Today we return to probably what is closer to typical weather for almost mid April. This morning started off almost warm at 12° C, but the predicted sunny spells seem to feature more cloud than sunshine (or maybe I am basing this on a sample of only a single hour). The temperature should warm up to 16° C, but from 2pm there could be April showers. I seem to think the amount of time it will rain has changed in every iteration of the forecast. That shown above might be more, or less, than reality. It is possible that tomorrow may be dry, and there could even be some non stop sunshine in the morning, but that may finish as early as 10am. From then on there will be sunny spells. Tomorrow may still reach 16° C.

   Yesterday was a good, but very tiring day. It was good because I managed to get out in the sunshine, although thatw as spoiled when instead of non stop strong sunshine, there was some times in the afternoon when thin clouds dimmed the sun to give almost hazy views.

  When I got up yesterday I was not really sure how I felt, or if I would be in a fit state to do what I was planning. I knew my blood glucose level was higher than ideal (but still in a just about safe area), and I knew my blood pressure was good. Even my body temperature was typical (for me, at that time of the day). What I could not predict was how my feet and legs would feel, and whether my blood was flowing freely enough to stop any angina.

  After writing I had my usual lie down, and it is possible I had a short snooze. As far as a lot of my brain was concerned, that seemed very nice, and it saw no reason to do anything else. Another bit of my brain realised that before long it would get boring, and maybe even worse, would be regret for missing an ideal day for going out with a camera.

  I must admit I did not rush because I was waiting for it to warm up outside. It was warm enough for bare arms not long after 9am, but a weight until midday would make it feel really warm outside - almost like summer. I got back up and had a shower had a shower.

  Incidently, I had just got as far as brushing my teeth in the bathroom when my doorbell rang. I rush back to my bedroom, leaving he water still running, and pulled on a pair of lounge pants, and then rushed downstairs to answer the door. I had a suspicion I knew what it might be. It was an order from Amazon that an hour earlier said it would be delivered today, and not yesterday.

  More about that delivery because there is a lot of other stuff to say about yesterday, and a huge heap of photos to show, After my shower I got dressed ready to go out, but I was not sure I was comfortable, and I spent a little while in the toilet where all that happened was a little dribble of pee. By then it was just coming up to 1pm, and time to go and get a train to take me to Elmers End station from where I would start the main part of my walk around the South Norwood Country Park. That walk would be 2.144 miles - a rather longer walk than I have done lately,
  I had not gone more than about 50ft along the path that runs alongside the tram tracks when I spotted something white in the leaf litter. It is a reminder that before the trams ran from Elmers End station towards Addiscombe (and other destinations) it used to be a "heavy rail" service using normal Southeastern third rail trains. I think they last ran in about 1999. This particular insulator pot was dated 1954 - a year before was born. If I had my rucksack with me I would have taken it home as a souvenir.






  Once upon a time there must have been another footpath that joined the footpath I was on. That other footpath may have been swallowed up in the trees and bushes. So there was the pictured sign in the middle of a footpath instead of somewhere more useful like at the start of it. I was amused to see I was on footpath 666 !







  Here's a reminder that if there is a grand creator he is a bit mean, and likes to annoy. In a perfect world this butterfly, possibly a Red Admiral, would have alighted on the other side of me so I could get a snap looking down on it's spread wings in all their glory. While it was in the right place to catch the sun, I wasn't. Shame really. It could have been a good photo.
  Yesterday's outing was not just to get pictures of wildlife, and scenery, but was also a good opportunity to get some pictures of trams. This tram, having left Elmers End was just about to call at Arena tram stop. It would then continue all the way to Wimbledon calling at a multitude of other tram stops.

  Arena tram stop is where you can change trams between those going to Elmers End, and those going to Beckenham Junction.
  If you look carefully at the picture of the single tram coming from Elmers End you can spot a ginger thing on the far side of the tracks. It was this clever ginger cat who waited for the tram to pass before crossing the tracks. Until I called it so I could try and get a picture of it's face, itw as carefully studying the hedge along the tram boundary. I can imagine for a cat living in this vicinity, the park must be a great hunting ground.
  These steps cut into a small hill seem nothing to worry about. The trouble is that just out of sight, to the left of the top of the steps, is another set of steps. They lead on to a long curving slope to the top of the viewing point in the park.
  This is the view from the "viewing point", and it should be pretty good, but it was spoiled by the sun going behind the thin clouds can that can be seen in the sky. This gave the view a very flat look. Coming down from the top was nearly as hard as going up - it was quite steep. At the bottom of the path I had to edge around a big mess of a fly tip.
   A bit of a walk lead me to this - The South Norwood (Croydon) Screen Sewage Pumping Station. Maybe not the exact purpose, but the basic purpose was revealed before I found the gate with the sign on it. It was giving off quite a pong. Worse than that was that it seems it had (or was) overflowing into a small stream that runs nearby. That stream, all the way through the park, was also giving off a pong, and it was obvious the water was very polluted.
  The tram tracks through the park have many sweeping curves, and that made getting this picture of tram 2554, in it's special pro Croydon livery, easy to get. It has just left Harrington Road tram stop, and on it's way to Wimbledon.
  A fair bit more walking took me to the lake in the park. It has four viewing platforms, and the first one I came to had the best close ups of wild life, including this magnificent white swan, but the catch was the sun was in front of me, and that does not make for the best pictures.
  A bit more walking took me to a viewing pint where the sun was almost over my shoulder, but there was not a lot to be seen. This goose (I think it was a goose) did oblige me by doing a "thing". I'm not sure if it was an aborted take off, or if it was just stretching it's limbs before swimming on.
  If I were in charge of naming things I would call this a grey goose, but I have no idea what it is officially called (and even less what it's Latin name is).

  It was just luck that I only had an 8 minute wait for a train back to Catford Bridge from Elmers End station. While on the train I had an idea that I was not sure why I hadn't done it on my way out - measure the distance from home to Catford Bridge station. I know I have done it occasionally in the past, but in this case it was important because when twice the distance from station to home (there and back again) is added to my walk around the Country Park, it adds up to a slightly more impressive 2.9 miles, and that is a fair distance to walk recently.

   My feet and legs were getting a bit sore on this walk, but when I got home my first though was to go and have the pee I was starting to think about while still in the park ! After that I had the luxury of taking my shoes and socks off, and also changing in to sloppy indoor clothes. I think I was in better condition physically than I thought I would be, but only if I ignored the fact that I felt dreadfully tired.

  Before doing much else I took a look at the Amazon parcel I had taken in before going out, and also a very much smaller packet, that had been delivered through my letter box while out. The Amazon parcel contained more blood glucose test strips for my Contour and Sinocare blood glucose meters. It also contained a brand new Philips travel shave for men. More about that tomorrow. The small packet just contained a special USB lead for my Casio Exilim camera. Sadly it only seemed to be a data connection, and doesn't allow to charge the battery in situ.

  The most important thing I did after getting home was to make two corned beef, horseradish sauce, and aromatic baby leaf salad, Pannini rolls. The rolls were just starting to get old and slightly dry, but they were still very delicious. After eating those rolls I really wanted to have a lie down, but I started going through the pictures I had taken. I took a lot more tram pictures than I showed here, and there were a lot of train pictures too, but none were of trains I needed.

  Before long it was dinner time, and the BBC 6 O'Clock news was looming. My dinner started off with some ice cream, but I was very careful not to eat too much. The main course was a Tesco Chicken Caesar Salad. I followed that with a few peanuts. I watched the news, and then almost turned the TV off, and had the lie down I was looking forward to, but then I noticed a load of back to back episodes of The Simpsons being shown - obviously not really back to back because of the bloody adverts and stuff.

  I think that, or maybe it was something else, took me to 9.30pm, and I was most happy to go to bed. The trouble was that it seems that after all that I was not sleepy. I was tired, but that is no always the same as being sleepy. I read for some time before I tried for sleep, but nothing happened. It is possible I did get a few short bits of sleep before hand, but it was around 2am before I got some real sleep. The only thing that spoiled it was an unpleasant dream. The dream was far too complex to try and describe, and even than it might not make much sense. The worst thing was the chance of violence taking place, although it never actually take place.

  I woke up stupidly early considering how little sleep I got, but at about 6:30am I seemed to be awake, although still trying to get back to sleep. It was almost 7am when I finally got up. One oddity last night, and it continued after getting up, was that although peeing as frequently as the now normal, I didn't seem to pee in large quantities. I also didn't seem to need a poo (although I may soon). For all that, my weight had still dropped a useful bit - about 600gm. In the colour code for my spreadsheet of daily weights, the number has changed from light green to dark green - only the second time this year. I am now between 2 and 3 kg lighter than my heaviest days so far this year.

  All the small amounts of pee did seem to reflect my blood glucose levels this morning. The Contour meter read 8.2mmol/l, and that is fairly good. The GlucoRX meter gave a much nicer figure of 7.8mmol/l. That is still 0.3 higher than my current ideal target, but still very good. The Sinocare meter read 2nd best at 8.1mmol/l. Even my blood pressure is/was good this morning. It was 104/50.

  The main event today should be a beer tasting session with Jodie, and a fine chance to ruin all these good health indicators. I think that before we start drinking I will have cooked a basic diced beef and vegetable stew. It should be big enough, with enough gravy, to be filling without making me want to eat extra, and more unhealthy things. Maybe before the boozing I might find the time and inclination for a bit more walking, but it might be no more than the local shops, but you never know.....