Yet Another Day

Well, it's getting somewhat boring. Just being in the flat because of lockdown. Trumpy has said that the rules can be relaxed in America. Has he been let out of his playpen? Does he listen to advice? Well, I don't think he listens to anyone. Let's forget the crazy man. . . and people are protesting about lockdown in various parts of the good ol' U.S of A. They seem to think (most likely Trumpety's supporters) that they don't need to 'self-isolate' because it, no doubt, contravenes something in the American constitution. They probably don't think they'll contract the covid 19 virus which is causing all the havoc across the world. Just stay at home and prevent the spread of the virus.

I don't think some people are adhering to the social distancing regulations. I've just got back from taking Alfie out for what should be the last walk around Oldbrook Green and there are several groups of people sitting on the grass and the benches in the area near the children's playground. I have a feeling they might not have English as their first language or might even speak English. If that is the case, how would they know about the government rules?

(Monday) It's surprisingly bright and sunny this morning. The fact that it is so sunny makes it far easier to put up with this confounded lockdown, although, for some people it might be more of a problem because when its sunny they have to be outside, when they shouldn't (if that makes sense, which it probably doesn't.)

I have another Futurelearn course to keep me busy, starting today, called 'Lives In The Factories and Mills' which is being run by Strathclyde University. As many of my paternal ancestors came from Scotland, this is more than just a little bit interesting to me, having an interest in history. I may have mentioned Futurelearn before, but these courses are free and I've done several before and are always worth doing. I have done a couple on Shakespeare and one (which I loved so much I have done it again.) about Hadrian's Wall. I can recommend these course and it doesn't take much effort to sign up to and will at least keep you occupied during this current lockdown situation.

(Tuesday) Each day seems much the same as any other. I think it's because there's no focus on the things I normally do, such as going to church on Sunday and then on a Tuesday going to work with the drama workshop guys at Camphill. I really miss these focus points of my week. I just hope this 'thing' isn't going to go on for much longer. Turning on the television news, all we get is pandemic, pandemic. It's getting somewhat monotonous. There must be other news to cover. Not just repetition, but negative.There's a lot of blame being thrown about, why the N.H.S. isn't getting the P.P.E. (personal protection equipment) it should.

I went to Sainsbury's because I discovered, when I was sorting out my medication, that I had run out of soluble aspirin, so I went to Lloyd's pharmacy in Sainsbury's to buy some more and to get a few other items. The queue wasn't as long as last time and it seemed to move a lot quicker so I was in the store with my shopping list. I always make sure I have a list, written in advance of going, which makes it easier and quicker when I'm in the store. I'm using their self-service checkouts because it means there is less risk of any sort of contact as social distancing is easier. I notice that they have turned off alternate machines which means there is a wider space between them which allows for social distancing and after each customer has finished they clean them with spray, presumably alcohol-based, which they do with the trolleys when customers have finished with them.

(Wednesday) I mentioned I have bought an iPad. I had been looking at them on line and have also been into the Apple store in Midsummer Place in Milton Keynes (this well before the current situation with lockdown because of the corvid 19 outbreak (I don't understand this virus. It's called covid 19 as well as coronavirus. I need to find out what they mean by both.) to had a look at the various models and found out about iPencil and then that you can do graphics on your iPad if you have the right app/software, and, also being something of a fan of David Hockney, I learnt fairly recently that he does a lot of his artwork using an iPad. I then did some research and found that an app called Procreate works on an iPad (the one that Hockney uses is called something like Painter but when I looked on the Apple App Store it wasn't available. With further research on line I learnt about Procreate and was then surprised by how much it cost, £9.99, which seemed good value, so I have now downloaded it and have it installed and I'm learning how to use it by watching videos on YouTube. 

Remembering Carol- Part 2

There's not enough room in one blog post for me to really write all I want to say about my late lovely wife Carol. So here's the second instalment. 

We found that we had plenty in common. We enjoyed each other's company. I went to her home in Crownhill for the first time and her little dog, Poppy, a West/Shitsu cross, must have taken to me, because she peed on my leg! Was that a sign that Carol and I had a future? Possibly. But it was a start. We went out together on quite a few occasions. She drove me all the way to Leicestershire in her Hyaundai Matrix and we visited the village of Thornton, where she lived up until 1979 when her family moved to Bournemouth. I saw the house where she lived and the infamous reservoir, or 'resize' as it was better known. I even saw the school which she attended. We went back more recently and also went into the newest town to Thornton, Coalville. 

Another day out we had together was to London. We went to Tate Modern, which I had never visited before but had always wanted to, since it was opened in 2000 by H.M. Queen. It was here that she thought she'd made a slight fool of herself, by her own admission. We were looking at a painting by the artist Monet, and she turned to me and said 'is it a real Monet?' To which I said that it was, and it seemed unlikely that the Tate gallery would have a fake. I wasn't in the least bit fazed by this remark, because anyone could have made that statement. Well, at least she appreciated art in the same way that i did. We spent some time in Tate Modern and then walked along the Thames embankment and past another place I was keen to visit, the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. I would very much like to see a performance but have, up until now, not done so.

We had other outings, which included a trip to Stowe Landscape Gardens near Buckingham. I think it was here that we decided because we loved visiting the properties managed by the National Trust that we'd join as members, which meant that we could gain free admission. We had several more visits to Stowe as well as to other NT sites, such as Waddesdon Manor, Anglesey Abbey, Wimple Hall and Home Farm and many other places. We also went on holiday together to Yorkshire, staying in a rented property in a village called Cowling. We visited Bradford, which is only a relatively short drive from Cowling, as well as nearby NT properties and also Saltaire, which is a World Heritage site. We saw a permanent exhibition of paintings and other material by David Hockney, one of my favourite modern painters. When, several years later, we went on holiday to Flamborough Head, we went into Bridlington, which is a few miles away, and we leant that Hockney had a house there and spent quite a lot of time in the town. Then he produced a series of paintings and  a sort of video installation which featured the landscape around Bridlington and within the Yorkshire Wolds and there was an exhibition of these paintings at the Royal Academy, of which David Hockney is a member. So, we had a shared interest in art and artists.

Carol was very spontaneous. She was always eager to get out and about. During the long summer holidays from her job at Milton Keynes Academy, we would we out virtually every week, going to different places. We very rarely sat indoors when the sun was out. We went to one of my favourite places, Whipsnade Zoo, which is no more than a 30-minute car journey down the A5 near Dunstable. We went on several occasions and had joint membership, which meant that once we were members we could visit as many times as we liked without having to pay. Then Carol discovered that, because she was a science teacher and also had a degree, she could become a Fellow of Z.S.L., the Zoological Society of London. I could go with her, as her guest! We could no only get free entry, but we could also take the car in, so in effect we saved something like £75-£80 each time we went into the zoo. We had many happy times visiting, loving the lemur walk-through exhibit, the butterfly house, as well as the meerkats and other animals.

So, we decided that we got on with one another. Our relationship blossomed and we decided that we should marry. So, exactly a year to the day I left hospital, on the 26th May 2007, we were married, at Rutland Road Church, which I was a member of when I lived in Bedford. A beautiful day, made even more beautiful by the fact that everyone at Rutland Road pitched in and made it what it was, providing all the music and the food for the reception. I was imagining that only a few people would attend, but it turned out the entire membership attended and made the day unbelievable, along with the whole church band.

Another time, on the way back from somewhere, I'm not exactly sure where we'd been, we stopped at Stonehenge. I had never visited before, had passed by, but never stopped. It's an interesting and quite amazing place and it was here we decided to join English Heritage, the organisation which co-manages the site along with the National Trust. So we were able to visit their sites, free, as we could with the National Trust membership.

It's no good. I still have lots more to say, so I'll end this post there and continue with a third blog post. Who knows? This might even stretch to a fourth.

Holiday In Yorkshire- Part 4

We have had several holidays in Yorkshire. We first went there in 2006. We hadn't known each other very long, but we decided that we loved the place. The cottage was in Cowling, further west, along the Pennines and almost on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border. We then went again the following April, and stayed in a village called Slingsby, a short distance from Castle Howard. Our last holiday there was three years ago, when we stayed in a converted barn near Northallerton. We have decided, when the time is right we will move to Yorkshire. Carol had seen a job she was interested in advertised in the T.E.S. (Times Education Supplement) but the job would have started too soon. It would need to have started next September. To be able to apply and give us time to look for accomodation in the area. She read more about this school, Trinity Academy in Halifax, and it sounded the sort of school she would like to teach in. She emailed to say that she would like to visit to have a look round, and that we would be in the area. They eventually emailed back to say that they were interested, having read her C.V. and the fact that they were moving from an old building into a new, a similar situation which Carol has had with working for Milton Keynes Academy, where the school was originally in an old building, the Frank Markham School (now demolished) and moved into a new building and becoming an Academy. On the Monday we went out with the dogs, driving up the coast towards Whitby. The scenery was breathtaking. Having lived in the south of England for most of my life, which is, generally speaking, reasonably flat, to come to Yorkshire and see some 'proper countryside' is really great. On the way back Carol rang  the school in Halifax on the mobile and was told that we could visit the next day (Tuesday) and that there would be someone available there to shows us around at 11.30 on Tuesday morning.

 Old car we saw at petrol station as we were filling up with petrol ourselves. I have no idea what sort of car it is. Any ideas, please let me know. It would be easy if you recognize the shape of the bonnet etc.

 Whitby Abbey, as seen from the road as we drove past.

The next day (Tuesday) we decided to leave early for Halifax. The dogs were left in the cottage with water and food, and we drove away, leaving at around 8.30. We had around 60 miles to Halifax. Most of it was on Motorway. We know the Halifax area reasonably well (Cowling is around 20 miles further north.) and is in the Calder Valley. Coming off the M62 we had a bit of a problem finding the right road for Halifax, and once we got there we had to ask a lady who was walking past for some directions. We found the school alright, and went in, having parked the car. We had to wait in reception until the lady from H.R. came to see us and give us a guided tour. This lasted around 45 minutes. Apparently the school was impressed by Carol's C.V. and said to keep in contact as there are going to be vacancies in the science department when the school moves to the new building (which we saw being constructed, further down the hill from the old building.)
On leaving the school we headed back towards Flamborough Head, but went via Cowling, just to say we'd gone through it, and eventually through such places as Haworth (where the Brontes lived and wrote their novels.) When we'd come to Yorkshire in 2006 we went on a steam train along the Werth Valley (which, incidentally, was used for filming the  Lionel Jeffries film "The Railway Children" in the 1970's and starring, Jenny Agutter, Bernard Cribbins and Dinah Sheridan.) We stopped at Haworth, and walked up the hill to the parsonage, although we did not go inside. We eventually got to Saltaire, just outside Bradford, and visited Salt's Mill. We had a break and went to the restaurant and had soup and a roll.

Salt's Mill, interior. This is a World Heritage Site and was a spinning mill, now turned into a retail centre and art gallery.

This is somewhere we visited on our first Yorkshire trip in 2006.  I was interested to visit, not only from a historical point of view, but also due to the fact that there is a permanent exhibition of paintings by one of my favourite artists in Salt's mill, and also local boy, David Hockney. Carol bought me Hockney's fascinating book when we were here last, "Secret Knowledge." We also visited the National Media Museum, which was well worth a visit. Hopefully, if we move to Yorkshire, all these places will be virtually on our doorstep.

Exterior of Salt's Mill, Saltaire, Bradford, Yorkshire

We left Saltaire and got onto the road out of the area, and eventually met the M62 and crossed Yorkshire back to the cottage on Flamborough Head.