Innehållsförteckning för TAK2412 från Take 5

I used to sleep on them and now I paint them Rod Gardner, 45, Launceston, Tas. I stood outside the beautiful old building and looked up. It was an art studio and gallery with lovely arches, and inside I imagined people standing at easels painting landscapes and portraits. “I wish I could do that,” I mumbled. “Move out the way,” a stranger said roughly, pushing me aside as he walked past. I shuffled off, knowing people like me weren’t wanted inside buildings like this. It was 2004, I was 27 and had been a drug addict since I was 18. Having smoked pot as a teenager, I got a job as a cleaner in a hospital in Launceston when I finished school. There, I made friends with a medical student…

My elderly mother sent me on a mission Down Under… Katie Essick, 68. My 96-year-old mother, Jeanne, held out a $100 bill. “I want you to take an Australian WWII veteran out for a drink,” she instructed me. It was April 2023, and I was about to leave the US on a trip to Australia with my husband, John, 69. He’d been selected for a three-week cultural exchange program with the physics department at the University of Newcastle. “The Australians played an important part in the war,” Mum continued, “and they were such good friends with our troops.” During WWII, she was studying journalism and no doubt keeping abreast of the war effort abroad. On top of this, my grandfather, Edward Simmonds, was a colonel in the US Marine Corps.…

Dear Take 5ers, I’ve been minding my grandchildren, Abbey, 6, and Jay, 3, full-time, for the past five months. My son, Daniel, and his wife, Hannah, have had the kids in day care since they were little, but they’ve been struggling to make ends meet, so I offered to help out with child care. It’s been lovely having the kids around as the house has been quiet since my husband, Paul, passed last year. Daniel and Hannah also kindly give me $200 each week for my trouble. The kids don’t eat much sugar at home and Hannah doesn’t allow them to use screens. I’ve always thought Hannah was too strict with them, but she asked me to follow the same rules. I do try, but the kids are only little…

I couldn’t fall pregnant. Surely she couldn’t be counting babies in there? Jamie Scott, 39. The grainy image of my womb popped up on the screen. “I can see one heartbeat,” the sonographer said, “and two.” My heart leapt to my throat and I looked at my husband, Skyler, 34. He clutched my hand. The sonographer wasn’t done yet. “And three,” she said. “And four… and five!” Surely she couldn’t be counting babies in there? But she was. “Five,” I repeated slowly. “You sure?” She nodded and another doctor came in and confirmed it. “You’re pregnant with quintuplets,” she said. “Are they all… alive?” I asked. My brain couldn’t quite compute what I was hearing. “They are,” she said, grinning. “Look, you can see each little heartbeat flicking on the…

We invited my bridesmaid into our bedroom on our wedding night... Katey Babbage, 28. I held out my glass so my friend Courtney could top up my wine. “Do you mind if my mate Dan comes and meets us later?” she asked while pouring. “Not at all,” I replied. “The more the merrier.” It was 2016, and we were getting ready for a Christmas night out. Once we were glammed up, we headed into town, and Dan, 19, joined us at the pub later. When he walked through the door, I couldn’t tear my eyes from him. As we spent hours on the dance floor together, I couldn’t deny a connection, too. I had a boyfriend of three and a half years, but I was unhappy. Meeting Dan gave me…

I can finally live in my tiny dream home Lynda Mackillican, 56, Esperance, WA. Scrolling through Facebook back in 2009, I stopped in my tracks. This is so cool, I thought. It was a photo of a beautifully formed tiny house posted by Jay Shafer, the godfather of tiny houses. Starting my research, I found people all over the world living in tiny houses. I learnt that these houses are under 40 square meters, often on wheels, designed to be cost-effective. Cost-effective would be nice! I reflected. I had recently moved from the UK to Perth and was living on my own in a rental. In Australia, I found an online community of Aussie tiny house owners. I love how eco-friendly my new house is! one owner wrote. The more…

1. SIMPLIFIED SKINCARE Gone are the days of a 10-step routine. We’re getting on board with streamlining skin care to just a few essentials, saving time, money and precious shelf space. Try this daily moisturiser infused with aloe and vitamin E with the added bonus of SPF 50+ for extra protection. 2. HONEY BLONDE HAIR Many celebrities have beenen spotted in this trending shade, so expect honey blonde to make a warm return this year. While it’s nice to have a fresh new colour, make sure you nourish dyed strands with the right products. PROVOKE have just launched a hair-care range to make maintaining a blonde mane a breeze. 3. PEACHY KEEN With peach fuzz being announced as Pantone’s colour of the year, expect to see a huge amount of…

I’ve been keeping watch for over 70 years… Billy Ryan, 89, Coolangatta, Qld. Swimming the final lap in the pool, I gave it my all. “You’ve aced the test, Billy!” the club’s president yelled. It was 1949 and at 17, I had just qualified to represent the Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club. Back then, surf lifesavers were the coolest blokes around. I wasn’t the fittest so I’d thrown myself into training to pass the swimming test: 200m in under five minutes. Starting out, I honed my craft by patrolling Maroubra Beach. In 1980, I moved to Queensland and joined the Rainbow Bay Surf Life Saving Club. Surf lifesaving was second nature at this point. Still, some rescues put me through my paces. One of the toughest came while out on…

Ants hate talcum powder, so sprinkle some where they start venturing into your home. Carol Hill, South Launceston, Tas. Mash up avocados and put scoops onto a tray to be frozen. When they’re firm, put the scoops in a zip-lock bag and thaw out one or two scoops when needed. Diana Lynch, Geelong, Vic. If you’re cooking something and it tastes bland, add lemon juice or vinegar to give it a little acidity. A chef taught me this! Ellie Russell, North Lakes, Qld. Clean any water marks off your taps by rubbing in a blob of toothpaste. Lisa Aziz, Wollongong, NSW. Using kitchen scissors is a much easier way to slice up pizzas than a knife. Veronica Dillon, GlenWaverley, Vic. Put icing sugar into a loose-leaf tea steeper before you…

When its teeth sank into me, I had to get it off somehow… Cameron Wrathall, 57, Brentwood, WA. Beaut day,” my friend Richard said, as we made our way to the Bicton jetty. I’ve been a swimmer all my life, and for 35 years I’d played water polo, too. When it worked out that I would raise my girls, Cian, 26, and Keely, 24, on my own, I got a job at a water polo club which I could do around school hours. The pool bordered the Swan River, and during the summer, I swam in the Swan every day. It cleared my mind. “Off we go,” I said, as Richard and I jumped off the jetty. On this particular day, January 14, 2021, it was just before 8am and…

There’s no denying it – modern life is stressful. Sometimes you just need to disconnect and get away from it all. But at a time when we’re more connected than ever before (thanks a lot, smartphones), switching off can be more easily said than done. Thankfully, there are some fantastic off-the-grid holiday locations where you can relax and unwind… CORINNA WILDERNESS VILLAGE, TAS Just north of Strahan and west of Cradle Mountain, this Tasmanian wilderness retreat boasts 12 one-bedroom cottages and six two-bedroom cottages that back onto the stunning Tarkine rainforest. You’ll be able to put your phone aside (given there’s no reception here!) and just bask in the beauty around you. Enjoy activities such as river cruises, kayaking, fishing or even grab your camera and take yourself on a…

A chook feed bag inspired my fashion designs Kym O’Leary, 38, Toowoomba, Qld. Topping up our glasses, my hubby, Stu, raised his with a grin. “To you, Kym, and your next big adventure,” he toasted. “Can you believe it?” I said excitedly. It was 2020, and I’d just agreed to a deal with mining giant BHP. I’d built my business on giving women as many comfortable workwear options as men. I didn’t have a background in fashion, but in 2013, I’d spotted a gap in the maternity hi-vis market after working on mining sites and seeing my then-manager, pregnant, and struggling with a hi-vis shirt that didn’t do up over her belly. Armed with innovation and drive, I built COgear. And now, BHP wanted me to supply a full range…