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

good evening all

4.7 today

a quiet day here today, hardly a soul to be seen outside, not even many dog walkers. At least it's not too cold, I have amassed a fine collection of hats and scarves since being diagnosed and losing weight, like many other of our number I really feel the cold now

Tried some LC baking today, I found a recipe supposed to be suitable either savoury for pastryish use or sweet version as a biscuit. Suffice it to say I could corner the market in roof tiles I'll stick to LC cake

Hope your day is treating you kindly

@ianpspurs - 'Glenmorangie' you say, many years ago when we first lived in the area we toured the distillery to see the sixteen men of Tain at work. At that time the tour included a taste of over proof, undiluted product in the maturing sheds nowadays the tax man counts every drop in the bonded warehouse

@gennepher - lovely long landscape vista with the distant mountains and fine waterfalls, It works vry well and I like your palette of greens The grotto is looking splendid

@dunelm - another strong sketch, the waterfall flows well

@HarryBeau - yay for the negative test

@SlimLizzy - here's hoping for dry sleep in your near future

@Alien Aspie - glad the boiler is fixed, it's getting too cold to be without
and another fine and thought provoking sketch, thank you

art bit -

inspired by a photo I saw on the net
 
I watched two men feeding those who who had no food on BBC news tonight. They must have had some organised ideas and they had. But boy weren't they moved with compassion for the people who had dropped off the radar.
Like the koine Greek word in the NT means literally 'bowels' , it is the word used of Jesus.
If ever your bowels move because of compassion it can't be organised and it wasn't in the men in dog collars I saw tonight. They did something about the situation.
 

My area is very good at caring for the homeless, it could be better but overall it beats some of the surrounding places. At Christmas, the businesses come together with volunteers and the local soup kitchen to offer what they can. Last year was a great turnout, even the local chip shop provided fish and chips.

With covid many of the street people have been moved into temp accommodation so I'm waiting to see what we will do this year. I know the Muslim and Sikh community has already said they will do the drive around to hand out food, last year our local church baled out but we have a new vicar now who is also a neighbour of mine so I will be leaning on him next week.

I've been homeless, only once over Christmas though but it's hard to watch a world enjoying itself when you feel broken.
 
A wonderfully crafted poem of reflection and recognition of sacrifice and care. Thanks for posting this and other poetry links. I am out of the habit of reading poetry and your links have rekindled it. I have shelves of poetry books and have started reading from them again.

As for religion, Christianity or any other I have no issue with any individuals beliefs or involvement, each to his own and respect should be given to how each person follows their beliefs providing that no harm is being done by such beliefs. I see myself as Christian. Like you I have been a Sunday school teacher, also Sunday school superintendent, church steward, lay preacher, youth club leader, so have been steeped in organised religion. Now I think the world would be better for the demise of the Organised Established Church as it operates today, this is just my opinion, I have no desire to stop others taking part in such organisations, so please keep posting your links and readings I enjoy following them.
 
Your hills/mountains are amazing yet again, love it.
 
I'm glad the poems have rekindled your love of poetry. Rekindled is very apposite bearing in mind last night's poem. Interesting journey you have been on. Organised religion is interesting. I have been very fortunate in the Anglican Churches and Vicars I have attended. That makes a big difference as you will know. It will be interesting once we attend here. I wasn't impressed by the fact there was no Ashing service but we live in hope. There is a danger of people worshipping "The Church" both local and their variety.
 
Wonderful, there are so many caring people in the world, it strengthens my belief that the majority of humanity are still caring and decent.
 
@gennepher - lovely long landscape vista with the distant mountains and fine waterfalls, It works vry well and I like your palette of greens The grotto is looking splendid


art bit -

inspired by a photo I saw on the net
View attachment 45998
Thank you for the compliments @geefull

Your painting is beautiful and peaceful and restful.
 
Organised religion is interesting
Yes, I use the word Organised in too broad a sense it makes me sound as if I'm against people getting together in their chosen faith, this is not so, my opinion is much more complex, Organised is most certainly not the correct word, Established maybe better but still not right.

And don't get me wrong I love nothing better than singing good old hymns, not new ones, blood and thunder sermons the social gathering of likeminded people, working in the community, but spare me the pomp and ceremony .

I have picked up a volume of poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins this evening, a lot of alliteration good for inspiring some art work.
 
Art a bit late today. Reading The Windhover poem by Hopkins I picked up my sketch pad and scribbled the Kestral at the start of the day described in the opening of the poem.....
A4 less than 10 minutes....

@lindisfel appologise if I have not drawn a Kestral.
 

Not wishing to start a debate, but some people find it hard to differentiate between churchianity and Christianity, me and me's have seen to many people suffer and die unjustly to accept etc, etc. This is not an attack on anybodies views, but is me and me's views. Do not take offence.
 
Fbg 6.8

Ate a bit more than usual yesterday. All appropriate foods for my Type 2, but a bit more than usual with working in the cold...enjoyed the extra food!

I never showed you Santa's face properly yesterday. I made that Santa from a baby's red babygro, and the Santa jacket in the front was bought from a pet shop (it was for a dog, and thus saved me time!). And made his face, drew and sewed it on a child's white sock which I stuffed. I just had a message from a friend saying where did you buy your Santa from, I want one. I had already told her I had made it. So I was a bit annoyed.

Grandkids loved the Santa, and his handlebar moustache and beard and caterpillar eyebrows. They are going to suggest Santa antics each day, and I have to photograph and send to them.

I don't think this Santa face is that good. But it is the best my arthritic hands will allow me now, and took me ages.

From the early 70's I made hand sewn goods. And among them were Calico dolls, double-headed dolls (my speciality), Holly Hobbie dolls, Jack-in-the-boxes, and more. So, I was pretty good then in drawing/painting and sewing those faces on. I know many are still around now and have been passed on to the children's children and so on. It is nice to know they have lasted the test of time.

 

I gave it funny - apprentice fumbler on the boiler - using up any old spares in his van.
Tragic for the message in the picture - for some, the festival of Saturn and how society fails to step in - send it to Boris.
 

Thank you @Muddy Cyclist - I shall hunt some out for next year and possibly for other occations.
 
That would me marvellous - rugby and whisky - can’t say too much about it right now - agencies as far away as Japan may be watching and they have already dropped the letter ‘e’ from their whisky and it has leaked into Scotland already.
 
Morning all. Not 7.00 am and some profound thoughts and truly wonderful family history being made. Business first. Fbg of 4.2 at new normal 5.00 am wakey, wake , hi. Swipey so some doubts over the soundness of the currency. The graph shows I was down to 3 in Swipeyland during the night but no obvious effects. Now. My week had two recurrent words: immensity and mimesis. Lo and behold @alf_Josiah triggers at least one with "churchianity and Christianity," Then @gennepher's grandchildren suggest a wonderful life for her Santa which triggers another. Mr Insensitive next door has opened a magical family experience of an immensity beyond his grasp. There is a (for me really interesting and fruitful) discussion to be had around Alf's point which in my simple mind touches upon issues raised by @Alien Aspie , @Muddy Cyclist and @lindisfel. I draw too many comparisons but for me that discussion links directly into my concerns around Pearl Clutchers and managing T2 largely or entirely by diet. That needs a catchy title which alludes me for now. I clearly need more tea. Pip Pip Old Toots
 
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Thank you for the Robert Hayden poem - how much we take for granted without any thought.
 
That would me marvellous - rugby and whisky - can’t say too much about it right now - agencies as far away as Japan may be watching and they have already dropped the letter ‘e’ from their whisky and it has leaked into Scotland already.
I was forced to research some Japanese produce when No1 son won some in a works raffle. Amazing but now he lives so close £200+ would not last long. Please keep all this research confidential it is delicate work which now assumes vital importance for the future of mankind.
 
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