Cakes and Bakes and Lost Socks

Friday.4.50 p.m. Oh, dear! The confounded washing machine didn't do what it was supposed to do this morning. It got itself into a real spin (sorry for the pun!), didn't heat the water, spin out what water there was in it, and left my load of washing sodden. It didn't dissolve the two gel tabs I put in and then, having put it into the drier, didn't dry the load properly, so I had to put the entire load on my drying rack. Not exactly the best way to start the day.

Thursday 21st October. Sorry folks, I haven't been keeping up with this blog for a week. I've been busy elsewhere, so nothing was reported.

It was chilly, although sunny, when I took Alfie out at around 7.30 a.m. I seem to be waking up later and later. I think it's because the days are getting shorter as we approach winter.  As I write this, at 10.15, it's bright and sunny, but I know it will be chilly if I go out. Very deceptive. 

I  now have a three-13 amp socket adaptor with USB charging points which I ordered on Wednesday from Amazon and which arrived yesterday and is now installed. I had to replace the old one, as it didn't seem to be charging either my iPhone or iPad, so a replacement seemed a good idea. The only problem with Amazon is that there is such a choice of similar items that selecting the best one is very difficult. I know people complain about Amazon, with such things about them having far too much power over bricks and mortar retail outlets, but you certainly don't seem to get the choice as you do with Amazon. I did look on other traditional company's websites, but I couldn't find anything even remotely as good as what I now have. It has certainly helped tidy up the area near my armchair, where the electric sockets are, and the table where the iPad and iPhone are set up to charge.

Sunday. 6.02 a.m. I spent a good deal of yesterday making and baking a cheesecake to take to today's 'bring and share' meal at church today. 

The cheesecake turned out far better than expected. It must have gone done well because very nearly all of it went. It was slightly burnt, due to not being able to get the oven temperature correct. As it was an American recipe, it was in American measurements. They use 'cups' as a measurement, which to me is somewhat vague and also in imperial instead of metric measurements. But, regardless of that, it seems to have been a success.

Monday. 11.00 a.m. Another bright and sunny morning, but that can be deceptive. It may look sunny and warm, but when you get outside it can be chilly especially early morning.

12.30 p.m. I'm currently baking a banana loaf. I had planned to make one earlier in the week and bought bananas in Sainsbury's, but they have to be ripe and soft, so I left them until today when they were beautifully ripe and soft. Mashed up and added to the mixture. The loaf (or is it a cake? No matter. What's in a name anyway?) is now in the oven, baking. It should be done in around 40 minutes.

Wednesday. 3.00 a.m. Here I am, wide awake and busy writing this post. Oh, I forgot to mention the banana loaf/cake. It turned out fine, but I should have left it to bake for another five minutes or so. A bit soggy in the middle (not on the bottom, as they famously say on 'Great British Bake-Off'.) I'm not over-keen on it. Just a bit bland for my way of thinking, and I won't be making any more. I just prefer things to have a bit more of a bite and chew. I'll have to have a look for another recipe, something a bit like a Soreen malt loaf, perhaps.

So, where are the 'Lost Socks' which are in the title of this blog post? I imagine you might have read all the way down to this part and thought to yourself, 'Okay. He's mentioned cakes and bakes, but I feel short-changed as regarding lost socks.' Well, it does occasionally happen, usually when I do my washing. There inevitably get one lone sock that doesn't have a mate. It does usually turn up and gets paired with it's opposite number, usually left in either the washing machine or tumble drier. So, having mentioned this matter, you can definitely feel you haven't been short-changed!

How Time Flies!

 Monday 7.40 a.m. The weeks fly by. Goodness! It's Monday again. Tempus Fugit, as the Romans would say. 

Still and mild as Alfie and I went out at around 7 this morning.

Yesterday, Mike and Margaret collected me to take me to church. I took the fuel can with me and then afterwards we went to Morrisons and I managed to fill the can sufficiently to then decant into my car when I got back to Dexter House. I trust when I go out later this morning, I can top the tank up enough to resolve the fuel issue. I am trusting that the ESSO fuel station on Child's Way will have sufficient fuel, or if not the Shell station in Grafton Street.

12.40 p.m. I have now been able to fuel the car sufficiently with diesel at the ESSO filling station in Childs Way. I think it must be the first time in many months that I have had a completely full tank. Furthermore, I just hope I don't have to go through another similar situation, and I trust I have learnt to keep the car fully fuelled in case of a similar emergency.

Tuesday. 8.45 a.m. Another seemingly mild and undistinguishable sort of autumn's day. I'm going to get my booster covid vaccine later this afternoon. I had one booked, but then, because of the issue of fuelling the car, I had to cancel it.

1.45 p.m. I have just got back from Milton Keynes centre. I was scheduled to have my covid-19 booster vaccination at 11.45. I made the mistake of thinking it was at the Council offices next door to the NatWest branch, but when I asked at the front desk I was told that the Saxon Court was opposite the former Debenhams store (now Next Home and Beauty.) This didn't exactly help my stress levels, because I am rarely later for anything, probably always the first person at anything, theatre performances, doctors appointments or anything else. So it was a good twenty-minute trek back through the shopping centre and inside the building, where I had to sign in, using my registration number from the text message I had received, having booked online yesterday. First I had to wait with dozens of other people in what I would refer to as a holding area, and then we were herded through to the main vaccine area where, again, we had to sit and wait. People coming and going and some going through to the 'Observation Area' once they'd had their vaccine, as you have to wait fifteen minutes, just in case you have any sort of reaction to the vaccine.

Having spent fifteen minutes in the observation area, no reactions such as my hair turning green or developing boils all over my face, so I left and walked into the shopping centre, deciding to buy something to eat from Boots. I am more than a bit surprised that they no longer have manned tills (am I allowed to say that? Personed?? If so, it sounds crazy.) Using the self-service till, I then found I couldn't use my Advantage card to put points on. I don't know why. Just awkward. I also bought some paracetamol in Boots as the nurse said that, if I felt as if I had 'flu, to take it if necessary

So, I returned to my car and drove home, to eat my sandwich and watch the midday news on BBC 1.

Wednesday. 10.40 a.m. I can report that I began to feel exhausted and that the point in my upper arm, where the vaccine was injected, began to hurt somewhat. Nothing serious, but it was uncomfortable to lay on in bed at night. As I write this, the discomfort has more or less worn off. Nothing unpleasant to report.

Thursday. 12.25 p.m. It was foggy when I took Alfie out for his usual walk at around 7.20 this morning. But it had dispersed when we went out at 9.30. It's quite mild, but the heating in this flat is so overpowering I have got all the windows on and even the electric fan. I have ordered a smart room thermometer from Amazon, which should arrive tomorrow. I need to keep a record of exactly how warm it gets. It's crazy to have to keep the windows open to let out the heat! Just sweat pouring down my face. It seems such a total waste of energy. I have mentioned it to Barbara, but it seems nobody is interested, which is annoying and totally idiotic.

There have been a couple of thefts within Dexter House, so someone has put together a petition so that the tenants in this unit can get the Council to install C.C.T.V. to keep a watch on those who enter and leave the premises. I have signed the petition.

Much of A Muchness

Monday. 4.50 a.m. Well, here I am, sitting in my armchair, merrily writing this blog post, but not with any real idea what I'm going to write, but I'm sure if I keep tapping away on the keyboard something will suddenly come to me. The big issue of the week is, you've guessed it, when am I going to manage to get diesel, so I can fuel the car? In that respect, nothing much has changed.

Wednesday. 6.50 a.m. It's dark and dreary. I don't exactly like this time of year, and even more so when the clocks change. Alfie is whittling to go out, but I will wait around ten minutes before we venture forth.

Thursday. 12.35 p.m. There's a great deal of banging and scraping in the next flat to mine. I have a feeling they are upgrading it. There's going to be a lot of renovation of the entire block. There are words written on the walls along the corridor, 'Pebble', 'Romney Wool' etc. These words (no, not one of the residents going bonkers due to lockdown and scrawling graffiti, though at times I feel like doing that.) refer to the carious paint colours which will eventually be gracing the corridor. Even the brown door-frames and window frames are to be given a lick of paint! Good gracious! Whatever next? The scooter sheds are in place, looking similar to bin cupboards or even those portable toilets you see at open-air events such as music festivals. They have rather cleverly designed roofs which slope backwards to prevent snow remaining on them or to make sure rain runs off. So, am I likely to get a revamp in my flat? I have someone to check out my bathroom. Will I be getting a full-length bath? A shower unit? A power shower? A bath with gold taps, diamond encrusted surround? Mosaics on the floor? A sauna? Or is that asking too much? Perhaps a hot tub in the garden? An Olympic-size swimming pool with all mod-cons? Don't hold your breath! One can dream I suppose.

Friday. 10.05 a.m. Yesterday evening we had the first session of The Prayer Course at the Oaktree Centre. I was leading the men's group after we had watched the video that goes with the course. Run in a similar fashion to the Alpha Course, which I have been involved in several times over the years, both as a participant and helper. It was my first experience of leading, and I was pleased how well it went, quite difficult utilizing all the questions within the twenty-minute time slot. My friends Margaret and Mike came to give me a lift in their car as mine is still without fuel, but still sitting on the drive. The fuel can is due to arrive from Amazon, so hopefully the fuel situation will be resolved when I have diesel in the fuel tank. Only time will tell.

The fuel can turned out around lunchtime. I have to say I was somewhat surprised as I was expecting it to turn up on Monday, probably late. It seems a good deal smaller than I was expecting, but it should be sufficiently large enough to manage enough diesel to at least partially fill my car's fuel tank. But I find the closure and the spout, which has to be fitted separately, relatively difficult to closer and attach, but I'm sure with some effort I can deal with these things.

I have a couple of books ordered from Postscript, a catalogue and on-line discount book company. Their latest catalogue came with my November issue of BBC History Magazine, so I had to browse and found two books, one about Stonehenge and the other about Hadrian's Wall, at greatly reduced prices, so it was too tempting, so did the order on their website, and they should arrive, delivered my Hermes. I knew, as soon as I saw the catalogue/leaflet/brochure, that I would find something of interest in it, as I have done before. Parcel expected to arrive sometime tomorrow.

I waited in all day for someone to come a check-out my bathroom to have a refit. They were supposed to come between 8am and 2 pm, but not a single thing, not a dicky bird, not an email, text message or telephone call to explain why they didn't arrive, not an apology or anything. So what happened? Maddening enough to have to wait in on the off-chance someone turns up and particularly when you're not sure exactly when they will arrive, but not turning up at all is infuriating. Not a good way to run a business. No doubt I will get a grovelling apology later in the week, but I somehow doubt it.

Saturday. 8.45 a.m. I didn't wake until around 7.15, so Alfie didn't get his usual outing until gone 7.30. Somewhat surprising to find it foggy as we walked down Strudwick Drive.

Because the car is virtually empty of fuel and not really advisable to drive, I made the decision to walk to Sainsbury's, which is no more than a twenty-minute walk away across Oldbrook Green and through some residential streets. I had a prescription to collect from Lloyd's pharmacy, so it was an excuse to pick up a few essential items, notably some more easy peelers, which I have eaten virtually every day since the pandemic began in March 2020. I've also bought a smart light bulb which is colour-changing. It is operated via an app on my iPad, and it was relatively easy to set up. Great also to be able to dim the bulb and have it at a purer white than the old bulb I had in the fitment which was giving off more of a dim oil lamp sort of glow or possibly candlelight strength, not really very good for reading by.

When I went out mid-morning with Alfie, and as we walked along the path beside Strudwick Drive, I could hear a sound which I thought was a bird. Then I stopped by the tree that hangs over the fence of the community garden at Dexter House and saw a squirrel running up and down the branches. It was that making the sounds. I wasn't even aware that squirrels made a noise, and not that sort of noise. Probably calling to its mate, or at least other squirrels. Most likely a warning sound made to alert other squirrels.

The Postscript books arrived mid-morning. I was surprised how quickly they came, considering the problems there have been with working under lockdown conditions for more than eighteen months

No Fuel . . . Not Even For Ready Money

Monday. 8.40 a.m. I've taken Alfie out at around 7 this morning. It's getting colder as the days go by. I am wearing my blue Regatta jacket. I don't know what's happened to Alfie, it's not raining, but he does his wee on the grass and heads straight back indoors. It's not raining or excessively cold, so this isn't his normal behaviour. He's currently curled up on my bed as I write this. He will be due out shortly for another walk. I hope he doesn't repeat the 'shooting-back-indoors' act, as he needs a decent bit of exercise.

Regarding fuel for my car; I think I will wait a few more days, as the level of the fuel in the car's tank is low enough as it is, and driving around looking for diesel when it's at a critical level just means there is a real risk of it running out entirely. This whole situation is just causing a certain amount of stress.

I had heard that they was fuel at the ESSO station, so I drove round to Childs Way. Unfortunately, there was no diesel, which didn't help my stress levels. I then drove on to the Shell station in Grafton Street and the same there. By this time the light had come on which tells me the fuel level is low, so there's no sense in driving aimlessly around hunting for fuel when there's the danger of running out completely. I just need to  be absolutely sure I'm going to get fuel before I set off which is so difficult at the moment. I just hope this situation gets resolved soon as it is really annoying and stressful.

Thursday.  8.45 a.m. Alfie as taken completely by surprise at around 7 this morning. I was all ready to take him out, had his lead in my hand, suited and booted, as the saying goes, but he was curled up asleep on the sofa. Somewhat wet and windy as we got out onto the grass along Strudwick Drive. It doesn't look as if it's going to clear up and very overcast and murky. Oh well, we are into October now, so it's to be expected.

Saturday. 11.20 a.m. I have abandoned the idea of actually managing to find a petrol station locally which had a supply of diesel, so I could fill up my car. As a result I had to cancel my booster covid vaccine jab which I had booked for yesterday morning. There is no point in aimlessly wandering around Milton Keynes with a virtually empty tank of fuel and risking entirely running out of fuel. It would cause so many unnecessary problems, as you can imagine. I have done an online Sainsbury's shop, which is scheduled to arrive around 8-9 pm tonight. That was easy enough to do as I have so many items which I buy saved in the 'favourites' section, which makes ordering so much quicker and easier. All done in around 20 minutes or so. I have also ordered a fuel can from Amazon, with the intention of using it to be filled up later in the week and the contents put in the car, so at least I can actually drive to a petrol station when fuel stocks are back to some sort of normal after all the panic buying. I just need someone to drive me to such a petrol station to complete this operation. Watch this space for further news of this operation. Hopefully completed within the next week or so.

3.50 p.m. Any idea that I was going to take Alfie out late this afternoon was swept away when I peered out of the window and saw that it was raining. So, I decided to watch the Benedict Cumberbatch 'Hamlet' which is available on Amazon at the moment. I have watched the first half and have paused at the interval and will continue later or probably tomorrow afternoon. It is another 'Hamlet' to add to my ever-growing collection or at least, productions I have seen. The first, although I didn't watch it, but worked as A.S.M., when I was working at Liverpool Playhouse in 1971 (goodness, is it really 50 years ago? That's an amazing thought.) The production which was the first play I worked on when I arrived there that February, or might it have been late January, I really can't remember. I was entailed with operating the counterbalance fly system, which was worked from stage-level. Nobody had thought to train me in the operation of the system. During the technical rehearsal, when all the technical aspects of a play are first rehearsed and worked out, I had to bring in a curtain during a scene change in a blackout. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure when to stop the curtain and when the lights came up, the aforementioned curtain was laying in a crumpled heap on the stage. You can imagine how embarrassing it was, but I suppose, looking back, that's a good way to learn how to do something. The rope which operated the counterweight system went down into the basement of the theatre, below the stage, but the pulleys were in a kind of gulley which filled with water and as a result the ropes shrunk considerably because of being wet and this made the rope lines very taut, although it wasn't that which made the curtain lay crumpled on the stage floor.

Other versions include the National Theatre production with Rory Kinnear and Patrick Malahyde in it which I saw at the Milton Keynes Theatre with Carol before Christmas a few years ago, the Kenneth Branagh film which utilizes the uncut text and runs around four hours, and a version which I saw at the Derngate Centre in Northampton, again, in uncut text, directed by Peter Hall. It ran for around four hours, and it was two hours before there was an interval. Stephen Dellane and Donald Sinden in the duel roles of Polonius and Gravedigger. It was a matinee put on especially for schools, and you can imagine the reaction when, at one point, the mad Hamlet runs across the stage stark naked! The school girls in the audience shrieked and the whole auditorium erupted  into convulsions of laughter and surprise, which I suppose they would have be expected to behave.and this held up the action for several minutes. Gina Bellman was Ophelia and I have a connection with this actor in that she was in 'Blackeyes,' a Dennis Potter television drama series in which I was a stand-in/double for another of the actors, Nigel Planer.

As I've mentioned, I ordered groceries from Sainsbury's website. My delivery was scheduled between 8 and 9 p.m., but I got a telephone call from Sainsbury's to inform me that, due to a problem with the vehicle, the delivery would be around an hour later than scheduled. I imagine that it might possibly due to the fuel shortage due to panic buying. The delivery came around 9.30 p.m.  Not actually a problem, but it meant staying awake to receive the order. There were a lot of substitutes for items I had ordered, but that is no doubt due to the shortage of H.G.V. drivers. But that wasn't much of a problem.