My hand and Tim’s Computer

Hello all been a few days since I last posted since getting home on Tuesday I have been busy as with one thing or another, but here we are at Friday afternoon and I am going to do a quick post to let all know I am still around and not sick or anything like that.

Yesterday I went to see the specialist about my shaking and balance problems again, not happy. He said it is a functional tremor caused by stress and said all I can really do is try and learn to live with it and try relaxation methods to help ease it. Yes when I am really upset and the hand/arm is shaking a lot breathing and focus on my breathing does help settle it down a little but doesn’t stop it also does nothing to stop the balance problems. He said he would have a chat with the movement disorder people and see if they agree with him. I do not have to go back as he said there is no point. So I left somewhat upset, I mentioned that even when I went away on holiday and had no stress at all the shaking and balance problems were still there he couldn’t say why that is other then I might need to be away from the source of the stress for a long period of time but that isn’t practical and he knew that.

Let us go back to Wednesday on the Tuesday night Tim found his new computer laying face down on the floor, he was not happy and when he asked both Blain and Leo about it both denied knowing anything about hit of course they were lying one had to know what happened it didn’t move it’s self to the floor.

So both boys ended up getting into trouble that afternoon Blain wasn’t allowed to use his Xbox and they both had to sit in the bedroom doing nothing till one of them admitted to touching it. Well Leo admitted when we came home from school so Blain still had no Xbox but I allowed both boys to play out the back yard. However, Leo is not allowed to stay here tonight as way of punishment for touching it and lying about it to start with.

So I was happy when Jessica rang me this afternoon to tell me she would pick Leo up from school, this meant I didn’t have to deal with him as he would be in a mood because I got him and not bringing him back here for the night.

Also he has a communication book that is to be filled in each morning with information like if he has had a good morning and has had his medication, well when we went to Tassie I left the book on my computer desk, so I sent Jessica a message about it telling her to pick it up and fill it in each day, well when I got home it was exactly where I left it. I was not happy.

Ok that is it from me for this post, over the weekend I have a lot of letters to answer so that is what I will be doing although I am doing lunch here on Sunday for Michael’s birthday he is 30, his birthday was when we were in Tassie.

Last Day Of Tassie Holiday

Well our last day in Tassie is coming to an end this morning we drove to Mount Wellington and even though the road was closed and we could only go 4k’s up it it was still nice and yes there was snow although it wasn’t that cold I didn’t get out of the car much as the ground was covered in ice and snow and thought it wouldn’t be safe as I am likely to fall over. We then drove back to Hobart stopping to take a couple of photos of something called The Shot Tower and then back to Hobart for lunch at the SoHo hotel which was nice then came back to the motel for the night I haven’t said anything to Tim but I am not feeling the best I was starting to feel unsteady and my arm is super aching tonight, ok it has been super aching every night but I think after a few days of it aching so much and feeling so heavy it is starting to get to me

Tassie Day 3

It is now day three of our Tassie holiday, today was spent visiting markets and gaols, first off we went to the Salamanca markets then we went to the Female Factory which was where the female convicts were kept and later other female prisoners. We there drove to Richmond to visit Old Hobart Town which is a model town place but changed our mind and instead went to Old Richmond Gaol which is the oldest gaol in the country that is still in its original condition as it hasn’t been restored like the others both places were interesting, We are at the motel for a bit to just chill and that is easy as it is bloody cold here with the temp being between 1-3°C but the wind chill factor makes it feel much colder. As for food today I have had a plate of hot chips with gravy that is it for me today oh and half a chocolate bar and a small hot chocolate.

Tassie Day Two

Here we are at day two in Tassie, still cold and wet we stopped on the way to Hobart to check out a windmill, and then we stopped for food at White Moe Espresso Tim got a hamburger and chips I had the chips he had the burger he said it as really nice. We checked out the old gaol here with a guided tour and we both enjoyed that now we are at the motel for the night the room is nice not as large as the one we had last night but its ok. We went to Woolworths and got a few things and stopped and bought hot chips for tea

Tassie Post Day 1

Arrived in Tassie safe and well the motel room is nice a good size and the heater was on when we arrived so the room is warm outside it is cold and wet and I have a splitting headache but the shower was nice and hot although it took a bit to get the temperature right we flew with Virgin Australia and they were ok no complaints. Although not happy that Natasha Tinkabell Meadows rang to tell me that Leo took all the cheese into papas room and it has gone off that is $9 wasted.

About Noumea

Hello all this will be the last of the cruise related posts, with me telling you a bit about Noumea which was our last port of call on the cruise, Noumea is part of New Caledonia it has a population of around 94,000 the locals speak French and Kanak dialects, the French overseas the territory and local government. The currency is French Pacific Franc but we found many places also accepted Australian money and some even accepted American money.

Even though New Caledonia is French territory it was Captain James Cook who named the place way back in 1774.

In the 1800’s Noumea had a strong frontier quality with adventurers, miners, traders, seafarers, government officials and convicts all calling the place home. Over time other ethnic groups added to the mix with Chinese, Vietnamese and during world war two American servicemen calling the place home, many went there to seek their fortunes in the nickel and gold mines.

New Caledonia’s Barrier Reef is the worlds longest and second largest behind Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The country also has the worlds largest lagoon within which you will find the picture perfect islands of Amedee and Canard also known as Duck island.

Still winter but not cold

Yes it is still winter but it isn’t that cold today, in fact the last few days it has been really warm with temps in the mid 20’s no need for the heater the last few days.

Was speaking to mum last night as I do every night and she told me that dad is really sick again, he went to see the chest specialist yesterday and when the doctor asked him how he was he replied not good doctor not good at all, this is unusual for dad generally he will say he is ok or fine when asked how he is doing by anyone.

I went to the doctors today and got a lecture about my weight and how I need to get my diabetes under better control, I said yeah I know and I know what to and not to eat and that I need to exercise more and all but knowing what to do and finding the motivation to do it can be two different things.

I said my depression is ok and well in hand, good thing a flashing light with the word liar doesn’t appear when one lies, yeah for the most part my depression is well in hand but if I was to be honest the tremor and balance problems are getting me down I am so tired of the aching and stiffness in my right arm and to make matters worse I have started getting shocking headaches again many days I have a headache.

I asked about the pain in my left thigh the doctor looked at it and added a couple of things to the form for blood tests and asked if I could go see him on Friday to which I said no sorry can’t do as I am flying to Tassie on Thursday and will not be back till next Tuesday so can see him sometime next week.

The blood test is a fasting test so I will either have it done tomorrow morning or Thursday morning if I have time and don’t forget.

School has gone back today so I will have to leave soon to go get the boys from school, I hope both boys have had a good first day of school.

About Port Denarau

Now let me tell you about Port Denarau, it is an island just of the coast of Fiji;s main island Viti Levu this is a larger island and has many luxurious hotels, a golf course with immaculately manicured residential estates with palm tree lined streets and some of the best sporting facilities in the pacific.

It has a population of over 10,000 those on the island speak English, Fijian and Hindi the currency is the Fijian dollar but many stores also accept both Australian and American dollars.

The island is attached to the Fijian mainland by a causeway, access to the island is via tender from the ship as the ship was too large for the harbour. The weather when were were there was nice sunny but not too hot nor humid.

This is the island that Tim saw the dentist on and which because of all the mucking around that resulted in I didn’t get to see much of interest, I did notice that the stores at the marina and would have liked to wonder through them but by the time all was said and done with Tim and his teeth I was too exhausted to do so.

When we were being driven around the place the areas often looked dirty compared to the marina but the people were mostly friendly and they tried to be helpful, would I go back there yeah I would.

Uncle Ronnie’s Funeral

Hello everyone it is Friday around lunch time here and yeah I know you are thinking what the hell Jo-Anne you don’t post at this time of day on a Friday or really very often at all on a Friday, but here I am writing a post today this is because I have Leo and he doesn’t want me to go shopping and leave him home alone not that I would but still asked him I could pop down the road to check the mail but no he didn’t want me to do that either so I have to wait for Kathy to come back from doing something for Natasha so she can stay with the Leo while I go out and do my shopping.

Yesterday I had to go to the funeral of my uncle Ronnie, it was a good turnout with about 60 or so people turning up, did I cry a little but not much, mum was upset a bit at times he was her younger brother by nearly 2 years he was born on the 28^th November 1941 and mum was born the 30^th January 1940.

Here is a story about Uncle Ronnie I remember mum telling me that for years the family celebrated his birthday on the 27^th because that is when nan thought he was born but when they got his birth certificate he was born on the 28^th this is because he was born at midnight and nan thought it was just before midnight and the hospital said it was just after midnight the hospital had his birthday down at the 28^th not the 27^th, go figure.

Uncle Ronnie like his younger sister Diane had two middle names Maxwell and James, Diane’s middle names were Mary and Isabel but mum has only one Jean and uncle Frank also has only one which is David.

Speaking of Uncle Frank he still doesn’t know that Uncle Ronnie has died as he is overseas and mum hasn’t been able to contact him she has sent a text message and tried to ring him a few times but nope can’t reach him.

Also the reverend that conducted the service was a dill she stuffed up the names referring to his wife as Florence then corrected herself as his wife was Eileen his mum is Florence and he said he had two sisters Francis and Mavis but Francis is his brother not his sister so she got that wrong too. She said she didn’t know Ronnie and this is true but she had notes about who was who and still got it wrong.

We didn’t hang around much after the service we did of course go the cemetery and then back to the hall for a bite to eat and a cuppa but really didn’t have much I had a can of soft drink and a party sausage roll and party pie then we left and came home. It was a 3 hour drive to and from the funeral and I wasn’t the best yesterday my balance was shocking couldn’t stand still or walk without stumbling around, I don’t like the family to see me like that as it makes them worry about me.

Well that is it for this post till next time be happy, be safe and enjoy life

Just a photo college of photos from the cruise