Things Are Getting Better! . . .Or Are They?

Thursday. 11.20 a.m. It's quite bright and sunny, but not particularly warm.

I've been doing a bit more writing. I have a good idea where it will finish, but not how it will begin, which is often the case with writing. It's a bit like a journey, you know where you want to end up, but not where to start. In fact, a story is fairly well as a journey of some sort. During the journey, you have a sequence of highs and lows, good and bad. You keep on the straight and narrow but then get diverted, get lost in an unknown place but end up at your destination and you have learned something along the way. By the end of the journey, you should have changed.

I decided to download the National Lottery app recently. I haven't played the Lottery for years, but I thought I would have a go. If you have the app you can play without having to go to a shop to buy a ticket. You pick your numbers on the app and pay using your debit card. I have played twice now. But this morning I got a call claiming to be from the National Lottery. I'm pretty sure it was genuine, but with the number of spam calls I get, I was somewhat wary. I was going to be given several free lines in the Lottery but for £12 a week I could have a syndicate and have perhaps a thousand lines, each for about 5p each. It sounded too good to be true and it could have been a scam. I was assured that it wasn't and I was virtually talked into setting this up with my debit card. I decided at the last minute that I didn't go ahead with it. It would have been around £50 a month, which is a lot on my pension, and for that, I could buy food for a week or more in Aldi or Lidl. I didn't like the somewhat aggressive approach to selling this. I managed to avoid it but someone else, perhaps with Alzheimer's or with a learning disability might have gone ahead with it and caused them financial hardship. I'm sure it was genuine, but, as I say, it was a hard sell.

Boris Johnson says that there's nothing in the data to suggest that further lockdown restrictions won't be lifted on 21st June, but scientists are saying that we have to be cautious. The infamous Indian variant is playing centre stage and making a bit of an act out of it and wants full parity with Equity members and full pay and overtime. We will have to wait and see what happens. If it doesn't get what it wants it will go on the rampage and have a hissy fit and might take to the bottle and spent the night in a drunken stupor and fall into the gutter outside a nightclub and get caught on camera by the press and land up plastered all over the tabloid press, ending up being interviewed on breakfast television and selling its story to the Sunday papers.

Friday. 5 a.m. Not much to report. I can't hear wind or rain, so I presume it's still and calm outside. Alfie has crept into my bed. Making himself very comfortable, which I don't blame him!

Later. You may recall I mentioned I had trouble buying pooh bags so I could clean up after Alfie. I always do, regardless I just think if you have a dog you are responsible for it, even down to cleaning up the mess when this happens in a public space. There are obviously quite a few people who just couldn't care less and don't do the right thing. It's not the dog's fault. It's a pity these people don't get caught and fined. There used to be bags above the bins which are dotted around, not unfortunately not anymore. I expect the Council needed to cut down on such items, but in all honesty, dog owners should buy their own and carry them when they take their dogs out. I always keep a bundle in my packet and they don't cost a great deal. I did mention that I couldn't find them in Sainsbury's over the past few weeks, which is why I went to Morrisons to buy some a few Sundays ago. I noticed they had them in Sainsbury's this morning when I was in there, but not the type I usually buy. They have been replaced by thinner, biodegradable ones. I think I've worked out why. No doubt it's Sainsbury's attempting to get rid of plastic. I don't think the original type was biodegradable, which makes sense. They more or less got rid of plastic carrier bags, and if you need them you have to pay 5p-10p, which goes to charity. I always take my own 'bags for life,' but I have discovered that actually, some of these reusable bags have more plastic in them than the traditional plastic bags. Which is somewhat crazy. But regardless of that, I have plenty, bought over the years, which are still going strong and have done goodness knows how many shopping trips. I bought a bag in Aldi the other week, which can be folded into a tiny little bag which means it takes up very little space and can be put in a pocket for when you go shopping and is therefore readily available to put things in when you are out and about.

Later. 9.30. I have been out this evening! I can't remember when I last went out in the evening. Carol and I used to go out for a drive, usually to Woburn and go through the deer park, but then we weren't out for long and it was a way for her to destress if she had had a difficult day at work at Milton Keynes Academy, which was quite often. Probably something to do with a member of staff, sorting out someone else's mess. This evening a group from church met at my friend Margaret and Mike's home in Downhead Park. They have been really good friends and support to me since Carol's death. We walked along the canal, down one side and back on the other. Observing the wildlife, in particular a family of geese and another of swans and ducks.

I drive home and walk back inside the flat, to be greeted by a very happy Alfie who goes slightly bonkers, playing with his toys and throwing them around, shaking vigorously and wagging his tail excitedly. It's such a lovely welcome home! It makes having a little dog so worthwhile. It certainly lifts my spirits. Such a loving little dog.

No Milk!

(Saturday) I've done it again! The milk was off so I couldn't have my breakfast bowl of cereal or my mug of tea. I'll just have to wait until the local shop is open and then, once I've munched my cereal and drunk my tea, I can take Alfie out around Eaglestone Park. He's watching me on from his position on the sofa. Never mind. I just didn't realise the milk was off. It came out with horrible floaty bits in it so that's the end of it.

Later. I've been to get milk from the One Stop shop in Garroways, Coffee Hall. I came back and  took Alfie out for his walk. There was absolutely no way he was going to let me have my bowl of cereal and cup of tea before we went out. But I had this when we got back. Funny little dog, a bit of a control freak, but I love him to bits. He's been a fantastic support for me during Carol's diagnosis and since she's died. made myself a cup of tea

I went to Aldi at Bradwell Common. I'm trying to wean myself off Sainsbury's. Nothing wrong with them as a supermarket, but compared with Aldi, they are not cheap. I was in and out in barely 10-15 minutes. No lingering, which is how the big supermarkets want you to behave, selling stuff that you don't really need, such as clothing, so you put it in your trolley and before you know it, your final bill has doubled or trebled. I like the fact that Aldi, as well as Lidl, is relatively small footprint and that you have little choice for some products so its easy to make a decision. Why have so many versions of the same thing, washing-up liquid, breakfast cereal, coffee or tea? Just put it in our trolley. Then, at the checkout, they speedily scan it through. Someone has had the sense to make the barcodes easy to find and they're larger than on other supermarket's packaging. You just have your shopping scanned straight into your trolley and you pack it into your own bags on a nearby shelf once you've paid, which means less waiting in the queue.

Yesterday was hot. Infact, far too hot. After the glitch on Thursday, when my heart rate increased when I went out on my way to the Oaktree Centre, I made sure I stayed indoors and out of the heat. This morning it's not as hot, although the sun is shining at 6.55a.m. I have taken Alfie out around Eaglestone Park, a bit of a surprise for him and before I had my breakfast. Now watching BBC Breakfast and Donald Trump visiting the D.M.Z. (Demilitarised Zone) between North and South Korea. I'm not sure how the pictures are being transmitted, probably via a satellite link, but the pictures keep freezing. Trump preening and making the most of the photo opportunity. He really is a narcissist and relishes being the centre of attention. But, it depends how you read this 'historic event,' and I suppose it it, but don't forget that Trump intends to stand again for next year's Presidential Election, it's just a photo opportunity. But will President Moon, North Korean President, turn up to meet him? Of course, Trumpy has to broadcast this all over Twitter. Just surprises me that the President of the USA should be allowed to use Twitter or any social media, more from a security perspective than anything else.

I've decided that the world, at long last, will have to endure the sight of my knees and my legs! I've put on my shorts and the short-sleeved shirt I bought in Marks and Spencers some while ago. Just need to keep cool today, that's all. The sun continues to shine at 8.15a.m. Just sitting here in my armchair in the lounge writing this.

I've been to Shenley Christian Centre. The speaker was someone from Newlife Church called Dave Eyeington. One of the guys I work with in the drama workshop told me he went there. No end of people in the café area during the break between services when they serve tea and coffee. But NO BISCUITS! I know, I shouldn't eat them, but I do like a biccy with my cuppa and disappointed when there wasn't a Hobnob, Ginger Nut, Digestive, Jammie Dodger (I like them best, especially the red, jammy bit in the centre.) or Custard Cream. Now I've talked myself into going out and getting a packet from the local shop. I think it's called, I can't think now, but I know what I'm attempting to say. Something to do with psychology. It's how supermarkets get us to buy, buy, buy.

I left the Oaktree Centre and immediately drove down Chaffron Way and went to Waitrose and into the café to have a latte, egg sandwich and rather nice Danish pastry. I have bought myself a water bottle because I think I need to drink more, particularly in this warm weather. I think it was when my heart rate increased because of the heat the other evening that encouraged me to buy this item. I just now have to remember to actually fill it with water and take it with me and not leave it at home.

There was quite a queue of cars coming out of the carpark and going up the slope leaving Waitrose. Why on earth is it such a tight turn coming up that slope? Why do drivers insist of trying to turn right coming onto Chaffron Way? It's a particularly dangerous turn in the first place and surely it's safer and easier to turn left, go round the roundabout and go straight ahead, or is that too simple and easy and far easier? I just wonder how many accidents there have been at this junction. The local authority needs to put some sort of barrier in the centre of the road so that people can't turn right. I imagine if they did this, then there would be an outcry. Always someone who will complain, even if it's a safety measure. Driving at full speed around Milton Keynes, at whatever the speed limit is is also dangerous, but it needs to be no more that 50 miles per hour.

As I drove back along Chaffron Way back home I got a phone call through the media system in my car. I have managed to connect my iPhone to the sound system via Bluetooth. This was only the second such call I have had since setting this up. It was from a friend, Margaret, who goes to Shenley Christian Fellowship. It was inviting me for lunch at 2 o'clock. I immediately said yes. It's nice to be invited and a chance to get out of the house. Also nice not to have to prepare a meal and also it means I won't now need to have a meal this evening. They live in Downhead Park, which is next to Willen, no just Willen Hospice (barely a five-minute drive when Carol was in there) but also Camphill.