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.