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Diabetes, life and all that - personal diary

Today was a strange day I think for many of us, not all diabetes related. My grandad is 95 and becoming confused so he decided not to attend the family Christmas dinner today at my parents. In some ways this was sad as it served to reiterate that he is leaving us , bit by bit, but in other ways I am glad he felt able to say that he wanted to be on his own without feeling pressurised to leave his familiar surroundings. We called in to see him and collect our gifts and then again on way home from my parents with a dinner for him to heat tomorrow. He seemed pleased to have seen us and spent some time with myself and his great grandson and I think your mother will have enjoyed her time with you today and tomorrow you can spend some family time with your son and father. My son is 21 and has recently started to think about ageing and our passing and it makes him sad, but even though I am not religious, if we are remembered by those who love us and our values are cherished and past on to our children and their children, then we live forever. My grandad taught me so much and was such an important part of my life as a child and adult and I have tried to treat others with the respect he has shown me- for you to have turned out so caring a son and husband and father, your dad must have been a father to be proud of too.
 
@cold ethyl

Thank you for sharing this with me and for your kind, wise and comforting words. They are very much appreciated.

All the best to you and your family

Pavlos
 
A new day, today! Boxing Day or the day after The Day before.

Fasting count this morning 106 mg/dl or 5,88 mmol/l, which I will happily take on a Boxing Day!

Down to an even better 98mg/dl or 5,44 by the end of a 6,5km. My meter is in mg/dl and it is always nice to see two digit numbers on its screen!

Bright sunshine, which always helps to put me in a more positive frame of mind, but still quite chilly outside as I set out on my walk at 7:00 am with a temperature of about 8c . it is expected to warm up and get to the high teens by midday.

There are some unexpected floral displays on show as a result of the very mild weather.





If these really are a kind of daffodil as I suspect they are, then they have no business blooming at Christmas.

I am not sure when this Clerodendrum (splendens?) is supposed to bloom, but I do find it extremely beautiful.



It is also seemingly quite rare as I do not recall ever seeing it before.

I grow a different variety of clerodendrum in my summer house in Protaras, clerodendrum bungei, a very attractive but highly invasive plant (I grow mine in a raised bed where it can be contained)



As far as I recall this one blooms in late spring, early summer.

The rest of the family is still asleep upstairs, as I return from my walk.

I think my son wore himself out yesterday, playing with his new Playstation 4 non-stop for the best part of the day!

We shall have to talk about setting some limits but as it was his first day with a new toy yesterday, I thought I would let him enjoy the excitement. After all, like all men I know what it's like to have a new toy to play with!

Matter of fact, the wife often accuses me that some of the things I buy for my son, are really meant for me!

I wonder whatever put that notion into her head?

Enjoy your day everyone!

Pavlos
 
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Woke up nursing a sore head, the celebrations for my sister in law's fortieth birthday last night being the reason for this.

The weather outside seemed yo match my mood perfectly: grey, overcast, wet and miserable.



There is not a lot that a few more hours and a good cup of tea will not fix though.

The weather brightened up enough for me to visit the Athalassa National Park, a small forest of pine and eucalyptus trees and a lake with wild ducks this time of the year. Incredibly this was the first time at the park,















This may have been the my first time there but it will not be the last.






The best part about the place I can not capture in my photos and that was the silence, broken only by the calls of the wild birds.



A small bit of easily accessible haven



The day did not end up so bad after all!

Pavlos
 
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Gorgeous!
 
I was planning to do a this was my year post with a selection of the year's photo highlights but Facebook beat me to it, so here goes:









 
Arrived in Dubai, where it really is quite warm and the sunshine almost too bright



We arrived at 1:00 am this morning and by the time we made it through passport control, customs control and were checked into our hotel it was 4:00 and did not go to sleep until 5:00 am.

So this first day has been a bit of a take it easy day, sleeping all morning and just having a look around Burj Khalifa in the afternoon.




View of the Burj from our hotel pool's terrace.

Yesterday was a bid of a disaster diet wise with airport and airplane food being the usual carb heavy fair.

At least I am getting plenty of walking now. The Mall of Dubai really is huge. Malls are not my favorite places to walk, I prefer less crowded and more natural surroundings, but this one is not bad as these places go.

Pavlos
 

The scenery is almost a photocopy of the Galilee in every aspect. Love seeing some of Cyprus through your eyes.
 
Pasha said:
The scenery is almost a photocopy of the Galilee in every aspect. Love seeing some of Cyprus through your eyes.
Click to expand...
I have been to Israel on only two short visits, just weekends really, and have only ever been to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv; both fascinating places in very contrasting ways.

I would love the chance to explore more!
 
So windy here any fireworks would give up the ghost. Have a fabulous New Year x
 
Happy New Year!

Please post more warm pictures. It's way too cold here.
 
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Happy New Year Pavlos to you and your family Look forward to seeing some more of your beautiful photos.
 
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