Latest news with #mum
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
JOE WICKS: ‘As a kid, my diet was about 90 per cent processed food'
My first food memory is my mum's lasagne. She'd be the first to admit that she isn't a very good cook. She left home at 15 and lived in a squat. So, growing up, our diet was not that healthy. Lasagne was the one thing she made; OK, so she used Dolmio red and white sauces, but it's the only meal I remember her actually spending a little time preparing. Even now she'll still say, 'Do you want me to bring a lasagne round?' and it takes me straight back to my childhood. My dad, when he was about (as he was in and out of rehab), used to chop up some chicken breast, put it in a pan, then pour in a jar of that nuclear orange Uncle Ben's Sweet & Sour sauce. There were no vegetables and it was so sugary. I hated it. As a kid, it wasn't a question of being allowed fizzy drinks, sweets and chocolate – that was my diet, about 90 per cent processed food. My mum would shop around various supermarkets to get the cheapest deal – things like Wagon Wheels, Iced Gems, Findus Crispy Pancakes, frozen chicken and mushroom pies, KitKats, Penguins, sandwiches and maybe a little bit of fruit. And it definitely affected me: I was hyperactive, climbing the walls. But at the time I suppose it was all my mum knew. She didn't know how to prepare healthy food. Growing up in Surrey, I had free school dinners and remember some dishes so vividly. The midweek roasts with thin slices of beef, and butterscotch tarts with cream on top and a thin pastry base. Everything was thin. At secondary school we had the usual stuff – slices of pizza, burgers, chips, more roasts. I loved it all. I was very cheeky but knew how to be polite, and a bit charming, to get extra portions from the dinner ladies. Because I was raised on all that cheap food, it's in my DNA to still want it. When I'm stressed, it's a real issue. I don't just walk out of a shop with one chocolate bar and a bag of Monster Munch crisps. I'll also get a can of Coke, a packet of Fruit Pastilles and a tub of Ben & Jerry's and eat it all within half an hour. I'm trying to have a better relationship with food, and be a role model for my children. My life's very different now but, because of my childhood, I know what it feels like to live off that sort of diet, and the difference it makes to your energy, mood and health. These days I am very balanced in my diet, and 80 per cent of the time I'm in control. But the other 20 per cent I'm drinking fizzy drinks and bingeing on sugar. Our kids love nothing more than cakes, brownies and ice cream. But it's more about having those things as a treat when we're out. I don't want them in the house all the time. The only food I really despise is tinned tuna. My dad used to make pasta with tinned tuna, mayonnaise and sweet corn. It made me retch and I remember hating the smell of it. I was a very fussy eater as a child, very beige. My ultimate comfort food would be a gourmet burger and chips, but I also love a pub roast with all the trimmings. I always have the basics in my fridge: eggs, cheese and lots of vegetables. Things I can throw into a pan with some rice or noodles. Along with beef mince and chicken breasts for bolognese and curries. It makes me laugh when I'm having a burger or ice cream in a restaurant, and people say to me, 'Ooh, I didn't expect you to be eating that.' But I'm a greedy eater and want to be full up. I'm the person having a slice of toast with marmalade before bed. I just love food. My last supper would start with gyozas and popcorn shrimp tempura. Then I'd mix it up and have a smash burger and chips. Dessert would be chocolate fondant or sticky toffee pudding. Along with a pint of Coke. That would make me so happy. Book tickets for Joe Wicks Festival at Kew on 6 July at
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
My £60,000 wedding was going to be just perfect. The only problem? I didn't love my fiancé: SHIVANI SHARMA FOSTER
Walking into the kitchen, I froze. It looked like a craft shop had exploded, my sister, mum and her friends surrounded by piles of personalised keyrings and sweets. These were the wedding favours that my 500 guests would be enjoying in just four weeks' time. The luxury hotel had been booked, menus chosen, dresses made and jewellery bought. My parents had spent more than £60,000 – and I was about to announce that it was all for nothing.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Sydney mum claims Saturday Lotto prize after he son bought her a ticket
A Sydney mum won a $6.4million Saturday Lotto prize after her son bought her a ticket. The woman, from Castle Hill, held the only division one winning entry nationally in Saturday Lotto and can look forward to $6,427,770.04. She revealed her son purchased the winning ticket through his online account after she couldn't make it to the news agency before the draw closed. 'My mum actually asked me to buy the ticket because she couldn't make it to the newsagency,' her son said. 'She'll be very glad she didn't miss out on a ticket - this will be life-changing for her, my hands won't stop shaking. 'I'm not sure how she'll use her prize. I'm sure she'll have a good think about it, and we'll try and get together for a celebration.' The winning numbers in Saturday Lotto were 13, 36, 5, 37, 33 and 35, while the supplementary numbers were 18 and 10.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Aldi is selling a £5 buy that repels insects from your garden and home all summer long
THERE'S nothing like a warm summer breeze flowing through your home. Unfortunately, this flurry of air brings with it an array of unwanted insects. 2 Whether you're panned out in your garden or cooking up a storm in the kitchen, you'll likely find yourself swatting at flies this summer. While there are a variety of ways to tackle this problem, one item gets ahead of the issue. If you'd rather not have unsightly sticky fly traps or loud zappers in your home, this decor buy is the perfect way to go. Aldi encouraged shoppers to "keep those mosquitoes and bugs away while you relax in your outdoor space". The Purewick Concrete Citrine Candle is available for £4.99 while stocks last. This item boasts a total burn time of up to 30 hours, making your money stretch even further. And you can match the buy to your decor, with options of white, black, or grey. You can also opt for either a rectangular and round version of the candle. The scented candle features a citrine-inspired fragrance, known for their association with positive energy, abundance, and happiness. As well as keeping bugs from your space, the candle is a popular choice for those seeking to enhance their mood and space. 'These miracle bags should be in every home,' says mum who created a cheap hack to prevent flies from entering your home Citronella is another popular candle option for repelling pests from your home. You can pick up a citronella candle torch for your garden from Home Bargains. You can also use soap and tights to repel flies from your home this summer. A budget-friendly hack can help to banish slugs and snails from your garden. You can also use a £1.40 household item to deter ants from entering your home. IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. A 49p hack helps to keep wasps from your garden, but you'll want to act soon. Another trick prevents squirrels from digging up your garden and all you need is a kitchen staple. And common storage mistakes may be attracting rodents to your garden shed. You can also use a 68p kitchen ingredient to keep silverfish out of your home.
Times
23-05-2025
- Times
My weekend at a cosy National Trust cottage — in an underrated county
'Are we there yet?' I've stopped counting the number of times I've heard the question in the two hours since we got in the car. 'I'm bored,' my son says with a sigh. 'And I'm hungry,' my daughter adds. We're on an early spring weekend away in rural Warwickshire. I am entertaining two generations: my mum, who is visiting from Sweden, and my kids, who are eight and six. Worms, mud and sticks for the children and flowers, long walks and birdsong for my mum: a countryside escape seems like the perfect way to please them all. 'Oh look,' my mum says. 'There it is!' We're staying in a cottage on the grounds of Upton House and Gardens, which is run by the National Trust and is seven miles north of Banbury, in neighbouring Oxfordshire (adult £17, child £8.50, free for members; The National Trust has more than 500 lovely holiday rentals on its books these days, and throws in entry to all of its historic properties for the duration of your stay. Warwickshire isn't quite your usual weekend destination but, unlike the nearby Cotswolds, which gets jammed with out-of-towners every Saturday and Sunday, its quiet and unassuming beauty makes it the perfect two-night break if you want to discover somewhere new. First: lunch. As with most National Trust venues, there is a tearoom in the grounds. The Pavilion café is well stocked with soup, sandwiches and an array of cakes, scones and teas. My kids wolf down baked potatoes with beans while my mum and I enjoy the pea soup and a slice of ginger and parsnip cake, which is surprisingly delicious. Bellies full, we decide to explore the grounds. Upton House is a long, low house built in the local yellow sandstone. It is mainly an art gallery, showcasing the fine collections of old masters including Bosch, El Greco and Canaletto. The property was acquired in 1927 by Lord and Lady Bearsted, a couple who frequently used their wealth for philanthropic purposes. The acquisition coincided with the Great Depression, when unemployment was high. Lord Bearsted wrote to the local village announcing that 'any man who presents himself at my house at 9am on Monday morning shall find work there'. But while the house is impressive, it is the garden that is the real gem. Designed in the 1930s by Kitty Lloyd-Jones, one of the UK's first female professional horticulturalists, it includes a large lawn area with huge cedar trees, a terraced garden, a series of herbaceous borders and a lake — known as the mirror pool — with water lilies. There is also a woodland walk, with plenty of logs to climb, balance on or trip over, and tunnels that lead you round and under the holly trees — the children's favourite part. 'Let's play tag,' they shout. The gardens drop away steeply down a valley. A camera phone is essential and good walking boots would be an advantage; my trainers feel dangerously slippery at times. With tired legs from all the walking, we head to our home for the next two nights: Bog Cottage. The grade II listed cottage, which was a banqueting house in the 18th century, is built into the wall of the Bog Garden, which used to be overgrown marshland. As you approach the brick building looks modest, as most of the windows are facing the opposite side, but once inside the light flooding in and the high ceilings make it feel as if you're in a stately home. It is certainly much nicer than the name Bog would suggest. It's airy and cosy, with rustic floorboards, cream walls and chandeliers. The top floor has two bedrooms, the children's twin room with wrought-iron beds and a ceiling so high that you need a pole to open the windows, and a master bedroom next door. • 26 of the UK's best beachfront cottages Downstairs, there's a lounge and kitchen area with a fireplace. The real knockout is the four huge windows overlooking the Bog Garden. It's like a Turner painting: rolling hills, lush green plants, a gentle stream and magnolia trees that have just started to blossom. On the other side of the cottage is a small private garden. The next morning it is warm enough for us to have breakfast there, listening to the sheep and lambs bleating in the field nearby. My son throws sticks, my daughter does cartwheels and my mum drinks coffee. Bliss. Bog Cottage's location makes it ideal for day trips into this area's main attractions, so we hop in the car and head to Stratford-upon-Avon, a 25-minute drive to the northwest. William Shakespeare, of course, hailed from this medieval market town with cobbled streets and Tudor houses, and it has plenty to see. You can get tickets that include access to Shakespeare's Birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Shakespeare's New Place (adults from £15, children from £7.50; My mum, a history buff, is in heaven, while the gift shop proves a big hit with the kids. I'm forced to shell out for pens and child-friendly Shakespeare adaptations. 'Romeo and Juliet kissed the first time they met,' my daughter says, blushing. We have lunch at Lambs, on Sheep Street, one of the oldest buildings in the town (mains from £18.75; The seared scallop special looks tempting but we settle on garlicky moules marinière and the locally sourced rack of Cotswold lamb with dauphinoise potatoes. A 30-minute boat trip down the river finishes off our day nicely (£11 adult, £7 child; • 20 of the UK's most luxurious lodges On our final morning there isn't a cloud in the sky so, to make the most of it, we stop at Blenheim Palace, a 40-minute drive south in Woodstock. There is a children's adventure garden, maze, miniature train and, of course, the palace itself. (£41 adult, £24 child; The children get soaked running through the water jets at the adventure playground, persuade my mum to buy them souvenirs and take turns getting lost in the maze. In the car back to London, they keep on asking the same question over and over. But this time it's a different question and my mum chimes in too: 'When are we going back?' Soon, I promise. Johanna Noble was a guest of the National Trust, which has four nights' self-catering from £524 ( By Siobhan Grogan Set in Wicken Fen, the National Trust's oldest nature reserve, this picture-book semi-detached cottage is paradise for wildlife watchers, cyclists and tranquillity seekers. It has two bedrooms in soothing shades of grey-green and sunny yellow, a new kitchen and bathroom, and a private garden. The adjoining cottage, which sleeps two, can be booked with it to cater for a bigger group. There are 2,000 acres of rambling reserve on the doorstep, populated by more than 9,000 species, including Konik ponies and owls, plus 25 miles of the National Cycle Network Route 11 run nearby. Wicken Village is about a five-minute walk and Cambridge is less than an hour's drive Three nights' self-catering for four from £455 ( Cosy up in this cute-as-a-button stone cabin from the 1800s, once home to the reputed smuggler Tom Parsons and his family. It has one snug bedroom in coastal white and blue, an open-plan living space with a wood burner and sea views, and a garden. Beachfront locations don't come much better than this, smack bang on the South West Coast Path and overlooking one of Cornwall's most beautiful beaches, the sandy Constantine Bay. The shops, acclaimed restaurants and bustling harbour of Padstow are a 20-minute drive away. Act fast if you fancy it because it's already booked for most of Three nights' self-catering for two from £715 ( Only 130 metres from the western shore of Windermere, this one-bedroom ground-floor apartment is a homely retreat after days spent exploring nearby National Trust properties such as Wray Castle and Tarn Hows. Although contemporary inside, it's set within a traditional cottage that was once the laundry for the Belle Isle Estate, the private island in the middle of the lake. There's great accessibility throughout, with wide doorways, an adapted shower room and height-adjustable kitchen facilities, plus a patio area with open countryside beyond. The ferry to Bowness-on-Windermere is half a mile away for restaurants and Three nights' self-catering for two from £454 ( There's space for the whole family in this smart five-bedroom home, which combines a cottage and former dairy with an enclosed garden and all-hours access to the National Trust's 18th-century walled Weir Garden. Downstairs there's a pastel-coloured living room with a vaulted ceiling and a wood burner, plus one accessible bedroom. The large kitchen has worktops made of salvaged Welsh slate, and a dining table for ten. Two upstairs bedrooms have ensuites and there are two family bathrooms to minimise morning squabbles. You can reach Weir's ten acres of gardens and parkland through a private gate, to enjoy easy walks, Roman ruins and a riverside picnic area. Details Three nights' self-catering for ten from £650 ( You'll feel (almost) like lord or lady of the manor when you stay at this lodge at the entrance to the grand 18th-century mansion Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury. The gatehouse is a touch smaller, with a contemporary, cream kitchen and an open-plan sitting and dining room. A steep staircase leads to one double and one twin bedroom. There's an enclosed garden, but you'll also have any-time access to Attingham's 200 acres of parkland, where there are walking trails, woodlands, a deer park and the River Tern (canoes can be hired during the summer) — plus free entry to the elegant regency-era Two nights' self-catering for two from £385 (
