6 Questions about my country

On Facebook there are a lot of quizzes about America and I do them for no real reason just to see how I do and most of the time I do pretty damn good getting most of the questions right. So I have been wondering how well do my overseas followers know Australia so here are half a dozen questions about my country.

I will tell you the answers tomorrow. See if you can answer these without Google.........

What is the capital of Australia?

How many states are there?

How many stars are on our flag?

What is the country's largest city?

Who was our first Prime Minister?

What two animals are on our coat of arms?

A Bit About Father's Day Which Was Yesterday Here In Australia

Yesterday was Father's Day here in Australia as everyone knows Father's Day is the day to show appreciation to fathers and father figures. I happen to think I have the best dad ever, but I guess I am not alone thinking that my bloody siblings think the same thing. Oh yeah other people might think they have great fathers and maybe they do but my dad could always do anything he set his mind to. I remember when I was a teenager my nan asked me what type of man did I want to marry and all I could think was one like dad, and you know what I ended up doing just that. Tim and dad are so much alike the older Tim gets the more like dad he gets.

Father's Day is a not a public holiday in Australia, however, since it is a Sunday many workers are off anyway. Usually restaurants and cafes are very busy. This was the case with the Eastern Tiger Restaurant where my family went for lunch yesterday. There wasn't as many as on Mother's Day only 8 of us yesterday as Sandra & Ed couldn't make it and neither could Kathy & Michael and Natasha had to work so she couldn't come. I want to say a big thank you to Kathy & Michael for watching Leo while Jessica came with us. We didn't want to pay $18.50 for Leo when he would spend most of the time running around and eating only some ice cream and hot chips.

I gave my dad a couple of books for Father's Day and Leo had me by him a scratchie (scratch lottery ticket) as he saw the ones I had bought for Tim and wanted them, he wanted one for dad and one for pop. I said to him you mean papa (Tim) and he said “no pop, you know other nanna's pop” (my dad) so Saturday morning I went out and bought two scratchies for him.

Oh yeah you may be wondering about him wanting one for dad since he doesn't have a dad, well “dad” is Jono, Blain's dad he knows Jono isn't his dad but he will tell you if you ask why he calls Jono dad that he is sharing Blain's dad since he doesn't have a dad.

Now just a little history about Father's Day, you know I have searched and searched but couldn't find when the first Father's Day celebration was in Australia.

The idea of a special day to honour fathers and celebrate fatherhood was introduced from the United States, a woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd was inspired by the Mother's Day celebrations and planned a day to honour fathers in 1910. The first Father's Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on the 19^th June 1910.

Yeah one more thing before I go, I only had to my a dad a present from me and Tim this year as my siblings managed to get their own presents how cool is that. Yes all my siblings know if they can't get dad or mum a present at any time all they have to do is ask me and I will get something for them to give them but this yeah none asked and I didn't remind them so I was hoping they all got dad something and they did so a happy Jo-Anne indeed.

Five Things Friday No: I forgot..................lol

It is Friday and I am so tired so it is just a quick 5 things Friday post.

Feeling exhausted

Not enough hours in Friday day, so much to do and so little time to do it all

Toe nails need cutting, if only I could reach my feet

Printer not printing in black.............yet again............

Sneezing my head off...............so annoying..........

More About The First World War

Good afternoon, I am doing another post about the First World War, yes this topic does interest me a lot and I have a couple of more posts in the works but for today you get this.

Ok the First World War started in August 1914 I think we all know that but do you know who the war was between, or what caused the war to start with, my research says it had a lot to do with the decisions taken my statesmen and generals during the July Crisis of 1914 caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie.

When people think of the war they will usually think of the trenches which were massive, the trench system stretched from the Swiss mountains to the English channel. We can envision the mud full trenches with the barb wire, well I can.

We all know that the winners of the war were the Allies but what name was given to the other side, my daughter Jessica asked me that question not long ago while I was watching a show about the First World War so I had to look it up they were called the Central Powers which was composed of the following nations, Austria-Hungary who entered the war on the 28^th July, the German Empire from the 1^st August, the Ottoman Empire who secretly entered the war on the 2^nd August and openly on the 29^th October and there was the Kingdom of Bulgaria who joined the war on the 14^th October 1914

The war ran from the 28^th July 1914 to the 11^th November 1918 so it lasted 4 years 3 months and 1 week, we all should know about Armistice Day which is the same day as Remembrance Day. The very first Armistice Day was held at Buckingham Palace on the morning of 11^th November 1919, this would set the trend for a day of Remembrance for decades to come. In fact here in Australia and I know in New Zealand as well on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month we stop for a minutes silence to remember those in all wars that have died.

So many died and really it was just the start of things as I am sure many people would agree that the Second World War was a continuation of the First World War.

I wonder what the British soldier who could have killed Hitler but didn't would think later on after Hitler came to power and caused so much destruction and death. Private Henry Tandey couldn't have know what type of man Hitler was or would become. Yes the above photo is of Private Tandey,

Private Tandey would become the most decorated British soldier of the First World War, his courage and bravery in his determination to take down the enemy and rescue his wounded comrades earned him a chestful of medals including the distinguished Victoria Cross and Military Medal. 

The below photo is of Tandey carrying a wounded comrade. 

Now Let Me Tell You About The DSO..........Distinguished Service Order

Good morning all, another fine but coldish day here in Aus, I am up dressed and waiting for mum to pick me and so we can go and see my nan, it has been a couple of weeks since we last saw her and I miss seeing her. 

Today I am going to talk a little about military medals and decorations, starting with The Distinguished Service Order also know as the DSO it is a military decoration of the United Kingdom and formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth and British Empire.

It was awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. It was instituted on the 2^nd September 1886 by Queen Victoria and was awarded for the first time on the 25^th November 1886.

It is typically awarded to officers ranked mayor or higher, but the honour has sometimes been awarded to especially valorous junior officers. During the First World War, 8,981 DSOs were awarded, each award being announced in the London Gazette.
Between the years of 1914 and 1916 it was awarded to staff officers who did not serve under fire after the 1^st January 1917 commanders in the field were instructed to recommend this award only for those serving under fire.

Prior to 1943 is was only given to someone mentioned in despatches, the order is generally given to officers in command above the rank of captain. When a junior officer was awarded the DSO it was often regarded as an acknowledgement that the officer had only just missed out on the Victoria Cross.

In 1942 the award started to be given to officers of the Merchant Navy who had performed acts of gallantry under fire and enemy attack.

Since 1993 the award has been restricted solely to distinguished service such as leadership and command by and rank, the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross was introduced as the seconded highest award for gallantry. It has,however, remained an officers-only award and it has yet to be awarded to non-commissioned rank.

Recipients of the order are officially know as Companions of the Distinguished Service Order. They are entitled to use the letters “DSO”. One of more gold medal bars ornamented by the Crown may be issued to the DSO holders performing further acts of such leadership which would have merited award of the DSO. The bars are worn as clasps on the medal ribbon of the original award.

No you may be wondering what it looks like well I could tell you but I think it is better to just show you so here it is.

I will write more about other medals in other posts. 

False Teeth and Another Car Till Tomorrow

Good morning could say another day another dollar, but I don't work and such I don't get another dollar each day so I really shouldn't say that, how about I say Spring has sprung a leak..............yeah yesterday was a lovely spring day and today it is cold and miserable looking again. It is suppose to rain for the rest of the week but as yet it hasn't.

Today is Leo's dress rehearsal for his concert and the night of the concert is Thursday, why do they have to have these things at night and don't say because it is held out of school hours they could hold it on a Saturday or what the hell hold it during school hours and yes I know parents work and can't make it during school hours and I am only thinking of myself, so shoot me.............

Moving on do you have false teeth?

If so how often do you wear them, I have partial upper and lower teeth and I usually only wear them to eat as I find them annoying but recently I have thought I would like to wear them more so last night I decided to do what my sister recommends and wear them to bed she things if you sleep in them your mouth gets use to them. So I wore them to bed but after a couple of hours I had to get up and go to the toilet and had to take them out as they were bothering me.

I just put them in again and already they are annoying me and I want to take them out, Jessica says I sound funny with them in and I know I do which is another reason I don't wear them very often. However, I know if I don't wear them I will never get use to them and such it is like catch 22, I think..........

My nan has false teeth and I never saw her without them, in fact she always wore them till she went into the nursing home, now she doesn't wear them at all as after she had been in the home a while she started to complain when the staff went to put them in so they stopped doing so and now her mouth has shrunk and they don't fit anymore and anyway she no longer knows how to chew and can only have soft food.

My mum also has false teeth has done since she was in her 20's and we rarely see her without her teeth although like nan she has full plates, mum puts her teeth in as soon as she gets up and they stay in all day and that is what I would like to do if only I could get use to having them in all the time.

Yesterday Jessica had to take the 12 seater van back into work and swap it for a 8 seater Targo and although the Targo is newer and nicer she doesn't like it and wants the 12 seater back, which she should get back tomorrow. Leo was excited about another car to ride in.

What else? I can't think of anything else so I guess I will end this here and post it because what is the point in writing it if I don't post it..............

Remember I like comments, like all bloggers do, really what blogger doesn't like comments, so leave me one and I will of course read it and reply because that is just good manners.

This and That and Nothing Much Just My Life

Good morning world it is a nice morning here in my part of the world, and it is also the start of Spring and it is kicking off on a high note, it is dry and warm it's suppose to be a nice 24°C today which for those who don't use Celsius that's 75°F.

Over the weekend I did bugga all, ok Saturday I did go out and get Leo another pair of school shoes and a couple of other things and I went to the library but that was all. Yesterday I did nothing except 2 loads of washing which I was able to peg out to dry as it was a lovely day out.

My mum is at last sounding and feeling much better, the antibiotics have helped so I think we will be going to see nan on Wednesday, haven't been for two weeks as mum has been too sick to go.

On Friday Jessica took her work car in and swapped it for a 12 seater van, she was told she was getting an 8 seater car but they gave her the van.. Before giving it to her someone took her out for a drive in it to see how she could handle it and she was told by the guy that he had no worries about her driving it as she handled the van just fine. Jessica, however, feels it will take her a little while to get use to driving something so big but at the same time she likes it and it should stop the fighting in car between the children she drives.

She has also decided to get Leo into OOSH a couple of more mornings a week as her first pick up is in Belmont which is on the way to my place so she will drop Leo off at OOSH and then start her run picking up the child in Belmont first this means I will not have to drive Leo to school as often but I will be picking him up from school as OOSH costs more in the afternoon because they give the children afternoon tea. Leo loves OOSH so I expect he will be happy.

You know last night I was in bed at 6.50pm I was so bloody tired and at risk of becoming over tired if I stayed up any longer, however, at 7.40pm Jessica comes in and wakes me to pack Leo's school lunch for today and to find him some school clothes I was so tired I did it all in sleep like state.

Oh yeah mum was telling me last night that her and dad went out yesterday with Dave's family to some place in Edgeworth that has miniature trains and trains you can ride on around the area, they were there all day and mum said that her and dad had a great time and thought that Kathy's girls and Blain & Leo might like the place. You have to take your own food and drink and have to get there early as it gets quiet crowded.

I remember many years back when my girls were only little that Tim's father talked about going there but we never got around to doing so but we didn't like spending a lot of time with Tim's side of the family mostly because they are all weird people and we never felt at ease around them and of course none of them liked me they thought I thought I was too good for them which to be honest I did, this is because Tim's family are very bogan like.

Oh yeah it is 15 days till we fly out for Hawaii and I really need to get my ass into gear and go and get the spare parts for my Cpap machine I want to take extra clips and I need a new strap for it as well. Last time we went to New Zealand a clip broke and I was screwed till we got back thankfully it broke the second last night in the country but still I think I will take spares with me this time.

Ok I think that is all so I will leave you all here and remember I like comments so feel free to leave one.