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World's most expensive house up for sale

<p>A French chateau, once owned by a member of the Rothschild family and, later on, the King of Morocco, has gone up for sale with a £363 million (AU$699) price tag. </p> <p>Chateau d’Armainvilliers located at Seine-et-Marne, 48km east of the Eiffel Tower, is the world's most expensive home. </p> <p>Built upon the foundations of a 12th century castle, the sprawling mansion boasts 1,000 hectares of land, 100 rooms across 2,500 square metres of living space, a private lake, and plenty of sequoia trees - the largest trees in the world. </p> <p>Ignace Meuwissen, a self-acclaimed "real estate advisor to the global elite" described the property as a display of "opulence and grandeur".</p> <p>"It is the most expensive castle in France and perhaps in the world. The price of €425million is justified by the property itself but also by the 1,000 hectare land which offers numerous possibilities," he told Paris Match magazine. </p> <p>"An investor could build thousands of apartments there if he wanted."</p> <p>The chateau was first bought by the Rothschild banking empird in the late 19th century, before King Hassan II of Morocco bought it in the 1980s. </p> <p>He then made the chateau more fit for a king, adding a hammam spa, a beauty and hairdressing salon, and a fully-equipped medical and dental facility.</p> <p>The Moroccan King  also added a basement level, which has a network of tunnels, kitchens, cold rooms, storage spaces and staff quarters.</p> <p>The lucky owner will also find Moroccan mosaics and wall tiles decorating the home, and for any avid equestrians, the home also has a stable big enough for 50 horses. </p> <p>However, some luxury property agents have expressed their doubts on whether the property would sell with its nine-figure sum, with one saying it was an "unrealistic" price tag. </p> <p>"It doesn’t make sense, it’s absurd Properties of this type could sell for 20-25 million, or even 30 million if we really fall in love with them. I’m not even sure that Vaux-le-Vicomte (a Baroque French château), which has no marketing plans, would sell at this price," one agent told French real estate publication <em>Le Figaro Immobilier</em>.</p> <p>Others were unsure whether the changes made by the King in the 1980s would suit modern tastes. </p> <p><em>Images: Whisper Auctions</em></p>

Real Estate

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Kath & Kim star's positive health update

<p><em>Kath &amp; Kim </em>star Magda Szubanski has candidly opened up about her struggles with binge eating, and in a more positive update, announced that she is no longer pre-diabetic. </p> <p>The 62-year-old took to Instagram to share the major health update, as she shared a photo of her Gordon Ramsay-inspired breakfast. </p> <p>“Have got my Hba1c out of pre-diabetes and back in the normal range,” she wrote in the caption. </p> <p>“I’m far from perfect but I just keep trying.”</p> <p>Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnoses. The HbA1c is a blood test that helps diagnose type 2 diabetes or monitor blood glucose levels in diabetics.</p> <p>“Check out #magdasbignationalhealthcheck #magdashealthcheck on @abctv to find out how sugar is F*CKING with us and why it is so hard to be healthy in Australia,” she added in the caption.</p> <p>“50 per cent of aussies live with chronic illness.</p> <p>“Let’s change that! One brekkie at a time!" she concluded. </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/CxjO38cyBZV/?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/CxjO38cyBZV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Magda Szubanski (@magda_szubanski)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Magda’s Big National Health Check</em>,  which aired on ABC, showcases the actress' personal journey to uncover what health looks like in Australia today. </p> <p>In an old episode which aired in November, the star candidly opened up about how she sought comfort from her overwhelmingly negative feelings by binge eating.</p> <p>Szubanski burst into tears as she revealed that she struggled  with “being able to forgive myself”.</p> <p>“Because I know people are like, ‘Well, why has she done that to herself?’, and it’s like, I felt I had no choice,” she said.</p> <p>“It was the only sane decision I could make given the alternatives that I faced, and then you become this f***ing shame magnet, and it’s like you’re not supposed to fight back.</p> <p>“You’re not allowed to defend yourself, you’re supposed to just hang your head again in shame and say, ‘I’ve brought this upon myself’.”</p> <p>In a previous Instagram update, the star also shared that he had been working to heal her relationship with her body and exercise.</p> <p>“I’m trying to find a way to frame this as not struggling or fighting but accepting resistance,” she said. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Two decades of Kath & Kim

<p dir="ltr">It has been 21 years since<em> Kath &amp; Kim</em> graced the screens and became one of Australia’s most beloved series.</p> <p dir="ltr">Arguably one of the most quotable TV shows, it saw Gina Riley and Jane Turner rise to fame.</p> <p dir="ltr">Turner, who plays Kath in the hit comedy, became a representative for the United Nations during and after the show, travelling to refugee camps and assisting charity efforts in Africa.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then made her theatrical debut in London in 2021, performing in the Aussie play, <em>Holding the Man</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her real-life personality isn’t so similar to Kath, "I'm actually quite a shy person, quite reserved," she told The Age in 2004.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I hate seeing myself on film and hearing my voice ... It's quite hard to be yourself, I think. Maybe that's why a lot of actors are actors – because they get to cover up and hide.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Turner is now 62 and married with three children.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for Kim, Gina Riley appeared in the drama series <em>The Beautiful Lie</em> and the comedy <em>Please Like Me</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also starred in a stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller North by Northwest in 2015. She’s also appeared in stage adaptations of Into the Woods and Chicago.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2013, Riley revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was fortunately caught early and she made a full recovery post-treatment.</p> <p dir="ltr">Riley, 62, is married to Rick McKenna and they share a daughter Maddie, who is also an actress. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c49a65f-7fff-a72e-ae5b-f055659de420"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Viewers slam Kath and Kim for “false advertising”

<p dir="ltr">Viewers have been left disappointed with the reboot of <em>Kath and Kim</em> after months of promoting the return of the Aussie show. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Kath &amp; Kim: Our Effluent Life</em> aired on Channel 7 on November 20 with fans gearing up for the show’s exciting 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, within minutes of the show airing, social media was flooded with messages of “disappointment” because only 10 minutes of new footage was aired. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Well this is disappointing. I thought it was a new episode #KathandKim,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This episode is like watching the bonus content you get when you buy a special edition DVD from Sanity #kathandkim #oureffluentlife,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyone else feeling cheated that we're not getting a whole new episode,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 20th anniversary reboot, which showed never-before-seen bloopers and moments from the previous seasons, went on for 74 minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">There were special appearances from Kylie Minogue, Michael Bublé, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Eric Bana, Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Richard E Grant, Barry Humphries, and Julia Gillard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Channel 7 did make it clear however that the show will only include around 10 minutes of new footage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Avid fans defended the screening, pointing out that it was evident from the beginning that the 20th anniversary episode would not be something new. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The only people complaining about #kathandkim are the ones who chose not to read anything about it prior to tonight. It was never advertised as a new episode. It was always going to be a celebration of the show’s history,” someone pointed out. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel like I'm the only person in Australia who picked up this was going to be a greatest hits/behind the scenes special, not a brand new episode #kathandkim,” another wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you are one of the morons complaining about the #kathandkim retrospective, if you had half a brain you'd be dangerous. It was always promoted and advertised as a retrospective, it's not their problem you're dumb,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite all the anger, 786,000 Aussies tuned in to watch the show. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Channel 7</em></p>

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Kath and Kim “cancelled” before it began

<p dir="ltr"><em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> creators have revealed that the ABC almost didn’t let the show go ahead just days before shooting started. </p> <p dir="ltr">With the show’s 20th anniversary coming up in the form of <em>Kath &amp; Kim: Our Effluent Life</em>, a legion of fans all around the world are gearing up for the foxy ladies of Fountain Lake. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, the four seasons, a 2005 telemovie <em>Da Kath &amp; Kim Code</em> and the 2012 movie, <em>Kath &amp; Kimderella</em> almost didn’t come to be because of the ABC. </p> <p dir="ltr">Gina Riley, who plays Kim in the show revealed that the ABC almost pulled the plug on the show before shooting began. </p> <p dir="ltr">“As I remember it, it was the Friday afternoon and we were going to pre-production the following Monday and we got a call saying, ‘It’s no longer the direction we want to go in,’” Riley recalled to <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/noice-different-unusual-how-kath-and-kim-was-made-and-almost-wasn-t-20221107-p5bwbi.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Age</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We were completely rocked, but we thought we’ve got a pretty watertight deal memo. And they were like, ‘We’re doing you a favour; you don’t want to do this to yourselves.’</p> <p dir="ltr">“And then we went, ‘OK, we’ll go somewhere else.’ And they said, ‘Oh, no, you can’t take it anywhere else.’ So that was when we went, ‘You know what? This is very unjust. And we’re going to fight it.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">Riley and her co-star/writer Jane Turner weren’t taking no for an answer and “fought back the decision”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We were very determined to make the show we had pitched, and in reality we didn’t stop writing and working on it. It was too awful so we just pretended it wasn’t happening.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Soon after the bad news, Australian television producer Sandra Levy was appointed as head of TV at the ABC and she was “sorting out” the series. </p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily for them, they were able to sort it out because ABC was committed to the project but wanted to tune out some fine details. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Kath &amp; Kim: Our Effluent Life</em> will show over two nights on Channel 7 and 7Plus for the 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn will make an appearance along with a star studded cast. </p> <p dir="ltr">There will be special appearances from Kylie Minogue, Michael Bublé, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Eric Bana, Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Richard E Grant, Barry Humphries, and even a former prime minister. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot will include never-before-seen moments as well as hilarious bloopers from the archives of more than 1000 tapes and 240 shoot days. </p> <p dir="ltr">There will also be a tribute to the late cricketer and Sharon’s favourite cricketer, Shane Warne, who passed away earlier in the year. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: ABC</em></p>

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Kath and Kim reboot air date announced

<p dir="ltr">It’s almost time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks as the foxy ladies from Fountain Lake are back on our screens on November 20. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Kath &amp; Kim: Our Effluent Life</em> is celebrating their 20th anniversary over two nights on Channel 7 and 7Plus. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn will make an appearance along with a star studded cast. </p> <p dir="ltr">There will be special appearances from Kylie Minogue, Michael Bublé, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Eric Bana, Mick Molloy, Tony Martin, Richard E Grant, Barry Humphries, and even a former prime minister. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot will include never-before-seen moments as well as hilarious bloopers from the archives of more than 1000 tapes and 240 shoot days. </p> <p dir="ltr">There will also be a tribute to the late cricketer and Sharon’s favourite cricketer, Shane Warne, who passed away earlier in the year. </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/Ckp5TRNBs7v/?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/Ckp5TRNBs7v/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Channel 7 (@channel7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were left fuming when the infamous home used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Kath & Kim to return for 20th anniversary reboot

<p dir="ltr">It’s time to crack open the Tia Maria and whack on the footy franks because the foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are back!</p> <p dir="ltr">The cast of Aussie TV show <em>Kath & Kim</em> have once again joined forces to record a special project for the show’s 20th anniversary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner along with stars Magda Szubanski, Glenn Robbins and Peter Rowsthorn arrived at the NEP Studios in South Melbourne for filming. </p> <p dir="ltr">The special one-off is expected to see the famous characters of Kath Day-Knight (Turner), her daughter Kimberly Day Craig (Riley), Kath’s butcher husband Kel (Robbins) and Kim’s husband Brett (Rowsthorn), and second-best friend Sharon Strzelecki (Szubanski) return. </p> <p dir="ltr">And of course, Kath & Kim’s Brighton alter egos, Prue and Trude will make an appearance. </p> <p dir="ltr">The reboot is expected to air later in the year with ABC, Seven and Netflix strong contenders for the broadcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first episode of <em>Kath & Kim</em> aired in May 2002 which then saw a legion of fans follow the foxy ladies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fans were recently in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/how-can-they-do-this-iconic-house-of-kath-and-kim-demolished" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uproar after the home</a> used in the show, dubbed “Chateau Kath" was demolished after the owner wanted to create a bigger home for her family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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Is Kath and Kim making a comeback?

<p dir="ltr">Magda Szubanski is keeping tight-lipped on whether or not there will be a reboot of our favourite foxy ladies, <em>Kath and Kim</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The actress, who played Kim’s second best friend Sharon Strzelecki, was asked about whether the rumours could be true. </p> <p dir="ltr">"If I did I couldn't possibly tell you. If I did, I'd have to kill you and your publishers and everyone else," she told TV Week.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It would be a bloodbath!"</p> <p dir="ltr">She was also asked by the publication about whether she will come back as the beloved Sharon Strezelecki. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Again, I can neither confirm or deny!" she replied.</p> <p dir="ltr">Back in 2018, Magda mentioned the attention the show was getting years after it ended after Netflix picked it up. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, Jane Turner who played Kath, said the show would have to be completely modernised to be in tune with today’s lifestyle. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It would be very different now. There are always funny new trends and things Kath and Kim could put their spin on, which would be fun to do," she previously said. </p> <p dir="ltr">Then in May 2021 she said she wasn’t exactly “too keen” on creating a fifth season of the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think it should be off the table... It holds such a special place in people's memories," she told <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If we did a live show, which was a "best of" or something like that, that's different. But to actually try and do a whole new series, I think you can never capture that magic again."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

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"How can they do this?" Iconic house of Kath and Kim demolished

<p dir="ltr">The iconic house used in the popular Australian TV series that gave us foxy ladies <em>Kath and Kim</em> has been demolished.</p> <p dir="ltr">Demolition works began on Monday on the property known as "Chateau Kath" in the fictional “effluent” suburb of Fountain Lakes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pete Rowsthorn, who played Brett in the series, said the house contained a lot of memories but it's time to move on.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a weird house, if I bought it I'd probably pull it down too," he told ABC Melbourne radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It had really quite small rooms … the squeaky back door, that was all natural sound. There was no foley man putting that on top.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I played cricket in the backyard with Shane Warne, I danced in the garage with Kylie Minogue, I sat and had dinner with Barry Humphries dressed up as a monk.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The home, actually located in the Melbourne suburb of Patterson Lakes, was last sold for $1.485 million in 2016.</p> <p dir="ltr">Owner Joanne Kelly said it was time for a change as works begin to build a two-storey property for her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">She held an open house in 2019 to raise money for cancer, which gave fans from all over the country to see the estate in person. </p> <p dir="ltr">ABC rented the home from 2002 to 2007 for the filming of the series which has a large following.</p> <p dir="ltr">It follows the story of a dysfunctional mother and daughter created and played by Jane Turner and Gina Riley.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans in the Facebook group “Da Kath & Kim appreciation society”, which has more than 114,500 followers have been left devastated at the home’s demolition. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many questioned why the house would be purchased and renovated given its significance to fans all over.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why would you buy a perfectly good house.. and one that has (dare I say) cultural significance to a great number of people, and then destroy it? It makes no sense,” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I only had two reasons for wanting to visit Australia - to see the Kath & Kim house and visit Ramsay Street. Nothing goes right. Guess I’ll stay at home in the UK and drown my sorrows,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amazing how the demolition of the fake Kath and Kim house pulls on your heart strings. RIP to memories,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How is the house not ERITAGE listed!? Well, if it's not, it bloody well should be. The house is turn of the century, an Edwardian dream... BLOODY HOWARD,” another commented with references to the show. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Bunch of crims, tearing this effluent home down. Should be heritage listed,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why on earth are they doing this?? Is the new owner tired of fans stopping by?? This is honestly so awful of them,” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How can they do this!? This house is an important part of Australian culture!” another stated.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Real Estate

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“Fairytale” chateau re-listed with million-dollar discount

<p dir="ltr">An estate dubbed Chateau Jardin Perfume has taken a price cut after being on the market since mid 2021.</p><p dir="ltr">The chateau-inspired mansion was first listed for $8 and $8.8 million, and has been <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/sassafras-vic-3787-2017057790" target="_blank" rel="noopener">relisted</a> with a price guide between $5.7 and $6.2 million.</p><p dir="ltr">Located in the town of Sassafras in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, the home has been renovated and filled with French chandeliers, Italian porcelain floors, custom statues, and an imported staircase.</p><p dir="ltr">The three-bedroom, three-bathroom house sits on 2600 square metres and has been described as a “fairytale”, “off-the-charts” and a “palace in the sky”.</p><p dir="ltr">Its current owners first bought the home in 2016 for $2.66 million, when it was marketed as “Beauxbatons Manor”, referencing the French wizardry school in the Harry Potter books.</p><p dir="ltr">After completing a swift, multimillion-dollar renovation, Peninsula Sotheby’s International says it has become the kind of home you’d find in the Hollywood Hills.</p><p dir="ltr">“When you look at the colouring of the decor, the splashes of pink, the outdoor furniture, which is all from LA, the Rolls-Royce in the garage, it is very Hollywood Hills, even with the aspect over Melbourne city which is typical of what you would see in LA,” agent Rob Curtain said.</p><p dir="ltr">Along with the glamourous finishings, the home features vivid colours and patterns like fuschia and leopard print throughout.</p><p dir="ltr">Originally, the interior and exterior furniture and furnishings - except the artwork - were included with the home.</p><p dir="ltr">With the relisting of the home, Mr Curtain told <em><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/fairytale-mansion-dandenong-ranges-for-sale/aef16231-7655-4cee-85a5-351dbc618f47" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain</a> </em>that the price would be readjusted accordingly if the prospective buyer didn’t wish to buy the fixtures and fittings - which may explain the new, reduced price.</p><p dir="ltr">Other luxe features include two separate master wings, a six-car garage, a “gold-class” theatre room with space for eight people, and an opulent cigar room.</p><p dir="ltr">The extensive renovations also saw the grounds undergo a major transformation, with the 2400-square-metre grounds undergoing extensive landscaping to create gardens filled with roses, camelias, gardenias, tulips, freesias, hyacinth, jasmine and Mexican orange blossom.</p><p dir="ltr">The fairytale atmosphere is made complete with the stunning pool featuring a mosaic tile rose on the bottom, as we</p><p dir="ltr">ll as with a series of stone paths and twinkling lights.</p><p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Angelina Jolie selling iconic French Chateau for $61 million

<p><span>Angelina Jolie is selling her estate in Provence, France, after several legal issues.</span></p> <p><span>The actress filed for divorce from fellow actor Brad Pitt over five years ago, yet the couple remain linked due to the glorious French Chateau that was once a blessing, but now a plague for them.</span></p> <p><span>The pair purchased the estate back in 2008, for a reported €45 million (AUD $72 million).</span></p> <p><span>The incredible property includes several residential and non-residential structures, from a rundown, adorable chapel to a high-functioning farm.</span></p> <p><span>What gave the chateau a firm reputation, other than its high-profile owners, was its glorious pink wine which won them Wine Spectator’s award for best rosé in the world, back in 2013.</span></p> <p><span>Jolie claims since the couple split back in 2016, Pitt has prevented her from selling the estate.</span></p> <p><span>In June, the mother-of-four even went so far as to file a petition to ask the judge to lift the order that prevents a transfer of assets so she could finally be rid of the property.</span></p> <p><span>Considering the couple purchased the estate prior to their nuptials in 2014, Jolie’s lawyers say the glorious French chateau should solely be considered hers.</span></p> <p><span>“After all these years of trying to extricate herself from being business partners with her ex-husband on acceptable financial terms, Ms. Jolie is extremely desirous of closing the pending agreement for the sale of Nouvel, LLC, and requests that the Court issue an order lifting the ATROs and specifying that they shall not apply to Ms. Jolie’s sale of Nouvel, LLC,” the actress’ legal team stated in a document that was obtained by <em>Us Weekly.</em></span></p> <p><span>The rumour mill has claimed the actress has plans to sell it to a willing buyer for an estimate of USD $61 million.</span></p>

Real Estate

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James Bond's glorious French chateau up for sale

<p>Sir Sean Connery is selling his glorious French chateau for a whopping $33.87 million.</p> <p>One of the big screen’s most iconic 007 British naval intelligence officers in the <em>James Bond</em> movie franchise, Connery bought the home in 1975, and with glorious views overlooking the city of Nice and Mediterranean sea, it’s not hard to see why he has held on to it for so long.</p> <p>The gorgeous home sits atop a  hill on the Cap de Nice and was used in several scenes of the Bond-movie Never Say Never Again that was filmed in Nice and nearby Monaco.</p> <p>By the time Connery actually into the French chateau, the actor had already achieved wealth in the hundreds of millions and was turning away movie contracts that would have paid him as much as US$450 million for one film.</p> <p>The property spans over one acre and features incredible landscaped terraces that have winding paths to the sea, bright green strips of lawn and a luxurious saltwater pool.</p> <p>The house is built on five levels with an elevator and rooftop terrace, with five bedrooms and baths are distributed between all the floors.</p> <p>The entrance itself is a wonder with floor-to-ceiling windows capturing more views of Nice, mountain and sea.</p> <p>Wrap-around and garden terraces invite lounging, sunset cocktails and dining under the stars.</p> <p>The actor’s home also has insanely beautiful details such as wide-planked parquet floors run throughout the building.</p> <p>Images:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.knightfrank.com/" target="_blank">www.knightfrank.com</a></p>

Real Estate

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Magda Szubanski’s goddaughter looks like a mini-Sharon

<p>Magda Szubanski has shared a photo of her goddaughter dressed up as her beloved character Sharon Strzelecki from <em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> – and there’s no doubt she looks just like a mini-me Sharon.</p> <p>Magda’s goddaughter Betty is none other than the daughter of Today Extra host David Campbell and his theatre-producing wife Lisa.</p> <p>Betty was transformed into a mini-Sharon for an event at the Melbourne Writers Festival on Saturday night called <em>Second Last Rites: Magda’s Funeral.</em></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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm7vY4gHCj2/?utm_source=ig_embed" data-instgrm-version="9"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm7vY4gHCj2/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank">I give you the future #Sharon Strzelecki... Ms Betty Campbell!!! my goddaughter and, I’ll think you’ll agree, a total Mini Me. Her mum and Dad - @davidcampbell73 @lisaluckiest - transformed her for a video presentation at my mock funeral for @melbwritersfest #MWF18 last night. Should any misfortune befall me (god forbid) I’m sure young Ms Campbell will step into my runners most capably ❤️❤️❤️ ps someone on twitter suggested we do Kath and Kim and Sharon as kids. Love it!!</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/magda_szubanski/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank"> Magda Szubanski</a> (@magda_szubanski) on Aug 26, 2018 at 12:18am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The adorable video showed Betty dressed up in Sharon’s signature bob style hair as well as netballer’s attire. It also featured the famous <em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> line: “It’s noiceee, It’s unusual.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Ok this is my theory...coz I don’t have kids of my own part of my soul split off early and reincarnated into Betty Campbell so our family’s could be united. Kind of like a soul graft. I truly believe that’s the only plausible explanation ❤️😘🙏🏻😂 <a href="https://t.co/EOhgnRJwbL">https://t.co/EOhgnRJwbL</a></p> — Magda Szubanski (@MagdaSzubanski) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagdaSzubanski/status/1033908285823377408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>Magda was thrilled with Betty’s impression of Sharon, tweeting that was “my favourite thing in the whole world E.V.A.H!!!”</p>

Art

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Why Peter Rowsthorn and Magda Szubanski don’t talk anymore

<p><em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> might’ve been one of Australia’s most iconic shows, but recent comments from Peter Rowsthorn suggest it might be a while until we see a reboot.</p> <p>Rowsthorn, who features in the most recent season of <em>I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!</em>, <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/tvweek" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>told TV Week</strong></em></span></a> he barely talks to co-star Magda Szubanski, admitting that maintaining friendships in the fickle world of showbusiness can be difficult.</p> <p>“I sort of just watch Mags like everyone else in the media,” Rowsthorn said.</p> <p>“We don't really talk - I've found showbiz is a fairly transient sort of game. Some people remain good friends, but it's tricky.”</p> <p>Rowsthorn has admitted that he stays in touch with <em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> co-star Glen Robbins, who the 55-year-old comedic actor describes as one of his “best mates”.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fksD62eN4QY" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>While Rowsthorn is back in the public eye with his involvement in <em>I’m A Celebrity</em>, he quickly quashed any notion of being part of any <em>Kath &amp; Kim</em> reboot.</p> <p>“It would be horrible,” Peter said. “It would never be as good as the first one.”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Would you like to see another season of Kath And Kim?</p>

Art

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Remembering childhood mealtimes

<p><strong>Kath Williams has worked in sales, education, social work and programme writing. She is currently living in Nelson, New Zealand, with her partner, Peter, and works in mental health. </strong></p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Kitchen Prayer</span></p> <p align="center">God Bless my little kitchen, I love its every nook.</p> <p align="center">And bless me as I do my work, Wash pots and pans and cook.</p> <p align="center">And may the meals that I prepare,</p> <p align="center">Be searched from above,</p> <p align="center">With thy great blessing, And thy love,</p> <p align="center">But most of all, thy love.</p> <p><strong>The apron </strong></p> <p>Every Mum had one of these. They came in all shapes, sizes and colours; some long and some short, but guaranteed that if you went in to the kitchen, you had to put one on. I am of course talking about the apron, or the “pinny”. As one lady recalls, “They were always worn in the kitchen back then and came off in a shot if a car pulled into the drive or if someone knocked at the door... those were the days!”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> <img width="399" height="400" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36235/photo-21-apron.jpg" alt="Photo 21 Apron"/></p> <p>I found a delightful poem that epitomises the many uses of the beloved apron:</p> <p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Grandma's Apron </span></p> <p align="center">I don't think our kids know what an apron is.</p> <p align="center">The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven. It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears…</p> <p align="center">From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.</p> <p align="center">When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.</p> <p align="center">And when the weather was cold grandma wrapped it around her arms.</p> <p align="center">Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.</p> <p align="center">Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.</p> <p align="center">From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.</p> <p align="center">After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.</p> <p align="center">In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.</p> <p align="center">When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.</p> <p align="center">When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men-folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.</p> <p align="center">It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.</p> <p align="center">REMEMBER:</p> <p align="center">Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool.</p> <p align="center">Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.</p> <p align="center">They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron. I never caught anything from an apron…But Love. (Author Unknown) </p> <p><strong>Mealtimes </strong></p> <p>Back to the family dynamics. Meals were always eaten at the dinner table with all the family. No elbows on the table, no rude noises and no talking, unless you were being spoken to. However there was this one time (isn’t there always?) when my girlfriend and I broke two of those rules. And yes, punishment followed. </p> <p>I was having tea at my girlfriend’s place one evening and we got the giggles for no apparent reason. Well, two giggling 10 year olds at the tea table was not the right behaviour at all. So our punishment? We had to go and stand to eat our tea at the kitchen sink, which made us giggle even more. So, no more tea or pudding for us, and off to the bedroom we were sent for the rest of the night.</p> <p>Mum ran the house like clockwork. Meals were always eaten at the tea table. One of the children had to set the table and that included a table cloth, knives and fork, salt and pepper, dish with jam in it, a butter plate, sugar bowl and plates. </p> <p>We had breakfast at 7am, morning tea at 10am (on the weekends), lunch at noon, afternoon tea at 3pm and dinner at 5pm and supper at 9pm, unless it was a school night, and then no supper.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36236/photo-30a-table-setting_499x665.jpg" alt="Photo 30A Table Setting"/></p> <p>Mealtime had its own unique set of rules:</p> <p>1. Wash your hands before eating.</p> <p>2. Do not put your elbows on the table. Or as Brian mentioned, “Uncooked elbow joints off the table.” (Cliff mentioned that we were never allowed to leave the table till we had eaten all of our food. And we could easily sit there for an hour or two not eating. The worst was junket for pudding, because the longer you left it the worse it got.)</p> <p>3. You always had to ask permission to leave the table. “May I please leave the table?” was often followed by, “Only if you have finished everything on your plate.” And this was always hard because, as Cliff said, “If you got served tripe or broad beans, you were at that table for a very, very long time.”</p> <p>4. Use the correct cutlery and you never used a pudding spoon for soup, always the soup spoon.</p> <p>5. We were always expected to be back home for the traditional Sunday roast.</p> <p>6. We all got dished up the same food whether we liked it or not. There was NEVER any “what would you like for dinner?” or different foods for them and us! Mum would say, “It's not a restaurant.”</p> <p>7. We always had to say thank you for the meal after we were allowed to leave the table.</p> <p>8. No pudding for anyone if you didn’t eat your main meal.</p> <p>9. Do not talk with food in your mouth.</p> <p>10. Close your mouth while you are eating at the table.</p> <p>In one family, if they didn’t eat their main meal, they got it served up for breakfast, cold the next day and every day until it got eaten. They learned very fast to eat what they were given.</p> <p>Oh how harsh the rules were. But we learned to eat everything on our plates and not become fussy eaters. </p> <p><strong>“Grace? Who was Grace?” </strong></p> <p>I remember when I was old enough to sit at the table, we had to say grace at granddad’s house. Granddad said, “Who would like to say Grace this evening?” </p> <p>Well I didn’t know any different and thought I was so clever and said “GRACE” in a rather loud voice. My brother started giggling and got glared at by Mum. Granddad said, “Anyone else?” trying not to laugh I might add. And then he said he would do it. I looked around and everyone had their hands clasped together in their lap, heads bowed and eyes closed while Granddad said the grace for the evening meal. I kept opening one eye to see what they were doing. </p> <p>In a lot of households, grace was said before you ate. Ours was very simple, “For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful. Amen.” Then we were allowed to eat our meal. </p> <p>Others had the more basic grace: “Two, four, six, eight. Hog in, don’t wait.” Frances recalls the funniest one was the one her brother Colin found, "Some have meat and canna eat, and some hae meat that want it. We hae meat and we can eat and sae the Lord be thank it.”</p> <p>Share your childhood memories of mealtime in the comments below.</p>

Family & Pets

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Memories of childhood summer holidays

<p><em><strong>Kath Williams has worked in sales, education, social work and programme writing. She is currently living in Nelson, New Zealand, with her partner, Peter, and works in mental health. </strong></em></p> <p>Remember when you were a child what fun it was to be told you were going for a holiday? It didn’t matter how far you were going; just that you were going. Mum always asked before every road trip, “Do you need to go to the toilet before we leave?” The answer was always “Nooooo, mum.”</p> <p>If we were going a long way from home, we would play the inevitable car games before we would start asking, “Are we there yet?” To which Mum always replied, “Just up the hill and round the next corner, dear.” </p> <p>Do you know how many hills we went up and how many corners we went around before we finally got there! But the car games were a great distraction.</p> <p>The beach holidays were traditional Kiwi holidays. Holiday clothes were t-shirts, shorts and a pair of jandals (or thongs for the Aussie readers), or just bare feet. However, the bare feet, as we all found out, was not a good option when you had to run across the boiling hot black sand to get to the water. We all tried putting the towel down in one spot, stand on that, then the next towel down, stand on that until you got to the water but no, that took way too long so it was a mad sprint. “On your marks, get set, go,” and away we flew, yelling at the top of our lungs until we hit the water. I swear you could hear the water sizzle when your feet hit it.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="505" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33489/photo-57-beach_498x505.jpg" alt="Photo 57 Beach"/></p> <p>Toys were the customary buckets and spades and anything else you could find on the beach for your sandcastles. Food, blanket and the beach umbrella, and that was all you needed. </p> <p>For many who either owned or had friends that owned a bach, it was an idyllic way to spend the summer days. The iconic beach bachs weren’t flash back then. They were very humble dwellings, often with the marks of the home handyman and painted in bright colours. It had old furniture and fading photos, along with collections of shells, discarded jandals, beach equipment and fishing gear. And more often than not, the toilet was outside, and you slept in bunks.</p> <p><strong>Kids will be kids</strong></p> <p>One favourite spot was a place called Kaupokonui Beach. It had a swing bridge so as kids we would wait in the middle of it. Then when the adults got on to come across, we would rock the hell out of that bridge, ran as fast as we could, jump off the end into the sand and hightail it into the sand dunes.</p> <p><img width="499" height="735" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33490/photo-53-kawhia_499x735.jpg" alt="Photo 53 Kawhia" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Who didn’t love finding the flattest smoothest stone for skimming across the water? Whoever got the most jumps across the water, won. </p> <p>Well, my brother and I took this to a whole new level when we went on holiday. I remember when we all went to Oakura for a holiday and we stayed in a place called Cabana Court. My brother and I were coming back from the beach and thought we would throw stones as we were walking up the hill over the tops of houses on the left. Well we did that, but ah, one particular stone thrown by me (of course) went straight through a house window. We ran like buggery back to where we were staying and waited for some to come knocking on the door. We didn't tell Mum, and luckily for us, no-one did come and so we got away with it. Man, we sweated for a day or so over that one. Never again did we throw stones over houses. Lesson learnt! </p> <p><strong>“Mother knows best”</strong></p> <p>One particular holiday trip to Paraparaumu for me, was memorable for all the wrong reasons. Being a redhead, I had very fair skin; well, white really, sprinkled with freckles which my mum used to tell me was from the sun kissing my skin. Hah, she lied!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="475" height="343" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/33491/photo-58-beach.jpg" alt="Photo 58 Beach"/></p> <p>And like all teenagers, we didn’t listen to our parents when it came to giving us advice or really telling us what to do. So after repeated attempts to get sunscreen on me, my mum gave up and said, “You will be sorry later on!” </p> <p>But I didn’t listen. I felt I won that round and off I went to the pools to sunbathe and get brown so all the boys would notice me.</p> <p>I swum in the pools and lay in the sun for a number of hours. Got back inside our unit, had a shower, ate dinner and then off to bed. Well not long after that, up I went racing to the bathroom. My skin was bright pink, already starting to blister and I was so very, very sick. The boys noticed me the next day for all the wrong reasons. Not a good look I am sad to say. Sunstroke, my mum said, I had and that was another lesson learnt. </p> <p>So the moral of the story is mother really does know best.</p> <p><em><strong>Kath William’s book Growing up in Taranaki in the 1960’s is available for sale. Filled with memories such as these, anyone who grew up in the 1960s will relate to the harmless shenanigans and the carefree lifestyle captured in this book. To find more details email Kath at: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:irememberwhen60s@gmail.com" target="_blank">irememberwhen60s@gmail.com</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/kath-williams-remembers-childhood-in-1960s/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Remembering all that mum did during my childhood</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/carolyn-legrand-tracked-fathers-lost-brother/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>I tracked down my father-in-law’s long lost brother</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/09/connecting-children-with-the-natural-world/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Connecting children with the natural world</strong></em></span></a></p>

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