that's life

Emelia’s first catch! Her dad Jared was jealous and helped her bring it in. Sue Young, Gold Coast, Qld My cat Smocks loves to sleep on my bed, especially with the heated blanket on. Lauryn Hardes, Bolwarra Heights, NSW Boris is an expert at growin

Sitting down with my brother David, then six, I watched him colour in a picture with his hands, while I used my feet. ‘Why was I born without arms?’ I asked my mum. ‘When God takes something, he gives you something in return,’ she told me. I was seve

With the sun sparkling off the water, three teenagers walked along the beach, chatting as they followed directions on their smartphones. The friends were using an app called Randonautica, a random number generator which had selected a set of coordina

Driving my quad bike through the sugar cane fields on my family’s 6.5 hectare farm, I headed towards my favourite fishing spot – a creek on the edge of our neighbour’s property. It was September 2022, and my mum, Ros, 45, and brother Jackson, 10, wer

Think of the smallest thing and then make it smaller! Tracy and her daughter Stephanie began creating miniature scenes several years ago, and continued their quirky hobby as a distraction during Covid. Now they have over 18,000 subscribers on YouTube

Trying on my first bra aged 11, I was so embarrassed. I’d gone from being flat-chested to having 14D boobs in just a month due to puberty. I’d always been big, and my ankles were so chubby that whenever I wore my netball socks, it felt like my blood

Recently single, I’d moved into a share house with a woman named Karla. She’d broken up with her boyfriend of four years after she found out he was cheating. ‘Don’t ask me anything,’ she said, pulling a face. ‘I don’t even want to utter the frog’s na

Invite your mum out for a coffee and have a candid (but polite) conversation about how you feel unwelcome in her home due to her partner. You’ll be in neutral territory without him there to talk over either of you. Samantha Cooper Say something when

To keep fishing hooks from rusting, spray them with a little oil and wrap them in foil. Gary Black, Fremantle, WA For those who love watching TV while cooking, wrap your remote control in cling wrap to protect it from foodod and liquids. H Leslie,

I love the TV program Antiques Roadshow. I enjoy hearing stories of people who grew up looking at a vase on their grandparents’ shelf, or a painting on their wall, only to find out years later it’s worth a fortune. Sometimes sentimental value is wort

Alli Parker, 35, Bayswater North, Vic I coulddo a better job of writing than this, I thought, slamming the book closed. The story was about the life of Cherry Parker – the first Japanese war bride in Australia. I was only 11, but it was a story clos

Sonny Adorjan, 49, Melbourne, Vic Walkin ghand-inhand through the streets of London, my wife, Charlotte, then 39, son Woody, three, and I were enjoying the summer sun. ‘I love you for all the minutes,’ Woody said. Amused by his funny turn of phrase,

Nose picking may be gross, but did you know it can also raise your chances of getting sick? Scientists at Amsterdam University’s medical centre found healthcare workers who picked their noses had a higher chance of catching Covid compared to those wh

With Dr Dawn Harper A What you’re describing is ‘tricycling’, which is common practice with the combined contraceptive pill to reduce the number of periods per year. We don’t do this with HRT, but there are ‘no bleed’ preparations of HRT suitable for

A This sounds like you may have an infection in the tonsillar bed, which can happen after tonsillectomy. Make an appointment to see your doctor, who will probably prescribe some antibiotics for you, and your pharmacist can advise on an antiseptic mou

A Any new lump in a testicle should definitely be checked out by a doctor. It is most likely to be a benign problem, such as a cyst or a swollen vein, but unlike most cancers, testicular cancer tends to affect men aged between 15 and 49. Like all can

Pushing his little sister Grace, then five, on her bike, our son Levi, 10, ran beside her. ‘I’ll catch you if you fall, Gracie,’ Levi said, as he taught her how to ride. It was October 2020, and my husband Troy, 40, and I spent our weekends camping o

Bright and fun, add lilac accessories to your favourite purple pieces to wear on the weekend. If you’re heading into the office, play around with different tones and shades of blue to give your outfit a smart, fresh feel. For a relaxed look, curate y

Lisa,you’re not going fishing on your own? It’s dangerous and I worry. What if the weather turns rough?’ ‘Mum, I have all the safety gear and if you worry so much, how about you join me?’ I replied. That always finished the conversation with my lovel

Walking through the cemetery, I paused at an ancient headstone. Annie Ross, died 1892, it read. ‘Hi Annie, how are you?’ I asked. ‘Good,’ came the reply. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘I’m here to talk to you,’ I said. ‘You’ve been dead for a long time.’ ‘Mo