Health Matters and more

I had my first 6 month diabetes check up with the nurse on Friday. It was good news all round. My Hb1ac (background long term blood glucose level) is steadily falling as I manage my food intake and lose weight too. My BP is ok. Sugar levels good. Weight coming down steadily now - 1/2 lb to my first stone off with Slimming World! The nurse was very pleased at my progress. She tested my feet for circulation and sensitivity and they are fine - strong pulse and good reactions to the soft 'pricks' all round my toes and soles.
I have enjoyed the sunshine and warmer days we've had this week. Like a lot of people I feel brighter and more energised by sunshine. However last night and today the rain has taken its toll on my pains and I had a bad night last night. My sympathies to everyone suffering pain of any kind who find it worse when the weather changes.

Honey has also enjoyed the sunshine this week and has been quite frisky and lively. We have met her favourite doggy friend, Lenny, twice this week. He is a lurcher who has the same colouring as Honey and is almost her size. He is such a sweetheart and wags his tail so much his whole body wriggles with delight when he sees her. He squeaks in pleasure too. She goes all silly and leaps about when she sees him. They are just good friends and love to romp about together and run around. He also loves a good cuddle with me and I adore him and make a big fuss of him.

I am looking forward to a long summer of concerts and festivals, but could be faced with having to get a load of new clothes! I am now starting to wear clothes 2 sizes smaller than I was and could well be one or two sizes smaller yet by mid-summer!  Woo-hooo!
If you are slimming down too then good luck with it and stick at it!

Mothers

One one hand I revel in the fact that I do not have to hunt for Mothering Sunday cards, nor fork out for suddenly expensive flowers, but on the other hand I so miss my Mum. It's been over 7 years but she is still very much in my thoughts.

Me and my lovely Mum

How she kept going, doing things for herself despite the pain of arthritis. She lived to the wonderful age of 92 so there is some hope for me yet :-). Even with advancing years she always took care to give us little 'treats' when we visited. Baked one of her delicious cakes, or made a mountain of 'buns' (today's cupcakes) because her grandchildren loved them so much. She knew my favourite meal was one of her steak pies with juicy tender chunks of beef topped with the most delicious, crumbly, golden, buttery pastry. So if we were visiting she'd make the effort if she could. Since it was hard to stop her, we resorted to taking her out to the pub for a meal so she would not have the bother of cooking for us all. It became a standing family joke that we'd guess Mum/Nan would have fish and chips. She would deny she always had it, then study the menu and choose... fish and chips LOL.

It is only in recent years that it has hit home that Mum was the last of her generation. I am the youngest in my generation, with a load of cousins to keep track of, all of us aging, with children and grandchildren. It is a sign of passing years when the only time we all get together is at funerals.
I have fond memories of aging grandparents and aunts and uncles, who fell asleep after Christmas dinner, while we 'youngsters' played board and card games. Now me, my sisters and cousins are the 'oldies' who struggle to stay awake after a good roast dinner  :-) We are the senior generation of the family who sit back and welcome the cards and flowers from our children and grandchildren this time of year.
My biggest pleasure? those wonderfully carefully made cards from the grandsons, covered in weird drawings, stuck on feathers and shapes, dripping in glitter!
I do not crave the big bouquets but a simple bunch of daffs, my favourite flowers, mean as much if not more.

I hope your family treats you well this Mothering Sunday. Take pleasure in being there for them. Make the most of your Mum if she is still around for you to treat. Tell her how much you love her and appreciate her. Love is far more valuable than any flowers or cards.
Happy Mothering Sunday! xxx