Mother’s Day flowers from Tasha & Jess

Good morning every here we are at another creature day and this weeks creature is the Olm, I know you are thinking what the hell is an Olm.

Well it is native to central and south-eastern Europe and is listed as vulnerable. Your best chance of seeing it is in Slovenia’a Postohna Cave, where underground cameras and TV monitors allow you to see it.

Centuries ago, when floods washed them from their caves people believed they were baby dragons.

There is nothing normal about this slippery salamander, it’s blind and only found in underground rivers and caves. It swims like an eel and can go years without eating and lives for a 100 years.

It spends its whole life underwater and finds food using super-sensitive sensors in its snout.

The females lays eggs only once or twice in a lifetime, on the ceiling of a cave and can smell if the young inside it is growing or not, if not she eats it.

 Good morning everyone, I hope all are fine and doing well me I am as I always am. This Monday I have a few more facts about the NT as in Northern Territory.

The NT flag was flown for the first time at a ceremony in Darwin on 1 July 1978 marking the grant of self-government.

The flag was designed by Australian artist Robert Ingpen AM, whose work is well known throughout Australia.

The Coat of Arms is symbolic of the people, history and landscape of the NT.

It has our floral and fauna emblems, the Sturt’s Desert Rose, two red kangaroos and a wedge-tailed eagle.

The kangaroos hold a shield decorated by Aboriginal motifs in one hand and shells found on our coastline in the other.

In the centre of the shield is an x-ray drawing of a woman as seen in rock art in Arnhem Land. The designs on either side symbolise camp sites joined by path markings of Central Australian Aboriginal people.

The eagle holds an Aboriginal Tjunga stone that rests on a helmet. The helmet is a reminder of the NT’s war history.

The red kangaroo embodies the NT’s unique wildlife. It is the largest living marsupial with adult males standing more than 2m tall and weighing as much as 75kg.

Males are a rusty brown colour and females a smokey grey, while both have heat-reflecting paler fur on their under surfaces. They also have striking white marks with a black line on the sides of their muzzles.

Their long, thin limbs allow them to travel large distances through harsh conditions. They are found in the NT in very dry areas.

During droughts they retreat to waterways and open grassy areas where food is available. Sometimes several hundred kangaroos can be found in the same place, although they are independent animals and have no social structure. They prefer to rest under shade during the heat of the day.

When the drought breaks they move to mulga tree areas where food and shade is available. This is also where they breed. Females normally carry one young in their pouch.

The Wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey with an average wingspan of 2.5m. It is dark brown with a chestnut neck.

Their long, wedge-shaped tail and broad wings make it easy to recognise. Their legs are covered in feathers right down to their feet. A hooked beak and strong talons are the hallmarks of a bird that hunts other animals.

Although they are found throughout Australia, in the NT they are more commonly found in the arid centre than on the coastal plains of the north.

Before cattle and sheep farming in Australia, they ate a range of small mammals that lived in the soft ground cover, as well as other birds and reptiles.

Agriculture and fire has destroyed much of the ground cover, so introduced species like rabbits have become a large part of their diet. It is thought the eagle also hunts kangaroos that gather around watering holes.

Eagles form long-lasting pairs who defend their nesting and breeding territory against intruders. They nest in the high trees and build large platform nests that can be reused from year to year.

At sunrise they hunt for food. Later on, as the sun heats up the air close to the ground, strong updrafts allow the eagle to soar and glide up to 2000 m high during the middle of the day, warning other eagles to stay out of their territory.

Sturt’s Desert Rose has been the floral emblem of the NT since 1974. It is an arid plant which grows best in stony or rocky ground such as dry creek beds.

The Desert Rose has had many botanical names in the past.

It is a member of the cotton family, rather than the rose family. It was named after Charles Sturt who first collected it during his journey to Central Australia in 1844-45.

The plant is found in the southern parts of the Territory, and is cultivated as a garden shrub in Alice Springs. It can also be found in parts of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.

It’s a small bushy plant which usually grows to 1.5 m.

It has dark green, round to oval shaped leaves. The petals of the flowers are mauve with a deep red marking at the base.

The flowers look similar to the hibiscus, which belongs to the same family. The plant’s fruit is capsule-shaped and contains small seeds covered in short hair, which is a trait of the cotton family.

MOTHER’S DAY

A new day and a cold day again I woke at 5.10 and after peeing stayed up with the heater on of course.

So at 7.15 I start the food shopping only to have the internet drop out after 5 minutes bloody annoying.

Kathy rang at 9.20 to wish me happy mother’s day, Sandy called in to give me a hug and wish me a good mother’s day.

Later Sandy brought me a pot plant and some caramel slice from Coles while she was here Tasha & Jess came with more flowers red roses and jam filled donuts.

It has warmed up nicely.

So my day has been good.

This morning I woke with a lot of lower back pain not something I have very often, in fact is has been years since I last had such pain.

My computer chair has about packed it in with the struts pretty much gone.

Had a bloke come and let us know they would be turning the power off at 11.25, should be off for about an hour. Thankfully I have plenty of data on my phone and the laptop is fully charged. Tim was leaving for another medical appointment so not going to bother him. I thankfully had just finished lunch.

It is bloody dark outside as .the security lights are out also it is 5am.

I was sitting here reading a blog when I heard someone at the front door being dark I couldn’t see anyone but it turned out to be Sam, he came looking for batteries.

When I tried to ring Sam at 8am his phone went to voicemail I ended up accidentally rang Sandy while trying to ring Tasha. Tasha was just out of the shower she told me to go in and find him, while trying to reverse up to Jess’s door the scooter got stuck and I had to get off it in order to move it, while doing this I managed to run over my own foot, while this was going on Sandy rang me back to see if I was ok and could tell I was upset and in two minutes she was here. She went in and woke Sam who was asleep with his phone dead. He did manage to make it up to the van before the driver left.

I asked Tim if he would go to Macca’s for me for lunch at first his tone pissed me off and I told him to forget it but 30 minutes later he got up asked what I wanted and went and go lunch for me.

Slept in till 5.20am just before I woe I was dreaming about sorting my meds, as I take my first lot of tablets at 5am when I get up I feel that was my subconscious telling me it was time to wake up.

At 7.20 the power went out not just in the complex though as Sandy rang she also has no power.

Thankfully the power came back on at 7.40amm and didn’t go out again all day.

Tim had another appointment with his counsellor he said she feels he needs a hobby, I agree but what he has no interest in reading or doing stuff on his computer such as blogging, I really have no idea what hobby he could take up.

I had message from Jess saying Sam not going to school as he doesn’t feel up to it.

The laptop has been a bitch all morning, driving batshit crazy.

Tim is off to see our GP.

Damn my jaw is moving a lot as my teeth feel like they are chattering. I don’t know if I am cold or just shaking.

Tasha got a text telling her that our GP is going to reintroduce bulk billing for children and pensioners, doesn’t help me and Tim though.

Another cold day I got up without issue even though it was nice and warm in my bed.

Tasha got me a few things from Wollies, including a new brand of flavoured milk to try and mini scorched peanut bars which I used to like but haven’t been able to buy in years.

It was a sstruggle to get up this morning but I did it and yes I could sleep longer but it throws my day out when I do.

Had a text from Jeannie (sister) who told me our old house in Flame St was shot up.

My brother and sister inlaw went out to some event last night and won a holiday.

Tim has gone to have blood tests done.

Kathy came over to help Tasha with her assignments as Tasha is having trouble understanding it.

Here we are at another bloody cold morning and it’s Friday so here are my thoughts on what, I don’t know let me thing for a bit well I thinking about being cold and chattering teeth along with a jaw that moves side to side so much that I can feel it and it is driving me batshit crazy.

My jaw started moving a few years back and even though the new medication (Madopar) helps some but since the cold weather has started it is moving a great deal. The moving does give me a face ache and bit of a headache.

Since starting the Madopar my over all shaking has reduced and I can even hold my arms out straight without shaking for a minute or so. I have also started walking better picking up my feet instead of shuffling this is a good thing.

This is the first winter and yes I know we are still in autumn but still, what was I saying oh yeah this is the first time I have felt the cold and boy am I feeling it. However, if I put on warmer clothes I end up over heating and sweating, this is bloody annoying.

So this is what has been on my mind the last couple of days it isn’t something I can stop or fix, just something I need to live with. As frustrating as it is.

Here we are at Thursday so here is this weeks word of the week is

coincidence which means:

A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent connection.

The fact of corresponding in nature or in time of occurrence.

Here we are at another Tuesday, thus it is creature day and this weeks creature is the Lesser Mouse Deer, this is the smallest known hoofed mammal it grows to just 45cm’s and weighs a mere 2kg.

At first glance it appears a mix of deer and mouse but it is neither. It is part of the Tragulidae family which translates to tiny goat.

It is normally docile but males will angrily beat their hooves when alarmed, stomping on the ground seven times per second. This drum roll usually scares away predators but if forced to fight it will use its tusk-like canine teeth to tear at its foe.

Being the size of a rabbit with short legs as thin as pencils it is just the right size to scammer through the tangled undergrowth of the tropical forests of south east Asia.

Like many other countries in the world, Mother’s Day in Australia is celebrated on the second Sunday of the month in May. Mother’s Day is not an official public holiday in Australia; however it is a national holiday in many countries including Germany and the USA.

The first Mother’s Day in Australia was held in 1924, several years after it first began in the US in 1908. Interestingly, while 168 countries celebrate Mother’s Day as an established tradition, just over half of those countries (51%, Australia included) celebrate Mother’s Day do so on the second Sunday of May

Traditional Mother’s Day gifts include chocolates, candles, pamper hampers, pyjamas, and flowers. The traditional Mother’s Day flower is Red Carnations. However, because Australia’s Mother’s Day date is in Autumn and Red Carnations are a spring flower, most people give White Chrysanthemums instead.

Anna Jarvis celebrated the first Mother’s Day when, on May 12, 1907, she held a memorial service honoring her late mother in Grafton, West Virginia.

Many countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May including the U.S., Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, most of Europe, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Puerto ..

Had a really good nights sleep woke at 5.20am turned the heater on straight away.

A really cold day had the heater on and off all day.

This afternoon we had not just rain but hail, haven’t had that in a while.

Jess was standing in the rain for a minute while working before jumping into the work truck to get out of the rain.

A bloody cold morning I really didn’t want to get up but dragged myself out of bed, took my meds and turned the heater on.

Damn I am cold this morning I had Sam get my pink dre ssing gown with the hood attached down to wear when I go up the front with him.

I was pleased that Tasha brought washing down to toss in the dryer.

My nose will not stop dripping and it is driving me nuts.

Another bloody cold morning, last night I had Tasha add the heavy blanket to the bed.

Tim drove Sam into his headspace appointment and then he dropped him off at school before going to his own medical appointment.

Had the roofers here again as we have a new leak which Tim reported last night. They measured it up for a replacement roof which they thought should be done by the end of June. Here’s hoping.

Yet another cold morning and I am still feeling like shit, runny nose and headache and cold.

I received 3 letters today including one I am not sure who it is from as they didn’t sign it.

Sandy called in to drop of a small caramel tart she had bought for me, it was yummy. She also took the letters I had written and were ready to post.

Another cold morning I am still feeling like shit. It warmed up nicely by mid morning.

Sam didn’t take his meds before going to wait for his driver and when I said “oh well don’t worry about it” he ran back down and took it, I feel if I had made a fuss he wouldn’t have done that.

Tasha bought me with my money of course some new singlets and undies. Including two size 16 singlets haven’t worn that size in a decade or more, I hope they fit.

I have been awake since 4.20 and up since 4.35 as I needed to pee and of course it is another cold morning.

The size 16 singlet fits well I was surprised.

Yesterday arvo we had someone fro Ausgrid (electricity mob) come to the door to let us know they would be cutting power to units for about 20 minutes, it was more like 45 minutes but at least we knew what was happening.

Tim off to the doctors and to the shops as well so I am home alone for a couple of hours.

Feeling somewhat restless this afternoon.

Damn it is dark this morning the security lights around the units are not working, we had black out late yesterday afternoon thankfully it didn’t last long. We have had a number of black outs since Liddell power station has closed. Coincidence maybe.

Apparently a number of units are still without power according to Jess.

At around 1pm someone came to the door to let us know the power was going out while something was checked. It turns out there is a problem with wires rubbing together causing the power to go out, however the problem is under the cement floor. I wonder how they are going to fix it.

Here we are at Friday a day for my thoughts and this Friday I am thinking about shopping as in the differences between online and in store shopping.

I do my weekly grocery shopping online and have it delivered, it took me a while to get use to doing it that way but now I am ok with it. That said I still like the idea of pushing a shopping trolley around the supermarket I just can’t get to the shops on my own and walking around it difficult with the pain in my knees.

I do not like shopping for clothes online but I do it from time to time, from stores that I am familiar with and thus know what size I take.

Being short and weighing around 80 kilos I find my clothes size can vary from store to store and buying online can be hit and miss.

I do miss being able to go out and wander around shops, I have asked Tim if when his arm is healed and he is able to put my scooter into the car so I can go out to the shops. He has said he will do that but we have no idea when that will happen. I prefer to use my own scooter over ones that can be hired from the shopping centres, as mine is smaller.

Online shopping is good and I don’t mind doing it.

I cannot imagine my mother being able to do online shopping it would confuse and frustrate her. Of course mum was 81 when she passed away.

My dad often bought stuff online from Ebay or some other site but never anything like clothes.