that's life

With her brown hair flowing behind her, my big sister Leanne, 20, revved the engine of my motorbike and sped off across the fields. I couldn’t help but giggle. With a love of make-up and fashion, my girly sister, in her patterned sarong skirt, looked

Thank you so very much for my prize that’s life!. I’m absolutely thrilled! Fiona Hutton, Wheelers Hill, Vic ‘The Wild West’ is what the locals say about the Arthur River area on Tassie’s northwest coast. Ali Stone, Penguin, Tas Tommy, two,

A waterfront house with gorgeous views is on the market for a steal, at around $480,000. The catch? It’s located on a deserted island. The one-bedroom home in Maine, US, has uninterrupted sea views, but has no indoor bathroom, a super tiny kitchen, a

I picked out Misty at a pound. ‘He’s going to be put to sleep in two days,’ the assistant told me, sighing. ‘Nobody wants him – he’s getting on a bit and everyone says he’s ugly.’ I looked into Misty’s eyes. ‘I’ll take him,’ I said, and Misty came to

I’ll choose something for us to watch,’ my husband David, then 33, said wearily as we cuddled on the couch. It was a warm night in December 2015. I had just put our boys Hamish, then seven, Jack, five, and Christian, one, to bed, and I was in the moo

Popping my girl Nayvah’s favourite show, The Wiggles, on the telly, she screamed out in excitement and started dancing along to the songs. ‘You’re always full of energy, aren’t you?’ I said to her, giggling. Little Nayvah, nearly two, has a big perso

Passing several kennels, we walked through the rescue centre. Round eyes peered up at my son, Mats, then 11, and me. ‘Let me know if there’s a dog you connect with,’ I said to him. From a young age, I’d been surrounded by animals. I wanted to teach M

This is what Ziggy thinks about all these rainy days!! Janelle McCluskey, Vermont, Vic Our Jack Russell pup, Jack, is a beautiful soul who keeps us on our toes! Kevin & Liz Huxham, Bargara, Qld Leilah and Cleo love their new cat tree almost

Getting back into the car after a trip to the supermarket, I felt very sad. ‘I just saw a little boy stealing food. He was only about six,’ I told my teenage daughter Maddi, who was waiting in the car. ‘Families are really struggling, Mum. Especially

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK: 8 HOURS, 50 MINS 2 medium fennel bulbs (600g)12 Italian-style pork and veal sausages (850g)½ cup dry white wine2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes with basil & oregano¼ cup grated parmesan 1 tblsp olive oilSea salt flakesFreshly

I enjoy my single life. I answer to myself and nobody else. Yes, at times I get lonely, but you can be surrounded by people and still feel alone. I’m open to being with a wonderful man, but I know I’m perfectly okay by myself. Lou Temby Your 40s i

SERVES 12 PREP AND COOK: 1 HOUR, 10 MINS 175g butter, softened¾ cup caster sugar2 tsps vanilla extract3 eggs1¼ cups self-raising flour¼ cup custard powder½ cup milkCustard, to serve 75g butter, melted½ cup firmly packed brown sugar2 tblsps golden

MAKES 12 PREP AND COOK: 45 MINS 100g dark cooking chocolate, chopped150g butter, chopped½ cup firmly packed brown sugar¾ cup buttermilk2 eggs, lightly beaten1⅓ cups self-raising flour2 tblsps cocoa powder⅔ cup Dark Choc Bits 100g dark cooking cho

Wendy Wein had a problem. She wanted her ex-husband Thomas Carder dead, but didn’t want to do the dirty work herself. In July 2020, Wendy, then 50, discovered a website called RentAHitman.com. The site promised confidentiality and, with testimonials

Looking in the mirror, I felt ashamed of the dark, bristly hair protruding from my face. As a 16-year-old girl, it was humiliating. I still hadn’t got my period and all my friends had, and I just knew something was wrong. Every day, I was bombarded w

As with most teenagers, my son Xander is eager to get his driver’s licence. He turns 16 in September, but because I like to plan ahead, I’ve already started looking into the practicalities of him being on the road. One of the biggest considerations i

Many of us associate salmonella with foods such as undercooked meat, eggs and poultry. But other foods can be contaminated too, including raw fruits and vegies, nuts and even processed foods. The effects of salmonella can be nasty, and in some case

Q I have suffered occasional migraines for most of my adult life. They usually occurred in the run-up to a period, especially if I was also under pressure at the time. I haven’t had a period or a migraine for over a year, but am really struggling wit

Pushing my wheelchair into an empty classroom and locking the door, the boys laughed. ‘How will you find your way out now?’ they said, calling me a horrible name and running away. Aged 14, this sadly wasn’t the first time I’d been bullied. Born with

While switching on your ceiling fan in winter may sound counter-intuitive, it can actually warm up a room. Putting your fan on reverse so it turns slowly in a clockwise direction will help to push warm air that rises back towards the floor. Cut the c

With a wet start to the year over much of the country, it seems as if winter will be much the same. For this reason, it’s a good time to invest in a quality umbrella that lasts longer than just one rain bomb – and looks stylish too. A scarf can do w

Natalie dabbed her eyes as she put down the phone. ‘What’s up?’ asked her flatmate Sally. ‘I can’t believe it,’ cried Natalie. ‘He cheated on me.’ ‘Don’t cry. No man is worth the tears,’ said Sally. ‘But I booked us in for a cruise in two weeks! I ca

The way things are shaping up on the domestic front or at your workplace would have something to do with your recent attitude shift, Aries. A gold star for stepping away from Tuesday’s family drama or neighbourhood conflict. LUCKY NUMBERS 5, 18, 22

Idon’t feel very well,’ I cried to my Mum, Sally, then 32. Aged six, I’d woken in the middle of the night drenched in sweat and feeling extremely nauseous. I’d suffered a terrible nightmare, dreaming I was in hospital surrounded by my family, who’d g