A visit to the doctor

The photo shows the southern part of the town of Solothurn which is our next largest town. I had to go to this part of the town today to see my doctor.

Today was one of those days where careful planning was necessary. Yet again we all have the day off tomorrow for something called Assumption Day. Me not being catholic I had to look it up in my German-English dictionary as translated from the German words it would be Mary's Ascension day, but in plain clerical language it is known as assumption day. It is very nice to have a day off, but a day off on Friday together with a doctor's appointment that I had in town this morning at 11.30 needed careful planning.

There was shopping to be done to cover a full day (tomorrow) and perhaps think ahead to the week-end as well. I even got up 30 minutes earlier, at 7.45 in the morning. At the moment my first job in the morning is to feed the neighbour's cat, Nuschi. She was waiting for me as always and welcomed me with a noisy meow as it to say "where have you been". I got her breakfast ready and then returned to my home to have a look at the computer.

Luckily my neighbour's cat only lives upstairs so I didn't have to shower and change clothes before going. I have a very useful caftan I bought once on holiday in Morocco and it is quite handy to throw on over all you are wearing, which in my case is usually my night clothing.

Anyhow I checked to see if anything drastic had happened during the night. I notice with multiply the action mainly takes place through the night due to our American cousins being in the majority. During the morning nothing moves very much and towards lunch time Europe seems to be awakening.

So we had fed Nuschi, I had been on the computer and then I had breakfast, had a shower, cleaned the place up and Mr. Swiss and I were ready to go shopping, 30 minutes earlier than usual. We decided just get the stuff that we won't starve until Saturday and on Saturday get the rest. This thought process was also coupled with the fact that No. 2 son did mention he would be staying with us the last two weeks of August. Up to now we have had no message when he is coming so things are at a bit of a loose end for the week-end shopping programme. Will he be here on Saturday or Sunday and which meals will he be taking with us. I don't really know why I bother. He couldn't really care less and is not very fussy. Just needs a sleeping place and bathroom really, but you know what we mums are.

So having heard nothing from No. 2 son and his plans we just bought food for ourselves. No. 1 son will not be at home tomorrow as he has planned a trip to Bern. As it is a catholic holiday Bern is open tomorrow.

After shopping Mr. Swiss dropped me off at the doctors and went home to unpack shopping and finish some cleaning. We made the arrangement that I would phone him if I needed a chauffeur to get me home.

It was my last visit to the doctors before I start work again next week after my 2 months and a bit more absence due to burn out. I am now feeling much better and as I am only working 50% for the time being I will only be at work in the morning.

My doctor had some results from my blood test. Now I know I have diabetes and she had the results of my 3 month test which were not perfect, but I am not turning into a sugar cube yet. The problem with the results was that I now have too much cholesterol. So now I have to combine two diets which just do not work.

I am a butter cook. I fry with butter, I spread it on my bread, I put it on the pasta I cook and I mix it with my cooked vegetables. Basically I find a meal cooked in butter has a certain taste that I prefer. I did have a shock last week when I stood on the weighing machine, which I don't really often do. I am tall and things have gone a bit towards south lately, but I have never been heavier than 78 Kilos. When I stood on the scales last week it read 82 Kilo. I was sure that the scales were broken, but Mr. Swiss convinced me that they were in perfect condition.

I now have a super diet from the doctor which I am not very happy about. Cook with oil she said, mentioning olive oil which I do not really like. As an alternative sunflower oil or thistle oil, but just no butter. Life is just not worth living any more. I suppose there are people that eat to live, and I am a little bit opposite. Anyhow my days of fish and chips and fried eggs are gone. We will now be living on fresh vegetables, salad and fresh fruit and bread without butter. I am allowed meat but the bacon days have gone, I will now have to eat birds like chicken, but not the nice crispy tasty skin, just the meat.

Fruit is recommended, but being diabetic the bananas are out although the cholesterol bit would allow them. I just have to stay with apples and suchlike. I just hope that by going back to work next week I will manage to work off a few kilos and calories.

I have been cooking differently over the past weeks. Mr. Swiss found that since I have been at home and cooking lunch he too was slightly putting on more weight than usual. He never really eats meat at lunch time, so we went semi vegetarian, but only lunch time. However, it seems when I cook a tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes to go with the pasta, then I should not really use butter to fry the onions and tomatoes - you just cannot win. He also found that it would be a good idea not every time to grate fresh parmesan cheese to go with it. He also asked me if I told the doctor that I eat a packet of potato chips nearly every evening or salted peanuts, but I didn't mention that - well she didn't ask.

Anyhow from next week, things will change (after I have used up the half kilo packet of cooking butter I have in the refrigerator). By the way Mr. Swiss did not have to pick me up in town, I had a local train.

Here another photo as I was naturally again snap happy on the way to the doctors. This time looking West from one of our bridges across the River Aare, If you continue on the river in this direction you arrive at the Lake of Biel/Bienne and further to Neuchâtel and eventually the lake of Geneva, the lakes all being connected with each other by a canal system.