Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 50, 2025 i that's life!

Do you have a pet called Luna or Teddy? If so, you’re in good company, as a survey has found they’re the most popular pet names in Australia in 2025 (Trending, p14). Luna also topped the charts in NZ, along with Milo for male pets. Actually, a lot of the top names are ones which would suit a person just as a much as a pet. I feel like that’s become more common in recent years. Although on team tl!, Alix was setting that trend years ago. ‘When I was three, we got a cat and I was told I could name it,’ she said. And her chosen name for her new kitty? ‘I called it Kerry Johnson. And Johnson is not my surname,’ she laughed. Blinky is a cute…

Watching as our youngest boy, Aaron, blew out the candle on his cake, I grinned. ‘Happy birthday,’ I cheered, along with my hubby, Jonathan, then 37, our eldest son, Luke, three, and our family and friends who’d come to celebrate Aaron’s first birthday. The boys kept me on my toes, but having kids was the most joyful experience. Still, we thought two was our perfect number. But later that day, as the festivities wound down, I realised that my period was late. Waiting for our guests to leave, I raced to the bathroom to take a test. Almost immediately, two pink lines appeared. I was pregnant, again! Sharing the news with Jonathan, he was delighted. I had my first scan at seven weeks, but Jonathan had to go to work.…

ROAST CAULIFLOWER WITH ROMESCO SAUCE SERVES 6 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR 30 MINS 1.4kg large head cauliflower, leaves removed ½ cup olive oil 3 tsp fennel seeds 3 tsp smoked paprika Rocket leaves, fresh basil leaves, crusty bread, to serve ROMESCO SAUCE 2 large red capsicums (270g each), halved ½ x 250g punnet cherry tomatoes 3 large cloves garlic ¼ cup olive oil 1 tbsp smoked paprika 2 tbsp red wine vinegar ½ cup pistachios, toasted, plus extra to serve 1 ROMESCO SAUCE Arrange capsicum halves, cut-side down in a roasting pan. 2 Cook in a 220°C preheated oven for about 25 mins, or until skins are starting to blacken and blister. Transfer to a snap-lock bag. Cool. Remove skins. Reduce oven to 200°C. 3 Add tomatoes and garlic…

Jon Leonard had it all. A successful business owner, he’d dedicated much of his career to raising money for several cancer charities, totalling around $79 million. He also had the love of a gorgeous woman, Laura McPherson, who he’d met at work in 2011. A single mum, Laura was a dedicated employee, working her way up the ranks at Jon’s company, Ultra Events, to become marketing director. So in March 2017, when Laura revealed she’d been diagnosed with cervical cancer, Jon was understandably devastated. As part of her treatment plan, Laura needed chemotherapy. Jon, wanting to be there for his partner, offered to accompany Laura to her medical appointments. But she always insisted that she went alone. Laura sent photos to Jon of herself throughout the daunting process, while she…

FUREVER HOME After 850 days in a shelter, Jake, a nine-year-old Doberman, found a forever home just in time for Christmas. Jake arrived at The Dogs Trust in Kenilworth, England, terrified of humans, other dogs, and ‘almost everything’, according to staff. A sweet boy at heart, sadly his medical needs and the patience and dedication required for his training meant Jake wasn’t suitable for many potential adopters. That was until John and Amanda began searching to fill a dog-shaped hole in their lives. The pair instantly fell in love with Jake and worked hard with the shy Doberman to bring him out of his shell. They spent weeks getting to know Jake and participating in training sessions with The Dogs Trust shelter staff. In December 2024, their hard work paid…

COOL & CASUAL Lightweight fabrics, easy silhouettes, and playful prints keep you comfortable while still looking festive. ALL DRESSED UP Luxe fabrics, elegant cuts and statement details will make sure you shine at your Christmas gathering. Staying POWER The trick to make-up that lasts all day? Starting with a great primer! Primers hydrate, illuminate, and give your make-up a grippy base, so it holds on longer. 1 $24 e.l.f. Power Grip Primer priceline.com.au 2 $48 Hub For Belle Hydrating Primer Serum hubforbelle.com 3 $17.99 Rimmel Multi Tasker Better Than Filters Primer chemistwarehouse.com.au 4 $48 Go-To Very Glowy Primer gotoskincare.com 5 $8 OXX Cosmetics Face Base Primer kmart.com.au Best primers…

WE PAY FOR EACH PHOTO USED Sweet Ziggy has been a very good girl this year. Michelle Bondesan, Bentleigh East, Vic Merry Xmas from my crazy pets!! Brenda Williams, Brisbane, Qld Tracy-lee and I wish you a very merry Christmas. Alison Buys, Butler, WA $50 CASH WHAT’S ODD? PUZZLE HOW TO WIN... This image has been taken from The Mummy Returns. We have tinkered with the image and added something that doesn’t appear in the original scene (6). Write which object doesn’t belong only on the entry coupon and you could be a winner. Turn to entry coupon (p50) to enter! This is Jules, Julie, me, Pam and Leanne. We’ve been best of friends for 17 years after meeting at Relay for Life to raise funds for the Cancer Council.…

Tickling my girl, Emmy, then one, my mum, Melissa, loved seeing her granddaughter’s face light up. Mum had that effect on anyone just by walking into a room. Growing up, my little sister Chelsea and I loved spending time with Mum, especially on trips to the nearby theme park. So after the births of our babies – Chelsea’s son, Gregory, in April 2011, and Emmy, in May that year, our mother became a ‘stay at home grandma’. My dad, Bruno, adored being a grandpa too. He would drop everything whenever we needed him, and was always by our sides to lend a hand. In August 2013, I got a text message from Chelsea after I’d missed her call. Dad shot Mum, it said. Instantly I began shaking. This has to…

BALLOTINE OF TURKEY WITH CHERRY SAUCE SERVES 6 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs ¼ cup milk 500g pork and fennel sausages 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage, plus fried leaves to garnish 10 rashers streaky bacon 1kg frozen Turkey Breast Traditional Roast, thawed Roast potatoes, baby carrots and beetroot and steamed green beans, to serve CHERRY SAUCE 1½ cups chicken stock 2 green spring onions, chopped ½ cup cherry jam 30g butter 1 Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Stand for 5 mins. Remove and discard casings from sausages. Place sausage meat in a large bowl with sage and the bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Using clean hands, mix until well combined. 2 Place a large sheet of baking paper on…

GLUTEN-FREE BOILED PINEAPPLE FRUIT CAKE SERVES 20 PREP & COOK 1 HOUR 50 MINS 440g can crushed pineapple in juice 500g dried mixed fruit ¼ cup sweet sherry, plus 1 tbsp extra 150g butter, chopped ¼ cup caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1⅓ cups gluten-free self-raising flour 1 cup (100g) almond meal ⅓ cup natural sliced almonds 1 Grease a 20cm round x 7cm deep cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper, extending paper 3cm above pan edge. 2 Combine undrained pineapple, dried mixed fruit, sweet sherry, butter, caster sugar and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until butter is melted. Bring to a boil. Gently boil, stirring occasionally for 5 mins. Transfer mixture to a large, heatproof bowl…

When Carol, 71, sent out her invites for Christmas Day lunch at her house, she was absolutely thrilled. ‘Yipee!’ she beamed. Christmas was her favourite holiday, and she loved hosting her extended family for a festive feast. ‘This will be the best Christmas ever!’ she told her husband John, 73. She decorated the house with lights and tinsel, collected trinkets for the children’s stockings, and threw together the perfect playlist of Chrissy tunes. But most importantly, Carol’s menu plan was the epitome of perfection. She’d cook up a delectable turkey, sizzle dozens of prawns on the barbie, and make a majestic trifle. She also had a baby monitor and camera in most rooms, just in case her daughter Bethy, 37, wanted to put her toddler, Billy, down for a nap.…

As much as I love this time of year I put a lot of pressure on myself to make it special for our family. As well as mental stress, playing host during the party season has the potential to become a financial headache if you don’t plan carefully. Here are a few entertaining tips to take you from Christmas through to New Year, and beyond, without fraying your nerves. CONSIDERED CATERING Stick to simple in-season ingredients with wide appeal when choosing your menu, and try to use the same ingredients in multiple dishes so there’s no wastage. Don’t over-cater but, just in case, make sure what you serve makes tasty leftovers. Keep indoor cooking to a minimum to reduce electricity usage and unwanted heat in your home. Ask guests to…

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Sarah Firth, Deputy Editor Beth Young, Art Director Darren Monaghan, Picture Editor Holly Campbell ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Anna Quinn, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Director of Marketing Carly Bowra Subscription enquiries: Customer Service 136 116 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm AEST) International +61 2 9692 3535 Email magshop@magshop.com.au Website www.magshop.com.au Advertising enquiries: advertising@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ABN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2025. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission. that’s life! is a registered trade mark of Are Media. Use of trademark strictly prohibited. Licensing Inquiries: www.contentshop.com.au / syndication@aremedia.com.au…

Each December we unpack our boxes of tinsel, lights, baubles and stars and decorate our homes. But what if those decorations are more than just festive cheer? Mystical traditions suggest that the things we are drawn to reflect spiritual messages from the universe. Energy flows through intention, and everything we choose echoes our inner journey. Read on to discover what your favourite Christmas decorations reveal about you! The star If you find yourself drawn to star ornaments or tree toppers, your soul is seeking direction. The star symbolises divine guidance and cosmic alignment. You may be entering a phase where your life’s purpose becomes clearer. Expect chance encounters, meaningful messages in dreams, and sudden insights. This Christmas, trust your inner compass. You are exactly where you’re meant to be. Lucky…

Arms reaching up high, I put the shining star in place. Perfect, I smiled, taking in the towering tree adorned with bows, baubles and ornaments in shades of red and gold. It was only October, but for me Christmas is on my mind all year round. In September last year, I started my venture as a Christmas tree decorator, encouraged by my husband George, then 36. My love for trees started young. Like all kids, I had a ball unwrapping my gifts on Christmas morning, but what I looked forward to even more than that was setting up the tree. My brothers Jono and Dean by my side, I would carefully place each bauble with precision. ‘Great job, Elle,’ my dad, Arthur, would cheer as Elvis Presley’s ‘I’ll Be Home…

ROCKING RECORD BREAKERS Nearly 50 years on from the filming of AC/DC’s iconic music video for ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)’, where bagpipes became a part of Aussie rock history, 374 pipers gathered to blast out the anthem in Melbourne. The largest bagpipe ensemble playing together at the same time and in the same location in the world gathered on November 12 in Federation Square. Thousands watched as they rocked into the record books. A bagpiper since the age of 14, 98-year-old Bruce Hocking left everyone ‘Thunderstruck’ by setting the record for being the oldest piper to play in the largest ever ensemble. Jumping for JOY When Florida granny Kim Knor jumped out of a plane on November 6, 2025, it wasn’t…

CHICKEN AND MANGO RICE PAPER ROLLS MAKES 12 PREP 45 MINS 75g rice vermicelli noodles 1 large, firm mango 1 2 x 22cm rice paper wrappers ¾ cup fresh coriander sprigs, plus extra to garnish 1 2 small oakleaf lettuce leaves 2 Lebanese cucumbers, halved lengthways, seeds removed, cut into thin strips 2 cups shredded roast chicken (300g) ⅓ cup sweet chilli sauce, plus extra to serve Lime wedges, to serve 1 Place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 3-5 mins until softened. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Return to bowl. Roughly cut into shorter lengths with kitchen scissors. 2 Cut away cheeks from the mango, either side of the stone. Peel mango. Thinly slice flesh. 3 Cover a chopping board with a…

Twirling strands of saucy spaghetti around my fork, I lifted it to my mouth. Tucking in, I suddenly realised a crowd of eyes from around the restaurant were all on me. ‘Why are people staring, Mum?’ my three kids, Dominic, then 19, Adryanna,15, and Azriella, six, asked. ‘They’re just curious,’ I replied. It’s not every day you see someone eat with their feet. But as I was born without arms, it’s all I’ve ever known. While my mum, Ofelia, who was 35, had a normal pregnancy, doctors believed thyroid medication she’d been taking could have contributed towards my limb difference. Determined not to let me fall behind, she began training me to hold a spoon between my toes from just three months old. By the time I was six months,…

2 weeks until Christmas Dear that’s life! My husband and I split up six years ago and, each year since, our three young kids have spent Christmas Day with me then gone to their dad on a different day in the holiday period. Now he’s demanding the kids should spend Christmas Day with him this year. He has a new partner, as well as his parents and siblings he can be with, whereas I will be on my own without the kids. Should I push back? Or accept I’ll be home alone at Christmas? What do I do? Alternate years You should get alternate years. He deserves to have them on Christmas Day too. Jody Why change now? If you’ve been doing this for so long, why change it now?…

SEND US YOUR CLEVER IDEAS Play pin the nose on the reindeer for festive fun. Blindfold players, give them ping-pong balls painted red and some Blu Tack, then point them at the reindeer picture you stuck to a wall. For a fresh festive scent, wipe over door handles, cupboards and benches with a little eucalyptus oil. Get the kids to paint cardboard shapes, foam balls or even jar lids in gold or silver, then hang them on the Christmas tree. On hot days, chill glasses in the fridge before pouring drinks into them. This will keep the liquid nice and cool. Use an old toothbrush to give your shower head a good clean – unclogging the dirt will also increase the shower pressure. Slide a straw onto the stems of…

Helen McNamee, 79, Geilston Bay, Tas Coming in from the garden, I sat down for a rest. ‘Are you okay?’ my husband John, 72, asked. ‘I feel breathless,’ I said. It was September 2024 and normally I’d spend hours weeding my vegie patch, but even pottering had left me gasping lately. John took me to my GP who sent me to a cardiologist. ‘Your aortic valve isn’t working properly – your heart’s struggling to pump blood,’ he told me, after test results came back. ‘You’ll need heart surgery.’ John and I were stunned. Days later, I had the valve replaced with an artificial one. The minimally invasive heart procedure was done through the groin rather than open-heart surgery. ‘You’re part android now, Mum,’ teased my daughter Linda, 60, who came…