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There were a few echoes of “ouch” in the office this week, and almost a pulled hamstring, as we tried to copy Bonnie on page 65. She loves practicing yoga at 93 and sees so many benefits from it. She’s even earnt herself a nickname from the other women in her class. You’ll have to read her story to see what it is! I’m a big fan of Bonnie and she’s inspired me to keep going. I started yoga a few years ago when I was about as flexible as a wooden table and I can really see a difference. Don’t miss your last chance to enter our Trolley Dash comp on page 25 where five readers will win $1000 for a supermarket spree. And check out Barbara’s beautiful story…

Freekeh, chickpea & spinach pilaf SERVES 4 PREP 20 MINS +STANDING COOK 40 MINS 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2cm piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped 1 tsp each ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon 1½ cups cracked freekeh 3 cups vegetable stock 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained 100g baby spinach TZATZIKI 300g low-fat natural yoghurt 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded, finely chopped 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra to serve 1 In a large saucepan, heat oil on high. Sauté onion, carrot and celery 5 mins. Add garlic, ginger and spices, cooking 2 mins. 2 Stir in freekeh, coating grains in oil. Add stock and bring to boil. 3 Simmer, covered, 30 mins. Stir in…

Bonnie Hansen, 93, Cronulla, NSW. Opening my eyes after a 15-minute meditation, I felt a wave of serenity. “Namaste,” the woman at the front of the room calmly said. It was the 1960s, I was in my late 30s, and I’d been brought along to a yoga class by my girlfriends. They were keen to try the newest flavour of the month, hatha yoga, a fitness class that combined traditional yoga poses with breathing exercises. “Let’s see what all the fuss is about,” I’d chuckled. To my surprise, I quickly connected with the practice. It gave me a feeling of inner peace, and yoga became a part of my weekly schedule. Over the coming years, I married and had two daughters, and continued to practice yoga. But as I got…

Hi Take 5ers, I love my husband, but recently he’s been leaving me feeling very insecure by our lack of intimacy. He never makes a move on me, and whenever I try to initiate sex, he comes up with an excuse not to. We’ve been together for 16 years and married for 10, so I understand we’re not going to have the sex life of a brand-new couple, but at 55, I feel I’ve got a good few years of bonking left in me. Trish*, 55. As my mother says, you are a young pup at 55, so good luck. Deanne Pichards Are YOU in a tricky situation? Why not write in and let our readers help you out. Ask him straight out! He might need some help from a…

Sharing wisdom When I was young, my great aunt, Nancy, cared for me after school and during the holidays while my parents were at work. I learned so many useful tips from her that have become ingrained habits. Like, instead of wasting the cold water that comes from the kitchen tap while waiting for the hot water to come through I use it to fill the kettle. I also save the end pieces from loaves of bread to make bread crumbs, and freeze the bones from my roast chickens to add flavour to soups and sauces. I’d love to hear what wisdoms were passed down to readers from past generations. Jen Pritchard, Port Augusta, SA. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Family reunion In issue 42, 2021, Take 5…

Who’d have known my teenage pen pal would make such a lasting impression? Helene Clynch, 41. Gathering the morning’s post, I scanned the envelopes for anything addressed to me. I was always the first to check the mail, as I’d signed up to a pen pal scheme through school. At 14 years old, I loved getting letters from all over the world. In time, most of my pen pals fell by the wayside. But there was a handsome boy in another country, named Geoff, who I’d been writing to for a year. As I hadn’t heard from him in a while, I sent a letter to give him a nudge. I was thrilled when he replied. Sorry I haven’t been in touch, Geoff wrote. He explained he’d been having a…

I thought I’d grieve my groom forever... until I discovered his secret Kaitlin Palmieri, 39. As I raised my champagne flute, my girlfriends followed suit. “Cheers!” we beamed, clinking glasses. It was 2015, and I was celebrating my 30th birthday at my parents’ house. Suddenly, I heard someone scream my boyfriend’s name outside. I ran to the yard and saw my brother kneeling next to Mike, 29, who lay lifeless by the pool. “He was floating face down in the water,” my brother James told me. Panicking, I fell to the ground and started CPR. My mind was reeling. I’d been with Mike for a year and we were madly in love. I was sure he was the man I’d marry. I can’t lose him, I thought. Mike was rushed…

Mobility issues couldn’t stop me becoming my best self Deborah Fabien, 65, Port Stephens, NSW. THEN NOW Finally reaching the top of the stairs, I sighed with relief. At 55, I’d retired from the pharmacy industry due to the ache of 39 years on my feet. But the pain continued. “You need to see a doctor,” my partner insisted. “It’s just age,” I replied. “It can’t be helped.” But by 2023, it had become unbearable. A GP diagnosed me with Achilles tendinitis in both legs and Haglund’s deformity, a bony growth on my heels. “I don’t know how you endured this for so long,” the doctor exclaimed. The tendinitis was spreading up my left calf. I had surgery to scrape out the disease, but developed a staph infection in my…

Quad biking in Greece left my girl looking like THIS Alison Wilson, 53. Sipping her drink, my daughter twirled her blonde hair, and her pale blue eyes sparkled with amusement. “Go on Mum, you’d love it!” Holly said. I sighed. I didn’t want to be a party pooper, but I wasn’t so sure if quad biking would be my thing. “There’s a lovely restaurant at the top of the mountain and we could have dinner there,” she continued. “All right then,” I said. “As long as your father drives.” She had me wrapped around her little finger! I was on holiday in Zakynthos in Greece with my partner David, 53, daughter Holly, 21, and her friend Morgan, 21. That day, Holly and Morgan had hired a quad bike and taken…

Lemon curd tartlets MAKES 24 PREP 25 MINS + CHILLING COOK 15 MINS ½ cup caster sugar 2 eggs, plus 1 yolk ¼ cup lemon juice 40g butter, chopped 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest 4 sheets filo pastry  50g butter, melted  125g punnet raspberries Icing sugar, to dust 1 In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, eggs, yolk, juice, butter and zest. Cook, stirring on low heat, 4-5mins until curd thickens (do not boil).  2 Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 1 hour until thick. 3 Preheat oven to 180°C Lightly grease a 24-hole mini muffin tray. 4 Layer filo sheets together, brushing each with butter. Cut 6cm rounds from pastry and ease into recesses to line. Bake 5-7mins until lightly golden and crisp. Cool.  5 Spoon curd into cases. Top…

PISCES Feb 20 – Mar 20 Money might be a bit funny now. It could be a cash flow issue or maybe you’re upgrading your desires and redefining what you want. Desire is the basis of all manifestation. If you are dissatisfied with your current lot in life, reassess. ★ Everything you’ve ever wanted begins with you. GEMINI May 22 – June 21 Don’t be lured in too much by a friend’s words or promises right now. Though they might mean well, the details will change and you could end up hurt or disappointed. Your mission right now is to embrace curious optimism. ★ Any upsets that occur are lessons you need to learn. ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 Mars, your ruling planet, is still on the go slow.…

I thought Tom would give me a better life, but he destroyed it Tanya Kach, 42. Clutching my schoolbooks to my chest, I stared at the open classroom door, with an anxious knot forming in my stomach. I can’t take it anymore, I thought. Aged 14, I was tired of being bullied by my peers. Seeking a break from it all, I sprinted down the corridor and out one of the fire exits. As I ran through the playground, I was suddenly confronted by the school security guard, Tom. “Why are you trying to leave school?” he asked. “I’m being bullied,” I replied, my eyes welling up with tears. “I’m sorry you’re going through that,” he said. “I won’t report you.” I was stunned. “Thank you,” I smiled. From then,…

While the women’s rights movement has undoubtedly made a lot of headway over the last several decades, there’s still a long way to go. Low pay, gender-based violence and challenges to reproductive rights are just some of the issues still affecting women disproportionately in 2025. International Women’s Day, which takes place on March 8, shines a light on some of these issues. Here are some of the biggest obstacles currently faced by women and girls all around the world… AUSTRALIA There are still plenty of issues affecting women in Australia in 2025. One in six women aged 15 and over are affected by domestic and family violence, while Indigenous women face higher rates. Economically, women earn less than men in almost every industry, and women are overrepresented in lower paying…

Capsicum & corn fritters SERVES 4 (MAKES 12) PREP 15 MINS COOK 15 MINS 1 cup self-raising flour 420g can creamed corn ¾ cup milk 1 egg, whisked 2 red capsicums, seeded, thinly sliced 2 green onions, sliced 2 tsp curry powder 1 tbsp olive oil Cos lettuce leaves, to serve SALSA 2 tomatoes, diced 1 avocado, seeded, sliced Juice 1 lemon 1 In a large bowl, combine flour and creamed corn. Whisk in combined milk and egg. Season. Stir in capsicum, onion and curry powder. Set aside. 2 Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan on medium. In three batches, fry ¼-cup quantities of mixture, 2-3mins each side, until golden and cooked through. 3SALSA In a medium bowl, combine tomato, avocado and lemon juice, season to taste. 4…

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