1360th Blog post. Still Sunny!

This will be my 1360th blog post! Why should that be so important? Well, it isn't, but it's quite an achievement to have kept this blog going for so long.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing! What more can one want? I can do without wasps, flies and other insects which invade the house. I can also do without pop music blasted at me from whatever quarter. People have their windows open, which means there is a leakage of boom-diddy-boom-diddy-boom-bom-boom. You know, or perhaps you don't, that drum beat that a lot of pop music seems to have. It's right what Noel Coward said, 'strange how potent cheap music is!' which is a line from his play 'Private Lives.' The joke is, if you know this play, that the music which is playing in the background is 'Some Day I'll Find You,' which he wrote! So it's sort of turning things on itself. But, regardless of all that, I do agree. I suppose that the sentiment in that line is that popular music has to be potent, in the sense of probably, a drug or alcohol, it has to work it's magic by being repetitive or overwhelming. Anyway, my thing is that drum beating in the distance can be just annoying and puts me off whatever I'd doing, probably attempting to plot a piece I happen to be writing. Then there's those crazed individuals who insist on having pop music blasting from the speakers in their cars as they speed by. So loud it makes the car vibrate and all you get is the booming sound, no music to speak of. Why can it never be Beethoven or Mozart of any other composer's music you care to mention? But if that's the case, why have it so loud that everyone else has to put up with it, regardless of whether they want to or not.

Later. Yesterday evening (Thursday) I went to S.C.F. for another session of The Bible Course. There are three more to go. I was undecided as to what to wear and in the end I didn't wear my new shorts and short-sleeved shirt. As I left the house, I was suddenly hit by the heat. I was around 6.45 and it was quite intense, not helped by the fact that when I got in the car I found the interior hotter still, by quite a few degrees. It made my heart rate increase. I was feeling quite unwell, not exactly helped by the other drivers who insist on tailgating me as I drove up Chaffron Way to the Oaktree Centre. I had to have a drink of water on arrival and I found the main hall cooler than the café area and by the time we started the course I was feeling better. But I think it's a warning to be more careful when the sun is so hot and I was shocked by how hot it was so late in the day.

(Friday) I was quite insistent that I get a lie-in. I was more than determined that I wouldn't get up before 6a.m. I actually took Alfie out at 7 this morning! He wasn't exactly pleased, but it was worth the extra time asleep. I hope to continue with this regime.

Too good to stay indoors today. I had to get out, even if it was just a trip into central Milton Keynes. I had to first go to get some change for the carpark. I do have the RingGo app on my iPhone, but it doesn't always work, so I had to have change for the machine. I went to the Eaglestone shop to use the A.T.M. outside but when I got there, it wasn't working. No cash in it. I know these machines have a tendency to run out of cash, but it was somewhat annoying because I then had to drive all the way to the One Stop shop in Coffee Hall. Fortunately the machine was working, but because the sun was so strong it was next to impossible to read the screen, but fortunately I was able to extract £30 from the maws of the mighty machine and then go into the shop to buy two bags of wine gums and fruit pastilles in order to get change.

I arrived at the carpark and then I found the RingGo app wouldn't work, so I was glad that I'd had the foresight to get change for the parking meter. This technology can be great when it works, but when it doesn't, it's just a waste of time. So it's as well to not always rely on it and use a different method of payment. I walked into the shopping centre and paid some money into my Metro Bank savings account. From there I went into Midsummer Place and as I was waking through I heard my name 'John!' but at first I didn't respond. Then one of the guys from Campbell ran up to me. He said he was about to catch a bus to Peterborough. It's great that they can respond to me and we have long chats when I'm there. I told him he'd better not miss his bus, so he went off, presumably outside to the bus stop. No doubt I'll hear more about his visit (which I believe is where his parents live.) when I'm at Camphill on Tuesday.

Next. Something to eat. Waterstones was near so I went in and as there was nobody queuing I decided to order a latte, toastier and a bun. Very efficient staff and I was soon sitting at a table. As I had my iPhone with me I was able to connect to the internet and look at Facebook and Twitter. Are these devices such a good idea? In some respects, yes, but when people spend a long time on them and disregard those around them, for example, in a work situation, with family and friends, they are more of a distraction and aren't really a replacement for face-to-face conversation, but can be useful for keeping in contact with family and friends and if you want to be easily contacted, ideal. But being in a bookshop it's an ideal place to have a café. Put me near books and I'm quite happy, so once I'd finished my snack I had a browse of the tables that Waterstone so craftily has set up which entices you to look at the books on display and then I went upstairs to the history section to have a further browse. I left before I purchased a book. I have to be honest that I have more than enough books in my bookshelf and could easily buy more. I have several which are waiting in a queue to be read.

From Waterstones I went into the main shopping centre and walked along the mall towards John Lewis and was interested in a store which is going to open soon, called Typo which I have discovered sells stationary. As Staples has since disappeared from Milton Keynes, which is a disappointment because where am I to buy fresh stocks of computer ink cartridges, paper and all the other paraphernalia, pens, pencils etc etc? I'm not sure when it's due to open, but I will have to visit once it's up and running. Also, I had to go into The Works, because they're stock changes rapidly and you have to buy whatever catches your eye when you're there because otherwise it's gone and by the time you return it will be gone, which is the same with T.K. Maax, another store I love browsing in as well as their partner store called Homesense. A good place to go if you're looking for kitchen items, such as saucepans, baking tins etc. 

Disappointed Dog

(Tuesday) Poor Alfie! He's missing his morning outing round Eaglestone Park. It's because of the weather. As I sit here, just having eaten my breakfast at 6.25a.m., it's pouring with rain outside (well, it would be worse if it were inside! I'd be really worrying if it was.) So, we'll have to wait until it's stopped, probably later this afternoon once I've returned from Camphill.

I did take Alfie out, just after 7 this morning. I had another look outside and it had stopped raining so I hastily attached his lead to his harness and out we went. I couldn't really have a miserable dog left in the house when I go off to Camphill all day. Just not on. Nevertheless, it was damp and the bushes growing along the side of the path down to the park kept hitting me and making me wet with drips of water!

But . . . by 8.30 it was pouring heavily once more. I had gone out to the car briefly and it's as well we went out when we did, otherwise Alfie wouldn't be a happy chappy!

Later. It rained most of the day. I went to Camphill as usual. The traffic was going nuts as I drove on my way there. I had a phone call from Garry on the way. I've never had a mobile phone call come through the media system in the car. I had to wait until I reached the carpark at Camphill to ring back. I don't fancy getting caught using my mobile as I'm driving, but as I was stationary in the traffic it wasn't too bad, but not something I intend doing on a regular basis, or, if it comes to that, ever doing again. It was about getting the clothes hanging rail to fit in his car. Not really something I could do about it as I was about to start a day with the drama group.

The drama students were split into two groups, one working on the 'piggy' and 'wolfie' movements. I was assigned to the second group, going into the meeting room to do a brainstorming session on the 'Treasure Island' project. It was interesting to see what the residents came up with as regards ideas. I'm still not sure exactly how this is going to pan out, and neither does anyone else, but it's a really interesting exercise in what I would call a 'democratic' approach to creating a piece of theatre. Certainly different from merely being given a script and working with that. We went back into the theatre and I don't know how it happened, but one of the residents suggested dancing, and they got up on the stage and did a sort of tap dance and others followed. From this Tao, the drama leader, suggested using the musical instruments that Camphill had in one of the rooms under the stage, These instruments included all manner of musical insurgents, drums, cymbals and a set of hand bells. I was assigned to the handbell team and we remained in the theatre whilst the rest of the students went downstairs to a room called the crypt.

It was something of an experience with the hand bells. Never tried them before. I never realised you had to wear gloves because the acid which is in your sweat can make the material they are made of (brass? I'm not sure.) to tarnish and this effects the sound they make. You have to hold them upright and then when you want to get them to make a sound, you flick them forward. Not sure I'm any good at this. But, as I say, it's quite an experience, definitely a learning experience. After around 45 minutes each team had to present to the other what they had created. It was interesting to hear what the team who had used the rest of the musical instruments had produced. It had a sort of South American tango or rhumba feel to it, probably the sort of sound you'd get in Brazil or on one of the tropical islands of the Bahamas or even Cuba. My team then had a go. We'd got a good idea how to use the hand bells, with a sort of choral piece at the end. Very interesting. We will be continuing with this next week. As the impetus for the next theatre piece has begun it would be a shame for it to suddenly be stopped. After lunch there was a line run for 'Stranger Danger' and then tidying up for another group who were going to be using the theatre later.

(Wednesday) I didn't get up until around 6.40, with Alfie following me like a shadow. He's not used to having his routine changed and we eventually got out for the Eaglestone Park walk at gone 7 o'clock. No sooner had I got outside that I realised that, being Wednesday, I should have got the recycling sorted into bags. If you don't get it done in time there is a chance of the dustmen coming and this not ready in time, so it was likely to be left another week, which I don't fancy. With a heatwave forecast, it was going to become a bit smelly. So we cut short our walk and I managed to get the bags sorted and put out at the front of the house.

The day has co continued rather mixed, overcast and not a sign of the sun. According to the weather forecast on BBC Breakfast this morning, there is a heatwave across most of Europe, with high temperatures in Spain and France. We are expected to get a warmer spell over weather later this week. 

Getting Warmer!

(Tuesday) I'm still intent on going out with Alfie a good deal later. 6.20 is really far too early, but don't ask Afie for his opinion. It started out bright and sunny, but as I write this at 12.40p.m. it's become somewhat overcast. We are promised a bit of a heatwave later in the week. I do hope so, because my shorts and short-sleeved shirt still resides in the wardrobe.

Phil and his son Robert turned up at around 9.40 to attempt to finish off the garden. Robert used the new Strimmer they bought but it shed a piece that prevented it from working, apparently a spring which goes in the spindle on which the fishing line is coiled and which cuts the grass. He managed to cut down the grass at the back of the house and Phil has dug over the flower bed at the front of the house. I bought four plant pots with minature daffodils, which were a speciality of Carol's, and now they have finished he has dead-headed them and planted the bulbs in the newly-dug flower bed. A large amount of broken glass has been found in the flower bed. I can't think where it's come from. Possibly from a window, but I can't be sure. You'd think if someone broke it, from whatever cause, they could at least pick it up and put it somewhere safe. It's the same with the two garden sheds that go with this property. In each there is stuff which must have belonged to former tenants. I wish they could have disposed of it before they left. Part of a computer and oddments in the meter cupboard which is at the front of the house and ancient mattress and oddments in both sheds. Taking up vital space which could be my things and there's nowhere else to store it.

Garry is coming back to help put up the replacement clothing rail in the cupboard in my bedroom. He had to deal with a flood at the school where he works and next week one of his daughters is getting married so he's busy but be spoke to me earlier when Phil and Robert were here and informs me that he will go to get the parts for the clothing rail tomorrow morning. As I will be going to Camphill tomorrow I won't be home until at least 4.30 so he should be able to come and fit the rail tomorrow evening. I hope so, because currently I have the clothing which fell down when the rail collapsed last week. I haven't got enough space in the IKEA wardrobe to put this excess clothing.

The artful squirrel has been back. I saw it hanging upside down on the bird feeding station. How on earth it manages to hold on I can't imagine. I would love to get a photo of it, but  by the time I've set up the camera it would be too late, unfortunately. I suppose I could always set it up on the tripod with the telephoto lens fitted, but there again just a slight noise, probably of the shutter going off would scare it away. It sat on the fence staring at the house for quite some time. It's as if it expects me to be watching. Crafty thing!

Sunny and Bright!

(Friday) A really pleasant bright and sunny morning! Let's just hope it stays that way for the next few days.

I had the washing machine on early and as I write it's out on the line. It shouldn't take long to dry. Not a job I'm exactly over-excited about, but it needs doing. So hopefully it should be dry around lunchtime.

I went into the shopping centre. I wanted to put some cash in my savings account at the Metro bank. Then I went to Marks and Spencer and had a salted caramel latte and cheese and ham toastie. It wasn't busy presumably because it wasn't lunchtime. I had a look in the men's clothing section. No end of short-sleeved shirts on display. Why is it when I was looking earlier I couldn't find anything decent and then, there're all over M and S? One in particular would be suitable for the Treasure Island production at Campbell, with what could be pirate ships on and octopi which would be very appropriate, unless the storyline is altered, as it's likely to be. But I've got two suitable short sleeved shirts already, so I don't need any more at the moment.

I've shifted some of the clothing from the cupboard where the clothing rail collapsed yesterday because Garry is coming round this evening with a more suitable clothing rail to replace the collapsed one. So I should be able to put all my clothes back where it all belongs. My suit which I wore at our wedding, which I haven't worn since that day, which I think needs dry cleaning, probably have a good press so that it can be worn again and a jacket which Carol brought me in Next. It's black and padded but makes me look like a security guard in a night club, what they call a 'bouncer' if that's the correct term. Need dark glasses and an ear-piece on one of those curly cords in one of my ears and a sort of fixed, unsmiling face. But that's not my character, just that clothing can suggest a character. Whether it's a stereotype I don't know, but whenever they have such characters on television, usually a soap sigh as EastEnders, and there's a scene which involves a nightclub and the script demands a bouncer or security-type character, the wardrobe department usually dresses such a character in a short, usually black, or at least, dark colour, and that character is a sort of 'heavy,' hard-faced individual, who never cracks a smile, wears dark glasses, which adds a sort of hint of danger to the part.

I must make mention of the birth of my third grandchild, Arthur Albert Wilson, born on Monday morning at 10.39a.m. at Worcester Hospital, weight 8.13 l.b., mother and child doing well. I haven't mentioned this event until now because Chloe didn't want it announced until more family had been informed. It's easy enough nowadays to plaster such news all over social media, but it doesn't make up for a more personal approach, face-to-face or even via telephone. I was supposed to go to Worcester today because yesterday (Saturday) was the second grandchild, Eddie's second birthday. I was scheduled to share driving, but it hasn't happened. I can't drive all the way to Worcester and then come back later, because that would make at least a 5-6 hour round trip. Not  good idea when I have several health issues, just sitting in the car for that length of time isn't a good idea. I have birthday presents all wrapped up and ready for Eddie and hopefully he can have them when Chloe and Steve come up to visit Louisa and her family who live in Stony Stratford.

As a result of not going to Worcester I went to Shenley Christian Fellowship. I'd forgotten that there was going to be a baptism during the second service. The band was on top form and the worship exhilarating to say the least. Pastor Ross preaching on baptism, which was very appropriate. I stayed for the second service, sitting in the back. There were more people visiting than usual, most probably family and friends of Luke, the young man who was being baptised. He's very tall, and they kept making mention of the fact and because of his height it was difficult to baptise him in the baptistry so he didn't hit his head! He gave a great testimony and the singing was really good. From SCF I drove down Chaffron Way and had a snack in Waitrose's café, although I wouldn't have the gluten-free bread which was what my sandwich was made of, because I didn't fancy the texture. You only find these things out after you've bought this sort of bread, but the cappuccino was excellent.

It's been a rather strange day on the weather front. It started out overcast and I was hoping it would be sunny so I could wear my new shorts and the rather nice short-sleeved shirt I got in M and S the other week, but I'll have to save it all for another day. Not sure, though, that the world is yet ready for the sight of my bare legs!

Rain, rain, go away!

(Wednesday) It's been a mixed weather day. No rain when I took out Alfie his morning. I didn't intend going out as early as I usually do, hoping to have a bit of a lie-in, much to Alfie's concern. We eventually got out at around 6.45.

Odd goings-on in the garden later in the day. The bird feeding station has become quite popular since I replenished it. It's taken some time to get a regular lot of birds visiting because it has been neglected since Carol was diagnosed. But there are other visitors who seem to enjoy the food which is in the various feeders. A rather fat and incompetent pigeon attempts to get food out of the round peanut feeder. This is probably easy enough for the smaller birds to negotiate, but a large pigeon cannot balance on the thing in order to feed off the peanuts it contains. Then it was visited by a squirrel, which manages to climb up the central pole that supports the bird feeding station. It has a rival, which came into the garden and sat on the grass nearby, looking cute, flicking it's tail and obviously intending raiding the feeding station.

Thursday. A bit of a disaster this morning. In my bedroom there is a built in wardrobe. Probably it's better to describe it as a hanging space for clothes. There is a shelf. I don't know who put that in, but it has always been in there all the time we've lived in the house. Also, a hanging rail. Also probably not part of the original cupboard fitting. Actually not intended as a hanging rail. I think it's just a cheap length of dowel rod and a former tenant put in. I have been hanging my clothes on it for I don't know how long. Carol used to hang her clothes on it. Whenever I iron a shirt it goes on it because the actual wardrobe, one of those flat-pack IKEA jobs, doesn't have sufficient space. But this morning I was about to take out a shirt to wear before taking Alfie out for his morning walk, the entire rail collapsed. I imagine the weight of the clothes was too much, but I had to pick up everything and attempt to put it in the IKEA wardrobe. As a result I was not feeling exactly on top form when I was walking around Eaglestone Park. I will now have to get something sturdier and more suited as a hanging rail to replace the one which has collapsed.

The collapsing hanging rail isn't the only broken thing in this house. One of the doors on the kitchen cupboards fell off the other morning. The side of the bath needs refining. The cistern in the upstairs bathroom toilet needs the mechanism which makes the water fill and then stop needs replacing because it doesn't stop filling. This was replaced around two years ago. The cold tap on the bathroom sink is loose. It needs tightening underneath. The seat of the downstairs toilet is loose but needs tightening. The entire seat needs replacing. The floor outside the bathroom has been in a parlous state in all the time we've lived in the house. I had someone look at this and to put new floor in would cost in the region of £300. We had to replace a large section of the garden fence several years ago and our beloved landlord has never repaid the cost, somewhere in the region of £250. I could describe more, but I think that is enough at the moment.

Phil and his son Robert have come back to sort out the garden. They've done a good job on the front of the house, getting rid of the weeds and grass which have sprung up between the paving slabs. I have the cordless grass trimmer for them to use. Not actually a'strummer,' but actually better. The only problem is that the thing only runs for around 20-30 minutes and then needs recharging, but it's easier than a corded machine because you don't have to manage it getting tangled and getting in the way and the danger of actually cutting the cable.

History Festival and Changeable Weather

At last! Some sunshine. The big question, is it going to last?

Saturday morning. It's quite bright and sunny this morning. I managed to take Alfie out for his early morning walk. I just hope it's going to last as I don't want to be sitting around indoors all weekend.

I'd planned to go to the history festival which is on this weekend in Campbell Park. Actually very little advertising for this event which is surprising. I only knew because it's come up in my feed on Facebook, I think through Milton Keynes Museum, who are partners for the event. I knew it started at 11 a.m. and that I didn't want to get there too early. I think they realise that on a Saturday a lot of people don't get up early, so there's no practical point in opening up too early, so it makes sense to open a bit later, 11 o'clock being sensible. I drove in and parked where I parked when I went to see Les Miz the other week. I have an app on my mobile called Ring Go, which I've used on quite a few occasions. It saves having to have coins to pay when you park. I hadn't got any change so I was relying on it working. But when I got to my parking space, right behind the theatre, I couldn't get the app to work. It has been upgraded recently and there was no way it was going to work. It annoyed me because I'd made the effort to come into the centre of Milton Keynes specifically to visit the history festival. So I had to drive all the way back to Eaglestone and went to the shop, bought some sweets and paid with a £10 note and got change and then drove back and used some of the change to pay to park. I have to say I'm not impressed that the Ring Go app has failed. It seems a familiar problem, they have to upgrade these things, tamper with it. They work well enough but not after the upgrade.

I walked into the centre and then through towards Campbell Park. I crossed the main road via one of the footbridges but I should have used the one closer to John Lewis, but it didn't make a lot of difference. I could hear a man's voice on a Tannoy system, describing some event at the history festival site. As I approached I could see tents, flags and banners which gave a sort of fairground or even a sort of battle feel to the site and eventually came out in the midst to the enactor's tents and stalls, various periods  being presented by people in costume. In the centre of it all an arena for enactors to represent battles and other period displays, from Roman times up until the 20th century.

I stopped at one of the food outlets (for want of a better word) to have a coffee frappé. I really needed a drink by the time I trudge over from the carpark. It was quite a treck. Then down some steps into the amphitheatre area where there were tents with displays from a variety of organisations such as the National Trust, Stowe House Preservation Trust, Buckingham Old Gaol Museum and many others. I spent quite some time chatting to a variety of people on these stalls.

The next day, Sunday, I returned to the history festival after Church. I took my camera and managed to take a few photographs of the Sealed Knot doing a demonstration of the tactics used during the English Civil War. I posted several of them on Facebook. Unfortunately the weather changed. From being fairly bright and sunny it began to cloud over, so it was at that point I decided to leave and walk back to the car because I didn't want to get caught in a downpour.

Lost Phone and More Rain

I had a phone call yesterday, Wednesday, But when I went to answer I could't find it. The landline phone is wireless and it has a base unit near the point where the line comes in and the handset sits in this unit. I usually return it to the base when a call ends, but for some reason it go separated, so when I went to answer I couldn't find the thing so the ringing came to an end. I hunted around  the lounge and the table where the unit sits and then realised that there was a button on the base unit which would find the handset if you pressed it, which I did and there was a 'peep' and the handset was discovered between the sofa and the armchair where I usually sit. So, panic over. No idea who it was who rang, but later I got a call from one of those computerised systems, saying it was BT and they were about to turn off my broadband. But, considering what happened a few weeks ago with my laptop being hacked, I doubt it was genuine. When they rang then and said they were from BT, no doubt this latest call was a scam of some sort, so I put the phone down very quickly.

The weather is as wet as ever. I just hope it improves soon. I want to go to the history festival in Campbell Park this weekend and if it continues to rain that's going to be washed out, unfortunately. Alfie didn't get his routine early-morning walk around Eaglestone Park. I'm not taking him out in pouring rain otherwise we're both going to come back soaked to the skin.

I've been to Sainsbury's this morning. They've moved everything around in there and it's annoying, to say the least. You get used to the layout and then on your next visit it's all been moved around. They know that the average shopper buys basics, such as milk, bread, potatoes, sugar, each shop and these are like points on a compass which you move between. They haven't been moved, I notice. In the personal care and pharmacy area everything is different. I just cannot find bath gel, how ever hard I look.

Friday morning. So, another week almost over. No sign that the rain is going to stop. I left off taking Alfie until I was sure it wasn't raining, or if it was, that it wasn't too heavy that we would get a soaking. After 7 o'clock I peered out of the bathroom window and couldn't see the stream that we usually get, running down the road in front of the house, so I made the decision to venture forth. Alfie is like a coiled spring, he doesn't relish being cooped up indoors.

The bird feeding station is suddenly alive with birds! As I write this and look out of the lounge window I can see at least 6 little birdies on it. I think they're some sort of tit, but not sure. Only problem is, a great fat pigeon insists on landing on the feeder and almost destroying the entire thing. It frightens off the birdies and then a loot of the food in one of the feeders gets knocked and the seeds fall out on the ground. I don't know how to prevent it coming and ruining things. I know what I'd like to do, but I don't think the neighbours would be happy. I might get a pea shooter and shoot it up the backside. Anyway, I took some photos of the birds on the feeder yesterday and uploaded them onto my Facebook profile if you want to have a look.

  

Birds on the bird feeding station

After some thought, I decided to upload a photograph onto this blog post, so here they are, tucking in to the grub in one of the feeders.

I've been out. I have to get flea and worming treatments for Alfie, so I drove over to the retail park at Rooksley. Pets At Home is one end of the parade of units and Smyth's Toys is the other. I walked the length of the parade, past Hobbycraft, one of Carol's favourite haunts as well as Next. A lady was arriving at the Costa's branch and she unlocked and then went inside, locking the door behind her. When I walked back past later I noticed a sign on the door, saying, 'closed due to technical problems, sorry for the inconvenience.' Don't ask me what the problem was, because I didn't know, but probably an electrical fault with some of the machinery they use, a fridge or one of the coffee machines. Not good for business, I'm certain. 

Pets At Home have a subscription service for the flea treatment, which means I will have the phial with the treatment in it delivered via post every month, which means I won't forget to treat Alfie every couple of months. Then I walked along the parade and went into Smyth's toy warehouse. Not actually a good idea, because I was surrounded by so many toys it was impossible to choose what I was after for grandson Eddie. I was after a bath toy, something for him to play with when he's having a bath. I couldn't resit many of the interactive toys, those that make a noise, dance around or otherwise have a button on them to get you to press and get the toy to dance, burp, sing, or make some sort of noise. Something that Alfie would love. So I fell for a  Grumble, which makes rude noises and does all sorts of strange things. If nothing else, it made me laugh, a d probably some other customers in the store!

A Little Bit Wet!

(Monday)A bit wet when I took Alfie out this morning around Eaglestone Park.

I needed to make a doctor's appointment. I have had a sort of rash on my neck. Scaly skin that irritates slightly, but not too much. I was going to leave it to clear up itself, but I thought that it might be better to get a doctor's opinion. I can't think where it came from. I was going to leave it until Wednesday and then make an appointment, but then I thought that, once I've been I can forget about it. I began ringing the surgery at 8.15, but the surgery phones must have been switched off as I only got a sort of 'engaged' tone. I rang about every 5 minutes after that and it wasn't until about 835 that I eventually got through to the system and then another 10 minutes of just hanging onto the line until a receptionist answered. I eventually got through and told the receptionist what my problem was and she said I should go to a pharmacy. I wasn't convinced that a pharmacist would be any use. If I did go I could only have 'over the counter' medication so I said I'd prefer a doctor's appointment. When I got the 'ring-back' from one of the doctors about an hour later, I was given an appointment with one of the practise nurses at 11 o'clock. So I had to sit and wait which is a bit annoying, but if you need a doctor's appointment you have no alternative, unfortunately.

I got to Ashfield Medical Centre in good time. I don't like the carpark at the rear of the surgery, basically because there's very little room for manoeuvring your vehicle and when you come out you have to be careful because you can't see cars coming in. And, walking round to the front, why is there a really unpleasant pile of cigarette ends as you walk round? I do think if people insist on smoking and have to go outside for a smoke, they shouldn't just throw their cigarette ends on the ground.

I didn't have to wait too long util I was called in to the practise nurse's room. Infact, a good 10 minutes before 11, so it was worth arriving early. I got a prescription for a cream to put on the dry skin on my neck. I took the prescription to the pharmacy next door to the surgery to have it made up. I didn't have to wait long and then drove into the city centre and parked where I usually do, near 'The Point.'

I've signed up to a walk-on agency called Universal Extras. I had one of my photographs approved by them and another of the shots my friend John did for me a few weeks ago has also been approved. But I needed to prove that I could work in the UK (as I think I've mentioned in an earlier blog post.) I have had a copy of my birth certificate returned from Bedford County Council Records department and I had to photograph it and then upload it onto the Universal Extras website, but for some reason it wouldn't upload. I took several photos with my iPhone, but I imagine it was too large and after several attempts it still wouldn't work. I needed to use my Canon digital camera to take further photos and then upload those. I don't really understand the technology. I had been looking around the house for the cable to allow me to upload photos from the camera onto my MacBook, but I couldn't find it, so I had to go into Jessops's shop in he central shopping centre to get a replacement lead, but they don't stock them and had to buy a card reader to do the same thing. I just took the card out of the Canon camera and put it into the card reader (a bit like a memory stick) and plug it into one of the USB sockets and upload the photos via that. It worked, thankfully. Then I had to find out how to reduce the size of the photo I wanted to upload to the Universal Extras site. I managed to get the photo taken but then it would not upload to the site. I think the photo is too large, and by going on Google I managed to find out out to reduce the photo file, but still it won't upload. I have not attached it to an email and sent it to Universal Extras, but I don't know whether they received it as I have had to response from them and it doesn't show on their website. Come back to find out whether this situation is resolved.
Tuesday morning. It's been raining all night. Not just rain, but a strong wind. It was so cold I was tempted to put the central heating on, but I didn't. It was raining so hard when I eventually got up that I decided not to take Alfie out for his customary walk. He was not pleased, as you can imagine. There was no way I was going out to get soaked and to have Alfie come home like a drowned rat. I am hoping (as I write this at 8.20a.m.) that I can take him out when I return from Camphill around 4.30 this afternoon. I'll just have to wait and see if things get better.

Wet Weather and Cancelling Sky

The weather has changed, but I'm not sure whether it's for the best or worst.  It's become wet and a good deal colder.

As I sit in my lounge, in my favourite armchair, with the television on and looking out of the window at the garden, the sun is going in and out. It was raining this morning when I went to the Men's Breakfast at church, but by the time I drove away it had stopped.

Enough of that. I have been meaning to cancel my Sky Television subscription. I'm not getting the use of all those channels. I doubt I watch much more than 3-4 hours per day. I don't know what the average length of time most of their customers spend watching their channels. Most probably if you're a sports fan and you have the additional sports channels, which I don't have, you would watch far more. I also have broadband as well as a Sky Mobile package. I wanted to cancel the television element and switch over to Freeview. For obvious reasons with that you don't have a subscription. Not as many channels but if I don't watch so much it made sense to switch over, but I needed a decent ariel which I don't currently have. When we first moved to this house we had a Freeview set-top box and we had to use an indoor ariel, so the picture quality was not very good, which is the reason we set up a Sky subscription. The alternative, Virgin, was out of the question, because their signal comes via cable, which it appeared from investigation wasn't available in Milton Keynes, somewhat surprising when one considers how new the city is. You would assume that Virgin would have installed a cable system, but there isn't one, so Sky was the only choice. There's never been an ariel at this address, which is the reason we had to use an indoor ariel for the Freeview box we had when we first moved into this address. But to receive a half-decent picture it would be necessary to have an outdoor aerial. I looked around on the internet and found several local companies who could do what I required and one company's website had a section on which you could send messages via email. I left a message, along with my telephone number and they rang me this lunchtime and said that someone would come round to do an assessment and give me a quote.

I got a call from the aerial company and they said they could send someone within ten minutes, was I interested? I said I was and the engineer came in a van with a large ladder on top. He came in and had a look at my television and went out to look at the wall outside the lounge. He gave me a quote and then said he could install the ariel immediately, so I agreed, I would like the work done. The next problem was getting his ladders into the house and through to the garden. The only way was through the kitchen window. The aerial had to have a long metal pole attached onto the wall with brackets. I'm surprised how high it was up, compared with those aerials attached to the neighbouring houses.

The engineer checked that there was a signal reaching my television. When you first use Freeview you have to set up the tuner, which is built into my set and the various channels have to be scanned, rather like downloading apps and other software from the internet. I presume they are downloaded from the television transmitter. This took about ten minutes and then the set was up and running. Unlike the Sky Q box, you can't record or watch catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer, so I intend buying a set-top box which has the Freeview channels and connects to the internet via wi-fi. I have quite a few Nectar points as well as Argos vouchers owed me from doing on-line surveys, and, as I write, these are on order and should arrive within a week, so I can go and buy the Panasonic Freeview box I have seen on the Argos website. As Sainsbury's owns Argos and Nectar, I can use the Nectar points and Argos vouchers to pay for part of the cost of the set-top box.

Once I was set up with Freeview and the aerial was working successfully, I then had to ring Sky to give them the news that I was ditching their television service. It wasn't long before I had got through and explaining why I was cancelling the television subscription. I have managed to do a good deal with the rest of the package because I have their broadband, landline and mobile. I have got the broadband down to £28 a month and the mobile data package has increased, in fact double what it was and still the same price as it was for half the amount of data, all for £19.50. How did I manage that? The call-centre tried to get me to continue with the Sky television element, for £45 for 18 months, but, no, I had made my decision to cancel it and go over to Freeview. With a Freeview Play set-top box, which I intend to get, you can have all the catch-up services, such as BBC iPlayer and even Netflix, which I already have an account with, so I don't loose the ability to record and playback all those services and without having to pay a subscription. I think one of the things that annoys me with Sky is the amount of advertising that their programming has. I was under the impression that once you paid a subscription you didn't have to endure endless advertising. At least that's not the case with Netflix. I realise that Sky is a commercial operation, like ITV, and depends on advertising for some of it's income, but they show them so frequently that it's so annoying.

Great Day at Camphill

Another great day at Camphill on Tuesday. For some reason the traffic driving there early was heavier than usual. I have an idea that there are roadworks somewhere around Milton Keynes which has disrupted things and traffic being rerouted elsewhere which would account for more than usual traffic, particularly going along Chaffron Way. Some motorists just don't have any patience. If you knew there were going to be roadworks or whatever, why didn't some of them just set off earlier?

Things were a little different this Tuesday. There was a visit from a group of students from a school in Luton who were coming to look around the Camphill site and they came to watch the video of 'Three Little Pigs: Stranger Danger.' A few weeks ago Teo got the group to come up with a list of questions that the students might ask and how they were to respond. A good idea. We had no idea how many students or what age they were and we were told they would arrive around 10.30 so we had the tea-break a good deal earlier than usual. A line-run was done, with everyone sitting in a circle and then the students came in and the video was shown on the big screen. It was great to get a really positive reaction, a lot of laughs. Some of it is quite amusing, I must say. The students were a good deal older than I was expecting. For some reason I thought they would be primary school age, but were the other end of the school age-range. More like 14-15 or even older. They interacted very well with the Camphill residents and the residents seemed to enjoy having them there.

I had lunch in the cafe. I have started using it since I've been working a full day at Camphill. It has a lovely calming atmosphere. Some of the residents of the community work as waiters. I never realised that it  was vegetarian. I had a really nice cheese toastie which has a lovely salad with it and I couldn't resist having a slice of Victoria sponge to follow and it was interesting to compare it with what I've made at home. Three-layer, which I've never attempted before. The walls of the café are covered with artworks of all sorts, mostly watercolours, so it's pleasant to view them when I come in to eat. It's always busy, which must say something if it's that popular.

After lunch the team as split up into two groups. One to work on the story ideas for 'Treasure Island' and the rest to help to sort out cables for lighting and sound, because the Chrysalis Theatre is used by a variety of companies for their productions and they use the equipment and the cables needed to be labelled in the various lengths. Then later, when we were about to leave for home, we heard what the story developers had come up to. It was quite a surprise at how imaginative and inventive it was, the material they had come up with.

No Milk Today!

I got up as I usually do. Got dressed, went downstairs and was about to make breakfast. Just cereal in a bowl with a mug of tea. Got the milk out of the fridge. Began to pour it on my cereal and out came what looked like yoghurt! It had obviously gone off, so the cereal went in the bin. I couldn't have anything to eat until the local shop opened, which is around 7 o'clock. I took Alfie for his usual walk around Eaglestone Park. He didn't see a squirrel leaping across the grass. It looked very humorous. Alfie barking as usual, but the fact that he's so low to the ground might explain why he didn't see the squirrel. Probably just as well, because otherwise he'd have been off, chasing it and I wouldn't know where he was likely to end up.

Another bright and sunny day. I have been into the centre again and to the coffee morning at John Lewis. A really lovely friendly bunch of people who make me feel very welcome. The counselling lady from Willen came to talk to us. There is a second group starting up in the Express Bar, which I didn't know existed, which is made up of newly-bereaved people. It would appear that the main group is mostly people whose partners passed away a fairly long time ago. So, in effect, I should be with the other group, but since I've been part of that group I think I shall remain with them. I think the idea is to spread the group out a bit because there will be some 30 or so in both groups and there isn't really enough room where we meet and it gets quite noisy in there, not that it's a problem. It's great to have the support of a group of people who've been through the same thing as me at Willen Hospice.

From John Lewis I walked to Marks and Spencer as I have a short-sleeved shirt to collect which has been on order since Friday. It's a really nice 'Limited Edition' shirt made of cotton and Modal (not entirely sure what that is, but presumably a sort of fibre.) and with the 20% discount with my Sparks card, ideal for wearing with the new short I bought a few months ago.

I've got to find two details for my profile for one of the casting agencies. My hat and glove sizes. I used to know these, but have forgotten. It's quite important if you are doing walk-on/Supporting Artiste work to have all relevant measurements, such as waist, inside leg, hat, glove etc etc. I went to the men's department in Marks and Spencer and a lady measured my head and I got the measurement in inches but as they don't stock gloves in the summer they couldn't do my hand. Never mind. I had a brainwave. I would go back to the men's department in John Lewis.

On Thursday last, as mentioned in a previous blog post, I went to the Milton Keynes Theatre to see 'Les Miserables.' I did actually buy a programme and had it with me for the duration of the performance, but I must have dropped it at the end of the performance when there was a standing ovation. I was somewhat annoyed with myself that I didn't have it when I got home and this morning I was determined to walk to the theatre and ask if I could buy another. When I got there I had intended to ask at the box office, but there was quite a queue of people, no doubt attempting to buy returns for the few performances left this week. But then a lady came out of the box office to talk to a lady and when she had finished I told her I had seen the show but lost my programme. She went back to the office and returned with a programme. I asked how I could pay and she said I didn't need to, which was a real surprise but at least I can now read it and keep it as a souvenir of the show I love so much.

Walking The Dog (and Sundry Matters)

(Saturday) A really lovely warm day today. As a result of hearing the weather forecast I decided to take off the bedding, duvet cover, sheet and pillow slips, and have them in the washing machine early this morning. Bedding changed and sorted and took Alfie out for his routine walk around Eaglestone Park. We met a large labrador also being walked and as usual Alfie wanted to be friends but I wasn't sure whether the other dog was that interested. Poor Alfie! We did the longer route back through the estate going towards Marlborough Street and came back along the Redway. I had a package to collect from Marks and Spencer, a short sleeved Henley top which was on their website and with 20% discount because I have a Sparks card (the Marks and Spencer loyalty card.) it seemed to good an opportunity to add to my wardrobe, particularly with the warm weather. I went into town after 9 o'clock and parked where I normally do near the Point.

I walked through to Marks and Spencer's. Hardly anybody about. Well, as it's a Saturday, a lot of people who would be shopping in this shopping centre aren't even out of bed yet. I go up on the escalator to the first floor, to the department where you pick up your 'Click and Collect' orders. It's a simple system, go on-line to order and pay and then wait a few days to get an email and then go in and pick your order up, beautifully packaged and even on a hanger. It means you don't have to wade through racks in the store or spend ages trying to find that particular item in your size. I then had a look at sort sleeve shirts. Marks have a good range, in lovely colours and fabrics and found what I wanted, but it wasn't in my size, so I had to ask a member of staff if they had it in stock. She looked on a computer screen and said they could order it for me. I wanted an XL size, and a regular fit, not what they call 'slim fit.' I don't like clothes that are too tight and I usually take a size L, but find if I have XL then there's a bit more room, if you know what I mean. I have lost a fair amount of weight, but putting some of it back on. I lost no end of weight when Carol was diagnosed and going through that awful time before she died. I had to put several more holes in the belt on my trousers. I don't wear jeans, I never have done since I was around 17-18. I much prefer Chinos as they fit better and don't go all baggy in the backside. Generally more comfortable. Anyway, the lady on the till said that the shirt I wanted would be available to pick up, on Monday. So, when I go to the Willen coffee morning in John Lewis, I can go and pick it up then.

So, order collected, I walked back through the shopping centre and returned to the car. By this time it was beginning to get busy. I'm glad I came in when I did. From there I drove to Sainsbury's to do some shopping and mainly to collect a repeat prescription from the Lloyd's in-store pharmacy.

I have a mystery. When I got home I checked to see if the washing was dry. It was. I'm so glad I had it out on the line so early. I want to know is this: why is it whenever you wash a duvet cover and you put it in the machine the right way round, when you come to remove it, how come it's inside out? There's no reason why it should. And why do you nearly always find, when you peg out socks, in particular, you always get one sock that doesn't have a mate, a matching one? It then either gets left inside the machine, so you have to spin the drum with your hand to see what is left, or it might just not even make the wash, and remain in the laundry basket, or you find you left it on the bedroom floor. The laundry elves must have something to do with it . . . .

It was bright and sunny as the day progressed. After lunch I took Alfie out for a second walk. He was more than happy to oblige and must have thought all his birthdays had come at once. We walked down the Redway towards the Grand Union Canal and walked along one side and then came back over the other, crossing over the canal at one of the bridges and then came back round and walked back along the Redway and home. I was quite exhausted when I got back, but never mind, it was worth it, just to have Alfie happy and for me to get some good exercise.

I forgot to mention. On Thursday, about half an hour before I left the house to drive to the theatre to see 'Les Miz,' I got a telephone call on my mobile. It was from Universal Extras, an agency which I have started applying to work for on their website. I have already uploaded two photos, one of which has been approved and the second, one of the full-length shots that John did for me the other week, was awaiting approval. It wasn't that which the call was about. Apparently they need proof of my right to work in the United Kingdom. A bit of a shock, because I have never been asked this by anyone before because I was born and have only ever lived in the UK, and, secondly, I don't have a passport. I was told I could use my birth certificate, a copy of which I don't currently have. Once these documents have been seen, uploaded or whatever, then I can be offered work by them. So, on Friday I went to the Bedford County Council website and applied on-line, as most things seem to be done these days. I at first thought I could have to drive to Bedford and apply 'over-the-counter,' but, no, it's just a question of filling in an on-line form and paying using my debit card and hopefully the certificate copy will be posted to me and should arrive in a couple of days.

Stranger Danger And Other Dramas

On Tuesday I went to Camphill as usual. I'm now there all day so I'm better able to join in more with the students. They seem to like having me with them. Really enjoy our relationships. They are such a lovely group and to think so many of them have problems with communication, speech and probably the biggest one, confidence. There is an extra supporter who has been working on Camphill's care bank, which is a similar system for staff to do shifts whenever permanent staff go on leave. Also, a young girl who is doing a placement from university and she was given a tour of the theatre. She is doing a creative writing degree so she should be very helpful with the writing of the next project, based loosely (and I mean loosely!) soon 'Treasure Island'. During the morning the students did more work on the lines for the 'Stranger Danger: Three Little Pigs' play. The group was divided into two groups, some working in the theatre and the rest either downstairs in 'The Crypt,' or in the foyer area.

Jeremy, who has been videoing the Stranger Danger: Three Little Pigs' project, came in with DVDs and Memory Sticks on which the completed video had been put. These were handed out at tea break.

After lunch, which I had in the Camphill café, (a lovely atmosphere in there. Must be extremely popular because it gets quite busy at lunchtime.) we began working on developing the next project, which, as I've mentioned in an earlier blog post, is to be based on Treasure Island. We were split into two groups and sat around a table and each of us had to come up with a line for the narrator of the ply to speak, making it as imaginative as possible and building up the dialogue. Some really amazing ideas came out of this. A really brilliant way to workshop and devise a storyline. Almost like the traditional part game of Consequences, which I very much remember playing as a child. So where next with this new project? Keep coming back to my blog to find out!

(Wednesday) I've got rid of the old, broken plastic drawers from the fridge/freezer. I took them to the tidy-tip at Bleak Hall. That is one job done from my 'to-do' list. I am now waiting to hear from someone from church who is going to cut the grass (I refuse to refer to it as a 'lawn.') It's tough old grass which I can't cut myself. The electric hover mower wouldn't manage to cut it, it's not designed to cut such tough grass. The grass has got so long Alfie almost gets lost in it! He looks like a lion or a tiger in the grass in Africa or India or some such similar. It's also seeding, which means it it's not cut soon it will be virtually impossible to mow.

(Thursday) I was looking forward to my theatre trip to see 'Les Miserables.' My ticket had been booked for quite some while now. I really couldn't miss the chance to see it again. I saw the original London production at the Palace Theatre, probably only a couple of years after it transferred from the Barbican where it was staged in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company and directed by Trevor Nunn. I drove in to park near the XCape and walked through to the theatre and waited outside briefly because I got there at around 2 o'clock and the show didn't start until 2.30. I was making sure I wasn't late! I wasn't going to be. I waited by Door 5 on the first floor of the theatre. I had a seat in the Circle. Thank goodness I hadn't got a seat in the next layer of seats up. Carol and I had gone to see a production of Guys and Dolls and had seats in that area and it wasn't a good place to sit because you got a really awful view of the stage and it felt really cut off from what was going on on stage. You couldn't see everything. I found my seat, Row A, Seat 5. A good view of the stage. An excellent view of the stage. I love the buzz of a pre-show audience. The expectation of what's about to come. I've always had this since I was a child, probably from my first experience of 'live' theatre, being taken to see 'Peter Pan' by Sister Watson, a lady with whom my mother nursed before she was married. It was a regular production, at the Scala Theatre, it was on every year for years and years. I recall the flying. How was it achieved? I know, the actors were on wires, a sort of counterweight system, with pulleys and they wear a special harness under their costumes. Must be painful. Done by an outfit called Kirby's Flying Ballet.  Can't imagine what it would be like. Peter, played traditionally by a girl. The scene on board Captain Hook's ship, the fight with Peter. Loud explosions of cannons. I was hooked on the whole thing. And having tea, on a tray, in the auditorium, during the interval. They don't do that any more. Probably against our old enemy, Health and Safety. Goodness, sitting with a tray of BOILING WATER! Not possible now. Anyway, I digress. I think it's definitely the excitement of waiting for the show to start. I know the pressures on the actors and stage management, because I've worked as an Assistant Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager, have sourced and set props, operated the sound desk, moved props and scenery and, most important of all, run the prompt corner, done 'The Book,' prompted when actors fluff their lines, and generally run plays from that position.

As you face the stage, before the show starts, there is a curtain. I'm not sure whether it's what they call a scrim, made of a material which is transparent and when it's lit from behind, a bit like a lace curtain, you can see what's beyond, the actors and the scenery. When the lights are off and the stage is in darkness, then it appears solid. It can be painted as any other stage cloth. It was this that you see at the beginning of the show, with the words 'Les Miserables' in a sort of hand-written style, and the name 'Victor Hugo' at the bottom (the author of the novel which the show is based on.)

The sets for this production are not by John Napier who did the original Barbican, RSC co-created production, which I recall had a revolving stage and the two sections which became the barricade came of from either side of the stage and became other locations. This production had large doors which opened and closed for various scenes and the wing-pieces had doors and windows in them on several levels and other scenes were achieved with sections of scenery which slid on and off and a sort of 'track'across the stage which allowed pieces of furniture to move and be set in position. There was much use of what I assume was digital projection, but I couldn't work out where the projectors wee for these sequences. Very clever use and achieved very quick scene changes. Much impressed by the sound engineering. It must be extremely difficult to balance the singer's on stage with the orchestra in the pit. You could hear almost all the words the actors/singers sang and then have each actor with those tiny microphones taped or otherwise attached to their faces or in their hair which you couldn't see, thankfully. I've seen shows where there is absolutely no attempt to hide these things. It just goes to show it must be done. And then they'd have to hide the radio transmitter unit under costumes and also the engineers would have to balance the singing voice with the orchestra. All extremely well done and not interfering with the enjoyment of the show.