Latest Reading

I've been reading some of H.G. Wells's short stories. I had a period when I was a teenager when I read all the classic fantasy and science fiction stories, from 'Dracula', 'Frankenstein' to 'First Men On The Moon' to 'The Invisible Man' as well as H.G.Wells's 'The Time Machine.' I had the complete stories in one volume (since lost.) I have since re-read that particular story (in a volume I bought second-hand through Amazon) and I'm so surprised how modern it is, considering it was first published in 1895. It's amazingly ahead of it's time and must have inspired a whole host of science fiction literature and consequently films, television series ( I can't believe the producers of 'Doctor Who' didn't read it when they were developing the show in it's early days as there are aspects of the story which are similar or at least used in some of the early stories)   Not only is it a great science fiction story, but Wells is able to make political comments which I might never have been aware of  when I originally read it. It has a believability about it which is quite striking.

Sky Arts did a series called 'The Nightmare World of H.G.Wells,' which was a series of adaptations of a few of the short stories. They were 'The Moth,''The Purple Purleus,' 'The Late Mr Elvesham,' and 'The Devotee of Art.' In some ways they have a great deal in common with the stories written by Roald Dahl and used as the basis for the ITV Anglia television series 'Tales of The Unexpected.' All having a creepy and very sinister feel to them, keeping you on the edge of your seat and all having a sting in their tail. I have since read them all and enjoyed them immensely. Another I read recently 'The Strange Orchid' is also exceptionally chilling and I expect it inspired the film 'The Little Shop of Horrors,' both the original black-and-white and musical versions.

Channel Four has recently done a series based on the short stories of Ray Bradbury and called 'Electric Dreams.' I have only seen on episode, 'The Commuter' and starring Timothy Spall. I read some of Brdbury's stories, the 'Martian Chronicles,' when they were adapted for television a couple of decades ago. I'll now have to read the short stories as a result of the latest series.

I have begun writing a 'sort of' science fiction story, very much inspired by the H.G. Wells stories. Actually the opening has been an initial idea for some time, and it's only recently that I've made any sort of effort to commit it to paper. I have been attempting to take it further, a lot of ideas coming since visiting Milton Keynes Hospital lately. It's surprising how ideas are created. Just seems all those corridors and the fact that everything is white and clean. Sort of 'Doctor Who'-type corridors, the idea of being chased along them, or searching for monsters, the 'villain' and so on. Just have to tie the various threads together to create a story line. People in blue or green overalls, with aprons, strange trolleys being pushed about. Makes you wonder, what's going on? Why? What? Lifts to strange places, different time-zones, etc etc.

I have a passion for history and read many books on historic subjects, and I'm currently reading the first of a series of books covering the last 60 years of British history. I read one which I had for Christmas a few years ago called 'Days In The Sun' and written by Dominic Sandbrook. I was unaware at the time that it was the latest instalment of what will probably be a six-part series, and I'm going back to the beginning of the series with the first book which covers the period from The Suez Crisis in 1956 up until the Beatles in 1963 and called 'Never Had It So Good.' A really chunky volume of perhaps 800-1000 pages. The next volume is 'White Heat',  takes in the 1960's; the next is entitled 'State of Emergency,' covers the period 1970-1974, whilst the third volume  'Seasons In The Sun,' takes in the the years 1974-1979. I believe he's been responsible for a television series called 'The Eighties,' so one assumes there will eventually be a book to go with it. It would be great if he can complete the series with 'The Nineties,' and possibly 'The 2000's' and into the current decade. I have the complete collection. The first two were offered as a set  on Amazon and cost less than the full price of just one volume. A real bargain and they are both brand new copies. These books are really well written, the detail is impressive and it must have been a long process to do all the research these volumes, each at least 800 pages.

I read the two-part 'Making of Modern Britain' written by Andrew Marr. The first book begins in 1901 with the death of Queen Victoria and ends in 1945 with the end of World War 2. The second volume takes up in 1945 and continues on into the 2000's. Both are companion books to Marr's BBC1
 television series.

Alfie Traumatised

I walked back home from the hospital at around 5.15. Unfortunately it's hallowe'en. I think you'll have realised I don't hold with this so-called 'tradition.' I don't honestly think it's acceptable for children to be let loose on the streets and be allowed to bang on people's front doors and demand what is, in essence, money with menaces. I mean, 'hand over some sugar-fuelled gift, sweets or chocolate, or if you don't, I'll wreak havoc on your house', for example, over-tip your dustbin. Also, going around dressed in really cheap and totally pathetic costumes, pretending to look like either Dracula, Frankenstein or the Walking Dead is not my idea of ideal entertainment. And, during all this totally imported nonsense, what happened to the more traditional British holiday of Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night? When I was growing up we always had a bonfire party on 5th November, or at least the nearest Saturday to the date, with fireworks, hot cocoa, baked potatoes, bonfire toffee and all the works. It was usually in one of the fields behind Malting Farm or next door at Porter's house. We'd spend weeks going around collecting wood and all manner of rubbish to be used to build the bonfire and then we'd build a Guy out of old clothes, and this effigy was put atop the bonfire and when it was really dark, lit. So, why has this been taken over by hallowe'en? Well, to be honest, it's just another way for companies to make a bit more money, out of all the junk that is connected with it. It's just something that has crept in via Hollywood. An American 'tradition' because, basically, they don't have a long history and need something to make up for it. I think a lot of these things have been copied because they're featured in films such as 'E.T.' which I'm sure has a sequence where the little E.T. creature is part of a 'Trick or Treat' evening. It's the same with schools having 'Proms' at the end of the school year. No such thing when I was leaving school in the late 1960's. I still don't know why they call it a 'Prom' which to me is a concert held in the Royal Albert Hall every year and the singing of 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

As I was saying before I wandered somewhat from the track. I arrived home. The central heating was on because it's getting a good deal colder. Before I walked in there were a few children wandering about the street, going about their 'Trick or Treating.' I said 'please don't come to my house' and they seemed to get the message that I wasn't going to fall for that 'thing'. I walked in and Alfie began barking. He had gone upstairs to our bedroom when I got ready to leave the house earlier in the afternoon. He has a good idea what I'm going to do when he sees me putting my shoes on to go out and I try to get him to go in the kitchen where he's safe when the door is closed. But if he's aware I'm going out he shoots upstairs into our bedroom. I found him there the other day, under the bed, and in one of the storage baskets we have there. Quite funny to see him curled up in there. At least if he's in the kitchen he has water and something to eat in his bowl and we got him a really cozy dog bed which is in one corner. He seems to like it as it's warm and he doesn't have to be in a draught. Anyway, Alfie shot down stairs when I walked in. He didn't leave my side all evening. He couldn't get much closer to me and wanted to sit on my lap when I sat to look at my laptop to read emails. Mind you, he tried to push the thing off with his nose so he could sit on my lap and when he couldn't he attempted to climb onto the back of the chair. He can't sit there since we replaced the old chair with this new IKEA model as the back is too narrow for him to sit there. He also climbs along the back of the sofa and sits or lies there. I think this is a sort of terrier trait as the Jack Russel terriers my parents had liked to sit or lie like this, with their legs either side, even when we drove around in the car, they liked to sit on the back of the car seats. I imagine it gives the a good view of what's going on, being short dogs, they can't see out of the window or get a particularly clear view from ground level.

During the evening Alfie was displaying some body language I've never seen before. I was in the bathroom and he followed me upstairs and he was coming up the stairs with his body very low to the ground, looking almost as if he was creeping up he stairs and when he came into the bathroom, again he couldn't get close enough to me. It's as if he'd been frightened and he wanted me to reassure him that I would look after him. When I was in the bathroom, again, he couldn't get near enough.

I must say it makes me somewhat annoyed that this horrible thing, hallowe'en, has to cause distress to not only humans, but also animals. Poppy, our little westie/shitsu, was terrified of fireworks. She would cower under the most convenient piece of furniture or go under our bed. It seems Alfie is just as bad. He barks whenever a firework is let off (incidentally, what on earth is the point of letting them off in daylight??? Surely they're at their best when it's dark. They are part of Guy Fawkes night, not hallowe'en.) It's irresponsible of people to cause so much upset to pets and humans when they just want to be safe and protected. Banging on people's doors and demanding things is not a good thing, regardless of what people might think. The best way to deal with all this is to ignore it.

A bit later

It's 7.45 a.m. I've been busy since I got up. Put washing on and it's now finished and on the airer in the kitchen. That thing is annoying. Just hate having to slot every item of clothing through the bars on this annoying contraption. Just not well designed. I'd far rather hang stuff on the line in the garden, but it'll never dry properly as the weather is a bit unsettled. Anyway, I was sitting and eating my breakfast and Alfie is attempting to sit on my lap. He starts yapping at me, being very insistent, as he can be. He wanted to show me something. I assumed he wanted to be let out into the garden, so I moved towards the patio doors, but no, he took me to where the dog leads are kept, on a hook in the kitchen. He stood and yapped and it was really obvious that we wanted to go for a walk. I had to sort myself out, put on my shoes and then a jumper, as it's quite cold out first thing in the morning. I grabbed the lead and managed to hook it onto his collar and away we went. Alfie yapping at full voice, as is his usual want. We crossed the road and into the park. I saw a man with his dog across the park but Alfie charged off at full tilt, the other dog not knowing what had hit it. They usually don't as Alfie is like a mad thing, running in circles round the dog. The owner didn't mind, thankfully. Alfie just wants to be friends, but the other dog usually stares at him in disbelief. We walked across the wide grass area where there's some climbing equipment and other exercise items. I saw a woman and some children with a large Alsation-type dog in the distance and didn't want Alfie to run towards it as I really don't trust them so we went back across the grass area. This was long and very wet and I got my feet soaked, unfortunately, and meanwhile Alfie charging about like a mad thing. We walked back to the house and Alfie calmed down, I think the walk did us both a power of good. Just shows how much a little dog can do to make you feel better after the trauma of the past few days.