Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i The Australian Women's Weekly

THE UK Fastest hat wins Competitors line up for the best hat race at the Cold Water Swimming Championships in south-west London. The event features almost 100 races in water that’s 5.5 degrees celcius, including breaststroke in your favourite chapeau. KENYA Bending over backwards Two giraffes play and groom each other at Nairobi National Park in Kenya. Giraffe populations have been declining in recent years, with giraffes in Kenya struggling amid the severe drought in the Horn of Africa. Kenya Wildlife Service has been working hard to protect the majestic creatures. India Tigerland India’s efforts to protect big cats from poachers has paid off, with the number of tigers in India doubling from an estimated 1706 in 2010, to 3682 in 2022. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s tigers live…

“I’m in my chapter three.” “That is probably the only way I would be prepared to take it [politics] on, I think. I am really excited about it.” “Very happy to be missing some of the British winter.” “I want to say goodbye big.” Baby NEWS Tapsell takes two “Who doesn’t love a sequel?” Miranda Tapsell and her husband, James Colley, asked as they announced they are expecting a second baby in August. Miranda graced our cover in 2021 while pregnant with their first daughter, Grace. Cat SHOW Crackerjack claims top prize Farfalla Crackerjack, a tabby and white exotic shorthair cat, has been awarded the title of overall Best in Show at this year’s Shropshire Champion Cat Show in the UK. ALAMY. DAVID HOOLEY. EDOARDO MAPELLI MOZZI/BUCKINGHAM PALACE VIA…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 I first met Naomi Watts in Sydney in 2001 during a cover story interview for Harper’s BAZAAR Australia. Naomi was promoting her star-making role in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (and I was nervous because she was my first celebrity interview). Well, turns out she was lovely. We ate roast chicken. Cut to January 2025. We are sitting together at Barbuto, a restaurant in New York’s West Village, eating roast chicken. Twenty five years into her international acting career, Naomi is carving out new terrain. When she was 36 years old – after being told by a doctor that she was close to menopause – she entered a harrowing time of fear and professional vulnerability coupled with a lack of knowledge about menopause, then…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 Sunlight streams through wide picture windows that look out across lavender hedges and lawns to a flowering cherry tree planted by Diana, Princess of Wales, and on to a rambling native garden that was begun by John Gorton’s wife, Bettina, back in 1968. Ghosts are everywhere here at The Lodge, the official Canberra residence of Prime Ministers since 1927. Except perhaps in this sunny dining room, where Jodie Haydon, the Prime Minister’s fiancée, greets The Weekly team with a warmth that sends apparitions scattering. The PM bounds down the stairs in a navy polo, chinos and a smart pair of trainers, which are the very same shoes he wore to our interview three years ago. “Anthony isn’t a big fan of unnecessary shopping,”…

When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018, the spotlight swung to one of the guests. She wore an emerald-green Dolce & Gabbana dress, hand-painted with orange flowers. A matching green fascinator was pinned to her blonde hair. A slip of netting covered her eyes. The world’s press was captivated by the serenely beautiful Kitty Spencer, and her resemblance to her late aunt, Princess Diana. Lady Kitty would later comment that the rapid jump in the number of people following her on Instagram was alarming. “I thought I was on someone else’s account,” she said. “I hung up my phone – it was a bit overpowering, I felt like someone was watching me!” She does not court the media. Nor, for the most part, do her siblings. Lady Kitty, her…

It’s a hot day in Sydney’s Centennial Park and Julie Bishop is pulling on a sea-foam trench before stepping into long, dry grass. One of The Weekly crew members thumps the earth with a large stick, as nervous laughter follows jokes about snakes. Julie gamely forges into the scrub but something else is lurking in the undergrowth: A paparazzo. Julie shrugs it off. During 20 years in federal parliament, she grew accustomed to her quotes becoming the page one splash the following day. Now, six years after leaving politics, she remains a subject of fascination for the media. In her third act, the lawyerturned-parliamentarian performs a range of roles that includes serving as the Chair of the King’s Trust in Australia, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar and a…

The morning my homeschooled daughter, Bethesda, was accepted for an integrated science degree at Oxford University, I screamed for maybe a minute straight. Tumultuous doesn’t begin to cover it. I was flooded with shock, joy, pride and incredulity. The sense of relief was overwhelming. My only child’s future was, after 10 long years of chaos, assured. Ranked as the world’s best university for the ninth year in a row, Oxford – as a place of education alone – is dazzling. The university even has its own Space Innovation Lab, which has just launched human tissue samples to the International Space Station. On first seeing Bethesda’s campus digs, I gasped. Her warm, gracious room overlooks lavish architecture and a lush, manicured green. On campus, even the students have cleaners. The college…

1. Embrace prints in autumnal tones. Forever New dress, $189.99. Seed bag, $189.95. Clarks wedges, $199.95. 2. Invest in a classic blazer for cooler days. Forever New blazer, $119.99. Uniqlo vest, $119.90. Bohemian Traders pants, $230. Seed flats, $159.95. 3. Classy casual in a go-anywhere jumpsuit. R.M. Williams boilersuit, $299. Sussan sunglasses, $34.95. Adidas sneakers, $199.99, available at Hype DC. 4. Cosy up with knits and textures in earthy tones. OnceWas top, $249.96. Specsavers sunglasses, from $249. Uniqlo skirt, $79.90. Seed boots, $79.95. 5. Opt for on-trend, highwaisted, straight-leg jeans. David Lawrence shirt, $159. Zara jeans, $79.95. Witchery earrings, $39. Review heels, $159.95. 6. Pair understated neutrals with a pop of colour. Marcs knit, $139.95. Review skirt, $179.95. Witchery bag, $99. COS loafers, $225. ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.…

In 1999, Cara Boatswain was trying to do it all. She juggled a long commute to her nine-to-five, part-time study, and a weekend radio job, all while maintaining a vibrant social life. After visiting her doctor with troubling gut symptoms, she was put on a stock standard high-fibre, low-sugar diet. “It’s a healthy way of eating,” Cara says, “but for someone later diagnosed with IBS [irritable bowel syndrome], it only worsened my symptoms.” Five years on, her gut health further declined. “I started limiting where I ate, only choosing places near shopping centres with many bathrooms. I’d regularly need to rush to the toilet, and I was always self-conscious about how long I could stay in there,” she recalls. In 2013, Cara finally consulted another doctor, where, after a process…

Plums 101 Ripening plums Store plums at room temperature to ripen, check frequently because they are extremely perishable. A ripe fruit will yield when pressed gently. To speed up the ripening process, place plums in a paper bag and store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Storing ripe plums in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer will prolong their eating life – they should keep for 3 to 5 days. If you like to cook with plums, make the most of them while they’re in season or freeze as they’re better to cook with than the canned variety. To freeze, cut in half, remove seed and snap-freeze on a tray. Once frozen, place in a resealable plastic bag, removing as much air as possible, and seal. They’ll keep…

One-pan burrito bake SERVES 6 PREP TIME 15 MINUTES It’s a fuss-free Mexican twist on lasagne! Say goodbye to multiple pots and pans – for this tasty crowd-pleaser all you’ll need is a shallow 30cm cast iron casserole pan, plus a packet of mince, a can of beans and some fridge and pantry staples. Scan the QR code below for the full recipe and an instructional video. 6 secrets from the Test Kitchen Wash well As you use the whole bunch of coriander, it’s important to wash the roots and stems thoroughly to remove any dirt or grit. Get the most from your limes To get maximum juice, pop the lime in the microwave on high for 20 seconds or until warm. As the microwave heats the fruit from the…

Berries & rosemary Arrange 250g blueberries, 250g sliced strawberries and 125g raspberries over prepared galette base spread with frangipane. Using a zesting tool, remove the rind from 1 lemon over galette, or finely grate. Scatter with 8-10 small rosemary sprigs. Continue as directed in the galette recipe (previous page). Stonefruit & vanilla Cut 1 medium (160g) plum, 1 medium (170g) nectarine and 1 large (220g) peach into wedges. Place fruit in a bowl with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste; toss to coat. Arrange fruit over prepared galette base spread with frangipane; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar. Continue as directed in the galette recipe (previous page). Pear & honey Halve 4 Beurre Bosc pears (180g each); remove cores. Place halves cut-side down; cut into 3mm…

Heartwarming JOURNEY One Hundred Years of Betty by Debra Oswald, Allen & Unwin A lot can happen in 100 years. Elizabeth “Betty” Rankin’s life is proof of that. Born in 1928 on the kitchen table of her family’s south London home, Betty lost her mother to a post-partum infection at age seven, three siblings to an air raid bombing at 12, her home to a creepy uncle who couldn’t keep his hands to himself at 15, and her firstborn baby to an unofficial adoption at 17. And that’s just the beginning. Betty’s story takes us on a journey across seas, boarding the SS Asturias to Australia for a fresh start. Even on the other side of the world, loss follows, cushioned by friendships, moments of joy and deep belly laughs.…

2025 special HOT NEW DESTINATION Cruising’s on a roll with a widening fan base, especially in Australia. “The number of people taking holidays at sea is at record levels,” says Cruise Lines International Association’s Managing Director in Australasia, Joel Katz. “Australians are particularly passionate cruisers and the number of choices available to them has never been greater. New ships, new cruise lines and new on-board experiences mean there’s a style of cruise to suit virtually any taste. If you’re looking for family fun and value, the options are fantastic. If you want a boutique experience, or ultra-luxury, or a culinary focus, you can find that too. “The increasing choice means a wider cross-section of people are taking cruises, especially younger people. The average age of an Australian cruise passenger has…

While a summery beach outfit may have graced the cover, 11 pages in it were a far less seasonal affair with skirt suits in heavy woollens and fur trims from European and American designers lovingly recreated by fashion illustrator Rene. In Hollywood, meanwhile, correspondent Lee Carroll reported that Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were readying to appear together on the stage. “Bogart was listed in Washington as the highest-paid actor of the year,” wrote Lee of the move, “but says he can’t figure out where all the money went.” On page 24 London reporter Mary St. Claire gave an update on glamorous Australian expats the Maguire family. The five beautiful daughters had captivated British society and one had just landed an Earl as a husband. They “might be called the…

Letter of the month I was the proprietor of a milk bar in Geelong from 1984 until 1986, and what a wonderful experience it was. My stock included the usual treats listed in The shop around the corner (AWW, February), however the best part was the friendships made. I came to know my customers by name, heard their stories, and to this day I am still in touch with many of them. If only there could be a resurgence of the local milk bar! Port Douglas, Qld. Cuddle carer It was a delight flipping through the February issue and seeing volunteer Jenny Summerson (“I’m a professional baby cuddler!”, AWW). I work closely with Jenny; she’s as genuine in person as she is on paper. Her dedication brings an immense sense…

“Women don’t just stop having sex when they get older.” As I’m waiting for Rachel Griffiths to arrive at The Weekly’s office, the publicist for the show she’s here to promote – Nine’s new series Madam – promises the veteran star is “really down-to-earth”. And that’s proven the moment Rachel’s car pulls up; she waves off her driver from opening her door, doing it herself. Then she goes in for a hug instead of the traditional handshake. It feels like we’ve been friends for years rather than strangers meeting for the first time. Aside from her friendly demeanour, another thing about Rachel is clear: She’s very proud of Madam and is keen to know what audiences think. As soon as we’ve taken her beyond the lobby and exchanged a few…

In MEMORIAM A life lived out loud She was spotted by The Rolling Stones’ manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, at a party in 1964 and soon became a star in her own right. Marianne Faithfull had hits including As Tears Go By, and reportedly inspired Mick Jagger to write You Can’t Always Get What You Want. Battles with drugs and addiction marred her life. But she remained a prolific artist, producing over 20 solo albums. Golden GUITAR Urban honoured Kasey Chambers inducted Keith Urban into the “Roll of Renown” at the Tamworth Golden Guitar Awards with an original song that brought the auditorium to tears. Haute Couture Fashion Week – Designer Lena Erziak turned heads with a sculptural showing at Hôtel Le Marois in Paris. The show was opened by Heidi…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 Pearl George is on the run, chasing bubbles through the long grass and around the low-hanging branches of mighty Moreton Bay fig trees. Her sturdy little two-year-old legs clamber over tree roots. And when a bubble stays for a second on her chubby, outstretched palm, Pearl’s smile lights up the day. Her mum – Australian Opals basketballer and captain of the Sydney Flames, Cayla George – has a contagious smile too. Especially when her “Pearl girl” is around. The two of them are a little bit like peas in a pod. “My mum says she has my smile,” Cayla says. “And she definitely has my energy.” Which is fuel for the nurture over nature argument, because Cayla and Pearl are genetically unrelated –…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 The year was 1973. A young, idealistic Elizabeth Reid marched up the gravel drive to The Lodge, propelled by bravado and terror. She wore her best Laura Ashley frock and underneath, for courage, her favourite feminist undies. They were purple and green, and emblazoned with the women’s symbol. Within the hour, Elizabeth would be offered the position of adviser to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on matters relating to women (the first such position in any government in the world). In a little over two years, her work would change the lives of Australian women forever. Initiatives on which she worked included the introduction of the Family Court and no-fault divorce, the single parent’s benefit, paid maternity leave, extending the minimum wage to women,…

It was Monday February 3, 2020, around 10pm. The phone rang and rang and Toby, my partner of 30 years, only just caught the call before it rang out. He’d been struggling through heart failure for a decade and had been added to the transplant list a week earlier. The doctors had said not to get his hopes up – it could take years to find a heart that matched. But here it was. He had two hours to report to hospital. Driving across town that night smoke from the black summer bushfires still hung in the air but the news on the radio was that a deadly Chinese virus had crossed our border. On the day of Toby’s transplant there were four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia. When…

It was the year 2000. Jonty Bush was 21 and sharing a Maroochydore flat with her younger sister Jacinta, and Jacinta’s new boyfriend, Kris Slade, had just moved in. “It was this overwhelming gut instinct that there was something wrong with him, that there was a rage,” the Queensland MP says as she describes what it was like to witness coercive control up-close. “You’re trying to link things, minor things … trying desperately to find something that you can link to backup this gut instinct that you’re feeling that you have to flee,” Jonty recalls. Jacinta was becoming more withdrawn. At the same time, Kris was buying her flowers and taking her out. He’d look after Jacinta’s daughter. “So, you’re constantly quietening that internal voice that says he is dangerous,”…

I never gave a hoot about ageing until a flawlessly, dewy-skinned 20-something suggested I was ageing gracefully. “Who me? Why thank you!” I think. The next morning – barefaced and pre-caffeinated – that brain worm broke through the mental fog as I caught my reflection: Sunken purplish hollows beneath my eyes. Broken capillaries criss-crossing my cheeks. Droopy folds of skin slipping over my once-visible eyelids. All developments previously noted individually with a shrug but, taken in collectively that morning, they sparked a sense of inner turmoil that could have ignited into a mild sense of panic if my eyesight were sharper. “Most days that I see patients I’ll probably hear a phrase like, ‘I’ve aged 10 years overnight and there is something really wrong’,” says dermatologist Dr Katherine Armour. “Well,…

We all know the usual suspects when it comes to premature ageing – drinking too much alcohol, not getting enough sleep, smoking and vaping, and a diet heavy in junk food. But there are plenty of everyday habits and hidden culprits that can impact your appearance, mobility, health and energy levels without you even realising. Today, the average Australian life expectancy is 83.2 years, but this figure only considers your lifespan or chronological age, which marks the total number of years you’re alive. According to Lee-Fay Low, Professor in Ageing and Health at The University of Sydney, it’s our health span or biological age – which represents the number of years without major disease or illness – that we should focus on. “We accept our chronological age. We know that…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 Potato & silverbeet al forno SERVES 6–8 In the depths of winter, there is nothing more comforting than a dish of bubbling baked potatoes brought to the table. Creamy, rich and an absolute go-to, my version adds some cooked silverbeet to the base of the dish. I like to add in some greens as they not only provide another opportunity to use the silverbeet I grow, but I also like the contrast in textures they bring to the dish. I use quite a large dish for this recipe, but it works equally well in a slightly smaller one, which will give you more layers. unsalted butter, for greasing 1 bunch of silverbeet, ribs removed and reserved for another use…

Eighteen years ago, Jacque Yates and her extended family bought a run-down beachfront house on the Central Coast of NSW. For over a decade it sat untouched. Then, a few years ago, they decided it was time to update the weatherboard property so that not only they, but others, could enjoy holidays in it throughout the year. While new builds popping up along the shore of Forresters Beach are mostly modern and stark using concrete rendering and blinding whites, Jacque did her best to retain the authentic feeling of the house that made her family fall in love with it in the first place. As an acclaimed interior designer with her own company, Three Little Pigs Colour & Design (3littlepigs.com.au), Jacque knew the key lay in installing easy-to-clean surfaces with…

Conversation STARTER So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne, Hachette The phrase “laugh out loud” is used far too liberally these days, but it is apt for this darkly funny novel. I started reading this book in bed one night and chuckled so hard I woke my sleeping fiancé. “What’s so funny?” he asked. “She’s angry because her husband spent 30 minutes in the bathroom when he was meant to be looking after the baby, and he said ‘What do you want me to do, Lauren? Crap my pants in the name of equality?’” I explained. My fiancé didn’t laugh. He didn’t get it. And that’s the point – this is a book for women. On the surface, it’s about four lifelong friends and a disastrous baby shower. But it’s…

A royal LIFE Milestone birthday Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has entered her sixties with strength and confidence, as seen here in this new portrait to celebrate her birthday. As patron of over 70 charities and organisations, she champions gender equality and supports people with disabilities. Her interest in women’s rights has recently focused on the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, and the positive role women play in building peace. Women we love Record breaker “Strength doesn’t depend on gender,” said Xie Ting, 22, from China, after she broke the world record for most pull-ups in a minute by a female, doing 44 pull-ups. Roan’s rise US singer Chappell Roan has won Triple J’s Hottest 100. Her hit Good Luck, Babe! received the highest number of votes in…

Royal REPORT Golden moments Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, have introduced their new daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose (left), to the world. William, Prince of Wales, had a water fight after extracting water from a local pond to see what was living in it (top left). King Charles, Denmark’s King Frederik X and Queen Mary (right) joined world leaders at the Auschwitz-Birkenau German concentration camp to mark 80 years since the liberation of the notorious death camp near Brzezinka, Poland. Untold STORY Joan Collins to portray last days of Wallis  Joan Collins, 91, will play Wallis Simpson in a new biopic. “I am thrilled about the challenge of playing this iconic woman,” she said.…

I’ve been undertaking a massive declutter of my place. And the place we lived in before this one. And the one before that. In fact, it feels this clean-out has been happening since Marie Kondo was a child ... and I’m still not done. As the Italians say, “la speranza e l’ultima a morire” – or “hope is the last thing to die”, so I can only joyfully anticipate the time I go to find a pair of scissors and they are exactly where I thought they would be. It has yet to happen but holy smokes ... when it does? Nirvana! I’ve opened every cupboard and drawer. I have held household items and asked if they spark joy. On one occasion a set of ancient Christmas lights sparked a…

Fifty years after its release, Peter Weir’s 1975 film of Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel, Picnic at Hanging Rock, continues to tantalise us with the riddle that opens this most iconic of Australian mysteries: “On Saturday 14th February 1900, a party of schoolgirls from Appleyard College picnicked at Hanging Rock near Mt Macedon in the state of Victoria. During the afternoon several members of the party disappeared without a trace … ” “I may have made Picnic 50 years ago but the experience remains timeless,” the award-winning director tells The Weekly in an exclusive interview. It’s eerily similar for audiences who, for five decades, have watched this unfathomable and unforgettable film and been left intrigued, disturbed and beguiled. What happened that hazy summer day at Hanging Rock all those years ago?…

Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 When Gisèle Pelicot said “shame must change sides”, she struck on something that has occupied my thoughts day in, day out for most of my adult life. It is this: Crimes involving violence against women, and particularly those involving sexual violence, do something more than violate a woman’s safety and dignity. They inject her with a burning shame that does not belong to her. As someone who has lived with this feeling my whole life, let me tell you, carrying shame that is not yours to carry is International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 incredibly confusing. It is harmful. It is heavy. It weighs us down and it keeps us silent and small and scared. Yet Gisèle – a 72-year-old woman from regional France –…

In the spring of 1931, as the rainy season drenched the country, Frida Kahlo returned to Mexico ahead of her husband, the renowned artist Diego Rivera. The pair had been travelling through the US for his exhibition. And while their time there was proving to be successful professionally, their marriage was far more tumultuous; not helped by Diego’s numerous indiscretions and Frida’s ongoing health problems – including the first of three miscarriages. Also in Mexico was Hungarian-born colour photography pioneer Nickolas Muray. Nickolas had struck up a friendship with caricaturist and painter Miguel Covarrubias and his wife, Rosa, when they visited his New York salon. It was here that he photographed movie stars and creatives from Clara Bow to Greta Garbo before innovating commercial photography with his use of colour.…

Aussie HOSPITALITY Welcome to Old Mates, NYC We may have flown to wintery New York, but as soon as we stepped into this pub in Manhattan, we were transported back home to the Aussie sunshine. Nostalgic Ken Done artworks hang beside contemporary Indigenous art in the Main Bar, and music memorabilia from rock legends Jimmy Barnes and Midnight Oil star in the Sticky Lounge. With classic counter meals of schnittys, burgers with the lot and sausage rolls, Old Mates felt exactly like the heritage regional pubs we all know and love. Comedian Andy Lee and his pals, hospitality gurus Eddy Buckingham and Nick Stone, are the leaders of this venture. They’ve enlisted artisans from Australia as well as an all-Aussie management team to bring their vision to life. Along with…

Sherry-braised chicken with white bean puree Women we love International WOMEN’S DAY 2025 The Maggie Beer Foundation highlights that the joy you take in eating delicious, well-prepared food can be just as important as the nutritional benefits. -maggie Sherry-braised chicken with white bean puree SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR 16 (100g) Australian dried apricots 75ml hot water ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 4 medium (600g) red onions, peeled, sliced thickly 2 tablespoons fresh lemon thyme, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped 2 cinnamon sticks 3 strips of lemon rind 1/3 cup (80ml) sherry vinegar 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons honey 8 free-range chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) flat leaf parsley leaves to garnish WHITE BEAN PUREE…

from the Test Kitchen Rough puff pastry is a shaggy looking pastry with visible pieces of coarse butter distributed throughout the dough. Baking transforms it into a light-textured flaky pastry that’s less of a palaver to make than traditional puffpastry. Pastry and frangipane can be made a day ahead; keep refrigerated. Pastry can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge for a day before using. Sweet galette SERVES 12 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME) fruit galette topping of choice (see overleaf) 1 egg, beaten lightly ROUGH PUFF PASTRY 1⅔ cups (250g) plain flour ½ teaspoon fine salt 250g cold butter, chopped FRANGIPANE 1 cup (160g) natural almonds, toasted ½ cup (110g) caster sugar ¼ cup (35g) plain flour 80g unsalted…

Seven hours after Sunday, 7 January, 1979 Naomi was on her knees in the bathroom, scrubbing the yellow and white chequered tiles. In his rush to wash, Richard had been careless, dumping his clothes on the floor, leaving a dirty great blotch. From there, the odd smear and spatter spread across the floor, up the wall, against the tub, the lip of the shower. Naomi slapped the cloth into the sink, rinsed it, wrung it out. The sink was a mess too. And the grouting – would it stain? She shook some more Ajax from the tin. Naomi’s mother liked to say that a woman must play the hand she is dealt. She wasn’t like other mums with their pot roasts, and trips to the beach, and docking pocket money…

Pisces Feb 20 -Mar 20 With the celestial trifecta of Sun, Saturn and Neptune in Pisces for most of March, you are this month’s undisputed star. Venus and Mercury in slow-mo in your money zone extend a valuable opportunity to address and reset financial affairs, during which it’s advisable to have your discernment filters on their strongest settings. The full moon on March 14 illuminating your partner sector offers a marvellous start to your new solar cycle with an invitation to let go of people-pleasing patterns and step into your own unique style of leadership. Aries Mar 21 -Apr 21 Venus retrograde in your sign asks whether you know how lovable you are, because the “galactic glamazon” wants to make sure you do. As Mercury reversing in Aries and this…