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 Today's post can be found here: https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2024/10/life-hodgepodge-way.html

Newcastle War Years

 Today we are going to have a look at Newcastle, New South Wales in 1939 when World War 11 started.

It was considered by some that the part Newcastle was to play in the national war effort was inevitably this was due to the city’s heavy industries represented the vital heart of the country’s ability to fight fire with fire.

It wasn’t long before BHP, its subsidiaries and a surprising wide array of smaller industrial plants were flat out making shells, gun barrels, bombs and parts for everything from tanks to aircraft.

As the war progressed the NSW government pressed Newcastle back into shipbuilding and repair business.

BHP chief Essington Lewis had anticipated Japan’s entry into the war and the cities industries were ready to accelerate production after the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941.

War activity reached hectic levels in 1942 when Japanese submarines prowled of the east coast sinking ships and attacking Newcastle and Sydney.

It was during this time that the RAAF established a base at Williamstown in order to defend the oh so important industries in Newcastle. A seaplane base was also established at Rathmines which is part of Lake Macquarie and the US-built Catalina aircraft did long-range patrols and anti-submarine work.

During the war years military and civil defence infrastructure appeared all over the Hunter, also air raid shelters popped up in streets and tank traps were established on beaches and slit trenches were dung in schools and parks.

Blackouts were enforced and many households dug their own shelters.

Of course, many men signed up to serve their country, going overseas to fight, while U S troops arrived in the city.

Women also went off to war with many joining the Land Army as well as other military forces, operating searchlights and working in radar and communications installations. While others filled the caps left by the men gone off to fight, this was radical change that continued well into the postwar years.

Dingo

 

Well, here we are at another Monday and time to look at another wild dog, this week it is the Australian Dingo.

Dingoes have a lifespan from as few as 3yrs to usually around 16yrs but some have been known to live for 20yrs.

The dingo is an ancient lineage of dog found in Australia, however, compared with the skull of the dog, the dingo possesses a longer muzzle, longer carnassial teeth, longer and more slender canine teeth, larger auditory bullae, a flatter cranium with a larger sagittal crest, and larger nuchal lines.

The dingo's three main coat colourations are light ginger or tan, black and tan, or creamy white. The skull is wedge-shaped and appears large in proportion to the body.

The dingo is closely related to the New Guinea singing dog. The oldest remains of dingoes in Australia are around 3,500 years old.

A dingo pack usually consists of a mated pair, their offspring from the current year, and sometimes offspring from the previous year.

Dingoes do not bark like a dog but howl, chortle, yelp, whine, growl, chatter, snort, cough and purr.

Dingoes are largely terrestrial carnivores they have a broad diet including fresh meat, fish, eggs and carrion they occasionally eat plants and fruits. They're opportunistic hunters but will also scavenge food. The bulk of their diet is made up of meat: they eat kangaroos, wallabies, feral pigs, wombats, small mammals (rabbits, rodents), birds and lizards.

Their strong jaw and large canines permit the dingo to procure and machinate rather tough prey, allowing them to tear meat from carcasses and crush bones to obtain calcium and fat.

Dingoes have a strict social hierarchy and regularly mate for life. Female dingoes have one annual breeding cycle, March to June. The dingo pack helps with the rearing of pups which are weaned at about 2 months, at which time the pups may be abandoned or can stay with the parents for up to a year. Dingo pups are fully grown by 7 months.

They are primarily killed by humans, crocodiles, and sometimes by other canid species, such as jackals and domestic dogs. They are also killed by Dingoes from other packs. Pups may be taken by large birds of prey.

They are highly intelligent and intuitive animals that have a high capacity to solve problems and plan.

With this high intelligence and foresight comes a strong sense of self-awareness and independence.

 

 

 

 

Egypt

Well, we are moving out of Europe and into North Africa this is the second largest and second most populated continent after Asia. North Africa is naturally the northmost region of the African continent it is separated from the rest of Africa by the Sahara Desert.

Egypt is one of the most populated countries in Africa and the Middle East, a great majority of the population live near the banks of the river Nile. It is famous for its ancient civilisation and some of the world’s most famous monuments such as the Pyramids and Great Sphinx.

It is a country linking northeast Africa with the Middle East, dates to the time of the pharaohs.

The capital, Cairo, is home to Ottoman landmarks like Muhammad Ali Mosque and the Egyptian Museum. It is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views.

The Egyptian pound is the official currency of Egypt. The 10  and 20-pound notes are made out of polymer plastic paper as of July 6, 2022.

The official language of Egypt is Arabic, and most Egyptians speak one of several vernacular dialects of that language. As is the case in other Arab countries, the spoken vernacular differs greatly from the literary language.

The national flag of Egypt is a tricolour consisting of the three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands of the Egyptian revolutionary flag that dates back to the 1952 Egyptian Revolution. The flag bears Egypt's national emblem, the Egyptian eagle of Saladin, centred in the white band.

While looking for the country’s national animal I got two responses one being the Dorcas Gazell the other being the Steppe Eagle, which is the country’s national bird.

The national flower of Egypt is the Egypt Lotus Flower. This stunning flower has been an important symbol in Egyptian culture for thousands of years, and it is often associated with rebirth and regeneration.

Football is the most popular sport in Egypt, by football I mean soccer many Egyptians gather around to watch various Egyptian clubs and the Egyptian national football team play on an almost daily basis. Zamalek and Al Ahly are amongst the most popular in the country, both of which are based in Cairo.

Throughout much of ancient history Egyptian religion was polytheistic, meaning it recognized many gods and goddesses, as well as a variety of other divine beings.

Now days most experts and media sources estimate approximately 90 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim and 10 percent is Christian. Scholars and NGOs estimate Shia Muslims comprise approximately 1 percent of the population. There are also small numbers of Dawoodi Bohra Muslims and Ahmadi Muslims.

 There is also a new post over at Random Stuff

 https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2024/10/happy-birthday-sue.html

Week 43 of 2024

 

Had a good night although when the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get up, but I did and after a wash and getting dress, I felt the same way nothing had changed.

It is currently 17 degrees and raining, my BGL was 5.5

At 7.30am the internet dropped out but after a while it was ok, and I managed to do the grocery shopping.

Tim is working this morning he should be home around 1pm

I am so very tired that even though it is only 7.45pm I am off to bed.

Steps: 5,830

Had a good night, even though I was in bed early I slept all through the night.

The temp is 16 degrees and my BGL is 4.8

I have had a decent morning did a load of washing and hung it out to dry, ran the dishwasher and unpacked it, vacuumed of course. I also wrote a couple of letters and did some blogging.

Both Sue and Tasha got me stamps

It has been a cool day the temp got up to 20 degrees.

It is 8.30pm and I am done, falling asleep so off to bed I go.

Steps: 7,108

Had a good night, woke once but settled back down pretty quick. It is only 14 degrees this morning and my BGL was 4.9

After a cool morning it warmed up nicely and around 9.30am I changed into shorts.

I felt like I did stuff this morning, like folding the clean clothes and putting them away, vacuuming, taking rubbish out to the bin, blogging and writing letters.

I am not as tired this evening so it

Steps:6,094

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all and was dreaming when the alarm went off, I wonder if that has anything to do with me having a headache and feeling heavy headed.

It, is 12 degrees and my BGL was 5.0

I finished answering the letters I had here and walked down and posted them myself. Haven’t done that in years.

Tim will be home later than usual he arrived home at 7.40pm.

Steps: 7,383

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all and was dreaming when the alarm went off, I wonder if that has anything to do with me having a headache and feeling heavy headed. This morning is a repeat of yesterday morning.

The temp is 17 degrees and my BGL is 5.0, I was reading that there is something called the dawn phenomenon which is when between the hours of 3 and 8am when someone’s blood glucose level rises why this happens, I don’t know and neither do the so-called experts.

A warm day it started to rain around 3.30pm

Tim later home again around 7.15pm, he is off tomorrow and Saturday but is working Sunday

Steps:6,781                   

Had a good night, didn’t wake at all, I do like those type of nights.

Tim is off today, so I was able to take my time in the shower this morning, which I liked.

It is 12 degrees and my BGL 4.9

Tim and I went to the shops; to pick up scrips and we have reached our safety net, which brings down our medication from $31.60 to $7

after that Tim went to a doctor’s appointment with the diabetes doctor.

Then at 4.15pm he had an appointment with our GP

Steps:7,159

Had a good night, woke only once and went straight back to sleep. It is 13 degrees and my BGL is 4.7

Tim is up at 7am which is early for him

Tim and I went for lunch at the Eastern Tiger all you can eat place with my sisters Sue & Jeannie and my brother Dave and his wife Leigh and their daughter Liarna as well as Dave’s son Dawson.  It was a good outing I enjoyed my self and there was a lot of laughing.

When I was getting ready to go, I realised I have only two decent tops and neither of them went with the skirt I was wearing.

We realised this afternoon that Tasha was driving an unregistered car, she was thinking it was due next month, we have paid the CTP but she still needs to get her rego check done.

Steps:7,082

 

 

 

 

 

Visual Snow Syndrome

 

Hi all today we are having a look at something called Visual snow syndrome. This isn’t something I had heard off until recently. My grandchild Sam was telling me about it as apparently Sam has this.

Visual snow syndrome is an uncommon neurological condition in which the primary symptom is that affected individuals see persistent flickering white, black, transparent, or coloured dots across the whole visual field. Other common symptoms are palinopsia, enhanced entoptic phenomena, photophobia, and tension headaches.

It can also be referred to as Persistent positive visual phenomenon, visual static or aeropsia.

The cause seems to remain unclear, but it is believed to be due to a problem with how your brain processes visual images. The flickering tiny dots associated with the condition are typically black and white, but they can be flashing, colored, or even transparent.

It is not a disease that will just go away on its own. The visual disturbances are unlikely to just get better without treatment, which typically involves medications. The most regularly used medications for visual snow syndrome are antiepileptic and antidepressant medications.

Over time the condition may worsen and could become debilitating to the suffer at some point, although not a mental health condition over time someone with the condition may experience depression.

For many people, visual snow syndrome is a chronic condition, thankfully they will not go blind due to it. However, many suffers may also have migraines and anxiety.

People with visual snow may experience all or only a few symptoms, including light sensitivity and tinnitus. These symptoms range in severity from mild to debilitating. Living with this condition is a different experience for everyone.

Sam being young thought for a long time that they way he saw things was just the normal way and is for the large part kind of use to it.

Symptoms commonly appear during the late teenage years and early adulthood. In one study the mean age of onset of symptoms was 21 years old but it can occur at any age, in either gender, or in any race.

 

 

 

The very sinkable Boambee

 

Ok this week I am going to share a bit about the steamer Boambee one unlucky vessel.

The 236-tonne wooden steamer was built in 1908 and by the time it ran aground and was dismantled forty years later it had sunk four times, including once at Newcastle’s wharf.

Records show that its first mishap happened at Tweed Heads on 20 December 1923 it was driven ashore by strong gale winds but was able to be refloated. Tweed Heads is a border town between New South Wales and Queensland.

Moving on, it is said to have sunk at Clarence Town Wharf in 1939 while loaded with gravel and wooden sleepers, again it was refloated only to sink again sometime during World War 11 at Hexham. Clarence Town is on the Williams River in New South Wales; the town of Hexham is also in NSW. Hexham is about a half hour drive from where I live.

Later on, it was hit by a ship in Newcastle Harbour and written off, however it would be bought by the Hunter River Steamship Company in 1947 to be used on the Newcastle to Sydney trade.

On its first trip it sprang a leak which was more than the pumps could handle so the captain decided to return to Newcastle while it slowly sank. By the time it reached Newcastle Harbour it was very low in the water and there were no tugs available to help. So, by the time she reached the wharf she began to list and sank ten minutes after reaching its berth.

It took five days, but she was able to be refloated, repaired and renamed.

Now called the Illalong it became the property of the Manning River Steamship Company. In March of 1948 while on route from Sydney to Newcastle with a cargo of brattice cloth for coalminers it went too close inshore during a thick fog and ran aground at Nine Mile Beach which is near Belmont.

This time it was written off again and quickly dismantled   

 

African Wild Dog

 

This week we are kicking of the series about wild dogs from around the world and we will start with the African wild dog, also known as the painted dog or Cape hunting dog.

The African wild dog has a colourful, patchy coat. They have large bat-like ears and a bushy tail with a white tip, which may serve as a flag to keep the pack in contact while hunting. Their markings are as unique as a human fingerprint, making it easy to identify individuals.

This dog is native to sub-Saharan Africa

These wild dog packs have an 80% success rate when hunting, thanks to high levels of communication.

They generally live up to the age of 11 when living in the wild.

It can also run up to 70km or 44mph this is the same as a greyhound, over a long time. Of all large carnivores they are regarded as the most efficient hunters as their targeted prey rarely escapes. They hunt for a wide variety of prey, including gazelles and other antelopes, warthogs, wildebeest calves, rats, and birds.

They like to live in packs averaging from seven to 15 members and sometimes up to 40. Before the recent population decline, packs of up to 100 were recorded.  Within the pack, there is a unique social structure.

They cooperate in taking care of the wounded and sick members, there is a general lack of aggression exhibited between members of the pack, and there is little intimidation among the social hierarchy.

Every hunting pack has a dominant pair. They are usually the only pair that remains monogamous for life. Wild dogs also have a large range of vocalizations that include a short bark of alarm, a rallying howl, and a bell-like contact call that can be heard over long distances. Elaborate greeting rituals are accompanied by twittering and whining.

They are pack animals that are quick to defend themselves against any threatening animal. While they don't prey on humans and typically approach them out of curiosity rather than aggression, it's best not to go near them.

 

Greece

Good morning, everyone who read this, hope you are doing well this week we are off to Greece.

People have lived in Greece for more than 5,000 years and it has been considered a civilised country for 2,500 years.

Greece is a country in southeastern Europe with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean and Ionian seas. Influential in ancient times, it's often called the cradle of Western civilization.

The capital is Athens, which retains landmarks including the 5th-century B.C. Acropolis citadel with the Parthenon temple. Greece is also known for its beaches, from the black sands of Santorini to the party resorts of Mykonos.

The country has a population of around 11 million, the official currency is the euro. The euro replaced the Greek modern drachma as Greece's official currency in 2002, following the country's introduction into the Eurozone in 2001.

The national flag of Greece, popularly referred to as the Blue-and-White or the Cyan-and-White, is officially recognised by Greece as one of its national symbols and has 5 equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white. Blue and white are the national colours of Greece, as blue symbolizes the sky and seas and white denotes the purity of the Greek independence struggle. The cross represents the Christian religion.

Due to its deep connection to the sea, it has adopted the dolphin as its national animal. Revered in ancient mythology and folklore, the dolphin symbolizes intelligence, harmony, and the maritime heritage of Greece.

The little owl is the national bird of Greece, is also known as the owl of Athena and is believed to provide knowledge and wisdom worthy of the goddess.

While looking for the national flower of Greece I found some sites saying it is the Bear's Breech which is also as the Sea Dock, Oyster Plant, and by its biological name, Acanthus Mollis. Others said it was the lily. Specifically, the white lily is often associated with purity and has historical significance in Greek culture. Additionally, the oleander is also commonly linked to Greece, particularly in its natural landscapes.

In ancient Greek religion and mythology, there were 12 gods called Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus.

Now days religion in Greece is dominated by Christianity, particular the Greek Orthodox Church, which is within the larger communion of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It represented 90% of the total population in 2015 and is constitutionally recognized as the "prevailing religion" of Greece.

Many people will think of the Trojan Horse when thinking about Greece it was in case you do not know a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war.

Also, many people when they think of Greece will comment that it is home to the first Olympic games, way back when the ancient Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC through 393 AD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. 

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894.

That will do for Greece.

 

 

 

Week 42 of 2024

 

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This was supposed to be posted yesterday but it didn't post

I had a pretty good night, slept pretty much all night, although I had to use the powerfit before going to bed due to how restless I felt.

I felt cold and had to turn the heater on for a little bit.

The temp this morning is 13 degrees and my BGL was 4.9

The day has warmed up, Tim did more work in the back yard.

Steps: 5,196

SANDY’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 47 TODAY

I had a really good night slept straight through only waking when the alarm went off.

It is a cold morning with a temp of 12 degrees, my BGL is 5.0

It has turned out being a warm day with a temp of 22 degrees.

I was waiting for Sam this afternoon and she didn’t turn up; I rang Jess who rang Sam, and it turned out someone told the driver she had already gone home. Thankfully a friend’s mother drove her home.

Steps:5,765

I had a really good night slept straight through only waking when the alarm went off.

It is a pleasant 15 degrees and my BGL is 6.8, a bit high for some reason.

It was starting to rain when I was going up the front with Sam and had to come back and swap from my scooter to the walker. The temp is still only 16 degrees.

Tim home at 9.30am to have something to eat before going to have his scans done. Then he will be going back to work.

Steps: 6,157

DAD’S BIRTHDAY HE WOULD BE 82

I had another good night slept straight through waking at 4.20am to pee then straight back to sleep till the alarm went off.

It is a cold 13 degrees my BGL was 5.0

I am having a lot of trouble walking this morning my right knee doesn’t feel stable and I am worried about falling.

Tim arrived home at 11am he has phone appointment at 2pm.

The day warmed up a bit.

The clothes I ordered from Millers arrived and both lot of pants fit well but the skirt is a bit too big. I have emailed to see if it can be exchanged for a smaller size, but I don’t it can be as I think it was off the clearance rack.

Steps:8,204

Went to bed at 9pm last night as per usual around 11.15pm I woke feeling restless, so I got up and used the powerfit no issue there, however, when I bent over to unplug it, I lost my balance and fell banging my head hard against the lounge and yes it hurt I sat for about 20 minutes before going back to bed. For the next few hours, I dozed on and off before settling down at around 2pm. I got up at 5am a usual.

It is only 7 degrees my BGL was 3.6

It has warmed up to 21 degrees.

Both Sandy and Sue said I shouldn’t use the powerfit during the night.

I rang the Eastern Tiger and booked a table for 4 on the 26 then Jeannie said she would come, then Dawson said he would come so I rang back and changed the booking to 6. I then realised I hadn’t asked Dave, so I have texted him about coming and hope to hear back sometime tomorrow.

Steps:5,410

Went to bed at 9pm last night as per usual around 11.15pm I woke feeling restless, so I got up and used the powerfit went back to bed and straight off to sleep.

It is 15 degrees and my BGL is 3.4

Took Sam up the front and managed to just get home before it started raining heavy.

I have had another productive morning vacuuming and changing the sheets, washing the sheets and tossing them in the dryer to dry.

Steps: 10,445

Had a good night although when the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get up, but I did and after a shower I felt ok. It is 19 degrees and my BGL is 5.2, we are supposed to be in for a nice day.

I have felt fidgety as mum would put it this morning.

Tim and I went over to Lake Fair so he could cash in bottles while I went to see if I could exchange my skirt, but they didn’t have anything in my size.

Tasha bought me another matching top and pants set.

Steps: 9,41

Wellness Test Results

I recently did a wellness questionnaire which can be found here: https://ezpzwellness.org/

These are the results.             

Personalized Recommendations

Physical Health: 48.0/100

Recommendations:

• Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily

• Improve your sleep hygiene by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule

• Focus on a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables

Mental Health: 72.0/100

Recommendations:

• Increase your mindfulness practice to 15-20 minutes daily

• Try journaling to process your thoughts and emotions

• Learn a new skill or hobby to keep your mind engaged

Emotional Health: 80.0/100

Recommendations:

• Continue nurturing your emotional well-being

• Share your emotional management strategies with others

• Explore ways to give back to your community

Social Health: 40.0/100

Recommendations:

• Make an effort to connect with friends or family at least once a week

• Join a club or group related to your interests

• Practice active listening in your conversations

Nutrition: 44.0/100

Recommendations:

• Increase your daily intake of fruits and vegetables

• Reduce consumption of processed and fast foods

• Stay hydrated by drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily

Sleep: 52.0/100

Recommendations:

• Optimize your sleep environment (e.g., comfortable mattress, dark room)

• Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation

• Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime

Stress Management: 72.0/100

Recommendations:

• Learn and practice time management techniques

• Try stress-reducing activities like yoga or tai chi

• Set realistic goals and break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps

 

Epileptic Seizures

Hello everyone, today I am going to tell you about the four main types of epilepsy seizures.

Starting with the type of seizure most people thing of when they think of an epileptic seizure.

This seizure is now called a Generalised tonic-clonic seizure, it was once known as a grand mal seizure and are the most recognised.

The seizure starts with a sudden loss of consciousness. The person’s body then becomes stiff, followed by jerking of the muscles. They also may turn red or blue, bite their tongue and lose control of their bladder.

When they regain consciousness the suffered may be confused, drowsy or agitated, it is not uncommon for them to not remember what happened and have a headache.

Next, we have absence seizures, these are the type of seizure my nephew Dawson suffers from. They used to be known as petit mal seizures they usually start in childhood but can happen in adults as well. They are brief and involve staring, loss of expression, unresponsiveness and stopping activity. Sometimes eye blinking or upward eye movements are seen. The person usually recovers straight away and continues their previous activity, without remembering the seizure.

There is also something called focal seizures, previously known as 'partial seizures', these start in one area of the brain and affect the parts of the body controlled by that area of the brain. The seizure may involve unusual movements, feelings, sensations, or behaviours. People can have different levels of consciousness during focal seizures.

Lastly there are febrile convulsions are seizures are associated with an illness causing a fever, such as a viral infection. They are generally harmless and do not require special or long-term treatment. Febrile convulsions are common, happening in about 3 in 100 healthy children up to 6 years old.

If they don’t have any additional risk factors for epilepsy, children who have febrile convulsions have a similar risk of developing epilepsy to the rest of the population.

Sometimes people with epilepsy may have changes in their behaviour. They also may have symptoms of psychosis.

Most people with epilepsy tend to have the same type of seizure each time. Symptoms are usually similar from episode to episode.

Some people with focal seizures have warning signs in the moments before a seizure begins. These warning signs are known as aura.

Warning signs might include a feeling in the stomach. Or they might include emotions such as fear. Some people might feel deja vu. Auras also might be a taste or a smell. They might even be visual, such as a steady or flashing light, a colour, or a shape. Some people may experience dizziness and loss of balance. And some people may see things that aren't there, known as hallucinations.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND A NEW POST HERE:https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2024/10/nuts-hodgepodge.html