Man The Lifeboats!

 Monday. 10.45 a.m. It has been raining more or less continually all night. It is pouring down as I write this. I didn't go to church yesterday morning because of the rain. Pathetic, I know, but huge puddles are appearing everywhere on the grid roads around Milton Keynes.

On Friday morning, I had a workman come to look at my bathroom floor, and he ripped it up and replaced it with a new one. So much better and easier to clean. I can't believe, that after all this time and effort, it is done. I am supposed to have someone come out to look at possible changes to my bath, either taking the bath out and giving me a shower unit, or at least moving the current shower, which is over the bath, to a higher position on the wall, so I can at least have a shower without having to stoop to get under it. I'll hold my breath and wait until after this person visits.

12.15 p.m. A young man came to survey my bathroom. He was here about 30 minutes ago. He measured the bathroom with a gadget, I presume it has a laser in it and a red light comes on when it hits a wall or solid surface. He told me I should get a shower unit, with a shower tray a screen and a curtain, a new toilet and a wash basin. I will still hold my breath over this. It has taken around 2 years to get this far and, although the floor has been done, the rest is sort of 'in the air.'

It is still raining and there is a sort of waterfall from off the roof near the communal lounge. I don't hold out much hope regarding leaks, particularly along the corridor where my flat is.

Tuesday. 10.15 a.m. The rain has stopped, at least for the time being. I don't think it rained overnight. I have just returned from my weekly shop in Sainsbury's. I was talking to the lady on the tills, and she said the store had to be closed yesterday afternoon because of flooding. I'm not sure how they managed to clear up the water, but customers were told to leave (I trust it was done apologetically and appropriately.)

Wednesday. 10.25 a.m. When I got home from Sainsbury's yesterday morning, I found a parcel on my doorstep. I had obviously been out in the rain because it was partially damp. On opening it, I found it to be a copy of 'Legion' which I had ordered from Amazon, but which has since been replaced. It makes me wonder where on earth it was left. Well, certainly not at Dexter House, and quite obviously outside. I needed to return it, and, fortunately, I had retained the packaging the replaced book came in.  I had a roll of parcel tap somewhere in the flat, which I had used some while ago, but I could not find it anywhere.  I had to have this tape to close up the parcel and had to go back to Sainsbury's this morning to buy some more. Fortunately, it came on a roll which incorporated a cutter, thus making the job far easier. I went on the Amazon website and printed off a QR code, which I took to a shop in Bradwell Common and it was scanned, a label attached to the parcel, and it will return to Amazon. So that job was completed!

I had a text a few days ago about having a second shingles vaccination. I made the appointment online, which definitely makes things so easy, but I couldn't remember the day or time. It occurred to me, as I was so near to the surgery in Bradwell Common, I could drive a bit further and ask one of the receptionists. The shingles vaccination is on Saturday morning. The receptionist asked me if I wanted to book by annual 'flu vaccination, which I agreed to, and it's on 9th November, so that's organised. So, with that done as well as dealing with the Amazon parcel, I can say I've managed to kill two birds with one stone!

In Sainsbury's, it would appear that the effects of the deluge they had the day before are very much in evidence. The area where some of the self-service tills were cordoned off and there were buckets dotted about the store, no doubt to catch drips from the ceiling. It makes me wonder what happened to the flats which are above the Sainsbury store as well as the underground car park.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day . . .

 Sunday. 7.40 a.m. The weather has changed. I woke in the night to use the toilet and there was an almighty crash of thunder and then there was a heavy rainstorm which went on for around ten minutes.

Friday. 8.40 a.m. We've had more rain, but as I write this, the sun is out, and it's really pleasant, but it's getting chillier. Well, we are now into September, so it's to be expected.

Yesterday I got a letter from the cardiology department of Milton Keynes Hospital. It was regarding the transmission of data from the implant I have. It says, 'We are pleased to confirm all checks and automatic measurements are within expected parameters.' Since this was several weeks ago and the fact that I had this information when I spoke to the receptionist on the telephone, it seems somewhat irrelevant. But at least it leaves my mind that things are fine and don't need to worry about it.

Another sign that Christmas is on its way. Not more mince pies, but in Sainsbury's the other day, I noticed a pallet with a pile of Quality Street. I think I have worked out why. It's so they can mark them up at a lower price closer to Christmas, and, to comply with legislation regarding sales, items have to be shown at a higher price for many weeks or months to then be offered at a lower price.

Saturday. 12.45 p.m. The weather is still pleasant, but there's a definite chill in the air.

I have been to Sainsbury's this morning. I needed to get some batteries and when I was in there I bought something extra, one of Sainsbury's delicious hot fudge puddings. I know, I should keep off this sort of thing, and keep out of the biscuit and sweet aisles. But I was shocked to see, as I came up the travelator from the car park, a notice informing customers that it was time to order their Christmas food!

On Thursday, I ordered some items from Amazon, using points I had from one of the survey companies I work for. Scanning my shopping on something called Nielsen IQ. I have been thinking of buying a dash cam for my car, but it's difficult to decide which one to go for. There was one on Amazon half price, so I decided on that one, as well as a book I wanted, related to a recent exhibition about the Roman army at the British Museum, which I would have liked to have gone to. Also, I wanted a King James Version Bible, and there was one called a Cultural Background Study Bible. So I went for that. The Roman army book, called 'Legion', was supposed to have arrived on Thursday evening, but I thought it was stretching it a bit, considering I had only ordered it at around 7-8 that morning. But, having looked via the Amazon website, I saw that it said 'Delivered and put through the letterbox', which I knew wasn't correct as I certainly hadn't received it and, anyway, the book in its packaging, would never have fitted through my letterbox. I attempted to contact Amazon and, after some effort, found that, if I sent my phone number, someone would phone me, which they did. It transpired that they would send me a replacement of the book about the Roman army. It didn't explain what had happened to the original book. I'm intrigued to know where it went.

The next day I was expecting the NKJV Bible and the dashcam to arrive, but at around 7 p.m. I just happened to check again on the Amazon website to see when or if these items were going to be delivered, and saw, much to my surprise, that they had been delivered, but not to my door. So I went down to the entrance of Dexter House and there I discovered a pile of parcels, and two of them were addressed to me. So much for me instructing delivery drivers to come to my flat to hand over my purchases. The Roman army book was delivered to my door. I wasn't too pleased to have my items just left where anyone could have stolen them.

I have managed to set up the dashcam on the windscreen of my car, although I'm yet to set up the rear camera, which I might do tomorrow afternoon after I get back from church.

Chloe WhatsApp'd me during the week and said she was coming to Stony Stratford, and we could meet up for coffee. She would be there at around 2 o'clock with George, my grandson.

I was getting ready at around 1.30 to leave to drive to Stony Stratford when there was a clap of thunder. I was thinking, just typical! No rain all day until I want to go out! But it didn't deter me, and I took my bright yellow Regatta raincoat with me. I had the new dash cam working as I drove up Watling Street. 

Sunday. 4.10 a.m. I awoke, as usual, to go to the loo. As I got back in bed, I heard the sound of rain. I wasn't sure if it was raining, so I went into the kitchen to look out of the window, and, sure enough, it was pouring. By the time I came through to the lounge to sit and write this, only a minute or two later, the storm had passed.

8.30 a.m. It's still raining. I expect there will be large puddles on the road when I drive to church later. They usually appear at the point where the roads meet the many and various roundabouts across Milton Keynes.

Cardiology Procedure

 Tuesday 3rd September. 10.25 a.m. I know, I don't normally put the date on my posts, but, since I haven't posted in a while, I thought it might give some sort of idea of the length of time between the last one and this.

I have mentioned in earlier posts about the procedure I had at the cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital, and the electronic device, called an I.L.R., (Implantable Loop Recorder) that was inserted subcutaneously into my chest. It's tiny, and I assume it has an electronic chip in it, similar to a SIM card which can be found in a mobile phone. Anyway, I was informed at the time of the procedure that I would need to upload data from the device after six weeks and had a letter given to me informing me of this, and I was shown how to use the electronic device which looked somewhat like a telephone with a handset which I set up near my bed and also a small device, about the size of a luggage label which I put on my key ring. By holding the key-ring device near the I.L.R. and pressing a key on it so that it lit up, data would be transferred onto it, and then you use the gadget near my bed to upload the data which goes via the mobile phone system to the cardiology department. 

Six weeks after the procedure, I had to make sure I uploaded the data from the I.L.R. I followed the instructions, and it seemed to work. This was the Thursday before the Friday when I was to expect a remote consultation, which was scheduled for 1 p.m. I sat and waited. The time came and went. What had happened? Had I got the day and time wrong, perhaps? I checked on the N.H.S. app and both were correct.

So . . . I will cut to the chase. As the following Monday was a Bank Holiday and I assumed that the cardiology department would be closed, I thought it a good idea to telephone on Tuesday to find out what was going on. I didn't have the telephone number of the cardiology department, although I must have got it somewhere, probably in a letter, but I had no intention of going through all my paperwork to find it, so I went on the hospital website. I found the number, or so I thought. When I rang it, it certainly wasn't the cardiology department, and was told, by the lady who answered, to ring the main hospital switchboard, and they could put me through to cardiology. So, that was what I did. I explained to the receptionist about not having a telephone call on Friday, and she looked up my details on her computer and then informed me that they don't telephone unless something untoward showed up in the data from the I.L.R. Mine was fine, so no phone call. I should get a remote consultation in around six months. So, that was that. It was good, but I think it would have helped if they had told me I would only get a call if there were a problem showing up in the data. I have to say, I feel fine at the moment. Certainly no strange heartbeats, arrhythmias or whatever it's called.

Wednesday. 8.20 a.m. A fine and pleasant morning. It's not sunny and the thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Yesterday morning I went shopping in Sainsbury's. I couldn't believe they have mince pies on offer. I had to have a second look, but it was true. We're only just into September and Christmas goodies are on sale. Crazy.