Australian Women’s Weekly NZ October 2021

I have a love/hate relationship with cooking. As I write this, I’m parked up at my kitchen bench thanks to Auckland’s level 4 Covid restrictions. I’ve done yet another load of dishes following the breakfast shift and soon there will be a chorus call of, “What’s for lunch?” In the back of my mind, I’m thinking about what’s in the fridge for tonight’s meal, wondering if I can get away with serving up mince again! These are not cooking moments that spark joy. But every so often, I glance out of my French doors into the backyard. I focus my stare on the big wooden outdoor table, which once resided at my parents’ house. It’s weathered, the timber long past its prime. Its surface carries the scars of more than…

Loving… a fuss-free but delicious breakfast. My inner-Nigella isn’t great in the mornings, so brekkie has never been high on the agenda. But these Chantal Organics Probiotic Easy Oats have been a game-changer. They come in recyclable packaging that doubles as a bowl – you just add boiling water and stir. With wholegrain oats, dried fruit, hemp seeds and one billion healthy bacteria, they’re a great nutritious choice. Available from New World, Pak’nSave and healthfood stores for $3.49. Embracing… the fact that thanks to Ecoya, doing the laundry is now something I look forward to. The Kiwi company, known for its exquisitely scented candles, has released luxuriously fragranced Wild Sage & Citrus Laundry Liquid, Linen Spray, Dryer Balls and a Fragrance Dryer ball dropper. There’s nothing like the smell of…

Royal CONSERVATIONIST Princess Butterfly Princess Charlotte has shown her caring side in beautiful photos of the young royal gently cupping some peacock and red admiral butterflies. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released the image to support efforts to protect the species. “Butterflies are vital parts of the ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain,” they said. ART ON THE FARM Sheep show love When Covid prevented New South Wales sheep farmer Ben Jackson from attending his beloved aunt’s funeral, he created a tribute to her with his flock. Back to SCHOOL A princely education Princess Mary and Prince Frederik have said a fond farewell to their firstborn, Prince Christian, 15, as he leaves home to attend a prestigious boarding school. The second in line to the…

The Tokyo Paralympics provided so many inspiring, heartfelt wins, but you’d be hard-pressed to go past the golden moment when Kiwi track and field star Lisa Adams took out top honours in the shot put F37. And who was the first to congratulate the young athlete? Her very proud sister and fellow shot put legend Dame Valerie. Not only is Val her sister’s coach, but also her inspiration for making it to the top in an event she only took up three years ago. “I’m late to the sport, but when I started, Tokyo was my dream and my sister, my coach, helped me turn that into a goal,” says Lisa. At her debut Games, 30-year-old Lisa, who has cerebral palsy, smashed the Paralympic shot put record four times during…

SOUTH AFRICA Diamond rush Rumours of a farmer finding diamonds prompted thousands of South Africans to descend upon the sleepy village of KwaHlathi hoping to get lucky. Denmark A 21-metre sandcastle now resides in Blokhus, North Jutland, crafted by Dutch artist Wilfred Stijger. The half pyramid/half castle will stand in the seaside town for six months. AFGHANISTAN Baby on board An Afghan baby girl was born aboard a US military jet as her family was evacuated from Afghanistan. She was safely delivered and has been named “Reach” after the plane’s call sign – Reach 828. Australia Double the Wiggle The Wiggles have added four new members to “inspire a diverse audience” – Ethiopian-born Tsehay Hawkins, 15, indigenous ballet dancer Evie Ferris, 24, Chinese-Australian Kelly Hamilton, 45, and Filipino-Australian John Pearce,…

Olivia Newton-John sits cross-legged on a couch the colour of a dusky pink poppy. Afternoon light filters through windows, beyond which lie the fields and coops and barnyard animals of her storybook-pretty Californian farm. Raven, her German Shepherd, sleeps peacefully on the carpet. Her husband, John Easterling, pops into frame to say hello down the Zoom lens, touches her affectionately on the shoulder and moves on to tend to the medicinal cannabis and other herbs that he grows on the property. It’s a lazy, warm late summer afternoon, and it feels like siesta time (at least Raven thinks so), but Olivia has set this time aside to chat with The Weekly. “I’m okay,” she says in answer to the obvious question, and she looks more than well – rosy-cheeked, bright…