Happy Bunny Time (Or maybe not . . .)

Saturday. 6.30 p.m. I went to the Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre for my flu jab, although 'jab' is not the best way to describe how the vaccine is delivered to patients. I was due to be there at 12.20 p.m., but I got there at 11.55. I had only just signed in on the computer system and sat down to wait when my name came up on the digital display. I was the only person waiting, but in previous years, when I had my vaccine, there was a queue outside and many people inside. Very soon I was in the room, sitting down on a chair and having the vaccine.

I managed to say to the nurse who did the vaccine shot that I had attempted to get a doctor's appointment so that I could discuss my medication, in particular the sleeping tablets which will finish on Wednesday, as I only get a five-day course. She said perhaps I could get an appointment today, so we went to the reception desk and I have an appointment booked for Monday at 11.10.

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. The clocks have changed, so it's daylight when, a day ago, it was pitch-black outside. 

I took the sleeping tablets at around 10.30 last night, and I slept through until around 4.30-5.00 and I have to say, I feel a better deal than I have done. Difficult to say, but my mental health has deteriorated over the past couple of months. The doctor has helped, with the sleeping tablets. I would wake up in the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep. 

1.00 p.m. I have had problems with the built-in SatNav in my car. I can never get the voice to work, for whatever reason. When you attempt to put the Postcode of a particular place you want to get to, it will not allow you to put in the whole Postcode. I don't know why, but there it is. But today, I got it working and even got a male voice to work, and it can be heard with the radio on. But, when I went to church this morning. the SatNav insisted on taking me to Worcester! So, it got annoyed with me when I    went in a different direction, insisting that I 'turn right in 20 feet. . . . Take the second exit on the roundabout . . .' etc, in an attempt to get me on track. So, at least it means, that when I drive off to Worcester next Friday afternoon, I will have the SatNav directing me. I don't have a problem getting to the Motorway, it's once I have to take the exits off the M40 and get onto two other Motorways which is the problem, But it's barely two hours in the car, an hour to the junction where I get onto the M40 and then a further hour to Worcester.

As I write this post, there is a steady, but light rain falling. Not something Alfie will be keen about, so I will be overkeen about it, as he doesn't like getting wet. Well, as it so happens, either do I, so we will have to wait for it to either stop or at least, be sort of, less, if that makes any sort of sense.

3.00 p.m. In the past, when I have had the flu vaccine, I would have some sort of reaction around 24 hours later. It would be mildly flu-like and the site of the needle going into my arm would be uncomfortable, so much so that, going to be, if I lay on that side it would be uncomfortable. I have to say that, more than 24 hours on I haven't had any such reaction, thankfully.

Tuesday. 3.35 p.m. I went to Camphill, but I had intended to go later than normal because the sleeping tablets I'm on can have the side effect of leaving you dizzy. They do warn you in the leaflet which is in the package, along with the meds, that you shouldn't drive or operate machinery. I woke without that side effect and left at around 9a.m.m but then I found that the theatre was being taken over by Halloween. As a Christian, I said to Terrie, that I \didn't 'do' Halloween, and she said that the day was all Halloween. So, I went home. I'm glad I did, and when I got back to Dexter House, I went into the community lounge and had a long conversation with some of the residents and mentioned my work at Camphill and why I had come home. 

(Note:I know, the title is stupid, but I couldn't think of a better title for this blog post.)

Autumn Stuff

Wednesday. 8.15 a.m. Another really great day yesterday at Camphill, in the P.A.W., in the Chrysalis Theatre. Games played on the stage, one called 'Splat' (which I won't explain on here at the moment.) and other game called 'Who Stole The Cookie?" and then some voice warm-ups, then discussing characters and storylines for the World War two play project.

We sat on the stage. The front curtain was closed and the lights turned off. Then, a recording of Neville Chamberlain was heard, a recording of the 1939 speech in which war is declared on Germany after they invade Poland. It was really moving, listening in silence and hearing this speech, broadcast on BBC radio.

After tea break, Terrie came up with the idea for a game show, which was actually a furtive exercise to show call-up of troops and others for the wall. Everyone was give a slip of paper with a character on it, age, job and some other detail, and then you were called forward by the recruiting officer and had answer relevant questions to find out if you were suitable to be called up, if not for one of the services, but whether you had skills that might benefit the war effort, or whether you worked in a reserved occupation. It seemed a good idea to create possible characters for the play.

After lunch, a bit more work on story and character and at the end of the day, company work, which means drilling and marching.

Friday. 8.15 a.m. Autumn is definitely here, even though clocks change on Saturday night and Summer officially ends. I took Alfie out at around 7.20 and there was fog, although not particularly thick, and shrouding the city centre, seen from across Oldbrook Green. It's also noticeably chilly.

I bought myself a new waterproof jacket from the Regatta website.It's a men's Bosfield waterproof jacket, full price £130, and I paid £33, which has to be a bargain. I wanted a jacket that had zipped pockets and a hood, which this has. I need a jacket or coat with zipped pockets, so I can put my keys in the pockets as well as my wallet. This has all that I need, as well as being lightweight. If it's exceptionally cold, I can always layer up with a fleece underneath, which this will allow.

2.10 p.m. It's sunny but chilly. I have been out with Alfie. He was reluctant to walk far, although I can't blame him.

I haven't mentioned the fact that one of the two metal benches that are on the walk around Oldbrook Green is missing. It had a plate on it, in memory of some local councillor who was connected to the area. It had a rather nice design on the back of the seat. The one further round has been designed with soldiers, presumably of the First World War, on it in silhouette along with several poppies. I think it was probably put there for the centenary of the start of that war in 2014, although I may be wrong. 

Water, Water

 Saturday. 12.30 a.m. It rained really heavily yesterday evening. So much so that I couldn't take Alfie out, as he really does not like getting wet. Come to think of it, neither do I.

We reached the fifth session of the Alpha Course this week, and I was due to go to the Oaktree Centre at around 6:40. I was in my lounge, watching television, and then I heard a tapping sound. At first, I couldn't work out where it was, or, indeed, what it was. Going into the flat's entrance hall, I noticed a dripping coming from the ceiling. 

Vashti, the S.H.0. (Sheltered Housing Officer) of Dexter House, had gone home. It was around 5.30. I decided to ring the Mears helpline and was told that someone would come and inspect the leak, but it might be 4 hours before they arrived. It was around an hour later that a man knocked on my door, looked at the place where the drip had come through the ceiling near the smoke alarm, and told me that it wasn't his responsibility and rang the contractor who was responsible. He did a check of the light fitting, which isn't far from the smoke detector, and did a safety check and found no sign of water or anything dangerous and then left.

I mopped up the water from the floor and that was the end of it, although I think there must be a blockage and possibly an overflow somewhere in the roof space due to the heavy rain.

Sunday. 9.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny, but chilly. At least it's cool enough to sleep. The digital thermometer currently reads 19ºC. 

Tuesday. 7.40 a.m. I went to Camphill yesterday evening. The silent movies we have been creating since February were premiered. Actually, not just the three the Tuesday group made, but several others which were produced by the Monday group. There was a red carpet in the foyer of the Chrysalis Theatre, and as people arrived, they were photographed by Craig, so it was a version of the traditional Hollywood 'Red Carpet' treatment as celebrities arrive at a premier.

Thursday. 7.40 a.m. The Zolpidem tablets which I have been waiting for arrived in the post yesterday morning. I took two at around 10.30 last night and slept well, waking around 5 a.m. I have to say, as a result, I feel a good deal better.

Friday. 7.25 a.m. A wild and wet night. It probably was nowhere near as bad in other parts of Britain, especially in Scotland.

I have mentioned the problems I've had receiving the Zolpidem which II have done a repeat prescription for. I got one delivery, then yesterday morning the larger order I made a few days ago arrived, including the sleeping tablets, (ie, Zolpidem.)

Arrival of Autumn

 Sunday. 8.25 a.m. I've been out twice this morning, first, as I usually do, with Alfie, at around 7.00. Then, I went out again and we did a circuit of Oldbrook Green. Basically, I have my FitBit working properly again and it does motivate me to walk and build up my step count. Unfortunately, some selfish person has seen fit to break bottles near the bin when I cross over from Strudwick Drive and onto Oldbrook Green and then, further along the path, near the skatepark there is more broken glass on the path. I saw a lady with several dogs further on, so I had to tell her about the glass, as like me with Alfie, I wouldn't want her dogs getting their feet cut on this broken glass. 

Besides the glass, there is a great deal of litter all around that area, near the seating 'hub' (for want of any other term for it.) which is where a lot of youths gather and sit, not that I'm blaming them entirely for the litter, but there is a great deal of this mess.

Monday. 7.55 a.m. Another very close, stuffy, humid night, making sleeping difficult. The digital thermometer reads 24ºC as I write this.

Tuesday. 6.05 a.m. It's too dark to take Alfie out. I should be light enough to go out in around an hour.

Yesterday I thought it a good idea to check the tyre pressures on my car. This is a bit of an issue with me, because once, when I went to a petrol station when I lived in Bedford, I let out more air in the tyres than I put in, probably because the air-line at the petrol station was faulty. I did manage eventually get air into the tyre and the right pressure. Not something I want to repeat! 

To use these air machines (free air? It's not.) you have to have a £1 coin. I wasn't sure whether it used a £1 coin, several 20p pieces or even a 50p piece, but, fortunately, the thing used £1 coin, and I fortunately had one with me. You have to drive into the space provided and then take off the caps on the tyres, put the coin in the machine and then you have all of FIVE MINUTES to use the hose, after you have set the tyre pressure on the machine's control panel. It's when you pull out the hose that you realise it won't be easy to put air in the tyres and prevent the thing winding itself back into the machine. It actually needs two people to do the actual job, one to prevent the hose rewinding itself back into the machine and checking the pressure as the other person connects the end of the hose to each tyre. Regardless of all this, I did manage to not only check the tyre pressures, but to put some more air into each tyre, although they still had a good pressure in each one.

Wednesday. 7.45 a.m. I went to Camphill as usual for a Wednesday. Terrie, the leader, was on leave, so things were somewhat different. We started off with check-in, which seemed to go a good deal faster than usual and then a few games, some of which I have not come across before, but never mind. Then we had a brainstorming session on 'letters from home' for the World War two project. I discovered a lot from this. Then, after lunch we watch the remainder of the 'Dads Army' film which we started watching last week. It's not as good as the original television series and a good deal better than the more recent film, which didn't have any of the original cast in it.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. I woke up in the night and could hear torrential rain. Thankfully it has relieved the heat, and it's now a much lower temperature, making sleeping better. 

The digital thermometer is currently reading 22ºC.

October Fun?!

 Saturday. 8.30 a.m. I awoke at around 6:45, which must be the latest I've woken in goodness knows how long. We had the third Alpha Course session last evening at the Oaktree Centre, good conversations as we sat and ate our meal, which was chilli con carne. I went home and had a drink of hot Ovaltine and then took two of the Zolpidem tablets just before I settled down in bed. The next thing I knew, I was awake with light coming through the window and I realized it was morning. At least I didn't wake in the night and then lie awake with 'stuff' going around in my head. I only have a week's worth of these tablets, so I will have to wait and see what happens when the course has finished. I will contact the doctor to see what she recommends.

Friday. 7.15 a.m. If you are a regular who reads my blog on here, you will realize that I haven't posted anything for some time. I don't intend to close this blog down, but I won't post quite as regularly as I have done in the past, so please don't expect anything to be reported quite so often.

The weather is doing its 'thing', which is what you come to expect at this time of year. Having just returned from taking Alfie out, there is a chilly wind, which means I put on my red fleece.

5.00 p.m. I have two bank accounts, one with Nationwide, which is my main account, and the other is an online-only account with Starling Bank. I had saved some cash 'for a rainy day' with the Starling Bank but hadn't taken any cash out of it since setting it up earlier this year, but I decided that my Nationwide could do with topping up, particularly as we're approaching the end of the month and I need to make sure that there's enough cash to pay some direct debits which are due to come out soon.

I duly drove into the shopping centre, to use the Starling card in the A.T.M. outside the Nationwide branch. I had a P.I.N. which I used to get into the Starling app, but when I tried it in the A.T.M. it would not allow me to access my account. I attempted it again, and, as I eventually walked back to the car, I found another A.T.M., but still the card wouldn't work.

When I got home, I had a look at the card I had for Starling in my file box which has details of such things as passwords and I found that the A.T.M. P.I.N. was there, a different one to the app password. I went online on the Starling app and got the agent (via 'chat') to unlock the card. This meant I could then go back to the A.T.M. outside Nationwide and withdraw the cash which I had intended to do originally and transfer this cash to my Nationwide account. All this was done and the mission was accomplished.

Wednesday.