The Race Is On!

 Wednesday. 6.00 a.m. It's not so bright and sunny this morning. In fact, it's not bright and sunny at all. I took Alfie out, and it was raining, although rather thin and miserable. During the night, I woke up and could hear heavy rain. So, I suspect there will now be flooding, mostly on the grid roads around Milton Keynes.

10.15 a.m. Another trip to you've guessed it!- Sainsbury's. It was pouring rain (well, what else? Ink? Tea? Ribena? No.) There was a problem in the store (there always seems to be. Not the lift and neither of the translators this time,  but water leaking in from above. It would have been coming in from one of the flats, which are above the Sainsbury's store. This meant that I couldn't get into the self-service area, intended for trolleys, so I had to use one of the self-service checkout machines in the area which is intended for shoppers who had baskets.

Thursday. 6.20 a.m. I awoke later than normal. Which is fine. 

Alfie must have had a bit of an accident. If you can call it that. There are bits of the dry mixer he has with his food all over the floor near where his feeding bowl is. It's easy enough to clear up with the dustpan and brush. A job for later. Then, I heard this weird sound from the bedroom. I thought Alfie was being sick, but it was him sneezing! He then came into the lounge where I was sitting, and he sneezed again. He didn't seem to know what it was, as he seemed a bit surprised. I don't know what set it off, but it was certainly amusing.

Yesterday afternoon, at around tea-time, I had my television set on and there was a lot of anticipation regarding a speech which would be given in Downing Street, by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister. The media was there in force, with television cameras, microphones and cameras at the ready. It was a wet and miserable afternoon, raining heavily, and many umbrellas were being used in an attempt to keep dry. Then, from the famous door of Number 10, a couple of men came out, carrying the podium and placing it in the street. A few minutes later, Rishi Sunak came out and began his speech, and we were told that the General Election had been called, with him going to see King Charles at Buckingham Palace, to ask him permission to dissolve Parliament and have a General Election of 4th July. The Prime Minister was getting very wet as he stood and spoke, and it seemed strange that he wasn't given an umbrella to shelter under as he walked back inside Number 10, he was soaked.

Wheels Coming Off The Bus

Wednesday. 7.40 a.m. A bright and sunny morning. I have already managed to clear out another cupboard! So, the whole clearing-of-the-kitchen is going well.

3.15 p.m. Alfie has been invited back by the family he met last Sunday. I have to say that I'm really pleased as it shows that he can settle down if given a chance. So, he has his own fan club! Also, it means I     can likely go to Worcester without him and have some time with Chloe and her family.

Thursday. 6.30 a.m. It looks like Boris Johnson will soon be forced to resign as Prime Minister.  The wheels are falling off the bus, as they say. 

12.40 p.m. I've been to help set up the Acorns playgroup at the Oaktree Centre this morning. As I wrote this, I have come home and I'm watching BBC 1, with a live report from outside Number 10, Downing Street, regarding the resignation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. It was expected, although he did his best to cling on, regardless of the number of his ministers who resigned. He came out of Number 10 and gave a speech, saying he would remain Prime Minister until a replacement is chosen.

My replacement debit card arrived in the post this afternoon. I'm just grateful that the incident with my bank card being used fraudulently has been resolved and the money that was taken has been returned to me. I'm really amazed at how quickly the replacement card was sent out. Well done Nationwide Building Society!

Friday. 7.25 a.m. I have more or less finished moving stuff out of the kitchen. Two cupboards are left to clear out and the microwave is now sitting on my desk. There's really nowhere else for it to go. I really just want to get the job started and, hopefully, and I say hopefully, it won't take ten days as specified. The electric oven and the fridge-freezer will be moved by workmen on Monday, into the hallway, and then they would be able to start hacking away at the tiling and the flooring, which is in very poor condition.

11.45 a.m. I've just got back from Sainsbury's. They continue to change things around in there. Why? Is it some made management exercise, just to annoy their customers? Some of it seems absolutely pointless. I'll give you an example: the pet aisle. Dog things on one side, cat things on the opposite side. They have merely swapped them around! I can't think of a good reason for this. No more, or less, space. No new products. Just shifting things across the aisle!!

Bright sunshine this morning. Inside, my digital thermometer reads 82ºF. I'm not sure what the outside temperature is at the moment, but probably around 10-15 degrees less than inside. 

I mentioned on here, quite a few months ago, about the construction of scooter sheds (no, not THAT sort of scooter.) They had to be provided because where they are currently parked, according to the fire officer, they are a danger. So, specially constructed sheds have been constructed outside, with electric points for charging etc. But they can't be used because a special door needs to be constructed so that users can get in and out of the building. Why on earth can't this be completed? There's no sense. SOMEONE in Milton Keynes Council needs to sign the relevant paperwork and get the work finished, so these confounded sheds can be used.  It would be an irony if there was actually a fire and the confounded scooters go in the way of people attempting to leave the building. Oh, wait! If there is/was a fire, we're supposed to remain in our flats. Not a good idea. Look what happened to the tenants of Grenfell Tower, who were told to remain in their flats when that awful fire took place in 2017. Just don't expect me to sit in my flat and not make any attempt to escape.