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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This week’s bird is the kookaburra, which is a large, iconic bird native to Australia and famous for its loud laugh. It is part of the kingfisher family. It has a loud, cackling laugh often heard at dawn and dusk nicknamed the “bushman’s clock”
They are between 39-45cm’s in length and weigh between 370-450grm. Or 15-18 inches and 13-16 ounces.
What do they look like well they have a cream-white underparts, dark brown wings, reddish tail with black bars, and a prominent dark eye stripe.
They are native to eastern Australia; found in eucalyptus forests, woodlands, parks, and suburban gardens, their diet is carnivorous they feed on eats insects, small reptiles, rodents, and even snakes; uses a “wait-and-pounce” hunting method.
They are monogamous and territorial and make their nests in tree hollows or termite mounds and it isn’t uncommon for the young to stay with parents to help raise future chicks.
The kookaburra is deeply embedded in Australian culture, featured in children’s songs like “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.”
Its call is often used in movies and TV to evoke jungle or wild settings — even in places where kookaburras don’t live!
They typically live 10–15 years in the wild but can reach 20–25 years or more in captivity. Despite their resilience, kookaburras are sensitive to environmental changes. Conservation efforts that protect forests and nesting sites help ensure their survival in the wild.
In the northern part of the country there is a blue-winged kookaburra, which I know nothing about.
Time for another post about Japan this week I will share some facts like the population in 2025 is estimated to be approximately 123.1 million. It is the 12 most populous country in the world with a global rank of 12, the population density is 338 people per kilometre.
Japan’s population has been steadily declining since its peak around 2010 due to: low birth rates, high life expectancy and limited immigration. Over 28% of the population is aged over 65.
Now to Japan’s religious landscape is shaped by a unique blend of traditions, with Shinto and Buddhism as the two dominant faiths. Most Japanese people engage with both, often without exclusive affiliation.
Shinto means The Way of the Kami or the way of the Gods is Japan’s indigenous belief system, emphasizing harmony with nature, ancestor worship, and purification rituals. It lacks a founder, sacred texts, or rigid dogma.
Shinto shrines are common across Japan and serve as spiritual centres for festivals and life events.
Buddhism arrived in Japan from China and Korea in the 6th century. Multiple sects exist, including Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren.
Surveys often show that 40–60% of Japanese identify as having “no religion”, but this typically reflects a lack of formal affiliation rather than disbelief. Many still participate in religious customs, festivals, and rituals for cultural or spiritual reasons.
Japan’s religious identity is fluid, ritual-cantered, and deeply intertwined with cultural life rather than doctrinal belief.
Now how about their flag, as I am sure most know it features a red circle on a white background, symbolizing the sun and most will know it reflects Japan’s identity as the Land of the Rising Sun.
The sun has been revered in Japan since ancient times, tied to the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu, considered the mythical ancestor of the imperial family.
A good night’s sleep managed to get 8hrs & 56mins it is 17C this morning at 6.30am and my BGL was 7.1, it isn’t supposed to be as hot today.
By midday it was 25C so non need for the air con or fan just had the doors open. My BGL was 7.5 at midday before lunch.
I had to shut the front door at 2pm as the wind is now cold. At 4.30 my BGL wad 5.9.
It is now 7pm the temp is 16C and I am calling it a day; Tim is asleep on the lounge behind me.
Steps: 9,200 = 4.6klmns or 2.8miles
I slept for 10hrs, didn’t wake at all and I feel great this morning. My BGL at 5.30 was 6.5 and the temp was 14C or 57F
I spent 2.5hrs working on next year’s calendars but they are now done and ordered.
It hasn’t been that warm today top temp was 24C or 75F which is ok.
I have spent most of the day going around on autopilot especially this afternoon, but I did get stuff done other than the calendars I mopped the bathroom, laundry and kitchen floors. I vacuumed twice and swept the ramp out the front.
I also answered one letter still have a number to do.
Steps: 8,743 = 4.4klms or 2.7 miles
I slept for 9hrs & 20 Mins, didn’t wake at all and I am feeling good this crisp spring morning with a temp of 13C or 55.4F. I have physio this arvo which part of me doesn’t feel like attending but of course I will go.
I have been busy this morning with housework and exercising and reading and posting blogs, doing the laundry and running the dishwasher on a long wash to clean the machine as well as cleaning the dishes.
Tim finally went to the doctors to get his scrips and complain about his aching body; he now has to have more Xrays and CT scans done next Tuesday the 18th
By midday it is 25C or 77F, Sue and I went to my physio appointment, the new woman we saw was nice, she was young. I have been given new exercises to do, and I go back in January.
By the time we got back from the physio appointment it was 2.30 and 27C or 80.6F and my left arm is so sore.
Steps: 8,414 = 4.2klms or 2.6 miles
I had another good night slept for 7hrs with waking only once to pee, my left arm is very sore this morning. It is only 12C or 53.6F this morning and thankfully it is not supposed to be hot with a top temp expected to be only 21C or 69F.
Sue took me to have the cortisone injection, it went well, we then went to pick up some photos I had printed. Then we went and got KFC for lunch.
Around 2pm I started to get a headache and remembered that I always get on when I have that injection.
By 5pm the headache was bad, and I was starting to feel sick, my BGL was 14.9 but that due to the injection, it should go down some overnight.
It is 6pm and I’m off to bed as I feel horrible.
Steps:9,832 = 4.9klms or 3 miles
I slept great had 10hrs ad 52 mins of sleep woke once at 4.10am to pee, then again when the alarm went off.
At 6am it is 10C or 50F, it is supposed to reach a top of 30C or 86F. My BGL is 9.4 due to cortisone.
I went shopping with Sue and all went well I was starting to feel exhausted by the time I got home.
I have decided to not walk on the cobblestones in the visitors parking area as it always makes me feel unstable.
At 1.30pm my BGL is 10.4 it is also 28C or 82.4F. I turned the air con on as the heat wasn’t helping my headache.
At 7pm my BGL had dropped to 7.9 which is normal.
Tonight is Sam’s formal; I hope to get a photo of her and Bailey.
Steps: 13,813 = 7klm’s or 4.3 miles
Had a good night sleep managed to get 7hrs & 20 mins, my BGL was 7.1 when I got up and the temp was around 10C or 50F, I was up at 4.30 due to the pain in my left side.
I had a nice shower after Tim left so after I get the tattoo I will not have to worry about a shower for another couple of days.
At 8am the temp was 19C or 66F
Sue picked me and Jess up at 9am and drove us to Hamilton but as we were early, we went and had a milkshake, and Jess had a bacon and egg wrap. The tattoo took I think 1hr and 50 minutes, but I may be wrong about that, I slept for a good part of it. I am happy with how it looks.
I also had the name Sam added to my right hand near the name Leo.
Steps: 4,263 = 2klm’s or 1 mile
Good morning world, I was up at 5am as per usual, cleaned the kitchen, swept outside, vacuumed out, tossed on a load of washing, mediated and now it’s about time to check my emails.
My BGL at 6am was 6.8 and I slept for 7hr & 54 mins last night.
It doesn’t feel like I have done much today, I did hang the washing out to dry and I vacuumed again. I then spent well over an hour sorting through my mail and starting one letter which I just must print.
Jo-AnneRamplings 