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.)

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.

'Twas On A Monday Morning . . .

Monday. 6.25 a.m. Out and about bright and early as usual. Alfie barked at me when I was getting myself organized in the bathroom.

7.45 p.m. I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre this afternoon. I took the cake tin I'd bought in Sainsbury's the other day, and it had all the scones I'd made in it.

On leaving Monday Club, and driving out of Wallinger Drive towards the junction with Chaffron Way, I couldn't but notice orange cones in the road and a police car and other vehicles across the road. As I approached to turn onto Chaffron Way, it was clear that there had been quite a nasty traffic accident, with one car with a side torn out and another in the main carriageway. In fact, that vehicle was blocking half of the road and I had to maneuver around it to get into the correct lane. Quite a heavy police and ambulance presence. I'm not certain how the incident happened, but it might have been because someone was turning out of Wallinger Drive onto Chaffron Way. It's not always such a good idea to turn right from these junctions, and it's so much easier and safer to turn left and then go to the next roundabout and come right around and face back onto the carriageway, which is what I do when I'm coming out of Strudwick Drive and actually intending to turn right. Just a short distance to the roundabout near Eaglestone and come back round and back onto Chaffron Way.

Wednesday. 5.20 a.m. So, where did Tuesday go? I just didn't seem to have time to write anything about it here. Give me time and I will attempt to write something.

I was at Camphill as usual on Tuesday.  Not all the guys were there. I think some had covid or had high blood sugar levels because of diabetes. The children who came from Shenley Brook End Upper School came back, and the chairs were put into the usual circle, which is when we checked in so that the theatre workshop gang and the children could introduce themselves again.  

Terrie began by doing voice and body warm-ups. The sort of thing I remember is the actors I worked with when I worked in stage management and done before each performance of a play. I think the children found this activity totally strange, and it looked to me as if they were somewhat uncomfortable with it.

It was more than clear from their body language that the children did not feel comfortable, unsure of what they were going to do. Terrie, the workshop leader, started off which got the children more comfortable, and we all introduced ourselves, as a sort of icebreaker. Then we did the infamous EastEnders game. It has taken me quite a while to get the hang of this game, as it has all sorts of rules.

The game is played with the group standing in a circle. You need space between each player. (If you know the BBC soap, EastEnders, it helps, but if you don't, it doesn't matter. It's set in the East End of London, and the characters speak in a Cockney accent, Estuary English etc. Also, various plot points, character characteristics etc.) It starts off with someone in the team shooting 'Oy!' and facing one way so that the next person can pass on the 'Oy!' (If you know the way they speak in EastEnders, the inflexion of the voice and the severity, you will appreciate this.) If someone in the circle decides not to continue in the direction of the 'Oy!' then they face in the other direction and shout 'Leave it Arrght!' Then someone in the circle faces another person in the circle and shouts 'You ain't my muvver' and the other person returns with 'Oh yes I am!' and they circle each other. When someone shouts 'Get a-a-ght of my pub!' everyone in the circle moves and ends up sitting on the opposite side to where they started. There are other rules which I've forgotten, but it certainly gets things going and is quite a lot of fun.

I think the children were rather uncomfortable with playing this game. Most of them sat with their arms crossed or had a look of total disbelief on their faces, although a couple did eventually join in, only to vaguely 'get' the game. It must have been quite daunting if you hadn't worked in the theatre group or knew what sort of things go on in it, especially these warm-ups.

Terrie then explained that the group was making silent movies. A few weeks ago a trial film was made with some of the group and this was shown on the cinema screen. Terrie wanted the children to have a go at creating their own similar film and to devise something that could then be videoed. They went downstairs to the wardrobe room and selected costumes that they could wear and then help develop characters and a storyline for a film.

I went off for a tea break with the theatre workshop group, whilst the children remained on stage and behind the curtains, rehearsing their silent film. When we came back, they showed us what they'd done, and it was really hilarious. It was quite amazing how these children changed, from being very self-conscious and uncomfortable in the theatre workshop, but left on their own, they soon managed to find something they were completely at ease with. Their piece of theatre was videoed and will be edited together to create a whole film which they will take back to their school.

After Lunch, Terrie told the theatre gang during check-in that she had got feedback from the teacher who had bought the children to Camphill. Apparently, they are some of the most disruptive children in the school, and some of them find being in a classroom situation very difficult. She said that she had never seen them transformed by working in the theatre workshop. This information was so encouraging and quite brilliant. The theatre workshop group were so good when the children were in the theatre, very friendly, and she thanked them for being so supportive of the children. The children wanted to have a copy of the silent film so that they could make their own. So, it seemed as if the whole morning was a success and the children got something rewarding out of their experience. They left at midday, just as we were going off for our lunch break.

After lunch, we had a long check-in, basically, because there wasn't one earlier, because things hotted up when the school children arrived. The other teams making silent movies got on with either rehearsing or doing other things. I think the 'pirates' team didn't do much because most of the team were away, some on holiday, but my group, the 'time-travelling' film team, went downstairs to the wardrobe department to sort out our costumes. I have a suit jacket which I got in the Red Cross shop in Stony Stratford a few weeks ago, but I couldn't find matching trousers, but Terrie pointed out that we were filming in black and white, so their colour or even whether they matched, wouldn't matter.

The day ended when we all met up back in the theatre and everyone got a chance to mention what part of the day they enjoyed most I said it was seeing what the children had produced with their film idea. Yet again, another good day was had by all.

To Loose One Parent . . .

Bank Holiday Monday. 10.50 a.m. I was stuck for an appropriate title for this blog post. This one is taken, although only slightly, from 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde. It has to be one of the greatest comedies ever written and one of my favourite plays.  The famous line spoken by Lady Bracknell, on hearing that Jack Worthing was discovered in ' a handbag' is forever etched on the memory of actors who now play the part, Dame Edith Evans. 

12.35 p.m. I have at last managed to finish the piece of writing that links to already written sections of writing. The idea is to bring in a new character. It has taken some time, but it is now done.

Tuesday. 5.20 a.m. I've been out with Alfie and come back to my flat. Not much to report yet, but because I'm off to Camphill, no doubt I will be reporting on the goings-on there when I get back at around 5.20.

A very different sort of day at Camphill. There was another group called Phoenix Rising using the Chrysalis Theatre, so the Camphill drama workshop had to use what is called the crypt beneath the stage. There is a main room (the actual crypt) as well as dressing rooms as well as a larger room which is used for meetings, and we used it a few years ago when the main theatre was being used by an outside group, probably Phoenix Rising.  We did the usual check-in, and then we were working on props and painting for our silent film. It's a tight fit with all the guys in such a small room, and as a result, it gets quite noisy. 

4.45 p.m. If you read last week's blog post regarding my Camphill experience of being the Maypole for the Maypole dancing rehearsal, then this week the actual Maypole dancing took place on the green outside the Chrysalis Theatre. The theatre workshop group were led out from the crypt by the guy who is responsible for the music in the workshop, banging on a drum to give a rhythm. The rest of us were given shakers, which were actually empty plastic milk bottles filled with buttons and counters, which we were going to shake to make as much noise as possible. Some of the other members of the group had percussion instruments to shake. Then we were led out and around to the green and stood outside the theatre. Terrie, the leader of the group, was dressed in the essential outfit for the master of ceremonies, made up of rags and started off the dance with the selection of the May King and Queen, which were selected by everyone drawing wooden sticks out of a mug. That duty done, both of them had their crowns placed on their heads, which Terrie had made by crocheting them. Then everyone cheered, and the dancers went and touched the Maypole and the dancing began, with them clutching a ribbon each and following the instructions which Terrie gave. That was the first dance, and then a second group went forward and repeated the dance. Very noisy, and the residents in their houses which overlook the green came out and joined in. A real sense of purpose and a definite community atmosphere throughout all this.

Wednesday. 5.15 a.m. I have already taken Alfie out. I have to do a bowel cancer test every year because I am over 60 (it may be 70, but, I'm not sure.) It's not something I want to make a big 'thing' about, and it has been simplified (I won't go into too much detail here, for obvious reasons.) But the test kit had arrived in the post when I got back from Camphill yesterday evening. So, this morning I decided to get the test done and posted it off. No point in putting these things off, so I took the completed test and posted it in the postbox which is in Fishermead (the next 'grid' to Oldbrook.) So, it's gone, and I can forget about it until the result comes back. A far more efficient and simple test than the one they used to use.

Thursday. 5.40 a.m. An excellent night's sleep. I didn't wake up during the night and then never get back to sleep, which is my usual experience. I've been out with Alfie (as you would expect if you read my posts regularly.) Very short and sharp. A rather overcast morning. Will it brighten up as the day progresses?

Hap, Hap, Happy Day!?

Tuesday. 5.55 a.m. Alfie and I were out on the grass alongside Strudwick Drive at 5.15 this morning. It was light outside, and I was wide awake, so it seemed a good idea to be up and about. No good lounging about in bed.

I had an email from Sky, regarding my broadband contract, which was about to end at the end of June. My monthly charge was to increase to £45, and I wanted to speak to someone regarding this. I have been a customer of Sky Broadband for nine years. I rang the helpline and the operator spent time searching for a cheaper deal and I have got a reduction, it will now be £29 a month, with exactly the same download speeds as well as the landline phone, which I was prepared to drop, but as it's part of the deal, it will remain. The contract is for 18 months. I was concerned that if I moved to another provider, it would likely cause problems, for example, having to reset passwords and generally learning to negotiate the setting up of a new router etc. As the saying goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

6.25 p.m. A hectic but productive day at Camphill today. The day was very different compared to other days I've had there, principally because we had a group of pupils from Shenley Brook End Upper School (which is next door to the Oaktree Centre.) They arrived at around 9.30. Terrie had set up some games to play, which the theatre workshop team knew well.  Some of the pupils were not comfortable with the games they were expected to join. I imagine it was because they were at the age when such games would not interest them or it was embarrassing in front of their peers. They were given a tour of the theatre and after around an hour and a half they left, and we had a late tea break.

It was soon lunch break and then afterwards we got on with finishing off the plot line for our silent film. We discussed locations, and it may be easier, in the long run, to do our time-travelling film within the theatre and construct sets out of cardboard and even use 'blue' or 'green screen' to achieve some of the backgrounds. We then did a tentative rehearsal of what we had. It's not like a play, done live, obviously. Each scene will be filmed separately and editing will create the 'flow' of the piece, so any rehearsal can only give a vague idea of what the whole thing will be like, once it has the intertitles, that's the graphics which will display the various elements that the 'silent' actors speak, set the scene for the audience and other pieces of graphics, including the opening titles and of course 'The End.' 

Wednesday. 10.50 a.m. I need a suit for my part in the silent film we're creating at Camphill in the theatre workshop. I have tried on jackets in the wardrobe department but nothing fit me, so the alternative was to try several charity shops in Stony Stratford. I had the presence of mind to look on Google Maps (such a useful resource) and saw there were several in the High Street, one, Oxfam, and another Red Cross. I drove there this morning and went into the Red Cross shop and found a suit jacket that more or less fits, but no matching trousers which fit. I purchased the jacket, at £6.50, not a lot to pay, and I will have to see if they have trousers in the wardrobe store in the Chrysalis Theatre next time I'm there. Or, I think I may have some black chinos which might do, at a stretch.

Driving to Stony, I got a message coming up on the digital display on the car's dashboard, informing me that the key battery was running low. Without the key, which locks and unlocks the car's doors, there might be a problem further down the line, so on the way back to Dexter House I went to Halfords and got a new batter fitted. No point in leaving it until there is a problem.

All Things, Bright and Beautiful

 Monday. 7.45 a.m. I was awake early and it was getting light, so I took out Alfie, who was more or less asleep when I went to get him. We did a circuit of Oldbrook Green and found it was relatively mild. I'm not entirely sure whether it had rained in the night. There was a red sky in the east (presume it's the east. Yes, it must be. Where the sun rises.) They always say 'red sky in the morning, shepherd's warning, so perhaps we're in for bad weather. Do shepherds know things about the weather that most people don't know? Why shepherds, in particular? How about fishermen? Farmers? Anyway, those who spend much of their time outside, in all conditions and weathers?

1.10 p.m. As I write this, the fire alarms within Dexter House are going off. It's been like this for around 45 minutes. It's got to the stage where the noise, which is so loud, actually hurts my ears. It's giving me a splitting headache. The whole alarm system is faulty and if there was a genuine fire situation, I don't think anyone would take any notice. I just hope it stops soon. I have been in the bedroom with the door closed, which cuts the noise to some extent, but not completely. Alfie can't stand it and I imagine it is unpleasant for dogs, who hear at a higher frequency than humans. He is currently on the sofa and his ears are pointing backwards, which suggests he is finding it uncomfortable.

Tuesday. 6.25 a.m. I went to the first over-60's afternoon meet-up at The Oaktree Centre yesterday afternoon, called, very appropriately, The Monday Club. There had been something similar before the pandemic, but it had to be postponed, for obvious reasons.  Plenty of tea and cakes for everyone! The lady who made most of them did a great job. A chance to have a chat with people and quite a few new faces. Such a good idea and a chance to get out of my flat, which can become very isolating.

When I returned home after the Monday Club, fortunately, the fire alarm had finished making its unpleasant din. Just as well, as it really hurts my ears and gives me a headache.

I've been out with Alfie, although he was fast asleep on my bed at the point I was ready to take him out.

As we approached the intersection on the path with the Redway which crosses Strudwick Drive earlier, an individual came shooting past on an electric scooter. If I had been a couple of steps further forward, he would have crashed into me. No effort to slow down and check if anyone is approaching. He just shot off over the road and went to the bus stop next to The Cricketers public house.

4.35 p.m. I have just got home from Camphill, working in the performance arts workshop in the Chrysalis Theatre. On my way out of Oldbrook along Strudwick Drive and onto Chaffron Way, I came up behind a couple of cars, waiting to turn. One car was ahead of me, as another car had moved onto Chaffron Way. The driver was attempting to turn right, which was going to be fairly time con suming, because the traffic was fairly heavy. She (the driver) was blocking my view and she began to inch forward. It was a very narrow escape she has, because if she'd moved onto the carriageway, she would have had a rather unpleasant accident. The junctions seem to be responsible for many such accidents. It would be far easier for the driver to turn left, go to the next roundabout and then double back onto Chaffron Way. Easier and a good deal safer.

Day By Day

 Monday. 7.10 a.m. I have been out with Alfie. I've only just come back indoors. There's been a further incident with another thoughtless person. We were walking down the path towards Oldbrook Green and I had just picked up after Alfie. Almost before I could stand up, a red bicycle (I think it was one of the Santander electric bicycles.) came roaring past, giving me barely a second to stand aside. The rider was wearing a hood, so absolutely no sight of his/her face. Then they shot over Oldbrook Boulevard and then into Fishermead. No slowing down to let me get out of the way, or any word of apology. It really took me by surprise and I was left reeling. Why not just slow down when someone is in your way? At least apologize. People are always in such a hurry. Look at what happened to me yesterday, with the driver who tailgated me on the way home from church. (see yesterday's blog post.) 

Tuesday. 7.00 a.m. It's quite chilly this morning.

4.30 p.m. Another great day at Camphill, in the theatre workshop.

As usual, the morning began with a check-in. The chairs are arranged in a circle and Terrie goes around to see how everyone is feeling and what they have been up to. It gets everyone talking and if there are any problems they can be sorted out. In August, there is to be a 'play in a week' event, which is, as the title suggests, going to create and perform a play in a week.

The group is now developing stories and characters for silent movies. We did a really great exercise to create stories. We were broken up into pairs and one of the pair started telling a story, a fairytale or well-known story and as we told the story, the other person kept butting in and saying, 'what happened next?' or 'that's not correct', the idea being to change the plot and get things moving in a different direction.

Not only that, but we did an exercise to show how a particular type of character would move, based on commedia  del'arte, which would be the basis for any character that will appear in the silent movies we are going to create. Then Terrie bought out a large white sheet of paper to write down suggestions members of the group had on the type of stories they wanted to create for their movies. In other words, a brainstorming session. This went down a storm and produced some great ideas. Over the lunch period, Terrie worked on and used the information she had got to create three separate storylines which would be the basis for three separate movies. It will be interesting to see what comes of all our work today and next week we will start developing the characters further into some sort of workable script for each movie.

Quite an exhausting day, particularly as we did so much movement, but certainly a great success.

Wednesday. 7.30 a.m. Yet another really bright and sunny morning. There was a real sound of a bird singing which I could hear even before I got outside with Alfie at about 5.50. 

1.45 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's for a few items this morning. I was there just after nine o'clock. I used one of the self-service tills to check out and pay. There were plenty free to use. I'm not over-enthusiastic about their use, as you will have realized if you read my blog regularly. I found one, but the one next to the machine I intended to use was making odd noises to itself. Sort of sounding like it was going to burst into life. The one I was on decided that one item wasn't going to go in the bagging area without a problem, so a member of staff had to come and sort it out. I reckon these machines are sentient. They certainly have a way of breaking down at the least provocation.

I am completing a piece of writing that links two bits which are already written and means I can introduce the new character I have already got devised. Things are really ramping up, and I have ideas for a further story arc.