Sally and I have been best friends since we were in year one together. We were next to each other in roll call as both of our last names begin with “t”. We shared everything — dolls, sandwiches and secrets, the way little girls do. We told each other everything and promised to be best […]

Question: What’s the best way to clean my pet’s ears? Answer: You can easily clean your pet’s ears by wiping them with cotton wool and peroxide. It cleans away the gunk really easily and the peroxide dries quickly so it doesn’t annoy your pet for too long. Tash

Question: We’ve had our budgie for a few years now and he won’t stop screeching. It’s driving us all mad. We tried putting him into another room but it doesn’t help. What can we do? Eve Burrage, Perth, WA. Answer: You need to try and work out what the trigger for his screeching is. Does […]

Question: It’s fine if you have time to use curling tongs, but what if you don’t? Is there a cream you can put in your hair that will make it curly? There are hair straightening products — are there hair curling products? Stephanie Ross Answer: Yes, there are a number of products you can use […]

Question: I have blue eyes. What colour eyeshadow should I use to bring out my eyes? Thanks. Kelly Sloan Answer: The best colours are warm browns and of course, the new pastel blues that are available. Keep the rest of your make-up simple and wear a lip-gloss instead of lipstick.

As I grew up, there was little stability in my life and I had little confidence in what the future would bring. My father left my mother and me for another woman when I was just two. My poor mother never came to terms with the devastation of losing the family for which she had […]

By Annette Campbell Linda McRae knew she was on the verge of developing Type 2 diabetes and had every intention of not letting it happen. “I’d had a pre-diabetic condition (was glucose intolerant) for a while and had been warned that it could develop into diabetes,” Linda explains. “It did scare me a lot, so […]

Many owners believe that dog training is only for those who wish to compete in obedience trials. This is akin to believing that only children who grow up to be doctors and lawyers should attend primary school! Unlike “training” children, we are unable to sit down and explain to a dog why we wish for […]

Fifteen years ago I married a wonderful man who already had one child. He had lost his wife in an accident a few years earlier. A year after the wedding I gave birth to our son. I don’t know if I was prepared for a ready-made family. Having my own baby made me realise how […]

Question: How do I keep my dog happy while I’m away? Answer: When leaving my dog to go to work, I throw a handful of pellets all around the backyard and also leave a chew for her to find. This keeps her busy for hours trying to find everything and she associates my leaving with […]