The Whole Darn Thing

 Wednesday, 5:00 a.m. Well, I'm wide awake and thought I might as well do some more blogging.

I have mentioned in previous posts about the infamous electric scooter sheds (the scooters are electric, not the sheds. Well, I don't think they are. Oh, just being somewhat sarcastic.) The reason for them, so that these devices aren't in the way inside Dexter House and a hazard if there's a fire. We now have beautifully resurfaced paths, all with lighting and access to these lovely sheds (irony here.) has been completed at huge expense.  Workmen have been working on the external gates which open onto Strudwick Drive (or, at least, the path, which runs alongside the Dexter House garden, and where the scooters will get into the garden and, hence, the store sheds. But STILL, the work isn't completed! This whole situation has become farcical, to say the least. I don't think you can make any of this us, but if you did, nobody would believe it. 

I've been watching episodes of the BBC sitcom 'Yes, Minister', and the above situation could come straight out of one of the episodes. It may be over 40 years since this show was first shown, but I think it's probably more relevant now than it was then.

7.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. The digital thermometer currently reads 21˚c. 

Yesterday morning, I went out again with my DJI Pocket video camera. I went back to Campbell Wharf, which is on the Grand Union Canal where there is a marina, pub and flats. It looks as if it's being developed, with more buildings going on, a cycle shop and a One-Stop convenience store, a coffee shop and a barber's, which appears to have only just opened recently. There were workmen outside, putting up the sign.

I took some good footage, but I still haven't got the settings absolutely right with the gimbal. Having my iPhone connected to the camera on the new rig makes it easier to view what you are filming, by using the Mimo app. When I got home I managed to view the footage through the app and discovered you can even edit what you have filmed and also watch through my Apple Watch with the app.

5.50 p.m. It's been warm and sunny all day.

Alfie was due for a haircut at The Groom Room at midday, so I drove across Milton Keynes to the Pets At Home store in Bletchley. I took him into the store and got him registered. A trim around his face and body and then I went to Greggs, further along the parade of stores, for a drink and filled roll and then returned to my car to eat it. I went to T.K.Maax to have a browse. It seems the upstairs departments have been moved around and, as usual, there were no end of items I liked, but didn't buy. I went back to the car and a minute or two later the Groom Room phoned to say Alfie was done and I could collect him.

Rain!

 Tuesday. 8.15 a.m. As I write this, I can hear rain, and see it through my window.

Thursday. 8.10 a.m. It is getting a good deal colder. Well, I suppose it's to be expected, now that we are into October. 

I am taking Alfie to The Groom Room in Pets At Home in Bletchley to have a haircut. I have already put the cage in the back of the car. First, I need to go to the petrol station in Childs Way to diesel in the car, as it is running low. The appointment at The Groom Room isn't until 11 o'clock, but I like to be organised and have things ready beforehand.

4.05 p.m. I went to get fuel at the Mobil station in Childs Way, as mentioned above. It was just after 9 a.m. But done and then came back to Dexter House.

At around 10.35 I left to drive to Pets At Home, and coming out of Strudwick Drive and onto Chaffron Way, I was expecting to get to the Eaglestone roundabout and turn right into Saxon Street as I normally do when driving to Pets At Home. But, coming out of Oldbrook, I immediately discovered that the road was closed off, and I had to make a detour through the estate near Milton Keynes Academy and come out on Grafton Street and make a circuitous journey to get onto Saxon Street and get straight to Bletchley, driving past the football stadium. So, you can imagine the frustration of all this, particularly as I'd left earlier than I needed to, but, considering the extra journey time due to the diversion, it was probably just as well.

When I eventually got to the car park outside Pets At Home, it had begun to rain. I got Alfie out of the back of the car. As usual, he wanted to jump down, and he was barking loudly. I carried him into Pets At Home and walked through to The Groom Room, which is at the back of the store. I went in and the ladies who do the grooming were still working on another dog, but I went through how I wanted Alfie clipped and explained that Alfie had a lump on his side, which they checked out. It doesn't appear to be sinister, but it was a good idea to let them know before they began clipping him. Because he is getting old, his eyesight is poor, and he has problems with his joints, it was decided to reduce any stress to him and just give him a short trim, clear off the mess around his face and, if there was a problem, they would ring me on my mobile, because, when I left, I went into Gregg's, a few doors along from Pets At Home, to have a coffee and salad baguette. Sure enough, barely 15 minutes after I had left The Groom Room, I got a call to say that Alfie was getting stressed and that they would cut short what would normally be around an hour for a grooming session. I returned to discuss things, and they said that they could clear the mess around his face and give him a bit of a bath, which I agreed to, and waited in the vets' area until he was finished. So, I paid for the groom and got another session booked for the first week in January.

Sunday. 2.20 p.m. Yesterday afternoon I went out with the DJI Pocket to experiemnt with taking video footage. I went to Campbell Wharf Marina. It seemed the ideal place to go with the camera. I'd been there on Tuesday, with Pastor Ross. We had coffee in a new coffee shop I've never been to before. Infact, I'd never been to this area of Milton Keynes before. I had been to the canal further on with Alfie, and I think I'd been there with Carol and our dogs. As it turned out, it wasn't an entirely successful mission because it was quite cloudy and overcast and I couldn't find a way to get down to the wharf where the narrow boats were moored. I did get some footage, which I have since viewed, but, as it was just an experimental operation, not entirely a waste of time, becuse I merely wanted to find out how the various features of the camera worked.