Page 5711 | Now To Love

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

7 Spa Tricks

Now to Love

Pick your favourite treatment, or better yet, try them all!

Relax in the bath

An Epsom salts bath is an inexpensive way to make your skin feel much smoother. Add 2 cups to bathwater.

Polish your body

Combine 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tsp each honey, olive oil, and powdered milk, and sufficient water to make a gritty paste. Massage gently over body (paying particular attention to butt and thighs, and avoiding sensitive areas like nipples), then shower off. Finish with a thick body lotion.

Deep-cleanse your face

Pour boiling water into a heat-resistant bowl, and add 5 drops of a calming essential oil, such as rose or ylang ylang. Tent your head with a towel and let the steam envelop your face for 10 minutes.

Safe tanning

A self-tanner is a smart way to get a healthy glow without too much sun.

Get a glow

Add colour to how you look and feel: try a tinted moisturiser, and some lip and cheek colour.

Crowning glory

Rinse hair after shampooing with a 50:50 mixture of warm water and vinegar. It reduces frizz and also removes dirt, mineral deposits, and styling aid build-up.

Hydrate

Float cucumber slices in your water jug. This makes those 8 glasses of water a day more palatable.

Now to Love

MasterChef alumni Tommy Pham welcomes TWO new babies into the world

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Elton John opens up about battle with “severe” infection

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Seven star Matt Doran breaks silence on his “huge problems with depression”

Young girl looking at a mirror after having a routine checkup at the dentist

5 Failproof Ways To Get Your Kids To The Dentist

Brought to you by Pacific Smiles Dental

“I tried period undies so you don’t have to”: A guide to making the sustainable switch from pads and tampons

Princess Kate laughs making smoothies in a Vitamix

I made Princess Kate’s favourite smoothie in this blender, and let’s just say, I was royally impressed

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tune in and work out with the best headphones for the gym

What to know about your dental health

Work smarter not harder with the help of wearable weights

How to get back on your feet after COVID

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Spinal wave in standing position

Now to Love

Align your bones in the standing position, with hands on hips and use your fingers to monitor activity in the oblique muscles. Remember to direct your sit bones towards the floor, lengthen the natural curves of the spine and soften the knees.
Begin to move the pelvis by directing your sit bones forward to the wall in front of you.
Now move in the opposite direction, sending your sit bones towards the wall behind you.
You have now completed one spinal wave.
Repeat the spinal waves until you become aware of how your height is affected by the position of your pelvis and the reflected movement through your spine and knees. Notice when you feel lengthened and shortened.
copyright: The Australian Ballet 2005

Extracted from Bodywise, discover a deeper connection with your body; ABC Books; rrp: $34.95; fully illustrated. Available from all good bookstores.Bodywise is written by staff at The Australian Ballet. In 2005 The Australian Ballet is performing throughout Australia and internationally. Visit The Australian Ballet’s website, www.australianballet.com.au for details.

Extracted from Bodywise, discover a deeper connection with your body; ABC Books; rrp: $34.95; fully illustrated. Available from all good bookstores.

Bodywise is written by staff at The Australian Ballet. In 2005 The Australian Ballet is performing throughout Australia and internationally. Visit The Australian Ballet’s website, www.australianballet.com.au for details.

Now to Love

MasterChef alumni Tommy Pham welcomes TWO new babies into the world

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Elton John opens up about battle with “severe” infection

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Seven star Matt Doran breaks silence on his “huge problems with depression”

5 Failproof Ways To Get Your Kids To The Dentist

Brought to you by Pacific Smiles Dental

“I tried period undies so you don’t have to”: A guide to making the sustainable switch from pads and tampons

I made Princess Kate’s favourite smoothie in this blender, and let’s just say, I was royally impressed

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tune in and work out with the best headphones for the gym

What to know about your dental health

Work smarter not harder with the help of wearable weights

How to get back on your feet after COVID

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Journey through the bones

Now to Love

Try taking a journey through your bones. Stand in front of a full-length mirror in your underwear or something tight fitting. Have a close look at the general shape of your posture and begin to identify some of the bony landmarks, working from the ground up.

Feet

Place the feet underneath the hip joints, about 10-15 centimetres apart, toes pointing forward. Make sure the second toe is pointing directly ahead of you. Feel the bottom of your big toe joint, little toe joint and centre of the heel bone melting into the floor.

Knees

Let your knees soften, allowing them to absorb any imbalances in the legs and spine. Feel long at the front and back of your legs.

Sit bones and pelvis

Your sit bones should be pointing to the floor in a vertical line directly above your heel bones with your centre of gravity falling a little further forward through the front of each ankle bone. This alignment helps keep the pelvic bowl balanced without ‘spilling any water’ out of the front or back. You should now have a sense of the weight of the body being distributed through the three points of each foot. Keep the hip bones horizontally aligned, not twisted.

Spine

Lengthen the spine along a vertical line upward through the crown of the head and downward through the tailbone to the floor. Create space between the ears and the shoulders.

Rib cage

Let the rib cage hang like a basket over the pelvis and feet.

Shoulders

Feel the tips of your collarbones and the bottom most tips of your shoulderblades broadening sideways.

Head

Align the ears over the sit bones.

Check the alignment of your body side-on to the mirror.

Now place your hands on your hip bones and begin to move your pelvis gently and slowly forward and back. Notice how playing around with the placement of your pelvis affects your posture as well as your height. You will be at your tallest in neutral spinal alignment. By exploring the connection between one part of the body and another, and how the placement of one part of the body affects another you will begin to acquire good functional posture.

Find a moment to journey through the bones as often as you can to enhance your awareness of feeling your body in space. Enjoy the sensation of lightness and length that it brings.

Extracted from Bodywise, discover a deeper connection with your body; ABC Books; rrp: $34.95; fully illustrated. Available from all good bookstores.

Now to Love

MasterChef alumni Tommy Pham welcomes TWO new babies into the world

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Elton John opens up about battle with “severe” infection

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Seven star Matt Doran breaks silence on his “huge problems with depression”

5 Failproof Ways To Get Your Kids To The Dentist

Brought to you by Pacific Smiles Dental

“I tried period undies so you don’t have to”: A guide to making the sustainable switch from pads and tampons

I made Princess Kate’s favourite smoothie in this blender, and let’s just say, I was royally impressed

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tune in and work out with the best headphones for the gym

What to know about your dental health

Work smarter not harder with the help of wearable weights

How to get back on your feet after COVID

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Which milk is best for my family

Now to Love

In days gone by there wasn’t a lot of choice in milk. In most cases it came straight from the dairy or in glass bottles, with cream on top and delivered to your front door. Now, the dairy case is bursting with a huge range of milks, plus there’s the convenience of UHT long life milks too. So what is the best choice for your family?

Regular full cream (around 4% fat)

Cow’s milk is an important beverage in the diets of children and adolescents as it provides essential nutrients for growth and development including protein, riboflavin and vitamin B12, but most notably calcium. Full cream cow’s milk as a main drink can be introduced once a child is over the age of 12 months. Infants rely on additional nutrients in breast milk or infant formula prior to their first birthday.

Reduced fat (around 1.4% fat)

As milk provides about one-third of the saturated fat in the diet of children and 14 per cent in adolescents, reduced fat varieties are now encouraged for older children (over aged 2 years) in the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.

Reduced fat milks are also a good general choice for the whole family, especially anyone who can’t quite stomach skim.

Skim (around 0.1% fat)

Skim milk still packs a punch when it comes to calcium and is a good choice for waist watchers. Recent clinical research is definitely dispelling the myth that dairy foods are fattening. One study published last year in Obesity Research, showed that people on a kilojoule controlled diet who had 3 serves of dairy a day , lost 70% more weight (on average) than those who did not consume dairy.

Specialty milks

You can also assess whether any members of your family would benefit from specialty milk, such as one with boosted calcium or added omega 3 fats. For example, you might like to make the switch to higher calcium milk during pregnancy or breastfeeding, when calcium requirements jump by an extra 200 and 300mg a day respectively.

Flavoured milks

Research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that children who drink flavoured milk consume fewer nutrient-void soft drinks and fruit drinks than children who don’t drink flavoured milk. The study also found that children who consumed flavoured milk had higher calcium intakes (in comparison with children who do not consume flavoured milk), but they did not have higher intakes of added sugars or total fat in their overall diet.

Now to Love

MasterChef alumni Tommy Pham welcomes TWO new babies into the world

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Elton John opens up about battle with “severe” infection

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Seven star Matt Doran breaks silence on his “huge problems with depression”

5 Failproof Ways To Get Your Kids To The Dentist

Brought to you by Pacific Smiles Dental

“I tried period undies so you don’t have to”: A guide to making the sustainable switch from pads and tampons

I made Princess Kate’s favourite smoothie in this blender, and let’s just say, I was royally impressed

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tune in and work out with the best headphones for the gym

What to know about your dental health

Work smarter not harder with the help of wearable weights

How to get back on your feet after COVID

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Resistance starch in the diet

Now to Love

In the 1980s a new type of naturally occurring dietary fibre was discovered and named resistant starch, as it “resists” digestion in the small intestine and makes its way to the large bowel. Good bacteria in the large bowel ferment the resistant starch and in the process enhance protection against bowel cancer.

Over the last twenty odd years, research into resistant starch has uncovered some compelling dietary benefits to the point where Dr David Topping, research scientist with CSIRO, states that, “Resistant starch is turning out to be as important, and possibly more important, than fibre for the health of the human bowel.”

The main problem is that Australians eating a typical Western diet are not getting anywhere near the levels of this smart carb, that has been shown to give such positive bowel benefits. So let’s take a closer look at how much you need and how you can boost your intake.

Resistant starch recommendations

It’s estimated that a typical western diet will provide around 3-6 grams of resistant starch a day, however CSIRO recommend that intakes should be more like four times this much at 20 grams a day.

What foods are naturally high in resistant starch?

Under-ripe bananas, cold, cooked potato, pasta and rice and legumes such as baked beans are all naturally sources of resistant starch.

To boost your intake:

Lunch on Minestrone soup
Dine on pasta and potato salads
Takeaway sushi and California rolls

Where else can you get it?

The richest source of resistant starch is a natural Australian ingredient called Hi-Maize. It comes from a special breed of corn and is known as the invisible fibre as you can’t detect it in foods and drinks. In fact, it doesn’t alter the taste, colour or texture of food so you can use it in everyday cooking. You can buy Hi-Maize at health food shops and also find it added to many smart carb foods.

To boost your intake:

Choose a breakfast cereal and bread with the Hi-Maize logo on pack
Look for other foods with added Hi-Maize like pasta and dairy desserts
Substitute ½ the flour in certain recipes with Hi-Maize

Check out www.hi-maize.com for recipe ideas

Now to Love

MasterChef alumni Tommy Pham welcomes TWO new babies into the world

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Elton John opens up about battle with “severe” infection

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Seven star Matt Doran breaks silence on his “huge problems with depression”

5 Failproof Ways To Get Your Kids To The Dentist

Brought to you by Pacific Smiles Dental

“I tried period undies so you don’t have to”: A guide to making the sustainable switch from pads and tampons

I made Princess Kate’s favourite smoothie in this blender, and let’s just say, I was royally impressed

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tune in and work out with the best headphones for the gym

What to know about your dental health

Work smarter not harder with the help of wearable weights

How to get back on your feet after COVID

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Snuggly throw rug

Now to Love

Throw combining crocheted and knitted squares

Download the pattern for the individual squares and the complete rug.

MEASUREMENTS

Throw measures (approx) 170cm x 140cm

MATERIALS

Cleckheaton Country 8 ply (50g balls)

Main Colour (MC) – 27 balls
1st Contrast (C1) – 2 balls
2nd Contrast (C2) – 3 balls
3rd Contrast (C3) – 14 balls

One 4.00mm crochet hook; one pair of 4.00mm knitting needles or the required size to give correct tension; knitter’s needle for sewing seams.

TENSION

One crocheted or knitted square measures 15cm across, using 4.00mm hook/needles.

ABBREVIATIONS

Alt = alternate; approx = approximately; beg = begin/ning; ch = chain; ch sp/s = chain space/s; cm = centimetres; cont = continue; dc = double crochet; foll = follows, following; incl = inclusive, including; lp/s = loop/s; patt = pattern; rem = remain/ing; rep = repeat; sl st = slip st; sp/s = space/s; st/s = stitch/es; tog = together; tr = treble; ttr = triple treble.

CROCHETED SQUARE (make 49) Using 4.00mm hook and C1, make 4ch, join with a sl st to form a ring.

1st round: 8ch, (1ttr in ring, 3ch) 7 times, sl st in 5th ch at beg. Fasten off.

2nd round: Join MC with a sl st in any 3ch sp, 3ch, 2tr in same 3ch sp, (2ch, 3tr in next 3ch sp, 3ch, 3tr in next 3ch sp) 3 times, 2ch, 3tr in next 3ch sp, 3ch, sl st in 3rd ch at beg. Fasten off.

3rd round: Join C2 with a sl st in any 3ch sp, (3ch, 2tr, 3ch, 3tr) in same 3ch sp, 2ch, 3tr in next 2ch sp, 2ch, (3tr, 3ch, 3tr) in next 3ch sp, rep from to last 2ch sp, 2ch, 3tr in next 2ch sp, 2ch, sl st in 3rd ch at beg. Fasten off.

4th round: Join C3 with a sl st in any corner 3ch sp, (3ch, 2tr, 3ch, 3tr) in same 3ch sp, (2ch, 3tr in next 2ch sp) twice, 2ch, (3tr, 3ch, 3tr) in 3ch sp, rep from to last two 2ch sps, (2ch, 3tr in next 2ch sp) twice, 2ch, sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

5th round: 3ch, 1tr in each of next 2tr, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) in 3ch sp, (1tr in each of next 3tr, 2tr in 2ch sp) 3 times, 1tr in each of next 3tr, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) in 3ch sp, rep from to last three 2ch sps, (1tr in each of next 3tr, 2tr in 2ch sp) 3 times, sl st in 3rd ch at beg.

6th round: 3ch, 1tr in each tr to 3ch sp, (1tr, 3ch, 1tr) in 3ch sp, rep from to last 16 tr, 1tr in each tr to end, sl st in 3rd ch at beg. Fasten off.

KNITTED SQUARE (make 50)

Using 4.00mm needles and MC, cast on 35 sts.

Knit 3 rows.

Purl 1 row.

Last 4 rows form patt.

Cont in patt until work measures 15cm from beg, ending with a purl row.

Cast off knitways.

TO MAKE UP

Join squares, alternating crocheted squares with knitted squares as in diagram. Using 4.00mm hook and MC, work 3 rounds of dc around rug, working into back loop only of each st and inc and dec as necessary to keep work flat. Fasten off.

Make 4 large tassels 14cm long and attach one to each corner.

Now to Love

Jimmy Barnes unearths shattering family secrets in his new book

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Bindi Irwin reveals heartbreaking fear for daughter Grace’s future health

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Kylie Minogue performs in red vinyl jumpsuit in Hyde Park

Kylie Minogue is officially embarking on a world tour in 2025 – and she’s bringing it Down Under

Who is Australian entrepreneur Adrian Portelli? We dive into The Block bidder’s life

Jessica Mauboy is reportedly pregnant with her first child

Despite starring in some of Australia’s biggest dramas, Stephen Peacocke admits he’s still “endlessly insecure”

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Actress Isla Fisher lists her million-dollar Sydney apartment for sale

Oh baby! Meet the sweetest celeb babies born in 2024

Brooke Boney’s replacement on Today has been revealed

Amal Clooney’s vow to Brad Pitt: “I’ll help you get your kids back”

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 25, 2005

Brooke Shields

Now to Love

Walking into a cosy Manhattan cafe, Brooke Shields pulls off a huge hooded coat to reveal a dramatic new look. Wearing absolutely no make-up, she nonetheless is striking – particularly because it appears that she has recently been struck. A large bruise, swollen and dark, covers the right side of her face. Yet there is no assailant to blame.

After more than 30 years in show business and a career that has taken her from teenage vamp to sitcom sweetheart to stage star, Brooke Shields has hit a wall. Literally.

Brooke, 40, became a household name at 13, starring in Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby, as a beguiling nymph. She followed that film with sappy teen fare such as 1980’s Blue Lagoon and Endless Love (1981), while maintaining a thriving modelling career. That cemented her fame and fortune.

Then life finally dealt her a blow from which she could not easily recover. After having her longed-for baby daughter, actress Brooke Shields just fell apart, struggling with severe post-natal depression.

In the June 2005 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Brooke talks about those dark times and how she has come to love being a mother.

Now to Love

Jimmy Barnes unearths shattering family secrets in his new book

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Bindi Irwin reveals heartbreaking fear for daughter Grace’s future health

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Kylie Minogue is officially embarking on a world tour in 2025 – and she’s bringing it Down Under

Who is Australian entrepreneur Adrian Portelli? We dive into The Block bidder’s life

Jessica Mauboy is reportedly pregnant with her first child

Despite starring in some of Australia’s biggest dramas, Stephen Peacocke admits he’s still “endlessly insecure”

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Actress Isla Fisher lists her million-dollar Sydney apartment for sale

Oh baby! Meet the sweetest celeb babies born in 2024

Brooke Boney’s replacement on Today has been revealed

Amal Clooney’s vow to Brad Pitt: “I’ll help you get your kids back”

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 19, 2005

Thumb-sucking puppy

Now to Love

Question:

My puppy likes to suck my thumb, sometimes up to six times a day. Is this normal? She seems to get great satisfaction from it. Should I stop her from doing this? I should tell you I’ve had her since she was a day old.

Pauline Foster

Answer:

It sounds like your little puppy has displaced suckling behavior on to you. This is not surprising seeing as you have hand reared her. She probably gets comfort out of this behaviour, just like a child sucking its thumb. If this doesn’t bother you, I don’t see that it is a problem at all. I would suggest that you socialise her well with other dogs and people (after she is vaccinated) and get her used to lots of experiences so you don’t have a really insecure, timid dog.

Obedience training is also a good idea as the other extreme of dominance problems can also occur with hand reared pups, where there are no guidelines or boundaries for appropriate behaviour. If a pup’s behaviour is dominant or out of line, it’s usually stamped out by the mum and littermates. Because you are essentially seen as her mum, you need to help teach her and shape her behaviour.

Now to Love

Home Page 5711

May 19, 2005

Creme fraiche

Now to Love

Question

An english recipe I have calls for crème fraîche, I do not know what this is and where do I buy it?

Answer

Crème fraîche, a French variation of sour cream, is a mildly acidic, high fat, slightly nutty tasting thick cream.

Before dairy products were first pasteurised, crème fraîche developed naturally when the bacteria present in cream fermented it, causing it to thicken naturally. It is still available in this natural form in many European countries, France being the most notable.

However, in Australia and the United States, laws require all commercial dairy products to be pasteurised so crème fraîche is manufactured through artificial fermentation, then re-pasteurised to halt the process, similarly to sour cream. Crème fraîche and sour cream can be used interchangeably in some recipes, but the former can also be whipped like cream and does not split or curdle when boiled.

Considering how often it’s used in recipes, it is surprising that it’s so hard to find. We know of at least four different brands of crème fraîche available here – two made in Australia, one from New Zealand and the fourth imported from France – and one of the Aussie ones is available in large supermarket chains.

All four can be found at good delis and gourmet food stores. Alternatively, use the somewhat-similar tasting light sour cream… or make your own crème fraîche! It’s certainly not a difficult exercise and needs neither special equipment nor a plethora of ingredients.

Just mix equal amounts of thickened cream and sour cream in a glass jar having a tight-fitting lid; screw on the lid and allow the mixture to stand at room temperature overnight. You can keep this homemade version in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Pics: bauersyndication.com.au

Now to Love

These budget-friendly fashion picks are essential for Spring

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Raise a glass to the best wine subscriptions in Australia

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Romance & Rivalry collide in new tennis film, Challengers

Luxurious lingerie to make you look and feel incredible

Jamie Durie’s family life with Ameka and his three children is a “dream come true”

The best anti-dandruff shampoo to keep your scalp flake-free

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Bring a touch of nostalgia to your summer fun with these retro bikinis

We’ve found the best shorts designed to stop chafing before it even starts

Actress Isla Fisher lists her million-dollar Sydney apartment for sale

Don’t sweat it: Our top picks for stylish but practical activewear shorts

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Home Page 5711

May 18, 2005

I told the other woman

Now to Love

I had always been fairly lucky in love. I would end up with nice guys, ultimately not “the one”, but good guys. My girlfriends warned me that one day I was sure to get burnt, that my winning streak in love couldn’t last. They were right.

When I met Tom in April, very quickly I started to believe that this was “the one”. We were introduced by friends and I remember laughing so much that night. He was smart and charming, with such a handsome smile that it gave me goose bumps. We discussed past serious relationships. His last had been with a girl called Sue, it had ended amicably five months ago.

From the beginning I knew Tom was moving to America for work. This worked out perfectly, as I too would be flying to America in January for a work transfer. During those initial months of our relationship, he went across to the States several times, which he claimed was for job interviews. In September, six months into our serious relationship, Tom made the full move across the Pacific and I was to join him four months later, to live together.

Over the next four months, I missed him terribly. We e-mailed each other frequently during the day. He would phone me while I was at work. It was always hard to talk then, as my job was very demanding. I would plead with him to phone me later at home. But there was always some good reason why he didn’t — like he had fallen asleep or gone out with friends. When I tried to phone him at home, the phone would just ring and ring or sometimes be switched off altogether.

Each month I would want to fly over for a weekend with him, to see where we would be living. Instead he would regularly fly back to Sydney to see me. He claimed that his temporary flatmate was very uncomfortable having strangers in the house. Her name was Jax and she was a long haul flight attendant, he told me. She would be away for days at a time with work but when she finally came home, she would demand peace and quiet.

Months passed, January came, Jax moved out and I moved in, finally. Under the same roof together, I noticed that Tom was a lot more cagey and inhibited … until one day it all came out. He was usually careful when checking his e-mail to hide them when I entered the study. One day I needed to look at the Internet quickly, so Tom stepped aside to let me on the computer. Clicking on a wrong web page, I had to go back a page and suddenly the screen was his Yahoo inbox. All I could see were e-mails that he had been sending to Sue, his supposed ex — one had been sent just yesterday. I clicked it open and read.

When he’d told me he had broken up with Sue, he’d lied. They had been together the whole time that I had been dating Tom. She had moved to America for her job and he followed her. All those times he claimed to be going to America for work interviews, it had really been to visit her.

When he moved to America in September he moved into their home — her full name was Sue Jax. The reason he could never call me from home or I could never reach him was because Sue was there. And when it came time for me to join him in America, he broke off their relationship without explanation. She fled the house, broken and confused.

I packed my stuff together and moved out that day. Tom tried explaining his version, but that only made me pack faster. Once I had left him, my next port of call was Sue. I remembered her e-mail address easily enough. It was a short and straightforward e-mail but very hard to write. I knew that Sue was innocent in all this too, she had no idea Tom was in another relationship. But I had to let her know what a dog he had been. I wanted to make sure she never felt the urge to see him or re-build their broken relationship. I explained who I was and gave her dates as evidence. It was hard to keep my bitter tone in check in the e-mail. I doubt Tom had any idea I might remember Sue’s e-mail address, let alone consider contacting her.

It was months later, when I had given up hope of hearing from Sue, that I finally received a reply. It was short. But she said she was grateful to know the truth and it made a lot of things clear to her. She also said that Tom had tried to contact her but she was ignoring him. I’m sure Tom has no idea why Sue is ignoring him but I cannot believe his cheek, as he tried to move so easily between girlfriends.

I never heard from Sue again, nor did I try and contact her again. There are too many painful memories for both of us. Wherever Sue is out there, we are both better off without him. I have paid my dues now and hope one day soon I will be ready to look for love again.

Now to Love