(Monday) Nothing much to report today. I went to the Willen coffee morning in the restaurant at John Lewis. I was the first to arrive and thought that I would be on my own, but people began to arrive around 10.10 and quite a few people were away, presumably on holiday. I obviously couldn't go last week because of going to Worcester to see my new grandson, Arthur.
Tuesday. It was a hot and clammy night, but I did manage to sleep. It's supposed to be hotter than ever tonight, but I can always read and have plenty to keep me occupied.
So, by lunchtime we should hear which of the two Conservative contenders in the leadership contest wins and becomes Britain's next Prime Minister. It would appear that if Boris Johnson wins there will be a wave of resignations. I'm not convinced that whoever takes over will manage to get deal with the EU so Britain leaves on 31st October. It all seems just jostling for position, just attempting to further their political careers. As most of them when to fee-paying schools, they don't have the least idea how the ordinary folk live and survive. It's down to the 'man on the Clapham omnibus,' who probably couldn't care less about whether we're in or out of the EU.
4.30 p.m. I've just come in from a day at Camphill. It has been one of the hottest day so far this year it's over 35 C, but as that doesn't mean a great deal to me as I'm still in Fahrenheit. And to cap it all Boris Johnson has won the Conservative leadership election and will become Prime Minister in the next few days.
The traffic going to Camphill this morning was easier than usual. I imagine that it's because schools are now on holiday. None of that awful aggression I've had to endure going along Chaffron Way and Brickhill Street, although the traffic was quite heavy at the roundabouts at Childs Way and Portway.
Quite a few of the drama guys were either on holiday or had appointments elsewhere so it was a bit thin on the ground. Paul, who is Teo's assistant (not sure he is actually, but never mind.) managed to get a check-in from those who had turned up (actully quite late, probably because it was so hot.) This is how each session starts off, which each resident telling us all how they're feeling and even as a support or permanent member staff you have to give a brief account of yourself. I was quite overwhelmed by how everyone greeted me after what happened to me last week and it shows how much they care for each other and members of staff. Such a lovely place to work at and I'm touched when they showed so much concern, but I explained what had happened and that it wasn't heart-related and trying to explain how the pain I experienced in my chest was difficult to differentiate between an angina attack, a bout of heart-burn or indigestion (which it was) and a full-blown heart attack, so that should it happen again I'm able to explain to a first-aider or paramedic what is going on.
With those in the drama workshop group available we did a line-run of Three Little Pigs: Stranger Danger, with the lines of those not present read by the two workplace students who are working with us, one from Japan and the other from Brazil. It's fantastic that Camphill is such a multi-cultural place and also that people are prepared to come to Milton Keynes to work there (as well as other Camphill communities within the United Kingdom.) Later, we watched the video of Stranger Danger, more for the benefit of the two students, and then the intention was to get them to ask the actors who appeared in it what it was like working on the video, the different styles of performance required between making a video and performing a 'live' play. The idea being that Paul was making notes on the iPad and the residents comments would be useful when their reviews were due and could be incorporated into any written documents. We were having a great discussion with the guys about how the play was created, where the inspiration came from, where it was going to be performed 'live' and Teo had the idea to get the two girls to teach some of the actors to speak in their respective languages, either Portuguese or Japanese, by getting them to choose their favourite line and then to have it translated into whichever language and then to repeat it word by word. It was surprisingly successful and it showed an amazing level of potential from each of then actors and to me proves what a level of concentration they have and how difficult it must be for some of them to be able to stand up and speak as well as remember their lines when they have so many difficulties of their own.
The Chrysalis Theatre at Camphill is used by many different groups, not just residents at Camphill. Some of them help backstage and also appear in shows produced by various drama groups. It is also hired out for other groups for conferences and meetings. Later in the week there is to be a conference of local teachers which will focus on educating Primary School children about healthy eating. As a result of this, there was a fair amount of work to be done, organising equipment and unwrapping some of it, which is what we did for some of the time on Tuesday. Some of the teachers involved in organising this event came to speak to Teo and were there to arrange how things were to be set up and we helped with some of the work later in the afternoon.But the heat didn't help.
Wednesday. It was a hot and clammy night and as usual, even with the windows open, not easy for me to sleep. Alfie doesn't like it as hot as this and finds it difficult to settle down and kept wandering up and down stairs. I haven't been out except to Sainsbury's for some salad bits for my evening meal and some more fruit as I'm attempting to eat as much as I can.
4.30 p.m. I've just come in from a day at Camphill. It has been one of the hottest day so far this year it's over 35 C, but as that doesn't mean a great deal to me as I'm still in Fahrenheit. And to cap it all Boris Johnson has won the Conservative leadership election and will become Prime Minister in the next few days.
The traffic going to Camphill this morning was easier than usual. I imagine that it's because schools are now on holiday. None of that awful aggression I've had to endure going along Chaffron Way and Brickhill Street, although the traffic was quite heavy at the roundabouts at Childs Way and Portway.
Quite a few of the drama guys were either on holiday or had appointments elsewhere so it was a bit thin on the ground. Paul, who is Teo's assistant (not sure he is actually, but never mind.) managed to get a check-in from those who had turned up (actully quite late, probably because it was so hot.) This is how each session starts off, which each resident telling us all how they're feeling and even as a support or permanent member staff you have to give a brief account of yourself. I was quite overwhelmed by how everyone greeted me after what happened to me last week and it shows how much they care for each other and members of staff. Such a lovely place to work at and I'm touched when they showed so much concern, but I explained what had happened and that it wasn't heart-related and trying to explain how the pain I experienced in my chest was difficult to differentiate between an angina attack, a bout of heart-burn or indigestion (which it was) and a full-blown heart attack, so that should it happen again I'm able to explain to a first-aider or paramedic what is going on.
With those in the drama workshop group available we did a line-run of Three Little Pigs: Stranger Danger, with the lines of those not present read by the two workplace students who are working with us, one from Japan and the other from Brazil. It's fantastic that Camphill is such a multi-cultural place and also that people are prepared to come to Milton Keynes to work there (as well as other Camphill communities within the United Kingdom.) Later, we watched the video of Stranger Danger, more for the benefit of the two students, and then the intention was to get them to ask the actors who appeared in it what it was like working on the video, the different styles of performance required between making a video and performing a 'live' play. The idea being that Paul was making notes on the iPad and the residents comments would be useful when their reviews were due and could be incorporated into any written documents. We were having a great discussion with the guys about how the play was created, where the inspiration came from, where it was going to be performed 'live' and Teo had the idea to get the two girls to teach some of the actors to speak in their respective languages, either Portuguese or Japanese, by getting them to choose their favourite line and then to have it translated into whichever language and then to repeat it word by word. It was surprisingly successful and it showed an amazing level of potential from each of then actors and to me proves what a level of concentration they have and how difficult it must be for some of them to be able to stand up and speak as well as remember their lines when they have so many difficulties of their own.
The Chrysalis Theatre at Camphill is used by many different groups, not just residents at Camphill. Some of them help backstage and also appear in shows produced by various drama groups. It is also hired out for other groups for conferences and meetings. Later in the week there is to be a conference of local teachers which will focus on educating Primary School children about healthy eating. As a result of this, there was a fair amount of work to be done, organising equipment and unwrapping some of it, which is what we did for some of the time on Tuesday. Some of the teachers involved in organising this event came to speak to Teo and were there to arrange how things were to be set up and we helped with some of the work later in the afternoon.But the heat didn't help.
Wednesday. It was a hot and clammy night and as usual, even with the windows open, not easy for me to sleep. Alfie doesn't like it as hot as this and finds it difficult to settle down and kept wandering up and down stairs. I haven't been out except to Sainsbury's for some salad bits for my evening meal and some more fruit as I'm attempting to eat as much as I can.
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