Five Things Friday

Here we are at another Friday and what do I have for you this week.

VHS

BETTA

DVR

MEDIA PLAYER

DVD RECORDER

Another easy lot this week

Photo Wednesday or Thursday because for some reason it didn't post yesterday, these are photos of my nan's ear when we saw her yesterday

History Tuesday/Halloween

Hello everyone well since Friday is the 31^st and for some that means Halloween (not me) I thought I would write a tad about the history of Halloween.

Now most people probably know that Halloween comes from the words “All Hallows Eve” which means it is the evening before “All Hallows Day”, this is also known by some as All Saints Day. In the Catholic Church, All Saints Day celebrates those who have gone to heaven, screw those who have gone to hell, it is followed by All Souls Day which is on the 2^nd November which is for those who have died but not gone to heaven yet.

Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition, it is thought to have originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ware of roaming ghosts. It was in the eight century that Pope Gregory 111 designated the 1^st of November as a time to honour all saints and martyrs. The holiday of All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain and the night before became known as All Hallows Eve than Halloween.

Trick-or-treating partly comes from the English medieval practice of “souling” when poor people would go from door to door offering prayers for All Souls Day in exchange for food. Over time Halloween evolved into what it is now a community-based event characterised by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating.

Halloween is becoming more popular in Australia just not with me or my family but with many including schools and such and you do see children going trick-or-treating through local streets. Although for many years it was just an excuse to watch scary movies.

Many older Australians still do not get involved in Halloween including me this is because for me it has little relevance to Australian culture, it is also considered by some to be an unwanted American influence this is because despite the history of Halloween dating back to Celtic/European origins it is generally through American tv shows and movies that Halloween has become known here in Australia. There are those who say that Halloween is not entirely American but rather Celtic and there is no different than embracing other cultural traditions such as Saint Patrick’s Day and that may be the case but not for me.

I have nothing against Halloween but since it wasn't an event in this country till the last 10-15 years I can't help but thing of it as a way companies see to make more money, so I don't do Halloween for me the 31^st is just my baby brothers birthday.

Monday hasn't started out as a fun day, but it has improved, a tad

Good morning world as I think everyone knows I do very little blogging over the weekend this is my time to catch up on tv shows I have recorded or answer letters and you know other stuff other then blogging.

Anyway it is now Monday and this morning when I went for my walk I was not is a good shape, I was so very tired after about 30 minutes and had to stop 3 times for a rest and I was walking and stumbling around like I was drunk or something and it was such an effort to keep on walking but I made it. When I got home I went to the toilet and lost my balance and fell into the door, didn't wake Tim though, in fact the last part of the walk my balance was pretty bad I kept walking to the left and closing my eyes it was that difficult but I made it home without falling or anything.

This morning we are getting our new fridge delivered, yesterday Tim took the freezer outside and hosed it out to defrost it and I have transferred the stuff out of the freezer in the fridge into the upright freezer. Tim also took the old deep freezer out behind the back gate and tipped it up to drain all the foul smelling crap out of it, it is still there, he will bring it inside sometime this afternoon. The fridge is arriving just in time as the one we have is not working now I have placed ice bricks in the fridge to help keep the food in it cool I hope it is delivered early but we will see.

Yesterday afternoon our next door neighbour (Bear) got up on the roof and cleaned out our gutters this he did without being asked, when I told Tim he said he will give Bear some money for doing it, Bear also does our backyard every few weeks which Tim gives him $30 for, in fact Bear does many of the yards in the complex it is something he like to do to keep busy and it earns him a few dollars he is a senior citizen so making do on the pension.

Over the weekend Tim removed the security screens from two windows and replace the mesh in them so now we will have to read the riot act to the boys about damaging the mesh, Leo cut the mesh which is why it had to be replace so no doing that this time. Tim in fact made the security screens for the windows they are called security screens as they are pop riveted to the windows so they can not be removed without making a lot of noise unlike normal window screens that can be simply removed.

Ok I am back the new fridge has just arrived had to unpack the old stuff and throw it all on the bench and sink but all now packed into the new fridge but of course we have to wait an hour before we can turn the new fridge on. Tim has the day off, he took a sick day which is ok with me he now wants to go and do a stock up shop also ok with me.

Mish, mash, this and that, or a post about random stuff

Good morning all, it is a nice warmish day here, started out cool and wet though so I didn't go for a walk this morning as it was raining and I was so tired which I blamed on the dark and wet morning. I am now feeling more awake and have been out to take Jessica to Centrelink for an appointment, I dropped her off and she said she would ring me to get her when she was finished for all those who don't know appointments at Centrelink can either go on time or you can be left waiting and waiting and waiting. So I dropped her off headed home stopped at the shops to get her bread rolls and came home I walked in the house and she rang she was out so her appointment which was at 10 was over and done with by 10.10, so back I go to get her she felt bad that I had only just got home and had to leave again but as I told her not her fault just the way it was.

So this morning while I was blogging I was reading Kate's blog she can be found here:

http://www.canigetanotherbottleofwhine.com/ she had mentioned she did this social anxiety questionnaire and scored 40 out of 90 so I decided to go to the website and do it myself I scored 60 out of 90 which indicates I have a high amount of social anxiety this comes as no surprise to me, the questionnaire can be found here:https://socialanxietyinstitute.org/test-social-anxiety-disorder-find-out-if-you-suffer-social-phobia

Moving on this morning I found Tim wanting to toss out the last 5 slices of bread now the bread was still fresh I bought it on Tuesday so nothing wrong with it, it was just the last of it and I had a full new loaf that I bought yesterday. So I asked him what he was doing and he said we have a new loaf and I was like so,nothing wrong with this bread I will use it to make toasted sandwiches and I used two slices to make Blain's school lunch. I get really annoyed when he wants to toss out bread that is still usable.

Still on the topic of things Tim do that's annoying, I had recorded some episodes of NCIS and had put the “K” for keep next to it so Tim would not delete it well you guessed it he deleted the episodes as soon as he watched them. Now I said to him last night when I realised what he had done why did he delete them he said he didn't know what the “K” meant well I said common sense would have said it is something Jo has done I should not do anything to I ask her about it, but of course not Tim he doesn't think he just does these annoying things. When I complained he said just go online and download it and watch it on the laptop,NO, Tim that is not what I want to do. I am not one to watch stuff on the laptop I prefer to watch tv shows on the tv sorry but you should know that Tim.

Yesterday I bought tickets via Groupon for the Dinosaur Museum in Canberra saved over $30 on the price of the tickets and I told Tim last night that I had done it and thought we could go with Jessica and Leo over the Christmas school holidays as Leo loves dinosaurs. He was annoyed that I didn't ask him first but when I explained that he was at work and I had to buy the tickets while the deal was active and that it was over a 50% saving on the tickets he was ok. He doesn't get at times that the deals are often on for only a few hours if I had a end time for the deal I would have spoken to him first but since it just said ending soon I wanted to get them before it ended. I did ask Jessica if she thought it would be a good idea and she did she agreed with me that Leo would love it.

So I asked mum if we could borrow the motor-home over the Christmas holidays for the trip and she said she would ask dad but it should be ok but first I am going to check out the cost and places to stay before we go better to make arrangements now and not leave it too late.

Photo Wednesday

Appointments, vomit, walking and seeing a dentist so pretty much just life

Yesterday I started this but then got distracted and never got around to finishing it, I had to got to the doctors to have a medical form filled in for the RTA which is now called Service NSW for those not in the know that the mob who issue you your drivers licence along with a lot of other crap. I needed the form filled in because I have sleep apnoea and diabetes all good I will hand it in sometime today.

This morning Blain woke me at 6am to tell me he had vomited in the loungeroom, beside my arm chair, I of course got up and cleaned it up then went back to bed for half an hour, when I was getting ready to leave for my morning walk I could hear him in the bathroom throwing up again, so he is not going to school today, he has gone home with his mum for a while she will bring him back before she goes to work.

Thank you for all who had kind words about my condition with my right arm, I kept it a secret from many people for many months, I didn't want anyone to worry and it was only when it became so noticeable that it was hard to hide that family members became aware of it, and yes the are all worried about it.

I got a letter on Friday from the Royal outpatients department over at the John Hunter Hospital complex to tell me I had an appointment over with the diabetic doctor on Friday morning, what the hell I hate Friday appointments as Friday is my super busy day, so I rang them to see if it could be changed till a different day, but no it can't be bugga that. The appointment is at 9.40am and I know some people will thing that is ok it is nice and early but no its not, the first appointment would be around 7.45am in the day so about two hours after the first appointment which means I may or may not be in on time. So I don't think I will get much if any shopping done on Friday I know I will not get the food shopping done as I will not have time.

Mum and I are the earlier the better when it comes to appointments type of people, so you can imagine when mum got a phone call saying that she has an appointment at Wakefield school on the first Wednesday of November. The stupid woman at the school was like it will be early around 9.30am so you should be home by 11am so you can go to the nursing home then, no we will not be going to the nursing home that late in the day we like to be there around 9am to see nan and the same goes for when we go to see Aunty Pat 11.30am which would be the time we would be getting to the nursing home is just too late, mum has to be home to get my brother's lunch between 11.30-12 each day and dad like his lunch at midday each day so it really doesn't work.

I told Natasha this morning that I have decided to continue my morning walk even if Tim isn't hear in the morning for Blain as Blain is now nearly 10 and he should be ok on his own while I am gone as I am only gone for between 30-40minutes and he knows my phone number so if he wakes up and is worried he can just ring me but 9 times out of 10 he will still be asleep when I get home from my walk.

I am the type of person who likes to go for an early morning walk if I don't go first thing in the morning I won't go as by 8.20 when Tasha leaves to take the boys to school I am no longer interested in going for a walk also in Summer it is getting pretty hot by that time most days and I would prefer to go before it gets hot.

I have a dentist appointment this morning in about an hours time, Tim was great with giving me the money for the appointment as last week he had to go to the dentist himself although when he went he was surprised how much it cost to see a dentist it ended up costing him $285 which was not a surprise to me but it was for him. 

A little about me

On the first day of the school year this year, I noticed my right hand shaking a little as I left the school after dropping off Leo, however, when I got my keys out of my pocket and unlocked the car it stopped and I thought no more about it. However, over the next month I notice it happened more and more and was worse when I was upset or distressed because Leo was clinging to me and didn't want me to leave him.

Around March I noticed that while I was using the computer and had my hand on the mouse that it felt like it was trembling although it didn't look like it was moving it was more internal then external. I mentioned it to Dr Ben Nicholas at Smith Street Medical Centre but he didn't think it was anything to worry about.

By April my daughters started to notice my hand shaking at times, so in May I went and saw Dr Rod Watson also at Smith Street Medical Centre and he examined me and said it wasn't anything to worry about but if it got worse to go back. When he had me walk up and down the hand shook and I stumbled twice.

Speaking of my stumbling well that in fact started last year, many times when I walk I stumble it is if I don't pick my feet up while I am walking or at times it feels like I stand in something sticky and this causes me to stumble, I have not at this stage fallen over I just stumble a bit.

In June I was notified that I had lost my pension and since I would have to pay to see a doctor at Smith Street Medical Centre I decided to find a bulk billing doctor which is why I went to see Dr Zain Ul-Albadin at Mt Hutton Medical Practice at my first visit he noticed my hand shaking all the time and asked about it, I explained that it started at the start of the year and has gotten worse over time. By this time it wasn't just shaking, my arm was stiff and sore and aches all the time and it will be worse when I am upset or distressed or tired. So he decided to refer me to see a specialist as he said it was obvious that the tremor was getting worse and there would be a bit of a wait to see a specialist so best get referred.

I go for a walk each morning and the hand shakes the whole time I am walking and I will often stumble while walking and it isn't uncommon for me to start to feel tired and exhausted 30 minutes into the walk and this makes me stumble some days I end up walking as if I am drunk this goes away once I get home and can rest for a bit.

When I stand after sitting for a while or when I get up in the morning I have to stand still for a few moments to gain my balance otherwise I will stumble when I try to move.

In July I notice that my right thigh would tremble although it isn't obvious it is more an internal tremor at this stage and has since July only happened about 8-10 times each time it lasts only a few minutes.

Also around July I noticed that my right hand would shake while I am driving as I grip the steering wheel my hand while move, in September I noticed that some nights while writing in my diary my hand will shake and it is hard to write I have given up a few times because my hand is shaking so much. 

A poem but not by me

From the time one becomes a parent to the time one dies they will put the needs of their child before their own, that is if the parent is a good parent, and most parents are indeed good parents. 

The above poem sums up the role of a parent for me

Today my baby sister turns 37 so here are photos of her through the year

History Tuesday/Education & Schools

Hello Tuesday today's history lesson is about school, a school is an institution designed for teaching most countries have systems of formal education which is commonly compulsory, in these systems students progress through a series of schools, starting with kindergarten through to high school. Of course the names for these schools vary from country to country but primary school is usually for young children and high school for older children then of course you have what is considered higher education which is usually called university or college.

Now the concept of grouping students together in one location for learning has been around since ancient Greece although usually there was only primary education available to most.

Here in Australia schools as we know them have existed for more the 200 years beginning with New South Wales and expanding across the country as other settlements began to take shape. However, the public school system didn't begin to much later and started with only primary level schools although in the 1880's secondary education started happening around the country.

Schools developed as the needs of society demanded meaning it was society wanting schools that lead to communities establishing schools. Way back in the 1800's if you lived in the country you might be lucky to have a small one room schoolhouse on land donated by a local farmer, in the city you would have to be able to afford to attend a school run by the various churches if you couldn't you would be tutored by the wife of local doctor or magistrate or so some other professional. There was no standard of education either back then and generally speaking education was only available to the wealthier middle and upper classes

Today of course we have computer-equipped classrooms and interaction between teacher and pupil is the norm and of course we have pre-schools, primary schools, high schools, and technical colleges in most towns with universities in the larger cities.

It was around the 1830's that the idea came about that crime was a result of ignorance and ignorance was the result of no education and, therefore, education would decrease the crime rate. It was also hoped that education would forge the penal colony into an organised and orderly society.

Thus it was considered important that the government set up schools so that all children could be taught not only the so called three “R's” ( reading, writing and arithmetic) but how to be a good and moral, law-abiding citizens. Of course there were opponents of the idea, those who didn't thing the child of say a blacksmith needed much of an education.

However, the government allocated money for education and this was used to pay teachers and build and equip schoolhouses with the necessary textbooks and tools to teach. The government also laid down strict guidelines as to the curriculum and the acceptable behaviour of teachers and students, and what activities could or could not be performed in the school grounds. It didn't matter if it was a one room schoolhouse or a school with a 100 students, the rules and curriculum were the same for all.

Government schools were either set up by the government or established schools that received money from the government to education children, the majority of church-run schools were outside the system and remained so until well into the 1900's.

Both boys and girls received the same institution in the basic subject, but girls also spent 80 minutes a day learning to sew, knit and darn, while boys spent the same amount of time learning geometry, geography and more arithmetic.

The day would start with the teacher inspecting the students to make sure their face and hands had been washed and their hair was combed and their clothes neat and without holes or tears. A primary function of the school was to instil into the children the advantages of being orderly, clean, punctual, decent and courteous and to learn how to avoid making them disagreeable to other people.

One way to achieve this was the use of discipline. Rules governed how children were to enter the room, bow to the teacher, sit down on the benches, sit when reading what was on the blackboard, sit when writing, hold their pens, the position of their writing pads, and which hand was to be used for writing and which to point to the words being copied. Most learning was by rote. Pupils learned to repeat their tables, lists of dates and capital cities of the world, and poems parrot fashion.

At one stage a child of 13 years of age, could apply to become a pupil teacher. This method of training teachers proved unsuccessful because the pupil, who stayed at school and learned from his teacher, did not have contact with other teachers and their methods. In some cases in the city, 15-year-old girls were put in charge, albeit temporarily, of a class of 100 students not much younger than themselves. School inspectors and masters did not understand why these young girls could not control the class. Pupil teachers also picked up many of their teachers' bad habits, and became clones of their teachers.

It has long been the case that children would attend school between the ages of 6 to 16 although usually here a child will start school around the age of 5 and leave now around the age of 18, here in Australia a few years back the law was changed that allowed children to leave school at the age of 15 and now they are suppose to stay at school till they have completed year 12. In theory this is good but in reality it is not, some children are not smart enough to do years 11 and 12, I say this because I was one of those children I left school at the end of year 10. There is no way I could have done years 11 and 12 I just wouldn't have understood the work, all my girls left school at 15 no that is wrong Tasha was a bit older she started year 11 but she was in an IM class that was a class for students with learning difficulties and she was asked to leave as she was being disruptive in class.

Compulsory education was introduced in the 1870's but was difficult to enforce many families would keep children home from school to help with the running of the family business and many thought girls didn't need an education at all. Those who's job it was to enforce the compulsory education found that they were only able to visit a particular area once a year. In fact for a long time is was commonplace for children to only attend school for a couple of years to learn the basics and then leave to get a job and help support the family.

There were few established teachers' colleges and they were not well attended because the extra study involved did not translate into more money/pay thus most could not see the point. In fact it was the twentieth century before teacher's colleges were established in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia.

My sister has a problem with her step-son who is in year 11 not wanting to attend school and when he is there he is disruptive and often skips school because he doesn't want to attend.

Mum is concerned what will happen with Dawson next year as he attends a behavioural school that doesn't have years 11 and 12 and that means next year he will be expected to attend a main-stream school and we know that Dawson will not go and how is a 75 yr old woman expected to make a 16 ½ yr old boy go to school if the boy refuses to do so.

Are you into sport/are you children into sport/no then that is ok

Hello everyone guess what this week I have a topic to write about after a week or so of boring dribble about my life but today while I was out running around doing stuff for Jessica and listening to Michael J Fox's book Looking Up a topic came to me for this mornings post.

So what am I going to write about, sport, that's what......................

I am not a sports person never have been didn't play sport as a child hated P E at school, hated sport at school, in fact while at high school when I had to do sport I would pick Community Service as my first choice, followed by board games as my second choice and lastly I would put netball only because I had to have three choices and there was nothing else to pick that I would prefer, in fact I remember one year writing on the form can't I pick reading in the library as a third choice as I do not like sport.

My parents accepted that I was not a sport person, my siblings were more into sport except for my sister Sue I don't think she was into sport either but then Sue and I are so much alike that it doesn't surprise me that like me she didn't like sport.

As you all know I have three wonderful daughters, and none of them have been into sport as a child or as an adult, this has always been ok with me I accepted that they didn't like sport and I didn't force any of them to take part in sporting stuff.

At school they all like me picked things that didn't involve physical activity they had no interest in after school sports and that was ok, in fact two out of three daughters preferred to read just like their mum.

Now I remember my cousins having to play sports of a weekend and after school whether they wanted to do it or not, I remember one of my cousins saying that they would have preferred not to do sport but their mum said they had to, I just can't remember which cousin it was who said it.

My daughters would also go through stages when they wanted to be outside playing with friends and other stages when they preferred to be inside reading or watching telly instead for the most part I was ok with that. Yes there were times when I would have preferred them to be outside playing and be under foot at home.

So are you a sport person?

Do your children play sport?

Do they like playing sport?

I have never understand why some parents feel they need to force sport on a child, not all people are into sport that is ok we are all different, I would tell those parents to love their child for who the child is they may not be into all the things you are but they are still special in their own way.

Hello Sunday/Grandparents doing a lot

Hello Sunday and what a Sunday it's been, a warm day spent for the most part home alone, I was up at 6.30am as usual and went for a walk which included a detour via Macca's on the way home for breakfast.

I also have done a load of washing and it has dried on the line along with the load I did yesterday afternoon. Tim is at work he left around 9ish and will be home sometime after 6 and before 6.30pm.

It has been a nice warm day, just warm not hot and that I like, I spent the morning answering mail I managed to write 7 letters, the first one is always the most time consuming one all that follow don't take as long as there is part of the letter that remains the same.

I didn't have the girls here for breakfast nor lunch today, as I wanted a nice quiet day and last night and tonight are child free. I love having my grandchildren but I also love having days/nights without any young children.

Jessica has a habit of making me feel guilty if I say I don't want to have Leo, saying that Leo gets jealous of Blain and misses me and pappa which is why I usually end up saying he can stay either Friday or Saturday night. She also says at times that she needs a break, I think bloody hell Jessica your a mother you don't get to have a break till your child is grown.

I think my girls appreciate me and how much I do for them, I know when they have compared me to their friends mothers they have been shocked at how little their friends mothers do for them, compared to how much I do for them.

Mum and I have said no one took care of our children when they were young we just had to manage, when my girls where little my mum was busy working and so she was unable to take my daughters very often so I was just use to taking care of my own children. I also rarely have Kathy's girls and when I do have them it is during the day and in fact only once have the girls had a sleep over at nanna's.

We think that David, Sandra, Natasha and Jessica do not realise how good they have it with grandparents who are willing to step in and help out so much.

Hello Thursday

Hello Thursday, I for some reason didn't get around to posting anything yesterday, why, well maybe because it was Wednesday and mum and I went to the nursing home although we went to a different nursing home. Instead of going to see nan as we do each Wednesday we went to see my Aunty Pat instead, in fact mum and I have decided that on the first Wednesday of the month we will go and see Aunty Pat.

Aunty Pat is my dad's sister his older sister by a year she is 74, dad will be 73 next week, I would like to say that Aunty Pat is well and all with it but that is not the case, her memory is going she asked as many times the same question over and over but neither mum or myself were bothered by this we just answered her as if it was the first time she had asked the question.

When mum was talking to dad about Aunty Pat she mentioned that she had put on a bit of weight I don't remember Aunty Pat as being a large woman at all when I was a child but that is not the case any more, well what did dad say, he asked if she was a “fat” as mum or as “fat” as me, mum told him the truth she would be larger then either of us. Dad was shocked and asked if mum was sure of course she is sure.

Neither mum or I take much stock about how large a person is we are more concerned with what type of person someone is, not the size of the person's clothes. I get really annoyed when my dad calls mum fat, I also don't like it when he calls me fat and many times mum and I have thought that is the pot calling the kettle black, dad has often complained that his shirts do not do up as well as they use to.

When Tim has said something about my size I have mentioned to him that I have gone up about 3 sizes in pants he has gone up 6 or 7 sizes in pants since we have been together and that will shut him up pretty damn quick.

Oh yeah this morning Jessica turned up with Natasha to pick up Blain, I do not remember her telling me she would be taking Leo to school and picking him up this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon as well, she said she did tell me but I really don't remember. What I do know is that Blain will be happy that we don't have to get Leo this afternoon as each afternoon he says when he gets in the car do we have to get Leo and when I say yes he gets a bit pissy.

Mum was telling me last night that Dawson has swimming at school and he has to attend and what did Dawson say when he found out, “don't want to go” mum had to explain to him he has to go he has no say in the matter, it is part of the curriculum so he has to do it. Both mum and I feel if he gives it a go he may in fact enjoy himself.

Ok that's all for this post I am off to the library to return a book and borrow something else.  

Good Morning/Schools Back

Well today school has gone back today, after I went for my walk this morning I packed Leo's school lunch and found his school clothes and headed over to Natasha's to get Leo and take him to school, he was great didn't cling or anything but instead he just go out of the car after giving me a hug and a kiss.

So tonight we will have Blain again and have to say I have missed him this last week this term I am hoping to get him into the habit of having better meals although in the hot weather I am not a big eater but we will see how it goes.

Now Natasha had asked Blain's dad if he would be taking Blain to school this morning and he said yes but guess what while I was there this morning she gets a text for Jono saying he will be there soon to drop of Blain, so it turned out that Natasha had to take him to school.

We are still in spring here but it is has been so bloody hot the last few days, today we are expected to get up to about 37° yesterday it was around 36° and I had the air conditioner going most of the day, same as it was the day before all these hot days and it isn't even summer yet. I wonder if we are going to have a long hot summer or what.

I don't have much to say today as I am feeling a bit weary, and not interested in much at all, Tim has just left for work he will be home late around 10.30pm and with this weather it shouldn't be too cold when he is coming home on the motor-bike. He did tell me he wants Blain to be asleep when he gets home but we can only hope, I will be in bed much earlier then that, I usually go to bed and leave Blain watching telly for a bit before he goes to sleep but I am going to suggest to Tim that he turns the telly off when he gets home that way Blain should get a better nights sleep.

Labour Day in Australia well my part of Australia

Hello everyone it is Labour Day here in Australia, well in my part of Australia it is now I am going to share with you a little about labour day in Australia, it is also known as Eight Hour Day in Tasmania (Tassie) and May Day in the Northern Territory.

What is Labour Day well it is the day that commemorates the granting of the eight-hour working day for Australians. Now I think a lot of younger people take the eight-hour working day for granted, yes I know there are those who work 12 hour shifts but over all most people work an eight-hour day five or six days a week.

Of course it is a public holiday and its date caries across the states and territories, many people use the holiday as part of a long weekend where they can relax and spend time with friends and/or family, many like to just kick back and watch sport and have barbies.

In Western Australia it is observed on the first Monday in March and on the second Monday in March in Victoria and Tassie, in the Northern Territory it is held on the first Monday in May, thus why it is called May Day in the Northern Territory.

The history of Labour Day in Australia spans over a century, during the 1800's the working day was long and difficult with many working 12 hours or more six or seven days a week. It was in 1856 that the stonemasons at the University of Melbourne marched on Parliament House to push for and eight-hour working day. Eventually they managed to reach and agreement for a 48-hour working week and workers welcomed the new eight-hour day.

A victory march was held on the 12^th May that year and each year after that, the new work regulations were recognised in New South Wales next followed by Queensland in 1858 and South Australia in 1873 and Tassie in 1874.

It was in 1879 that the Victorian Government made one further step towards better conditions for employees by proclaiming a paid public holiday that year.

Of course some people have to work on a public holiday such as Labour Day when this happens the person gets paid penalty rates which can be time and half or double time or double time and half this means say you are on $20 an hour if you got time and half you would be paid instead $30 an hour. So some people don't mind if they have to work on a public holiday also if you work on a weekend you are paid at a higher rate also.

Five things Friday

Welcome to Friday this week we have the following five things

Fridge

Computers

Cars

Washing Machine

Furniture

May be a bit harder to guess this weeks theme but give it a try

Hello October