that's life!

‘I took out as many as I could carry’ For the last two days I’ve been working from Hobart, where my hubby Simon and I came down to see friends. We had a great weekend catching up, then we planned to do a few days work from our motel room. Alas, there was only one tiny table, which made it a bit crowded. So we hotfooted it to the nearest library. And what a lovely, welcoming place it has been. Lots of other people have come in and out to work or study here. Others have walked in from the cold to sit and read, or borrow books. And still others have come in for help with the internet. I looked at some of the pamphlets and there were courses available…

My two cuties, Claudia, two, and Luka six, just out of the bath. Heidi Laugesen, Geilston Bay, Tas I entered my dear mum, Elaine, in this year’s that’s life! ‘Mum in a Million’ competition. Mum was beyond excited and wanted to say a huge thank you. She was a runner up! Here she is receiving her prize. Thank you – you made our day! Leanne Jensz, Cardiff, NSW My family finally got together after nearly two years, because of COVID. Coming from all over Australia, we had 10 days of much fun and talk. Glennis Lovatt, Richmond, Tas I enjoyed a little walking and a little reading at Hillston, NSW, to break a long road trip recently, on our way to Melbourne. Dianne Stewart, Mareeba, Qld My gorgeous granddaughter Emily, two, loves getting out onto her play equipment…

Kirsty Carr, 26, Launceston, Tas Isn’t he cute?’ I said to my partner, Wesley, 33. ‘Yes, he sure is,’ Wes smiled. I was pregnant with our first child, a boy, and at 14 weeks, we were seeing him for the first time on a scan. But our excitement quickly turned to terror. ‘His bladder looks a bit enlarged,’ the sonographer frowned, sending us to the Royal Hobart Hospital for tests. ‘He has a rare blockage in his urethra called a PUV – posterior urethral valve – preventing him from passing urine,’ the specialist said. ‘I’m sorry, but he has a very small chance of survival.’ ‘There must be something you can do!’ I cried. But they gave us little hope. ‘We’ll see if any other hospital can help,’ he said. ‘But we recommend termination.’ Returning home…

Angelique Robledo, 29 Running around the baby store, my new friend Kassandra, then 18, and I pointed our scanner guns at teddy bears, bottles and adorable onesies, setting up our baby shower gift registries. Aged 18, I was pregnant with my first baby with my boyfriend Josh, 21. ‘Do you think she’s being weird?’ I asked Mum A few hours earlier, I’d been introduced to Kassandra through a mutual friend. She was just 10 days younger than me, and was expecting her first child with her partner, so we instantly clicked. ‘We can get through this together,’ I said. We’d spend hours together chatting about baby names and picking out items for our new arrivals. ‘I love this animal light projector,’ I said one day, showing her a picture of one lighting up a nursery. We didn’t see each…

We’ll pay your power bills for a YEAR! With winter here and energy bills on the rise, that’s life! wants to give you even more chances to win! The average yearly Australian electricity bill is $1645*, so we want to give three lucky readers $1645 each to pay their energy bills for a year. EASY ENTRY - VIA MAIL OR ONLINE! TO ENTER: Simply collect all three bill buster tokens. The first token was in that’s life! issue 26. Your week 2 token with the codeword is below. Token 3, your final token, will appear in next week’s issue of that’s life!. MAIL: Attach tokens 2 and 3 to the gamecard from that’s life! issue 26, and send with your entry coupon to: that’s life! Bill Buster Competition, PO Box 410, Eastern Suburbs MC, NSW 2004 ONLINE: Simply…

Kimberley Oxley, 39, Melbourne, Vic As the big brown eyes stared up at me, my heart melted. Quivering in front of me, Blue – the beautiful greyhound with the broken leg – was enormous! I’m only fostering him, I told myself. He had the biggest heart As a social media director for Animals Australia – an animal protection organisation – I was used to seeing adorable pups come and go. But he had me hook, line and sinker. I knew Blue was staying with me for good. It was all because of my sister, Leah, who was friends with someone in a racing syndicate. When she told me the ace racing dog had no home because he’d broken his leg, I was horrified. Jumping at the chance to foster him until we found him a permanent family, I…