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Delia at 70

Her private heartache

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Natural ways to beat...

Hot flushes ÊSummer colds ÊIndigestion ÊLow mood EAJH

Live life to the full at 50, 60 & 70+

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10:27:39 07.06.2011 09:23 Rival7/6/11 Colour LTD

Why we all love

Miss Marple As the doughty super sleuth returns to our screens, her alter ego Julia McKenzie tells Yours how honoured she feels to still be wearing her sensible shoes

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y star chat y ulia McKenzie is used to being approached by members of the public in the supermarket. During her stint in the comedy series, Fresh Fields, women would tell her how much they loved her co-star, Anton Rogers. “They rarely had very much to say about me,” she laughs, good-naturedly.

More recently, it’s Agatha Christie fans. “They adore Marple.

But what’s disconcerting is the way they pat me on the shoulder as though I’m an old lady myself.”

Although, at 71, she is probably the same age, she looks younger, thanks perhaps to good genes, a happy life and a passion for Pilates.

Trim and toned, twinkleeyed, with hair blow-dried baby blonde, she is dressed in tailored black trousers and fuchsia pink cashmere jumper, rather than the ageing detective’s sensible tweeds.

“Miss Marple has no fashion sense,” she says. “She hasn’t come on since she was at school and still wears a kind of uniform of blazer and skirt. She doesn’t have much money for clothes. But I like that the audience can concentrate on the character not the clothes.”

Having taken over the role from Geraldine McEwan, Julia is now one of a band of seven great actresses to have played her. “Not, I’m sure, that I’ll be the last,” she says. “Marple is such an iconic role, so it’s only ever really lent to you.”

In the latest drama, she’ll be joined by Samantha Bond, Rafe Spall, Richard Briers and Warren Clarke – and aided and abetted by her young pal, Bobby Attfield (played by Sean Biggerstaff) and his socialite friend Frankie Derwent (Georgia Moffett) in the hunt for the murderer of tyrant Sir Jack Savage.

The title, Why Didn’t they Ask Evans?, comes from Savage’s last words to Bobby Attfield as he lies dying. Bobby enlists Miss Marple’s help and they wind up at Savage’s castle with its weird inhabitants

J

– each the potential murderer.

“Miss Marple, of course, will disarm them all with her apparent ordinariness. She seems harmless, but all of it’s camouflage, She always gets the culprit.”

In real life, Julia also got her man and has been married to American actor-director Jerry Harte for the last 38 years. “I feel rather sorry for people whose marriages have not lasted the course, because they won’t know

‘Miss Marple is such an iconic role – it’s only ever lent to you’ the happiness that develops in a long relationship if you allow it to.

“I doubt, for example, I’d have been able to do Marple without him sitting with me for hours helping me to learn the script.

As you get older, it gets harder.

But he puts up with me while I swear at him because I’m getting it wrong,” she laughs. “I have been so lucky to have him in my life.”

The couple had no children and although Julia doesn’t elaborate, she concedes it was not a deliberate choice. “But the camaraderie of actors and that feeling of family that you get on every production has made up for a lot,” she adds.

She especially loved playing Mrs Forester in the BBC period drama, Cranford. “It was like a gypsy encampment on set. We actresses – all old friends in real life – would sit on the caravan steps gossiping. I think we would all have been happy to keep making episodes forever.

“My mother, who died two years ago, at 97, always complained there was nothing to watch on TV. There’s a big audience out there that just isn’t catered for.” An only child, Julia was close to her mother and cared for her at her home for the last 28 years of her life. “It wasn’t a chore and I still miss her every day.”

Her mother’s death signalled a new chapter – including a move from the country where she’d lived for the last 15 years back to London. She and Jerry are now in the process of buying a new house in Torbay. “It has the most wonderful 180-degree view of the sea and the sky,” she says.

Although she plans to keep a bolthole in London for work, she won’t miss city life. “London wears you out,” she says. “So much bustle and noise. No one seems worried about talking loudly into their mobile phone while sitting in front of you on the train. I find it disconcerting.”

Whatever would Miss Marple say?

D Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is on ITV1 on June 15.

A scene from Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? with Julia, as Miss Marple, Mark Williams (Evans), Georgia Moffett (Frankie Derwent) and Rafe Spall (Roger Bassington)

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PICS: ITV; CamERa PRESS

By Daphne Lockyer

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Grans

matter

❝I cried with joy when I saw you ❞ In an emotional open letter, retired civil servant Helen Vanstone, 61, tells her baby granddaughter how special she really is…

AS TOld TO CAROlE RICHARdSON; PICS: PAUl GlENdEll

Darling Martha, One day that I can’t bring myself to think about yet, it’s inevitable you’ll discover how different you are from your sister Chloe (17) and brothers Sam (23), Jake (19) and Billy (8).

Much as I yearn to protect you from the outside world, I’m not naïve enough to think I can do that forever.

Heaven knows, enough people greeted me with well-meant but nonetheless irritating responses when hearing that you, my precious fifth grandchild, had been born with Down’s Syndrome.

“Oh bless, has she really? I’m so sorry…” they’d say after hearing of your sudden arrival – a full eight weeks early – on August 17 last year.

It was almost as if you were suffering from something insurmountable...

How I wanted to shout at them, and tell them to rejoice with us, your proud, loving family!

Right from the start you filled us all with so much love and today, we’re better people for having you in our lives. Your brothers and sister have been your rock – keen to do as much as they can for you.

It may be fanciful but you’ve always emanated such an aura of peace and tranquillity. The moment I first saw you I cried – but only tears of joy. This proud new grandmother was falling 18

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madly in love!

I’d been used to your mum – my only daughter Katie (42) – having such healthy, hearty babies. By comparison, you were such a scrap – just 2lb 8oz, born hours earlier, after a luckily timed routine scan revealed your mum’s placenta had suddenly stopped working and an emergency Caesarean was necessary.

One of the nurses remarked that someone had been looking out for you. I’m not deeply religious but it comforts me to think it was your granddad, Alan, who died suddenly at 51 from an asbestos-related disease.

It was a huge shock to me, finding myself widowed at 47, and to Katie.

We were all so close.

At first I never suspected you had Down’s. Surrounded by tubes and wires in your neonatal incubator at Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, your lovely almond-shaped eyes were largely closed. All I felt was an overwhelming need to protect you from what can sometimes be a tough old life.

I know not everybody feels like us so soon, but I can honestly say when we first discovered you had Down’s, when you were nine days old, it didn’t make any difference. The love for you was already there as we watched you,

fragile and vulnerable, fighting to stay alive with the added complication of two holes in your heart. Nobody was upset by the idea of you having Down’s itself: that was no big deal.

Your mum was more maternal with you than I ever was with her. She insisted that – had she been tested when pregnant – she would still have wanted you. She speaks for us all.

During those early days, I’d sit by your cot just staring at you and chatting about trivial things. “Hello sweetheart, it’s Muma,” I’d say. That was Sam’s nickname for me as a baby and it has stuck. I like to think you recognise my voice.

Bravely you battled and I kept a diary of all your achievements: your first bottle on September 10; first bath on September 22; and that wonderful feeling of holding you for the first

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strap y Gr anydstrap kids Gallery

If you have a terri fic photo or hilarious story let us know!

Day tripper My granddaughter demi (7) looks cool on a day trip in Newbury.

Angelina Brankovic, Glamorgan

Back in time leah (10), looks fabulous dressed as a wartime evacuee for a recent school project.

Lisa Burns, Lancs

It won’t fit!

Our grandson, Jack (8), fancied the look of this giant ice cream!

Sheila Jacobs, Hampshire

Small talk Place name palaver

for your poor mummy and daddy Paul (36), who were hysterical with worry.

But again you rallied – as you always do and soon you were back home, wide eyed and smiling, seldom crying for long. Your good nature is an example to us all and puts our petty everyday problems into perspective.

We know lots of challenges lie ahead – you’ve just had to face another operation to close the hole in your heart that hasn’t healed up naturally.

I know, too, that I will have to soon confront the challenges of my own old age. I like to think we’ll face all our challenges together and help each other deal with what lies ahead.

Love always, your doting Muma

Staying alive I took my granddaughter Keira (6) out for lunch, where we met an elderly lady. Kiera was most impressed by her age and said to her mummy later: “The lady told us she was 100. And she wasn’t even dead yet!”

Linda Corderoy, Essex D Do you have a funny story for Small Talk, or a cute picture for Grandkids’ Gallery? If we print yours, we’ll send you a £10 high street voucher – just post or email them to the address on page 3.

Please ensure that you have parents’ permission to send in photos of your grandchildren.

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PIC:

time on October 9. I’d been itching for that cuddle for so long, yet part of me was fearful. Though you now weighed a whole 5lb, you still seemed so tiny.

Every week you had a new challenge to overcome and you never disappointed us by not rising to it.

Imagine our pride when our brave little soldier was allowed home aged eight weeks on October 13.

But in February, you developed severe breathing problems and had to go back to hospital. That was a real low point. Battling pneumonia and a collapsed lung, you were taken 140 miles by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital and put on a lifesupport machine.

The image of you as a frail sick baby being lifted from your cot will live with me forever. I tried to stay calm

driving in an unfamiliar area, I asked my granddaughter (7): “Can you see a sign saying where we are?” She peered out of the window. “It’s Bed linen,” she announced happily.

Melanie Lee, Kent

PIC:

Little treasure Martha with her doting grandma

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Style notes

g n i e g a i t An

summer b

D Foundation

D Day cream

Your foundation may be perfect for evening out a winter complexion, but when the sun shines you need a lighter formula.

Tinted moisturisers keep your skin hydrated without the ageing mask left by some heavier foundations.

Opt for moisturisers with a minimum SPF 15 to protect from the sun’s rays.

Daily moisturisers are important in any skincare routine. In summer keep yours light so it doesn’t overload your pores or create unwanted shine. However, you still need it to work hard and even though you’re using tinted moisturiser instead of a foundation, it doesn’t mean you can skip the day cream!

Swap for…

D Tinted moisturiser Splurge: Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser SPF15 (£21/30ml)

Save: Nivea Visage Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Tinted Day Cream SPF15 (£10.85/50ml)

D Mascara They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so make the most of them. “Full lashes will always be youthful and summer is a great time to get your lashes dyed, which will give them definition and the illusion of volume,” says Avon’s make-up artist Jackie Tyson. If your budget won’t stretch to a salon session, swap your winter mascara for a waterproof formula that won’t budge when the weather heats up.

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Swap for…

D Lighter formula Splurge: No7 Restore & Renew Day Cream with SPF15 and 5-star UVA protection (£20.50/50ml) Save: Garnier UltraLift AntiWrinkle Firming Day Cream SPF 15 (£9.69/50ml)

Swap for…

D Waterproof mascara Splurge: L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara (£11.22/9ml)

Save: Max Factor Aqua Lash Mascara (£6.99/9ml)

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Give your beauty routine a seasonal overhaul by switching your winter favourites to lighter summer alternatives by Jade Pickering

r beauty swaps D Dark eye make-up

D Body cream

D Lipstick

If you wear a darker eye shadow in the winter months, opt for fresher shades now. “Choose nude shades to create the perfect contoured eye,” says Avon’s make-up artist Jackie Tyson. Neutral shades flatter most skin tones. Sweep over your lid with a brush, making sure you blend into the socket line.

Harsh winter weather can leave your skin crying out for rich moisturising formulas, but these can be too greasy to use all year round. “In place of heavy body creams, look for lighter alternatives that work to keep your skin in tip top condition, leaving a healthy-looking glow,” advises Jackie.

Your lippy is a make-up bag staple but, for the summer months, it’s a good idea to swap to an alternative that will give more natural coverage, moisturise and protect your lips from the sun.

“Rather than a lipstick, try a tinted lip balm with SPF,” says Jackie. It will give your lips a hint of colour and long-lasting moisturisation.

D Natural eye make-up Splurge: Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad (£8.50/ 6.5g) Save: e.l.f. Duo Eye Shadow (£1.50/4g)

D Blusher Gives you a fresh, dewy look when the weather is cold, but when it brightens up try switching to an alternative that will help you create a holiday glow. “In place of a blusher, I like to use a light bronzer,” says Jackie. “Using a large soft brush, sweep over your cheek bones for a summery shimmer that isn’t ageing.”

Swap for…

D Gradual tan

Swap for…

D Tinted lip balm Splurge: Laura Mercier Lip Balm with SPF15 (£16.85/3.5g)

Splurge: No7 Naturally Sunkissed Gradual Body Tan (£10/200ml)

Save: e.l.f. Studio Conditioning Lip Balm SPF15 (£3.50/7.5g)

Save: Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Body Lotion (£5.10/250ml)

Swap for…

D Bronzer

Save: Rimmel Natural Bronzer (£5.59/16g) Splurge: Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF15 (£22.50/12g)

Stockists: Avon 0845 601 4040 www.avonshop.com; Clinique 0870 034 2566; Dove 0800 085 1548; e.l.f. www.eyeslipsface.co.uk; Garnier available nationwide; L’Oréal 0800 072 6699; Laura Mercier available from John Lewis stores 0845 604 9049; Max Factor available nationwide www.maxfactor. co.uk; Nivea 0845 644 8556; No7 0845 070 8090; Rimmel available nationwide www. rimmellondon.com Details correct at time of going to press YOURS

YOUR117-42-43 Beauty.indd 43

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PICS: GETTY ImAGES AND URbAN lIP

Swap for…

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

Choose crease-free clothes that won’t arrive crumpled

Striped dress, £45, 8-20, Marks & Spencer; bow wedge sandals, £15, 3-8, M&co; sunglasses, £12, Bhs; wide-brimmed hat, £18, Per Una at Marks & Spencer; bangles, £2 per set, Primark.

PHOTOGRaPHY RUTH JENkINSON, STYlING JO WINcH, HaIR aNd MakE-UP SaRaH JaNE GREEN aNd OlIVIa FERRER.

Floral top, £25, 12-24, david Emanuel at Bonmarché; shorts, £14, 10-24, George at asda; slip-on loafers, £35, 3-8, Marks & Spencer; bangle, £8, Wallis; sunglasses, £12, Bhs; beach bag, £12, M&co.

White crochet shrug, £32, s-l, M&co; vest, £4, 6-18, F&F at Tesco; crinkle skirt, £35, 8-18, Marks & Spencer; sandals, £45, 3-8, Per Una at Marks & Spencer; necklace, £10, Tesco.



Pack statement accessories to brighten your look

Easy-to-pack

HOlIdaY ESSENTIalS carefree packing is guaranteed with these easy-to-wear, stylish essentials for your holiday wardrobe

By Michelle Nightingale

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1/6/11 16:05:19

Blue crochet shrug, £32, s-l, M&co; vest, £12, 10-20, Bhs; skirt, £35, 8-20, Per Una at Marks & Spencer; sandals, £45, 3-8, Per Una at Marks & Spencer; sunglasses, £15, Marks & Spencer.

Style notes

long line shirt, £15, 8-24, George at asda; vest, £4, 10-20, F&F at Tesco; white linen trousers, £20, 8-24, George at asda; belt, £8, Bhs; slip-on loafers, £35, 3-8, Marks & Spencer; sunglasses, £10, Marks & Spencer; bag, £25, Bhs.



Choose natural fibres, such as cotton, to keep cool



Go simple, with colours that can be mixed and matched

Striped top, £10, 10-24, George at asda; denim skirt, £16, 10-20, F&F at Tesco; belt, £8, Bhs; bow wedge sandals, £15, 3-8, M&co.

StockiStS:Bhs 0845 196 0000; Bonmarché 01924 700100; F&F at Tesco 0800 505 555; George at Asda 0500 100 055; Marks & Spencer 0845 302 1234; M&Co 0800 031 7200; Primark 0118 960 6300; Wallis 0844 243 4320.

Details correct at time of going to press YOURS

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ealing H herbs

Recharge your

health

the alternative remedies that work!

Hate reaching for painkillers? Then give your health the green light with these natural wonders which can be grown so easily in your garden By Michelle Nightingale

Improve your mood with lemon balm

Beat menopausal symptoms with sage

“Lemon balm, is my favourite herb because it’s the closest thing you can get to a herbal hug,” says Susan Curtis, natural health director at Neal’s Yard Remedies. “It’s wonderfully uplifting and has anti-depressant properties, so is perfect for banishing the blues and calming anxiety.” Drunk as a tea, it’s a delicious way to de-stress and is wonderfully soothing for an overwrought digestive system.

Recent studies show it can fight off cold sores, too. Its lovely lemony flavour is great in salads or with chicken, but choose fresh lemon balm because it loses most of its taste when dried.

Even though it’s relatively safe to take, in large doses it can cause drowsiness so check with your GP if you’re taking thyroid medication or sedatives.

Try Neal’s Yard Lemon Balm Tincture (£7.45/50ml).

If you’re in the midst of menopause, look for a natural approach to tackle symptoms.

“Lots of research shows sage may be beneficial for relieving menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flushes,” says Susan. It helps prevent excessive perspiration caused by hot flushes by reducing sweat production. “Sage is also a good digestive aid and is rich in antioxidant phytochemicals, so will give an overall health boost.”

One of the easiest ways to introduce more sage into your diet is to add a few leaves, or alternatively a heaped teaspoon of dried sage, to hot water and drink twice a day.

It’s also delicious in stuffing and added to cheese sauces. If you take blood pressure medication, check with your GP first.

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Ease aches and pains with devil’s claw If you suffer from arthritis and rheumatism, devil’s claw could help relieve your discomfort. “It works as an analgesic in the relief of joint pain and inflammation and can also be used to help relieve the symptoms of gout, back pain and fibromyalgia,” says Susan.

It’s easiest taken as capsules, so try Boots Jointlieve Devil’s Claw Root Extract (£9.18/40 capsules, 0845 070 8090).

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y health matters y Aid digestion with peppermint The most popular natural remedy for grumpy digestive systems, peppermint is a great tummy settler. “Peppermint is an effective digestive tonic that will help relieve flatulence, colic and bloating,” says Susan. “It will also help to refresh you if you’re feeling sluggish after a heavy meal.” Drink tea after dinner to aid digestion, or IBS sufferers may benefit from taking peppermint oil capsules. Try Clipper Nettle and Peppermint tea (£1.35/20 bags, from supermarkets nationwide or at www.clipperteas.com).

Summer colds can be hard to shift, so give your immune system a helping hand.

“Take elderberry syrup and you’ll help strengthen your immune system and shorten the duration of any niggling coughs and colds,” says Susan. “Research shows that elderberries act as an anti-adhesive, preventing viruses from attaching themselves to your cells and in syrup form it’s actually quite tasty.” Plus, this super little berry has twice the antioxidant properties of cranberries, so really is a nutritious powerhouse! Try Pukka Elderberry Syrup (£11.45/120ml, 0845 375 1744, www.pukkaherbs.com).

Get glowing skin with nettle This feisty weed can do wonders for your skin and, because it robs its surrounding soil of goodness, it’s packed full of nutrients!

“Nettle is a versatile herb that has excellent cleansing, detoxifying and nutritional properties,” says Susan. “It can help all sorts of skin conditions such as eczema and itchy or allergic skin problems, plus makes an excellent tonic for dandruff or psoriasis of the scalp.”

For glowing skin drink as a tea, two to three times a day, or make your own with a heaped teaspoon of dried nettle added to boiling water.

Rev-up your circulation with hawthorn berries “Hawthorn berries are thought to act as a tonic for the circulation and help lower high blood pressure,” explains Susan. “They are also used traditionally to help lower cholesterol levels but, as always, check with your GP before taking.” You can buy the berries from health food shops, or alternatively drink as a tincture diluted in water.

PICS: THINkSTOCk; aLamY; GETTY ImaGES

Boost your immunity with elderberries

Herbs can be a safe and effective form of home help, but always see your GP before embarking on a natural approach, particularly if you take any prescribed medication.

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Ask us anything… we’d love to help! your

Can you questions suggest answered an armchair exercise DVD? Paula Karmel, Leicester yours says: This chair-based exercise DVD features a range of gentle and easy-to-follow exercises that you can do in your living room. Move It or Lose It features exercises that are designed to give a full body workout. It costs £10 plus £1.50 p&p.

D To order call 0800 612 0450 or buy online at www.moveitorloseit.co.uk

Q

Where can I get a book to help me learn how to do DIy in my own home?

Sandra Rodgers, Skegness yours says: We love this new Haynes manual, Women’s Home DIY: Fix-it and Finish-it Manual

by Kerrie Hanafin.

It’s an easy-tounderstand guide to all those DIY jobs that every women should know. Priced at £19.99 (ISBN: 978 1844259731), to find your nearest retailer call 01963 442030.

How t

slash f

Q

MONEY TIPS: SARAH jAGGER ; PICS: GETTY IMAGES; MASTERFIlE; THINkSTOCk

Turn to page 125 for your

WIN! chance to win a copy of

the Women’s Home DIY: Fix-it and Finish-it Manual.

We’d love to help

Yours to answer your

info

questions.

Write to us at: Ask Us Anything, Yours magazine, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Or email your query to us at yours@bauermedia.co.uk with ‘Ask us Anything’ in the subject line.

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You needn’t cut back on tasty treats to save money. With these simple tricks, you’ll be food savvy and have extra cash left in your purse!

By sheena Correa

shop efficiently

D Reduce your bill, without even setting foot in the shop.

Simply check what you already have in your fridge, freezer and store cupboard before you plan your meals for the week. This may take a while, but once you have a list you can use it as a good basis for your food shop every week. It means you’re less likely to buy food that may end up being wasted.

Best Buy Head to Primark for bargain summer accessories. this cute little woven bag is just £9, but prices start as low as £2 for a colourful bangle.

For your nearest store, call 0118 960 6300, or visit www.primark.co.uk

£9 £2

Unplugging It’s a household gadgets once they are fully charged can save households around £60 a year. The Uk’s most overcharged gadgets are mobile phones and laptops.

FACt

Source: E.ON.

EVERY FORTNIGHT

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Did you

knoW?

A typical British garden could be worth £5,000 once you’ve totted up the value of plants, a garden shed, mower, solar-powered lighting, greenhouse and gazebo source: RIAs

Bread PuddINg

w to...

Instead of putting stale bread in the bin, make a delicious bread pudding – perfect to offer friends with a cuppa.

Tear 225g (8oz) bread into a large mixing bowl.

Pour over 275ml (1⁄2 pt) dried lentils, milk and soak for half an pasta and rice; hour. Preheat the oven to tinned tomatoes, 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4. vegetables Add 175g (6oz) dried fruit, and beans and 75g (3oz) butter, 25g (1oz) bottled sauces. demerara sugar, 1 tsp mixed Simply use spice, a little grated nutmeg, these with fresh 1 egg and a large slosh of produce to brandy or orange juice and create a mix thoroughly. Spread evenly cheap meal.

h food bills D keep a ‘freezer file’ with all the food, meals and leftovers in there. This saves confusion over anonymous-looking plastic containers. Why not be extra efficient and prepare enough freezer meals so you don’t have to cook or shop for a whole week?

D Buy a brand one level down from your usual choice and see if you can tell the difference. If you can’t, stick to the cheaper product.

D Be firm with BoGoF (buy one, get one free) offers and buy only if you needed the item anyway.

Check it is non-perishable so it can be stored or cooked, then frozen.

Stock up on tinned foods, snacks and drinks.

D Be a twilight shopper if you’re prepared to be flexible with your meal planning. Most supermarkets reduce their fresh produce prices after 7pm, so you could stock up with bargains.

D As soon as you use a store cupboard essential, add it to the shopping list. Good staples include herbs, spices and stock;

use it, don’t lose it – simple tips for leftovers

D Don’t ditch Parmesan rind! Add it to your homemade soups for a free way to thicken your broth.

D Freeze leftover cake in individual slices and defrost for a tasty treat or, to freeze a whole cake, wrap in clingfilm, then foil and freeze for up to a month.

Make food go further

D Bulk up mince by adding grated carrots or dried lentils when cooking. You will be adding to your five-a-day veg and won’t notice a difference in taste!

in an 18cm (7in) diameter pie dish and bake for 13⁄4 to 2 hours, or until golden brown on top. Serve warm, or keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

D keep biscuits fresh by popping a couple of sugar cubes in the tin.

D empty tubes of tomato purée or toothpaste can be deceptive.

Place them on a wet cloth and roll towards the lid with a rolling pin or tin can, before cutting across the tube near the top – you’ll be amazed at how much is still in there!

D Chop up extra raw fish and meat and freeze for later use. Simply defrost before adding to stir fries, curries and pies.

D Add flavoured or natural yogurt to smoothies or to your cereal as a way of using them up.

CAsH In tHe AttIC Hornsea Pottery was founded in 1949 by Colin and Desmond Rawson in the east Riding of yorkshire. their success grew with Home Decor (1960-62), slipware (1963) and Heirloom (1967-87), all designed by John Clappison. the firm closed in 1984. some ranges, such as Heirloom, were so successful that their value is low. Rarer ranges fetch higher prices. the cruet set on a tray (pictured) is worth £40-£50. Source: www.millersantiqueguide.com

turn the page for more money advice YOURS

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Ask us anything… about making the most of life

Live life to the full at 50, 60 & 70+

We all get stuck in a rut from

By Kate Corr You’re always on the go, but seem to spend most of your time looking after others. You worry that life may be passing you by.

IN YOUR

50s

yourself number one!

1Make

Sounds impossible or downright selfish? Think again. “If you don’t care for yourself, how can you care for other people? It has to start with you,” says counsellor and midlife expert Jayne Cox (www.jaynecox.co.uk). So buy yourself a bunch of flowers, then sit down and make a list of little treats you can give yourself regularly.

Learn to 2 Zumba

PICS: GETTY ImaGES; maSTERFIlE

This South american dance craze promises to reinvigorate you like no other fitness class ever has. Since it was devised

by Colombian dancer and choreographer alberto ‘Beto’ Perez in the Nineties, ten million people worldwide, of all shapes and ages, are hooked on Zumba. Find out if your local fitness centre offers classes or visit www.zumba.com

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fe

Did you

Know?

Life gets better with age, according to a survey revealing that people become more cheerful from their mid-40s, reaching a maximum level of happiness at 82! Source: American national Academy of Sciences

rut from time to time, but it’s never too late to pull yourself out of it. Here’s how…

Wise words…

Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending

You’ve more time on your hands, but you’re struggling to make changes and to stay positive.

IN YOUR

3Brighten up your home

You needn’t wait to win the lottery to fall in love with your home again. Spend this weekend rearranging furniture and ornaments and splash out on a couple of bright new throws for the sofas, or scented candles – check out Primark’s home department for bargains. If you’re stuck for inspiration, ask a stylish friend to help. a fresh eye can work wonders.

It’s not too late to do something radically different.

Age is no barrier to working in a developing country; your experience and life-skills wake up well could be in great Set yourself up for a great demand (0208 day by creating a focused morning 780 7500; ritual. as soon as you wake, www.vso.org.uk). think of three reasons why the day could be great, followed by some gentle stretching exercises. morning Stretching, a new exercise DVD by Nancy marmorat aimed at the over-50s, offers perfect inspiration (RRP £9.99).

1

2Dip your toe in

make a promise to try something new once a month.

“You don’t have to commit to anything long term, just try it once and see if you like it,” says Jayne Cox. You may discover that you hate line dancing but love learning Spanish…

BIG

work overseas

60s

– Anon

CHANGE TIP

BIG

CHANGE TIP

Wise words…

Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is the special occasion. – Anon

hiding behind your clothes 3Stop

Could you foster?

There’s currently a shortage of 10,000 foster carers in the UK. There’s no upward age limit and it doesn’t matter if you’re single.

For more information, call 0800 0407675 or visit www. couldyou foster.org. uk

Take a good look at your wardrobe. Is it all beige, brown and black? “many women say they feel invisible at this age, but then they hide themselves away in dull clothes!” says Jayne. Have a clothes swap party with friends or buy a shocking pink scarf, a bold fashionable necklace or some bright blue nail varnish and see how different you feel.

Turn over for more great lifestyle advice YOURS

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with the ThE human body

grandkids Teach your grandkids about the human body the fun way with our make and do ideas

Scary skeleton

Amazing facts!

Skull

Ribs & pelvis

Arms (cut 4)

Feet (cut 2)

Legs (cut 4)

Hands (cut 2) Taken from Things for Boys to Make and Do by Usborne (£9.99, Usborne). ISBN 9781409508441. Available from all good book shops or visit www.usborne.co.uk

R ib Q: Why did the orange stop TICKLER rolling down the hill?

Best biology gifts

D Blood, Bones and Body Bits Grandkids can £5.99 learn about how their insides work in this fun book. Horrible Science Blood, Bones and Body Bits (£5.99, ISBN 9780439944496) is available from all good bookshops or visit www.horrible-science.co.uk

D Amaze your grandchildren with these fascinating facts about the human body.

Let’s face it, we are pretty gruesome!

D Disgusting digestion It takes around 12 hours for your body to digest the food you eat and sometimes it can sit in your stomach for up to four hours without moving.

D Strong bones Adults have a total of 206 bones in their body. The largest bone is your thigh bone (femur) and the smallest is inside the ear.

D Magnificent muscles Your bottom is the largest muscle in your body and named the gluteus maximus. Your heart is the strongest muscle and your tongue is the only muscle that is attached at only one end.

D Gross goodies Your nose will produce almost a cup of snot in one day!

A: It ran out of juice!

D Operation game Treat budding doctors to this silly game of Operation. Can they keep a steady hand? Available from Toys R Us, call 0800 138 7777 or visit www. toysrus. co.uk

£13.99

D Smartlab Human Body Model Let them get hands-on with this brilliant Human Body Model from Smartlab. It comes complete with removable squishy organs too! £16, available from £16 Amazon, visit www.amazon.co.uk YOURS

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PIC: THINkSTOCk

You will need • Large sheet of white card • Hole punch • White string • Black pen • Scissors How to make…

1 Enlarge the template (right), using a photocopier.

(For example enlarging by 200 per cent will make a skeleton approx 35cm/14in tall). Place over the card and cut out each of the shapes as follows: 1 skull, 1 ribs and pelvis, 2 each of hands and feet, 4 legs and 4 arms.

2 Using the hole punch make holes for each of the joints. Tie the bones loosely together using string. Add a loop of string to a hole in the top of the skull to hang.

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