Blog Post 1600

So, yet another landmark! This is blog post-1600. Still going strong. I know a lot of what I write is very ordinary, but probably it's that which keeps me writing. 

Thursday. 3.55 p.m. 

I took out Alfie as usual and one round of Oldbrook Green before I had to take the car to Bleak Hall Motors for its MoT. I am somewhat annoyed that some thoughtless person thought it a good idea to break some glass and leave shart shards all over the path at the Evans Gate side of the green. I think it might cause problems with cyclists as glass is likely to puncture their tyres. I managed to avoid it as I didn't want Alfie walking over it and cutting his paws. 

I took the Renault to have its MoT which had been booked for 2.30 this afternoon at Bleak Hall Motors.. I got there around 10 minutes early and they soon had it in the workshop. Barely 45 minutes later I was being informed that it had passed without any problems. I have looked at the certificate and it states that there is light rust on the exhaust. But at least I'm not having to spend out vast amounts to get it through its MoT. Now to wait until November to have it serviced. I will use some of my winter fuel allowance to pay for it as I did last year. I intend to keep it in good order, so service does at least keep things like brake fluid and engine oil replaced and filters replaced.

Friday. 7.15 a.m. The weeks go past at a rapid pace. Can't believe it's Friday again.

I didn't wake up until gone 6.30 this morning. I had a feeling that it had rained overnight, but it was relatively dry when we went out later.

Having done washing I took Alfie out and it was drizzling. You know what I mean, surely? Thin and watery rain (well, rain is watery, but meaning, less than proper rain.) Alife wasn't over-pleased so we went back to the flat. 

2.30 p.m. Really heavy rain as I write this. Alfie really not going anywhere when we went out at around 1.45. Even togged up in his rain gear he wouldn't go further than the door out of Dexter House. Even the workmen building the ark (sorry, bike sheds. Not, not that sort of bike) have given up and gone home. Just too wet.

Later. The rain did ease off later and I was able to take Alfie out. I think he was relieved (in more ways than one. Nothing further to report. So, goodnight Vienna!

A Little Rain

Tuesday. 7.00 a.m.  I woke a good deal later than normal. I seem to be sleeping better since the weather has cooled down. So, after several days of scorching heat, we now have rain. Not exactly heavy, although some areas of the country have had torrential storms and severe flooding. So it was a bit of a surprise to find it dribbling when I took Alfie out. His Nibs didn't seem in the least bit bothered by it.

I have bought a Vax steam cleaner. No, not some sort of steam engine cleaner, but a general domestic appliance to help clean the flat. I ordered it from Very on Friday and it arrived on Monday afternoon. It was straightforward to put the various pieces and I had it running within twenty minutes or so. I gave it a trial, having filled the water tank and I found it very effective in removing grime from the kitchen floor. Far more effective than just a mop and bucket. You know how it is, you spend an age slogging away with a mop,  cleaning the floor, to find when you've finished, that it doesn't look much different than when you started. It takes a fair amount of effort, but I have to say I'm pleased and all done with steam, although you can put detergent liquid in the second tank which helps make its job more efficient.

Wednesday. 3.35 a.m. Another case of waking up in the night and not getting back to sleep. I checked my bank account online to see whether my pension was in. It was. So some payments were made. It just makes you wonder how much easier it is to do these sorts of transactions when you have the internet. How did we manage before the internet? Even being able to check your balance using an A.T.M. was quite revolutionary. I remember the only way to get at your cash in your bank account at one time was to write a cheque and hand it over to the cashier in the bank. In those days the banks closed at 3.30 p.m. and certainly not open on a Saturday morning as they are now (well, probably some aren't. I'm not so sure about that.)

6.15 a.m. It's dry this morning, but I think I heard rain earlier. There was no sign that it had been raining when we went out at around 5.35 a.m. As we walked along the path towards Oldbrook Green I saw one of those electric scooters just left in the way. It seems crazy that they get left in such idiotic places. This one would be in the way for those who can't see properly, anyone with a child in a buggy or even a bicycle being ridden along the path. It was making a buzzing sound as we walked past and then, on the way back it has a flashing light. I presume that these scooters send out a wireless message which tells those that come to pick them up their location.

2.20 p.m. I have got my car booked in for its MoT tomorrow at Bleak Hall Motors at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow, I phoned then just after 8 this morning and I was so pleased that I could get it booked so quickly and for so soon. The test is an hour so I will remain there until it's done. I trust there are no problems, but I was told last year that the emissions would need doing this year in order to pass. I see no reason why it shouldn't. I haven't driven much over the past eighteen or so months, at least, since this pandemic started. Just the occasional jaunt out to church or Sainsbury's, but that's all. The only thing that might be a problem could be the tyres as its been sitting on the drive for so long. I'll just have to wait and see.

 I was surprised yesterday to see a couple of workmen drive up in Strudwick Drive yesterday and unload an assortment of items and then put up a metal fence around it all. I thought it looked like a dinosaur cage, but that was just being rather too imaginative. Then today some day-glow dressed workmen were seen opening up the gates from Strudwick Drive into the community garden belonging to Dexter House. They had a mini digger and a small dumper truck and were starting work on what will be sheds for tenants' electric scooters (no, before you ask, not THAT sort of scooter. The sit-on type.) This work, to build shelters for these machines, was done because the local fire officer has said that these scooters can't be kept within Dexter House. I suppose it makes sense as they could be seen as causing danger if they are in the way if there was a fire. A great deal of too-ing and froing with the dumper truck as the earth was removed and dumped in a huge heap on the grass along Strudwick Drive. It looked to me rather like a very large molehill. Although you'd have to have had a very large mole to create such a molehill, probably the size of a rhinoceros. Much vegetation was also being removed as well as a small shed which was in the area immediately in front of the area below my flat. 

Another Day Older

 Saturday. 6.30 p.m. There's really not much to report at the moment, so expect very little on here.

I have taken Alfie out for his second outing mid-morning and it was attempting to rain. You might say, how can be an attempt to rain? What I mean was that it was more like a thing rainfall. It was definitely undecided and it didn't seem to me to risk a sudden downpour when we were on the opposite side of Oldbrook Green, so we almost immediately went home. Alfie is getting really somewhat lazy and he was the one who decided it was time to go home. I just have to say to him 'home' and he takes me home!

Sunday. 6.35 a.m. It's misty and damp this morning as I took Alfie out.

The milk was off AGAIN! This is beginning to become somewhat annoying. The 'best before' or 'use before date is the 28th of July, so it shouldn't have gone off so quickly. I begin to question whether this milk is dated correctly. Perhaps it's older than it should be, hence it going off quicker. It is kept in my fridge, so what is the problem? It means I will have to go out to Tesco and buy more so I can at least have my mug of tea as normal at this time of the day. Not impressed.

Monday. 6.25 a.m. Poor Alfie has had the runs for the past couple of days. We went out as normal yesterday, but last night, around 1.30 a.m., he came into me in bed and wouldn't lay down and go back to sleep. He, unfortunately, made a rather runny mess and it was this that prompted me to take him out. I had to get hurriedly dressed, with Alfie barking noisily, and I had to take the small torch with me as there was very little likelihood of being able to see what we were doing on the grass outside Dexter House alongside Strudwick Drive. 

Last evening I watched a production of the Oscar Wilde Play 'A Woman Of No Importance' on Broadway HD. It's not a play I know, so it was quite revealing and some of the material seemed very relevant to today, particularly the treatment of women. It starred Anne Reid, Eleanor Bron, and Eve Best. I know the more famous 'The Importance of Being Ernest,' and can quote great chunks of it. It's very clever and witty and is full of famous Wildean epigrams. This earlier play doesn't have the same sort of 'zing' and seems a bit forced and contrived (I suppose all his plays are contrived to some extent.) and seems like a dry-run for the later play, having some lines hinting at the famous epigrams in 'Ernest.' But in this production, why is it so dark? The first scene is supposed to be in the open air but is lit so that it might as well be nighttime. Just gloomy. Is that a modern trend in theatre lighting? The same in the next scene, set in a drawing-room. And what was the musical interlude about, during the drop for what was obviously a scene change? Was that the director's idea? Was it in Wilde's original script? I'm not sure it worked.

Scorchio!

Good old tabloid newspaper headline for my post title. Well, why not?

Last night it was again excessively hot. This morning I decided it would be a good idea to get an electric fan for the bedroom, so I've been to Sainsbury's and bought one. It is now set up and Alfie is making full advantage of it. It should make sleeping better, but we will have to wait and see.

Tuesday. 7.20 p.m. I can hear thunder as I write this. I have been looking out of the kitchen window and it looks as if it's raining. Goodness, quite a lot more thunder rolling around Milton Keynes. It seems to be approaching and will most likely relive the heat. 

I watched the launch of the Blue Origin rocket which has been funded by Amazon boss Geoff Bezos. One of the astronauts/passengers was 82-year-old Wally Funk who had trained as a cosmonaut but never made it into space because they said women couldn't go, for whatever reason. Just sexist. The journey to the edge of space and back to earth lasted for no more than 12 minutes. 

Wednesday. 8.00 a.m. I woke as normal at around 5.15. Alfie and I did our usual outing and it seemed as if it had been raining because of definite signs of the ground being given a real wetting. I had my usual bowl of cereal and tea and then went back to bed. I went back to sleep, which is unlike me. I've now done all the washing up in the kitchen and currently sitting here writing this. It seems my blog post reports are getting shorter and shorter. Oh well, such is life! I am so glad I got the fan yesterday as it's making sleeping better and Alfie seems to enjoy the breeze it produces.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. Another bright and sunny morning, but it's likely to be warmer than ever.

I've been doing some more baking I went to get additional ingredients and have made a batch of brownies which have come out better than expected. Crunchy on the outside and soft and chocolatey on the inside. Not really baking weather. The heat isn't exactly conducive for this sort of work. I may do more once it's cooler.

Friday. 6.40 a.m. Well, the week is slipping by quickly. I can't believe it's Friday again. The excitement is too much. Do you sense a sort of irony in my words, a sense of sarcasm? Well, you might be right. Just running out of anything original to put in these posts.

Later. 4.25 p.m. I've taken Alfie out, as per usual. We walked down Strudwick Drive towards the crossing point onto Oldbrook Green. There was a somewhat large, rather undisciplined dog with its owner, who was sitting on the bench in the area you arrive in when you first get onto Oldbrook Green. I was reluctant to walk past as the dog looked likely to be unwelcoming of Alfie. Its owner shouted to me, asking if I had a light, but I replied that I didn't, as I don't smoke. I really had to struggle to get Alfie to walk around the Green, but he just would not. It was so unlike him, as he usually is more than happy to do the usual circular walk. I can't think what it was, but he was determined to take me home. For a little dog, he can be very determined and, in some ways, stubborn, and pulled me to cross the road and back to the flat.

Freedom Come and Freedom Go

Okay, okay! Blog post title from a Fortune's hit single from 1972. It just seemed appropriate for the current pandemic situation. Are we going to be released from lockdown or not? It appears to be neither one thing nor the other.

So, will things be relaxed today? It's both yes and no, which is going to confuse so many people.

Monday: 6.20 a.m. Phew! What a scorcher! It is excessively not. Even with all the windows open and an electric fan working, the flat is very warm. I woke up in the night really wringing wet. Poor Alfie can't find a place to keep cool. We didn't go out until late yesterday evening, but even at around 7 o'clock, it was bright and sunny and very warm.

3.55 p.m. I may or may not have mentioned the online surveys I take part in. I think I've mentioned Consumer Pulse, where I put into a website everything I buy such as books, CDs, DVDs, and clothes. I have been with several of these online sites for several years and earn vouchers and cash which accrue and can be banked in your current account or your PayPal account. A lot of what I've earned goes into my Nationwide savings account, but some are converted into retail vouchers. One such is Maximiles. Today I had £50-worth of Marks and Spencers vouchers arrive in the post and, with £16-worth of M and S vouchers from two other survey sites, I went into the Milton Keynes M and S and bought two more of their polo shirts and cargo trousers, which I had been searching for elsewhere without success. 

It was great not having to wear a face mask in the shopping centre or M and S! Just make life far easier. I think generally people seemed far more relaxed than on previous visits.

I have an idea that the government is attempting to get the population to get herd immunity by freeing up society by lifting social distancing and not legally being required to wear face coverings. Boris was on television, but he sounded as if he was isolating in a cupboard in Chequers, where he has gone to self-isolate. It just sounded weird. Probably in the bathroom or in a drain.

Tuesday. 5.35 a.m. Yet another hot and sticky night. I had to change my top several times. Alfie settled in next to me. I'm not sure what the weather is going to be like today, but if it's hot I'm staying indoors.

There is an Amber warning from the met office. For the next couple of days, it's going to be extremely hot. For someone like me, who has a heart-health problem, it can be dangerous. So I won't be going out in it, staying indoors.

Busy Doing Nothing!

Friday. 8.a.m. Bright and sunny. Virtually no clouds in the sky, and, according to the BBC weather forecast this morning, we can expect more similar days. 

Actually, the title for this post isn't accurate, as I have plenty to keep me going. My family history research is going well. The My Heritage site works best on the app on the iPad. Got back around 9-10 generations. Baking at a standstill at the moment, but I intend to do more soon. Writing going well, although I'm doing the research before I continue. Reading, still on the Juliet Gardiner book. It's around 600-700 pages, so I don't expect to get through it much before the autumn.

Witty is saying 'we're not out of the woods' in regards to the pandemic. But the data says otherwise. The stupid NHS app is flawed and people are being 'pinged' because the idiot thing is sending messages saying people should isolate when there is no need to. It's just scare-mongering once more. Crazy. 

I got the quote from my current car insurance provider, Swinton. Am I glad I did some research before going with them again? The quote is an eye-watering £759.95! The new quote, which is already set up and the deposit paid, is £329. Just shows how important it is to shop around to get a better quote and with a breakdown cover from the RAC. This is from Dial Direct, which I found through Go Compare.

Saturday. 6.45 a.m. It's bright and sunny this morning. The BBC weather forecast is telling me that it's likely to be the hottest day of the year. I just need to keep out of the heat if that's the case, as it can be dangerous with a heart problem.

Later. 2.40 p.m. I am part of what is called a 'Prayer Triplet' which is part of SCF. We met for the first time this morning. The idea being that we are mentored and supported, probably quite necessary considering the current situation regarding the pandemic as well as the effects of Carol's death. Good to be able to talk about things that are going on in your life and then pray it through. I had to drive to Conniburrow, which isn't much more than a ten-minute drive from home. I had been there before, to a barbecue, but still, I needed to refresh my memory and then decided to use Google Maps on my iPhone, which acted as a satnav. Amazingly very good and a clear voice, as I had the mobile sitting on the passenger seat beside me. Just crazy how this technology works and I soon got there.

It's really hot today. I've been out with Alfie who didn't get his mid-morning outing because of me being out for the morning. I just can't cope with the heat and neither can Alfie.

Sunday. 8.55 a.m. I've been out twice with Alfie. I didn't wake up until 5.45, which isn't my usual time to wake up. It's usually a good deal earlier. So I had to really struggle to get out of bed and then get dressed and take Alfie out. I can't think what was different. 

It's really hot and it's only barely 9 o'clock, so I'm glad we went out when we did. I would rather stay indoors out of the heat as it's not safe if it's too hot when you have a heart problem. Alfie doesn't like it either and I think he prefers it cooler.

I had a shower, which isn't my usual time to have one, but I am a good deal cooler than when I came indoors. I have a drink of cranberry cordial with ice in it. I have plenty of ice in the fridge.

Been to get milk from Tesco Express on Oldbrook Boulevard. I don't want to have none for my early-morning cup of tea and bowl of breakfast cereal.  I noticed that the Dominos Pizza and Bernados charity shop have closed. I have a sneaking suspicion that the whole block is to be demolished to make way for a new, larger Lidl branch to be built, with this being the opposite end to where it is currently. Presumably, Lidl has bought the entire site, which might explain all this. I have since discovered that Dominos has moved across the road into Duckworth Court, where there is already a Pizza Hut. I'm not sure when all this is due to be started, but I just wonder what will become of the mini Tesco branch which is so handy for buying milk and last-minute things. Also, it has an A.T.M. outside when you need cash or to at least check your bank balance. I hope that Lidl will have one when all this is completed.

St Swithin's Day

Thursday. 6.30 a.m. So, the wearing of face masking is no longer going to be compulsory! It will no longer be going to be a legal requirement in certain circumstances, for example, when you go shopping and in other enclosed spaces. I'm so glad about this! Wearing a confounded mask means that my glasses steam up and my face ends up like it's been in a sauna, breathing in my hot breath, and it can make me feel really sick and starts off my cough. You can't have a decent conversation with a piece of fabric across your face which makes communication very difficult. I think it's about being responsible for yourself and being able to make your own decisions. 

The Government is considering bringing in a tax on sugary and salty food products, such as chocolate bars, breakfast cereals, crisps, and other products. It might sound like a good idea in an attempt to reduce dietary-related medical problems, such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, and other illnesses. But there again it's the nanny state controlling people's lives. Just educate people to understand nutrition and what it's better to eat, for example, five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day, a lower intake of salt and sugar, more fibre, eat less fast food. Learn where food comes from, for example, how milk is produced and processed, what goes into fast foods, and other matters. Just start by relating science and domestic science, less reliance on academic results and more on practical matters.

So, it surprises me how the British people have just rolled over and let authoritarianism take complete control of their lives since the covid-19 pandemic began back in March 2020. Nobody has commented on how our lives have been overturned by some totally draconian legislation that takes power away from the individual and puts it in the hands of our politicians and in some cases those who have really no political power and aren't democratically elected. We're not supposed to leave our homes unless it's for 'essential' shopping, such as for food or a medical emergency, we're not meant to meet up in other people's homes unless it's our immediate 'bubble.' Does nobody question any of this? I can't believe how easily British life has been controlled, no dissent of any sort, or if there has been, it's immediately stamped on, disallowed, no mention in media, television, or print. I worry because think about how easily the German public allowed the Nazi party to infiltrate their society and prevent any form of disagreement with their legislation, how they closed down any form of dissent, and, again, total CONTROL?! It just goes to show how far we've gone, in a very short space of time, and all for the sake of our 'safety because of this confounded virus. It's a question 'you must' all for the sake of protecting the NHS, this great monolithic construct, which may be a good force in one respect, but is overwhelmed with bureaucracy, over-manning, poor management and become some sort of beneficent aunty who hands out freebies left right and centre, a bit like great aunt Freda arrives and we expect to get 6d for being a good boy or girl. Or a packet of sweeties or other presents.

Today is St Swithin's Day, which means that if it rains (according to legend.) then it's supposed to rain for forty days, and if it's warm and sunny, then there will be forty days of warm and sunny weather. So, let's see what happens if it rains, or whether we get forty days of warm and sunny weather.

So, the weather is bright and sunny! Does it need to stay this way for twenty-four hours for it to remain fine for the next forty days? Let's wait and see!

Later. 4.35 p.m. I'm working on the plot of the next section of my novel (or whatever it is. Not sure it's officially a novel.) I'm using the internet, which is a valuable source for such research, particularly as you have videos on YouTube and news reports, data such as statistics, locations, etc. Just great. I am building up a fair amount of information before I can do the actual writing, which is the easy part. The playwright is supposed to write his plays in around three weeks, but I suspect he has done preparation before he puts pen to paper, such as the plot, characters, and incidents which happen in each act and scene, so he can then sit down and do the actual writing. Well, considering he's written around 70 plays, he must know what he's up to. I don't think I could write a play because I find dialogue difficult and it's not easy making it convincing. I find prose far easier. The fact is when we talk we don't speak in neat sentences, and we certainly don't always wait for the other person we're talking to, to start speaking. There are overlaps, incomplete sentences, and so on, making dialogue used in plays very false. Natural speech doesn't have 'cues,' where you wait for the other person to finish before you begin, although to a great extent, to be polite, you do wait, but not always.

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

Monday. 6.30 a.m. So, after all the euphoria of England getting to the final of the Euros, the result was down to penalties. I have no interest in football, but I can't help but feel that this was a rather pathetic way to end the journey. Well, as they say, there's always tomorrow.  It's done the nation a good job of boosting morale after the 18 months or so of pandemic lockdown. If nothing else it's helped sell a few pints of beer, pizzas, crisps, and flags.

 It a mixed day on the weather front. 'Sort-of' rain when I went out Alfie went out at 5.45 am.

Later.5.00 p.m. Boris Johnson is on television leading another Downing Street press conference. Restrictions are to be lifted on Monday. I don't honestly think I can stomach any more of this stuff, so it's going off. 

Tuesday. 10.15 a.m. I've been out again with Alfie. I saw a slight glimpse of Toto, the little schizu that Alfie is friends with. I wasn't totally sure, as I only saw a slight glimpse of a doggy tail, but when we crossed over Oldbrook Boulevard I could definitely see him, and Alfie had seen him and was eager to catch up. The lady who owns him was with another dog-walker who had a black spaniel called Millie, who looked as if she must have been quite old by the way she walked. Alfie was insistent that we keep up with them and wanted to be in front of the party. For a little dog, he's incredibly strong and pulls on his lead, but this only starts up the rather nasty raspy noise he makes from his throat. 

So, is it 'Freedom Day or not on Monday? Restrictions have been relaxed and face-coverings will cease to be mandatory. It will be the individual's choice to wear them . . . or not. It all sounds a bit vague and likely to cause more problems as it solves. You might, or might not, have to wear them in confined spaces. The laws will become redundant. There are those who are saying that it's a risk to get rid of so many of the restrictions, but with the roll-out of vaccines being at a high level, and quite a high percentage of the population having two doses, it must mean that we are less likely to get infected and then be hospitalized.  We simply must take responsibility for our own actions. There is risk in most things, from the first breath we take when we are born, crossing the road, driving a car, and so on. Life is full of risks. This half and half response is annoying and it's almost as if the government doesn't trust the vaccines to do their job, even when it's clear from the data that they're working.

Wednesday. 7.05 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. Nothing of any real interest to write about, so I won't, but, if you know me from reading these posts, I can generally write about most things, so hold onto your hats, it's going to be a bumpy ride! Oh, the excitement is too much.

From what I've been reading on the Lockdown Sceptics website, we are no longer in a pandemic. This from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFA) Mortality Monitor released recently show that cumalative mortality in the first six months of 2021 in England and Wales is running 0.4% below the 10-year average, once adjusted for the size and age of the population. This means, despite the surge in winter Covid deaths in January and February that spooked the country into accepting ongoing restrictions, 2021 is officially now a low mortality year. The low mortality since March has entirely cancelled out the initial spike. So, why are we being fed a load of old tosh by the government? If the above is correct, and I have no doubt that it is, why are we being held in limbo by lockdowns? As someone said, possibly Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th Century Prime Minister, 'There are lies, damn lies, and then there are statistics. Why can't HM Government listen to more than one set of scientists regarding the 'data'? Or even a sort of median, a mixing of data to get a figure? Or at least break down the figures into deaths, age, whether people have under-lying health conditions etc etc. Instead we just get a lump figure that doesn't really show the facts. In that sense, not scientific at all.

Time Travelling

No, the title doesn't mean I have discovered a means of moving through time and space. I haven't got a time machine or created a Tardis, The Doctor's means of moving throughout time and space, as used in the  BBC science fiction show 'Doctor Who.' I'm referring to my interest in history. I am currently reading books that take me through the 20th Century right up to the present day, or, at least, as near as possible. I have actually started my in the 1840s with 'High Minds' by Simon Heffer, followed by 'The Age of Decadence', covering the period up until just before the First World War, then 'Staring At God', which covers Britain in the 1914-18 War, 'The Great War' as it was referred to. Then a book on the 1920s written by Fiona McDonald. I found it incredibly hard to discover a book that covered the 1920s so this was the only one I could find. Not very comprehensive, not covering the political or social history of the age and not particularly enlightening, but nevertheless worth reading because of the covering of such topics as the arts and entertainment, the birth of broadcasting, and the development of the film industry. I am currently reading 'The Thirties', written by Juliet Gardiner. Like the Simon Heffer books, she manages to weave some sort of narrative into her book which gives it a far more intimate feeling which draws you in. I remember when I was at school and then college in the late 1960s, history was just a collection of dates and numbers, You were just crammed with information, and usually about what I would call 'Establishment Figures', kings, queens, emperors, presidents and Prime Ministers, Nothing about the 'lower orders,' the 'ordinary man' or even woman. They seemed to be totally written out of the narrative. I have to say, by the time I got to Mander College in Bedford to do A-Level History, I found the teaching so boring it was enough to send you to sleep. I didn't even get as far as doing the exam, but I have to say, some fifty-plus years later, I don't really remember any of it. Just reams and reams of relentless notes on American history, European history and, I think, British history. A teacher just droning on and on and quite obviously just going through the paces and definitely not interested in the subject, doesn't make things any better for his students.

I'm still reading 'The Thirties: An Intimate History", by Juliet Gardiner. Part of my history journey through the 20th Century. It's very detailed and gives a real feel of what it must have been like to live in Britain in the 1930s. It covers the Depression, and it's clear how difficult it was for those who were unemployed. 

I've been doing my family history. I've been researching both my parent's trees. My mother is easier and I have got back around 15 generations. I am subscribed to My Heritage, and I've been with it for around 10 years, When the subscription ran out over a year ago I didn't continue, but all my work was still 'live' even though I couldn't access it. I kept getting emails from My Heritage attempting to get me to re-subscribe, but it was too expensive, around £160 for an annual pass. They continued with the emails, reducing the price. If it was possible to have a 'pay as you go' subscription it might have been easier to pay, or at least, on a monthly scheme, but that wasn't an option. Then an email offering a year for around £45, so I decided to go with it, hence the re-subscribing, which meant I could continue with my research. I have the app on my iPad and iPhone, and they seem to work better than the website. Far easier to move around my family tree and to connect with other people doing similar research and add their research to mine. I think I've already mentioned my discovery of some ancestors who lived in and around the village of Ascott in Oxfordshire, who was involved in a strike of agricultural workers in the 1870s, known as the Ascott Martyrs. Very interesting to have uncovered this bit of history, and the fact that it involved ancestors of mine makes it even more interesting.

T'was On A Monday Morning . . .

 'Title, from one of my all-time favourite comic duos, Flanders and Swann.

Saturday. 11.35 a.m. I had a strange dream last night. Seemed almost real. I was in a house, which appeared to be old, probably the 1930s or earlier. Not modernized, murky, dark, old-fashioned wallpaper. Dark paintwork and not well lit. I was with a lady, not sure who it was. Was she moving in? Might have been as the house was unfurnished. Almost as if someone had left it in a hurry, having taken out all the furniture. There were vases of what seemed to be dead or at least dried flowers in them. Some looked old and withered and others looked wispy and fragile. The lady went out and left me alone in the house and I had to put the dead flowers in bin bags. She came back later and helped me clear out bags and boxes of rubbish. A pile of magazines which I picked up and read. It was at that point the dream ended and I woke up. I think the house was very like the house my parents had in Cople, it was about the same sort of age. Not very well maintained and definitely in need of modernization. The curtains in this house were closed, making the place even darker. That is all I can remember.

Sunday. 6.15 a.m. Alfie appeared to want to go out at around 2 a.m. He kept coming to look at me and there was a slight pong, so I assumed he needed to go out. I had to get dressed quickly and we went out as normal, not forgetting to take the little torch I have for such an occasion because it was too dark to see clearly when we got out onto the grass along Strudwick Drive.  But it turned out he just needed to have a wee and we soon came back inside. But it actually turned out he wanted a drink of water and I had meant to fill his water bowl yesterday evening, but I forgot. So, I filled it for him and he had a long drink. As the bowl is hidden behind the end of the sofa, you can't see it except when I go to put his food out. It's there so I don't trip over it or at least spill it. So that was sorted out. 

I wasn't able to have my usual cup of tea (mug actually) and a bowl of cereal because when I came to pour milk on it, all I got was yogurt! It had gone off! Annoying as according to the 'best before' date it wasn't out of date until tomorrow. So, I'll just have to go out later and get some from Tesco at Oldbrook Boulevard.

10.20 a.m. It's hot and humid. The whole country seems overwhelmed by the fact that the England football team has actually reached the final of the 2021 Euros. It seems that is all they are talking about on BBC Breakfast this morning. Well, that's great, even though I have really no interest in football, but at least it's a positive thing and taking people's minds off the confounded pandemic.

'They Think It's All Over'?

Thursday. 6.50 a.m. I wasn't aware of the euphoria of England getting through to the final of the Euro 2021 football championship last night. I have no interest in football, as you will realize, but even so, it has to be quite an historic achievement, comparable to the 1966 World Cup win (although England hasn't won- yet.) So, the infamous quote by Kenneth Wolstenholme, 'They think it's all over . . . ' seems appropriate, although not . . . quite. Watch this space. I heard no crowds cheering, as I did the other evening, coming from the pub on the corner of Strudwick Drive and Oldbrook Boulevard, 'The Cricketers.' But, it isn't over until the final on Sunday evening . . .

I had to laugh the other day. I was walking back towards the flat with Alfie along Strudwick Drive when a youth shot past on one of those electric scooters, but he was looking at his mobile as he did so. He went to cross the road and as he did so he stopped on the island in the centre of the road and then dropped his mobile. I just thought it was just as well it didn't fall in the path of the next car or lorry which passes by as it would have been flattened. 

I sent the iPhone 7 back to Sky, having removed the apps. But I then got an email saying they couldn't credit my account until iCloud was disconnected. I really had no idea how to do this, but went on the Sky website and managed to click on what I thought was where I was supposed to, but it turned out not to be correct. Having rung Sky, after a lot of searching on the website (why bury this number? It should be in a far more prominent position.), and was told I would need to ring Apple. The same thing happened with this as I had problems finding the phone number, but eventually, I found it and got through.

I spoke to an Apple engineer how managed to talk me through the process of deactivating iCloud from the iPhone 7. Quite amazed that he could 'see' my iPad screen and direct me using the cursor, which made it considerably easier. So, problem solved and I trust that is the end of the matter. Why on earth they can't give you instructions regarding this type of thing that would make life so much easier. You always used to get an instruction manual with most things, but not with mobile phones and computers. I think they expect you to find anything from manuals to resolving issues via the internet.

Friday.7.15 a.m. It's really humid at the moment. I just hope it rains and clears the air. Not the best for me, but never mind.

My car insurance runs out at the beginning of August. I wanted to see if I could get a lower quote, so I went on several comparison websites, Compare The Market, Go Compare, and one other. I've been with Swinton for years. I pay in monthly installments and it was around £52 a month. I didn't get any extras for that, no breakdown cover or the use of a courtesy car. I did a search, putting in all my details, years of no-claims, etc and I have got what I think is a far better deal, at around £32 per month, with breakdown cover and courtesy car. I have paid a deposit and the next payment will be in August. Just seems crazy to pay more for less. Just a question of having a look for a better deal. As I'm not driving much more than a few thousand miles a year, which was taken into consideration when coming up with a quote. But it seems I get more for less, which doesn't make sense, but it's true. 

I have something called Grammarly installed on my MacBook. It isn't the full version, and it's useful to check not just my grammar but also my spelling. But I do object to it insisting I spell words the American way, for example, 'centre' for 'center.' When you've written a passage, it underlines the offending word and a window pops up and you get an alternate spelling. It's doing it now, as I save this section and it's insisting I spell centre as center. I know you don't have to agree with the alternative spelling, but it's still useful. A grammatical error it attempts to change is 'an historic' which is to change to 'a historic.' Which is correct? I wonder what my English teacher would say when I was at school.

Go For It!

Wednesday. 6.45 a.m. Another fine day, but, according to the weather forecast, we're likely to get rain later on today or tomorrow.

Later. 10.15 a.m. I've only this minute had a phone call on my mobile. I was laying on my bed, which is the best place to go to clear my mind when coming up with plots, characters and so forth when I'm in the middle of writing. This obviously prerecorded voice, in stentorian tones, making it seem incredibly urgent, telling me I'm wanted by some crime agency and my National Insurance number is being stopped, for no reason they can tell me. I know perfectly well it's a scam, and I will panic and ring a number go to a website, and put in my bank details and they will be able to cream off vast amounts of money (which I haven't got.). I know that these organizations don't phone about such things, If it was HMRC or DWP they would send a letter (meaning HM Revenue and Customs for tax and Department for Work and Pensions for benefits of some sort.) and why would I fall for such a thing? I know that, unfortunately, they do. I just laugh and put the phone down. Why not simply go out and get a proper job and stop trying to cheat people out of their hard-earned money? I imagine if they do scam people out of thousands of pounds.I imagine it goes to fund terrorism somewhere in the world. Scary, but easy to deal with and avoid being scammed.

So, returning to my writing. I have done several more pages of A4, and it's going really well. But I haven't got to the next, what I would call 'crossroads' or 'junction', call it what you will, a sort of terminus for that special point in the story. You might call it the fulcrum, hub. Well, I know what I mean.

2.15 p.m. I've just been out with Alfie. A couple who were walking across the grass stopped to make a fuss of  Alfie. Oh, he does like the attention!

We got back, and waiting on the doorstep was a parcel. I had a good idea what it contained. An Amazon order was made yesterday, barely 24 hours ago. It contained a pallet knife and a couple of tins which will be ideal to bake brownies in. 

The phone rang as I had barely walked through the door. Another of those 'phishing' calls, a prerecorded voice telling me that the crime agency was after me and that my National Insurance number would be stopped. Okay, I get it. I'll come quietly, officer.

I have passed on the phone number that rang to the agency responsible, so let's see what happens next if anything happens at all. But least those who can make some concerted effort to sort out these scams.

It's Now Or Never!

Will we be let out of prison and on parole, let out on good behaviour? It does feel rather like we've been naughty children, let out by the teacher for behaving well, or more like prisoners, suddenly being told they can go home after being locked up for years on end. But this isn't because we've done anything wrong. It seems that July 19th is the date when things are supposed to be relaxed, but don't hold your breath or cross your fingers because there's always some scientist who will come out with some piece of research, some computer modelling which will tell us that it's not a good idea. Then I say, well, do you want to believe computer modelling? Do you want to believe the data, which is probably totally wrong because there are so many false positives with the testing system?

Monday. 6.30 a.m. A rather miserable rain as we went out at just before 6 a.m. The grass was wet and not helped by the annoying holes in my shoes. I'm just not buying Skechers again as this is the second pair which have let me down like this. I think I will buy a pair of Doc Marten's, which are a good deal more rugged and I can buy a pair for at a good discount. I fancy a red pair. Their factory shop isn't too far away so I suppose I could drive there and have a look at what they have, all at ridiculously low prices.

Later. 5.35 p.m. Boris Johnson has just been on television with another of the Downing Street Coronavirus press conferences. He's said that after 19th July we don't have to wear face coverings and should make our own decisions as regards a lot of the other regulations. Theatre can reopen (as can many other businesses which have been closed since the first lockdown in March 2020.). So, I say, lets all put our face masks in one big pile and then set fire to them, along with the paperwork which goes with the ridiculous laws that were introduced to keep the virus under control. Oh, that doesn't sound right. The virus can't read and wouldn't take any notice of such regulations. It's the controlling measures which inhibit us humans from having a real life and not locked in our homes for so long.

Thank you Boris, for giving me yet another title for my latest blog! The song by Elvis Presley seemed perfect for this latest effort. 'It's Now Or Never' is a reworking of 'O Sole Mio', which translates as 'My Sunshine', an arrangement of a piece written by Gian Carlo Chiaramello and sung by Pavarotti and probably best remembered as being used for the music (with reworked lyrics.) for the Walls ice-cream 'Cornetto commercials of the 1980s. As someone said, 'nostalgia isn't what it used to be'! That particular set of commercials plays on all the stereotypes you can possibly imagine when you think 'Italy', from opera-singing policemen, gondolas, Venice, Romeo and Juliet and a good deal more. It was somewhat misleading because Cornettos weren't made in Italy and it was just an ice cream that was concocted to be very like Italian ice cream.

Tuesday. 7.50 a.m. I didn't realise it was raining until I got out onto the grass outside just before 6 o'clock.  I am going to have to replace the wretched Skechers shoes which let water in through the soles. Just so annoying that, what should have more solid soles have worn through in such a short space of time. If the grass is wet from it raining, then it gets into my shoes and my socks get wet. Not good. Alfie was soon back inside in the dry and warm and tucked up back on my bed! He certainly knows where it's the most comfortable! I woke in the night and I could hear what must have been quite heavy rain, but by the morning it was back to being thin and almost-not-rain, if that makes sense.

Later. 4.05 p.m. I have written a further three sides of A4. I'm rather pleased how it's going. It moves things on considerably. I had to do a certain amount of research before I could write it to make sure some facts were correct. The internet is really useful for this sort of thing. 

The weather has been unsettled all day. Rain one minute and then bright sunshine. Some areas of Britain have had torrential rain, but around this area we seem to have missed it. Some really dreadful flooding.

Come On England!

Sunday. 6.20 a.m. Well, I can't really start this post by not mentioning the win for the England football squad's  in Italy yesterday evening. So it means they are only two more steps away from actually winning this championship. 'England in dreamland', being one newspaper headline, another being, 'Pinch yourself . . . we're in the semis!' Well, if nothing else, it will be fuelling certain areas of the economy, such as beer and lager sales, pizza, and probably fish and chips. I noticed huge piles of packs of lager and beer when I was in Sainsbury's on Saturday as well as racks with England replica shirts and other items of clothing on them. You really couldn't ignore any of it. Also, merchandise with links to football, such as Coca-Cola, Pringles, and Walkers, all no doubt sponsoring the football event. A lot of money tied up with football.

Well, football aside (no chance of avoiding it.) when I ventured forth with Alfie at around 5.45, there was a hint of rain, even if it was rather thin. Well, if nothing else it will cool things down as it is quite humid at the moment.

My writing has come to a halt. It's not a problem. It's not due to 'writer's block.' It's more that I know where the thing is heading, I just haven't worked out the mechanics of how such-and-such is going to work. It has to be logical and realistic, to make it work. Still thinking about the different options open to me, then I can sit down and do some serious writing. It is, however, quite strange how things change, even as I'm writing, how things can develop as I'm putting pen to paper (actually pencil. I don't like things to be too set, which would happen if it's in ink. With a pencil, you can rub it out and start again, several times in some cases.) Wandering around Oldbrook Green yesterday morning, I was pondering this particular point in the plot and I didn't know how or why it was (or wasn't.) going to work, and by the time we'd reached the other side of the Green I had come up with a solution (of sorts.) to bring in something which I had thought of some time ago but had no idea how to introduce it. I'm attempting to work out ways to bring in several other storylines so they intersect with what I have already written. It was never conceived as a single narrative, but over-lapping, concurrent storylines. Think of novels by Dickens, where several narratives are running together, or, in television soaps (EastEnders, Coronation Street for example.) where they use this technique, and they break off from one storyline and flip over to other storylines and then go back to the other storyline. The best example I can think of is 'Les Miserables.' I have read the novel, seen the stage musical and film and watched the recent BBC1 adaptation by Andrew Davies. It is written in the same way as Dickens, with overlapping storylines, with the Jean Valjean storyline which runs down the centre, or 'spine' and links up with the concurrent storylines. You'll need to read it and possibly watch it to get my point. All storylines connecting at the end to give the thing completeness, a denouement. A journey, what Joseph Campbell describes as The Hero's Journey.' This 'metomyth' construction common to many stories, such as The Lord of The Rings', 'Star Wars' (well, at least the first 1977 film and the two sequels 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'The Return of the Jedi.'

Later. I've been out with Alfie at around 9.15 this morning. I'm still mulling over how to shift the plot forward. Thinking as we walk around Oldbrook. I think I've cracked it! How character A meets character B. (No, I'm not telling. No spoiler alerts.) Great! So later I manage to begin to write this sequence. Actually going to be quite central to what happens next. Now it's getting reasonably exciting. I have written a side of A4. I'll just leave it for a while and then return to it. I just want to get the story down on paper and then go back and modify it, tweaking bits here and there. As long as the main points are down on paper, then I can go back and redraft. A lot of over-used phrases and words, but that's not a problem. Time to get out my thesaurus.

Later. 3.05 p.m. I think I have cracked the problem (if indeed it is a problem, which it is and it isn't. I know that sounds odd, but it's not really.) which was so simple that it makes sense. Again, walking around Oldbrook Green was where the idea came to me. These light-bulb moments sometimes come when I go to bed, and usually when I can't get to sleep. It's in those relaxed moments when my mind just drifts which is when these ideas come. 

Bread and Circuses

Friday. 6.25 a.m. It's mild and sunny as I write this. I'm going to the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre to get my haircut this morning. I booked my appointment online and it's paid for, so I just have to drive in, park and then walk through to the barbers.

Later. 11.40 a.m. I had to take his littleness out before venturing forth to the barbers. Easy enough parking in the usual place. I'm surprised to see that the old food centre, which is where Central Barbers used to be and in the same block which Sainsbury's vacated years ago, is currently being demolished to make way for a new development which is supposed to be a mixture of retail and residential properties. Just a pile of rubble and a bit of a shock to see it in such a state.

I'm also quite shocked by the number of empty units within the shopping centre. It looks as if Paperchase has gone. An empty unit. All shelving has gone. Carol would be upset, as she loved their products and we seemed to spend quite a lot of time- and money- in that store. One of Waterstone's two stores has gone, or so it would seem. As there had been two branches, one in the main shopping centre and the other in Midsummer Place, it's not surprising that one would close down. How many more are likely to close. Although I did go into the new Hamley's toyshop. This must be a new departure for them because they have always had a store in central London, Regent Street I think, which was a favourite place to visit when I was a child and a major focus on any London visit, especially over the Christmas period.

I got to Central Barbers and I had to wait outside until I could go inside the shop. Several other people also waiting. All this to keep to social distancing regulations. 

Came out after my haircut and a lot better as a result. I can't stand not getting my hair cut so the pandemic has been awful in that respect. A good ten years younger-looking I think!

I went into Lakeland's shop near Middleton Hall and bought two sponge baking pans. Heavy gauge as it's better, in the long run, to spend on better quality cookware because you get a far more even bake and they don't warp or rust like the cheap, thin baking ware. These also have loose bases which make removing cakes from the tin easier. Now to stock up on flour, butter, and other ingredients and get baking. Now I have almost all the equipment I need so there's really no excuse.

Saturday 3rd July. 6.50 a.m. Yet another mild and pleasant morning. Football this evening, England v Ukraine or something, but, as you know, I don't follow football, but I suppose it keeps the masses occupied. 

What did someone say, a Roman emperor probably, about 'bread and circuses? Keep the masses occupied and prevent revolution. (It was Juvenal who made that statement.) All that sport at school was just a means to work off excess energy. But at the school I went to in Bedford, Rushmoor, I reckon it was just a way to keep the heating bills down during the winter months. One of the reasons I hated it so much because I used to suffer excessively with cold and standing around (or running around.) didn't exactly help matters,  on a football pitch which was on the top of a hill, now the place where Bedford Modern School is today, in Manton Lane, was no fun when it was blowing a gale, or it was raining or snowing. Getting there was a bit of a hike from the school in Shakespeare Road and then up a sometimes muddy path to the top of the hill. Not my idea of heaven, although it might have been for some people. I think in all honesty it was because I don't like being told what to do, not compliant with the will of some people who should have known better. As I was no good at either football or cricket it was painful and then being the last person to be picked for a team for either game (I wasn't the only one to be left till last, there were several others.) Then they march back to the school and putting up with mud-clogged football boots and probably kit. Yuck! All that mud you had to pick off your boots was not a pleasant task. Memories! Memories! What is it someone said 'the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Harrow. . .' or Eaton, or some other public school. Rushmoor was certainly not of that calibre, but you get my meaning, or at least I hope you do. I think the purpose of that place was to inculcate its pupils into being the drones who would be the backbone of Empire, working in the administration, pen-pushers, civil servants who would do the bidding of their masters without making any sort of fuss. Without question. Something like in one of my favourite films, by my favourite film directors, Terry Gilliam, 'Brazil', set in a sort of dystopian Britain, where people work in offices, run-down, with poorly functioning machinery. The whole plot revolves around an error that occurs when a man's name is misspelt and he lands up being interrogated by the state police. I won't divulge the ending as you should watch it, even if it's to see the amazing production design and laugh at what is, in effect very much a black comedy.

Summer and Sunshine

Wednesday. 7.50 a.m.  I realized that I had no milk for breakfast yesterday evening but I didn't go out to buy some, so this morning I had to go out because I can't start my day without my cup of tea or cereal. My car was running low on fuel, so I decided that I could get that done and buy milk from the ESSO station on Childs Way. I went out before 7 o'clock. Easy enough to drive there as the roads are more or less clear, another positive of lockdown. Usually Marlborough Street would be nose-to-tail at that time until around 9 o'clock, but it was a straightforward journey there and back. I can't really go anywhere else, such as shopping in Sainsbury's, which I must do later in the day, because I'm awaiting the arrival of my new iPhone 12 which is due sometime today. I should get a text message from the DPD driver who will deliver the phone and will let me know approximately what time it will be delivered.

Later.  11.15 a.m I was about to go out to Sainsbury's when I checked my emails and found one from DPD, who will deliver the iPhone and it informed me that it would be delivered between 2.10 and 3.10. So at least I know not to go out during that time slot.

Later. The iPhone arrived at around 2.40 p.m. I soon had it set up and working. Removing the SIM card from the old iPhone wasn't that easy because there wasn't the little key that opens the tiny tray on the side of the phone, which you normally get when you buy your iPhone, so I had to improvise with a darning needle. But putting the SIM into the new iPhone wasn't as difficult as it could have been. Because of having iCloud my apps were automatically transferred to the new phone and I got it connected to my broadband router and things were virtually complete.

Thursday. 11.00 a.m. I've managed to clear old data from the old iPhone, including apps and I had it packed up in the Jiffy Bag which came with the new phone and it has been taken to the post office in Coffee Hall and handed over. I should get a credit on my account and it means I don't have it laying around the flat unused and at least it will be refurbished and get a new life elsewhere. It was in really good condition when I removed it from its case, although I did wipe it with a wet wipe before putting it in the packaging.

Alfie was in his element when we went out at 10.15. I saw the lady who has Toto, the little shitzu, in the middle of Oldbrook Green. I let Alfie off his lead and it was like one of those romantic films where the lovers see one another from afar and run to each other in slow-motion, with soft focus, the music swells and it's 'happily ever after', and such cliches they use in rom-com. It wasn't just Toto and Alfie, we were joined by several other dogs and they had a good run around, including a few treats, which Alfie really appreciated.