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It Takes Two

I’ve found two soulmates, and they’re happy to share… Crystal Smith, 31. As my partner got down on one knee and pulled out his grandma’s ring, I gasped in disbelief. “Marry me,” Tyler, 32, grinned. I’d been waiting eight long years for this moment and was beginning to think it would never happen. “Yes!” I squealed. Tyler and I had fallen in love during university when I was 21. We’d bonded over our love for electronic music. After two years together, we’d moved into a house and had a son, Aidan. Weeks after Tyler proposed, we hosted an engagement party. That night, our friend brought along his mate, Robin, 30. Robin and Tyler clicked immediately, and I liked him, too. From that day on, Robin constantly hung out at ours,…

In The Flow

Ahead of my reiki appointment, I was both excited and nervous. I’d always been curious about alternative therapies, but I’d never tried them. After arriving for my session, I was immediately struck by how calm everybody was. I suddenly became hyper-aware of my own anxious energy. I was given a tour of the centre, at which point scepticism kicked in. It all felt a little bit woo-woo, but I was determined to stay open-minded. After being ushered into a treatment room though, everything changed. Sitting down opposite the reiki practitioner, Phil, I suddenly felt stripped bare. I broke down in tears and bared my soul to him. Thankfully, Phil was incredibly kind and patient, and listened intently as I talked. He then asked me to lie down on a massage…

Your tips

Boiling water before adding it to ice cube trays (that can withstand heat), creates perfectly clear ice cubes. Steph McDonald, Shepparton, Vic. Boil chicken fillets in a large pot of water, then shred the meat and pour it all into old take-away containers for the freezer. When you want to treat your dogs, pull out a container and let it soften slightly. Melissa Lee, Miranda, NSW. Shaking bottles of soft drink before you put them in the fridge means they stay fizzy for longer. Lisa Fisher, Gawler, SA. For indigestion, dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in water then drink it. Pauline Jones, South Auckland, NZ. Wet the rim of bowls or containers and cling film will stick to them better. Gloria Perez, Aspley, Qld. For quick pasta dinners, soak…

Finding Peace

Looking to heal myself physically, I healed spiritually Nina Witenden, Paddington, NSW. I walked out of my front door and pulled it closed. Immediately, I felt like a rubber band had snapped in my right arm. “Ow!” I yelled in agony and collapsed on my doorstep. It was 7.30am on a Saturday in September 2010, and I’d been struggling with pain in my shoulder. I worked in the finance industry and had a big project on the go so had been too busy to properly investigate it. My physio said it was torn ligaments, but this pain felt like something else. My neighbour heard my cries and ran out of her house. “I’m calling you an ambulance,” she said. At the hospital, I was sent for an X-ray which revealed…

3 min

Where’s Kevin?

Psychics found my missing peacock! Donna Abrahams, 55, Inverleigh, Vic. The alarm on my phone woke me with a start. “It’s 6.30 already,” I cried, waking my husband Darren, 54. “But I didn’t hear Kevin.” Our pet peacock, Kevin, usually had us up at the crack of dawn with his morning call. “He must’ve had a lie in,” Darren laughed. Forgetting about it, I got ready for my day’s work as a psychic. “Did Kevin say hello when you came in?” I asked my first client. “Nope, I haven’t seen him,” she said. As soon as the reading was over, I rushed to the kitchen to find Darren. “I’m a bit worried about Kevin,” I admitted. “I haven’t seen him all morning.” “Let’s have a look around the property,” he…

Stars

ARIES Mar 21–Apr 20 Don’t leave any stone unturned. Remember that what you get out of something depends on how much you put in. Hard work is unavoidable. You can do this, if you put your mind to it. Life is now offering you a buffet of options. ★ Decide on what’s important and go all in. CANCER June 22–July 23 A big, bold eclipse lights up your Career and Life Direction Zone. This area of life is going to change pace. The chance to realise long-held ambitions and desires arrives and you’ll need to recalibrate your home life. ★ You can have it all. LIBRA Sept 24–Oct 23 Just when you’re about to give up, the Universe gives you a sign! A brilliant New Moon eclipse in your…

3 min

Your letters

Musical memories Some friends and I were talking about old songs we remember from our childhood. I have such clear memories of my grandmother, Mary, a tiny bespectacled woman with a thick English accent and a wheezing laugh, dancing around the kitchen singing,“Knees up, Mother Brown!” Another friend could recall the nonsensical“Ging gang, goolie goolie goolie goolie watcha” song she used to sing around the campfire at Girl Guides. Yet another friend fondly recalled singing the“Flying Purple People Eater” song in the car with her mother and siblings on road trips. I’d love to hear what songs readers recall from their youth. Janet Foley, Geelong, Vic. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Too close for comfort Your story on animal encounters in issue 4 reminded me of our family…

Country Convert

We ditched the big smoke and something very surprising happened… Melissa Noble, 38, Bright, Vic. I was in the kitchen pouring another lockdown gin and tonic when my husband, Sam, blurted it out. “Why don’t we move to Bright?” he said. “Let’s do it,” I replied, before I’d even blinked! Before the pandemic hit, we would never have been having this conversation. Living in Melbourne, I was madly in love with the city. Weekends were spent at the latest exhibitions at the National Gallery of Victoria or strolling around the sheds at Queen Victoria Market. There was many a glass of red wine consumed in Melbourne’s iconic laneways, jazzy nights in the CBD and plenty of laughs at comedy festivals. I couldn’t help being nervous I never want to leave,…

Happy Campers

We gave up everything to spend our lives exploring the world! Shelley Roes, 57, Perth, WA. I watched the rain pelting the window. “Today’s perfect to make some life plans,” I said to my partner, Lars, 50. Grabbing a pen and paper, he joined me on the couch. It was 2016, and since meeting online three years earlier we quickly realised we shared a love of travelling. I was 48 and worked as a primary school teacher, while Lars was an offshore health and safety manager. We were content but weren’t fulfilled. Now, we started discussing our future. “What countries do you want to visit most?” Lars asked me. “Well, I’d love to see France, Italy, Norway, then America, and obviously Africa,” I listed excitedly. “When will we do all…

Homework 101

A return to school also means a return to dreaded homework. Just the word has the ability to strike fear in the hearts of students, parents and grandparents alike. But it doesn’t have to be that way! If homework has been the cause of friction in your home, we have good news. There are a few tried and tested steps you can take to help your kids get on top of – and stay on top of – their homework throughout the whole school year. Follow these tips from the Home Tutor book series to help your kids get on the right learning track, and continue the school year right… 1 KNOW THE BASICS Schools have different forms of homework requirements. Some have simple pencil and paper tasks, whilst others…

Ugliest Lawn In The World

I’m officially the worst gardener and I couldn’t be more proud! Kathleen Murray, 54, Sandford, Tas. Gazing out the window, I couldn’t help but chuckle. The sea of brown that was my backyard looked like a moonscape. Holes dug by bandicoots poked out from between scruffy yellow tufts of grass. My husband took the mower when we split in 2016 and I’ve since let the lawn do its own thing. “Buy yourself a mower,” my mates would plead. But as a solo mum of four, to Aiden, 15, Heath, 12, Kyle, 10, and Neve, eight, I didn’t have time for gardening. “It’s a nature reserve!” I’d joke to my guests. Then, in December 2023, I came across a competition accepting entries for the world’s ugliest lawn. Are they having a…

You Craved What?!

MAGAZINE LOVER Jaime McDonald, 45, Medowie, NSW. In bed beside my husband, Jamie, I opened a copy of Take 5. “Smells amazing!” I gasped. It was 2017, and I was eight weeks pregnant with our first bub. Attempting to read, I couldn’t ignore the aroma. This must be pregnancy talking, I reasoned. I’d been reading Take 5 for years and it’d never smelt this good. Then, I took a big sniff of the glossy page which filled me with euphoria. Jamie was wise enough not to comment. I licked the contents page Next evening, I had to know if it tasted as good as it smelt. A little lick of the contents page didn’t disappoint… but Jamie busted me. “I won’t make a pregnant woman cry,” he grinned, holding up…

The charms of Vietnam

Touching down in Ho Chi Minh City is an electrifying experience. From the minute you first walk its busy streets, there’s no suppressing its infectious vibrancy. The drifting smells of fresh pho and pork banh mi will be the only map you’ll need as you explore the bustling streets, maze-like markets, shopping malls to rival Rodeo Drive and grand historical sights. As Anthony Bourdain once put it, “Vietnam. It grabs you and doesn’t let you go.” GETTING COMFY Want a comfy, stylish stay? Try Fusion Original Saigon Centre. Located in the Saigon Centre complex, the hotel is in one of the most iconic buildings in the city. Fusion Original includes an amazing pool and fitness centre – which you’ll need after eating at Miss Thu restaurant – and the…

3 min

Botox Saved My Sex Life

I thought my condition meant I’d never lose my virginity Amy Forrest, 32. The teacher stood at the front of the class. “When women menstruate, the lining of the uterus sheds and flows out of the vagina,” she said. “Your period contains blood, mucus…” Whack! I didn’t hear the end of the sentence because I’d collapsed on the floor. I woke up to the teacher kneeling next to me, fanning my face. “Here, drink some water,” she said, concerned. Embarrassed, I asked if I could be excused from the rest of the sex ed lesson. I was 14, and it was the strangest thing. While I could handle hearing about blood and guts, I was squeamish about anything related to vaginas, sex or childbirth. I’d even faint when trying to…

Good Deed To Deadly Greed

Mum’s handyman earned her trust then he turned evil Sharon Thomas, 60. I twirled around like a spinning top, trying to make myself dizzy. “If you keep your hands in your pockets you’ll fall over,” my mum warned. Ignoring her, moments later I landed on my backside! “You’ll trust me one day,” Mum laughed. My childhood was full of love, fun and happiness. My mother, Rosina Coleman, was called ‘Our Rosey’, or ‘Rose’ by loved ones. To me and my older brother, Robert, she was just Mum. We adored her, everybody did, especially our dad, Bill. Mum was a brilliant seamstress. She’d make dresses for herself to go dancing with Dad. We all called Mum ‘Queen’ She even made my wedding gown when at 18, I married my husband, Barry,…

Healing Hands

WHAT IS REIKI AND HOW DOES IT WORK? Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing method, which was popularised by Usui Mikao in the 1920s. It has been used in alternative medicine ever since, gaining in popularity. “Reiki is a Japanese word that means universal life force energy,” explains reiki practitioner Phil Haines. “Practitioners channel this powerful healing energy, allowing it to flow through their hands to you. This process restores balance to the seven major chakra points that govern the health and vitality of mind, body, emotion and spirit.” WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM REIKI? Phil says reiki is helpful for people who feel “stuck in life”. He says it also helps those suffering from stress and anxiety. It can also assist if you feel unable to rest, or have “mental…

‘Where’s My Daddy?’

My hubby went to a bucks’ party and never came home Nicola Rickus, 44. I was walking towards the pub with my date when I heard a crack and felt myself stumble forwards. “I don’t believe it,” I said to Glen, 28. “My heel’s broken.” I couldn’t hobble around like that all night! My only option was to call my brother David and ask him to bring me another pair of shoes. The problem was, I was dating Glen in secret. We’d known each other for years, and everyone was always hoping we’d get together. When we finally decided to give it a go, we didn’t want any pressure, so he thought we’d sneak off and meet at a pub away from town. Now, as David pulled up with my…

Savvy Spritzes

CHIC FOR CHEAP Already offering an impressive line-up of make-up and skincare, MCoBeauty have now got you covered from head to toe with a new range of mists. Choose from four uplifting scents – whether you’re after sweet and sultry or fresh and fruity, there’s a spritz for every mood and occasion. 1. MCoBeauty Fragrance Mist, $20 each PORTABLE PAL Spritz on the go with Smooch Body’s range of delightful mists. With a scent to match every personality, these portable bottles are ideal for popping into your bag so you can feel refreshed anywhere at any time. 2. Smooch Body Ria Fragrance Mist, $36 LUXE FOR LESS High-quality fragrances that won’t put a dent your wallet? Yes please! Àerre offers a range of unisex fragrances inspired by popular scents from…

1 min

Twisted Obsession

A polite smile at a stranger sent me into a spiral of fear Leanna Robinson, 19. I walked into the lecture hall and spotted a new face in the class. “Hello,” I smiled at him, trying to be friendly, and he grinned back. It was September 2022, and the start of a new term at my college, where I was studying public services in the hope of joining the Navy. I got chatting to the new guy, Karime Elnagar, 19, later with small talk about our dogs and afterwards he added me on social media, which I didn’t mind. But, as the weeks went by, Karime began sending me endless messages. We talked about class assignments and I replied just to be polite. I told him about my boyfriend, Kian,…

Missing The Point

Dear Take 5ers, I’ve entered the world of online dating since my husband passed away. I had reconstructive surgery after a double mastectomy and am self-conscious about the fact that I now don’t have nipples. I don’t want to be a disappointment if I become intimate with a man but am uncomfortable disclosing this information online. What should I do? Deidre*, 59 If you feel strongly this is something you want to be up-front about, maybe just mention that you’ve survived breast cancer in your profile without getting too specific. Or else don’t mention anything at all until you’ve met someone who shows a genuine interest in you. The right man will have compassion and admiration for what you have been through. Cate Faulos Are YOU in a tricky situation?…