Heart Lifting

Mullers Charolais "Suckler Cow" herd has been allowed out on to the fields again. Much of the winter they have to remain in a large barn and a concrete outdoor area. Now they are out 24/7 until late autumn. What joy.

Angie took the photo on the evening walk and reckoned one calf had just been born on the field but it was a bit too far away to be sure.

It's lovely to see them out and about. We can even see them from our property.

Been a lovely day. After yesterdays failed visit to the GP, I went again at 10:00 am (they close at 11:00). I didn't even get the chance to look at a gardening magazine in the waiting room but was told to go straight to the doctor's door.  Seemingly (and unusually) my iron was good but Vit B6 a bit low (I had taken along a vial) and doc thought there were a few things that hadn't been tested that would be useful, so she took another blood sample before giving me the B6 and something else, injected into the posterior muscle. She thinks I should have further weekly jabs for a month. She also very kindly gave me a prescription for a 24-day dose of what is commonly called here "Astronaut Food" (Cosmonaut probably in former East Germany) those small 200ml plastic bottles with all the vitamins and minerals one needs.

These products are not normally available on prescription and cost officially a fortune. I only have to pay a prescription charge of €10 but the official list price is €109.93 which values the stuff at €23/litre. Look at the contents and you will see the main ingredients are water, glucose syrup, milk protein, sunflower oil, rape oil, sugar and then come all the colourings before eventually a few of the added minerals and vitamins. It is no wonder that our health services never have enough money when the likes of Nestle Medical charge such absurd prices.

I would quite willingly pay for the stuff myself if it had a sensible price. Probably better off taking one of the empty bottles and trying to cream off a bit of one of Muller's calves milk rations.