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

[gennepher]

Good morning everyone from another day in paradise in the dark and dangerous north

The wonder wheel is on strike for the foreseeable future, certainly until that yule log burns down a bit more.

First video chat at 0645 yesterday with the ninky nonks and Litttle Miss Pamplemouse to share in the laughter and joy of opening presents. We chose to post our gifts to them last Monday so were pleased to see them under the tree. Another video chat at the better hour of 11am with remaining grandchildren as they opened their gifts and then at the designated jump off time of 1600 precisely, video chat with the ninky nonks again as we had a joined up Christmas lunch - fab. A pal in California called and then at 9pm a video call with youngest son for a chat and a wee dram. Turns out we both received the same Christmas whisky tasting set - So - “I will see your Santory 12 year old and raise you a Deanston 14 year old.” “I will see your Deanston 14 year old and raise you a Geln Allachie 15 year old.” - and so to bed.

I hope that everyone had a pleasant and peaceful day - a bit of a strange Christmas day but never mind, I didn’t manage to replenish my sock drawer but did get some very handy long sleeved t shirts and a few choice books.

Not much time for art yesterday but did manage a quick pen sketch in my little moleskin book for the ninky nonks. Time for koffy

View attachment 46481

Brilliant sketch @dunelm

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

Been walking for two hours then a picnic and present exchange with daughter, SIL and youngest grandaughter in a South Westerly Blustery wind on Cannock Chase, many other families doing the same thing, but at least 100 meters between each group on Brindly Heath Common, picnic tables, chairs, food hampers, brilliant. Is this going to be the future tradition for Christmas get togethers? Doing it all over again with Son and two other grandaughters tomorrow.

Art, I have done another doodle of the Willow trees on the river Dove flood plains. Ink and wash 20 mins A4 trying to get a composition for a watercolour painting series of 3, not there yet......

 

[lindisfel]

Been walking for two hours then a picnic and present exchange with daughter, SIL and youngest grandaughter in a South Westerly Blustery wind on Cannock Chase, many other families doing the same thing, but at least 100 meters between each group on Brindly Heath Common, picnic tables, chairs, food hampers, brilliant. Is this going to be the future tradition for Christmas get togethers? Doing it all over again with Son and two other grandaughters tomorrow.

Art, I have done another doodle of the Willow trees on the river Dove flood plains. Ink and wash 20 mins A4 trying to get a composition for a watercolour painting series of 3, not there yet......

View attachment 46488

Pollard Willows, we used to find nesting Mallard in the flat top of them on the R. Witham (R.Lindis) flood plain when we were young.
D.

 

[Krystyna23040]

My old mother used to say that about the scales!

Your mother was absolutely right about the scales. Mine are exactly the same.

 

[gennepher]

Been walking for two hours then a picnic and present exchange with daughter, SIL and youngest grandaughter in a South Westerly Blustery wind on Cannock Chase, many other families doing the same thing, but at least 100 meters between each group on Brindly Heath Common, picnic tables, chairs, food hampers, brilliant. Is this going to be the future tradition for Christmas get togethers? Doing it all over again with Son and two other grandaughters tomorrow.

Art, I have done another doodle of the Willow trees on the river Dove flood plains. Ink and wash 20 mins A4 trying to get a composition for a watercolour painting series of 3, not there yet......

View attachment 46488

I love these pollarded willows @Muddy Cyclist

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

how did I get to 65.5 and not know/learn how marginalised Shepherds were in the society Jesus was born into,

I am surprised. However in fairness I Only first realised this at a Children's Nativity play a couple of years ago when Mary refused to show the baby Jesus to the many tea towel clad boys, then the three Kings pushed them off the stage when they arrived. This amounted to two of the shepherds bursting into tears only to be hurried away by a teacher after which Joseph shouted "You have ruined the evening" one of the more entertaining Nativities I have attended.

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

I love these pollarded willows @Muddy Cyclist

Thank you. However I need more drama. So more sketching yet.

 

[ianpspurs]

I am surprised. However in fairness I Only first realised this at a Children's Nativity play a couple of years ago when Mary refused to show the baby Jesus to the many tea towel clad boys, then the three Kings pushed them off the stage when they arrived. This amounted to two of the shepherds bursting into tears only to be hurried away by a teacher after which Joseph shouted "You have ruined the evening" one of the more entertaining Nativities I have attended.

Did the poor mites or audience understand any of that? I think my point was I have heard any amount of sermons, endless fire and brimstone thundering and lectern thumping but never how inclusive it was to reach out to the shepherds.

 

[SlimLizzy]

OK - so now we need to know what your secret is - come on, spill the beans.

Prediabetes

Actually - what I have found with my meter is that it is always right when the reading is lower than I expected - but it is always (without exception) wrong and of course faulty when my reading is higher than expected.

Laughed out loud at this @Krystyna23040

 

[Krystyna23040]

Laughed out loud at this @Krystyna23040

What is funny is that if I get a low reading I always believe it is correct and never recheck it but it I get a higher reading than I think I should I always re-check it. Sadly it is often even higher.

 

[lindisfel]

Did the poor mites or audience understand any of that? I think my point was I have heard any amount of sermons, endless fire and brimstone thundering and lectern thumping but never how inclusive it was to reach out to the shepherds.

Thats interesting one, Ian and could lead to a long theological discussion.

However, Mary and Jeseph would hardly look down on shepherds, coming back to their origins, Bethlehem, of the line of David, the king and one time shepherd himself, a king incensed at the man who took the lamb in Nathan's timely illustration.
Mary and Joseph in poverty had pigeons sacrificed at the temple.
I guess there is this tension between the intellectuallism of Paul and humble birth of most first century bible characters.
Whereas the leaders of the major relgious groups in Jewish society at the time felt the people were worthless, apart from notable exceptions like Nicodemus.
D.

 

[dunelm]

@dunelm Ninky Nonk art,why not, always doing it for my grandaughters, do like that leaf on bottom left, lesser gnome variety of plant?

Thanks @Muddy Cyclist - truth to tell the green ink pen decided to unload more than anticipated and had to be spread using a cocktail stick whilst citing quotes from the book Chosen Words by Ivor Brown.

 

[dunelm]

Brilliant sketch @dunelm

Thank you @gennepher, the ninky nonks are excitedly awaiting it to be posted to them so that they can argue about where it will end up. Oh to be 3 again.

 

[dunelm]

Been walking for two hours then a picnic and present exchange with daughter, SIL and youngest grandaughter in a South Westerly Blustery wind on Cannock Chase, many other families doing the same thing, but at least 100 meters between each group on Brindly Heath Common, picnic tables, chairs, food hampers, brilliant. Is this going to be the future tradition for Christmas get togethers? Doing it all over again with Son and two other grandaughters tomorrow.

Art, I have done another doodle of the Willow trees on the river Dove flood plains. Ink and wash 20 mins A4 trying to get a composition for a watercolour painting series of 3, not there yet......

View attachment 46488

Picnic on the common sounds like a great way to get to see each other and as you say, could be the future. Smashing composition, I do like Willows. A good number in our park were planted in the 1930’s - some have been coppiced, some pollarded and some storm damaged stumps have risen like the phoenix.

 

[gennepher]

Fbg 6.9
I need to stop eating those biscuits. But in my defence they do have thick dark chocolate on them...

Painting for today.
Digital painting in Procreate with some of my stack of stencils...
Experimenting...

 

[dunelm]

Good morning everyone from the calm after the storm in the dark and dangerous north

The wonder wheel is still in hiding - I will fit the new one when my brand new round tewit turns up.

Lovely blow out yesterday with a good paced stomp round the park. Very few people about but a few children excitedly charging about on new sets of wheels. Five swans a swimming on the lake, disappointing that they did not know the lyrics. The three cygnets are now equal in mass to their parents (at least at sea level and not counting the gravitational pull of the planets) although they still have their mottled plumage.
Video chat with mother - she is determined (again) never to do roast goose with all the trimmings from now on. Pretty sure she made that statement last year - and the year before that.
Not sure that I am with it. Made a cafetière of koffy and only when I had fitted the lid did I notice that I had put in a tea bag instead of koffy. Oh well.
Art today - bit of a doodle on procreate. Have a wonderful day if you can. Must attempt a decent koffy.

 

[dunelm]

Fbg 6.9
I need to stop eating those biscuits. But in my defence they do have thick dark chocolate on them...

Painting for today.
Digital painting in Procreate with some of my stack of stencils...
Experimenting...

View attachment 46497

Excellent, moody piece. The water and the colour scheme takes me back to the opening sequence of BBC Arena. You need to persevere with those biscuits. A great many people involved in their manufacture, packaging design and delivery are relying upon your steadfastness.

 

[karen8967]

5.9 for me have a good day everyone

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

Picnic on the common sounds like a great way to get to see each other and as you say, could be the future. Smashing composition, I do like Willows. A good number in our park were planted in the 1930’s - some have been coppiced, some pollarded and some storm damaged stumps have risen like the phoenix.

Thank you, tough old trees those Willows.

 

[Muddy Cyclist]

Good Morning and 5.8 for me today.

After the heavy rain last night the temperature plummets a cold day in store. Visiting son and eldest Grandaughters for picnic and present exchange, warm clothes will be the order of the day.

Keep warm and safe.