TUESDAY CHAT

It was a quiet week as we enjoyed a respite from the hot weather but this week somewhat hotter so summer continues through into autumn which, in Perth, is always the case.  Our eastern states cousins are also very warm whereas, at this time of year, they are  usually enjoying much cooler days.

I successfully had my blood tests on Wednesday morning, after a false start the day before and, hopefully, the results should arrive in our letterbox soon.  Public holiday yesterday so perhaps tomorrow.  Then off to see our GP for his interpretation of them and of course to have my B12 injection.

Saturday morning we had a 'phone call from our daughter asking us up to lunch at their home the next day.   Was a little warm at 29ºC but quite comfortable under their large pergola surrounded by the huge collection of frangipani in pots.

All the family were there (except grandson who works weekends) and we spent a pleasant few hours chatting about various things, including AFL football season soon to begin, the American presidential election and things in general.

K has a great idea for a quick lunch without too much work: rolls with ham, cheese and tomato which on Sunday she made up for us the way we wanted them.  All so quick and just enough for lunch.  Phil and I shared a dark ale and a couple of bottles of ginger beer as well.  Perfect for a warm day.

Great-granddaughter, just turned 8, has discovered that great-grandma likes a neck massage.  She didn't forget on Sunday.  She is so gentle and it is seems to make us closer.  I don't see either her or her younger sister often enough to really know them well as I did with my grandchildren but they seem to like Phil and me and I guess that is nice to know.

One wee bit of excitement was when we noticed some paper wasps hanging around some tiny decorative lights hanging under the patio roof.  On further inspection it turned out that two of the little 'balloons' were full of these paper wasps.  B fetched the flyspray and a couple of good bursts had the wasps either flying off quickly or dying immediately.  Apparently flyspray works very quickly on them.  I don't like killing things if I can possibly avoid doing so but these were a little too close for comfort and obviously were intent on building nests which would not have been a very good idea as far as humans were concerned.  RIP little wasps.

I hope everyone's week is going well and will continue to do so through to the weekend.

MONDAY MIRTH

A very game (and perhaps frightened) cat:

SOMETHING RATHER DIFFERENT No 3

This could be said to be a very sad poem and yet it is very beautiful.

THE BLIND BOY by Colley Cibber

O say, what is that thing call'd Light which I must ne'er enjoy;
What are the blessings of the sight? O, tell your poor blind boy!

You talk of wondrous things you see, you say the sun shines bright;
I feel him warm but how can he, or make it day or night?

My day and night myself I make, whene'er I sleep, or play;
And could I ever keep awake with me 'twere always day.

With heavy sighs I often hear you mourn my hapless woe;
But sure with patience I can bear a loss I ne'er can know.

Then let not what I cannot have my cheer of mind destroy;
Whilst thus I sing, I am a king, although a poor blind boy.

DID YOU KNOW?

STONEHENGE is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire. England, 2 miles (3km) west of Amesbury and 8 miles (13km) north of *Salisbury.  Stonehenge's ring of standing stones are set within earthworks in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.

Archaeologists believe it was constructed from 3000BC to 2000BC.  The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument. have been dated to about 3100BC.  Radiocarbon dating suggests that the first bluesetones were raised between 2400BC and 22))BC, although they may have been at the site as early as 3000BC.

The site and its surroundings were added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 and it is a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument.  Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage; the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.

Stonehenge could have been a burial ground from its earliest beginnings.  Deposits containing human bone date from as early as 3000BC, when the ditch and bank were first dug, and continued for at least another five hundred years.

Stonehenge was produced by a culture that left no written records.  Many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate.  A number of myths surround the stones.

The site, specifically the great trilithon, the encompasssing horseshoe arrangement of the five central trilithon, the heel stone, and the embanked avenue are aligned to the sunset of the winter solstice and the opposing sunrise of the summer solstice. 

A natural landform at the monument's location follows this line, and may have inspired its construction.  The excavated remains of culled animal bones suggest that people may have gathered at the site for the winter ratther than the summer.  Further astronomical assoiaitons, and the precise astronomical significance of the site for its people, a a matter of speculation and debate.

There is much more information about Stonehenge on Wikipedia if you are interested in pursuing it.

*Back in the late 1940s Phil did some of his military training on Salisbury Plains not far from Stonehenge.

FRIDAY FAVOURITES

Phil and I were scrolling through YouTunes last night and really enjoying old favourites.  It is so difficult to choose from so many of those long forgotten tunes but then I discovered this one:  Love Story so beautifully sung by Andy Williams (one of our favourite vocalists).  The lyrics are here and there is so much truth in them.  Phil and I discovered each other way back then when both of us were going through bad patches.  Our love has held us together for 50 years (our 49th wedding anniversary this year) with just the occasional down but nearly all upwards and happy.  Do please enjoy this lovely song with me:

WEDNESDAY WISDOM

I am sure all caterpillars everywhere would agree with this:

TUESDAY CHAT (running very late)

We have all heard the expression 'well laid plans of mice and men..... haven't we?  Today it was a well laid plan of this woman that went awry!!

I have been blithering on about no caffeine or tricylic antidepressants for two weeks and how I was going to have a fasting blood test this morning to prove one way or the other if I actually do have phaeochromocytoma.  Yes, you can look that one up of you like!!  It's quite interesting.

Many times I've said how Phil and I are late to bed and late to rise which way of life seems to suit us so well.  OK then...I woke at 8.50am this morning and headed to the bathroom for you know what when I suddenly realised I had this strange spot in front of my eyes (quite pretty really as it was yellow with a red surround) and it wouldn't go away.  I then realised my heart was thumping a bit, I felt shaky and was perspiring a little.  "Oh, no!" thought I "I am having a sugar low!!!".   Damn!!!

I did a glucose test which was only 3.5 (it should never be below 4) so I knew I was on the right track about what was wrong.  I went and woke Phil, who poor fellow, was still peacefully sleeping, and he immediately said "eat a couple of peppermints, cos that's what I do".  He has lows every few weeks but it is year since it has happened to me.  I reminded him I was supposed to be fasting and in addition to the peppermints would need a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits right away.

.

The tea and biscuits were promptly served and I discovered he had put a teaspoon of sugar in my tea.  I usually have about 20 grains of sugar in tea and none in coffee, and this cuppa tasted like straight glucose.  No wonder my mum could tell when someone had put sugar in her tea....it's gross!!  Anyway being the dutiful wife that I am, I drank it all.

A blood test a short while later gave me a reading of 8.5.  I know that is unbelievable, from 3.5 to 8.5, but that is what happens with a low.  You have to have carbs immediately but in doing so your blood sugar spikes afterwards.  You also feel incredibly tired for a while but now, 4 hours later, I think I am back to normal (whatever normal is in my case).  I'm glad it wasn't quite this high though.

The reason I am typing this so late in the day (1.15pm) is because just after all the above happened our lights and power flickered and then went off.   I rang 131351 and was informed that our suburb and two adjoining suburbs were suffering outages but power should be restored at 1pm.  As usual they managed to get it going again earlier than that so here I am, better late than never.  Perhaps someone hit a power pole or cut through cables somewhere.  It seems that even with underground power you can still suffer power outages at times.

Bang go my plans so it will be another day without coffee or tablets and hopefully tomorrow morning I will be off for that long awaited blood test.  Maybe tonight to be sure I'll lower my insulin injection a wee bit so my plans will not once again go awry.