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Hello, Pigale!
Nice to hear from you!
I remembered you were getting visitors and thought that was why you were not posting!
Too busy enjoying yourself!
I am glad I don't have the heat that you are experiencing!
It is just fine here, with a cool breeze from the sea.
At "my" GP practice, most blood samples are taken without fasting, but for some you have to be without food for eight hours or a bit more.
The nurses keep me right as to what to do!

Hello Rusty!

You have a good memory for remembering about my visitors!
I did enjoy myself true enough!

I wonder how people who cannot attend a surgery at all, for
whatever reason, manage to have their blood taken - isn't there
a service offered for a nurse to come to one's home if necessary?

It is almost a mile down and back up a hill for me to walk to the
laboratory, usually with nothing inside me, and if it rains heavily or in
this extreme heat for example, I am very grateful that a nurse can
come home to me! (I do not drive).

I am glad you and your family do not have to suffer the extreme
weather conditions we have here. Even instructions issued by our
local Mairie to be extra careful if using a barbecue, and preferably
avoiding to do so if there is wind! The garden is as yellow as straw!

Hello, Pigale!
At my practice, the GP's take turns every week-day to do "home visits" for patients who are too ill to get to surgery.
I am not sure if the nurses do the same, though.
I suspect they may, for patients who need attention, but not from the GP.
Maybe to change dressings etc?
It is a lovely evening here!

Hi, Rusty!
I have been doing some research...and it seems that this concept of the patient being sent to the local hospital for blood tests is common to the area......
I have not yet found a local GP practice where this does not happen!
One trots along to the hospital, takes a number from a machine (queue system) and then sits and waits (usually two to three hours) before being called to have one's blood taken.
A dreadful system!
There is obviously no alternative "better" practice to which to move!
I am just thankful that (so far) I have good health!
I am glad you are enjoying the European Championships!




Hello, Pigale!
I am glad that you had such a good time with your friends!
You will miss them now that they have gone home.
Yes, some blood tests do have to be done fasting.....lipids, blood sugar and such. Most routine basic investigations here require these to be done.
So a two /three hour wait can cause one to become very hungry!
It is a terrible system!

Hello Elle!

I think I shall count my blessings for living in a small village with
all amenities! smaller villages around have to drive a few Ks to come
here, but we never, ever have to wait more than 10mns!
It is all done after making an appointment before hand, and you do
not have to wait more than one or two days maximum to be fitted in .

The two qualified nurses who run the place make it work very
efficiently, and one of them travels around from 7.30 onwards in
order to cover all the villages who need her!

Hello, Elle!
I must be lucky with my practice, so.
I would not fancy the system that you and surrounding practices have, at all.
Anyway, GB have just won gold in the women's team pursuit.
Team was, Katie Archibald, Trotty, Elinor Barker, and Neah Evans.
They beat Italy in the final and won well!
I watched it on EuroSport and it was good to hear Jo Rowsell co-commentating.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/45065288

Hi, Rusty!
We are doing well in the Championships!
Thank you for the link.
I wonder if the lady who met up with Trotty saw her on TV?
Perhaps she thought how alike Trotty looked to the young woman whom she had met earlier!
The BBC is providing good coverage of the Championships all weekend and throughout next week, so I shall be able to watch.
I shall have to do some searching, and see if I can find a more explicit guide as to exactly what is on when.
I do not want to miss any of the Athletic events!
(No "Eggheads" though all next week!)
A busy time next week as we shall have the builders here.....
And also have to fit in visiting daughter's cat...... this last takes up about three hours, getting there and back, and spending time with him.
Oh, I mustn't forget to feed her fish!

Hi elle
Ambiguous last sentence - is the "her" the cat or your daughter?

Hello, Elle!
I agree with you about a guide to when the events are on.
It is not easy finding out!
I was impressed with Trotty's fitness.
She says herself that it will be another year before she hits top shape!.
She has another two races.
Doing the Madison with Katie Archibald, and the elimination race.
She says baby Albie still does not sleep all night, so she is up during the night with him.
No pampered prima donna is Trotty!

Hello, Chris!
For clarification......
The cat is a male...see "him" in previous sentence!
"Her" is a possessive pronoun referring to my daughter's "tiddlers"!
(Other people's fish have a habit of dying on me, hence my reference)