Table of contents for TAK2506 in Take 5

Do you believe in fate? We can’t help it, in our office. We write so many incredible stories for the magazine that the timing of some things just feels like destiny. Like for Tania, over the page, who sold her old wedding ring to make some cash, and then met her new hubby at the park that very day. Asking the team if anything like this had happened to them, there was a resounding yes! After a brutal break-up, one heartbroken writer decided to get as far away as possible from her ex in England, and booked a holiday to Australia. Unbeknown to her, she’d be sharing her areoplane armrest with Scott from Bondi. After two inseparable weeks, she packed up her life to move here and they now have…

I knew I’d eventually be by my hubby’s side Delphine Yandamutso, 40, Sydney, NSW. Sitting in the hair salon, my face lit up when Noël walked in. “I brought these for you,” he grinned, handing me milk and doughnuts. “You’re so sweet!” I replied. Noël, 19, then sat through the whole appointment with me, chatting the hours away. It was 2004, and at 18, I’d never met a man as kind and considerate as Noël. We’d met a few years earlier at our church in Rwanda. He started walking me home, and when he met Mum, she loved him and would often invite him in for a meal. “He’s such a mature young man,” she praised. I was a shy teenager, but Noël’s positive and friendly nature made me feel…

I knew life would change when the twins arrived... but this?! Khedidja Teape, 29. I waddled to the freezer, fished out another ice cube and popped it in my mouth. “Another one?” my partner Shawn, 32, laughed. I nodded with a smile and rubbed my big belly. At six months’ pregnant, I couldn’t quench my craving for ice. It hadn’t surfaced during my pregnancy with Zackai, 10, or Zanaya-Li, three. I loved motherhood but hadn’t expected to have another baby. This pregnancy was a surprise in more ways than one… at our last scan we discovered we were having twins! Although it was daunting, we welcomed the additions. Thankfully, scans showed the twins – a boy and a girl – were developing well. “We have to get two of everything,”…

I thought I had my drug use under control, but I was fooling myself Tahlia Isaac, 35, Townsville, Qld. My hand shot up before the teacher had even finished asking the question. “Very good, Tahlia,” she said after I gave the correct answer. I was smiling until I noticed that all the other kids were sneering at me. “You’re such a goody two-shoes,” one girl spat. In high school, I didn’t feel accepted by my peers either. They found me loud and annoying, and I struggled to fit in. I was desperate to be liked and constantly changed my personality in an attempt to achieve that. But it never worked, and I couldn’t stand the rejection. After finishing school at age 18, I went to university and revelled in the…

Microwave chocolate cake with rocky road cream MAKES 4 PREP 10 MINS + CHILLING COOK 2 MINS ¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup milk 1 egg white ⅓ cup caster sugar ¼ cup plain flour 2 tbsp drinking chocolate ROCKY ROAD CREAM 300ml thickened cream 250g mascarpone 2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 200g Turkish delight, chopped ½ cup blanched almonds, roasted, chopped  150g almond nougat, chopped  ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted 1 In a medium jug, whisk oil, milk and egg white together. 2 Add sugar, flour and chocolate. Mix well to combine. 3 Pour evenly into four 3 00ml microwave-safe jars. Microwave one at a time on high, 30 secs. Chill.  4 ROCKY ROAD CREAM  In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream, mascarpone and icing sugar together until thick. Stir in half the Turkish…

Cathy Naylor, 54, all over Australia! Even if we have to clean toilets it’ll be worth it,” I said, giggling, trying to reassure my partner, Mal. “I’m not sure we can do this, Boss,” Mal stated nervously, using my nickname. “We can,” I grinned. We’d been together for eight years, and while Mal was a little bit more wary, I wanted us to follow our dreams. We’d always fantasised about packing up our lives and becoming nomads, living life at our own pace rather than how society says we should live. Now, in February 2020, work had slowed for Mal who was a carpenter and I could easily leave my job. “There’s no time like the present!” I said, trying again. “Go on then, let’s do it,” Mal chuckled. So,…

My son is forever living up to his nickname! Ashlee Larsen, 34, Melbourne, Vic. The psychic sitting across from me looked down at my pregnant belly and smiled. “You’re going to have a boy,” she said. “And he’s going to rock your world.” I already had a little girl, Harlee, who was one. Sure enough, I gave birth to a son we named Brooklyn. As he grew older, he adopted another name: Dennis the Menace. If I took my eye off him briefly, he was off, causing chaos, climbing things and jumping offthem. Things didn’t work out with his dad, and in time, I met a new partner, Troy. When our relationship became serious, he asked me to meet his friends. We chose a pub with a playground so Brooklyn…

JULY 1988 Twenty-one-year-old Jane Andrews, a working-class girl, answers an anonymous ad in posh magazine The Lady for a personal dresser. Months later, Jane, who’d studied fashion, lands her dream job as a stylist for the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson… working at Buckingham Palace! 1994 Jane, who struggled with her mental health and attempted suicide as a teenager , loves her glamorous job. It’s well paid and opens up a whole new world. She buys a flat, drops her working-class accent, and she and Fergie become very close, with the Duchess even nicknaming her Lady Jane . NOV 1997 Palace cutbacks mean thatJane is unexpectedly made redundant. She’s devastated, especially since Fergiee didn’t tell her in person. She falls into a deep depression. AUG 1998 Jane meets wealthy businessman…

Salmon & potato croquettes SERVES 4 (MAKES ABOUT 20) PREP 20 MINS COOK 24 MINS 1 large floury potato, peeled, chopped 415g can red salmon, drained, bones removed 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tbsp aioli or mayonnaise ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese 1 tbsp horseradish cream 4 green onions, finely chopped 2 tbsp chopped capers 2 dill pickles, finely chopped 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp lemon rind 1¾ cups panko crumbs Olive oil, for drizzling Rocket, sliced avocado, sriracha sauce, mayonnaise, lemon wedges, to serve 1 Preheat air fryer to 1 80°C. In a medium saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook potato until tender. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl and mash while hot. Cool slightly.  2 Stir in salmon, egg, aioli, cheese, horseradish,  onion, capers, pickle, juice, rind and ½…

My girl went to a party – I never saw her again Lorene Bible, 62. I pulled my daughter into my arms and hugged her goodbye. “Have the best time,” I said. “I love you.” “I love you, too, Mum,” Lauria replied. It was December 29, 1999, and Lauria, 16, was off to spend the night with her best friend Ashley, who was celebrating her 16th birthday. The following day, I received a call from Lauria’s older brother. “Someone said Ashley’s home was on fire,” he said. “I’ve tried calling Lauria, but she’s not picking up.” Panicking, I grabbed my coat, ready to head straight over there. But two police officers arrived before I could. They’d found Lauria’s car outside Ashley’s home. “The house has burned to the ground,” one…

I could sense my ancestors at my wedding Claire Elliott, 44. I giggled as I walked down the aisle of the old church. “Here comes the bride!” I declared. At five years old, I loved pretending to get married. Built in 1859, St Anne’s Church in Jondaryan, Qld, was designed by my greatgreat-grandfather, JC White. Originally, it was nestled away in the homestead which has been in my family for four generations. But after a flood in 1893, it was moved from our property, which was in a flood zone, to the main street. My grandparents, Marjory and Jannion, were married there in 1938, as well as my parents, Sally and Tony, in 1978. I hoped to one day carry on the tradition. Over the years, my family attended St…

Grilled steak & chorizo tacos MAKES 8 PREP 20 MINS + MARINATING COOK 15 MINS 500g skirt or oyster blade steak 1 lemon, juice ½ tsp garlic powder 2 chorizo 1 tbsp olive oil 8 corn tortillas, warmed SALSA 1 red onion, peeled, quartered 2 jalapenos, seeded, chopped 4 large tomatoes, whole 3 garlic cloves, peeled 1 avocado, mashed ½ cup coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp lime juice 3 radishes, finely chopped 1 In a shallow dish, combine steak, juice and garlic powder. Mix well. Marinate 10 mins. 2 Remove skins from chorizo and roughly chop. Place in a food processor and pulse until large crumbs form. Heat oil in a frying pan or barbecue plate on high. Cook chorizo 3-4mins, stirring, until golden and crisp. 3 SALSA Meanwhile, heat…

AQUARIUS Jan 21 –Feb 19 Bigger, more joyful energy is around you now as Jupiter moves forward in your Fun, Romance and Creativity Zone. This is your cosmic green light to pursue pleasure, passion, and play. Whether it’s a creative project or simply enjoying life, embrace every opportunity. ★ Enjoy yourself! TAURUS Apr 21 –May 21 This is such a healing week for you – or it will be, if you allow it. Be it work or personal issues, spend time thinking about what was and what now is. Can you start to see why everything has happened as it did? ★ Trust the process! LEO July 24 –Aug 23 Old, scary thoughts which come back to haunt you are returning for a reason. It’s not just to keep you…

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