Tabla de contenidos para TAK2521 en Take 5

While it takes a team of talented people to put together your favourite magazine every week, I’m also a big believer that, in many cases, if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself. That’s why I was impressed reading Anne’s story in this issue. She wanted a little shed in her yard to house her small gardening tools, seeds and other knickknacks. So she went to her local MenzShed, not to ask the blokes to build it for her but to borrow their equipment and do it herself! What a legend! Flick to page 65 to check out the result. If you’ve completed a DIY job you’re proud of, we’d love to hear about it! In other cases, I don’t mind letting a gadget do jobs…

When I’m shopping online, I don’t let myself buy what’s in my cart for 24 hours. Usually by then I’ve realised I don’t actually need most of what’s in there! Fiona Walters, Parramatta, NSW. Always keep some cash in your wallet so you can pay for things if the card machine goes down. Marla Adams, Townsville, Qld. Sparkling mineral water works a treat at getting blood out of carpet. Carolyn Rowe, Melton, Vic. I recently found out you can use a blender to whip cream. Who knew? Rebecca Shahid, Campbelltown, NSW. Add a squeeze of orange juice to tomato soup. I don’t know why, but it makes the flavours much stronger. Paula Haynes, Armadale, WA. To stop cut potatoes from going brown, put them in cold water with a splash…

The doctor told me pig skin could save my vagina – but was he telling porkies? Claire Boulton, 47. I sat my husband, Matthew, down. “I think we should get married,” I said. “Finally!” he replied. “I’ve been ready for years.” It was 2019, and although we’d been together for 20 years, and had two children, I’d warned him never to propose until I was a size 10. However, my health had taken a dip recently and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I’d been diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2009, which often left me in crippling pain. Then in 2016, I started experiencing bowel problems on top of that. Every time I ate or drank, I needed to go to the toilet, forcing me to wear adult nappies. I…

Tikka masala eggplant and chickpea curry with onion mash SERVES 6 PREP 25 MINS COOK 8 HOURS 2 large eggplants, cut into large chunks 1 leek, washed, thinly sliced 283g jar tikka masala paste 400g can cherry tomatoes 400ml can coconut milk 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained 2 x 475g packets store-bought mashed potato ½ cup crispy fried onions, plus extra to serve Steamed greens, fresh coriander leaves, to serve 1 Season eggplant with salt and pepper. Heat a well-oiled, large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant in two batches. Cook, stirring occasionally for 6 mins or until golden. Transfer to the removeable bowl of a 5 to 6-litre capacity slow cooker. Add leek to same hot pan. 2 Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 mins or until…

My DIY project raised eyebrows at first Anne Tucker, 70, Redwood Valley, NZ. Surveying my new garden, I pointed to a small area between the greenhouse and the compost bins. “That’s the perfect place to put my shed,” I said. My husband, Devon, 68, sized-up the spot. “It’s going to have to be a small one,” he surmised. “I’ll make it work,” I replied. I loved a challenge. Having retired from my job as a provider of counselling and consulting services, I poured a lot of my energy into gardening. I didn’t want a ready-made shed from a shop, and now I had an excuse to custom build my own. Bigger tools could be stored in our barn, so this would be a bijou potting shed to store ‘What are…

GEMINI May 22 -June 21 Your social life is getting a cosmic audit. Time to figure out who’s in your corner and who’s just crowding you. It’s not mean, it’s necessary. Be grateful for the good ones and gently distance yourself from the rest. ★ Keep those who get you and your soul (not just your jokes!) CANCER June 22 – July 23 Work might feel a bit… meh. But the small stuff is leading to something bigger. A little perseverance now could turn into a promotion or recognition. Keep your cool and be consistent. You don’t need to make a fuss to stand out. ★ Just quietly dazzle, as you do. LEO July 24 – Aug 23 Big life lessons are incoming – around travel, study, belief systems, and…

Long rest to recovery My husband, Brian, was being discharged from hospital after some surgery. He’s not a great patient so I asked the doctor to be very clear about what was required once we got home so Brian wouldn’t kick up a fuss when I tried to enforce the rules. “You’re going to need to sleep sitting up for the next 48 hours,” the doctor advised. Brian looked incredulous. “I hope you’re giving me a prescription to help with that. I’ve never slept longer than seven hours in my life!” he huffed. Shelley Moran, Ballina, NSW. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Chosen one Reading Jenny’s story (issue 12) about the stray dog Scout who chose a nursing home to be his new home made me think about…

I left my stale marriage for a much younger man Ann Johnson, 53. As Blink 182’s hit tune All The Small Things blared from the speakers, I sang along. Moments later my husband, George*, 49, shouted from upstairs. “Can you turn it down?” he bellowed. I rolled my eyes. “When did you get so old?” I yelled back, switching it off. We’d been married 20 years and the honeymoon was well and truly over. When our sons, John*, 16, and Steven*, 13, weren’t at school, they were usually out with mates, so it was mostly just George and me at home. But for the last seven years, we were basically just housemates. Most evenings I’d watch TV while George sat upstairs, talking to friends on his computer. When we were…

Kitten heel boots Boots take on a more practical heigh this season with miniature heels taking over. In long or ankle lengths, these style perfectly with wide-legged jeans, trousers or an A-line skirt. Slingback pumps Slingback pumps in a range of metallics and autumnal tones are everywhere this season. Wear them to dress up your favourite jeans or with a pair of stockings or tights under a mini dress – very ’60s! Chunky loafers For the cooler months, switch out your ballet flats for a chunkier, leather loafer. Style them with masculine trousers for an easy, on-trend office look. Or try them with an A-line dress and stockings. Retro sneakers This season, sneakers are bright with ’70s colours and suede textures – a nice change from the stark white styles…

Honey pecan cake SERVES 8 PREP 15 MINS COOK 55 MINS 1½ cups honey, warmed, plus extra to serve 1 cup milk 125g butter, melted 1 egg 1 cup plain flour 2⁄3 cup wholemeal plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ cup chopped pecans Crème fraîche, fresh raspberries, to serve 1 Lightly grease and line base and sides of a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper. 2 Whisk honey, milk, butter and egg in a large jug until combined. 3 Add sifted flours, baking powder,  soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Lightly mix in honey mixture until combined. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with pecans. 4 Cook in a 180°C preheated oven …

While most people travel to Queensland in search of stunning beaches and year-round warm weather, this favourite holiday destination has so much more to offer. Unexpectedly, Queensland also happens to be home to some of Australia’s quirkiest attractions. From Magnetic Island’s rock wallabies to Kronosaurus Korner’s dinosaur fossils, you’ll find it all and so much more. If you’re looking for something a little offbeat, head on over to the sunshine state… PARONELLA PARK, MENA CREEK Tucked away in a lush rainforest is a Spanish-style castle, which was built in the 1930s by a Spanish immigrant, José Paronella. After arriving in Australia in 1913, José had dreams of building a castle, eventually acquiring 13 acres of rainforest near Mena Creek Falls to do so. The castle’s ruins still attract tourists today,…

I buy and sell Littlest Pet Shop toys around the world! Tyla H, 20, Perth, WA. The lights decorating the tree twinkled in the background as my family exchanged presents on Christmas morning. It was 2011, and I was five years old. “I’ll go first,” my sister, 10, said, tearing open a box-shaped parcel before anyone had a chance to object. She revealed a blue cardboard box with a clear plastic front. Inside were miniature animals with bobble heads. “Littlest Pet Shops!” she squealed with delight. I was immediately drawn to the animals’ cute faces and bright colours. “Can I play with them, too?” I asked. “Sure,” my sister replied, handing me a Collie dog. “But I want her back.” I received a box of Littlest Pet Shop toys as…

I thought my baby would be safe with my boyfriend – I was wrong! Charlotte McSorley, 38, NZ. I found my mum, Clare, cooking in the kitchen. “Michael has to leave his place,” I told her. “Can he come and live with us?” She looked surprised. “Are you sure you want that, love?” she asked. “You’ve not been together long.” I had matched with Michael on Tinder only a couple of months earlier. As a single mum of two, I lived with my mum and my sister, Victoria. Before Michael came along, I had been quite depressed, but he brought joy back into my life. I was eager to have him around more since he was also a dad, and I knew he’d be great with my girls, Izzy, two,…

My uplifting art has taken one giant leap for kindness Chilu, 46, Sydney. Clutching my newborn bub, I looked at the nurses rushing around me. “They’re angels,” I whispered. Little Lou was born with a heart defect and had surgery to fix a faulty valve when he was just 48 hours old. The medical staff at the Westmead Children’s Hospital took my breath away with how hard they worked. Sitting on the cardiology ward in May 2017, I waved a nurse over. “How much do those beds cost?” I asked, pointing at a special bed with machines attached, designed for the NICU. “Around $55,000 each,” she told me. I’m going to raise $55,000 for this hospital, I decided. Lou came home a month later but was in and out of…

THE GREAT ESCAPE We understand that flights can be long and uncomfortable, leading some passengers to wish they could disembark mid-flight. However, trying to open the door at 33,000 feet is extremely dangerous and not advisable. A passenger on a Jetstar flight heading to Melbourne from Bali attempted to do just that, tugging at the door about two hours into the journey. With over 200 passengers on board, reality TV star Brooke Jowett, who was also on the flight, reported that the woman wanted to change seats to find one that could recline, and when she couldn't, she wanted to get off. An off-duty police officer had to pull the woman away from the door, and for the safety of everyone on board, the plane’s captain decided to divert the…

Massaman sausage curry SERVES 6 PREP + COOK 45 MINS 2tbsp peanut oil 12 good quality beef or lamb sausages (1kg) 2 large onions (400g), cut into thin wedges 2⁄3 cup massaman curry paste 1 cup coconut milk 2 cups chicken stock 2 cinnamon sticks 3 medium potatoes (600g), peeled, chopped 2tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp fish sauce ¹⁄3 cup coriander leaves 2tbsp crispy fried shallots 2tbsp unsalted peanuts, roasted Steamed rice, roti or naan, to serve 1 Heat half the oil in a large shallow frying pan, cook the sausages over medium-high heat until browned all over but not cooked through. Remove sausages from the pan. 2 Reduce heat to medium; add the onion, cook, stirring, until softened but not coloured. Add the curry paste; cook, stirring, for 1…

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