The BBC forecast, as shown in the screen shot above, says copious rain this morning. By contrast, the Met Office predicted a single light shower at 9am, and that didn't happen either. So far this morning has been dry and dull, but it feels almost warm at 20° C. The BBC predicts some sunny spells this afternoon. The Met Office predicts full sunshine this afternoon. One of them has to be right, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Met Office is closer to the truth. The Met office predict 24° C, and the BBC 22° C. Both predict sunny spells, and 20 to 21° C for tomorrow.

  It would almost be true to say I did just one thing yesterday. Of course I did lots of little things, but the one major thing was a shopping trip to Savers and Poundstretcher.

  I have to confess I did not have my intended shower before going out shopping. I didn't think I was that smelly, and I hoped a quick spray of deodorant would mask any slight smells. I think it worked, but only someone else could tell the actual truth.

  For this shopping trip I put on a rarely used pair of trainers made by Jack & Jones. They are rarely used because they are uncomfortable. Every now and then I give them a second chance because they look OK, and seem OK when first put on. I am unsure why they are uncomfortable, but I think it is maybe because the sole does not easily flex. The discomfort is how tiring it seems to be when walking while wearing them.

  My first port of call was Savers where I mostly topped up my stock of vitamins and stuff, but I also bought some cleaning stuff, including some shower gel. Then it was over the pedestrian way, and into Poundstretcher. I bought an assortment of stuff in there, and that included some new tubs of instant noodles (where "tubs" = flattened "pots"). They were alleged to be roast beef flavour. I have just had one for my breakfast. It was pleasant enough, but not enough to rush back to buy more (although I probably will buy more the next time I am in Poundstretcher).

  It felt like a very clumpy walk home in those inflexible trainers, and I felt very tired by the time I got home. That was not good for what was about a 6 minute walk home ! I probably should throw those Jack & Jones trainers away, but I don't like to do that to any shoe, or trainer, until it is looking very worn. At the current rate of wear I could be dead before that happens !

  There was one other very important thing I did yesterday that I almost forgot. I think it was before I went shopping that I had my once a week dose of  Ozempic - the wonder weight loss drug that doesn't seem to work for me, but does help to control my blood glucose, and it is worth staying on it for that reason alone.

  I had a very lazy afternoon, and for that matter, a very lazy evening too. One thing I did do was a lot of waiting, and the waiting went on late into the night. It was because of a basic misunderstanding over the use of the word "soon". The word was used by Inpost who are delivering my current final order from Aliexpress in China. I thought that soon meant sometime later the same day. but apparently it could mean before the next ice age.
  I must admit I did add the last line myself, but it is perfectly true. These cheap courier companies don't even bother to ring the doorbell - it is just drop and run ! In the last 15 minutes I have been informed by email that my delivery will be arriving today between: 10:12 and 12:12. It is now just gone 11am, and so it could be any minute now. As mentioned yesterday (or the day before) it is a cheap pair of wide fitting trainers. They look OK in the pictures, and maybe they will be comfortable. They are also about half the price of the Jack & Jones trainers, and so almost certainly more flimsy, and flimsy - flexible. Ideally I will take them for a test "drive" later, but it does not look very nice outside, and the idea of it raining does not seem total fantasy.

    I wasn't trying very hard, in fact I probably was not really trying at all, but I did have in mind to try and eat a bit more healthily yesterday. My lunch was probably not that healthy, but my dinner showed homage to the idea even if it was not as healthy as it might have been. The main course was chicken wings. I mentioned I had bought a box of wings from Aldi, and then remembered that I had tried them before, and didn't think much of them.

  Yesterday I think I mostly ignored the cooking instructions, and cooked them my way - which involved more cooking than the instructions suggested. Not only that but for reasons I can't explain, I cooked them the day before, and heated them up last night - where "heated up" = grilled in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Maybe it was the extra cooking, but this box did seem nicer than the last, and now I don't need to try and remember NOT to buy any again.

  Breaking news : It is now raining freely - not very heavy, but the type that gets you really soaked with no effort. Also, my new trainers have just arrived.
  They do look like cheap knock off Adidas trainers, and that was one reason to choose them. The other being the wide fitting. It does give them a sort of spatulate look, but that is the price to pay for the extra toe room, and (hopefully, fingers crossed) a more comfortable experience. They are fairly light, and the sole does flex. I am (very) cautiously optimistic it was £16.29 well spent.

  Back to last night: After dinner I watched TV until I felt it time for bed. I think I went to bed as late as 11pm. I did try and read for a bit before turning out the light. I think sleep came a bit slower last night, but I am sure I was fast asleep by midnight. I don't recall dreaming last night, and I only have a very hazy memory of getting up to pee.

  It has just come back to me that it was some time in the small hours that I decided to put the heater on low. It was soon feeling a little too warm, but I kicked the duvet off, and didn't get up to turn the heater off again. I did turn it off when I got up - which I must admit sounds counter intuitive !

  On my second attempt on the toilet I managed to pass a big poo, and then weighed myself a second time. On this second attempt I found I had lost 400gm compared to yesterday morning. It still leaves my weigh at the end of another month, no better than at the start of the month....or so I thought. It pays to double check these things ! I am actually 2kg lighter (approx) that at the start of the month, and that must be a good thing.

  My blood glucose is not as low as yesterday, but it is still good enough. The average of all three readings was 8.73mmol/l. At the beginning of the month it was 8.17mmol/l, and that is not a lot lower, but some days have been a lot lower. For instance, before going into hospital it was down to just over 7mmol/l. but I was on a special diet then for yet another aborted attempt at a colonoscopy.

  My blood pressure is up a tiny bit, but I suspect it is closer to what the doctors expect. It is 125/80 with a heart rate of 79bpm. I wish I could get my heart rate down to about 60 when resting, but that only happens on very rare occasions.

  The rain seems to have passed over now, and the sky looks a bit clearer. I guess it is now possible I may take my new trainers for a test walk in the park. I think I would aim for The Jolly Farmers, but without Ayse (the original one) in there it is not so attractive as it once was. I have heard no news about Ayse, or more importantly her husband. I know he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and the last I heard he had had radiotherapy. Maybe he is recovering, or maybe he is dead. I really don't know.