Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i The Australian Women's Weekly

Ash Barty says it was a night “I will never forget”. Not only had the world No. 1 claimed victory on her home soil grand slam, the Australian Open, but she had done it in the presence of two national heroes, and personal idols. Meanwhile, Winter Olympian Jakara Anthony skied to glory, becoming Australia’s sixth ever gold medallist after a near-perfect run.…

It was lunchtime on her first day at a new school and 10-year-old Rebecca Thompson was cowering under a table. She’d just started fifth grade, and to her horror realised the bully from her previous school was also there, ready to repeat the cycle. Alone and frightened, she was unsure of what to do next. And that’s when a hand reached out, drawing her up and offering a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry about her,” said the smiling classmate who had stepped in for the new girl in distress. “Come and play with us.” “It was beautiful and that was it,” Rebecca says today of meeting her best friend close to 40 years ago – a woman she says is the kindest and smartest human she knows. “That was the beginning…

A beguiling, blonde 31-year-old entrepreneur sat onstage with former US President Bill Clinton and laid out her ambition for a future where diseases could be detected before they took hold. With her long hair, black turtleneck and slim-leg pants, Elizabeth Holmes was a refreshing anomaly on a panel of men in grey suits. Her large blue eyes remained unblinking as she sold a vision that was full of promise. “To me, nothing matters more than the reality in our healthcare system today, which is, when someone you care about gets really sick, by the time we find out about it, it’s often too late to do anything,” she explained in her deep, sonorous voice. The audience burst into applause. What Elizabeth was promising at that conference in January 2015 was…

In an astonishing admission, the Pentagon has finally conceded that UFOs exist. They may or may not be emissaries from outer space, but of 144 cases they have investigated since 2004, 143 remain unexplained phenomena. In June last year, a nine-page document was presented to Congress. In it, America’s Department of Defence formally admits UFOs are invading airspace, buzzing fighter jets and hovering over top-secret nuclear defence installations. As a matter of national security, key government officials warn, it is time to seriously investigate UFOs. Multi-award-winning journalist Ross Coulthart agrees. In his groundbreaking book, In Plain Sight, he takes an in-depth dive into UFOs, government denial and the possible intent of ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’, now more commonly known as ‘UAP’. “When I started researching this book, I was struck by…

“It wasn’t until I was 15, when I first heard Elvis, that the desirereally overtook me.” When he was 12 years old, Sir Cliff Richard – then known as Harry Webb – sent a letter to a pen-pal he’d made in Australia. “My ambition is to be a famous singer,” he wrote. Decades later that same pen-pal gave him a copy during his first tour of Australia. “I don’t remember at that early age wanting to sing,” he tells The Weekly, “but there it was in black and white. So perhaps I did have that feeling! It wasn’t until I was about 15, I think, when I first heard Elvis that the desire grew into something that really overtook me. And I’m very happy that it did!” As he releases…

When I was asked to write a piece about the legendary French actress and beauty, Catherine Deneuve, my immediate response was: mais oui! But then I hesitated. I wasn’t sure if I was really qualified to do it because I haven’t seen many of her films. In fact, I’ve only seen one – the amazing Indochine, which came out 30 years ago, so not exactly a hot patoota. After a feverish half hour scrolling her filmography – she made five films in 2017 alone – I contemplated holding a French film festival in the comfort of my own bed, cramming her classics in a couple of days, but then I thought again. I might not have seen Ms Deneuve’s films, but I still have an intensely vivid impression of her,…

Part of the joy of grandparenting is being able to spoil your grandkids with the things you weren’t necessarily able to provide for your own offspring. But this is one of the leading causes of arguments between parents and grandparents, and one that can be easily avoided, says Dr Williams. • Moderate thinking “For a start, grandparents shouldn’t be giving gifts that are bigger and jazzier than the parents,” she warns. “You need to moderate your gift-giving, otherwise children will grow up to expect over-the-top gifts all the time.” • Discuss first, buy later “Having said that, I have three grandchildren and I send one big gift that all can use, like a trampoline. But I speak to my son first and ask him to choose it for me and then I…

Evo The Great Hydrator Moisture Mask, $34, helps smooth colour-damaged hair. Mukti Botanique Conditioner with Cucumber & Desert Lime, $39.95, leaves all hair types soft and manageable. Hask Curl Care Intensive Deep Conditioner, $14.99, helps curls resist humidity with coconut and argan oil. Goldwell Kerasilk Control Intensive Smoothing Mask, $44.95, softens and smooths unruly hair. Christophe Robin Luscious Curl Defining Cream, $47, acts like a leave-in with enough hold to define curls. R+Co Cool Wind PH Perfect Air-Dry Crème, $45, tames frizz without heat-styling. Aveda Pramasana Nourishing Scalp Masque, $62, is formulated to nourish the scalp and hair. Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil, $66, restores the hair’s natural moisture balance and boosts shine.…

Pickled turnips can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months. ‘Samke’ meaning fish, and ‘hurrah’ meaning hot, this method of baking fish in a tahini sauce spiked with coriander, lemon, garlic and chilli creates a tender, flaky, flavourful dish. You can make chermoula up to 3 days ahead. Store in a sterilised jar with a thin layer of olive oil over the surface. To ensure even cooking, make sure lamb is an even thickness. To shape the biscuits, you’ll need a wooden mould, which can be found at Middle Eastern stores or online. If you don’t have a mould, once filling is enclosed with the dough, press and shape into a disc using your hands before transferring to oven trays. Kataifi pastry is a shredded, fillo-style pastry.…

Air-fryer basics The air fryer is renowned for replicating the crisp texture of deep-fried foods using a fraction of the oil. This amped-up benchtop convection oven works by pushing hot air around food; the rapid circulation of air in the confined space helps to make food crisp, just like deep-frying but with much less oil. Small silicone mats are perfect for lining the air fryer base when cooking baked goods, as baking paper can burn and fly upwards. These mats are available from homeware shops and can be cut to fit your appliance. Maple bacon wrapped mini meatloaves SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 30 MINUTES ½ small onion (40g), grated finely ⅓ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ cup (50g) packaged breadcrumbs 1 egg, beaten…

Hot smoked salomn and spiced rice  SERVES 1 PREP AND COOK TIME 10 MINUTES 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons lime juice ½ small red capsicum, cut into thin strips ½ long green chilli, sliced thinly (optional) 125g store bought Indian spiced basmati rice ½ ripe avocado, halved ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves ½ cup coriander leaves 75g hot smoked salmon lime wedge, to serve 1 Combine the olive oil and lime juice into a large bowl. Season generously with sea-salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the capsicum and chilli to the bowl. 2 Heat the rice according to manufacturer’s instructions and add to the capsicum mixture; toss to combine. 3 Arrange rice mixture on a serving plate with the avocado, herbs and salmon. Serve with…

Rise and shine Adding one teaspoon of water per egg when making an omelette will make it lighter and fluffier. Save the milk or cream for scrambled eggs. Get two uses from a roast or barbecued chicken – save the carcass after the meat is eaten and simmer with vegies (or vegie scraps) and herbs to make chicken stock. Snap happy If the photos on your phone or tablet are a disorganised mess, start by downloading a free app that will delete the duplicates – there are several to choose from online. Pasta match When you’re lighting hard-to-reach candles or tea lights without a long match or BBQ lighter, use a piece of uncooked spaghetti as a taper. Buzz off If flies are driving you crazy, sprinkle a few drops…

Hovering by Rhett Davis, Hachette Sixteen years ago artistic Alice Wren left hometown Fraser in a rage, angry at her family and the city – all so backward! She joined an art collective in Berlin, with a utopian aim: to remove individual ego from art. “But it grew too big, [with] tentacles and tumours.” When member Curt texts her to say he has been arrested, she returns to the red brick house where her order-obsessive sister Lydia still lives. This is a story of cities – buildings, cars, pets, trees – shifting and finally imploding. Lydia moves to a silo when her house literally moves. “The city is under no obligation to protect the inhabitants from a shifted domicile,” she is told. Surreal yet, bizarrely, no longer unimaginable. The Gallerist…

At the edge of the car park the path turned from compacted dirt to soft sand, ribbed with tufts of beach grass. Seagulls swooped overhead, wings outstretched, feathered angels. The old lighthouse stood proud further along the coast at Eden Point, a white scar in the granite sky. Alex experienced a curious sensation, as if it was watching her. She looked for her mother to ask if she felt it too, but Denny was already walking towards the dunes. ‘Wait for me,’ Alex called, but her mother just marched away. Swapping her jacket for a hoodie in the back of the car, and then taking off her shoes, Alex Tillerson followed Denny down the hill to the beach, praying that no one would drive 10 kilometres out of Merritt looking…

The Queen’s grandson-in-law Mike Tindall is instilling his love of sport in his kids, having a kick with daughter Mia after a charity match. Tennis champion Serena Williams hinted daughter Olympia loves the game as much as she does, sharing this photo with the caption, “Next?” Cuddly Kate The Duchess of Cambridge was thrilled to meet some tiny community members, but Prince William was a little circumspect, quipping, “Don’t give my wife any more ideas!” Paris Haute Couture Week has inspired us to put away the lockdown activewear. Schiaparelli was joyfully theatrical, while Valentino embraced age and body diversity.…

“She wouldn’t allow me at all to teach maths or do phonics unless I dressed up as her teacher.” Cate Blanchett’s  acting skills came into good use during her daughter’s pandemic homeschooling. “I can’t give you what I have right now and I’m gutted.” Adele  tearfully postponed her concert after COVID wreaked havoc on preparation. The Wiggles’ Anthony Field  has a dig at bandmate Jeff Fatt after they came in at No. 1 on the triple j Hottest 100. “He’s the first guy to win the Top100that is 100.” Jason Donovan  on Neighbours’ uncertain future. “Neighbours changed the Australian television landscape. Hoping that it will find a new home ... and continue to provide opportunity and entertainment.”…

New year. New puppies. Every January, Guide Dogs Australia celebrates the arrival of several litters of tiny Labradors who will one day become a companion to a person in need. But in order for the pups to reach their full paw-tential, they need volunteers who are willing to take care of them while they go through their puppy training. Guide Dogs Australia is looking for “puppy raisers” to prepare their paw-some helpers. The need is particularly great this year as frequent lockdowns have meant Guide Dogs Australia had to stop taking on new volunteers and work only with established puppy raisers. “Now that things are reopening we are able to have puppy classes and work with new volunteers to help with training puppies,” says Guide Dogs NSW Puppy Development Manager…

The day was always going to be epoch-making. The current British royal family dates back to 1066 when William the Conqueror became King, and since then no monarch has marked 70 years on the throne until Queen Elizabeth II did so on February 6. Impressive indeed. Her Majesty’s reign has spanned 15 prime ministers in Australia, 14 in the UK, 16 in New Zealand and more than 170 leaders across the realms. This monarch’s breadth of experience of world events, political upheavals and international movers and shakers is mind-boggling. But as it turned out, Her Majesty ensured the day would have its place in the history books for another reason entirely, putting out a groundbreaking message on the eve of Accession Day – the anniversary of King George VI’s death…

A simple invitation marked the beginning of the end. Cheryl Duffy’s husband seemed strangely reticent when old friends suggested they should all go on holiday together. “I don’t know what I’ll be doing next year,” he told them, abruptly shutting down the dinner party conversation. It seemed odd, yet Cheryl had no idea her marriage was about to implode. “What did you mean,” she asked her husband when they got home that night. His answer was to shatter Cheryl’s life – yet ultimately lead her to a new career helping other people survive the trauma of separation and divorce. “He said when our daughter finished her Year 10 exams, he was leaving,” the 56-year-old bleakly recalls of that moment 14 years ago. “They were due in November, this was June,…

Unjoo Moon Director “I was always drawn to telling stories when I was a child,” says I Am Woman director Unjoo Moon. “I was always the kid at school putting on plays. I was always looking for outlets like that. But the path of becoming a storyteller or a filmmaker was not clear for me, and it wasn’t encouraged either.” Unjoo was born in Korea but grew up in Australia in the ’70s and ’80s. “When you are from a migrant family, your parents really want you to succeed in a way they understand and think is going to give you a comfortable, safe life,” she says. So, Unjoo did what she thought was expected of her and went to law school. But she also studied theatre. “I was down…

Matthew Jones loved nature. “It was in his DNA,” his wife, Nathaly, tells The Weekly. As a kid, he would run down to the bush after school, go camping on weekends, find lizards and snakes and bring them home to show his very patient parents. “He had a connection with nature. He was pretty wild at heart.” Matt grew up to become an ecologist. For 20 years he was a National Parks ranger. He and Nathaly met when they worked together on an environmental management team. “As soon as I heard there was an ecologist on the team I thought, he’s going to be my best friend,” she says with a smile. He became so much more. Matt studied the natural world in all its intricacy and beauty. “I could…

It was one of the nurses who reminded me I should speak to my children. To be fair, I had a bit on my mind – I’d been in hospital for over two months. A streptococcal A infection had led to sepsis and, to survive, my hands and feet had just been amputated. I was bloody lucky – and grateful – to be alive, but I hadn’t expected to become disabled at 39. My husband, Rod, our three girls and I lived in Kilmore, a small town in regional Victoria, where I had a busy life as a stay-at-home mum. I volunteered at the kids’ primary school and kinder, was on the local playground committee and headed the school’s Parents & Friends committee. I did aerobics twice a week and…

Throughout recorded history and likely before that, people have found deep meaning in dreams. In ancient Egypt, dreams were a way for deities to communicate with the dreamer. Native American cultures viewed the dream space as a sacred one, where a person could step outside the bonds of mundane existence and connect with a more universal consciousness. And in Australian Aboriginal mythology, the ancestral spirits dreamed the world, including their own forms, into existence. The Aboriginal name for this period of creation – common across many dialects and languages – loosely translates as Dreamtime, or The Dreaming. Our modern understanding of dreams – and the belief that our unconscious wandering is linked to our waking state and who we are as people – really began in the mid-20th century. Influential…

People generally start a health journey ready and determined. They plan, do the food prep, and are full steam ahead for the first few weeks. Then, for some, motivation starts to wane, and it’s a challenge to stay on track. At this point it helps to remember why you wanted to lose weight, and be realistic about your progress. The reality is that even when you set goals, keep a journal, show yourself kindness and remind yourself how much you’ve achieved … roadblocks crop up. They’re like potholes on your wellness journey. And over the years, while the list is long and varied, there are common hurdles we need to face. Some you can prepare for, like grazing when bored, reaching for food when you’re stressed or getting caught out…

White chocolate, macadamia & blackberry blondie MAKES 12 PIECES PREP AND COOKTIME 1 HOUR (+ COOLING TIME) 185g butter, chopped 360g white chocolate, chopped 1¼ cups (275g) caster sugar 3 eggs, beaten lightly 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1¼ cups (185g) plain flour ¾ cup (105g) self-raising flour 1¼ cups (175g) unsalted macadamias, lightly toasted 150g fresh or frozen blackberries 100g white chocolate, extra, melted, for serving (optional) 1 Combine the butter and half the white chocolate in a large saucepan; stir over very low heat until almost smooth. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced). Grease a 20cm x 30cm slice pan; line base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper 2cm over the long sides. 3 Stir sugar,…

The make-over 1. Colour scheme A simple colour scheme was the first step to refreshing the space. Repainting the timber-lined walls in Dulux Sandy Day (half) sets a calming neutral background and retains the texture of the vertical timbers. Highlighting the trims in Dulux Vivid White captures a modern Hamptons style. 2. Flooring A simple and inexpensive seagrass matting from Floorspace (floorspace.com.au) was chosen to cover the original chipboard flooring. It’s an easy DIY installation and can be replaced in individual panels or in entirety if desired. It feels great underfoot and is easy to lift up for vacuuming if needed. This small space cost less than $200 in flooring, so it’s a great choice if you’re on a budget. 3. Cabinetry Keeping it simple is the best rule of…

Our Happy Days by Julia Holbe, Text “Everything used to be so easy. And we were free – free in a way that perhaps only the young can be. Back then, we thought it would go on forever.” This is how author Julia Holbe opens her heart-pounding, evocative tale of love, friendship and betrayal pivoting around one never-ending summer on the Atlantic coast of France. As the plot tantalises and twists, delicious languor is underpinned with urgent mystery heralding the burning question of what an earth went wrong here. We know that one of our cast of joined-at-the-hip friends is now dead and the others are estranged although they don’t want to be. But unpicking the complex tale is just one of the delights of Julia Holbe’s narrative. Another is…

Something to Hide by Elizabeth George, Hodder & Stoughton The 21st Inspector Lynley novel is a corker. With Havers by his side, our posh ’tec investigates the murder of a Nigerian-born DS. Both/And by Huma Abedin, Simon & Schuster Much has been written of Hillary Clinton’s aide who was married to sexting scandal congressman Anthony Weiner. This is Huma’s truth. Lily Harford’s Last Request by Joanna Buckley, HQ In seaside Qld, Lily is sliding into dementia. She’s had a wonderful life and now wants it to end. But is anyone prepared to help her? How to End A Story by Helen Garner, Text Helen Garner is at the height of her powers in her diaries. This volume reveals the rage of her marriage breakdown, as two people who were once…

I’m late for lunch and a herd of unhurried cows is to blame. A dozen heifers are nose-to-kerb grazing the verge, their hefty hindquarters a random traffic hazard on the road to town. And chooks don’t get off the hook. Feral chickens zig zag all over the lane while, overhead, hundreds of White Terns flit through the branches of Norfolk pines – weighing up where to balance their one precious egg. It’s a bizarre scene. But Norfolk Island is an unreal place. A two-and-a-half-hour flight from Sydney or Brisbane, 1600 kilometres offshore, Norfolk is a small volcanic outcrop in the South Pacific, one of Australia’s seven external territories. It’s an international flight which means going ‘overseas’ without a passport. Coming in to land, I see granite cliffs that plunge to…

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20 A planetary king tide of Jupiter, Neptune, sun and new moon in Pisces on March 3 announces your happy astrological new year. So here’s a 2022 Pisces new moon idea: What if you approached everything you do, from prepping breakfast to composing a post to shopping for basics, as a work of art? Those who’ve tried this love the state of amazing grace it brings to everyday endeavors. Meanwhile, savvy Mercury in Pisces during the last half of March assists with smart strategies for strengthening the healthy boundaries you’re going to need in the upcoming month of the rampaging Ram. Aries Mar 21 - Apr 21 March sees your zodiac zone of closure winding up at least one life cycle in readiness for the…

Jonathan LaPaglia  hosts Australian Survivor, now airing on Ten. Catch up on tenplay.com.au. The toughest situation I’ve found myself in was... trying to convince my wife to only take hand luggage on a trip to Europe. If I was playing Survivor, I would… probably be voted out first. The best way to play when things come up that you don’t agree with is to hold your tongue. And I can have trouble doing that. The one thing I can’t stomach is… the fact that I didn’t buy Amazon stock when it went public. The first person on my speed dial is… my agent. I’m an actor, what can I say? My motto in life is… go big or go home. My first celebrity crush was… Ginger from Gilligan’s Island. The…

Anthony Albanese was just a couple of blocks from home. It was a cool, cloudy January afternoon, the first working week of 2021, and he’d put in a solid day at his electorate office in Sydney’s inner west. Anthony and his humble but hardy Toyota turned west into a Marrickville side street. Neighbours were out walking their dogs, cicadas were buzzing, kids were chatting and laughing as they tumbled off the 423 bus. Then suddenly, everything stopped. Out of nowhere, a 17-year-old driver in a Range Rover veered onto the wrong side of the road and rammed Anthony’s car with force. The leader of the Federal Opposition was trapped in his vehicle, in shock and in pain from external and internal injuries. It was a life-threatening smash. “If this accident…

1. SET UP SUPPORT Ask for help from friends and family, specifically to get you through this difficult time. 2. BE REALISTIC Do what you can do, with what you have, from where you are. Always have a Plan B and cut yourself some slack if you don’t handle things perfectly. 3. GET EXPERT HELP Professional advice not only gives you support, you get all the facts on your rights and a clear picture of your next steps. 4. BEWARE THE EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER This will come even if you want to divorce. This is where support is vital. 5. EMBRACE YOUR NEW LIFE Transitioning to single life can be liberating and terrifying at the same time. Have a vision about who you’d like to be and what you’d like to…

“I was sheltered from the realities of what women in the region face.” – Princess Haya The money at stake is surreal, the testimony reads like a James Bond script, and some of the most powerful people on earth don’t know which side to take. Behind the Gothic facade of London’s High Court, a ferocious divorce battle between fabulously wealthy ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and his glamorous Jordanian wife, Princess Haya, has sent shockwaves through high society, politics, diplomacy and the British royal family – and might not be over yet. In December, after months of hair-raising evidence, 47-year-old Haya was awarded a record-breaking sum of £550 million ($1 billion), with the judge castigating the 72-year-old sheikh as “a clear and ever-present danger” to his wife’s…

The listing in the adult education brochure had me at “deeper level”. It claimed that after I’d paid $51 and sat in a classroom for two and a half hours on a Saturday afternoon, I’d be able to connect with animals via telepathy, ask them questions and find out what they are thinking and feeling. Legit. Dr Dolittle for Dummies I suppose. You couldn’t get me to the enrolment office fast enough. I roped in two girlfriends and my 17-year-old son, Sid, and signed us all up for “Introduction to Animal Communication”. All of us were looking to strengthen relationships with our puppies and were excited by the thought of taking our conversations beyond “sit, stay, roll over” to something more meaty. Finally, a portal into the mind of my…

When Dr Jane Williams was a young mum of two, she had her hands full. In addition to raising her kids she worked as a paediatric nurse, later taking on a role of research and communications manager for GymbaROO, an Australian-born but now worldwide program which helps parents and children master each early stage of development. “We used to get one or two grandparents a week,” she tells The Weekly. “Now we get two or three per class. More and more grandparents are becoming actively involved in their grandchildren’s lives. Childcare is more expensive, mortgages are bigger and so anything that grandparents can do to help is very welcome. Plus, grandparents are a lot fitter and healthier than they were in the old days, and more able to give some…

THE ONE THING EVERYONE NEEDS ... Regardless of your relationship with sunscreen to date, dermatologists stress that it’s never too late to start protecting your skin. “A TGA-approved broad-spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen will prevent some fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and skin cancer,” says Dr Michelle Rodrigues, dermatologist and founder of Chroma Dermatology. “For those with skin of colour, a sunscreen containing iron oxide (or even just a tint) provides essential protection from visible light which can affect pigmentation.” She recommends Solbari Moisturising SPF50 Face Sunscreen, $40. In your 30s With hormonal skin issues in the rear-view mirror for many, this is the decade of clear complexions and easy radiance. The only downside is that careless skincare habits from your 20s may show up. For instance, the impact of environmental…

A: Dreams are a source of inspiration for many. If you want to delve into yours and explore deeper meaning, start keeping a dream journal beside the bed. As you wake with dreams fresh in your mind, write them down. Psychologists who move into dream analysis believe dreams are important, and help us understand ourselves in a deeper, more honest way. Sessions involve interpreting how dream events, like losing someone or flying or seeing certain colours, relate to what’s going on within you. It’s not for everyone, but it’s certainly intriguing.…

Pink pickled turnips MAKES 1 LITRE PREP TIME 15 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME) The addition of beetroot is a Middle Eastern method to naturally colour the turnips a rosy hue. You can eat the beetroot once pickled or remove it, if you prefer. These pickles are an indispensable addition to Middle Eastern, especially Lebanese, banquets. 3 small turnips (450g) 2 baby beetroot (50g) 35g rock salt 1 Trim and peel the turnips and beetroot. Cut the turnips into 1cm thick batons; slice the beetroot. 2 Place turnips in a 1-litre (4-cup) sterilised preserving jar. Place beetroot on top, pressing down gently to fit. Stir 2 cups (500ml) water and salt in a small jug until salt has dissolved. Pour over turnip and beetroot ensuring vegetables are completely submerged. Store in…

Puttanesca tarts SERVES 4 (MAKES 2 TARTS) PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES 2 sheets frozen butter puff pastry 500g cherry truss tomatoes 250g buffalo mozzarella 1 cup (240g) olive tapenade ½ cup (40g) firmly packed fresh basil leaves PANTRY STAPLES 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with baking paper. 2 Cut 1 pastry sheet in half. Cut the second sheet into long strips, 1cm wide. Place pastry halves on oven tray; brush sides lightly with water. Place pastry strips on all sides to create a border, trimming any excess to fit. Prick all over pastry base inside the border with a fork. 3 Bake tart cases on lower shelf for 8 minutes or until…

• Plan for lots of cords and plugs. This floating desk has a hole cut into it with a ‘grommet’ or hole cover (from Officeworks) so cords can run straight down the back of devices and plug into a wall behind the panel. • Add power! You’ll want to charge devices, so engage an electrician to make sure your space works for you. • A comfortable chair at the right height is key when working from home. Your elbows should be level with the keyboard and a back to your chair are the starting points; you should be able to look straight ahead at your screen rather than having to look down. Check out your state or territory’s workplace safety website for a guide to setting up your office space.…

Julia Holbe was born in Frankfurt, Germany, where she now lives, but grew up in Luxembourg. Her father was a local celebrity who worked for the national TV station. After high school Julia returned to Frankfurt to study literature and worked for 20 years as an editor for a fiction publishing house. Our Happy Days is her debut novel and was written in the wake of facing her 50th birthday while she was in Brittany in France, where she spends her summers. “The characters were inspired by best friends. I need my friends like water. They are my life anchor ... I missed my youth and that yearning was the beginning of my writing.”…

Slow Down by Rachel Williams, Magic Cat Books With tranquil illustrations by Freya Hartas, this “nature’s lullaby” calms. “The sun is getting low, and moon is on her way. It’s time to slow things down … and hug this lovely day.” Drover by Neridah McMullin, Walker The true story of legendary outback drover Edna Jessop. She spent as long as six months moving bullocks over thousands of kilometres, camp to camp. Looking After Country With Fire by Victor Steffensen, Hardie Grant “Mother Nature is always talking to us. If we learn to read the signs.” Steffensen is the face of the cultural burning movement. “I figured it meant more sense to focus on the children.” Sister Sandra’s illustrations are awesome.…