Murkey Morning!

Thursday 19th February. 1.50 p.m. It was a surprise to find it was quite cold when I drove off to The Oaktree Centre for the Thursday Morning Life Group. There was a certain amount of very thin rain as well, and a mist in the distance. In other words, somewhat murky and dismal.

On the way into Dexter Avenue, when I returned from the Oaktree Centre, I was somewhat shocked to find an ice cream van in the process of leaving. I can't imagine eating ice cream in such cold weather. I heard the merry tinkle of the annoying sound that vans give off, to attract customers(I'm being extremely ironic here, dear reader!) You would think that in the winter months, the drivers of these vehicles would be selling hot dogs, mugs of hot steaming cocoa and other hot beverages and foods. But not, ply you freezing wares in the midst of winter, with ice and snow swirling around, with high winds whistling around and temperatures well below freezing.

I've just been to Lidl to top up with milk and other bits and pieces. I had two trolley tokens, which I had ordered from Amazon. Unfortunately, I have now lost both, but not putting them into the correct trolley in the stack in Sainsbury's and Lidl. Just a rather stupid mistake. It should go in the FRONT trolley and not the next one! I will order some more and make sure to put the token in the correct trolley.

As a result of not being able to use a metal trolley, I was resigned to using one of the blue, plastic trolleys, which I really don't like, because you have to drag them around the store. On completing my shopping, scanning the bar code on my receipt so that the gate opened to let me out, I then set off an alarm because I had the plastic trolley with me. Just embarrassing, but you don't get warned that this will happen.

Saturday 21st February. 8.30 a.m. It's a good deal warmer and brighter than it was for the last couple of days. I'm hoping the sun might shine and there is no rain.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Monday 23rd February. 8.20 a.m. It's a good deal milder this morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc, so it's clearly edging up gradually.

Tuesday 24th February. 8.05 a.m. It appears to be sunny as I write this. I say 'appears', because the sun comes out and then two minutes later it goes behind a cloud.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Don't Rain On My Parade

 Wednesday 11th February. 5.50 a.m. I know it's too early, but I have changed all the bedding. It's most definitely not one of my favourite jobs, but my next slot on the washing machine rota is this afternoon. I keep putting it off, and my thinking is, 'don't put off doing what you could do today, or words to that effect. Putting on a duvet cover is my worst job, but it is done, and the old bedding is now in the laundry basket and in the hallway.

Thursday 12th February. 9.10 a.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. It seems yet another soulless sort of day, slightly overcast, no sun.

Friday 13th. 6.20 p.m. Yesterday morning, I took the Zoomer puppet to the Thursday Life Group to introduce him to the members of the group. The idea is to use puppets at church for the children's ministry. I hope to find other people to work on this, because, basically, I can only operate one puppet at a time. It won't be just the performance, but the making of the puppets as well as the staging that will be needed.

An unsettled day. It's been raining. almost constantly. The weather forecast tells us that snow is on the way.

Sunday 15th February. 2.35 p.m. It rained really heavily when I left to drive to church this morning. As I write this, it has stopped raining, but it's now overcast.

Monday 16th February. 9.50 a.m. On this day in 1969, I began my first stage management job, as a Student A.S.M., at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. The first production was an adaptation of 'Jane Eyre.' 

It is bright and sunny as I write this. It just shows how fickle the weather can be in this country. I hope it stays that way.

The digital thermometer reads 22ºc. 

Tuesday 17th February. 10.20 a.m. It's 'Pancake Day' or, to give it its proper name, 'Shrove Tuesday.' It's 40 days before Easter.

I have made batter for pancakes. I always got to make batter for pancakes and Yorkshire pudding when I lived at the farm. I think my mother must have shown me how to make it. It's not exactly difficult, but I make it several hours before I cook the pancakes, as it's important to let it stand and let it thicken. I put butter in it which makes the pancakes taste far better.

We live only a short distance from Olney, famed for it's pancake race. I'd love to go, except it would be extremely difficult to park, knowing that a lot of people would turn up to watch.

Rainy Days and Mondays

 Thursday 5th February. 6.55 a.m. I went to sit with my friend Mike yesterday afternoon, so his wife could go out. I have mentioned doing this before.

It was a wonderful and sunny afternoon as I drove across Milton Keynes. Almost spring-like. I do hope that it remains sunny today.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

1.30 p.m. After yesterday's spring-like weather, today it's raining and miserable.

Friday February 6th, 8:,20 a.m. A wet and rather gloomy morning.

Washing in the machine, and it should be done around 8.55.

The digital thermometer seems stuck on 20ºc.

Apparently, there has been rain in some part of the United Kingdom every day so far since January. I don't think the ground can take much more.

Monday 9th February. 8.00 a.m. Not a great deal to write about at the moment.

Tuesday 10th February, 9.30 a.m. It seems to be another overcast and unremarkable day.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Yesterday afternoon I went out wearing the ear pods. I was suitably impressed by the quality of the sound, connected via Bluetooth to my iPhone, which was in my trousers pocket. I listened to Katherine Jenkins. Her voice is totally amazing. I walked around Oldbrook Green, which I haven't be around in quite a while. A great deal of work has been done on clearing up a lot of growth around the place, There are snowdrops on the opposite side to the Cricketers pub. 

There were a lot of teenagers around, playing in the netball area and generally hanging around. Why weren't they in school? Then I wondered if it was what they call an 'inset day.' I think it's probably a training day for teachers.

Later, I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. Lots of cake and tea. I sat on the sofa in the lounge area, and was warned that Wendy, one of the regulars, sat there. We remarked how people of a certain age insist on sitting in the same place every time they visit, and you will get into a certain amount of trouble if you do so.

We played a game, guessing the idioms, such as 'Make hay while the sun shines', 'Putting all your eggs in one basket', and 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire' and what they meant and where they probably originated.

'Ods Bodkin!

 Monday 2nd February. 8.20 a.m. Yet another rather dull and overcast day. It looks slightly foggy outside.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I am attempting to set up a puppet group at church. With my background in theatre and puppetry, it seems a good idea to use them for the children's ministry and in particular, there is going to be a holiday club during the summer. I want them to be Muppet-style, which means they have mouths that work and rods for their arms. My only problem is that I don't have space in the flat for puppet making, and my skills with needle and thread are limited. I could get a reasonably priced sewing machine from Amazon. I have done some considerable amount of research on the internet, and I'm overwhelmed by the amount of stuff out there. I am waiting for a puppet to be delivered in the next few days, and that should be the start of things once I've had a chance to work with it for a couple of days.

Tuesday 3rd February. 8.00 a.m. Another overcast day. I have a vague idea it might rain. Now, there's a thing! Something we really need- not.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre yesterday afternoon. Lots of tea and cake, which made it worthwhile. We played a game, guessing the places on a map of the United Kingdom, and then discussing places we've been.

I arrived back at Dexter House to discover a large package outside my flat. On opening it, I found the puppet I ordered around a week ago. I came from Australia. Unfortunately, the puppet doesn't have rods, which was a disappointment because I can't work without them. I don't want to wait for a set to come from Australia, so I have found some on Amazon, and I will order them once I get paid on Wednesday.

4.55 p.m. I've been cleaning out my fridge/freezer. Well, the fridge part. It needed doing. It is not something I exactly relish, but, as I will be going to Sainsbury's tomorrow morning (that is, unless something dreadful happens, which I really hope doesn't) It seemed a good idea to have it sorted so that anything that needs refrigerating has space.

Gadzooks!

 Wednesday 28th January. 12.15 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's earlier. I was somewhat surprised that there was a thin layer of ice on all the windows of the car, but I soon dealt with it by spraying on antifreeze.

As I write this, it is sunny and bright out.

9.15 p.m. I had ordered a glass tea infuser and samples of different varieties of full-leaf tea from something called Teabox. It was advertised on Facebook. It was supposed to be delivered by Royal Mail this morning, between 10.45a.m. and 2.00p.m. The time came and went, and nothing arrived. Then, mid-afternoon, I got an email to say it would be delivered between 5.30 p.m and 7.30 p.m. It eventually came around 5.30.

Friday, January 30th. 9.20 a.m. Not a very distinctive sort of morning. No wind or rain.

The daffodil bulbs I planted are coming up. Hopefully, they should be in full bloom by the time of Carol's birthday on 7th March. She would have been 62.

The digital thermometer reads 20ºc.

Saturday 31st. 9.20 a.m. I have a feeling the sun is attempting to come out. I do hope it does.

10.05 p.m. The sun did come out, but only briefly. Not a particularly bright day. A bit overcast, but what do you expect on a late January day?

I ordered some over-the-ear, Bluetooth earbuds from Very yesterday and they were delivered this morning, much to my surprise. I thought they would take until at least the middle of next week to be delivered. They are Powerbeats Pro 2, and they were relatively easy to get connected to my iPhone. The idea is that I can go for a walk and have them on to listen to and they should help motivation.

One of the residents at Dexter House had a birthday today, and I was invited to a special dinner to celebrate in the communal lounge. There was plenty to eat and drink, and a good time was had by all.