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

[gennepher]

Frustrating day and understandable that your artwork would reflect that. Having said that, The Breckalnd Bugle fully approves and rates it a must see. G and T time (s)?

Coffee and cream first...and then the G&T...

 

[dunelm]

My painting for today,. An abstract of what is in front of me.
A trying morning. Communication problems where people expect me to telephone despite them knowing I am deaf, and cannot use the phone. It was to arrange some medical appointments and investigations I normally have this time of year, but with coronavirus I had no idea what was happening. So I just turned up to ask at the health centre. I was masked. Other parts of it appeared to be operating as normal, apart from screens. But my GP Practice was barricaded at the entrance bit with chairs piled on top of each other like some crazy tower. The grille bars were down to the counter. I couldn't see anyone. There were some weird notices saying you needed to use your app (what app?? I haven't had any information from the GP surgery about this new way of getting to see them) to say you are there and some one will come to let you in.

So I tried to squeeze in through the side of the chairs, and then this woman starts shouting at me from behind the grill motioning me to go away, and telephone. I tried to explain I was deaf and was unable to telephone.But she just got angrier. So I just stood there. In the end she came charging round the grille ranting and raving at me. Telling me to go away, and to use the telephone.

I explained again I was deaf, couldn't hear on the telephone, and I had no one to phone for me. She appeared to understand. And I showed her my repeat prescription, where on the last page it asks me to make an appointment for my investigations etc at my GP Surgery which was here. You need to telephone she said. I pointed to my deaf badge and explained again I cannot hear on the telephone.

Finally she understood. I will make the appointments for you, but it will take half an hour, wait there.

There were no chairs to sit on, they were piled in a tower, and if I had tried to move one, the whole lot would have come tumbling down. So, I am standing, my hips hurt, I am on my crutches. I try leaning against the wall, the railings, and I am dying for a wee, but the toilet doors are taped shut, telling you that you cannot go to the toilet.

Finally the lady came out. And I have two appointments now one after the other on the same day in September. There should have been a third appointment, but if I had spent any longer in the surgery, there would have been a spreading puddle on the floor.

She is sending me a pdf, which apparently I should have been sent. So I gave her my email address again. It is on their files.

I did try emailing them awhile ago, but I got this email message to say they didn't respond very quickly to email and to telephone....????

I have just realised I am never going to last the time needed for those two appointments without a toilet. Oh well, I will just wear a long skirt that day and no ........, and if the toilets are not open by then, I shall be going back to my car, between appointments, and pretend to check I have locked it....

I am not in any mood for any calming Zen work today...

This is an abstract sketching what is in front of my eyes....
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow...


View attachment 43002

Enough frustration for a whole week and seems to confirm what I think about why we bother with GP notes.
Wonderful green scale abstract - it it you in the middle of it all or popeye?
Feet up - G&T time

 

[JohnEGreen]

Going by the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition, woke means “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)”

What this may have to do with a beverage I am unsure of.

 

[ianpspurs]

Going by the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s definition, woke means “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)”

What this may have to do with a beverage I am unsure of.

Tea may be as bad but somewhere along the line racism/exploitation is involved in production. My original post was more tongue in cheek but there is a serious point in there. https://www.javarepublic.com/no-ethics-coffee/

 

[gennepher]

Good morning everyone from a Moist Von Lipwig of a start in the dark and dangerous north

The wonder wheel of yet more chicken and a splodge of chia pudding for afters occasioned a 5.0 this am

Baby sitting duties today - play mats, cushions, soft toys, complaints about gums.
Not sure about the rest of the day. I have a book that I need to put down for a few days as it’s doing my head in so I will have a crack at something called The Second Sleep by Robert Harris - an author that I am unfamiliar with - not that I ever get to be familiar with other authors.

Messing on with Procreate. Not sure about this one but I don’t want to add anything else.
Have the best day that you can I am off for koffy.

View attachment 42996

I am finding Procreate hard to get to grips with @dunelm
I did find out how to add extra free brushes, but it has already got enough brushes to fiddle with.
I like your trees, especially the one on the left.
I find I can spend far too long on this digital stuff.

 

[gennepher]

Enough frustration for a whole week and seems to confirm what I think about why we bother with GP notes.
Wonderful green scale abstract - it it you in the middle of it all or popeye?
Feet up - G&T time

I haven't done anything since I came home this morning, just sat still in bed, or in the potting shed with Popeye. I've learnt that doing virtually nothing gets me more back to equilibrium, than trying to push through the feelings and frustration I have about this morning. Doing the abstract painting helped a bit.

Thank you for the painting compliment @dunelm
I am actually on the right front of the painting...my legs and feet.
In the middle, the rounded shape is laughing Buddha.
Above to the left of him is my wooden artists jointed figure I use for drawing from.

Popeye is out of sight on the left of the painting!

 

[gennepher]

My effort tonight. I got upset with @gennepher recount of her day, I know what it's like to have your disabilities ignored. Anyway, it inspired this work, hope you like it. Again it is based on images of things I'm looking at rather than from purely inside my head.

The background is from Zen, butterfly and barbed wire were images I had already, the composition is mine

(oh, I tried really hard to not be so focused )

View attachment 43005

Hugs @Alien Aspie
It is because we look 'normal' (generally) that our disabilities are ignored. In my case you cannot see deafness. And because I talk, therefore I cannot be deaf. That is their logic. 'They' are the ignorant ones.

I was 'designing' a t-shirt in my head as I was driving home, with a slogan about deafness...but got home before I 'finished' it....but it would probably be a useless concept anyway.

I like the idea of the butterfly and the barbed wire very much. It sums up the situation for me.
It has both beauty (butterfly) and an ugliness (the red hot barbed bit).

 

[alf_Josiah]

Late posting from from me and me's this Thursday, again stuff got in the way.

6.7 this morning.

I think this picture says quite a lot.

 

[JohnEGreen]

There are Fairtrade options.

"
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
With Fairtrade you have the power to change the world every day. With simple shopping choices you can get farmers a better deal. And that means they can make their own decisions, control their future and lead the dignified life everyone deserves."

https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/what-is-fairtrade/

And The Rainforest Alliance

"What does the Rainforest Alliance seal mean?
Planetary health is an ongoing dance of interdependence. Our approach to sustainability recognizes that the essential elements of this dance are inseparable: ecosystem health, human rights, and improved rural livelihoods. Likewise, our green frog seal indicates that a farm, forest, or tourism enterprise has been audited against rigorous certification standards that require meaningful steps toward long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability."

https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/faqs/what-does-rainforest-alliance-certified-mean.

 

[ianpspurs]

There are Fairtrade options.

"
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.
By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.
With Fairtrade you have the power to change the world every day. With simple shopping choices you can get farmers a better deal. And that means they can make their own decisions, control their future and lead the dignified life everyone deserves."

https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/what-is-fairtrade/

And The Rainforest Alliance

"What does the Rainforest Alliance seal mean?
Planetary health is an ongoing dance of interdependence. Our approach to sustainability recognizes that the essential elements of this dance are inseparable: ecosystem health, human rights, and improved rural livelihoods. Likewise, our green frog seal indicates that a farm, forest, or tourism enterprise has been audited against rigorous certification standards that require meaningful steps toward long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability."

https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/faqs/what-does-rainforest-alliance-certified-mean.

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-100-assam-tea-bags/620956-381214-381215

 

[Krystyna23040]

Choice been made for me, 3 hour ride, too tired on trick down hill section, bike wheels and loose gravel do not get on and so a big crash, bike went from under me, I was left hovering for a few moments and then gravity took over, down I went and landed on my handle bars sharp side up. Thank goodness I have Bar Ends otherwise it would have been a Core Injury where the metal enters into you soft tissue and when removed cores your inards like an apple. I just have a Half Crown size bruise and a lot of aches, hope no broken ribs. However can't face singing as injury is on my chest.

Moral of this story never let your children, grandchildren or yourself Ride with bar end missing from handle bars.

Ouch - that sounds really painful. Hopefully your ribs are not broken. Thank goodness you had bar ends on your handle bars.

 

[Krystyna23040]

First port of call on day out - the builders merchant

Hope you also went somewhere nice on your day out.

 

[Krystyna23040]

o I tried to squeeze in through the side of the chairs, and then this woman starts shouting at me from behind the grill motioning me to go away, and telephone. I tried to explain I was deaf and was unable to telephone.But she just got angrier. So I just stood there. In the end she came charging round the grille ranting and raving at me. Telling me to go away, and to use the telephone.

What a horrible experience @gennepher. She really should have apologised for her behaviour but it doesn't sound as though she did.

 

[geefull]

good evening all

was 4.5 this morning

a 'buff' defying 11'C here today not too warm for the 30th July or for our day in the charity 'big shed'

Hope your day is increasingly kind

@gennepher - what a horrible, stressful day for you, hope it improves. I enjoyed your 'green' abstract view though. Green is quite a calming colour for me, hope it is for you too
(mr gee endorses the G+T idea - plus he points out the bottle will coordinate well with the 'green theme' for today )

@dunelm - Nice treescape and the grass areas are very effective with the slight colour variations. I also like the hint of mountains peeking through on the right hand side

@Alien Aspie - interesting and effective conceptual art today, really expresses the idea well

@Muddy Cyclist - That's a nasty 'ding' you've aquired I hope it heals up well and quickly for you.
I just love your colour wash painting as it is but also look forward to seeing if/how you decide to progress it

art bit -

this was me trying to render a beach photo I saw on Pinterest, I quite like the way the sky turned out

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

@gennepher A very expressive piece of art, sorry you had such an awful experience today.
@Alien Aspie powerful imagery there drawn from experience and emotions over @gennepher the power of art at its best.
@geefull that is a great sky and reflection on the sea and sand.
@dunelm another success

I do like seeing all your art, brilliant creativity.

Thank you all for your concerns over my half crown bruise not getting any bluer but hurts lots more. Now need to get back on bike and ride that section again to chase away those niggling demons about that corner. But not Friday as I think I need to rest it. Also we are booked in at Dorothy Clive Gardens in the morning for an early visit.

 

[gennepher]

What a horrible experience @gennepher. She really should have apologised for her behaviour but it doesn't sound as though she did.

No, she didn’t apologise @Krystyna23040
People never do.

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

I should have left yesterday's paintings as it was, FINISHED in @gennepher eyes and mine really. Still in good Muudy. Cyclist fashion I had to twiddle. I am definitely not an abstract artist don't like it, will bin it but will foolishly show you the mess I have made of what was a good stand alone painting. Lesson learnt DONT FIDDLE and KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

How did it get so green?

PS so you can compare here is yesterday's...
Much better

 

[gennepher]

good evening all

was 4.5 this morning

a 'buff' defying 11'C here today not too warm for the 30th July or for our day in the charity 'big shed'

Hope your day is increasingly kind

@gennepher - what a horrible, stressful day for you, hope it improves. I enjoyed your 'green' abstract view though. Green is quite a calming colour for me, hope it is for you too
(mr gee endorses the G+T idea - plus he points out the bottle will coordinate well with the 'green theme' for today )

@dunelm - Nice treescape and the grass areas are very effective with the slight colour variations. I also like the hint of mountains peeking through on the right hand side

@Alien Aspie - interesting and effective conceptual art today, really expresses the idea well

@Muddy Cyclist - That's a nasty 'ding' you've aquired I hope it heals up well and quickly for you.
I just love your colour wash painting as it is but also look forward to seeing if/how you decide to progress it

art bit -

this was me trying to render a beach photo I saw on Pinterest, I quite like the way the sky turned out
View attachment 43009

Thank you @geefull
Yes green is a calming colour. I like it very much, which may be the reason I love your green hills.
Glad the G&T was endorsed by Mr G!

I love the whole of your painting from the sky to the sea to the sand. It all flows so beautifully.

 

[gennepher]

@gennepher A very expressive piece of art, sorry you had such an awful experience today.
@Alien Aspie powerful imagery there drawn from experience and emotions over @gennepher the power of art at its best.
@geefull that is a great sky and reflection on the sea and sand.
@dunelm another success

I do like seeing all your art, brilliant creativity.

Thank you all for your concerns over my half crown bruise not getting any bluer but hurts lots moree. Now need to get back on bike and ride that section again to chase away those niggling demons about that corner. But not Friday as I think I need to rest it. Also we are booked in at Dorothy Clive Gardens in the morning for an early visit.

Thank you for the compliment on my green abstract painting @Muddy Cyclist

Take care of that bruise.
Enjoy the Dorothy Clive Gardens.

 

[lindisfel]

Enough frustration for a whole week and seems to confirm what I think about why we bother with GP notes.
Wonderful green scale abstract - it it you in the middle of it all or popeye?
Feet up - G&T time

Poor triage at surgery.
Using the British abroad approach with you...just shout louder!
Hope you soon feel better, gennepher, one cannot stand friction when one gets older.
D.