Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 20, 2025 i that's life!

John Pendleton, 36 Putting on my hard hat and steel-cap boots, I walked along the terrain of the open rock mines. A mechanic and machinery operator, I was trying to work out what was wrong with a piece of heavy electrical machinery. The size of a small house, it ran off 4160 volts. I’d been in the industry for five years, and my wife, Tiffany, then 29, and I had just bought our first house where we were raising our daughter Khloe, then nine, and son, Korbin, one. I’d left them all sleeping when I’d headed off for this shift which began at 1am. Looking at the broken machine, I got to work. Then everything went black… When I came to, I was in a bed, and a lady I…

Desley O’Grady, 58, Many Peaks, Qld Shaking the real estate agent’s hand, I smiled. ‘We have a deal,’ I said. It was December 2024, and my hubby, Craig, 59, and I had taken the plunge and just bought a pub. The Grand Hotel Many Peaks, located in the township of Many Peaks in the Boyne Valley, Qld, was no ordinary pub. Before it’s sudden closure in February 2020, it was the heart and soul of the tiny community of around 20 people. At 58, becoming a publican was a big change from my previous job as a councillor, and Craig’s work as a boilermaker, but we were up for a challenge. Our daughter, Regan, 34, and son, Joel, 32, were all grown-up and, as semi-retirees, we’d left home five months…

John and Gail were shocked to learn their investment was actually a scam John Young, 71, Geelong, Vic K issing my wife Gail’s cheek as we took in the freshly laid concrete slab, I smiled. ‘Home sweet home,’ I said. ‘It’s going to be wonderful,’ Gail, then 66, replied. It was June 2024, and while the slab didn’t look like much now, it’d one day hold our dream home. We’d been married for 48 years, and the house was my gift to Gail who’d spent her life raising our three sons. Aged 70, after 45 years as a teacher, I was excited to retire that December, when the house we’d saved for years to build was complete. A few months earlier, I’d spotted an advertisement online about a new investment…

Chicken wing HEIST Who doesn’t love a chicken wing? Vera Liddell, the food service director for an Illinois, US, school district, decided to go big when ordering up the tasty morsels. It was the height of the pandemic and the students – who were remote learning, but still able to pick up free lunches from school – deserved a finger-licking tasty treat. So Vera ordered a whopping 11,000 cases of chicken wings worth $2.3 million. But chicken wings were strictly off the menu for school lunches, as they contained potentially dangerous bones. Suspicions were aroused during an audit carried out in January 2022. Shockingly, it was found that the food service department had already blown their annual budget by nearly $475,000. How on earth could that be possible? The only…

Despite understanding the importance of nutrition, the reality is that even adults can be picky eaters. Here are some tips for getting your diet on track. It doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself every now and then, but it’s important to eat well to feel well… START SMALL Overhauling your entire diet all at once is setting yourself up to fail. You’re more likely to succeed if you make small, achievable changes. Try swapping white bread for wholegrain, and drink less soft drink and more water. KEEP IT NATURAL As a rule, try to fill your plate with foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. This means fruit and vegetables, lean proteins like fish and chicken, wholegrains, and healthy fats such as avocado, nuts and olive…

Dear that’s life! Engaged to be married this year, I’ve got cold feet. Everything is pretty much organised – venue, food, flowers, my dress, bridesmaids’ outfits etc. But I’m feeling unsure I’m doing the right thing. What if he’s not ‘the one’? We’ve been living together for a couple of years, and everything is going smoothly, but those feelings of excitement just aren’t there anymore. It would be such a hassle to cancel at this late stage, not to mention embarrassing and upsetting for everyone. How do you know if someone is the right person for you? What do I do? No bed of roses It’s normal to get cold feet and question yourself. Do you love him? Does he love you? That’s the most important thing. Remember life is…

Putting on a T-shirt so random they couldn’t one day, I found possibly be related, but I couldn’t raise Mum took me to the GP to my arms fully get checked out. above my head. I was referred to a How strange, I thought. specialist who ordered a Aged 10, I’d noticed a muscle biopsy on my arm. few other odd things about When the results came my health. in, I was diagnosed with My mum, Debbie, then facioscapulohumeral 34, said she’d also noticed muscular dystrophy that, for the past few (FSHD), a rare months, whenever I degenerative disease coughed, my stomach affecting face, shoulder, muscles poked out on the arm and leg muscles. right side. The doctor said there In addition, I struggled to was no cure, and therapies…

Karen never dreamt she’d find love at a graveyard Karen Tiller, 52, Gawler, SA Let’s check out St John’s Catholic cemetery in Kapunda,’ a friend suggested one day. ‘It’s meant to be haunted.’ ‘Sounds scary,’ I said but, intrigued, I went along. We soon discovered we weren’t alone – there was a group of people hunched over strange devices. We learned they were a paranormal investigation team, Eidolon Paranormal. Fascinated, I got chatting to the charismatic founder, Allen. An avid historian and genealogist, he told me he’d started the group four years earlier in 2007, to scientifically investigate all things paranormal. ‘Talking to the deceased is just like talking to anyone,’ he said. ‘Just ask them a question and see if they reply.’ ‘Yikes,’ I replied, petrified. As a bartender,…

LEGO LEGENDS Who says LEGO bricks are just for the kids? Professional LEGO-builder Andy Hung and floral artist Kirk Cheng have joined forces to create a LEGO botanical garden. The plastic masterpiece, calledWhere Bricks Bloom, is open for visitors going to Garden Court, Hong Kong. From dazzling giant roses to life-sized orchids, and a pavilion complete with flower wall, the exhibit is made completely out of the little coloured bricks. Taking over 840 hours to craft, the five installations, including floral archways and budding petals, stand at nearly four metres tall and are made up of over 120,000 bricks! Meet TUNA With his adorable overbite and wrinkly neck, Tuna the Chiweenie (that’s a Chihuahua–dachshund mix) has become an internet sensation. Rescued at just four months old back in 2010, Tuna…

SEND US YOUR CLEVER IDEAS Cut cardboard kitchen towel rolls in half and use to secure wound-up appliance cords. When I’m cooking rice for a family meal, I always make double so we can have vegie and rice salad for school and work. Rub half a lemon on soap scum and hard water stains in the shower to help remove them. Try a new use for... kitchen sponge ■ Dampen a sponge and use to remove pet hair from upholstered furniture. ■ Kitchen sponges are great for kids’ painting fun. ■ Put one in the fridge to absorb extra humidity. Use eucalyptus oil and a microfibre cloth to wipe dirty marks from outdoor plastic chairs. Splitting bananas from the bunch will slow down the ripening process. When cleaning skirting boards,…

Liver Legends You liver is a multitasking legend. It filters toxins, stores vitamins, breaks down fats, helps with digestion, and even makes proteins needed to clot blood. Active Liver™ by New Nordic contains ingredients traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to support natural liver cleansing and liver health. It promotes healthy liver function and supports digestive system health. RRP from $55.34. Visit newnordic.au to find out more. Always read the label and follow directions for use. Not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. Keep out of reach of children. 3 WAYS TO… avoid caregiver burnout Although rewarding, caregiving can be physically and emotionally exhausting 1 SELF-CARE As a carer you’re used to prioritising someone else’s needs before your own. But to ensure the care you provide is sustainable, schedule daily…

Aries March 21-April 20 Clear your schedule for a mental or physical journey that could instantly boost your morale, clear your head, or give you clues on how to make your life top-shelf. A new relationship or online connection is a perfect fit. LUCKY NUMBERS 11, 13, 21 Taurus April 21-May 21 Lock in Friday for a serious conversation with someone who could enhance your dailies, revive your job-jive or improve your finances. Gratitude required for your partner’s attitude, friend’s behaviour or child’s comments. LUCKY NUMBERS 40, 42, 44 Gemini May 22-June 21 Clearly, you are on the cusp of something huge, Gemini, but avoid road-blocking your progress by giving into those past fears. Why not make a bold move via a home deposit, work opportunity or newbie? LUCKY NUMBERS…