List of All Articles with Tag 'life'

The average Brit starts to get itchy feet in their home after five years, a study has found. Researchers revealed after living happily in their homes for years, the five-year-itch hits, resulting in property owners browsing websites and estate agent windows for their next buy. Looking online at property websites (59 per cent) and taking an interest in ‘for sale’ homes in your neighbourhood (32 per cent) are the major tell-tale signs people are considering a move. And 31 per cent admit thinking about what they can do to get their home ready to sell (31 per cent) is another indication they’re ready to make the switch. Anthony Ward Thomas, of Anthony Ward Thomas Removals, which commissioned the study of 2,000 adults, said: “Moving can be a challenging task, but it doesn’t need to be. “It’s not a surprise for 54 per cent of people, cost is the most important factor when making a move.” The research, carried out by OnePoll, found Londoners get itchy feet the quickest of any region – as they want to move less than four years in. Those in the capital aren’t as willing to stay put in their property either, as they said they could stay at their current home for another seven years at a push – compared to those in the East Midlands who would live at their current abode for more than 13 years. Other top signs people are looking to move home include getting fed up with the neighbours (24 per cent), not having enough storage space (23 per cent) and no longer enjoying spending time in your home (22 per cent). However, one of the major factors putting people off moving was the thought of shifting their stuff (55 per cent). Despite this, only 43 per cent of people who moved home previously said they used a removal company to help them. Yet 59 per cent said if they were to move now, they’d get outside help from a specialist – highlighting just how important they are. In fact, a staggering show of support, 92 per cent of those who had used a removal company said they would use one again. Among the major benefits included not having to do the heavy lifting (62 per cent), being less stressful (50 per cent) and having one less thing to worry about (45 per cent). Others included saving time (42 per cent) and not getting injured lifting heavy things (40 per cent). Anthony Ward Thomas added: “As our results show, one of the major factors which puts people off moving is having to move their belongings. “Using a professional company to help you pack up, move out and move in buys you peace of mind. “It should be any delivery firm’s number one priority to ensure every single item is looked after as if it were their own and to care about every move.” FIVE TELLTALE SIGNS YOU’VE GOT ITCHY FEET: Looking online at property websites Taking an interest in ‘for sale’ signs in your neighbourhood Getting fed up with the neighbours Not having enough storage space No longer enjoying spending time in your home TOP 5 TIPS FOR MOVING HOME, FROM ANTHONY WARD THOMAS: Make a move plan – include all tasks on it and assign them to people and/or companies helping you Clear the clutter – give yourself 5 categories: keep, sell, bin, store or giveaway Hire professionals – don’t cut costs and do a DIY move, it pays to have peace of mind Pack from the top down – start at the top and work downwards, labelling your boxes with what’s in them, where they’ve come from and where they’re going to Box of essentials – from a kettle, mugs and coffee to bedding for the first night and the kid’s iPads, pack up useful items in one box. Read More What is Cheese-pulling? New world record set for highest pull Zombie ant parasite is ‘even more cunning’ than previously thought, scientists say NASA astronaut Frank Rubio breaks US record for longest spaceflight Mother explains decision to breastfeed her four-year-old son ‘My baby’s blue eyes drew praise - but their colour was a warning sign’ What the world’s happiest children tell us about where Britain is going wrong

If you want fast service from McDonald's, avoid going during the turn over from breakfast to lunch.

Cats and “Pspsps” go together like toddlers and the crinkling wrapper of a candy bar that you were trying to eat in secret. What gives?

A baby’s “beautiful big blue eyes” which were complimented by everyone - turned out to be a symptom of a condition causing blindness. Louise Bice, 34, was stunned when her daughter, Aretria, was born with big blue eyes - a trait nobody else in the family had. Her “beautiful” eyes would see the tot complimented “six or seven times every day” by strangers - which Louise loved. But at six months old, in May 2023, one of Aretria’s baby blue eyes turned “milky” and any light caused the tot to scream in pain. Louise and her partner, Connor Bice, 29, a chartered accountant, thought their youngest daughter might have hit her eye with a toy. But the family were told Aretria - now 10 months old - had a severe case of bilateral congenital glaucoma, a genetic abnormality which saw extreme and growing pressure on the optic nerve. Her much-loved big eyes actually required urgent surgery. Tiny Aretria had a four-hour operation at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in June to relieve the pressure - but follow-up tests showed it had failed. She had a second surgery in August and her parents are awaiting the results - although the tot has lost almost 100 per cent of her vision in one eye already. Mum Louise wants to warn other parents to look for the symptoms - and to not assume big eyes are “beautiful” when they could be a sign of something more serious. Louise, a stay-at-home mum, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said: “I never expected Ari’s big, beautiful eyes to be a bad thing. “Suddenly one day her eye clouded over - one minute it was fine and 15 minutes later it was completely changed. “Specialists had to do horrific tests on her and I learned she had already lost some vision in both eyes. “After two surgeries we still don’t know what will happen - she already has just five per cent vision left in her right eye. “She’s in so much pain and I don’t know if she can cope with another surgery. “I just think if we had managed to get this diagnosed before the pressure got out of control, she might not now be blind in one eye. “If someone had said it was weird, she had big eyes rather than cute we might have got it checked - but none of us knew it was even a red flag.” After Aretria was born on October 20, 2022, her big eyes became a source of many compliments from friends and family. Her parents even lovingly likened their little one to a cartoon bug, thinking nothing of it. Even doctors and health visitors thought they were sweet - and nobody mentioned any risks. But on May 20, Louise popped to the shop and when she returned 15 minutes later one of her daughter’s eyes was clouded. Louise said: “Connor sent me a picture that morning of the two of them together while I was out and her eyes were fine. “When I got back her right eye had clouded over. “I hadn’t even got through the door when I said ‘we need to take her to A&E right now’.” They went to their local hospital, King’s Mill, Mansfield, then were sent to Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Derbyshire, where doctors identified the high pressure but couldn’t work out why it was happening. They were then booked in to see specialists at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, two days later on May 22. Aretria’s condition was finally diagnosed - as bilateral congenital glaucoma - and even the specialists said they’d only seen a handful of cases. Medics explained the little girl needed surgery but warned even then, she’d be left with little vision in her worst eye because the damage had already been done. Louise said: “Doctors said she had been exposed to high eye pressure from birth because her fluid drainage system didn’t form properly in her eye when she was still in the womb.” A surgery was scheduled at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, West Midlands, for June 13 which saw the tot go under the knife. The four-hour procedure was followed by a month of eye drops six times a day as well as having protective eye shields taped onto her face for a week. Louise said: “We didn’t get any sleep for about a week after and hoped that would be the last of it. “But two weeks later when we went back for her post-op, the pressure readings were even higher than before. “The operation had failed - and she would need more surgery.” A second operation was done on August 18 - and it was again followed by a gruelling recovery for the tot, who couldn’t understand why any of it was happening. They’re still waiting for official results, but signs so far suggest the surgery may have been unsuccessful for a second time. Louise said if that’s the case, medics will move on to a different kind of surgery to release the pressure involving drainage tubes or valves. She fears the tot “might not cope with another surgery” - but they may not have a choice. While Aretria’s vision is virtually gone in her right eye, her left eye is compensating - although Louise and Connor fear the vision will worsen in her good eye too. Louise wants to warn parents to look out for the symptoms - even if they might not seem sinister. She said: “Before, she used to get compliments about her eyes six or seven times a day. “Now I just feel really awkward when people say it. “Aesthetically it might be, but having these big, beautiful eyes isn’t always a good thing. “If we knew that before, she might not be blind in her right eye now.” Read More GoFundMe for actor blinded in attack over Covid mask tops $15,000 He couldn’t see his wedding. But this war-blinded Ukrainian soldier cried with joy at new love A camp teaches Ukrainian soldiers who were blinded in combat to navigate the world again ‘Millions of women and girls suffer severe pain’ during periods – research finds Miriam Margolyes jokes that her ‘longing for fudge’ caused her health issues 5 things everyone needs to know about eczema

The same week his state outlawed racial discrimination based on hairstyles, a Black high school student in Texas was suspended because school officials say his dreadlocks violated the district’s dress code

There's no easy way to say it, but your Fitbit might have a little poop on it.

People in the front-line Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk gather three times a week for a yoga session to alleviate the stress caused by the persistent shelling of Russian artillery

The last half-century or so has given us some of the best musical movies of all time.

The warning from the World Trade Organization in Geneva early this week was unambiguous: A global economy split

The beer is flowing and millions of people descending on the Bavarian capital to celebrate the official opening of Oktoberfest

Blinded by a Russian mortar shell, Ukrainian veteran Ivan Soroka couldn’t see his bride when she walked into his family home in a shoulderless white dress, a bouquet of white flowers in her right hand

An Arkansas toddler died of a rare brain-eating amoeba infection, which was likely contracted at a splash pad at a country club, according to health officials and the county coroner.