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Go on the girls! How exciting is it to be supporting the female Aussie team at the Commbank Women’s Ashes Test from now until Feb 2. Exciting not just because they’re the reigning champs and current holders of the Women’s Ashes, but for so many other reasons, too. More girls are playing cricket than ever before and women are playing to sold-out crowds and record TV audience numbers. “Women’s cricket on TV was a figment of my imagination. Now everyone’s watching,” wicket-keeper/batter Alyssa Healy has said. But, as the women’s team are making history on the field, there are millions of girls who don’t have the same opportunities, who still don’t have access to basic rights like education, health, nutrition, and safety. So, this summer, UNICEF Australia and Cricket Australia…

I was looking for a soul mate, but what I found was way better Alisha Burns, 44, Melbourne, Vic. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I lay on the bed. “I’m sorry,” the doctor said. My husband and I had been thrilled to have finally conceived through IVF but now, I’d just been told I’d have to give birth to my stillborn son. I’d wanted the perfect husband, the perfect home and a baby. But that’s not how life goes. Two weeks later, my marriage fell apart. I was 32. With my life in pieces, I threw myself into my job running a loyalty program for a big multinational in Wellington, NZ. “You’re still young,” everyone said. “You’ll meet someone else.” “Yes I will,” I replied, determined to find Mr…

My best friend was furious when I fell in love with her ‘son’ Michelle Lindsey, 31. I pulled up outside a restaurant and spotted a young guy in baggy jeans and an urban T-shirt walking out the door. Winding my window down, I called to him. “Are you Justin?” I asked. He nodded. “I’m Michelle,” I said. “I heard you need a ride?” Justin was 18 years old and was about to move in with my best friend, Marie*, 40, who I’d known for 25 years. Marie was widowed and had a son, 18, and a daughter, 20. Over the years, her son had grown close with Justin at school. He was round at Marie’s home all the time and she became like a second mum to him. When Justin…

Boys at school made me think I needed surgery Ellie Sedgwick, 34, Byron Bay, NSW. Sitting in class, the boy behind me leant forward with a note. Do you have an innie or an outie? it read. His mates snickered, but I had no idea what he meant. “He means your vagina,” my friend said after class. “Boys like them neat.” At 14, I’d never considered that the shape of a vulva might matter. Is mine weird? I panicked. Living on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, I was often in my swimmers, hanging out with boys. One weekend, I was taunted by a guy from school, looking at my crotch. “It always looks like you have sand bulges in your swimmers,” he laughed. Another time, I overheard my sister, Nikki’s boyfriend mocking…

Antipasti pasta salad SERVES 4-6 PREP 10 MINS COOK 15 MINS 375g spiral or shell pasta 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 180g tub bocconcini, torn 100g salami, sliced ½ cup chargrilled capsicum strips 50g baby rocket 1⁄3 cup pitted green olives, sliced ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar Grissini sticks, to serve 1 Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water following packet directions. Rinse under cold running water and drain well. 2 Transfer pasta to a large bowl with all remaining ingredients. Toss well to combine and season to taste. Store in airtight container and keep chilled. Serve with grissini sticks. Turkey & lemongrass summer rolls MAKES 18 PREP 20 MINS  COOK 8 MINS 2 tsp oil …

My clucky little ducky received a generous donation Kim Hartley, Oxford, NZ. I handed the duckling to the lady from the rescue centre. He’d been abandoned on the property I was renting in Loburn, North Canterbury, NZ. “He’s lost his voice so he can’t call to his mother,” I said. Days later, a duck on the neighbouring property flew away, leaving her duckling behind. I decided to look after this one myself, naming him Little Duck. But Little Duck seemed lonely, so I called the centre again. “Have you got any ducklings I could take to keep Little Duck company?” I asked the lady, Tracey. “Yes, the one you gave us,” she said with a laugh. So, I took back the duck with no voice and called him Whisper, as…

AQUARIUS Jan 21 – Feb 19 If you’ve fallen behind on the New Year, New Me goals and resolutions, then fear not! Lucky for you, a New Moon will reinvigorate all your personal prospects for the next year. Transformation is key. ★ The big question now is, what do you need to change about YOU! TAURUS Apr 21 – May 21 You may feel ready to tackle any big life direction goals this week. Or you may just want to go with the flow and see what social or professional options open up for you. ★ Success will happen if you can combine business and pleasure. LEO July 24 – Aug 23 You can wipe the slate clean of any relationship worries this week. Whatever troubles, insecurities or patterns that…

My late-night craving left me in the hospital Rose Ibraheem, 23, Wallan, Vic. Snuggled on the sofa with my husband, Dami, and our one-year-old daughter, Ercy, I gently stroked my pregnant belly. “Not long until there are four of us,” I said, smiling. It was September 2024, and I was 36 weeks’ pregnant. I couldn’t wait for our new bundle of joy to arrive. While I felt large and constantly uncomfortable, my pregnancy cravings were becoming a real challenge. I was always hungry, particularly for fast food. Now, at 9pm, I had a craving for McDonald’s, and it just wouldn’t go away. What the heck? You’re pregnant! Eat what you want, I thought. “I’m going on a Macca’s run,” I told Dami. He offered to go, but I insisted on…

Mocha butterfly cakes MAKES 12 PREP 20 MINS + COOLING COOK 20 MINS 125g butter, softened ½ cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 cups self-raising flour 1 tbsp cocoa ¾ cup milk ¼ cup hot water 2 tsp instant coffee powder 300ml thickened cream, whipped Icing sugar, for dusting 1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.  2 In a medium bowl, using a mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. 3 Sift flour and cocoa together. Lightly fold into creamed mixture alternately with milk and combined water and coffee, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon into recesses until two-thirds full. 4 Bake 15–20 mins until cooked when tested. Cool in pan 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool…

Cruising is already considered one of the best-value holidays around, with lots of dining options and entertainment included. But when money is extra tight those amazing inclusions really come into their own. On my family’s recent cruise to Moreton Island on the Carnival Luminosa, we discovered that while the paid extras are lovely, it’s possible to have an amazing time spending zero cash beyond your original fare. Here are five of our favourite ‘freebies’… LIDO MARKETPLACE This is like a food court, only better – and free! Mongolian Wok had delicious Chinese fare, Chef’s Choice had comfort food including hearty roasts, and The Deli Artisan Eats was like one of those fancy sandwich shops with customisable, freshly made lunches. A highlight was Pizzeria del Capitano – authentic hand-tossed dough with…

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Our friendship has lasted for almost eight decades! Marie Hassett, 91, Sydney, NSW. Sitting in class, I listened curiously as my teacher addressed the students. “Would anybody like to have a pen pal?” she asked. That sounds like a nice idea, I thought. It was 1946, a year after World War II had ended, which had left international postage in disarray. But now, my teacher explained, the postal system was getting back into rhythm, so our school was starting a pen pal program. This meant students could write letters to people in another country who were a similar age to them. I was 13 years old and had never travelled outside of Australia. Connecting with somebody on the other side of the world was exciting to think about. So my…

Massaman beef filo SERVES 6 PREP 30 MINS COOK 55 MINS 1 tbsp oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1⁄3 cup massaman curry paste 500g lean beef mince 1 small sweet potato, peeled, 1cm dice 125ml can coconut milk ¼ cup beef stock or water ¼ cup sultanas 100g green beans, trimmed, sliced 8 sheets filo pastry Greek-style yoghurt, mango chutney, salad, to serve 1 In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium. Sauté onion and garlic 4–5 mins until tender. Stir in curry paste. Cook 1 min. 2 Increase heat to high. Add mince to pan. Brown 4–5 mins, breaking up lumps. Mix in sweet potato. Cook, stirring, 2 mins. Add coconut milk, stock and sultanas. Simmer 5 mins until sweet potato is tender. Add…