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.

The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring

Friday. 8.20 a.m. The whole place has flowers blooming like mad. If you drive along Chaffron Way towards Marlborough Street, you will see primroses blooming all along the grassed verges. Really beautiful. Trees have blossom, and hedges rich in white hawthorn blossom. The hedge alongside the path towards Oldbrook Green, which I believe is beech, has grown rapidly and needs trimming.

Saturday. 6.30 a.m. I have just returned from taking Alfie out. It's turned quite overcast and I wasn't sure whether it was raining. 'Sort of' spitting, as my mother would say. 

10.15 a.m. I have been wondering why the DJI Pocket 2 camera cuts out after around 15 minutes of filming. It has done this several times, so I did some research on the internet and discovered that it might be because the memory card hadn't been formatted. This I have now done and then I did a test by taking it out and recording as I walked around Oldbrook Green. It was a success, but when I came to view the footage, almost immediately after I got back to the flat, it cut out, and I got a message telling me it had closed down because it was overheating. I think it would therefore be obvious that it will need to film for no more than 15 minutes, and then switched off, to allow it to cool down.

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. A really beautiful and sunny morning. I took Alfie out as usual and was surprised that the grass was littered with leaves. I think it may be due to the lack of rain, which we seriously need.

8.55 a.m. Oh dear! Having written the above, I now have to mention that it is now raining, although a bit half-heartedly. A bit thin and undramatic. I doubt it will make much of a difference. We need torrential rain. We are being told, via the media, that there is the possibility of a drought situation in this country. Crazy, but true. Just typical British weather! I imagine someone is going to put it down to climate change.

Monday. 8.00 a.m. Today would have been Carol and my 18th wedding anniversary. I will just get on with things as usual. Such as sorting out the recycling and putting out the rubbish, doing the washing up. I think she would be happy to know that I have things to do, such as my writing, family research, and photography. 

The morning has begun with sunshine and warmth. It is a bank holiday Monday, so it's a rarity to have decent weather.

6.15 p.m.I had two phone calls this morning. Each time I went to answer, but it rang off. I expected the first one to be one of those confounded cold calls, trying to sell me double-glazing or similar. The second time it rang, I was asleep on my bed and managed to get to the phone in time to speak to my friend, Margaret, from church. She was inviting me to a cream tea afternoon at her flat with her husband, Mike, who has Parkinson's. I said I'd be there at 3 p.m. When I arrived, a few minutes later some more of the Thursday Morning Life Group arrived and had scones, cream, and jam, which was really pleasant.

Tuesday. 1.30 p.m. It's now raining as I write. I wasn't expecting it when I took Alfie out around 45 minutes ago

Wednesday. 1.35 p.m. I had quite a few parcels arrive from Amazon mid-afternoon yesterday. The grip for the Sony digital camera, a microphone set, a holder for SD cards, and a book. I have been attempting to connect the grip to the camera via Bluetooth, but without much success. I have been watching videos on YouTube in an attempt to fathom out the procedure to get this camera connected, but without solving the problem, but I will continue to do so until it is resolved.

Yes, We Have No Bananas

 Sunday. 8.25 a.m. Today, 26th May 2024, would have been Carol and my 17th wedding anniversary. Also, it would be 18 years virtually to the day, since I came out of Bedford Hospital, having spent a week in the C.C.U. (Coronary Care Unit) and I was discharged on 27th May. 

Tuesday. 1.20 p.m. Yesterday I didn't do a lot, although I spent most of the day working on my family tree via the website Ancestry. I now have reached the amazing number of over 1,500 people on the tree! It seems amazing how quickly I have reached that number, as well as being able to get back to the year 1033, thirty years before the landmark date of 1066. I have also discovered that some of my ancestors got on the wrong side of the law, for example, being caught in possession of stolen goods as well as one beating his wife and, on a happier note, finding that a young man had been apprenticed to a farmer to make bricks and this was for seven years, and more amazing, that this was in the St John's area of Bedford!

Thursday. 2.30 p.m. I have been into the shopping centre to get my hair cut at ROK Barbers (formerly known as Central Barbers.) The appointment was scheduled for 1.30 and when I got to the car park, where I usually park when I go into the city centre, I paid using the Ring Go app on my phone. But it wouldn't connect, most likely as there was a poor mobile signal. When I attempted to pay, I got the infamous spinning wheel, much to my annoyance, because I had no change to put in the meter before leaving. So, I left it and made a further attempt when I got into the shopping centre. Fortunately, it worked!

I walked through the shopping centre, towards John Lewis. ROK Barbers is next to it. I had forgotten it was half-term and this was why there were so many parents with children about and there was a play area in Middleton Hall, with rides and a sort of elastic thing (for want of a better way to describe it.) A large metal framework, a tripod arrangement, which has a sort of elastic material connected to a sort of harness which children were put in, and then they bounced up and down. Yes, it sounds somewhat stomach-churning unpleasant and would be no good for me, as I would be too large and heavy. I don't think it was intended for adults!

I arrived outside ROK Barbers and sat outside as I usually do. The time came and went for the appointment, 1.30, and none of the barbers came out to tell me they were ready for me, and then I got a text message informing me I had missed my appointment! Crazy, when I was sitting outside. So I went in, and fortunately, I was able to have my hair cut.

When I took Alfie out earlier, I happened to look towards Oldbrook Green and noticed that the path had been fenced off with those orange barriers which are put up whenever there is some sort of building work going on, road-mending or whatever. I could see men moving about, dressed in day-glo overalls. I had a vague idea of what was going on, because, when we walked past the S.I.A. building (Spinal Injury Association.) the raised garden wall that runs along the path edge looked somewhat unsteady and likely to collapse. Having now driven past a few minutes ago, it did look like they were working on that raised garden wall (for want of a better way to describe it. It is supported by wooden arrangements to contain the gravel and earth into which plants had been planted, but some of the wood looked decayed, so it would be a good measure for it to be strengthened and repaired.)

Friday. 4.25 p.m. It's a good deal cooler today. My digital thermometer currently reads 22ºC. It's quite windy outside.

Bright And Early

Thursday. 5.40 a.m. You know what they say 'It's the early bird that catches the worm', or something of that sort. Well, it's early (probably far too early!) but I'm here and writing this. 

2.15 p.m. It's turned out to be wet and windy. I have just been to Lidl. I wanted some raspberry jam for my hot cross buns and the Lidl jam is such good value. You get a much larger quantity than you would in Sainsbury's or any other supermarket, for that matter. It also has a higher fruit content. Also, I wanted cream for my pudding. Chocolate fudge something-or-other.

As I was waiting in the queue to pay at the till, the man in front of me had a vast quantity of tomatoes, peppers, of various types and colours and lettuce. I thought to myself, 'he's either going to make a very big salad or else he has lots of rabbits that need feeding' Crazy, I know, but that's the way my mind works.

7.15 p.m. At around 6 o'clock this evening, I was in the bathroom (I won't give too much detail . . .) when there was a flash of lightning and then the most enormous thunderclap. Then, for around 5 minutes or so, there was a very heavy downpour. As I write this, the wind is howling outside.

Good Friday. 5.25 a.m. It's really peaceful on the weather front.

6.40 a.m. The sun is shining as I write this.

I went to the Oaktree Centre for the Good Friday service. It was about an hour long and afterwards, there was tea and coffee, as usual, and hot cross buns, although they weren't hot. I have bought hot cross buns in Sainsbury's and have put them in my toaster and eaten them with raspberry jam.

Saturday. 7.25 a.m. I have mentioned that I lived in Cardington Village, near Bedford, as a child. (there is plenty more about this period in an earlier blog post.) The huge airship hangers are in the distance and dominate the landscape for miles around. The area is known as Shortstown, after the name of the company which was responsible for the building of the airships, Shorts Brothers. It was from these hangers that, in the 1920-1930's that several airships were constructed, notably the R100 and R101. As a result of this, I have been fascinated by the R101, and its later demise, when it crashed near Beauvais, France, on 5th October 1930.  I have found several fascinating videos on YouTube, one showing the inner workings of the earlier airship, the R101 and video footage of the R101 being built. It seems amazing that men who constructed the airship clambered up the sheds and worked on the girders and metalwork without any sort of safety measures in place, something which would never be allowed under 21st-century health and safety legislation. 

I also discovered something else, which has amazed and somewhat shocked me. The internal gas bag of the R101 and, I presume, the R101 and other airships at that date, were made of cow intestines, but, more precisely, the caecum.  In fact, around 50,000 cows' intestines were used to make these gasbags. I imagine that there were no materials, as we have today, such as man-made plastics, which might  have been used. I can imagine today if something was built of cow intestines, there would be outrage from vegetarians and no doubt animal rights campaigners. Not surprising, when you think about it.

12.20 p.m. I've been out with Alfie. We went as far as the rubbish bin on Oldbrook Green. It really is time the Council replaced this bin. It's rusty and falling to pieces. The bin on the opposite side of the Green is also in a dilapidated state. Both have great gaping holes in them, rusty and unsafe. Alfie insisted on cocking his leg against it, probably not helping the rust. I notice some delightful soul has left a bag of, presumably, doggy pooh, in a black bag, tightly tied up neatly, right next to the bin. Could they not have possibly made the effort to put the bag actually IN the bin, or is that asking too much? It has been bright and sunny for most of the morning.

Into A New Year!

Monday. 1st January. 9.55 a.m. I didn't SEE the New Year exactly, but I definitely HEARD it. Fireworks were going off outside and being set off until the very early morning hours. They should last at most 10-15 minutes after midnight. I have only just got back from taking Alfie out around Oldbrook Green and there were the remains of many fireworks scattered all over the grass. There are several quite prominent notices which have been put up by Campbell Park Parish Council, who administer Oldbrook Green and the surrounding area, stating quite clearly that it is an offence to let off fireworks and that you can be fined quite heavily and even imprisoned for so doing. But some people will never obey such rules. But, saying that, there is really no point in having such rules and regulations if you don't enforce them.

4.15 p.m. If you read these blog posts regularly, and there's every chance that you might have read at least some of the 1,800-odd posts, (and believe me, some of them are very odd,!) you will have discovered that I am a creative sort of individual, writing, theatre, film, animation. I bought myself an iPad with a fair-sized capacity and downloaded an app called 'Procreate' which, with the addition of an Apple Pencil, allows me to do all sorts of art, not just drawing, but painting. But now, the company who developed 'Procreate' has introduced the world to 'Procreate Dreams' which will allow you to do 2D animation on your iPad (incidentally, these two apps will only work on an iPad. I don't think they intend rewriting the software to work on Android tablet computers.) The only problem is, that they never bring out a print manual to help you learn these software packages, so the only thing you have to guide you and discover all that these amazing apps will do is to look at videos on YouTube.

Tuesday. 1.20 p.m. It's a really overcast and dull day. Wet and not pleasant underfoot.

Wednesday. 10.40 a.m. I have been attempting to get through to my doctor's surgery. You aren't supposed to telephone to book an appointment and you are supposed to go online, having set up a username and password and make your booking from the appointments which should be shown there, but, even after all the rigmarole of password and username there were no appointments to book. The medication I'm on has to be reviewed, after three months. I at last got through to a receptionist, and she managed to book me a pharmacist's phone call tomorrow, so I will have to see what that person suggests.

The reason for all this was that the medication I was put on, Mirtzapine, was supposed to be for three months and after that time, I was to have a review, basically, to find out how I was getting on with it. The truth is, they are antidepressants and when I first took them, I felt a bit woozy, to put it mildly. When I was at Chloe's in Worcester, on Saturday afternoon, when we went out for a walk, I felt really awful. Over the next few days, things settled down, but last night I woke at around 4 a.m. and I could not get to sleep. Then, as the morning progressed, I felt more and more drowsy and it was quite pronounced and unpleasant. 

Thursday. 10.05 a.m. I have discovered an organisation called Simply Forward, which has outings and events for my particular age group. I have been sent their application form via email, but now the confounded printer refuses to function! As Victor Meldew would put it so succinctly, 'I don't believe it!'

Friday. 10.15 a.m. My Canon printer has been playing up. So, what's new? It doesn't get used much and sits on it's unit, all ready for when I need it. It's plugged in to the mains, connected via Wi-Fi to my laptop and when I require printing, it's easy enough to set it up. So, yesterday I needed an email printing, so I can join Simply Forward, the group that I discovered via AgeUK. I had the email sent which had the application form and a list of activities they do for a few months ahead. The idea was that I could print this off with my printer as well as the application form. Then, for some stupid reason, I thought it a bright idea to delete some of my emails. Well, they do mount up and it seems a good idea to do a bit of housekeeping sometimes. But I also deleted the email from Simply Forward so I had to text the lady who had sent it in the first place.

The printer would not work properly when I went to attempt to print the email. I kept getting a message on the digital display, telling me that the ink was running out. I thought at this point to buy a new cartridge. Which you will imagine to be a relatively easy process. I looked on the Argos website, which is where the printer had come from originally, but I got a message on there which said 'out of stock.' Then it occurred to me that John Lewis would be a good point of call so I looked on their website and it showed they stocked them. So, on Friday morning I went into the shopping centre and in to John Lewis, but they had none in stock! So the only alternative was Amazon, which had the right cartridges (black and colour, in the same package.) So I ordered it and I couldn't believe it arrived that evening, barely hours since I had ordered it!

Autumnal Weather

Friday. 7.00 a.m. A good deal cooler this morning. There was a mist hanging over Oldbrook Green, when I took Alfie out at around 6.30. 

Saturday. 7.45 a.m. I didn't wake up until 6.30, which has to be the latest I've woken in goodness knows how long.

We are running an Alpha Course at Shenley Christian Fellowship. It's an introduction to the Christian faith and has been running since the 1970s, based at HTB (Holy Trinity, Brompton) in London. The team had been meeting, mostly on Zoom, for the past few months. It runs for around 10 weeks and is delivered by video, each video focusing on different aspects of Christianity. It was decided to begin the course on Friday 15th September, so that by the time it ends, it won't interfere too much with the build-up to Christmas. 

To make it viable, there would need to be around 6 people to sign up. At the beginning of the week, there were only two people signed up. We had a team of around eight people, including myself, so to have no more than two participants would not make it a viable and entirely successful project. 

By Wednesday, I hadn't heard from Julie, the leader of the Alpha Course, but then I got an email telling me that the course would go ahead. Around eight people were signed up. 

The course starts at around 7 p.m. when guests are welcomed, get tea or coffee and then, at around 7.30 they get a meal, so we can sit around a table and eat whilst we chat, get to know them and generally be hospitable. Then, a video is shown, focussing on various aspects of Christianity. This lasts around 20-25 minutes, and then the guests have a discussion, based on what they've heard and seen in the video. This will last around 30–40 minutes and then the evening concludes at around 9-9.15, so the helpers will tidy up and then go home.

Wednesday. 1.50 p.m. The weather has changed, not necessarily for the better. We had a scorching heatwave a few weeks ago, but now it's pouring with rain and there's a high wind blowing. Not something that Alfie appreciates, and neither do I. Oh well. I suppose it is typical autumn weather.

Yesterday I was at Camphill, working in the Performing Arts Workshop within the Chrysalis Theatre. We have lost a couple of the regular group, but it's still going strong. We were developing the World War Two project, with marching and other military training going on and then, after lunch. watching a television film of 'Goodnight Mr Tom', which starred the late,great John Thaw. It is set during the war, with the central little boy being an evacuee and the idea was to not merely watch it as a film, but to study what was going on, with reference to the war and how it might be inspiration for our project. I wrote quote a few notes as we watched and then, after the film was shown, we threw out our notes which can go into the 'melting pot' next week to begin the process of creating a working script.

Thursday. 7.25 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning. I noticed a certain chill in the air when I went out with Alfie about an hour ago.

I have a haircut booked at Central Barbers tomorrow at 1.50. My hair hasn't been cut for two months or possibly more, this due to me having had covid and then several days with a really unpleasant flu-like bug. I can park the car where I usually do, near The Point and pay using the RingGo app, but it doesn't always work, so I need to have a handful of £1 coins to use in one of the ticket machines. So, I have been to take out some cash from the A.T.M. machine outside the Tesco Express in Oldbrook Boulevard. I bought two packets of biscuits to take to the Bible study this morning and got a handful of £1 coins in the change, so that is one less thing to think about tomorrow.

Friday. 7.15 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning, as you would expect for September. Perhaps it's time to dig out my fleece or jacket.

You Couldn't Make It Up!

 Tuesday. 5.45 a.m. Up early, as usual, walking around Oldbrook Green with Alfie. A really dramatic cloud formation over Milton Keynes.

Yesterday, I think I got closer to upgrading my bathroom. Vashti (S.H.O. at Dexter House.) gave me a telephone number to ring, the Community Occupational Health department at Milton Keynes Council. I gave my details and that was the end of the conversation. I was surprised at how quickly I got through. Later that afternoon I got a call from a lady from Millbrook regarding having the bathroom refitted, although I couldn't understand why occupational health would be involved. Anyway, this lady made me an appointment in August to go for a bath test. No, I don't understand either, but if it meant I got the bathroom upgraded, with at least a decent shower, I can use it without stooping because the current arrangement isn't high enough for me. Crazy, but true. Continuing . . . She needed a photo of the bathroom and later, she texted me, so I sent a photo via text, which moved the thing further forward, with details of my height and weight, and she then told me I wouldn't need to visit, and that I could have a wet room rather than a bathroom, meaning I could have a shower unit, which I wanted in the first place, and it would need her manager's approval for the work to do ahead. Al this, running around in circles, when it needn't have to be so complicated. Considering what I have gone through to get this far with my bathroom, you certainly couldn't make it up!

1.30 p.m. I think the Voltarol is beginning to have a definite effect on my lower back pain. I haven't been to Camphill, because of this, but I do miss going, and I'm hoping things will have returned to near enough normal by next Tuesday, so I can go there again. Being stuck in this flat with covid was bad enough, but this new thing makes it even more difficult to put up with.

3.45 p.m. I have upgraded my details to be eligible to vote. I got a letter from the Democratic Service department of Milton Keynes Council and you can go online to a special website 'household response,' and enter two unique security codes and your postcode to make sure your name is on the database. I have done all this, and it's now amended.

Wednesday. 7.50 a.m. There was 'sort-of'' rain when I took Alfie out at around 5.15 this morning. What do I mean? Well, thin and wet dribbles, not a proper fall of rain. But as I write this, the sun is out, and it appears bright and rather pleasant.

The Voltarol is doing its work and I feel a good deal better. Considering what the pain was like only a few days ago, it is a relief to be able to bend, particularly when putting my clothes on, it is certainly better.

1.25 p.m. Around half an hour ago there was a tremendous rainstorm, which lasted all of two minutes. This delayed me taking out Alfie, but it appeared to be only a light rain.

6.35 p.m. I'm watching the BBC sitcom 'The Good Life' on Britbox. I have seen it before, and probably when it was originally broadcast in 1975. It seems to stand the test of time really well. We don't have this sort of show any more. It was produced when there were only three channels, BBC1, BBC2 and ITV.  It made a star of Richard Briars, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington. I must have seen Richard Briars in several Alan Ayckbourn plays, 'Absurd Person Singular' and Penelope Keith in one of 'The Norman Conquests' trilogy. Thinking about Ayckbourn's plays, I did the book for a production of 'Relatively Speaking' when I was A.S.M. at Liverpool Playhouse in the early 1970s. That play (although not that production.) would have been Ayckbourn's first major success, and in the West End, it starred a young Richard Briars. On a further note, I was working on some BBC show, as a walk-on, and one of the runners (or at least, one of the stage crew.) was one of Richard Briar's daughters, although she didn't want to admit to being his daughter.

Thursday. 5.35 a.m. Another relatively mild morning. The Voltarol is working well. The only side effect of using it is I think it's making me feel sick.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Tuesday. 5.20 a.m. Another day dawns. Oh dear, what a cliché. But I couldn't resist. As usual, I've been out with Alfie. It's been raining overnight. We walked along the path towards Oldbrook Green and all around the equipment in the fenced-off children's play area there was quite a considerable puddle.  

6.45 a.m. The kitchen was cleaned, washing-up was done, rubbish was taken out, and I'm ready to go to Camphill at around 8.20.

7.00 p.m. I drove to Camphill as usual. The traffic was a good deal quieter than usual. I'm not sure why. I couldn't have been because schools were on holiday, because they don't break up for the summer until the beginning of August. We were down to around half the usual contingent of participants, due to the fact that many were on holiday. We also had a lady come along who was volunteering her time the same way that I do, and she seemed to fit in very well. Whether she comes back is another matter. Also, a resident of Camphill came into the theatre workshop to sample the experience, so she may or may not return.

After the usual check-in and some really crazy games, one about being on a ship and having to run in the right direction, i.e. Port, Starboard, Bow and Stern (which, incidentally, I don't have a problem with, because my father had several boats and you certainly remember those parts, when you get shouted at, as he was prone to doing (Port, particularly, with the saying 'no port left - in the bottle.) A bit of good exercise, running about from one side to the other until I got caught out!

The stage was set up for some more filming. The green screen material was arranged so that, once a piece of film (actually video, technically, but never mind) had been completed, additional background material could be digitally inserted so that it would look as if the actors were on a beach in a ship or somewhere in the wild west. I got a chance, at long last, to see some of the completed footage, and, I must say, it looks amazing. There is still quite a lot of work to do, such as editing, putting in music, intertitles and probably sound effects, but generally, it all looks fantastic.

A television crew arrived at Camphill, as they are making a documentary for Channel Four about caring for people with learning disabilities and how they will be cared for as they age. During the morning, they focussed on one of the resident's houses within the Camphill campus. We continued to work on filming material for the 'Pirates' film, although I wasn't used, basically because not all the actors were available as they were on holiday.

After lunch, the television crew came into the Chrysalis Theatre. The chairs were put into a circle and some of the residents sat on the chairs. It was set up so that the young actor Reuben (not sure exactly what his surname is.) was going to ask the group questions, which had been written on cards and placed behind the camera.) as the camera and sound engineer juggled with moving around without disturbing the flow of the discussion. The group were really great, didn't show any nerves and didn't fluff their words!

It was exciting that the group will now be the focus of this documentary, but as I write this, we don't know exactly when it will be broadcast. No doubt also streamed on the Channel Four website.

Wednesday. 8.30 a.m. Yet another bright and sunny morning. Not a great deal more to say on the matter.

1.00 p.m. It is currently raining. In fact, quite a torrential downpour. Well, after all the heat we've had over the last couple of weeks, it's something of a relief.

The Whirligig of Time

 Saturday. 6.50 a.m. Goodness, gracious! Today is the 1st of July. Nothing more to be said on this matter.

6.15 a.m. I've been to meet my friend Nick in the main shopping centre. I drove in at around 11.25, and we were scheduled to meet outside Costa,  opposite Marks and Spencer, at midday. Nick turned up, but, when I saw him, or thought I saw him, walking towards me, at first I didn't recognize him. We went into Costa and I ordered a strawberry and cream frappé, a ham and cheese toastie (my regular) and a rather nice slice of carrot cake. Once we'd eaten and drunk, we went into Marks and Spencer and browsed in the men's department. Actually, a real surprise this, quite a lot of items I liked and might even end up buying. They are throwing of their old-fashioned image, at last, appealing to those (me included) who prefer clothing to be a bit more adventurous and colourful. Who on earth would imagine M and S selling pink jackets? Or bright orange trousers?? The sort of thing that Michael Portillo might wear in one of his train journey television documentaries. Then, we wandered along the shopping mall, into Boots for a couple of items I needed. Virtually no humans at check-outs, it's nearly all self-service. Companies who insist on this sort of treatment of their once loyal customers will see them shopping elsewhere. We browsed in W.H. Smiths and several other stores, and then we walked to my car and that was where we parted company.

I had problems with the RingGo app. It causes more problems than it solves. I got it to go into the payment section and put in the security code of my card, but then the spinning ball thing wouldn't stop, so I wasn't sure whether the payment had been taken. I think it may have something to do with the internet connection, but I have deleted the app and reinstalled it, but even now I'm not sure if it works properly. It's more frustrating than anything. If it worked well, it would be better, but it's not. It does save having to take change with you when you park, but when it either doesn't open or connect, it's useless.

Sunday. 8.00 a.m. I've been out and done another video experiment using the gimbal. It seemed to work better, or, at least I'm getting to grips with using it and managing to get the horizon steady, but for some reason, I can't get the microphone which connects to the iPhone to work. You never know when it's connected. There's no light that comes on to indicate it's connected. I think it's just a case of trial and error.

I have looked at the instruction manual for the microphone, and it does have a light that should come on when it's connected, so it's my fault it didn't do what it should. Never mind. It's all a learning process, as they say.

The current temperature, as recorded on the digital thermometer, is 23ºC. A much more workable temperature

5.00 a.m. The current temperature in this flat is 24ºC.

Monday. 4.55 a.m. I've just got back in from taking Alfie out. It's another milder morning, but pleasant. A lady was out with her two dogs on Oldbrook Green. She had a larger dog, I think perhaps a sheltie or border collie, I couldn't tell, and a little spaniel, having fun with a stick, the little one running around behind her and having great fun. Alfie wasn't going to walk all the way around the Green, locking his legs and determined to go home to have a sleep. Who can blame him?

The title of this post is another from 'Twelfth Night.' It came to me, as these things seem to do, and I had an idea it came from 'King Lear', but when I did a Google search, it came up with 'Twelfth Night.' It refers to a spinning top, a toy which Tudor children would have played with. It comes in Feste's speech to Malvolio, at the end of the play, and refers to the circularity of the year and, indeed, time. After this, Malvolo storms off, saying, 'I'll be revenged on you'. 

Current temperature in the flat is 21ºC, so it has fallen around ten degrees in the past few days.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day!

 Thursday. 5.00 a.m. So, the usual time I take Alfie out, it's raining, although very light. I have to say, it is something of a relief, after the heat of the past couple of weeks. So much so that there are a few tiny snails along the path towards Oldbrook Green. I suppose they prefer it wet. Well, it bought them out of their shells, in the literal sense.

8.16 a.m. It would appear that the rain has stopped, although, looking out of my kitchen window (complete with the lovely hole in it, although not including the infamous extractor fan!) it's quite difficult to make out whether it is raining or not. My eyes play tricks on me, so it can appear to be raining, but it isn't. I can't explain it, but I think if you are expecting rain, your brain has a way of suggesting to you that it is.

3.45 p.m. The current temperature, according to the digital thermometer, is 25ºC. Definitely a far more pleasant temperature. It's also a good deal more overcast. No sign of rain.

Friday. 5.05 a.m. Here we are again. Another day dawns. It's mild. No sun. No rain. Just pleasant. I've been out already with Alfie, around Oldbrook Green. I'm intrigued to know why the grass has been cut and the loose grass removed. This doesn't seem to be a normal procedure. I am trying to think why they've done this, but I have no idea. It looks like a cricket pitch. Perhaps there's going to be some sort of event on the Green. Time will tell.

The current temperature on my digital thermometer reads 22ºC.

I have finished reading 'Les Misérables.' I've now read it twice, both in different translations. Some sections of the text are really heavy going. A great deal of it was excised from the stage musical but kept in the recent BBC television adaptation done by Andrew Davies. The musical lacks a narrator which makes comprehending the story to some extent, but I suppose, being what's called a 'sung-through' musical, you wouldn't expect to have a narrator. However, several of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's shows have a narrator, such as the character of Che in 'Evita.' It wasn't until I read the novel that I understood the relationship between certain characters, such as Thernadier, Eponine and Gavroche. 

12.35 p.m. It's quite windy out, as I write this. I was considering going to the Grand Union Canal to do some more videoing, but the wind has put me off, so I will have to make the trip once the wind drops. It will make it difficult to do any sort of voice recording, which I can do with a lavalier microphone which clips onto my shirt and connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth.

3.55 p.m. I went out with Alfie, but I didn't get far, because it began to rain, so we came home. Just as well I didn't decide to go to the canal to do some videoing. Besides the rain, there was quite a strong wind, which would have made any filming virtually impossible and would have made the sound recording difficult.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºC, so things are cooler than last week.

Saturday. 6.35 a.m. I awoke from my slumbers at around 5.30. It wasn't really vital to my day, but I got myself together, dressed and took a somewhat reluctant Alfie out onto Oldbrook Green.

I am now reading 'Peterloo', by Jacqueline Riding, about the awful massacre of around 15 people in 1819, and the basis for the Mike Leigh film of the same name. It has surprising resonances with current history, the riots in France and even with events portrayed in 'Les Misérables.' It's an incident that I wasn't aware of before only a couple of years ago. You would imagine that, after a little over two-hundred years, things might have improved, but they haven't entirely. We do have open elections in this country, the old expression 'one man, one vote' etc. But not everything is as it should be. Read it if you don't know about this shocking incident, or watch the film. I have it on DVD, but I believe it's on Amazon Prime Video (I think Amazon may have funded it.) It certainly makes a change from stupid 'superhero' movies.

Rain Storm Breaks Heatwave

Sunday. 8.10 a.m. Last night it was virtually impossible to sleep, due to the high temperature. Even with two electric fans on and windows open, the temperature is currently 27ºC. It's likely to get much warmer.

Alfie and I have been out twice already, the first at around 4.45, and we've just got back from the second circuit of Oldbrook Green. 

A great deal of litter. It really is awful, when there are sufficient bins to dispose of rubbish.

People on the Green with a couple of terriers, I think Jack Russel's, playing games. The sort of thing they do at Crufts. A man walking a bulldog-type dog. One of those flat-faced dogs, with chunky bodies. I think they look like the dog in the 'Tom and Jerry' cartoons, who chases the cats and always gets beaten by Jerry somehow. But these bulldogs look totally gormless, really stupid and thick. Whether they are or not, they certainly have that sort of demeanour. Alfie, on the other hand, always has a spring in this step, is alert and gives you eye contact. Probably just the sort of terrier behaviour which makes him so much fun to have around.

1.00 p.m. There were three baptisms at Shenley Christian Fellowship this morning. Each gave a brilliant testimony. The place was heaving with extra people, probably family and friends of those baptized. It was probably the best day, weather-wise, to be baptized. It was hot, the temperature in excess of 30ºc. My digital thermometer currently reads 29ºC. 

Monday. 3.45 p.m. I had an email from A.A. Insurance, informing me that my car insurance was due for renewal. I had forgotten it was due and couldn't believe it was a year since it was set up. I rang and was shocked to discover that my premiums would increase by about £20 a month (I pay in instalments.) I didn't immediately take that quote, and the man on the phone said he would send a print version of the quote for me to look at and consider. Then, once I had finished the phone call, I went on Compare The Market, which I used last year to get the A.A. quote and inputted all my details (some of which were saved from the last time, which is one advantage of using online comparison sites.) But I found that the quotes which came up were only a few pounds more, or, in some cases, less than the A.A. quote, so it's a sort of choice between the few that I got and the A.A. quote, which I think I will go with. It includes breakdown cover, which makes it a better deal.

From car insurance, I went on to broadband. With Sky. It is around £30 a month, which includes a boost, allowing for such services as streaming. So, I have accepted the offer. That's done for another year (I think the Sky offer is for 18 months.)

I have only just got in from Monday Club. This new means of fellowship seems to be going well. As we were sitting and talking, the sky went dark, and it began to rain. As I sit in my armchair in the flat, a ferocious thunderstorm is going on outside. It has certainly relieved the heat, thankfully.

Tuesday. 7.30 a.m. I didn't wake up a good deal later than usual and eventually took Alfie out. 

It appears that today will be another hot and sunny day and temperatures are likely to rise to about 27ºC. My digital thermometer currently reads 26ºC, and that's with the electric fans on and the windows open. As a result, I'm not going to Camphill. It's been advised that I don't go out in direct sunshine, having had two heart attacks. It could be dangerous.

I got an email from another insurance comparison website, called Money Supermarket. Which gave me more car insurance quotes. Having looked at the various quotes, I found one which was considerably cheaper than those I had on Compare The Market, with monthly payments at £35 per month. I paid a £71 deposit, and it's all set up. So, the new monthly payments are barely £5 more than last year's A.A. car insurance payments. So, that is another box ticked.

All In A Day's Work

Thursday. 12.40 p.m. I've been to the shopping centre to get my hair cut at Central Barbers. I booked online, so it was just a simple matter of going into the centre and waiting outside. I was actually booked for 11.30 but got there around 20 minutes too early.

From the barbers, I went to Costa on Middleton Hall and had an iced coffee drink with cream and marshmallows, a cheese and ham toastie, and a slice of rocky road cake. 

Then, a browsed in Lakeland and was really impressed by their new picnic sets. The glasses are made of plastic and look very convincing as cut glass.  Lots of equipment in this store which is useful to me if I am baking. A wander along the shopping centre and browsed in T.K. Maax, for nothing in particular, but with this store, you have to buy what they have immediately because there will only be one of any particular item, and you will lose it if you don't buy it straight away.

Friday. 10.50 a.m. I have made another batch of scones for Monday Club. I think I got the consistency of this batch more or less right by making the dough somewhat stickier. The only problem with the stickiness is that the dough becomes difficult to remove from the cutter when they are put onto the baking tray. I have baked them for 25 minutes, which means they come out a golden brown. They should now be far easier to cut in half and not crumble, which was the problem I had with the last batch I made.

Saturday. 8.25 a.m. It's quite chilly this morning, which means I put on a fleece when I had my breakfast. 

10.05 a.m. It seems a bit warmer now. The sun is making a vain attempt to shine. I've been to Sainsbury's as I wanted a decent size cake tin to put the scones in. The one I got is more than enough the right size and as it is airtight it should at least keep them fresh.

5.40 a.m. I've been to A Transformed Life afternoon at SCF. Praise and message. Very enlightening. There is a second session, starting at around 7 p.m., but unfortunately, my health issues make me tired and I wouldn't be able to keep awake, so I came home and made a salad which I will eat later.

It was bright and sunny when I got to the Oaktree Centre. It's summer, which, officially, it is.

Sunday. 5.05 a.m. I know, I'm up far too early. I was out, walking around Oldbrook Green at 4.35. I think it was a bit of a shock, even to Alfie. It's quite chilly, but still pleasant. A clear sky, no clouds to be seen, but I know it will be a bright and sunny day. Well, I do hope so.

6.25 p.m. Another café church at Shenley Christian Fellowship this morning. A lot of new faces and the place absolutely heaving. A bouncy castle was set up on the grass behind the building and lots of children using it. Plenty of coffee, cakes and biscuits.

I have mentioned the Hohem gimbal, which I bought on Amazon. I have got the thing working successfully and have discovered a video editing app from watching a video on YouTube and have it downloaded to my iPhone and now have it fully paid for which means I can edit and modify video footage from my phone without advertising and have all the additional assets for it. I went out around Oldbrook Green this afternoon and shot some test footage, which I have since managed to edit to a certain level. I have also purchased two Bluetooth Lavalier microphones from Amazon which connect to my iPhone, which means I can record better quality sound with each of them connected to my clothes and can be used if I want to record interviews on video. The experiment with editing has worked up to a certain extent and shows that it works, but I will need to do more work learning the software before I am totally satisfied with the results. Keep watching this space for further news.

The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

 Friday. 9.10 a.m. Having made all those scones yesterday (by the way, how do you pronounce 'scone'? Is it with an extended 'one' to rhyme with gone, or 'scone' to rhyme with cone? You decide.) Anyway, having made them I then realized it would be a Bank Holiday Monday on Monday, and so, no Monday Club. Pity. It means I will have to eat them or share them with other people. They have been a success, apart from being somewhat difficult to split in half. They just crumble. Maybe I should make the dough a bit stickier with some milk before I roll it and then cut the scones out. 

Saturday. 10.10 a.m. I had a further text message from Mears. It was to tell me that someone was coming on the 7th of June to measure the kitchen window, which will have the extractor fan installed in it. At last! After all the phone calls, it looks as if the fan will be installed. But I won't hold my breath and will only be entirely satisfied until the thing is in and working, which means, hopefully, I will be able to use my George Foreman grill!

12.20 p.m. I had a doctor's appointment at 11.30 this morning. I was all ready to go out at around 10.50, but Alfie decided to do a whoopsie on the floor, so I spent some time clearing it up. He didn't appear as if he needed to go out, but nevertheless, it was a bit of a bother. Never mind, it's mopped up now.

I drove over to the Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and parked and then walked into the surgery. I signed in and sat down. Almost immediately, I was called into the doctor's room.  Well before the time I was booked for, so I'm really glad I got there early. Blood pressure, heart rate, and all the usual observations were done. My weight was taken, and he made a sort of oblique reference to it. I'm not sure if I'm within the normal weight for my age and height, but I mentioned cakes, and he 'sort of' said I shouldn't eat too many. Everything healthy. No swollen ankles or something. I left and then drove home.

Sunday. 5.20 a.m. It's no good, I simply can't lounge about in bed when it's light outside. Alfie in a good barking voice as I got dressed and a circuit of Oldbrook Green. Not much else to report, except an exceptional amount of rubbish falling out of the bins.

1.25 p.m. I managed to do the washing up from last night's meal, take Alfie out twice before I went to church and write a bit more of my project and then transfer it onto word processing, managing to edit as I went along and insert several paragraphs from an earlier draught. I am feeling very positive about this writing and, as I walked around Oldbrook Green with Alfie, I managed to come up with another character, so my perambulations with Alfie are never wasted.

The title of this blog post is very appropriate. It is really warm and sunny and as a result, I wore my shorts to church. I have to admit I sometimes struggle to come up with appropriate titles for my posts and often just pluck anything out of the air.

Not Even For Ready Money

Thursday. 9.30 a.m. I've been busy this morning. I have been making a batch of scones. I have made them before, following Delia Smith's recipe. I got most of the ingredients in Sainsbury's yesterday morning. I actually made a double batch, because the amount of scones you get from the measurements the recipe gives only makes a few, so it wasn't much of an effort to double up the quantities. They have come out of the oven looking good. One was not a full scone, so I ate it! Tasted good and far better than what you can buy in a supermarket.     They are intended for the Monday Club.

4.30 p.m. I managed to get an appointment booked with someone from Mears to come and look at my bathroom, because, when I rang the other day, enquiring about the extractor fan, which is supposed to be installed by an outside contractor and who should ring me regarding this installation, I then mentioned the floor in the bathroom, which is a total disaster, caused by the former tenant of this flat who put the floor in, but didn't make a very good job, as the tiles are lifting and have lifted in certain places and this makes cleaning the floor extremely difficult. I got two text messages from Mears, the first saying they were coming to do the work on 16th June and a second one saying someone would visit to survey the bathroom today at 10 a.m. I waited in expectation for a visit at 10, but nobody arrived, so I rang Mears to be told that the lady who was to come and visit was held up, which is what I thought must have happened. The lady turned up at 11, and having looked at the bathroom, she told me that it was in definite need of being upgraded. There is absolutely no way I can have a full-sized bath, unfortunately, and it is unlikely I would have a shower cubicle installed. I am not bothered by this if I only had a shower which was installed at the correct height so that I don't have to bend to get it to work on me, as I'm a little over 6 feet tall. It now depends on the Council deciding what I can have, so I wait with bated breath to see what I eventually have.

Friday. 5.05 a.m. Today would have been Carol and My 16th wedding anniversary. I'm not going to mention it again, as you can imagine it's pretty difficult since she died.

Well, I've been out as usual with my lovely Alfie, and we did our usual circuit of Oldbrook Green. 

I'm intrigued by the way the grass has been cut. The furthest side from The Cricketers has been cut, and the grass is laying in strips, similar to when the grass is cut for bailing. It seems such a waste to just leave it laying on the ground and not use it. It would make feed for horses or cows. 

I stopped on the path to see a crow which was sitting on the fence. It must have been at least a minute before I move away, and it makes a loud noise which I think would have been an alarm to other crows because Alfie was with me.

As we walked along the path towards Oldbrook Green, I could hear birds singing and some sounding remarkably like the sound you get from a range of electronic devices, such as mobile phones. I watched a video on Facebook about a starling which can mimic the human voice, and its voice was remarkably human-sounding. Also, a very clever raven called Loki can make a range of sounds which he must have heard and then mimic. 

9.05 a.m. It's really sunny and pleasant this morning. My washing is in the drier at the moment. It should be done at 9.30, hence I have time to sit and write this blog post.

Goodness Gracious Me!

 Friday. 5.25 a.m. It's bright and early, and I've already taken Alfie out. 

Yesterday, after going to The Oaktree Centre for Bible study and help with packing up Acorns, playgroup (I don't go earlier because it opens earlier than it used to. There are two sessions, and the second one finishes at 12.15.) I drove home and immediately went into the shopping centre to have a browse and go into Costa which is opposite Marks and Spencer. I had a cold drink, caramel (not sure what it's called), cheese and ham toastie and banana and pecan cake.  Very tasty. Then into Waterstone's. Bought two books, one from Anthony Horowitz, 'The Magpie Murders'. It's currently being shown on BBC1 and on 'Britbox', although I haven't watched it. I may once I've read the novel. The other, 'This Sweet Sickness', by Patricia Highsmith. I've read a couple of her novels, 'The Talented Mr Ripley' and 'Strangers on A Train' which was made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock. I think her novels are best described as psychological thrillers.

Saturday. 5.05 a.m. Alfie and I were out well before 5 o'clock this morning. He was doing his usual barking when he saw me getting ready to go out. The buildings in the city centre, which are normally seen from Oldbrook Green, were obscured by fog. Completely hidden by grey and gloom, but it was reasonably mild out.

12.20 p.m. My Sky mobile SIM contract will expire in June. I wasn't aware of this. I was under the impression that it was paid for with my iPhone payments, which are paid in instalments. I had an email informing me that this was about to happen and that I could end my contract or continue. I don't want to change to a different provider, so I telephoned the call centre (I was wondering if it should be open this morning, as it's a Saturday. Fortunately, it was. The young man who answered was extremely helpful. He informed me that I hardly use my data allowance, and he advised me to go for a lower allowance, which would reduce my costs considerably. So, I now have 6 GB of data and cost £7 per month. I also learned that my contract, which pays for the iPhone 12 I currently have, expires in June next year, meaning that I can upgrade to a newer model iPhone when the contract ends and the phone is paid off.

Sunday. 7.00 a.m. I have been up since well before 4 o'clock this morning. The reason was that there was a noise somewhere within Dexter House. I have a feeling an ambulance was called because someone fell over in the corridor, but I'm not sure, and I didn't investigate. Because I couldn't sleep, I read a chapter of my current book, 'Les Misérables.'  I did some clearing up in the kitchen and even cleaned the bath! I know, rather odd, but it's cleaner than it's ever been since I moved into the flat.

I took out Alfie at around 5.15, with him barking outside the bathroom door, where I get dressed. As I write this, the sun is shining and it's relatively mild.

2.45 p.m. I have been watching the National Theatre production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' on the National Theatre At Home app (and shown on my Hitachi HD television.) This production, which was originally in repertoire in the Lyttleton Theatre at the National Theatre's South Bank Home, is set in a 1930s hotel and has Katherine Parkinson as Beatrice and John Heffernan as Benedict. There was an element of a 1930s film musical about it, mixed with that of a Marx Brothers film, with mistaken identity and plenty of visual gags. I have also seen the David Tennant/Catherine Tate production of the same play, and, of the two plays, I think they had a far sense of chemistry than in the more recent National Theatre production.

1,800th Blog Post!

 Friday. 7.00 a.m. Today, this blog reaches the momentous milestone of 1,800 posts! It never occurred to me, back when I wrote the first post back on 27th September 2009 at 4 p.m., that  I would still be reporting on the goings-on around Milton Keynes, and in particular, in my life, so many years later. I manage to report on some of the absurdities of life, some plain crazy, some downright outrageous and some just plain monotonous, some laughable and some downright sad, particularly the passing of my lovely wife, Carol. Fourteen years! How many other blogs can you mention have survived that long?

11.00 a.m. I've just been out with Alfie. It looks very much as if it's going to rain, so we weren't out very long. A lot of dark clouds and I think I felt a drop of rain.

4.25 a.m. I bought a gimbal for my iPhone, which was supposed to be used for video and the idea would be to enable you to take video. The gimbal would keep the phone steady, and you should be able to do a series of camera moves with it. The thing works through an app and connects to your phone using Bluetooth, but, after more than a week, I hadn't been able to get the thing to work, so I have sent it back to Amazon. Returning items to Amazon used to be relatively easy. You could print off a return label from the Amazon website and just take it to a Post Office for it to be posted. But now you have to use Evri (the new name for Hermes.) You have to take the parcel to a specific shop locally. I took it to Tesco's in Oldbrook Boulevard, but it turned out that they weren't a 'sending' only a 'receiving' store. I had to take it to a One Stop store in Bradwell Common Boulevard, which is just along the road from my Doctor's surgery. I had to scan a QR code at a machine within this store, which I had printer off from the email I got from Amazon, and this allowed a label to be printed which I attached to the parcel which I then handed over to the assistant on the till, and she gave me a receipt.

Saturday. 6.00 a.m. Yesterday afternoon we had a tea party, given by members of M.K.C.C. (Milton Keynes Christian Centre) and organized by two friends from Shenley Christian Centre, who also go to M.K.C.C., which, incidentally, is just along Strudwick Drive from Dexter House. There were plenty of sandwiches and cakes as well as tea, and we had a quiz, which I won! I got a box of Maltesers as a prize!

I was out really early this morning, at 5.20. Alfie and I did our, by now, regular circuit of Oldbrook Green. 

7.40 a.m. Excitement! I have cleaned out my fridge. It was getting to the point where it really did need a clean. Taking everything it contained out and onto the kitchen counters and then all the shelves and the tray in which I keep fruit and vegetables, wash in the sink with soapy water, dry and then replace, throwing out anything which is past its 'best before' date, and then returning to the fridge. The sort of job which you tend to put off until it becomes necessary. So I can safely say, 'job done'! The freezer section could do with defrosting, but that isn't the easiest job, as you need to have somewhere to put the frozen food, such as another freezer until the freezer is defrosted and working again.

10.30 a.m. It's surprisingly warm and sunny today. As it's a Bank Holiday weekend (well, technically Monday is a Bank Holiday.) So, will it remain so warm? I say this because it is almost traditional to have bad weather on a Bank Holiday. So, let's wait and see. Then, next Saturday, we have the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla. Quite historic in some respects, as we're certainly not likely to get another within my lifetime (that is, of course, unless Charles turns up his toes within only a few years, which I hope doesn't happen. 

11.10 a.m. I went to Sainsbury's to buy one or two items. It wasn't busy, just after 9.00 a.m. I presume most people don't go shopping early at the weekend, which might explain things. I then came home and took Alfie out around Oldbrook Green. Not only that, but I didn't put my jacket on, so that's a first this year! I will next be getting my shorts out, as it's rapidly approaching knee-showing-off time around here. I remember last year, particularly during that extremely hot period when temperatures reached record levels, I lived in my shorts.

Chilly Weather

Wednesday. 6.15 a.m. Alfie and I were out at around 5.40 this morning. We did another circuit of Oldbrook Green. It is actually quite chilly out.

10.00 a.m. I had home contents covered with Sainsbury's bank. I've been with them for two years. I had a reasonably good deal, and as a sort of incentive, I got double Nectar points when I shopped in Sainsbury's supermarket. But I got an email, informing me that my policy was ending and that the Nectar incentive was ending, which was a pity. So, I decided to find an alternative policy, so I went on the Compare The Market website and went for an Admiral Contents policy. Actually a bit cheaper. It is now set up and the deposit has been paid and the Sainsbury's bank policy has been cancelled. It just goes to show how easy it is to arrange such things as insurance and why so many of these businesses no longer have bricks and mortar establishments on the high street.

4.10 p.m. I have now cut and pasted a further writing section into my writing 'project. It now has a word count of 40,000, which is quite impressive, even if I say so myself. It needs a great deal more work doing on it, editing and rewriting before it is anywhere complete.

I am currently reading 'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo. It is the basis for the musical (as if you didn't already know that.) I have seen the original West End production as well as the touring production, which came to Milton Keynes in 2019 and visited again last year. I have also seen the film adaptation as well as the more recent nonmusical  BBC adaptation of the novel, with a script by Andrew Davies. Not only that, but I had already read a version, but this is a Penguin Classics edition and uses a brand-new translation. I am interested in how the story is told, and how the various elements of plot and character and linked, which is what I am endeavouring to achieve with my writing. Some of the plots in the stage musical were difficult to comprehend, and it wasn't until I read the novel that I realized that some characters are related. With the print version of the novel, there are notes which help to clear up some of the background to how it was written and explain a lot of the details, which makes reading it more worthwhile.

Thursday. 6.30 a.m. It was light enough for me to take Alfie out at 5.45 this morning. I think it was a surprise to him when I went into the bedroom and picked him up to go out. He is usually barking noisily when I get ready to go out. If I so much as touch his lead, he starts barking.

Friday. 6.55 a.m. Last night there was a members' meeting at the Oaktree Centre. It was mainly about changes to the governance of S.C.F. (Shenley Christian Fellowship.) A chance to discuss any changes, which won't be implemented until the whole situation has been discussed and ideas put forward. This ended at 9.30 and then I went home and ate apple and blackberry pie, which I hadn't eaten with my evening meal.  I think it was gone at midnight when I eventually went to bed, and that it probably the reason I didn't wake up until 5.40 or thereabouts. I took a  very sleepy Alfie out, much to his amazement.

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.

Easter Bank Holiday Monday

Saturday. 4.20 p.m. We had another men's breakfast this morning, this time in the restaurant at Dobbie's garden centre in Fenny Stratford. When I had taken Alfie out at around 6 o'clock, there was a mist hanging over Oldbrook Green, but it was still quite bright, but not sunny (well, the sun had barely risen by then. The moon was again shining brightly, more allusions to coins, medals and silver discs as a description seem more than  appropriate.) But when I went out at around 8.35 to drive to Fenny, I found that a thin fog had descended over Milton Keynes.

Some of the men's breakfast members (for want of a better word.) began to arrive. Dobbie's didn't open until 9 o'clock, but when a staff member came and opened the front door, we went inside and made our way to the restaurant. The entire place has been modernized, given a good deal more than a mere lick of paint. In the restaurant, the self-service element has been removed. It used to be one of those restaurants where you took a tray and moved along a counter where you could choose what you wanted to eat and a member of staff served you and then, when you had everything you wanted to eat, you went to a till to pay. You now go to your table and staff come to you, and they take your order, which is written on an iPad this is how your order is made up, and then it's bought to your table.

Monday. 6.40 a.m. It has been raining overnight. There were definitely signs of it when I went out with Alfie. Well, it is a Bank Holiday Monday, and it's surely traditional for rain on a Bank Holiday.

10.15 a.m. It's overcast and drizzling. By which I mean it's a rather paltry, thin sort of rain. Not the sort of weather you would want to go out in, in the traditional British, Bank Holiday visit, to a zoo, stately home or wherever, so it's just a stay-at-home sort of day. Alfie, I'm sure, would love to go out, but as it's a bit wet out, I don't think he'd enjoy it. We will wait and see how the weather develops and then perhaps go out.

I have been to get a few items from Sainsbury's. Fairy washing-up liquid is the main item, but also a few snacks. It wasn't excessively busy. Well, I don't think most people go grocery shopping on Bank Holiday Monday.

Going down on the travellator (moving people carrier? I don't know what you call it. It's what you stand on to get from the car park level below Sainsbury's store.) there is a really annoying recorded voice, which keeps on telling you to 'stand still and hold onto the rail' and, as you approach the top or bottom to 'get ready to push your trolley off the travellator.' It's so repetitive and annoying, done with a female voice. I was thinking, don't people think for themselves? Do we really need to be told the obvious, like this? (I have discussed this sort of thing elsewhere within these blog posts.) It's a bit like 'nanny knows best.' Okay, I know it's to warn you, but surely, any intelligent person can SEE the spot where you either get on the thing, or off (unless, of course, you are short-sighted or 'visually impaired (politically correct usage for 'blind.' The female voice is not only annoying, bossy and over-repetitive. Why not less hectoring? It could have Anne Robinson's voice, she of, 'The Weakest Link.' As you step off, or on, it could say 'You are the weakest link, goodbye!' or a Margaret Thatcher voice, in her rampaging headmistress-style voice. That would be enough to get customers moving. I was wondering if a female voice has the same effect on people compared to that of a male voice. 

2.00 p.m. The rain has ceased, and the sun has been shining, although it hasn't been very warm. As I write this, I can hear the wind roaring around the building.

Easter Week

Thursday. 6.55 a.m. I have a barber's appointment booked this morning at 11.50. It's so easy to book via Central Barber's website, and it means that I go straight to their shop and don't have to wait.

4.10 p.m. I have been to the main shopping centre and had my hair cut at Central Barbers. The young lady who cut my hair had never cut it before. It was done extremely quickly, and then I was back out in the shopping centre. I walked to Marks and Spencer, which is at the opposite end of the shopping centre to Central Barbers. I am somewhat surprised by the new offerings in the men's department. Some really bright colours make a change from the usual bland colours used for most men's clothing, usually greys, browns and anything in between.

There are quite a few new shops taking over spaces of other companies which have either closed down or moved. 

There was a very loud thunderclap later this afternoon, and as I write this, it's pouring rain.

Good Friday. 7.25 a.m. Went out well before 6 o'clock this morning. There was a huge moon hanging in a lightning sky, almost like a vast silver coin.  I would have liked to have taken a photograph of it, but things were changing so fast, it would have been virtually impossible to get back home for either my Canon digital camera or iPhone and if I'd had Alfie with me, it would have been even more difficult to get a photograph. Pity. Alfie and I walked around Oldbrook Green. 

9.10 a.m. We've been for a second circuit around Oldbrook Green. We came across the tiny Yorkie which we see out with her master on several occasions. She's about half Alfie's size. I think she would be called a 'Teacup' Yorkshire Terrier. About the size that Alfie was when we first had him home.

12.25 p.m. I was scheduled to help set up the chairs at church this morning and arrived before 9.30, but it had already been done. Oh well!An amazing Good Friday service this morning. We are a multicultural fellowship, with many different nationalities. A Chinese couple read the Bible, in Mandarin. The English translation was projected on the screen and someone read the English version. The same with another section, read in Jamaican patois. Absolutely amazing! (I shouldn't keep saying that, but it was.)

I got home and then took Alfie out again because the weather was so warm and pleasant.