Table of contents for Issue 16, 2026 in that's life!

Itook one look at our fabulous fashion spread this week (page 68) and was transported back in time. Animal prints – leopard spots, zebra stripes, even cow prints – are back in a big way. But it was the snakeskin boots and top that really caught my eye. As a teenager I was chronically unfashionable. We couldn’t afford to update our outfits very often, and a fair chunk of what I wore growing up had been handed down from older cousins (boys!) and family friends. We’d get something new for special occasions, though, and when my mum had a big birthday I got my first ‘grown-up’ jacket – a Animal prints are back! plastic-ysnakeskin-print number that was very much in fashion at the time. I paired it with a tan…

THAI BASIL BEEF STIR FRY SERVES 4 PREP & COOK 25 MINS 500g beef stir-fry strips 1 bunch broccolini 1 large red capsicum, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp Thai chilli jam 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp brown sugar ¾ cup fresh basil leaves (1 medium bunch) 2 x 250g packets coconut-flavoured microwave rice Chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, lime wedges, to serve 1 Heat a lightly oiled, large non-stick wok over a high heat. Stir-fry beef in three batches for about 2 mins, or until well browned. Remove and set aside. 2 Cut broccolini in half crossways, then cut stems in half lengthways. 3 Add broccolini and capsicum to same, lightly oiled wok. Stir-fry over a high heat for 2 mins. Return beef to wok with combined chilli jam, fish sauce,…

thst's life CRIME FILE G azing a t the fridge lying in the middle of remote bushland, hiker Jonathan Tyrrell frowned. It was December 2024, and out for a walk, Jonathan had a bad feeling, so he phoned police. When officers arrived, they made a gruesome discovery inside – a sleeping bag tied with ratchet straps concealed decomposing female human remains. And it appeared they had lain there for some time. It was clear the woman had been murdered, and detectives were struck by the cruelty of the makeshift coffin discarded like rubbish in the forest. Noticing distinctive tattoos on the remains, along with a necklace and yoga mat, police began the hunt to uncover the woman’s identity. Releasing a computer generated image of the koi fish and rose tattoos…

T iny nuts and bolts lay strewn about on the workshop table. ‘These are what you’ll need to put your projects together,’ I said to my students, who were tasked with making shelving. Growing up, I was one of those kids who liked taking things apart and putting them back together. I especially loved making things from scrap metal, even inventing new things. Now aged 55, a Christian Brother and metalwork teacher in a high school, it was so satisfying to see the sparks fly as my class welded away, making things from a mere sheet of metal. It was 1996 and, later that year, my friend Des from a Rotary Club in Queensland returned from a trip to Fiji. ‘There were so many physically disadvantaged kids over there,’ he…

M any people try to hide their tears, others get emotional easily and tear up quickly. Crying happens for different reasons and it can be healthy to let your feelings out. Here’s why a good cry can help you physically and emotionally. Nature’s defence Tears don’t just hydrate – they defend. They contain lysozyme, a powerful antibacterial enzyme that can kill 90 – 95% of bacteria within minutes. When your eyes water due to illness or irritation, they are actively working to protect you from infection. Breathing back to calm A deep sob involves a long, extended exhale, emptying the lungs before the body draws in a slow, steady breath. This pattern mirrors calming breathing techniques. Provided it doesn’t tip into hyperventilation, crying can help regulate breathing and soothe the…

W rapping paper flying, I beamed at my husband, Ross, as our kids tore into the presents under the tree. ‘Merry Christmas guys!’ I cried, cradling my swollen belly. It was Christmas Day and, at 40 weeks pregnant with twins, I was due any moment. Exhausted but determined, I wanted to create as much magic as possible for our daughter, Billie, six, and twin boys, Noah and Joey, two. Ross, then 44, and I had discovered we were expecting again back in May 2025. ‘Hope you’re ready for an early Christmas present,’ I’d told him after work, handing over the positive test. His jaw dropped in shock. Luckily, we’d recently moved into a bigger home and after the boys were born we’d upgraded the car to an eight-seater. As the…

At St Vincent’s Care Toowoomba seniors can travel to 10 countries without leaving home! In a world-first, virtual reality technology and video screens have transformed a room into a fine dining rail carriage which appears to travel the globe. Manager Elzette Lategan’s mother’s experience with dementia partly inspired the idea. The Express provides stimulation and connection – important for those with cognitive decline. Resident Nola Orford gushed, ‘What a joyous and wonderful escape it was to feel like I was back travelling!’ Travellers even get a passport stamped with each country they visit. CEO Lincoln Hopper says, ‘A sense of adventure should never stop with age.’…

The viral social media craze You steal it, You wear it sees dog lovers taking to social media to show their pawsome friends chewing or stealing their clothes, then wearing them! Pooches dress in everything from headphones to underwear with hilarious results. Page @chaoswithkoda shows a fluffy little dog wearing bobbly hats, scarves, flanno shirts, and even Dad’s crocs – on his head! While bulldog @bigpawfury sports a pair of his owner’s jeans and then a pink skirt. And @whitelabsadie looks so funny in a pink shower cap. What outfits have your canine pals got into? Email your pet photos to thatslife@aremedia.com.au…

THANK YOU CHICKEN SERVES 4 PREP & COOK 20 MINS 2 chicken breasts (600g) or 600g chicken thighs (I prefer thighs) ¼ cup plain flour 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp chilli flakes Salt n peppa’s here (salt and pepper) Lotion (olive oil) 2 cloves garlic, chopped or 2 tsp jarlic (jar garlic) ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional) ½ cup thickened cream ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese ½ lemon, to squeeze 400g spaghetti or your favourite carb Green things, (I like little basil leaves), to serve 1 Cut chicken breast in half width-wise. You want chook to be thin, like a schnitzel. If using thighs, lightly bash them with a meat mallet or rolling pin. 2 Mix flour, herbs, chilli…

Arlette, 69 years old is enjoying her retirement after having worked as a medical secretary. I am very satisfied with Active Liver™ —I discovered Active Liver™ in a women’s magazine and it immediately intrigued me. At the time, my liver was too big, too fat and I felt very tired. After two and a half months on the program, my liver’s size had decreased and I felt less tired. I have lost weight and I am in great shape —I am continuing the program and I am very satisfied with it! I had an x-ray, and my liver is back to its normal size. Since then, I have been feeling great and started doing walks and a bit of exercise again. I’ve also lost several pounds in just a few…

T here’s no clearer sign you’re getting old than hearing the words, ‘I remember when…’ come out of your own mouth. This happened to me when I was ordering some takeaway fish and chips. The young girl at the cash register asked if I’d like a wedge of lemon for an extra 25 cents. ‘I remember when lemon came free with the order!’ I blurted out. The server’s eyes glazed over as she prepared herself for what I’m guessing is a common oldies’ rant. I decided to spare her. ‘I’ll just pick one from the tree in my backyard. Thank you,’ I smiled. Being stung for things you used to enjoy for free is particularly difficult to digest. Here are a few other things we’re now paying for, and some…

P lacing a kiss on my wife’s forehead, my heart was full of love. ‘How time has flown,’ I smiled to Nicky, then 88. Despite being together for 70 years, she looked as beautiful to me as she did the first time we met. That day was April 30, 1954, when I was just 17. I was living in Patras, Greece, where I worked as a barber. Earlier that day, a devastating earthquake had struck central Greece, estimated to be between a magnitude of 6.7 and 7. Living 260 kilometres south, while we’d felt the rumbles through town, tragically, we later found out it had claimed 25 lives, injuring hundreds more. Hours later, I went to collect fresh mountain water from town. I was making my way to the tap…

Taking i n the view of lush green trees and the sound of the cascading waterfall, I grinned. This is going to be so much fun, I thought. It was December 2020 and with my mum, Magda, then 49, husband, Jaco, 37, and our boys, twins Dihan and Janco, four, and Luhandre, two, we’d travelled to Mum’s hometown in the Western Cape of South Africa. We’d sadly lost my dad, Geort, 59, to a heart attack, the year earlier. So to help us navigate our grief, we planned a week-long family trip together. We’d also booked in to go ziplining at an adventure park. The park had eight different ziplines to choose from, varying in height and length. We’d chosen one of the higher lines that sat around 50 metres…

RASPBERRY ANZAC MUFFINS MAKES 12 PREP & COOK 35 MINS 125g butter, chopped ½ cup golden syrup 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1¾ cups self-raising flour ½ cup traditional rolled oats, plus extra 2 tbsp 1/3 cup desiccated coconut ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 26 www.thatslife.com.au ½ cup buttermilk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup frozen raspberries 1 Line a 12-hole muffin pan (1/3-cup capacity) with paper cases. 2 Combine butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarb and 1 tbsp boiling water. Stand for 10 mins. 3 Place flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add butter mixture, buttermilk and eggs. Stir until just…

M um, my stomach hurts,’ said my girl Ella, then 10. It was a regular complaint and I was at my wit’s end. Over the years she’d been treated for everything from parasites, and food intolerances to gastro, but nothing worked. She’d stopped eating very much and looked really fragile. Her skin was pale, and she was constantly exhausted. ‘She was always one of the tallest in class, but now her mates have started towering over her,’ I said anxiously to my husband Anders, then 49. ‘That’s true,’ he agreed. Then she began losing a kilo a week, which was alarming. When she got down to 27 kilos our GP got very concerned. ‘This is serious,’ he said. He rang 15 paediatric gastroenterologists until one agreed to see her immediately.…