Pittwater Life April 2023 Issue

Continued from page 37
at a time, several days a week,
having a new dialysis service
in Mona Vale would be a great
support.
North Narrabeen
facelift proposed
Residents are invited to have
a say on proposed alterations
and extensions to the North
Narrabeen Surf Life Saving
Club. Suggestions include a
general upgrade as well as a
minor extension to provide
a suitable meeting space for
the North Narrabeen Boardriders
Club, improvements
to increase accessibility,
waterproofing and to provide
an enclosed space on the first
floor deck. Lodge feedback by
April 30; see Council website.
Newport Bowlo Club
after new members
Looking to make new friendships?
Newport Bowling Club
is looking for new members
to take up lawn bowls, with
free lessons with qualified
coaches, including lessons
with a ‘bowling arm’ for those
who are less physically capable.
Organised social matches
are on Wednesdays and
Saturdays from 12.30pm. The
club at 2 Palm Rd, Newport,
is a great social venue, with a
relaxing Lounge Bar and deck
overlooking the greens. More
info call 0448 341 254.
‘Watto’ was one of a kind
Author, broadcaster, documentary, film maker and longtime
Newport resident Jeff Watson died last month after
a battle with brain cancer; he was 80.
“Watto” as he was known in the entertainment industry
was a larger-than-life character.
“His humour, his steadfast loyalty, his love for the long
lunch, his passion for anything that flew from the shuttle
to the Concorde to biplanes and spy planes, Watto had an
encyclopaedic knowledge of it all,” former colleague Carmel
Travers said.
“There’ll never be another quite like him. The mould is
broken.”
As recounted in his Life Story published in Pittwater Life
in June 2016, Watson arrived in Australia from England in
1971 and began working at the ABC on ‘This Day Tonight’,
then ‘Four Corners’ before switching stations to work on ‘60
Minutes’.
In 1979 he returned to the ABC to work on ‘Towards 2000’,
which morphed into ‘Beyond 2000’.
Watson was also the original presenter of ‘Getaway’ on
Channel Nine from 1992 to 1998, with his passion for travel
extending beyond the screen as an avid aviator – he said
one of his greatest adventures was accompanying John Travolta
as they flew an old Qantas jet back from England.
With modesty, he described his career as ‘Fifty Years
Without A Proper Job’.
“Australia has been pretty good to me,” he told Pittwater Life.
“I throw myself into the Pacific every day and I pedal my pushbike
around Newport and people say ‘gidday’. Why would you
live anywhere else but the Northern Beaches?” – Nigel Wall
Vet
on call
with Dr Brown
Because our pets cannot
communicate how they’re
feeling, it is important as they
enter senior years that they
have regular health checks and
wellness blood checks.
Our pets age quicker than we
do, entering their senior years
from 7 years old in dogs and
10 in cats. Senior pets can start
to display age-related health
problems, which may slow the
animal down, affecting their
behaviour, appetite and mobility.
It’s important to be aware
of the signs of aging in your
dog or cat as early detection of
age-related disease is vital in
ensuring problems can be managed
to provide a good quality
of life for your pet.
Some symptoms of aging
may be obvious, like not lasting
as long on walks, while other
signs can be much more subtle
– such as changes in their appetite
or demeanour. Monitoring
your pet’s eating and drinking
patterns, body weight, toileting
habits and level of mobility are
all important.
Common health problems
affecting senior dogs and cats
include osteoarthritis, obesity,
metabolic diseases such as
diabetes or kidney failure, bad
teeth and changes to their cardiovascular
system. Behavioural
changes are also common,
which can be related to cognitive
dysfunction or internal
metabolic changes, or pain.
All senior pets should have
regular annual vet checks and
six-monthly wellness blood
tests, to monitor their health.
These blood tests help us
monitor internal organs such as
the kidneys and liver and can
often be the first indicator that
something is wrong.
With early intervention, most
age-related diseases can be
managed to ensure your senior
pet remains happy and healthy.
Senior pets are the focus
during April at Sydney Animal
Hospitals, with the opportunity
for your pet to have a geriatric
profile blood test, laser therapy,
arthritis support medication
and Hills senior dry food at a
reduced price. For more info
call the team at Avalon (9918
0833) or Newport (9997 4609).
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
APRIL 2023 39