Earlier versions of the forecast said this morning would feature heavy rain. There was some heavy rain in the small hours, but all that was left by daybreak was some occasional very light drizzle. The latest revision to the forecast now says the sunny spells won't start until midday, but should continue, non stop, until 4pm. At 9am it could start to rain. The temperature was around 8° C when I went out shopping, and it seemed to feel very mild by comparison to any thing we have felt for a week or two (or more !). Just after midday it should be 12° C, and in a sunny spell that could almost feel hot (although that will be more true when behind glass). Tomorrow, and quite a few days after that as well, may not be quite
as warm, and tomorrow may not feature any sunshine. It will probably feature rain.

  It was good to be over the first side effects of my vaccinations yesterday morning, but the second side effect of my vaccination was a lot less fun yesterday. In theory the aches and pains, plus the short period of fever should have been awful, but the aches and pains were not a lot worse than those I had been suffering from from mid autumn onwards. While they were not a lot stronger, getting all of them at once was not so good, and worst of all was that they didn't start to fade out until late afternoon instead of mid morning. The high temperature and the wooziness that accompanied it was so like being drunk that I sort of enjoyed it.

 I described the day before yesterday again so I can compare it with yesterday, and side effects II - The Curse Of Snot ! It is probably strange that a day that could be described as a day with bad hay fever seemed worse than a day of 'flu like symptoms. There were periods when my nose seemed to dry up, but then something like a change of atmosphere, or maybe Mars being in conjunction with Halley's Comet would start that feeling of pepper up the nose, and my nose would start pouring again.
  I found it very wearing, and given the choice I would choose the aching joints and stuff. It was foretold, not by any mythic soothsayers, but by Astra Zenic themselves in the fact sheet that came with the vaccine. I thought the "fever", "high Temperature" and "chills" were one and the same, although oddly enough, when my temperature peaked at 37.5° C I didn't feel chilly (or hot). As I said yesterday, I had to look very carefully, but I did seem to have a tiny lump where the injection went in. I just about managed to notice a sore throat, and from time to time I did feel the need for an occasional cough (or quite a bit of coughing when waking up with a bone dry mouth and throat, and my teeth stuck to my cheeks). All I needed was a bit of vomiting and I could have called Bingo, or House, or whatever it is when you tick off all on your score card.

  The things that amplified how bad yesterday was included it being a Sunday - always the most depressing day of the week. Being cold and dull outside did nothing to left my spirits - and actually quite the opposite. It being Valentines day, and thinking of those lucky ones able to spend time in close proximity with a loved one, made me feel depressed too. It seemed the only hope, the only thing to look forward to, was the weather changing for the better.

  I threw all caution to the wind yesterday, and from mid afternoon onwards, I had frequent small glasses of either whisky or Aquavit. Oddly enough I didn't really detect any hint of getting drunk except for maybe one thing - I was deliberately careless about what I ate. I did have some careful stuff like soup, but at some point I got the urge for something "nice". That turned out to be half a packet of Cheddars. Eating those when my blood glucose was high was not sensible, and that was compounded by adding a medium sized potato, as slices, in my dinner of a sort of lamb stew.
  One of the soups I had for lunch was not very nice, although it's nutritional information said it should be mostly innocent. I had bought this Pumpkin and Sweet Potato soup, with warming spices, in error when I had meant to pick up a Minestrone (with bacon) soup in the same basic package. That latter soup was nice. The stuff in the picture was not. I suspect that not only was Pumpkin the major ingredient, but nearly all of the ingredients. The soup was brown, and had a slimy texture with occasional bits in it. I finished it all, but it was not a pleasant experience.

  After I had my dinner, my home made dinner to my own special recipe (!) - basically diced lamb with sliced potato, and cut runner beans in gravy thickened with onion gravy granules - I tried to watch some TV. Being a Sunday, and one of the bog problems with Sundays, there was very little on TV to amuse me. I got as far as watching one and a half episodes of "'Allo 'Allo" before I gave up and went to bed.

  I read in bed for some time before I turned out the light soon after 8.30pm. It was fortunate that my nose had seemed to stop running by then, and so I could concentrate on getting to sleep. I was still awake a little while after 9pm, and I used the opportunity to take my temperature. This was recorded on my spreadsheet that has entries for every hour between 7am and 9pm for every day of the month. I can usually remember, to fill in at least 5 entries through most days. Last night, at approx 9pm, my temperature was 36.7° C - the same as the previous night.

  I was probably asleep by about 9.30pm, and once asleep I slept unusually well again. It was another night where I can hardly remember waking up in the night - except on one occasion. I think it was probably around 3am when I woke up needing a pee, and my mouth was as dry as can be. I had a drink, and when I was in the bathroom I used some mouthwash to try and get the fur off my teeth.

  At approximately 6am I woke up, and like yesterday (if I remember correctly) I knew it was time to get up. I had evidently had enough sleep, and miracles or miracles, I was actually feeling sort of good. Once again I seemed to have few aches or pains, and I can't even remember yawning. It seemed my nose was perfectly dry, and not even feeling blocked like it does some mornings. It seemed too good to be true, and probably was.

  The most amazing thing was that my blood glucose level had dropped when I expected it go up a fair bit. This morning it was down to 8.2mmol/l from 8.7mmol/l. I seem to be getting close to my ideal of 7.5mmol/l now, and I haven't even been trying. If anything I have been doing the opposite. One explanation comes to mind, and that is the high reading which I was getting recently was an indication that I was fighting an infection. I have no idea what that infection was unless it was a covid flare up somehow. There is a lot of evidence of continuing problems with covid after the main event is over. It would seem that my vaccination has started to clear the infection, but I am sure that is not the way it is supposed to work.  

  However it does seem to be a strange coincidence that 2 days after that injection my usual aches and pains, mainly joints, but a few muscles too, seem to be fading away while my blood glucose level is falling. It's probably best not to think about it, but enjoy it while I can. The first big test was going shopping in Aldi this morning. Apart from a bit of very light drizzle, the walk there was almost enjoyable. It didn't seem to need much effort to keep up a fair pace, and best of all I didn't need to stop to blow my nose, except for just before entering the shop.

  I ended up buying quite a lot today. I was almost wondering if I could fit it all into two bags (plus the Diet Coke bottles in my rucksack). The largest things were a 9 pack of toilet roll, and two boxes of tissues. I very nearly selected some cans/cartons of soup, but they would have truly broken the camels back if I had. Some more apples and oranges added to the weight. I also treated myself to some sandwiches.
  This was one of the sandwiches that I bought. It should have been discounted being a day old, and the bread just starting to feel slightly dry at the edges, but it wasn't. I was curious as much as anything - surely lobster and steak couldn't go together in one sandwich ? They couldn't and didn't !! There was one of each. I can't think of a better way to share your love with some one than with an argument over who gets which sandwich !

  The very light drizzle had stopped when I came out of Aldi (it had probably stopped by the time I got that), and I was able to carry my moderately heavy shopping home with my coat undone. It may have only been 9° C by then, but it felt perfectly comfortable. I was also almost perfectly comfortable with regard to my nose when I walked back. The only time I got bad was when I stopped to chat to a neighbour 3 doors away. As we chatted about the weather and Covid, as you do, I could feel my nose just about to drip. I didn't want to put my shopping bags on the wet ground, and I had to hurriedly end the conversation, and rush back to my dry door step to put a bag down, and grab a handkerchief. It was a shame because it was the first time our conversation had got a bit deeper than the briefest of hellos.

  Once I got indoors I put the shopping away, and settled down to indulge in my totally unhealthy breakfast of ready made sandwiches. Naughty, but nice ! I then put my feet up for 20 or 30 minutes before sitting at my computer, and here I am, writing this. My plans for the rest of the day are very simple, a little tidying up, and then Jodie is popping over this afternoon for some more beer drinking.