Hello Monday, hello world, hope all is well in your part of the world wherever that is.

Shark Bay is a World Heritage Site in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The 23,000-square-kilometre area is located approximately 800 kilometres north of Perth, on the westernmost point of the Australian continent It. is so iconic that it was one of the first sites in Australia to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is renowned for its natural beauty, with aqua blue water, white sand and red earth. It’s been described as one of the most remarkable places on Earth.

The Three Sisters are an unusual rock formation in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, on the north escarpment of the Jamison Valley. They are located close to the town of Katoomba and are one of the Blue Mountains’ best known sites, towering above the Jamison Valley

Lake Eyre, officially known as Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, is an endorheic lake in the east-central part of the Far North region of South Australia, some 700 km north of Adelaide. It is the lowest point in Australia. The lake is also the largest in Australia.

In 1840 Edward John Eyre became the first European to see the edge of the 9,500 square kilometre lake. It was originally named in his honour. The official name for Lake Eyre was changed to Kati Thanda in 2012.

Cradle Mountain is a locality and mountain in the Central Highlands region of the Australian state of Tasmania. The mountain is situated in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. At 1,545 metres above sea level, it is the sixth-highest mountain in Tasmania. A precipitous comb of rock carved out by millennia of ice and wind, crescent-shaped Cradle Mountain is Tasmania’s most recognisable.

Wolfe Creek Crater is a well-preserved meteorite impact crater in Western Australia It is easily one of Australia’s most stunning natural wonders. Sitting on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert, it’s the second largest largest meteorite crater in the world and almost spans an entire kilometre in length.

Got up to pee at 2.45am and had trouble settling back down and got up at 4.50am.

Tasha arrived around 6ish for her shower.

Another cold day my finger tips feel numb.

Jess came over at 2.30 to how me something on YouTube.

While watching YouTube last night with Jess, I fell asleep around 3.30pm and slept straight through to 2.40am this morning after getting up to pee I was unable to settle back down and got up at 4.50am.

Tasha is here having a shower she said she will try to have one at home tomorrow.

I had to get Tim up to go with Sam to wait for his driver due to rain, he wasn’t happy.

Tim had a doctors appointment about getting ore time off work he has this appointment every month then he has to take paperwork into work for the next month.

This afternoon Sam rang and said he was home, Tim thought he was at home but no he was still waiting for Papa and his driver had to ring before Tim realised and went up to get Sam. I was just as thick it didn’t click with me that Sam was wanting someone to go meet him. Also it was Sam’s early day which happens every 2^nd week.

Had a good night’s sleep woke at 3am to pee and settled back down till 5am. Another dark wet looking morning but no rain.

Sam asked me yesterday if I would start ringing him at 7am so he has time to have a shower without feeling rushed so of course I said ok.

I explained to Sam that both his Papa and I were a little thick yesterday arvo when he rang saying he was home, they were ok with that not upset and said that they should have explained better.

Shopping came without a few items that I have asked Tasha to pick up for me today. She forgot my shopping Tim will get it tomorrow

Tasha had her post opp check up at the hospital after which her and Jess went out for lunch.

Another good night’s sleep up at 5am dressed and ready for a day doing bugga all, well it often feels like that. It is cold of course but not raining which is good, I like it when it rains overnight and not during the day.

Sam had to go to school without their phone as they couldn’t find it, I was surprised Sam didn’t get all pissy about not having it.

Cleaners came I thought it was only last week that they were here but I was wrong.

Tasha asked her dad to go and pick up some fish and chips for her and Blain and he is pissed that Blain didn’t go with him to run in and pick up the order, she just didn’t think of sending Blain with him.

Had a rough night waking often for a bit before going back to sleep, I got up at 4.50am when I had enough and it was close enough to 5am.

Rang Sam at 7am had to ring a few times before there was an answer. After I came back from seeing Sam off I discovered that Sam hadn’t taken their medication.

Tim has gone to cash in the cans and bottles. Then he is going to the supermarket to get a couple of things for me.

Sandy called in and dropped off postage stamps which we attached to the letters and she took the letters to post for me. She is still having trouble getting Temika to go to school. Only a few nights back I had a dream with mum telling me Temika needs to go to a special school for someone with anxiety issues.

Up at 5am. Not as cold this morning.

Sandy called in so Denni could use the toilet she had locked herself out of her place, so rang the estate agent to see if they had a key which of course they did, thankfully her estate agent is only a 10 minute drive away.

Been a warmish day, and of course I have my long sleeve singlet on but can’t be bothered to take it off.

Had a decent night up at 5am put a long sleeve singlet but after 5 minutes I took it off as I was already feeling hot. At 6.30am I had to put the singlet back on as I was cold again.

While writing letters I some how manage to delete a heap of files that I could not find, took me well over an hour & half to find them and restore them. This was made harder by me shaking so damn much.

Kathy and the girls came over, Kathy and Syd are both sick with a cold. Kathy changed the sheets on our bed.

Tim and Kathy hung a few more photos for me.

Sandy dropped in a caramel slice for me. It was yummy.

Good morning all this cold Friday morning, I have been thinking a bit about saying “love you” or “I love you” each time you hang up a phone call from a close family member or friend.

I ring my grandchild Sam each morning Monday to Friday in order to make said child is awake and out of bed early enough to have a shower and get ready for school. Sam’s mother maybe there but will be sleeping, any not what this is about. At the end of each call we both say “love you” before hanging up. The same goes for all my daughters, grandchildren, husband and siblings and of course to Mum & Dad when they were alive.

Whenever I see one of my siblings I will give them a hug and a kiss on the cheek, like I do when I see one of my daughters or grandchildren.

In my family this is normal, however, I know that it isn’t the case in many families. When I first met Tim he found it strange that we were such a huggy kissy family as his family never did such a thing. He could never imagine hugging or kissing his family members.

It wasn’t something done in my dad’s family before he met mum it never occurred to him to say or do such a thing. Dad said mum showed him what a loving family could be.

When my brother who is now in his 40’s was in his late teens early twenties he surprised our dad by giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek before leaving to go out at night with his mates as his mate was right there watching. Dave didn’t care it was what we do.

Tim never leaves the house without giving me a kiss and telling me he loves me. Also like me he finishes a phone call with love you, see you soon. All my girls end calls to their children the same way.

Every second week I think I might do a post on the history of something, starting today.

Here is another history of something post and this weeks something is the old school blackboard which is now pretty much obsolete. In some places they may have been called a chalkboard, here in Aus it has always been called a blackboard.

As a child I had a blackboard that my dad would freshen up with blackboard paint, when needed.

In 1801, the rather obvious solution to the problem made its debut. James Pillans, headmaster and geography teacher at the Old High School in Edinburgh, Scotland, is credited with inventing the first modern blackboard when he hung a large piece of slate on the classroom wall.

Manufacturing of slate blackboards began by the 1840s. Green porcelain enamel surface, was first used in 1930, and as this type of boards became popular, the word “chalkboard” appeared. In the US green porcelain enamelled boards started to appear at schools in 1950s.

So what’s up with the name? Originally, blackboards really were black. Before wall-sized chalkboards existed, late 18th-century students used their own mini boards made of slate or painted wood, according to Concordia University. Those first boards were, in fact, black, and they paved the way for the larger ones

In any case, early blackboards were primitive, made from materials such as pine covered with a mixture of egg white and carbon from charred potatoes. Or a paste of lime, plaster of Paris and lampblack might simply be spread on a classroom wall.

By the 1970s, whiteboards were slowly being adopted in schools. The amount of dust created when using and cleaning chalkboards was a major catalyst for many switches from blackboards to whiteboards.

Here we are on another cold but dry Wednesday so it is time for this week’s Aussie slang.

Battler: Hard working, barely making ends meet

Boomer: Large male kangaroo

Bush Telly: Campfire

Bushie: Someone who lives in the bush

BYOG: Bring Your Own Grog

Of these the only one new to me is the bush telly haven’t heard that before. My parents were battlers same can be said for Tim & I

Well this morning it is another cold morning had over night rain and have unpacked the groceries. Anyway here is this weeks creature it is the greater flamingo, this regal looking bird owes its exquisite pink colour to the animals it eats, which are prawn like crustaceans that live in the saltwater mudflaps of south-western Europe.

Stirring up the mud with its webbed feet, the flamingo buries its long, bent beak, and sometimes its whole head, in the water to suck up the tiny treats.

Its tongue pumps up and down pushing the water out of its mouth and trapping the food in tiny filters. The greater flamingo is the largest of the family at 1.5m tall.

The live and breed in colonies of up to 200,000, there are safety in numbers, while some birds stand watch while others can feed. A loud deep warning honk, similar to that of a goose, alerts them to predators.

The greater flamingo is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. Common in the Old World, they are found in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East, the Levant, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean countries of Southern Europe.

Another cold and wet start to the day, Tasha is here having a shower she said she will try to have one at home tomorrow. I have some more wonders of Australia.

The Bungle Bungle Range is a major landform and the main feature of the Purnululu National Park, situated in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The striking natural landscapes is one to explore – home to hidden gorges and a unique range of wildlife, observe the natural wonder by foot. They are striped rock towers that rise to over 570 meters above sea level and are adorned with circular orange and black sandstone layers. Also found in the area surrounding them are dramatic gorges, tropical pools, and caves home to unique mammals and wildlife.

The Horizontal Falls, or Horizontal Waterfalls, nicknamed the “Horries” and known as Garaanngaddim by the local Indigenous people, are an unusual natural phenomenon on the coast of the Kimberley region in Western Australia, where tidal flows cause waterfalls on the ebb and flow of each tide. Instead of the typical vertical waterfall, is one of the most bewildering natural wonders in Western Australia.

The Ningaloo Coast is a World Heritage Site located in the north west coastal region of Western Australia. The 705,015-hectare heritage-listed area is located approximately 1,200 kilometres north of Perth, along the East Indian Ocean. It is the largest fringing coral reef in Australia and can be reached right from the shore, making it an amazing snorkelling destination.

The Blue Mountains is a rugged region west of Sydney in Australia’s New South Wales. Known for dramatic scenery, it encompasses steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, waterfalls and villages dotted with guesthouses, galleries and gardens. Katoomba, a major town in the area, borders Blue Mountains National Park and its bush walking trails. Echo Point affords views of the storied Three Sisters sandstone rock formation. This escarpment of mountain ranges is located about 2 hours outside of Sydney. Here, you’ll find yourself in awe of the colours before you.

Kings Canyon, also known as Watarrka, is a canyon in the Northern Territory of Australia located at the western end of the George Gill Range about 321 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs and about 1,316 kilometres south of Darwin, within the Watarrka National Park. The towering red sandstone walls of Kings Canyonare astonishing. The jagged red rock and smooth, steep stone of the canyon stretch out across the desert.

Slept well up and had breakie when Tasha arrived to have a shower, she made a right floody mess of the bathroom which I cleaned up. She said she slept well which is good and she likes the new recliner.

This afternoon I tried to help Tim set up his laptop but it was frustrating. We were doing all the right things but it was suppose to send a code, like they do to verify ones identity but no we got now text tried using his different email to prove who he was but no still didn’t work. So frustrating indeed.

Monday and the first day of term 3 for school but today is a pupil free day. It is also raining but not cold.

Tasha came down for a shower after which I threw all the wet towels in for a wash.

Tasha lost her shit with the staff at her doctors surgery so rang and asked the number to my Dr’s surgery.

Sometimes I think Tasha could be called Karen but she isn’t quite that bad.

A new day and awoke with a pain behind my left ear just a dull stinking pain.

Also found the dryer had been overfilled yet again clothes with the towels, very frustrating and not safe in my opinion could catch fire.

A cold and wet type of day you can feel the moisture in the air.

Sam left me a note asking me to ring him at 7am and keep ringing to the phone is answered, however, it was answered first ring which was good. I did come close to forgetting Sam’s medication but I didn’t we were nearly walking out the door when I remembered but that’s ok.

A new day I didn’t feel like getting up but of course I did, not overly cold thankfully.

Tasha arrived just before 6am to have her shower.

I had a phone call from Sam at 7am asking me to ring him back in 20 minutes time to get him out of the shower. Which I did and they walked in at 7.40am.

Tim took the car for its rego check it passed no problem. While he as out I checked to see if I could get the shredder to work it did so managed to shred some paperwork for Tasha. Tim kept saying it was cactus but he was wrong.

Slept in till 5.20 and was still getting dressed when I heard someone at the front door, it was Tasha and she couldn’t get in. I let her in while only half dressed and missed my wash this morning but that’s no drama. I had to turn the heater on this morning I am that cold only 4 degrees according to my computer.

Tim has driven Tasha to a doctor’s appointment with her GP’s nurse well they were gone for over 2hrs. It turned out they didn’t have the right dressing stuff to change her dressing and sent her to the chemist to get what was needed, she had to go to 2 different chemists to find what was needed. Tim wasn’t very forthcoming with information , I will find out more from Tasha later.

Didn’t oversleep this morning up at 5am as usual and yeah it’s cold. Up at 4.15 to pee and make sure the front door was unlocked just in case Tasha needed to get in before I got up, she didn’t.

Tasha arrived at 5.45am to have her shower and we had a chat while she was getting the bathroom ready for her shower.

I had to get Tim out of bed to take Sam up the front as it is raining. It is also very cold outside.

Up at 5.30am and found Tasha in the shower so had to wait till she finished to get in to pee. Tim went outside to pee.

Tasha is walking better on her own and has driven Jess’s car to Charlestown to do some shopping on her own.

Kathy and the girls cam over to have Tasha do their hairs as they are going to a formal birthday party for Micheal’s mum, she is 70yrs old.

Good morning not a pleasant sunny but a cold overcast and wet morning, it is the day for Jo-Anne’s thoughts but what are my thoughts this morning.

While talking to Kathy-Lee this morning she was making her girls breakfast which is normal but since they had no milk Sydney-May was unable to have Coco Pops which is what she has every morning. So Kathy made her bacon and eggs and I commented to Kathy that most mothers wouldn’t want to bother making bacon and eggs, they would think it is too much work. Kathy said it isn’t and doesn’t take that long to do and she likes to know her girls have food in them before school.

Once upon a time a cooked breakfast was considered the norm now it is cereal or toast. Me I start with a bowl of fruit and a glass of chocolate milk, followed by toast or crumpets or raisin toast.

This made me think about how I always had breakfast before school from the age of 13 maybe I would get up before anyone else and make my own breakfast.

I also remember my dad getting up for breakfast with the family and he would go back to bed after breakfast, he did that because he could go without seeing us kids for 4 or 5 days in a row due to his work schedule and he didn’t like that.

I tried to put my own socks on and failed, I was still struggling when Sam arrived and they quickly took over and put them on for me. I had been struggling to do it for 15 minutes when Sam arrived and only half had on one sock.

I had to get Papa up to go with Sam to wait for his driver because it is raining. Thankfully he got up without complaint. I can still hear the rain dripping into the ceiling but not coming through, kinda wish it would so the idiots would come and do a proper job of fixing it.

So I guess my main thought this morning is breakfast.

What a bloody cold start to the day, had the heater going but I am still bloody cold. I just took Sam up to meet his driver and damn it is cold outside.

Today’s word is: Racketeer

Which means to operate a dishonest or fraudulent business dealings