The Leaves Are Falling

 Wednesday. 8.15 a.m. It's my birthday today! I'm not giving away my age. If I asked my mother how old she was, she'd say, 'I'm as old as my tongue, but a little older than my teeth.' I never really understood this as a child, but I do now.

The weather is a bit wet. I think it might be raining as I write this. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Thursday. 8.00 p.m. It's a somewhat wet and windy morning. There is a severe weather warning in place. I think it's a matter of 'batten down the hatches'! Probably more like 'prepare to launch the lifeboats!"

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Friday. 9.10 a.m. I am waking up a good deal later than usual.

As I write this, the sun is shining, but as it's late October, it is likely to be chilly out.

Saturday. 8.00 a.m. The clocks go back tonight. I hope everyone at church remembers, or else some people will arrive one hour out.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Sunday. 9.20 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. The digital thermometer stuck at 22º

Tuesday. 8.15 a.m. It's sunny, but not particularly warm. The digital thermometer is currently reading 24ºc.

3.45 p.m. Vashti, the S.H.O. here at Dexter House, told me yesterday that there was a bookcase left in one of the flats, because the tenant has moved to a care home. I went to have a look yesterday, and there was also a chest of drawers. The family of the tenant was happy for me to have both items, so this afternoon we have moved these bits of furniture into my flat. The bookcase is now residing in a convenient space behind the television, but it will need a screw put into the wall to prevent it from tipping over. I will have to ask someone at church if they could drill a hole to fix the bookcase. Meanwhile, the chest of drawers is parked in the entrance hall and can eventually be repositioned on the other side of my bed, but there is a considerable amount of stuff in the way, which will need to be removed before the chest of drawers can be moved.

Wednesday. 8.40 a.m. A rather dull and overcast morning here in Milton Keynes. A thin fog lays over the garden as I stood and did some washing up just a moment ago and gazed out. Not exactly inspiring nevertheless.  The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

12.15 p.m. I had an appointment at around 10.30 to have a covid vaccine (I don't want to call it a 'jab' as it is never a jab as such.) I had to drive to Jardine's pharmacy in Benbow Court, in Shenley, just off the main road. I've been there before to have another shot of vaccine, so I knew where to go and park. I went into the chemist shop and had to fill in a form and then sit and wait. I was soon called into the consulting room and the shot didn't take long and it was put into the upper part of my right arm. Done, left and soon back at Dexter House, but for some odd reason I missed the Chaffron Way exit and came back further along Watling Street, although there was a bit of a traffic hold-up, caused by roadworks. There were lots of orange cones in the road, but we've come to expect this around the grid roads in Milton Keynes.

Down and Out!

 Tuesday. 7.10 a.m. My internet went down last night. At first, I thought it was a poor connection to the router, so I checked the thing, even did the turn-off and turn-on thing, but no result. I even thought that I might not have had enough in my bank account and a payment had been missed, but it wasn't that. I managed to open Google on my phone and discovered that the entire Vodafone network was down. Not just broadband, but also their mobile network. This at least was a relief, but it didn't help the fact that the broadband was out of operation. Fortunately, this morning I found that the broadband was back up and running.

Thursday. 1.45 p.m. For some weird reason, some days this blog is impossible to write on. I don't know why, but it means I can't write or do anything, which is the reason it has been patchy. I will write as much as I can, but it can be frustrating when I can't continue.

I won't be replacing Alfie with another dog. As much as I would like another one, it's not really a good idea. I loved him too bits, and he was absolutely no problem, but if I wanted to go away, for example, to Worcester, to visit my daughter, Chloe and the grandchildren, it was difficult to get someone to look after him. I did a search online and found that Yorkshire Terrier puppies cost anything from £1,500 to well over £2,500. I think, if I were going to get another dog, I'd get a dachshund. I'd get a short-haired one, which would be much easier to keep tidy.

Monday. 10.05 p.m. It's more than ever autumnal. The trees are turning brown. Throughout Milton Keynes, the trees are a mass of different colours, orange, red and in between.

The digital thermometer reads 23ºc as I write this post.

I have completed a long sequence of writing, transferred it to word processing.

Tuesday. 6.20 a.m. Yesterday evening, we had to endure about an hour of fireworks being let off, over on Oldbrook Green. Several notices are saying that fireworks should not be set off, but it obviously doesn't make a lot of difference to the individuals doing this. So, tell me, what is the point of having these notices if nobody in authority from Milton Keynes Council (or perhaps Campbell Park Parish Council) does something to stop it? There must be some bit of local legislation that demands fireworks to be stopped. Apart from anything, it upsets dogs and other animals in and around this area.

2.10 p.m. I've been out with my camera and walked around Oldbrook Green (or is it Park?) This was the first time I've been around there since Alfie died, and it was odd without him. There are the remains of fireworks on the green and signs put up around telling people that it is an offence to let of fireworks, under law, and you can be fined. Not that that would make any difference to those persons involved with last night's little session.

What The World Needs Now

 Wednesday. 10.35 a.m. A rather dull and overcast day. The digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

I've just come back from Sainsbury's. Halloween stuff is on the shelves, not that I have anything to do with it. But next to it all is a display of Christmas cards, and we're only just into October (today is 1st October.) I think it's so we are thinking about the festive season. Not that we're allowed to forget. I saw mince pies on sale last week. I expect there will be Christmas trees next.

Friday. 10.10 a.m. A rather wet morning. I'm so glad all the bulbs are planted. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. Autumn has definitely arrived.

6.05 p.m. As I write, there is a strong wind blowing, which I noticed when I was in the kitchen and looked out of the window. 

Saturday. 3.05 p.m. There's quite a strong wind howling outside. Apparently, it is Storm Amy, or the tail end. I think this area of the country got off lightly.

Sunday. 7.25 a.m. It's peaceful this morning. No rain and no gale-force wind. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.I have more or less finished the writing sequence I've been working on recently. It will now have to be transferred to word processing. As there are over 15 pages, it will take me some time. Then a heavy edit will be necessary.

Monday. 8.10 a.m. I didn't wake up until 7.20. That has to be the latest in a good long while.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. The sun is out, but it's not clear if it's cold outside. This time of year, it can be sunny, but then, when you go out, you find it is chilly.

Saturday. 1.10 p.m. I have been to have my flu vaccination this morning at Milton Keynes Central Medical Centre. As usual, I arrived in good time and signed in on the computerised system. I didn't have to wait long before my name came up on the digital screen.

Sunday. 2.20 p.m. Another rather indifferent autumn day. It's getting chilly. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. I decided to wear a pullover to church, but then, partway through the service, I found I was too hot. 

I am currently transferring the handwritten material I have written into a word processing program. I am making changes as I write. I had mislaid a large amount of material, around 10-12 pages. I searched the flat and went through all the files and drawers without success, but yesterday it came to light, fortunately, so that it can be word processed.

Doggone!

 Saturday. 6.30 a.m. It's really strange, waking up as usual, but not having a small dog to take out. Alfie has been such a central part of my life, and then to suddenly lose him is a shock.

We got Alfie after we went to Crufts. Carol was spontaneous, and we often did things on the spur of the moment. So, we got tickets and went. It was at the NEC near Birmingham (National Exhibition Centre). We watched some agility displays, and one of the dogs was a Yorkshire Terrier, so afterwards, Carol said, 'Shall we get a Yorkshire Terrier?' I said 'Okay.' So we got Alfie from a breeder near March in Cambridgeshire. We already had Poppy, who was a schitzu/Westie cross. Carol had her before we met in 2006. Then we had some rather difficult situations when Alfie was brought home and introduced to Poppy. All went fine for a day or two, but then Poppy was very clear on what Alfie's place was in the house. A lot of growling and 'I'm the boss' type behaviour. But it soon settled down. There were some really amusing situations, usually in the evening. The two dogs would charge around the house, through the kitchen, then the front hall and then into the lounge, and round and round, jumping on the sofa, over our legs if they were in the way. It was just crazy and funny.

Alfie was easy to house train. There really were no problems in that area. We took both dogs out for lots of walks. One of our favourite places was Rushmere Country Park, which is near Leighton Buzzard, a short journey south on the A5. We took Alfie with us during the Autumn and, walking along one of the paths, which were covered with leaves, Alfie got some caught in his coat. He kept stopping to pull them out with his mouth. It was hilarious. On another occasion, we took both dogs for a walk along the Grand Union Canal, which runs through Milton Keynes.. We let them off their leads, and they ran about. There was a low wall, which Alfie decided to jump over, and as a result, he landed in the canal! I had to drag him out, sopping wet, and he looked like a drowned rat!

Tuesday. 8.40 a.m. It's a bright and sunny morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. 

I have been tidying the flat. I got around half of the floor mopped. It's a complex process, because I have to move furniture before I can get to some areas. I've had to move the sofa, so I can move my office chair so I can sweep and then mop under the desk. The television had to move to allow me to sweep and mop behind it. I have done the floor in front of the television. I will leave the other half of the room for another day.

11.45 a.m. I have now planted the remaining daffodil bulbs in the garden at Dexter House.

My writing continues. The sequence is not yet complete, but it is getting there.