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I had a near-perfect check-up this morning with my Dr. Southerland, a soft-spoken young physician who said my work at lowering my all-important ACI for diabetes was great, and I was no longer near the danger zone where heart failure and strokes become dangerous. My blood sugar is averaging between 80 and 100 every night. My ACI is .7. My blood tests were all good.

I’ve also lost more than 6 pounds in the last few weeks, my blood pressure is fine, and my kidneys are in great shape. I’ve been exercising happily and successfully in a number of ways and feeling stronger than I have in a couple of years.

A brief encounter with the disease called Bell’s Palsy is over; my jaws, eyes, and face are back to normal. My doctor said there was no longer any trace of it. He doesn’t need to see me until sometime in the Fall, and he is taking over my heart issues. He’s a wonderful doctor, and we have a strong ease with one another. I love the way he looks at aging and medicine. I also saw the ear doctor who is still working with me on my hearing aids, still needing some adjustment, but generally working well.

I had some time at the Food Pantry taking some pictures, and I am tired. The day started early and is still going on. I’ve got work to do. I had fun working with my flower art today; it was an experiment with color and imagination, something different. It always lifts me.

These are abstract interpretations of flowers, most of them outdoors. My looking at them is a meditation; I look for a minute, close my eyes, and look again. I believe they are speaking with me and to me, not in words with with color.

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