TIPSS Content Catalogue October 2017 by Tania Houston

Content Catalogue October 2017

Article Index And Another Thing... : Tom And The Man Who Came To Dinner (Part1)

Baking: Chocolate And Orange Puddings

Computer Tip: Password Protection

Beauty: Breast Cancer Awareness

Book Reviews: Autumn Entertainment

Driving: Well We All Knew That Didn’t We?

Finance: Government Schemes for First-Time Buyers and Existing Homeowners

Gardening: Gardeners In Glass Houses

Health: You, Your Bones ad Osteoporosis

History: A Brief History of London

Hobbies: You’re Never Alone With A Book Club

Home & Interiors: Designing A Dressing Room

Life Begins: Could Brexit Cloud Your Plans To Retire In The Sun?

The Life List: The Garden Code

Motoring: Renault Zoe

Pets: Keeping Your Pets Safe This Bonfire Night

Parenting: Helping Children To Deal With Big Emotions

Recipe: Beef and Pepper Stroganoff

Short Story: The Vengeful Goat

Technology: High-Tec Horrors

Travel Feature: Reims - A Royal City at the Heart of Champagne

Special: World Space Week 4th - 10th October

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: Black and White

Quiz 2: Anagram Pairs

Simple Crossword 38 Spot the Difference 38 Sudoku - Easy

Sudoku - Hard

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

And Another Thing..

And Another Thing... Tom and the Man Who Came to Dinner (Part 1) by Tom Hughes @groomsdaybook

The big metal pan bubbled quietly on the stove as Ken’s fingers danced across my spice rack. “Hmm, a soupçon more pimento methinks.” Handing Ken the ladle I asked, “How have you been my old chum?” “Oh you know, up and down. Listen Tom, you don’t think Sarah will mind me staying for a week or so?” My smile froze. “Er, a week? I thought it was only for...er, no I don’t think she’ll mind.” Ken clapped his hands together. “Excellent! Now old boy, if you wouldn’t mind setting the table?” The muffled slam of a car door heralded My Dearly Beloved’s arrival and also the smoothing of marital relations on an industrial scale. Enter Sarah with Hannah (our youngest) in tow. “Tom, can you go and get the rest of the shopping? I’ve…“ A deathly pause as Sarah’s

gaze alighted on our newest house guest. In a deadpan tone Sarah said, “What’s he doing here?” Struggling to find the correct words I was reduced to simply stating the obvious. “Making goulash?” Fortunately, the moment was saved by Hannah who squealed with delight and ran up to give him a big hug. “Uncle Ken! Oh I’ve missed you! How long are you staying for? A week?” Hanging from Ken’s neck, Hannah spun round, waiting for confirmation.

“He’s not a scrounger…he’s a freeloader.” “What’s the difference? And why is he wearing your slippers?” I followed Sarah’s gaze through the open kitchen door. “Hey, they’re my slippers!” Over dinner, Hannah giggled incessantly as Ken regaled her with outrageous stories garnered over thirty years of living on his wits. Sarah, forgetting that she was furious, ploughed through her goulash.

Sarah pointed first to me, then to the hallway. “Can we have a word?” Once out of the kitchen, Sarah and I began a heated discussion conducted in rather strident, hissing tones.

“Clean plate I see Sarah, it’s always so satisfying when one’s efforts are appreciated.”

“What have I told you about inviting that man into our house?”

Aghast, Ken jumped to his feet. “Absolutely not. I will see to this. Hannah, I hereby appoint you deputy pot washer. Now, all hands to the pump!”

“He’s my oldest friend.” “He’s a scrounger.”

“I was hungry. Right, let’s get these dishes done.”

More giggles from Hannah as, much to her amusement, Ken flounced around the kitchen, flicking his tea towel across the work surfaces. “I’ll have this place sparkling in no time, Hannah dear.” Cue more fuming from Sarah. The next morning, I was awoken by an urgent prod in the small of my back. “Tom! Tom!” (More hissing.) “How dare you invite him without consulting me.” “I didn’t invite him, he bumped into me and Nigel in the Old Paraffin Lamp and sort of invited himself. Hey, can you smell bacon?” Leaping from the bed, Sarah bounded down the stairs to admonish the would-be

chef. I decided that this confrontation was one I would be advised to sit out. Shamefully, I disappeared under the folds of Egyptian cotton to await Krakatoa. But Krakatoa did not erupt - in fact I must have nodded off, because on looking at the bedside clock I saw that an hour had elapsed since the initial assault on my olfactory senses. Gingerly, I padded downstairs to be greeted not by shouting, but laughter. Sarah, her serviette to her mouth, was stifling a giggle as Ken cleared the remnants of a breakfast feast (whilst wearing Sarah’s pinny). “Oh yes, Tom was completely caked in mud, he looked a complete idiot.”

the toast. “So Ken, where are you off to today?”

Fuming, I grabbed the last of

To be continued….

Mournfully, Ken played with the hem of Sarah’s apron. “To the council, I imagine, to see if they will find me a place to stay. Failing that, I imagine the Salvation Army might consider me.” “Nonsense Kenneth, we can’t have you out on the streets. Tom will move the sofa bed into the study, won’t you Tom? Tom? Where are you going?” “Out to buy myself some slippers, that’s where!” And so dear reader, let that be a warning: charity (it would appear) should never begin at home…

Cake and Bake

Baking

Chocolate and Orange Puddings Chocolate and orange are perfect flavour partners and these lovely individual puddings taste delicious served warm with custard or cream.

Ingredients: • 3 small clementines or satsumas, thinly sliced • 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing • 175g caster sugar • 3 large eggs, beaten • 125g self-raising flour • 50g cocoa powder, sifted • 1 tbsp fresh orange juice • 2 tsp orange zest • Custard or cream, to serve

Makes 6 Ready in 1 hours 30 mins

TIP

You can cook the puddings a few hours before serving then simply re-heat in the microwave. Turn out onto a microwave plate and reheat three at a time on High for 30-45 seconds.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas mark 4. Butter and line the bases of 6 x 175ml metal pudding basins with circles of baking parchment. Place a slice of clementine or satsuma in the base of each basin and press 2-3 slices around the sides. 2. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs then sift over the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the creamed mixture with the orange juice and zest. 3. Divide the mixture between the pudding basins and cover each with a square of pleated, buttered foil, scrunching it tightly around the sides of each basin. Transfer to a roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water from a kettle to reach halfway up the sides of the basins. 4. Bake for 1 hour, until the puddings have risen and are firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted through the foil of one of the puddings comes out clean. Turn out and serve with custard or cream.

Password Protection

Computer Tip

We all know our passwords probably aren’t strong enough, but remembering complex passwords is difficult. The solution? A password manager. Apps such as 1Password or LastPass create a secure vault to store passwords on your computer, and when they’re needed they’re filled out automatically. Best of all, you can synchronise passwords across your various devices, so a password saved to your computer is available on your phone. Apple offers its service via iCloud Keychain, allowing you to store and sync passwords between Macs, iPads and iPhones. The real benefit of these services is that they generate really strong passwords, so you don’t have to come up with them yourself or remember impossiblesounding combinations of letters and characters. But don’t forget the golden rule: never use the same password on more than one site or service.

Beauty

Beauty Breast Cancer Awareness by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

Shorter 1 page Neal’s Yard Remedies form£1atforalso is donating every on aOrganic va laRoll bbought le Deodorant i(£8)

in October. Rich in skinloving essential oils and natural ingredients, the deodorants are very refreshing, smell divine and protect from odour for up to 24 hours. Donations are going to The Haven, a national charity offering support to people affected by breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in the UK. Thankfully, it’s also one of the most treatable, with 87% of women now surviving for at least five years after diagnosis. The earlier you catch it, the more treatable it is. So put down this magazine and cop a feel! It’s best to check your breasts and armpits regularly for any changes. You’re not just looking for lumps – other symptoms include discharge, pain and a change in appearance, such as dimpled skin. Most changes turn out to be nothing, but do book yourself in for a check-up if you find anything, just to be sure. And now on to the fun stuff… From mugs to mints, there are loads of charity products out for Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year. Do read the pack to see how much is being donated though, as in some cases it’s less than 5%.

Elemis is a long-term supporter of breast cancer charities. This year the beauty brand has released a limited edition Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. The cream has won numerous awards and has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and leave skin feeling firmer. It’s one of Elemis’s bestselling products – one Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is sold every nine seconds! The limited edition jar is being sold for £99. While the price seems steep, the normal 100ml jar is £140, so you’ll save £41, as well as helping to support Breast Cancer Care. Elemis has pledged to donate £25,000 from sales. In the market for some new hair styling products? Heated styling company ghd has raised more than £10 million for breast cancer charities over the last 13 years. This

edition Platinum Styler (£165), Air year they’ve launched the ghd Pink Blush Hairdryer (£99) and Paddle Brush Collection. range includes a limited (£20), with £2The to £10 being donated to Breast Cancer Now from each sale. Estée Lauder has been supporting breast cancer charities for several years, raising more than $65 million globally. Several of the Estee Lauder companies are releasing limited edition products in support of edition Platinum Styler (£165), Air Hairdryer (£99) and Paddle Brush (£20), with £2 to £10 being donated to Breast Cancer Now from each sale. Estée Lauder has been supporting breast cancer charities for several years, raising more than $65 million globally. Several of the Estee Lauder companies are releasing limited edition products in support of

face brush. The set costs £35, with 20% of the sale price going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. breast cancer Jo Malone research this London is donating £5 from the sale of every Red Roses year, including 100ml Cologne (£88) sold throughout Bobbi Brown. month of October. Beloved by Thethe Pink Peony celebs such as Sophie Dahl, Red Illuminating Roses is inspired by seven different Bronzing roses Set and has notes of violet, citrus Powder and honey. It’s a lovely fresh fragrance includes a and really up images flattering pink conjures cheek powder and aofmini summer evenings in the garden. face brush. The set costs £35, with 20% of the sale price going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Jo Malone London is donating £5 from the sale of every Red Roses 100ml Cologne (£88) sold throughout the month of October. Beloved by celebs such as Sophie Dahl, Red Roses is inspired by seven different roses and has notes of violet, citrus and honey. It’s a lovely fresh fragrance and really conjures up images of summer evenings in the garden.

Book Review

Autumn Entertainment From new releases to true classics, there’s plenty to keep you entertained from our choice of books this month. How to Stop Time – Matt Haig Tom Hazard looks like he’s 40, but he’s been alive for centuries. People notice when you age so slowly, so Tom has to change his identity every eight years – a new name, new job, new friends. Falling in love isn’t an option and it’s best not to get too attached to anyone, as they’ll only die. But Tom craves an ordinary life. Beautifully written, this book is begging to be devoured in one sitting. Home Fire – Kamila Shamsie After years of raising her younger siblings, Isma is free to live her own life and to start a career in America. Back in the UK, her sister, Aneeka, is struggling in a society that sees her hijab as a threat. Enter Eamonn, the son of a well-known London politician, who will have a lasting effect on both women. This reimagining of Sophocles’ Antigone covers some pretty big issues, from religion, politics and extremism to love and family ties. However, Shamsie’s skilful writing means the themes never suffocate the story. A powerful book.

Entrepreneurial You – Dorie Clark If you’re fed up of the daily grind and fancy setting up on your own, this book might prove a good starting point. The tagline is a good indication of the content – ‘Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams, and Thrive’. Clark offers advice on choosing what to do, building your brand and finding people to buy from you. There are plenty of case studies to be inspired by and, unlike many other business books, it’s not too heavy a read. The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood Now a critically acclaimed TV series, The Handmaid’s Tale was first published in 1985. The US government has been overthrown by a fundamentalist Christian organisation, which strips women of their rights. Birth rates have plummeted and, as one of the few fertile women left, June is forced to become a handmaid to a powerful commander, Fred. Renamed Offred, her sole purpose is to bear her master’s children. Gripping.

Extracted Trilogy – RR Haywood Harry Madden died after blowing up a German base in WW2. Safa Patel saved the prime minister, before being killed by terrorists. Ben Ryder was hit by a train while trying to stop armed men blowing up an underground station. Now these three heroes find themselves ‘extracted’ from their untimely deaths, by a man with a time-machine who wants them to save the world. A thoroughly enjoyable read, with a tightly-written plot, great characters and plenty of action. The Break – Marian Keyes Bestselling author Marian Keyes’ latest book centres around forty-something Amy, whose husband Hugh has decided he wants a break. It’s not that he doesn’t love her; he just wants some time for himself. Six months’ worth of time in fact. But if he’s on a break, then surely Amy deserves a bit of freedom too? An amusing, easy read for curling up with on a cold winter’s evening.

Well We All Knew That Didn’t We? (But it’s Worth Confirming it in an Official Survey) Apologies in advance to any white-van men reading this, especially if you are one of the 3% of the careful ones: in a TomTom survey of 1,000 UK consumers, 97% of the respondents put whitevan man bottom of the list of the safest and most careful road users. The rest of us shouldn’t nod with an “I told you so” smugness either. Drivers of what the survey describes as “high performance” cars (read three popular highend German marques) only scored 1% higher, followed by taxi and truck drivers on a joint 8%. Personally, why, with such a low score on driving skill, any of us get in a taxi is beyond me.

Using an analogy, if you want any job done well, you get the professionals in. They have the tools, training, skills and experience to produce good work.

Portrait So you’d think a “professional” as one Halfdriver, Pasuch behind the wheel of a taxi would have the same? g e From the results of the not. Vesurvey rsioit seems ncarayou On the flip side, if you drive a small lso came out tops on the safety and courtesy scores a v adrivers ilabwere with a 27% rating. Saloon car le only marginally less safe and rude, coming in at 23%.

Driving

This slap on the back isn’t confined to the size of vehicle you drive either, as next were bus drivers at 17%. So, in any future survey, if you want to score highly for your driving skill and politeness, it seems you should steer clear of driving a white German-built taxi van and opt for a small saloontype bus instead. Safe and polite motoring!

By Iain Betson

Finance

By Ann Haldon

Government Schemes for First-Time Buyers and Existing Homeowners

If you’re an existing homeowner wanting to move up the property ladder, or are looking to buy your first home, a number of government schemes could help you make that investment. From boosting your savings for a deposit to buying a share in a property, take a look below at the main government initiatives to find one that suit your circumstances. Help to Buy ISA Eligibility • First-time buyers only. • Purchase price of up to £250,000 (£450,000 in London). • You must live in the property. • It must be your only home. How it works The government boosts your Help to Buy ISA savings by 25%, up to a maximum of £3,000, so for every £100 you save into the ISA you will receive an additional £25 from the government. If you and a partner are saving for your first home together, you can each open a Help to Buy ISA and take advantage of a savings boost of up to £6,000 in total. Details • You can save up to £200 per

month, and make an initial deposit of £1,200. • The minimum bonus paid is £400, so you need to save at least £1,600 to make a claim. • Your solicitor needs to claim the bonus when you are close to purchasing the property. • It cannot be used for the indirect costs of purchase, such as professional fees, or the deposit which is usually required when you exchange contracts. equIty loAn (In englAnd) Eligibility • Applies to new-builds only. • First-time buyers and existing homeowners may be eligible. • Property purchase price up to £600,000 in England. • You must live in the property, and not sub-let it. • It must be your only property. • The home must be purchased from a registered Help to Buy builder. • You cannot use a partexchange deal on your old home.

• The government loans you up to 20% of the deposit (up to 40% in London). • You don’t have to pay loan fees for the first five years. • In year six, a charge of 1.75% of the loan becomes payable - this increases each year in line with the Retail Prices Index plus 1%. • An Equity Loan can be repaid at any time, with 10% of the property’s market value being the minimum repayment needed. • The loan must be repaid after 25 years or when you sell your home.

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SHAred ownerSHIp Eligibility You may be eligible for the Shared Ownership scheme if your annual household income is £80,000 or less (£90,000 or less in London) and: • This is your first home. • You have been a homeowner, but are now unable to afford a property. • You already use the shared ownership scheme.

How it works Also known as shared equity, you own your home using the equity loan scheme, purchasing a proportion of the property up front with the remainder being paid back over a pre-agreed term.

How it works You purchase between 25% and 75% of the property outright and pay a subsidised rent on the outstanding portion. You may be able to purchase more shares until you own the whole property, and the rent is reduced proportionately.

Details • You only need a 5% deposit, and a mortgage of up to 75% (55% in London).

Details • The cost of buying more shares, known as ‘staircasing,’ will depend on

the property’s value at the time. • If you decide to sell your home, the housing association has a right to buy it from you or to find a buyer. • There is an Older People’s Shared Ownership (OPSO) scheme and a disabled person’s scheme for people with a long-term disability. • Shared ownership properties will be leasehold rather than freehold. StArter Home ScHeme The Starter Home scheme is the latest government initiative to help first-time buyers in England onto the property ladder. Although not yet fully up and running, these are the latest eligibility criteria and details known. Eligibility • First-time buyers aged

between 23 and 40. • Maximum household income of £80,000 (£90,000 in London). • Must have a mortgage. How it works The government is offering a minimum discount of 20% on a property’s market value, so purchasers will need a mortgage of up to 80%. The purchase price after the discount can be up to £250,000 (£450,000 in London). Details • There will be restrictions on the resale or letting of the property for 15 years after purchase. • Starter homes under this scheme will be exempt from the Community Infrastructure Levy, which house builders normally have to pay to local authorities.

• You can register your interest in this scheme online. What has caused a housing crisis in recent years? A rise in the UK population, falling numbers of new-build properties and high prices in certain areas of the country have all combined to create a dire need for affordable housing. If you’re in this situation, hopefully one of these schemes will help you on to the property ladder sooner rather than later. www.helptobuy.gov.uk www.ownyourhome.gov. uk/scheme/starter-homes www.thebureauinvestigates. com/explainers/what-isaffordable-housing-a-bureauguide

Gardening

Gardeners In Glass Houses by Pippa Greenwood

If you can possibly squeeze a greenhouse in to your garden, it’ll be a purchase you won’t regret. A greenhouse will literally transform your gardening activities and open up a whole new range of possibilities - but what should you get and where should you put it? A greenhouse needs to be sited well away from large trees. These not only make for shady conditions that will reduce light getting to the plants inside the greenhouse, but falling branches or other tree debris also increase the risk of damage to the glass as well as the guttering becoming clogged. If you are going to want to install electrical equipment such as heating, lighting or even some electrically heated propagators, bear in mind that the further the greenhouse is from the house or other existing supply, the more expensive it will be to install underground armoured cable. So what size should you go for? The answer is simple, larger than you might expect! Pretty well whatever the size of greenhouse you get, you

can be sure you will eventually wish it was larger. Most of the initial costs rise by a relatively small amount as the size of the greenhouse increases, so save up a little longer if necessary. But any greenhouse is better than none, so if space or budget only allow for a 4ft x 4ft, then still go for it! Most greenhouses have a frame made from wood or metal (most commonly aluminium). Which you choose will really depend on personal preference: many prefer the look of wood, but it will need regular maintenance unless it is western red cedar. Whichever you choose, make sure it is sturdily constructed, especially if you live in a windprone area. In the height of summer a greenhouse will soon heat up, and temperatures can rise to the extent that plants will be damaged or even killed. Plenty of ventilation helps to reduce the temperature and also allows for better air circulation, so reducing problems with plant diseases etc. Consider roof vents as well, which aid air circulation and are an especially efficient way to let excess heat escape.

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Make sure that the doorway to your greenhouse is wide enough for easy access. Occasionally you see some that are so skinny you’d struggle to get through them if you were carrying anything heavy or bulky. If possible choose one wide enough for you to push a wheelbarrow through with ease – this will make jobs such as changing the border soil or just bringing in compost so much easier. A greenhouse should be erected on a solid base perhaps paving slabs, concrete or bricks - or on a skirt or surround of paving or concrete. The choice needs to be made at the outset, and your supplier will be able to advise on what is best for the greenhouse you choose. I prefer to have a solid path up the centre of the greenhouse (essential for practicality) and then an open bed up one or both sides. The advantage of a bed is that you can fill it full of quality soil and plant directly into it, making maintenance of crops such as tomatoes an awful lot easier. A solid base means you will need to grow greenhouse crops in containers. When you’re placing the order,

try to get some greenhouse staging in your greenhouse. This is usually made from wood or metal and is slatted, making a perfect place to stand seed trays, pots and propagators. Most greenhouses are fitted with horticultural grade glass but there are other options; if the garden is used by children, you may decide to do as I did and install safety glass or reinforced glass to reduce the risk of a tragic accident – especially likely at the base of the greenhouse. Plastic, polythene or corrugated plastic ‘glazing’ are also available from some outlets; these are generally lower cost and less of a potential hazard - but check how long they are designed to last, and think about how they will look too. If possible consider some

really useful extras, including: shading (necessary to help to keep temperatures down in the sunnier months and to reduce the risk of plant damage); guttering and a linked in water-butt (a brilliant way to have a handy water supply without elaborate plumbing, and the green option too); and an electrical supply (expensive and must be installed by a properly qualified and registered electrician, but allows electrical heating, lighting, fans and installation of a heated propagator). My Top Reasons for Getting a Greenhouse • It allows you to grow a wider range of crops with ease. • It provides a longer growing season, giving shelter at both ends of the season. • You will be able to raise a lot

of plants from seed yourself, so saving money. • It will dramatically reduce the risk of problems such as tomato blight. • Plants get plenty of natural light and so are more likely to thrive. • It makes a perfect gardener’s hide-away! Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for her ‘Winter thru’ Spring Collection’ of gorgeous UK-grown garden-ready vegetable plants ready for delivery in September. You’ll also find many gardening items including growing frames, SpeedHoes, SpeedWeeders, raised bed kits, Nemaslug and other nematode controls, copper tape, pull-out EasyTunnels, signed books and lots more besides.

Health

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

You, Your Bones and Osteoporosis • • • •

Worldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men aged 50 and over will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. World Osteoporosis Day on 20th October aims to raise osteoporosis awareness. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones weaken and decrease in density, increasing the likelihood of fractures. The high incidence of fractures in the over-50s is mostly due to weakened bones. Although osteoporosis can affect any bone, the wrists, hips and spine are the most commonly affected. Who is at risk? Women are generally at greater risk than men, as falling oestrogen levels during the menopause affect bone density. Women are at even higher risk if they: • Experience menopause or have a hysterectomy before age 45. • Over-exercise or diet, stopping their periods for more than six months. Other risk factors include: • Overactive thyroid or parathyroid glands. • Adrenal gland or pituitary gland disorders. • Family history of osteoporosis or hip fracture. • A BMI of 19 or less. • Long-term high-dose corticosteroid use (e.g. for arthritis or asthma).

Eating disorders. Smoking and heavy drinking. Rheumatoid arthritis. Conditions causing malabsorption problems (e.g. coeliac or Crohn’s disease). • Some breast and prostate cancer medications. • Long periods of inactivity (e.g. long-term bed rest). • In men, low testosterone levels. Preventing osteoPorosis Do: take regular exercise that includes weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening activities, which exert force on bones and stimulate growth. They’ll also improve flexibility and balance, making falls less likely. • Weight-bearing exercise: brisk walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, rope skipping, aerobics or racquet sports. • Muscle-strengthening (resistance) exercise: weightlifting (hand weights are fine), resistance bands, weight machines, rising up on your toes and push-ups. include plenty of calcium, vitamin D and protein in your diet. Dairy foods are great sources of protein, calcium, Vitamin D and other vital minerals. Other sources of calcium: some green vegetables (e.g. kale, broccoli, okra), apricots, canned fish with bones (e.g. sardines), nuts, soya beans and soya milk. Most of our vitamin D is produced naturally when our skin is exposed to sunlight (so ensure you spend a little time outside without sun cream). However, our sunlight exposure depends on location and lifestyle. Dietary sources include egg yolks, fatty fish (salmon, tuna and mackerel),

beef liver and almond milk. You can also choose foods fortified with calcium and Vitamin D (e.g. some breads and cereals) or take supplements. Don’t take more than 500–600 mg of calcium daily and take Vitamin D too, as it’s essential for calcium absorption. Don’t: smoke or exceed the advised alcohol limits of 2 units a day. Both are proven to substantially raise fracture risk. Diagnosing osteoporosis Doctors can use an online tool to assess fracture risk. You may also have a DEXA (DXA) scan that measures bone mineral density, giving you a ‘T score’. A score below -2.5 confirms a diagnosis of osteoporosis. treating osteoporosis Not everyone will need medication and treatment depends on age, sex, risk of fracture, previous injury history and existing conditions. It’s sensible to maintain healthy Vitamin D, calcium and fitness levels and reduce your fall risk by ensuring your eyesight and balance are fine. However, if you have a hormone deficiency, a supplement may be appropriate. Other medications include: • Bisphosphonates (e.g. etidronate) and Selective Oestrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs), which help maintain bone density. • Strontium ranelate, which reduces bone breakdown and stimulates new bone growth.

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For More information: National Osteoporosis Foundation: www.nof.org International Osteoporosis Foundation: www.iofbonehealth. org

History

A Brief History of London By Catherine Rose (1042-1066) rebuilt the old Roman London Bridge (in wood) and erected his ‘Palace of Westminster’, today’s Houses of Parliament. It is said that at Vauxhall, you can spot 6,000-year-old timbers in the Thames at low tide. But it was the Roman invasion 2,000 years ago that really put our capital on the map. The Romans built their port settlement by the Thames in 43AD. No one is certain where their name, Londinium, originated but some have suggested it is derived from the Celtic word ‘lond’ meaning ‘wild’. Londinium eventually stretched from London Wall in the north to Southwark in the south. Although the 20-foot-high wall surrounding it no longer exists, it is still possible to walk along its route, noting place names that relate to the original city gates: Ludgate, New Gate, Aldersgate, Moorgate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate. When the Romans abandoned London, the Anglo-Saxons moved in some two hundred years later, establishing a new settlement called Lundenwic. Crowned in the church he built, Westminster Abbey, the penultimate Anglo-Saxon king Saint Edward the Confessor

After Edward’s successor, Harold, was defeated by William the Conqueror, one of the first things that William built was the Tower of London - part of a network of castles in his fortification strategy. The ‘White Tower’ remains and was a Royal residence until 1500. By now, the name London was in common use. The boundary of the city was roughly the square mile that we know as the City of London, while other areas such as Westminster were separate from it. The City of London and the City of Westminster were joined by road and river routes. When Westminster gained importance as a seat of rule for royalty, Church and government, these routes began to be used regularly for State processions. In 1172, work started on London Bridge to rebuild it in stone. It took 33 years to complete the impressive 19arched structure that lasted 600 years. St Paul’s Cathedral was built in 1200. Gothic in style, it was noted for its magnificent spire until it was unfortunately struck by lightning in 1561. The Great Plague struck

London in 1665 and raged for eighteen months, killing nearly a quarter of the population. This was closely followed by the Great Fire of London in 1666, which destroyed the medieval city inside the old Roman wall, including St Paul’s. The cathedral was subsequently redesigned and rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren as the famous building we know today.

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By the 1700s there had been much new building, but there was also a growing proliferation of slums. With little help and overcrowding, the poorest turned to a life of prostitution or crime. There was no sanitation, no street lights and no police force. Gas lighting arrived in 1738 but policing didn’t appear until 1829, when Robert Peel, then Home Secretary, set up the first police force, with policemen earning the nickname ‘bobbies’ and ‘peelers’ in recognition of him. Although the Industrial Revolution resulted in excessive pollution, leaving Londoners to endure regular ‘pea soupers’ - dense bouts of smog - until the 1956 Clean Air Act, the Victorians were responsible for making London the capital we know today. They widened roads, erected well-known monuments, constructed a water and sewage system and built what has become one of London’s most iconic forms of transport: the London Underground.

Hobbies

You’re Never Alone With A Book Club Who said reading was a solitary occupation? These days, thanks to the popularity of book clubs, you’ll find book lovers throughout the world coming together to socialise and share their views. And avid readers who can’t meet face-to-face will find plenty of online platforms where they can discuss the books they have enjoyed with others. The main objective of a book club is to invite a group of people to read a novel or work of non-fiction in their own time and then come together in a social setting in order to discuss it. Some book clubs meet in group members’ homes - where food and drink matching a book’s theme is often served while others meet in libraries, pubs or community centres. These gatherings are usually informal in nature, with few set rules, although limits may be set on the time allowed for conversations that are not related to books! a hiStory of book clubS Although it’s hard to pin down the actual date when book clubs emerged, it has been suggested that the trend

Shorter By Kate McLelland really began in the USA 1 in pag of local groups you can join. e 1996, when TV personality Starting your own f o Oprah Winfrey added armat a lsoclub book book club segment to her researched your availabIfarea hugely popular TV show. lyou’ve eand found that there Eight years later presenters Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan - the hosts of a similar, magazine-style British TV programme - decided to launch their own book club. It immediately captured the imagination of UK audiences, pushing sales of books reviewed from thousands of copies to millions, virtually overnight. Today it is estimated that there are over 50,000 book clubs in Great Britain. Joining up Many clubs are set up by word of mouth, so you could ask friends, family or work colleagues if they know of any groups operating locally. Your local library can also be a good source of information. If your library doesn’t already run its own club, it may provide space for an independent group to meet, or carry a list of book clubs operating in the area. Websites such as readinggroups.org or mybookclub.com also carry lists

are no groups that meet your needs, you could always set up your own club. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

choose what type of book club you’d like to run. Should it be seriously academic, or light and frivolous? The answer may depend on the type of people who will be attracted to join: their ages, gender and areas of interest. Decide how many people should be invited as members. A group of between 8 and 16 is a comfortable size, allowing you to continue even if several members are absent. If the group is larger than that, conversations can become harder to moderate. think about when and how often the club should get together. Meeting on a monthly or six-weekly basis works well for most people and gives time for books to be read. It is best if the timing of meetings is agreed

through discussions with other members, in order to accommodate their work or childcare commitments. Once you’ve decided on a schedule that works well for the group, try to stick with it. An ideal length for each meeting is two to two and a half hours, allowing plenty of time to discuss the book, but also including time for summing up, setting reading tasks and socialising. there are many different ways to keep in touch with members but the quickest and most efficient way to communicate is via email or social media. Set up a Facebook group for your club or sign up to the website bookmovement.com, which lets you set up a private book club page to keep track of book selections, send out

meeting invitations and track acceptances.

memoirs, detective thrillers or books on food.

Here are some dos and don’ts for holding successful meetings:

Don’t give in to someone who begs the group to read their favourite novel. Adverse criticism can lead to hurt feelings, so it’s best to stay on neutral ground.

Do choose two or three books at a time so members can read at their own pace. Don’t get locked into a 12month programme of book choices as you’ll miss out on the chance to introduce new and exciting books that you hear about. Don’t keeping reading the same type of book. Variety is key to keeping your group engaged, so try interspersing fiction with non-fiction books, including poetry, history or biography. Do try selecting books by theme: focusing on a specific author or choosing particular genres such as childhood

In addition to all the pleasure you’ll get from reading and discussing a wide range of books, by joining or starting up a book club you will also enjoy linked activities such as visits to literary festivals, meeting local authors or trips to the cinema to see the film version of a book you’ve read. It’s the perfect activity for socially-inclined book lovers. If you ever thought reading was a lonely pastime, there’s no doubt you’ll revise your opinion when you join a book club.

Home Interiors

Home & Interiors Designing A Dressing Room

By Katherine Sorrell

Think of rails for full, half and three-quarter-length hanging, deep, shallow and compartmentalised drawers, and useful fittings such as tie holders, pull-out shelves, boxes, trouser hangers and laundry bins. The hard-to-reach top parts of the space are ideal for infrequently used items, and shoes can be kept in racks or on trees at the bottom. To turn your space from a walk-in wardrobe to a full-on dressing room, leave enough space for a dressing table with a good mirror and drawers for cosmetics, hair styling kit and so on. A full-length mirror is essential, and for drying hair you’ll need a plug socket nearby.

Shorter 1 page format also available

The Modernist architect Le Corbusier (a man who knew a thing or two about designing buildings) advised readers of his collected essays: “never undress in your bedroom. it is not a clean thing to do and makes the room horribly untidy.” Clearly, this was a man who was strongly in favour of separate dressing rooms. Move on almost 100 years or so and, while most of us don’t really feel that it’s unhygienic to take our clothes off in the bedroom, many of us do yearn for the luxury of a dressing room, a dedicated place in which to store clothes in good order, leaving the bedroom as a comfortable, tranquil place uncluttered by bulky wardrobes and chests of drawers. When space allows, this could be an

immensely useful, functional space, as large and luxurious as you like, containing not just clothes storage but also room for a dressing table, seating and plenty of mirrors. When space is restricted, perhaps in an apartment or older property, you may find that it is more efficient to turn a small room, part of a large landing or one end of a bathroom or the master bedroom into a dressing area packed with carefully designed storage. How big should a dressing room be? The most effective way to work it out is simply to get out your tape and measure everything that you’re planning to put in the room, then draw up plans and elevations of where and how they’ll fit. Most people opt for a combination of hanging space and drawers.

There are three ways to fit out the space: find a carpenter or joiner to make you an utterly bespoke room; commission a fitted-furniture specialist and choose from one of their ranges; or use off-the-shelf elements, readily available from DIY sheds or storage specialists, and make it up yourself. The latter option, though undeniably the cheapest, has the disadvantage of being less flexible and, because all the parts will be made to standard measurements, may not make the best use of your space, particularly if it is awkwardly shaped.

It is important to get the lighting right in a dressing room. Wall fittings, dangling pendants and floor lamps may be in the way, so inset ceiling spotlights are often the best option. Ensure that you have enough to light the room brightly, particularly if your finishes are dark. And if you decide to screen off your clothes with doors, fit sensor-operated lights that switch on when you open the doors. While the organisation of storage is essentially utilitarian, there is always an element of aesthetics, too. Even plain, open-fronted storage comes in a choice of finishes, while bespoke versions could incorporate exotic woods, leather or wicker. In an ideal world, you would match the style of the dressing room to that of your bedroom, picking out colours, finishes and details such as drawer handles and light switches to blend seamlessly from one room to the other. Main iMage: Komplement interior wardrobe fittings, Ikea: 020 3645 0000; ikea.com/gb

Creating a dressing room area in a bedroom If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough space to build a dedicated dressing room, consider sectioning off one end of the bedroom to act as a storage/dressing area. You could simply use a curtain or screen to separate the spaces or, more permanently, build a false wall to act as a headboard and, on the other side, a wardrobe. Make the wall as high as the hanging space needed for your longest clothes, but stop it short of the ceiling to increase the sense of space and light in the room. As with any space-saving storage requirements, ensure that any fitted furniture makes use of the full height and width available, and look out for clever fittings such as corner carousels, pull-down hangers and tilting laundry baskets.

Life Begins

Could Brexit Cloud Your Plans To Retire In The Sun? by Kate McLelland When the TV programme “A Place in the Sun” launched in the year 2000, international travel was becoming easier and cheaper thanks to the birth of low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair. The show was intended to demonstrate how simple it could be for British residents to buy a home - or a second home - in countries such as Spain, France or Portugal. The prospect of owning a place in the sun was particularly tempting for older people planning their retirement, as cheaper EU property prices allowed downsizers to retain some capital from the sale of their UK homes. Legislation allowing the free movement of EU citizens made it easy to take up residence in another country and travel freely without the need for visas, while reciprocal EU healthcare arrangements provided access to free medical treatment. Thanks to Brexit, the picture is changing. Earlier this year a report by Spain’s Association of Land and Commercial Registrars revealed that British demand for second homes had reduced by 30% since the referendum, while estate agents on some of the more popular Greek islands reported an even sharper decline, with

an estimated 80% drop in interest. One of the greatest concerns for prospective buyers is that the rights and benefits UK citizens have previously enjoyed as a result of the UK’s membership of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) will be withdrawn when we leave. Buying a property Currently the fall in the pound is making property purchases abroad more expensive for UK buyers, but it is hoped that the pound’s value will eventually strengthen when more is known about Britain’s prospects outside the EU. While there is no doubt that Britons will continue to be able to buy property and live in an EU country after Brexit (just as non-EU and non-EU European nationals do without problems today), there are questions as to whether property owning Brits will be charged higher taxes on their assets. Although nothing is certain at this stage, the economic benefits UK property owners bring to less affluent areas of France, Spain and Portugal may make EU members more reluctant to penalise British owners. travel Once we have left the

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European community, it’s unlikely that we will experience the same speedy passage through passport control that we once enjoyed, but the jury is out on whether you might need a visa to visit another EU country. If visas are required, spontaneous trips to the UK from your home abroad - or from Britain to your EU holiday home - could become a thing of the past. Medical treatMent At present, anyone receiving a UK state pension whilst living in an EU country is entitled to free healthcare. It would be extremely costly for the NHS if, after Brexit, it had to care for everyone who currently receives treatment abroad, so it is expected that negotiators will try to keep some sort of reciprocal arrangement, provided the UK remains in the EEA. There is - inevitably - much speculation about how our exit from the EU might affect our ability to live in or visit European countries, but the truth is no-one can give an accurate answer until negotiations with the remaining 27 member states have been completed. Until that time, the dream of retiring to “a place in the sun” may simply have to be put on ice.

The Life List The Garden Code Gardeners can be a funny lot. Whether it’s getting up in the small hours to hunt for slugs, or saving cardboard boxes (and keeping them dry!) ready for the compost, you can’t fault their dedication. It’s as if they live in their own little world and talk their own language… FORLORN – To be dismayed at the clover and dandelions ruining your grass. CONCEDE – Those discount packets from garden centres that never seem to amount to anything. HOEING – To laugh at some else’s overgrown and unruly vegetable patch.

TURN ON THE WATERWORKS – Use a sprinkler. BORDER PATROL – The ceaseless quest to keep your prize dahlias and salvias healthy and safe.

Portrait ONE GOOD TURN DESERVES ANOTHER Half Page – Aerate the compost pile. POTHOLING – Creating drainage in homemade Version als plant holders. o A CUTTING REMARK – To critique a flower a v a i lable arrangement.

GRASP THE NETTLE – An easy one to understand! A gloved weeding session, followed by a delicious soup (or the beginnings of a nitrogen rich plant feed). HAS-BEENS – Enjoying a flageolet harvest. BAMBOOZLE – Confuse yourself by excessive use of garden canes. A NET GAIN – To protect your berries from the birds.

HEDGE FUND – Money set aside for privet, Pittosporum and topiary.

CAGE FIGHTER – Belatedly rush to enmesh your raised bed before it becomes a restaurant for pests.

THE PLOT THICKENS – I should have added organic matter to improve drainage in my clay soil.

A SLUGGISH START – What happened to all your lettuce plants after it rained.

MAKE A BEELINE – To plant rows of alliums, catmint, lupins and sedum for pollinators.

Life List

By Derek Thompson www.alongthewritelines.blogspot.co.uk

Renault Zoe

Motoring

Impressive Electric Range For A Small Price Tag by James Baggot

With its new Z.E.40 battery, the Renault Zoe now boasts a realworld range of up to 184 miles. Simon Davis puts it to the test. The Renault Zoe could be the Twizy quadricycle’s older sister. However, the Zoe is a proper family car with five seats, a boot and a useable real-world electric driving range. It’s also a zero-emissions vehicle, meaning it qualifies for the government’s full £4,500 plug-in car grant, and there is no vehicle excise duty. What’s neW? The Zoe has been facelifted for 2017 and gains a new battery – the Z.E.40. There’s also the new Signature Nav top-level trim. This new battery dramatically increases its appeal compared with its rivals. The quoted 250-mile range is based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), however, and Renault says that realistically this will be closer to 184 miles in summer and 124 miles in the winter. What’s under the bonnet? Our test vehicle was fitted with Renault’s R90 electric motor, developing 91bhp and 220Nm of torque, giving a 0-60mph time of 13.3 seconds and a top speed of 84mph. The Zoe comes with a homecharging unit, so you’ll be able to replenish its batteries in as little as seven hours.

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What’s it like to drive? While the electric motor reaches 30mph in a timely fashion, it takes a long time to reach open road speeds, so the Zoe isn’t ideal for long-distance drives. Around town, however, the Zoe is perfectly capable. Visibility is good, it’s comfortable, easy to drive and its relatively small size makes for easy parking. The steering is rather vague, though, and the regenerative brakes are rather grabby. hoW does it look? We think the Zoe is pretty and very chic, and one of the most attractive-looking EVs on sale today. What’s it like inside? That low price point is apparent in the cabin, where you’ll find plenty of cheap and scratchy plastic surfaces. Compared with the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, the Zoe’s interior is a let-down. It wins on space, however. Two adults can sit in relative comfort in the back seats as long as the front passengers are not too tall. Boot space stands at a decent 338 litres. What’s the spec like? Standard equipment is fairly generous: even entry-level models include Renault’s R-Link infotainment system and satellite navigation. Our mid-range Dynamique Nav specification test car had a

hands-free key card, DAB radio, Bluetooth audio streaming and rear parking sensors. Prices for the Renault Zoe start at just £14,245, considerably less than its rivals. However, that does not include the mandatory monthly battery hire fee, which costs upwards of £59 per month based on mileage. If you want buy the Zoe and battery outright, the entry-level i-Expression Nav model is £19,845. verdict The Zoe earns points for being one of the most affordable electric cars on the market. It’s not going to amaze you with its dynamic abilities, but as an urban daily driver its superior range, practical interior and attractive looks make it hard to beat in this segment.

Facts at a glance Model: Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav R90 Z.E.40 price as tested: £19,295 (not including £59 per month battery hire) engine: R90 Electric motor with Z.E.40 battery power (bhp): 91 torque (nm): 220 Max speed (mph): 84mph 0-60mph: 13.3 seconds charge time: 7-8 hours range (nedc): 250 miles emissions: (g/km): 0

Keeping Your Pets Safe This Bonfire Night Bonfire Night can be a frightening and anxious time for pets, and it’s important to spare a thought for their safety. Keeping them safe and feeling secure is paramount during this time, so what can you do to help your pet deal with the sights and sounds of Fireworks Night? Calming tablets Your vet will be able to recommend various types of calming tablet that gently reduce anxiety and the trauma

PETS

often suffered on Bonfire Night. Flashing lights and loud noises create fear, which can sometimes lead to aggression in a normally nonaggressive dog. ‘Noise’ CDs These are CDs that play noises similar to those heard on Bonfire Night, and can gently acclimatise your pet to the unusual sounds. Played at a low level during late October and early November, it can help your pet to cope better on the night. Blocking out the noise Make sure you draw your curtains and turn up the volume on the TV or radio to drown out the sound of

Pets

fireworks. Close your doors and windows, not forgetting the cat flap if you have one.

Portrait A safeH den alf where Pagyoure Provide a ‘den’ pet V will feel more secure, erstheir ioncomfort giving them also blanket or toy, or even an old a v aclothing ilabltoehelp piece of your ease the anxiety.

Keeping your pet indoors will ensure their safety, but if you do need to take them outside make sure they are wearing a collar and tag. www.bluecross.org.uk/petadvice/fireworks-and-pets www.thekennelclub.org. uk/our-resources/kennel-clubcampaigns/fireworks By Ann Haldon

Helping Children To Deal With Big Emotions

Parenting

by Kate Duggan kateduggan.co.uk

It can be bewildering when your child has a meltdown, as the reason for it often seems pretty minor. However, while children may think they’re upset because their sibling got an extra sweet or because they want to carry on watching TV, there’s often an underlying issue. Tiredness, hunger and sugar crashes can all make children over-emotional. Of course, children often won’t realise why they’re feeling like they do and may be very quick to tell you that no they’re not hungry, they’re cross because you’re just being SO UNFAIR. Children also often store up any anxieties and let them loose in a safe place, i.e. at home. An argument with a friend at school, for instance, can result in a shouting match over switching the TV off at home. Or, if your child is worried that you might love their siblings more than you love them, a perceived unfairness can be a trigger to letting that worry come out. A worry box can be a useful tool for discovering any underlying anxieties that may be bothering your child. Help

them to decorate a cardboard box and write ‘Our worry box’ on the side. Encourage your child to write down when something is worrying them, and to pop it in the box. If they’re too young to write their worry down, they could draw it or ask you to write it for them. Just the act of getting it down on paper can sometimes help children to work through the issue. Pick a quiet time, when your child seems at ease, to take out a piece of paper and discuss the worry. If your child is still feeling anxious about the issue, they can put it back in the box. Otherwise they can throw it away. Coping with a meltdown A meltdown is usually fast and furious, but short lived. Speaking in a low, soothing voice can help children to calm down. Just repeating that they’re OK and that you’re here can be all that’s needed. Keeping calm when you’re being screamed at is certainly difficult, but reciprocating will just escalate the situation. If you need to walk away and take a few minutes to breathe deeply, then do so. Young children aren’t always

capable of logic, so attempting to reason with them often won’t help. Likewise, telling them to calm down, to stop crying, or to ‘suck it up’ will just make things worse. While giving in to your child’s demands can sometimes diffuse the situation, it won’t uncover any underlying causes for the meltdown and can make things worse in the long run. That being said, it’s always a good idea to properly consider their request before a situation escalates. It’s often very easy to say ‘no’ without actually considering whether there’s room to meet halfway. Once your child has calmed down, you might want to sit with them while they eat a nonsugary snack. Big emotions can be scary and tiring for children. It will take years for them to develop the mental capacity to be able to properly control their emotions, so don’t try to make them feel guilty about losing control. Instead, ask whether they want to talk about what just happened and about how they’re feeling. A hug can go a long way towards making both of you feel better too.

Beef And Pepper Stroganoff Serves 4

Recipe

Ready in 25 minutes

This is a fabulously quick and easy supper that is packed full of flavour. Serve with a watercress or rocket salad, if liked.

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • •

350g tagliatelle 1tbsp olive oil 4 flash-fry steaks (each about 125g), cut into thin strips 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 large red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced 300ml carton half-fat crème fraiche 2tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1-2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

TIP

Add a spoonful of wholegrain mustard with the crème fraiche for an extra piquant flavour or try a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook for 8-10 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and stir-fry the steak strips over a very high heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden then add the pepper slices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Return the steak strips and any meat juices to the pan and stir in the crème fraiche and ground black pepper. Heat through gently. Stir in the parsley and adjust the seasoning to taste. Drain the tagliatelle and divide between four warmed shallow pasta bowls. Spoon the steak mixture on top and garnish with a little more freshly ground black pepper.

Short Story

Short Story The Vengeful Goat “There’s a light ahead!” Dale gasped, climbing over the stile. “It must be the Inn.”

sound. It was like something being dragged behind him.

“Get out the way.” Graham gave the young man a shove. “I need to see for myself.”

“Halt!” Graham barked. “I heard something.”

It was like peering through closed lids. Night had fallen, and a thick mist clung to the moor. Even if Dale hadn’t lost his compass, it would be no use to them now.

The two men stopped. There was silence, as though the mist had stolen their ears as well as their eyes.

Not that Graham was ready to forgive Dale. It was just his luck to be paired up on this team building exercise with the most incompetent member of staff. His other colleagues would be cosied up in the bar by now, while he was lost on the moor with the village idiot.

“Footsteps,” Graham frowned, “but it’s gone now.”

“Sir, it’s there,” Dale insisted, “less than a mile away, I reckon.” The mist parted and a faint light flickered. Finally, their destination was in sight – The Vengeful Goat Inn. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Dale said, “as long as we stick to the path.” “Let’s not delay,” Graham said firmly. “You go in front, and I’ll bring up the rear.” If there were any treacherous bogs, thought Graham, at least Dale will stumble into them first. The footpath was flinty and narrow, but a welcome relief from the soft uneven moorland. The cold had crept into Graham’s joints and his feet were numb. His wheezing breath punctuated every footfall, but there was a new

“What did it sound like?” Dale asked.

“Let’s hope it’s not that crazy ghost goat,” Dale laughed. “Enough, Dale!” Graham said crossly. He had no time for superstitious nonsense, and didn’t care to be reminded about the stupid ghost story the inn keeper had told them over supper last night. “Any more talk of ghosts and you’ll have a written warning on your desk come Monday morning.” “Sorry, sir,” Dale muttered. Graham might have known the legend would affect someone as gullible as Dale. The locals claimed a vengeful goat haunted the moors, preying on travellers. It was nonsense of course, but just the sort of thing to spook a daft lad. “Let’s crack on,” Graham said firmly. As soon as they began to move, Graham heard the stumbling footsteps again. It was like something with a monstrous limp dragging its feet. “Come on, pick up the pace!”

Graham grew anxious. Sweat prickled his scalp. The faster they walked, the greater the urgency of the creature that shambled after them. He dared not look over his shoulder, and regretted insisting Dale go first. The boy was expendable; Graham had to save himself. The mist parted, revealing the creaking sign of the inn. Sanctuary was seconds away. He pushed passed Dale and broke into a sprint. The cloven clattering behind him grew louder. He reached the doorway and threw himself through it. “Bar the door, the goat’s right behind me!” he shrieked to the barman. But too late, the creature snatched at his ankle, sending him sprawling. “It’s got me!” he cried, closing his eyes. There was stunned silence, followed by laughter. Graham felt Dale helping him to his feet. “Something’s got you!” Dale laughed. “You said I’d lost it, but you’ve been trailing it behind you.” And Graham saw his beast was just the cord attached to his compass. It had been tangled around his boot all along. By Jackie Brewster

Technology Technology

HIGH-TEC HORRORS When your gadgets go bump in the night Some of the scariest things don’t make very good costumes: nobody’s going to go to a fancy dress party as The Laptop Full Of Orange Juice, The Stolen Smartphone or The Family Photos That Got Deleted By Accident. But unfortunately such horrors do exist. How can you ensure that they don’t give you nightmares? The first step to avoid any kind of digital disaster is to have backups of anything important. You can do that in several ways: you can copy files to an external hard disk; you can upload them to an online service such as Microsoft OneDrive or Yahoo’s Flickr; or you can backup to CD-R or DVD. That latter option is the least safe, though, because discs can easily be lost or damaged. We prefer the online option, as it ensures our backups are kept far, far away in the event of emergency. Keeping up-to-date backups means that even if your hardware suffers a horrible fate, your important files - your family photos, perhaps, or the book you’re secretly writing - don’t go with it. If your device is lost or stolen there are a few things you can try. Apple and Android phones and tablets have a “find my device” option - for Apple it’s Find My Phone in iCloud, and in Android it’s google.com/android/find. The latter even includes Android TVs, if you have one. You can use the services to make the device play a sound if you think you’ve just put it somewhere nearby or to display a message urging the finder to call, but you can also use them to lock the device and erase all the data on it, rendering it useless to any thief or to 1 anyone who finds it.

One of the most common digital disasters is water damage: a drink spilled on a laptop, or a smartphone dropped in liquid. If that 2 happens to you, stop immediately - and we mean immediately, because every second counts - and turn it off; if it’s a laptop, turn it upside down so the keyboard is facing downwards and the liquid can drip out. Wipe any wet surfaces, unplug every cable and leave it on top of a towel for at least 24 hours in a warm, dry place. Don’t try to fast-forward by using a hair dryer, as its heat can damage delicate components. When you’re absolutely sure it’s dry turn it back on and look for signs of weird behaviour: if it doesn’t work properly, you’ll need to take it to a repair shop. With phones the process is much the same, but you might get better results if you put the phone in a bag of uncooked rice. Rice is ultra-absorbent and can help dry your phone out more quickly. As for our final horror, accidentally deleted files, you can get them back if you move quickly. That’s because when you trash a file it doesn’t actually get deleted; instead, it’s marked as “okay to over-write”. If you can get to it before it’s overwritten you can usually get it back, even if you’ve emptied the recycle bin. Our go-to app for recovering files is Recuva (www.recuva.com), which works on Windows, on camera memory cards and on USB sticks too. There’s a free version for simple recovery jobs. Main Image- HP Spectre laptop. 1. Find My Device on Google.com. 2. Recuva data recovery software.

Travel

Reims A Royal City at the Heart of Champagne By Solange Hando In the Champagne region, just 45 minutes east of Paris, the colourful city of Reims owes its fame to history and some of the world’s most illustrious vineyards. Here champagne is almost an everyday treat, but on special occasions you might meet the lovely Queen of Champagne draped in a crinoline holding up to 100 glasses, full to the brim. The Romans planted the vines and by the end of the first millennium, the wine had earned its place on royal tables. This was a still white wine made from black grapes but, when bottled, bubbles arising during the second fermentation could cause explosions. Even Dom Pérignon, the local monk who greatly improved it, tried hard to suppress them. Yet as early as 1531, sparkling wine had been successfully produced in Limoux near Carcassonne, and when the problem was eventually solved in Champagne, sparkling wine quickly gained favour. Today, champagne is on the scene wherever you go in this endearing city, even in the cathedral. Almost totally destroyed in WWI, Notre-Dame has been painstakingly rebuilt, including its old stained glass windows, including a panel dedicated to wine making

and Dom Pérignon. Bright contemporary windows by Chagall are a stunning contrast, while the latest addition is a gift from Angela Merkel as a sign of reconciliation. Many of the statues and sculptures are copies of the originals which are kept in the adjoining Palais du Tau, the former archbishop’s palace, alongside royal treasures. Royal? Just walk down the aisle and you will see a plaque marking the spot where Clovis, the first King of the Franks, was baptized by St Rémi on Christmas Day 496, followed by 3,000 of his men. According to legend, the king was anointed with a miraculous oil carried by a dove. The oil was later stored in St Rémi’s Abbey and only brought to the cathedral for coronations, returned to its rightful home after the ceremony in exchange for hostages the monks kept just in case. Altogether 25 French kings were crowned in Reims Cathedral, the last one in 1825. Most notable perhaps was Charles VII, who regained his throne during the Hundred Years War aided by the charismatic John of Arc. Charging on horseback, sword drawn, her statue rises dramatically in front of the cathedral.

Back in town, trams glide quietly through the streets while visitors and locals lunch on Erlon Square, ‘ the ChampsElysées’ of Reims, guarded by the slender Subé fountain and its Victory statue. Others relax in the parks, wander around gleaming stores and quaint shopping arcades or head for St Rémi, now a basilica, the Fine Arts Museum or the ‘Musée de la Reddition’ where at 2.41am, on May 7th 1945, the German High Command surrendered unconditionally to the Allies in the school which served as their headquarters. Today, Reims hosts concerts and exhibitions all year round, first class theatre shows and festivals, celebrating Champagne, folk culture or the legendary Joan of Arc. But no visit to the city would be complete without a guided tour in a Champagne House, such as Veuve Cliquot, named after a 27 year old widow who in 1804, well ahead of her time, took over her husband’s business. Cavernous chalk pits, originally dug by the Romans for building material, are now the Cliquot wine cellars, a vast underground maze stretching for 25km on three levels and storing 100 million bottles of champagne in perfect conditions.

World Space Week

Special

4th to 10th October dwarfs’, like Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, evolved. It may also tell us more about four previously unknown moons of Pluto - Nix, Hydra, Styx and Kerberos – which were discovered using the Hubble Telescope.

The UN founded World Space Week in 1999 to celebrate “the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.” It’s now the largest space event in the world, with 86 countries holding 2,700 events last year. This year’s theme is ‘Exploring New Worlds in Space’, and here we look at four major projects the Week will highlight. New Horizons: Pushing the Boundaries The New Horizons spacecraft was launched on 19th January 2006, beginning NASA’s first mission to reconnoitre Pluto and venture into the distant Kuiper Belt. It conducted a six-month-long reconnaissance of the dwarf planet Pluto and its moons in summer 2015. With NASA approval, the spacecraft will head further into the vast Kuiper Belt, where it will study another of the ancient, tiny worlds, over a billion miles beyond Neptune’s orbit. The mission will provide information about the surface properties, geology, interior makeup and atmospheres of these bodies and how ‘ice

The Orion: HumanRated Deep Space Exploration Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor building the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle -NASA’s first spacecraft for long-duration, human-rated deep space exploration. Orion is intended to transport up to six astronauts to destinations beyond low Earth orbit, such as asteroids, the moon and eventually Mars, and return them safely to Earth. It can withstand re-entry speeds of over 20,000 miles per hour. It will enable NASA to extend sustainable, affordable human and robotic exploration across the solar system, developing innovative technology and infrastructure to take space exploration even farther. Space X: Planning for Our Move to Mars Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft “with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.” In 2010, it became the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from lowEarth orbit, and in 2012 made history again when its Dragon spacecraft took cargo to and

from the International Space Station. It now runs regular NASA resupply missions and will be transporting crew to the ISS as early as 2018. SpaceX is currently developing the Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket, and working on fully and rapidly reusable rockets, which will make space exploration more affordable and reliable. This year it successfully achieved the first reflight of an orbital class rocket. Planetary Resources: Unlocking the Solar System’s Economy The vision of Planetary Resources is “to expand the economy into space.” The company focuses on developing technology to mine near-Earth X-type asteroids (rich in precious metals) and extract water from C-type asteroids. To this end, they’re developing prospector craft capable of surveying asteroids for prolonged periods and then impacting or landing on them to take measurements. The Arkyd 3 deployed into low-Earth orbit from the ISS in July 2015 and successfully tested its core prospecting capabilities. Arkyd 6 is scheduled to launch this year to test increased prospecting and space-based observation technologies. Before mining precious metals, Planetary Resources intends to produce fuel in space from water-rich carbonaceous chondrites that can be broken down into highly efficient LOX/ H2 rocket fuel. Want to know more? Visit www.worldspaceweek.org

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.

25 3

10 6

General Xword

8 7

14 8

12 11

24 24

24 8

16 9 6

20 20

16 14

25 17

14 16

14 14

3 7

24 7

19 16

24 16

12 8

20 14

18 16

3 19

3 14

14 8

General Knowledge Crossword Across 1. Household dirt (4) 3. Spinal bone (8) 9. Huge destructive wave (7) 10. Monetary value (5) 11. Plait of hair (5) 12. Something unusual â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps worthy of collecting (6) 14. Weighing machine (6) 16. Dairy product (6) 19. Tap for drawing water from a cask (6) 21. Port in western Israel (5) 24. Insect in the stage between egg and pupa (5) 25. Fruit garden (7) 26. Handrail at the

side of a staircase (8) 27. Confederate, accomplice (4) Down 1. Organised collection of related information (8) 2. Aqualung (5) 4. Person who leaves one country to settle in another (6) 5. Odd-toed ungulate of tropical America (5) 6. Stiff hair (7) 7. Cainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother (4) 8. Part by which a thing is held (6) 13. Study and classification of armorial bearings

Only f or sub scriber paying s for tw o or more p ostcod es exclus ivity (8) 15. Painkiller developed in Germany in the 1890s (7) 17. Seize a vehicle in transit (6)

18. Victim of ridicule or pranks (6) 20. Drinking vessel (5) 22. Implement used in manual threshing (5) 23. Baseball bat (4)

Cryptic Xword

Cryptic Crossword 1

10 11

13 14

16 17 20

Across 1 Count on plutonium only (6) 4 Sentry drove Neil mad! (8) 9 Trial last short judge misses (6) 10 Endless drama with bone upset dog (8) 12 Beds a bad actor derides (8) 13 Claim lock ain’t opening the wrong way (6) 15 Seldom encountered in disaster areas (4) 16 Ghastly raincoat Reba ruined (7) 20 Advice on clue’s construction (7) 21 Figure in the place of 1000 (4) 25 Do seas churn at this port? (6) 26 Notorious oaf (minus bust) (8) 28 Perfectly fine when none are left (3,5) 29 State, sad to say, with okay residents (6) 30 Widows left to complete bets (8) 31 Extremely narrow lane to dell (6)

Down 1 Cut up tough fish (8) 2 A mountain of mugs? (8) 3 “Hide an airbed” heard (3,3) 5 Observation about a school (4) 6 Pruned tree with a certain value (8) 7 Unfeeling monarch could be one (6) 8 A piece left Ghent, oddly (6) 11 British drizzle reaching second country (7) 14 A loner’s renovated city (7) 17 Really hot organist put out (8) 18 Massive shortfall covered by fuel (8) 19 Envoy revolting miser, say (8) 22 Raw cod turning chicken! (6) 23 Guy took a tumble – ouch! (6) 24 Girl after a secretary is a dish (6) 27 Burn the end off an amulet (4)

Solution Across: 1 Purely, 4 Sentinel, 9 Lasses, 10 Doberman, 12 Hammocks, 13 Assert, 15 Rare, 16 Macabre,

Movie Title 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.

25 31

Mini Cryptic Xword

2 words

INCLINATION HUNCH SENSE GUT FEELING IMPULSE

3 words 1

14/07/2017 Mini Cryptic Crossword

Hidato.indd 1

EMPLOI LAVORO TRABAJO

9:25:00

Across 1. Property set on fire in a dock (7) 7. Bird dog missing its lead (5) 8. Goddess leaving popular state (7) 9. Country set back, I’ll wager (5) 11. Fool from Spain in nylons? (5) 12 Weary communist follows it around (5) 14. Music a little bit tedious initially (5) 16. Meat that’s prepared in ovens (7) 18. Solemn tomb (5) 19. NHS cut – a disaster to stop! (7) Down 1. “Stop bearing east, mum!” (5) 2. Help me during commercial (3) 3. Wrong paint is not suitable (5) 4. Time period one second long (5) 5. Touching sign at a surgery (7) 6. Penny put in bank has come back (5) 10. One takes food back, leading to fat reduction (7) 12. A hint can get abbreviated (5)

CIRCUI

32 17

2 words

Hidato & Pictogram

marquee (the 13. Passes away having middle) (5) five headers (5) 17. Star found in 14. Chap with little disunion (3) thanks for Ray (5) 15. Fraction of a

Black and White

Quiz 1

1. Italian football team Juventus started wearing black and white striped shirts in 1903 after being sent some from England from a fan of which English football team? 2. Which event in history led to the summer of 1847 being labelled Black Forty Seven? 3. Which 1952 book by E.B. White was named the Best Children's Book of the 20th century by Time magazine? 4. In the first published edition of a famous 1964 book, who were described as a tribe of black pygmies who had been imported from "the very deepest and darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had been before"? 5. Which monarch's profile was featured on the Penny Black, the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system? 6. With a name that translates to mean "white house", what is the largest city in Morocco? 7. Which of the following was a character in the film Reservoir Dogs?... Mr Black or Mr White? 8. Born in 1932, which American singer was nicknamed "the man in black"? 9. Which lake is the source of the White Nile, the longest branch of the River Nile? 10. If there are 88 keys in total on a standard modern grand piano, how many of these are black?

also available as a quarte r page

Anagram Pairs

Quiz 2

Can you reword the phrases below to come up with new two-word phrases, where both words are anagrams of each other? For example, “necessary three-sided shape” = “integral triangle”.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

strongly disliked end of life alarm promising young actress gave wrong cards to top three finisher flexible family members beautiful hit of ball before it touched the ground transfers forests from internet to computer more muscular thing provided without charge educate someone who wins by acting unfairly environmentally friendly category improved efficiency of train accidents

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

Simple Xword

QUICK CROSSWORD

Across

7 Brave (6) 8 Keep back (6) 9 On top of (4) 10 Loudest (8) 11 Small rivers (7) 13 Looks at (5) 15 Perfect (5)

13 14

19 20

17 Laughed (7) 20 Confuse (8)

21 Consumes (4) 22 Light wind (6) 23 Inn (6) Down 1 Type of cloth (6) 2 Not wealthy (4)

Spot the Difference

3 Financial resources (7)

14 Shake (7)

4 Own up to (5)

16 Gloomy (6)

5 Hitting (8)

18 Goes into (6)

6 Puzzle (6)

19 Trimmed (5)

12 Inspected (8)

21 Jealousy (4)

Sudoku Easy

Sudoku Hard

Trial

I W T E H R 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: 9 4 letters: 13 5 letters: 5 6 letters: 3

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.

C L A W

3 Letters HER HEW HIE HIT IRE THE TIE WET WIT 4 Letters HEIR HIRE

H O O F

RITE TIER TYRE WEIR WHET WERE WHIT WIRE WITE WITH WRIT 5 Letters THEIR

THREW WHITE WITHE WRITE 6 Letters WHITER WITHER WRITHE

Cake Angel Apple Banana Carrot Cheese Christmas Cream Cup Dundee

Eccles Fruit Fudge Ginger Layer Lemon Madeira Marble

Word Search Mocha Orange Panettone Polenta Red velvet Simnel Tiramisu Wedding

Find the names of cakes 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: 30 or more words Good: 26 words Fair: 22 words

C P

R A

E Answer: CARPET