Table of contents for TAK2536 in Take 5

I’m sure we’ve all been there – that moment when you wake up at 3am and all the worries of the world hit you. I’m certainly guilty of it, but my mum takes the cake. She’s always telling me she was up in the night worrying about my dad, my sisters or me, or how many years her cat has left. She’ll even lie in bed in a panic pondering situations out of her control, like the wars in Ukraine and Palestine. Poor thing! I’ll definitely be directing her to read page 12 of this issue to hopefully help her alleviate her worries and get a good night’s sleep! Also, don’t miss the Father’s Day cooking special from page 57 so you can whip your dad up something delicious to…

My man was – but I’ll have to get back to you on the sex! Sarah Jones-Green, 45. Watching the three little dots hover on my phone screen, my stomach twisted. I already knew what was coming. Sorry, I don’t want to wait, my match typed. Just like that, another bubble of hope popped. I snapped my laptop shut. The rejection stung, even though I’d come to expect it. Am I destined to be single forever? I thought. As a practising Christian, raised in a devout family, I’d made my decision early – I would wait until marriage before having sex. My mum, Pamela, had done the same before meeting my dad, Freddy. I didn’t want flings or one-night stands, and I certainly didn’t want to raise a child alone.…

THE CUP OF CLUES On February 24, 1986, newlywed Sherri Rasmussen, 29, was discovered dead in the Van Nuys apartment she shared with her husband, John Ruetten. She had been bludgeoned and shot three times, and the murder was initially treated as a possible botched burglary. Despite suspicions – particularly from Sherri’s father about John’s ex-girlfriend, LAPD officer Stephanie Lazarus – the case languished unsolved for decades until it was formally reopened. In 2005, cold-case detectives retrieved a long-forgotten bite-mark swab from the coroner’s freezer. DNA testing revealed the saliva belonged to a female, but police still held onto the burglary theory. Then in 2009, detectives re-focused on Lazarus and collected a discarded cup and straw from Lazarus, which provided a DNA sample that matched the bite-mark DNA from the…

Berries & cream sponge SERVES 12 PREP 20 MINS COOK 25 MINS 4 eggs, room temperature ¾ cup caster sugar 1 cup self-raising flour 1 tbsp cornflour 10g butter, melted 300ml thickened cream 250g mascarpone ¼ cup icing sugar mixture, plus ½ cup extra 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 500g fresh mixed berries 2 tsp milk Pink food colouring 1 Lightly grease two 20cm round cake pans. Line bases with baking paper. Dust with a little flour, shaking out excess. 2 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar 10 mins until thick and pale. 3 Fold in combined sifted flours, followed by combined 1/3 cup boiling water and butter. Pour mixture into prepare pans. 4 Cook in a 180°C preheated oven for 20-25 mins until…

Future plans My great-granddaughter Harriet, five, snuggled up on the couch next to me after a tiring day at school. We were watching a movie when suddenly Harriet asked, “Grammie, what do you want to be when you grow up?” I had to laugh – I’m 78! Geraldine Moreland, Bolton Point, NSW. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Ooh la la! I loved Monique’s gap year story (issue 27). Last year I challenged myself to do 61 things I’d never done before (I was born in 1961). They weren’t monumental feats – some were as simple as trying a food or drink I’d never had. My absolute favourite was a meerkat encounter at a local wildlife park. I was so excited I felt like a little kid. The year…

We both lost our soulmates, but found love and the world together Rosemary Henning, 69, Gippsland, Vic. With the wind in my hair and sunshine on my face, life felt pretty perfect. It was 1995 and my hubby John, 53, and I were out on the Gippsland Lakes in our little boat. I loved nothing more than being out on the water, bobbing along without a care in the world. But eventually, we had to head back to shore. “Lovely day for a cruise!” a man called from the dock beside us. “Couldn’t have been better!” John grinned. “I’m John, and this is my wife, Rosemary.” “Nice to meet you,” the man smiled. “I’m Mark, and this is my wife, Helen.” The four of us clicked straightaway, chatting like old…

Beer glazed barbecue ribs SERVES 4-6 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR 40 MINS 2kg American pork ribs, cut into 3 riblet sections 375ml bottle lager beer ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup chilli sauce ¼ cup golden syrup 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1 clove garlic, crushed ½ tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp olive oil Lemon halves, grilled, to serve 1 Place ribs in a shallow dish. In a jug, combine beer, sugar, sauces, syrup, paprika, rosemary, garlic and cumin. Pour over ribs, reserving ½ cup. Toss to coat. Cover and place in fridge 2 hours or overnight to marinate. Transfer to a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Cover with foil. 2 Cook in a 180°C…

My girl’s crooked tooth revealed something more sinister Amanda Lee, 46, Brisbane, Qld. Slumping into the back seat after school, my girl, Taleisha, nine, wasn’t her usual self. “My mouth hurts, Mummy,” she groaned, rubbing her face. “It’s probably a wobbly tooth, love,” I replied. At home, I shone a torch into her mouth for a proper look. Pushing through her top gum sideways was what looked like a shark tooth. “Your teeth are just growing a bit funny,” I reassured her gently. To take her mind off the pain, I popped on her favourite movie, Lilo & Stitch, then posted pics of her teeth to a Facebook mums’ group. Anyone seen something like this? I asked. Get her to an orthodontist ASAP, one mum replied. Others agreed, so I…

VIRGO Aug 24 -Sep 23 How are you feeling? The September Full Moon eclipse will affect your sign, which is a major message from the Universe to you, reminding you that you’re a work of art, a creative soul and someone here to do something amazing. ★ Don’t sit around and let life pass you by! LIBRA Sept 24 -Oct 23 You might feel like hiding away right now and if you do, honour that feeling! The best way to use the energies this week is to find a balance between seeking inner peace while also standing firm on business. ★ The more regimented your routines now, the better. SCORPIO Oct 24 -Nov 22 There’s pressure around good times, creativity, and/or children (your own or someone else’s), but don’t let…

I cooked my boyfriend a lovely birthday dinner – then he brandished a knife Carole Yolland, 48. Letting myself into the house, the wonderful scent of furniture polish filled my nostrils. “Tim,” I called to my partner. “Have you been cleaning again?” In the lounge room, everything sparkled. Tim appeared from the kitchen holding two big glasses of wine. “Welcome home,” he smiled, handing me one. My heart swelled. “What would I do without you?” I murmured, leaning in to kiss him. It was 2011. Tim and I had been dating for a year, after a two-year friendship blossomed into something more. He’d just moved in, always helping around the house. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him. Evenings were spent curled together on the sofa, laughing, talking, and…

My daughter’s dance costumes are pirouetting into a new life Belinda Robinson, 50, Collaroy Plateau, NSW. Opening the closet, I groaned at all the disused colourful dance costumes. Our spare room was overrun with them. It was January 2023 and my daughter, Jess, 13, had been dancing since she was three. Every year, she’d need several group costumes, which we bought from her dance teachers, plus a few solo costumes made by a dressmaker for her various shows and eisteddfods. She needed around 11 costumes a year and, at between $180 and $400 an outfit, it was costing me a small fortune. Once they were worn for a few performances, they gathered dust, never to be worn again. “Such a waste,” I complained to Jess. “But we can’t throw them…

I’m so grateful I was attacked by a shark Rodney Fox, 84, Adelaide, SA. Diving deep beneath the water, the swish of a grey-finned tail caught my eye. That’s a dusky morwong! I thought, excitement bubbling inside me. It was 1963. I was 22 years old and in my element. The ocean had always been my happy place. As a boy, I’d tagged along on my father’s fishing trips, and as a man, I’d fallen in love with spearfishing and excelled at it. The year before, I’d won the South Australian Spearfishing Championships. Now I was back at Aldinga Beach, SA, to defend my title. Life was good. I’d married the love of my life, Kay, just four months earlier, and she was already pregnant with our first child. A…

Cherry ripe slice SERVES 16 PREP15 MINS COOK45 MINS 90g butter, softened ⅓ cup caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg ⅔ cup self-raising flour ⅓ cup plain flour 60g dark chocolate, melted TOPPING 2 cups desiccated coconut  2 x 100g packet red glace cherries, chopped  ¾ cup buttermilk  ¼ cup caster sugar  2 tbsp self-raising flour 1 Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper. 2 In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy. Beat in egg. Fold in combined sifted flours. Press mixture firmly into prepared pan. 3 TOPPING Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and spread over base. 4 Cook in a 180°C preheated oven for 40-45 mins. Cool completely in pan.  5 Drizzle with melted  chocolate and chill until set. 6 Cut into…

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They discontinued my favourite drink, but I wasn’t giving up the fight Gillian Allen, 65, Somersby, NSW. Flicking the kettle on, I reached into the chai latte box for a sachet. Empty! I gasped. Frantically, I raided the cupboard for an emergency stash, but we were completely out. My hubby, Stephen, 63, shared my love for Lipton chai latte and it had been part of our daily ritual for over 15 years. “I’m going to the shops, love, we’re out of chai,” I called to Stephen. Combing my local grocery store, I couldn’t find my prized possession anywhere. Growing anxious, I asked one of the checkout ladies. “It’s been off the shelves for a while now,” she apologised, “I couldn’t tell you why.” My heart sank. Months passed but the…