Bring Me Sunshine!

Monday. 10.15 a.m. Oh dear! After several days of warm and sunny days, we now have light rain! Not something a small Yorkshire Terrier is going to relish! It was certainly a surprise when I went out mid-morning, dressed in my shorts and short-sleeved polo shirt! But never mind. That's the good old British weather for you, totally unpredictable.

12.32 p.m. On Saturday, I got a text message from the N.H.S., informing me that I had come into contact with someone who had been infected with the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. I was told to order a test kit, which I did, clicking through the text message. I was over-pleased that I was expected to fork out £1 for postage, which was a bit of an affront. Why couldn't they pay? Having done this, I had my doubts that it was genuine. Well, with the number of scams that are going around, it's often difficult to tell what is real and what is fake. But I'm sure it's genuine. So, I suppose I will have to wait and do the test when it arrives and see what happens. I don't feel under the weather, so I'm reasonably sure it's going to be negative.

It's still raining fairly hard, so McNugget (alias Alfie) won't like it. I don't blame him, because I don't relish getting wet either.

Tuesday. 6.45 a.m. Another bright and sunny morning. What more can I say?

Wednesday. 6.30 a.m. It's not quite as bright and sunny this morning as it has been for the past couple of days. It must have been raining overnight, as there were definite signs when I took Alfie out this morning.

If you recall in my earlier posts, I mentioned how I had hoped to be able to leave Alfie with a young lady who would care for him over a long weekend at the end of May, and then, how it was abandoned because he didn't like the idea of being left? Well, that young lady's mother had suggested that perhaps she could have him for a few hours so that he got used to the idea of being left with her. It's the abandonment thing which he doesn't like; the idea that I won't be coming back, which isn't true. I think the fact that he barks at the grandchildren (and other children, which is when we're out and children approach wanting to stroke him.) is probably to protect me. I don't know exactly what's going on, but some of this behaviour is because he doesn't understand small children, particularly because they talk with higher-pitched voices than adults and move around far more unpredictably. Anyway, with all this in mind, I'm taking him to her house on Sunday afternoon just to attempt to get him settled so I can have time in Worcester with Chloe, Steve and the four grandchildren.

2.00 p.m. I've been into Sainsbury's, shopping, this morning. I went in a good deal earlier than I would normally, for no other reason than I just wanted to get it out of the way. Not only that, but I'm really glad that I did because it was very quiet. What does annoy me, though, is that they don't have more people at the check-outs. I think it's to encourage you to use the self-service tills. I'm fine using them, but whenever I use one, there's a problem. 

I was queuing up to use a check-out and several people were ahead of me. I couldn't help reading a notice at the end of the checkout line. It read: 'Bags for life now cost 30p. Replace old bags free.' Which made me think, I can think of quite a few old bags I'd like to replace . . . free!

I realized a few days ago, on looking through the pile of cards which inhabit my wallet, in amongst the loyalty cards, that my free bus pass ran out last year, so I decided to apply for a new one. It's an easy job and made easier when I have my birth certificate photographed and on my MacBook Pro, along with several digital photographs. You just fill in the online form on the Milton Keynes Council website and upload proof of age and photograph (easy and far better than going to their offices and having to queue up.) The replacement card came in the post this afternoon. Now to decide where to go by bus, using the card. It's just a shame I can use rail as I fancy going further afield for a day out.

Hello Sunshine!

Thursday. 6.25 a.m. A good deal cooler morning, thank goodness! 

I'm continuing to clear out bits and pieces, leftover in boxes from when I moved into Dexter House. There were two large packing boxes, marked 'Pickford's', which I was given by the moving company. One has been emptied and broken up and the remaining one is partially empty. I'm really keen to know why on earth it contains the horrible old, broken kitchen clock from the house in Eaglestone. It has no use as it doesn't work. It's going in another black bin bag. I got some really large and tougher bin bags when I was in Sainsbury's yesterday morning and I have already filled one, and it has gone out to the bin bag yard. Or whatever you want to call it. One or two bits and pieces and that's the job done. 

Friday. 8.20 a.m. Not so hot, and not 'Fry-day.' Sorry about the pun, but when I first keyed in the word 'Friday', I accidentally got fiday which morphed into Fryday. I intend to keep the pun. Monday can then become Punday. You have been warned!

Friday is my washing day. We now have two brand-new washing machines which are digital. They are actually an improvement on the old 'dial' operated machines. It has taken me a while to get used to them. I can now set the correct temperature,  using the touch screen, much like using my iPhone or iPad, which is a help. I put my load in at a few minutes before 8 a.m., set the machine to wash,  which is around 60 minutes (the screen shows 59 minutes. Why not the complete hour? Who knows and who cares. Another of life's little mysteries. I went back to my flat and read for a while. Then, at a few minutes before the wash cycle was due to finish, I went back to the laundry room and put my clothes in the spin drier. I went back once more to my flat and gave the drier around 35 minutes and when I returned, I soon realized that I hadn't turned it on! Then I got an earful from another resident, informing me that I hadn't dried the rubber seal inside the washing machine. I wasn't even aware that I was supposed to do this. What difference does it make? It doesn't. No good arguing with some people. I think she had got out of the wrong side of bed.  Just went over my head. I shall remember in future. 

Saturday. 8.00 a.m. Sunny and bright, but not much else at the moment. I think it might be a little bit windy.

11.15 a.m. I have been watching 'The Goodlies' the 1970s comedy show, on Britbox. I'm not sure whether I saw any of the episodes when they were originally shown on BBC1, but it's certainly funny and holds up remarkably well compared with what we have currently. It might be a bit ropey technically, a bit like the early days of Doctor Who, but that doesn't matter when you have such originality. It bugs me that you get a message as it starts, warning you that some of the material 'may offend.' You, we know things were very different 50 years ago, but, quite honestly, if you don't like it, just don 't watch.

Oh! What A Scorcher!!!

Sunday. 8.40 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning. The digital thermometer reads 75ºF, which tells you all you need to know about the temperature of my flat.  

Monday. 7.15 a.m. This morning, the thermometer reads 74ºF.  So, the temperature in this flat is going down gradually. It is a far more workable temperature. It's no use me working in Centigrade. It doesn't really mean a lot to me. A bit like metric measurements. I can imagine inches, feet, yards and miles, not kilometres etc. 

Tuesday. 6.30 a.m. The thermometer currently reads 77ºF.  

I'm continuing to clear out the pantry (if that's what you call the small room next to my kitchen. Probably just a cupboard.) It's surprising what I'm uncovering. Stuff I have probably lost and forgotten about, which is suddenly coming to light.

Wednesday. 11.30 a.m. It's a much warmer day. The digital thermometer has stopped working, most likely because the batteries have expired. I will need to buy new ones when I got to Sainsbury's next.

I am currently waiting for Mears to arrive to do an assessment of my kitchen ahead of it being upgraded. Someone is supposed to come between 9a.m and 2p.m., but considering I was supposed to have someone come to look at the bathroom and then didn't come, I have my doubts that they will arrive at all, unfortunately.

3.15 p.m. Two lovely ladies turned up at my door at around 11.30 to do an assessment of my kitchen. I was expecting two grumpy men!  They did an exceptional job, and it was done in around 20 minutes. I am having new units, worktops, tiling, sink unit, flooring and an extractor fan which will go in the window so any steam or smoke will be vented out into the garden, something I was hoping to avoid, setting off the fire alarm. What I mean is, if I accidentally burn my toast, mid-way through cooking it, any smoke created won't set the alarm off if an extractor fan takes out the smoke. The work takes around the days and will begin on 11th July, a good deal sooner than I expected. They will remove my cooker and fridge/freezer as I can't do that on my own, but I will have to clear out all the cupboards. 

I have virtually finished clearing out the pantry, and it's just as well, as I will probably have to put some things from the kitchen in there when the work starts on refurbishing the kitchen.

We had a tea party this afternoon. I had no idea that this was going on until I went down to tell Barbara about my kitchen being upgraded. Nothing to get too excited about, but quite a pleasant enough experience all the same. 

Too Darn Hot!

 Friday. 9.30 a.m. Last night was incredibly hot and sticky and somewhat difficult to sleep, even with a window open and an electric fan on in the bedroom and lounge.

I have rung Mears, having had a letter telling me about having my kitchen upgraded. I have rung and someone is coming to see me next Wednesday between 9a.m and 2 p.m. to discuss my options, which must refer to the colour of worktops and cupboard doors etc. I'll just have to wait and see what happens next.

11.00 a.m. It's hotter than ever! My beloved digital thermometer currently reads 80ºF. Getting hotter than ever.

I took Alfie out for a whirl around Oldbrook Green. On the way back inside, I was walking along the corridor when there was a loud sound like a gun going off. It almost made me jump out of my skin (well, it would, understandably.) Workmen are currently replacing the glass in the recently newly replaced front doors in all the flats in Dexter House. The glass has become cracked in mine and probably in many of the other flats. I was at the point of going out to Sainsbury's when there was a knock on my front door and a workman told me he was going to replace the glass. Just as well I was going out as the noise would have been unpleasant. As Alfie was in the lounge with the door closed, I don't know what he would have made of the noise. Having just got back from Sainsbury's, the glass has been replaced and the job completed.

Saturday. 8.10 a.m. It's a good deal cooler out this morning, thank goodness. It was far easier to sleep. That is, outside. Meanwhile, within this flat, my digital thermometer reads an exceptional 81ºF. I still have one electric fan running.

My Goodmans soundbar stopped working. What is it with technology? One minute it works perfectly and the next it won't function. I put new batteries in the remote, but still, it refused to work. I decided that if that was the case, the thing needed replacing. It really improves the rather tinny sound you get from a television set. So I looked on the Argos website and, as I had enough vouchers from doing surveys, I decided to cash some in. The cost of the actual soundbar was actually a few pounds more than the one I had my eye on. My thinking is it's better to go for a better model as it will have more features, such as Bluetooth connectivity and generally better quality build etc. So I ordered the vouchers and thought I won't get them for a couple of weeks. That is if they were paper vouchers. But I then found an email had come in informing me of the online codes for Argos. So, I wrote down all the codes and then ordered the soundbar, the make being LG, and put these codes into the relevant online space and was able to go to the Argos store in Milton Keynes to collect the item. All done, collected and the soundbar is working and I'm really pleased with the thing!

1.45 p.m. What a difference a day makes, as the song goes. And it's true. From baking hot for the past couple of days to a good deal cooler and wet! Not bucketing down, no cats and dogs, stair-rods, or whatever, but still moderately wet. I have taken Alfie out twice and on each occasion, he has turned tail and come back indoors when he's felt even the slightest drop of moisture on his back!

Getting On With The Job!

Monday, 1.45 p.m. I had an email reminding me that my car insurance was due to expire in four weeks' time. I doesn't seem like a year since I set up my car insurance, but nevertheless, I had a look at the quotes on offer and went with A.A. insurance (Automobile Association and not Alcoholics Anonymous. Well, you knew that, but it was worth the joke if that's what you call it.) All are set up via their website, the deposit is paid, and Direct Debit is set up.

3.55 p.m. There are still quite a few boxes left over from when I moved to Dexter House. Much of it is stacked up in my bedroom and I have never got round to disposing of it. I should point out that they are not merely boxes with nothing in them. I have sorted through several of them and found things which I had lost or forgotten about, such as a cheque book (who actually uses a cheque book these days? ) and the remote for my Goodmans soundbar, which I replaced when it couldn't be found.)But this morning I     decided it was about time it was removed. You have to book your space at the Bleak Hall Tidy Tip (there is another on the other side of Milton Keynes, but the Bleak Hall one is the closest. Before the pandemic, you could just turn up, park your vehicle and then throw your rubbish into the relevant skip. I can see the advantage of this, so that you know you will get a slot and, hopefully, avoid queuing. So this morning I have begun the process of sorting what I'm going to take. I have gone on the Milton Keynes Council website and booked a slot for 10.30 tomorrow morning.

Wednesday. 10.40 a.m. I thought the slot I had booked at the tidy-tip was 10.30 a.m. It was just as well I checked the email as it was actually 9.30 a.m. I had the stuff piled into the car and drove to the tidy tip (actually referred to as a Household Waste Recycling Centre or H.W.R.C.) in Bleak Hall. I was there a good ten minutes ahead of the time I was booked in, but I didn't have to wait, and the car was unloaded within five minutes and I was driving out, really pleased that the job I had been resisting doing was now complete. There are a few bits and pieces which remain, but they can wait for another time and some bits shouldn't need to be taken to the tidy tip.

Thursday. 6.25 a.m. A really fine, bright and sunny morning. What more can I say? My digital thermometer currently reads 82ºF at the moment. Really crazy. If it's that temperature this early, how much hotter is it likely to get.

I have now managed to transcribe all my writing and the word count is well over 30,000. I will leave writing for a while and come back to it in a couple of weeks.

12.40 p.m. I've been to the Oaktree Centre to help set up the playgroup. It has been exceptionally warm, which made things worse. In the middle of setting up and dismantling things I was involved in a Bible study.

I drove home and then, when I walked in through the front door I was told that I had been visited by someone about having my kitchen upgraded. Crazy to merely turn up without being warned. I have email, text etc. or they could have rung me up or sent me a letter. Surely they could have let me know in advance. I will get a telephone call to arrange another visit. I do hope so, as the kitchen is really looking shabby, particularly the floor, as there are a few tiles loose which are a trip hazard.

Temperature in the flat currently 84ºF. Really too hot.

2.55 a.m. Crazy, this. I've had a letter from the company, Mears who are contracted to upgrade the kitchens and bathrooms in all the flats in Dexter House. It's about that very topic, upgrading my bathroom. I had to ring the number in the letter, but I have to ring back tomorrow morning, as the lady who organizes this work finishes at 3 p.m. on a Thursday. That's life for you!

'Ere We Go Again!

Friday. 10.35 a.m. I'm currently attempting to make a cheesecake. It's for the 'bring-and-share' lunch at church on Sunday. I made one some while ago and I was quite pleased with it. But it was an American recipe and all the measurements are in crazy American quantities. How do you interpret such things as 'a cup' or 'a spoon'? I would rather have a recipe which uses metric measurements, as they are far easier to deal with. I'm making the biscuit base but underestimated the quantities and so have had to make far more. I think the secret is to put the butter and caster sugar in the pan and heat it until it does a bit like toffee and then add the biscuit crumb. This is made using my food processor. Easy to make crumbs and very fast. The base is now cooling in the fridge, which I spent the whole morning the other day cleaning it out as it was a necessary task, but now it is sparkling. I know it's boring, but in some ways I find it therapeutic, because it turns a dirty or untidy situation into something better, cleaner and life is improved. In this case, the fridge is, hopefully, safer and at best, free from bacteria which can turn food that is stored in it, bad and possibly give me food poisoning. It also makes me feel better, and I look at it and think, 'a job well done!' Apart from that, it passes the time. How many jobs such as this have been done during lockdown, due to the pandemic? I imagine quite a few people cleared out stuff from their loft or garage during lockdown, or got rid of stuff which they no longer had a need for.

4.00 p.m. After quite a bit of effort, the cheesecake is finished! It remains in its tin and will remain so until I get to church and release it. The tin is one with a loose bottom and a spring catch which released the metal ring. Hopefully, and I say, hopefully, it should come out of the tin in one piece. I now intend to buy some raspberries which I shall get in Sainsbury's as I need to go and pick up a repeat prescription from Lloyd's pharmacy which is within Sainsbury's store. 

6.15 p.m. The flat is exceptionally warm-again. My digital thermometer currently reads 82ºF. That's with my electric fan on full, a window in the bathroom and absolutely no other heating on. Why would I have the heating on in the middle of summer? 

Saturday. 6.40 a.m. It's a good deal cooler in the flat this morning. The digital thermometer currently reads  77ºF. 

10.30 a.m. We met at Morrisons at Westcroft for our monthly Men's Breakfast. It was scheduled to begin at 8.30. I got there extra early and because it was a bright and sunny morning there seemed no excuse. This particular store has been upgraded, and the café is now far more modern and laid out differently. I used to bring one of my people here when I was a home carer for Guardian. He used to do some shopping and then we'd go into the café for a snack and cup of coffee. Another situation where they were short-staffed. This is becoming a real problem, not helped because of the pandemic and people either being laid off or leaving to work elsewhere. We had to queue up to order our breakfast and then go to another counter to get tea or coffee but there was a real hold-up. If they'd had a couple of extra members of staff it would have been so much quicker. Then we went into what they term the 'Community Room' which seems to be a new addition since the recent make-over. Like a boardroom with a large table in the centre with chairs all around, whiteboards and somewhere to make tea and coffee and a sink. It made me think of 'The Apprentice' on television and Lord Sugar pointing at one of the participants and shouting 'You're fired!" We ate our breakfasts and it was good to share stuff with one another. It looks as if we're going to use it on a regular basis and it's free which makes it even better.

3.25 p.m. A walk around Oldbrook Green mid-afternoon. A couple attempting to fly a kite and making a real hash of it. If he had a shorter string and walked backwards from the direction of the wind he might have got on better. 

Sunday. 5.40 a.m. Alfie and I were out on the grass alongside Strudwick Drive around 5.15 this morning. It's another really fine and sunny day and it looks like it's going to stay that way for the rest of today.

4.30 p.m. I have earlier mentioned the bring and share lunch at church. It was this morning. We had worship as usual and I don't think I've seen the Oaktree Centre so busy. Absolutely packed. I took the cheesecake with me and  all the food was stored in the kitchen ready for it to be put out on tables in the café area and then, once the service was over, everyone came through to serve themselves from the tables, which was set up as a buffet. I got to try the cheesecake. I have to say it was something of a let down. It tasted fine, but it was just boring. Pity it was chocolate or fruit flavoured, but there was a certain amount of lemon in it. It must have been a success in some way, because it all went and not a single bit left, thankfully, as I didn't want to take any of it home with me.

Another Fun Filled Week?

Monday. 5.55 p.m. I am continuing to transcribe my handwritten writing onto word processing. It's a long and quite laborious process, but as I continue with it I am making significant alterations and, hopefully, improvements. I have a good idea where things are heading once this section is complete. I have several pages of plot lines and I will follow most of those notes as I continue with writing. Then I need to integrate some other plot lines into this 'spine' plot line which runs through the middle of the whole project. 

Tuesday.10.45 a.m. I have baked a batch of scones this morning. I had to organize my kitchen carefully as there is little enough room as it is. I had left the butter out overnight as it needs to be soft enough to work and it was fine, so I proceeded with the recipe. The only problem was that the mixture didn't make more than a handful of scones. I was more than pleased with the result. They came out of the oven near perfect. Golden brown and good texture. Then I decided to drive to Kingston and visit Homesense, which is part of T.K. Maax. I was looking for a suitable tin in which to make a cheesecake for Sunday as we have a bring and share lunch to celebrate the return Ross and Joy Dilnot returning after their operations. I drove down Chaffron Way towards Kingston and was confronted by a sign telling me that the road ahead was closed, so I had to go into Waitrose's car park to do a short detour and then come out on Brickhill Street  and continue on down Chaffron Way. 

Wednesday. 6.20 a.m. It's mild this morning, but what I would term, muggy. Sort of warm and wet, if you get my meaning.

I've just been watching an item on BBC Breakfast, about a man by the name of Martin Hibbert, who was seriously injured and then paralysed when he was caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017. He is currently raising money by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I noticed, when he was interviewed, that he had a logo for S.I.A., the Spinal Injuries Association, which is directly next door to Dexter House, and which I walk past with Alfie several times a day.

5.50 p.m. The weather has been behaving strangely all afternoon. It was teeming with rain earlier, and immediately it came to an end the ground didn't seem to be wet when I peered out of the kitchen window later. It sounded as if someone was having a shower as I sat and heard it. Then as I prepared my evening meal it began to rain and the sun was out. Just weird.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. Yet another fine and sunny morning. We did a circuit of Oldbrook Green, but I'm sure Alfie would have preferred to stay tucked up in his lovely, cozy bed.

13.00 p.m. I've been out at the Oaktree Centre, helping to set up the playgroup which meets there on a Thursday. I was involved in a Bible study during the playgroup meeting and then returned a couple of hours later to dismantle everything.

Friday. 6.20 a.m. Well, here's a thing. Another fine and sunny morning. What more can I say?

More of The Same?

Sunday. 7.40 a.m. It's raining, although it's very light. In fact, I would so as far as to say it isn't really proper rain, more like drizzle. I will need to take Alfie out again before I go off to church. The kitchen is tidy. The washing up from yesterday evening is done and there's not much more to do. There is nothing worse than coming home to a pile of dirty pots and pans in the sink.

2.15 p.m. We did go out and then I went to church. On the way home I went into Tesco in Oldbrook Boulevard and got a sandwich in one of those offers where you get a sandwich, a drink and a snack.

3.55 p.m. Now watching the Jubilee Pageant, which is on BBC1. Some incredible creations moving along The Mall. Extremely colourful and dramatic. This is the final event of the four-day special weekend. A lot of amazing floats, really clever and funny. Just shows that we can produce this sort of thing as good as anywhere else in the world.

I have signed up to Britbox. It streams through my Fire TV stick on my television. A lot of BBC, ITV, Channel Four and 5 material, particularly what I  would call 'classic' comedy, such as Dads Army, Some Mother's Do 'Ave 'Em as well as drama series. I'm surprised there's Shakespeare, from the RSC, material which is from 'live' recordings which have been streamed to cinemas in the past. The first couple of weeks is free, then £2.99 a month and then £5.99 a month thereafter. 

Monday. 6.20 a.m. I was out a good bit later than I have in recent days.

So, Bojo (Boris Johnson) is to face a vote of no confidence this evening. The required 54 Conservative MPs have handed in letters to the 1922 Committee, which is what triggers the vote, which is to happen sometime tonight. I think it can't happen soon enough as he can't be trusted, and if you can't trust your Prime Minister, then he must go. As regards the so-called Partygate Scandal, which is behind this confidence vote, and the fact that he and many of his ministers as well as civil servants, broke the Covid-19 rules by holding parties within Number 10 Downing Street, while the rest of us in Britain followed these rules more or less to the latter, then he must go. But the question is, if he loses and is forced to resign, who will replace him? Frankly, in my opinion, the regulations were unnecessary and people should have been able to make their own minds up as regards their behaviour to have people fined was a step too far. Also, if the PM didn't understand the rules he had enacted into law, then how could you expect the members of the public to understand them? 

11.25 p.m. The British Museum currently has an exhibition I would have liked to go to on Stonehenge. I also knew they were publishing a book and thought, rather than visit, which would have been quite a strain, knowing my health issues, unfortunately, I would buy the book. I looked on the British Museum website but couldn't get it to function (not good as they will lose customers.) and I attempted several times to buy the aforementioned book. I then searched several online bookshops and avoided Amazon (as I give them plenty of custom as it is!) I then went on the Blackwells website and found the book, which I ordered last week (I think possibly Tuesday or Wednesday. The four-day Bank Holiday has obviously disrupted the delivery (and I had several emails from the courier company telling me it had been dispatched etc and then this morning another saying it would be delivered before 11.30 a.m. I heard footsteps on the stairs and realised it could have been someone delivering my parcel, which it was. A large, very well wrapped parcel marked Blackwells and inside, a somewhat spectacular book all about Stonehenge! Really well produced and presented and will keep me interested as it's a subject which intrigues me and I visited with Carol a few years ago and where we joined English Heritage, which manages the site with the National Trust. 

Tuesday. 5.40 a.m. Another really mild and quite beautiful morning. A mist hanging over Oldbrook Green and the rising sun glowing through the mist. I was lost in thought as I walked around, with Alfie sniffing every blade of grass. Suddenly I was approached by another dog, which I see regularly, with a lady I have spoken to on several occasions. This dog jumped up at me, which jolted me out of my thoughts.

Yesterday evening at 9 o'clock, the news came through that Boris Johnson had won the No Confidence vote, although many of his MPs had rebelled. He keeps on saying he can now 'move on,' but it means he's not in a safe position. Around 40% of his MPs don't support him, which isn't a good place to be in. He is, in effect, hanging on by a very thin thread.

Congratulations, Ma'am!

Thursday. 8.00 a.m. So, we are about to start a four-day Platinum Jubilee weekend, I can never remember anything anywhere near similar to this. I easily remember the Silver Jubilee in 1977. Children at the local primary school were given special commemorative mugs, but how many of these survived? In 2002 we had the Golden Jubilee, but I don't remember much of that. Then, in 2012 there was the Diamond Jubilee, and an amazing concert was held in front of Buckingham Palace. I don't think anything like it had ever been organized before. I believe a similar concert will again be staged this year. 

1.05 p.m. I am currently watching live pictures of a flypast over Buckingham Palace, with H.M. Queen and other members of the Royal Family and amazing numbers of the public crowding the area immediately in front of the Palace and along The Mall, with flags waving and cheering. 

Friday. 6.10 a.m. Up out of bed and walked with Alfie around Oldbrook Green at 5.15. I don't think Alfie was fully awake, and as I write this he is back in his bed. I can't blame him, curled up and comfortable.

9.15 a.m. It's great to now have no less than TWO new washing machines at Dexter House, both in full working order. But the only problem for me is, how to operate them! The old machines had the old-fashioned mechanical controls, where you merely twisted a dial to the setting you want and the correct water temperature and length of cycle, which was easy and, frankly, common sense. But these new machines have a touch screen, much like an iPad or iPhone. I don't have a problem with them, but I'm not entirely happy using the touch screens on these machines. I don't want to wash my clothes at a temperature which ruins my clothes, so I end up shrinking things. I think I have the machine set up correctly this morning and, as I write this, I am waiting for a tumble drier load of clothes to complete drying so I can remove the load and put it all away on hangers. 

Saturday. 6.00 a.m. A pleasant and cool morning here at the heart of the universe here in swinging Milton Keynes. Alfie was fast asleep just before I took him out to walk the entire circuit of Oldbrook Green. 

11.20 a.m. I can't get the photographs which I took at the History Festival at Milton Keynes to upload onto my MacBook. I used to have a cable which you plugged into the Canon digital camera and the other end into the laptop, but I can't find it. It got lost when I moved into Dexter House. I had a card reader which you used with the card out of the camera and plugged into the USB port, but it doesn't work. None of the photographs shows up on the laptop. So I have gone to Curry's this morning to buy a replacement cable and did some top-up shopping in Aldi which is just along the parade of units. I had a good excuse to browse new digital cameras as I am considering upgrading mine. New digital cameras have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you don't need to have cables to connect to your laptop. Also, some are capable of recording video for vlogging, which is a term I have only just discovered. You can make videos to upload onto the internet, for example, on YouTube. The Sony model I have seen has all these features, and you can attach a Bluetooth-connected handle which transforms into a tripod.

1.20 p.m. It continues to rain. Not heavy, but enough to damp the ground and to be disliked by Alfie. He is currently sleeping in his bed.

I am currently watching a BBC documentary series presented by Lucy Worsley which investigates several historic incidents in British history, such as the Black Death, The Princes In The Tower, The Madness of King George III and The Witch Hunts of the Middle Ages. She uses newly released documents as well as modern technology to dig a good deal deeper to uncover new evidence which over-rides the usual historical narrative to reveal a great deal of interesting material. An excellent and absorbing series.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day

Monday. 3.20 p.m. The weather has changed considerably. This is quite normal for British weather. One day, dry and sunny, the next, pouring with rain. Which it's doing at the moment. If you could hear, which is obvious because you can't, it is raining quite hard. It rained earlier this afternoon and we had quite a heavy downpour around fifteen minutes later, it was dry and sunny, almost as if it hadn't been raining. As the proverb states quite clearly 'nay cast a clout 'til May be out.' Now, whether that refers to the month of May or may the shrub, I don't know. Shakespeare mentions May in the Sonnet 18, 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?/Thou art more lovely and more temperate./Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,/And summer's lease hath all too short a date.' As I've discussed in an earlier blog post, Shakespeare uses many weather metaphors in his plays. King Lear and his Fool wander the blasted heath in a howling gale. Feste mentions rain  in Twelfth Night (the title of this post is from one of his songs). The Three Witches in Macbeth talk about ' . . .   foul is fair, hover through the fog and filthy air.' I could go on.

I am attempting to find some sort of doggy care for Alfie so that I can visit Worcester to see my grandchildren. As you should have read in an earlier post, I didn't go to Worcester as arranged on Friday. I don't want him to go into a kennel. The thought of him being put in a cage upsets me, and it would really upset him. I would prefer him to go to someone who would care for him in their home. I have discovered people who do this through a search online. Having read their requirements and the cost (approximately £25-£30 a day.) they also require owners to have their dogs vaccinated or the vaccines they already have topped up. Further enquiries I have made reveal that this costs around £75, covering kennel cough. It's because you have to protect your dog and other dogs that may be cared for. Just another expense. 

Tuesday. 6.10 a.m. Another mild morning, but not as warm as it has been lately.

2.05 p.m.The excitement is palpable! The bunting is up. A pile of cakes has appeared in the community kitchen. Tea and cakes are ready for the Platinum Jubilee tea party. What more can I say? Nothing. It all gets underway in one hour! Just fancy!

I'm not sure, but I think I might have just heard a thunderclap. Or something very similar to the sound of thunder. The weather is somewhat wet at the moment, so it might very well be thunder. 

4.50 p.m. We've just had the Platinum Jubilee tea party, Plenty of tea, sandwiches and cakes. HM Queen turned up (okay, it was one of the carers who comes into Dexter House, wearing a Queen mask. Funny. Yes. But slightly sinister. The sort of mask often used by bank robbers.  Also, there was a quiz, 19 questions about Her Majesty, and I won, the prize being a box of Thornton's chocolates. So, the second quiz I've won in two weeks. (Okay, the first one I was in a team.) But even so, not bad to have won, and all my reading of the history of the 20th century came in handy. 

12.35 p.m. I've been to Sainsbury's this morning. I have to say that I find it more than a little annoying that they had to move around many items which have been in the same position on the shelves for more or less all the time I have been shopping there, and now some bright spark seems fit to rearrange more or less everything and make it hard to find some things. What is the point of all this? It's just to annoy your local customers and drive them to probably shop elsewhere. There IS no point. Or, if you're going to do it, at least have some sort of sign up to tell you where a particular item has been moved to.

5.00. I've been into the shopping centre to get my hair cut at Central Barbers. I parked where I usually park and no sooner had I parked than the heavens opened and there was a heavy downpour. I, fortunately, had one of my Regatta jackets in the car, which I put on before walking into the shopping centre, but around two minutes later the rain had stopped, and the sun came out.  I had booked online yesterday so at least I knew I had an appointment, and it was paid. I was really surprised how busy it was in the centre. I imagine it's because it's half-term this week in Milton Keynes and the fact the Queen's Platinum Jubilee festivities are this week. A definite sort of atmosphere in the air. Thank goodness, because the country needs some sort of light-heartedness after two years of crazy lockdowns.