https://jamfn.blogspot.com/2024/09/a-bit-about-name-jeannie.html

This week’s big cat is often confused with leopards both have similar brown/yellow base fur, with dark rosette markings. It is the Jaguar; however, they have small dots or irregular shapes within the larger rosette markings. They are also stockier and more muscular and have a shorter tail.

They are around 1.5 to 2.5 metres in length (5-8 feet), they are between 70-120 kilos (154-265 pounds. Their life span is 12-16yrs and a litter usually contains up to 4 cubs.

It is thew largest of the big cats to be found in the Americas, they once inhabited between the southern states of the USA to the tip of South America. However, now they are limited to the north and central parts of South America.

The number of Jaguars took a big dive in the 60’s and 70’s with as many as 18,000 killer each year for their coats. Thankfully Jaguar fur is no longer fashionable and there are many organisations trying to protect wild animals.

They prefer to live in forest areas, but they have been spotted around dry woodland and grasslands. Where they live affects their bodies, as in those living in the forest areas are smaller than those living in open areas. The forest dwellers also have a darker colour to them.

Where they live also effects how they hunt, those close to humans’ hunt at night, those more in the wild hunt during the day. They hunt cattle, horses, deer, reptiles, monkeys and fish. They can climb trees but not as good as Leopards can.

They were revered in ancient cultures, the Mayans believed they were the God of the underworld and helped the sun travel under the earth at night.

This week we are in Central Europe and the country of Hungary, which is a landlocked country, the capital is Budapest with the Danube River running through it almost cutting the country in half.

It is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and Slovenia to the southwest, and Austria to the west.

It is believed the Hungarians migrated from Asia over a thousand years ago, how they know this is something I don’t understand.

Its cityscape is studded with architectural landmarks from Buda’s medieval Castle Hill and grand neoclassical buildings along Pest’s Andrássy Avenue to the 19th-century Chain Bridge. Turkish and Roman influence on Hungarian culture includes the popularity of mineral spas, including at thermal Lake Hévíz.

The population is around 10 million, it is an area of around 93,340sq/km, and the official language is Hungarian.

The national flag of Hungary is a horizontal tricolour of red, white and green. In this exact form, it has been the official flag of Hungary since 23 May 1957. The flag’s form originates from national republican movements of the 18th and 19th centuries, while its colours are from the Middle Ages. 

The coat of arms of Hungary was adopted on 11 July 1990, after the end of communist rule. The arms have been used before, both with and without the Holy Crown of Hungary, sometimes as part of a larger, more complex coat of arms, and its elements date back to the Middle Ages.

The forint is the currency of Hungary. It was formerly divided into 100 fillér, but fillér coins are no longer in circulation. The introduction of the forint on 1 August 1946 was a crucial step in the post-World War II stabilisation of the Hungarian economy, and the currency remained relatively stable until the 1980s.

The politics of Hungary takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic. The prime minister is the head of government of a pluriform multi-party system, while the president is the head of state and holds a largely ceremonial position.

Hungary’s national symbol appears to be an eagle or falcon of some kind, but it’s actually an entirely fictional mythical bird known as a “Turul”. The Turul comes from an ancient Hungarian legend.

The national flower is the Tulip, but they are the largest producer of the tulip in the world. 

DENNI’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 12 TODAY

Had a rough night very restless and cold I got up at 4.53am I was just too cold. It is 8 degrees and my BGL was 4.0

I am so tired that I am going to close my eyes before I do the online shopping.

Sandy and Denni came over so I could give Denni her birthday present.

I also closed my eyes for another hour between 2 & 3pm.

It has been a cold day.

Tim paid his tax bill but didn’t wait for me to help and didn’t put in the new reference number so he will have to ring the ATO tomorrow about that.

Steps: 2,103

Had a good night, woke once to pee then again at 5am just before the alarm went off. It is a cold morning with the temp being 6 degrees, my BGL is 4.5.

I have a lot of pain in my upper back and my chest. When Sandy called in to drop off my meds, she picked up from the chemist for me I had her rub Vicks into my upper back, and it has helped.

I mostly cold day, managed a 1hr nap, having even just a one-hour nap helps me.                           

Steps:2,365

Had a good night, didn’t wake once, slept through to the alarm went off at 5am.

It doesn’t feel as cold this morning, the temp is 8 degrees and my BGL was 4.8

It is a warm day; I am feeling shaky today. I managed a 1.5hr nap in my armchair.

Spoke to Sam about not taking meds of a morning she said she didn’t forget but didn’t want to take it to see how she did at school. I said ok she could have told me that.

Steps: 2,698

Had a rough night took me a while to settle down but once I did, I slept ok.

It is a cold start to the day at 7 degrees my BGL was 4.8

I had to change into my warm PJ bottoms for a while due to the cold. By 11am I was back in the 3/4 light weight pants.

Jess bought me Macca’s for lunch.

I tried to have a nap but only managed 20-minutes, I just started to feel restless.

Still managed to stay up till 9pm.

Steps: 3,060

Had a better night, woke twice I think, I also woke with a headache this morning. It is 11 degrees and my BGL was 4.8.

At 6am the power went out I checked the circuit breakers flicked a couple of switches, and some power returned but no lights. After messing around with things for a little while I rang Tasha and discovered she had the same issue, so it is just waiting for it to come good now.

We didn’t lose power in the kitchen but when I made my milkshake the blender was only operating at half speed. It was good enough to make the milkshake though.

By 11am I had to change into shorts.

By midday I had a lot of pain in my left shoulder.

Steps:3,414

Had a so-so night was restless between 11.40 and 12.40 so got up and used the powerfit and watched something on You Tube before going back to bed and sleeping till the alarm went off at 5am. It is 10 degrees and my BGL was 5.0.

Sue drove me to Aldi and Millers this morning it was a nice outing. I love how much we laugh when we are together. I wore a skirt over my shorts along with matching earrings and necklace.

It is a really warm day the temp is 24 degrees.

Tim won’t be home till around 11.30pm then he has to get up at 7am as he is working tomorrow.

Steps: 4,183

SKYLAR’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 4 TODAY

Had a good night, slept well but when I got up at 5am I found myself just standing there, not with it so I went back to bed for an hour. When I got up at 6am I felt awake and with it.

I sent a birthday message to Skylar via Sandy’s phone, at 11.30am Sandy called in to see if I had a cake tin, I don’t she didn’t look or sound good and told me to spray with Glen 20 which is a disinfectant spray, so I did.

Tim arrived home around 6.30pm.

Steps: 3,989

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Growing up I lived in the suburb of Lake Macquarie called Gateshead we moved to Gateshead before I started school and when I did go to school, I sent to Gateshead public school starting in Kindergarten and ending with year ten, for me going through to year twelve wasn’t possible I simply didn’t have the smarts to do so.

Gateshead is a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, Greater Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 12 kilometres from Newcastle’s central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie. It is part of the City of Lake Macquarie East ward and is home to a number of primary and high schools and a private hospital. 

It is possible that Mr W.T. Verge, the first surveyor of the area, named the suburb in 1876. The name would have been taken from the town of Gateshead in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. It’s on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne.

                                    What Gateshead High School looked liked when I was there

The first streets were Goundry, Jamieson, O’Brien, Sydney,    Casey, Oxford, Heshbon and Church Streets. The first street we lived in was Schroder Avenue this was a two-bedroom house and when I was about nine or ten, we moved to Flame Street a three-bedroom house and when I was seventeen, we moved to Bean Steet which was a four-bedroom house. All the properties were subsidised government rentals, my parents stayed at Bean Street till their deaths.  

In 1877 Mr. W.T. Verge produced a design for the town. Little development occurred during the nineteenth century. By 1910 there were only three houses. Drinking water from Merewether was brought by Mr. Jennings. John Young – the slaughter man delivered meat and bread. Groceries were delivered by Sheedy’s of Adamstown in a horse and cart. Papers, mail and food could also be obtained from Charlestown.

By 1929 there were seven houses at Gateshead. During the 1930’s Gateshead was mainly a collection of two to three acre farms. Water was used from tanks or taken from springs which were once located at Bulls Garden Road, Running Creek and old Belmont Road. These springs now form part of the creek. Although the Pacific Highway was completed during the early 1930’s most Gateshead roads remained unpaved. A small shop began selling produce from Milroy’s farm.

                                This building was still there when I was in primary school

In 1934 the Emergency Relief Scheme constructed drains and cleared streets to provide work during the Depression. During the war there was an army camp on the site of the present Gateshead High School.

In 1945 the Housing Commission took possession of some houses (located on Schroder Avenue and the Crescent) which had been used by the Army during the war. Seventy more houses were completed and occupied between 1948 and 1950.

By 1945 one hundred and thirty adults were residing in the town.

By 1961 the town had a sewage system.

Time to go back to El Alamein were in the middle of 1942 there was great Axis pressure on the desert fighters. It was in June 1942 that Rommel was finally able to capture Tobruk with 35,000 prisoners of war.

At the end of June, the Australian 9^th division was ordered back to Egypt, arriving in July. The following battles prevented Rommel from advancing further into Egypt also even though he gained ground this took him further away from his supply lines in Libya. The Allies bombing of the German supply ships caused him stress, he was worried about the lack of petrol. In October he was planning a 12-day battle but only had enough fuel for 11 days.

It was under a full moon on 23 October the Allies let lose a massive bombardment against Rommel’s lines, at 9pm fire from 900 medium and field guns lit up the night sky. The front extended about 60 kilometres running North to South.

There were three phases of the battle with the first two days being devoted to preparing the way for the Eighth Army to break through the enemy line. The next seven days and nights saw crumbling operations, with the final phase saw the Allies break through and Rommel retreating.

Although there was only around 14,000 Aussies involved out of the 220,000 strong Allies their contribution was considered a crucial one.

The main task of the Aussies was to form a strong flank in the northern sector they were required to draw Axis fire on the northern flank while other divisions broke through on the south. The fighting was fierce and at times hand to hand with many amazing, courageous acts as soldiers stormed the enemy post dying will doing so.

The 2/48^th battalion received four posthumous Victoria Crosses during the war.

Rommel wrote that the British resisted desperately, with rivers of blood being poured over miserable stirps of land.  

Another miserable but important strip of land was near the railway and was known as the “saucer”. This position was under attack for several days and was defended by the 2/24^th & 2/28^th and reinforced by a British tank regiment and a Rhodesian battery of anti-tank guns.

The climax of the battle of El Alamein came at the start of November with the start of operation Supercharge which succeeded in storming through enemy lines.

By the end of 1942 even though Aussie’s were still under fire the prospects were much improved compared with the start of the year. The Japanese had withdrawn from Papua and the Yanks were fighting back on Guadalcanal. Northern Australia was now a secure military base for the Aussies and the Yanks.

Winston Churchill said after the battle od El Alamein “his is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps the end of the beginning”.

This week’s big cat is the fastest animal on Earth, the cheetah is unique in many ways, it kinda looks like a large muscular greyhound with its sleek body and long thin, powerful legs.  An adult can run up to 113km/h or 70 mph.  They have large nasal passages allowing them to breathe easy while running.

They like to live in dry areas like the bush lands of Savanah and the semi-deserts, they feed on gazelles, impala, wildebeests and zebras. They like to hunt during the day, following a herd from a distance then selecting and old, an injured or a young victim, it will chase its victim and usually catches it on its first attempt. Its powerful jaw muscles enable it to tightly hold and suffocate its prey.

Most males prefer to live alone and will claim and make an area as their own.  Their paws are more like dogs then a cats being narrow and hard padded and non-retractable like a cats which allows for better grip while running.

They can be as long as 1.5 metres or 3.5 feet, as tall a 1 metre or 3 feet they weigh about 45-65 kilos or 99-143 pounds, they have a life span of 12-14 years, females usually have between 2 and 4 cubs at a time.

Unlike other big cats they don’t roar but purr, they also make high pitched yelps and barks as well as moan and bleat. They have a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, with a short snout and black tear-like facial streaks. 

Cheetahs are in the “vulnerable” category and are at risk of extinction in the wild. They face a number of threats, including losing their prey and habitat to human activity, human-animal conflict, and illegal animal trade. Less than 100 animals live in East Africa, less than 2,000 in Sudan, and fewer than 500 live in Northeast Africa. The total number of cheetahs in the world is estimated to be approximately 6,517 mature individuals.

This week we are in Central Europe which is the region lying between the defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. It includes the countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary.

So, this week we will start with the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. 

The country was once known as Czechoslovakia but in November 1989, the Velvet Revolution ended communist rule in the country and restored democracy. On 31 December 1992, Czechoslovakia was peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

It has a population of around 10.7million, the capital is Prague, and the official language is Czech.

The koruna, or crown, has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 1993. The koruna is one of the European Union’s eight currencies, and the Czech Republic is legally bound to adopt the euro in the future. The official name in Czech is koruna česká.

The Czech National Bank, is the central bank and financial market supervisor in the Czech Republic, headquartered in Prague. It is a member of the European System of Central Banks.

The flag of the Czech Republic is the same as the flag of the former Czechoslovakia. Upon the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in December 1992, the Czech Republic kept the Czechoslovak flag while Slovakia adopted its own flag. The first flag of Czechoslovakia was based on the flag of Bohemia and was white over red. It was created in 1920, shortly after the founding of the first independent Czechoslovak state. The white, red, and blue colors are both symbolic and historic.

The coat of arms of the Czech Republic is divided into two principal variants. Greater coat of arms displays the three historical regions—the Czech lands—which make up the nation. Lesser coat of arms displays lone silver double-tailed lion in red shield. The Czech coat of arms dates back to the 13^th century. It consists of a shield divided into four squares. The top left and bottom right squares are red, with a white, double-tailed crowned lion. The lion is the symbol of Bohemia and signifies power and sovereignty.

Its national bird is I think the female eagle, and its national flower is the rose and the lion is the national animal.

It is considered a relative safe country with violent crime low but petty crime exists as it does in all countries.

Many Czech’s speak English, German and Russian.

I had a mostly good night, had to get up at 11pm to use the powerfit due to how much my legs were moving, after that I went back to bed and straight off back to sleep.

This morning, I took my meds at 5am and went back to bed till 6am. It is 16 degrees and my BGL was 6.1

I made a couple of slices of toast for breakie but only managed to eat one and I had my morning egg flip.

Tim and I went shopping and by the time I got home I was exhausted.

Steps: 4,225

I had a mostly good night, had to get up at 11pm to use the powerfit due to how much my legs were moving, after that I went back to bed and straight off back to sleep.

This morning, I took my meds at 5am and went back to bed till 6am. It is 16 degrees and my BGL was 6.1

I made a couple of slices of toast for breakie but only managed to eat one and I had my morning egg flip.

Tim and I went shopping and by the time I got home I was exhausted.

Steps: 4,225

I had a mostly good night, had to get up at 11pm to use the powerfit due to how much my legs were moving, after that I went back to bed and straight off back to sleep.

It is only 8 degrees and my BGL was 4.4.

It warmed up, got to 23 degrees.

I managed to close my eyes for an hour before I had to pee. I should have closed them again after I went to the loo.

I have managed to stay awake till 7pm but found myself extremely tired so I am off to bed.

Steps: 4,586

KATHY’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 39 TODAY

I had a good night slept straight through till 5am. It is only 9 degrees and my BGL was 5.0

By 9am it was a nice 15 degrees, and it reached a top of 20 degrees.

I had a 1hr nap, but I am going to try and increase it to 1.5hrs tomorrow, I am feeling exhausted and tired at 7pm but will manage to stay up till 7.30pm.

Steps: 4,109

Another good night woke twice to pee and straight back to sleep. It’s 8 degrees and my BGL was 5.1

I had to change into shorts as it is warm.

I had my knee braces on but after 4 hours they started to annoy me, so I took them off.

It’s 11.30pm and I am up using the powerfit due to restlessness.

Steps:3,345

Had a so-so night after using the powerfit I went back to bed at midnight and straight back to sleep till the alarm went off.

It is only 7 degrees and my BGL was 4.9, the day warmed up a bit got to a top of 16 degrees.

It started to rain this afternoon after Sam got home from school.

I am managing to stay up a bit longer at night, it is 8.15pm and I am off to bed.

Steps:2,989

Had another so-so night, I kept waking up for a few minutes and this is why I suspect I woke up tired. The temp is 12 degrees my BGL was 4.5 and I am in winter clothes.

Damn it felt cold when Sam and I went to wait for Joel (transport driver)

Tasha drove me to Miller’s bakery so I could get a couple of things.

A cold day but no rain which is something.

Steps: 2,861

Had a good night went to bed around 8.15pm slept till 3am after going to the loo I went back to bed and slept till 5am when the alarm went off.

A somewhat cold start to the day with the temp being only 6 degrees and my BGL was 5.5

Tim is working today all day he expects to be home around 6pm. He arrived home at 6.30pm.

Tasha, Jessica and I walked down to vote, I took the walker and felt exhausted by the time I got home.

Steps: 3,106

When we think of autism, we generally think of children, but adults may recognise the signs of autism in themselves often this will happen once their child is diagnosed with being on the autism spectrum.

So, it is not surprising that many autistic adults are undiagnosed.

Historically, autism was generally identified in children and predominantly in males. These days we have a better understanding of autism and its presentation across genders. This has led to better recognition of signs that could indicate a person is autistic.

Recognising the signs of autism as an adult often comes through personal reflection. You may initially learn about autism through a family member or a friend who has been diagnosed. You may identify with their personal journey and feel a connection with them.

Seeking and undertaking a formal diagnosis is very much a personal choice. Some adults may want to get a diagnosis, but others will think what’s the point at my age. Being diagnosed can be helpful when someone is trying to work to their personal strengths. It can also bring a sense of relief, recognising that you are just different and not defective or broken.

Learning more about yourself and autism will be beneficial whatever pathway you choose.

There are two distinct pathways when seeking an adult diagnosis. Assessments can be conducted by a psychologist, or by a psychiatrist, with experience in assessing autism.

Both will conduct some form of standardised testing for autism and other conditions, such as ADHD or mood disorders, and provide you with a report.

However, there are some differences between the services and support they can provide. A report from a psychiatrist may not be as detailed as one from a psychologist.

Ensure you ask upfront what is entailed in the assessment and report process.