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What was your fasting blood glucose? (full on chat)

Annb said:
I feel myself shivering in that damp, cold place. Obviously an extra cold snap in the autumn weather. Not so late in the year for the leaves all to be gone but the damp atmosphere makes me feel cold and in need of a warm fire. I don't paint, but I draw and trees are so hard to get the texture right, but you've done it with just a few strokes.
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Thank you for the compliment @Annb
 
Good morning all from a currently bright and breezy peculiar sub-region of the Exotic East. JKP is still in the Parish of Resting-cum-Isolating for the Festival of Still Testing Positive. I have taken the last of the Paxlovid so I look forward to Paxlovid mouth being a memory. Talking of memories, today being All Souls Day is a good chance to remember and give thanks for all those who have helped shape our lives for the better, Often unknown to them and only realised much later by us. May not be quite the original reason for the day but to my simple mind God would be pleased that we are thankful for all those He provided for our help, faithful departed, skeptical, non believer or beliefs unknown. Anyhow, it isn't we who decide how they are seen by Him nor our or their ultimate fate. @gennepher thank you for the video and creative. Do those stupid cyclists act like that to everyone or target you specifically? @dunelm #kettlegate sounds like a minefield but a green, green one would be jolly. Don't spend more than £500 - austerity bites for us all. Thank you for the start of what will undoubtedly become another epic demonstration of your artistic gifts. @Krystyna23040 what a sad tale of lack of due care and attention towards your client's brother. I assume the same lack of thought lies behind those cyclists clad in black and the unprepared tourists @lindisfel mentions. @jjraak thanks for the video. Perhaps sorry may not be the hardest word but Billy has a keen eye. The midterms may be a disappointment to him. I hope today brings you all everything requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Oh no, I've said too much, I haven't said enough (no, I'm not) Toodle Pip chums.
 
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ianpspurs said:
Good morning all from a currently bright and breezy peculiar sub-region of the Exotic East. JKP is still in the Parish of Resting-cum-Isolating for the Festival of Still Testing Positive. I have taken the last of the Paxlovid so I look forward to Paxlovid mouth being a memory. Talking of memories, today being All Souls Day is a good chance to remember and give thanks for all those who have helped shape our lives for the better, Often unknown to them and only realised much later by us. May not be quite the original reason for the day but to my simple mind God would be pleased that we are thankful for all those He provided for our help, faithful depart or sceptical. Anyhow, it isn't we who decide how they are seen by Him nor our or their ultimate fate. @gennepher thank you for the video and creative. Do those stupid cyclists act like that to everyone or target you specifically? @dunelm #kettlegate sounds like a minefield but a green, green one would be jolly. Don't spend more than £500 - austerity bites for us all. Thank you for the start of what will undoubtedly become another epic demonstration of your artistic gifts. @Krystyna23040 what a sad tale of lack of due care and attention towards your client's brother. I assume the same lack of thought lies behind those cyclists clad in black and the unprepared tourists @lindisfel mentions. @jjraak thanks for the video. Perhaps sorry may not be the hardest word but Billy may has a keen eye. The mid- terms may be a disappointment to him. I hope today brings you all everything requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Oh no, I've said too much, I haven't said enough (no, I'm not) Toodle Pip chums.
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Hugs for JKP
Act like that to everyone.
Thanks for the lyrics...
 
Interesting take on the similarities between Cameron and Sunak plus the malign influence of Farage. I'm not sure the fabled Red Wall is one homogeneous Faragist block any more than East Anglia, Leafy Surrey or anywhere else are but the broad thrust is an accurate description of our journey as a country. The children's story of the Gingerbread man springs to mind. Ignore the article by all means but enjoy the story and save it for youngsters of all childhoods, prime numbered or not.
 
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ianpspurs said:
Interesting take on the similarities between Cameron and Sunak plus the malign influence of Farage. I'm not sure the fabled Red Wall is one homogeneous Faragist block any more than East Anglia, Leafy Surrey or anywhere else are but the broad thrust is an accurate description of our journey as a country. The children's story of the Gingerbread man springs to mind. Ignore the article by all means but enjoy the story and save it for youngsters of all childhoods, prime numbered or not.
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I was listening in to R4 this am when they said to get free school meals the parents had to have a income below £7500 per year.
How can these Oligarchs politicians justify treating the poor and particularly children so meanly?
 
With your permission, I am going to have a rant.

Alistair was just in with the post and he had to sit down because his injured knee was so painful he was having difficulty walking. The knee has a swelling the size of a tennis ball on it and he shouldn't really be walking on it at all until he knows what the cause is. But he works for the private company that used to be a public service, though they still try to kid everyone on by calling it Royal Mail. Alistair has struggled to work while he had serious problems with his gall bladder. Then he had to have the gall bladder removed and he was off work for 2 weeks in total, including his stay in hospital (went back far too quickly to be lifting and carrying things but he didn't want to let his employers down). Then came covid and he stayed off for 2 days while he felt really ill. But it was only 2 days because his manager phoned and said people were coming in to work with the virus. After both episodes he went back to work, dragging himself around and ensuring a longer recovery process than necessary. When I suggested that he really shouldn't be walking with that knee he told me that he is already on a final warning for taking sick leave! He does have an appointment with the physo department at the hospital but wasn't allowed time off to go during the working day, so has a very late appointment after work today.

He has worked for Royal Mail for getting on for 28 years, was Highland and Islands Postman of the Year in one of those. He doesn't strike, even though he is a member of the union - partly because, being low paid, he can't afford to and partly because his Manager depends on him to keep things ticking over (along with some others who also don't support the strikes voted for by mainland offices).
And this is how they treat him (and the others).

I thought, under employment law, an employer couldn't penalise an employee in a case of genuine illness. I also thought it was illegal to call in an employee who is off sick. If it isn't, it should be.

I know the Royal Mail is now a privatised company (part of the "family silver" sold off by the government, which never should have happened) and so they have to make money for their shareholders but to my mind they are exploiting workers. As are the employers in the Social Care sector; not that they can help it since they are so short of money themselves. Although management at the Royal Mail claim to be losing money, they are still paying their top officials and shareholders plenty. I always thought that, if you invested your money in a business and it failed to pay, you lost your money, you didn't get a bonus or a dividend. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

DIL has gone back to working as a home care worker, travelling all over the Island to clients. She is still in severe pain with her slipped disk but feels that, since she has the skills and training, she really has to try to help out. But the council pays 2 months in arrears and after working 98 hours in October, she will receive pay only for the 9 hours she did in September, while she was off sick.

I hate exploitation in any form!

OK. Rant over.
 
Annb said:
With your permission, I am going to have a rant.

Alistair was just in with the post and he had to sit down because his injured knee was so painful he was having difficulty walking. The knee has a swelling the size of a tennis ball on it and he shouldn't really be walking on it at all until he knows what the cause is. But he works for the private company that used to be a public service, though they still try to kid everyone on by calling it Royal Mail. Alistair has struggled to work while he had serious problems with his gall bladder. Then he had to have the gall bladder removed and he was off work for 2 weeks in total, including his stay in hospital (went back far too quickly to be lifting and carrying things but he didn't want to let his employers down). Then came covid and he stayed off for 2 days while he felt really ill. But it was only 2 days because his manager phoned and said people were coming in to work with the virus. After both episodes he went back to work, dragging himself around and ensuring a longer recovery process than necessary. When I suggested that he really shouldn't be walking with that knee he told me that he is already on a final warning for taking sick leave! He does have an appointment with the physo department at the hospital but wasn't allowed time off to go during the working day, so has a very late appointment after work today.

He has worked for Royal Mail for getting on for 28 years, was Highland and Islands Postman of the Year in one of those. He doesn't strike, even though he is a member of the union - partly because, being low paid, he can't afford to and partly because his Manager depends on him to keep things ticking over (along with some others who also don't support the strikes voted for by mainland offices).
And this is how they treat him (and the others).

I thought, under employment law, an employer couldn't penalise an employee in a case of genuine illness. I also thought it was illegal to call in an employee who is off sick. If it isn't, it should be.

I know the Royal Mail is now a privatised company (part of the "family silver" sold off by the government, which never should have happened) and so they have to make money for their shareholders but to my mind they are exploiting workers. As are the employers in the Social Care sector; not that they can help it since they are so short of money themselves. Although management at the Royal Mail claim to be losing money, they are still paying their top officials and shareholders plenty. I always thought that, if you invested your money in a business and it failed to pay, you lost your money, you didn't get a bonus or a dividend. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

DIL has gone back to working as a home care worker, travelling all over the Island to clients. She is still in severe pain with her slipped disk but feels that, since she has the skills and training, she really has to try to help out. But the council pays 2 months in arrears and after working 98 hours in October, she will receive pay only for the 9 hours she did in September, while she was off sick.

I hate exploitation in any form!

OK. Rant over.
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That's not a rant it is a contemporary account of life in C21st Britain for far too many. Hug for you, your son and daughter in law and all in similar situations.
 
Annb said:
With your permission, I am going to have a rant.

Alistair was just in with the post and he had to sit down because his injured knee was so painful he was having difficulty walking. The knee has a swelling the size of a tennis ball on it and he shouldn't really be walking on it at all until he knows what the cause is. But he works for the private company that used to be a public service, though they still try to kid everyone on by calling it Royal Mail. Alistair has struggled to work while he had serious problems with his gall bladder. Then he had to have the gall bladder removed and he was off work for 2 weeks in total, including his stay in hospital (went back far too quickly to be lifting and carrying things but he didn't want to let his employers down). Then came covid and he stayed off for 2 days while he felt really ill. But it was only 2 days because his manager phoned and said people were coming in to work with the virus. After both episodes he went back to work, dragging himself around and ensuring a longer recovery process than necessary. When I suggested that he really shouldn't be walking with that knee he told me that he is already on a final warning for taking sick leave! He does have an appointment with the physo department at the hospital but wasn't allowed time off to go during the working day, so has a very late appointment after work today.

He has worked for Royal Mail for getting on for 28 years, was Highland and Islands Postman of the Year in one of those. He doesn't strike, even though he is a member of the union - partly because, being low paid, he can't afford to and partly because his Manager depends on him to keep things ticking over (along with some others who also don't support the strikes voted for by mainland offices).
And this is how they treat him (and the others).

I thought, under employment law, an employer couldn't penalise an employee in a case of genuine illness. I also thought it was illegal to call in an employee who is off sick. If it isn't, it should be.

I know the Royal Mail is now a privatised company (part of the "family silver" sold off by the government, which never should have happened) and so they have to make money for their shareholders but to my mind they are exploiting workers. As are the employers in the Social Care sector; not that they can help it since they are so short of money themselves. Although management at the Royal Mail claim to be losing money, they are still paying their top officials and shareholders plenty. I always thought that, if you invested your money in a business and it failed to pay, you lost your money, you didn't get a bonus or a dividend. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

DIL has gone back to working as a home care worker, travelling all over the Island to clients. She is still in severe pain with her slipped disk but feels that, since she has the skills and training, she really has to try to help out. But the council pays 2 months in arrears and after working 98 hours in October, she will receive pay only for the 9 hours she did in September, while she was off sick.

I hate exploitation in any form!

OK. Rant over.
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Hugs for you all.
This shouldn't be happening @Annb
 
gennepher said:
Hugs for you all.
This shouldn't be happening @Annb
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It shouldn't but, as Ian says, it's the reality of life in 21st Century Britain. Not sure when it came to this - probably slowly over a number of years so I didn't notice how bad it had got. I've thought, in the past, that some strikes were unnecessary and could have been avoided with a little good will on both sides but now I think the weight of power has swung too far, making exploitation of workers too easy. And of course, it's the workers in the services that we all need that are most exploited and have the least power because they feel the responsibility to serve the community - and employers know it. I'm sounding very left wing, aren't I?
 
Annb said:
It shouldn't but, as Ian says, it's the reality of life in 21st Century Britain. Not sure when it came to this - probably slowly over a number of years so I didn't notice how bad it had got. I've thought, in the past, that some strikes were unnecessary and could have been avoided with a little good will on both sides but now I think the weight of power has swung too far, making exploitation of workers too easy. And of course, it's the workers in the services that we all need that are most exploited and have the least power because they feel the responsibility to serve the community - and employers know it. I'm sounding very left wing, aren't I?
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Not left wing, right wing or midfield just a sensible analysis of a complete mess. I'm not sure it is completely fair to say this situation was the Bexiters' plan all along because thy weren't that competent or coherent and were gifted Corbyn and his fellow travellers. It is definitely where it was always going to lead, The trouble is the B word has become like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and most certainly must not be blamed. Things won't improve until we can have a grown up discussion about how we deal with that. Other views are available from all good stores and some outrageously awful but oh so trendy ones.
 
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ianpspurs said:
Not left wing, right wing or midfield just a sensible analysis of a complete mess. I'm not sure it is completely fair to say this situation was the Bexiters' plan all along because thy weren't that competent or coherent and were gifted Corbyn and his fellow travellers. It is definitely where it was always going to lead, The trouble is the B word has become like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and most certainly must not be blamed. Things won't improve until we can have a grown up discussion about how we deal with that. Other views are available from all good stores and some outrageously awful but oh so trendy ones.
Click to expand...
To think. I used to teach management skills and was keen to point out to my students that good management leads to good employment, leads to loyal employees and good productivity. We used to discuss employment and management from times past and what was wrong with them but my students were well versed in the mantra above. Then they went into the workplace and that was about the time when things started to go really wrong - it was quite a few years ago that I retired and it all seems to have been reversed now. Perhaps my mantra should have been: exploit, exploit, exploit and get away with as much of a squeeze as you can. Make money on the backs of your employees. Take it and run before everything crashes around you.
 
It is the same all over the country in Royal Mail the managers are just carrying out the instructions of the management.

If he doesn't support the union he will have no protection for his loyalty to Royal Mail who will exploit him further and dismiss him he is long term or intermittently sick.

My S.i.L is a postman and has been over 30 years
D.
 
ianpspurs said:
Good morning all from a currently bright and breezy peculiar sub-region of the Exotic East. JKP is still in the Parish of Resting-cum-Isolating for the Festival of Still Testing Positive. I have taken the last of the Paxlovid so I look forward to Paxlovid mouth being a memory. Talking of memories, today being All Souls Day is a good chance to remember and give thanks for all those who have helped shape our lives for the better, Often unknown to them and only realised much later by us. May not be quite the original reason for the day but to my simple mind God would be pleased that we are thankful for all those He provided for our help, faithful departed, skeptical, non believer or beliefs unknown. Anyhow, it isn't we who decide how they are seen by Him nor our or their ultimate fate. @gennepher thank you for the video and creative. Do those stupid cyclists act like that to everyone or target you specifically? @dunelm #kettlegate sounds like a minefield but a green, green one would be jolly. Don't spend more than £500 - austerity bites for us all. Thank you for the start of what will undoubtedly become another epic demonstration of your artistic gifts. @Krystyna23040 what a sad tale of lack of due care and attention towards your client's brother. I assume the same lack of thought lies behind those cyclists clad in black and the unprepared tourists @lindisfel mentions. @jjraak thanks for the video. Perhaps sorry may not be the hardest word but Billy may has a keen eye. The midterms may be a disappointment to him. I hope today brings you all everything requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Oh no, I've said too much, I haven't said enough (no, I'm not) Toodle Pip chums.
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Ah thank you @ianpspurs and for the movable glass ceiling on kettlegate. Best write to Richie, he is only down the road and ask about hand crafted Chai Ketali and the melting point of hand tooled inlaid gold.
 
Annb said:
To think. I used to teach management skills and was keen to point out to my students that good management leads to good employment, leads to loyal employees and good productivity. We used to discuss employment and management from times past and what was wrong with them but my students were well versed in the mantra above. Then they went into the workplace and that was about the time when things started to go really wrong - it was quite a few years ago that I retired and it all seems to have been reversed now. Perhaps my mantra should have been: exploit, exploit, exploit and get away with as much of a squeeze as you can. Make money on the backs of your employees. Take it and run before everything crashes around you.
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I think it started with the Grantham Snatcher.
 
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