• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

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

I used to enjoy our (diesel) Land Rover back in the 80's. It was bought 2nd hand and was great for a long time, but the electrics started going wrong and nobody seemed to be able to fix it. Bit of a pain getting into it after dark to find you have no lights because it had blown another fuse. Great vehicle though. Carried anything we wanted from goats or sheep to weekly shopping. Eventually it was sold for spares to someone who did have working electrics. It was a bit of a come-down to transfer to a Renault hatchback. Nothing wrong with Renaults, but they are not Land Rovers.

For sentimental value though, nothing can beat the old Jowett Javelin - the first car I learned to drive.
 
In case you've never heard of it the Jowett Javelin was built in Bradford in the late 40's to the early 50's with a 1500 cc engine. 4 gears (column gear stick). A very roomy 4 seater (bench seats front and rear so we could get 6 in). Engine layout was different to the normal - flat and laid across rather than upright and front to back. Only problem - spark plugs were set too low so Kentish annual flooding was an issue. Solved by putting in motor boat plugs. Weighed about 1000 kg. NOTE: the semaphor indicators.

1695989974732.png

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/1951-jowett-javelin.html
 
I have been very frustrated the last 2 days. I had brought something on eBay, and she was sending it me first class next day delivery and I should have got it by 1:00 p.m. yesterday. So I'm having to be around the kitchen, sitting by the window to make sure I don't miss the doorbell because I have to sign for it. It never came yesterday so I'm going through the same process today and I was looking forward with the sun being out to spend a nice day in the garden but I had to hang around the front, either the front room or do something in the kitchen, and by this time I'm feeling so tired I just need a nap.

Finally at 1:00 p.m. for the second day, I resigned myself to that it's not going to come today then at about 1:10pm my eyes going to sleep and I am on my bed, and somewhere in my consciousness because I was wearing my cochlear processor I'm vaguely very faintly aware of a doorbell, so in my sleep I'm shouting 'coming coming'. I'm still asleep as I get out of bed grab my sticks, get to my bedroom door 'coming coming' I'm shouting, managed to make my way to the front of the bungalow 'coming coming', I get into the kitchen, 'nearly there coming I'm nearly there' (I don't know if my shouting sounds like sex act or something). 'Got the key I'm opening the door now'. It takes me nearly 4 minutes to get from my bed at the back of the bungalow all the way around the bungalow to the kitchen door and usually somebody's well gone by then. But my regular postman knows that takes me a while getting to the door.

I open the door but it's not the regular postman but somebody of a similar age to him and he was grinning, I'm not quite sure what he was grinning about (but then when I think about it my regular postman's always grinning & laughing his head off when I open the door to him when he's ringing the doorbell..oh dear...).... I said I'm sorry but I was asleep on my bed and it takes me awhile to get to the door. I just need a signature he says. My signature was more like a piece of abstract art, I still wasn't awake. He left still grinning...
 
Hug for all the waiting and then rushing to get to the door. It was much easier during the covid lockdown when posties were allowed just to leave the parcel and photograph it for proof of delivery. I don't know why they didn't stick to what was a perfectly good system. The signature method causes too much hassle for some people and slows down the posties.
 
gennepher said:
I have been very frustrated the last 2 days. I had brought something on eBay, and she was sending it me first class next day delivery and I should have got it by 1:00 p.m. yesterday. So I'm having to be around the kitchen, sitting by the window to make sure I don't miss the doorbell because I have to sign for it. It never came yesterday so I'm going through the same process today and I was looking forward with the sun being out to spend a nice day in the garden but I had to hang around the front, either the front room or do something in the kitchen, and by this time I'm feeling so tired I just need a nap.

Finally at 1:00 p.m. for the second day, I resigned myself to that it's not going to come today then at about 1:10pm my eyes going to sleep and I am on my bed, and somewhere in my consciousness because I was wearing my cochlear processor I'm vaguely very faintly aware of a doorbell, so in my sleep I'm shouting 'coming coming'. I'm still asleep as I get out of bed grab my sticks, get to my bedroom door 'coming coming' I'm shouting, managed to make my way to the front of the bungalow 'coming coming', I get into the kitchen, 'nearly there coming I'm nearly there' (I don't know if my shouting sounds like sex act or something). 'Got the key I'm opening the door now'. It takes me nearly 4 minutes to get from my bed at the back of the bungalow all the way around the bungalow to the kitchen door and usually somebody's well gone by then. But my regular postman knows that takes me a while getting to the door.

I open the door but it's not the regular postman but somebody of a similar age to him and he was grinning, I'm not quite sure what he was grinning about (but then when I think about it my regular postman's always grinning & laughing his head off when I open the door to him when he's ringing the doorbell..oh dear...).... I said I'm sorry but I was asleep on my bed and it takes me awhile to get to the door. I just need a signature he says. My signature was more like a piece of abstract art, I still wasn't awake. He left still grinning...
Click to expand...
A funny seemed in order because of the grinning and piece in brackets - sorry. Does not giving a hug for the waiting and rushing make me a bad person or just an overgrown schoolboy?
 
Annb said:
Glad it went well, Ian. Hope you have some sun to sit in with your tea. Enjoy your meal, or snack - whichever you chose to have.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Wonderful picture of the Jowett Javelin. Very sunny here, prefect for enjoying lc pasta with lc Bolognese sauce and cheese. I blame @Krystyna23040 for the overwhelming urge to dip and scoop a dessert spoon into the kg tub of peanut butter. My mum warned me about girls like that :D
 
Last edited:
Annb said:
Hug for all the waiting and then rushing to get to the door. It was much easier during the covid lockdown when posties were allowed just to leave the parcel and photograph it for proof of delivery. I don't know why they didn't stick to what was a perfectly good system. The signature method causes too much hassle for some people and slows down the posties.
Click to expand...
Yes @Annb
It was much easier when they left everything on the doorstep during lockdowns and they photographed it as proof.
If everyone was slow as I am he would never get to finish his round...
 
Annb said:
I used to enjoy our (diesel) Land Rover back in the 80's. It was bought 2nd hand and was great for a long time, but the electrics started going wrong and nobody seemed to be able to fix it. Bit of a pain getting into it after dark to find you have no lights because it had blown another fuse. Great vehicle though. Carried anything we wanted from goats or sheep to weekly shopping. Eventually it was sold for spares to someone who did have working electrics. It was a bit of a come-down to transfer to a Renault hatchback. Nothing wrong with Renaults, but they are not Land Rovers.

For sentimental value though, nothing can beat the old Jowett Javelin - the first car I learned to drive.
Click to expand...
Jowett javelins were fast cars for their time.

We used to have long wheel base Land Rovers in the early days,and that sorted the men from the boys having to double declutch to change gear
all the way up Hartside, to go over the Pennines to Alston transmitter with its legendary electric toilet that no body used. D
 
lindisfel said:
Jowett javelins were fast cars for their time.

We used to have long wheel base Land Rovers in the early days,and that sorted the men from the boys having to double declutch to change gear
all the way up Hartside, to go over the Pennines to Alston transmitter with its legendary electric toilet that no body used. D
Click to expand...
I learned to double de-clutch sitting on a dining room chair with my brother talking me through the motions as I drove my indoor (imaginary) Jowett. Forgot that until you mentioned it @lindisfel. Must have done it about 30 times indoors before I was allowed into the real driving seat and then some more times with no engine running to make sure I didn't crunch the gears when it came to the real thing. My Dad was a driving instructor in the army during the war and he was pretty fierce if you messed up a gear change or, heaven forfend, sat with your foot on the clutch pedal. At least he no longer wore army boots by then so a kicked ankle wasn't as bad as it must have been in the army. His pupils didn't repeat that mistake too often.
 
Annb said:
I learned to double de-clutch sitting on a dining room chair with my brother talking me through the motions as I drove my indoor (imaginary) Jowett. Forgot that until you mentioned it @lindisfel. Must have done it about 30 times indoors before I was allowed into the real driving seat and then some more times with no engine running to make sure I didn't crunch the gears when it came to the real thing. My Dad was a driving instructor in the army during the war and he was pretty fierce if you messed up a gear change or, heaven forfend, sat with your foot on the clutch pedal. At least he no longer wore army boots by then so a kicked ankle wasn't as bad as it must have been in the army. His pupils didn't repeat that mistake too often.
Click to expand...
One of the old school of teachers. We had one who caned the boys for getting 7 out of 10 for R.I.
He was a vicar.
We called him Killer Mansford.
 
6.8 pre Dracula visit.
Mood still low after yesterday and Mrs L being so confused about going the surgery! Her misrememberitis was into full swing this morning.
I'm just glad that I can get through it without being horrible to her!
But it's hard !

I worked in the car building society. I used to hold a licence for work, had a car on the company's scheme, but I never drove it for pleasure or going somewhere. I have a dislike of driving.
Did have a couple of motor nutters in my team, I just don't get it! They would buy magazine after magazine, watch car programmes! And talk about nothing else!
Anyone would think it was footie!
The indicators on the javelin, reminds me so much of my father's Ford Pop! He would tinker all the time! I did think it was an excuse to not be in the way of us lot!
I have always been fascinated in the actual progression in the design and development, the process of how!
I could never be enthusiastic about the need for speed, preferred walking, or being a passenger.
Obviously due to the RH, I was advised not to drive! Which gave me the excuse to not get behind a steering column.

My best wishes to you all as always.

TGIF!
Have a great weekend.
 
Lamont D said:
6.8 pre Dracula visit.
Mood still low after yesterday and Mrs L being so confused about going the surgery! Her misrememberitis was into full swing this morning.
I'm just glad that I can get through it without being horrible to her!
But it's hard !

I worked in the car building society. I used to hold a licence for work, had a car on the company's scheme, but I never drove it for pleasure or going somewhere. I have a dislike of driving.
Did have a couple of motor nutters in my team, I just don't get it! They would buy magazine after magazine, watch car programmes! And talk about nothing else!
Anyone would think it was footie!
The indicators on the javelin, reminds me so much of my father's Ford Pop! He would tinker all the time! I did think it was an excuse to not be in the way of us lot!
I have always been fascinated in the actual progression in the design and development, the process of how!
I could never be enthusiastic about the need for speed, preferred walking, or being a passenger.
Obviously due to the RH, I was advised not to drive! Which gave me the excuse to not get behind a steering column.

My best wishes to you all as always.

TGIF!
Have a great weekend.
Click to expand...
If your not a townee like myself you could not manage without transport. I would never see anything of consequence and I had to drive to all sorts of places in all sorts weathers when I worked for the Beeb.
I only had one mishap when I rear ended a Volvo in the Range Rover in Castle Douglas but I swear the guy backed into me at a junction when he pulled forward and then reversed. He got upset and got the Police who were notorious in southwest Scotland.

I told base and they laughed saying I must have been looking at the bird life on the Loch.
Which of course I wasn't.

Anyway the front the Range Rover had punched a hole in the back of Volvo and we were still stuck in that position when the police came. The police eventually asked me to back up.
As we disengaged I had this weird feeling of what a snug fit it had carved into the back of the Vovo taking the shape of the inverse the front of the range rover which was unharmed.

The police just gave me a warning.
D
 
Last edited:
Born to townlife and earned my street cred the hard way!
Have lived in the industrial estate that is this side of peninsula within sniffing the river all my life mate!
I would say that if the closeness to the Liver buildings would deem anyone a scouser, then where I was born, dragged up, and spent all my life. I would be more of a scouser than most scousers. The likes of the four graces, tate and lyles, the tobacco warehouses, the pier head, the wheel and arena, and now the new stadium on the banks of the Mersey have been always on view.
As you know, I travelled a lot in my job in footie. And the difference between everywhere else and South East is unbelievable. The infrastructure of the whole lot is in decline. I think it won't be long that Merseyside will follow greater Manchester with getting it's own metro owned transport system that is happening there. The number of buses has dropped by over fifty per cent since privatisation the ferries only run straight across from the pier heead an hour in morning and two hours later thanin afternoon. Trains are not bad but improvement has been really slow, and the rolling stock has been borrowed, though more modern. There is no new roads getting built, widened or upgraded.
If your accident happened here, our police would have thrown you in the nick. No questions.
Myself and Mrs L, when the kids were loud and noisy, we're on our way to the Yorkshire coast, making our way, coming off the M62, taking an A road north, when a tractor, held the traffic up, stop start, top speed around 15 mph, then the tractor had to turn right and stopped. A bump from behind, the wife got out and exchanged details!
We all got a check up, all ok after a couple of days, not that they would have admitted anyhow.
Garage said it was fine to drive.
After getting home after a really nice holiday, getting in touch with our insurance through the company, and the dealers fixing a new bumper. We were unaware of what was happening.
Apparently, our insurance informed us that the ford (boo) that bumped us was uninsured and was stolen in South London around the Fulham, Chelsea area.
A couple of months later the police confirmed that the driver had been identified and charged!
The insurance was sorted and we never even paid the excess due.
I couldn't imagine how bad the kerfuffle without the insurance cover from the company's scheme!
Take care mate!
Do you test your BG levels before you put your pedal to the metal!
And yes! The areas North of here are bereft of transport system!
 
Back
Top