Well here we after lunch on Tuesday afternoon, this morning Tim, dad & I all got off the ship and went ashore into Noumea mum stayed onboard as she didn’t feel up to getting off and it is a good thing she did as there is no way she would have managed the stairs on the bus that took us from the wharf to town. The stairs were narrow and steep and no bloody way mum would get up them or down them so she stayed on deck 5 and had a latte, I parked her in a corner and that is were she stayed, just joking, although she seated in a corner out of the sun and in a place where her walker was out of the way. She doesn’t sit on the walker but moves to chair at the table.

Tim was still ashore when we had lunch and came back to the cabin, dad left him there and came back on his own.

This morning I had to ask Tim to put my socks on for me as it was quicker then trying to do it myself and I commented that it was ridiculous that I had to get help to get them on and what does Tim say……………….. “it is ridiculous that you have allowed yourself to get like this” yes that is what he said and he didn’t get why I was upset with him because of it. I did NOT allow myself to get like this it just happened and I could have gotten my socks on but I am worried that the strain of doing so may cause the pain in my hip to return and I do not want that.

Note I can get my socks or stockings on myself just takes longer and is a bit of hard work to do so and yes I know I have become fat and all but I am working on changing that and I do not need comments like that.

You don’t tell someone who has say lung cancer that they allowed themselves to have get lung cancer because they smoked to me it is the same thing their actions may have been the cause of the cancer, my actions may be the cause of my problems but still not a nice thing to say. I KNOW he LOVES me but still not a nice thing to say or hear.

While ashore I bought a few things mum wanted me to get for her and a couple of things I wanted and now I am looking forward to going home, having a hot bath and sleeping in my own bed, just saying.

Hello everyone here I am sitting in my cabin after lunch and before a nap telling you all that I am exhausted this morning after breakfast we all went ashore at Port Villa to wonder around all the markets and there are a lot of markets.

Getting off the ship mum had to be pushed on her walker down the gangway and it was steep and I pushed her around the markets and let me tell you it was bloody hot and crowded most of the markets have pretty much the same stuff with slight differences in goods and price.

Tim bought himself a couple of more shirts an something for Sydney-May and Summer I bought myself a top and few other little things not sure who for yet, although Tim said he thinks we have enough I said no we don’t have anything for Kathy-Lee or Natasha yet but I will have a look at our next port of call which is Noumea and I know there are markets there as well.

When we got back to the ship before we boarded they were handing out wet face clothes and cups of water and yeah I wiped my face over didn’t care that it removed my make-up as I was that hot and when I got back to my cabin I notice my clothes were soaked with sweat so had to change all of them.

We then went to lunch and now are back in the cabin and after I write and post this I will be having a lay down as well.

While wandering around the markets another lady mentioned she pushes her mum around on her walker as well. Mum says she feels terrible that I am pushing her all over the place but I am not bothered at all I like being able to help mum out.

At lunch she hurt her knee while moving from the walker to a seat and was crying, I do not like to see my mum cry and knowing there is nothing I can do to help stop the pain is terrible.

We are only at Port a Villa for half a day and in fact should be under-way again soon as everyone had to be back on ship by 1.30pm and it is now 1.30pm.

So it is Mother’s Day as I start this while waiting for mum & dad to get ready to go to breakfast, Tim has gone to have a smoke and check out the docking of the ship we are at Luganville today not sure at this stage if me and mum and going ashore Tim will check it out and let us know if it is worthwhile doing so.

Yesterday I asked Tim if he would go to the casino and get me a couple of scratchies to give mum for Mother’s Day and he didn’t not happy Jan…………………….

Ok it is now after lunch and Tim has been ashore and returned with a heap of goodies, he did really good something for mum just a little mirror compact and both Tim and I ordered mum some roses for Mother’s Day which I hope and expect her to like I noticed they had been delivered when I returned her to her cabin.

Tim also bought me a lovely necklace for Mother’s Day which I really like and he bought a hat for Leo and a tee shirt for Blain and little doll keyrings for Sydney-May and Summer and of course a fridge magnet to add to my collection.

Damn my right hand is sore from pushing mum around on the walker it is my right hand I use to steer and manoeuvre the walker around.

I am not eating a great deal so hopefully I will not have gained weight when we return home, I guess only time will tell.

Here we are at another day what number day I cannot remember all the days are running together for me and mum, it has been a humid sticky day if one is outside which for the most part we (mum & I ) have not been.

This morning dad and Tim went ashore via a tender to check out Kiriwina Island but mum wasn’t able to board a tender because of her needing the walker to get around so we stayed onboard and had a chat and cuppa.

After lunch mum was exhausted and wanted a nap and I felt I could do with one as well so back to the cabin for a nap was what we did.

Tim while ashore got his camera wet and now it will not turn on and all he said was he was due for a new camera, yesterday when I left one of the two ways on a table and lost it he carried on a bit and made me cry, he got over it but I wasn’t happy with the way he carried on I didn’t lose it on purpose.

Last night we had pizza for tea which was dished out by the slice and what large slices they were and have to say not a bad pizza at that.

Ok today is Thursday we docked at Rabaul and both Tim & dad got off the ship for a look around, it was stinking bloody hot and not much to see near the ship. Tim went for a wander into town and he bought a baseball cap and a fridge magnet as he knows I like to collect fridge magnets from places we have visited.

Mum and I stayed on ship and sat by a window and could see dad and Tim get off and back on the ship, after lunch we went and had a rest.

Dad doesn’t sound good and I said I thought he needed to rest a bit and mum was super tired as when we are in port the shops onboard are closed as is the casino so to me it is a time to relax in the sun or in your cabin and watch some telly for a bit.

Mum didn’t bring a book to read so she has been on Facebook a fair bit and she has been having afternoon lay downs after lunch.

Ok it is now Friday evening been at sea all day, mum spent more money as did I just not as much as mum, we have just returned from dinner and I have just had my shower yes it is early but I will just relax a bit in the cabin before going to bed.

My eldest daughter was asking about cruising she wanted to know what was included in the cost and such so I am writing this for her.

I feel cruising is great value for money generally speaking, on board you don’t use cash to pay for stuff it gets charged to your cruise card and you settle your account at the end of the cruise.

What is included in the price of the cruise is accommodation, your meals and entertainment, there are movies shown each night and again during the day, not really old movies either but pretty recent movies on this cruise Tim has seen the movies, Passengers, Hidden Figures and Jurassic World. There are about 6 pools onboard and there are other shows on in the theatre each night and talks during the days, there is a casino onboard. You can fill your day with stuff or do nothing but lay by a pool soaking up the sun or you can read many people spend a lot of time reading onboard.

There is a TV in your cabin with TV shows and movies shown all the time, there are some bars opened 24 hours as well.

However, drinks are not included in the price so it is worth while investing in getting a drinks package, the all inclusive package is about $59-76 per day per person and it may seem a lot but when you take into account that cocktails up to the cost of $14 are included as well as beer, spirits and soft drinks, as well as coffee and hot chocolate it is good value. On our first cruise there wasn’t a drink package and we spent close to $1800 on drinks for the cruise. You can also get a soft drink package which is what Tim got for me for this cruise which is only between $7-9 per day and covers soft drinks, and mocktails, and coffees and hot chocolates. I strongly suggest if you are going on a cruise get a drinks package. You can drink as much as you wish if you have a drinks package, you are not limited to $59 or $76 worth of drinks it is as much as you wish to drink during the day.

There is plenty of food included, yes there are some speciality restaurants that cost extra but we don’t bother with them on this cruise the buffet is great we are all pleased with it and the variety of food available. There are also restaurants where you are seated and waited on, although Tim and dad prefer the buffet, mum and I like the idea of being waited on at the end of the day but we are compromising.

Most nights you dress casually although there are formal nights but we also don’t worry about those nights as getting dressed up isn’t something we can generally be bothered with.

Here we are at the end of another day, today has been a sea day as will tomorrow be, this morning after breakfast we all went to the shops on deck five and mum & dad bought grog for Dave and Sandra and Tim bought 3 bottle of Vodka and I got one bottle of Southern Comfort all duty free and will be delivered to our cabin the night before we disembark.

Tim wondered through a shopping display and bought himself a watch and a couple of other things, then mum and I went to a talk about Papua New Guinea which was a little boring and I could tell mum wasn’t interested so we left and went to lunch.

After lunch we went back to the shops and mum bought a few more things for people I, however, have not bought anything yet then we sat and listen to some musicians for a bit but mum and I got a headache so we returned to our cabins.

I was writing a post about Brisbane when Tim turned up to change his clothes as he was getting hot.

Been and had dinner, it was formal night tonight and Tim looked really good he changed from his shorts to trousers, button up shirt and dinner jacket, he doesn’t often get dressed up and he did look nice, I changed from leggings into nice black slacks.

I just took my night time medication and one tablet got stuck in my throat and I coughed and coughed and managed to dislodge it and bring it up but now I am shaking and have broken out in a sweat.

Ok that is all for this post until tomorrow take care all and hope all are well………………………………

Well hello all here we are at the end of another day, a day spent really doing nothing but chatting and talking, although Tim and dad went ashore and had a wonder around Brisbane with dad returning exhausted from the trip, neither mum nor I felt like going ashore.

I had a nap after lunch while Tim downloaded photos from his camera to the computer but even though I was laying down I could hear Tim complain that the laptop wouldn’t play the video clips he recorded I said I would l have a look at it but not right then as it took me a while to get comfortable and I wasn’t moving.

I am pretty much over my cold but seems like I gave it to my brother as he was telling mum he had a cold when she spoke to him at lunch time, being in Brisbane meant we had service while out on deck and in the Horizons Court food area.

At breakfast my sister Sandra rang and told mum she was sorry she burnt one of mums nightgowns while she was sleeping over there last night, she had put on a small light mum has in one of her cupboards near her bed and got up went and had a smoke and went to the toilet and she started to smell something burning and when she went into mums room the nightgown was burning, bloody good thing she didn’t burn the house down.

Before we left I sent Sandra a message asking if she helped mum pack could make sure mum had outfits that matched, as sometimes mums fashion sense isn’t all that cracked up and she wears item that I feel clash and I told Sandra not to tell mum, well today mum was telling me that Sandra told her about the message and that I hadn’t wanted mum to know what I said. Mum and I had a good laugh about it, she also said making sure she packed outfits that matched didn’t mean she would wear outfits that matched……………

I am writing this in the afternoon while mum and dad have a rest, mum wasn’t feel great and dad was exhausted from his morning trip to Brisbane. I told mum to ring me when she wants to go to dinner and to just take her time and rest for a while.

Tim came down to get his phone, I am saying down, I don’t know why though as we are on deck 14 near the top of the ship, anyway he came and got his phone and he had this drink with him which he gave me a taste of and I can tell you it was disgusting, had to have some water to get rid of the taste. He is trying new drinks out while we are here because why not but I am still annoyed that he only got the grog drink package for himself because he has realised we can’t share it and we are often not together and when we are he doesn’t want soft drinks he wants grog so I am not happy and he knows it, well I think he knows it.

Well here we are at day two of our cruise, last night saw me in so much pain from sitting and walking and standing and you know moving and not moving, after dinner which wasn’t much wasn’t hungry I returned to my cabin and had a hot shower and then wanted to sit in bed and read but I was in far too much pain.

Although because mum had the walker we didn’t have to wait in any long lines at check in and going through customs. Mum had to be patted down as she set of the metal detectors due to the pins and plate in her arm and there was an issue with Tim having the two way radios but that was ok. Dad had an issue with his multi purpose tool because it has a knife in it, the security guy was going to confiscate it but I was standing next to him when he asked who it belonged to and I pointed to dad and said the old man there with the hat on he looked at dad, said the old man, oh well it will be ok. If it belonged to a young man I reckon it would have been confiscated but because it belonged to an old man it was ok.

When I went to bed last night, I laid down at first on my left side for a bit but had to go to the toilet after 15 or 20 minutes, then I laid on my back and didn’t move for a long time till the pain subsided. This morning I have been ok pain wise didn’t take my cane to breakfast as didn’t feel like I needed it.

Yesterday I walked to the dinning area and so did mum there and back at lunch and also to the emergency drill but when we went to dinner I pushed mum on her walker and that was so much better for both mum and myself.

So I started this in the morning and it is now 6.45pm and I am just returning to the cabin after a full day out doing nothing much, checking out shops and just sitting and watching the ocean for a while.

Tonight we had dinner in the Bernini restaurant on deck 5 and it was nice to sit and be waited on for a change, the chicken dish I had was really nice followed by ice cream with chocolate topping now I am in for the night and Tim is going to watch a movie on the big screen outside near the pool.

Ok this maybe my last post till the 20^th as tomorrow is cruise day, yes we are leaving on a 15 day cruise this time we are going to Papua New Guinea again we are going with my parents and I can tell you I am super excited about the cruise.

This morning has been spent packing and washing and of course it is raining so the washing had to go into the dryer but that is ok at least we have a clothes dryer. This time our cabin is next to mum & dad’s cabin and we got interior cabins so no window to look out but I feel that should be ok as we are usually only in a cabin for sleeping.

Tim has just said we are going to the club for lunch so I just had to get shoes on and change my top this I expect is because we have very little food left in the house, but that is ok I like the idea of having lunch at the club.

I am still in a fair amount of pain and last night I had a shocking nights sleep, kept waking up having difficulty breathing due to having this rotten cold, I asked Tim to get cold tablets when he took Leo to school which he did but not the good stuff that you have to ask the chemist for but at least he tried but if it was him who had the cold he would be somewhat pissed off if I didn’t get the good cold tablets.

Yesterday afternoon Tim picked Leo up from school on the motorbike which really made Leo happy and this morning he drove him to school on the motorbike but this afternoon we will have to get him in the car because of the rain.

Well I started this earlier this morning and now it is 4.30pm so I will post this, I will do some updates on Facebook but don’t think I will be posting here but we will see.

Hello everyone, here we are at Tuesday afternoon and guess what I have a bloody cold it is really annoying, I had a 2hr nap after taking some cold tablets because Tim picked Leo up from school, this made Leo really happy as he picked him up on the motorbike.

Anyway since it is Tuesday it is history Tuesday and what to write about after thinking I decided on this post about Zouave. During the American Civil War there were men in the Zouave uniform fighting.

Zouave? What is that you asked, well let me tell you……………………………………..

Well, it all starts in North Africa…

Makes total sense, right?

The Zouaves originated in the 1830s in North Africa. They were recruited from the Zouaoua (a Berber tribe) and became one of the most elite fighting units in the French Army of Algeria.

They were not only known for their fighting qualities, but also for their distinctive and heavily tasseled uniforms. These usually included brightly coloured, baggy pantaloons and bright turbans and fez hats.

So there were a bunch of North African tribesmen wearing crazy uniforms fighting in the American Civil War?

Not quite…

Actually, this is what happened. The Zouave fighters became well known around the world and it became popular for militia units around the world to try to emulate their outlandish uniforms. The volunteer units raised for the Civil War were no exception…

Early in the war, when almost everyone (on both sides) thought it would be nothing more than a quick adventure, volunteer militias devised uniforms that they thought would make them look very “grand” as they heroically marched off to battle. For many units, in both the north and south, this meant dressing like the famous Zouave fighters from North Africa.

The uniform above was worn by a soldier in a Union Zouave regiment from New York.

During the Civil War, many of the Zouave units adopted fighting styles more closely related to that of the North African fighters than to traditional infantry warfare. This often included a preference for light infantry style open formations, prone firing and reloading, and movement at double time rather than regular marching.

As the war wore on and militia units became part of the regular armies, many Zouave units began to disappear. This was due in a large part to the fact that the elaborate uniforms were very expensive to make. Although some Union regiments were issued Zouave uniforms in recognition of battlefield performance, many Zouave units disappeared as they were forced to adopt regular army uniforms.

Without a doubt, the Zouave Civil War uniforms were some of the most colourful, but they are not the only uniforms with interesting stories behind them………………but they will do for this post………….