Wild and Windy

Friday. 9.10 a.m. It's quite mild and pleasant today. I'd almost go as far as saying it's almost spring-like. That being the case, there are signs of green shoots coming out all along the hedge as we walk towards Oldbrook Green. (No, no signs of economic revival. You know, the cliché that is used during times of depression. I won't use it here.) But it does look like spring, even though, officially, it hasn't. Well, it is only the 6th of January. This reminds me, my Christmas decorations have to come down today, as it's Twelfth Night.

Saturday. 7.20 a.m. I'm sitting here, writing this, waiting to take Alfie out. I can hear the wind roaring away outside (well, I'm glad it's outside. I'd be worrying if it was inside this flat!)

10.10 a.m. I ordered a case for my new iPad Pro on Amazon on Thursday, and it arrived around midday. It's made of fairly substantial material and has a Van Gogh painting on its cover, the one with swirly clouds. Its title is 'The Starry Night.' I simply cannot have a plain and boring cover for any of my devices, and I really like Van Gogh's paintings. The iPad fits inside perfectly and there's a convenient space for the Apple Pencil, which remains fully charged and doesn't fall out. I can use the iPad flat or in a position which raises it up, which is convenient for such things as Zoom or Facetime calls. I am really pleased with the cover, and it should keep the iPad reasonably protected, and safe.

I've been to Waitrose to buy one or two items. On the way along Chaffron Way I had another driver tailgating me. I was driving at what I would call a reasonable speed, no more than 50, but this driver insisted on coming up behind me and then putting his headlights on full (I assume it was a male, I couldn't see the face of the driver.) I refuse to be intimidated by such people and I'm not putting myself at risk of an accident. There are a few people that simply don't like having a car in front of them.

It's still wild and windy outside. I came back from Waitrose and took Alfie out, but he didn't intend to remain out for long and did a wee on the grass and immediately came back inside. Who can blame him?

When we went out around 7.30 this morning, I noticed that the rubbish left by those who were letting off fireworks the other evening has now been removed. It's good to see it gone and no doubt Council workers picked it up, but there's still the thought that those responsible should have dealt with it.

Sunday. 6.30 a.m. I can hear the wind, but I don't think its as strong as it was earlier in the week.

8.20. I went out an walked around Oldbrook Green at around 7.35. It's now a good deal lighter earlier and earlier as we get further into January which was the reason for the circuit of the green.

4.15 p.m. The wind has stopped. It's a good deal calmer now.

6.20 p.m. I've been working on further developments of my writing project. I had an idea, which came to me whilst walking around Oldbrook Green, and then got somewhat stuck with it (I won't mention any details here, for obvious reasons.) and then came up with further ideas when I was laying in bed. I think it's because I can relax when laying down and let my mind wander. I am now beginning to write using these new ideas. 

Spring Has Sprung!!

Life during the last year, caused by lockdown to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus, has been turned totally upside down. Just sitting in a small room, with only a little dog for company and rarely seeing another soul, except on Zoom or FaceTime, isn't my idea of how to spend your time. I'm used to be outside doing things, such as going to Camphill on a Tuesday, or even at church, generally going places. As a child my mother would never allow us to stay in doors during the day when we were on school holiday. The idea of daytime television would be totally frowned upon. In fact, I don't think we turned the television on until around 5 o'clock when children's television started. (Mind you, I don't think in the 1960's children's  television probably sorted somewhat earlier. 

(Tuesday) A mild and sunny morning here in Milton Keynes. Not much else to report at the moment (7.45a.m.)

Later. 9.55a.m. I've just got back from Sainsbury's. I had to collect meds from the in-store Lloyd's and I had a shopping list prepared so to kill two birds with one stone (sounds cruel, but never mind.) I thought I might as well get the things until I get paid next week. It's a good deal easier when there aren't lots of other shoppers in the store. It's still bright and sunny and reasonably warm. It's the sun which is encouraging the trees to burst forth with leaves and the flowers to bloom. So, you might say that spring has sprung at last

So warm I'm considering opening the windows and wearing my shorts! My goodness, what ever next?

 6.00p.m. Just heard on BBC News that it's been the warmest March day since 1968. People going mad in a Nottingham park. Crowds of people not paying attention to social distancing. Well, having been locked up for months on end you can hardly blame people for this sort of behaviour.

One of my all-time favourite film directors, Alfred Hitchcock, is reputed to have said 'Drama is life with the boring bits removed', or words to that effect. That's what is probably this blog is probably NOT, because I tend to write more or less everything which happens to me during the course of the day, mundane and interesting. It's really intended to be a sort of observation of human life, such as it is at the moment, and probably more so since all these lockdowns caused by the covid-19 pandemic. People are fascinating and I continue to be intrigued by those I observe. A good basis for my writing. 

I'm shocked to find that, on taking Alfie out for his mid-morning trot around Oldbrook Green, how much litter there is today. Yesterday, probably because some of the restrictions have been eased, was more like a Bank Holiday. A more carefree atmosphere, but people are being somewhat lax in their litter-dropping habits. The same can be said about the amount of dog fouling (sorry to mention it, but I must.) Not nice when there's children playing on the grass. And amongst all the plastic water bottles, coke cans, sweet wrappers and so on, I have to report that a large amount of discarded face-coverings seems to be getting worse. Surely it isn't to difficult to put them in a bin or even in your pocket until you can dispose of it in your rubbish when you get home, but apparently not it would seem,

Really warm and sunny. I actually went out WITHOUT MY JACKET this morning! I'm sitting here at 11.20a.m., busily writing this with the window open and the electric fan on next to me. It has got incredibly stuffy in this flat. The fact that the kitchen is boiling hot because you can't turn the heating down (which I think I have mentioned before on here.) doesn't exactly help. Have it warm when the temperature drops below freezing, when there's a hard frost or show outside (which we had for a couple of days during the winter months.) but is totally unnecessary to have it so warm. It means I can't leave some food items out, such as milk, because it will go off, or bread, and it goes stale faster. There should be some sort of control to turn the heating down, as you would have with central heating.

I mentioned the Zoom market research I did on Monday morning. I've already been paid, and it's in my bank account. I wasn't expecting it to be my my account so quickly, probably a week or two, but not days after the work was finished. I'm now having problems attempting to get into the on-line account to keep an eye on the balance. The number of passwords and 'security codes, etc is really annoying. I realise it's to keep things secure, but it is driving me crazy. Then it tells me 'account frozen' because I've made too many attempts. But I will get into it soon. My Nationwide account is so much easier to get into, with a card reader, into which you put your PIN number and then it gives a series of numbers which you put into the site and then you can see your statement. Easier than for the Metro account.

Been out and walking round Oldbrook Green. Groups of people sitting on the grass. The litter is worse than ever. 

(Thursday) A mild morning. I woke up and then went back to sleep and then didn't wake up until around 7.30a.m. It's not like me to sleep so late. I took Alfie out and we came back inside as we usually do. I took him out again at 10.00a.m. but we didn't go far as there was the possibility of rain. I felt a few drops and the sky was clouding over so we went back to the flat.