Good morning, all, yesterday I was feeling pretty normal doing stuff and functioning ok this morning I again feel like shit, I ache all over and have a rotten headache and I am so damn tired. Yes, I still have a cold.

I am coughing so much as well; in fact the coughing woke me during the night.

I knew cold temperatures cam make the symptoms of Parkinson’s worse and it can increase our risk of falling but I was coping ok with the cold.

However, I didn’t realise how much having a cold could make me feel worse. I have more muscle and joint pain and I am a bit more restless and oh so tired today.

I am getting more cramps in my calves and the toes on my left foot keep curly making it difficult to walk.

Now some of you may be thinking of getting some cold medication but I do know that some cold medications doing go well with PD so not sure about what I could take.

Well this all I can manage today.

Hi everyone, would like to say I am feeling better but I’m not, ok I am slightly better enough to do this post this morning, yesterday if the post hadn’t already been written I wouldn’t have posted anything I felt that awful.

Well, it’s Thursday and time for me to tell you a little bit more about autism spectrum disorder or ASD like there are many characteristics of ASD and they fall into two broad areas.

Those being difficulty with social interactions and communication and restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests.

Both I have seen in my grandchild (Sam) since a very young age. Below is a list of the common signs and traits of ASD in children some of which apply to Sam many do not.

Sam has several friends who he not only hangs out with at school but during the school holidays as well.

The common signs and traits of ASD in children include the following:

lack of social or emotional exchanges like pointing, smiling, showing you things

lack of non-verbal communication such as nodding and shaking head, using hand gestures

difficulty developing and maintaining relationships appropriate to their age, such as peer play, lack of close friends

delayed expressed speech and understanding of speech

lack of eye contact when speaking

loss of language skills at any age

excessively following routines, patterns or behaviour, and becoming distressed at changes

stereotyped or repetitive speech

using objects in unusual ways, such as rolling wheels before eyes

movements, such as flapping hands, toe walking

strongly reacting to sensory input such as sound, pain or textures

restricted or fixated interests. This might be only playing with certain toys or talking about certain topics

having difficulty managing emotions, such as frequent and long tantrums

Adults with ASD may struggle with time management, they often feel isolated and have difficulty paying attention are anxious in social settings feel overwhelmed easily. They may also have trouble with relationships and may pay to much attention to details overlooking the bigger picture.

Well that will do it for this post more to come next week.

Time for a bit more about the Kokoda Track, the track covered seemingly impossible terrain with its nearly impenetrable rainforest with muddy ground, to agonizingly steep ascents and descents.

While the bare footed indigenous people had little trouble with the track, it was not so for the soldiers marching in boots. Many thought that it would be too difficult for the Japanese to traverse.

On the 21 July 1,800 Japanese landed between Buna and Gona, they planned to build a road to cross the Owen Stanleys to take Port Moresby.

Initially they proved better jungle fighters than the Australians and even though they were attacked by Allied aircraft they advanced rapidly up the track.

The Papuan Infantry and part of the 39^th Australian Battalion, which was still strung out along the track, were driven back to Wairopi on the 24 July.

By early August the situation was desperate as their supplies were running out, they continued to withdraw till they reached Isurava south of Kokoda. By the 10 August the Japanese had dug in preparing for an onslaught on Port Moresby, the Australians in turn dug in at Isurava.

I feel too sick to write more sorry

Time for some more information about big cats, this week we are looking at things concerning how they attack.

Their body is perfectly built for hunting and killing, it has strong grasping limbs, sharp claws, and knife-like canine teeth.

Most cats hunt at dawn or dusk and have excellent senses of vision and hearing.

When the cat senses the right moment, it moves its bodyweight to its rear legs and lunges towards its prey. If it is close enough it will take its prey down to the ground and suffocate it. If not close enough it will chase its prey.

These big cats also stalk and ambush their prey, they can move very quickly and quietly when they want to, and they are good at hiding from their prey. They will remain in hiding waiting for an unsuspecting animal to come withing striking distance, they will then lunge and attack the unprepared victim.

Not all cats kill in the same way, small cats kill their prey by a bite to the back of the neck. Bigger cats suffocate their prey either with a stronghold on the neck or by covering the prey’s snout with their jaws.

The cheetah is the best hunter amongst the wild cats, it catches up to 70 per cent of the prey it sets it sights on. The lion, however, has the lowest success rate at less than 30 per cent.

Some cats like the caracul use their paws to catch birds, when they see a bird about to take flight it raises up on its hind legs and jumps up to catch the bird.

The snow leopard has a lot of power in its rear legs, making it able to leap 12 meters or 40 feet along the ground.

The cheetah special bone structure and muscles allow it to run up to 112km/h or 70 mph so it can out chase any other animal.

Good morning all this week we are looking at The Netherlands as suggested by Rita who can be found here: https://soulcomfort.blogspot.com/

The Netherlands, a country in northwestern Europe, the capital is Amsterdam which is in the province of North Holland there is 12 provinces.  

Netherlands literally means “lower countries” in reference to its low elevation and flat topography, with 26% situated below sea level.

The official language is Dutch the population is 17 million.

The country is called The Netherlands not Holland as some people mistakenly think.

It has a flat landscape with canals, tulip fields, windmills and cycling routes. It is also known for its scenic beauty, cheese, beer, rich historical past, vibrant and lively cities and serene countryside.

It is home to the Rijksmuseum; Van Gogh Museum and the house where Jewish diarist Anne Frank hid during WWII.

The national flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue. The red stripe symbolizes courage, bravery, and strength, while the white stripe represents peace, purity, and honesty. The blue stripe represents loyalty, justice, and truth.

The currency in the Netherlands is the euro. Each euro is divided into 100 cents. When you’re buying currency for the Netherlands, look out for the currency code EUR.

I had a restless night waking on and off, around 1am I got up and used the powerfit.

I dreamt about my grandmother, that is not something that has happened in a long time. I don’t remember much about it except her telling mum it was time she joined the family and saying, “Ron look at my kitchen”.

It is cold here with a temp of 7 degrees, my BGL is 3.8

I had a rough start to the day my BGL wasn’t going up and I was shaking like you do when you are shivering, and I wasn’t able to concentrate, and it took a long time before things started to go right.

Tim working, he left around 11am

Tim came back from work just after 4pm, I wasn’t expecting him till around 7pm.

Steps:3,699            

I had another horrible night these nights are caused by dyskinesia, and I feel terrible when I am going through it. Then when it stops, I have needing to pee every 10-15 minutes which also sucks.

The temp is 6 degrees and my BGL 3.9

My pedometer had a flat battery, so Tasha came down and changed it and it is working ok now

Sandra called in to see me and let me know Sue was taken to hospital as she is very sick, after some tests and whatnot she was home by 2pm. It was good seeing Sandy.

Steps: 3,472             

I slept well, except between the hours of 12.15 till 1.30am I had woken feeling restless so I decided to use the powerfit the first 10 minutes standing no problem, but I sat on it for 10 minutes after which I could not stand up it felt like my left leg was frozen and I was stuck on pone knee till 1.30am, at some point I went into panic mode and my brain shut down meaning I forgot my mobile phone was close by and I could have rang Tim instead of yelling my head off. Tim at last heard me and came and helped. I will not be doing that again for a while.

I got up at 5am but was so tired I went back to bed for an hour. It is 8 degrees and my BGL was 4.7

I was so tired I went back to bed till 6.30am and I even had to have a nap in my armchair.

After that nap I was functioning better and felt less confused about stuff.

Steps:3,635

I slept well, I thought I slept straight the night, but Tim said I must have gone to the loo during the night as I left the bathroom heater on. I do not remember that.

Temp is 8 degrees, my BGL is 5.2 and I am starting to feel super tired again by 7.30am.

Today has seemed long, I just have not any motivation to do anything.

Heard from Sue she is still very sick and is really fed up with all the coughing and feeling like death warmed up.

Tim told me when he got home from work that he now thinks it was him who left the heater on after his shower.

Steps 3,434

I slept well, straight through the night again waking with the alarm. It is only 9 degrees and my BGL is 4.8

Again at 7am I started to feel so tired but after I saw Sam off at 8.10am I was feeling less tired.

Just after I met Sam it started to rain, thankfully I was home and not waiting in it.

Haven’t done much other than a load of washing and hanging up to dry, I vacuumed and tidy the kitchen.

Steps:2,999

I slept well, straight through the night again, waking with the alarm. I woke up with a sore throat. Not so bad I can’t swallow but still sore.

It is a chilly 7 degrees here my BGL was 5.0

My throat is still a little sore but for the most part ok. I asked Tasha if she could get me a bread roll for lunch, she did, and I added cheese and yesterday’s left fried rice.

Natasha told me that the lady next to Jessica has passed away sometime in the last few days. This means that now Tim & I are the longest residing tenants in this complex.

Steps:3,190

I slept well, after a rough start woke with a sore throat again and a headache. It is cold here I have the heater on, the temp is 6 degrees and my BGL is 4.9

I do not feel well this morning, I have a headache, I feel congested with a tight chest. This is I suspect why I am shaking so much my body will not stop and typing is so difficult.

Tim working, he is doing rail.

By 4pm I started to feel like shit. My head is aching, and I am starting to feel tired.

Steps: 3,310

After much thought I have decided to write about autism, why well I have nephew who is autistic, and Sam is also autistic so in order to learn more about the disorder myself I will write about it.

Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder or autism spectrum condition, is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by deficits in reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour. 

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person’s brain develops and functions, and an estimated 1 in 40* people are on the autism spectrum. Autism can be diagnosed in people of all ages, all cultural backgrounds and economic status. 

n people with ASD, the brain does not grow in the same way it does in most people. ASD presents differently in boys and girls.

ASD is not a mental health problem, or an intellectual disability. But some people with ASD will also have those problems.

I always thought of it as some kind of mental health issue, seems I was wrong.

Children and adults with ASD may be highly intelligent, of normal intelligence, or have an intellectual disability. Along with some challenges, an autistic person will also have a range of strengths.

Doctors used to think that Asperger’s and autism were separate conditions. They now think that they are all part of one condition, called autism spectrum disorder or ASD. People with ASD will all have different experiences.

About 1 in 150 Australians has ASD.

The characteristics of ASD usually start in infancy. But they may not be noticeable until the age of 2 or 3 years. Sometimes ASD is diagnosed much later in life.

Most people with ASD can learn the skills they need to function independently or in a supportive environment.

A late diagnosis of ASD can have consequences. Growing up with ASD without support can have an impact on a person’s mental health, education, development, and social life. They may find themselves at a higher risk of bullying, abuse, and violence.

The earlier your child receives an ASD diagnosis, the earlier they can get support. This will more likely that they will learn communication skills, social skills and life skills.

Hi all well I have been thinking and thinking about what my Thursday post should be about and I have no blood idea. So today you get a few facts such as.

Research estimates 1 in 100 adults live with borderline personality disorder. It’s more common for women to be diagnosed, but men experience it at a similar rate. Usually, symptoms appear in the teenage years or early adulthood.

Parkinson’s is relatively common. Approximately 1 in 500 people have the condition. It becomes more common with older age groups, and it is believed 1% of people above the age of 60 have Parkinson’s. The average age at diagnosis is 59.

Then we have diabetes which I have type 2 of, like nearly half the population it seems.

Global diabetes statistics says one in 10 adults have diabetes and one in two adults don’t know they have it.

Just over 1.3 million people were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in Australia between 2000 and 2021. This was an average of 60,000 people each year.

However, in 2021, the number of people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes was well below this average at 45,700, equating to 178 diagnoses per 100,000 population.

Bipolar disorder affects something 2.5 percent of the population and is associated with reduced functioning, cognitive impairment and other things.

Time for some more about the Kokoda Trail in 1942 and the battle with the Japanese over it.

In July 1942 the Papuan Infantry Battalion was joined by recent conscripts who arrived with little military training, there average age was only eighteen and half.

It was these men that were expected to mount the defensive and at first, they were referred to as “chocos” or chocolate soldiers, a term taken from George Bernard Shaw’s play Arms and the Man about a man who would not fight. It was first used in WW1 about soldiers who arrived in Egypt after Gallipoli.

However, after their baptism of fire at Kokoda and Milne Bay these so called “Chocos” soon proved how bravely they could fight and how well.  

The Japanese had first landed in New Guinea in March at Lae and Salamaua, then in July at Buna and Gona, less than 200 kilometres from Port Moresby as the crow flies. What stood in their way was the steep range pf the Owen Stanley Mountains, with the only way over the range being by foot.

As to why they didn’t invade by sea well the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway put an end to that idea. So, over the mountain they would go via the Kokoda track.

This as they soon found out was easier said than done.

Major-General Morris was ordered to secure the village of Kokoda, so he gathered the best of his untrained Australian and Papuan forces for the task. They left Port Moresby on 7 July and arrived on the15 July.

Even before they found themselves fighting the enemy they had to fight their way through horrific conditions of the jungle. As well as steepness of the track, they had to deal with a rainforest dripping with moss and leaches as well as mosquito infested swamps. Large numbers of men contracted malaria.

Despite being in the tropics, they were continually wet and cold in the rain and high altitudes. They of course were carrying their equipment weighing 27 kilos and their heavy boots and khaki summer uniforms were not suitable for the conditions.

In fact, the khaki made them stand out against the green of the jungle. At some point camouflage and jungle green uniforms were issued.

That’s enough for this week.

Time for a bit more about big cats as in their fur, their claws and tongue.

These big cats are covered in fur to protect them in all kinds of weather.  More importantly, is the pattern of the fur as it can help them camouflage in some case it can make them near invisible.

The snow leopard has long woolly fur, which is longer then on its belly, this is to give it extra protection as that part of the body closest to the snow-covered ground.  Cats in warmer areas have short, bristly fur.

A cat’s coat is like its surroundings, the base cover of the fur is like its habitat. The lion’s fur is yellow/brown, so it matches the colour of the savannah grasslands, the stripes on the tiger’s coat make it difficult to spot among the tall grasses.  The spotted coat of the leopard helps it blend with the patchy sunlight of the forest.

Now let’s look at their claws, these are super important for hunting, their claws stay covered in their paws, this keeps them safe and sharp, except for the cheetah.   Their claws help them climb trees as well as being handy while attacking a prey or defending themselves.

The tongue of big car is much rougher than that of a domestic cat, the surface is covered in tiny black hooks which help them with cleaning and combing their coats. As well helping them strip the flesh of the bone of their food.

Long fur is not just to protect against the cold, the black footed cat and sand cat both have fur coving their feet and pads, both cats live in desert areas and the fur protects against the heat of the ground.  

A cheetah’s coat has dark spots like dalmatians.

A tiger’s coat has black stripes

A leopard’s coat has circular ring like spots

A lion’s coat has no spots or stripes, though cubs may have spots that fade away as they age

 A jaguar’s coat has similar rings as a leopard, although the outlines may be irregular.