Innehållsförteckning för TAK2327 från Take 5

Miracle Pogue, 24. I folded the pants and placed them on the pile when my colleague, Karen, came to get me. “Miracle, this guy wants you to serve him,” she said. Making my way to the counter, I saw it was Charles, one of our regular customers. Some days, he’d turn up at the laundromat where I worked with nothing but a shirt or pair of trousers. Maybe he’s just lonely and wants company, I thought. One day in 2019, Charles turned up again and placed a piece of paper and a pen on the counter. “Write your number down,” he said confidently. Although he was elderly, he oozed charm and charisma, but I was only 21… was he really flirting with me? Karen seemed to think he was. “He…

Around 80 per cent of women will experience symptoms of perimenopause in the years leading up to the change of life – and for 20 per cent of women, these symptoms will be severe. Yet perimenopause is something many women know very little about. In a study by the women’s health and wellness platform Xali, 38 per cent of women said they were unaware perimenopause existed. “I think one of the most important things for women to do in this stage of their life is talk to each other, their partner, family and friends,” Naz de Bono, founder of Xali, says. “This is currently not happening.” WHEN DOES IT BEGIN? On average, perimenopause will start about four to six years before the change, but this period can last as little…

Maureen, 62, Melbourne, Vic. The vet took a deep breath and grasped my hand. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “There’s nothing more we can do.” A sob rose up through my chest. I picked up Lula my cat and she licked my hand, her vivid blue eyes watching me. She could tell I was upset. Lula had been my confidante for 10 years. A beautiful Siamese, or Meezer, as us cat-lovers like to call them, I’d had her since she was a kitten. She was a force to reckon with but recently hadn’t been her usual bubbly self. Tests revealed an incurable stomach cancer. We’d tried medication but it hadn’t worked. “Take her home and enjoy the time you have left together,” the vet continued. Back home, I cradled her…

Cathy Megson-McAllister, 76, Macclesfield, SA. I nervously fiddled with the pearls on my necklace as I waited for the photographer to take my picture. “Are you ready, ladies?” she asked. Wearing nothing but my pearls and an apron to protect my modesty, I wasn’t sure that I’d ever be ready. “Think so,” I said through gritted teeth as I held my smile. This wasn’t just any photoshoot, I was posing naked for a calendar to raise funds for the Cancer Council – and I was the model for May. It was a cause close to my heart. In 2004, my dad Merv, 81, was diagnosed with mesothelioma and asbestosis. It was a shock for the whole family. As my mum, Monica, and I supported him through treatment, I sought comfort…

If it’s simple living you’re after, a tiny homestay definitely delivers. One fantastic little getaway is to Azaltie – an 11-acre property situated in one of Australia’s most beautiful places, Kangaroo Valley, NSW. This secluded off-grid dwelling lets you experience the peaceful sounds of nature in luxurious fashion. It’s equipped with all the comforts and, even if you’re used to three-storey living, it never feels cramped. Let the view of surrounding greenery and native wildlife from the verandah instantly relax you – if you’re lucky, you may even spot a wombat or two. Enjoy a stunning night sky next to the firepit as you take in the atmosphere. If you are someone who really enjoys a lazy morning, Azaltie has a very generous breakfast hamper on offer that is prepared…

Babette Urban, 72, Sunshine Coast, Qld. My best friend Isabelle and I peered out of the plane window, gazing down at the island below. “Look at the shimmering blue water,” I gasped. It was 2011 and we’d taken a flight from our homes on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast to Lady Elliot Island – the southernmost coral cay of the Great Barrier Reef. But the trip had a serious side, too. Six years earlier, Isabelle, 59, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. “I’m going to beat this,” she vowed. During the start of her treatment, we’d shaved our heads together in solidarity and, during one trip to hospital, a women’s charity had given us a fabric angel each. “You’re my angel,” I told Isabelle. “And so are you,” she said. With her…

From Sunday morning pastries to cosy cups of cocoa in front of the TV, indulging in your favourite foods is one of life’s pleasures. But if you find yourself craving sugary foods intensely, it may be time to look at why. By knowing your triggers, it’s possible to reframe your relationship with sugar, and enjoy it in moderation. Health coach Dr Michelle Celander explains… WHY IT HAPPENS “Neuroscience research shows that eating sugar lights up the same pleasure-stimulating sites in our brains as addictive drugs, releasing a chemical called dopamine, which gives us euphoric, happy feelings,” says Dr Celander. She adds that over time we also make associations between certain foods and environmental cues, triggering our cravings. “Many of us want biscuits with a cup of tea or associate eating…

Always store peanut-butter jars upside down so if there is excess oil it stays at the bottom of the jar. Ida Schroder, Victoria Point, Qld. Adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder to chilli con carne makes it taste amazing. Camille Horvat, Cabramatta, NSW. This is a classic tip. Storing onions in an old pair of pantyhose, tying a knot between each onion to separate it, means they will last so much longer! Hang the pantyhose somewhere dark. Helena Riley, New Plymouth, NZ. To keep spiders out of the holes in your clothes lines, and off the washing, spray the holes with surface spray. Marilyn Tants, Cranbourne, Vic. My mum taught me that putting cool green-tea bags under your eyes will get rid of puffiness. I swear by this now. Gia…

1. SHAPE UP The neck is one of those neglected areas that can immediately give the age game away. The skin here is thinner with less support structure and more prone to gravity’s effects – hello, jowls! Natio Replenishing Neck & Decolletage Cream, $22.95, contains a skinloving blend of natural oils and extracts to help hydrate, soften and firm texture. 2. PROTECT & GLOW The results might not be visible in minutes, but the act of applying sunscreen below the chin takes mere seconds and is proven to slow down the breakdown of collagen and keep the skin nice and taut. Naked Sunday’s SPF50 Collagen Glow Crème, $34.95, is formulated with plant-based collagen and watermelon extract to moisturise and help promote a glowing complexion. Always read the label and follow…

Life got off to a rough start for Christine Paolilla. Her father, Charles, a construction worker, died in a workplace accident in 1988 when she was two and Christine’s mother, Lori, struggled to cope with the loss. Lori battled a drug addiction and temporarily lost custody of her daughter and son, John, when Christine was seven. As a young girl, Christine was diagnosed with alopecia. She lost clumps of hair from her head as well as her eyebrows and eyelashes. Despite trying to cover up her hair loss by wearing wigs and drawing on her eyebrows, Christine was bullied about her condition at her high school “She became extremely self-conscious about it,” Lori told ABC News. “Classmates would come up behind her and pull her wig off.” After years of…

Browned butter & chocolate chip cookies MAKES 8 LARGE COOKIES PREP TIME 15 MINS COOK TIME 8 TO 11 MINS 1 cup (170g) cold Browned Butter (see recipe right) cut into cubes1 cup brown sugar½ cup caster sugar1 tsp vanilla extract2 large eggs1 egg yolk1½ cups cake flour1½ cups plain flour 1 tsp cornflour¾ tsp bicarb soda¾ tsp fine salt 227g milk chocolate, broken into chunks½ cup semisweet chocolate chips2 cups chopped walnuts 1 Preheat oven to 210°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. 2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the browned butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined, about 4 mins. 3 Add the eggs and yolk one at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. 4…

Christine Mastello, 52, Lake Macquarie, NSW. Packets of pasta, rice and tinned fruit and vegetables lined the tables. “Welcome,” I said, greeting the first person to walk through the doors of the food bank I’d opened. It was 2013 and, as a single mother to three kids, I knew so many who were doing it tough. That’s how I’d come up with the idea to use my background in social work to help others out. I’d set up Southlakes Incorporated so people could come in and take what they needed from my stores of food and supplies that I paid for myself or sourced through donations. Day after day, more and more visitors turned up. “Without you, there wasn’t going to be dinner on the table this week,” one customer…

Mishel Karen, 52, Brisbane, Qld. Putting the final touches to my saucy picture, I uploaded it to my OnlyFans page. You look incredible, one user commented. Stunning, said another. Since starting the account, I was in the best financial position of my life. Although I appeared on the TV show Married At First Sight in 2020, I later lost my job as a police trainer and desperately needed to pay the bills. Now, raking in $7000 each month, I could finally provide for my children, Samuil, 24, and Eva, 23, and my grandson, Isaiah, one, in the way I wanted. But I worried it wouldn’t last forever. So, in June 2022, when I saw an article online about a trading website which had made TV presenter, David Koch, $350 in…

Tash Kocks, 48, Gladstone, Qld. As Shannon Noll left the stage, I knew it was my turn to address the crowd. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the microphone. “My parents had to close down our family cattle farm when Australia was in recession,” I began, a lump in my throat. It was early 2019 and my father, Brian, had invited 250 donors to a fundraiser in Brisbane for the farming charity he ran, Aussie Helpers. He’d started it with my mum, Nerida, 21 years ago to provide support for farmers affected by circumstances like flood, drought and economic downturn. Sadly, he was too unwell to come that day and had asked me to speak on his behalf. I felt capable enough as, throughout the years, I’d helped pack many…

Look 1 Shine on! A little shimmer goes a long way to transforming your style. This print and sequin combination is striking. Look 2 Go glam! Opt for high-shine fabrics and flowy shapes to create an elevated evening style and bold new look. Look 3 In neutral If colour isn’t your thing, then add bling and details via accessories to bring your best basics to life. STOCKISTS: AMAZON AUSTRALIA AMAZON.COM.AU COLETTE BY COLETTE HAYMAN COLETTEHAYMAN.COM.AU H&M HM.COM KMART KMART.COM.AU LOVISA LOVISA.COM.AU PRETTY LITTLE THING PRETTYLITTLETHING.COM NEXT NEXT.COM.AU SPENDLESS SHOES SPENDLESS.COM THE ICONIC THEICONIC.COM.AU…

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Ngaire Lanyon, 89, Brisbane, Qld. As I walked through the gardens, a lady approached me. “I’ll have to go to your hairdresser,” she said, smiling. “Your hair always looks so lovely.” “Thank you,” I replied. “I’ll give you her number.” Margaret, 75, was a fellow resident at Blue Care Carramar Retirement Village in Brisbane. She’d moved in with her husband, Noel, a year earlier. I hadn’t had a chance to speak to her much until now, but I was drawn in by her warm, approachable personality. The more I got to know her over the following weeks, the more I liked her. We chatted over cups of tea and I told her all about life at the village, which I’d lived in for the past 12 years. As it turned…