Table of contents for TAK2606 in Take 5

Our love is Dino-mite

Lauren Wheatley, 33. I shook my head at my friend Alex. “Nope, not doing it,” I said. “I am not going on a date with a stranger.” “But you’d honestly work so well together,” she insisted. She was trying to set me up with a guy she knew called Joe – someone she hadn’t seen herself for years. “It’s not happening,” I told her firmly. A few years later, I was single again and back on the dating apps when a familiar name popped up: Joe. Realising he was the same guy my friend had once tried to set me up with, I chuckled. We started chatting and it was obvious Alex had been right – we really did click. After a few weeks, we met up. Joe picked me…

Turn Up The Heat

If your sex drive has taken a nosedive lately, you could be experiencing a lack of libido. According to Lovehoney’s sexologist, Christine Rafe, everyone’s sex drive is unique to them, however a drop in libido can be brought on by a variety of factors. “Some common reasons that can cause a reduction in sex drive or libido are stress, fatigue, hormonal changes, mental health challenges, relationship concerns, and even certain medications,” says Christine. “Recognising that external stressors are at an all-time high with cost-of-living pressures, political unrest and more, all of which contribute to feeling overwhelmed, making it harder to switch off and ultimately, tune into your desire.” She adds: “Often, it’s not about a lack of attraction, but rather that the mind, body and environment are under pressure in…

Your tips

Avocado stays fresh for longer if you store it with an onion. Kristy Howell, Campbelltown, NSW. Add a little fish sauce into beef stew. Your family will love it. Lynda Evans, Dunedin, NZ. I wasn’t a big fan of kale until I learned that it tastes good when you massage the leaves with a little olive oil before putting it in salads. Jo Patel, Turramurra, NSW. Hair Volume™ Hair Volume™ is an award-winning world-class hair care range from Sweden. Support thick, healthy and beautiful hair from both inside & out. Achieve optimal results in combination with tablets. RRP from $55.34 URL www.newnordic.au Try cooking rice in veggie stock instead of water. So yummy. Sally Miller, Ballarat, Vic. Descale your kettle by boiling lemons cut in half, then let it sit…

Not Another Good Bye

Iwalked along the white sandy beach, rubbing my eye in frustration.I “You all right?” my husband, Nick, asked. “It’s weird,” I said, blinking hard. “It’s like I’ve got black spots in my left eye.” “You should get that checked when we get home,” Nick, 43, replied, concern clouding his face. It was May 2024 and we were camping at Lipson Cove in South Australia with our girls, Bella, 14, and Marley, 13. Bella and Marley are my nieces, but they’ve been my daughters in every way that matters since 2015, when my sister Malinda was killed in a car accident. Their dad wasn’t in the picture. Overnight, their world collapsed – and ours changed forever. At the time, Nick and I were already raising our own children: Joshua, 20, Nicole,…

Bake some Love

Raspberry choc cheesecake SERVES 8 PREP 25 MINS COOK 45 MINS 4 pack (420g) Double Choc Muffins Whipped cream, to serve FILLING 2 x 250g packets cream cheese ¾ cup caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 2⁄3 cup sour cream ¼ cup custard powder 125g punnet raspberries, plus extra to serve 1 Invert base of a 22cm round springform pan (base measures 21cm). Grease and line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edge. 2 Crumble three muffins into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle into prepared pan. Press lightly to cover base of pan evenly. Place on an oven tray. 3 FILLING Process cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a food processor until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, processing until combined. Add sour…

1 min

Stars

AQUARIUS Jan 21–Feb 19 You’re in a super powerful cycle but you need to stay mentally positive to make the most of it. If you start spiralling, discipline your mind. The most important thing now is to be aware of your thoughts and not to indulge in too much negativity. ★ Remember, thoughts become things! PISCES Feb 20–Mar 20 Your life gets easier, as Saturn departs after staying more than two years. Work on your self-esteem which has taken a bit of a battering lately. Hopefully you can see how strong you are. The more you value yourself, the more others will, too. ★ Good self-esteem also boosts your bank account. ARIES Mar 21–Apr 20 This is the start of a hugely important period for you. Step up and take…

3 min

No More Wine O’clock

I walked over to my friend in the park, holding up a plastic bottle sloshing with liquid. “Good work,” she grinned. “I brought some, too.” It was 1990 and I was 14. My friends and I filled SodaStream bottles with whatever alcohol we could pinch from our parents and drank it together in the park. Growing up in the ’80s, alcohol flowed freely at our parents’ dinner parties. To us, it looked grown-up, and sophisticated, and we wanted in. At university, alcohol was the centre of our social lives. Nights out weren’t about connection; they were about getting drunk. After graduating, I landed a sales job in London where boozy lunches, cocktails and champagne were expected. Without realising it, my brain hard-wired alcohol as the key to socialising, relaxing and…

3 min

You Can’t Steal My Crown

Hannah Swinnerton, 31, Mornington Peninsula, Vic. I jolted up in bed to the sound of my phone buzzing. It was the early morning, and the call was from an unknown number. “Hello?” I whispered. “Go dig a hole and bury yourself in it!” a voice jeered as a crowd of laughter echoed in the background. Then the line went dead. It was yet another prank call from my peers at school. Pulling the covers up, I cried myself to sleep. I was in Year 12, but the bullying had started when I was just six. At school, kids would call me names. “Hippo!” one would yell from across the classroom as they all laughed. “Fatty!” another would join in. The heckling didn’t stop at my weight. They called me ugly,…

Behind Locked Gates

Serafina, 48, Adelaide, SA. Wincing, I carefully pulled a rusty nail from the sole of my shoe. It had pierced straight through while I was at school. “You’ll need a tetanus shot,” my teacher said. It was 1984, and I was living at Camp David, a 100-acre commune in Waipara, NZ. My family had moved there three years earlier, when I was just four. From the outside, the camp looked like a castle. White-painted watchtowers rose above padlocked gates. Paths wound past waterfalls and a sunken garden. Although I attended a local public school, life at home was governed by the teachings of Douglas Metcalf, a charismatic prophet who founded the group in the 1960s and claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus. When I arrived home clutching my injured…

Date Night

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1 min

Our Crazy Experiment

Susy Lee, 62, Sydney, NSW. Looking around the three-bedroom flat, my eyes widened with glee. “It’s gorgeous,” I said to my brother-in-law Maurice. “So much nicer than the two-beds we’ve seen so far,” he agreed. “But it’s beyond our budget.” It was 1995 and I was pregnant with my first child with Maurice’s brother, my husband, Brian. Maurice had just moved to Sydney from Melbourne with his new girlfriend, Karen, and they were house hunting, too. Brian and Karen were at work, so Maurice and I were out house hunting when on a whim we both decided to look at a three-bed place. “Why don’t we take this and all live together?” I said. Brian and Maurice are Australian Chinese, and in their culture sharing a home with relatives is…

The School Girl Killer

On the morning of September 2, 2003, shockwaves tore through the normally peaceful rural town of Bellevue. Nestled beneath Idaho’s towering mountains, Bellevue was the kind of place where neighbours knew one another by name and doors were rarely locked. Serious violent crime was almost unheard of. That was why the discovery made inside one quiet suburban home that morning felt utterly unthinkable. Inside the Johnson family residence, Diane Johnson, 52, and her husband Alan Johnson, 46, had been brutally murdered. Their eldest son, Matt Johnson, 22, was away studying at university. But their teenage daughter, Sarah Marie Johnson, had been home at the time. Just after 6.20am, neighbours were jolted awake by the sound of gunshots. Moments later, Sarah burst from the house, screaming hysterically and begging for help.…

Flavourful Feasting

Cheesy pea frittata SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 20 MINS 2 large (300g) potatoes, peeled, grated 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 7 eggs, lightly whisked 1 cup grated mozzarella 100g prosciutto, sliced thinly 1 Grease a 26cm round, deep frying pan. 2 Squeeze liquid from grated potatoes. Add potatoes to a large mixing bowl with peas, eggs and cheese. Whisk to combine. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Top with prosciutto slices. 3 Cook in a 180°C preheated oven for 20 mins or until firm and prosciutto is crispy and egg is set. TOP TIP For a more budget-friendly option, use 3 thin bacon rashers instead of prosciutto. Tofu honey noodles SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 10 MINS 2 bunches broccolini, cut in half 250g snow peas, sliced thickly…

Masthead

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Acting Editor Kim Bonett, Acting Deputy Editor Natasha Todd, Art Director Ninian Power, Picture Editor Vanessa Mckenzie ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Anna Quinn, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Director of Marketing Carly Bowra 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 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: www.contentshop.com.au /…

Your letters

Lost letter I have been writing to my penfriend Kristine, from Christchurch in New Zealand, for 60 years. Every year we send a birthday gift to each other. Kristine was 72 in January this year but the present I sent her two years ago for her 70th birthday has only just arrived. Where has it been all this time? An interesting phenomenon for readers to ponder. Helen Savage, Niddrie, Vic. Celebrate in style For our 40th wedding anniversary, my request to my husband, Robert, was to have an elegant high tea somewhere with a view. Robert, who is a 193cm, 120kg tradie, is more used to sausage rolls than cucumber sandwiches, but he found a restaurant serving high tea overlooking a breathtaking valley. When our lunch arrived on a three-tier…

Squashed To Death

Ana Parrish-Parker, 34. Pulling up outside Mum’s place, I spotted my nephew Levi pressed to the window, waiting. Rushing inside, I scooped him into my arms. “Can we look for bugs?” he begged. “Okay,” I grinned. I hurried to Mum’s every day after work. My sister Mary* was always there with Levi and his baby sister, Sarah*, and I adored them both. Out in the garden, Levi dug for worms. When he found one, he picked it up. “Hello, I’m Uncle Levi,” he told it. His full name was Dakota Levi Stevens, but everyone called him Levi. He was quirky, creative and bright. Levi was four when Mary confessed that she and her partner, Sam, were addicted to hard drugs. “It’s gotten out of control,” she admitted. They’d been neglecting…

Love on repeat

We all know the type. The romantic partner who was initially warm and charismatic, then becomes cold and detached. The emotionally avoidant one, who makes you feel like you’re needy. The one who can’t prioritise you. The partner who gives you the silent treatment, and so you lay awake at night, filled with anxiety, wondering if you’ll hear from them again. Then there’s the one you end up taking care of, but the love you give is never enough. And if not a partner, it’s the friend who only talks about herself, showing little interest in you. At the start, you gave patience and empathy. In the end, you have accepted the bare minimum. And when the hurt became too big, you had to walk away, or risk losing yourself…

Best Foot Forward

Danielle Pearce, 40, Melbourne, Vic. As I pulled back the curtains, the sun beamed into my bedroom. What a gorgeous day, I thought, slipping on a pair of flats. It was 2013, and I waltzed outside and onto the tram, headed to the bank where I worked. As we pulled into my stop, rain began to pelt down. Typical Melbourne weather, I sighed. By the time I got to the bank, my shoes were soaked through to my socks. If only I had some cute waterproof shoes, I thought. It wasn’t the first time I’d been caught out – I often found myself tackling unpredictable weather or dancing through mud at music festivals. Peeling off my socks, I dreamed up a pair of waterproof shoes more comfortable and fashionable than…

The unsung Heroes

With so much new beauty tech hitting shelves, you might be wondering: what’s actually worth your time and your money? And what should we be adding to cart? We asked cosmetic doctor and founder of Face Doctors Sydney, Dr Rafael Mejian, to share his top five most underrated beauty tools – and he did not let us down! ICE ROLLERS “Ice rollers constrict the tiny blood vessels in the skin, helping to minimise redness and swelling. The rolling action also encourages fluid to drain away from the face. Combined with the cooling effect, this makes ice rollers more effective for reducing puffiness than using gua sha alone.” MICROCURRENT DEVICES “Microcurrent devices use gentle electrical currents that help skin cells produce more energy to ‘run better’, meaning they can repair faster…

Weekend Spread

Broad bean fattoush with honey-glazed lamb SERVES 4 PREP 20 MINS COOK 20 MINS 2 Lebanese flatbreads, cut into strips ½ cup olive oil 1 tsp ground sumac, plus ¼ tsp extra 500g fresh broad beans, peeled, podded 400g lamb fillets, trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces 2 cloves garlic, crushed 8 wooden skewers, soaked 2 tsp honey 200g brussels sprouts, finely sliced 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeded, sliced 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, diced 1 small red onion, finely sliced ½ bunch fresh mint, leaves picked 2 tbsp lemon juice 200g tub hommus 1 Line an oven tray with baking paper. Brush both sides bread with 2 tbsp oil. Place on tray. Sprinkle with sumac. Season with salt and pepper. Cook bread in a 180°C preheated oven for 8-10 mins until…

Running on Empty

Hi Take 5ers, I live in a small four-unit apartment building on the top floor. I’m a 57-year-old woman who is generally friendly but values my peace. I live alone. The man below me, around 50, owns a large motorbike. I struggle with insomnia and often fall asleep late – last night, it was around 3am. For months, he has regularly revved his bike in the parking area directly beneath my bedroom window. This morning at about seven o’clock, he woke me by revving it 15-25 times. I finally spoke up, asking if he could not do it outside my bedroom window so early. He looked at me and completely ignored me. I need this to stop – what should I do? Yolanda*, 57 Personally, I would empty a bucket…