Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 31, 2025 i that's life!

It’s one of our favourite times of the year in the tl! office! That’s because our Pets Win Prizes competition launches today, and we’re about to get to see your entries for the most Pawsome Pet out there. Last year the photos and loving words about your special animals brought many smiles to our faces. And, as it was so hard to choose a winner, this year we have a runner-up prize too! See page 13 for how to enter. Sadly, we can’t enter team tl!’s pets of course. But here’s why we think they deserve a huge treat! Lizzy My toy cavoodle Bailey is the most intuitive little love – a therapy dog without even knowing! When I suffer migraines, Bailey snuggles into my leg and won’t leave my…

Annemarie was in the thick of menopause when a freak accident occurred Annemarie Roberts-Lorenzini, 50 Waking up in a sweat in the middle of the night, I tossed the wet sheets off me. It was May 2024 and, aged 49, I’d suffered hot flushes since starting menopause three years earlier. The next moment I’d be freezing cold, unable to stop my teeth chattering. The temperature changes drove me up the wall, but I knew I could handle it. I’d overcome far worse. As a teen I’d been diagnosed with acute panic disorder, agoraphobia and depression. Thankfully, medication helped, but the panic attacks had been horrendous. Then, in my 30s, I’d battled alcoholism. I got sober at 40 and, wanting to help others, I landed a job as an outreach coordinator…

Sarah never imagined a peck from her hubby would lead to a devastating diagnosis Sarah Susak, 48, Castlecrag, Sydney Blow-drying my hair in the bathroom, I saw my husband Halan, then 48, come in. ‘I’m off to work,’ he said, kissing me goodbye. ‘Ouch,’ I yelped, recoiling in pain as I felt a sharp electrical current shoot down the left side of my face. ‘I know we’ve always had chemistry, but that was one hell of an electric shock!’ I joked. It was August 2017, and we’d been married for four years. After eight heartbreaking rounds of IVF, we’d finally welcomed our miracle baby Stella, 18 months before and were on cloud nine. But the pain from Halan’s kiss was something I’d never felt before, so I nipped to the…

CARROT CAKE CHEESECAKE SERVES 8-10 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR 25 MINS 2 x 250g blocks cream cheese, chopped ⅔ cup caster sugar ½ cup sour cream 2 tsp plain flour 2 eggs Icing sugar mixture, whipped cream, to serve CAKE BATTER 2 eggs ⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar ½ cup vegetable oil 1 cup plain flour ½ tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda 1⅓ cups coarsely grated carrot (150g) ⅓ cup pecans, coarsely chopped 1 Invert base of a 23cm springform pan (base measures 22cm). Grease and line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edge. 2 CAKE BATTER Beat eggs, sugar and oil in a small bowl of an electric mixer for 5 mins, or until creamy.…

CRIME FILE Leslie Jenea Chance had always been fiercely determined in life. After marrying her high-school sweetheart, Leslie – who went by her middle name Jenea – fell pregnant in her early 20s. But during her pregnancy, she and her partner split, and she gave birth to her daughter Jessica, alone, aged 22. As a single mum, Jenea worked three jobs, while studying to become a teacher. While at her job in a pharmacy, she met Todd Chance, a security guard. Leslie wasn’t looking for love as she focused on her studies and her daughter, but over time her feelings for Todd grew. He was genuine and caring, and incredibly kind to her daughter. The pair started dating, and within a year they were married. Todd became like a father…

A lot of indoor plants don’t like water on their leaves, so I use a funnel to direct the water straight to the soil. Georgie Kemp, Albury, Vic To help keep dogs off your lawn, plant citronella and lavender around the edge as dogs don’t like the scent. Hannah Goss, Ipswich, Qld Rub a lemon half over a marble bench to clean it, and use lemon liberally on wood to disinfect it. Jane Lawrence, Sheffield, Tas Encourage your family to eat healthy meals by mixing up the menu using online websites for interesting new recipes, as well as the that’s life! weekly food section. Donna Todd, Mackay, Qld To clean a stained teapot, rub a paste of bicarb and water on the inside. Let it sit for a while, then…

30-40 The average age at which your brain starts to shrink. FEEL-GOOD FOLIAGE Aside from brightening up a room, filling your home with indoor plants is good for your health. Plants purify indoor air and remove pollutants, helping you to breathe better. Studies have also shown that surrounding yourself with plants is good for relieving stress, anxiety and depression. There’s no better excuse to go green! 60 Humans share this percentage of DNA with bananas. 3 WAYS TO… boost body confidence 1 FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR BODY CAN DO Too often we fixate on how our body looks instead of being grateful for all the things it can do. Shift your mindset away from your appearance to focus on all the ways your body serves you, from its ability to…

Following years of humiliation and suffering, Steph is speaking out to help others Steph Friend, 35, Brisbane, Qld These bumps are so itchy!’ I sobbed to my mum. It was 1995 and I was at preschool when my skin erupted in painful, pea-sized lumps. My armpits and groin felt like they were on fire. Mum took me to our GP. ‘It’s hormonal,’ she said, explaining my swollen and sore body was due to an imbalance in hormones. ‘But she’s only five!’ Mum said, as I wept in agony. ‘There’s no treatment. Just make her wash better.’ She recommended a skin cream and a different soap to unclog my swollen pores, but nothing helped. The lumps turned into angry, red abscesses. They bled when I scratched them and oozed yellow pus.…

Crime-fighting nanna Ruth and her team are stopping fraudsters around the world Ruth Grover, 69 Sitting at my computer, I heard a ping through the speakers indicating I had a new friend request on Facebook. But instead of a long-lost friend or relative, it was from a young man I’d never met. Clicking on his photo, I couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was, with gorgeous brown hair and sparkling eyes. I also noted he was in the army. I just saw your profile and thought you were so beautiful! he’d written in a message. It was late 2010 and I’d recently changed my relationship status to ‘widowed’ on the social media site. I didn’t know this man, and certainly wasn’t looking for love, but with my interest piqued…

BACON CAULIFLOWER MAC ‘N’ CHEESE SERVES 4 PREP & COOK 50 MINS 600g cauliflower, cut into large florets (about 6cm) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika 150g rindless streaky bacon 1 cup macaroni 1 cup fresh ricotta 1½ cups grated tasty cheese 200ml milk 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped Mixed salad leaves, to serve 1 Place cauliflower, oil and paprika in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 2 Place cauliflower into a 7-litre air fryer basket. Air fry on 180°C for 10 mins. 3 Toss cauliflower in basket. Place bacon in a single layer over cauliflower. Air fry on 180°C for 10 mins or until bacon is crisp and cauliflower is tender. Remove bacon. Using kitchen scissors, cut bacon…

MAPLE AND SULTANA PECAN SCROLLS MAKES 9 COOK & PREP 1 HOUR 2¼ cups plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2 tbsp icing sugar mixture 75g cold butter, chopped  ¾-1 cup milk  ½ cup sultanas  ½ cup chopped pecans  1 egg, lightly beaten  MAPLE BUTTER  125g butter, softened  2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar  ¼ cup maple syrup  MAPLE ICING  2-2½ tbsp maple syrup  ⅔ cup icing sugar mixture 1 Grease and line base and sides of a 22cm square cake pan with baking paper, extending the paper 2cm above pan edges.  2 MAPLE BUTTER Beat all ingredients in small bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy.  3 Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Rub in butter with your fingertips to form fine crumbs.…

And Iiiiiiieeeyiiii, will always love youuuu,’ Lucille, 37, belted into the microphone. She was enjoying karaoke with her boyfriend of 10 years, Michael, 43, and their mates. Right now she was drunkenly singing the famous Whitney Houston song, which began making her a little teary. Masking her wet eyes as happy, tipsy tears, she made her way to the bathroom to truly bawl her eyes out. Why hasn’t Michael proposed yet!? she sobbed, blowing her nose into some toilet paper. She knew what she must look like right now… a sad, drunken, desperate mess who craved adoration from the man she loved with all her heart. Just recently, they’d spoken about the idea of marriage, but Michael said he wasn’t ready yet… or might actually never be. It broke her…

THE SHOULDER If you’ve been having early noughties fashion flashbacks lately, you’re not wrong! We’ve been leaning into the Y2K renaissance for a while now, and it’s clearly still on trend, if these stunning shoulder bags are any indication. SPLURGE! EAST-WEST THE What’s an east-west bag, you ask? These babies feature a wide, horizontal shape that’s longer than it’s tall and designed to sit neatly under your arm for a sleek, streamlined look. SNAKESKIN IS A HUGE TREND THIS SEASON THE TOTE Whether you go for something on the roomy side or pick a mini version, the classic tote will always be on-trend – and, bonus, it will go with any outfit. Jeans and a nice top? Tick. Office corporate? Double tick. BELTED BAGS ARE HAVING A MOMENT, AND THIS…

Premmie twins Evelyn and Charlotte are defying the odds Kaydee Selby-Brown, 32, Torbanlea, Qld Wriggling on the couch, I clutched my swollen belly. It was February 2023 and, at 23 weeks pregnant with twin girls, I already felt like my tummy couldn’t grow anymore. ‘Maybe it’s just Braxton Hicks contractions,’ I said to my husband, Craig, then 40, as another wave of pain racked through my abdomen. Already parents to our son, Frank, five, I recalled how realistic the Braxton Hicks contractions had felt when pregnant with him. Turning in for the night, I hoped I’d be able to sleep it off. But at 2am I woke in agony. I’d never experienced pain so intense, as my stomach muscles tightened again. Worried, I called my midwife, but as I went…

FIERY FEAT! Firefighter, stuntman and daredevil Jonathan Vero, rode his motorbike for 442.10 metres while covered in flames! Going by the name Joe Ignition, he now has the record for the farthest distance full body burn while riding a motorcycle. It’s not the first time the Frenchman set himself on fire like a human torch. In 2022 Jonathan – a fan of comic book character Ghost Rider – ran 272.25 metres in just 17 seconds, breaking two records. Despite his fireproof suit, he sustained some burns. ‘It took me over a week to recover,’ he told Guinness World Records, ‘But I was proud to enter into the record book that I read as a child.’ His own kids are his biggest fans. ‘They were proud of their father and that’s…

BARBECUE CHICKEN, HAM AND MUSHROOM PIZZA SERVES 4 PREP & COOK 25 MINS 300g 2-pack fresh pizza bases (25cm) ⅓ cup barbecue-style pizza sauce 60g baby spinach leaves 2½ cups (375g) shredded roasted chicken 100g shaved leg ham, torn 100g button mushrooms, sliced 1½ cups pizza blend shredded cheese 1 Place pizza bases on two oiled, large oven trays. 2 Cook both trays in a 220°C preheated oven for about 3 mins, or until bases are crisp. Remove. Spread evenly with pizza sauce. 3 Top with spinach, chicken, ham, mushrooms and cheese. 4 Return to same oven for about 10 mins, swapping trays halfway through, until cheese is golden. 5 Serve cut into wedges. Top tips Add 1 tbsp peri peri sauce to pizza sauce to spice up your base.…

Many of us buy the occasional lotto ticket or have an annual flutter on the Melbourne Cup, but for some people gambling becomes a wrecking ball in their lives. We gamble more than any other country in the world, and one in three young people aged 12 to 17 are participating in gambling behaviour too. And that’s just the ones who admit it! By the time our children and grandchildren turn 18 almost half of them gamble. In fact, teens are more likely to gamble than they are to play a sport. Our 12 to 17-year-olds spend an average of $86.72 a year gambling, with annual losses averaging a whopping $2492 if the habit continues into adulthood, and it usually does. Financial struggles are the most obvious outcome of gambling,…

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Amber saw many versions of herself on the other side Amber Cavanagh, 43 One moment, I was curled up on the couch with my family watching a Christmas movie, the next I was hit by an excruciating migraine. ‘I need to go to bed,’ I said to my husband, Mike. But when I woke up in the night and tried to stand, I crashed to the floor. I couldn’t speak and the entire right side of my body was paralysed. I banged my fist against the wall to alert Mike, who called an ambulance. At hospital, I slipped into a semi-unconscious state. ‘She’s had two strokes,’ the doctors said. ‘Her brain is bleeding uncontrollably.’ I was given a clotting drug that failed. With me having a 50/50 chance of survival,…

While sleep positions may seem like a matter of comfort, sleep scientists and psychologists suggest that the way we rest can be a reflection of our character, habits, and even stress levels. Whether you sleep curled up like a baby or sprawled out like a starfish, your preferred posture says more than you think. What does the way you sleep reveal about your personality? Foetal position The most common way to sleep, the foetal position involves curling up on your side, knees drawn toward your chest. People who do this tend to be sensitive, introspective, and sometimes shy. But beneath this caution lies a warm personality. Sleep studies show these people seek comfort and security in life. Soldier sleeper Do you lie flat on your back with arms at your…