Fiddlesticks!

 Wednesday. 9.40 a.m. Well, another soggy day in fun city, Milton Keynes. The days are beginning to draw in as autumn catches hold.

The digital thermometer currently reads 24ºC.

I wanted to use my Canon printer, but the ink cartridge was more or less finished. When I attempted to print something the other day, it came out very faint, so I suspected that a replacement was necessary. I have this morning ordered one on the Argos website and gone to collect it after 9. I am now back in the flat, and the cartridge is installed in the printer.

Alfie is asleep in this bed. I am taking him to The Groom Room for an appointment at 11 a.m. I have already put the cage in the back of the car, ready to take him.

7.30 p.m. I came back from taking Alfie to The Groom Room, and hoped to have a cup of tea. I went to the fridge and found it was thawing out. How this happened, I have no idea, but all the contents of the freezer part have thawed and, as a consequence, can't be used. After the incident which happened a few weeks ago, when my chopping board and the handle of my best sharp knife melted because one of the rings on the ceramic surface of my oven was accidentally turned on, this was something which I hoped would never happen. As a result of the oven incident, I now turn the oven off at the wall point, but this doesn't explain how the fridge/freezer was turned off. It means I will have to throw away more or less the entire contents.

Thursday. 2.40 p.m. It's another very autumnal day. It's mild but bright. The digital thermometer currently reads 26ºC.

I have been to Sainsbury's and have bought my shopping home; it has been checked off, and two of the freezer drawers have been cleared out. It's not good to eat food that has been frozen, re-frozen and then thawed, as it would make me ill if I ate it, so I have accepted that it is wasted and put what I bought in Sainsbury's in the freezer.

Friday. 1.45 a.m. I couldn't sleep. Alfie was snoring like crazy and was sleeping on the floor, right in the middle of the threshold of my bedroom. The usual thing that wakes me is a need to visit the bathroom. (A thought: why do Americans always refer to the toilet as the bathroom? It just sounds so pathetic, a euphemism.  A bit like the Victorians covering the legs of furniture. Why don't they just say toilet and be done with it? The other one, said by women, is 'I'm going to powder my nose', when in actual fact, they're going to the loo.) Anyway, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to make myself a coffee and watch something on television. With such things as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and other streaming platforms, you are really spoilt for choice. I went on iPlayer and decided to watch one of my favourite sitcoms, 'My Family', which stars Zoe Wanamaker and Robert Lindsay. The actual sitcom is rather mediocre, but it is the acting of these two which makes it worth watching.

Boxing Day and Beyond. . .

 Thursday. 8 a.m. I went to the Christmas Day service at SCF yesterday morning. It was an hour and there wasn't any tea or coffee as we usually have after our services, so I came straight home afterwards. 

I had my Christmas Dinner at around 5.15. I had purchased all the bits that made it up from Sainsbury's which included a chicken breast (which turned out to have stuffing inside when I began to carve it.) Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, stuffing and bacon. I had bought a ready-made Christmas Pudding, but I decided to have it another day (probably this evening.

Later, I watched the new Wallace and Gromit film, 'Vengeance Most Fowl.' I'm a fan of the work of Aardman Animation, so this was something of a treat. I know it takes years to make an animation film, and probably more work goes into this type of stop-frame animation. It was so inventive and imaginative and hilarious. According to the over-night ratings, it got over 9 million viewers.

Friday. 1.40 p.m. It's been foggy and overcast for the past couple of days. Just typical December weather, I suppose.

Another trip to Sainsbury's this morning. The travelator was not working on the trip up to the store. They seem to have endless problems with this technology, but I can walk up the travelator, which is odd when it doesn't move, but the down one was working.

There seems to be a lot of Christmas stuff left over. Perhaps they should sell off mince pies and Christmas puds at half price, or even less.

All the tenants at Dexter House, including myself, have had letters from the maintenance contractors, Mears, today. Reading down the list of things they are going to do, caught my attention. It reads 'Slip and trip hazard free pathways from external doors to the scooter stores, from the fire exits of the scheme to external gates, and from the scooter stores to the external gates.' Which means, if I am right, but don't hold your breath, they are actually going to do the work, which has been held up for at least 3–4 years! SOMEONE in the hierarchy within Milton Keynes Council, has decided to act on this work, or at least, signed the piece of paper which means that, at last, the work can be done and the electric scooters, which are stored at the moment, in common spaces, for example, the corridors, and were deemed a fire hazard by a fire officer years ago. I have been watching the brilliant sitcom 'Yes, Minister' on BBC iPlayer. This business of the scooter stores seems very much like a storyline straight out of this series. 

Well the work begins on 6th January, so I will report on here how things progress, but don't hold your breath.

Saturday. 9.45 a.m. It's yet another gloomy and overcast day here in Milton Keynes. I see from BBC Breakfast, that vast swaithes of Britain is covered in thick fog, but this area seems to have escaped. There are problems with visability as airports and flights have either been delayed or cancelled. Drivers have been told to be careful on the roads, and, in particular, because visability if poor.

I went to the prayer meeting at SCF this afternoon. A lot of the people who are in the Thursday morning group were there.

Sunday. 7.35 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. There's a bit of fog hanging around although it's thin and is likely to disperse as the day progresses.

Monday. 9.35 a.m. A bit of a misty, rather than a foggy day. Overcast and murky is the best way to describe it.

I found that I was running low with some of my medication, so I decided it would be advisable to put in a repeat prescription. I went on the on-line pharmacy I use, Pharmacy2U or whatever it's called. When you can order, then those medications which you have signed up to a 'clear', but those they say you can't have yet are screened out, being 'greyed out.' As most of my repeat medications were 'clear', I clicked to order. I thought to myself, 'ok, that's done!' and they will arrived in a few days time through the post. But a few days ago, over the Christmas period, I got a text message from my surgery to tell me I had ordered too early. Which bothered me, because, by this time I had finished the Bisoprolol tablets I take, which I think are to control my heart rate and, hopefully, prevent me having a further heart attack. This morning, rather than ringing the surgery, because I knew it would likely take me about 45 minutes for them to respond, hence causing stress, it was far simpler to drive to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and get the medication ordered, which I did. I was concerned that they might not be open, due to the Christmas and New Year holidays. But I needn't have worried, as they were open, and I spoke to a receptionist, who did the order on her computer and I will hopefully receive the medication in a couple of days, maybe a bit longer than usual due to New Year getting in the way.

Anything Goes!

 Wednesday. 8.35 a.m. A bright, but chilly, morning.

Thursday. 8.35 a.m. It's quite frosty and cold this morning. A good deal colder than yesterday morning. The car windows are frozen over, so I have been to scrape some of the ice off, so I can drive to the Oaktree Centre after 9o'clock for our regular Bible study.

I got the printed bank statement with my address on it in the post yesterday morning from Nationwide. I wasn't expecting it, so it means my D.B.S. can be completed at Bridge Builder on Tuesday.

Friday. 10.15 a.m. It's yet another frosty and cold morning, but it's also foggy. You can't see the central shopping centre from my kitchen window, because the fog is so thick. It doesn't look as if it's going to clear at all today.

I am watching David Tennant in the central role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's  production of 'Hamlet.' Patrick Stewart plays Claudius as well as The Ghost. As they are meant to be brothers, it makes sense. It is on the BBC iPlayer, as part of the 400th anniversary celebrations for the publication of the First Shakespeare Folio. There are quite a few programmes on Shakespeare, a three-part drama/documentary on Shakespeare's life, which is very good, and I have discovered a lot of new stuff, one fact being that one of the Gunpowder plotters was a relative of Shakespeare and was executed because of his involvement. Also, a Simon Shama series about the Bard.

I might have mentioned this before, elsewhere in these blog posts, but I am something of a Shakespeare fanatic. I also 'collect' productions of Hamlet. I can't now remember how many I've seen, over the years, besides being an A.S.M. on a production when I was at Liverpool Playhouse in 1971. Carol and I went to see a National Theatre production of the play, which had Rory Kinnear in the central role. I find it intriguing to see how many ways it can be staged. It never seems to lose its power. They have more recently staged what's called 'gender blind' (not sure if that's the right term though.) with Maxine Peake playing Hamlet, although, in that production, I wasn't sure she was a 'he' or 'she'. Thinking about it, having second thoughts, her version might have been transexual. Thinking further, in Shakespeare's time, the female roles would have been played by male youths, because women were forbidden from appearing on stage. Some of the other roles have been gender-swapped, such as Polonius, becoming Polonia. 

Sunday. 12.30 p.m. It is a particularly unpleasant and wet day. I have just returned from the Oaktree Centre. I was scheduled to do tea and coffee, but an entire family were doing just that, so I had time to chat as it was what is called 'Cafe Church', which means there was no workshop, but a time of fellowship. 

My friends Margaret and Mike had invited me to lunch, so I came home to take Alfie out and as I got to my front door, I discovered a parcel, from Evri. It was difficult to read the label because the print was so tiny, so I had to get my reading glasses, but someone had put the wrong address on it. It was for the flat opposite. 

Weekend Writing and Printer Hitches (and other matters)

 Saturday. 4.00 a.m. So, here I am once more, not being able to sleep and feeling really hungry. So I decide to make myself toast and put some of the raspberry conserve on it which I had I bought in Sainsbury's about a week ago. (Incidentally, conserve isn't jam, because it has a higher concentration of fruit compared to jam. I'm not sure of the percentage, but its a good deal higher, which means it's got more fruity flavour.) So, I organize my workspace in the kitchen and get out the toaster and make three slices of bread into, what else? Toast! As well as toast, a mug of tea. Then I go into the lounge and decide, after some consideration, to watch something on BBC iPlayer and watch an old episode of 'W1A', the spoof documentary series which stars Hugh Bonneville amongst other actors. Actually, it's not ''old' in the sense of being old, or ancient, in the sense that it's 30-40 or more years old. If you get what I mean. Or from the BBC archives, such as something by Frankie Howerd or Harry Secombe. I love this show. It's not going to appeal to a lot of people. I think you have to appreciate the wordplay, the dialogue is almost circuitous. People speak in a sort of new speak (the language used in Orwells '1984.' They go to meetings which never seem to produce anything. They have jobs which have titles which don't have any real function. Its management for management's sake. The show is what I think you'd call a docudrama, or, at least a spoof of one. Dramady, (ie: Drama/comedy.) David Tennant does a rather fine job of providing the voice-over, which is what you always get in these 'reality' documentaries. Even that has a hint of mangled words, and twisted language, for want of a better word. It's interesting that he is used as he does a lot of genuine voice-over work on other 'real' documentaries, which gives a sort of realism to the fiction.

7.15 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. We did the obligatory circuit of Oldbrook Green and I now have 2480 sets registered on my FitBit. It's quite chilly, and we have been warned, on BBC Breakfast, that its going to become colder over the next few days, and there will even be snow in parts of the United Kingdom.

10.10 a.m. I have given Alfie a bath! He was getting rather smelly, and it seemed a good idea to clean him up. He goes for a haircut on 23rd March, which is quite a long time to wait. I have to organize things before he goes in the bath, for example, closing the bedroom door, because I don't want a wet dog on my bed. I have to take off his harness and collar before he goes in the water. I run a few inches of warm water into the bath before he goes in and use a plastic jug, bought for the purpose, to rinse off the shampoo, which is a product intended for use when bathing dogs. It doesn't create too much lather, which is easy to rinse off. I also use the shower, taking off the device which fits on the wall, to help rinse off the lather. He was filthy and the water showed how dirty he was. I think he likes being made a fuss off, particularly when I work the shampoo into his coat. Once he's washed, he comes out of the bath and I towel him dry, as much as possible, but, like all dogs who get wet, he shakes himself to take off most of the water. I then gave him a bit of a brush, and he's now settled down on the sofa, smelling a good deal better than before the bath!

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. Alfie came to me in bed and keep staring at me. I didn't pick up what he was doing and why, but then I thought he might need to go out. He barked, so I confined him to the lounge by closing the door and then went into the bathroom to get dressed. By the time I came out, dressed and ready to go out, I realized he'd had a 'little accident' on the floor. I managed to clear it up, and I now realize that the treats I gave him might have had 'consequences' such as the accident. Then I scooped him up, and we went out and onto the grass alongside Strudwick Drive. 

I have completed the transfer of the handwritten piece of writing onto word processing. I wanted to read it on a printed copy, so I set up the MacBook and the Canon printer, but the printer steadfastly refused to function. So, we're back on the 'dysfunctional printer' mode, which I thought had been rectified with the new Canon, but obviously not. I have a feeling that it might be possible to sort this out by resetting the printer, by whatever means, like a factory reset. I have attempted, but during this, the printer decided to print out two copies of what I had wanted. How, I don't know, as it wasn't connected to the Wi-Fi or the MacBook. I think it may have been enabled because the printer would supposedly have all the print data stored within itself and so could print those two copies. There is no other explanation for this. But I have now managed to read the print copy of the new piece of writing, and I am more than pleased with it and now I can continue with my writing. But still, the printer is causing a headache.

4.25 p.m. I'm watching the 'Great British Pottery Throw Down, which is on Channel 4, but I watch via catch-up. I'm not a great lover of some of the competitions on television, especially 'Strictly Come Dancing.' It's too hyped for my liking and anything with so-called 'celebrities' is a turn-off and some of the things which the judges say can be really nasty. That's not so with the pottery 'Throw Down.' No celebrities in sight, and the judges don't come out with nasty comments. Having attempted pottery at college, I found it very difficult to throw anything on a wheel and didn't succeed with it. I'm better at other areas of art, photography and creative writing are my thing.

Late Night

Thursday 13th January.1.05 a.m. Here I am at my MacBook, which seems to be working relatively well, allowing me to sit and write this blog post. Another case of not being able to sleep. I have been doing domestic chores, washing up last night's things from making my meal and generally tidying the kitchen. I don't like having piles of dirty plates, pots and pans left in the sink. I think it goes back to being a temp and doing kitchen jobs in various units around Bedford in the 1990s. Kept the bills paid and a rich source of material for my writing. 

There is noise outside. I think it's on or around Oldbrook Green. The sound of what I think is a motorbike or scooter. Revving engines and bursts of engine noise. At this time of night, it shouldn't be allowed. People want to sleep, so why aren't the police intervening and preventing it? It's really not acceptable.

7.15 p.m. I have been to get my hair cut at Central Barbers this morning. I had booked online yesterday, which made it a good deal easier, even paying. I will have to get Alfie booked in at The Groom Room as he is in real need of a haircut himself.

10.25 p.m. Another sleepless night. Does it really matter? Not really. I've been watching an episode of 'My Family', the BBC sitcom with Robert Lindsey and Zoe Wanamaker. All the episodes are on iPlayer and I'm working though all the episodes. It's not exactly the most original of sitcoms, but it's their acting and general involvement which lifts it out of the rut of a lot of what you'd call studio sitcoms into something special. I think it's their chemistry as actors which makes it.  If I have a niggle with it, how come their son, Nick, played by Kris Marshall, who must be in his 20's, is still living at home and doesn't have a proper job? His career has certainly taken off since he was in this show, which finished production in around 2010, plus or minus a year or so, and has since starred in such television shows as 'Death In Paradise'.   There is virtually no sitcom on terrestrial television that comes anywhere near the quality of this show, and certainly no as there used to be once upon a time, or, say, the standard of something like 'Fawlty Towers' or 'The Good Life.' They used to make sitcoms in small batches, of, say, six or seven.  Modern television seems to demand a run of perhaps twenty or more episodes, rather in the fashion of American television. They usually write their shows with a group of writers and not with a single writer or even a couple of writers, which is how 'Steptoe and Son' was written by Galton and Simpson. In fact, generally, television has become really dull and unimaginative, something I've discussed elsewhere on this blog.

Friday. 10.15 a.m. Some dear soul in one of the flats beneath me is coughing. It isn't for a short period, but going on continuously. I have an idea it's because they smoke. So I have to be sympathetic so someone with a cough who smokes? No, definitely not. It's self-inflicted. Why not merely get some cough sweets to suck or some cough mixture of some sort or just drink something to relieve it. It's just becoming annoying and interrupting my writing and general peace and quiet.

I've done my washing for the week. Friday is always washing day. I had the machine on a good deal earlier than normal, around 7.30. I have purchased a garment steamer and I've been trying it out on one of my Marks and Spencer polo shirts. It certainly does it's job and gets rid of any wrinkles in a garment and saves having to get the ironing board out, plug in the iron and the stand and iron. I'm fine doing this job, but it still takes a lot of effort. 

Quite sunny and bright out, but frosty when I took Alfie out. 

Welcome To 2022!

Sunday 2nd January. Here we are, Christmas the  New Year are over and a brand-new year. I just only hope that it can be better than the past two years. Being cooped up in a small flat with just a small Yorkshire Terrier isn't really my idea of any sort of life. Although I should just point out that Alfie has been and is still an excellent little companion, although he has become very demanding, probably because we spend so much time together.

 It doesn't seem like a week has flown by since we went to Worcester for the Christmas weekend. We left on the Friday morning (Christmas Eve) and came back on Sunday (Boxing Day.) It was quite foggy on the motorway, but we made good time, arriving in Worcester just after midday. The three grandsons, George, Eddie and Arthur, were watching my arrival through the window as I drew up. I am called 'Grandad and Alfie Dog' almost as if we are an attached couple, although in some ways I suppose we are. Alfie just doesn't understand young children, probably because they move around faster than the average adult, have higher pitched voices and have a tendency to grab and stroke. This is entirely understandable since we have been leading a somewhat simple life since the pandemic and definitely since Carol's death. Chloe and Steve put a childproof stair gate across the entrance to the utility room, which is off the kitchen at their house in Worcester. Alfie had his bed, water and food if he needed to have a feed and the back door could be opened so he could get out into the garden. He did not like it, although he did settle down eventually and made little noise, but we did let him come out and wander around the house once the children went to bed in the evening. During this time he was quiet and seemed far more settled, wandering around after me like a shadow, even following me to the toilet.

We came home on Sunday afternoon and got back to the flat at around 5 o'clock. I'm so glad I didn't leave any later as I didn't want to drive on the Motorway in the dark, or at least, in reduced light. I'm not too keen driving in lights. On both the journey out and the journey back home I needed to stop at the  Moto Cherwell Valley service area. I had a need to use the toilets. It's a long walk into the building where all the shops and restaurants are. But it fulfilled my needs and I was soon back in the car completing the journey. Alfie is quiet minutes after being placed in the cage in the rear of the car, with the parcel shelf down which must make it dark, and he feels safe. But as soon as I draw the car up in a carpark or the drive at home, he starts barking and getting excited. 

Monday 3rd January. 11.00 a.m. I have turfed out the Christmas tree, which has been shedding it's needles for the past week or so and consequently looking somewhat thin and a real mess. I then vacuumed up the needles and have since given the floor a mop with the Vax steamer, and it's beginning to look a good deal better for the work it has entailed. 

For some unaccountable reason, my Panasonic Free view box stopped connecting to the internet. Without this connection, you cannot get any of the catch-up services such as BBC iPlayer to work or Netflix or other streaming services to work via this piece of kit. I had problems with it a few months ago. I simply wouldn't connect via Wi-Fi. I bought some cable from Amazon and used that to connect directly via the Wi-Fi hub. Furthermore, I attempted to reconnect via the hub once I got my Sky upgrade, and duly reconnected the cable via the back of the hub and into the Panasonic box. I seemed fine for a week or so, but then it decided to stop. I have since reconfigured the wifi connection with the new hub and used the password, and it now works. The thing was just being difficult for the sake of it, but at least it's working, thankfully. Yet another problem solved.

Soggy Saturday!

(Saturday)It was a bit of surprise to myself and Alfie, to find it was raining when we ventured forth at 7.30 this morning. Alfie wasn't keen, as I expected, but we soon got back inside after a bit of a soggy walk. I think I've been rather hasty in suggesting, in my last blog post, that spring was on the horizon. It's certainly not particularly spring-like today, with snow falling and being cold and positively wet and soggy underfoot. Never mind. Just have to put up with the weather.

I'm watching my fair share of television. No need to say why. The lockdown has meant I have more than enough television to watch. With Netflix and Amazon Video and something in the region of 20,000 hours of 'on-demand' material on BBC iPlayer and other services, we're spoilt for choice. 

How childish and pathetic! The EU is upset that we got our vaccine registered by the relevant medication agency and rolled out (I've already had my first injection of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine.) and can't get their own vaccine rolled out fast enough because of all the red tape that this crazy bloc has in the way. They have attempted to stop the vaccine being exported to the UK, and in particular, Norther Ireland. Just shows how unnecessary the EU is and I'm so glad we've left and can go our own way. They sound like spoilt little children in the playground who can't get their own way, so they have a temper-tantrum. Sour grapes more likely. 

This morning we had a Zoom Men's Breakfast. It was the first meeting of any sort for this group, which I have been part of for around two years. Not a 'breakfast' in the sense that we could enjoy a cooked fry-up of bacon, egg, sausage, tomato, beans, mushrooms, hashbrowns etc etc, but it was great to have a chat, even though Alfie couldn't understand why he wasn't getting attention (as usual!) We hope to be able to meet up at the Oaktree Centre for a proper breakfast and fellowship in the not-too distant future, depending, of course, on the lockdown restrictions.

i took Alfie out as soon as the Zoom meeting was over. It was raining slightly, mixed in with a flurry of snow. Alfie was extremely reluctant to stay out and really wanted to go home as soon as he could. I felt the same, to be honest.

I have watched a documentary on All4, the Channel 4 'on demand' service, their equivalent to BBC iPlayer. It was a documentary series called 'Time Signs,' which was presented by Mick Aston, who went on to be an archeologist on 'Time Team.' I think this series, which began in 1991 and ran for a couple of series, was the forerunner of 'Time Team,' which ran for more than 20 years and was very much responsible for my interest in archaeology and history. Mick Aston is best remembered for his brightly-coloured striped jumpers and somewhat unkempt appearance. He was extremely knowledgeable and there wasn't much he didn't know about his subject.

The post arrived really late today, around 4.10p.m. No doubt they will say it's 'because of the pandemic,' or something equally lame. No real excuse if you ask me. I've been trying to get Legal and General to contact me regarding a life insurance policy I have with them. I had an email (I think it was an email and not a letter.)informing me that they had written to me, but the letter was returned by the Post Office. I don't think they had my new address (it's quite difficult to make sure everyone has your new address when you move, although I had set up a 'redirection' account with the Post Office, but I think it was only for six months.) Anyway, I replied via email (this must have been at least four months ago.) and heard nothing. I have absolutely no idea what the letter was likely to be about. I attempted to get into my account on the L and G website, but it just would not work. It ended up with the system saying they'd send me a password in the post, which came the other day, but even then it would not work, so I couldn't see any mail that was likely to have been addressed to me and sent. I then emailed and I have responded to it with my telephone number so someone is going to ring me. All I can say is, what a performance!? What on earth . . .etc etc.

On another note, very similar in some ways. I have mentioned that I had my first covid vaccination a couple of weeks ago, at my doctor's surgery. I get a letter in the post this afternoon, inviting me to book an appointment for the second injection. I can ring a number or use their website. Which I decide to do, as it's a good deal easier. Or so I thought. Having got into the site, I put my postcode into the system, with the idea of finding a vaccine centre. All it came up with was centres miles from Milton Keynes, one in Biggleswade (the other side of Bedford) and even some in London. Ridiculous. No sign of my doctor's surgery in Milton Keynes. At the end of the letter it says 'if you've had the first vaccine, ignore this letter. The NHS will contact you when it's time for your second dose.' I have to wait until my surgery contacts me. So, why waste time, money and resources writing to me in the first place? This shows how the NHS wastes time and resources on this sort of thing. No wonder it's struggling financially. Over top-heavy with bureaucracy. 

Lockdown Changes

(Monday)The government is changing the slogan regarding coronavirus advice from 'stay at home' to 'stay alert,' and now people are saying that the public will be 'puzzled' by the change? How? Is it just more nanny state? Do we really take notice of slogans, almost what you get for brands, sound bites, for example, for Sainsbury's it's  'making life taste better'  and with Tesco it's 'every little helps' or for KFC, 'Finger licking' good.' Are we sucked in to this sort of stuff? I don't honestly think so. It's politicising this pandemic just to score points. We know that the government has made mistakes, but it's understandable, and whatever they do is going to be criticised and the BBC is the worst offender. Just listen to the questions thrown at by the BBC reporters during the daily press conferences to the politicians and science advisers. Always attempting to make trouble just to make a story, to stir up trouble. Never anything positive, almost always negative. Which ever party was in government, there would always be some sort of mistake, we haven't been down this road before in living memory, when did we have a lockdown because of a pandemic like this? It's totally new territory.

I am attempting to encourage Alfie to go out a good deal later and we have done up until now, so we went out at gone 7.30 this morning and he didn't seem to object, thankfully, so I get a bit longer in bed.

The weather was bright and sunny this morning, but as the day progressed it became windy and wet. Fortunately I went on a further photography expedition early enough to avoid the rain which swept in around lunchtime. I have watched a further episode of 'The A Word' via BBC iPlayer and have done some more work on my writing. Research rather than actual pen-to-paper and uploaded some more photographs onto Facebook. I kept an eye of the weather and we went out for another walk but no sooner had Alfie realised that it was wet and not to his liking, he turned tail and took me home. He just doesn't appreciate rain at any price.

(Tuesday) A good deal brighter and warmer this morning.

I've been looking around on the internet for shorts. I wanted another pair and went on the Weird Fish website as a result of reading one of their emails. I have ordered cargo shorts in a light beige colour. The extra pockets will be useful for change, spare batteries or small items when I'm out and about with the camera.

I haven't been out to give the car a run for the past couple of days so I've driven down Chaffron Way as if I was going to Camphill (I wish I was because it's Tuesday and I would have been going there under different circumstances.) I went past Waitrose and was about to turn into the entrance but then decided that there was likely to be a 40-minute wait because of the queuing arrangements. By the time I turned off at the roundabout near Oakgrove school, I decided to have a look near the carpark and I found nobody queueing so I parked the car and went in as I needed more fruit and some sweets. Just can't resist a Rownstree's fruit pastille. I drove off along Brickhill Street and then onto Childs Way and then back onto Chaffron Way and up towards Morrison's at Westcroft and then round the roundabout and back to Oldbrook and home. At least its keeping the car battery charged up and preventing it from needing a jump start which is what I'm attempting to avoid.

(Wednesday) I'm writing this at 6.60a.m. I've been reading The Age of Decadence by Simon Heffer. I think I've mentioned this book and the earlier book by the same historian/suthor before in earlier blog posts. I'm reading the chapter on Edwardian literature, covering such authors as Conan-Doyle, H.G.Wells, Rudyard Kipling and Arnold Bennett. I've read Conan-Doyle, as I love Sherlock Holmes, and the Granada Television adaptations which starred Jeremy Brett as Holmes. I actually worked as a supporting artiste on one of those episodes, 'The Man With The Twisted Lip.' I did see the Benedict Cumberbatch modernised version, which was cleverly done, but it did become somewhat self indulgent in the later episodes. In that respect I'm a bit of a purist and prefer the stories set in the era they were originally set. I have read most of Well's novels, 'The Time Machine,' 'The Invisible Man' and 'The First Men In The Moon,' but none of what are described as 'romantic,' 'Kipps,' (The basis for the musical 'Half A Sixpence.') 'Ann Veronica,' and  'The History of Mr Polly.' Perhaps I should buy them in paperback and give them a go. Also, the 'Clayhanger' novels by Bennett. I think perhaps it's time that television did adaptations of them, that is, if we are to get fresh interperetatons of period novels, not the somewhat over warmed adaptations of Jane Austen which have now been done to death.

Pandemic Continues

Well, I'm awake at 2.10a.m. It's Wednesday morning, 22nd April. Each day, during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown is merging one day into another. Each day is becoming very much the same as the last and then the next. I couldn't sleep, so I got up to make myself a cup of tea. I turn on the television and, would you believe, someone attempting to sell me a Rug Doctor and telling me it can get rid of all that deep-down dirt, even bacteria. What about viruses? I doubt it. Live television is just boring. There's no excuse moaning about daytime television, constant programmes about antiques, people attempting to sell their house, because they've got more money than sense, so they decide to move to darkest Somerset, Dorset or Yorkshire. Selling their 2-bed semi in Maidenhead, because the kids have flown the nest and they've discovered the house is worth silly money. Then, they eventually move to the country and then discover that the nearest Tesco is a forty-minute drive from their new home, the mobile signal is weak and there's no broadband and that their family doesn't want to visit them, necessitating the new house having too many bedrooms with en suite bathrooms for them to stay in and they don't like being woken at 4a.m by the sound of bleating sheep or cockerels crowing, nor the fact that, if they do decide to drive to Tesco or the nearest town to buy a wooly jumper when it gets cold, they have to get stuck behind a tractor and trailer, crawling along at 5 miles per hour and there's now way they can overtake because the roads are narrow and there's nowhere you can safely overtake.

What I'm saying is, you don't have to put up with all this daytime stuff, just there to fill up space in the schedule. Come on, you've got catch-up television, BBC iPlayer, which has a rich variety of back-catalogue material to whet your appetite, not just more recent stuff, on their from the previous day, but some of it going back several years. (Oher catch-up services are available, such as ITV Hub, as well as streaming services such as Netflix and the newest service, Britbox. Then there's Amazon Prime video.) I scrolled through what was available on BBC iPlayer. There's stuff from the last few days and months, but it seems the BBC has realised that it has a great back catalogue of material which it can upload to iPlayer because people are relying on television for entertainment because of having to stay at home due to the lockdown. Channel 4 has box sets of their own stuff and, as something of a fan of Time Team, there's virtually every episode of that to watch. I have seen two of the first episodes of the original series and I'm shocked that Tony Robinson looks so young! Not surprising as it started in the early 1990's. I watched 'Scarborough,' the new BBC1 sitcom set in the Yorkshire seaside town. Having visited Scarborough on a couple of occasions and done a month in a summer season at the Spa Theatre, I know it reasonably well. This sitcom has a certain reality about it, probably because it's shot on location and it has characters what you can relate to and a good mix of ages, not all young and they have cast older actors such as Stephanie Cole who is probably best know for shows such as Tenko, Waiting For God, Doc Martin and Open All Hours. There isn't the usual studio audience cackling away in the background which there seems no real point in having and wouldn't really work in a show like this. I think she would be described as a character actor, as she can take on a wide range of parts and not get tied to a 'type.' It has a sharp script and the author, Darren Little,obviously has a keen ear for dialogue.

So, it's now 5.15.m., and I'm somewhat bored and still can't sleep, hence sitting and writing this. It's getting light outside and I've done the washing-up and the kitchen is sparkling clean. I'm finding things to keep myself occupied and I've even done the one job I detest above all others, changed the bedding. Putting a duvet cover on is one of the worst jobs but at least it's done and it can go in the wash later this afternoon.

(Thursday) I'm awake earlier than yesterday. It's 4.45, although I was awake far earlier. I've been reading my book, 'The Age of Decadence' by Simon Heffer, covering the period 1880 to 1914. A thick book of some 750 or possibly more pages and written in amazing detail. I have washed up in the kitchen and even had a shave and I have just learnt from the BBC website that social restrictions are likely to go on for the rest of the year. If that's the case, we're just going to have to get used to it, although I'm not sure how church is going to cope and how many people are going to cope if that's how things are likely to remain.

I've done the washing up as well as some other housework. I mentioned yesterday that I'd changed the duvet and bedding. The excitement is too much (irony here) and it's washed and back in the airing cupboard.

I watched the Globe Theatre production of 'Romeo and Juliet,' which is one of the free-to-view theatre productions being streamed via YouTube. I enjoyed it, plenty of good sword fights (I noticed, the fights were arranged by Malcolm Ranson, who was an A.S.M. or at least on the stage management team when I was an A.S.M. at Greenwich Theatre in the early 1970's.) This production had plenty of energy, good chemistry between the actors playing Romeo and Juliet and I loved the use of live music and the singing to underline some of the action. They really brought out the comedy some of which is actually quite raunchy, particularly the way The Nurse is treated. She is usually played by a much older actor  but in this production she is a good deal younger than usual.

I have been watching another episode of one of my favourite, and I think probably the best sitcoms, 'Outside Edge.' I have mentioned it somewhere on here in the past. It was made during the 1990s, by the now defunct ITV company, Central, and is based on the stage play of the same name. It revolves around a village cricket team, although not entirely about cricket (thank goodness, as I can't stand it. Memories of school enough to put me off entirely, unfortunately.) It has Brenda Blethyn and Robert Daws as one couple and Timothy Spall and  Josie Lawrence as two sets of married couples (there are others, but these two are the central characters.) I just think it's brilliant, and not your classic 'sitcom' in the sense that it's not set in a house, no sofas and no cackling studio audience and it's filmed on location which gives it a more realistic feel. I don't know how many episodes there where, but the one I saw earlier would seem to be one I haven't seen before, where the Timothy Spall and Josie Lawrence characters are set to re-take their wedding vows and it's all arranged, everyone is in church ready, and they can't make it to the church because they're in the loft of the lady who lives next door, attempting to find her cat which has decided to get itself stuck. As usual in a sitcom, there are complications and misunderstandings, but it ends up sorting itself out as any decent and respectable comedy should. The recent comedy I mentioned in an earlier blog post, 'Scarborough' is similar in that it doesn't have a studio audience and it's filmed on location. Brenda Blethyn is in an ITV sitcom, set, again, in a seaside town (why so many sitcoms set in seaside towns?) called 'Kate and Koji' and set in a café, although, having watched the first two episodes, I can't say I'm that impressed. It tries to hard and it's not particularly funny or well written. One-set, not particularly interesting group of characters and the storylines aren't that brilliant either.

I ordered some clip files and permanent marker pens from Staples. They don't have a bricks-and-mortar presence any more and the Milton Keynes branch closed some while ago. I went on line to order these items and was expecting them to be delivered in a week or two because of the pandemic and was a little surprised to see the delivery van draw up outside when I looked out of the window. I always ensure that I get the address correct when I order, but the driver thought the address was for another house in Dexter Avenue, so I went down to the front door and got the parcel.

Later. I've just been out with Alfie. As we were walking along Strudwick Drive on our way to Oldbrook Green, Alfie was surprised to see a cat in the garden of Dexter House, through the metal gate which is used by the mowers when they come to cut the grass. The cat was only a few feet inside the garden and laying in the sun, as cats seem to do, and Alfie pulled on his lead and refused to move, and began barking, but the cat steadfastly refused to budge an inch. I had to insist on Alfie moving away, but it took quite an effort of get him away from the gate.

Arriving at the other side of Oldbrook Boulevard, I noticed a group of youths playing football, or at least, some ball game, on the area of tarmac which is partially enclosed by fencing, and to me they didn't appear to be obeying the social distancing regulations.

Friday. I'm watching the National Theatre 'Twelfth Night' which is being streamed free on YouTube. A very clever staging, using the revolve and Tamsin Greig is absolutely amazing as Malvolia. A really stunning performance. Too good to miss. I know the play from doing it for 'O' Level and to degree level. When I first got to know Carol (we met on line.) and she was teaching at Stantonbury. she had to teach Twelfth Night and had no idea how to plan lessons, so I helped because of my knowledge of the play. I have seen quite a few productions over the years (if you know me I have a bit of an obsession about Shakespeare, from the historical as well as the literary angle.). But this one is a real knock-out.

Lockdown!

(Friday) Another sunny but frosty morning here in Milton Keynes. I've been up since 4.30. Nothing unusual in that, because I can do plenty of things. I started watching a documentary about the Normans which was on BBC iPlayer. It was presented by Sam Willis, and showed the use of a variety of weaponry as used by and introduced by the Normans. I didn't watch all of it and paused it and finished watching when I got up. A really interesting documentary and well worth watching. Made a lot of what else is on, such as soaps such as EastEnders or Coronation Street or endless reality shows such as Big Brother look pathetic and irrelevant, this is what the BBC does best. I think that, if you've read my earlier blog posts, you will know how I feel about EastEnders. A bit like sticking pins in your eyeballs. Just hateful and miserable. Why waste your time watching such misery when there's better stuff elsewhere, a lot on iPlayer? The BBC never seems to trail this sort of stuff and it's hidden away on BBC Four. Go on iPlayer and you will actually find quite a lot of archive stuff which is worth looking at.

I begin to wonder if the BBC, or at least, those who are entrusted with it's administration, have forgotten the first Director General, John Reith's mantra that the BBC should "Educate, inform and entertain." The guiding principles of what is known as Public Service Broadcasting. Too much of the 'entertain' and certainly plenty of informing going on but far too much 'entertaining.' Far too much dross being shown. Stuff that should be only available on commercial channels.

(Saturday) The excitement is getting too much! Scrolling endlessly on Facebook. People are desperate, putting trivia on social media. The effects of this 'lockdown' must be having some sort of effect on people. It is; just trying to keep busy, but, if you are stuck at home, not being able to work, then anything is better than nothing, so scrolling through Facebook and putting senseless stuff on your profile is one way of relieving boredom.

We had church on-line via Facebook on Sunday and will continue to do so every Sunday until this pandemic is finished. There is also the chance to use another on-line site called Zoom, which is intended for conferencing, similar in some ways to eater Skype or FaceTime, but which allows up to 100 people to communicated at one time and we will be using it for a communion service in a few weeks time.

There's quite a lot of free resources currently on-line, such as theatre productions, notably the National Theatre, putting what were recorded productions which were originally screened in cinemas on line through YouTube, 'One Man, Two Guvnors', with James Corden in the lead, which is loosely based on the Goldoni play, 'The Servant of Two Masters.' I had wanted to see this when it was originally staged, but never got a chance, so now I will be able to see it. These productions will be available to view on Thursdays, via YouTube.

I was supposed to have been going to an archeology conference near Peterborough today, but it has been cancelled, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disappointing, I know, but I have just learned that I can do a free on-line archaeology course though something called 'Dig Ventures,' so that should more or less replace that 'live' event. It obviously can't entirely replace something which is 'live,' but at the moment, with the way things are, certainly better than nothing and it should keep me busy when it's not possible to meet people face-to-face in the 'real' world.

I have been attempting to change the time on my Casio G-Shock digital watch. It's very complicated trying to move on the time by an hour. I have had this watch for around 5 years and have always found it difficult to reset this watch. I found a video on YouTube, but even then it was a bit of an effort. I have now managed to reset the thing, but I think, because it's supposed to reset it set using a radio signal from the nuclear clock near Rugby, I think it did it anyway. The date seems to have reset automatically.

Technical Problems and Medication

I've been having technical problems with my Panasonic Freeview set-top box. I think I've mentioned that I replaced Sky with Freeview. It made sense, because I didn't get the best value from their service and it was costing quite a bit for the privilege of having their service, and Freeview is, well, free. The new set-top box has been working perfectly successfully, but they keep on upgrading the software (I presume that's what it does, you keep getting messages to do this and then when you try to find channels, they have moved them around or added new ones. Somewhat annoying.) But after one up-grade, for some reason or other the box wouldn't connect by wi-fi to the internet router, which meant that I couldn't use the catch-up facility which it has, so couldn't use BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub and all the other similar services.  No amount of fiddling with the various settings would re-connect to the router. I have now got it working again, not connecting via wi-fi, but by connecting a cable to the box and plugging it in to the router. The cable purchased from Amazon and ordered on Thursday and delivered yesterday evening. One of the advantages of having Amazon Prime, you get next-day delivery on virtually all that they sell. The Freeview box is now working as it should and I'm enjoying watching a lot of archive material on the BBC iPlayer.

I recently up-graded my Fire Stick to one which now has Alexa voice control. This was bought for half-price during Amazon's Black Friday period, so it seemed a good enough excuse to get one. Not only do you get the range of video material but by using Alexa you can have games, which are voice-operated. I was surprised how easy it was to set up and get running. I'm really glad that I bought this when I did.

I have mentioned that I had been prescribed Sertraline and Temazepam. The first is a anti-depressant and the second is a sleeping tablet. I took the Temazepam for only a couple of nights but found that there were unpleasant side-effects. I don't think it helped me sleep, even though I had a hot bath and a hot-milky drink before going to bed. I still wake at around 4a.m. and was then unable to return to sleep, but the next morning I felt really nauseous and got horrible shakes, which didn't go off completely until around midday. I stopped taking it a day or two before I was due to drive to Worcester for Christmas, because I don't think I would have been safe to drive the car.

Later. I took Alfie out for his usual early-morning walk, walking along Strudwick Drive and across Oldbrook Boulevard and I couldn't help seeing 'that woman' who stands in the road stopping cars and asking for money. This must be the sixth time I've seen her. I was keen to get back to Dexter House without the possibility of her stopping me or even following me back. She's dressed the same way as she has been before, tidily dressed, wearing dark trousers or leggings, a short top, like a bomber jacket, has short-copped hair, mousy-coloured, aged mid 40's early 50's, height around 5' 8. When I got back to the flat I rang 101 and told the Police of this woman, because I'm concerned for her safety, either getting run over or even stabbed by someone (unfortunately these things happen.) She must live somewhere nearby in Oldbrook and presumably in a residential home for people with either learning disabilities or mental health issues. If so (and it seems more than likely.) she must have a key worker or at least a support worker, or even a social worker who would look after her care.

Later still. Having sorted out the Freeview box (as explained above.) the Fire Stick was playing up on Sunday evening. It would not connect to the wi-fi router. I could not get a connection until I restarted it (having gone to the Amazon site and searching for 'help.' This worked and it soon joined the wi-fi router and the problem was solved.

Telephone Troubles

My Diazepam tablets ran out yesterday. I am only given them in batches of 10. This is because they can become addictive and sometimes, if taken regularly, your body gets used to them and they become ineffective. I had to ring Ashfield Medical Centre this morning to at least get a doctor's appointment to either give me a repeat prescription or give me an alternative that have the same effect. They help me sleep and I'm not lying awake in bed at 2.30a.m. with all my problems going through my head, the biggest one being when will the D.W.P. sort out the possible pension that Carol had when she lived and worked in Bournemouth and the fact that I'm not being paid my full rent through Housing Benefit. With this in mind I began ringing at around 8.25 and eventually got through at 8.35. I'm still uncertain what time they are supposed to open the lines, because, before they answer, you just get a sort of engaged tone. Then, when I did eventually get through, there were no more than four other people in the queue in front of me. That infernal music you have to endure has changed, when you are put on hold, and the woman's voice who tells you 'we have a high volume of calls at the moment,' and 'sorry for keeping you waiting,' sounds less angry. Why did she sound so angry to me and similar to the voice of Shula in the BBC radio soap 'The Archers'? Sorry, but to me she does, and it's almost as if this 'voice' has a sort of tone to it suggesting, 'get off my line, I'm busy, and I don't want to be disturbed!' Then I eventually got to be first in the queue and I was ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO A HUMAN! what ever is the world coming to? I explained why I was ringing and then was told I should have rung another number for repeat prescriptions, which opened after 11a.m. Having given my date of birth and then name (I suppose they have to do this, so as to make sure that they're dealing with the right patient and that you don't get someone else's medications and it would no doubt be a contravention of G.D.P.R. (General Data Protection Regulation, yet another E.U.-imposed bit imposed legislation which I bet hasn't been voted on democratically in the E.U. parliament and no doubt invented by some faceless bureaucrat, or am I just being a pessimist?) I said that, because it wasn't on a repeat list, as are all my heart medications, I should perhaps have an appointment with one of the doctors to discuss this, also, how I was coping with taking the Diazepam, any side-effects etc etc. So, at the end of the conversation I was left none the wiser and hopefully going to get a call-back from one of the doctors when she told me that she would pass the information on to the duty doctor who was assigned to deal with appointments, once he or she had heard what the appointment was about.

There's absolutely no certainty at what time the call-back from the doctor is going to be. I can be barely an hour or two, but it was getting nearer and nearer to midday when they still hadn't returned my call. I went upstairs and was laying on my bed when the phone rang and I ran downstairs to the phone in the hall (that is, the landline phone) and picked up the phone, expecting it to be one of the doctors with the awaited ring-back. It wasn't. A foreign-sounding woman with an Oriental sound to it, telling me she was 'from the Windows department' which immediately rang bells, as I could tell it wasn't a curtesy call. I know, from  really nasty experience, that all these calls are a scam, they just want to get into your computer system and hack your details, bank account numbers and so on. I told her I knew it was a scam and told her to get off my phone and all I got back was a load of expletives F you B . . . F you B . . .  F you B . . . which told me all I needed to know, so I immediately put the telephone down. You know the old saying 'once bitten, twice shy,' which is about all you need to know. For a  start, no sooner had she said she was from the Windows department and that 'there's a problem with your computer,' I knew it was a scam because I don't have a Windows computer. End of story.

I had another of these 'scam' calls, this time on my iPhone. I can't see where they get my number, landline or mobile. I don't intentionally give my numbers out and they shouldn't actually be phoning me because I'm signed up to the preference service which is supposed to stop these unsolicited calls. Then there are those calls that, when you pick them up, nobody answers and there's just a long silence until you get this weird 'good bye,' at the end. What is that all about?

Later I got yet another call, from of all people, Sky. They knew that I had closed down my Sky Television account and even gone as far as sending back the Q Box and all the paraphernalia that went with it, including the cables and the two remotes. Sky sent the packaging, very cleverly posted in a flat-pack format and you have to assemble it yourself and use peel-off adhesive strips to keep it all together, along with pre-paid postage labels. But I wasn't swayed by the marketing tactics of the young man on the other end of the phone. I said I now had Freeview and I had no intention of resubscribing, basically because of the cost and the fact that I didn't need even half of the channels. Apart from that, the Panasonic Freeview box I now have is perfectly adequate. It allows you to record and also you can use catch-up with such things as BBC iPlayer, as well as having a dedicated Netflix button and if you look carefully, such things as YouTube and even Amazon Prime video, which means you don't need to set up the Fire Stick which can be quite touch and go whether it will work properly.

Thunder In The Night

It was exceptionally hot yesterday (Thursday) as I said in my last blog post. I found it really difficult to sleep last night and came downstairs to read. I've found something to watch through the BBC's iPlayer, the original television version of 'House of Cards,' which was something I did a lot of Supporting work on in the 1990's. So I shall have to watch and see if I can remember what I did in it. I was a journalist with a group of other S.A's (Supporting Artistes) in quite a few scenes filmed over the course of several weeks all around London. It stars Ian Richardson who plays Francis Urquhart. Actually, his name was something of a problem, because it had to be pronounced 'Urcart,' with the end sort of silent. If that makes sense. Nobody spoke in our group, well, you don't when you do Walk-On work. You're not employed to speak and you have no lines, although we did have to make crowd noises, sort of 'rhubarb, rhubarb' noises, indistinct crowds sounds, no distinct lines as you would if you were an actor playing a part.

Then I heard thunder. Hopefully things would be relieved by rain. Another loud clap and it did rain, but not as torrential as I would have hoped. It didn't last longer, no more than a minute or two. I just hope we get more rain today (Friday.) First thing this morning it's been overcast, not as if it was going to rain, but just cool enough to not be overbearingly hot and pleasant enough to take Alfie for his by now obligatory early-morning walk around Eaglestone Park.

As I've explained in an earlier blog post, we're currently applying to Milton Keynes Council for Housing Benefit. It would be a smooth process if only I could contact our landlord as they need to have proof of how much rent we pay and they require either a tenancy agreement or a letter from our him. I have tried to find our copy, but it hasn't come to light, unfortunately. If I found it it would be a simple matter of taking it to the Council offices and they would no doubt make a photocopy. I have been attempting to contact the landlord via telephone but all I get is a recorded voice and last night I left a message for him to contact me, but as yet no response. I do not know where he and his wife are, possibly some family matter, but at the moment I'm not bothered where he is or why. We need to get this matter resolved as quickly as possible. I don't think he realises how important it is to get this sorted and quickly. I have emailed the Benefits department at the Council explaining all this. If you have read my earlier posts on here you may have read about the problem we had with our gas boiler a couple of years ago. We attempted to contact our landlord but the telephone number he gave us was 'unavailable.' We went through the Council, who had details recorded for Council Tax purposes and managed to contact him via mail (or it may have been telephone, it doesn't matter. It worked, and the boiler was eventually replaced.) I am hoping that they may be able to contact him this way again in order to get the tenancy agreement sent on so the Housing Benefit claim can be completed.

Motorised Television Comedy

We currently have three comedies on television which use the basic format of a journey as it's set-up. The first one I enjoy is "The Trip To Spain," which is on Sky Atlantic. It has Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden as two friends who are on a trip to Spain (well, that's original, considering the thing is called 'The Trip To Spain.") Coogan is a food writer for a paper. In the first series (Incidentally, shown on BBC2) they journey around the north of England, mostly in the Lake District, and the second, they go to Italy, (also on BBC2)It intrigues me as to why the BBC didn't go with this third series. Surely it can't be due to cost. It can't be a particularly big-budget series. I was under the impression that they had some sort of production deal with Coogan's company, Baby Cow. What I love about this is the free-wheeling style (not surprising, considering it's set mainly within a car on the road.) and the way it's hard to decide whether it's 'real' or 'fiction.' What I mean is, Coogan and Bryden play themselves. Coogan has spent many years as another character, Alan Partridge, but in this he is himself. Where does the line end? It's difficult to tell. I'm interested to know how much is actually scripted and how much is improvised.

The second series is on BBC Four, although, with BBC iPlayer and 'catch-up' television, it really makes no difference which channel it's on. The show is called 'Bucket' which isn't much of a name and wouldn't draw me to it if I was unaware of it's theme, the actors in it and so on. It stars Miriam Margolyes as a 70-something woman, who goes on a journey with her daughter with who she has a strange sort of relationship. The 'bucket' refers to the bucket list of things she wants to do before she dies. She reveals as the first episode progresses that she has cancer and the daughter (played by Frog Stone, who also wrote the series. Is that a genuine name or is it a pseudonym? Just odd. Who'd call a child Frog?) It's certainly off-the-wall and worth a look, even if it's just to see the great Margolyes who is a fine character actor who doesn't seem to fit any particular mould, thankfully. Great to have something which allows an older character to be presented in a non-stereotypical way. There are only four episodes, which is a shame. I suspect the good old BBC got cold feet. They didn't want to commit to more, for whatever reason. Cost. Hardly. Not particularly big budget drama, this. No C.G.I. or expensive locations or sets. Not sure it wouldn't find an audience. If it's on BBC Four, surely it would appeal to a different sort of demographic to the one you'd have if it was shown on BBC1 or BBC2. It's certainly different and original. I'll be watching the remaining three episodes. It seems that none of the 'traditional' television channels (referring to 'live' broadcast, such as BBC, ITV etc.) don't want to take too many risks. The other platforms, i.e.. Sky, Netflix, Amazon etc etc., seem more likely to take risks with more episodes and more what I'd call contentious or dangerous material. The BBC  and ITV seem far too concerned with things being either 'non politically correct or just steering clear of anything that might be considered offensive in any way. I don't agree with upsetting anyone, either racial, religious or whatever, but if you're just going to produce things that are easy, non-demanding, you just end up with bland, flat material that has no purpose, other than being ratings fodder, which is a shame, because, in the past, the BBC, in particular, has produced shows which have been sharp, funny and extremely clever, think, 'Fawlty Towers,' Blackadder,' 'Not The Nine O'Clock News and so on. Or ITV with things such as 'Spitting Image.' 

The third series I want to mention is 'Car Share.' This is now in it's second series. It's written, as well as stars and directed, by Peter Kay. It has a very simple format, a manager of a North of England supermarket 'car-shares' with a co-worker, played by Sian Gibson, who co-writes the show. It's set almost completely within the confines of a car, driven by Kay. It must have made production of such a show extremely difficult. Having been a huge success when the first series was aired, it's great to have this second season. It was originally first only available on iPlayer but then all episodes were broadcast weekly on BBC1 and proved one of the most downloaded shows ever, apparently. This second season seems to be doing equally well. The one advantage of being able to download via catch-up and other services, is that you can have all current episodes or entire 'box-sets' of series available and you can watch when you want without having to wait for the next episode.