Another Bank Holiday

Friday. 11.05 a.m. It's yet another warm and rather pleasant day. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. 

I've just come back from Lidl's, which is on Oldbrook Boulevard. I needed to get milk and ice cream. Just need something nice for my Saturday meal. The area where the parade of shops used to be, which included the Tesco Express store, is boarded up. The demolition has obviously finished, and I suspect they have done the basics which have to take place before they start building the new Lidl store, such as drainage, and footings (is that the right word? Foundations?) There used to be an A.T.M. on the outside of the Tesco's, which is gone, (obviously, if the building is no longer there.) and it is missed, as it was so handy having it and easy enough to park outside. I do hope the new Lidl has an A.T.M.

Saturday. 10.00 a.m. Yet another pleasant day on the weather front.

My family tree has now grown to well over 1000 people! It's really amazing how quickly it has grown. I still keep working on it.

3.40 p.m. A really fun-filled Bank Holiday Saturday afternoon! I was going to take Alfie out, but before we'd got to the door which leads out onto Strudwick Drive, I realised I didn't have my keys on me. I usually go through a route when we go out, with my glasses, Alfie and his lead and a handful of doggy bags for the inevitable pick-up. This could have caused a panic, but I went into the community lounge, where one of the lady tenants was about to have a birthday party with members of her family. She suggested pulling the emergency cord, which links to a response team that could possibly get the door open with a master key. When the gentleman arrived, he looked in the places where such a key would be kept, in drawers and the key safe which is outside the office, but no luck. It would appear that our S.H.O. must have gone home with the key on her key ring, and when he tried to ring her, there was no response. I can't blame her for having her mobile on mute, as she was on leave. So, the central office where the man worked suggested ringing Mears, and there was the possibility of me being charged for the lock being broken and replaced. But when the Mears man arrived, after some effort, he got the door open, by unscrewing the door handle on the outside which released the lock and allowed me access. I was more than grateful that there was a positive outcome to the situation, because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to have my meal, which was ready to prepare, and the possibility of spending the night sleeping on the chairs in the entrance to Dexter House! I shall be far more careful that I don't forget my keys from now on.

The Race Is On!

 Wednesday. 6.00 a.m. It's not so bright and sunny this morning. In fact, it's not bright and sunny at all. I took Alfie out, and it was raining, although rather thin and miserable. During the night, I woke up and could hear heavy rain. So, I suspect there will now be flooding, mostly on the grid roads around Milton Keynes.

10.15 a.m. Another trip to you've guessed it!- Sainsbury's. It was pouring rain (well, what else? Ink? Tea? Ribena? No.) There was a problem in the store (there always seems to be. Not the lift and neither of the translators this time,  but water leaking in from above. It would have been coming in from one of the flats, which are above the Sainsbury's store. This meant that I couldn't get into the self-service area, intended for trolleys, so I had to use one of the self-service checkout machines in the area which is intended for shoppers who had baskets.

Thursday. 6.20 a.m. I awoke later than normal. Which is fine. 

Alfie must have had a bit of an accident. If you can call it that. There are bits of the dry mixer he has with his food all over the floor near where his feeding bowl is. It's easy enough to clear up with the dustpan and brush. A job for later. Then, I heard this weird sound from the bedroom. I thought Alfie was being sick, but it was him sneezing! He then came into the lounge where I was sitting, and he sneezed again. He didn't seem to know what it was, as he seemed a bit surprised. I don't know what set it off, but it was certainly amusing.

Yesterday afternoon, at around tea-time, I had my television set on and there was a lot of anticipation regarding a speech which would be given in Downing Street, by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister. The media was there in force, with television cameras, microphones and cameras at the ready. It was a wet and miserable afternoon, raining heavily, and many umbrellas were being used in an attempt to keep dry. Then, from the famous door of Number 10, a couple of men came out, carrying the podium and placing it in the street. A few minutes later, Rishi Sunak came out and began his speech, and we were told that the General Election had been called, with him going to see King Charles at Buckingham Palace, to ask him permission to dissolve Parliament and have a General Election of 4th July. The Prime Minister was getting very wet as he stood and spoke, and it seemed strange that he wasn't given an umbrella to shelter under as he walked back inside Number 10, he was soaked.

All In A Summer's Day

Friday. 3.00 p.m. It is a fine and sunny day. My work on my family tree is going exceptionally well. I can't spell genealogy (not sure whether that's the correct spell, but the spell-checker hasn't made any comments, so I imagine it's fine.) I have around 500 people on it, and it goes back over 500 years.

Saturday. 2.50 p.m. I drove off to Chipping Norton, for the study day, which was about rebellion and revolution in Oxfordshire and, in particular, Chipping Norton, and featuring 'The Ascott Martyrs.'

I had done some research on Google Maps, in order to learn where I could park, and had found the postcode of one car park and had it ready to put in the car's built in satnav. I knew the route well, as   Carol and I had used the road on numerous occasions. It was a delight to be able to enjoy the Oxfordshire countryside as I drove along and got to Chipping Norton at around 9.20. I found a long-stay car park and then discovered that the town hall, where the study day was taking place, just over the road and there was a sign on the pavement to show the way into the Town Hall and up some stairs.

Going inside the town hall, I was greeted by a lady who checked me in on a list. I had bought my ticket online, and I didn't have a paper ticket, but my name was on the list. It just goes to show that technology makes this sort of thing so easy. In fact, if it hadn't been for a post on Facebook about this event, I would never have known otherwise. In fact, if it hadn't been for the internet, I would never have discovered about the Ascott Martyrs.

I then went up the stairs to the hall where the talks were to take place. It was a large, old-fashioned space,  that had seen better days. A typical multi-functional hall with a stage at one end, with rather worn set of curtains and a balcony the other end, presumably with seating for performance, and below, as I came into the hall, ladies behind a counter serving tea, coffee and biscuits.

The talks were due to start at 10 o'clock, so I had around 20 minutes to wait.

The three talks were as follows: 1: 'The Otmoor Riots In The Wider Context.' Given by Ciaran Walsh.

2: Priests, Property, or The Prayer Book,' Given by Adrienne Rosen.

3: 'A Restless Town: Civil Strife and Public Disorder in Chipping Norton.' Given by Simon Draper. This talk was the one that covered The Ascott Martyrs, although I didn't really learn much that I didn't already know about. Having said that, there was a great deal that I didn't know about, particularly The Otmoor Riots, The Bliss Mill strikes who happened in the period of the First World War, 1914-1918.

The talks finished at around 12.30, followed by an A.G.M. for the Oxfordshire Local History Association, who were responsible for the study day. After that, there was to be a guided walk around Chipping Norton, to look at the various sites that featured in the talks. I wasn't staying for the A.G.M., because I wasn't a member of O.L.H.A. and the walk sounded as it would be quite tiring for me, and, having had that blackout at the beginning of the year, I didn't think it was advisable to risk going on it. So, I decided to leave and find something to eat, such as a sandwich, and, on my way back to the car, I saw a Sainsbury's Local on the street corner, so went in and bought a sandwich, packet of crisps and a drink in their 'Meal Deal' and then went to the car park and began the journey home to Milton Keynes, with the intention of finding a stopping place on the road, to sit and eat my sandwich,.

Having done family history research, I am discovering ancestors who I had never known had existed (understandable, I suppose.) Also, in most instances, where they live, and many of the villages I went through on the drive to and from Chipping Norton, or were close by, where many of these ancestors lived. A really strange feeling, to be so close to where they lived and worked.

I didn't find a place to stop and eat my sandwich, so I just kept going until I got back to Milton Keynes.

Monday. 4.55 p.m. It's been a warm and sunny day, and, as I write this, it continues to be the same.

Tuesday. 7.25 a.m. I woke up a good deal later than usual. Alfie has been out and it seemed as if it had been raining. 

I think I mentioned the chat I had with the lady who was registering people as they went into the study day in Chipping Norton. I said I was there because of my possible connection to the Ascott Martyrs, through my family history research and their connection to my mother's family, who came from a village called Leafield, which is near Ascott Under Wychwood. I had hoped to have a further chat with her because she had mentioned something about a family history day, which was going to be held in Ascott in June. But it didn't happen, so I sent an email about all this, and she has since replied and told me that the family history day will be on Saturday, June 22nd, so if I go to this free event it is possible that I might find further connections with the Ascott Martyrs.

My family history research has exploded somewhat. I have almost 700 people on my tree and goes back as far as 1033, which is simply amazing. I thought, when I began all this work, that I might get back to about the time of William Shakespeare, which would be about 1560-70. But to get back before the Battle of Hastings in 1066 is fantastic!

A Little Heart And Soul

 Wednesday. 7.15 a.m. I have worn the heart monitor since yesterday afternoon. One of the contacts came off yesterday, probably because I was so hot, so I managed to use Sellotape to reattach it. It takes some time to get used to having the thing attached, so I couldn't shave this morning because I must not get it wet. I haven't done any washing up, so there's still dirty pots and pans in the sink. It will have to wait until tomorrow, after I've been to return the heart monitor. 

I was just thinking about the heart monitor. It's small and relatively easy to deal with. You have to plan ahead when you need to do anything, which was what I did when I went to bed last night. I was conscious of it becoming disconnected from my chest, that it might fall on the floor and that it would get in the way, and I was likely to lay on it. I didn't. Then I compared it with the complex and bulky heart monitoring system I had to put up with when I was last in hospital. I had no end of contacts placed on my body, and it was all connected to a large monitor, which kept on bleeping if I moved only slightly, and it was more or less impossible to sleep at night or lay down with all the cables everywhere. Surely they could have used a similar monitor to the one I have on at the moment.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. It's foggy this morning. It's not thick and is likely to clear as soon as the sun gets warm.

I have had more problems with the heart monitor, because one of the contacts keeps on coming off, and I have had to use Sellotape to keep it on. Also, it's very itchy around the point where these contacts are stuck on my skin.

10.55 a.m. At around 9.20 I drove to the hospital to return the heart monitor. I must have made a wrong turning somewhere on the route, because I landed up goodness know where, somewhere down Chaffron Way, but I managed to get back on track and got onto Marlborough Street, which runs alongside Eaglestone and went into the hospital campus and then park in the street-level car park without any problems, where Carol and I used to park when she was going for chemotherapy. I went into the cardiology department and handed over the heart monitor and then returned to the car park and found, on putting the card in the machine which you pay, I found the barrier lifted without me having to pay, which is not surprising, as I was there for no more than five minutes. I then drove towards the ESSO filling station in Childs Way, to put some diesel in the car, ready for my journey to Chipping Norton on Saturday morning.

Then I drove to Sainsbury's (you never would have guessed, or would you?) Some stocking up was in order, and then back to Dexter House.

9.00 p.m. I got a letter this morning, from the Cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital (no, that isn't exactly correct, The letter had an address in Bristol, as the return to sender address. Which would suggest it wasn't sent from Milton Keynes Hospital.) Never mind. I have an appointment there on 19th June at 9.30 a.m. The appointment is supposed to take three hours, in which time they will be various tests, my weight will be taken and no doubt I will be put on a treadmill, to check my heart function and so on. I am only working on supposition, but I do have some idea what they are likely to do with me.

When I was there the other day, I was intrigued by the door with the title 'Echo Room.' I know, it's for doing tests on heart patients, using some sort of echo test (I think I've had it done at some point or other. I have an idea that the procedure is called an echocardiogram) But I can't help having this picture, in my vivid imagination, even though it's totally crazy, that it's a sort of vast echo chamber, where people go to let of steam, when they are having a terrible day, for example, so they go in there, shut the door and shout at the walls, and it echoes back at them (presumably it's totally sound-proofed?) I know, it is bonkers, but, if you've read some of my earlier posts, you will have realized that I am somewhat bonkers. 

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

 Sunday. 6.15 a.m. Another sunny and bright morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc and the flat is cool and pleasant, thank goodness.

3.30 p.m. I have now watched both Doctor Who episodes 'The Space Babies', and 'The Devil's Chord.' Regardless of what people have been saying on the internet, I really enjoyed both episodes. Ncuti Gatwa really throws himself into the role of The Doctor and gives it a real life and energy. He certainly has a charisma that shines out of the television set. It's difficult to take your eyes off him when he's on-screen. His co-star and companion in the Tardis, Mollie Gibson, playing the part of Ruby Sunday. It's clear that the Disney co-production has paid off, in that the production values are far greater, because it looks slick and has a cinematic look, the special effects, the sets and costumes look fantastic.

12.10 p.m. I have restarted my Ancestry account. It is a family history site, where you can find your ancestor's details. If you read these blog posts regularly, you will know how much work I have been putting into this work. I discovered my connection to The Ascott Martyrs, and that I am going to a study day in Chipping Norton this Saturday, to learn more about them (Chipping Morton featured heavily in the incident.) The day isn't just about those ladies, and what they did in 1873, but about other rebellions and protests which went on over the centuries in Oxfordshire. I have managed to get back at least 500 years and the family tree which I am building on the Ancestry website is growing and blooming daily.

Tuesday. 8.20 p.m. I have spent most of my Nectar points on a Nutribullet. For those who don't know what that is, it's a sort of blender into which you put vegetables and fruit to make into smoothies. I haven't yet tried it out, because I am slowly going through the manual which came with it, and I don't have any fruit or vegetables to put in it. So, as I write this post, it is sitting on top of my fridge/freezer and will remain there until I got to Sainsbury's or any other supermarket, or even the market near the shopping centre, to purchase some. I have bought ready-made smoothies in Sainsbury's, and it occurred to me that I could make my own, which would be a very good way to consume my five-a-day fruit or veg. I will let you know how I get on with the gadget when I have tried it out. 

Yesterday, at around midday, I got a telephone call from Milton Keynes Hospital. It was from the cardiology department, telling me that I had to have a heart monitor fitted, which I had to wear for 48 hours and that I should go to the cardiology department this afternoon to have the afore mentioned device affixed to my person. I got to the hospital and managed to park in the multi-storey car park. A car was reversing out of a space, not far inside the car park, so at least I didn't have to search for a space, which made things easier. I and then walked to the cardiology department. Little did I realise how far it was. I had to walk part of the way along the Redway which runs behind the house where Carol and I lived in Eaglestone. I used to walk along there when I used to go and visit Carol when she was in hospital after she was diagnosed with cancer. We used to park in the small car park near the entrance to the cardiology department and when she was first diagnosed and in hospital, we could see building work going on outside and which has now finished and the building which was being constructed was the new cancer unit.

I went into the cardiology department. We used to walk through here when we went to the oncology department, where Carol went to have chemotherapy. I reported to reception and then had to wait in the waiting area. I was eventually called in to a room by a nurse, and we were joined by a student nurse (I presume she was a student.) who was there to observe the procedure of me being connected to a heart monitor. It is a very small device, about the size of a small mobile phone, and it connects to my chest by way of the type of sticky contacts they use when you have an E.C.G. it has a clip on it, so I can clip it on to my belt or put it in a pocket. I will have to take it back and give it to the receptionist at the cardiology department on Thursday morning.                   

Sunny and Bright

Friday. 7.50 a.m. Yet another sunny and bright morning here in Milton Keynes. Temperatures have been hovering around the 28ºc mark yesterday, according to my digital thermometer. It currently shows the temperature in my flat at 22ºc. I have the window open, with the hope that it might keep the temperature low. Yesterday I had my electric fan on. 

Saturday. 7.15 a.m. Up early, as usual. It's bright and sunny again. The digital thermometer is currently reading 20ºc, a far more acceptable temperature.

Doctor Who is back today on BBC1, although it's available on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ from around midnight last night. As Disney are part financing it, to something in the region of £100,000,000, I suppose they would want it on their own streaming platform. I'm not sure if I like the idea of them financing it. I can see why, because the BBC, being funded by the Television licence, hasn't got the funds which would allow a show like Doctor Who to get the funding it needs to produce something that has the look and feel of a far bigger show, give it a cinematic look and attract actors to it who would give it an appeal internationally, as well as using the latest technology, such as C.G.I,  and animatronics, to create special effects, monsters etc.

I have been a fan of Doctor Who since its early days in the 1960s. I think I must have seen the very first episode,  'An Unearthly Child', which was broadcast on BBC television at 5.15, on 23rd November 1963.  It was somewhat overshadowed by the assassination of American President, John F. Kennedy the day before, in Dallas, Texas. I would have just had my 13th birthday, in October, so I presume I would have fitted into the age group at which it would have been aimed. There was nothing else at the time to compare it with. Most, if not all, adventure series aimed at boys particularly, were importations from America, such as 'Champion The Wonder Horse', and 'The Lone Ranger.' All in black and white as colour television didn't come in until around 1971, although the BBC introduced colour in 1967, when Wimbledon tennis was broadcast in colour on BBC2, as a sort of experiment. I remember being taken by my school to Granada Rentals, based in Bedford (probably to promote employment opportunities, but I can't remember.) and seeing a demonstration of colour television and a broadcast of Wimbledon.

The idea of a character who travels around in a machine, a time machine, called the Tardis, and allows it to move around in time and space and allow its passengers to stop off at historic periods and then move forward to the future, was intriguing. It had (and still has), different serials, and stories that ran for four or more weeks, and then, the Doctor and his companions would never know exactly where they had landed, in what period, who they would meet, whether friendly or not, monsters or whatever, which was one of the things I remember, never knowing exactly where they would land and so on. You had to keep on watching to find out. Most series on television would be set in the same location, with the same set of characters, from one week to the next. Doctor Who, on the other hand, changed, as I say, from one place and time, every couple of weeks. I would say that that element of the show is what has kept it going for more than 60 years. It can be refreshed very regularly, and the device of having The Doctor regenerated when the lead actor who plays him (or her, since Jodie Whittaker took on the role a few series ago.) and the show is given a makeover in some form or other.

Still Sunny!

Thursday. 7.55 a.m. Today, 9th May would have been my mother's 98th birthday. So sadly missed. It would have been wonderful if she'd been alive to see me and my grandchildren. I'm sure she would have loved to see them. She was only 56 in 1981 when she died. 

It's still bright and sunny. I just hope it stays that way.

I have always managed to put a link on my Facebook profile, which links to this blog. But several times recently, when I have attempted to do this, it has been refused by Facebook. It is only there as a means to an end, as I say, to provide a link for those who want to read my posts. I will give it another go and see if it is refused again. It doesn't always happen when I attempt to make the link available. A few seconds ago I tried to set up the link to Facebook, and it has worked. I don't understand why one moment it works, but another time it is refused.

I was going to drive off to The Oaktree Centre this morning, for our Thursday morning Bible Study, at around 9.20. When I got to the car, in its usual parking space, I found an Asda online delivery van parked across the exit, meaning I couldn't get out. The driver was busily sorting out his trolley with trays of produce balanced on it and ready to be taken into one of the flats within Dexter House. He said he would move the van down the street so that I could get out. But I saw that he was busy, so I said that I didn't mind waiting. I wasn't in a rush, so it didn't matter to me that a few minutes wait wouldn't make much difference. Then he pushed the trolley off along the street, and he disappeared into Dexter House. But it seemed to take longer than I anticipated, and when he eventually reappeared, he spent a good ten minutes stacking empty delivery boxes and sorting out his van. Fair enough, because he would want his van neat and tidy and nothing loose which would fall over and possibly get damaged. But this all took a good deal longer than I had hoped, but he eventually finished and drove away, which allowed me to drive out and go to the Oaktree Centre.

2.45 p.m. I must have mentioned somewhere within these posts, about how I used to order my repeat medication prescriptions, then have it made up by Lloyd's Pharmacy within Sainsbury's, and, further, how Lloyd's in Sainsbury's closed down and how I set up an account via the Lloyd's app (called Lloyd's Direct. Well, it took some time to get it to work, what with one thing and another, such as setting up a password. It had been working well enough for several months, but a few weeks ago I was informed that Lloyd's would be merging with another pharmacy company called Pharmacy2U. They would take over processing my prescriptions, but I would need to set up an account with them. It has taken me several days, attempting to set up an account with them and the frustration of setting up a password so that I could sign in and order my repeated medication. It has caused no end of annoyance, but eventually, it was done and it works. Or, I should say, it seems to work.

Sunshine On Milton Keynes!

 Monday. 6.15 a.m. It's May Bank Holiday Monday! For a change, it's dry and mild. Not so sure if it's going to remain dry, although traditionally (sorry, a bit of irony creeping in here!) it's supposed to rain.

2.15 p.m. I had to buy milk and dog food for Alfie. He would be most upset if he didn't get his dinner, so I went to Sainsbury's. Being a Bank Holiday, the underground car park was virtually empty, so it was easy enough to find a space. 

I am currently reading a book I have recently bought on Amazon, about the 'Ascott Martyrs', some of the ladies involved were ancestors of mine on my mother's side, and I discovered this when I was doing family history research. The book is entitled 'The Ascott Martyrs: Why Did the Rural Establishment Imprison Sixteen Women and Two Babies in 1873?' and it is edited by Keith Laybourn. It's actually a series of essays written by historians and others who have a background in the various elements of the story of these women.

Tuesday. 8.00 a.m. I woke up, went to the loo, went back to bed and, instead of remaining awake, I went back to sleep because when I eventually woke up, it was around 5 a.m. Alfie had to go out, so we went out briefly as we usually do. It's mild as I write this and the sun is out.

Wednesday. 5.25 a.m. I was surprised to find it was foggy when I took Alfie out about half an hour ago. It's not thick, but nevertheless, hanging over Oldbrook. It is mild and quite pleasant.

9.14 a.m. I had a text message from Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre a couple of days ago, telling me that an appointment had been arranged for me, for 8.20 this morning. I had no idea what it was for, but I imagined it was for a blood pressure test or something, I arrived in good time and found out that I had to go to room 21, which is on the first floor. I went upstairs and waited and, no more than five minutes later, I was called into the room. I then discovered that it was to have a blood test, blood taken to check my cholesterol level. The nurse told me that it was supposed to be a fasting blood test, but I hadn't been told, I decided to go ahead and let her take blood, but she couldn't find a vein in my right arm, so I had to lay on the couch, with my feet on the raised bit, where you normally put your head. Fortunately, she was able to find a vein and take some blood. Now I'll have to wait for the results and see if I have to go back for another blood test and make sure I haven't eaten anything beforehand.

From the surgery, I drove back along Witan Gate and went into Sainsbury's. (I seem to spend a lot of time, and money, in there. I was thinking, as I was driving, perhaps I should buy some shares in Sainsbury's, because of the amount I spend there. Just an idea. Anyway, having parked, I had to use the infamous travelator, and then discovered that the UP side wasn't working, and I had to walk, which was odd because you think it's supposed to move.

Unsettled Weather?

Thursday. 7.20 a.m. It's not quite so bright and sunny this morning. As I write this, I can hear the wind howling outside. Does it want to be let in? No, but the idea of wind howling does suggest that. 

Friday. 5.40 a.m. It's raining at the moment. I took Alfie out, and we didn't stay out long. I didn't want to get wet, and neither did Alfie.

11.00 a.m. I have been to Sainsbury's. The rain held off, not that it made any difference. 

I did my shop in Sainsbury's (now there's a surprise!) and at the end, when everything I had on my list was in the trolley, I went towards the tills. By this time there was quite a crowd of customers, queuing up, like me, ready to pay. I had accepted that I was going to have to use a self-service till, even though I dislike them, basically because they always go wrong, won't accept some items, hence you get 'item in bagging area' and suchlike messages. When I arrived in the fenced-off area, where the self-service tills are situated, many of these benighted machines had  'out of service' notices on their digital screens. Crazy, to have so many customers in the store, yet not have these devices ready for your customers. A few customers were using those machines which were operating. So, I pushed my trolley out of the self-service area and attempted to find a manned till. One, (and I state ONE) was in operation, but many other manned tills weren't open. There was quite a queue forming,  people ready to put their shopping through the till. But I wasn't over-keen to wait, and then I noticed that there were now self-service tills opening, so I rushed back to the fenced-off area and managed to check off my shopping. All went well, except for one item that wouldn't scan. I just hate them. If you must insist on having these machines, which replace human-operated tills, just make sure they aren't faulty.

Saturday. 11.00 a.m. The weather is fine. Let's just hope it stays that way.

Sunday. 7.25 a.m. Not a great deal happened yesterday, as you probably can see from the one line I wrote above. I did watch the first episode of the third season of 'Clarkson's Farm' on Amazon Prime. I know he's something of a Marmite individual, you either like him or hate him (I suppose I hover mid-way.) and I must say it's very entertaining and watchable. Compared with what the BBC has to offer, a lot of which is wokefied (if that's the correct spelling. Indeed, is that even a word?) it does make a change and it's entertaining.. He certainly isn't 'politically correct' in a lot of what he does and says. 

I woke in the night and I could hear strange noises going on outside. Someone racing a car engine, making sounds which must have been annoying if you lived nearby and were trying to sleep. I think there are goings-on which the police ought to deal with, like racing along the grid roads around Milton Keynes, which is more than a little bit dangerous. I think those that do that sort of thing think, because it's late at night, that they can get away with that sort of danger, and that there won't be any police around to stop them.

1.35 p.m. It was my turn on the refreshment rota at church this morning. I don't do it alone, the lady who I work with on this is in the Thursday morning Bible study. I got to The Oaktree Centre at around 9.40 and began by filling up the coffee urn. This needs to be on, filled with ground coffee because it takes the entire length of the service to be ready to serve. The service usually lasts an hour and a half, finishing at around 12.15, but today it was a family service and finished earlier than usual, at around 11.30, so I had to leave several minutes before the end, to just make sure things were ready for when everyone came out and expecting either tea or coffee.

Warmer Weather

Tuesday. 6.15 a.m. I have been writing this blog for quite some time now. In fact, this will be the 1887th post. You may have come to the post through Facebook because I have always used a link at the bottom of each post so that more people have the opportunity to read what I post. But this morning, having decided to publish the last post, I got a message from Facebook telling me my post had been removed. It was extremely rapid, only seconds after I posted the link. I am intrigued to know why this happened because there is nothing contentious in any of my posts, nothing obscene, racist, or controversial in any way. I will attempt to connect this post to Facebook when it is completed, and see if it happens again. I realize this wasn't done by a human and was most likely done by some sort of algorithm.  

Good. I have got that out of the way!

The weather seems to be warming up. I do hope so because we've had some awful weather, far too much rain and wind.

8.40 a.m. Strange, but true. I mentioned linking this blog to my Facebook profile, and it was rejected for whatever reason. Well, I've had another go, just to see what happens, and it was posted without any problems. 

Wednesday. 6.15 a.m. Apparently, according to the weather forecast on BBC Breakfast this morning, we are likely to get thunder and lightning at some point in the day, not necessarily in Milton Keynes. It's definitely warming up, but heavy, thundery rainstorms, according to Carol Kirkwood as I write this! 21ºC in some parts of the country.

I was more than a bit upset when I heard about the felling of the Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall last September. I don't think I was the only person to be shocked when this was announced on various media outlets. I am now more than a little pleased to learn that the two young men who were responsible for this vandalism have been charged with causing criminal damage, and will have to now face court and, hopefully, some sort of penalty, no doubt some sort of fine or even prison. It upset me because Carol and I went to Northumberland for our honeymoon in 2007 and the cottage we rented was a short drive away from Hadrian's Wall, which we visited and saw the Sycamore Gap tree. It was featured in the film 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.' We also visited several other locations which were used in that film. On a later holiday we had in North Yorkshire, we went to Aysgarth Falls, which is where the famous fight between Robin Hood and Little John was filmed.