Jo-Anne's Thoughts

 Here we are at another Friday and this is the last day of school for two weeks. Anyway it is the day for a Jo-Anne's thoughts.

I am so over this cold weather my feet are frozen and I have found my fingerless gloves which doesn't help my feet.

I know I complain about the cold just like I complain about the heat, it is just the way life is. When it comes to the cold it isn't as cold as it is in other parts of the world but even though that is the case for me and others it feels really cold. It is rare for us to have temperatures in the minus single digits are as low as we generally get.

I live in an area that doesn't get snow, I have seen snow while on holiday and liked it but wouldn't like to live in such an area.

I guess what we grow up with is what is most natural for a person I have lived in and around this area all my life so it is what is what I am use to.

Due to the high cost of electricity many people myself and Tim included try not to use heaters, I do of course when I get up in the morning for an hour or so. It is sad when people feel they have to make do with a blanket and warm clothes over a heater.

I know that some people move into an area with snow because that is what they like. I guess such people wouldn't find 8 degrees that cold it is I believe around the mid 40s in Fahrenheit.

For now I will continue to whinge and bitch about the bloody cold till it is time to whinge and bitch about the heat, and Tim will complain about running the air conditioner because of the cost of electricity.

Thursday's Word of the Week

 Another bloody cold morning I am so over the cold and it isn't even the coldest month yet, well it is Thursday and time for the word of the week and this week's word is: Stoop

Bend Down

Walk with shoulders habitually bent forward

Descend or lower ones self

Lower one's standards or morals

Small porch or stairs leading up to an entrance of a property

Aussie Slang Words

Another cold morning with sore stinging feet, Jess has gone to work and I have rung Sam to get him out of bed and now for some Aussie slang word that some will know some may not.

Grog........Liquor as in beer, wine and spirits

Greenie.....Environmentalist

Grundies.....Underwear named for Reg Grundy a TV personality

Grouse......Great terrific or very good

Garbo......Rubbish collector

Creature Day....European Badger

 

Another cold start on this Tuesday morning and of course it is creature day and today's creature is the European Badger.

Like bears this badger hibernates in winter, settling into burrows to wait out the big chill. They put on large amounts of body fat during the summer which nourishes them throughout the cold dark months underground.

Up to 12 animals might cram into a den, which is a series of tunnels running off it to above ground openings.

With a head of black, white and sliver fur this kindly creature is a lover not a fighter sharing its burrow with other animals, including rabbits, red foxes and raccoon dogs.

European badgers have few natural enemies. While normally docile, badgers can become extremely aggressive and ferocious when cornered, making it dangerous for predators to target them.

European folklore and fairy tales are filled with badgers although they are usually not friendly as in the Wind in the Willows that has Mr Badger as a grumpy fellow who simple hates society. In Beatrix Potter's book The Tale of Mr Tod the badger is evil.

The males are called “boars” and females are called “sows”, the word badger comes from the French word “becheur” which means “digger”. They don't like to bring food into their setts because the like to keep it clean. A group of badgers is called a cete.

Aussie Facts.....Federation

 

Hello everyone here we are at another bloody cold morning, I am feeling a tad better then yesterday enough I hope to write some facts about Aussie land.

Since I have covered our 6 states and 2 main territories I will move on to federation.

The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia agreed to unite and form the Commonwealth of Australia, establishing a system of federalism in Australia

Australia became a nation on 1 January 1901, when the British Parliament passed legislation enabling the six Australian colonies to collectively govern in their own right as the Commonwealth of Australia. It was a remarkable political accomplishment that had taken many years and several referendums to achieve.

When the Commonwealth of Australia was declared on 1 January 1901, a ceremony was held in Centennial Park in Sydney. The first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, was sworn in and the first Prime Minister, Edmund Barton, and federal ministers took the oath of office. Many Australians celebrated their nationhood, participating in parades, processions, sporting events and school pageants.

The first federal elections for the new Parliament were held on 29 and 30 March 1901. The first Parliament was held in Melbourne on 9 May 1901. It was officially opened by the Duke of Cornwall and York (later King George V). The opening ceremony was large and elaborate and further celebrations were held.

In 1901 the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Northern Territory (NT) did not exist. The Constitution provided for the establishment of a national capital, to be located in New South Wales but at least 100 miles from Sydney. In 1911 the Australian Government created the ACT for this purpose. In the same year, the NT was also created. This area had previously been part of South Australia.

Although part of the Commonwealth, the territories do not have the same legal status as states.

Week 25 of 2023

 

Woke at 4.30 and decided to take my morning meds while up so I could sleep in but of course I found myself awake at 5am so I got up and damn it is cold. Sam stayed home.

A cold day but an ok day anyway, having a hot shower this afternoon I wanted one yesterday arvo but Tim had one on Saturday and the floor towels were wringing wet so I didn't bother.

My feet are so cold this morning they are stinging, I have a blanket over them trying to ease the pain.

Sam put my socks on when they came down which helped a lot.

Left over pizza for breakie, as it turned out that was all I had available for breakfast.

I am shaking a lot on and off and it is so annoying.

My feet are again so cold they are stinging, I do have the heater on but it doesn't stop the pain in my feet.

Sam put my socks on before leaving for school.

Tim had a rehab appointment, I asked how it went and he said fine. He also said that next week he will start more exercise for his hand.

I am considering trying to sleep with socks on even though it isn't something I like to do as I find it annoying.

I didn't wear socks to bed as Tasha said she would be down at 5am to use the dryer but no she hasn't shown up and it is now around 6am and my feet are bloody cold.

Sam not going to school this morning he has a headspace appointment which Papa will take him.

Tasha decided it was too cold to come down this morning.

I have a 4pm telehealth appointment this arvo with my neurologist.

At 5.50pm if I had been forgotten and at 6.10 she rang and we had the appointment. She wants me to restart taking Sifrol as she said the Madopar & Sifrol work better together for some people.

I was feel done in by the time I went to bed.

I slept well and was up at 5am as usual and yes it is bloody cold, I wore socks to bed but at midnight when I went to the loo one was falling off. Anyway as I was going back to bed I fell over and Tim came to help, I had him remove the socks and blamed them for falling over. This morning my upper arms are sore.

At 7.15am it started to rain so I sent Tasha a text asking if she could go up with Sam due to the weather. She said she would but didn't really want to.

Tim received a letter from his surgeon saying he would be fit for work from the end of July can't remember the date. He was expecting to go back on light duties but the letter doesn't say that, it says he will be fit to drive a bus. This has made him happy.

Saturday here and even though I thought about staying in bed till around 6am at 5am I needed to pee so I stayed up.

Kathy and Summer came over so Kathy could dye Tasha's hair. She didn't do anything here, Summer put socks on my feet for me.

Another day spent doing bugga all, I need to start trying to more during the day. I did answer 3 letters which was something, I guess.

An Author I Like........Tim Bowden

Hello everyone here I am on another cold Saturday and as I sit here listen to a book by Tim Bowden I thought I would share a little about this author.

Timothy Gibson Bowden AM, is an Australian author, radio and television broadcaster and producer, and oral historian. He was born in Hobart, Tasmania, and studied at the University of Tasmania, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was born in Hobart on the 2 August 1937.

I only discovered his books last year I think, he has written many books about Australians during the second world war which I really enjoy. Like my father I love books about Australian history.

You can find more about him here: https://www.timbowden.com.au/

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

The end of the school week and it is raining and cold of course it is cold, anyway it is the day of Jo-Anne's thoughts and my thoughts this cold wet morning are about how conflicting advice from doctors can be so annoying.

Yesterday arvo I had a telehealth appointment as in a video appointment with my neurologist and I was telling her that the last week or so I feel like things are sliding backwards. When I told her that my GP had taken me off Sifrol as he did didn't think I needed to take both Sifrol and Madopar, well she disagrees and wants me to start retaking the Sifrol as she said the two work well together in some people and she thinks I am one of them. She also said she will send me a script for a longer acting version of Sifrol.

I know my GP was just doing what he thought was best as he said that both medications do the same thing, the neurologist said that they don't. So I may have to go and see my GP about a script, I don't know how long before the new longer acting script arrives, she didn't say whether she was snail mailing it or emailing or doing an escript.

I am sure I am not the only person who feels like doctors give conflicting advice each believing they are right. Which is so frustrating to the patient and in the end we often have no bloody idea who is right and who isn't. So we carry on through life hoping our doctors know what the hell they are talking about.

Word of the Week

It is another bloody cold day, very cold indeed, well it is word of the week day and this weeks word is: Cold

A low or relatively low temperature especially when compared with the human body

Lacking affection or warmth of feeling

Unemotional

A common infection in which the mucous membrane of the nose and throat becomes inflamed, typically causing running of the nose, sneezing and a sore throat.

Completely or entirely as in we stopped cold due to circumstances

Yes I know everyone should know the meaning of cold but since I am bloody cold that's the word I am going with today.

Aussie Slang Day

Let me share some more Aussie slang all today are words/terms still used today.

Drongo......A dope or stupid person

Doodle......Penis

Dinkum or Fair Dinkum.....Something or someone who is real and genuine

Dinky Di......Also a real genuine thing

Dunny....An outside toilet

Creature Day

 

What a bloody cold morning here this Tuesday and it's creature day today it is something called the European River Lamprey. It is of course a fish.

This jawless eel-like thing attaches itself to larger fish and drinks its blood.

It's round sucker like mouth contains two rows of circular teeth that help it cling to the host as it swims. It has one nostril and seven breathing holes along each side of its body behind the eyes, and grows to 30cm in length.

Similar to salmon, European river lamprey migrates from coastal waters to inland breeding grounds to spawn. They swim up stream in autumn and winter, lay eggs in the spring and die. Their young take 2-3 years to mature, feeding on bacteria in the stream before heading out to sea.

Aussie Facts

 

Well here we are at another Monday, so it is facts day, this weeks facts are about my home state of New South Wales.

The current state flag of New South Wales was officially adopted in 1876. The flag is based on the defaced British Blue Ensign with the state badge located in the fly.

The lion in the centre is the English Lion derived from the British Arms. The first and fourth quarters are the Golden Fleece, a reference to our great achievement in the wool industry. The second and third quarters are the Wheat Sheaf, representing our second and great primary industry.

Animal Emblem: Platypus

The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), is the animal emblem of NSW. The platypus is a furry creature, about 30cm to 38cm long, it has webbed feet and a large duck-like bill which it uses to gather its food from the bottom of rivers.

State Flower: Waratah

The New South Wales waratah has been the floral emblem of New South Wales since 1962. Brilliantly coloured waratah blooms can be seen for miles. No wonder the New South Wales waratah was given the Greek botanical name of telopos, meaning seen from afar

Bird Emblem: The Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas) is the bird emblem of NSW

Gemstone Emblem: Black Opal

Fish Emblem: Blue Grope

Fossil Emblem: Mandageria fairfaxil

Week 24 of 2023

This morning when I got up to pee at 4.40am I took my medications and went back to be for an hour when I got up. It is bloody cold.

Last night when I got up to pee I noticed that Tim had locked the door to his office, when I asked why he was angry saying Sam had done some and pissed me off and he would tell me in the morning. Saying no one gives a damn about what I do not know.

Tim is a very negative person.

I asked Tim what Sam did he rambled off a number of things nothing bad, the most annoying was that he coloured in part of the remote control for his fan no biggie it still works. Tim was going off that no one disciplines Sam but just because he doesn't see it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I know Jess is often going off at Sam and doing her best to discipline him.

Cold enough today to wear my long sleeve singlet.

Another cold morning, no school today it is the King's birthday public holiday.

Tasha came down and put socks on my feet and said my socks are too small, I reminded her that she bought them.

Kathy and the girls came over Kathy changed the sheets on our bed, Sydney vacuumed out while Summer emptied the bins.

Tim bought KFC for lunch but I didn't really feel like it.

Up at 5am as per and usual not overly cold. Jess popped her head in before leaving for work to let me know that Sam didn't sleep well and might be tired this morning.

Kathy rang at 7am to have a whinge about how her fridge died overnight and of course it is full of food.

Natasha got a phone call at around 11am telling her that her surgery has been cancelled for tomorrow, she is rightly pissed.

Damn it is cold today. I feel really pissed off about many things today.

A cold morning, don't know if the cleaners are coming but I do have an appointment to have my boobs squashed aka a mammogram.

The cleaners came at 9am and left at 9.40 just before Tim and I left.

The mammogram went fine no issues, Tim was surprised how quick I was in and out.

Kathy's new fridge arrives today and of course they figured out why the old one stopped working it was tripping the circuit breaker and Michael did something, I think he turned something off and when that was turned back on it started working but as Kathy said if it keeps tripping the circuit it isn't any good. Anyway she said they move it to the garage and see how it goes.

A cold morning as is usual now had the heater on for an hour this morning.

Sandy came over to drop of postage stamps and then she took the letters to post for me.

Got a text letting me know my Aunty Pat passed away this morning she was dad's older sister. Kristine said there will be no funeral but a celebration of her life in the next week or so.

Tasha rang at 3pm asking if she can help me get ready for bed tomorrow as she was committed to helping someone else. I said that would be fine, of course Tim had issue with it but that's Tim.

Slept in till 5.25am as after I got up to pee at midnight I was unable to settle back down till after 2am.

It another bloody cold morning.

Kathy reminded me that Summer is preforming in Starstruck tonight and tomorrow night. I hope she has a great time.

Sam refused to take his meds this morning but I didn't argue with him, the school rang at 9.20am asking if he had his meds I explained he hadn't and gave permission for them to medicate him now.

I have had a good day with little pain and discomfort.

A later start this morning woke at 4.40am looked at the time decided I would lay there till 5am the next thing I knew it was 5.36am, so that's when I got up and it is bloody cold.

I am so cold my head hurts and my chest hurts.

I have felt like shit all bloody day.

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

 Hello world, it is Friday and of course that means it is my thoughts day and today I am thinking about death, not a pleasant topic but it is something that comes to us all and touches as all.

Last night well early hours of this morning like after midnight I found myself laying in bed shaking while trying to settle and go back to sleep. Laying there I started thinking about my Aunty Pat who passed yesterday morning, she was dad's older sister so in her 80's.

My mind went to the first time someone I knew and was related to that being my cousin Bradley way back in the mid 80's. The next death that upset me was that of my Uncle John, Aunty Pat's husband and Bradley's father he was also my favourite uncle.

Both my paternal grandparents have passed but I wasn't close to either of them, I knew my Poppy Jenkins better but we were not close.

The next death to affect me was that of Poppy James, Mum's father he passed on the 4^th November 2010, I had a good relationship with him. It wasn't till 19^th November 2016 when my Nanna passed away I was very close to her and it hit me pretty hare. Although in no way as much as the death of my dad on 21^st April 2019 that rocked me and I was just starting to get over it when on the 12 April 2021 mum died. I am now at last starting to feel like Jo-Anne again and not a body going through the motions.

I truly feel for those who have lost children, I really don't know how I would cope with such a loss.

I thought again last night how lucky I am to have lived over half a century without being seriously affected by the death of a loved one. Also I believe there is an afterlife and we will be reunited again. Some people don't have such a belief.

Thursday's Word of the Week

 Here we are at another cold morning, my feet are so bloody cold and my jaw is annoying me a lot but since it is Thursday it is word of the week day. This week's word is: skillion

It is a type of roofing design that consists of only one slope and a single flat surface

Aussie Slang old and current

 Damn my feet are cold this morning, I will be pleased when Tasha puts some socks on my feet, anyway here are some more old Aussie slang words, words that are rarely used now days, if at all.

Back of Bourke......a very long way away

Banana Bender......Someone from the state of Queensland.

Coathanger.......Sydney Harbour Bridge

Coldie........A beer

Corker.......Something excellent a

Creature Day.....Walrus

 

Hello everyone it is Tuesday also known as creature day and this weeks creature is the Walrus, heard of it, I have.

The walrus is a large pinniped marine mammal with discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only extant species in the family Odobenidae and genus Odobenus.

Walrus tusks are actually big canine teeth. Walruses use their tusks to help them climb up on ice, fight predators, and threaten and fight each other. Both male and female walruses have tusks. As it uses its tusks to pull itself from the water has earned it the nickname “tooth walker”, it also uses them to to break breathing holes in the artic ice from underneath. The tusks can also use them in fights over territory or females.

Their whiskers are called “vibrissae” and help if feel for food especilly shellfish on the dark ocean floor.

Some walruses kill and eat seals and seabirds.

It has wrinkled pinky-brown skin and a blubber-filled body combine to make this 3.5m marine mammual unique.

The Atlantic walrus lives in the seasonally ice-covered northern waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. The Pacific walrus has a wide range between Russia and the US (Alaska), from the Bering to the Chukchi Seas, as well as the Laptev Sea.

Walrus tusks are continually growing so they regularly outgrow their caps, which then loosen and fall off.

Females begin breeding at 6-7 years of age and generally give birth every 2 years. Males are mature at 8-10 years of age, but generally cannot successfully compete against older, larger males for females until they are 15 years old. Walruses may live up to 40 years.

Aussie Facts King's Birthday

It is a cold morning and as it is a public holiday for the King's birthday so here are some facts about said holiday.

The King's Official Birthday is the selected day in most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those countries. It does not necessarily correspond to the date of the monarch's actual birth.

All but two Australian states - Queensland and WA - will enjoy a public holiday on June 12, 2023. Previously named the Queen's Birthday public holiday, the day off is also known as the Monarch's Official Birthday.

In Queensland it is on Monday 2^nd October an in WA it will be on Monday 25^th September.

The Monarch's Birthday was first celebrated in Australia in 1788. In that year, King George III was the Monarch and Governor Arthur Phillip declared a holiday to mark his birthday.

Originally, the Monarch's birthday was celebrated on the anniversary of the actual date of birth of the King or Queen.

Week 23 of 2023

I I am doing a casserole for lunch as it is Jessica's birthday on Tuesday and that is her favourite meal that I make.

Kathy came for lunch but Tasha is pretty sick with the flu. Even Tim ate some of it and he doesn't like casserole. Sam came over and tried the casserole and liked it he had two bowls.

Kathy isn't happy with work at the moment in fact she is rightly pissed off and I understand why. Although I am not going into here.

Not a cold morning which is good but had to restart the computer in order to get my office program to work, all good now.

Kathy is off work today she isn't feeling well.

Sandy came over to see me this morning.

My back is aching a lot.

Another warm day.

JESSICA'S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 34 TODAY

Tim was up and in the kitchen cooking himself bacon and eggs for breakfast when I got up. By the time I had my morning wash he was done cooking and eating, when I asked how was it he said it was crap and he didn't like it.

It is a colder morning but not cold enough for the heater.

Tim went to rehab and also spoke to his surgeon about getting his DA back but no, not going to happen till his hand is all better and working how it should. This wasn't a surprise to me and Tim said he was expecting it but I am not so sure he was.

Colder this morning, turned the heater on for 30 minutes while I had a wash and got my fruit for breakfast.

Tim is in a right mood today snapping at me about little things. At one point he suggested we watch Ghost Adventures but after 15 minutes he got up and walk out of the room. I thought he had gone to the toilet but he didn't come back I went looking for him and found him sitting outside in the sun. When I found him I said he could have told me. He didn't get why I was annoyed.

It was a cold morning and when I was getting my fruit Tasha walked in with some washing to toss in the dryer which didn't bother me as the dryer heated the room up. It would have pissed Tim off.

Thankfully Jess is home as Sam's phone went straight to voicemail so I sent her a text to go and wake Sam.

Tim had an appointment with the podiatrist I have been telling him he should see one as he is unable to cut his own toe nails and it isn't a task any of our girls will do. He was pleased he went didn't cost him anything as our GP put him on a care plan.

Tim is also complaining a lot about how little the girls do to help us but really we don't much help well I no longer need as much help as I did a year ago.

TIM AND I MET 40YRS AGO TODAY

Had a shocking nights sleep it was ok for a few hours till 10.40pm when I got up to pee but after that it took me over 3hrs to settle back down, I got up to pee again at 3.50am and went back to bed till 5am when I got up.

Damn it is cold this morning and I have the hiccups and it is so annoying.

Tim off to see our GP this morning and to take more paper work into work he is off now till the 24 July.

I need a little help at the end of my day with my bedtime routine but the way Tim acts like I need a lot more help then I do.

Had a better nights sleep woke to another cold morning. I considered getting up later but no still got up at 5am.

I have a lot of back pain today and can't sit without pain.

Tim has been sitting out in the sun a lot today. I would like to also but not so easy for me plus we only have one decent chair out there.

Staying up later then normal and I have started doing my exercises earlier in the day as I find that between 1 & 2pm when I sit in my armchair I have no back pain and feel comfortable. So I don't want to get up and go and do my exercises and stay seated till I am ready to get ready for bed.

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

 Well here we are at another Friday and what a bloody cold morning it is, when I laid away trying to sleep during the night I found myself thinking about hobbies. I have a few such blogging and writing to pen pals, which I have been doing since I was 14. I have always loved reading which I have done since, well as long as I can remember. I wrote my hobbies back in 2013 but this isn't just about me.

Tim, however, doesn't have any hobbies and hasn't had since I have known him when he was younger it didn't seem to matter but now it is different.

He is seeing a counsellor who has commented that he really should try and find a hobby but he says he has no idea what type of hobby. I suggested he think about what type of thins that he might like to try or take up just to see if it is for him but he seems to thinks he is to old to do that. Rubbish................

My dad never read a book till 2009 when going through lung cancer he wanted something to do instead of just watching telly. He discovered he liked true stories Australian history and always had a book with him from then on.

When dad retired he got interested in our family genealogy, well he was interested before then but got right into in after he retired.

Mum was a knitter from a young age and for most of her life she was a reader of books in her later years she just read magazines.

THURSDAY'S WORD OF THE WEEK

Hello everyone on this cold Thursday morning, hope you are warmer then me. Well this weeks word comes from yesterday's post.

Duffer: An incompetent or stupid person

Someone who steals and alters brand marks

Someone who is a poor golfer

Aussie Slang both old and current

Hello everyone recently as in this year I have been reading as in listening to a lot Arthur Upfield's books they are fictional stories set in the Australian outback, during the 1930's through to the 1950's. Anyway listening to these books made me think about old Aussie slang and current Aussie slang so for a little while I will share 5 Aussie slang words and sayings here each Wednesday till I lose interesting in it.

Today's five are all old rarely used slang if at all.

Duffer: cattle rustler

Dead horse: Tomato sauce

Donger: penis

Dog's eye: meat pie

Cook: One's wife

CREATURE DAY

 Hello everyone on this cold Tuesday morning here is this weeks creature the “Ruff” it is a bird.

The ruff is a medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Eurasia. This highly gregarious sandpiper is migratory and sometimes forms huge flocks in its winter grounds, which include southern and western Europe, Africa, southern Asia and Australia.

It's the ring of puffed up neck feathers that give this bird its name: a ruff was an ornamental collar worn by people living in Europe during the mid 16-17^th centuries.

Only breeding males display the ruff, it also has a tuft of brightly coloured feathers on top of its head and orange legs, beak and rough facial skin. Once mating is finished the fancy feather moult and its beak, legs and face dull.

It is known for its aggressive displays at communal mating grounds called leks, its scientific name is Philomachus pungnus which means battle loving.

Aussie Facts

 Hello Monday, my head is all over the place this fine Monday morning but I have remembered that it is facts day and today we have the Tassie coat of arms.

The coat of arms of Tasmania is the official symbol of the Australian state and island of Tasmania. It was officially granted by King George V in May 1917. The shield features significant examples of Tasmanian industry: a sheaf of wheat, hops, a ram and apples.

The Latin motto “Ubertas et Fidelitas” translates as “Fruitfulness and Faithfulness”. A pair of Tasmanian tigers, or Thylacines, form the supporters to the shield. The tiger, a carnivorous marsupial, was common in Tasmania in the 19th Century, but is now believed extinct.

The flag consists of a defaced British Blue Ensign with the state badge located in the fly. The badge is a white disk with a red lion passant in the centre of the disk. There is no official record of how the lion came to be included on the flag, but it is assumed that the red lion is a reference to Great Britain.

Like all other Australian States, the Tasmanian flag has the Union Jack in the top left-hand corner and the State badge to the right, on a dark blue background. It is twice as wide as it is deep. The badge depicts a red lion within a white circle. Although the reason for the design is not clear, it suggests historical ties with England and was approved by the British Colonial Office on 29 November 1875. It has remained largely unchanged since except for a slight modification to the lion when the flag was officially proclaimed as the State flag by Governor Sir Stanley Burbury on 3 December 1975. A motion was passed in the House of Assembly in November 1997 recommending legislation to prevent any alteration to the flag without approval at a referendum. Such legislation has yet to be introduced.

Flora Emblem

The Tasmanian Flowering Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) was identified and named by a French naturalist, Labillardiere, in 1799. It may grow to over 60 metres in height and is most common in southern and eastern Tasmania although some examples are found on the Bass Strait islands and in southern Victoria. Its timber is highly valued for its strength and durability.

The Tasmanian Blue Gum is protected in areas under State control, such as national parks and crown land, and may not be removed without permission. It was proclaimed as the State floral emblem on 5 December 1962.

Fauna Emblem

The Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii (Boitard, 1841) is the world's largest remaining carnivorous marsupial (since the presumed extinction of the thylacine or Tasmanian tiger). It is found in the wild only in Tasmania where it is widespread. Although once common, it is now a threatened species.

The Tasmanian Aboriginal word for the devil is purinina. Its scientific name, Sarcophilus means 'flesh-loving' and harrisii comes from George Harris, the surveyor and naturalist who described the species in 1808. It was given the name 'devil' by early European settlers who were frightened by its unfamiliar night-time calls.

Mineral - Crocoite

Crocoite is an unusual orange-red lead mineral which can be beautiful and colourful. The main source of quality specimens is the Dundas district on the west coast of Tasmania. The crystals there are usually long thin prisms, however large crystals from this locality have been scarce in the past thirty years. It was proclaimed as the State mineral in 2000.

WEEK 22 OF 2023

Didn't get up till 5.20am and part of me didn't want to get up but I did. It was very cold.

A quiet day doing bugga all and watching Judge Judy with Tim, that woman can piss me off being judgemental at times. I prefer to watch The People's Court.

Up at 5am as usual and another bloody cold day.

Tasha bought me two long sleeve singlets and half a dozen pairs of knickers, which is good because a number of knickers the elastic has gone in the legs.

Jess told me that the long sleeve singlets and not called singlets but I have never called them anything else.

Tim is going on and on about wasting power and wanting to unplug and stop using it, I said I didn't agree but if that is what he wants to do he can but he got bloody angry because I didn't agree with him. I asked him why that was but he said he didn't know why he was like that.

Damn it is cold but I am up and dressed and need the heater on.

Tasha had a pre opp appointment, her operation is on Tuesday she was told she would be in hospital for about 7 days that part she isn't keen on but we will see what happens.

Tim had a rehab appointment and while there the surgeon came and spoke to him, he is now to have a another operation tomorrow sometime.

Slept in this morning till 5.25 and yes it is bloody cold.

The computer is being a right bitch this morning, driving me mad with frustration.

Tim has to be at the hospital around 3pm, Tasha will take him and either Jess or Sandy will pick him up after the opp.

Thankfully Jess got home from work by 2.15 so she was able to meet Sam.

I will put myself to bed.

Tim slept on the lounge last night his operation was more complicated then expected. He got home around 9pm.

It is the first day of winter but not as cold as the last few day.

It feels like a long ass day and I keep forgetting it is Thursday feels like a Friday or Saturday.

Tim isn't complaining of pain at this time as his hand is still numb from the injections they gave him at the hospital.

Last night when he was coming to bed Tim fell over, he was able to get himself up and into bed, the sound of him falling made me jump and caused concerned. I hope he is ok.

Another not so cold start to the day.

Sandy dropped in to drop off my postage stamps, so I added them to the letters which she took to post.

I will need a shower this afternoon as twice today I have found myself drenched in sweat.

I woke at 4am needing to pee but decided to put it off for an hour which I managed so up at 5am as per usual.

A cold but not too cold morning. Jess has had work every day this week.

It has been a warm day, took till after 1pm before I was able to sit comfortably without back pain.

JO-ANNE'S THOUGHTS

 We here we are at another cold Friday, heard on the news at 5am that the so called experts thing we are in for a not so cold winter but we will see.

Being Friday it is a day for Jo-Anne's thoughts but what are my thoughts, well I think that those who are suppose to be experts about stuff have bugga all common sense.

Common sense is something I feel so many do not have any more maybe the fact that we are pretty much a nanny state/country unlike when I was a child or even when my girls were little they would walk home from school. I drove my girls to school but from the time Kathy was in year 5 they would walk home from school. Now days it feels like children are always driven to and from school.

Yes children need supervision and yes left to their own they will get into mischief but children have been getting into mischief since the beginning of time.

Also it is natural for parents to worry about their children as there are bad people in the world, and bad things happen but that is how it has always been.

So many expect the government to support them instead of earning their own money by doing an honest days work.

The cost of living is high but that isn't a new thing throughout the ages the cost of living has been higher then most people can deal with. I do not know how some people manage on just what the government pays but it is better then having nothing like it once was.

My thoughts are all over the place this morning but that is pretty normal for me.

THURSDAY'S WORD OF THE WEEK

Good morning not as cold this morning still cold though, I have been slack this week with posting just because I have had computer troubles with it running slow and freezing and overall giving me the shits.

Today's word or the week is: shit

It is considered a vulgar swear word, the dictionary says it means

Faeces or to expel faeces from the body

A contemptible or worthless person

To tease or try to deceive someone

An exclamation of disgust, anger or annoyance.