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Antiques Roadshow guest floored by value of father’s gift

<p dir="ltr">For most people, finding out that their old items are worth a few hundred dollars is a treat enough, and maybe a few thousand if the antique is particularly special. </p> <p dir="ltr">But for one woman in the United Kingdom and her treasured brooches, that would have been small change. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was <em>Antiques Roadshow</em>’s expert Geoffrey Munn who broke the news after inspecting her pieces in Wales, assigning an impressive value to the 18th century collection. </p> <p dir="ltr">As the guest - and owner - explained, the two diamond brooches from her set had been gifted to her by her father. </p> <p dir="ltr">“[The smaller bow] on my wedding day. [The floral brooch] came a little bit later,” she said, “and [the ruby bow] was inherited from my grandmother.” </p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to share that her father had actually been involved in the antiques world, and so it was “something that I’ve grown up with.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/05/AntiquesRoadshow_EMBED.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Upon inspecting the items, Munn noted that they were in “perfect condition”, and that they seemed to be “18th century jewels of the finest pitch”. </p> <p dir="ltr">When it came to the smaller bow, he remarked that it was more than it appeared, being “a true lovers knot, because the harder it is pulled, the tighter it becomes. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And the diamonds are forever, so this little subliminal message for your wedding was perfectly well chosen.” </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Munn, the same could be said of the ruby bow, but that things were “more complicated” when it came to the floral brooch. </p> <p dir="ltr">After sharing that it was most likely a sort of dress ornament, he noted that “there may have been 20 or 30 of them, and they might have gone down the back of a woman of very high rank and huge wealth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[In the 18th century], people didn’t simply recognise the sovereign because there was no photography and precious few portraits. So, when [they] entered the room, there had to be an enormous display of sumptuary.” </p> <p dir="ltr">He then theorised that the floral brooch could possibly have belonged to Russian royalty, and that he wanted to believe that was the case. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The Russian crown jewels were sold in London after the revolution to raise funds for the new regime,” he continued. “It’s just possible that this is a Russian crown jewel. Wouldn’t [that] be marvellous?” </p> <p dir="ltr">Munn dubbed the entire collection “marvellous things”, declaring that “they’re not showy. They’re utterly beautiful expressions of an era gone by and that’s what we’re looking for”, as well as announcing that the trio came in at a staggering value of approximately $62,000. </p> <p dir="ltr">The smaller bow came in at around $15,000, while the ruby brooch was valued at $18,800, and the ruby at $28,300.</p> <p dir="ltr">And while selling the set would have given the guest’s bank balance quite the boost, she had no intentions of parting with them any time soon. Instead, she intended for her daughters to inherit them. </p> <p dir="ltr">She enjoyed wearing the pieces, she said, but unfortunately, the bigger of the brooches were getting “difficult to wear nowadays … perhaps [they are] a bit more dated.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Antiques Roadshow / BBC</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Young girl who penned heartfelt letter to King Charles is floored by response

<p>An 11-year-old girl from New South Wales has captured hearts with her touching words and well-wishes for King Charles III. </p> <p>Maeve Malone, who lives in Willoughby with her family, wrote a letter to the monarch in September 2022 to offer her condolences on the loss of Charles’ late mother, Queen Elizabeth, and to let him know that she believes he will be a “fantastic king”.</p> <p>Maeve’s letter, which she shared with Ben Fordham on his 2GB series, opened with a quick introduction, before she launched into the heart of her message, writing that she was “really sorry to hear about your mum. I am 10 and in Year 4, Mum and Dad let me stay up to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. </p> <p>“You were so brave on that sad day. I think you will be excellent at leading the commonwealth. I also believe you will be a fantastic king.” </p> <p>At the end of the page - one embellished with colourful images of purple flowers - Maeve shared another personal message for Charles, letting him know of their shared interest in botany when she said, “Mum told me you like gardening, me too! I hope the flowers in your new home are blossoming.”</p> <p>“I hope to visit London one day,” she concluded. “When I do, I will go past your home and think of you and your mum. </p> <p>“Best of luck with your new job.” </p> <p>After reading Maeve’s letter, radio host Fordham checked in with the young girl, asking her what had prompted her to put pen to paper and contact Charles in the first place. </p> <p>“I wrote it because I wanted him to know that I was sorry for Queen Elizabeth,” Maeve explained, “I really liked Queen Elizabeth, ‘cause she was a really good leader, and it was really sad for Charles to lose his mum.” </p> <p>When Fordham asked what Maeve had expected from her kind words, and whether or not she had anticipated a response, the 11 year old was quick to admit that she hadn’t expected one. </p> <p>But to her delight, she’d been wrong, with a letter arriving in the mail, addressed to her and signed by the monarch. </p> <p>“I got it out of the letter box, and when I got it … I started jumping with joy,” Maeve said. </p> <p>That letter - typed up with Charles’ signature at the bottom - read, “it was so very kind of you to send me such a wonderfully generous message following the death of my beloved mother. </p> <p>“Your most thoughtful words are enormously comforting, and I cannot tell you how deeply they are appreciated at this time of immense sorrow.” </p> <p>And while Maeve’s entire day might have been made with the kind reply, she still won’t be able to tune in for her new friend’s big day - he might have his coronation to attend, but Maeve is a busy girl, and has a party of her own to get to. </p> <p><em>Images: Ben Fordham Live / 2GB</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Drop that bass (below the level of human hearing) to get bodies on the dance floor moving

<p>People dance nearly 12% more when music includes very low frequency bass but researchers have found that it may be the sounds we don’t hear that gets our toes tapping.</p> <p>This is interesting news for those who’ve had an experience at a party, celebration or club when the music’s groove just isn’t making your body move and who might be tempted to reach for the nearest beverage to lubricate our joints.</p> <p>But maybe there’s a solution which is more subtle – and less liable to cause headaches the next day…</p> <p>It seems, as Meghan Trainor correctly observed in 2014, that it really is “All About That Bass.”</p> <p>Now, it is no revelation that bass-driven music is good for a boogie. Trainor certainly wasn’t the first to discover this critical component of the rhythm section.</p> <p>Researchers from Canada and Germany turned a live electronic music concert into a lab study, to find out how different qualities of music influence the body. Their results are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.035%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in <em>Current Biology</em>.</p> <p>The researchers introduced over speakers levels of bass below human hearing levels. This super low pitch infrasound is made up of wavelengths of sound too long for our ears to pick up. Infrasound is common in whale song and other parts of the animal and natural world.</p> <p>Monitoring the crowd’s movements, the scientists found that people danced 11.8% more when the very low frequency bass was present.</p> <p>“I’m trained as a drummer, and most of my research career has been focused on the rhythmic aspects of music and how they make us move,” says first author Daniel Cameron, a neuroscientist from Canada’s McMaster University. “Music is a biological curiosity – it doesn’t reproduce us, it doesn’t feed us, and it doesn’t shelter us, so why do humans like it and why do they like to move to it?”</p> <p>Cameron and colleagues treated participants in the study to a 45-minute live set by electronic musical duo Orphx at LIVELab, a research theatre at the University.</p> <p>Donning motion-sensing headbands, the concert-goers’ dance moves were monitored. They were also asked to fill out survey forms before and after to ensure they didn’t detect the infrasound, to measure their enjoyment, and examine how the music felt physically.</p> <p>Turning the ultra-low bass playing speakers on and off every two minutes, the researchers found movement increased by 12% when the speakers were on.</p> <p>Vibrations experienced through touch and interactions between the inner ear and brain are closely linked to the motor system.</p> <p>The researchers theorise that there is a neurological link between these physiological processes and music. They believe that our anatomy can pick up on low frequencies, affecting our perception of “groove”, spontaneous movement and rhythm.</p> <p>Cameron suggests that the super-low frequencies may influence the vestibular system which controls body position and movement through the inner ear.</p> <p>“Very low frequencies may also affect vestibular sensitivity, adding to people’s experience of movement. Nailing down the brain mechanisms involved will require looking the effects of low frequencies on the vestibular, tactile, and auditory pathways,” says Cameron.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=222462&amp;title=Drop+that+bass+%28below+the+level+of+human+hearing%29+to+get+bodies+on+the+dance+floor+moving" width="1" height="1" /> <!-- End of tracking content syndication --></em></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em>This article was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/bass-dance-more/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Evrim Yazgin. </em></p> </div>

Music

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UK couple strike gold under their kitchen floor

<p dir="ltr">A UK couple have made a surprising discovery while renovating their home, with their find selling for £754,000 ($NZ 1.5 million) at auction.</p> <p dir="ltr">After ripping up the existing floorboards and jackhammering through the concrete in the kitchen of their East Yorkshire home, the couple uncovered a small urn containing 260 ancient coins.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>BBC </em>reported that the coins dated from 1610 to 1727 and belonged to the Fernley-Maisters, a family who traded through the Baltic region. </p> <p dir="ltr">Auction house Spink &amp; Son said Joseph Fernley and Sarah Maister were married in 1694 and lived in Ellerby.</p> <p dir="ltr">Joseph died in 1796 aged 76, and Sarah died aged 80 in 1745, with the family line “dying out soon after” according to the auction house.</p> <p dir="ltr">Auctioneer Gregory Edmund told the outlet that the sale sum was an “absolutely extraordinary” result and said the costly urn was no larger than a can of soft drink.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Picture the scene – you’re choosing to re-lay your uneven kitchen floor, you put a pick-axe through the concrete and just beneath you see a tiny sliver of gold,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the time, you think it must just be a bit of electrical cable, but you find it’s a gold round disc and beneath it there are hundreds more.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-29911120-7fff-2ab8-6964-7eedba22d546"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I will never see an auction like this again.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/coins-find.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The coins were found during renovation works in an East Yorkshire home (left) before being sold at auction. Images: Spink &amp; Son</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Though the couple made the discovery in 2019, they have only just sent the coins to auction.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spink &amp; Son said the collecction was “one of the largest hoards of 18th Century English gold coins ever found in Britain”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The coins are only represent about £100,000 in today’s currency, but they attracted such a high price due to their rarity, which only skyrocketed after the find gained global attention and became the subject of media coverage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Selling in lots, the highest individual price for one of the coins was a hefty £62,400 ($NZ 124,200), paid for a 1720 coin described by the auction house as “imperfect”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Edmund described the bidding as “electrifying”, with the auction attracting the interest of collectors around the world.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-946d24fb-7fff-52fe-56f6-1d2bba9289ea"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Spink &amp; Son</em></p>

Real Estate

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Top tips to find the perfect flooring

<p dir="ltr">From wood or floating floors to tiles or carpet, choosing flooring that is both functional and builds on the feel and liveability of your entire home can be a tricky task.</p> <p dir="ltr">For interior design enthusiast and Carpet Court Style Collaborator, Emily Osmond, the task of finding the perfect flooring is a familiar one that she says was one of the biggest decisions she had to make while building her first home .</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hard or soft, flooring is one of the most important design selections you will make for your new build - it plays a huge role in creating mood, texture, colour and flow throughout the home,” she says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When it came to designing the interior, we started from the ground and worked our way up, knowing that whatever material and colourway we decided to include on the floors would form the foundation of our entire interior style.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-cb0288f3-7fff-9ecc-1922-5fac5b1ab145"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">But you don’t just have to consider flooring if you’re starting from scratch. Whether you’re planning some major renovations or just want to update the flooring in key spaces, Emily says the best option will come down to three key factors: material, lifestyle, and the space’s functionality.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CckYQaEPYKu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CckYQaEPYKu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by EMILY OSMOND | Business Coach &amp; Speaker (@emilyosmond)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I wanted our bedrooms and retreat to feel cosy and like a place to unwind, so the softness of carpet was perfect for these spaces,” Emily says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When it came to our entrance, knowing this would be a high traffic area meant that engineered timber was the best option. To emphasise how large and open the area is, we continued with this flooring seamlessly from the entrance to the kitchen, living and dining space, drawing the eye down the hallway.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Flooring, Emily stresses, acts as the basis for your entire home, and choosing an option that suits the space and that you’re happy with will save you the work of changing it later.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Paint can be easily updated, or cabinetry colours tweaked, but flooring is the base on which your whole home’s style is built upon and shouldn’t be overlooked,” she says.</p> <p dir="ltr">To help you pick the flooring that suits your needs, Emily has shared these three tips.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Budget</strong> - Building or renovating your home often sees you work within quite a tight budget, but flooring and carpet is a worthwhile item to invest in. Since it will be walked on every day, avoid skimping so you can pick high quality options.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Realise your vision</strong> - Making a mood board for her project helped Emily capture the overall aesthetic and feel of the home. Plus, having a physical version of your plan - whether as a mood board or model - can serve as a reference point you can come back to as you need.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Be confident</strong> - Though everyone’s taste differs, be confident in the decisions you make since only you known the vision you have for your home (and you will be the person living there every day).</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7cf373e2-7fff-0da8-ef90-9dae0e3e95ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @emilyosmond (Instagram)</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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“I was floored”: Mother-in-law poses as husband to announce pregnancy online

<p dir="ltr">A pregnant woman has asked the internet whether she was justified in losing her temper after her mother-in-law announced her pregnancy behind her and her husband’s back - all while pretending to be the husband.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to Reddit’s ‘Am I The A**hole’ thread, the 23-year-old woman explained that her pregnancy wasn’t planned, and that since she and her husband still hadn’t decided whether they would go through with the pregnancy, that they wouldn’t tell anyone until they did.</p> <p dir="ltr">But the husband told his mother about their pregnancy news, making her swear not to tell anyone either.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He didn’t tell her we aren’t sure about it but just to stay quiet,” the woman wrote.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fe72ed58-7fff-e0e4-948a-2c1ee9390453"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Well, she begged and begged that she announce it on Facebook under the guise of using our permission but I said absolutely not, and lied and said my husband and I wanted to announce it ourselves later if we decide to go through with it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/https___prod23.static9.net_.jpg" alt="" width="396" height="290" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Reddit  </em></p> <p dir="ltr">“Just a day ago I found out she logged into my husband’s Facebook account and dropped the bomb (made the announcement and yes she pretended to be my husband!) behind our back.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman explained how “floored” she was by her mother-in-law’s actions and that she called her to confront her.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I called her and she said she figured if she made the announcement using one of our social media accounts then we won’t mind and it’d still look like we made the announcement,” the woman continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But like I stated earlier, we’re still trying to make a decision. I lost my temper and yelled at her which made her cry. I said she overstepped and messed up completely then hung up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Her husband then became upset and yelled about her “poor treatment and abuse” towards his mother.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told him it violated our privacy and put us in more pressure to finally make a decision for the baby since the family are now calling to say ‘congratulations’,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He said that it was his fb (Facebook account) so none of my privacy was ‘violated’ and that I shouldn’t have yelled and hurt her feelings and made her cry no matter what, period.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The husband asked her to apologise and that they’d “talk about the pregnancy later”, but she didn’t answer and wouldn’t go with him to his mother’s house to “grovel with apologies”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Asking the forum whether she was in the wrong, she was met with numerous answers supporting her and some that questioned whether she should get a divorce.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Think hard about whether you want to be tied to this family for the next 18 years,” one person said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is your husband going to yell at you and side with his mom every time you disagree about your kid? Termination and say you miscarried is one option. Sounds like your husband’s family is trying to force your hand. This marriage sounds over already tbh (to be honest).”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another commented: “Like she so clearly crossed a line and the fact that neither of them see it that way is very concerning.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"Yes...why does she have his FB (Facebook) password?" another queried. "Sounds like she also has other SM (social media) passwords as well. This is so odd and a HUGE red flag. Add the fact that he feels mommy did nothing wrong and wife needs to apologize? I see an awful future ahead."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-88b02a91-7fff-3e58-00e1-0922f3f70af8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Bathroom floor for royal baby number three

<p>Zara and Mike Tindall have welcomed another child together, a little boy named Lucas Philip Tindall.</p> <p>The Queen and Prince Philip are "delighted" Buckingham Palace has said.</p> <p>The proud new father confirmed the details in his podcast The Good, The Bad &amp; The Rugby, announcing his wife gave birth at home on Sunday, March 21 at 6pm.</p> <p>"Arrived very quickly - didn't make it to hospital - on the bathroom floor," he said, in the first podcast announcement of a royal baby.</p> <p>"Crazy weekend, wasn't it? Saturday, lovelocks all the rugby. Obviously Scotland, absolutely, actually I was genuinely angry after the England game.</p> <p>"And then Sunday got even better because a little baby boy arrived at my house."</p> <p>A spokesperson for the couple also confirmed the news, saying, "Zara and Mike Tindall are happy to announce the birth of their third child, Lucas Philip Tindall."</p> <p>The name is a nod to Mike's father Philip and Zara's grandfather, Prince Philip. This is the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's tenth great-grandchild.</p> <p>Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of the Queen and the Duke, saying they are "delighted" by the news.</p> <p>They "look forward to meeting their 10th great-grandchild when circumstances allow", a spokesman added.</p> <p>Mike told his podcast co-hosts a friend helped them welcome the 8lbs 4oz (3.74kg) tot at their home on the royal Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire.</p> <p>"Zara's friend Dolly is, she's actually more important than I am at making sure she's been at every three of my children's births — she was there and recognised that we wouldn't have got to the hospital in time, so it was run into the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, get the mat on the floor, get the towels down, brace brace brace!" he said</p> <p>"Fortunately the midwife that was going to meet us at the hospital wasn't that far away so she drove up, got there just as we'd assumed the position, and then the second midwife arrived just after the head had arrived!"</p> <p>This is the third child for the couple, who are already parents to Mia, born 2014, and Lena, born 2018.</p>

Family & Pets

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New York wedding officiated from fourth-floor window amid social distancing

<p>As weddings around the world are being cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, a New York couple has found a way to carry on with their nuptials – by having a friend officiate the ceremony from a fourth-floor window.</p> <p>Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler tied the knot on Friday on a small sidewalk in the city. Their friend Matt Wilson, who is a licensed marriage officiant, led the ceremony from his fourth-floor apartment window as part of social distancing efforts. The couple exchanged their vows as a few friends stood witness from several metres away.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9_98yxpw7Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 21, 2020 at 7:47am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Jennings and Wheeler initially planned to wed in October, but decided to have a quick courthouse wedding amid concerns “that things weren’t going back to normal for quite a while”.</p> <p>Jennings said Wilson texted them on group chat, letting them know he was ordained by the county clerk of New York and could help them “get hitched”.</p> <p>“We texted, ‘Wanna marry us outside your window in the next 24hrs?’ and he said ‘YES!’” Jennings told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p>“To that I replied, ‘How about in 90 minutes?’ We both finished up work meetings, got dressed, picked up some flowers, and headed to his apartment around the corner.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9-kCC8Jfca/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Reilly Jennings (@reillyjennings)</a> on Mar 20, 2020 at 6:39pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The wedding came as businesses were closed and residents of the US city were told to keep their distance and stay indoors where possible.</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a href="https://www.eonline.com/au/news/1133191/couple-marries-on-new-york-street-as-friend-officiates-wedding-from-3-floors-up">E!News</a></em>, Jennings said she and Wheeler will remember “the overwhelming sense of joy and love amidst a scary and uncertain time”.</p>

Relationships

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The easy way to strengthen the pelvic floor

<p><strong><em>Tracy Adshead is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. She is passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community.</em></strong></p> <p>The most common type of bladder control issue is that awful moment of exercise, coughing, sneezing, laughing or heavy lifting when we realise that things are not as strong as they once were. Pelvic floor disorders are surprisingly common after the age of 55. Affecting both men and women. By the age of 80, one in two will have experienced some form of bladder control or retention issues. </p> <p>This yoga practice is geared towards creating greater awareness of the pelvic floor as well as strengthening – imagine the pelvic floor as a round mini-trampoline made of firm muscle, able to move up and down.  Much like our arm, leg or muscles, it can be consciously controlled and therefore strengthened with regular practice. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LLpbNrVInY8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>

Body

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Fit for a queen! Princess Mary dazzles in floor-length gown for royal birthday

<p>The Danish royals put on a lavish display of fashion as they arrived at a family dinner at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen on Monday evening.</p> <p>Queen Margrethe was the host for the night, as she gathered the family together to celebrate the 75th birthday of her younger sister Princess Benedikte.</p> <p>The 79-year-old dazzled in a purple and black lace dress, paired with a stunning pearl necklace.</p> <p>Princess Benedikte opted for an enchanting turquoise dress, which she accessorised with silver jewellery.</p> <p>With fans eagerly waiting in the hopes to catch a glimpse of the royals, Crown Princess Mary and her husband Crown Prince Frederik arrived hand-in-hand in spectacular fashion.</p> <p>The mother-of-four had her hair pinned in a chic updo and kept her makeup simple as she stunned in a royal blue, off-the-shoulder gown.</p> <p>Frederik decided to coordinate with his wife, as the 50-year-old chose the same colour palette of navy when it came to his suit.</p> <p>Other guests in attendance included daughters of Princess Benedikte, Princess Nathalie and Princess Alexandra of Sayn Wittengenstein-Berlebourg, along with Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Princess Mary's impeccable style in her stunning royal blue gown.</p>

Family & Pets

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How to activate your pelvic floor muscles

<p>A lot of people over the age of 60 suffer from pelvic floor issues.</p> <p>In this video, Taylor Harrison – author, senior’s health expert and Director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.activeseniors.net.au/">Active Seniors Health Centre</a></strong></span> – shows you how to active your pelvic floor muscles.</p> <p class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/301767440" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><a href="https://vimeo.com/301767440">How to activate your pelvic floor muscles</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/oversixty">OverSixty.com.au</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p> <p>To see more videos and articles on improving your health and fitness from Taylor Harrison, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/search.aspx?Keyword=taylor+harrison">click here</a></strong></span>. </p> <p>Will you be trying out this exercise? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

Caring

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The chilling reason you should never book a hotel room on the first floor

<p>A former CIA agent has warned the worst room you can book in a hotel is either on the ground floor or top floor.</p> <p>With the number of terror attacks on tourists on the rise, Drew Dwyer, a marine corps veteran and former CIA agent, has shared a number of tips to travel safely on US military news site <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://sofrep.com/49889/traveling-overseas-guidance-cia-operative/">Sofrep.com</a>.</strong></span></p> <p>He advised holidaymakers to request a room that is neither on the ground floor nor top floor.</p> <p>“The ground floor is readily accessible to intruders and the top floor does not allow any manoeuvre room,” he said.</p> <p>“The first or second floors allow access for most third-world country emergency vehicles.”</p> <p>Dwyer also advised guests study the fire escape plan, usually found on the backs of hotel room doors, as soon as they check in.</p> <p>And in case of an emergency, he said to keep an escape bag packed at all times.</p> <p>“Keep a small ‘bug-out bag’ packed with must-have items (money, ID, passport, etc) in the event of an emergency departure,” he said.</p> <p>Many popular holiday destinations like France, Turkey and Egypt have been classed a high terror risks, but it hasn’t stopped travellers flocking there in droves.</p>

Travel Tips

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5 secrets to improving pelvic floor function

<p><em><strong>Dr Kate Gregorevic is a geriatrician with a research interest in health and lifestyle factors that are associated with healthy ageing and recovery from illness.</strong></em></p> <p>The vagina is both for fun and function. Childbirth (whether vaginal or caesarean) is an incredible achievement, but due to human babies having relatively oversized heads and the female pelvis being relatively narrow to allow us to walk upright, many women experience trauma to the pelvic floor. In addition the hormones of pregnancy and menopause can also increase the stress on the pelvic floor muscles and contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, which can result in incontinence, constipation and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Low_Back_Pain_and_Pelvic_Floor_Disorders" target="_blank">even back pain.</a></strong></span></p> <p>Some women, particularly those who have experienced vaginal birth, may have a vaginal prolapse. This occurs when the tissues of the vagina become weakened and some of the surrounding structures bulge into the vagina. This is extremely common, affecting up to forty per cent of all women who have had a vaginal birth. When I was a medical student, we were taught that after menopause, prolapse would invariably get worse, but now we know that with the right strategies, a prolapse may even improve. These are some simple lifestyle steps that can have a big impact on pelvic floor function:</p> <p><strong>1. Learn to do your pelvic floor exercises PROPERLY</strong></p> <p>The pelvic floor is a string of muscles that goes from your tailbone to your pubic bone, and so doing pelvic floor exercises involves <a href="http://stableandstrong.com.au/exactly-activate-pelvic-floor-correctly-caution-real-talk-ahead/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">drawing up the muscles around the rectum, vagina and urethra</span></strong></a>. The next step is to activate the deep core muscles in the abdomen. Over time, you can then build up to co-ordinating all muscles at the same time.</p> <p><strong>2. Once you’re doing your exercises properly, get upright</strong></p> <p>Many women do their pelvic floor exercises while they are sitting. This is a good way to start practicing, but the pelvic floor also needs to be active when you are upright doing day-to-day activities. This involves progressing to getting upright, and even to making sure your pelvic floor is engaged when you exercise. A good rule is that if you can’t engage your pelvic floor while doing an exercise, you need to take a break. An exercise physiologist or women’s health physiotherapist can be a great help in this stage.</p> <p><strong>3. Avoid constipation</strong></p> <p>Constipation is passing infrequent or difficult to pass stools. This can lead to straining on the toilet, which can actually worsen a prolapse. A diet high in fibre is key to improving constipation because it makes the faeces bulkier and softer, so easier to pass. Fibre is the indigestible part of plant-based foods, like fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. Not only is this good for protecting your pelvic floor, but diets high in fibre are actually linked to better overall health and a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/01/why-a-healthy-gut-is-important-in-older-age/http:/www.oversixty.com.au/health/body/2017/01/why-a-healthy-gut-is-important-in-older-age/" target="_blank">more diverse gut microbiome</a></strong></span>.</p> <p><strong>4. Use the correct POOsition</strong></p> <p>The optimal position for defaecation is actually crouching, not sitting. When we sit upright, a loop of muscle naturally kinks our rectum, meaning that we have to strain more to poo. By placing a stool under your feet and leaning forward, you can get the optimal angle and avoid straining and the pressure on your pelvic floor.</p> <p><strong>5. Get professional help</strong></p> <p>It is worth seeking out a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist with a specialisation in women’s health.  It can feel embarrassing to discuss such personal issues with someone, but women who enter this profession are experts at their job and making their clients feel at ease. They can help you develop a personalised management plan to focus on your specific needs.</p> <p>Even with the right lifestyle measures, some women may still require surgery for a symptomatic prolapse or incontinence, but these lifestyle measures are still important to optimise outcomes. One of the most important lessons to come from the <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-30/controversial-vaginal-mesh-implants-banned-for-pelvic-prolapse/9209940" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">vaginal mesh scandal</span></strong></a> is to highlight how important it is to talk about these common and treatable conditions.</p> <p>Speaking about this with other women, many will have shared the experience of pelvic floor dysfunction. Poor pelvic floor function is not inevitable with age. Even decades post-partum, with the right exercises and lifestyle measures, continence and sexual function can improve significantly. Whether your goal is avoiding prolapse surgery or running with the grandchildren, taking these steps to optimise pelvic floor function can make a huge contribution to living your best life.</p> <p><em>For the latest research on ageing well, follow Kate on Instagram <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/drkate_gregorevic/" target="_blank">@drkate_gregorevic</a></strong></span>.</em></p>

Caring

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Turn your slippers into wearable floor dusters

<p>Anyone who watched <em>Risky Business</em> and fantasied about how clean Tom Cruise’s character’s floors must’ve been after that famous slide is in for some good news.  </p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/officialgoodful/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Goodful</strong></span></a> has created a clever video showing how anyone can turn their slippers into a pair of wearable floor dusters. This left-of-centre solution turns any spring clean into a potential dance party, but on a more practical level is a great way to avoid picking up rouge pet hair, dirt, lint and other things that you might if you were wearing socks.</p> <p>And at the very least, it’s a fun DIY project.</p> <p>To see how to put these machine washable dusting slippers together, watch the video above. What’s your take? Could you ever see yourself trying these?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments section.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Goodful </em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths/">How to get rid of pantry moths</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/the-secret-to-keeping-your-whites-white/">The secret to keeping your whites white</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/homemade-windscreen-washing-fluid/">3 ways to make your own windscreen washing fluid</a></em></strong></span></p>

News

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Yoga moves for strengthening pelvic floor muscles

<p><strong><em>Tracy Adshead is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. She is passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community.</em></strong></p> <p>If you’ve ever had an “oops” moment when you’ve laughed or coughed, you’ll know about the “personal discomfort that can arise from a weak pelvic floor. Women who have had children are more likely to experience urine leakage, together with anyone who is overweight. While some people choose to just live with it there are some simple chair yoga practices that everyone can do to strengthen these important muscles.</p> <p>The pelvic floor looks like a hammock – a sling of muscles, ligaments and sheet-like tissues that stretch from the front to the back of the pelvis. It supports the bladder and bowel, giving you control over the elimination process. The pelvic floor tends to get weaker with increasing age, after an injury (such as a fall) or with constant straining to empty the bowels. Luckily, it is possible to make these muscles strong again, like other muscles in the body, just 5 minutes of exercising each day can make a big difference.</p> <p><strong>How to locate the pelvic floor muscles:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lie down on your back on a reasonably firm surface, like the floor or bed.</li> <li>Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart.</li> <li>Take a deep breath in, as you exhale lift your head and shoulder off the floor look towards your knees. Now, like blowing-out birthday candles exhale through pursed lips, blow the air out forcefully.</li> <li>As you exhale, notice the muscles that are contracting in the pelvis – this is the pelvic floor.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Here’s how to do a pelvic floor exercise:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Sit on a chair, keep your back upright, shoulders back. Relax your hands into your lap. Place your knees about hip width apart.</li> <li>Squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles (this should feel like you are trying to stop yourself from passing water). As you hold these muscles lift you right knee of the floor as best you can.</li> <li>Exhale, relax the right foot to the floor. Relax the pelvic floor. Repeat this 4 more times.</li> <li>Switch to the left foot, repeat this practice 5 times.</li> </ol> <p><strong>For best results do every day</strong></p> <ul> <li>Don’t hold your breath while doing this practice</li> <li>Only contract the pelvic floor muscles</li> <li>Don’t overdo it – little and often is best!</li> </ul> <p>Depending on your medical history and prior treatments you may wish to consult a doctor before starting a new type of exercise.</p> <p>What kind of exercise do you like to do at home? Let us know on the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/06/yoga-exercises-for-neck-and-shoulders/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Three yoga exercises to relieve neck and shoulder stress</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/05/easy-exercise-all-over60s-should-be-doing-to-improve-balance/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 easy exercise all over60s should be doing to improve balance</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/health/body/2016/05/how-to-improve-your-balance-with-yoga/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">How to improve your balance with yoga</span></em></strong></a></p>

Body

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