One Love Lunch

 Thursday 6th August. 5.15 a.m. It seems to be mild and bright, a real relief after the blazing heat of the past few weeks. My infamous digital thermometer currently reads 26ºc. It was so hot at one point, just moving about the flat, I had sweat running down my face and I had to keep using a towel to wipe the sweat off my face. I was driving somewhere the other day when sweat ran down my face and into my eyes, making them sting horribly.

I haven't mentioned One Love Lunch Club. I had never heard of it, until I saw a flyer on the message board near the entrance coming into Dexter House. I didn't have to drive there, as I was collected by minibus and arrived at Wolverton. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, as people began to arrive, many of whom were coming with me in the minibus. I suppose, once everyone had arrived, about 30 people, many with a range of disabilities, some with autism and many with dementia. There is lunch, which we pay for, £5, which is great value, and games for people to play, music, dance and good conversation.

When they had discovered my background, in theatre, television walk-on, puppetry and even my connection with Shakespeare via his wife, Anne Hathaway, I had to give a sort of impromtu talk, covering all my background. It was an experience, and not something I have ever done before.

So, it looks like I have at last got something to replace Camphill in my diary. I didn't go this week, because there weren't enough people on duty who had the relevant qualifications to be there, such as, holding a D.B.S.certificate, probably because those people were on holiday. (D.B.S. stands for Disclosure and Barring Service. Without this check , you cannot work for a range of client-based occupations, such as those people who are vulnerable, learning  disabilities, elderly, and so on.

Wednesday 12th August. 12.20 p.m. I was going to give support during the Holiday Club, which started yesterday, but I don't have a D.B.S. check, which is a vital piece of paper, which you have to have if you are working with a vulnerable group, which is how the children are described in the Holiday Club, and because my D.B.S. is yet to be applied for, I van't be involved.

So, I have been doing more work on my play-writing, which is going very well.One play is a sort of modernisation of the play-within-A-Play of Piramus and Thisbe, from A Midsummer Night's Dream. I a have re-invented the characters, making them relevant to a 21st century audience. Bottom is now Barry Bottomley, a council worker who is so enthusiastic about his part in the play, he seems to think he can play everyone else's parts.

Approaching Christmas

Monday. 10.25 a.m. It's a rather overcast and gloomy day. Certainly not as bad as it was a couple of days ago, but not what you would call inviting, by any stretch of the imagination. I have been to Sainsbury's, basically to top things up which were running low.

Tuesday. 2.55 p.m. I went to the Bridge Builder offices to complete my D.B.S. application. It appeared to go without a hitch, and I will have to wait until the certificate comes through before I can go further with my volunteering with Bridge Builder.

It is a wet and cold day. It has been raining more or less continuously since this morning.

Wednesday. 12.40 p.m. It was quite icy and slippery along the path towards Oldbrook Green when I went out with Alfie at around 7.25 this morning. It was quite deceptive and the leaves need to be more helpful. It really is about time that the Council workmen sweep them up. If they don't, they will begin to decompose and then become a hazard, becoming slippery, and then they will have to answer to those who fall over as a result.

I am learning the monologue I have been given as part of the Bridge Builder 'Christmas Cracked' presentation which we are taking into local Primary Schools. I have to wait until my D.B.S. certificate comes through before I can go to school. It's one of the formalities you now have to go through because of the possibility of someone abusing children. It's a sad world we live in, but without this piece of paper, you aren't allowed in and schools would want to see this.

Sunday. 8.45 a.m. I haven't written anything on here for a while. I did say in an earlier post that I wouldn't be writing much from now on.

Tuesday. 8.40 a.m. Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of Carol's passing. I was invited to a Christmas meal at The Barn by Ross. He had texted me about this, which was for the Monday Club people. It was a really pleasant meal. I'm not used to eating a full meal at midday because I always have my meal in the evening so in that respect it was great to not have to make a meal in the evening.

Apparently today it was four years ago since the General Election. I had forgotten this fact (not that I'm that bothered one way or the other.) But Sir Kier Starmer, the Labour Party leader, was on BBC Breakfast, when I put the television on at around 7.15. He was speaking from Milton Keynes, but I wasn't sure where he was. From what I could see in the background, it looked like a warehouse.

Wednesday. 2.15 p.m. At 9 o'clock, my car was booked to have an oil change. The traffic driving there was a good deal quieter than I was expecting, especially at the roundabout crossing Standing Way. I sat in the waiting area as the work was done, and it was ready to drive away at around 9.50. Paid and went home.

As I write this, it's really windy and wet outside. 

4.30 p.m. We have had a group from M.K.C.C. ( Milton Keynes Christian Centre) come to give the tenants here at Dexter House, me included, a really great Christmas teaparty. My friends Margaret and John, who go to Shenley Christian Centre (and it would appear, M.K.C.C. I knew John from when I was a helper on Alpha, which was run at M.K.C.C.) Part of the proceedings was a quiz and I won quite a haul of prizes!

Saturday. 12.30 p.m. I went with group from Shenley Christian Fellowship to the Nut and Squirrel in Westcroft for a Christmas meal. The group was made of of mostly those who are in some way or other involved with the Acorns playgroup. We were scheduled to meet at 7.30, but some people were ill, I think probably with covid.

Two ladies were already sitting at the table when I arrived, and the rest of the party arrived over the next half-hour or so. But, due to some of the staff at the Nut and Squirrel ringing in sick, only one waiter was available to do the waiting duties. Not just for our party, but, it would appear, for the rest of the restaurant, and, for what I would tell, serving behind the bar. He was literally rushed off his feet for the entire evening.

Getting Wintery!

Wednesday. 8.10 a.m. Yesterday I took my application form to Bridge Builder. Next week I will return and they will apply for my D.B.S. check (Disclosure and Barring Service.), so I can work with children in the schools they visit.

Thursday. 7.45 a.m. It was an amazing sunset as I took Alfie out at around 7.20. The whole sky was blazing red. I would have taken a few photographs, but it would have finished by the time I'd returned to my flat and picked up my phone or camera.

Friday. 3.00 p.m. I have been taking Mirtazapine for around a month. It is an anti-depressant and it helps me sleep. I will admit here that I have been going through a depressive episode for the past couple of months. I had been taking these tablets for around a week when I went to Worcester, and the Saturday afternoon I was there I felt awful and wasn't particularly sociable. For the first few days, I felt horrible and wasn't sure I wanted to go on taking them, but I persisted with them as they were going to take several weeks before I felt any sort of benefit. I am sleeping far better now, and the depression has lifted to some extent. 

I was told by the doctor who prescribed Mirtazapine that I would have to have a review before a new prescription was given. I rang the surgery several weeks ago to book an appointment with the doctor to review this medication before the current course ended. The telephone review was to be with the surgery's pharmacist, and she would ring me this morning, which she did. I told her how I was getting on with the medication, and she gave me a prescription and the new anti-depressants would be reviewed after three months. I didn't want the prescription to go to Lloyds Direct, because it was likely that I wouldn't get the next course of tablets. It might take a week, or even more, for them to arrive in the post. So, the prescription went to Boots pharmacy, next door to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre. I drove to the pharmacy and managed to collect the medication, which means that I can keep on with them when the current course ends on Tuesday.

My car needs servicing. I usually get it done at this time of the year and the digital system keeps on reminding me of the fact the car needs servicing. It also needs the oil changing and there is a small light which has come on the dashboard which I've not seen before. I should get my Winter Fuel Payment any day now and that will be used to pay for the servicing. As a result, I won't be driving the car until the service has been done. This cash was usually in my bank account around now, but it seems it was later because I checked my bank account. I will just have to be patient until it is in my account and then book the service with a local garage. 

From Boots pharmacy, I walked the short distance to the surgery to ask at the reception for my blood test result, which was done exactly two weeks ago. It turns out my cholesterol level is normal, which would be 5 or less, with the label on the result, 'no further action,' which is a relief.

Saturday. 8.10 a.m. A cold morning, with a light frost on the grass when I took Alfie out at around 7.15.

Monday. 8.55 a.m. It must have been raining at night because the leaves appeared to be wet when I took Alfie out.

6.05 p.m. I had my first Zoom meeting with the Social History group of U3A. I just found out there were Zoom meetings like this recently. It was about letters, letter-writing and communication in general. It was very interesting and I found out a great deal. I had trouble connecting, basically, because I was given the wrong ID code and password, but, when I went on email, I got the correct information.

Tuesday. 6.30 p.m. I've been to the Bridge Builder office in Bletchley to start my D.B.S. application. Unfortunately, I need a printout of my bank statement. The other documents are suitable and used to prove my identity. I have since printed out my bank statement from the Nationwide website.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing a safeguarding training. I  have done similar training, having worked in care in various situations.