press on your line without trying for perfection. Still struggling? Place Makeup Revolution Precise Shadow Cosmetic…

L’Oréal Elvive Hydra Overnight Hydrating Cream, £13, Tesco Inspired by skincare, this new overnight cream instantly boosts hair with deep hydration and adds four times more softness while you sleep. Wake up to bouncy, nourished and soft strands. Sundae Berry AHA Exfoliating Shower Foam, £12.99, sundaebody.co.uk Not only does this brand-new shower foam smell like a fruity dream, it also gently exfoliates away dead cells to reveal the softer, smoother skin beneath. The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo Bar, £10, The Body Shop Formulated to offer a deep detox for dry and flaky scalps, this ginger-infused shampoo bar lasts up to 50 washes, is eco-friendly and vegan and immediately soothes your itchy head. E.I.f Glow Reviver Lip Oil in Pink Quartz, £8, elfcosmetics.co.uk An ultra-glossy tinted lip oil that nourishes and enhances…

On 27 April 2019, police were called to a rundown mobile home on the outskirts of Westmoreland, Tennessee. Inside was one of the state’s deadliest killing sprees on record. As officers picked their way through the house, they discovered body after body. A blended family had lived there, eight people all crammed under one roof in squalid conditions. David Cummins, 51, his wife Clara, 44, and their son Michael, then 25. Clara’s brother Charlie Hosale, 45, and their mum Mary Hosale, 67. Charlie’s partner, Rachel McGlothlin-Pee, 43, her 12-year-old daughter Sapphire, and her mother Marsha Nuckols, 64. A relative had checked on them when they’d stopped answering their phones. Forced her way in, before running out screaming. Only Mary was found alive - barely. She was rushed to hospital, but…

Puzzle 2 Knave Puzzle 3 Quaver Puzzle 4 Romesh Ranganathan Puzzle 5 1C,1D,2C,3C,4B Puzzle 6 Wear Puzzle 7 Fjord Puzzle 8 Winona Ryder Puzzle 9 Like a Prayer Puzzle 10 Carthage Puzzle 13 Capri Puzzle 14 Monroe Puzzle 15 Yodel Puzzle 16 Stevie Wonder Puzzle 17 Brunei Puzzle 18 Prodigy WE WON! Chat winners issue 34 (24 Aug 2023) £1,001 CASH M Bennett, Southampton £500 CASH L Pugh, Bacup Mrs Bramley, Sevenoaks £250 CASH D Hughes, Hougnton le Spring T Baldwin, Oldham £200 CASH E Hopkins, Manchester £100 CASH M Taplin, Aylesford S Savin, Kidlington R Penny, Dudley £75 CASH W Harrington, Flintshire £50 CASH T Cotton, Farsley M Benne, Leeds T Freeman, Branston L Oxley, Hoyland H Munnings, Herne Bay K Lockey, Hook £40 CASH C Booth, Manchester £30…