What's It All About, Alfie?

 Saturday. 7.35 a.m. I am feeling considerably better this morning. I had a review of my care package (if that's the correct term. I don't receive care, even though I live in a sheltered housing unit, Dexter House.) Anyway, this is reviewed and amended every six months or so, and we have a new S.H.0. (Sheltered Housing Officer), Vashti, who began working here a few weeks ago. I mentioned the pain I was experiencing in my lower back, my kidney area, and she said it could be a urinary infection and connected with the covid infection I have had over the past week or so.  I did a covid test on Wednesday and it was negative. I then rang Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and wanted a doctor's appointment to discuss this issue, but I could only get a telephone consultation yesterday afternoon. I discussed this with the practice nurse, who I have spoken to before, and he told me it could be Musculoskeletal, and suggested using Voltarol gel, which I have from another pain-related injury and used some immediately. It appears to work, so I will continue using it twice a day.

10.20 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's. I haven't been out to do any sort of food shopping since the covid infection. The last one was the Thursday I did the first test. I have bought a new tube of Voltarol because the first tube is nearly finished. This new tube is stronger and probably more effective. 

Sunday. 5.40 a.m. I got up and got dressed. The lower back pain isn't as bad as it was and the Voltarol is working, although not entirely. I suppose I just have to let it take time.

5.25 p.m. I went to church this morning, having not gone last week because of covid. 

Having parked my car, I walked around the building to the entrance. As I got to the door, a bird flew past me, chasing what I thought was a pigeon, and the first bird crashed into the glass of the frontage. It was then that I recognised what this bird was, some sort of hawk, and possibly a sparrowhawk. It didn't catch the pigeon and then flew off over Shenley, but for the shortness of the incident, it was really exciting to me, as I find any sort of wild bird, particularly birds of prey. I don't know what happened to the pigeon, but there was a pile of feathers left where both birds had run into the window.

Monday. 8.05 a.m. I am continuing to use Voltarol on my lower back. It seems to relieve it slightly, but then the pain comes back. I have a feeling it makes me feel sick. I intend to ring Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre to hopefully get a physiotherapy appointment, although I doubt it is unlikely to be immediate. I really want to go to Camphill tomorrow, but if the pain continues, then I can't go.

8.50 a.m. I rang Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre just after 8.30. I was told I was tenth in the queue, so my heart sank. The thought of having to listen to the music they play for half an hour or more was enough to put me off, but I was soon sixth and then third in the queue. But I was soon speaking to a receptionist. I can't get a physiotherapy appointment until 14th August! I will just have to endure the pain and continue with the Voltarol.

Covid Causing Havoc

 Monday. 9.15 a.m. I have done a second covid test, and it's positive, which means that Camphill is definitely out tomorrow as well as Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. I was convinced that it would be negative, as some of the symptoms have reduced, but I still have a temperature.

12.00 p.m. I have now been told I should have done my test tomorrow and not today! If I need to do further tests, I will have to buy them. I can go out and don't really need to isolate, but I definitely can't go to Camphill and won't be going to Monday Club this afternoon at the Oaktree Centre. Well, this doesn't make a lot of sense to me, because I wouldn't want to infect others and certainly not a vulnerable group, such as the residents at Camphill.

Tuesday. 5.40 a.m. I'm not feeling quite as bad as when this covid thing first struck. My temperature has more or less fallen to normal levels, but, as I don't have a thermometer, I can't say for certain what it is currently. But I still have brain fog and doing things seems to take forever. 

Wednesday. 5.15 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. It seems quite mild and somewhat overcast. Nothing else to report at the moment.

1.25 p.m. I've booked my car to have the work done on one of the rear breaks, which bind, according to the report which was done when it was given its MoT three weeks ago. It's going to be done a week tomorrow (3rd August.) 

I bought a covid test kit from the branch of Boots next to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre. It is easier to go there as you can park directly outside. I have now done a test, and it was negative, which is good news.

Thursday. 7.40 a.m. I may have tested negative for covid, but I feel downright awful. In some pain in my lower back and as a result, it took me considerably longer than normal to get dressed, so I could take Alfie out. I have now taken paracetamol and will just stay in the flat and see how this develops. I will take paracetamol every four hours as recommended.

Friday. 7.30 a.m. Another day. Been out with Alfie as usual and we walked around Oldbrook Green. A couple of dogs were being walked at the same time, but no communication, although I reckon Alfie might have liked to say hello to them.

Covidivisation Takes It's Toll

Friday. 8.50 a.m. Covid doing its worst. The night was better than the night before. I have finished the packet of Paracetamol, and need to get more. 

10.40 a.m. I needed to know what the situation was regarding isolating because of my positive covid test yesterday. I went online to an N.H.S. site and found 5 days, which I am adhering to, but no real advice, so I thought I ought to speak to my medical centre. I rang, but waited ten minutes to speak and even then the lady didn't seem to know the answer, so I rang N.H.S. 111. I had to answer a load of questions, but because I have had two heart attacks, they recommended I speak to a doctor, so rang surgery again, but they said no doctor could speak to me, not even for a telephone consultation, but a paramedic could ring me later.

5.25 p.m. I needed paracetamol, but I couldn't go out, so I had the idea of putting a message, asking if any of my friends on Facebook could get me a couple of packets. My good friend, Margaret, who goes to Shenley Christian Fellowship, must have seen the message, and she rang me, although at that point I was asleep on my bed, I rang back, and she said she would go and get me some paracetamol, which she came to Dexter House to deliver. I took some, and they do relive some of the more unpleasant parts of the covid. Shivery, flu-like, pain in the back, sort of, kidney area. Just keep taking paracetamol every four hours. I have slept a great deal. 

Saturday. 1.15 a.m. I have been trying to sleep, but, considering I slept a great deal of yesterday, it's really not surprising. I was having a sort of dream, more likely part awake, about a play called Noises Off. Why that, I don't know, but anyway, I decided that, because I couldn't sleep, together with coughing and needing the loo (just one of those things, people!) I got up, but painful getting off the bed, discomfort in my lower back, but, after a bit of effort, I managed it.

6.00 a.m. I've taken Alfie out, had a shave and put out the rubbish. I have taken a further two paracetamol. I am feeling slightly better, no shivering and sweating, which was the main feature of covid yesterday. I will do another test on Monday, but it seems unlikely I will be able to go to Camphill on Tuesday.

11.15 a.m. Not a great deal to report, except I've taken another two paracetamol. Not feeling so hot and sweaty, but still not one hundred per cent.

5.45 p.m. I've spent the afternoon watching Laurel and Hardy films, from my DVD collection of all their films. I bought it a couple of years ago on Amazon. I had known years ago that there was a complete box set of their films, as I love their films. But at that time the set cost around £200. Then they were on offer at around £50 in the HMV shop in Milton Keynes, but the set was sold on Amazon for around £30. I have been drawn back to these films because of the 'silent comedy' video project we have been involved in at Camphill in the performing arts workshop. The films I watched this afternoon were: "Them Thar Hills" and it's 'sort of' sequel 'Tit For Tat" and "County Hospital." They may be near enough 90 years old, but they still make me laugh and compared to a good deal of modern 'comedy' need a great deal of beating.

Sunday. 5.35 a.m. I had an idea that this bout of covid was coming to an end. How wrong could I be? I woke this morning with more pain in my lower back and the cough again wreaking its havoc. I took about three times longer than normal to get dressed, so I could take Alfie out. Any idea that I would go to church this morning is totally out of the question, and my weekly Camphill session on Tuesday is even more unlikely. Although having said all that, I don't feel as bad as I did when this thing started on Thursday. So, it seems I'm just going to have to endure this thing for the long haul. No way is it going to end soon, but I wish it would.

8.50 a.m. As I write this, it's 'sort of' raining. I mean, drizzly rather than pouring rain. Something that Alfie won't like, although he wouldn't get much of a dousing.

Monday. 5.35 a.m. It was something of a surprise to discover it was raining fairly hard as I looked out of the kitchen window this morning. I thought I could go out without a coat, but on arriving at the bottom of the stairs and seeing rain through the double doors which lead into the garden, I had second thoughts and returned to the flat to get my bright yellow Regatta raincoat. Alfie was not much bothered by the rain when we eventually hit Strudwick Drive and we were soon back inside.

As regards my covid infection has continued, although I'm not as hot and sweaty, brain fog has left me sort of in a sort of, well, fog. It takes ages to think and get dressed about three times the usual, length of time.

Covid Rears It's Ugly Head . . .

Tuesday. 5.20 a.m. A reluctant Alfie came out with me for our early morning jaunt around Oldbrook Green. It was worth it, if just to see a really amazing cloud formation over the centre of Milton Keynes, straight out of a J.M.W. Turner painting, who just happens to be one of my favourite artists. Anyway, I di around 1800 steps, as measured by my FitBit, which tells me, via the app, which is on my iPad and iPhone, that I do on average around 40,000 steps per week, which is approximately 30 miles, which can't be bad. I have worked out my B.M.I. (Body Mass Index), which is 29.6, which suggests that I am somewhat overweight. I put the blame on the so-called pandemic, being shut up like a prisoner for approximately two years, and eating stuff which I shouldn't have, for example, cake and biscuits. Definitely one of the minuses of such an event.

4.40 p.m. Another really great day at Camphill, in the performing arts workshop.

A longer than usual check-in. It took around an hour. Some people can spend around ten minutes discussing what they've been doing. I think there should be something like an egg timer, so people keep to a set length of time when they are talking.

A warming up session, to get the day started, but barely enough time before it was tea break. You can't possibly NOT have a tea break! Some of the group would be mortified if they were told they couldn't have a tea break, but no tea bags! Disasterville! So, someone goes off to find some.

Back to work, having to set up the green screen for our 'pirates' 'video. Terrie had managed to hang the main cloth on one of the bars on stage, which are usually there to suspend bits of scenery, curtains (technically called 'tabs', short for 'tableau.') Also, we have to put a green cloth on the stage floor. This is done so that backgrounds in scenes for the video can be edited into the footage to give the illusion of such things as being on a beach, in a shop or another place, without actually being there.

A great deal of hanging around, waiting to sort out costumes, some of the actors have makeup applied and our leading lady was involved in the 'western' video, which was being shot elsewhere, on location somewhere in Milton Keynes. We did manage to do some filming on the stage, the fight between the two pirate gangs. This means that, with only a small amount of footage needed, our video will be finished, apart from the editing.

Meanwhile . . .  The 'time travel' video, which was the original video I was working on and was supposed to have a part . . . It was being edited in another part of the theatre. It appears that they have the first third of their video editing.

So, things are going really well. Hopefully next week we will get to see the completed videos!

Thursday. 7.10 a.m. I have currently got an unpleasant cough, which includes really unpleasant phlegm at the back of my throat. It kept me awake most of the night and nothing seems to shift it, although sucking on a Ricola sweet relieved it somewhat.

1.20 p.m. I was shaving early this morning and looking at myself in the mirror and thought, 'Your hair looks as if it could do with cutting!' which prompted me to go online to Central Barbers and book an appointment for 10.30 a.m., so that is exactly what I did, and it was done, and I feel a good deal better for it. I took a couple of Paracetamol tablets before I drove into the centre and I think they did the trick. I had been feeling lousy, what with the cough and a slight flu sort of feeling.

4.15 p.m.I am still feeling fluey. I have taken two more Paracetamol and have just done a COVID-19 test. It has come out positive, so I think I will need to isolate for five days.

Windy City

 Sunday. 7.40 a.m. The wind seems to have dropped, and it is bright and sunny. I just hope it remains that way, so the church picnic can take place outside.

Monday. 5.45 a.m. Yesterday the wind dropped considerably, but the arrangements for the church picnic had to be modified. A tent arrangement was set up in the courtyard area, and the musicians set up within this and played a range of music during the time after the service, which started at 11 o'clock and was for an hour. 

There was supposed to be a bouncy castle for the children, but, because of the wind, the rental company that was going to supply it, didn't bring it, basically because of safety concerns.

Plenty of cake (probably too much!) which I had and there was a quiz, both of which raised money for the church building fund.

I have a subscription to National Theatre At Home, which has 'live' recordings of first and foremost National Theatre productions, but there are also productions from theatres and companies which aren't actually National Theatre productions. Some come from the Bridge Theatre and Donmar Warehouse. Over the weekend I watched 'The Wife of Willesden', an adaptation of the 'Wife of Bath Prologue and Tale' by Zadie Smith, from 'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer. A bawdy, loud and thoroughly engaging show, staged at The Kiln Theatre, formerly Tricycle Theatre. I have had an interest in 'The Canterbury Tales', from the time I had to study the General Prologue for A-Level English Literature in the late 1960s. I was somewhat frustrated that we didn't study the rest, or even a part, of the main body of this work of fiction, although I did read a modern translation of it more recently and in the late 1960s, well after I had left college (not having completed my A Levels.) I went with my mother to see the musical version in the West End, done in collaboration with Nevill Coghill, who had done a modern translation of the text. I have to say, the teaching of this work (and the other texts we had to study.) was so BORING, I'm not really surprised I wasn't that interested at the time and would have rather been elsewhere than stuck in a classroom. The same could be said of A Level History, which covered most of 19th-century history, and I have more or less forgotten what I was supposed to have learnt. It just goes to show that, if you have poor teaching, how it will affect your relationship with the subject taught, which might explain why, for example, the works of William Shakespeare can be a total turn-off for some people, because his plays are really supposed to be performed, not analysed in minute detail in a classroom.

Anything Goes!

 Thursday. 4.00 p.m. The Acorns playgroup, which meets at The Oaktree Centre, and the which I help set up and clear away on a Thursday morning, met for the last time until September. Around eight of the children were leaving, probably going on to reception classes in local primary schools.

6.25 p.m. As I write this, it's pouring rain. It's reasonably heavy, and I have a feeling that we will now have to endure flooding. As the grid roads in Milton Keynes don't have cambers, that is, the traditional method which is used elsewhere, and even used by the Romans when they built roads, there is more likely to be flooding, especially on roundabouts.

Friday. 5.00 a.m. I've only just come back indoors, having taken Alfie out. It's dry and reasonably pleasant, weather-wise.

We had a Church Family Meeting yesterday evening at the Oaktree Centre. It was mostly about finance. Not particularly well attended.

As I came in from driving back from the meeting, I noticed a large pantechnicon parked further along Strudwick Drive. I couldn't see exactly what it was doing where it was, because I had turned into Dexter Avenue before I got a chance, but this morning I could see it was a removal vehicle, with the words 'Bussy's Removals, painted on its side. I imagine it was full of furniture for a family moving into the area. 

Saturday.  5.05 a.m. It rained yesterday, but not heavy. Just thin and a bit pathetic, so it put paid to any more videoing by me. Today is the Grand Car Boot Sale at the Oaktree Centre, so any rain will not only put off customers but would make things extremely difficult. Then, on Sunday, we have the annual church picnic, so that would also be affected by the inclement weather. I just hope the weather holds off for the entire weekend, but having been out a few moments ago with Alfie, it was dry, although looking decidedly unsettled, looking at a somewhat dark and cloudy sky.

2.15 p.m. I got a message via Facebook to say that the Car boot sale had been cancelled due to the weather. But no sooner had I seen this message, than the rain stopped, and the sun came out. Typical British weather! Supposedly it will be run at a later date.

3.55. p.m. I've been out with Alfie. I have now hit the 10,000 steps target, wearing my FitBit. We walked around Oldbrook Green and met several dogs. Today is Alfie's 16th birthday!

It's windy out, so, what with cancelling today's car boot sale at the Oaktree Centre, I doubt that the church picnic will go ahead because the wind is strong and might be dangerous. We will have to wait and see what the weather does tomorrow.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Tuesday. 5.20 a.m. Another day dawns. Oh dear, what a cliché. But I couldn't resist. As usual, I've been out with Alfie. It's been raining overnight. We walked along the path towards Oldbrook Green and all around the equipment in the fenced-off children's play area there was quite a considerable puddle.  

6.45 a.m. The kitchen was cleaned, washing-up was done, rubbish was taken out, and I'm ready to go to Camphill at around 8.20.

7.00 p.m. I drove to Camphill as usual. The traffic was a good deal quieter than usual. I'm not sure why. I couldn't have been because schools were on holiday, because they don't break up for the summer until the beginning of August. We were down to around half the usual contingent of participants, due to the fact that many were on holiday. We also had a lady come along who was volunteering her time the same way that I do, and she seemed to fit in very well. Whether she comes back is another matter. Also, a resident of Camphill came into the theatre workshop to sample the experience, so she may or may not return.

After the usual check-in and some really crazy games, one about being on a ship and having to run in the right direction, i.e. Port, Starboard, Bow and Stern (which, incidentally, I don't have a problem with, because my father had several boats and you certainly remember those parts, when you get shouted at, as he was prone to doing (Port, particularly, with the saying 'no port left - in the bottle.) A bit of good exercise, running about from one side to the other until I got caught out!

The stage was set up for some more filming. The green screen material was arranged so that, once a piece of film (actually video, technically, but never mind) had been completed, additional background material could be digitally inserted so that it would look as if the actors were on a beach in a ship or somewhere in the wild west. I got a chance, at long last, to see some of the completed footage, and, I must say, it looks amazing. There is still quite a lot of work to do, such as editing, putting in music, intertitles and probably sound effects, but generally, it all looks fantastic.

A television crew arrived at Camphill, as they are making a documentary for Channel Four about caring for people with learning disabilities and how they will be cared for as they age. During the morning, they focussed on one of the resident's houses within the Camphill campus. We continued to work on filming material for the 'Pirates' film, although I wasn't used, basically because not all the actors were available as they were on holiday.

After lunch, the television crew came into the Chrysalis Theatre. The chairs were put into a circle and some of the residents sat on the chairs. It was set up so that the young actor Reuben (not sure exactly what his surname is.) was going to ask the group questions, which had been written on cards and placed behind the camera.) as the camera and sound engineer juggled with moving around without disturbing the flow of the discussion. The group were really great, didn't show any nerves and didn't fluff their words!

It was exciting that the group will now be the focus of this documentary, but as I write this, we don't know exactly when it will be broadcast. No doubt also streamed on the Channel Four website.

Wednesday. 8.30 a.m. Yet another bright and sunny morning. Not a great deal more to say on the matter.

1.00 p.m. It is currently raining. In fact, quite a torrential downpour. Well, after all the heat we've had over the last couple of weeks, it's something of a relief.

Don't Rain On My Parade!

Sunday. 5.20 a.m. Yet another song from a musical used as a blog post title. It comes from 'Funny Girl', and the central part of Fanny Brice played by Barbra Streisand. I don't think Fanny Brice was as well known on this side of the Atlantic as she would have been in America. 

2.00 p.m. For the past couple of weeks I have had to endure the most unpleasant itching (I know, it's not something to have to mention, but there it is.) It's on my back and nothing much will relieve it. I was searching in my medication's drawer, when I realized that I had some Piriton, which is for the relief of hay fever. On reading the packet, it mentioned skin irritations and allergies. I wasn't sure if what I had was an allergy. I don't usually suffer from hay fever, but I thought I would take a tablet to see if it would work and, hopefully, bring some relief. So, I took one and then, after a couple of hours, I had the side effect, which they mention on the packet; it made me feel drowsy. It also states, if that happened, to not drive or operate machinery. Which is why I didn't go to church this morning. It does seem to have relieved the symptoms, so I will keep on with it today, with one more tablet, and then leave it for the next couple of days.

5.30 p.m. I've mentioned the George Foreman grill I have, and the fact that, when I have used it, the smoke and steam it produces sets off the fire alarms within Dexter House. I have waited for the best part of a year to have an extractor fan installed in the kitchen window, which is now up and running. So, this evening I was going to use the grill to cook pork chops. All is well and good. Everything went according to plan, but then. . .  The fire alarms went off! I had the fan on full, so I assumed that the steam and smoke would be taken out, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Which meant I had to experience the total embarrassment of having a fire engine arrive outside and having firemen knocking on my door and having to explain what had happened. I  hadn't set anything on fire, no burnt toast, just attempting to live my life. I don't know what to do next. It's such a good gadget and cooks chops quickly and effortlessly.

Monday. 8.50 a.m. I didn't get up quite so early this morning, which means I wasn't out with Alfie as early as I have for the past few weeks.

It's bright and sunny as I write this and the digital thermometer reads 23ºC, so a good deal more comfortable and better for sleeping. In fact, I seem to be sleeping a good deal better than of late.

The skin irritation seems to have gone. Well, not entirely, but I'm not going to take the Piriton if it means I feel drowsy and can't drive. I'll just have to see how it improves or not.

3.45 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's and looked in the healthcare section for non-drowsy hay fever medication, but I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. But as I was driving into Sainsbury's car park, it occurred to me that the small Boots the Chemist branch near my doctor's surgery in Bradwell Boulevard might be a better place to find this sort of medication, so, having finished in Sainsbury's, I drove there and got exactly what I needed. I took one of the tablets (it's a one-a-day medication) and as far as I can tell, I don't feel drowsy.

I've just got back from the Monday Club session at the Oaktree Centre. Good conversation, cake and tea for all.

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 25ºC. 

One Day More

Thursday. 5.00 a.m. Yet another calm and, what I would say, uninspiring day on the weather front. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºC. 

The title is a song from the musical, 'Les Misérables.'

Friday. 5.00 a.m. An entire day without me reporting ANYTHING! How unusual is that!

I'm getting comments to some of my earlier posts, on my school days. But whoever it was has decided to remain anonymous, which is a bit of a cheek. Why? Never mind. That's the internet, you can make comments but still hide your identity.

The Acorn's playgroup wasn't meeting at the Oaktree Centre yesterday morning. They had gone off to Gulliver's theme park for the day, leaving it incredibly quiet, so my Bible study group met in the café area. 

3.50 p.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 27ºC. According to the weather forecast on BBC Breakfast this morning, it seems likely we're to have the heatwave back. I have both electric fans on at the moment.

Saturday. 5.20 a.m. Another warm but pleasant morning. Having taken Alfie out as far as Oldbrook Green, I was struck by the beautiful clouds, tinged with pink, and looking for all the world very much like a Maxfield Parrish painting. For those who have never heard of this American artist, he was known for his, what I suppose you would call, a hyperrealist style of painting.

Yesterday evening, all those involved with the Acorns' playgroup at the Oaktree Centre, met at the Nut and Squirrel pub in Westcroft, which is next door to the Morrisons supermarket, to have a meal together. I had lasagne followed by apple pie and custard. This is where the men's breakfast group met a few weeks ago (as reported in an earlier blog post.)

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 27ºC.

11.15 a.m. I went to men's breakfast a little before 9 this morning. We had our usual fried food, tea and coffee and then someone did a talk on 'Truth'. In the midst of all this, there were several claps of thunder and then the heavens opened (almost Biblical in its epic sort of way, as these things often are.) After several weeks of a heatwave, it did bring a certain sort of relief.

Day, By Day, By Day!

 Wednesday. 4.55 a.m. Oh, dear! What an evening! Let me explain. I had a text message from AA motor insurance when I was at Camphill. I usually check my phone during the tea and lunch breaks, and it was during the morning tea break that I saw it. It was thanking me for renewing my insurance with them, but I have already got a better deal with a different company, so it was somewhat annoying. I attempted to phone using my mobile, but there was absolutely no chance of me getting through and cancelling the policy in the time I had before continuing in the theatre. 

When I eventually got back to my flat in Dexter House, fed Alfie and generally got myself organized, I had another go at getting through to AA Insurance. No chance. At one point I got cut off, for whatever reason, I don't know, something technical on their end. You have to go through a long set of menus, and then the recorded voice gives you a spiel about their service and products. Endless recorded music and a voice saying 'you are in a queue' etc. No chance of getting through and then, after more than 2 hours (yes, 2 hours!) I thought I'd try their online 'chat' system. Well, at least you don't have to put up with the music and hold the telephone handset to your ear. Then, at around 6.45, it told me that it was closing down for the day and I had to fill in a survey about their service. Non-existent. I will have another go today, but I don't have much faith it their system and getting through to resolve this issue.

8.15 a.m. I have now managed to deal with the above situation via the AA website's chat feature. I am never entirely sure that I am dealing with a human or an AI, but it seems the insurance policy will close after the next payment and I then move over to the new insurance company which is called Yoga (no, not Yoda, although it would be funny if it was. )

The current temperature, reading on the digital thermometer, is 22ºC.

12.20 p.m. The electrician arrived at around 10.00 this morning to install the extractor fan. It took around 40 minutes and seemed a good deal more complex than I imagined. It has been wired so the cable that connects it to the socket in the wall, which was installed when the kitchen was upgraded around a year ago. It has several speeds and continues to work when it is turned off, which I suppose makes sense, so it makes sure that any steam or smoke is removed for a few minutes after it is turned off. Now it uses my George Foreman grill and really puts it to the test!

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 23ºC.

3.45 p.m. I took the car to Anglo Continental Cars, which is in Mount Farm Industrial Estate. I got there far too early and then, once they started work on it, I was told that it was actually too early for the test. I knew it was, but I wanted to get it done so that I could concentrate on other things, in particular, sorting out dates to go and visit my daughter and grandchildren in Worcester.

The good news is, it passed, but I was told that one of the rear brakes is binding and will need work done on it, but I may leave it until next month for them to deal with it.

Well, at least that is done until next year.

Time and Time Again

 Monday. 6.35 a.m. What about the title of this blog post? Attempting to put something across to someone and having to repeat it over and over again. Perhaps that person not understanding something and having to keep on repeating it. It is the title of a play by Alan Ayckbourn. I did the book for it when I was D.S.M. at Ipswich in the 1970s. The lead actor, Chris Godwin, created the part when the play was premiered in Scarborough. Alan Ayckbourn came to see our production and said that he thought it was far better than the West End production, which must have said something, considering the limitations of the stage at the Arts Theatre. (They actually dropped 'Arts' when I was there in 1973.) There was space off-stage on the prompt side, but the opposite side was extremely limited, and you had to get off the stage through a sliding door and to get from one side of the stage to the other, you had to go through that door and outside and round through an alleyway and then came back through the stage door to arrive prompt side. This could be problematic when ladies wore long dresses, particularly when we did a production of 'Great Expectations' and it was winter, with snow on the ground, and they come to pick up snow on the bottom of their dresses if they forget to lift them enough to not get covered.

11.40 a.m. I have been out attempting to make a video, walking along the towpath beside the Grand Union Canal at Peartree Bridge. Unfortunately, the Hohem gimbal began to play up. I did a test video along the path towards Oldbrook Green yesterday morning (and mentioned in yesterday's post.) All seemed to go well, apart from the microphone not working because it wasn't set up correctly. That was resolved this morning, but then the gimbal kept locking and spinning around (it was supposed to be set for POV (Point Of View.) and then kept spinning around. It eventually resolved itself and I managed to walk between two of the bridges over the canal and at one point saw a heron and got really close to this amazing bird, until it flew away, unfortunately not on video. It just moved too quickly for me to catch it on video. I walked back to Peartree Bridge and then into Jeeves Close, which is where I had parked my car.

I have now got my car booked in for its MOT on Wednesday, at Anglo Motors, which is in Mount Farm, on a road near the football stadium. I didn't go with Bleakhall Motors, because someone at church told me they had a bad experience with them, (which I have never had.), but I thought I would try them.

4.30 p.m. I've been to Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. There weren't as many there as there have been in the past couple of weeks. Perhaps the weather has put people off. 

I  came home and took Alfie out, and we walked around Oldbrook Green. In fact, we did two circuits and a bit more, so I hit the 10,000 steps. 

I got back inside the flat because it started raining. The weather has changed considerably, which might or might not be such a good thing. (The flat temperature, according to the digital thermometer, is 23ºC. Just as I was removing Alfie's lead, I heard my phone ring and it was Mears. The lady I was speaking to me said they wanted to know when they could come to fit the extractor fan, and it's booked for Wednesday morning at around 9.30. After all the effort, it looks like it's about to actually happen!

Tuesday. 5.05 a.m. I awoke in the night. I think it was around 1-2 o'clock. It's the usual thing of having to go to the loo. No good pretending these things happen, particularly as you get older. I could hear what at first might have been an aeroplane, the engine sound did make me think that. But it didn't go away, at speed. It droned on, seemingly circulating Milton Keynes. Then it occurred to me- it could have been an airship. I know the sound, having lived in Cardington Village and close to the airship sheds just across the fields from where I lived at Malting Farm. You can hardly miss these two vast sheds, as they stand out in the landscape and can be seen for miles around. It was from here in 1930 that the ill-fated R101 took off for its flight to India, but, basically, because it was overloaded, it crashed in flames on a hillside near Beauvais, France, killing all the passengers and crew. The remains of some of those people are buried in a special area of the Cardington graveyard.

Anyway, I could still hear the sound of whatever it was, but I was more or less convinced it was an airship. I had to go and see, but, looking out of my bedroom window I could only see lights, and it was certainly, well, to me anyway, most likely to have been an airship. You can usually tell, because they float, rather than fly like a conventional aircraft. Then I was thinking, what was it doing over Milton Keynes, at night, in the dark? It possibly is on a test flight, because Cardington (and more precisely, Shortstown, the village which was built up around the airship hangers), is only around 15–20 miles from Milton Keynes, as the proverbial crow flies. It might have been flown at night to keep it hidden by the dark. I don't know, but it made me think it might have been that. One of the two airship sheds is used for filming, and quite a few well-known Hollywood blockbusters have been made there, including sections of the Star Wars and Batman movies.

7.45p.m. Another Tuesday at Camphill, in the performance art workshop in the Chrysalis Theatre. The day was a mishmash. The filming for the silent movie which I had originally been with, about time travel, had been completed, apart from a tiny scene which will be shot next week. We were supposed to go off to a location in Milton Keynes to film scenes for the pirates' film, but in the afternoon the weather changed, and it started to rain slightly, so it didn't seem such a good idea to go out. Instead, it was decided to use green screen to eventually mix in backgrounds and the green material was set up to allow filming in front of it.

The Whirligig of Time

 Saturday. 6.50 a.m. Goodness, gracious! Today is the 1st of July. Nothing more to be said on this matter.

6.15 a.m. I've been to meet my friend Nick in the main shopping centre. I drove in at around 11.25, and we were scheduled to meet outside Costa,  opposite Marks and Spencer, at midday. Nick turned up, but, when I saw him, or thought I saw him, walking towards me, at first I didn't recognize him. We went into Costa and I ordered a strawberry and cream frappé, a ham and cheese toastie (my regular) and a rather nice slice of carrot cake. Once we'd eaten and drunk, we went into Marks and Spencer and browsed in the men's department. Actually, a real surprise this, quite a lot of items I liked and might even end up buying. They are throwing of their old-fashioned image, at last, appealing to those (me included) who prefer clothing to be a bit more adventurous and colourful. Who on earth would imagine M and S selling pink jackets? Or bright orange trousers?? The sort of thing that Michael Portillo might wear in one of his train journey television documentaries. Then, we wandered along the shopping mall, into Boots for a couple of items I needed. Virtually no humans at check-outs, it's nearly all self-service. Companies who insist on this sort of treatment of their once loyal customers will see them shopping elsewhere. We browsed in W.H. Smiths and several other stores, and then we walked to my car and that was where we parted company.

I had problems with the RingGo app. It causes more problems than it solves. I got it to go into the payment section and put in the security code of my card, but then the spinning ball thing wouldn't stop, so I wasn't sure whether the payment had been taken. I think it may have something to do with the internet connection, but I have deleted the app and reinstalled it, but even now I'm not sure if it works properly. It's more frustrating than anything. If it worked well, it would be better, but it's not. It does save having to take change with you when you park, but when it either doesn't open or connect, it's useless.

Sunday. 8.00 a.m. I've been out and done another video experiment using the gimbal. It seemed to work better, or, at least I'm getting to grips with using it and managing to get the horizon steady, but for some reason, I can't get the microphone which connects to the iPhone to work. You never know when it's connected. There's no light that comes on to indicate it's connected. I think it's just a case of trial and error.

I have looked at the instruction manual for the microphone, and it does have a light that should come on when it's connected, so it's my fault it didn't do what it should. Never mind. It's all a learning process, as they say.

The current temperature, as recorded on the digital thermometer, is 23ºC. A much more workable temperature

5.00 a.m. The current temperature in this flat is 24ºC.

Monday. 4.55 a.m. I've just got back in from taking Alfie out. It's another milder morning, but pleasant. A lady was out with her two dogs on Oldbrook Green. She had a larger dog, I think perhaps a sheltie or border collie, I couldn't tell, and a little spaniel, having fun with a stick, the little one running around behind her and having great fun. Alfie wasn't going to walk all the way around the Green, locking his legs and determined to go home to have a sleep. Who can blame him?

The title of this post is another from 'Twelfth Night.' It came to me, as these things seem to do, and I had an idea it came from 'King Lear', but when I did a Google search, it came up with 'Twelfth Night.' It refers to a spinning top, a toy which Tudor children would have played with. It comes in Feste's speech to Malvolio, at the end of the play, and refers to the circularity of the year and, indeed, time. After this, Malvolo storms off, saying, 'I'll be revenged on you'. 

Current temperature in the flat is 21ºC, so it has fallen around ten degrees in the past few days.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day!

 Thursday. 5.00 a.m. So, the usual time I take Alfie out, it's raining, although very light. I have to say, it is something of a relief, after the heat of the past couple of weeks. So much so that there are a few tiny snails along the path towards Oldbrook Green. I suppose they prefer it wet. Well, it bought them out of their shells, in the literal sense.

8.16 a.m. It would appear that the rain has stopped, although, looking out of my kitchen window (complete with the lovely hole in it, although not including the infamous extractor fan!) it's quite difficult to make out whether it is raining or not. My eyes play tricks on me, so it can appear to be raining, but it isn't. I can't explain it, but I think if you are expecting rain, your brain has a way of suggesting to you that it is.

3.45 p.m. The current temperature, according to the digital thermometer, is 25ºC. Definitely a far more pleasant temperature. It's also a good deal more overcast. No sign of rain.

Friday. 5.05 a.m. Here we are again. Another day dawns. It's mild. No sun. No rain. Just pleasant. I've been out already with Alfie, around Oldbrook Green. I'm intrigued to know why the grass has been cut and the loose grass removed. This doesn't seem to be a normal procedure. I am trying to think why they've done this, but I have no idea. It looks like a cricket pitch. Perhaps there's going to be some sort of event on the Green. Time will tell.

The current temperature on my digital thermometer reads 22ºC.

I have finished reading 'Les Misérables.' I've now read it twice, both in different translations. Some sections of the text are really heavy going. A great deal of it was excised from the stage musical but kept in the recent BBC television adaptation done by Andrew Davies. The musical lacks a narrator which makes comprehending the story to some extent, but I suppose, being what's called a 'sung-through' musical, you wouldn't expect to have a narrator. However, several of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's shows have a narrator, such as the character of Che in 'Evita.' It wasn't until I read the novel that I understood the relationship between certain characters, such as Thernadier, Eponine and Gavroche. 

12.35 p.m. It's quite windy out, as I write this. I was considering going to the Grand Union Canal to do some more videoing, but the wind has put me off, so I will have to make the trip once the wind drops. It will make it difficult to do any sort of voice recording, which I can do with a lavalier microphone which clips onto my shirt and connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth.

3.55 p.m. I went out with Alfie, but I didn't get far, because it began to rain, so we came home. Just as well I didn't decide to go to the canal to do some videoing. Besides the rain, there was quite a strong wind, which would have made any filming virtually impossible and would have made the sound recording difficult.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºC, so things are cooler than last week.

Saturday. 6.35 a.m. I awoke from my slumbers at around 5.30. It wasn't really vital to my day, but I got myself together, dressed and took a somewhat reluctant Alfie out onto Oldbrook Green.

I am now reading 'Peterloo', by Jacqueline Riding, about the awful massacre of around 15 people in 1819, and the basis for the Mike Leigh film of the same name. It has surprising resonances with current history, the riots in France and even with events portrayed in 'Les Misérables.' It's an incident that I wasn't aware of before only a couple of years ago. You would imagine that, after a little over two-hundred years, things might have improved, but they haven't entirely. We do have open elections in this country, the old expression 'one man, one vote' etc. But not everything is as it should be. Read it if you don't know about this shocking incident, or watch the film. I have it on DVD, but I believe it's on Amazon Prime Video (I think Amazon may have funded it.) It certainly makes a change from stupid 'superhero' movies.