Hello everyone, please excuse me while I have a little rant this morning……………………………

As some will know my 9yr old grandson has Oppositional Defiant Disorder or ODD he also has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, these are really medical conditions and not some lame ass excuse to excuse bad behaviour in children like some people and members of the family think, I will not mention names but those who think this know who they are.

For those who do not know ODD is a suppose to be a childhood behavioural problem but my eldest daughter who is 31 and my nephew who is 18 both still have ODD so I don’t think it is just a childhood condition. Also more boys than girls have the condition, with the ratio of two to one.

ODD is one of a group of behavioural disorders know collectively as disruptive behaviour disorders, which include conduct disorder (CD) and ADHD.

Those who have this disorder do not react well to bossy people who they consider as bullies, you need to speak to them in a calm tone, demanding they do something or yelling and going crazy will not work. They will become argumentative and will not back down easy, they do not get the whole I am the adult you are the child you have to do what I said thing.

Children with ODD can become easily angered, annoyed or irritated, they have frequent temper tantrums and argue frequently with adults particularly those they are most likely to interact with. It is not uncommon for them to refuse to obey rules if they don’t understand why the rule applies. They seem to deliberately try to annoy or aggravate others but often that isn’t what they are intending to do.

They have a low self-esteem as well as a low frustration threshold and often will seek to blame others for accidents because they fear getting into trouble.

The condition is treated best with the aid of medication, medication allows the child to remain calm and concentrate and it reduces the amount of flare ups the child has. Also some people would do with parental training to help the parents better manage and interact with the child usually this is the first step in treatment but from personal experience medication is a big part of treatment.

These children do not just need more discipline to behave right, they need to be spoken to and interacted with a little different from a child who doesn’t have ODD. This is something some I know do not get. Also many who have the condition may be on medication for their whole childhood and into their adult years, some may need medication their whole life. So family members and those who are in the suffers life need to understand that and not make the child feel something is wrong with them because they need medication.

At my grandson’s school there are many children who need some form of medication each day so children like my grandson do feel different because they need medication.

Saying the child is “just like their parent” in a negative way is wrong or saying that you hope any other sibling doesn’t turn out the same way is also in my opinion wrong, it is like you are saying the parent of effected child is in some way inferior and that is so wrong.

These children are often quiet bright and are deep thinkers and can have a lot of patience with younger children I don’t know why that it is but it is what I have seen in those I know with ODD.

With my grandson it is wrong to compare him to his older cousin they are very different boys and I love them both equally and differently just as I love both my granddaughters the same and differently because even though they are sisters they are also individuals.

Our first port of call was Brisbane, so I am just going to tell you a bit about the place, it became a municipality in 1859 and in 1924 it was consolidated into a metropolitan area. It is situated on the Brisbane river in the southeast corner of Queensland, Brisbane is the capital of the state of Queensland and has a population of around 2.5 million.

Brisbane has a subtropical climate so it is usually hot and humid during the summer months which is between December and February with the temperature being around 40°c during the day and nights around the mid to high 20’s.

Of course the main language spoken is English but there are many different cultures and nationalities in Australia so many other languages spoken as well but for the most part we speak English or as Tim would say we speak Australian here in Australia.

Of course the currency in the Australian dollar, our money consists of coins ranging from 5cents to $2, our silver coins are 5cents, 10cents, 20cents & 50cents and we have two gold coins being $1 & $2. Then we have our notes which consist of $5, $10, $20, $50 & $100, $5 is a purplish colour, the $10 is blue the $20 is orange, the $50 is yellow and the $100 is green, Tim and I rarely have $100 notes in our wallets most we have 5, 10 or 20’s.

Queensland is also home to the famous Gold Coast with 26 miles of beaches and many resort hotels and Queensland’s casino, also around the Gold Coast you will find Movieworld and Dreamworld both are theme parks and both are popular and expensive.

Queensland is known as the sunshine state because it is suppose to have around 300 days of sunshine each year, since I don’t live in the state I have no idea if this is the case or not.

The state of Queensland was named in honour of Queen Victoria who signed the proclamation separating the state from the state of New South Wales in 1859.

The Koala is the official state animal, the official state gem is the sapphire, maroon is the state colour worn by the Queensland footy team in the State of Origin footy games which is NRL. The states bird is a large grey crane known as the brolga and the state flower is a lovely Cooktown orchid.

There are over 200 national parks in Queensland covering around 16 million acres.

One of Brisbane’s most recognisable attractions in the historic Newstead House, it dates back to 1846 and is the oldest surviving home in Brisbane, it was originally a simple colonial Georgian cottage but if you ask me back then most homes were pretty simple, anyway it has been transformed over the years into a huge homestead with a sprawling verandah featuring panoramic vista (whatever that is). In 1939 it became the first Australian house to be preserved by its very own at of parliament.

Ok since things are returning to normal that means this Monday you get did you know Monday with another fact out of Leo’s 1000 facts book, this weeks fact is this:

More people use blue toothbrushes than red ones

What colour is your toothbrush?

Mine is usually pink so not blue but Tim always likes a blue one as does Leo.

We all now that toothbrushes are available with different bristle textures, sizes, and forms but did you know that most dentists recommend using a soft toothbrush since hard bristled toothbrushes can damage tooth enamel and irritate the gums.

Also did you know the first bristle toothbrush resembling the modern one was found in China dating back to the Tang Dynasty which is between 619-907 it consisted of hog bristles, just so you know.

Hello all, I am home safe and sound got home around 1pm on Friday afternoon and today is Sunday didn’t do a post Friday or Saturday as I just didn’t feel like it but here I am on Sunday morning at last writing something.

We have had Leo since Friday after school and will have him till Thursday after school, why you wonder well he wanted to stay Friday night because he missed us and yesterday and today his mum will be working till late in the afternoon and it is just easier for him to stay here with us.

While I was hanging up the clean clothes I thought about how we all may call something by a different name, like what I call a coat hanger some will call a clothes hanger same thing different name, same goes for a pillow case or a pillow slip some item slightly different name.

However, while on the cruise I was confused a bit by what they called lemonade it wasn’t lemonade it was lemon squash aka Solo what to us is lemonade is what they called Sprite for us Sprite is just a brand name of lemonade like Coke or Pepsi is a brand name of cola.

So when they said that you could have water, juice or lemonade free with your meal I was looking for Sprite not lemon squash, I don’t drink lemon squash but my dad does.

I also noticed that at times they called custard, vanilla sauce and what they served up as pie on pie night was more like pasties although you could get a normal Aussie meat pie from the burger place.

Things are returning to normal here, I have exercised yesterday morning and this morning again so getting back into it yesterday only did 35 minutes and this morning I managed 52 minutes.

I read a heap of blog posts this morning and will post this as well before I go over to my parents place for a late Mother’s Day lunch with the family. Speaking of Mother’s Day my daughters and my sisters need a bit of a slap they all had an extra two weeks to get us presents and they still say they didn’t have time or money to do so, what the hell is with that. Although Kathy-Lee gave me a new wooden breadboard yesterday for Mother’s Day which I love as the old one was broken..

Tim and I gave mum her present on the day, well we ordered her roses from the ships florist and Tim bought her a compact mirror while he was ashore that day which she really liked.

Last day aboard and I have been worried about mum as she hasn’t been with it this morning, I returned her to her cabin at 10.30am so she could have a lay down as she was falling asleep while we were sitting on deck 7 this morning.

Tim went and bought mum a bottle of water and told her to drink some, after doing so she started to improve and he told me to let her rest till she was ready for lunch which I did. After lunch I went back to her cabin and helped her pack some stuff ok most of their stuff expect for dad’s stuff.

I have now packed all my stuff that needed to be packed but Tim said he will do his stuff so I will leave it to him although I feel like doing it but I never know how he will react sometimes he is fine with me doing it sometimes not so much.

My right ankle is still very sore as it the palm on my right hand but the hip is pretty much ok now as long as I don’t lay on it or do anything to cause the pain to return I should fingers crossed be ok.

Tomorrow I have told mum that I will push her off the ship, so she doesn’t have to walk thus the reason we are packing as much as we can in the luggage that is taken off the ship for us with only a few items being carried off by us.

I have now had shower and will wear what I have on tomorrow.

Ok two more sleeps before I am home and able to have a hot bath and sleep in my own bed and even though I have loved the cruise I am looking forward to my own bed and a hot bath. I am also missing my girls and grandchildren, I have bought them all a gifts and hope I have not forgotten anyone.

I think we are all looking forward to returning home my brother and sister in-law will be picking us up again and Dave said they will be leaving very early to get down here as near the terminal there is some disable parking spots and they would like to get one of them and as Dave said they can nap in the car while they wait for us better then paying over a $100 for parking.

For most of the cruise we have not felt the ship move much at all, well I have not although this afternoon while I was trying to have a nap I could feel it move and can while I am sitting here typing this and have to say it is kinda nice the gentle swaying of the ship.

This morning mum and I went and bought a few more things and put some money through the pokies didn’t win anything though. While at the casino Tim was with us and mum said to him was he going to put money through the pokies or stand around and annoy us, so he left to have a smoke and we didn’t see him again till lunch time.

After lunch I had a nap but didn’t sleep well I dozed on and off for a couple of hours give or take and woke the last time with a start after I heard someone walk into the cabin and come sit next to me on the bed and touch my hip, I opened my eyes expecting to see Tim but he wasn’t there and I called him but he wasn’t here at all.

I can tell we are getting closer to Sydney as the temperature is dropping and it is getting cooler although today outside it was nice mum and I sat out on a deck and watched the water, something both of us and well as dad find very relaxing.

Also when I went to the toilet earlier I had a woman as me if mum was my mum or Tim’s much she thought she was my mum as she said we looked alike but she had heard Tim call her mum as well so wasn’t sure. I said she is my mum but Tim has called her mum for over 30 odd years, she thought it was wonderful that he called her mum as well.

As mum said my dad called her mother mum as well but he called her dad by his given name Ron, dad like Tim was very close to his mother in-law.

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.