Tabla de contenidos para TAK2546 en Take 5

I always tell people I’m really good at doing nothing… because I am! I could spend hours reading, or watching all the TV/ streaming shows. But after two weeks I start feeling a bit useless and the brain fog sets in. By then, I’ve missed the boost I get from solving our puzzles. That’s why Kerrie’s story, over the page, resonated with me. Once she retired, she had all the ambitions we probably all have – travelling and doing the things you’ve never had time for, or just putting your feet up. But after a while, it didn’t satisfy her. Instead, she went on to do something remarkable. I hope, like Kerrie, I can put myself to good use when I retire. That said, I know not everyone is in…

Taping up the last of my boxes, I felt a rush of mixed emotions. “I’m going to miss you so much!” I told my twin sister, Kaitlyn, giving her a big hug. “Me too!” she said. It was 2023, I was 26, and moving in with my boyfriend of seven years, Wesley, 28. Though I was excited, the thought of living without Kaitlyn felt strange. We’d been inseparable since birth – nine minutes apart – and shared a room most of our lives, including through uni. Even after I moved out, we caught up constantly. Later that year, I was helping Wesley set up an Amazon account when I spotted a confirmation email for a diamond ring. My heart leapt. Could it be an engagement ring? A few days later,…

As our lives become increasingly busier, there’s barely enough time to cook and clean, let alone sitting down with a book and reading to your children. But according to parenting expert Deirdre Brandner, taking the time to read to your kids is vital for their growth and development. “Reading is one of the best things you can do for a child’s growth,” she says. “It’s not just about building literacy – it also helps with thinking skills, emotions, social development and imagination. “When a parent reads aloud, they’re doing more than sharing words – they’re helping their child learn language, spark curiosity, understand the world and build a strong bond. “Stories naturally encourage play, too, as kids imagine, act out and visualise what they hear, which helps them explore, create…

Peachy caramel cream sponge SERVES 8 PREP 20 MINS 300ml tub thickened cream 2 tbsp icing sugar mixture 2 tsp vanilla extract 250g tub mascarpone 460g packet double unfilled sponge cake ⅓ cup elderflower cordial 1 cup caramel spread 1 large yellow peach, stone removed, thinly sliced Fresh raspberries, to serve 1 Beat cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl of an electric mixer until starting to thicken. Add mascarpone. Beat until soft peaks form. 2 Cut each sponge horizontally in half using a serrated knife. 3 Combine cordial with 2 tbsp water in a jug. Brush the cut side of each sponge layer with cordial. 4 Place one prepared sponge layer, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Spread with one-quarter of the cream mixture. Dollop over ¼ cup caramel…

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My heart soared as we all sang Happy Birthday to my son, Corey. “Make a wish, my big boy!” I smiled, as he blew out his candles. He’d just turned 12 and I couldn’t believe it was only a year until he’d be a teenager. Corey already preferred playing video games to being outside with friends, but I limited his screen time. He didn’t have a phone and could only use the internet for two hours a day. Luckily, he still loved being active, enjoying swimming, hiking and bike riding with me and his older sister, Lette, 14. Nine days after his birthday, the three of us went swimming. We came home tired. “Goodnight, sweetheart,” I said, as I tucked Corey into bed. Later, I crawled into my own bed,…

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Catching up with my friend over coffee, I asked how her wedding plans were coming along. She was marrying in just a few months, and I was one of her bridesmaids. “I’m finding it so hard to find a celebrant that I vibe with,” she sighed. Then, her eyes sparkled mischievously. “I think you should do it,” she said. “You’d be amazing!” “Me? Really?” I laughed. But she nodded, deadly serious. So I thought, why not? I signed up for the course, though sadly I wasn’t registered in time for her big day. Still, I loved every minute of it. I can do it as a side hustle, I thought. We chatted the whole flight The whole process took six months, and by the end of it, I was hooked.…

With a single sneaker clasped in my hand, I searched the house from top to bottom looking for the other one. “I honestly don’t know where it could be,” I said to my husband, Steve. Suddenly, I heard a giggle from behind the door. “I think I have a sneaking suspicion who might know though,” I smiled, opening it to reveal our three-year-old daughter, Giaan. From the moment she was born, Giaan had roared into the world with an ear-to-ear grin. Her toddler years were full of cheekiness – like hiding shoes – and it became her mission to make people laugh. Her four siblings, Justine, Royce, Kristine and Gisela, adored her. She was also a kind and gentle soul, always with a pile of teddies beside her in…

Scrambled egg burrito MAKES 4 PREP 5 MINS COOK 5 MINS 6 eggs ½ cup milk 50g feta, crumbled 10g butter 400g can kidney beans, rinsed, drained ½ cup tomato salsa 1 cup rocket leaves 4 jumbo tortillas, warmed (see tip) 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, sliced Tabasco sauce, to season (optional) 1 In a jug, whisk eggs, milk and feta together. Season with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, melt butter on medium. Add egg mixture, gently stirring set edges into centre with a spatula, until just firm. 2 Meanwhile, in a small microwave-safe bowl, combine beans and salsa. Microwave on High for medium 1 min, once, until hot. 3 Arrange rocket down centre of each tortilla, leaving 4cm at one end. Top with beans, egg mix and…

I watched my daughter playing on the grass. “Probably time to head home,” I said. “Sure,” my husband, Ty, 37, replied. It was January 2025 and we’d gone to the river near our home to buy dinner from some food trucks. As I stood to leave, I felt a rush of liquid in my panties. “Oh no,” I whispered. I was covered in blood. The next day, I went to see my GP. “I had a miscarriage yesterday,” I said. “I didn’t even realise that I was pregnant.” She ran some tests and a week later she called me. “Congratulations, you didn’t have a miscarriage. You’re pregnant,” she said. This should have been exciting news, but I’d had a bad ride with pregnancies. Before our daughter Tiana, 10, was born,…

Almond skordalia & pumpkin bruschetta SERVES 8 PREP 15 MINS COOK 30 MINS 1kg jap pumpkin, skin on 2 tbsp olive oil 8 thin slices sourdough 100g feta, crumbled ½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 2 tbsp olive oil, extra ALMOND SKORDALIA 1 cup blanched almonds 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup coarsely chopped day-old bread 2 tbsp white wine vinegar ⅓ cup olive oil 1 ALMOND SKORDALIA Toast almonds in a frying pan over medium heat until browned lightly. Remove from pan; cool. Process almonds, garlic, bread and vinegar until crumbs form. With motor operating, add oil in a thin, steady stream; add ½ cup water, process until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 2 Cut pumpkin into thin wedges. Place pumpkin and half the…

The contortionist bent her heels toward her ears until her feet were planted either side of her head. That’s so sick! I thought, glued to the telly. It was 2003. I was 11, and watching a DVD about Chinese circus performers. I’d done gymnastics for years and my sister, Pip, 14, was a trampolinist, so acrobatics were in our blood. But these performers were in another realm. Later that year, to my delight, a circus school opened on the Central Coast, NSW, where we lived. It was run by Ashley, a performer from the Moscow Circus, and his wife, Rochelle, a prima ballerina. I signed up immediately, and under their guidance, learnt the art of contortion. Within weeks I could sit on my own head. They also helped me develop…

SCORPIO Oct 24–Nov 22 Your patience may be tested when it comes to your self-confidence this week. There’s a fine line between being assertive and demanding your worth, but also realising that other people don’t determine that. Money may also be the source of a snafu or delay. ★ Whatever happens, do remain cool, calm and collected. SAGITTARIUS Nov 23–Dec 22 You may have had the best intentions when it comes to a personal goal or pursuit. Mercury had other plans, thanks to turning retrograde. Think of it like this; the sooner you fall behind, the longer you’ll have to catch up. ★ Do what you can, even if it’s less than you wanted. CAPRICORN Dec 23–Jan 20 You may think you’ve arrived at some kind of stumbling block this…