Take 5の TAK2438 の目次

It’s no secret that the Take 5 team love playful Guide Dog puppies when they visit the office, but a few of us favour our feline friends. I mostly call my mum to ask what her cat, Misha, is doing (sleeping… duh!) and Features Writer Emilia often leaves a post-work function early in the hope she won’t face the guilt-inducing gaze of her furry flatmates, Riley and Snow. Then there are Zoom calls with Senior Copy Editor Trudi, which wouldn’t be the same without a cameo from her kitty, Doug. So when it comes to the comfort cats can bring us, we get it! Boat’s story on page 24 really showed us. He suffered the mental toll of working the front line in many confronting jobs and enlisted his cat,…

I thought I’d be alone forever until Martyn came along… Charlene Lay, 33. Sitting on the school bus, I could feel a group of kids staring at me. “Hey, Scar Face!” one of them sneered. “Leave her alone!” my brother James, 14, barked back at him while I sat there silently. I felt humiliated, but I wasn’t shocked at all. At 12 years old, I was used to being called cruel names like Scar Face and Burnt B**ch by kids at my school. When I was two years old, James, four, and I were being babysat by a family friend while my parents were working. James had found some matches and accidentally set the house on fire. “Let’s climb up to the top bunk bed!” he instructed me as the…

My boob just kept getting bigger! Clare Renwick, 44. Staring at my naked frame in the bedroom mirror, I cupped my boobs and lifted them to become the plump, perky bosoms they’d once been. Then I dropped my hands and cringed as my breasts sagged over my ribs. They looked like tennis balls in a pair of socks. “My boobs used to be fabulous,” I sighed. It was January 1996 and I was 17 years old. Just 12 months earlier, I’d been slim with a pair of perky 10Ds. But then I fell pregnant and my boobs ballooned two sizes, along with the rest of me. Feeling too rotten to exercise, I put on 25kg. “You’re young,” friends assured me. “You’ll get your figure straight back.” After my daughter, Sasha,…

Sarah Dowson said goodbye to her husband, Thomas, before heading to her shift at a Chinese restaurant. She had a skip in her step, but it wasn’t at the thought of dishing up plates of sweet and sour chicken. She had a work crush, and couldn’t wait to see him. At 17, fellow waiter Joseph was a decade younger than Sarah, but that hadn’t stopped her fantasising about the teen. Soon, the mother-of-three made her move. She asked for his number and began texting him. The conversation soon became flirtatious. One night, Sarah seized her chance to take things even further. Some of the restaurant staff, including Sarah, went out after work to celebrate Joseph turning 18. As the festivities came to an end, Sarah and Joseph sneaked off to…

Mexican rice & bean turkey bake SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS + 30 MINS TO MARINATE COOK 30 MINS 400g turkey breast fillet, cut into 1.5cm-thick slices 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil 2 long green onions, thinly sliced 1⁄3 bunch coriander, stalks chopped, leaves reserved 1 cup white long-grain rice 420g can red kidney beans, rinsed 35g sachet taco seasoning 2½ cups boiling water 2 large salt-reduced chicken stock cubes 50g tortilla strips 1 avocado, coarsely chopped Lime, to serve (optional) 1 Combine the turkey, oil, onion and coriander stalks in a shallow glass dish. Cover with plastic food wrap; chill for 30 mins to marinate. 2 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Combine rice, beans and taco seasoning in a large ovenproof frying pan. Pour in the boiling…

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Rachel Williams, Deputy Editor Kim Bonett, Art Director Fiona Parsons, Picture Editor Vanessa Mckenzie 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 strictly prohibited. Licensing Inquiries:…

Retirement was lonely until an ad opened new doors Sue Leone, 64, Kenwick, WA. Lying on the sofa, I flicked from channel to channel, before giving up and throwing the remote to one side. “I’m so bored,” I groaned. It was April 2023, and I’d recently quit working FIFO, after 11 years in various roles, to slow down and start living a normal life. Only, it was quickly losing its appeal. Later, my partner Matt, who still worked FIFO, called me and I vented my frustrations. “I’m on my own all day and it’s driving me crazy,” I said. Most of my friendships had been formed through work and I didn’t really know anyone outside it. “I need some female friends to go out with,” I told him. I just…

A forced marriage couldn’t suppress who I am Sara Glass, 39. The crunching of glass echoed through the wedding hall. “Mazel tov!” our guests shouted. I was 19, and my marriage to the man before me, Yossi, 27, had been arranged. But as I walked down the aisle, the tears I shed weren’t of joy. “Please take my temptation away,” I prayed under my breath. Deep down I had a secret; I loved women. My family belonged to a strict Hasidic Jewish sect. Men had to avoid contact with unrelated females, and I wore full-length skirts and long sleeves, so as not to tempt them with my skin. But by 12, I began to see I was different to my friends. I didn’t get their desire to meet a boy…

My assistance cat helps me to really live Boat, 63, Canberra, ACT. Reading through the PTSD questionnaire, a realisation dawned on me. “I’m a yes to every one of these,” I said to my colleague. It was July 2022, and I’d recently retired from my career in law enforcement. For 27 years, I’d worked on the Australian Border Force and had also served in the State Emergency Service. I’d been a first responder to some terrible tragedies over the years, including the Black Summer bushfires. To keep myself busy in retirement, I’d volunteered with an organisation that helped employers identify when their employees were showing signs of PTSD. Their questionnaire asked about symptoms, and I had almost all of them – flashbacks, nightmares, reclusive tendencies. Maybe I should do something…

VIRGO Aug 24 –Sept 23 A lunar eclipse will spotlight your Relationship Zone. There will be more of this to come in 2025. Pay attention to the shifting tides of your romantic life. Progress can be made. ★Don’t like what you see? Change your ways. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 – Dec 22 Even if the world is pulling you in a variety of directions, it’s important to focus on your home life now. You’ve had your fair share of effort and toil in this area lately. It’s important to not give up. ★ Just as you’re beginning to wonder why, all will be revealed. PISCES Feb 20 –Mar 20 The road has been entirely uphill for around 18 months. There is still a while to go, but you’ll get a sense…

When I met my dream man, I didn’t know he was terminal… Annabelle Wilson, 36, Melbourne, Vic. Glancing around the room, I locked eyes with a cool-looking guy. It was 2008, and as my friend’s party went on, I kept swapping glances with this handsome stranger. After dinner had been served, I heard a deep voice whisper in my ear. “Are you going to eat that?” he asked, pointing at the roast meat on my plate. Turning around, I saw the mystery man grinning at me. My heart skipped a beat. “Um, no, it’s all yours,” I responded playfully. “I’m Josh,” he said, sitting down for a chat. Josh was funny, kindhearted, and had a smile that lit up the room. We spent the rest of the evening talking but…

Berry ice-cream sandwiches SERVES 12 PREP 20 MINS COOK 15 MINS + COOLING 120g butter, at room temperature 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg, at room temperature 1¾ cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup dark chocolate bits, finely chopped 1 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts 500ml boysenberry ice-cream 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add egg; beat until combined. Sift combined flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Add the chocolate bits and peanuts; mix well. 2 Roll tablespoon quantities of cookie dough into 24 balls. Place on prepared trays, about 3cm apart for spreading; flatten slightly. Bake for 12 minutes…

SEE THE SIGHTS STROLL THROUGH THE DUBAI MIRACLE GARDEN Entering the Dubai Miracle Garden was like walking into paradise! With more than 150 million flowers in full bloom, this 72,000 square metre garden is perfect for a photo opp. I could have easily spent all day wandering the grounds – and almost did! Get in early when buying your tickets because this is a sight you can’t miss. TOUR THE BURJ AL ARAB Nowhere does opulence like Dubai, and I got a taste of it firsthand with a tour inside the Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious seven-star hotel. The tour showcased the grandeur of the suites, which each span two floors and feature plush carpets, breathtaking views and golden ceilings. Make sure to stop by the cafe for…

Kirsty Catania, 32, Carlingford, NSW. Sitting cross-legged on the verandah, I took a bite of my Vegemite sandwich. My sisters Crystal, seven, and Samantha, six, and brother Nathan, four, happily munched away beside me at our home in Bacchus Marsh, Vic. It was November 1997 and at five years old, all I wanted to do was play in the yard. Stuffing the sandwich in my mouth, I headed to the garden bed to pick flowers. “Careful, Kirsty, the evil magpie’s watching you,” Crystal warned, pointing towards the black and white bird that had been terrorising walkers and bike riders by our house. “Dad said we have to stay out of the garden.” But with the flower beds just a few steps away, I ignored her. “Kirsty, Kirsty! The magpie’s gonna…