WEEKEND | 25-07-15

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: P E O P L E : E A S Y E A T I N G : B O O K S : D I Y : G A R D E N : T R AV E L : E N T E R T A I N M E N T : F A S H I O N : H O M E

Weekend

WIN:

A WHALE WEEKEND AWAY AT THE GOLD COAST INSIDE.

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BENEATH THE BULL Fi ve - ti m e B a th u r s t c ha m p i o n C ra i g L ow n d e s ta l ks ab o u t th e t w i s ts a n d t u rn s i n h i s d ri ve to th e to p o f Au s t ra l i a n m o to r ra c i n g

+ R E AD //

W h at h ap pe n s in s id e t he e m e rg e n c y d e p ar t m en t?

Do c to r te ll s o f a bu r n s v ic t i m h e w il l n e ver fo r ge t

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+ EA SY E AT I N G // H ow to m a ste r th e g e n tl e ar t o f c o n f i t c o o k in g

+ S CR EEN L IF E //

A c t re s s Re b e c c a F er gu s on t a l k s a b o u t wo r k i n g wi th To m C r u i s e i n t he a c ti o n - p a c ked M i s s i o n : Im p o s s i b l e – Ro gu e N at i on Saturday, July 25, 2015

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we l co m e // i n s i d e to d ay

You’ll have a whale of a time on this trip W E E KEN D E DI TO R K ir i te n Do lle

S

PEAK to anyone who’s ever been whale-watching and they’ll recall their encounter with the ocean’s giants with gusto.

Up until a few weeks ago, I’d only spotted them playfully splashing offshore from a distance – not within an arm’s reach.

But that bucket-list item has since been ticked off – and as one of our hosts said on the recent outing, it’s something that stays with you forever.

To see the majestic acrobats of the water in their natural habitat is truly breathtaking.

When you’re out on the water, life’s stresses dissipate and you become completely enthralled in the experience – even grown men squealed with excitement at our first sighting of a baby calf.

I’ve written about my experience inside, and today we are thrilled to be able to offer you a chance to win one of two weekends away, including a half-day whale-watching tour, thanks to QT Gold Coast and Gold Coast Adventures.

Turn over to our Travel pages to find out how you can win this colossal prize.

EASY EATING

SCREEN LIFE

CLOSET

+ inside today READ // Craig Lowndes talks about the

highs and lows of his 30 years behind the wheel as he gears up for the battle for top spot on the V8 Supercar Championship ladder at Ipswich next weekend.

READ // Have you ever wondered what WIN ONE OF TWO ‘ THERE SHE BLOWS’ HOLIDAY PACKAGES INSIDE

goes on inside emergency departments in hospitals across Australia each day? Turn over to read a compelling insight into the lives of Australian emergency doctors.

TRAVEL // The best way to encounter

How to navigate your Weekend:

: We’ve colour-coded your magazine for easy reference.

Each section listed on the index page is coloured accordingly throughout. If you’d like to skip to Easy Eating, look for a yellow : symbol, or a magenta : symbol to skip to Make.

the ocean’s giants on the Gold Coast, plus discover the oasis of serenity and calm inside bustling Bangkok.

EASY EATING // Learn the culinary skill of confit, plus five delicious courses using rum.

MAKE // How to build a picture frame from scratch.

CLOSET // How to wear martini-leg trousers and rock culottes this season.

STUFF // iPod touch gets an overhaul – find out what’s new under the hood.

SCREEN LIFE // Has Tom Cruise met

his match in Rebecca Ferguson in the new Mission: Impossible instalment?

: ON THE COVER: Craig Lowndes. Photo: Mark Horsburgh/V8 Supercars. : CREATIVE: Jen Gourley and Kiri ten Dolle. : CONTRIBUTORS: Seanna Cronin, Alexia Purcell, David Stuart, Tracey Hordern, Maggie Cooper, Matt Sawtell, Simon Irwin, Angie Thomas, Maree Curran, Peter Chapman, Ann Rickard, Greg Bray, John Grey, Sherele Moody, Roy O’Reilly and Rowena Hardy. : CONTACT US: weekend@apn.com.au : CONTRIBUTE: contributors@apn.com.au : ADVERTISING: Visit apnarm.com.au or contact your local sales consultant.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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tre n d

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I N SIDER

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WHALE ENCOUNTER: This humpback wasn’t shy, giving onlookers a bit of a wave.

w ith Me gan Sh e eh an

P H OTO O F THE WEEK

Go back for reality check

: JODIE Lynch

G

ONE are the days when we had only the traditional media to choose from.

There’s a blog or podcast or zine on just about everything and sometimes it can be all too easy to consume a diet of only content that affirms existing beliefs rather than challenge them.

Go Back To Where You Came From is one program that pushes both the participants and viewers out of their comfort zone.

The ground-breaking multi-award winning documentary series returns to TV next week to provoke national debate about how Australia responds to refugees and asylum seekers.

In it, six Australians with strong views travel to some of the most dangerous places in the world and retrace the steps of those seeking asylum, guided by renowned academic on refugees Dr David Corlett.

Dr Corlett explained that the project was an attempt to engage people in an issue that has saturated the media at times but about which conversation often just ran over the same ground.

“Go Back tries to shift that by taking the issue out of the hands of politicians and spin doctors and putting it in the hands of ordinary Australians... there are a variety of responses and hopefully we capture that and show the real diversity of views,” he told APN. “For me, how people come to their opinions and how people shift and why they shift or don’t shift those opinions when confronted by different realities is, I think, endlessly fascinating.”

He said there were views on the series that people would find very confronting but that would hopefully form part of the debate.

“The premise isn’t that people will change – it’s just to see what will happen. As with previous series some people have changed their perspective and others haven’t, and that’s what happens again this time.

“We’ve had a couple of participants who have had radical shifts in what they believe now compared to what they started at and others whose views have been confirmed and have strengthened their positions.”

And that’s a good point.

The exercise of actually weighing opinions against different information is important in itself whether or not you choose to change your views as a result.

Aside from exploring the specific issue that it seeks to address, this show also provides a good prompt to be generally less closed-minded and more intellectually flexible with long-held beliefs.

Dr Corlett sums it up pretty neatly in saying that ultimately the experience allows people to “reflect upon how their opinions and attitudes stack up against the reality of what it’s like”.

And let’s face it, isn’t a reality check something that all of us could do with from time to time?

Go Back To Where You Came From airs over three nights from Tuesday, July 28 at 8.30pm on SBS.

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A PP OF THE W E E K A NEW kind of Pilates has hit Australia, except it’s for babies. Playlates is a new iPhone app that assists children as they tackle the vast range of developmental milestones in the first year of their life.

It is founded on the practices and principles of Pilates. Using the app, parents can help their baby stretch and co-ordinate their arms and legs, practise rolling over, build strong back and core muscles and eventually develop motor skills for crawling and walking.

Playlates is available from the App Store and is free.

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shared this photo from Hervey Bay: “Celebrating the arrival of these gentle giants.”

To see your photo published here, be sure to like our Facebook page and join in on the conversations.

PHOTO: JODIE LYNCH

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W H Y N OT T RY wi th D av id St u a r t

Karaoke in an unfamiliar place

I

’M NOT shy in front of strangers and I’ve never been able to hold a key when attempting to sing. This is a dangerous mix. It’s dangerous for anybody within earshot of the karaoke bar I decide to assault with my presence.

I’d like to think my desire to entertain corrodes any nasties associated with my tone deafness. In reality though, it probably doesn’t.

The word karaoke, as all you armchair etymologists already know, comes from the Japanese language and translates as “empty orchestra”. It’s the same “kara” (empty) as that in “karate” (empty hands).

With karaoke, you have a few options. You can go to a crowded bar and sing in front of strangers. Or for those desiring a little more privacy, an intimate karaoke booth can be booked. And for real enthusiasts, a domestic karaoke

‘‘

I ’ d l i ke t o t h i n k my d e s i r e t o e n te r t a i n c o r r o d e s a ny n a st i e s a s s o c i ate d w i t h my t o n e deafness. machine can be purchased.

I’m a simple man and I’ll go with the first option. It’s slightly disappointing that I have to wait 20 minutes before I’m able to approach the stage with my chosen tune.

You, my loyal readers, may assume I’m planning to belt out some Bob Dylan or Nickelback but you’d be wrong. No, I’m

: Follow David on Twitter: @bigkamo PHOTO: CARLOS CASTILLA

planning on singing something you’d never expect – Charlene’s 1982 cult classic hit I’ve Never Been to Me. My honey-drenched baritone vocal auditions may not be apparent via the printed word but let me reassure you this number would be far from a walk in the park for somebody as tonally challenged as yours truly.

“Hey lady, you lady,” I begin as the crowd begins to pay attention to the stranger in front of them.

By the time I’ve reached the chorus I realise I’m yet to win them over.

By the time I’ve completed the song it’s clear the applause is encouraging me to leave the stage rather than offer an encore. It’s a very tough gig.

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AT T H E WAT E R C O O L E R Wi th A l ex i a P u rce l l

Shark bites social media AUSTRALIAN surfer Mick Fanning’s close encounter with a shark during a surf comp in waters off South Africa had everyone talking this week. The news hit the top of Facebook and Twitter trending lists.

On Facebook, many expressed relief Fanning came out unscathed. One user wrote: “That’s a might big fin Mick and a might big scare! So glad U and fellow surfers are ok.”

Another said: “Glad you’re all in one piece Mick. Felt for Julian. The poor guy was beside himself with grief recounting the moment he thought you were a goner.”

On Twitter, users were full of praise for #julianwilson, who

: A large shark attacks Mick Fanning.

PHOTO: SCREENGRAB WSL

paddled towards Fanning. One tweeted: “#julianwilson you’re a hero, tried to help Mick by paddling over and trying to save him, you guys are BIG, my respect.”

Wilson is now up for a bravery award. And I say he definitely deserves it. #braveryawardforjulianwilson Saturday, July 25, 2015

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+ Lowndes’ life in the fast lane takes a few twists and turns F r o m g o - k a r t w u n d e r k i n d t o f i ve - t i m e B at hu r st c h a m p i o n , C ra i g L ow n d e s h a s e x p e r i e n c e d t h e h i g h e st o f h i g h s a n d t h e l owe st o f l ow s, S H E R E L E M O O DY r e p o r t s

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URSING a sprained wrist courtesy of a recent bike accident and ruing a bit of bad luck behind the wheel of his Holden on the Townsville street circuit just three days earlier, Craig Lowndes is anything but perturbed as he scrawls his name across a couple of team Red Bull t-shirts.

The Aussie motor racing star should be enjoying a brief respite before he starts preparing for the next round of the V8 Supercar Championship. But when work comes knocking he answers – with the same enthusiasm he gives to hurtling around a race track at 300kmh.

He’s using a rare moment between meetings, phone calls, overseeing car rebuilds and post-race analysis to do one of the unenviable tasks that come with being Australia’s top V8 Supercar driver – creating a little bit of memorabilia for some of the fans who bombard his office each week with autograph requests.

Yet the 41-year-old wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I hope my fans get some enjoyment from it,” he says of having to sign more than 500 autographs a week.

“Fans are the backbone of motor racing; if we don’t have fans, we don’t have motor racing – it’s pretty simple.”

Lowndes is one of this country’s most recognisable faces thanks to a 30-year racing career that includes five Bathurst 1000 victories and three V8 Supercar championships.

There might be close to 400 trophies in his two-storey Red Bull/Triple Eight Race Engineering headquarters at Banyo, but no matter how many pieces of silver he collects, the thought of where he’s from and how he got here keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground.

Raised on a bush block about 40 minutes outside of Melbourne in the 1970s-80s, Lowndes first felt the need for

Saturday, July 25, 2015

At a glance

: GO-KARTS: Go-karts are the first step on the motor racing ladder. The little four-wheeled open-air vehicles can hit 260kmh. : FORMULA FORDS: Formula Fords are low to the ground, very light open-air race cars that can hit the same speeds as a V8 Supercar. The Formula Ford racing category is often used as a stepping stone to the V8 motor racing circuit. : V8 SUPERCARS: The V8 Supercars are based around four-door sedans produced by Ford, Holden, Nissan, Mercedes Benz and Volvo. The cars can hit 300kmh in what is considered Australia’s elite form of motor racing by many fans.

speed when his dad Frank – a respected mechanic who built cars for King of the Mountain Peter Brock – gave him a go-kart. Lowndes was barely 12 years old, but the passion for motor racing was coursing through his veins.

“I really enjoyed it,” he says of getting his first set of wheels and joining his local club – the Eastern Lions at Whittlesea.

“It was a lot of fun hanging out with friends and mates and I was learning all about how to set up a go-kart.”

Lowndes’ potential shone through as he collected trophy after trophy and enough experience to move into a tougher class of racing. By 16 he was the proud owner of a one-seater Formula Ford.

“We literally sold everything we owned in go-kart world and put all that money towards buying the Formula Ford,”

Lowndes recalls.

“We paid about $12,000 to $15,000 to buy the car and of course you needed spares and transport – it sort of went on and on and on.

“We spent 12 months restoring it, learning all about it.

“It was another stepping stone for me to understand everything about a race car.”

The apprentice mechanic and his father decided to stick to a rigid three-year plan.

“The first year was going to be club and state racing, the second year was going to be national racing and the third year we were going to put all our eggs in one basket and buy a brand new car for that year and do the full circuit,” Lowndes says.

“At the beginning, 99% of the work on the car was done by myself and dad. We had a few sponsors who would cover entry fees, tyres, engine rebuilds and those sorts of things.

“People were surprised that we came out of nowhere and were performing really well straight up – we ended up winning the club championships.”

In 1992, the duo took the show on the road as they hunted national glory.

“We got about half-way through the year when we were approached by (Sydney-based truck spares company boss) David Radcliffe who wanted to sell his car,” Lowndes says.

“He basically donated his car to me to run for the second half of 1992 – the aim was for me to get more experience and for him to build awareness of the car so he could sell it.

“By the end of 1992 we were 16th

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: Craig Lowndes behind the wheel during the Triple Crownrace in Darwin last month.

PHOTOS: MARK HORSBURGH

in the national series.” Radcliffe was so impressed by the young driver that he gave Lowndes a top-notch British Van Diemen RF93 Ford to drive in the 1993 Australian Formula Ford Championship.

“We ended up winning,” Lowndes says.

In October of 1994, Lowndes scored the feat that put his name into the Australian consciousness – a spot on the podium at Bathurst. But getting there was no easy task for the 20-year-old rookie, who was taking on drivers he had always looked up to – including family friend and nine-time Bathurst champ Peter Brock.

“I struggled to get up to speed, I was about two seconds off the pace,” Lowndes says of his first drive around the Mount Panorama circuit.

“But Peter sat me down and talked me through a whole lap of the track – where to position the car, what gear I should be in, where to brake, how much to brake, where to steer the car.

“On my first drive back, I picked up a second on the lap time and from that point on I was just getting faster and faster.

“Then my opportunity to pass (Ford driver) John Bowe into turn two was probably what put us (Lowndes and alternate driver Brad Jones) on the map.

“We were leading for a lap and a half, but John repassed me and we came home second.

“I was elated. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“You go across the top of the mountain and you can hear

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the crowd roar – it was a massive amount of noise, it really set the mountain alight, it was an amazing feeling.”

Adoring fans, a voracious media pack and cashed-up sponsors were soon nipping at his heels.

Brock’s mentorship helped keep the 20-year-old grounded.

“Peter helped me enormously,” Lowndes says of the super star who lived just 30 minutes down the road from the Lowndes family home.

“He helped not only in the driving sense, but in the media sense, with knowing about the publicity, going to corporate facilities, being able to read crowds and to talk to fans and to keep their interest.

“Peter was a huge asset in my life – he was very much a good friend who gave me a lot of advice.”

Lowndes, with teammate Greg Murphy, went on to win Bathurst in 1996. Then, in 2000, Lowndes made one of the biggest decisions of his racing career – he moved from Holden to Ford. And Brock was there to guide him.

“I went and sat with Peter and Bev (Brock’s wife) and went through the pros and cons of changing to Ford,” Lowndes says. “Peter’s advice was pretty simple – ‘You’re going to lose 50% of your fan base with Holden, but you’re going to gain 50% with Ford, so you’re actually not going to lose anything’ and it turned out to be true.”

Six years later the motor racing world was in mourning following a horror crash that killed the sport’s biggest icon.

Brock was 61 when he died during the Targa West rally about 40km north-east of Perth on September 8, 2006.

“It was a difficult time for everyone,” Lowndes says of the father-of-three’s death.

“Peter had left a legacy of motor racing for everyone.

“He was a very positive person – to be around him was electrifying, you could absorb his positivity.

“He was one of those people who would look at a half-empty glass and say it was half-full – he was one of those characters that could lift your spirits if you needed it.”

One month later, Brock’s protege won the Bathurst 1000 for the second time. “We went to Bathurst that year with very high emotions and we ended up winning – it will always be the all-time best race for me,” Lowndes says.

Now Lowndes juggles the needs of a gruelling race calendar with spending time with his kids, 12-year-old Levi and 10-year-old Chilli.

– APN NEWSDESK Lowndes and Mark Winterbottom will battle for top spot on the V8 Supercar Championship ladder when they meet at Ipswich for the SuperSprint from July 31-August 2.

+

: Craig Lowndes of Red Bull Racing Australia.

PHOTO: MARK HORSBURGH

Red Bull at home in Banyo THERE’S nothing remarkable about the small outer Brisbane suburb of Banyo.

It’s home to about 6000 residents and popular with businesses looking for a close connection to the Brisbane Airport and the Gateway Mwy. The Australian Catholic University has a campus here and a number of housing estates are popping up.

But down a little side street in this nondescript slice of suburbia is the home of one of Australia’s hottest sporting teams – Craig Lowndes’ Triple Eight Race Engineering.

With two Red Bull-emblazoned prime movers parked outside, there’s no doubt you’ve arrived at the two-storey headquarters of the V8 Supercar’s powerhouse.

A sign near the front door directs you up a couple of flights of stairs past a massive double-sided glass wall jam-packed with hundreds of silver trophies.

The office, which houses 45 staff including engineers, mechanics and a chef, is light and welcoming.

The latest in computing technology sits on their desks and photos of Lowndes and Red Bull teammate Jamie Whincup overlook them as they work.

At the base of a narrow set of stairs is a large, brightly lit, extremely clean garage housing five cars.

The two Holdens sitting on trolleys and covered in sponsors’ signage are what we’re here to see.

They might be missing their wheels and engines, but there’s no doubt these $500,000 V8s are the real deal.

After some serious umming and ahhhing over the V8s, we step into a nearby room to check out some of the hundreds of spare parts needed to keep the V8s on track.

On the other side of the garage is what Lowndes calls the “dirty” room. This is where most of the mechanical work takes place.

There’s some serious hi-tech engineering technology here but the steel skeleton of a race car attracts the most attention. In a month or so this mesh of pipes and weld marks will be a fully fledged race car ready to hit the track and bring home some more silver for that trophy cabinet.

– SHERELE MOODY

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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Real life in emergency ... it stays with you A d r e n al i n e k i c k s i n w h e n a me d i c a l te a m f i g h t s t o s ave t h e l i f e of a s e r i ou s b u r n s v i c t i m, w r i te s D r S i m o n Ju d ki ns

I

T’S the smell that you can never really get out of your head. It’s the brutal insult to the human body and the trauma to the human psyche, for the patients, the family and the staff. The combination of all these factors makes this horrible. It’s a combination of burnt flesh, burnt hair and singed clothing. It sticks with you.

When we get the call, I can smell that smell. Even before the patient arrives, I know what we’re going to face. You never forget it if you have experienced it once. I can see the burnt flesh, smell it.

The crew are just around the corner. A 30-year-old woman with “burns everywhere”. The ambos just “scooped and ran”.

Unable to get a line in, they had given her a morphine injection and put her in the back of the ambulance. Lights and sirens all the way to the hospital.

We know what we have to prepare for. All the things we worry about in resuscitation, the ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation) will be problems here. All of these things will need to be dealt with simultaneously. I speak with the team.

We only have a few minutes, but I give them a briefing of what I expect.

“Airway is going to be a problem. Apparently she has facial burns and airway burns; the ambo crew have given us a heads-up. She is breathing, so they didn’t want to make it worse. They haven’t attempted an airway.

“We get one shot at an endotracheal intubation.”

That’s the “normal” way we insert a breathing tube, through the mouth and into the trachea.

“If you can’t see anything,” I say, turning to my senior registrar, “we are going to cut the neck.” That’s called a surgical airway, where we use a scalpel to cut through to the airway under the Adam’s apple and put a tube directly into the trachea. He nods a lot quicker than I expected.

“Have you done this before?” I ask. “Nope.”

“Let’s hope you won’t have to do it now, but it will be a difficult airway.” Quick nodding again.

“Ventilation will be a problem. Airway burns means an insult to the lungs. We will manage what we get.”

“Circulation,” I go on, “we have no access. We apparently only have a few areas that aren’t burnt. One look, then use the drill. We need intraosseous needles in both legs.” We use a drill to get an IV line straight into the shinbone and the bone marrow. We can use that for fluids and drugs.

Everyone knows his or her job, but still can’t quite fathom what we will have to do.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

I can smell the smell before I hear the ambulance sirens – my temporal lobe reminding me of last time. Crashing through the doors, the crew arrive with our patient. She is barely conscious and covered in burns from head to toe.

We move her across to our bed and get to work. The ambulance officer gives me a quick handover.

“Possible suicide. Might have taken an overdose and then set the house on fire. She was near a window, so the fireman got to her and pulled her out.”

“What have you guys done?”

“Couldn’t do much. Brought her straight in. Some morphine. It’s all we could do, her GCS is low.” A low Glasgow Coma Scale – she was barely conscious. There could be a whole lot of reasons for that. Smoke inhalation, medications, trauma etc. We will need to work that out.

“OK team, let’s go.”

‘‘

Yo u n e ve r f o r g e t i t i f yo u h ave e x p e r i e n c e d i t o n c e . I c a n see the burnt flesh, smell it.

We work on the ABCs simultaneously. There is a small area behind her legs, on her buttocks and back, that isn’t burnt.

She was probably lying on her back when the fire took hold.

This gives us a picture of what we’re dealing with: between 80% and 90% burns, meaning close to 100% mortality. But we don’t think about that at this stage. We do what we need to do.

We’re unable to get an accurate blood pressure, as both arms are blistered. No oxygen monitor, as the hands are burnt.

“How is the airway?”

“Swollen, black, but she is still moving some air.”

“One needle into the left leg,” calls the procedure doc. “IV fluids up. Ketamine going in.” Ketamine gives great pain relief and induces a coma-like state. It’s a good drug in this case.

“Next IO (intraosseous) going in now.”

“Great. Airway?”

I look at the registrar and give him a quick nod. “Give it one go,” I say. “If not, a surgical airway.”

I look at the neck. As the senior doctor, I’ll make the decisions and do the life-and-death stuff. Blistered and burnt,

the neck looks uninviting. I hope we can get a tube in.

“Position the patient,” I order. “You’ve got suction and a bougie?” “Yep.” “Rocuronium 150 mg please,” I call to the nurse, “and another 200 of ketamine.” These are the drugs for a general anaesthetic.

“Remember,” I say, “one look.” Beads of sweat materialise on every forehead in the room. The airway doc inserts the laryngoscope into the mouth and looks into the black hole. “I can see bubbles.” That’s a good sign; bubbles coming up into the pharynx usually come from the lungs.

“Suction.”

“Pass the bougie.” The bougie is slowly passed through the bubbles and behind the swollen epiglottis.

“I can feel the rings,” the airway doc calls. The cartilaginous rings of the trachea have a distinct feel as the bougie bumps past them. A sigh of relief ripples around the bay.

“Good. Pass him the tube.” I direct the nurse assisting.

The breathing tube is slid over the top of the bougie and into the airway. Frothy, bloody fluid comes up the tube.

“Oedema.” Fluid in the lungs, damaged by the hot, smoky air she has inhaled.

We set the ventilator to push oxygen into the burnt lungs.

We give medications to sedate her heavily and paralyse her.

Her airway is controlled. Her breathing and ventilation are stable, but still need some work.

The next focus is circulation. The lines are in; the fluids are running. Skin provides protection. It’s a barrier to fluid loss.

Without it, fluid seeps out. Think about a small burn you have had – the blister and the fluid. Think of that covering almost all of your body.

We need lots of IV fluids, so a line goes into the main blood

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read EMERGENCY: True stories of critical cases faced by our health professionals.

vessels near the heart to help us manage this. A catheter is inserted into her bladder so we can monitor her fluids more accurately.

While a few of the team work on these issues, we pause and reassess. We look at the arms, the legs, the torso. All burnt. When skin burns, it swells, blisters and then contracts like a tight band around the limbs and chest. Full-thickness burns do this very quickly. As this progresses, the blood supply to the limbs cuts off, and the ability to ventilate worsens.

“OK guys, airway is secure, ventilation is still difficult, circulation ... we are still in trouble. We need to do escharotmies.” We need to loosen those bands that are causing the blood supply problems, the breathing problems. I turn to my senior registrar.

“No, haven’t done it before.” He knows the question before I ask. “Let’s do this together.”

On each limb we cut through the burnt skin down to the tissue below: from the point of the shoulders down to the wrists, from the hip to the ankle. The tissue below bulges out of the incisions we make as if gasping for air.

We can see the perfusion to the fingers and toes improving as we perform this procedure. Then we’re on to the chest. We cut a large square over the chest to allow the lungs underneath to expand without the resistance of the burnt tissue surrounding them, which is stopping their expansion with each breath.

The improvement is immediate, but this just means we’ve moved from very, very bad to bad. She is stable; we are stable. We cover her from head to toe in plastic wrap like artificial skin. It seems pretty basic, but it prevents fluid loss, heat loss and infection.

While we’re doing all of this, we arrange for transfer to the

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: Dr Simon Judkins, pictured top left, has been a doctor for more than 25 years and has worked as an emergency physician for 18 of those. For more stories from the Emergency Department, videos and interviews, visit realedstories.acem.org.au.

area burns unit. If she is to have any hope of surviving, she needs specialist care. We continue to do what we can while waiting for her transfer. We’ve had time to think about how unbearable this is, but no one speaks about it. There is a time for that, and it’s not while we are with the patient. Not while we are delivering care. I do hear one of the nurses whisper under her breath, “This is f---ing awful.”

I look up from what I’m doing. I make eye contact with her – a reassuring nod. She knows we are in this together.

The retrieval team arrives. They gently move our patient from our equipment onto theirs. In 30 minutes, they have taken our patient and are on their way to the burns unit and intensive care.

PHOTO: COMSTOCK

We have done all that we can do. We’ve given her a chance. We’ve tried to alleviate her pain, but we cannot begin to fathom the pain she has been through. We don’t know her, what she has been through or how her life has come to this.

She did not survive. We all knew she wouldn’t, but we did what we could do ...

It will stay with me, but I’ll put it away. I’ll deal with the visual impact. I’ll deal with the emotional insult. But the brutality of this will remain.

Extract from the book Emergency by Dr Simon Judkins, published by Michael Joseph, RRP $32.99. Available as an eBook.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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+ Giant thrills await H u m p b a c k s m a ke a s p l a s h w i t h t o u r i st s o f f t h e G o l d C o a st

There She Blows play and stay

: Two night’s accommodation at QT Gold Coast : Daily breakfast for two at the Bazaar marketplace : A half day whale-watching tour for two onboard Gold Coast Adventures, including morning tea and return transfers from the hotel to Marina Mirage.

Price: $297 per night (based on a minimum two-night stay) Book: www.qtgoldcoast.com.au or phone 07 5584 1200

WIN A WHALE WEEKEND AWAY: Two Gold Coast holidays up for grabs. : The Gold Coast offers the longest whale-watch season in Queensland.

.

TR AVEL wi th Ki r i te n Dolle

O

UR eyes are peeled, torsos stretched over the railing of Gold Coast Adventures’ 32-metre-long catamaran.

My camera dangles from my neck over the Pacific Ocean. The deep blue surrounds us except for the coastline of South Stradbroke Island.

We’re about 15 minutes into our maiden whale-watching voyage. The giants of the deep are yet to make an appearance, but even then there’s so much to see – luxury yachts, turtles skimming the water’s surface, dolphins racing the boat, even the island set of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean instalment (unfortunately we didn’t spot Johnny Depp). Already at least seven people have succumbed to sea sickness. Our host Mary offers them “show bags” but says she doesn’t want them back.

The boat’s engine fires up a notch and we’re headed due north. The captain’s spotted one. A spurt of water shoots from the ocean’s surface about 300m away. There she blows.

As we get closer the captain shuts down the engines so we don’t scare them off.

There She Blows is available until October 31, 2015.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

A juvenile humpback whips his tail in the air. He isn’t afraid and swims ever so close to the boat.

Minutes later we are spoilt for choice – where do you look?

About five pods of whales surround us – some dotted on the horizon, others fearlessly putting on an acrobatic display of breaches, pectoral waves and tail flukes slapping the surface in mesmerising displays of poise and power.

The unique markings on their tails are used by researchers to identify the mammals, much like a human fingerprint.

The captain explains the cove between Coolangatta and South Stradbroke Island acts as a protected playground for the 20,000 humpbacks on their annual migration north between June and late October.

The numbers are phenomenal when you think just 30 years ago there were only a few hundred humpbacks left in the wild. Geographic location makes the Gold Coast one of the best places to go whale watching – it offers the longest whale-watch season in Queensland.

My first close encounter with these giants will remain etched in my memory – if the Gold Coast is this good, I can’t imagine what Hervey Bay has to offer.

HIGH TEA WITH QUIRK

IF YOU think sailing the high seas is good, you can’t go home without trying QT Gold Coast’s high tea, aptly named QTea with Quirk.

The macarons and eclairs are no dessert despite their appearance and what looked like a ham and cheese sandwich certainly is not.

The cherry red macarons are filled with a burst of goat’s cheese followed by a lingering bite of basil on a bed of freeze-dried black olives.

The ham and cheese sandwich is actually sponge cake (the bread) and peach jelly disguised as ham, while the eclairs are filled with foie gras with dehydrated raspberries on top.

Price: $39 per person includes QTea for two served with tea and espresso coffee, or $54 per person includes QTea for two served with champagne perrier-jouet, tea and espresso coffee.

* The writer was a guest of QT Gold Coast and Gold Coast Adventures

: WIN A WHALE WEEKEND AWAY: For your chance to win one of two There She Blows packages, simply tell us in 25 words or less why you’d like to get up close with the ocean’s giants. Email your entry, name, address and phone number to weekend@apn.com.au. Entries close Wednesday, August 5 at noon. The prize includes two nights’ Mountain View accommodation for two at QT Gold Coast, daily breakfast for two at Bazaar, a whale-watching tour for two adults with Gold Coast Adventures and return hotel transfers to Marina Mirage. Valid for stays until October 30, 2015. Valued at $594 per package. Full competition terms and conditions apply. Visit www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/competitionterms.

JAPAN

Powder enthusiasts guaranteed snow at gateway to Japan’s ski resorts WITH between nine and 18 metres of some of the lightest powdery snow in the world falling every year, the Japanese ski season is always guaranteed to be good.

When you add in a favourable exchange rate, incredibly low airfares and a 30kg luggage allowance for the peak ski season with Cathay Pacific’s flights to Sapporo, Japan is likely to prove irresistible to Australian skiers and snow boarders looking to get away this northern winter.

The flights offer a fast connection in Hong Kong so you avoid the hassle of collecting luggage to change flights or even airports to transfer to Sapporo.

The modern bustling city of Sapporo is a gateway to a large choice of Japanese ski resorts, including the most famous of all – the “snow factory” of Niseko. : COSTS: Cathay Pacific Airways has economy return airfares starting from $2531 from Sydney. : MORE DETAILS: www.cathaypacific.com.au or your preferred travel agent.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

ANTARCTICA

Cross the Antarctic circle

VISITING Ushuaia, the Drake Passage, South Shetland Islands, the Antarctic Peninsula and the Antarctic Circle, this 14-day expedition tour departs Buenos Aires.

Package includes one night’s accommodating in a hotel with breakfast in Buenos Aires, 12 nights aboard the ship, all Zodiac transfers and cruising as per the daily program. : COSTS: From $17,100pp. Valid for departure on Jan 20, 2017. Airfares not included. : MORE DETAILS: 1300 939 414 or www.flightcentre.com.au.

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SO MUCH CHOICE: You could do so many things in Bangkok...or just hang out in the resort for a day.

: Relax and soak up all the attention at the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa.

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

+ Catering to whims Yo u ’l l wa n t f o r n o t h i n g at Ba n g kok ’ s A n a nt a ra Ri ver s i d e Re s or t an d S p a .

T R AVE L

with A nn R i ck ard

T

HERE was a time when I visited Bangkok two, even three times a year. I revelled in the frantic pace of the city and could spend a long day out on the steamy streets, shopping at crowded markets and stopping only to eat spicy curries from street stalls perched precariously on pavements.

Now, thanks to my advancing years (damn it), I can manage only an hour or two on Bangkok’s hot and crowded streets before I need to sink into air-conditioned comfort, calling for cold scented towels and long drinks clinking with ice. And, it goes without saying, a gracious person to bring it all to me.

Fortunately there is an oasis of serenity and calm in this crazy and thrilling urban jungle, and it’s called Anantara Riverside Resort and Spa. This tropical resort in a city of eight-plus million people

ENGL AND

comes with endless green gardens, a meandering pool, inviting bars and stylish restaurants. But best of all, the resort’s riverfront location means you can jump on one of its authentic wooden boats to be gently sailed down the Chao Phraya River to Saphan Taksin, a central location where an air-conditioned sky train takes you to the malls, markets and museums.

You could do so many things in Bangkok...or you could do what many locals do when they check-in to Anantara for a “staycation”...and just hang out in the resort for a day. With 10 food and beverage outlets and a plethora of serene activity choices you need never step outside.

Perfect for us Aussies on a stopover to rest and revive before another long-haul flight.

Here’s how my Anantara fantasy goes.

After a breakfast of say...poached eggs, Massaman curry, French pastries, crisp bacon, Chinese steamed buns and syrup-coated waffles (why, not?...it’s all there) you could stretch out by the pool and digest it all before a light lunch of baguette and handmade chocolates at Numero Uno. Then perhaps a Thai cooking class.

Rug up for an old-fashioned winter Christmas ENJOY a cold, perhaps even white Christmas on board Belmond British Pullman or Belmond Northern Belle, two luxury UK day trains for a festive experience to cherish.

Bedecked 1920s and ’30s-style carriages set the mood for festivities as liveried stewards serve Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.

Or on December 10, experience two Belmond properties in one trip when you embark on a magical journey to Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin Star hotel and restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire.

After a three-course festive lunch, join in the carol singing in a local church before reboarding for cheese and dessert.

Belmond is a global collection of hotels, trains and river cruises.

More at www.belmond.com

IF YOU VISIT

: Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa : 257/1-3 Charoennakorn Rd, Thonburi, Bangkok More: bangkok-riverside.anantara.com An afternoon in the spa? An oriental rice compress massage should say goodbye to any lingering jetlag.

Then a sunset mai tai at Trader Vic’s. Definitely, a yes.

By now, relaxed, massaged and culinary-informed, there is an international barbecue to look forward to.

Who could not be lulled sitting among trees entwined with a million fairy lights, cooled by river breezes while the ever-gracious Thai dancers perform on a fire-lit stage?

But...and this is the ultimate Bangkok fantasy...you could go for a “dining by design” experience: a private dinner a deux by the riverside surrounded by flickering candles, before retiring to your spacious suite for ... oh, stop it.

That’s enough Bangkok fantasy for the moment.

The writer was a guest at Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa.

EUROPE

ENJOY 15 days on board a luxury Scenic Space-Ship from Amsterdam to Budapest in a category E cabin at a lead-in price of $6795 per person twin share on two departures – November 2 and November 7, 2016. Prices include return flights to Europe, butler service, laundry, beverages all day, meals, airport transfers, events, activities and all tipping and gratuities. Full payment must be received by August 31, 2015.

More on 138 128 or visit www.scenic.com.au

Weekend

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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Weekend

ea sy e at i n g

+ THE WEEKEND COOK w i th M a g g i e C o o p e r

SLOW AND GREA SY, PHOTO: THINK STOCK

IT ’S ANOTHER WAY OF PRESERVING FOOD

Quick and easy option

S

TIR-fries are an easy option for a quick, healthy meal. If you plan your shopping list, a good, nutritious noodle stir fry can be prepared in less time than it takes to drive to the local takeaway, or have a meal delivered. Better on the budget, too. The basic recipe I am giving you today, stir-fried hokkien noodles, is a basic, simple recipe that can be varied any number of ways. The ingredients can be added to, subtracted from, to suit what you have in the vegie garden or the refrigerator. Double the quantity for more serves.

+ Confit cure

Stir-fried hokkien noodles

INGREDIENTS: : 600g ready-to-eat hokkien noodles : boiling water, to cover : 3 tbs peanut oil : 1 white onion, peeled and diced : 400g chicken tenderloins, sliced : 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into small batons : ½ green capsicum, seeded and sliced into strips : 1 tbs each soy and sweet chilli sauce : 125g white mung bean shoots, optional : fresh coriander and lime wedges, to serve.

METHOD: Place noodles in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Leave for three minutes, then drain and gently separate. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook the onion until transparent and just starting to colour. Add the chicken and toss until opaque.

Increase the heat and add the carrot and capsicum. Add the noodles and stir constantly until heated through.

Pour the sauces into the wok and toss to distribute.

Remove from heat and add the bean shoots if using. Stir until they are mixed through. Garnish with a handful of fresh coriander leaves and serve with wedges of fresh lime.

Variation: Substitute pork fillet or peeled green prawns for the chicken; add mini corn or snowpeas to the vegetables. Serves 2 Email Maggie at maggies.column@bigpond.com or check out her blog herebemonstersblog.com.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

.

EAT

wi th D a n a n d Ste p h Mu lhe ro n

Y

OU’VE all heard of it – teams on many cooking shows do it, but have you actually tried to ‘confit’ (con-fee) yourself? This week we have chosen to showcase our beautiful confit duck recipe. The flavour and texture that you get from this cooking method is unbelievable. You can confit many things – it’s the cooking term used for when food is cooked in grease, oil or sugar syrup at a low temperature for a longer period of time rather than deep frying. It’s actually another way of preserving food.

Confit duck, radish and endive salad

INGREDIENTS: Confit duck – : 6 cumin seeds : 12 coriander seeds : 3 juniper berries : 50g flaky sea salt : 6 duck marylands : 1 small bunch thyme : 1 rosemary sprig : 1 garlic clove, sliced : 1 whole garlic bulb, halved : 500g duck fat, or enough to totally submerge the duck marylands : 2 bay leaves : 1 tsp black peppercorns.

Salad – : 1 small bunch radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced : 2 endive, leaves removed : ½ bunch of shallots, sliced thin. Caper dressing – : 4 tbs fresh lemon juice : 2 tbs salted baby capers, rinsed, chopped : 4 tsp extra virgin olive

PHOTO: GLEN WILSON

oil : Pinch of caster sugar : Pinch of white pepper.

METHOD: The day before cooking, put the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan and toast until they are slightly coloured and aromatic. Crush them with a mortar and pestle with the juniper berries and the salt.

Rub the mixture over the duck then scatter with thyme, rosemary and sliced garlic and place in fridge for 24 hours, turning two or three times as they marinate.

The next day, heat oven to 150 degrees. Wipe the duck with kitchen paper and pat dry, but don’t wash; scrape off the marinade. Put the duck in a casserole dish and cover entirely with melted duck fat. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns and cook for about 2.5 hours, or until the meat is almost falling away from the bone. Then remove the confit duck marylands from the fat.

Put an ovenproof frying pan on the stove until it is hot. Add the duck marylands, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins.

Turn the legs and transfer the pan to the oven for 30 mins, until crispy.

Place all your salad ingredients into a bowl. Then in a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients, mix well and season to taste. Dress salad at time of serving.

Serve crispy confit duck maryland with a generous side of dressed salad. Serves 4.

Dan and Steph Mulheron won My Kitchen Rules in 2013.

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ea sy e at i n g

+ Yo ho ho and a...

+

THE FACTS: Granite Belt Brewery is at 146 Glenlyon Dr in Stanthorpe.

M Y SH O U T

S p l a s h o f r u m b r i n g s o u t d i f f e r e n t f l avo u r s a n d a d d s d e p t h

with Sim o n I r wi n

Crafting beer on the Belt

.

FA ST F I V E w i th M a tt S aw te l l

I

INGREDIENTS: : 30ml Substation No. 41 Rum : 4 fresh lime wedges : 2 fresh ginger slices. : 30ml ginger beer.

METHOD: Muddle lime and ginger in a glass. Add Substation No. 41 Rum and ice. Shake all ingredients in a shaker, then pour into a rock glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with mint.

T FEELS like I have been eating for Australia. A couple of days of R&R with my wife quickly turned into a Tour de Fork of Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt region. And it was fantastic.

We tried wines, jams, preserves, relishes, olives, cheeses, juices, cafes, restaurants, delis, and, most surprising of all, breweries.

The regular reader of this column would know I have questioned the actual craft brew credentials of some of the products available in the specialty aisles of the major grog retailers.

Well, I am happy to report that genuine craft brewing is alive and well in our regions. The Granite Belt Brewery has been operating for about seven years and forms part of a restaurant and accommodation complex, Happy Valley Retreat, just on the outskirts of town.

It is a place where the owner Geoff Davenport is happy to talk to you about their beers and the operation. And their operation is on full display through a glass window from the comfortable chesterfields near the bar.

Here you can watch the one-person production team washing, filling, and then capping bottles the way you expect at a genuine artisanal brewery – one bottle at a time.

The brewery makes their beers in 1000-litre batches so this is genuinely a craft operation. The beers do not disappoint either.

The range runs to a wheat beer, a pils, a kolsch, a porter, an India pale ale and an Irish red ale – 100 ml or 200ml tasting paddles are available at the brewery.

They contain no sugar or preservatives and are unpasteurised and unfiltered. All were really drinkable but two in particular stood out for me.

The India pale ale (4.5% alcohol content) is a thing of beauty in the USA West Coast style – delightfully fruity on the nose and palate, it has a lovely hoppy taste that delivers from the first sip.

My favourite though was the Irish red ale (5% alcohol volume), a style I reckon we do not see enough in Australia. Unsurprisingly rich red in colour, it delivers a beautiful balance of malts and hops, and was the perfect accompaniment to the weather on a day when snow threatened.

While the beers are available at some sites in Brisbane, you will need to order online or, better still, visit the brewery, which looks like the perfect spot for a couple of days kicking back and relaxing.

Substation No. 41 Rum, available at Dan Murphy’s, $43.99.

Granitebeltbrewery.com.au

R

UM can bring plenty of character and personality to a dish. Most are made from molasses or sugar cane and then distilled. There’s white, amber, dark and spiced varieties – each can bring a vastly different flavour and depth to a dish.

ENTREE

Malibu garlic prawns

INGREDIENTS: : 10 green prawns, shelled with tails left on : 1 tbs olive oil : 1⁄2 small onion, fine diced : 2 garlic cloves, crushed : 60ml Malibu : 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce : 1 tbs fresh lime juice. METHOD: Heat the oil over high heat and cook off the onion and garlic for 1 minute. Add the prawns and cook until just turn colour. Add the Malibu and cook for 1 minute (be careful when adding alcohol as it might catch fire, add it off the heat especially if using gas).

Add the sweet chilli and squeeze of lime juice. Serves 2.

MAIN

Spiced rum cedar plank salmon

INGREDIENTS: : 3⁄4 cup spiced rum : 4 cups water : 2 planks of non-treated cedar wood, 1-2cm thick and 20cm long : 2 tbs brown sugar : 1 tsp sea salt flakes : 2 pieces skin on salmon, cut to fit the boards.

METHOD: Place the rum and water in a container just big enough for the cedar planks to fit and be submerged. Allow to soak overnight. In a bowl mix the sugar and salt. Take the cedar out of the water and place the salmon skin side down on the plank. Sprinkle the sugar mix evenly over the salmon.

On a preheated barbecue, place the board with the salmon on the grill and close to the heat, cook for 10-20 minutes or until salmon is tender. Serve with a salad or roasted vegetables.

Rum for breakfast?

THEY’VE got the rum bar, now they’ve got their own rum.

Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek Hotel has 500 varieties of rum for sale, and for the first time one of them is its own. The Australian-made molasses-inspired brew shares the name of the venue’s rum bar –- Substation No. 41 Rum. The amber rum, classed a dark rum, is aged for a minimum of two years in oak barrels. It’s said to have toffee-like notes – but you’ll hardly notice when mixed with the classic ginger beer.

– Bryce Johns

Weekend

: Malibu garlic prawns.

PHOTO: OLGAKR

DESSERT

Rum and raisin ice cream

INGREDIENTS: : 3⁄4 cup raisins : 1⁄4 cup dark rum : 1 tbs brown sugar : 1 cup milk : 1 cup thickened cream : 3⁄4cup castor sugar : 6 egg yolks : pinch sea salt : 5 drops vanilla extract : seeds from 1 vanilla bean.

METHOD: Place raisins, rum and brown sugar in a pot on the stove and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Bring the milk, cream, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract and half the sugar, to the boil in a heavy medium pot and take off the heat. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar together in a medium bowl, gradually whisk in the milk mixture over the eggs whisking as you pour. Return mix to the same pot. Over a low heat continuously stir with a spatular until you see the mix start to thicken, about 5 to 10mins. Pass through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and refrigerate until cold. Process in ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Drunken ice cream

INGREDIENTS: : 15ml banana liquor : 30ml dark rum : 1 large scoop vanilla bean ice cream : 1 tbs roasted coconut. METHOD: Place ice cream in a stemless wine glass. Top with liquor, rum and top with coconut. Serves 1

Summer storm cocktail

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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Weekend

g a rd e n SEED OF THE MONTH: Grow snow peas at home.

+

I N M Y GA R DE N

wi th A n g i e Th o m a s

Just snow delicious NATIONAL TREE DAY IS ABOUT GROWING MORE NATIVE PL ANTS

+ From little things...

: Native trees come in all shapes and colours like the grevillea johnsonii.

PHOTO: JACKF

Re st o c k c o u n tr y si de w i t h n at i ve t r e e s t o b e n e f i t t h e e nv i ron m e nt a nd f au n a .

G R E E N THU MB wi th Maree Cu r ran

T

OMORROW is National Tree Day. The day, co-ordinated by Planet Ark, provides on-the-ground support at local community tree planting sites Australia-wide. Since the first National Tree Day in 1996, more than three million participants have planted more than 21 million native trees, shrubs and grasses. What a great effort.

There are plenty of ways you can get involved. If you’d like to participate in an organised planting, you can search for a site near you on treeday.planetark.org or call the hotline on 1300 885 000. But you can do your bit by simply planting a native tree or shrub in your own garden.

So why are trees so important? Trees help combat the greenhouse effect and slow the effects of global warming, soaking up carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen for us to breathe. They help prevent soil erosion and salinisation, as well as improving water quality by filtering out nutrients and pesticides. Trees provide food and shelter to native wildlife.

They also provide shade, and a well-placed tree can help to keep a home or other area cool in summer. On a large scale, tree planting can lower the temperature in built-up areas, reducing the “heat island” effect of intensive development.

There is a large and growing body of research that confirms the benefits of access to the natural environment in

childhood development, and in general health and wellbeing.

Areas with well-maintained green spaces have been shown to have lower crime rates and increased property values.

If you’re going to plant a tree in your garden, make sure you’re not planting a problem. Most suburban backyards are too small to accommodate a large tree, so find out how big the tree will be when it is fully grown. Planting a tree is a pretty inexpensive and quick activity, but removing a large tree that has been planted in the wrong place is definitely not. Apart from the size of your mature plant, you need to consider the position. Make sure you choose something that is suitable, bearing in mind the type of soil, amount of sun, extent of protection from wind and salt, and so on. Your local garden centre staff will be able to help you here.

Shrubs, because they are smaller, are much easier to place.

There are lots of different varieties of grevilleas, banksias, syzygiums, and acmenas which grow 1-4m tall, making them ideal for the home garden. There are many, many, other small native plants that are very attractive and well suited to growing in our gardens, including native grasses, groundcovers and climbing plants.

National Tree Day is particularly concerned with increasing the stock of native plants because of the need to provide food and habitat for native animal species. But bear in mind that many exotic plants are non-invasive and also support native animals.

Got a gardening question? Email maree@edenatbyron.com.au.

PHOTO: THINK STOCK

SNOW peas are crisp and delicious sweet pods that can be eaten whole. They are perfect for using fresh in salads, lightly steamed or added to stir fries.

They are also ideal as a school lunch box snack, particularly if the kids have helped grow and pick them.

Snow peas are climbers that can grow up to 2m tall, so they will need a fence, tripod or trellis for support.

Where possible, position the trellis running north to south for maximum sunlight.

Snow peas can also be grown in a pot, so they’re fantastic for a sunny balcony. It’s best to sow seed directly where they will grow.

Water the seeds in after sowing and then don’t water for a few days. Over-watering and water-logged soil can lead to the seeds rotting.

Snow pea flowers themselves are quite decorative. To encourage lots of healthy growth and plenty of flowers and pods, fertilise regularly with potassium-fortified fertilisers.

Pick peas regularly to promote a prolonged harvest.

Watch for snails and slugs while seedlings are small.

A light scattering of snail and slug pellets will easily control the damaging pests.

Winter is a perfect time to sow snow peas and you could be harvesting home-grown peas in only eight to 10 weeks.

Happy growing.

+

PRODUC TS

Summer entertaining areas are made in winter ALL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM BUNNINGS

Saturday, July 25, 2015

: Cabot’s Aquadeck is a highly durable, low-odour decking oil that provides exceptional durability to all exterior surfaces and lasts twice as long as traditional decking oils. $82.15/6L

: Good Times pre-fabricated merbau decking panels are designed for easy transport and installation.

Made from select-grade merbau for durability,$89/1113 x 555mm merbau modular decking panel.

: Create a stylish outdoor haven with a Coolaroo architectural shade sail. Sails are designed with commercial-grade fabric and quality-grade components to stand the test of time, $141/5x5x5m sail.

: Create a Mediterranean woodfired oven with your own family DIY Wood Fire Pizza Oven Kit, featuring a quick and easy 15-step instructional DVD to ensure assembly is a breeze, $1190.

Weekend

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Weekend

ma ke DON’T BUY: Make your own photo frames and finish them off with varnish to achieve that expert look.

+ Get the picture?

A l i t t l e t i m e a n d t h e r i g h t m ate r i al s a re a l l yo u n eed

Tools:

: Square and mitre box : Clamps : Handsaw or circular saw : Bench saw or jig : Sandpaper : Hammer

Materials:

: Timber or framing moulding : Thin timber backing (3mm to 6mm) : Framing glass : Wood glue : D rings (2) : V nails (4) : Wood putty

D

ON’T buy your photo frames when you can build them in as little as six steps.

: STEP 1. CREATE THE SIDES Use a handsaw or circular saw to cut and square the timber or framing moulding into four pieces, one for each side of the frame. Using a mitre box and handsaw, cut the corners one at a time at 45° making sure the timber is orientated correctly.

Practice using the mitre box on unwanted timber before you tackle the frame pieces. Use wood putty to fill in any gaps at the mitred corners

MAKING YOUR OWN PHOTO

: STEP 2. ATTACH THE SIDES TOGETHER Lay the cut frame pieces on to a flat work surface and arrange them so that they form the correct frame shape.

Apply the wood glue along the cut edges, press the pieces together and then hold them in place with a corner clamp.

Glue and clamp all four corners and allow the glue to set as instructed on the packaging.

: STEP 3. USE V NAILS Turn the frame over so that the back is facing up and then apply two V nails along each glued corner seam with a hammer. Place one nail toward the inside edge of the frame and the other toward the outer edge.

: STEP 4. ALLOW DRYING TIME Remove the clamps and allow the frame to dry overnight.

Remember to do any sanding or staining of the frame after the drying process is complete.

FRAMES ISN’T THAT HARD

: STEP 5. ADD THE GLASS AND PHOTO/ARTWORK Test that the thin glass sits in the frame groove and then insert your artwork or photo. Now hammer the nails into the backing to secure it around the edges of the frame.

: STEP 6. ATTACH THE D RINGS Attach the D rings on the side of the frame about a third of the way down from the top to allow it to hang nicely on the wall. Now simply tie the picture wire or nylon cord to the D rings and mount your new frame on the wall.

For this project and more, visit www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice.

Handy Hints

: You can make photo frames just like bought ones.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Weekend

: The two basic types of wood generally used in woodworking projects are hardwood and softwood.

Hardwood is more resilient and less prone to indentations and scratches while softwoods, such as pine, are more susceptible to dents and scratches. : Use picture frame moulding as it comes with the groove for glass insertion. With ordinary timber you will have to make this groove yourself using a router. : To achieve a natural wooden look for your frame, varnish the wood, applying two to three coats.

Varnishing ensures the wood is protected from the natural elements, making it long lasting and giving it an elegant shine.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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L I F E M O ST FA B U LO US w i th M e re d i th Pap ava s i l i o u

Nothing seems so bad when you’re in the now

I

WAS sitting in a small newsroom in the far reaches of western Queensland.

It had been a really busy year; the kind that leaves you feeling as though you’d have enjoyed it – and certainly grown from it – had you had the time and hadn’t the stress and angst.

I had given birth to my second child, completed my Masters degree, wound up my own business, taken on a new demanding job, seen my sister marry, nursed my own marriage to its demise (and then back toward reconciliation) and survived the polarising reality that is the politics and gossip and fish-bowlness of a small town.

Over the airwaves, via the ABC’s Conversation Hour, came the voice of a woman who was speaking about this thing – this concept – of being present.

Now for those who have followed my column these past few years, you’d know I don’t do namby-pamby very well. But this resonated.

It made proper sense and, what’s more, it was something from which I could see immediate effect.

The act of being present – or mindful, or in the

c l o se t

+ She wears the pants

ROCK CULOTTES: Simply tuck your t-shirt in and don a pair of heels or strappy sandals for a cool, casual look.

FA S H IO N with Kiri ten Dolle

I WAS CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT WHAT SHE SAID MADE SENSE moment, or whatever you choose to call it – is one of the most effective and powerful tools in dealing with all the stuff clogging our heads on any day.

At the time I was listening to this woman (and to this day I am disappointed I didn’t have the presence of mind to jot down her name) I was caught in the moment. What she said made complete sense.

And such was my level of engagement (notwithstanding the name) that I noticed I was actually doing exactly what she was prescribing.

For those few moments, I was right there. In that moment. I remember the window next to me, the sound of her voice, the message and the way I felt. I was calm. What’s more, I was still.

Now time has passed, jobs have changed, the kids have grown, my sister is still blissfully married and I’m not (the reconciliation didn’t last). And as all that unfolded, that woman’s wise words would appear from memory’s depths, prodding me gently to recall the importance of staying in the now.

It’s not always easy, and thankfully I have built for myself reliable emotional infrastructure, which steels me when I need it. But in the present, when you learn to just be in the now, nothing is ever as bad as it seems. It’s a very nice place to be.

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ST Y LE w i th Tracey Ho rd ern

Fabulous fashion foibles MY FRIEND phoned me from Melbourne. She was visiting the city for an urbane winter break to catch up with friends - and to shop. I had asked my friend to call and give me a shopping update; if I couldn’t be in the shopping mecca of Australia myself, I would shop vicariously with her.

So what did she buy? Well a funky, fashionable belt by the sounds of it and some very high waisted jeans. “Oh” I said dubiously, “are they flattering?” They are not, my friend said, Saturday, July 25, 2015

Tr ou s e r s an d c u l ot te s a re a l l t he ra g e PANTS. They’re all the rage at the moment – if you’re not wearing them, you should be. No we’re not talking leggings or jeans, but rather martini-leg trousers and culottes – high cuts, cinched at waist and wide legs at maxi lengths or cropped varieties – much to the demise of the skinny jean devotees. It’s all about volume and proportion, eye-catching silhouettes, clean lines and minimalism. Go for block colours – navy, greys and military green are big at the moment.

Team tailored trousers with a structured tee or crop for a proportionate look. If you go with a pattern, make it the statement and keep the rest of your outfit simple. Best of all, wide-legged trousers do wonders for curvy trunks!

FROM LEFT - : Funnel neck tank, $79.95, culotte pant, $129.95, Lara strappy heel, $59.97, all from Seed Heritage : Denim jacket, $159.95, Witchery : Nautique pant in navy, $149.95, Witchery : Fleurette by Fleur wood soft pant in slate, $119, Myer : Reclaimed vintage cord culottes, $49, ASOS : Lola May wide leg culottes in faux leather, $40, ASOS : Olivia pant in blush (main image), $119.95 and Image blouse, $89.95, Sheike.

but the young girl in the shop, assured her they are so “right now”, so she absolutely needed them – flattering or not. It got me thinking, how trends come and go and let’s face it, some trends can’t go fast enough, including said high waisted jeans along with bubble skirts, harem pants and visible thongs.

So why do we do it? Well, I think most of us made the majority of our fashion foibles when we were younger and so hopefully as we gain confidence, less so. Given my friend’s age, that doesn’t explain the unflattering high-waisted jeans.

When I quizzed her about why she would hand over big money for designer, high waisted jeans when she knew they didn’t look good on her it turns out the young woman in the shop was very nice – and very persuasive.

We’ve all been there – peer pressure, what your friends are wearing, what the fashion magazines dictate, or indeed a persuasive shop assistant, but the reality is, not everything looks good on everyone. So how do you discern? Nothing is better than experience and trial and error. Sometimes a good and honest friend can steer you away from the more hideous choices and sometimes it takes hard evidence – like a photo.

: Yesterday’s fashions have a habit of coming out of the closet again, and claiming new victims.

PHOTO: NINA MALYNA

One such photo springs to mind, a relic from the nineties that my god daughter still falls to the ground laughing when produced. Leaning up against a fireplace, there I am, resplendent in high jeans, a very bad perm and a head scarf that looks more like a tea towel.. So why didn’t someone tell me? My only consolation was hopefully, they were looking as equally frightful as I was.

Weekend

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st u ff

+ Trusty blade now a pocket full of trouble

G A DG ETS

+

wi th D av i d St u a r t | @ bi g k a m o

A l l c a r ve d u p ove r f a d i n g a c c e p t a n c e o f u l t ra- h a n dy d e v i c e .

O N A L I G H T E R N OT E w i th G re g B ray

H

EY, is that a knife in your pocket?” called the bar manager, causing 30 people in the bistro to slide to the nearest wall without visibly moving their feet.

I joined them, eyes peeled for the blade-wielding maniac who, funnily enough, turned out to be me.

The manager inspected my old pocket knife, shrugged, and life went back to normal, except the line in front of the carvery magically vanished as I approached; possibly because of my dirty work clothes.

Ever since I was a young bloke I’ve carried a pocket knife.

The first was a folding blade made in England from Sheffield steel. That Excalibur of pocket knives lasted 10 years until one bleak day the blade snapped while I was prying open a tin of coffee. A small tear was shed as I slurped my drink.

I tried a Swiss army knife next, which did everything except fit snugly into my pocket. Plus, getting the correct blade out took so long that it was actually quicker to chew through whatever it was I wanted to cut.

The following knife looked good, but if it had to slice through anything tougher than say, a sandwich, then the blade became as sharp as my elbow.

When it disappeared into the depths during a disastrous

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GA DG ET R EVIE W

with David Stuart

Apple freshens iPod touch ALTHOUGH the iPod has disappeared from the top menu on Apple’s front page, the device has certainly not been forgotten.

The tech giant has given the iPod touch – the device often given to the kids not quite ready for an iPhone – an overhaul.

This latest version incorporates a 1136-by-640-pixel, four-inch display with Siri voice control. Available in five colours, the updated iPod touch comes in 16GB ($279), 32GB ($349), 64GB ($419) and 128GB ($579) capacities.

Weekend

‘‘

My c u r r e n t p o c ke t k n i f e h o l ds a n e d g e b e t te r t h a n a p a n i c k i n g mo u n t a i n c l i mb e r.

It ’ s a l s o a ve r y h a n dy s c r e w dr i ve r, s p l i n te r r e m ove r, ap p l e p e e l e r. . .a n d s o me t i m e s i t ’ s u s e d t o c u t st u f f . fishing trip I actually smiled.

My current pocket knife is a folding, semi-serrated blade which holds an edge better than a panicking mountain climber. It’s also a very handy screwdriver, splinter remover, apple peeler, tea stirrer, nail trimmer, initials carver, pointer, can opener, paint scraper and sometimes it’s used to cut stuff.

Sadly, it may be my last pocket knife, because nowadays people carrying small blades in public are as popular as a chronic farter in a crowded lift.

And that really carves me up.

Greg Bray blogs at www.gregbraywriter.wordpress.com.

Find him on Facebook: Greg Bray – Writer.

: Sangean’s DPR34+ Pocket Digital Radio offers digital radio in a truly compact package. The 120g device has a built-in rechargable lithium battery and comes with an AC adapter and headphones. $169.

: Plantronics BackBeat GAME wireless earbuds protect against sweat with P2i military-grade nano-coating. Deep sleep mode allows earbuds to keep a charge after six months hibernation. Buy for $99.

WHAT’S UNDER THE HOOD? An 8-megapixel iSight camera, supports Bluetooth 4.1, A8 chip Retina display.

: The YellowStone YSE300 Ereader’s main feature is its current $39 price tag. The device has a seven-inch TFT screen, FM radio and it plays 720p video. Users can also store photos and even record audio.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

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yo u

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+ Two can be too

W E LOV E

L e t t h e t i m e yo u s p e n d ap a r t b r i n g yo u t o g e t h e r

. : To comply the harsh effects of winter, Mismo’s ACE Serum is packed with active ingredients and soaks straight into thirsty skin, leaving a visible glow, $69/55ml, www.mismo.com.au

B ET W E E N T H E S H E ETS w i th He l e n H aw ke s

H

: With a range of antioxidants, Jurlique’s Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum is quickly absorbed and increases skin hydration, $175/100ml.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

OW much time is too much time together?

We all know those couples whose conversation, mannerisms and even clothes start to spookily mirror one another’s.

If you ever end up at a dinner party with this kind of couple, just treat them as one unit. They’ll finish each other’s sentences anyway and you won’t be able to tell their matching sweaters apart.

But if you want to avoid a Siamese twin-like dynamic with your own partner, consider breaking up your together time with time apart.

After all, everyone wants a healthy, sexy relationship that involves respect for each other’s space and doesn’t make their friends feel nauseous.

Maybe in the honeymoon phase there’s no such thing as

‘‘

as t h e r e l ati o ns h i p we ar s o n, 2 4 - ho u r i n t i m a c y c a n we a ry e ve n t h e m o st r o man tic too much time together.

It’s fresh, it’s new and it involves a lot of sex you can’t do alone.

But, as the relationship wears on, 24-hour intimacy can weary even the most romantic.

The answer: hobbies.

To be most effective, a hobby should involve the company of others of the same gender.

There’s a kind of solidarity in all the girls getting together and escaping domestic servitude while the boys will probably welcome the chance to talk about bloke things and hang out over a cold beer.

A hobby that stays with one gender is less threatening to the other partner, especially if it starts to creep into all of Saturday, Sunday and twice during the week.

Weekend

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yo u

much

Weekend

TOGETHERNESS: When you become inseparable and are seen only as a couple and not as individuals, take a break.

Few people, for example, would be thrilled about their partner taking up tango dancing with a hot Spaniard, learning to cook with a Nigella look-alike or taking surf lessons with young, hot, hard-bodied proponents of the sport.

Tupperware and macrame are so yesterday but what about knitting (back in vogue), pole dancing or blogging for her?

The advantage of pole dancing: it has a bring-home skill set. Yes, yes, I know its proponents say it’s primarily for fitness. But, let’s face it; you can adapt some of the moves.

For him, anything that involves balls and/or sticks – football, baseball, golf – is good.

The ideal male hobby should involve camaraderie and point scoring, followed by liquid refreshment.

Time apart re-invigorates a relationship, particularly as people get older, because it doubles the experiences you bring to the dynamic.

And, at the very least, you have a funny story or two to tell over the TV dinner.

You also introduce new people into your circle of friends, thereby reducing the boredom factor; and learning any new skill after a certain age can help prevent senile dementia.

Remember, familiarity breeds contempt and it can also breed divorce.

Helen Hawkes is a qualified counsellor and happiness coach.

Go to The Feelgood Factor at www.thecalmzone.com.au.

Weekend

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s c ree n l i fe ACTION-PACKED: Undercover agent gives Cruise a run for his money in latest flick.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

: Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson. : Director: Christopher McQuarrie : Rating: M : Reviewer’s last word: The latest Mission: Impossible is full of big-budget action and star Tom Cruise’s commitment to his own stunt work is second to none. But it seems unclear how many more fights his character Ethan Hunt has in him.

Star profile: Jeremy Renner : Rebecca Ferguson and Tom Cruise in a scene from the movie Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

: Quirky fact: Realised the potential of acting as a career after role playing a domestic disturbance perpetrator as part of a police training exercise. : Best known for: The Avengers, The Hurt Locker, The Bourne Legacy. : If you like this movie you’ll like these: Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Agent 47, Spectre. : Quote: “I was just getting into trouble, drinking, and doing stupid things until I stumbled on to acting class my junior year in college. The sense of self, the purpose, it opened this Pandora’s box of emotions and it went from there.”

PHOTO: CHIABELLA JAMES

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Mission accomplished Ne w f ac e o n t h e te a m a d d s p l e n t y of t w i st s a nd t u rn s .

SCR E E N LI FE

wi th Sean na Cro n i n

T

OM Cruise meets his match in Rebecca Ferguson in the new Mission: Impossible film Rogue Nation.

The Swedish actor plays Ilsa Faust, a mysterious undercover agent who gives Cruise’s character Ethan Hunt a run for his money.

Best known for her leading role in the TV mini-series The White Queen, Ferguson joins the cast established in 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

In this Q&A, she talks about landing the role, working with Cruise and getting in shape to play a secret agent.

Q: How did this role come about for you?

A: Well, I was filming in the desert. I was filming (TV mini-series) The Red Tent, a biblical drama, and I was actually on a camel when I found out I got the part (laughs). But to

back up, I was in London and I did an audition tape with a casting agent and then went back to riding camels in the desert. After that I had to fly in to meet Tom Cruise.

Q: What was it like joining the Mission team?

A: Simon brings so much humour to it; Ving (Rhames), Jeremy (Renner), they have found their roles off and on screen and how they work together and how they balance together. To come into that is intimidating because you have to establish your place and find out who you are in relation to these great people. But they are incredibly welcoming – Tom, Chris, Simon, all of them – and their attitude is “we want you to feel right at home and we want to help you do your best” and that is a great attitude and it helps you settle in immediately. And that was what it was like from day one.

Q: Tell us about your character and how she fits into the story.

A: Ilsa Faust was born in Sweden and has a strong survival instinct. She has been trained by British intelligence undercover. She meets Ethan Hunt in a tight spot and they

realise that they have met each other’s match. I think they know of each other but they never met until a scene where Tom, as Ethan, is being held captive. And it’s all about who you can trust and who is on which side.

Q: So we don’t quite know her agenda?

A: No we don’t know her agenda and she is very mysterious. What we do know is that she is highly intelligent and equally as trained as Ethan, which is interesting because the audience never knows when the turn will come and where the story will go. She is brought into help eradicate the so-called Syndicate team, which wants to take down the IMF team. So we start out thinking Ilsa is one thing and then we start to wonder if she is something else. Or is she? (laughs).

Q: What kind of training did you have to do, if any?

A: When I got the part I had a few days off and as soon as I got to Heathrow they took me to the gym to start training. We had a month and a half to prepare before filming started and it was six hours a day, six days a week, which was incredibly intense. It was tough but essential because you have to prepare and you have to be in the best possible condition to survive on a film like this.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation opens on Thursday.

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REVIE WS W h a t’ s ne w on th e b ig scre e n

Trainwreck

FUNNYWOMAN Amy Schumer writes and stars in the new film from Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow.

Schumer plays a commitment-phobic career woman who faces her fears when she meets a good guy (Bill Hader). : Stars: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson. : Rating: MA 15+ : In cinemas: August 6.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Mr Holmes

THIS astute, tasteful British twist on the famed literary sleuth Sherlock Holmes is more of a character study than crime mystery. Sir Ian McKellen can do no wrong in his subtle take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s aging man of logic. : Stars: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada. : Rating: PG : In cinemas: Now.

Self/Less

RYAN Reynolds and Oscar winner Ben Kingsley share leading man duties in this tense sci-fi thriller about an older man dying of cancer, who undergoes a radical medical procedure to have his consciousness transferred into the body of a healthy young man. : Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Ben Kingsley, Natalie Martinez. : Rating: M : In cinemas: Now. Weekend

www.northernstar.com.au

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Saturday, July 25, 2015

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m in d

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TEST YOUR GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Quiz compiled by Roy O’Reilly.

M I N D YOU

+

w i th Rowe n a H a rdy

Give yourself a break

QUIZ

Yo u d e s e r ve t o h ave w h at yo u t r u ly d e s i r e

1. The biblical figures Adam and Eve lived in which garden?

2. In which TV show, set in a Boston bar, did Kirstie Alley play Rebecca Howe?

3. Which US president referred to Monica Lewinsky as “that woman”?

4. What is the term for a person who carries a golfer’s clubs?

5. In the 1988 movie Rain Man, Raymond Babbit said that which Australian airline had never had a crash?

6. Is a mangrove jack a fish or plant?

7. Which Australian strait is named after an English naval surgeon and explorer?

8. Whose hat, worn at the Prince William-Kate Middleton wedding, was likened to a pretzel, toilet seat and reindeer antlers?

9. Australia plays which country in a rugby Test this weekend?

10. Which US state has a coastline longer than all the other states combined?

11. What is the common numerical term for perfect eyesight?

12. Which British monarch died in 1952?

13. Portia de Rossi and Calista Flockhart starred in which TV show set in a law office?

14. Rozelle is in which Australian state/territory?

15. Osama bin Laden’s father, Mohammed bin Laden, had how many wives (a) 12 (b) 22 (c) 32?

16. “Since she put me down, I’ve been out doin’ in my head – come in late at night and in the mornin’ I just lay in bed,” are lyrics from which song?

17. Who was the official secretary to the governor-general Sir John Kerr at the time of the Whitlam government dismissal in 1975?

18. Which river drains all or part of 31 US states?

19. Two of which major Australian horse race was run in 1881 (a) Caulfield Cup (b) Golden Slipper (c) Melbourne Cup? 20. Which planet’s day is longer than its year?

21. The 30km radius around which ill-fated European nuclear power plant is known as the “zone of alienation”?

22. Which 1985 movie was nominated for 11 Oscars and won none?

: Give yourself the green light to go and do something differently.

G

IVING yourself permission: This is a topic that has come up a lot, not just for my clients but also for me at various times. But what do I mean by “permission”?

Put simply, it’s allowing your “self” to do, be and have what you truly desire. Easy to say, hard to do? There are certainly things that can get in the way. Sometimes we’ve forgotten or just don’t know what we want. Of course, our beliefs and personality traits have a part to play too.

We may believe that others will judge us as being lazy, selfish, a poor parent or an absent partner if we do, or that what we truly want is just not possible for whatever reason.

Where have these beliefs come from? They are a reflection of what has been demonstrated at certain times in our life and shaped how we may have judged or been judged by others.

If you know you struggle with giving yourself permission and see-saw between feeling guilty when you do and resentful when you don’t, then consider where that self-judgment may come from and its impact.

Do you do everything you need to do before doing what you want to, often putting others before yourself? Do you have to get everything just right (or dare I say perfect) before you can relax? How often does that happen?

Maybe you feel you don’t deserve to do what you love, be happy or have something you’ve always wanted. Perhaps someone told you once that you didn’t deserve something

23. In the 19th century, which arms dealer was so shocked at a newspaper article describing him as a “merchant of death” that he decided to devote the rest of his life to promoting peace and prosperity?

PHOTO: EMRAHKARAKOC

‘‘

So me ti me s we l o o k t o ot he r s t o g i ve u s p e r m i s s i o n ( o u r p ar t n e r, bo s s, fr i e nd ) . and you now believe it to be true. Sometimes we look to others to give us permission (our partner, our boss, our friend), just as we did as a child waiting for someone to tell us it was okay.

What are you really waiting for? To feel like you’re worth it?

To be told you deserve it? For someone else to give you permission? It’s not someone else’s responsibility to make you happy or give you permission; you have to do that for yourself.

Yesterday has gone. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and could be very different to today. So give yourself a break and make yourself a promise to do, be or have something today that will make you happy, however small and seemingly insignificant it may seem. Notice any self-talk that comes up with fears, doubts, beliefs or excuses as to why you shouldn’t and let them go. Make today the day you do something differently.

What will you choose?

Rowena Hardy is a facilitator performance coach and partner of Minds Aligned: www.mindsaligned.com.au.

NEXT SATURDAY IN WEEKEND

24. Which batsman, dismissed for a first-ball duck, was the only wicket taken by Bill Bowes in the 1932-33 bodyline series?

25. What are anadromous fish?

AN SW ER S 1. Garden of Eden. 2. Cheers. 3. Bill Clinton. 4. Caddie. 5. QANTAS. 6.

Fish. 7. Bass Strait. 8. Princess Beatrice. 9. Argentina. 10. Alaska. 11.

20/20 vision. 12. King George VI. 13. Ally McBeal. 14. New South Wales. 15. (b) 22. 16. Help Me, Rhonda. 17. David Smith. 18. Mississippi River. 19. (a) Caulfield Cup. 20. Venus. 21. Chernobyl. 22. The Color Purple. 23. Alfred Nobel. 24. Don Bradman. 25. Live in the ocean mostly and breed in fresh water.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

+ R E A D //

M e et th e e n tr e p r e n e u r i a l d u o he lpi n g t he h o m e l e s s a n d g i v i n g b ac k to t h e c o m m un i t y

+ EA SY EAT I N G //

F r o m cr u f f i n s to cr o n u t s, d es s e r t hy br i ds a r e ta k i n g f u s i o n co ok i n g t o t he n e xt l e ve l – n ow yo u ca n ma ke t he m at h o m e Weekend