that's life

Me celebrating my mum’s 91st birthday with her. Being one of six siblings and having her own trucking business kept mum busy. She did a major bake once a week so we always had cake or biscuits with our lunch. Mum was always there as we were growing u

I’m afraid you’re not leaving until you have this baby. We’ll get you as far along in your pregnancy as possible, but we just have to take it one day at a time,’ my obstetrician explained. I didn’t know it then, but ‘one day at a time’ was about to b

When police pulled up to the palatial, yellow-brick house in an affluent neighbourhood, they were met by a tragic scene. It was July 2017 – and a mother and daughter lay dead. The blood-splattered body of Pamela Hargan, 63, was discovered in the down

Scrolling on my phone, I looked for somewhere that regifted formal wear. I wanted to donate the outfits my two eldest kids, Luke, then 23, and Ryleigh, 22, had worn to their Year 12 formals. Knowing formal wear was expensive, I wanted other kids to f

Divorced and with a mortgage, I found it pretty hard to make ends meet. ‘You could get a housemate,’ my friend Amanda suggested. ‘You know what I’m like,’ I sighed. ‘I hate mess and couldn’t cope if someone was untidy. And I’d drive anyone crazy with

A team of inventors have created an actual invisibility shield! Much like Harry Potter’s special cloak, the panel conceals the human body – and it can also hide objects! The real-life superpower tool uses a precision engineered lens to send the major

As the dance floor emptied, I continued boogieing with my mates. Not quite 18, we’d snuck into a nightclub – and it’d been a blast. ‘Come back next week!’ the DJ said over his microphone. Glancing over, I said, ‘I will.’ He looked like he was in his

Ruby just loves soaking up the sunshine! Elena Cole, Denistone, NSW Happy birthday to my beautiful girl Lulu, who recently turned 10. Maggie Stephenson, Clarinda, Vic Nitro, 10, likes to have the best of both worlds – to eat his dinner and c

Trust that you have raised a responsible young man. They’re safer at home than out on the streets. Discuss your expectations of him and his friends. Rachel Harry I’d suggest a compromise. He has a section of the house to himself – kitchen, lounge,

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK: 20 MINS 250g dried thin egg noodles500g beef stir-fry strips1 tblsp vegetable oil2 tsps bottled crushed garlic120g sachet ready sauce for Mongolian lamb1 tblsp soy sauce650g broccoli, cut into florets1 large red capsicum, cu

MAKES 20 PREP AND COOK: 50 MINS 125g butter, softened½ cup caster sugar½ cup firmly packed brown sugar1 tsp vanilla essence1 egg1¼ cups plain flour½ tsp bicarbonate of soda¼ cup chopped pistachios½ cup chopped cashews⅔ cup White Choc Bits 1 Greas

SERVES 6-8 PREP AND COOK: 1 HOUR, 15 MINS 1¾ cups plain flour¼ cup custard powder⅓ cup icing sugar mixture, plus extra to decorate175g cold butter, chopped1 egg yolkVanilla custard, to serve 1.25kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 2cm

Michael Danaher, was a man on a mission. After losing money on an investment scam, the unemployed, recently separated dad-of-two created a list of people he could extort to pay his debts. One target was respected book dealer Adrian Greenwood. In Apri

Staying properly hydrated will help to thin out your mucus, which can assist in preventing your sinuses becoming blocked. If you have a sore throat, add some lemon and honey to a cup of hot water. For a classic remedy, try placing a towel over your h

Q Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the sun. I’m now 55 and look significantly older than my years. It’s not so much the wrinkles that I’m worried about, but the sunspots, which are getting darker and more difficult to conceal with make-up. I’m wo

With the amount of clothes, sheets and towels I wash every week, I’m convinced there are people living in our house that I’ve never met. ‘That’s it, I’m banning clothes! You can all walk around naked from now on!’ I declared last week, as I filled

Leah Sheppard, 36, Geelong, Vic Exploring the streets of Italy for the first time, I was in awe of the country’s beautiful buildings. It was August 2014, and I’d travelled there with my Italian boyfriend. We were meant to stay for a month, but two

So what do you reckon, Ange?’ Fiona had asked. ‘Do you think it’s a good idea or what?’ Ange considered what her best friend had just told her. ‘You want the truth?’ she said. ‘You won’t be offended?’ Fiona shook her head. ‘Fire away.’ ‘It’s the craz

The ball lands nicely in your court, Aries. It’s game, set and match for a relationship that’s repeatedly been to the brink of break-up and back again. Check that lunch or dinner is included in the getaway deal. LUCKY NUMBERS 4, 9, 20 Whether work