Table of contents for TAK2534 in Take 5

I’ve always thought op shops were cool, but I feel like these days, it’s official! My friend’s 19-year-old daughter is always telling me about the vintage dresses or quirky figurines she finds. Of course, her ‘vintage’ is different to mine. She was finding so many ‘vintage’ DVDs she wanted to watch (think Four Weddings and a Funeral), I had to buy her a DVD player for her birthday. “I’ve only just chucked mine out!” I told her. Back in my day, op shops were considered cheap and practical. We furnished our flat with thrifty wares from there during uni, and always found a shoulder-padded frock if we had an ’80s-themed party! These days, it’s cooler than ever. I guess that’s due to people like Michelle Trebilco, who’s turned op shopping…

I said yes – to the job and the proposal Alexia Milky, 27, Adelaide, SA. Walking into the cafe on my very first shift, I flashed a nervous smile at the guy behind the counter. “Hi, I’m Alexia,” I said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “It’s my first day today.” “Welcome to the team,” he replied warmly. “I’m David.” It was 2018 and I was 20. He’s pretty cute, I thought, trying not to blush. But David was my boss – and his family owned the cafe – so I quickly pushed the thought aside. For the next two years, we worked side by side. He manned the coffee machine while I waited tables, and although we didn’t talk much, I always looked forward to seeing him…

My daughter woke up unable to walk Taylor Justice, 32. I loaded the last of our camping gear into the van and called out to the kids. “Time to go, guys!” I shouted cheerfully. It was Mother’s Day weekend, and we were off on one of our favourite family adventures – camping in the great outdoors. I’d always loved nature, and luckily, so did my kids. Any chance we got, we’d escape the hustle of everyday life for some fresh air and camp fire fun. My stepsons Anse, nine, and Arlo, 12, came bounding out of the house, followed by my eldest, Hayden, 15. But there was no sign of my daughter, Madeline, four. “Madeline!” I called again. Silence. “We don’t have time for this,” I muttered, annoyed. I walked…

Maple-glazed chicken & pumpkin SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 35 MINS 1⁄4 cup maple syrup 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp chilli flakes 2 cloves garlic, crushed 500g Jap pumpkin, skin on, 4cm-thick slices 4 large chicken thigh cutlets, skin-on Toasted sesame seeds, mixed salad leaves, to serve 1 Line two oven trays with baking paper. 2 Combine maple syrup, soy sauce, oil, chilli flakes and garlic in a bowl. 3 Place pumpkin on prepared tray. Drizzle with half the marinade. On a separate oven tray, toss chicken thighs in remaining marinade. 4 Cook in a 220°C preheated oven for 40 mins, adding chicken thighs in final 25 mins of cooking until both are caramelised and chicken is cooked through. 5 Serve with a drizzle…

Op shopping made me a style star Michelle Trebilco, 67, Dandenong Ranges, Vic. Manning the counter at my local op shop, I got chatting to Melissa, another volunteer. She was raving about a Facebook group for second-hand fashion lovers and eagerly showed me pictures on her phone. “Sounds like fun!” I grinned, flicking through the group’s latest op-shop finds. It was 2015, and I was thrilled to discover an online community just as passionate as me about thrifty fashion and vintage treasures. I’d add a quirky twist to my outfits I’d started op shopping back in 1996, when I was pregnant with my son, Lyall. Rummaging through racks of baby clothes was not only fun, it was practical. Kids grow fast, so I didn’t want to spend a fortune. I…

Motherhood drained me of my colour Ariane Beeston, 41, Sydney, NSW. Gently laying four-day-old Henry on the change table, I peeled back his nappy and gasped. His tiny bottom was covered in angry red welts. Panic surged through me. No matter how much cream I’d used, the rash was getting worse. Frantically, I snapped a photo and sent it to my husband, Robb. It’s bad, isn’t it? I wrote. Looks fine to me, he replied. But I wasn’t convinced. It was 2011, I was 27, newly married, and a first-time mum. I’d always dreamed of motherhood and wanted a big family. But my excitement at being pregnant was swallowed by morning sickness, fear, and exhaustion. When Henry arrived, the magical rush of love I’d imagined never came. Instead, I was…

A random pic transformed my life forever Suzanne van Dijk, 62, Adelaide, SA. Taking the whipper snipper outside, I started trimming the grass. It was November 2020 and my husband Frank, 62, usually mowed the lawn but this day I felt like giving it a go myself. As I set to my task, he whipped out his phone. “I’m taking a photo as evidence,” he said and we both laughed. Later that night, he said he planned to send the photo to his brother Albert. I’ve never liked having my photo taken because I’m self-conscious, so I asked if I could see the photo first. When I saw it, I was horrified. “I look terrible,” I said. “I’m enormous.” “You are not,” he said kindly, but I shook my head.…

Roast cauliflower & apple soup with buttered sprouts SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 50 MINS ½ large cauliflower, cut into florets 3 Royal Gala apples, peeled, cored, quartered 2 tbsp olive oil 10g butter, plus 50g extra 1 large brown onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 4 cloves garlic, bruised 2 Dutch Cream potatoes, peeled, diced 1.5 litres chicken stock ¼ cup pure cream 200g brussels sprouts, halved, blanched Crusty bread, to serve 1 In a large bowl, toss cauliflower and apple in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread over base of a baking dish. 2 Cook in a 200°C preheated oven for 25-30 mins until golden. 3 Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter on medium. Cook onion, celery and garlic for 4-5 mins until soft. Add…

Lucy Riddett, 31, Geelong, Vic. Waiting for my turn for my piano exam, I felt the familiar fear. My legs were shaking and I’d broken into a sweat. “Next!” the examiner called out. I walked towards the piano like a condemned person heading to execution. Afterwards, my mum, Leanne, met me with wide eyes. “How was it?” she asked. “Awful,” I replied tearfully. I was 12, and had been doing piano lessons since I was nine. No-one in my family was musical, but I’d begged my parents. While I loved making music, I hadn’t anticipated how stressful music exams and recitals would be. I absolutely hated them. Two years later, I watched the movie Amélie and became obsessed with owning an accordion one day. Taking a breath I started to…

LEO July24 - Aug 23 Now that any recent setbacks or delays have worked themselves out, it’s time to move onwards and upwards. Going back to the drawing board with more insight and wisdom will help you make the most of a fresh start. ★ A new mindset on your finances will create new outcomes. VIRGO Aug 24 – Sept 23 You tend to doubt yourself a lot. Tweaking here and there, always seeking improvement. There is nothing wrong with getting better, but what if you are already good enough? So many opportunities are available. ★ Seek possibility where you normally see probability. LIBRA Sept 24 - Oct 23 Just because you’ve got such good stars in your Career Zone doesn’t mean you can slack off and wait for great…

I turned witchcraft into my dream job. Amber Rose, 38, Brisbane, Qld. Taking a pair of scissors in one hand and a long strand of my hair in the other, I snipped it from my head. Then I tore a picture of my crush from the school yearbook and tied my hair around it, binding us together. Soon he won’t be able to resist me, I thought, hopefully. I placed the photo in a jar with rose petals, heart-shaped trinkets and a splash of my perfume. Then I sealed it shut and placed it on my witches altar, which I’d created using herbs flowers, candles and crystals. Two weeks later, I was stunned when my crush walked into my Year Nine English class and asked to sit beside me. “Sure,”…

Hip, hip hooray! I’m lucky enough to have 12 grandchildren – eight boys and four girls. This is my youngest granddaughter Ivy, five, with my eldest granddaughter Maddie on her 18th birthday. Ros Mayes, Kureelpa, Qld. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Life is good I’m a mum of four and recently the last of my kids living at home moved in with his beautiful fiancé. I was bereft and didn’t know what to do without anyone to look after. My best friend took me out for lunch to cheer me up. “It’s time to put your wants and needs first,” she said. The realisation that I could have what I wanted for dinner without thinking about other peoples’ tastes, go to bed and get up without thinking about…

As I planned our wedding, my hubby-to-be was hiding something shocking Jaymea Henry, 32. Walking out of my house one afternoon, I spotted a friend of mine standing on the footpath. “Hey Jaymea,” she called out, and I noticed she was with someone I didn’t recognise. “Come meet my brother, Mark,” she said. Mark was tall and slim, with reading glasses and a warm smile that instantly drew me in. “Nice to meet you,” he grinned, holding out his hand. The moment I touched him, I felt sparks. Mark was 39 – 12 years older than me – but that didn’t bother me. Later that day, I bumped into my friend again. “Mark asked me for your number,” she said. “Can I give it to him?” “Sure,” I shrugged. Soon…

Helen tried to leave her abusive husband – but he had other ideas On a crisp spring morning in September 2009, the quiet serenity of a New Zealand horse stable was shattered by the sound of a gunshot. Helen Meads, a vibrant 42-year-old mother of two and talented equestrian, was found dead at her Matamata property, in the lush Waikato region. Her husband, millionaire horse breeder Gregory Meads, had pulled the trigger. To outsiders, the Meads family seemed to live an enviable life. But behind the gates of their rural property, a darker reality was taking shape – one marked by control, manipulation, and psychological abuse. Helen had married Gregory 12 years before. During their marriage, Helen put her own ambitions aside to support her husband’s career and raise their…

Salted caramel tiramisu SERVES 8-10 PREP 30 MINS COOK 30 MINS 600ml tub thickened cream ½ cup icing sugar mixture 2 tsp vanilla bean paste 2 x 250g tubs mascarpone 1⁄3 cup instant coffee granules 1⁄3 cup coffee-flavoured liqueur 2 x 250g packets sponge finger biscuits Sliced fresh strawberries, to serve SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE 1½ cups caster sugar 1¾ cups pure cream ½ tsp table salt 1 SAUCE Combine sugar and ¾ cup water in a medium saucepan. Stir over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil. Gently boil, without stirring, for 15-20 mins, or until golden brown. Immediately remove from heat. Carefully add cream. 2 Return pan to a medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 10 mins, or until slightly thickened. Stir in salt. Pour into…

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