Table of contents for TAK2604 in Take 5

I don’t have kids of my own, but I know from friends and family (and babysitting!) they’re a handful. Mum reminds me all the time what my twin sister and I did to her body and her finances – lucky she and Dad love us! So my twinnie and I, although completely different, grew up joined at the hip. When she had three girls of her own, each two years apart, she made sure I was there at the births, filming at the business end. It was like Goldie Locks. First one wasn’t close enough, second was a bit too graphic and third one was just right. I, of course, was in love with them all but slightly traumatised! Thankfully, my older sister didn’t put me through all that but…

Giggling, we climbed into the wardrobe and gently closed the door behind us. I was seven years old, with my first cousin Michael, who was 10 months younger. We swayed awkwardly, copying the slow dancing we’d seen grown-ups do, thrilled by the secrecy of it. Then we kissed. Suddenly, the wardrobe door flew open and Michael’s little brother stood there gawping at us. “I know what you did!” he blurted, before running off. Michael and I stared at each other, confused. Had we done something wrong? Michael was my father’s nephew, but because Dad’s job took us overseas, we only saw each other every couple of years. Still, whenever we ended up at the same family gathering, we made a beeline for one another. Later that day, Michael stopped my…

Opening the door to the stunning flat, I felt a surge of excitement. It was 2022, and I had just started working with a new care participant, James, 50. I was studying to become a teacher and disability care was a rewarding way to make a living on the side. James was non-speaking and quadriplegic following an accident in 1995 when he was 22 years old. He required an electric wheelchair to get around but was able to live in an independent-living apartment in Woolooware Bay, NSW. His home was designed for people with disabilities who want to live on their own, and provided access to 24/7 support. I met with James four times a week to help him with basic tasks like eating, using the bathroom, and showering. But…

Fresh mango tart SERVES 8-10 PREP 40 MINS COOK 5 MINS 250g packet Granita biscuits 1⁄3 cup desiccated coconut 1½ tsp ground ginger 100g butter, melted Sliced fresh mango, to decorate FILLING 3 tsp powdered gelatine 2¾ cups fresh mango puree (see tip) ½ cup caster sugar 2 tbsp lime juice 300ml thickened cream 1 Grease a 25cm round x 3.5cm deep, loose-base flan tin. Process biscuits, coconut and ginger in a food processor until finely crushed. 2 Add butter. Process until combined. Press evenly over base and up side of tin. Place on a tray. Refrigerate. 3 FILLING Sprinkle gelatine over 2 tbsp water in a heatproof jug. Sit jug in a small saucepan of simmering water. Stir until gelatine is dissolved. Remove. Cool slightly. Place mango puree, sugar…

Images and text from As We Wander: Road Trip Australia by Jess and Luke Riddle, photography by Jess and Luke Riddle. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99. Kakadu National Park is a must-see destination when travelling through the Northern Territory. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed area is one of the largest national parks in Australia, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres. It is renowned for its cultural and natural values, offering incredible beauty with vast wetlands, lush rainforest and picturesque waterfalls and swimming holes. Immerse yourself in the culture of the Bininj Peoples (in the north) and Mungguy Peoples (in the south) who have called this land home for more than 65,000 years, and who have a deep connection to this Country. Visiting Kakadu, you will view some of the world’s oldest and most…

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My heart started racing the moment my best friend Madison’s name flashed up on my phone. It was 8am – early enough to know this FaceTime call wasn’t a casual check-in. “I’m pregnant!” Madison, 27, said when she appeared on screen. “You’re the first person I’ve told.” “Oh wow, congratulations!” I replied, shocked and overjoyed. From the start we just clicked It was July 2024. Even though Madi and I had only met four years earlier, through a family connection, we’d become inseparable. From the start, we just clicked. We shared the same values and were in the same stage of life: long-term relationships, ready to settle down. We’d never had a single disagreement. Madi was more type A than me. She loved lists, schedules and making plans, while I…

Sitting on the toilet at work, I felt a sudden crushing headache and collapsed forward onto the floor. Moments later, a colleague came in and found me lying there. “Leola!” she screamed. Rushing off, she fetched a first aider. It was November 2010 and I worked in marketing. Kneeling at my side, the other woman checked me over. “Are you okay?” she asked. I tried to reply that I was fine, embarrassed about all the fuss, but couldn’t speak. An ambulance arrived and took me to hospital where my partner Merv, 32, met me. Thankfully, my speech returned. “You’ve been having dizzy spells,” he said. “Maybe it’s because you’re anaemic?” “That’s what I thought,” I replied. But a brain scan showed it was more serious. I had a brain bleed.…

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According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in six women have experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner. Sadly, many of these crimes go unreported, with 92 per cent of sexual assaults never taken to police. Of the victims who seek help from domestic violence services, only half report the violence to law enforcement. Crime writer, Vikki Petraitis, has spent over three decades seeking to understand the culture surrounding DV. In researching her latest crime fiction book, The Stolen, Vikki interviewed a number of women who have suffered violence. “I have seen firsthand the immense toll violence has on survivors,” she says. Shockingly, she says the most common reason cited for the reluctance to report these crimes is that police either do not understand or are not proactive…

Mum’s green zucchini salad SERVES 4-6 1⁄3 cup olive oil ¼ cup garlic cloves, peeled 3 medium-sized zucchini, ends trimmed, cut in half Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste 1 bunch of dill, leaves coarsely chopped Zest of 1 lemon Juice of ½ lemon 1⁄3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted 1 Warm olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 15-20 mins, or until the garlic is soft. Set aside and leave to cool. 2 Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue to high. Brush the zucchini with half the garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. 3 Grill the zucchini on one side for about 5 mins, until charred well. 4 Cut the zucchini into irregular shapes and place in a…

There was still a warm patch of sun in our back garden, even though it was late afternoon, and I lay back in my deckchair and smiled. “You know, we should go out tonight and make the most of the nice weather,” I said. My friend Amber and my daughter Niamh, 21, both nodded. “Great idea, Mum,” Niamh said. It was 2022, and as a single mum of six, I was usually on the go – packing lunches, washing PE uniforms, helping with homework. It wasn’t often I had an evening to myself, but tonight my two youngest, aged eight and 12, were at sleepovers. For once, I had no responsibilities at all. “Let’s do it,” I said with a grin. Soon we were all changed into summer dresses, hair…

Sticky pork ribs with pickled vegetables SERVES 4 PREP 30 MINS COOK 40 MINS ½ cup hoisin sauce 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp soy sauce 2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ tsp five-spice powder 8 pork spare ribs 450g packet white microwave rice 2 green onions, thinly sliced PICKLED VEGETABLES 2 tbsp white vinegar 2 tsp caster sugar ½ tsp fine sea salt 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into ribbons 1 carrot, cut into ribbons ½ bunch red radish, finely sliced 1 In a bowl, stir hoisin, vinegar, honey, soy, ginger, garlic and spice together. Add pork, turning to coat well. Marinate at least 2 hours. 2 Line an oven tray with baking paper. Drain pork, reserving marinade. Place pork on tray.…

AQUARIUS Jan 21–Feb 19 The January New Moon is in your sign so it’s your chance to give yourself a makeover, literal or metaphorical. Where do you need a restart? Where do you need a revamp? Remember, how you think affects how everything else in your life unfolds. ★ Be as optimistic as you can! PISCES Feb19–Mar 20 Just when you thought you were stuck, along comes this week’s astrology which can help you break free from restrictions. The more disciplined you are, the more freedom you’re going to eventually get. Don’t push too hard. Move slowly and steadily towards your goals. ★ Freedom beckons! ARIES Mar 21–Apr 20 What are you wishing for? Say it out loud to the universe as the first New Moon of the year lights…