Here we are at tough enough day and today’s creature is the good ole Tassie Devil.

The Tasmanian Devil may be small but it has a big bite, the same strength as a dog four times its size. This is mainly due to its diet they eat lots of meat so they have to be able to crunch bones and tear off large chunks of flesh.

Tasmanian ‘devils’ are named for the sound they make. In fact, the first European settlers to enter Tasmania (the southern state where they are found) began hearing unearthly, blood-curdling shrieks and growls from deep within the bush, making them imagine that demons surrounded them in the wilderness. Hence: Tasmanian ‘devils’. They make lots of strange sounds (coughs, growls, snorts, sniffs, screeches and even sneezes) usually to scare off other animals to avoid fights.

Like all marsupials, devils store fat in their tails, which thicken up like humans’ waistlines. A particularly plump tail is a sign of a healthy Tassie devil and, considering they can eat up to 40% of their bodyweight in one day, their tails can get mighty plump!

Tasmanian devils have a bit of a disturbing feeding habit. These mischievous little critters like to fall asleep inside a rotting carcass (called ‘carrion’) so they can wake up and continue eating. Though it sounds a little gruesome, by eating animal carcasses, Tassie devils actually help to keep areas hygienic and free from blowfly maggots.

A mother Tassie gives birth to around 20-40 joeys at once. However, these joeys have to race to her pouch, which only has four teats. Talk about a hard start to life! Because of their tiny birth size, the ones that make it will live in their mother’s pouch for roughly three months

In times of hunger, stone age  tribes would eat the old women before they ate their dogs, like  how the hell would they know that.

The Bible has been translated into Klingon, the fictional language from Star Trek.

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There was or maybe still is for all I know a sport in Wales  called “purring”  where two opponents face each  other firmly  holding each other by the shoulders they would then kick each  other in the shins while wearing metal toeplates what we call steal cap boots, till someone their grip making them the loser.

The term “honeymoon” is a translation of a word coined by the Babylonians who declared mead, a honey flavoured wine, the official wedding drink, stating that the brides  parents be required to keep the groom supplied with t he drink for the first month  of marriage.

On the 7 January 2002, Bob Bowling of Willard Kentucky shot  himself in the thigh while practising his quick draw on a snowman,

Another wet morning, woke to a right mess in the kitchen which pissed me off.

Managed to do a few things at the computer even though after a short time my knee would start to sting.

Tim put the automatic door closer on the back screen door. He also found a blue tongue lizard in the back yard.

Slept in till 6am just after I got up Kathy rang, Sydney-May is going to Luna Park in Sydney with the school. I thought it had closed down years ago.

Around 7.30ish the bloke turned up to demolish the bathroom, took him 4hrs. The portable toilet and shower has not turned up. I used Jess’s loo once then Tim made a hole in an old chair so I can sit on that with a bucket underneath for me to pee in.

They porta loo people turned up late this afternoon but Tim talked to them about where they wanted to put it explaining that I would not be able to walk that far. So the skip bin needs to be moved so it can go on the lawn.

We will see what happens tomorrowSlept in till 6am just after I got up Kathy rang, Sydney-May is going to Luna Park in Sydney with the school. I thought it had closed down years ago.

Around 7.30ish the bloke turned up to demolish the bathroom, took him 4hrs. The portable toilet and shower has not turned up. I used Jess’s loo once then Tim made a hole in an old chair so I can sit on that with a bucket underneath for me to pee in.

They porta loo people turned up late this afternoon but Tim talked to them about where they wanted to put it explaining that I would not be able to walk that far. So the skip bin needs to be moved so it can go on the lawn.

We will see what happens tomorrow

Woke twice during the night to pee both times it went ok. I woke to a messy kitchen.

The bathroom guy arrived around 10ish and was annoyed that the skip bin hadn’t been moved, he made some phone calls and a fat guy turned up looked at things and before we knew it they came and removed it.

At around 1pm the house was like a station with men coming and going.

After the bathroom is finished they will move the ceiling/roof and we will go into temporary accommodation.

At around 4pm the portable loo and shower was delivered. .Woke twice during the night to pee both times it went ok. I woke to a messy kitchen.

The bathroom guy arrived around 10ish and was annoyed that the skip bin hadn’t been moved, he made some phone calls and a fat guy turned up looked at things and before we knew it they came and removed it.

At around 1pm the house was like a station with men coming and going.

After the bathroom is finished they will move the ceiling/roof and we will go into temporary accommodation.

At around 4pm the portable loo and shower was delivered.

Up early like 5.30 and Tasha was annoyed that I rang before 6am. At just after 7am the guy doing the bathroom arrived. He made a lot of noise he had to remove the cement floor, which was thicker then expected.

Tomorrow a plumber will be here to do that part of the work in the bathroom.

I find it a little difficult using the porta loo as there are no handrails for me to use to stand up.

I woke at 5.30 felt awake so got up, rang Tasha at 6am, she was in a good mood.

The plumber arrived around 10ish to work on the bathroom, at around 12.30ish the bloke who was here yesterday arrived to do what I don’t know.

Sandy rang at 2.15pm to let me know that Sue had an accident at work and was taken by ambos to the John Hunter Hospital, she fell down some stairs.

NIECE HAYLEY’S BIRTHDAY

Been shaking uncontrollably since 4am and I heard at 4am that the Queen died.

More workmen arrived at midday to do more work on the bathroom.

Blain has finished school for this term, as he is in what they call a “life skills class” not main stream nor special ed something in the middle.

KATHY-LEE’S BIRTHDAY SHE IS 37

Hard a good nights sleep no problems, up at 6.20am feel good.

The workman arrived just after 11 and was here 4hrs and next I expect will be the tiles but we will see.

Tim did some yard work

Ok it is tough enough day and today’s creature is the Bombardier Beetle.

This beetle carries the ingredients for a bomb in its bottom, what the hell.

When its threatened , it mixes chemicals together to create an explosion making a large bang.

Bombardier beetles are ground beetles in the tribes Brachinini, Paussini, Ozaenini, or Metriini—more than 500 species altogether—which are most notable for the defence mechanism that gives them their name: when disturbed, they eject a hot noxious chemical spray from the tip of the abdomen with a popping sound.

These beetles tend to be very small in size, usually growing to be less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) long. Bombardier beetles can be found on the continents of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

More than 40 species of bombardier beetles are found in the United States. Each has blue elytra (wing coverings) and a reddish head and limbs. They are considered remarkable because of their ability to shoot a boiling, corrosive substance at predators.

Another Monday is here so here are more facts.

It is impossible to drown and not die, technically the term “drowning” refers to the process of taking water into the lungs, not to death caused by that process.

A square mile in the Amazon jungle can contain up to 3,000 different species of trees

In his final year Emperor Napoleon was exiled to the tiny island of St Helena in Atlantic. The wallpaper in his room was dyed with Scheele’s Green a colouring pigment that contained copper arsenite. When the wallpaper became damp the mould converted the copper arsenite to a poisonous vapour form of arsenic. So his death was down to his wallpaper.

The number “007” originated in the 16^th century, Bond author Ian Fleming base his character on Dr John Dee, the first British secrete agent, who lived from 1527 to 1608 and was an adviser to Queen Elizabeth 1. Dee used the 007 code for his letters to the Queen. The two zeros meant “ for your eyes only”.

Mosquitoes prefer to bite children over adults and blondes over brunettes.

Slept well till 3am the next 2.5hrs I was restless and got up at 5.30ish. Tim up at 6.15 to go to work I hope it is a good day for him.

Had to get Tasha to come and put drops in my eye.

A lazy day spent home alone, will have to get myself ready for bed.

Tim has decided to see a counsellor and our GP about his mental health.

A new day and I managed to piss Tasha off as she was going on about getting Webster packs for our medications. I feel it is an expense we can do without.

A good day managed to do a few little things and I feel good and my eye is looking more like it should.

Had a phone call from the guy who is doing the bathroom renovations he said workmen will be here on either Monday or Tuesday next week. The hold up is the demolition guys.

What a morning had a struggle to get my pants on took me half a bloody hour to get them on. I then came out to the lounge room to find Jess’s quilt hang over my armchair which pissed me off because I was already in a mood.

My mood improved as the morning progressed.

The pain in my left knee has flared up again.

Had a good night awake and up at 5.45am, Kathy rang at 6.15am she was having a bitch about another mouse in her house.

Sandy came and took me out to see Mum & Dad and then we drove to Redhead beach to just look at the ocean. On the way home she stopped and bought me a caramel slice, which was yummy. Also called in and saw Dave.

Tim saw our GP and is now off work for 2 weeks on stress leave.

He also has appointment with a counsellor, I will find out more about that tomorrow.

I was up at 5.25 this morning needed to pee and couldn’t see the point in going back to bed.

Tim didn’t go to bed till 4am I suspect he fell asleep on the lounge.

Tim has decided to start another veggie patch and it seems to perk him up a bit.

It’s Friday and for me it is just another day of struggle. I woke at 4am shaking and after 1.5hrs of that I got up and now I am washed, dressed and fed ready for another day doing bugga all.

I am fed up with my body,if it isn’t one thing it’s something else.

Tim went to Coles to get a few things he wanted as he said what I order online is stuff I want although he knows to put anything he wants on the shopping list and I will order it.

Woke to the sound of rain at 5.30 but managed to dose on and off till 6.30 when I got up. I had to call Tim to help me get my pants on as my feet got stuck and I wasn’t going to spend ages struggling with them.

Kathy came and showered me and vacuumed out for me. Tim told me that late yesterday arvo 2 people turned up to check where to place the portable shower and loo. They decided that it will need to go across from the house behind Jess’s car. How the hell am I going to be able to use it. Delivery will be Monday

Hello everyone here we are at another Tuesday and for the next few weeks Tuesday’s will be about extremely tough or tough enough creatures.

We kick off with the Green Sea Turtle, like all turtles they like to eat jellyfish, even box jellyfish one of the worlds deadliest animals. The venom of the box jellyfish doesn’t hurt the Green Sea Turtle so they can happily eat one for lunch. Sadly they can mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish, when they swallow it can get sick and die.

The green turtle is the only sea turtle that is a strict herbivore, and its diet of seagrass and algae may contribute to the green fatty tissue. Similarly to other sea turtles, green turtles are known to travel incredibly long distances during their lifetimes.

Another Monday but at last I can see ok now, well it’s Monday so it is facts day and here they are.

The length of the finger dictates how fast ones fingernails grow, so the nail on the middle finger grows fastest….Not on my hands it is my thumbnail that grows fastest.

In September 1752 the “Julian” calendar was replaced with the “Gregorian” calendar in Great Britain and its American colonies.

The Julian calendar was 11 days behind so the 14^th September followed 2^nd September on the day of the change. The days between 3^rd and 13^th September 1752 never happened.

A mining hole in the mountains of Bohemia produced so much silver it became the official source of coinage for the entire Holly Roman Empire. The mine was in a valley called Joachimsthal and the coins became known as “Joachimstalers” which was shortened to “Talers” and over more time the American pronunciation of the word became “Dollars”

A fresh egg sinks in water and stale ones float.

A good night but woke to see a bunch of messages written on the family chat by Tim and the girls mostly from Tim having s rant about how hard his life is and no one understands. I am worried about his mental health.

Had a talk to Tim about his mental health Tasha was here while it was all going on. He got angry and defensive. I don’t know if anything sunk in, only time will tell.

His mood improved during the day, he also managed to do the back yard.

Up at 6.05 this morning after a good nights sleep,Tasha in a good mood till she over heard something Kathy said about their dad. I had to explain that it wasn’t how Tim said it was, just how he is seeing things lately. Everything is negative in his eyes lately and no one cares about him.

Workmen arrived to look over the area the ramp will go in and also what needs to be done to the bathroom. They said the work should be started soonish.

Tash & Jess bought me some small packets of gummy type lollies which I like.

A new day and my eye is starting to feel more like it should, thus I am feeling more like I should.

At am the workmen arrived to start work on the tree damaged. They removed the sliding door and replaced it as well as doing shit load of other work.

They also removed part of the awning much to Tim’s annoyance. Whether or not it will be replaced I don’t know,only time will tell.

Another good night but much colder this morning.

Coughing a lot but my eye is much better.

Leo back at school after having a few days off due to his driver having Covid.

Sandy came over for a visit she was here for 1.5hrs and it was great seeing her. She left with a box of snacks for her girls.

Got a text about an appointment at Westmead Hospital with the movement disorder people, it is at 8.30am on the 14^th November.

Slept well till 2am till I needed to pee after that I was somewhat restless. Got up at 5.50am.

At 1.30pm bloke turned up to look at the bathroom, he will be back next Thursday to commence work on the renovations. They are supplying a porta loo and shower, that will be fun.

Up early today woke at 5.40am and felt awake so I got up. I also stunk so I had a shower, h ad to get Tasha to help me get my pants on but other than that I did ok on my own.

I have pathology coming to take blood from me. She turned up at 7.40am.

A coldish day with rain.

Tim rang around 3pm to tell me that 2 blokes got on his bus with a case of bourbon and when they started to drink it he had to tell them they couldn’t drink on the bus. That didn’t go well and the police were called, one of them showed Tim that he was carrying a long knife in his pants and said he would stick him. This is distressing for me, once being a bus driver was a safe job but not anymore. I think it is time for him to find a new job.

A decent night, up at 5.55am I have a bloody headache.

Kathy not coming today she is too busy.

Tim off today thankfully he needs the day off.

Had no help this morning but managed.