It is Wednesday and so it is Aussie Slang day this weeks slang words are as follows.
Footy: Aussie rules football played in all Aussie states but mostly in Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia the term footy is also often use when referring to the (NRL) National Rugby League in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria the ACT and New Zealand.
Flick it on: To sell something on for a profit just after buying it for yourself.
Well now it is Tuesday and time for another creature and this week’s creature is the Aye-Aye, heard of it? I hadn’t till now.
The aye-aye is a long-fingered lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar with rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger. It is the world’s largest nocturnal primate, which is weird when you consider it weighs only 2.3kgs when fully grown but it does stand a metre-tall which I guess is why it is the largest.
With its transfixed stare and wild fur it has long been considered an omen of bad luck by the people of Madagascar.
It will even walk right up to human passersby to take a closer look. The aye-aye’s reputation is, of course, entirely unfounded. However, because of the way the aye-aye is perceived, this perfectly harmless creature is often killed on sight.
It uses its sharp claws and opposable big toes to dangle from branches in rainforest trees. While perched there it raps its long middle finger on the bark and listens for wriggling insect larvae in the wood. It fishes them out with the same pointed claw which they also use to scoop the flesh out of coconuts. It is the only primate known to use echolocation ( calling out and listening for an echo) to find food.
Welcome to Monday a day I tell you a little about another famous Australian and this week it is Alfred Deakin.
Alfred Deakin was an Australian politician, statesman and barrister who served as the second prime minister of Australia, from 1903 to 1904, 1905 to 1908 and 1909 to 1910, holding office as the leader of the Protectionist Party, and in his final term as leader of the Liberal Party.
Born in Melbourne to middle class parents on 3 August 1856, he was 23 when he was elected to the Victoria Legislative Assembly while working as a barrister and journalist.
He held ministerial office on and off from 1883, twice serving as Attorney General of Victoria. After federation he was the inaugural Attorney General of Australia.
After 1890, Deakin refused all offers of cabinet posts and devoted his attention to the movement for federation. He was Victoria’s delegate to the Australasian Federal Conference, convened by Sir Henry Parkes in Melbourne in 1890, which agreed to hold an intercolonial convention to draft a federal constitution. He was a leading negotiator at the Federal Conventions of 1891, which produced a draft constitution that contained much of the Constitution of Australia, as finally enacted in 1900.
He was the first prime minister to call an early election, to catch his opponents off guard and take advantage of a large number of urban educated female voters who could cast a ballot for the first time.
After the 1913 election, Cook offered Deakin the position of chairman of the Interstate Commission, but he declined. In 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, he did accept a request to chair a royal commission into food supply during the war.
His final public engagement was as leader of the Australian delegation to the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. He was offered the role initially by Cook and then by Andrew Fisher, who returned as prime minister in September 1914. The appointment was entirely ceremonial and had the support of both Fisher and his deputy Billy Hughes. However,his involvement was subject to political interference from external affairs minister Hugh Mahon, and he decided on an early return to Australia.
The final years of his political career coincided with the decline in his health and memory.
Sunday here and after a good nights sleep I am up, washed and dressed ready for my day. It’s cold but not too cold.
I have done the food shopping without issue.
I was standing in the kitchen looking for lunch and Sam scared the shits out of me, yes I screamed.
Speaking of Sam this afternoon some mates who have a band are playing at some club. Papa is driving Sam and Jess will pick Sam up. I hope Sam has a good time.
Had a little sleep in this morning waking at 5.30am instead of 5am oh well not a big deal.
Sam didn’t answer the damn phone so I had to go over awake my darling grandchild up, I am pleased that I am able to do that now without any help. While there I found my small pink crochet blanket that I have been looking for on Sam’s bed.
Tim has a doctor’s appointment then he had to go into work to hand in paperwork. This afternoon he is having his hearing tested.
Well it seems like Tim doesn’t need hearing aids, that is not what we expected.
Tasha asked to borrow the car to go get a few things from the shops and of course Tim went on and on about her not having her car instead letting a friend borrow it making her need to borrow our car.
I had to ring Sam a few times this morning but then Sam rang me back to let me know they were up and going to have a shower, at 7.30 I again rang twice when Jess to let me know Sam was out of the shower and would be here soon.
Tasha had me check on Blain to make sure he was up and getting ready for school at 8.30am, I forgot till 8.45am but when I spoke to him he was awake and getting ready for school. Tasha had an appointment at the hospital.
Tasha came down to tell me that the Xray she had done has shown that the metal work in her hip area has moved about an inch but said it should be ok.
I had a little break down while talking about Tim’s visit to the GP and how I feel his not eating isn’t being taken seriously enough for my liking. I feel like no one else is concerned, Tim says he isn’t losing weight and I guess that is something. It has been two weeks since he has eaten anything more then a few pieces of beef jerky.
Found a note from Jessica on my laptop asking me to check my Gmail and print stuff for her, by 7am there was 17 pages of stuff, I expect it is to do with one of her jobs. Jess had two job interviews this morning both for security work.
Sam was running late this morning getting up the front as Jess was here and it threw out Sam’s routine.
Jess and Tim went down to the foreshore just to get Tim out of the house. Afterwards she brought back fish & chips but I had just made myself a toasted sandwich so I only had a few chips with it. Tim could only manage 3 small mouthfuls.
Sam answered when I rang at 7am and before I was ring at 7.30am Sam arrived looking for clothes to wear. After finding clothes Sam went home to have a shower.
Tasha stopped me on my way up the driveway to tell me that Jess was called into work and doesn’t know when she will be home as it is 2hrs away.
I have been sorting through photos arranging them into folders for each sibling ready for me doing next years calendars this will be the first year in 3 years that I will be able to do them with more care. This has made me feel happy.
Damn computer is running slow this morning making checking my emails and blogs frustrating.
I had to go and make sure Blain was out of bed and getting ready for school, he was.
I received my delivery from iherb and took the stuff up to Tasha’s as she does our medications up for the month instead of me. Blain was there and tried to tell his mum that I didn’t go wake him she however, knew he was bullshitting her.
I am having another day full of back pain.
I managed to write three letters still have more to do.
Not suppose to be a cold day but cold enough this morning I have turned the heater on as I am not wearing warm enough clothes. I could change my clothes but can’t be bothered I will put my jacket on which should help.
Still a lot of annoying back pain and a fair amount of shaking on and off.
Tim said that last night Sam was wearing a dress and asked what Tim thought, I don’t know exactly what Tim said but he says he wasn’t rude or nasty. When I pointed out that I would respond differently, just saying they looks ok not something I am familiar with but if he happy then I am happy.
Well here we are at Saturday morning I had planned to do a Jo-Anne’s thoughts post yesterday but I couldn’t even get my blog page to load so it didn’t happen.
So my thoughts this morning are why oh why does the internet or more likely my internet connection have to be such a bitch of a thing some days.
I spend a lot of time online each day when I get up of a morning I spend a couple of hours checking emails and visiting blogs before moving onto doing other things on the computer like writing letters.
At times I wonder how we got by without the internet, I do remember when the internet was a new thing and we had a dial up connection. In fact when we first got the internet connected we found that out of all the companies that could hook us up we really only had one option due to the companies saying that the connection would drop out too much. Although things have changed we are still with the same company.
Now not only can we be online 24/7 if we want our house phone once called a landline runs through our internet and of course we now have WiFi. So not only are our laptops connection but our smart phones, ipads or tablets and our TV.
Mobile phones now days are mini computers and many can do a bloody lot on them, I however, am not one to read emails on my phone and I no longer have a tablet, use to have one but it died and hasn’t been replaced.
Here we are at another Thursday and this week instead of the word of the week, I am talking about the history of the can opener.
Although preservation of food using tin cans had been practiced since at least 1772 in the Netherlands, the first can openers were not patented until 1855 in England and 1858 in the United States. These early openers were basically variations of a knife, though the 1855 design continues to be produced.
In 1858, another lever-type opener of a more complex shape was patented in the United States by Ezra Waner of Waterbury, Connecticut USA. It consisted of a sharp sickle, which was pushed into the can and sawed around its edge. A guard kept the sickle from penetrating too far into the can.
Many attempts to improve on Warner’s invention were made over the next decade and eventually the basis of the modern can opener that we recognise today came to life, with another US inventor, William Lyman, being the first to create a rotary cutter to cut around the can in 1870.
The first electric can opener, based on the cutting wheels principle, able to open more than 20 cans for a minute, was patented by Preston C. West in the USA on 1 December 1931.
In 1959, Ermal Fraze devised a can-opening method that would come to dominate the canned drink market. His invention was the “pull-tab”. This eliminated the need for a separate opener tool by attaching an aluminum pull-ring lever with a rivet to a pre-scored wedge-shaped tab section of the can top.
Well here we are at the middle of the week and it’s time for some Aussie slang this week two of them are new to me including one that is a what the hell world….
Flat out like a lizard drinking: To be very busy, working non stop
Freo: Fremantle in Western Australia
Freckle: Anus (what the hell) never heard this before
Good morning everyone although it might be morning as you read this but it is morning when I am writing this, so good morning.
It is creature day and this weeks creature is the Honey Badger, The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
They are strong, smart and fierce they have a thick,coarse black and white coat that can remind some of a skunk but it isn’t just their appearance that’s skunk like because like a skunk when threatened they will release a stink bomb that repels predators such as lions, leopards and hyenas.
If that doesn’t work their skin is really thick which makes it hard to pierce and loose, so they can turn around and bite their attacker.
Also they have a strong immunity to the venom of snakes and scorpions which is useful because they’re the badgers favourite meal.
It is not for nothing that the honey badger has earned the reputation of being the most fearless animal in the world. Despite its small size, this carnivore is known for its ferocious defensive abilities and aggressive nature.
They are native to areas of Africa and Asia, from southern Morocco to Africa’s southern tip, and western Asia’s Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and western India. They live mainly in dry areas but are also found in forests and grasslands. They are also good swimmers and can climb trees.
Another week is here and as it is Monday I am going to tell you a little about another Australian this time it is, Sir Edmund Barton.
Sir Edmund “Toby” Barton GCMG KC was an Australian statesman, barrister and jurist who served as the first prime minister of Australia from 1901 to 1903, holding office as the leader of the Protectionist Party. He resigned to become a founding member of the High Court of Australia, on which he served until his death.
He was born in Glebe in New South Wales on the 18 January 1849, He was one of the nine children of William Barton and Mary Louise Whydah, English immigrants who arrived in Australia in 1824. William was a secretary and accountant for an agricultural company, and later became a stockbroker. Mary ran a school for girls.
Barton attended Fort Street School from 1856 to 1858, and then went to Sydney Grammar. He went on to the University of Sydney, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1868, and a Master of Arts in 1870.
He became a barrister in 1871 and set up a successful legal practice, joining the Sydney Mechanics Institute to learn the art of debating. He married Jane (Je anie) Mason Ross in 1877, and together they had six children.
He was certainly qualified for his new job. He had been a member of the Parliament of New South Wales for 20 years, and had served terms as Speaker of its Legislative Assembly, Attorney-General and Leader of the Opposition.
Barton had worked on Federation for 10 years, and became Australia’s first Prime Minister because the supporters of Federation trusted him.
He entered New South Wales colonial politics in 1877, standing unsuccessfully as a candidate for the University seat in the Legislative Assembly, but winning the seat in 1879. He switched to the Wellington seat in 1880, then in 1882 to East Sydney, which he held until 1887.
Barton was an appointed member of the Legislative Council from 1887 to 1891, then regained East Sydney in 1891, held it until 1894, and lost it again. He became a member of the Legislative Council again from 1897 to 1898, and was then re-elected to the Legislative Assembly for Hastings-Macleay, which he represented from 1897 to 1899.
He held various positions while a member of colonial parliament, including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 1883–87, Attorney-General 1889 and 1891–93, and Leader of the Opposition 1898–99.
Barton and his supporters conducted a vigorous pro-federation campaign preceding the June 1898 referendum on federation. The constitution was accepted by the required majority in South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, but not in New South Wales.
At the New South Wales election in July 1898, dominated by the federation issue, Barton won the seat of Hastings-Macleay and thus returned to the Legislative Assembly. In September 1898 he replaced the anti-federationist, William Lyne, as Opposition Leader.
The Premier, George Houston Reid, and Barton worked together to promote the federal cause to the New South Wales electorate. From April to July 1899 a second referendum on federation was conducted in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, each of which accepted an amended constitution by a larger majority than in June 1898. On 2 September that year, Queensland, voting for the first time, approved the bill.
Barton led the Australian delegation to London in early 1900 to negotiate amendments to the Constitution Bill the UK Government desired, and to oversee the safe passage of the Bill through the UK parliament.
On 9 July 1900 Queen Victoria gave Royal Assent to the Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia.
On 18 July 1900 Lord Hopetoun, former governor of Victoria (1889–95), was named as inaugural Governor-General of Australia.
Among the first Acts of Barton’s government in 1901 was legislation to restrict immigration, thus instituting the White Australia policy. (so not right in my opinion)
The Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 established uniform federal franchise. This gave the vote to adult British subjects resident in Australia for at least six months, but excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and African and Asian immigrants.
The legislative task of the first parliament was to establish a Commonwealth administration. Parliament passed 59 of the 84 bills introduced by the Barton government, including 21 money (appropriation and supply) bills. Other important legislation included:
Acts Interpretation Act 1901 which set out standards and conventions for drafting all subsequent bills
Audit Act 1901 provided for supervision of government spending and reporting to Parliament
Customs Act 1901 and Excise Act 1901 which were revenue-raising Acts
Judiciary Act 1903 to set up the High Court.
Defence Act 1903 to establish control of military and naval forces.
Immigration Restriction Act 1901 to implement the White Australia policy.
I am up and dressed ready for the day, not as cold this morning but then I am wearing warmer pants then I did the last few days.
Manage to do the food shopping without a problem.
I have another day of bad back pain.
I feel fat lately.
It was raining when I got up this morning and for the first time in ages my hands are sweating and I needed to get my wet hand towels for my computer chair.
Sam will need to get Jess to accompany them up the front to meet the driver.
Rained on and off all morning.
I helped Tim do his tax return we owe $1,888 or something like this he wasn’t surprised as with the government scrapped the tax free threshold. Also when we noted that in one part it said we didn’t need to pay the medicare levy but at the end it said we had to pay $1,888 medicare levy. He tried to ring the ATO but couldn’t get to speak to anyone. This was very frustrating.
No rain this morning and not as cold as yesterday. Sam did my socks for me.
Blain turned up at just after 9am to wait here till after assembly was done as he was running late and decided to skip assembly.
The food shopping turned up at 11.40am, I unpacked it and did my fruit for the week on my own.
Tasha brought down a pair of pants she stuffed up while trying to shorten and lost her shit over and ask Tim if he could see to them he said he would.
I was surprised when Tasha turned up to help me get ready for bed she hasn’t done that in months.
Up dressed and ready for the day, Tim did tend to Tasha’s pants so that is good, I just hope she is happy with what he did.
While waiting for Sam’s driver someone, not me couldn’t their phone, ran back to house to check still couldn’t find it. How do you go from having to not having in under 5minutes. Sam had to go to school without unless it is in Sam’s bag or a pocket.
The cleaners came at 11am.
I am feeling super tired this afternoon.
I thought I could hear rain when I was having my morning wash but when I got out to the lounge room and looked outside it looked ok with no rain. Pretty damn cold though.
I rang Sam 8 times before I went over and banged on his door, waking him up he was very apologetic about me having to go there in person, he said he didn’t hear his phone which was right next to him.
Tim has two appointments today so I am home alone for a change.
I sorted out the cupboard in Tim’s office, it looks so much better. Now to get him to sort out his desk, not an area I wish to deal with. I wouldn’t like anyone messing with my desk.
Tasha coming to help this afternoon again, she said she will do Tuesday’s & Thursday’s.
A new day, I spent the last couple of hours in bed trying to get my brain to shut down and stop thinking about random stuff.
Sue wants me to do a letter to her estate agent about the water leak that has taken 4 days to be fixed. So I am doing that this morning, Sue arrived to help with information so it could be a full outline of events. It took about an hour to complete then I sent it from my Gmail account.
She is hoping to be reimbursed for her lost wages and doesn’t want to be liable for the extra water charges. I hope they come to the party for her.
Saturday here and after a good nights sleep I was up at 4.50am. After unpacking the dishwasher I got my breakie and started work at the computer.
Kathy and Summer came over but Kathy didn’t do any type of housework I just couldn’t think what I would like either of them to do. She did take my letters to post for me which was good.
Summer said she had a good time in Canberra but the food at the place they stayed was horrible.
Also she ended up sharing a bunk with another girl, she was on the top the other girl the bottom but didn’t like sleeping there alone and climbed up and shared Summer’s bunk.
Jo-AnneRamplings 