Innehållsförteckning för TAK2432 från Take 5

This feels like an extra exciting issue, stuffed full of so many fab comps and bonus content! We’ve got the gorgeous colouring sheets on pages 13 and 15. Read our health story on page 12 about how amazing colouring is for your mind and body. Then turn straight over for your chance to win $500, simply by filling in the stunning picture and posting it off. Then there’s three pages of exclusive stars to prepare us for when Mercury is in retrograde. This is when communication could be off, and we find ourselves having loads of misunderstandings. Well, with our guide, you’ve got this! We haven’t sacrificed anything to fit this in. You’ll find your 24-page pull-out puzzle mag, with 58 ways to win, and Shop Local, for your chance…

Hanging curtains cost me my leg Paula Gowland, 51, Sunshine Coast, Qld. The washing machine beeped, signalling the end of the cycle. “You get the movie ready,” I told my husband, John, 46. It was a Sunday morning in June 2014, and John and I were enjoying a much-needed break from our hectic life running our cleaning business and raising our kids, Jess, 17, Ash, 12, and Ethan, seven. As John put The Hobbit on, I pulled the damp curtains from the machine. They’ll dry as they hang, I figured. Standing on the end of our bed, I attempted to get as many of the hooks onto the rod as I could in one go. Suddenly, my foot slipped. As I landed upright on the floor, I heard a crack…

WHAT IS MERCURY RETROGRADE? Each planet has an association with different facets of life and Mercury governs communication, technology and travel, explains astrologer and author of How to Spot the Star Signs, Matt Galea. When a planet starts to reverse, the areas that the planet is associated with also go awry. So, when Mercury retrograde happens, you can expect : ● Loads of misunderstandings and miscommunications ● Your phone or TV might break ● Delays with transport and travel It can also affect your love life! Do you feel misunderstood? Questioning a message you’ve received? Don’t instantly react. Take a breath and pause. Simply ask and clarify to avoid any misunderstandings. Texts can sometimes be misread, instead try sending a short and sweet voice note to explain yourself. Or even…

Moroccan chicken couscous SERVES 4 PREP 5 COOK 15 2 tbsp olive oil 500g chicken breast fillets, sliced 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced ¼ cup Moroccan spice paste 400g chickpeas, rinsed 1⁄3 cup dried apricots, halved 1 cup couscous 2 cups boiling chicken stock Coriander leaves, to serve 1 Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir for 4 mins or until browned and cooked. Transfer to a heatproof plate. 2 Add onion and capsicum to pan; cook and stir for 3 mins or until tender. Add paste; cook and stir for 30 sec or until fragrant. 3 Return chicken to pan, along with chickpeas, apricot, couscous and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, for…

It took 30 years, but I got my man in the end… Jane Rankin, 48. As my friends and I queued outside the nightclub we were attempting to get into, I felt a flutter of nerves. “Act 18,” my friend said. Standing up straighter, I puffed my cleavage out and pouted my lips. This is never going to work, I thought. It was 1992 and at 16, this was the naughtiest thing I’d ever done. Reaching the bouncer, I averted my gaze. “In you go,” he said without mention of ID. Breathing a sigh of relief, we walked in. “I’m going to the bar,” I shouted to my friends over the music, as they hit the dance floor. Standing waiting for a drink, a handsome bloke in shorts caught my…

If you have a room diffuser that has run out, you can add water, vodka and a few drops of essential oil to make your own scent. Carol Spencer, Healesville, Vic. TAKE 5 ACCEPTS READERS’TIPS IN GOOD FAITH. HOWEVER, TAKE 5 CANNOT ASSURE READERS THAT THEY WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN ALL CASES OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY RESULTING LOSS OR DAMAGE. When you’re dusting, always clean higher surfaces first then work your way down, so you don’t end up with dust falling on surfaces you’ve just cleaned. Monica Khoo, Sunshine, Vic. When I want to cut down on my grocery bills, I make lasagne in a round cake tin with round wraps instead of lasagne sheets. Bea Allen, Robina, Qld. Instead of throwing your empty mustard jar out, just add…

My daughter and I have kept kids safe for decades Roslyn Olerhead, 74, Brunswick East, Vic. I blew the whistle twice sharply, indicating it was safe to walk. A stream of cheery children crossed the road. “Have a wonderful day,” I called after them. For the past 32 years, at the start and end of every school day, I pulled on my hi-vis vest and grabbed my whistle to supervise the crossing. I became interested in the role one morning in 1990 while taking my children, Neil, 12, and Kerry, nine, on the school run. Holding hands tight as we walked, I watched as the crossing guard blew the whistle and was met with waves and smiles from parents and children. I’d love a job like that! I thought. That…

Lentil burgers with tahini sauce SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 10 MINS 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 400g can brown lentils, drained, rinsed 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed 1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice ¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto ¼ cup plain flour 4 bread rolls, halved 50g baby spinach leaves 1 carrot, shredded 8 slices drained canned beetroot TAHINI SAUCE 2 tbsp tahini 2-3 tbsp warm water ½ cup extra-light sour cream 1 In a large frying pan, heat half the oil on medium. Sauté onion 5 mins. Add garlic. Cook 1 min or until fragrant. Cool slightly. 2 In a food processor, place onion mixture, lentils, chickpeas, rice and pesto. Process until almost smooth. Shape mixture into 4 patties,…

LEO July 24–Aug 23 Any problem can be solved more easily if you approach it with confidence. Fortunately, you have this in spades, though it’s natural to second guess yourself sometimes. If the problem is financial, then start thinking better thoughts. ★ You can have it all, maybe just not all at once. SCORPIO Oct 24–Nov 23 Since Jupiter has arrived in your Debt Zone, you may have become curious to learn more about what you own, earn and owe. Luckily, this week, you could make all the right moves with money. ★ Optimism and action are paying off! AQUARIUS Jan 21–Feb 19 Chances are, you’re rethinking your financial situation. Whether it’s debt you’ve accrued or the resources you share with someone, you could be doing it better. This is…

EDITORIAL Editorial Director Kate Kirsten, Editor Rachel Williams, Deputy Editor Kim Bonett, Art Director Fiona Parsons, Picture Editor Vanessa Mckenzie, Lifestyle Director Claire Isaac ARE MEDIA Chief Executive Officer Jane Huxley, Director of Sales Andrew Cook, Director of Content Sally Eagle, General Manager Entertainment Susan Armstrong, Commercial Brand Manager Jessica Ashworth, Head of Consumer Marketing Louise Cankett 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 Affiliate enquiries: affilliate@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ABN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2024. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission. Take5 is a registered trade mark of Are Media. Use of trademark…

My girl and her boyfriend were killed for doing a favour… Melissa Griffin, 43. Walking through the bathroom door, I jumped with fright as something wrapped around my face. Unable to see, or breathe, I yanked it off and saw it was cling wrap that had been taped across the doorway. Another one of Ayanna’s pranks! I realised. My daughter was the ultimate prankster. Chuckling to myself, I stepped into the shower. But floating above my head was a large bag of red dye, ready to explode. “Ya Ya Moo Moo, are you kidding me?” I shouted, bursting out laughing. I heard Ayanna, 12, giggling, while hiding somewhere in the house. Ayanna’s middle name was Munné, which was how she ended up with the nickname, Ya Ya Moo Moo. I…

My bears radiate light and love Isabella Galimberti, 23, Brisbane, Qld. Sitting on our driveway, I drew a pink heart on the ground with chalk. Just then, my mum arrived home and hopped out of the car with a carrier bag. “Your new Care Bear has arrived,” she said. “Yay!” I cried excitedly. It was 2007, I was seven years old, and Mum had bought me a Care Bear subscription. I ripped open the wrapper and gasped. “It’s Cheer Bear,” I said with wonder. “My favourite.” Cheer Bear was pink with a rainbow on her tummy. Each month, I received a mini Care Bear toy and book. The bears’ bright colours made me smile and I spent hours playing with them. Over the years, I collected bigger versions of Care…

I’ve gone from a homeless addict to helping others Allison Chand, 39, Lethbridge Park, NSW. Waking up between the gravestones, I dusted myself off. “I don’t want this life anymore,” I said to myself. I was 17, and living on the streets. I’d grown up in difficult circumstances and had suffered abuse at the hands of someone in my extended family. When I was 12, I ended up in a refuge and, desperate to fit in somewhere, I joined a gang and started taking the drugs ice and speed to forget my past. Soon, staff at the refuge found out. “We don’t tolerate drug use here,” one said, ordering me to leave. For the next five years, I lived in parks or the cemetery and stole to survive. I felt…

Orange poppyseed loaf cake with sour cream frosting SERVES 8 PREP 20 MINUTES + COOLING COOK 50 MINUTES ¾ cup self-raising flour 1⁄3 cup plain flour ½ cup caster sugar 1 tbsp poppy seeds 125g butter, melted 2 eggs, lightly whisked 1⁄3 cup orange marmalade ¼ cup sour cream 2 tsp finely grated orange zest Sliced candied orange zest, to serve (see tip) SOUR CREAM FROSTING 50g butter, at room temperature ½ cup icing sugar 1⁄3 cup sour cream 1 tbsp orange marmalade 1 Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan-forced. Grease and line a 21cm x 11cm (base measurement) loaf pan with baking paper, extending paper at long sides for handles. Combine sifted flours, sugar and poppy seeds in a bowl. 2 Whisk butter, egg, marmalade, sour cream and zest…

Our girl’s exploratory spirit garnered international attention Mariya Rovenko, 50, Sandringham, Vic. My husband, Andrew, held up a tennis ball and a torch. “Imagine the torch is the sun, and the ball is the earth,” he told our fouryear-old daughter, Mia. Spinning the ball, he moved it around the torch. “At the same time the Earth orbits the sun, it also rotates around itself once every 24 hours,” he explained. “This is how we get day and night.” “And what keeps Earth spinning?” Mia asked. I smiled, loving my girl’s curiosity. It was August 2021, and 200 days into Melbourne’s rolling lockdowns. During this time, Mia developed a fascination with space. The DK Science Encyclopedia had become her favourite bedtime book, and she relentlessly asked us questions about it. “We’re…

From the mouths of babes My family were living in East Anglia in England. One day, we were on our way to the shops, driving down the country roads, when we saw a group of men carrying rifles walking across a field. My four-year-old son became very excited and said, “Look Mum, are they going to shoot the peasants?” I certainly hope that he meant pheasants! Glenys Maton, Ellenbrook, WA. WE PAY $100 FOR EACH LETTER PRINTED Fun in the fields I loved reading Jenny Jenner’s story in issue 22 about growing a field full of sunflowers. Last summer, my husband and teenage son took me to a farm that did the same thing. There were bright and cheerful sunflowers as far as the eye could see, and for $10…