Month: November 2025

Week 48 of 2025

~ joannerambling ~ 3 Comments

Good morning, all, I hope all is well with everyone.

Sunday has arrived after good night’s sleep for me with 9hrs & 23 minutes, the app says I was awake for 41 minutes during the night. This may be due to Tim waking me at midnight saying he didn’t have his restless legs medication and had me get out of bed to look for it, turns out he doesn’t have any. I checked the chemist app and that says there is no script on file, he is going to go and speak to them at 9am when they open.

My BGL this morning was 7.1 and the temp at 6am was 19C or 66F.

It started raining around 8.30am and the temp was 21C or 69F but it didn’t last long. It turned out to be a nice warm day. We had a top temp of 25C or 77F.

Steps:10,609 = 5.3klm’s or 3.2miles

Good morning, everyone, I hope all are well this Monday morning, I had a good night got 9hrs & 30mins of sleep was awake for 30mins during the night that would be when I went to the loo.  It is a cool 18C or 64F my BGL is 5.9.

My Chrisco arrived today, I had forgotten that I ordered and ice cream hamper and had to get Sue to come and help me unpack it. The freezer is now choke ablock can’t get another thing in it.

Everything I tried to eat today ended up a mess, I had a caramel tart and got it all over my hands, then when I had lunch, I got mayo all over my hands. Then I had some yogurt and got that also all over my hands.

Steps: 9,960 = 5klm’s or 3mile

Hi all, I slept well, got up at 4.50 before the alarm, washed dressed and did the housework, including washing the sheets. It is going to be another hot day at 5.30 it waws 19C or 66F my BGL was 6.9.

Sue drove Sam and Jess to Sam’s doctor’s appointment as Jess didn’t want to wor4ry about finding a parking spot.

By midday it was 31C or 87F so I turned the air con on.

This afternoon Tasha and Blain came over to see me, which I liked, later Sam and Bailey came over. Then just after they left things went bad. I saw Jess coming over and she was crying their pet bunny called Opei died, Sam had just found him dead they had him for a long time as in like 10yrs.

Oddly Jess’s next door neighbour’s pet dog had died also around the same time.

I have arranged with Blain to take the Christmas gifts I have for my niece Kelli and her children to his dad’s place so they can be passed on at Christmas time.

Steps: 10,859 = 5.5klm’s or 3.5 miles

Had a good night was up at 4.30am as I was awake it is supposed to be another stinking hot day at 5.30am it was 23C or 73.4F and windy, the breeze was a little on the warm side, my BGL was 6.9.

While having breakie I knocked the plate of the table breaking it and spilling my scones on the floor, which I picked up and fed to the birds.

I got a phone call from Tim about the information we need from Youi for my DSP claim with Centrelink, he received an email with information and after a lot of hassle I have managed to find what I think we need and will scan them into my computer and upload to the claim.

It is now 9am and it is 30C or 86F, I have turned the air con on and shut the house up to keep the heat out.

Tasha came and wrapped the presents for Kelli and her kids.

At 3pm it was 32C or 89.6F

By 7.30pm it had dropped to 28C or 82.4F

Steps: 11,449 = 5.8klm’s or 3.6 miles

Good morning, everyone it is Thursday the 27th I hope all my friends, and readers in the USA have a good Thanksgiving.

I had a good night’s sleep got around 10hrs & 29min of sleep woke up with the alarm, it is a cool morning, but we are in for another stinking hot day at the moment the temp is 20C or 68F my BGL was 6.8.

Sue and I went shopping as it is her payday, we went early so we could get it all done and be home before the centre got too crowded and the day got too hot.

It reached a top of 33C or 91.4F today I didn’t do much after returning home from shopping, read some blog posts, sorted out my mail and wrote todays    blog post.

Blain came down to see me again today I have seen a fair bit of him this last week and have to say I love it.

Steps: 7, 994 = 4klm’s or 2.4 miles

I am up and running make that walking from 4.30am, I woke to pee and since I was awake decided to just stay up. I have cleaned the kitchen and will make breakie after Tim leaves, I will also need to vacuum after he leaves. I am waiting for him to get up before I go and get dressed.

It is 18C or 64.4F at 5am and we are headed for a top of 30C or 86F, so another hot day.

I had to use the walker when I emptied the recycle boxes into the outside bin.

I had the air con on for 3hrs but turned it off at 1.30pm as even though it was 28C or 82F there was a nice breeze outside and with the doors open and the fans going it was ok.

Saw Blain again he came down twice once just to say hi the second time to get me to print up his resume.

Steps:5,502 = 2.6klm’s or 1.6miles

I slept straight through the night waking when the alarm went off, I was getting dressed in the bathroom and decided I needed to wash my hair, so I   had a shower.

It is 19C or 66F at 6am and we are looking at a top temp of 31C again. At the moment it is nice with the doors open.

I am very unsteady on my feet this morning needing the walker to get around the house as I feel like I am going to fall.

My BGL this morning is 7.2

Tim has his works Christmas party today he will catch a ride to the pickup point with our neighbour Gary, and I guess that’s how he will get home again. Actually, it is Gary’s dad driving them to the station there is a bus leaving the station at 10am to take them to the party.

By 10 am it is 28C or 82.4F

At 5pm my legs came good, I could walk normally, and my feet no longer felt like lead weights.

Steps:5,971 = 3.4klm’s or 2 miles

Caturday with Luca

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Here we are at another Saturday, or should that read Caturday and this week we have Luca.

Hi there everyone this is me Luca trying to help mum with the laundry and by helping, I mean I was taking a nap in the laundry basket and mum had to take my photo before telling me to get out she needed the basket. I was not amused

Japan’s National Amthem

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This Friday we are looking at Japan’s national anthem it is one of the world’s oldest and shortest anthems it is called Kimigayo. It expresses a wish for longevity and continuity, traditionally interpreted as honouring the Emperor’s reign.

The name Kimigayo roughly means “His Majesty’s Regin”

Even though it was long used informally, it was legally enshrined in 1999 under the Act on National Flag and Anthem.

The anthem is closely tied to Japan’s monarchy, which has sparked debate. Some see it as a symbol of continuity and tradition, while others criticize its association with pre-WWII militarism.

It is sung at official ceremonies, schools, and international sporting events. Its brevity and poetic origin set it apart from most other national anthems, which are often martial or celebratory in tone.

The English translation is

May your reign continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles grow into boulders,
Lush with moss.

Cornea Transplant

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Ok this week we are looking at cornea transplant the cornea is the transparent outer layer of the eye that covers the iris and pupil. If someone’s cornea becomes damaged or diseased they will not be able to see correctly, a cornea transplant can be performed to fix the problem.

There are many things that can cause damage to the cornea such as bacteria or viruses, a chemical injury, a cut or scratch or just aging.

This operation is very difficult, surgeons work using a special operating microscope to magnify the eye 30 to                     60 times what it is.

The damaged cornea is cut with a circular blade with a hole in the centre, kinda like punching out a circle of pastry with a pastry cutter, after this is done the damaged cornea is removed.

Then the surgeon cuts a disc from a healthy donated cornea and places it carefully in the hole, with this new disc being held in place by stitching it to the edges of the cornea.

This new cornea will allow the person to see clearly again in a couple of months; however, the stitches need to be in place for a year.

After the operation the patient only needs to stay in hospital for a short while, but they must take great care, they will need special drops to help the eye heal and be kept clean. Only gentle movements are allowed for a few days to give the new cornea time to settle into place. After a few weeks things should return to normal.

After donated corneas are removed they can be stored in an eye bank for up to a month they are kept at between 2 & 6 degrees centigrade in a special solution containing chemicals and drugs. Which keep them healthy till needed, now days there are artificial corneas which are a synthetic implant that can be used if there is no natural one available or if there has been failures when transplanting in the past.

The first cornea transplant was in 1906, since then the advances in medicine have made it one of the most successful transplant operations. The cornea has no blood vessels and therefore the white blood cells of the immune system cannot reach it and the body is very unlikely to reject the new tissue.

Emu

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

This week we are looking at the Emu they are the second-largest living birds in the world, native only to Australia, and known for their speed, endurance, and unique breeding habits.

They stand up to 1.75–2 meters tall and weigh 50–55 kg (110–121 lbs), with brownish feathers with a shaggy texture; long legs adapted for running. They have three forward-facing toes, which help them sprint and manoeuvre quickly.

Some may know and some may not know but emus can run as fast as 50 km/h which is 31 mph, and they can jump up to 2 meters which is 7 feet and to that they are damn strong swimmer and move through water damn fast when they want to.

These birds are omnivorous with their diet consisting of seeds, fruits, flowers, shoots, and insects like beetles and grasshoppers. They will travel long distances to find food and water, often forming loose groups called “mobs.”

They will mate for life in the wild, the female will lay 7–10 large dark green eggs, each about 13 cm long, but it the male who incubates the eggs for ~60 days and raises the chicks, while the female often moves on to mate again.

Now are you wondering what they sound like, well the female makes a deep, low-pitched sounds that can sound like drumming and often described as a hollow and resonant sound. These calls can carry for long distances and are used for communication, especially during breeding season. Males tend to sound like a soft grunt.

These calls are used to attract mates, signal territory, or keep contact with other emus.

Have you heard of the Emu War of 1932 this was a war us humans lost, the Australian army tried to cull emus damaging crops, but the birds proved too elusive. Despite firing 10,000 rounds of ammunition, fewer than 1,000 were killed, and the “war” was considered a failure.

Japan’s Geisha

~ joannerambling ~ 5 Comments

This week we are still in Japan, and I am going to share a bit about the Geisha.

Geisha originated in Japan during the Edo period as highly trained entertainers skilled in traditional arts—not prostitutes, as often misunderstood. The first geisha were men, but women soon became the dominant figures in the profession.

The earliest geisha-like figures were saburuko, female entertainers during the 7th century. Some performed dances and music, while others offered companionship or sexual services.

The modern concept of geisha emerged in Kyoto’s pleasure quarters. Initially, male performers entertained guests with music and storytelling. By the mid-18th century, women took over the role, specializing in refined arts like shamisen (three-stringed instrument), nihon-buyo (classical dance), and sadō (tea ceremony).

The Geisha culture thrived in Kyoto and Osaka, between 1688 and 1704, these women became cultural icons, versed in literature, poetry, and etiquette. They were distinct from courtesans, focusing solely on artistic performance.

Aspiring geisha trained in okiya (boarding houses) under senior geisha. Young apprentices, called maiko, learned through observation and practice before debuting as full geisha.

Between 1868 & 1912 Western influence challenged traditional roles, but geisha adapted by blending modern elements with heritage. Their popularity persisted, especially in Kyoto.

After WW11 during Allied Occupation abolished state-sanctioned prostitution, leading to confusion about geisha roles. Geisha reaffirmed their identity as artists, not sex workers.

Today’s Geisha are mostly found in Kyoto’s hanamachi (geisha districts), they continue to perform at private banquets (ozashiki) and public festivals. Their appearance—white makeup, elaborate kimono, and traditional hairstyles—remains iconic.

They are now seen as custodians of Japanese performing arts. Some schools, like the Inoue school in Kyoto, teach exclusive dance styles such as kyo-mai, passed down only within the geisha community.

Week 47 of 2025

~ joannerambling ~ 2 Comments

IT IS MY BIRTHDAY I AM 63 TODAY

Good morning everyone, I hope all are doing well.

Even though I don’t have an alarm set for Sunday I was still up at 5am this morning, it is a nice 19C or 66F, my BGL was 6.8 at 6am.

The first birthday message I received was from Kelli, then I got one from Jonathon, then Sue, Sandy and Jeannie.

It is starting to get hot and at midday it is 29C or 84F. Kathy came over to see me; she bought me a bible.

Tim cooked me a piece of rump steak with chips and gravy for lunch it was really nice.

By 3pm it was 31C or 87.8F

I have had a nice day, I did bugga all just wrote letters, watched YouTube and vacuumed once.

Steps: 4,691 = 2.3lm’s

Good morning, everyone in blog land.

I had a good night’s sleep getting 8hrs and 57mins last night, I know I didn’t wake till 4.10am to pee, then up at 5am.

It is 17C at 5.30am, my BGL was 6.8

After taking Sam to Tafe, Sue and I went to Big W and she bought me the cushion I wanted for my computer chair. However, when I sat on the computer chair it went down and wouldn’t go up again, damn the struts are gone. I had to get the old black chair I am glad I still have it.

It’s been a warm day with a top temp of 25C or 77F

Steps:14,703 = 7.5Klm’s or 4.6miles

How is everyone this morning

LEIGH’S BIRTHDAY

I had a good night with around 7hrs 33mins of sleep, I have nothing on today and it is currently 12C at 5.30am.

My groceries will be delivered between 12 & 1 today that is late. After they arrived, I turn the air con on.

Tim has an appointment to get his Xray’s, and scans done. He is convinced they will show something bad but that is his negative attitude. He has thought things like this before and was wrong.

I started to sort through photos and add them to albums well I filled one album and sort the rest of the photos, tossing out a lot of duplicates. Still have a lot more to do and still can’t find my photo albums which is so annoying.

Steps: 12,075 = 6.1klms or 3.7miles.

Good morning everyone reading this, I hope life is treating you well.

After a rough start to the night, I ended up sleeping well and had around 6hrs and 30mins of sleep, this morning it is 15C or 50F at 5.30am but we are supposed to have a stinking hot day with a top temp of 30C.

I tossed a load of clothes in to wash and hung them out to dry and took the clothes hoists outside.

Sue and Sam came and helped me with the Christmas decorations; I am happier now.

At 1.30pm it is 29C or 84F, so I turned the A/C on.

It is 4pm and I am really starting to feel tired but I don’t have to do anything so I will stick it out till 7.30pm when I will go to bed.

Steps: 11,833 = 6klm’s or 3.9 miles.

Good morning everyone, hope you are all feeling good today.

I had a good night slept straight through getting around 9hrs sleep, even though my watch says I only got 7hrs & 42mins.

This morning it is a nice 17C or 62F, we are headed towards a top of 28C or 82F.

My BGL this morning was 6.5 at 5.30am before breakfast.

I started to feel unwell around 11am the hotter it got the worse in felt and had no energy. However, after a small bowl of ice cream and a 20m minute nap I felt better.

I had a phone call from Centrelink about my DSP claim they want more information about Tim’s compo claim after his accident.

We had some rain this afternoon, nothing heavy but we did have some thunder as well.

Steps: 7,142 = 3.8klm’s or 2.3miles

Hello everyone, it is the last day of the working week and it’s going to be a cool day here with showers throughout the day according to the weather app.

Another Friday has arrived, and it is going to be a much cooler day then Thursday was, we are looking at a top temp of only 21C or 69F. At 5.30 it is 19C or 66F. My BGL was 7.1 at 5.30am.

I had 8hrs and 51mins of sleep last night and was awake for 24 mins according to my watch.

I had to change out of shorts into 3/4 pants as my legs were cold. I also closed the front door.

By 5.30pm it was raining not heavy but steady and was still raining as I get ready for bed at 8pm.

Jessica gave Tim a present gardening tools, not for any special occasion but just because she loves her dad. She saw them and thought dad will like those, so she bought them for him.

Steps: 6,785 = 3.4klms or 2miles

Hello everyone, I all have a good day, here we are at Saturday, it is still cool the temp at 5.30am is 19C or 66F, there is no rain at the moment and my BGL was 6.4

At 9.30 Tim and went and picked our granddaughter Sydney up from her dad’s and drove her to her mum’s this we did so we could say goodbye to them as they are leaving tomorrow for a holiday in Bali.

This afternoon Tim sent an email off to Youi about his motorbike accident as Centrelink wants information he can’t find. This has stressed him out and he started yelling at me. He went on about why does Centrelink want to know all this stuff, I said I have no idea.

Tim also planned our week away in December and booked accommodation we are only going to Dubbo, Orange and Cowra but it will be nice to get away.

Steps: 5,998 = 3klm’s or 1.7 miles

Eye Colour

~ joannerambling ~ 7 Comments

Ok time to write a bit more about our eyes, this week we will start with eye colour. Our eye colour is determined by the amount of pigment which is also called melanin is present, most dark-skinned people have a lot of melanin thus they have darker eye colour. If someone has pale skin their eye colour can vary from a very pale grey to blue, green or brown.

Iris colour is controlled by a single pair of genes one we get from our mother the other from our father, the gene for brown eyes is the dominant one so if your mum has brown eyers and your dad blue you will have brown eyes. I have brown eyes like mum, dad had hazel eyes, like Tim he has hazel eyes and all our girls have brown eyes like me.

Can we change our eye colour, well first why would you want to anyway if you want to have different colour eyes you can wear coloured contact lenses which is the most common and reversible method. Also, eye colour can appear to shift subtly depending on lighting, makeup, or the colours you wear.

Babies are often born with blue or grey eyes that darken over time due to melanin development.

Some people experience subtle changes in eye colour as they age, though it’s usually not dramatic.