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Comedian and sitcom star dies at age 76

<p>Legendary comedian and sitcom star Richard Lewis has passed away at the age of 76. </p> <p>The <em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em> actor, who has been candid in recent years about his struggle with Parkinson's, died of a heart attack, according to his publicist. </p> <p><em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em> creator Larry David shared an emotional tribute to his friend and co-star, sharing how the men had been friends their whole lives. </p> <p>“Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he’s been like a brother to me,” David wrote in a statement Wednesday, shared by HBO.</p> <p>“He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that I’ll never forgive him.”</p> <p>In April 2023, Lewis took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his ongoing health issues, sharing how he had undergone a series of surgeries.</p> <p>“Three and a half years ago, I was in the middle of a tour and then I finally ended it with a show I said ‘You know, I’m at the top of my game, after 50 years almost I’m just gonna call it quits.’”</p> <p>“Then, out of the blue, the s**t hit the fan. I had four surgeries back to back to back to back. It was incredible, I couldn’t believe it. It was bad luck but it’s life, you know?”</p> <p>“I had back surgery, then I had a shoulder surgery, then I had a shoulder replacement surgery, and a hip replacement. So, you know, there was much where I was just focusing on [physical therapy].”</p> <p>He added that amidst his physical health battle, he had received a devastating neurological diagnosis. </p> <p>“On top of all that, two years ago, I started walking a little stiffly, I was shuffling my feet and I went to a neurologist and they gave me a brain scan and I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.”</p> <p>While being candid about his health problems, Lewis also became known for his dark jokes about his battles with addiction and neurosis. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

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Beloved singing star reveals condition that may force early retirement

<p>Scottish singer and songwriter Lewis Capaldi has opened up about his battle with Tourette’s syndrome, admitting it could lead him into early retirement.</p> <p>The <em>Before You Go</em> singer, 26, has shared details of his condition with fans in the past, making light of it online, even going viral on TikTok for how he handles his on-stage tics.</p> <p>Speaking to The Sun, the 26-year-old revealed it is a “very real possibility” he will have to put the mic down if his condition deteriorates.</p> <p>"It's triggered by stress, anxiety, and excitement. Basically, any strong emotion, you're f—ed," Capaldi, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s in 2022, said.</p> <p>"There are times it has been really bad and I've wondered whether I can continue to do this with the stress, anxiety, and Tourette's. It all comes as a direct result of doing this job.”</p> <p>Capaldi, renowned online for his self-deprecating sense of humour and cheeky commentary, said he has worried that the crowd may mistake his tics for drug use.</p> <p>He also revealed he may have to stop making music and performing if the condition progresses.</p> <p>"This isn't drugs, and I've had that accusation on nights out. People have asked me directly, 'Are you on drugs, is it cocaine?'" He explained.</p> <p>"If it got to a point where my quality of life was drastically diminished, I'd just have to quit.”</p> <p>Capaldi’s powerhouse voice has thrown him into the mix with UK greats including Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran.</p> <p>He said that John has been a pillar of support during his struggles with anxiety, telling The Sun that the <em>Rocket Man</em> singer emails him regularly.</p> <p>In early 2023, a clip from Capaldi’s concert made waves online after fans helped him finish the song as he experienced a tic attack on stage.</p> <p>Capaldi was singing his perhaps most famous song, Someone You Loved, at a concert in Germany on February 21.</p> <p>Audience members were quick to notice the singer struggling, so they continued the song from where he left off, with him holding onto the microphone in an attempt to compose himself.</p> <p>In 2022, Capaldi shared his diagnosis with fans on Instagram.</p> <p>"I do the shoulder twitch a lot. And you see underneath every TikTok and stuff, people are like, 'Why is he twitching?', which is fine. Curiosity is fine. I get it," he said.</p> <p>"I haven't really learned much about it. I'm learning. I've got Botox on my shoulder to stop it moving. It worked for a bit," he said.</p> <p>"The worst thing about it is when I'm excited, I get it; when I'm stressed, I get it; when I'm happy, I get it. It happens all the time.</p> <p>"Some days it's more painful than others and some days it's less painful. It looks a lot worse than it is. Sometimes it's quite uncomfortable … but it comes and goes."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Music

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Lewis the koala put to sleep in hospital after horrific bushfire burns

<p>The 14-year-old buck who made international headlines after footage emerged of him coming out of the NSW bushfires with horrifying burns, has died. </p> <p>Lewis the koala was rescued by a heroic grandmother who carried him in her arms and the heartbreaking moment sent hearts racing around the world. </p> <p>The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has shared sad news on Tuesday afternoon, saying staff made the decision to put him to sleep. </p> <p>“We placed him under general anaesthesia this morning to assess his burns injuries and change the bandages,” the hospital said in a post at about 2.30pm.</p> <p>The hospital said Lewis’ burns became worse “and unfortunately “would not have gotten better”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">UPDATE: Lewis, the koala who went viral in this daring rescue video, has died at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital <a href="https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn">https://t.co/RshwIOyvyn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPLewis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPLewis</a> <a href="https://t.co/nsdOVVAI0U">pic.twitter.com/nsdOVVAI0U</a></p> — NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1199342797469425664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“The Koala Hospital’s number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made,” it read.</p> <p>$1.66 million in donations streamed in for the hospital after Lewis’ sad rescue went viral. </p> <p>Grandmother Toni Doherty was filmed ripping the shirt off her back near Long Flat in NSW to save the wailing koala. </p> <p>The 14-year-old suffered burns to his feet, stomach and chest. </p> <p>Named “Ellenborough Lewis” after Toni’s grandchild, or Lewis for short, he had been receiving care by long-term home care volunteer and koala hospital supervisor, Barb.</p> <p>“Barb hand feeds Lewis a single leaf at a time, with feeding taking up to an hour a feed,” the hospital said on Friday.</p> <p>“Lewis’s prognosis is guarded as he sustained significant burns however he is receiving the best possible care.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7832794/koala-lewis.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8dba411c87ee48d3aa0091b70f4a008e" /></p> <p>Lewis was just one of 31 koalas brought into the hospital from fire-grounds in the surrounding area, and an estimate of 350 koalas was killed as a result of the horrific bushfires. </p> <p>There are grave concerns from wildlife rescuers that there is a “much worse” toll of about 1000 koalas across NSW, Queensland and South Australia who were killed. </p> <p>Toni’s husband Peter Doherty told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nine.com.au/" target="_blank">Nine</a><span> </span>they “were there this morning” when Lewis died.</p> <p>“We are naturally very sad about this, as we were hoping he’d pull through but we accept his injuries were severe and debilitating and would have been quite painful,” Mr Doherty said.</p> <p>The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is part of a not-for-profit organisation established in 1973. </p> <p>They operate with four staff members and rely on the help of 140 volunteers. </p> <p>According to its website, the hospital has a treatment room, eight intensive care units, six outdoor intensive care units and 33 rehabilitation yards.</p> <p>In total, they handle between 200 and 250 koalas every year.</p>

Family & Pets

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9-month-old’s saving chance: Court order prevents hospital pulling the plug

<p>A Texas court has allowed a family to place a temporary restraining order on a hospital wanting to take their 9-month-old baby off life support. </p> <p>Tinslee Lewis was born with congenital heart issues and has been under the care of the Cook’s Children’s Hospital for the better part of her whole young life. </p> <p>Her family is rejoicing after a court order has allowed them to buy more time to find a hospital who is willing to keep their baby on life-saving machines. </p> <p>The child was born with Ebstein Anomaly, a rare heart defect meaning there is an abnormality in the tricuspid valve. </p> <p>The disorder separates the right atrium from the right ventricle so normal blood flow cannot occur. </p> <p><span>In some rare cases, the disorder can cause the right atrium to swell, and even result in congestive heart failure. </span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftrinity.lewis.3551%2Fposts%2F2476561655891273&amp;width=500" width="500" height="586" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>While Tinslee has already undergone numerous surgeries for the disorder, for the past several months the young infant has been kept on a ventilator. </p> <p>The doctors worry the 9-month-old baby’s health will not improve and that she is “suffering”. </p> <p>However, her family could not agree less. </p> <p>"We are a family who believes where there's just a little air, there's hope," Beverly Winston, the infant's relative, told<span> </span>CBS DFW. </p> <p>"Regardless of your reason, what the law is -- she deserves the chance to fight for her life, and she has a troop who will help her 100 percent and above."</p> <p>Ahead of the court’s ruling, the hospital has issued a statement explaining the doctor’s conclusions. </p> <p>“Tinslee Lewis is a beautiful baby who has captured the hearts of many at Cook Children’s since her premature birth nine months ago,” a statement from the Cook Children’s hospital read, according to CBS DFW.</p> <p>“In the last several months, it’s become apparent her health will never improve,” the statement continued. </p> <p>“Despite our best efforts, her condition is irreversible, meaning it will never be cured or eliminated. Without life-sustaining treatment, her condition is fatal. But more importantly, her physicians believe she is suffering.”</p> <p>“To maintain the delicate balance necessary to sustain Tinslee’s life, and to prevent her from pulling out the lines that are connected to the ventilator, doctors have had to keep her constantly paralyzed and sedated.</p> <p>“While Tinslee may sometimes appear alert and moving, her movements are the result of being weaned off of the paralyzing drugs. We believe Tinslee is reacting in pain when she’s not sedated and paralyzed.”</p> <p>The hospital says they have reached out to nearly 20 hospitals who have all declined to accept the infant as a patient. </p> <p>Tinslee's life support was due to be switched off on the 17th of November, however a judge sided with her family with preventing from doing so. </p> <p>Another hearing is scheduled on November 22. </p> <p>“I thought that they were going to pull the plug on my baby,” Trinity Lewis, the baby’s mother, told Fox 7 Austin. </p> <p>“I didn’t think she was going to still be here today, and that’s what I’m grateful for.”</p>

Caring

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How to identify the signs of Lewy body dementia

<p><em><strong>Dr Melissa J. Armstrong is an Assistant Professor in Neurology at the University of Florida. Her research focuses on movement disorders and cognitive impairment.</strong></em></p> <p>Lewy body dementia reached the public eye in 2014 after reports that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-lewy-body-dementia-gripped-robin-williams1/" target="_blank">Robin Williams died with diffuse Lewy body disease</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>But, despite the fact that Lewy body dementia is the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/content/10-things-you-should-know-about-lbd" target="_blank">second most common dementia</a></strong></span>, it remains frequently unrecognised.</p> <p>In one study, almost <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916037/?report=reader" target="_blank">70 per cent of people diagnosed with Lewy body dementia saw three consultants</a></strong></span> before receiving the diagnosis. For a third of people with the disease, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916037/?report=reader" target="_blank">getting the correct diagnosis took more than two years</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>As a physician specialising in Lewy body dementia, I often hear patients and families describe delays in getting a diagnosis. It doesn’t have to be this way. Awareness is critical, particularly as new opportunities emerge for diagnosis and treatment.</p> <p><strong>What is Lewy body dementia?</strong></p> <p>The word “dementia” describes a condition affecting a person’s memory and thinking that is a decline from how he or she used to function and that is severe enough to affect day-to-day life. Alzheimer’s disease dementia and Lewy body dementia are the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/content/10-things-you-should-know-about-lbd" target="_blank">two most common types</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>Lewy body dementia gets its name from the abnormal protein clumps that are seen on autopsies of the brains of people with Lewy body dementia. The protein <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/living-with-pd/topic.php?alpha-synuclein" target="_blank">alpha-synuclein</a></strong></span> – a protein found in the brain, not one you eat – clumps into spheres called Lewy bodies which can be seen using a microscope. These are named after F. H. Lewy, the person who first described them.</p> <p>The diagnosis Lewy body dementia is an umbrella term that includes two different conditions: dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia.</p> <p>In dementia with Lewy bodies, a person develops memory and thinking problems before or at the same time as he or she develops movement problems that resemble Parkinson’s disease.</p> <p>In Parkinson’s disease dementia, a person who has experienced Parkinson’s disease movement problems for years then also develops trouble with memory and thinking.</p> <p>These two conditions <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/content/symptoms" target="_blank">share many of the same features</a></strong></span>. In addition to memory and thinking problems and movement problems, people with these conditions can have fluctuations in their alertness and concentration, hallucinations and paranoia, acting out dreams during sleep (something called <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rem-sleep-behavior-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20352920" target="_blank">REM sleep behaviour disorder</a></strong></span>), low blood pressure with standing, daytime sleepiness and depression, among other symptoms.</p> <p><strong>Diagnosis is important</strong></p> <p>Getting the correct diagnosis is critical for patients and families. While no one wants to hear that they have a disease that currently can’t be cured, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/alzrt251" target="_blank">patients and families often feel relief</a></strong></span> that they finally have an explanation for what’s happening.</p> <p>The diagnosis of Lewy body dementia is often missed due to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916037/?report=reader">lack of awareness</a> by physicians, patients and families. Even for people eventually receiving a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, research shows their <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2916037/?report=reader" target="_blank">first diagnosis is commonly incorrect</a></strong></span>. In that study, 26 per cent of people later diagnosed with Lewy body dementia were first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and 24 per cent were given a psychiatric diagnosis like depression.</p> <p>Knowing the correct diagnosis lets patients and families connect to resources such as the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/" target="_blank">Lewy Body Dementia Association</a></strong></span>, an organisation dedicated to helping people living with this disease. The organisation provides education on Lewy body dementia, helps patients and families know what to expect, links patients and families to support and resources and connects them to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/participate-in-research" target="_blank">research opportunities</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>Once a diagnosis is made, physicians can also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lewy-body-dementia/diagnosis-treatment/treatment/txc-20200391" target="_blank">suggest potentially helpful treatments</a></strong></span>. Medications can include carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet®), a drug that helps with slow movements, and cholinesterase inhibitors, which are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_disease_treatments.asp#how" target="_blank">drugs developed for Alzheimer’s disease</a></strong></span> that may also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lbda.org/content/recent-studies-demonstrate-benefits-cholinesterase-inhibitors-dlb" target="_blank">help people with Lewy body dementia</a></strong></span>.</p> <p><strong>Avenues for research</strong></p> <p>There is a great deal that we still need to learn about the Lewy body dementias. Increasing research is a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Current-Research/Focus-Research/Alzheimers-Related-Dementias" target="_blank">priority of the National Institutes of Health</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>Earlier this year, experts published <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5496518/" target="_blank">new criteria for the diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies</a></strong></span>, aiming to improve accurate diagnosis.</p> <p>There are also currently multiple research studies trying to find drugs to help people with Lewy body dementias, including studies to investigate drugs <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02669433?term=rvt+101&amp;cond=lewy+body&amp;rank=2" target="_blank">hoped to improve thinking</a></strong></span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02640729?term=nelotanserin&amp;cond=lewy+body&amp;rank=1" target="_blank">hallucinations</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02910102?term=rvt+101&amp;cond=lewy+body&amp;rank=3" target="_blank">walking</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>For Parkinson’s disease dementia, a new drug called pimavanserin was <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/newsroom/pressannouncements/ucm498442.htm" target="_blank">approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016</a></strong></span> to treat hallucinations. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=parkinson+disease+dementia&amp;term=&amp;cntry1=&amp;state1=&amp;recrs=" target="_blank">Current research studies</a></strong></span> are testing drugs hoped to improve memory and thinking.</p> <p>Scientists also hope to learn more about the alpha-synuclein protein clumps in the Lewy body diseases. Recent <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?vaccine-for-parkinson-reports-positive-results-from-boost-study" target="_blank">vaccine studies</a></strong></span> suggested that the body might be able to create antibodies against alpha-synuclein. This could be the first step toward a vaccine to help people with Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. If effective, a vaccine would prompt the immune systems of people with these diseases to create antibodies to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.parkinson.org/find-help/blogs/whats-hot/december-2014" target="_blank">attack and clear the protein clumps</a></strong></span>.</p> <p>With advances in diagnosis and treatment, there is reason for hope.</p> <p><em>Written by Melissa J. Armstrong. Republished with permission of <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Conversation</span></strong></a>. </em><img width="1" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83763/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation"/></p>

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This Oscar-winning actor is about to retire

<p>Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis is set to call it a day according to reports emerging from the US, which seem to indicate the star is retiring from acting.</p> <p>The 60-year-old star who is widely regarded as one of the pre-eminent actors of his generation has played a wide variety of roles over his four decades in show business, and is lauded for his versatility and willingness to lose himself in his characters.</p> <p>Day-Lewis has one more film awaiting release, Phantom Thread, which is expected to his theatres in December this year and will see him reunited with Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed him to a best actor Oscar win in 2007’s There Will Be Blood.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Shocker! Daniel Day-Lewis Quits Acting (EXCLUSIVE) <a href="https://t.co/QodlY5G6G8">https://t.co/QodlY5G6G8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Sf91l8GeKY">pic.twitter.com/Sf91l8GeKY</a></p> — Variety_Film (@Variety_Film) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety_Film/status/877244944678768640">June 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>In a statement, Day-Lewis’ spokeswoman, Leslee Dart, confirmed the news: “Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject.”</p> <p>Day-Lewis is the only performer to win three best actor Oscars.</p> <p>What’s your favourite Daniel Day-Lewis film?</p>

Movies

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My Tuesdays with Lewis: reflections from a new grandparent

<p><strong><em>Pat Simmons, 69, is a writer of poems, short stories, flash fiction and articles. Her work has been published in anthologies and children’s magazines and she has won writer competitions in Australia and the UK.</em></strong></p> <p>I’m not one of those people who always dreamed of having grandchildren. I used to think that it might be quite nice, but then I’d see these weary, harassed looking people in shopping centres and on the buses saying things like:</p> <p>“I’ve got them three days a week now.”</p> <p>“Me too and there’s another one on the way.”</p> <p>“Lovely having grandchildren though, isn’t it?”</p> <p>‘Oh yes,” they’d sigh, as they struggled with shopping bags, strollers and wriggling toddlers.</p> <p>It made me wonder whether grandparenthood was all it’s cracked up to be.</p> <p>Then, in August 2014, Lewis was born. No longer working full-time and having moved to the beautiful south coast of NSW where my daughter and son-in-law were living, I was able to visit them regularly and babysit for a few hours here and there. And, of course, Lewis was, and is, adorable and far superior to anyone else’s grandchild. (In my eyes anyway!)</p> <p>Now he’s eighteen months old and both his parents, like most parents of young children these days, need to work. Lewis attends Family Day Care on Mondays and Thursdays and he spends Tuesdays with me.</p> <p><img width="252" height="336" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/23694/pat-simmons-lewis_252x336.jpg" alt="PAT SIMMONS LEWIS" style="float: right;"/>I must confess that I was pretty nervous on that first Tuesday. He’s an active little guy and, like any eighteen month old, he needs constant supervision. And me? Well, I’m in good health but will be seventy this year and seriously wondered whether I’d be able to cope.</p> <p>What would we do all day? Would he be bored? Would I be bored?</p> <p>It’s a strange thing how your confidence begins to diminish when you retire from full time work. I had to give myself a good “talking to”. Come on, I said to the nervous me. You’ve worked in Children’s Services for twenty years. You have adegree, you’ve studied child development.You have a grown-up son and daughter for goodness sake.</p> <p>The first Tuesday with Lewis went well. I enjoyed our day and I’m pretty sure he did too.</p> <p>“What did you do?” asked my daughter.</p> <p>“Well, we played and… and… stuff.”</p> <p>“How long did he sleep for?”</p> <p>“Two hours,” I said proudly. (I knew the answer to that one.)</p> <p>“Did he eat all his lunch?”</p> <p>“Yes,” I said, failing to mention that my two dogs sat under the highchair waiting patiently for food to be dropped. And it was. The dogs enjoyed their chicken and mashed potato.</p> <p>Reflecting on my first Tuesday with Lewis that same evening, I made some notes about our day together:</p> <ul> <li>We played with the water table, filling it, emptying it, floating toys in it.</li> <li>We blew bubbles. (Those $1.00 bubble wands are great).</li> <li>Lewis found a torch and played with it for ages, shining its beam on the walls and ceiling.</li> <li>Lewis spent lots of time fiddling with the television remotes and my phone.</li> <li>I taught him a little song.</li> <li>He chased the cats, tolerated the dogs and helped feed the guinea pigs.</li> <li>He ate and slept.</li> <li>And we both laughed a lot.</li> </ul> <p>Every Tuesday evening now I write down what we did during the day and reflect on what a joy the day has been and how incredibly lucky I am to have this little boy in my life.</p> <p>Is grandparenthood all it’s cracked up to be? At this moment in time, most definitely.</p> <p><strong><em>If you have a story to share please get in touch at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank">melody@oversixty.com.au</a></span>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/having-a-sibling-makes-boys-selfless/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Having a sibling makes boys selfless</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/sibling-rivalries-in-my-childhood-shaped-who-i-am-today/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Sibling rivalries in my childhood shaped who I am today</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/05/kids-are-the-worst-instagram/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">In pictures: Kids behaving badly</span></em></strong></a></p>

Family & Pets

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10 facts you didn’t know about Anzac Day

<p><em><strong>Military historian Dr Tom Lewis OAM is the author of 12 books, his most recent being Carrier Attack, a forensic analysis of the first air raid on Darwin.</strong></em></p> <p>1. Everybody knows ANZAC is the acronym formed from the initial letters of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, but did you know it came about because it was the formation into which Australian and New Zealand soldiers were grouped in Egypt prior to the landing at Gallipoli in April 1915.</p> <p>2. First written as A. &amp; N. Z. Army Corps, it soon became A. N. Z. A. C. and the new word was so obvious that the full stops were omitted. The word was initially used to refer to the cove where the Australians and New Zealanders landed and soon after, to the men themselves.</p> <p>3. An Anzac was originally meant to refer to a man who was at the Landing and who fought at Gallipoli, but eventually it came to mean any Australian or New Zealand soldier of World War I.</p> <p>4. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, Anzacs who had served at Gallipoli were given an “A” badge to be attached to the colour patch – the fabric patch on a soldier’s sleeve which was the mark of his battalion. The A badges became much admired by others.</p> <p><img width="149" height="95" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/19005/1st-battalion-colour-patch-with-a-for-the-gallipoli-anzacs-badge-public-domain-.jpg" alt="1st Battalion Colour Patch With A For The Gallipoli Anzacs Badge (Public Domain) (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>5. Proposals to have something special commemorate the day of the initial landing began well before the first anniversary, with an enthusiastic campaign begun in Queensland.</p> <p>6. The first Anzac Day commemorations were held on 25 April 1916. The day was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies, services and marches across Australia. In the Sydney event convoys of cars carried soldiers wounded at Gallipoli with their nurses on board.</p> <p>7. Of course, most of the Australian forces were still overseas, for the war did not end until November 1918. There was a special march through London by around 2, 000 Australian and New Zealand troops, and a London newspaper dubbed them “the knights of Gallipoli”.</p> <p>8. A dawn service was not originally the routine. It is known a requiem mass was held at daybreak in 1918 in Albany, WA, where the convoys had left from. A dawn ceremony was first held in Sydney in 1928.</p> <p>9. The Australian War Memorial was built in Canberra after the war, but a ceremony was not held there until 1942, well into WWII.</p> <p>10. There is no legal guide as to what makes up an Anzac Day ceremony. </p> <p><em><strong>Scroll through the gallery above to view historic images of World War I. </strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/life-lessons-from-grandparents/"><em>Top 10 life lessons kids learn from grandparents</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/5-types-of-grandparents/"><em>There are 5 different types of grandparents – which one are you?</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/parents-and-kids-who-look-identical/"><em>10 pics of parents and kids who look identical</em></a></strong></span></p>

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6 surprising facts about Alice in Wonderland

<p>To celebrate its 150th birthday Lewis Carroll’s self-published 1865 manuscript, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, we have found six surprising facts about the beloved children's classic. </p> <p>1. Alice was a real girl</p> <p>The main character was based on the daughter of Carroll's boss, Henry Liddell – the dean of Christ Church College at Oxford, where Carroll taught mathematics. </p> <p>2. It was almost called "Alice in Elf Land"</p> <p>When Carroll gave a handwritten copy to Alice Liddell, it was originally titled Alice's Adventures Under Ground. However, by the time it was published, it was changed to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Before coming to this decision, Carroll went through other titles, including Alice's Hour in Elf Land, Alice Among the Fairies, and Alice Among the Goblins.</p> <p>3. The Dodo bird is based on Carroll</p> <p>At least according to reports! In the book, Carroll alludes to the pivotal boat trip by putting the participants into the story as birds. He was the Dodo, named after his real last name, Dodgson. The author had a documented tendency to stammer, and the story is that he would introduce himself as "Do-do-dogson."</p> <p>4. The Cheshire Cat climbed a real tree</p> <p>In the garden behind the Liddell home at Christ Church College, Oxford, stands a tree that is said to have inspired the famous cat's perch. </p> <p>5. His real name is not Lewis Carroll</p> <p>Charles Lutwidge Dodgson started using the pen name in 1856 when he published a romantic poem. It was a play on a Latin translation of his real first and middle names.</p> <p>6. Queen Victoria was a fan</p> <p>After reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Queen Victoria suggested that Carroll dedicate his next work to her. She probably should have been more specific: Carroll was a mathematician, so his next work was An Elementary Treatise on Determinants, With Their Application to Simultaneous Linear Equations and Algebraic Equations. He presented it to the Queen. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/08/vintage-lego-ads/">7 vintage Lego ads that will take you back to your childhood</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/10/real-life-winnie-the-pooh-and-christopher-robin/">Meet the real-life Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/09/disney-princesses-as-seniors/">Disney princesses reimagined as senior women</a></strong></em></span></p>

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