TIPSS Content Catalogue January 2018 by Tania Houston

Content Catalogue January 2018

Article Index

And Another Thing... Tom Receives A Proposition (Part 1)

Baking: Baked Pears With Cinnamon Oat Topping

Computer Tip: Space Saving Cloud Storage

Beauty: Baby It’s Cold Outside

Book Reviews: Into the New Year

Driving: Don’t Drive into Trouble Abroad

Finance: Choosing the Best Mobile Phone Plans in 2018

Gardening: Gardener’s Resolve…

Health: Sleep: Vital for Good Mental and Physical Health

History: Welcoming in the Old New Year

Home & Interiors: Light Up Your Winter

Life Begins: New Technologies To Help You Make A ‘Green’

The Life List: All Above Board

Motoring: McLaren 720S

Pets: Dealing with Cat Flu – It’s Not Just a Winter Bug

Parenting: Growing Up In A Digital World

Recipe: Chorizo & Prawn Paella

Quirky Britain: Cat Cafés

Short Story: Precious

Technology: New Year Revolutions

Travel Feature: The French Ardennes

Puzzle Index Cartoon 1 32 Cartoon 2 32 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page 33 Codeword 34 General Knowledge Crossword 34 Cryptic Crossword 35 Hidato 36 Mini Cryptic Crossword 36 Pictogram 36 Quiz 1: Review of the Year

Quiz 2: Song Title Translations

Simple Crossword 38 Spot the Difference 38 Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

Two Minute Trial 40 Word Ladder 40 Wordsearch - Mathematics 41 Wordwheel 41

And Another Thing..

And Another Thing... Tom Receives a Proposition (Part 1) by Tom Hughes @groomsdaybook

The Old Paraffin Lamp: a dusty, gloomy boozer tucked away behind a derelict industrial estate. A scruffy hole frequented by crumpled, lonely old souls, desperately in need of a makeover. (I meant the pub, not the customers. Then again…) But how Nigel and I loved it. My old chum and I had frequented this hostelry for years and it was, I suppose, always going to be the perfect venue for the bombshell Nigel was about to drop. “Tom, I’ve got something to tell you. You know me and Val have been seeing each other for a while?” “Her ex-husband isn’t going to punch you again, is he Nige?” “The thing is neither of us getting any younger. And…well I’ve decided to pop the question.” Marriage? My heart sank. “Listen, Nige, old chum.

Have a serious think about it. Is she really the girl for you?” “Too late, Tom. I proposed last week. And she accepted.” Immediately I slammed into reverse gear. “Well congratulations! I was wondering when you’d make an honest woman of her. This really is the most marvellous news!” I said through gritted teeth. Immediate thoughts of pool games postponed, quiz nights dipped out of - all sorts of catastrophic, life changing events. But if the shock of this momentous news wasn’t enough, the beatific smile that now played on Nigel’s lips heralded an even more horrendous revelation. “And of course I’m going to need a best man.” The watery look in his eyes indicated a request was imminent - one from which

there was no escape. All I could do was grimace and wait for the words to tumble from his mouth. “Tom, mate. Will you be my best man?” Well, what could I say? The poor man had been struck over the head by Cupid’s bow and was now lost to everything we both held so dear. And now I too was being sucked into the madness - totally and utterly against my will. “Nige, it would be an absolute honour.” Managing to dodge an unwelcome man hug by extending my hand, we shook on it. And then it began. “Val wants to get married in a castle.” A pause as l slowly placed my pint pot down onto the table that had served us well for so many years. The fightback had started, and I was leading the charge. “Listen here Sir Lancelot,

if you don’t watch it, by the end of this process, you’ll be friendless, potless and…” But it was pointless. Talking over me, he embarked upon a garrulous soliloquy espousing the wondrous benefits of getting hitched. Like no one had ever done it before. It was only when he moved onto table decorations that I put a stop to it. “Nigel! Have you heard yourself? Table decorations? What in the name of thunder are you babbling on about?” Nigel threw his nose in the direction of the dartboard. “Val said you’d be like this.” Fearing I had overstepped

the mark, I placed a conciliatory hand on his shoulder. “Look, mate, if you want to talk to me about table decorations, you go ahead.” Nigel’s shoulders sagged as, slowly, the pretence began to fade. Through pained eyes he said, “Val says I’ve got to find little bottles to put jelly beans into.” Stifling a smirk, in the least patronising manner possible I said, “Nige old chum, if we need to find you some jelly beans, then jelly beans we shall find.” But I knew my Old Pal, I could tell there was something else. My usual

tactic was to sit quietly and wait. I wasn’t wrong. After a pause Nigel said. “Tom, I’m going to have to give up our Monday nights.” Incensed, I said, “Why?” “Zumba classes.” My head fell into my hands. Now it was Nigel’s turn to comfort me. “Don’t worry Tom, it won’t be for ever. And of course, it’s your job to organise the stag.” Suddenly, things didn’t seem so terrible. “OK Nige, you go the bar and I’ll peel off the back of this beer mat. Now, pass me a pen - this is going to take some organising!”

To be continued…

Cake and Bake

Baking

Baked Pears with Cinnamon Oat Topping You can use any pear variety for this winter warming fruity pudding. Serve with custard or crème fraîche and a drizzle of warmed honey, if liked.

Ingredients: • 4 medium-sized firm pears • 150ml apple or orange juice • 50g unsalted butter • 75g rolled oats • 50g Demerara sugar • 25g walnut pieces, chopped • 1tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle

Serves 4 Ready in 1 hour

TIP

This recipe will work just as well with crisp eating or cooking apples instead of the pears.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/gas mark 4. Halve the pears lengthways and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon. Place the pear halves in a shallow ovenproof dish, cut-side up.

2. Pour the apple or orange juice into the dish

and dot the pears with half the butter. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter in a small pan then remove from the heat, add the oats, sugar, walnuts and cinnamon and stir to combine.

3. Remove the foil and spoon the oat mixture

over the top of the pears. Bake the pears, uncovered, for a further 20-25 minutes until tender with a crisp topping. Serve warm, sprinkled with a little more cinnamon, if liked.

Space Saving Cloud Storage

Computer Tip

Many modern Macs and PCs come with solid state drives, which are quick but expensive, so computer firms tend to use ones with fairly small capacities. So a PC with a 1TB (1,000 gigabyte) hard disk might be a similar price to one with a solid state drive of 128GB or 256GB. If you’re short of space, options include cheap USBconnected external drives, or online storage. Free services such as Apple’s iCloud or Microsoft’s OneDrive give you 5GB of free storage and even large storage capacities aren’t too pricey: Apple’s iCloud offers 2TB of online storage for £6.99 per month - and like other cloud services, that storage can be shared among all your devices, so you can use it to share things between home and office or between your PC, phone and tablet.

Beauty

Beauty Baby It’s Cold Outside by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk Our pick of nourishing beauty goodies to see you through the winter months. Central heating, cold weather and seasonal celebrations can leave your skin looking a bit ‘meh’. Murad’s Hydra-Glow Aqua Peel can help to put some life back into it. First off – the Retexturizing Swab (basically a large cotton bud infused with lactic and glycolic acids) to exfoliate your skin. Follow with the Moisture Infusion Mask, which contains Hyaluronic Acid to lock in moisture and plump skin. Don’t let the words ‘peel’ and acid’ put you off, this is a gentle, pain-free solution to softer, healthier looking skin. I was really impressed with the results. The only downside is the sachets aren’t available individually – they come in a box of four at £40 from www.murad.co.uk. Battling with frizzy hair and split ends? Deep-conditioning treatments are ideal if you have the time. If you’re more

Shorter 1 page of a grab and go kind of girl, try RPR’s fSmooth ormat also My Ends Treatment. It’s avaand ilable a leave-in conditioner works to smooth hair, add shine and repair split ends. The treatment is also ideal for detangling if you have really curly hair (or a child who hates having their hair brushed). It’s £13.95 from www.lookfantastic.com.

It’s not always easy to find a cleanser that can tackle mascara and other makeup, without stripping your skin of its natural oils. Cleansers that are too harsh can leave your skin feeling tight, uncomfortable and unbalanced. PHB Ethical Beauty’s Cleansers are gentle, effective and packed with extra ingredients to really nourish your skin. The Hydrating Cleanser, £14.95, is particularly helpful if you suffer from dry patches. Ingredients include coconut oil, shea butter, apricot extract and both rosehip and rose petal oil. Numerous clinical tests have shown these oils to make a significant difference to skin texture, scarring and wrinkles. As an added bonus, they make the cleanser smell really luxurious. See www. phbethicalbeauty.co.uk.

Frankincense Intense Lift Serum (£75) and new Frankincense Intense Lift Cream (£65) Neal’s Yard areto are full of natural, skin-loving ingredients moving from help you to ‘look and feel the best away version the anti-ageing of you, no matter your age.’ I’ve been using taken them for a month now and approach my skin feels most beauty much softer, smoother andby altogether more companies, loved. Admittedly the serum and creamand are instead focusing not cheap, but they are very rich, so a little on ‘ageing goes a long way. I expect them to last for a good six months. Available from www. well’. Their nealsyardremedies.com. Frankincense Intense Lift Serum (£75) and new Frankincense Intense Lift Cream (£65) are full of natural, skin-loving ingredients to help you to ‘look and feel the best version of you, no matter your age.’ I’ve been using them for a month now and my skin feels much softer, smoother and altogether more loved. Admittedly the serum and cream are not cheap, but they are very rich, so a little goes a long way. I expect them to last for a good six months. Available from www. nealsyardremedies.com.

and you’ll barely know you’re wearing it. It’s also packed with antioxidants If you’re looking for a and other skin-loving new foundation that gives ingredients. I’m a sucker great coverage,and foryou pretty packaging, without making you look this foundation is hard to tooin‘made-up’, try Nude beat that respect. You’ll By to Nature’s want display Flawless it rather than Liquid Foundation. It’s hide it away in a makeup available 20 different bag. It costsin£25 from www. debenhams.com shades, is easyortobuy apply direct and from you’llwww.nudebynature.com. barely know you’re wearing it. It’s also packed with antioxidants and other skin-loving ingredients. I’m a sucker for pretty packaging, and this foundation is hard to beat in that respect. You’ll want to display it rather than hide it away in a makeup bag. It costs £25 from www. debenhams.com or buy direct from www.nudebynature.com.

Into the New Year

Book Review

Books about awakenings and new beginnings to see you into 2018.

The Power – Naomi Alderman Not a new release this one, but well worth a read if you missed it back in 2016. Teenage girls across the world discover they have the power to hurt, and even kill, with just their bare hands. And they have the ability to awaken that same power in other women. Now that men are the weak ones, how will the gender balance shift? An engaging read that twists modern day happenings and examines the dark side of power. Gripping, thought-provoking and a real conversation starter, The Power is ideal for book clubs.

How to be Champion: My Autobiography – Sarah Millican Sarah Millican’s autobiography is like a glorious ramble through her life. The book is split into chapters with headers such as ‘Things I’ve Been Bullied For’, ‘Why I’m Not A Criminal’ and ‘My Love Of Stationery’. It’s part autobiography and part selfhelp guide. Nothing is off limits, so it’s probably not the book for you if you’re not keen on swear words or reading about bodily functions. However, if you want a book that’ll make you feel good about yourself and is snort-your-tea-out-of-your-nosefunny, buy it now.

Me. You. A Diary – Dawn French This book combines writing your own diary with taking a peek into Dawn French’s. She shares her thoughts each month, along with various insights into her life, and invites you to do the same. The idea is that, by the end of the year, you’ll have a ‘fatter, scruffier book that is written by me but totally personalised by you.’ With various writing prompts, this book makes keeping a diary altogether easier. The perfect start to the new year.

History of Wolves – Emily Fridlund 14 year old Linda lives in an ex-commune out in the woods. Lonely, socially-inexperienced and left to her own devices by her parents, Linda craves friends and a sense of belonging. When a new family moves nearby, she befriends the young mother and regularly babysits the four year old child. But she soon discovers that all is not right. The choices Linda has to make to keep her new found family could have tragic consequences. Compelling reading.

The Art of Hiding – Amanda Prowse Nina seems to have the perfect life, but it soon starts to unravel when her husband is killed in a car crash. Left with two children to care for, a mountain of debt, and the growing realisation that her husband wasn’t all he seemed, Nina has to fight to rebuild a life for herself and her family. An enjoyable easy read – perfect for long winter’s nights. Mrs Osmond – John Banville Banville picks up the story of Isabel Osmond (née Archer) from where we left her in the classic The Portrait of a Lady. While this novel will likely appeal most to fans of Henry James’s work, Banville retells enough of the original story for Mrs Osmond to work as a stand-alone piece. Upon learning of her husband’s betrayal, Isabel has journeyed to London, leaving him behind in Italy. Away from her husband and reunited with her friends, Isabel starts to rediscover her desire for independence. Lively characters, elegant prose and engaging dialogue combine to make this a very enjoyable read.

Don’t Drive into Trouble Abroad Every January, sure as night follows day, magazines come stuffed with pull-outs for summer holiday destinations. It’s also that time when lesser known TV channels air programmes like “Drunk Brits Abroad” or “Costa Del Hell”. You know the kind of thing: footage of inebriated young Brits thinking that they can get away with whatever they want to on holiday, as they are abroad. Usually the shows finish with a postscript of how wrong they are, with nights in cells, court appearances and fines. If you plan to drive on your holiday, perhaps taking the car to France, or hiring one in some other sunny location, be aware that, increasingly, local prosecutors are upping the ante when it comes to

prosecuting foreign drivers who incur traffic offences. In the last few years applications to the Home Office from foreign prosecutors to pursue traffic offences made by UK registered drivers have risen 12 fold. For example, in 2014 less than 150 applications were made, yet 2016 saw that number top 1,600.

Portrait Half Page rsioEUnlawsarequiring The likely rise is downV toe recent soways nations to share a driver’s details; it works lboth avdetails of course. The UK will pass of law-breaking ailab too. foreign drivers back to their home countryle

Driving

This stance is unlikely to change with Brexit either, since Switzerland has also signed up to the agreement. So, gone are the days of “What happens on the N1, stays in France” as the Gendarme L’Auto (not sure if such a thing exists, but it sounds more exotic than French Traffic Police) could now pursue your misdemeanours even after your return.

By Iain Betson

Finance

By Ann Haldon

Choosing the Best Mobile Phone Plans in 2018

Choosing the right mobile phone plan can be quite daunting, especially if you don’t understand how they work. Perhaps you’ve always bought a contract with a phone included, but you might find that choosing a SIM-only contract is better thanks to its flexibility. With so many different plans available these days, here’s an idea of what to look out for. Mobile phone plans explained There are essentially three types of mobile phone deal: pay monthly contract Pay monthly contracts are the most cost-effective if your phone bills are high or you want a top-of-therange handset. Contracts generally last for 12 or 24 months and you pay a fixed minimum monthly amount by direct debit. This is for your inclusive calls, texts and data allowance. Pay monthly contracts incorporate a free or subsidised handset. siM-only deal When you already own a phone and don’t want to change it, or are happy to buy your own new handset, a SIMonly deal can offer flexibility

and cost-savings if you make a significant number of calls. You can choose between a rolling one-month deal and a fixed 12-month contract. Opting for a fixed-term contract will be cheaper than renewing each month, however, because you’re tied in to a specific timescale, but it doesn’t offer as much flexibility. pay-as-you-go (paYG) If you don’t use your mobile phone very much, pay-as-yougo helps to avoid spending money when you don’t really need to. You simply top up your phone using a credit card or top-up card when you run out of minutes, texts or data, and you don’t need to be credit-checked as you do when you take out a contract. When you’re considering these deals, you’ll also need to think about your phone usage – do you use it mainly for calls and texts, do you browse the internet, and how often do you want to change your handset? data rollover If you don’t use your full data allowance each month, you can buy a plan that lets you rollover what is left and use it the following month. You obtain better value for money from your monthly payments and can plan ahead if you think you’ll need to use more data in a particular month. So which networks offer this facility? At the time of writing, iD Mobile, O2, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Freedompop and

Sky Mobile all offer plans with data rollover. It isn’t a new concept, but until recently providers have only allowed you to rollover your data from the previous month.

Shorter 1 page Now, however, Sky Mobile has fcome orm up with at aaverylsuseful o online ‘piggybank’ facility that a v a lets you store ilayour bleunused data at no additional cost for up to three years. You’ll need to have a minimum of 1GB saved in the piggybank before it can be accessed, and Sky let you roll back data in 1GB volumes.

Additionally, if you have more than one member on a Sky Mobile account, the unused data from all account members can be rolled over into the piggybank, and used as needed by each individual. Flexible siM-onlY deals Giffgaff Giffgaff’s ‘goodybags’ offer flexibility and choice if you’re looking for a SIM-only deal. A goodybag is basically your allowance of minutes, texts and data, and it lasts for one month. This means you can change your goodybag if it doesn’t offer quite enough minutes, for example, or you need more data that month. Current SIM-only deals (October 2017)¹ at Giffgaff include: • £5 per month: 100MB data; 150 minutes; 500 texts • £12 per month: 4GB data; 750 minutes; unlimited texts

• £18 per month: 9GB data; 2,000 minutes; unlimited texts

unlimited minutes and texts • £26 per month: 100GB data; unlimited minutes and texts

three’s ‘Go binge’ The Three network offers a useful ‘Go Binge’ facility with some of their mobile phone deals. This allows you to stream music and films from Netflix, Deezer, SoundCloud and TVPlayer without using up your monthly allowance, as long as you have some of your data allowance left. (If adverts are shown on these apps, they may use up your allowance.)

pay-as-you-go (paYG) If you’re not a heavy mobile phone user, or are worried about being credit-checked, a pay-as-you-go deal may be the best choice. You can opt for ‘traditional’ PAYG or a bundle of data, minutes and texts.

Current SIM-only 12-month contracts with ‘Go Binge’ include the following² (prices mentioned include a monthly discount of £5 for paying by direct debit): • £14 per month: 12GB data; unlimited minutes and texts • £18 per month: 30GB data;

As an example, PAYG deals from Asda Mobile³ currently include: • 8p per minute for calls to any UK mobile or UK landline • 4p per text • 5p per MB of data Pay-as-you-go bundles from Tesco Mobile⁴ include: • £5 for 150 minutes • £5 for 5,000 texts • £10 for 2 GB data As you can see, there’s a

wealth of choice when looking for mobile phone deals – it just takes a little time to compare them and decide on the best option. www.uswitch.com/mobiles/ guides/what-is-data-rolloverand-which-networks-offer-it/ www.sky.com/shop/mobile/ features#feature-roll www.sky.com/help/articles/ your-sky-piggybank ¹www.giffgaff.com/sim-onlyplans www.three.co.uk/go-binge/ details ²www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/ Plans_for_phones#?contract=A ll&data=&minutes=&type=alltyp e&costRange ³mobile.asda.com/rates-andservices ⁴www.tescomobile.com/helpand-support/1082-pay-as-yougo/1092-bundles/pay-as-yougo-data-bundles

Gardening

Gardener’s Resolve… by Pippa Greenwood

Happy New Year! Now that 2018 is here, what are you going to resolve to do (or not do!) in the year ahead? I could write a book about what I need to do in the garden, but like those non-garden resolutions, I’ve long since realised that it is best to stick to things you’ve got at least some chance of achieving! So I’ll probably not say I’ll re-turf the lawn or create the much wished for wildlife-friendly pond…I’ve been planning both of these for years with no sign of progress! Re-cYcle pots I’m sure that there is virtually no need to buy another plastic plant pot...and I’m sure that landfill sites would breathe a sigh of relief if we could all stick to this resolution: save all the pots you get when you buy new plants, and any plugstyle trays that house bedding plants. Rinse them out and let them dry off, and next time you need a pot there will already be one there, free of charge as well as saving you a trip to the local garden centre. Pots stored away from sunlight will last much longer as they will be protected from the harmful rays of the sun which make many types of plastic disintegrate. coveR it up! Make a resolution to dry off and cover up garden furniture once the summer is over. Left

out there throughout the worst of the weather, pretty well all furniture will take a serious battering – from rain, cold, ice and, in some cases, even fungi! Shop around for furniture covers that won’t break the bank or, better still, store the furniture in a shed or garage if you have one. Stored properly, it will last much longer and you’ll save yourself a fortune. GRow YouR owN This needn’t mean total selfsufficiency for twelve months of the year, but aim to grow more of your own fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. It might mean buying yourself a couple of tomato plants for the first time, or creating a small herb planter, or it could be larger scale and more complex plans if you’re already big on grow-your-own...but increase what you do! Don’t forget that if you’d like UK-grown vegetable plants accompanied by my weekly advice and tips emails, you will find a great choice of some of my favourite varieties at www.pippagreenwood.com/ grow-your-own. compost moRe It is easy to put things that should be composted in the waste bin, but once you get in the swing of it composting will soon become second nature. Make it easier to compost kitchen waste by putting a

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container in the kitchen for vegetable peelings, apple cores and so forth. Empty it regularly and there won’t be problems with smells. The amount of extra compost you’ll generate will be well worthwhile. Many local councils offer a really good deal on basic plastic composters. use tHat space! If you have a cold frame, porch, conservatory or greenhouse, put it to use! Far too many of these potentially great gardening structures are left abandoned for much of the year, perhaps just being graced with a handful of tomatoes for the summer months. Any sort of protected growing area has the ability to increase what you can grow and when you can grow it. So raise your own summer flowers in it, force some bulbs in it in the winter or make off-season sowings of salad crops…make it work, but whatever you do, don’t use it as the family rubbish dump! mulcH moRe Make use of any organic matter that is bulky – mulch with it. Whether it is well-rotted manure, garden compost, leaf mould, or the used compost from a seasonal bedding display or growing bag, make it into mulch! Applied a couple of inches or more deep over the soil surface, a mulch like this

will improve the soil’s ability to conserve moisture (saving you both watering time and water) and may also help to keep weeds at bay. A win-win situation. pause befoRe You buY When you’re looking through the seed, plant and bulb catalogues, browsing online or wandering around a garden centre, pause before you buy. I know I’m not alone in having eyes that are much bigger than my plot! It is very easy to order more seeds than you’ll ever be able to sow and plants that you’ll never be able to squeeze into your garden. seasoNal saveR Make sure you recycle your Christmas tree. Real trees can be recycled at locations up and down the country – many garden centres and councils offer the service. The trees will be shredded and added to other green materials to make

a great soil conditioner and planting mix. I asked some of my well-known gardening friends on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time for their New Years’ Resolutions: Eric Robson, our Chairman on the show: ‘I’ve joked about it lots in the past but I’m definitely – and I mean definitely – going to found the Ground Elder Appreciation Society. Great ground cover plant, wonderful as an alternative to spinach and the variegated version should have an Award of Garden Merit. ’ Bunny Guinness, garden designer and Chelsea gold medallist: ‘To reap all I sow. My pigs have had rather too good a diet this year - copious quince, grapes, apples and even peaches! It is quite difficult to find time to eat or store it all, but at least they were extremely appreciative

reciprocates!’ Anne Swithinbank, panellist: ‘My resolution is to tackle some serious decluttering. In the gardening department, this means sorting a horrid muddle of fleece, netting, twine, hand tools, gloves, propagator lids and flower pots filling my sheds. I’m sure I can throw half of it away, then give everything its special place. It’s silly to waste precious time looking for these things, when it would be better spent sowing, weeding and planting.’ Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com and you’ll find some great gardening things: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ (where you receive your chosen garden-ready vegetable plants in the spring accompanied by weekly advice and tips from Pippa) plus gardening tools, raised bed kits, Grower Frames, signed books and more!

Health

By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk

Sleep: Vital for Good Mental and Physical Health

We know that losing sleep can make us struggle to concentrate and keep smiling. But research is increasingly proving that a lack of good quality sleep can seriously damage our physical and mental health. More than 20 large-scale studies have proved that the shorter your sleep, the shorter your life. How sleep deprivation affects pHysical HealtH weight gain and obesity The link is probably due to reduced levels of leptin (the hunger-inhibiting ‘you’re full’ hormone) and increased levels of ghrelin (the hungerstimulating hormone) caused by sleep deprivation. It’s a vicious circle, as you’re more prone to sleep problems if you’re overweight. increased diabetes risk Risk is increased in people sleeping less than five hours a night, particularly those lacking deep or ‘slow-wave’ sleep. Their body processes glucose differently, reacting incorrectly to insulin. Tiredness also causes you to secrete more stress hormones (e.g. cortisol), making it harder for insulin to function correctly and leaving excess glucose in your bloodstream. increased cancer risk Professor Matthew Walker,

author of Why We Sleep, says that after just one night of only four or five hours’ sleep, your natural cancer-attacking cells drop by 70%. US researchers have discovered that night workers produce 80% less of a by-product of DNA tissue repair, indicating their bodies aren’t carrying out their natural overnight cell restoration. increased alzheimer’s risk During deep sleep, amyloid deposits (a cell-killing toxin that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers) are ‘cleaned’ away. Without sufficient sleep, these plaques build up, especially in deepsleep-generating regions – meaning you sleep even less. It’s a vicious circle. increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke Persistent sleep deprivation causes increased heart rate, blood pressure and inflammation, which can all put extra strain on your heart. Over45s sleeping less than six hours a night are 200% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. weakened immunity Sleep deprivation damages production and distribution of immune factors. reduced fertility and libido Research has revealed that insufficient sleep can cause lower libido in men and women, and reduce the secretion of reproductive hormones. How sleep deprivation affects mental HealtH increased risk of depression, anxiety, paranoia,

hallucinations and psychotic episodes The poor mental health/poor sleep link is well-established. Daniel Freeman, co-author of major research on the subject, found that insomnia doubles your chances of developing depression, while treating insomnia reduces it. His study also showed that when people sleep better, they’re far less likely to suffer from anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations or psychotic episodes.

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reduced memory, concentration and reaction times The odd late night isn’t a problem, but after persistently poor sleep, your reaction times, concentration and decisionmaking decline significantly. This can affect not only your health and safety, but that of others you work with, care for – or drive past. Studies show that sleep deficiency harms your driving ability as much as, or more than, being drunk. Four hours’ sleep? You’re 11.5 times more likely to be involved in a crash. Driver fatigue is estimated to be responsible for around 100,000 car accidents and 1,500 deaths each year. a cHange of attitude “No aspect of our biology is left unscathed by sleep deprivation,” says Professor Walker. He believes we have “stigmatised sleep with the label of laziness” because we want to seem busy; a lack of sleep is “a badge of honour.” That’s an attitude we need to change.

History

Welcoming in the Old New Year observed. According to this calendar, New Year’s Day falls in the middle of January, after the end of the Advent fast.

As we bring in 2018 with toasts, fireworks and a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne, it’s perhaps worth remembering that New Year has been a bit of a moveable feast It is not written in stone that New Year be celebrated on 1st January. With the well-known and colourful carnival that takes place in London, most of us are aware that the Chinese New Year is celebrated after our own. But did you know that some people in Europe also mark the start of a new year a little later than we do? Today, in common with the rest of Europe and most of the world, we use the Gregorian calendar originally set up by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. Europe universally adopted this calendar in the 18th century, although Russia didn’t change over to it until 1918, after the Bolshevik Revolution. Previously, the older Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46BC, had been

The Russian Orthodox Church continues to abide by the Julian calendar and although not recognised as a national holiday, the ‘Old New Year’ is still honoured by Orthodox Christians in central and eastern Europe on 13th and 14th January. 14th January is also St Basil’s Day, and is celebrated with feasting, songs, bonfires and fireworks. In Macedonia it is customary to eat unleavened (pita) bread with a coin inside (or dumplings with a hidden charm in Russia). Much like our Christmas pudding tradition, whoever finds the coin will have good luck for the New Year. The customary feast includes a wide range of pork dishes to herald a good farming year, the traditional St Basil celebratory dinner being a whole roasted pig. Another St Basil’s day morning tradition has been to eat ceremonial porridge that has been cooked overnight by the oldest woman in the house. The condition of the porridge in the morning would signify the household’s fortunes in the

By Catherine Rose coming year.

longer 1½ page format also available

Observing New Year in the middle of January is not uncommon. Berber tribes in North Africa (Morocco and Libya) mark New Year according to the Berber calendar, which roughly coincides with the Julian one. India also celebrates at this time in a festival known as Makar Sankranti. And parts of Switzerland see in New Year under the umbrella of St Sylvester’s Day. Similarly, the old Gaelic custom was to welcome New Year on 12th January and although Hogmanay is world famous, parts of Scotland still celebrate the Old New Year, known as Oidhche Chullaig or Oidhche Challainn. Children would traditionally visit each home in their village reciting a Gaelic New Year blessing while carrying a caisein-uchd – a torch made from the breast bone of a sheep dipped in tallow. In Burghead in the Moray Firth, residents see in the Old New Year with the ‘burning of the clavie’ – a torch made of barrel staves, which is lit on the evening of 11th January. January can often be a cold and dispiriting month following our Christmas and New Year festivities, so perhaps celebrating the ‘Old New Year’ in the middle of it isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Home Interiors

Home & Interiors Shorter 1 paaquick ge In the darkness of deepest winter, pay attention to your lighting. Could forasmfashionupdate make it bright where necessary, cosy where wanted and at also forward as anyone could desire? available This smoky glass and brass table Light Up Your Winter

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR LIGHTNING

• Using just one central pendant to illuminate a room creates a flat light with dark corners, making the space seem dull and small. If you are renovating, now’s the time to add wall lights, install some additional ceiling lights, or include some track lighting in cornices or bookcases. • To improve a boring lighting scheme quickly and easily, add extra lights at different heights – a table lamp in the corner, a floor lamp in other, maybe a clip light attached to a shelf. The aim is to create layers of light that come from different directions, and that you can adjust to suit your mood or the way you’re using the room. • Think about bulbs – save money by changing to LEDs, which last for years and are very cheap to run. How ‘warm’ or ‘cool’ they are is marked in kelvins - look for around 2,700K for a pleasant indoor light. Dimmer switches give flexibility to your lighting, but they’re not always compatible with LEDs, so check with your electrician. • ‘Smart’ lighting is the way to go – use a remote control or an app on your phone to dim your lights, switch them on and off or even change their colours.

By Katherine Sorrell

lamp would make a great update for a modern or retro-style living room. Boho smoke grey and brass table lamp, £180, Alexander & Pearl.

Changing a pendant light can create a fabulous focal point in a room. The eight baubles on this contemporary chandelier cascade pretty, ambient light. Bubble chandelier, £79.99, Dowsing and Reynolds. When Søren Rose Studio travelled to the USA searching for beautiful old lamps, they rearranged the parts into mix-and-match new pieces with a bold modern aesthetic, inspired by New York City glamour in the late 1930s. Reade table lamp in solid brass, £189.95, Black By Design. This wonderfully sleek pendant light features a built-in, dimmable LED panel so you can adjust the light level to suit your mood. Shown here in Petrol, it is also available in Pearl, Forest, Anthracite, Ruby and Saffron. Asteria pendant, £179, Black By Design. Great for a party – or even every day – plug in a colourful, neon lamp and illuminate your space with style. Lumosnap neon lights, £22-£50, Gingersnap.

Smart lighting systems are easy to use and surprisingly affordable. Tradfri dimming kit, from £15, PS 2017 Table Lamp, £25; both Ikea. Illuminate a corner of your living room – and provide a snugly spot for curling up with a good book – by swapping a tired old floor lamp for a good-looking, on-trend new one. Slam Dunk floor lamp in antique brass, £175, Loaf. Adding wall lights is not something that can be done every day, but as part of a renovation it is really worth the effort, spreading light around the room and providing options for different levels of light in different areas. This eye-catching brass wall lamp has a fashionable industrial vibe. Industrial Wall Lamp Socket in Brass, £120, Out There Interiors. A new paper shade will freshen up your scheme no end, and this one is screen-printed on vintage presses and handmade using the ancient art of paper crafting, each pleat hand-folded to create a bold sculptural design. Wild Wood paper lampshade, £35, Wild & Wolf.

Life Begins

New Technologies To Help You Make A ‘Green’ Exit by Kate McLelland

Even with the best of intentions, it’s almost impossible to avoid leaving a carbon footprint during your lifetime. Use any form of motor transport, throw away an item destined for landfill or switch on your heating on a cold day and by these simple actions you will be contributing to environmental pollution and - it is widely believed - climate change. “But it’ll all stop when I’m dead!” I hear you say. Unfortunately, there is one final hurdle to jump before you can truly claim to have passed beyond the point of affecting the environment, and that’s the way you choose to dispose of your earthly remains. Last year a survey carried out by the government website YouGov discovered that while 17% of people in the UK want to be buried when they die, almost six out of ten would prefer to be cremated. It takes a huge amount of energy to reduce a human body to ashes and crematoria generate temperatures of 870-980 °C (1,600-1,800 °F). The process also releases toxins in the form of gases, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride, dioxins, furans, formaldehyde and a small amount of mercury.

Burials can be eco-friendly, provided the coffin and everything inside is made of natural materials, but some of the processes involved in burial do release damaging chemicals. For example, embalming fluid - a recognised carcinogen - will eventually leach into the soil, while coffins made of hardwood take a long time to break down and any plastic fittings attached will probably release toxins as they degrade. That’s not to mention any concrete or steel used in the creation of burial vaults, nor the upkeep of burial grounds, where energy and resources are required to maintain the lawns, pathways and flowerbeds. Recently families in the USA and Canada have had the opportunity to sign up to methods of disposal that offer an alternative to conventional burial or cremation. Alkaline hydrolysis - known as Resomation and often dubbed “green cremation” - is a chemical process similar to natural anaerobic digestion (a process already used in medical clinics). The body is placed in water inside an aluminium container and the soft tissue is then broken down into a non-toxic liquid, using a combination of

longer potassium 1½hydroxide, pamethod gheat e and pressure. This leaves the skeleton, as well f o r m atimplants, also as any medical completely intact. The bones availabbelburied, can subsequently or e ground to a powder similar to cremated ashes.

There are indications that the technique may soon become available in the UK, although currently there are only around 14 funeral directors in the world offering this ‘green’ option. Further eco-friendly methods in the pipeline are Cryomation - where a body is freeze-dried in liquid nitrogen then broken up into granules for burial - and ecoLegacy, where the body is cooled, then reduced to powder using pressure waves. Just 5% of the respondents in YouGov’s survey said they were looking for “something else” when it came to the disposal of their mortal remains, so it’s difficult to predict the level of take-up when these new options become available in the UK. Although the British public may initially be slow to break with established traditions, the introduction of ‘greener’ forms of burial and cremation will at least provide a wider choice for those of us seeking to leave the lightest possible carbon footprint on our planet.

The Life List

Here are some of the other anomalies:

All Above Board

Few games can inspire family arguments and grudges like Monopoly. Maybe it’s all that pretend money or the main objective being to bankrupt all of your opponents. But my biggest issue is that the game is riddled with inaccuracies.

To start with, it’s called Monopoly but there are dozens of versions. As well as the various locations, you can also get special editions for: Batman, Alice in Wonderland (go to jail and off with your head?), Formula One, Star Wars (take a Chance card you must…), FIFA World Cup, Pirates of the Caribbean (community treasure chest?), and even a Dinosaur Edition (I make no bones about it).

Portrait Whoever heard of a bank Haerror lf Pinayourge favour? Vwith Everyone starts off erthe siosame n amount athe lso of money and makes their fortune in property game on a a rollvofa the dice. No ila planning le business plan, no building regs / b

- Even the traditional London version has Free Parking. In London? I ask you!

Life List

permission and not even a licence for a skip. - The idea that anything can be insured for a £50 insurance premium. - Affordable utilities? In your dreams. Some elements are true to life though. It’s not unusual to visit a railway station and end up spending £200 for the privilege (seating optional!), and selling stock these days may well only net you around £50. They’ve even replaced some of the pieces, bringing in a T-Rex, a penguin and a metal ‘rubber’ duck. Is nothing sacred! By Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.co.uk

McLaren 720S

Motoring

by James Baggot

replaces. Steering is pinpoint direct and well weighted.

I’m sat behind an exquisitelycrafted steering wheel, in a plum pudding purple leather cabin, and things are happening faster than they’ve ever happened before. Behind me, a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 is converting 710bhp into forward thrust that has to be experienced to be believed.

Unfortunately it’s not all good news. The electronics are better and easier to use but are still buggy. Our test car incorrectly warned us of impending suspension failure and power steering problems - unforgiveable on a car costing almost a quarter of a million pounds.

Just a look at the numbers gives an indication of what the new darling of Woking has in its arsenal: 60mph in 2.8 seconds, 124mph in 7.8 seconds and 186mph in 21.4 seconds. While those figures give you some reference, what they can’t explain is the feeling that translates to when you’re sat behind the wheel. The g-force such explosive acceleration exerts on your body under footto-the-floor power is like a roller coaster, and braking is sharp, shockingly sudden and painfully precise. The McLaren takes countryside sweepers, motorway miles and quick changes in direction and road surface in its stride. It’s incredibly capable and a huge step on from the 650S it

longer 1½ page The seven-speed automatic format also gearbox rifles through gears like a sharp shooter and at speed it’s rapid, slick and enjoyable. avai lable The rocker mechanism to the

I’ve just exited a roundabout – one I’ve left many times before in a variety of cars – and I’m heading down a familiar straight; I know it leads to a 90 degree right and yet more wellsighted, beautifully-surfaced road, but this time it’s different.

paddles is a joy too.

The second disappointment is the noise. It’s all sucking, blowing and wind roar - there’s no start up, high speed thrum, or deep bellowing exhaust note. OK, it’s no Tesla, all silent propulsion, but it’s also no rival for Ferrari’s much better 488 soundtrack. Thankfully, the out-of-this-world looks make up for some of those foibles. The dramatic doors stop petrol station punters in their tracks as you arch them skyward. It can feel like you’ve live-paused passersby in a TV show, their mouths slowly drifting towards the floor as they wake back up. Rarely does a car send pedestrians into a dreamlike state quite like this McLaren. Huge air scoops, slits and

slants in the bodywork add to the visual drama, while also playing an important part in directing the huge gulps of air the revised power plant needs to keep it cool. Sadly McLaren still has a lot of work to do in wiggling its way into the public consciousness - few of those we encountered knew what brand it belonged to, let alone which model it was. But back to what the McLaren does best. I’ve got dials turned to slippery sport mode, and Wales to cross. The rain is just starting to cover the road with a glistening dew-like coating and the 720S is twitching in the bends, squirming as it hunts for traction. It’s palmdampening, but exciting, and about to create a journey that’ll be indelibly marked on my memory. This McLaren may not be quite perfect, but my word is it getting incredibly close.

The knowledge Model: McLaren 720S Price: £218,020 engine: 4.0-litre, twin turbo V8 Power: 710bhp, 770Nm 0-60mph: 2.8 seconds Top speed: 212mph economy: 26.4mpg emissions: 249g/km

Dealing with Cat Flu – It’s Not Just a Winter Bug Cat flu is potentially one of the most serious illnesses your cat can suffer and in some cases is life-threatening. Kittens in particular are at high risk, so it’s important to vaccinate as soon as possible, usually at nine weeks and then on an annual basis. It’s not only a ‘winter bug’ as human flu tends to be – it can be transferred between cats at any time of the year. This is why, if your cat stays in a boarding cattery, you should make sure it’s one that

PETS

only accepts cats from owners with proof of vaccination.

cloth soaked in salt water can help.

What symptoms should you watch out for? Common symptoms of cat flu include:

Regularly washing their bedding, and making sure water bowls are cleaned several times a day with hot water, also helps to prevent reinfection once your cat begins to improve. Cats with flu often lose their appetite, so having plenty of nice food to tempt them to eat is a good idea and also helps to build up their immune system after they’ve recovered. https://www.bluecross.org. uk/pet-advice/cat-flu https://www.petplan.co.uk/ petplan-together/senior-cat/ can-cats-get-colds.asp

• • • • • •

Sneezing • Coughing Runny nose • Dribbling High temperature General lethargy Loss of appetite Sore or partially-closed eyes

Helping your cat through this serious illness The vet may prescribe antibiotics if your cat has a secondary bacterial infection, which is a common occurrence with cat flu. Apart from that, however, wiping the cat’s eyes and nose with a warm clean

Pets

Portrait Half Page Version als o available

By Ann Haldon

Growing Up In A Digital World

Parenting

by Kate Duggan kateduggan.co.uk Like it or loathe it, we’re leaving in a digital age, and many children have learnt to swipe, scroll and select long before they’ve mastered riding a bike. Screen time If you’re worried that your child is spending too much time staring at a tablet or smartphone, you might need to agree a daily time allowance. Most devices come with parental controls that you can activate. Alternatively, you can download software such as Qustodio (www.qustodio.com) to restrict usage and block inappropriate content. Some flexibility on time limits might be needed, when your child has homework for instance, or you’re desperate for a lie-in. Apps such as Habyts (www. habyts.com) allow you to offer extra screen time as a reward for chores and good behaviour. Teenagers need to learn how to manage their own time, and how to protect themselves online. So you may want to loosen the reins as your child gets older, and discuss what they should do if they stumble across anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. SociaL media and inStant meSSaging One in five 13-18 year olds say they’ve been the victim of cyber bullying¹. However, social media can also be a

way for your child to connect with their peers, and they may feel ostracised if they end up missing out on conversations. If you do decide to let your teen have their own social media account, set some boundaries. For example, you may decide that they can only have an account if you’re their ‘friend’, with the understanding that you won’t post photos of them or publicly embarrass them online. You’ll also need to talk to your child about why they should never share their address or personal details on social media, and what to do if they’re being bullied or harassed. Be aware that teens often set up separate social media accounts to chat to their friends, and will block you from finding them. And instant messaging apps are even harder to monitor. No safeguards you put in place will bypass the need to talk to your child about online safety. onLine Learning There are some really fun, educational sites and apps that might help to tear your child away from YouTube, including: Scratch (www.scratch.mit. edu) helps you child learn basic coding. Users can create simple games, animations and stories. Cbeebies (www.bbc.co.uk/ cbeebies) has a huge number of online games, puzzles

and other activities. The Alphablocks School Words Quiz, for example, helps preschoolers and reception-aged children learn to recognise simple words. You can organise games by their educational focus, such as maths, communicating and emotions. Comics in the Classroom (www. comicsintheclassroom.co.uk) are a range of digital comics that teach children about history. They support the Key Stage 3 and GCSE syllabus and are interactive – children have to identify correct answers to unlock more pages. Sand:box by SmellyMoo (search the Google Play store) is an android phone app that teaches older children about physics and chemistry. The user can ‘play’ with different materials and see how they react with each other. If you do let your child download any apps, check that they can’t make in app purchases without your approval, or you could be in for a nasty surprise. For more advice about keeping children safe online, visit internetmatters.org. It offers a wealth of free guides and advice on everything from mental health issues to protecting children from adult content. ¹www.internetmatters.org/issues/ cyberbullying/learn-about-it/

Chorizo & Prawn Paella Serves 4

Ready in 50 minutes

Recipe

This one-pan supper can be on the dinner table in less than one hour. Serve with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread for a delicious and filling midweek meal.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

• •

1tbsp olive oil 250g chorizo sausage, diced 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 4 celery stalks, chopped 225g paella rice Few strands of saffron 850ml hot chicken or vegetable stock 200g raw king prawns (thawed if frozen), peeled with tails left on Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp paprika

Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan and fry the chorizo sausage for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the pan and fry gently for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until softened. Stir in the rice and saffron strands and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is almost tender and nearly all the liquid has been absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the chorizo and prawns to the pan and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through and pink. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve in warmed bowls sprinkled with the paprika. TIP Add some diced red or yellow pepper and a handful of chopped fresh parsley for extra colour and flavour.

Quirky Britain

Quirky Britian

Cat Cafés “An Americano and two tabby cats, please … “ by Kate McLelland

As you sip your skinny latte in Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, you never know who might appear on your lap. It could be fluffy ‘Petra’, soulful ‘Tink’ or any of the other celebrity rescue cats (with hundreds of Twitter followers) who live in the quirky East London café. In this strange combination of restaurant and luxury cats’ home, the feline inhabitants can exercise on a giant ‘hamster wheel’, scamper along walkways or snooze on various raised platforms around the venue as customers eat and drink. An A-mews-ing trend? Lady Dinah’s - the first ever cat café to open in Britain - was the brainchild of Australian Lauren Pears, who set out to create a relaxing retreat where young professionals living in rented accommodation (where pets are not allowed) could interact with the resident moggies. Although Lauren’s original vision was to create a peaceful urban retreat where customers could relax with a book, chat with friends or even hold meetings, she hadn’t bargained for the enthusiasm with which British

Shorter cat lovers would greet her Oxford, 1newpagNewcastle, e orOldham, enterprise. Aberdeen Edinburgh, and format it’salalmost inevitable that we’ll Within the first two weeks s o see more of these cat-themed of opening in 2014 Lauren opening up in future. availabeateries had received a staggering le 20,000 bookings, and the Cruel or kind? café turned out to be anything but the tranquil enclave she had originally imagined. It has since become more of a tourist attraction than a place where local office workers can pet a friendly feline, and she has now been forced to limit visits to 90 minutes to accommodate all of her customers.

Although the world’s first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998, Lauren Pears was ahead of the curve when she started making plans to open Lady Dinah’s in London. “After I did some research, I saw there were a few popping up in Europe and spotted that a trend was on its way,” she recently told the website thisismoney.co.uk. But since 2014 a number of copycat ventures (no pun intended) have sprung up in towns and cities across the country. You can now call in to a cat café in London, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Derby, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham,

Nottingham’s Kitty Café which has recently opened a second branch in Leeds - offers a home to abandoned cats, rescue cats and cats with medical issues that need some TLC. It also acts as a rehoming centre, so customers who bond with their furry table companion can join the café’s adoption programme with a view to taking their favourite feline home.

Cat cafés are big business, but not everyone feels the love. There has been a lot of criticism from animal charities, including Cats Protection and the RSPCA. Cats Protection refuses to accept donations from cat cafés due to concerns about “the welfare implications of having a number of cats in a limited space with groups of people unknown to them coming and going throughout the day.” The charity goes on to explain that “(Cats) have

evolved as solitary animals and generally do not choose to live in social groups.” The RSPCA has equally strong views about placing cats in what it considers to be an unsuitable environment. In its Science Group review of 2016 the charity writes: “Our aim is to dissuade new cafés from opening and to advise those already in operation of the appropriate and necessary steps that should be taken to minimise potential feline stress. We have also raised our concerns for the welfare of cats living in cat cafés through media opportunities.” However most café owners claim they are doing their best to keep their star turns happy and healthy. At Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium guests are asked to follow a set of rules

when interacting with the cats. This includes not picking them up or stroking them when they are asleep and avoiding flash photography. Owner Lauren Pears comments: “Our concern for the cats’ wellbeing governs pretty much every decision we make.” She admits that on occasions she has been forced to retire cats from café life if they have exhibited signs of unhappiness or stress, and she has now reluctantly decided to ban younger children because she lacks the staff numbers to supervise them. The Kitty Café has devised a set of rules for customers and publishes separate guidance for adults and children. The adult rules include no carrying hot drinks, vaping, playing music or using laser

pens. Adults are reminded to respect that the café is “the cats’ home” and warned not to pick up cats, corner them or touch their “eyes, mouths, whiskers or tummies.” Children are requested not to shout, scream and “push or pull” the cats. They are asked to stoke them “nicely and gently”, while adults are reminded to make sure their children follow the rules. If the public’s enthusiastic response is anything to go by, cat cafés are likely to remain a feature of our high streets for many years to come. However, given the difficult balance between keeping cats and customers happy, it seems unlikely that the controversy surrounding these felinefocused establishments will end anytime soon.

Short Story

Short Story Precious By Jackie Brewster Dan leaned against a lamp post covered in posters, watching the house at number fifteen. The curtains were drawn and the place seemed deserted. If Alan was the creature of habit that Dan thought he was, any moment now he’d be returning home with his tray of chips and a battered sausage.

know you’re okay.”

Alan had dropped Dan’s sisterin-law, Pam, off on New Year’s Day, with the promise to come and collect her the day after. He hadn’t been seen since.

Alan’s face crumpled. “I’ve done something unforgiveable,” he said.

“Do you think they’ve had a row?” Dan had asked his wife Amy. “Pam’s being tight-lipped,” Amy said. “She just flops on the settee all day eating your chocolate liqueurs and sniffing.” Dan would never describe Alan as much of a catch, but he felt compelled to reunite these two lovebirds - if nothing else, just to get his sofa back. On cue, a shadowy figure crept through the shadows and slipped through the doorway into number fifteen. Dan crossed the road and hammered on the door. There was no answer. The letter box was wedged open with a copy of the same poster about a missing sphynx cat that had been stapled to the lamp post. He pushed it to one side and shouted, “Alan, it’s Dan, I know you’re in there.” There was silence. “I’m not interested in what’s gone on between you and Pam,” he called. “I just want to

The hall light came on. The door creaked open and Alan stood in the hallway holding his battered sausage. “Is Pam alright?” he asked, taking a bite. “She’s worried about you,” Dan said. “We all are.”

Dan’s heart sank. Was he going to be stuck with his sister-in-law indefinitely? “Tell me what it is,” he asked calmly. “I’m sure we can fix it.” “Pammy mustn’t know,” Alan said desperately. “I can’t promise you that.” Dan followed Alan into the lounge. “Just tell me what’s happened.” “I need more time.” Alan perched on the arm of the sofa and regarded his chips mournfully. “Time for what?” Dan said. “For the cat’s fur to grow back,” Alan said miserably. “I beg your pardon?” Dan said. “I went out for a few ales with Dufty after I dropped Pam off.” Alan ate another chip. “And the next morning I discovered I’d shaved Precious.” “Do you mean Pam’s cat?” Dan asked in surprise. “Yes, Precious the cat,” Alan nodded. “I’d shaved all her fur off. No idea why. I don’t even remember doing it.” His shoulders heaved. “I’ve made her a little jumper.”

Dan felt a powerful urge to laugh. “Alan, Precious is at our house with Pam,” he said gently. “You brought her in her basket, remember?” Through the cat flap climbed a fierce looking bald cat wearing a ragged tube sock. Dan looked at the cat, and the cat scowled back. “If that’s not Precious,” Alan said nervously, “what is it?” “It’s a sphynx cat.” Dan crouched down and examined the cat’s collar. “Her owners have been looking for her.” “I’ve shaved a stranger’s cat!” Alan wailed. Dan was about to explain that sphynx cats were supposed to be hairless when he stopped himself. “I can fix this for you. No one need ever know,” he said instead. “But first, phone Pam and beg her to come home.” “I owe you Dan.” Alan licked ketchup off his fingers. Staring warily at the cat he picked up his phone. Yes you do, thought Dan, and said, “A box of chocolate liqueurs would be a good place to start.”

Technology Technology

NEW YEAR REVOLUTIONS The gadgets that’ll help you keep your promises in 2018 It’s that time of year again. The gyms will soon be full of New Year’s resolutions, running like mad on treadmills. People will be signing up for all kinds of self-improvement, but within a few months many of them will have changed their minds. So how can you make sure you stick to the promises you made yourself about 2018? Technology is here to help. There’s been an explosion in fitness technology over the last few years. The most attractive fitness gadget is Apple’s Watch Series 3 (£329), which you can keep on while you swim as well as when you run, and thanks to apps it can help motivate you in all kinds of ways: it can deliver workouts or track your everyday fitness, and it can even turn ordinary activity into a game with its steps, distance and calorie tracking. Third party apps can deliver punishing 7, 4 or even 1-minute workouts if you’re short of time, and there’s a whole host of apps for tracking your food intake and other health factors too. Some of the best fitness gadgets are designed for specific activities, such as TomTom’s Runner 3 (£220). As you’ve probably guessed from the name it’s for runners, with built-in GPS, heart rate tracking and music playback to make your efforts more bearable. It’s suitable for weight training and swimming too, and the battery lasts for about 3 weeks between charges. If your resolutions were more about mental wellbeing, there are plenty of phone apps to help you. The free Mindfulness App (available for Apple and Android) can help you meditate to escape everyday stress, while Headspace (iPhone and Android, free with in-app subscriptions) has attracted millions of users with its newcomer-focused approach, rewards system and a clever buddy feature that enables you to share progress and motivation with your friends.

Apps can be great for fitness and healthy eating too. One of the world’s favourite such apps is MyFitnessPal’s Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker. Available for Apple and Google devices, it’s free, with a £7.99 pro-subscription offer. The big plus here is its database of more than 6 million foods and a barcode scanner: scan your ingredients or the menu and it’ll automatically calculate and record the calories. If you promised to eat more healthily and/or to waste less food in 2018, we’d love to introduce you to our very favourite gadget: the Instant Pot. There’s a whole community of Instant Pot fans online 3 including popular food blogs such as The Kitchn, and that’s because it’s brilliant: it’s an electric pres-sure cooker that sautes, boils, steams, slow cooks, pressure cooks…if the idea of cooking a whole chicken or pulled pork in half an hour appeals you’ll love it, and it’s great for minimising waste: chuck the leftovers in with some vegetables and water and you’ve got effortless stock or soup. It’s a fantastic time saver too: again and again we’ve gone from can’t-be-bothered-to-cook to eating a healthy and nutritious meal in less time than it takes to order a takeaway. It pays to shop around, though: Amazon in particular frequently offers huge discounts on the Instant Pot, as you can see from sites such as uk.camelcamelcamel.com: you don’t want to be the person who buys it for £155 when it’s usually on sale for less than £95. 1. TomTom Runner 3 GPS smartwatch 2. Apple Watch Series 3 3. Instant Pot cooker.

Travel

The French Ardennes French Ardennes, Meuse valley, Monthermé Montherme©D.Truillard

In north-eastern France, the Regional Nature Park of the Ardennes rises towards the Belgian border, festooned in hills and vales, fast-flowing rivers, dramatic rocks, lush hedgerows and deep forests home to wild boar and deer. Haunted by ancient legends, laced with trails and glorious views, it is largely undiscovered and a haven for nature lovers, covering 117,000 hectares. Trekking, cycling, horse riding, kayaking or sailing on the rivers, there are myriad ways to explore and maybe spot the beavers at work, a black stork or a peregrine falcon, a black woodpecker or a hazel grouse sitting on a branch. Wild orchids and carnivorous sundews peep here and there and golden broom and purple heather splash colour on the higher slopes. The scenery is forever changing but most endearing is the green finger of land pointing north and the valleys of the Meuse and its tributary the Semoy. Tumbling down from the Belgium uplands, the Semoy meanders through verdant countryside on its way to the Nature Park across the border. There, from the village of Hautes-Rivières to the

confluence with the Meuse, a 20km long cycle path follows every bend of the river, punctuated by rocky outcrops and viewpoints such as the ‘Cross of Hell’, a name which leaves plenty to the imagination. By clear weather, you might just see the Croix Scaille, at 503 metres the highest point in the French Ardennes. The Meuse meanders on and on, revealing its most stunning panoramas when you follow the trails along the crest. For many visitors, the true icon of the valley is Monthermé, nestling crescent-shaped at the tip of a peninsula, stretching out like a green dragon’s tongue as the river almost closes a perfect loop. The water glistens as blue as the sky and densely wooded hills roll as far as you can see in all shades of green. A path climbs through the forest to a series of precipitous rocks where you can look down on Monthermé and one of the most spectacular river loops in France. In the distance the silhouettes of the ‘Four Sons of Aymon’ rise on a rocky ridge above the village of Bogny. According to legend, the knights escaped from Charles the Great on a

By Solange Hando magic horse, taking refuge in the Ardennes where they were turned into rocks. In this fantastic landscape legends abound, from the Devil’s Castle to the Spinner’s Bench or the rocks of the Ladies of the Meuse, petrified for being unfaithful during the crusades. In the spring, Monthermé comes into its own with a popular festival dedicated to the legends of the Ardennes and the ‘little people’ who hide among the rocks. Festival over, it is time to ramble along the trails, 47 of them from easy strolls to more demanding climbs, criss-crossing the park all the way to Givet at the northern tip, taking in the starshaped citadel of Rocroi, the lakes, the laurel forest and the slate route around Fumay. The people of the valley are proud of their heritage and that includes the industry which remains a valuable source of income. Just like the wartime memories, it is part of the Ardennes but in this little corner of France, off the beaten track, you’ll discover sleepy villages of yellow or blue-tinged stone, fortified churches, castles, abbeys or isolated farms with a beautiful backdrop of verdant hills and valleys.

Cartoon Panel

Cartoon Strip

Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page

Code Word

CODEWORD Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

4 13

16 26

4 18

18 4

20 21

18 23

22 7

General Xword

22 8

23 2

2 23

7 23

22 7

8 26 18

22 7

17 3

14 22

4 22

26 6

8 3

9 7

22 15

4 26

3 4

22 26

General Knowledge Crossword Across 1. Ruffian, yob (8) 5. Young, unmarried woman (4) 9. Covered with lather (5) 10. Frame of iron bars to hold a fire (5) 12. Downy juicy fruit (5) 13. Material effigy worshipped as a god (4) 15. Art of growing miniature trees (6) 18. Flatfish with distinctive orange spots (6) 20. Organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in plants (4) 23. Kitchen appliance used for cooking food (5)

24. Bottomless gulf or pit (5) 27. Cloak, often knitted (5) 28. Musical instrument (4) 29. Concerning someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s private life (8) Down 1. Let droop (4) 2. Killer whale (4) 3. Picture placed within the bounds of a larger one (5) 4. Slowly, in musical tempo (6) 6. Rough (8) 7. Bag containing a small amount of ointment or shampoo, etc (6) 8. Ring road (6) 11. Primary colour (3) 14. Adversary (8)

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity

16. Most secure (6) 17. Fin on the back of a fish (6) 19. Separate or cut with a sharp instrument (6) 21. Hardy and sure-

footed animal (3) 22. Bundles, of straw or hay, for example (5) 25. Be wide open (4) 26. Marine mammal (4)

Cryptic Xword

Cryptic Crossword 1

10 11

13 14

16 17 20

Across 1 Plush, like a little W.C.? (6) 4 City rains ebb differently (8) 9 Inexperienced cop opening permit (6) 10 Fool a backward girl attacked (8) 12 Rat involved with fern’s movement (8) 13 Inventor onside, surprisingly (6) 15 Monster therefore coming back (4) 16 Suitability of nests, if sabotaged (7) 20 Wonders Mrs Vale brought about (7) 21 Garden some avoided entirely (4) 25 Uniform length is reduced greatly (6) 26 Farewell perhaps upsetting Aaron (8) 28 A man sure to hear a vehicle (8) 29 Cast without play back in the air (6) 30 Staggered child? Deter treatment (8) 31 Escort round a zone (6)

Down 1 Spot calcium in a balm (8) 2 He wrote to a viler sort (8) 3 A partner editing opuses (6) 5 Sweep not starting race (4) 6 Hit-and-run? That’s careless (8) 7 Map book sent back finally (2,4) 8 Sudden din gets partial conclusion (6) 11 Note a guy and girl accept (7) 14 Vague kinsman stripped bare (7) 17 Team game – man breaks tie (8) 18 Visionary said tile cracked (8) 19 Close to nettle, put at risk (8) 22 Wine cellar abandoned by the Spanish alien (6) 23 Leggy bird redirected to cave (6) 24 Dog chewing lead Oliver shortened (6) 27 Unexciting meat casserole (4)

Solution Across: 1 Lavish, 4 Brisbane, 9 Callow, 10 Assailed, 12 Transfer, 13 Edison, 15 Ogre, 16 Fitness,

Hidato & Pictogram

Pictograms

Hidato Starting at 1 and finishing at 49, track your way from one square to another, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, placing consecutive numbers into the empty squares as you go. Some numbers are already given.

3 words

DONALD R JUDD T

18 1

13 42

49 36

Mini Cryptic Xword

AS PLANK PLANK

22 46

15 33

5 words

23 24

34 28

14/10/2017 Mini Cryptic Crossword

Hidato.indd 1

Across 1. Lame row about dramatist (7) 7. Clear sixes on a note (5) 8. Deer from Virginia beat it (7) 9. Article in Gaelic to expunge (5) 11. Path that’ll lead fibber back (5) 12. Weary first male going over warrant (5) 14. A follower without favour (5) 16. Extreme aid Carl rendered (7) 18. Insect some bits of paper concealed (5) 19. Dye mixed with idle bore (7) Down 1. Film second to compete (5) 2. Paperback? Er, it’s odd (3) 3. Gas from Australia, I added (5) 4. Occurrence still not ending (5) 5. Mean girl located in time (7) 6. Perfect limeade drunk without me (5) 10. Deterioration of an award (7)

ALL

8:29:51

12. Messenger’s first spoken message (5) 13. Late sailor duly disheartened (5) 14. Cut gem on inferior

emblem (5) 15. Thus cover is impenetrable! (5) 17. The odds of Claude being a swine (3)

Review Of The Year 1. Along with a portrait of Jane Austen, the new Bank of England ten pound note features a foil image of which cathedral? 2. Beginning with the letters "I" and "M", what were the names of the two category five hurricanes of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season? 3. 14 years after being voted first in a 2003 book called Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places To Live In The UK, which city was the UK City of Culture for 2017? 4. An international football match in October saw three players with what first name playing for England despite no one of that name playing for them anytime from 1955 to 2014? 5. First used in the 14th century and used by Kim Jong-un in September to describe Donald Trump, what six-letter word is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile"? 6. Of the three acts to headline the Pyramid Stage at the 2017 Glastonbury Festival, name the only one not to have won a Brit award. 7. Which city hosted the 2017 Invictus Games? 8. Name the two parties who won more seats in the 2017 general election than they did in 2015, but with fewer votes overall. 9. In April, which boxer became WBA World Heavyweight Champion after beating Ukraine's Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium? 10. Who said in July that she was "moved and honoured" after councillors unanimously agreed to make her Manchester's first honorary citizen?

also available as a quarte r page

Song Title Translations

Quiz 1

Quiz 2

Can you come up with the titles of 15 hit singles from the English translations of their foreign language titles and the years in which they were released?

1 The beautiful island (1987) 2 Long live the life (2008)

Only f or sub That's life (1998) scriber paying s I don't know why (1988) f o r t wo or Let victory prevail (2009) more p Pious Jesus (1985) ostcod I love youâ&#x20AC;Ś me neither (1969) es exclus Do you want (1979) ivity None shall sleep (1990)

3 To fly (1958) 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Simple Xword

QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

7 Vegetable (6) 8 Not including (6) 9 Set of two (4) 10 Marvellous (8) 11 Mumbles (7)

13 14

13 Type of lizard (5) 15 Concerning (5)

19 20

17 Fortress (7) 20 Garden visitor (8)

21 Egg shaped (4) 23 Venus for example (6) 24 Getting older (6) Down 1 Couch (4) 2 Colourful bird (6)

Spot the Difference

3 G.P.s (7)

14 Checked cloth (7)

4 Passenger boat (5)

16 Emergency (6)

5 Sporty (6)

18 Worshipped (6)

6 Scatter (8) 12 Keeps you dry (8)

19 Closes (5) 22 Female relative (4)

Sudoku Easy

Sudoku Hard

Trial

O I P E LT You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

3 letters: 19 4 letters: 10 5 letters: 1 6 letters: 1

Word Ladder

3 Letters LEI LET LIE LIP LIT LOP LOT OIL

OPT PET PIE PIT POI POL POT TIE TIP

POET POLE TILE TOIL 5 Letters PILOT 6 Letters POLITE

Word Ladder

Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

D U C K

Here is one possible solution (others may exist) DUCK buck back bark barn darn dawn

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TOE TOP 4 Letters LEPT LITE LOPE PELT PIKE PLOT

DOWN

D O W N

Mathematics Add Algebra Area Arithmetic Binary Circle Count Cubic Decimals Diameter Divide Formula Geometry Median Minus Numbers Plus Radius Statistics

Word Search

Subtract Sums Tables Tangent Total Triangle

ra Algeb Geo met ry

Find the words associated with mathematics in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase

WORDWHEEL

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

Word Wheel

TARGET Excellent: 56 or more words Good: 43 words Fair: 37 words

O N

A ORGANISE

G S

R I 41