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Editorial

Just looking at the cover of this week’s issue, I could practically taste a fruity cocktail and envision myself on the white sand! If you’re in need of a beach holiday too, or maybe you prefer the bright lights of the city, you must enter our brand new comp on page 18, where we’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a break in Queensland for two, including $2000 spending money. It’s super easy to enter, and you’ll find coupons in the next three issues, to give you more chances of winning! Talking of getting lucky, we loved Narelle’s story on page 8 this week. The kind-hearted mum and her family were going through some seriously tough times when they hit the jackpot, and they couldn’t deserve it more.…

Editorial

Battler's Big Win

Battler's Big Win

I gave what little we could to a good cause... and it paid off! Narelle Baker, 51, Sydney, NSW. I let out a heavy sigh as I sat at the kitchen table, defeated by the pile of bills we needed to pay. “They never stop,” I moaned to my husband, Dean, 57. “We’ve got Buckley’s of getting ahead.” Our family lived in Western Sydney in a three-bedroom place we owned that was nowhere near large enough for all five of us. But money wasn’t the only thing we were worrying about. In May 2022, Dean had been feeling unwell and suffering from vertigo. Our doctor ran some tests and they revealed Dean had prostate cancer. The news had come as a huge shock to us and our kids, Ashleigh, 19,…

Say Cheese

Say Cheese

While it’s often a main component of our diets as children, the reality is that as we age into adulthood, most of us consume less dairy. But incorporating dairy into your diet is essential for women due to its nutritional value. THE BENEFITS Dairy products provide essential nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and protein, which support bone health, muscle function, and overall well-being. Calcium and vitamin D are particularly important in preventing osteoporosis, a condition women are more susceptible to as they age. Dairy provides essential nutrients Dairy’s protein also aids in muscle repair and growth. Including dairy in your diet can enhance women’s health, contributing to stronger bones, better muscle function, and improved overall nutritional status. SERVING IT UP Most of us know dairy is good for us,…

No more Bullying!

My beautiful girl was cruelly taunted for her looks… Jodie Fitzgerald, 33, Atherton, Qld. My girl Corrine headed out the front door with a big smile – she was off to Macca’s, her favourite place. “Please put on some shoes,” I begged, shaking my head at her bare feet. “As if, Mum,” she grinned. She was a free-spirited Indigenous girl, who didn’t care what other people thought of her. Corrine – who we lovingly called ‘Kinny’ – was the second of my five kids and a real tomboy. She loved exploring the bush, riding mini dirt bikes and fishing with her dad, Monty, 42, and her big brother, Damian,15. But she had a warm, loving side to her, too. She doted on her baby brother Liam and made a point…

No more Bullying!

My little Fighter

I’d only been gone half an hour when disaster struck… Shannan Winning, 31, Perth, WA. Baking under the hot summer sun, my kids jumped into the pool to cool off. “Mum, watch this,” my eldest daughter, Aliyah, called out as she climbed out and dived in again. We were relaxing in my grandparents’ garden after a tough week. My partner of six years and I had just broken up, and being five months pregnant, with three other kids already – Aliyah, 12, Blaze, five, and Elena, one – I was really worried about the future. Luckily, I had the support of my family. “Ready to go?” my pop asked as he walked up behind me. He’d promised to drive me to pick up a baby swing chair I’d found on…

My little Fighter

All Rise

Chocolate & honeycomb soufflés SERVES 6 PREP 15 MINS COOK 15 MINS 10g butter, melted 2 plain chocolate biscuits, very finely chopped 6 x 3cm pieces chocolate-coated honeycomb 1 cup bought thick vanilla custard 1 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted, plus extra, to dust 2 egg whites, at room temperature 1⁄3 cup caster sugar Thick cream, to serve 1 Preheat oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan-forced. Brush 6 x ½-cup straight-sided ovenproof dishes with butter. Sprinkle a little of the biscuit crumb in each dish, tilting and turning dishes to coat evenly, shake out excess. Place on an oven tray. Place a piece of honeycomb in the base of each dish. 2 Whisk custard and cocoa in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a large, clean, dry…

All Rise

Yellowstone under ice

Yellowstone under ice

Of all the national parks in the United States, Yellowstone in Wyoming feels the most ruggedly expansive in an iconic Wild West kind of way. At almost 900,000 hectares it’s a diverse ecosystem of peaks that rise as high as 3460m and canyons that plunge into the Yellowstone River. Surrounding the rivers are wide valleys where elk and bison roam. There are also more than 600 lakes and ponds, the largest being Lake Yellowstone, which is overshadowed by Old Faithful, the geyser that gives visitors a clue to the supervolcano below that last erupted 640,000 years ago. Within the park’s vast expanse live more than 200 species of animals, from apex predators such as grizzly bears to calliope hummingbirds, the smallest bird native to the US. GETTING AROUND Between December…

Loud And Proud

Loud And Proud

When I was a teen in western Sydney in the ’70s girls were girls and boys were boys. Where does that leave me? I wondered. There was very little sex education back then but I knew I was different. At 17, I’d left school and was working in a deli. One day, I met a friend, Theresa, on the train. “I’m going for an interview as a nurse,” she told me. “Oh, maybe I’ll join you,” I said on a whim. My gran was a nurse so I was curious. I went along to Auburn and we both got accepted. I had to move into the nurses’ home while I trained. There, for the first time, I came across others like me – girls attracted to girls. It felt good…

Nan... You’re A Star!

Nan... You’re A Star!

My naughty character went viral Lorraine Peel, 72, Hinchinbrook, NSW. My granddaughter Chloe was sitting next to me on the couch, scrolling on her phone and laughing. “Go on,” I said. “What’s the big joke?” “It’s TikTok, Nan,” she said. “People post videos of themselves doing funny things.” It was March 2020, and I was living with Chloe, 14, and my daughter, Sheree, 40, after my divorce. Having just retired, and with lockdowns in place, I had oodles of time, so I got Chloe to download the app onto my phone. After she helped me set up a profile, she told me I’d need to call myself something for my username. The question had me stumped. Then it hit! I loved dancing and singing and would do anything for a…

Around The World In 40 Dates!

I used the local talent to show me around… Pepa Ivanoff, 43, Gold Coast, Qld. II sat in a local bar with my friend and filled her in on the latest happenings in my life. “I’m finally taking the leap into online dating,” I told her. It was 2023, and at 42 years old, I’d always enjoyed life as a single woman. I was happily child-free by choice and had always prioritised my career as a mural artist, travelling, my friends, and, until recently, my animals over finding ‘the one’. After leaving the Gold Coast, Qld, where I was born and raised 20 years ago, I spent eight years living in California, in the US, before moving to Costa Rica. Living in a small, remote beach town, dating was tricky.…

Around The World In 40 Dates!

A Moooving Friendship

My girl has an unusual bestie… Rachel Byrne, 29. I placed my crying newborn in her pram and called out to my partner, Patrick. “I’m just going to take Sophie to the cattle shed to help her sleep,” I told him. The sounds of the cows always settled her. Patrick, 29, and I had grown up on farms and now lived on one together. We kept horses, donkeys, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, and peacocks, but the cows were Sophie’s favourite. Then, one day, when Sophie was three, we were visiting Patrick’s parents, who were also farmers, when his dad, Anthony, told us about a calf that had just been born to a mother who didn’t have any milk. “We’ll have to bottle feed her,” Anthony said. We went down to…

A Moooving Friendship

Blushing Beauty

Blushing Beauty

Thanks to an influx of ultra-pigmented blush products and a collective desire to wear makeup that simply makes us feel good, the way we apply our blush has transformed significantly in recent years. Gone are the days of a little dab to the apple of our cheeks for a subtle flush. These days, we’re applying our blush with a “more is more” mentality. LIQUID OR POWDER? According to Mecca makeup artist Lenita Seker nailing your blush application comes down to the formula you’re working with. “If you would like more of a dewy cheek, try a radiant liquid blush. For a soft-focus blur, try a powder option,” she explains. “For a powder blush, apply with a blush brush dusting across the skin after your complexion routine. For a cream or…

The D Word

Best advice for navigating your divorce smoothly Life isn’t a Hollywood movie. Often, there is no fairytale ending. You change, your partner changes, and sometimes it doesn’t go to plan. Sometimes, you are just not meant to be with the one person who you thought was the love of your life. All this is okay. The end of a marriage is a difficult and challenging time. You will come out the other side. To make your journey a little easier, here are lawyer Melisa Sloan’s top tips to help you navigate your divorce. WHEN CAN IGET A DIVORCE? In Australia, you can apply for a divorce if you and your spouse have lived separately and apart for 12 months and there is no prospect of reconciliation or resuming married life.…

The D Word

Budget-Bu$ting Lunches

Pea & zucchini fritters SERVES 4 PREP 5 MINS COOK 20 MINS 3 zucchinis 1 cup self-raising flour 2 eggs, lightly whisked 1⁄3 cup milk 1 cup frozen peas, thawed, plus 1⁄3 cup extra 100g fetta, crumbled, plus 50g extra ¼ cup chopped mint, plus 2 tbsp extra 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 1 Coarsely grate 2 of the zucchinis. Using hands, squeeze the excess liquid from grated zucchini, place in a large bowl. Cut remaining zucchini into 12 slices, reserve. 2 Whisk the flour, egg and milk in a jug until smooth. Add flour mixture, peas, fetta and mint to grated zucchini, mix well. 3 Heat oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. To cook 3 fritters at a time, spoon 1⁄3 cup…

Budget-Bu$ting Lunches

Fundraising Fanatic

Fundraising Fanatic

Dear Take 5ers, I’ve got a really active friend who keeps setting herself challenges and entering events, raising money for several charities while she does them. I’ve always donated but recently found myself short of cash. She always posts her donation pages on our friendship group chat, and I’ve had to ignore it. All my other friends donate, and I think it’s noticeable that I don’t, making me feel guilty. It’s caused me to withdraw from the group chats and decline social invitations. I want to support my friend, and everything she fundraises for is a worthy cause, but I can’t afford to donate all the time. I want to bring it up somehow, but I’m embarrassed. What should I do? Jodie*, 52. Are YOU in a tricky situation? Why…

Masthead

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Rachel Williams, Deputy Editor Kim Bonett, Art Director Fiona Parsons, Picture Editor Vanessa Mckenzie, Lifestyle Director Claire Isaac ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Andrew Cook, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Head of Consumer Marketing Louise Cankett Subscription enquiries: Customer Service 136 116 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST) International +61 2 9692 3535 Email magshop@magshop.com.au Website www.magshop.com.au Advertising enquiries: advertising@aremedia.com.au Affiliate enquiries: affilliate@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ABN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2024. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission. Take5 is a registered trade mark of Are Media. Use of trademark…

Masthead

Tainted Love Letter

Tainted Love Letter

My stepdad made the mistake of putting his feelings for me in writing Sophie Burns, 29. Tying my hair into bunches, I looked in the mirror. I was 14 years old and in my light blue dress, I looked just like my favourite Spice Girl, Baby Spice. “Come on Sophie, join the party,” my dad Gary, 24, called up to me. It was New Year’s Eve, and I was so excited. “Coming,” I yelled. Gary wasn’t my real dad. He was my mum Judy’s husband, but he’d been in my life since I was six. With 15 years between them, I joked he was Mum’s toy boy, but he was fun to have around, even though he spent most of his time playing Xbox. My actual father didn’t want me…

Braving the Cold

Braving the Cold

Now that winter is officially underway, we’re in the midst of cold and flu season. While it always helps to be active and maintain a healthy diet, there are other ways to increase your chances of avoiding illness. Follow these steps to protect yourself and those around you. STAY HOME Remember the days when we tried to power our way through coughs and colds, leaving a swathe of germs all over the workplace, school or public transport? These days the advice is clear. If you’re able to, stay at home, or if you really have to go out in public, wear a mask until your symptoms have disappeared. COVER YOUR MOUTH & NOSE The best way to cover a cough or sneeze is to use a tissue or paper towel,…

Your tips

Your tips

Dip your ice-cream scoop in boiling water and it’ll glide through ice-cream much more smoothly. Elsie Garcia, Geelong, Vic. Attaching bubble wrap from packages to your windowsws will help insulate them on cold days. Lois Johnston, Bendigo, Vic. Mix a small amount of foundation into moisturiser for a DIY tinted moisturiser. Natalie Evans, Palmerston North, NZ. You can use the clip on a pen to seal a bag of chips. Kristina Saad, Wollongong, NSW. Wipe your grater with half a lemon then rinse it with water. It’s the easiest way to clean it. Marcia Frost, Ipswich, Qld. My hairdresser said if your hair is a bit greasy or flat, fluff it up with a hairdryer. You get another day out of it before a hair wash! Rachael Monk, Queenstown, NZ.…

Kicked Into Shape

THEN NOW I finally found a weight loss solution that worked Janelle Pratten, 64, Newcastle, NSW. Standing at the bottom of our stairs, I sighed. You can do this, I told myself. It was December 2020, and the weight I’d gained during the COVID lockdown had made climbing the 15 stairs to our house that much harder. Hopping on the scales, I was shocked to read 140kg. I had always struggled with my weight, but now it was impacting my health, so I booked an appointment with the GP. “You’re pre-diabetic,” he warned. “You need to change your lifestyle.” Easier said than done, I thought, hopelessly. Soon after, a friend sent me a link to a Facebook page called Bridget’s Healthy Kitchen. Immediately, I connected with Bridget’s messaging. How can…

Kicked Into Shape

Stew Good!

THE RIGHT CUT These cuts of meat are perfect for casseroles: BEEF – blade, brisket, chuck, gravy, topside, silverside. VEAL – knuckle, leg, shoulder. LAMB – neck, forequarter, shank, shoulder, leg. PORK – shoulder, forequarter, leg, hock. CHICKEN – drumsticks, thigh fillets or cutlets, chicken pieces. Beef marengo SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 MINS COOK 1½ HOURS 2 tbsp olive oil 1kg chuck steak or gravy beef, trimmed, cubed ¼ cup seasoned plain flour 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 small sweet potato, peeled, chopped 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, sliced (fronds reserved) 1 green capsicum, seeded, chopped 125g button mushrooms 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 cups beef stock 420g can cream of mushroom soup 400g can diced tomatoes ½ cup red wine 1⁄3 cup pitted black olives Sour cream, crusty bread,…

Stew Good!

Challenge Accepted

Challenge Accepted

A daily cold swim has done me wonders Jasmine Glaister, 33, Gold Coast, Qld. Walking to the surf, I cautiously dipped my toe in the water. It’s freezing! I cringed. It was dawn on the first day of October 2021. I’d signed up to a challenge promoted by surf therapy charity, Waves of Wellness, called ‘Ducktober’. It challenged people to take a daily duck in cold water throughout October to improve mental health. As a long-term sufferer of depression and anxiety, I was always keen for tools to help me live better. I just hadn’t expected the first day to be so overcast. I’ll go for a walk to warm up, I thought. Pausing, I bent down to write a quote in the sand. If you lose yourself, let it…

Stars

LEO July 24–Aug 23 No-one likes to have money issues but guess what? They are challenges sent to us from the Universe to test our self esteem. The more we believe in ourselves and what we have to offer, the more the money flows. ★How much do you value yourself? SCORPIO Oct 24–Nov 23 With your love life up and down these past few years, you could be forgiven for seeking stability in all your most important relationships – romantic or otherwise. Romance is a little harder to find now. ★ The trick now is to schedule in some fun. AQUARIUS Jan 21–Feb 19 Something most people don’t realise about money until they get on the spiritual path – it’s energy. It comes to you when you think you deserve…

Stars

Your letters

Your letters

Some things never change My big brother and I recently shared a hotel room while attending a funeral. It’s been 45 years since we lived under the same roof, but it was like we were kids again. I made him laugh until coffee came out his nose, he short-sheeted my bed, and we argued over the TV remote. I’d love to hear how other readers used to torment their siblings. Benjamin Sodaro, Pennington, SA. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Message in a bottle We were on holiday at K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, with our kids, Angelina, 13, Indie, 11, and Nate, seven. Angelina came across an old bottle sealed with a cork. We opened it and discovered a letter from Jonathan, an 11-year-old boy who had sailed from…