Issue 22, 2023

that's life

The magazine with heart

that's life1 min read
Letter From The Ed
We’ve started receiving entries for our Mum of the Year competition and we’re all loving reading them. Finding out about other wonderful mums always makes us think about our own amazing mums. Sarah’s mum Doreen is always a great support and sounding
that's life1 min read
We Love You!
My daughter Jaydee with that’s life! on the dance floor at the Harry Styles concert in Sydney. What a great night! Suzanne Lourens, Wyongah, NSW Arlo, my sweet little grandson, just loves to have fun with his dad Christian. Giselle Godwin, C
that's life4 min read
A life WITHOUT LIMITS
Bouncing into the kindy classroom, I frowned. All the kids looked so normal. Not one had a disability, prosthetic legs or no hands like me. For the first time ever in my life, I felt different. ‘Mum, where are the kids like me?’ I asked. ‘Some people
that's life4 min read
She Killed Her Friend To Steal Her Baby
Taylor Rene Parker, then 27, was glowing as she posed for her maternity shoot. Her partner, Wade Griffin, 27, cradled her baby bump. The pair had met at a rodeo in July 2019. After they began dating, Taylor – already a mum – lavished Wade with delici
that's life2 min read
Marriage MISFORTUNE
As my daughter Cara tried on wedding dresses, she grimaced. ‘Nothing feels right!’ she fretted, pulling on the white puff sleeves. ‘You just haven’t found the right one,’ I soothed. With only four months until she married her fiancé Heath, she was fe
that's life3 min read
I Was Split In Half By My Car
Putting my gym bag in the boot, I walked round to the front of the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. What a great day, I thought. It was a beautiful sunny day in June 2021 and I’d just finished an aqua fit class. I had around an hour until I pi
that's life2 min read
THE Buzz
Artist Hidreley Diao was curious to know what historical figures would look like if they’d lived today. So with the help of artificial intelligence (AI), he created images of Apollo, Joan of Arc and Beethoven, among others. Modern day Nefertiti is a
that's life3 min read
Quirky Pet Behaviour ...EXPLAINED
Our animal pals do the cutest things, but sometimes their behaviour can be downright baffling. So how do you tell if it’s just an individual quirk that’s causing your pooch to howl at the TV, or whether a more serious issue is at play? ‘About two-thi
that's life4 min read
I QUIT BOOZE For My Boy
I’m like your handbag,’ laughed my son Scott, then 13. ‘I go everywhere with you!’ It was true. I was a single mum and, even when he was a kid and I was selling make-up, I’d take him on my rounds. ‘This lipstick shade would suit you,’ he’d tell a cus
that's life1 min read
Pets Are Pawsome!
I think Daffy looks like a statue in this picture. Michelle Bondesan, Bentleigh East, Vic I had the pleasure of puppy sitting my granddaughter’s dogs. Every time I had a meal, Maple and Coco patiently sat waiting for any scraps. Lyn Radvanyi, C
that's life5 min read
Super SOUPS
SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK: 30 MINS 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock2 large chicken breasts (560g), trimmed2 tblsps light soy sauce1 tblsp fish sauce3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced1 star anise4 green spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally2
that's life3 min read
My Girl Has A Birthmark On Her Brain
As my baby girl’s cries filled the room, I felt a rush of love. ‘She’s here,’ my partner Sam, then 38, beamed with pride. Parents already to Josh, seven, and Chloe, four, we were ecstatic to be welcoming our third bub together. As she was swaddled in
that's life3 min read
Chocolate HEAVEN
MAKES 12 PREP AND COOK: 55 MINS 200g block dark cooking chocolate, chopped50g butter, chopped395g can sweetened condensed milk¼ cup hazelnut meal1⅓ cups self-raising flourVanilla ice-cream, to serve MOCHA SAUCE 2 tsps instant coffee granules200
that's life1 min read
This Week We’re Loving...
SERVES 12 PREP AND COOK: 1 HOUR, 30 MINS 1½ x 250g packets ButternutSnap Cookie75g butter, melted FILLING 1 cup finely chopped, pitted dates2 x 250g blocks cream cheese, softened¾ cup caster sugar1 tsp vanilla bean paste3 eggs1 cup sour cream
that's life22 min read
PUZZLE Central
WIN! WORTH $26,990 1 TO BE WON •16 inch wheels • Halogen headlamps • Keyless push-button engine start • Cruise control • Bluetooth® hands-free phone • Steering wheel audio controls • Rear parking sensors We would love to hear from you. Email us a
that's life2 min read
BRAIN Waves
Save money when treating damaged hair by rubbing a few drops of baby oil through the ends. It works just as well as fancy serums but is a lot cheaper. Ellie Jones, via email I save money on school snacks by purchasing large packets of chips and
that's life3 min read
Mum’s Needy Neighbour
It’s lovely you want to look out for your mum, but let her make her own decisions. She probably likes the company and the feeling of being useful. Pam Boak You have to be careful with neighbours so as not to set up expectations you didn’t mean to
that's life2 min read
How To Ask For A PAY RISE
Asking for more money makes a lot of people uncomfortable. For me, it’s partly a confidence issue – I feel like I’m boasting if I suggest I’m worth more. But I also feel guilty – I was raised to be pleasing and make everyone around me feel comfortabl
that's life3 min read
NAUGHTY NANS We’re ageing (dis)gracefully!
Time for Bingo, Peggy!’ called out my new friend Helen. Living at the Hepburn House aged care facility for the last three years, I loved all the activities they put on. I’m looking forward to happy hour with Jim and the others, I’d think on a Friday.
that's life3 min readCrime & Violence
How Could They?
As firefighters fought to extinguish a house fire in January 2020, a neighbour filmed the terrifying scene. ‘It was massive. It burned for a couple of hours,’ the neighbour told ABC7 News. What the neighbour didn’t know was that five of the volunteer
that's life3 min read
What Is Restless Leg Syndrome?
Tossing and turning in bed is something many of us do at times. But if you often find it hard to stay still at night, it could be a sign that something more is at play. Restless leg syndrome (or RLS) is a relatively common condition that affects aro
that's life2 min read
ASK THE Doctor
Q We’ve just returned from a holiday in Queensland. While away, I did a scuba diving course. I noticed my ear was a bit sore on the flight home and now I have a discharge coming out from it. I was wondering if there is anything I can get from the che
that's life1 min read
The weekend EDIT
Gilets and vests are a great option for easy layering over knits. Dress for the season in this stylish showerproof jacket! Achieve silky smooth results with the help of a moisture-boosting conditioner. Great for everyday use, lather on one of the
that's life2 min read
YOUR Stars
Pull back. If you keep banging on about a matter only you think is urgent, Aries, others are less likely to rise to the occasion. Hoping for something more in relationship? It’s super high on the cosmos’ bucket list. LUCKY NUMBERS 6, 10, 13 Holdin
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A Wary Warning
I don’t know what to do,’ I sighed. At 27, I was at a crossroads in my life. I was doing a postgraduate degree that would allow me to become a lawyer, but I wasn’t sure it was the right path for me. I was also working full-time, teaching yoga and dea
that's life2 min read
VOLUNTEER Of The WEEK
Flicking through the pages of the newspaper, an ad caught my eye. ‘Taronga Zoo is in need of volunteers,’ I said to my husband, Peter. It was 1975 and, born in Basel, Switzerland, I’d studied languages and worked at the Interpreter School in Zurich,
that's life2 min read
A Tree Left Me In Agony
Okay, let’s go!’ I beamed to my husband, Richard, and son, Tyler, seven. We’d arrived at the mountain bike trail in Smithfield, near our home in Cairns, Qld. Unloading the bikes, we hopped on and cycled to the starting point on a big hill. It was Jun
that's life2 min read
Trouble Next Door
My neighbour Jade has a real temper, and she and I have fallen out about the most ridiculous things in the past. So I was worried when she rang my doorbell. ‘Hi Jade,’ I said, trying not to show how nervous I felt. ‘Are you okay?’ ‘No, I’m not, Kerri

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