'Ods Bodkin!

 Monday 2nd February. 8.20 a.m. Yet another rather dull and overcast day. It looks slightly foggy outside.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I am attempting to set up a puppet group at church. With my background in theatre and puppetry, it seems a good idea to use them for the children's ministry and in particular, there is going to be a holiday club during the summer. I want them to be Muppet-style, which means they have mouths that work and rods for their arms. My only problem is that I don't have space in the flat for puppet making, and my skills with needle and thread are limited. I could get a reasonably priced sewing machine from Amazon. I have done some considerable amount of research on the internet, and I'm overwhelmed by the amount of stuff out there. I am waiting for a puppet to be delivered in the next few days, and that should be the start of things once I've had a chance to work with it for a couple of days.

Tuesday 3rd February. 8.00 a.m. Another overcast day. I have a vague idea it might rain. Now, there's a thing! Something we really need- not.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre yesterday afternoon. Lots of tea and cake, which made it worthwhile. We played a game, guessing the places on a map of the United Kingdom, and then discussing places we've been.

I arrived back at Dexter House to discover a large package outside my flat. On opening it, I found the puppet I ordered around a week ago. I came from Australia. Unfortunately, the puppet doesn't have rods, which was a disappointment because I can't work without them. I don't want to wait for a set to come from Australia, so I have found some on Amazon, and I will order them once I get paid on Wednesday.

4.55 p.m. I've been cleaning out my fridge/freezer. Well, the fridge part. It needed doing. It is not something I exactly relish, but, as I will be going to Sainsbury's tomorrow morning (that is, unless something dreadful happens, which I really hope doesn't) It seemed a good idea to have it sorted so that anything that needs refrigerating has space.

A Little Bit Of Rain

 Thursday. 6.45 p.m. We have a storm heading towards Britain, called Storm Goretti. I have no idea where the name came from, but it sounds like a sort of spaghetti or ice cream brand or even a biscuit.

Sunday. 7.35 a.m. The cough is almost gone, but now I'm suffering with what you might loosely call 'brain fog.'

10.05 a.m. I was scheduled to set up Communion for this morning's service. I had the bread, bought from Sainsbury's yesterday and cut up ready. Because I don't feel too well, I decided to take the bread to church and find someone to take over, which I did. It is under control, and I'm back in the flat. I think, if this 'thing' hasn't finished by Tuesday, I will have to make a doctor's appointment. Antibiotics may help deal with it.

It's a relatively mild morning. No frost, ice or snow. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

Thursday. 8.35 a.m. I got my hair cut yesterday, at the usual place, ROK, in Unity Place.(Incidentally, I have no idea why it's called ROK.) It seemed appropriate to start 2026 with a haircut. It did need doing.

I have been sorting out Alfie's bits and pieces, his bed, feeding bowls and little coats. I am giving it all away to anyone who wants it, and it seems crazy to just leave it in the flat when someone else's dog might make good use of it all.

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

Friday. 8.35 a.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

I took all of Alfie's remaining bits and pieces to church, and someone has them who has dogs. There was no point in hanging on to it all.

Saturday. 10.45 a.m. My new reading glasses (or, I suppose I should say 'newish.') have come apart. One of the arms is the part that goes over one of your ears. I had intended to go into Boots Opticians in the central shopping centre, but when I got out to get in my car I found it was raining heavily. I didn't want to park and then walk into the centre and then get wet, so I changed my plans by going to put fuel in the car at the ESSO station in Child's Way and went to Sainsbury's because I didn't have anything for this evening's meal. At least there is an underground carpark, so I wasn't going to get wet.

Twixmas

 Tuesday. 2.05 p.m. I've just been to Mursley Farm shop with Margaret and Mike. We have been there before, with the Thursday Morning Lifegroup. I do know how to get there, but it didn't make a lot of sense taking two cars, so Margaret drove to Dexter House to pick me up, and then we drove on to the farm shop, which has a great cafe, serving a wide selection of goodies.

This post is entitled 'Twixmas', referring to the period between Christmas and New Year, 'Twix', having nothing to do with chocolate biscuits, but a contraction of 'betwixt.'

Wednesday. New Year's Eve. 7.55 a.m. Another unremarkable morning. I'm yet to see outside. It might be frosty.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

10.15 a.m. The sun is shining. But, when I went to my car earlier, the windows were covered in a thin layer of ice, which I got rid of with some defrost spray and a scrape with my scraper which I keep in the car for such eventualities. I drove to Sainsbury's for the final shop of 2025.

Sainsbury's now expect their customers to use a £1 coin to release the trolleys before you commence shopping. Fortunately, I have a token on my key ring, but the metal one I had seems to have got lost, unfortunately. I'm wondering why the need to lock trolleys and expect customers to use a coin to release them. Might it be that trolleys make a habit of losing themselves out in the community? People take them out of the store and don't return them? I often see supermarket trolleys left in odd places, far away from their natural habitat, the supermarket itself, quite often dumped in ditches, ponds and similar places.

Thursday. New Year's Day. 8.20 a.m. I sat and watched Jools Holland's New Year's Eve show on BBC2, which included the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne and The Band of the Scots Guards. The chimes of Midnight rang out, and then Lulu sang. I ate a couple of mince pies and drank a Whiskey Mac, Scots whiskey and ginger wine.

5.20 p.m. I've been to lunch with Margaret and Mike in Downs Barn. Plenty to chat about, and we went out for a walk around the block. It's great to get out of the flat for a while.

Friday. 12.15 p.m. It's bright and sunny, but it's been quite cold.

November Sun

 Thursday. 12.35 p.m. The weather is terrible today. It's raining heavily, and it's overcast.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

We had our weekly Life Group at the Oaktree Centre this morning, but there were only 4 of us there. We had a long conversation about memories of Christmases, instead of the usual Bible study.

Friday. 9.25 a.m. I have washing in the dryer, and I'm waiting for it to finish.

It is brighter on the weather front. There is a weak sun, and at least it's not raining or a howling wind.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

12.55 p.m. I had a Christmas card I wanted to post, to my brother, Andrew. I waited until my washing was dried and put away, and drove to the Post Office in the One Stop shop in Coffee Hall. I had gone on line to check my bank account, because I wanted to go on to Sainsbury's after I'd dealt with the card.l Unfortunately, when I got to One Stop, I then discovered that the Post Office counter within the store had gone, and I had to buy a book of stamps for around £6, took one and stuck it on the envelope which contained the Christmas card and then posted it in the post box outside the store. I then had to return to Dexter House to pick up my bank card and then drive on to Sainsbury's. Meanwhile, I had to contend with roadworks as it would appear that the Council was doing resurfacing work at the roundabout, which I had to cross to get to Sainsbury's and negotiate a lot of orange traffic cones, and it wasn't totally clear where you were supposed to drive.

Saturday. 7.50 a.m. Yesterday I took delivery of an SD card for my Osmo Pocket 3, which I had ordered from Amazon. These things are tiny, no bigger than the nail of your little finger. In fact, I think it's a good deal smaller. It is quite difficult to remove it from the packaging. You have to cut through the card which houses the thing and then attack the plastic which holds it in place. You need scissors to cut through everything and be careful to not damage the actual SD card. Once removed from it's prison, I had to remove the current SD card from the camera and replace it with the new one. Then, initialise it to make sure it will work correctly. This done, I had to remove it and at this point, it is quite difficult, as the thing is kept in place with a strong spring, which only managed to make the SD card shoot out of the housing and disappear somewhere in the area around my chair. I began to hunt frantically for it, and decided that it was totally lost. Which annoyed me, as the thing costs £30. So I ordered a second one on Amazon. It was whilst resting on my bed, that I thought it might be a good idea to look inside my armchair, by lifting the seat cushion, and, there was the missing SD card, which I put in the camera case. I will have to be a little more careful when dealing with the SD cards in the Osmo Pocket 3.

Autumnal Days

 Monday. 1.05 p.m. A new week. Currently, the digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

I have been to a Shakespeare session at Dovecote in Newport Pagnall. I used to go, quite some time ago, but for some reason, I stopped going. I think it was probably because the person who used to be in charge of the group left, but I made contact via the U3A website, hence today's session.

I haven't driven to Newport Pagnall for some time, and the road has been improved, and there are warehouses built on one side and houses being built on the other and a new roundabout on the main road which comes in from Bedford, with traffic lights which make it safer and easier.

Tuesday. 7.20 a.m. It is another dull and ordinary November day. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc, so , stuck at the same temperature recorded yesterday.

I have bought an Osmo Pocket 3 digital video camera. I am getting to know all the features, and, similar to the Pocket 2, which I also have, but with more features, including a touch screen which swivels round to turn the thing on and set up the camera.

1.55 p.m. I was scheduled to have blood taken this morning for a blood test. It's meant for my annual diabetic prevention review. I was due at the surgery at 10.55. I got there in plenty of time and, once logged in on the computer system, I had to go upstairs.

There was a problem with giving blood, and today was no exception. The nurse tried my right arm, but with no success. Then my left, but still, no success. I was somewhat annoyed, not with the nurse, who was incredibly patient and professional, but I just wanted the procedure done and out of the way. I have another attempt booked for 1st December. I just hope that this time it is successful.

As the saying goes, 'you can't get blood out of a stone.' Yes, but you can't get blood out of my arm. 

Wednesday. 12.55 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's after 9 this morning, but there was ice on all the windows of the car, so I spent around 10 minutes scraping it off before driving away. It has been sunny for most of the morning, even there it was cold. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

Nil November

 Wednesday. 10.25 a.m. Yesterday I didn't feel all that well. I had what seemed to be a migraine, which I rarely get. It seemed like the flu or possibly covid. This morning it seems to be gone, but it wasn't pleasant. A short time lying on my bed did help, but not entirely.

There was quite a heavy rainstorm early this morning, around the time I woke up, but at the moment, there is no sign of rain. The Environment Agency has declared a flood warning for Milton Keynes and the area, no doubt because the River Ouse flows through Newport Pagnall.

I've just come back from a shopping tip to Sainsbury's, and it looks as if Christmas, or at least, the run-up to the festive season, is in full swing. There are Christmas trees everywhere, of varying sizes and presents, or at least, the options for presents, very much in evidence.

Thursday. 4.10 p.m. I now have the bookcase I was given screwed securely to the wall. I am slowly moving the piles of books I have around the flat into the bookcase. I am so glad I was given this, and I have the chest of drawers parked in the entrance hall of the flat, and that will be moved into my bedroom once I have cleared a space on the furthest side of my bed.

Friday. 10.40 a.m. It's a bit miserable and wet. It's pouring with rain and not good out. Just as well it's rain and not tea or orange juice! I know, I'm silly, but after all, why not?

I'm gradually moving the piles of books into the new bookcase. The place looks so much better, but actually not particularly tidy!

Saturday. 12.25 p.m. It's a very grey and gloomy day. It makes me think of this poem, called 'November' and very appropriate for the sort of day it is. When I was at school, we learnt poetry and sometimes had to read it aloud.

No sun — no moon!
No morn — no noon —
No dawn — no dusk — no proper time of day.
 
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member —
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! —
November!

It was written by Thomas Hood.

There is a fog, not exactly thick, but as I look out of the kitchen window, I can see that this fog is obscuring a good deal of the view. Some of it has been Tippexed out, as you would if you made a mistake on a typed letter, long before computers and word processing.

What The World Needs Now

 Wednesday. 10.35 a.m. A rather dull and overcast day. The digital thermometer reads 21ºc.

I've just come back from Sainsbury's. Halloween stuff is on the shelves, not that I have anything to do with it. But next to it all is a display of Christmas cards, and we're only just into October (today is 1st October.) I think it's so we are thinking about the festive season. Not that we're allowed to forget. I saw mince pies on sale last week. I expect there will be Christmas trees next.

Friday. 10.10 a.m. A rather wet morning. I'm so glad all the bulbs are planted. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. Autumn has definitely arrived.

6.05 p.m. As I write, there is a strong wind blowing, which I noticed when I was in the kitchen and looked out of the window. 

Saturday. 3.05 p.m. There's quite a strong wind howling outside. Apparently, it is Storm Amy, or the tail end. I think this area of the country got off lightly.

Sunday. 7.25 a.m. It's peaceful this morning. No rain and no gale-force wind. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.I have more or less finished the writing sequence I've been working on recently. It will now have to be transferred to word processing. As there are over 15 pages, it will take me some time. Then a heavy edit will be necessary.

Monday. 8.10 a.m. I didn't wake up until 7.20. That has to be the latest in a good long while.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. The sun is out, but it's not clear if it's cold outside. This time of year, it can be sunny, but then, when you go out, you find it is chilly.

Saturday. 1.10 p.m. I have been to have my flu vaccination this morning at Milton Keynes Central Medical Centre. As usual, I arrived in good time and signed in on the computerised system. I didn't have to wait long before my name came up on the digital screen.

Sunday. 2.20 p.m. Another rather indifferent autumn day. It's getting chilly. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. I decided to wear a pullover to church, but then, partway through the service, I found I was too hot. 

I am currently transferring the handwritten material I have written into a word processing program. I am making changes as I write. I had mislaid a large amount of material, around 10-12 pages. I searched the flat and went through all the files and drawers without success, but yesterday it came to light, fortunately, so that it can be word processed.

Fiddlesticks!

 Wednesday. 9.40 a.m. Well, another soggy day in fun city, Milton Keynes. The days are beginning to draw in as autumn catches hold.

The digital thermometer currently reads 24ºC.

I wanted to use my Canon printer, but the ink cartridge was more or less finished. When I attempted to print something the other day, it came out very faint, so I suspected that a replacement was necessary. I have this morning ordered one on the Argos website and gone to collect it after 9. I am now back in the flat, and the cartridge is installed in the printer.

Alfie is asleep in this bed. I am taking him to The Groom Room for an appointment at 11 a.m. I have already put the cage in the back of the car, ready to take him.

7.30 p.m. I came back from taking Alfie to The Groom Room, and hoped to have a cup of tea. I went to the fridge and found it was thawing out. How this happened, I have no idea, but all the contents of the freezer part have thawed and, as a consequence, can't be used. After the incident which happened a few weeks ago, when my chopping board and the handle of my best sharp knife melted because one of the rings on the ceramic surface of my oven was accidentally turned on, this was something which I hoped would never happen. As a result of the oven incident, I now turn the oven off at the wall point, but this doesn't explain how the fridge/freezer was turned off. It means I will have to throw away more or less the entire contents.

Thursday. 2.40 p.m. It's another very autumnal day. It's mild but bright. The digital thermometer currently reads 26ºC.

I have been to Sainsbury's and have bought my shopping home; it has been checked off, and two of the freezer drawers have been cleared out. It's not good to eat food that has been frozen, re-frozen and then thawed, as it would make me ill if I ate it, so I have accepted that it is wasted and put what I bought in Sainsbury's in the freezer.

Friday. 1.45 a.m. I couldn't sleep. Alfie was snoring like crazy and was sleeping on the floor, right in the middle of the threshold of my bedroom. The usual thing that wakes me is a need to visit the bathroom. (A thought: why do Americans always refer to the toilet as the bathroom? It just sounds so pathetic, a euphemism.  A bit like the Victorians covering the legs of furniture. Why don't they just say toilet and be done with it? The other one, said by women, is 'I'm going to powder my nose', when in actual fact, they're going to the loo.) Anyway, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to make myself a coffee and watch something on television. With such things as BBC iPlayer, Netflix and other streaming platforms, you are really spoilt for choice. I went on iPlayer and decided to watch one of my favourite sitcoms, 'My Family', which stars Zoe Wanamaker and Robert Lindsay. The actual sitcom is rather mediocre, but it is the acting of these two which makes it worth watching.

Bright And Early

 Tuesday. 7.35 a.m. It's sunny and relatively warm. The digital thermometer currently reads 25ºc. 

9.55 a.m. I have been out in the community garden, planting a few of the bulbs. It is far easier now that I have the trowel and hand fork.

Wednesday. 8.05 a.m. A somewhat flat and uninteresting sort of morning. Probably best described as 'overcast.' The digital thermometer currently reads 24ºc.

I have bought a Morphy Richards soup maker. I have been considering getting one for a while, because Carol and I had one when we lived in Eaglestone. I don't know what happened to it, because moving from there to Dexter House was so difficult. It was great to make homemade soup and try out different ingredients, and it was so easy to use. This one seems a good deal more versatile, and you can make smoothies in it. This was purchased from Very, the online retailer. The thing arrived yesterday evening. I am currently trying it out. You have to clean it before use, according to the instruction manual. It has a setting for automatic cleaning,  as you can't wash it in the sink because of the electrical parts.

2.05 p.m. I had to get some shopping, so I went to Lidl, but when I got outside, I found it was raining. Not very hard, but still enough to get wet. 

I have made a raspberry smoothie in the soup-making machine. Before you ask, yes, you can make smoothies in it. I had frozen raspberries in the freezer, so I took them out yesterday evening, and they were sufficiently defrosted to make a smoothie. I bought raspberry yoghurt in Lidl and, along with some milk, put it all in the machine, and after barely 5 minutes, I had a delicious smoothie! I worked really well, and I will have to experiment with the thing to do more smoothies and soups.

Thursday. 7.10 a.m. Alfie hasn't been out yet. He's under my bed, and it's impossible to get at him. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

9.10 a.m. Alfie was found on his bed, so I was able to grab him and take him out at last. He's currently wandering around the flat.

The sun is out. For how long, I wonder? Will there be another rainstorm before the day is over?

4.15 p.m. It's sunny at the moment, but it's also windy. Fortunately, no rain, although we do need some.

Friday. 8.15 a.m. A bright and sunny morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

I have my laundry in the washing machine. It should have finished its cycle at around 8.50. I will be going to Sainsbury's once that is complete. 

4.25 p.m. My washing was dry, and it was all put away. I then went to Sainsbury's, basically because my Lidl trip yesterday didn't allow me to buy one or two things. I was somewhat surprised to discover mince pies on sale. It really does defy logic that you would sell something which is a key ingredient in a household's food at Christmas, would be on sale in September and would most likely be inedible, or, at least, well past its best, at the beginning of the festive season. Do Sainsbury's expect their customers to hoard them? Or even, dare I say, eat them?

I have now made chicken soup in the new soup-making machine. It has come out so much better than I expected. Really tasty and inspires me to make more, and I will have to find a book of recipes to increase my soup-making repertoire.

There was a roll of thunder as I was busy making soup, but it didn't develop into anything major. Not even a slight rainstorm.

Another Day Older . . .

 Friday. 1.50 p.m. I took my car to Anglo Motors to have its MoT. I had booked it via phone last week. I knew the old one would run out yesterday because I went online to check. I drove over to Mount Farm, the home of Anglo, at 11.45. I handed over the keys and then sat in the waiting area. After around 45 minutes, I learnt that it had passed! I'm so pleased, it's another thing to not have to stress about.

Sunday. 8.05 a.m. I woke a good deal later than normal. 

Yesterday evening, I lost Alfie. No, don't laugh. How on earth can you lose a small Yorkshire terrier in a flat this size? I think he was under my bed.

3.30 p.m. We have had extremely loud music emanating from the National Bowl, here in sunny Milton Keynes, both yesterday and today. Our ears were bombarded by the heavy beat of reggae music. Not my sort of music, but the whole area around the Bowl had been cordoned off with traffic cones and those plastic fences you see when there is some sort of incident. On my way to church, I found that Chaffron Way was closed off at the Grafton Street roundabout, which meant I had to make a rather circuitous route around Milton Keynes before I could get to Shenley Brook End.

Wednesday. 10.45 a.m. Where have I been? Why haven't I been writing stuff on here? Simples! Not much is happening around here. Well, this is Dexter House, centre of the universe, full of excitement- not. We need a resident artist here, say, David Hockney or Andrew Lloyd-Webber, doing art, writing music and getting things going. It would certainly liven things up. We should have an Olympic-size swimming pool in the communal garden, along with a gym and cinema complex. I have to say, as you will have noticed, if you read my posts regularly, that I can get carried away with my musings.

I went to Sainsbury's earlier. It was like a version of the Marie Celeste, virtually empty. I didn't get a trolley with a wonky wheel, which drives me nuts. It refuses to push without squeaking or just not moving at all. I think they should spend some time getting them maintained. So the wheels run freely and don't squeak.

Thursday. 8.45 a.m. It's another mild and relatively pleasant morning. I just hope it stays that way.

Yesterday evening, I was part of a Zoom meeting, which was for market research. I won't go into too much detail, just suffice to say, it was very interesting. I've done quite a few of these, some really boring, but this was fascinating, and what made it more interesting was hearing other people's opinions. I will get £60 for doing it, so that's great, and I want to get more of these, particularly when they're on Zoom, as it means you don't have to go anywhere, just sit and chat in the comfort of your own home. It ended relatively late, which means I slept well and didn't wake up until around 7 a.m. Until we had the coronavirus pandemic, I had never even heard of Zoom. I quickly got the hang of using it, and it has paid off to have the ability to use it. My various bits of technology, such as my MacBook Pro, iPad and iPhone, can be used to earn more cash. I have two apps on my iPhone, which I use to scan the barcodes of what I buy, using the phone's camera. I build up points which can be built up and then redeemed for various vouchers, such as Amazon, Argos, Sainsbury's, Tesco, etc. Well worth the effort. Another site I'm signed up to is called Consumer Pulse, which I've been with for years. When you buy clothes and other items, you record each on the site and, again, receive points which can be redeemed for vouchers. 

Funny Sunny

 Monday. 7.40 a.m. It's sunny but a good deal cooler this morning. My digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

I woke up a good deal later than usual. I can't think why, but I do feel refreshed.

Wednesday. 11.10 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's. I have mentioned this before, but they've been moving stuff around yet again. You get used to where things are, then somebody thinks it's a great idea to move everything around. So, the result is, you get frustrated and spend most of your time going up and down the aisles hunting like crazy.

5.05 p.m. Oldbrook Boulevard is currently being resurfaced. I was aware of a 'Road Closed' sign up at the junction with Chaffron Way the other day, on my way to church on Sunday morning, but I wasn't sure what it was referring to. Then, this morning, on my way to Sainsbury's, there was a sign saying 'road closed' but it was somewhat ambiguous, as it was for the right-hand turn into Oldbrook Boulevard. The left-hand direction had already been resurfaced. The surface is far better now and a vast improvement on the rather poor surface, full of potholes and uneven.

Saturday. 10.30 a.m. I went to Lidl this morning because I didn't have anything for this evening's meal. It's only a short journey along Oldbrook Boulevard, and I can get in and out quickly. I am getting used to their self-service tills and used the Lidl app on my phone, although I almost left it behind, on the machine, except a vigilant member of staff waved it at me before I went out the door. 

There is light rain this morning. It is needed because everything is so dry. The digital thermometer currently reads 25ºc.

Sunday. 7.45 a.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc, meaning it's much cooler and sleeping is better.

Tuesday. 10.30 a.m. I had a bit of a meltdown yesterday, both metaphorically and physically, at lunchtime. I always have a snack around 11-11.30, usually toast, with cheese, peanut butter, jam or something else, with yoghurt, an apple and crisps. I made the toast in the toaster and chopped up the cheese on my chopping board, on the top of the oven, which has a ceramic hob, so, when switched off, makes an extra surface to work on, which is somewhat limited in my tiny kitchen. I went into the lounge to watch television and ate my snack. For whatever reason, I went back into the kitchen, having finished watching television. I was aware of smoke and a smell which I didn't recognise, and then saw that the chopping board and knife were melting on the ring, which was on. They both have elements of plastic in them; the chopping board is completely made of plastic, and the handle of the knife is plastic. Somehow or other, the ring had come on, probably by my accidentally touching the control knob on the front of the oven. There was a considerable amount of molten plastic on the surface of the ceramic hob. I thought immediately to switch off the oven. It was at this point that the fire alarm went off. The kitchen was by now full of smoke, which would have been what set off the fire alarm. Around five minutes or so a fire engine arrived outside in the street, and several minutes later, three firemen came into my flat. I showed them what had happened, and they opened all the windows. They could see that there was no fire and told me I could evacuate the flat, and so I took Alfie with me. 

I sat in the entrance area of Dexter House. There was no SHO on duty, so there was nobody to support me at this time. One of the other residents offered me a cup of tea, so we went to her flat, which is along the other corridor to my flat. It allowed me to reflect on what had happened. I could not remain in the flat while it was full of possibly toxic fumes. I had Alfie with me, and he must have wondered what on earth was going on. After drinking my tea, I thanked the lady and decided to return to my flat. The fumes had dispersed, and I looked at the damage to the knife, which was melted and totally unusable, as well as the cutting board, which had a large hole melted right through, and was also unusable.

Thursday. 8.20 a.m. Yesterday, late, our SHO at Dexter House phoned me, because she had seen an email regarding the situation in my kitchen. She said, perhaps the best solution to preventing a similar incident from happening with the oven would be to turn it off at the wall socket, which makes sense, and, as a result, I have switched it off at the wall socket.

Garden Work Completed

 Thursday. 8.10 a.m. The work in the community garden here at Dexter House has been finished. The workmen were tidying up late yesterday afternoon, and now we have neat and tidy, tarmac-covered paths which should be suitable for those who have electric scooters to drive along and actually gain access to the sheds, which were installed around 3–4 years ago and had remained unused until the work was completed. There are also lights installed all along the paths, no doubt installed in case there is a fire in the building and the residents have to evacuate.

My FitBit has fallen apart. No, that isn't actually correct. What happened was that I was putting on my shirt as I was getting dressed, and the strap got caught somehow, and then the strap came apart. The metal pin which secures the device's body to the strap came out, and I managed to retrieve it from the floor. But, I have to be honest, the thing has begun to annoy me because the strap, which I bought on Amazon, is metal. Although it looks good, it has a magnetic connection instead of a buckle, but it keeps on coming apart, and often at the most inconvenient moments, such as when I am driving. It sometimes makes the watch part fall around on my wrist, and at one point, I almost lost the thing. The actual Fitbit is good, but the other fact is that you have to keep charging it, which is usually once a week or so. So, because of all this, I decided to buy a cheap digital watch on Amazon, which should arrive by Saturday.

Friday. 7.10 a.m. I have only just woken up. Barely 15 minutes ago. Probably the latest for a long time. Alfie has been out, and the weather seems quiet.

Monday. 10.05 a.m. I have been to get milk and a few other bits that were running out from Sainsbury's. I must have milk for my cereal and tea for breakfast. I was surprised that there was ice on the car's windows when I went out after 9 a.m., so I had to spray the defroster and scrape the ice with the scraper. As I write this, it's sunny and bright. 

Saturday. 9.50 a.m. It's getting light earlier and earlier each morning. Which means I can take Alfie out a good deal earlier.

I've been to Sainsbury's. Milk was needed as well as bread. I could go to Lidl, but they don't have the bread I like. It's made 'in-house.' I'm not a fan of your traditional white sliced loaf. This bread is malty and wholemeal.

I've mentioned about the work done in the community garden, here at Dexter House. This was done so that those who use electric scooters could store them in the sheds which were completed several years ago, but could not be accessed because the surface of the paths are unsuitable, and it would have been difficult to get into the sheds. Now this is possible, but as I write this, there are no scooters in the sheds. I would have thought people would have flocked to use the sheds and try out the newly surfaced paths.  The whole idea of all that work was because the fire officer said, I don't know how long ago, that the electric scooters should not be stored in the communal areas in Dexter House, as they are a hazard, if there was a fire. But they are still parked within Dexter House. Crazy situation.

Cold and Frosty!

 Wednesday. 2.20 p.m. There was a slight frost when I took Alfie out at around 7 this morning. I had to clear off a thin layer of ice from the car's windows because I had to take Alfie to The Groom Room to have a trim. We were due there at 11.30 a.m. It was fortunate that I had bought spray for exactly that job.

Saturday. 7.20 a.m. It was a bit of a surprise to discover fog when I went out with Alfie about 20 minutes ago. Also, a crisp frost. Walking on the grass there was a real crackle. Alfie was keen to get back inside to the warmth, but who can blame him?

12.00 p.m. It's sunny but still chilly. I've been to Sainsbury's this morning and it took about 15 minutes to clear the ice off the windscreen and windows. I just cannot drive if I can't see clearly.

In Sainsbury's, the travelator was running, but what was formerly the up one was the down one and the down one was the up one. Goodness knows why. There always seems to be a problem with this technology, as you would have read if you had been following my blog over the years.

Wednesday. 7.55 a.m. It's still mild. That's good. We definitely don't need high winds, rain or snow.

The workmen are still here, digging trenches, making holes and generally getting on with the work in the community garden. It sounds to me as I write this that they are using some sort of drill or machine that makes a loud noise.

Thursday. 7.35 a.m. It's foggy out this morning. It's not thick, but foggy nevertheless.

I have bought an air fryer. I had points to spend, which included Argos, so I looked at their website and had first intended to buy a Ninja one, but after some thought, I decided to go with one where you could see the food cooking inside, so I decided on a Tower one, which utilises halogen as it's heating source. I am gradually getting the hang of how it works, but I keep thinking that it's like a microwave and that you can't put anything metallic in it, but my thinking is wrong, and you can. It will take me a while to get used to it and, as usual, the instruction manual that comes with it is of very little use and it's written in very small and faint print so that makes life difficult. I shall watch YouTube videos and now bought a recipe book on Amazon, so that will help matters, or, at least, I hope so.

Boxing Day and Beyond. . .

 Thursday. 8 a.m. I went to the Christmas Day service at SCF yesterday morning. It was an hour and there wasn't any tea or coffee as we usually have after our services, so I came straight home afterwards. 

I had my Christmas Dinner at around 5.15. I had purchased all the bits that made it up from Sainsbury's which included a chicken breast (which turned out to have stuffing inside when I began to carve it.) Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, stuffing and bacon. I had bought a ready-made Christmas Pudding, but I decided to have it another day (probably this evening.

Later, I watched the new Wallace and Gromit film, 'Vengeance Most Fowl.' I'm a fan of the work of Aardman Animation, so this was something of a treat. I know it takes years to make an animation film, and probably more work goes into this type of stop-frame animation. It was so inventive and imaginative and hilarious. According to the over-night ratings, it got over 9 million viewers.

Friday. 1.40 p.m. It's been foggy and overcast for the past couple of days. Just typical December weather, I suppose.

Another trip to Sainsbury's this morning. The travelator was not working on the trip up to the store. They seem to have endless problems with this technology, but I can walk up the travelator, which is odd when it doesn't move, but the down one was working.

There seems to be a lot of Christmas stuff left over. Perhaps they should sell off mince pies and Christmas puds at half price, or even less.

All the tenants at Dexter House, including myself, have had letters from the maintenance contractors, Mears, today. Reading down the list of things they are going to do, caught my attention. It reads 'Slip and trip hazard free pathways from external doors to the scooter stores, from the fire exits of the scheme to external gates, and from the scooter stores to the external gates.' Which means, if I am right, but don't hold your breath, they are actually going to do the work, which has been held up for at least 3–4 years! SOMEONE in the hierarchy within Milton Keynes Council, has decided to act on this work, or at least, signed the piece of paper which means that, at last, the work can be done and the electric scooters, which are stored at the moment, in common spaces, for example, the corridors, and were deemed a fire hazard by a fire officer years ago. I have been watching the brilliant sitcom 'Yes, Minister' on BBC iPlayer. This business of the scooter stores seems very much like a storyline straight out of this series. 

Well the work begins on 6th January, so I will report on here how things progress, but don't hold your breath.

Saturday. 9.45 a.m. It's yet another gloomy and overcast day here in Milton Keynes. I see from BBC Breakfast, that vast swaithes of Britain is covered in thick fog, but this area seems to have escaped. There are problems with visability as airports and flights have either been delayed or cancelled. Drivers have been told to be careful on the roads, and, in particular, because visability if poor.

I went to the prayer meeting at SCF this afternoon. A lot of the people who are in the Thursday morning group were there.

Sunday. 7.35 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. There's a bit of fog hanging around although it's thin and is likely to disperse as the day progresses.

Monday. 9.35 a.m. A bit of a misty, rather than a foggy day. Overcast and murky is the best way to describe it.

I found that I was running low with some of my medication, so I decided it would be advisable to put in a repeat prescription. I went on the on-line pharmacy I use, Pharmacy2U or whatever it's called. When you can order, then those medications which you have signed up to a 'clear', but those they say you can't have yet are screened out, being 'greyed out.' As most of my repeat medications were 'clear', I clicked to order. I thought to myself, 'ok, that's done!' and they will arrived in a few days time through the post. But a few days ago, over the Christmas period, I got a text message from my surgery to tell me I had ordered too early. Which bothered me, because, by this time I had finished the Bisoprolol tablets I take, which I think are to control my heart rate and, hopefully, prevent me having a further heart attack. This morning, rather than ringing the surgery, because I knew it would likely take me about 45 minutes for them to respond, hence causing stress, it was far simpler to drive to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and get the medication ordered, which I did. I was concerned that they might not be open, due to the Christmas and New Year holidays. But I needn't have worried, as they were open, and I spoke to a receptionist, who did the order on her computer and I will hopefully receive the medication in a couple of days, maybe a bit longer than usual due to New Year getting in the way.

Wild, Windy and Wet

 Saturday. 6.30 a.m. Another storm raging across the country. This one is called Storm Darragh. I'd really love to know who comes up with these names.

3.50 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's this morning. Milk was running out and there were other things I needed. It's the best time to go, just after 9, because it's never busy on a Saturday morning. The self-service I used was behaving itself, which made things easier than usual.

The wind has been raging around the building all day. I think it must be the extractor fan in the kitchen which makes strange noises which are rather scary. Very blustery out and quite dangerous, with the possibility of tiles coming off roofs and bits of tree falling on you. Perhaps it's best to stay indoors, and I hope the wind settles down soon.

Sunday. 9.10 a.m. The wind was howling around the building all night. As I write this, it seems a good deal quieter, but still a bit gusty.

I have been unable to connect my Panasonic Freeview box to my new Vodafone Wi-Fi router. I have attempted to put the password into the relevant place, but it doesn't work. A really difficult job, because the password is so long, and you have to put in upper and lower case. Annoying and fiddly. I am also having a similar problem with my Canon printer. It is virtually impossible to connect the thing to Wi-Fi, so I think the only solution is to use the cable which I already have, so I will use that and forget the Wi-Fi connection. These things seem to cause no end of problems, but the cable is the best solution. There is supposed to be a way to connect via the Canon app, but I have spent some considerable time attempting to get the thing to connect, but nothing.

Tuesday. 7.30 a.m. Here I am, shaved, and dressed, Alfie has been out and sitting here writing this.

I have been doing more writing. Some things have prompted me to restart writing, one being a survey I did online, which was about food for older dogs. Alfie, being such a dog (can't believe he's 17. I don't know what that is in human years.) and part of it was to imagine I was Alfie and write a piece as if I was him and see the world as he sees it. I had real fun writing it and I think I got quite carried away. Hence, I ordered some new Pukka pads from Viking, the online stationery company, and have managed to write about a page and a half. I have had the idea circulating in my head for ages, so it was relatively easy to write. 

The weather seems relatively calm at the moment. I just hope we don't have the gale-force winds we have had over the past few days.

Friday. 9.25 a.m. The past couple of days, it's been overcast and gloomy. It's misty or, at least, thin and foggy outside. It would be great if the sun shone but don't expect miracles, as we are in December, so the weather can be expected to be cold and gloomy.

Saturday. 1.15 p.m. It's not so wild, windy or wet today, fortunately. The sun is shining as I write this and it's quite pleasant out.

I had a doctor's appointment at 10.30 this morning. As usual, I arrived early and it was worth it, because I was called into the doctor's surgery about 15 minutes early. The doctor said I was in good health, but I should lose some weight. I suppose he's right. I've never been into sport, but I suppose I could go for the occasional swim. I might look out for a gym which has a swimming pool. Carol and I used to belong to two gyms, one down near the football stadium and then Nuffield Health at Kent's Hill. Each of these gyms had the usual gym facilities, but also swimming pools, saunas and jacuzzis. I cancelled our Nuffield memberships after Carol died. It might be a good idea to get back to swimming as a form of exercise.

On the way back from the doctor's I dropped into Sainsbury's which actually wasn't such a good idea, as it was heaving, people in there no doubt making sure they had sufficient mince pies, Christmas puddings and wrapping paper before it all ran out. Not likely, but it seemed like it. The travelator wasn't working so I had to walk up without it moving and then come down in a lift when I had done my shopping.

Deep and Crisp and . . . It's gone!

 Tuesday. 7.35 a.m. I was somewhat shocked, when I opened the curtains this morning, to discover snow, not just fluffy bits falling from the sky, but covering the road and the garden outside. My car, which I can see from the window, was covered in a fairly thick blanket. I thought it only fair to find Alfie's Regatta jacket and put it on him before we went out, and I put on my hooded jacket. I don't think he appreciated the cold when we eventually left the building. As I write this, it continues to snow, and it doesn't appear to be stopping. I don't ever remember snow this early in the winter.

Thursday. 8.15 a.m. As I said in the above post, the snow came and went just as quickly. This morning we again have snow, but it's left a rather thin layer of the white stuff on the grass in the garden.

Yesterday morning I was about to drive to the Oaktree Centre, but had to spend around 10 minutes scraping ice off the car's windows. I have antifreeze spray, which I had the foresight to buy in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago, so I shall use that in future.

Saturday. 7.10 a.m. This morning there's rain and it's a good deal colder. I have just been watching BBC Breakfast, and there's a weather warning in place. Storm Bert is on the way. There's snow falling in the north of England, and it looks as if Scotland will be covered in the white stuff.

Sunday. 6.30 a.m. I awoke, due to needing the loo. I could hear the wind howling around the building. There was no way I could get back to sleep, so I decided to go online. I have a new family research site membership, My Heritage. It has more details of people as well as pictures, so I can at least see what some of my ancestors looked like. The new fibre broadband is working well.

Wednesday. 1.05 p.m. I have now got a second online genealogy subscription with something called MyHeritage. I have got back 40 generations, which is amazing. I have uploaded the Gedcom file from Ancestry which makes things easier and quicker and I have many new people on my family tree. I have one of Henry VII Is wives in my tree, Catherine Parr. 

A really typical November day. I went to Sainsbury's earlier and couldn't believe how dark it seemed. It has turned really cold and wet, and we have yet another storm coming in and Milton Keynes is on flood alert. This one is called 'Storm Connal'. Apparently, the name was given by the Dutch Met service.

Thursday. 8.00 a.m. Cold and frosty this morning when I took Alfie out. I reckon the car will need defrosting when I go out later. I have a new bottle of antifreeze spray ready, which I got in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago.

More Of The Same

 Saturday. 4.00 p.m. It's a rather dull and overcast sort of afternoon. The morning started relatively sunny and pleasant, but as the day progressed it gradually became more and more overcast. I had hoped that I could go out with the video camera and do some filming, but it didn't seem such a good idea. I am gradually getting to grips with the various settings, thanks mostly to the various YouTube videos I have been watching.

I have been doing some housework. I have a Vax steam mop, which is extremely good for cleaning the floors in the flat, but it does take a great deal of effort to use. I have avoided getting a traditional mop and bucket but decided that the kitchen floor needed a decent cleaning, so I bought a Vileda mop and a bucket at Sainsbury's the other day. I put some Flash liquid in the hot water in the bucket, and I was surprised at how effective it was. I have cleaned the kitchen floor, and the bathroom, which has now got a new floor (I must have mentioned this in an earlier post.) Also, the entrance hall. It was whilst cleaning the bathroom floor that I thought I could get some new mats for the bathroom. The old ones were falling apart. I attempted to give them a machine wash a few weeks ago, but unfortunately, the sponge rubber backing came off and caused a real mess in the machine when I'd finished, and it took quite a lot of time and effort to remove it. Also in the tumble drier. So, yesterday morning I went to The Range, to buy replacement bath mats. Usually, you get a bath mat and a matching mat for the toilet, with a bit cut out to go around the pedestal. I wandered around the store, and it took me a long time to find any bath mats. What I eventually found was really not my taste, and when I did find something suitable, there was no matching mat for the toilet. I gave up and then went into Homebase, and, again, after some time wandering around the store, I left with absolutely nothing. I drove away and then went into Dunelm, which is close by. Again, a good deal of searching of the store, but, regrettably, absolutely nothing that even vaguely resembled a bath mat. By this point my patience was beginning to expire and, because my mission to purchase these items had produced nothing, I then decided, to return to my flat, to have a look on the Amazon website and, sure enough, there were plenty to choose from.  I eventually found what I thought to be perfect for the job and ordered a set and hopefully, they will be delivered this evening.

It only shows how it is so easy to find what you want on Amazon (other online stores are available.) Such a wide choice. In fact, it can often be extremely difficult to decide on an item when there is so much to choose from. Because I have Amazon Prime, I don't have to pay for post and packaging, and the item will usually be delivered the next day. 

5.00 p.m. The bath mats have been delivered from Amazon. They are a great colour and are exactly what I wanted.

Man The Lifeboats!

 Monday. 10.45 a.m. It has been raining more or less continually all night. It is pouring down as I write this. I didn't go to church yesterday morning because of the rain. Pathetic, I know, but huge puddles are appearing everywhere on the grid roads around Milton Keynes.

On Friday morning, I had a workman come to look at my bathroom floor, and he ripped it up and replaced it with a new one. So much better and easier to clean. I can't believe, that after all this time and effort, it is done. I am supposed to have someone come out to look at possible changes to my bath, either taking the bath out and giving me a shower unit, or at least moving the current shower, which is over the bath, to a higher position on the wall, so I can at least have a shower without having to stoop to get under it. I'll hold my breath and wait until after this person visits.

12.15 p.m. A young man came to survey my bathroom. He was here about 30 minutes ago. He measured the bathroom with a gadget, I presume it has a laser in it and a red light comes on when it hits a wall or solid surface. He told me I should get a shower unit, with a shower tray a screen and a curtain, a new toilet and a wash basin. I will still hold my breath over this. It has taken around 2 years to get this far and, although the floor has been done, the rest is sort of 'in the air.'

It is still raining and there is a sort of waterfall from off the roof near the communal lounge. I don't hold out much hope regarding leaks, particularly along the corridor where my flat is.

Tuesday. 10.15 a.m. The rain has stopped, at least for the time being. I don't think it rained overnight. I have just returned from my weekly shop in Sainsbury's. I was talking to the lady on the tills, and she said the store had to be closed yesterday afternoon because of flooding. I'm not sure how they managed to clear up the water, but customers were told to leave (I trust it was done apologetically and appropriately.)

Wednesday. 10.25 a.m. When I got home from Sainsbury's yesterday morning, I found a parcel on my doorstep. I had obviously been out in the rain because it was partially damp. On opening it, I found it to be a copy of 'Legion' which I had ordered from Amazon, but which has since been replaced. It makes me wonder where on earth it was left. Well, certainly not at Dexter House, and quite obviously outside. I needed to return it, and, fortunately, I had retained the packaging the replaced book came in.  I had a roll of parcel tap somewhere in the flat, which I had used some while ago, but I could not find it anywhere.  I had to have this tape to close up the parcel and had to go back to Sainsbury's this morning to buy some more. Fortunately, it came on a roll which incorporated a cutter, thus making the job far easier. I went on the Amazon website and printed off a QR code, which I took to a shop in Bradwell Common and it was scanned, a label attached to the parcel, and it will return to Amazon. So that job was completed!

I had a text a few days ago about having a second shingles vaccination. I made the appointment online, which definitely makes things so easy, but I couldn't remember the day or time. It occurred to me, as I was so near to the surgery in Bradwell Common, I could drive a bit further and ask one of the receptionists. The shingles vaccination is on Saturday morning. The receptionist asked me if I wanted to book by annual 'flu vaccination, which I agreed to, and it's on 9th November, so that's organised. So, with that done as well as dealing with the Amazon parcel, I can say I've managed to kill two birds with one stone!

In Sainsbury's, it would appear that the effects of the deluge they had the day before are very much in evidence. The area where some of the self-service tills were cordoned off and there were buckets dotted about the store, no doubt to catch drips from the ceiling. It makes me wonder what happened to the flats which are above the Sainsbury store as well as the underground car park.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day . . .

 Sunday. 7.40 a.m. The weather has changed. I woke in the night to use the toilet and there was an almighty crash of thunder and then there was a heavy rainstorm which went on for around ten minutes.

Friday. 8.40 a.m. We've had more rain, but as I write this, the sun is out, and it's really pleasant, but it's getting chillier. Well, we are now into September, so it's to be expected.

Yesterday I got a letter from the cardiology department of Milton Keynes Hospital. It was regarding the transmission of data from the implant I have. It says, 'We are pleased to confirm all checks and automatic measurements are within expected parameters.' Since this was several weeks ago and the fact that I had this information when I spoke to the receptionist on the telephone, it seems somewhat irrelevant. But at least it leaves my mind that things are fine and don't need to worry about it.

Another sign that Christmas is on its way. Not more mince pies, but in Sainsbury's the other day, I noticed a pallet with a pile of Quality Street. I think I have worked out why. It's so they can mark them up at a lower price closer to Christmas, and, to comply with legislation regarding sales, items have to be shown at a higher price for many weeks or months to then be offered at a lower price.

Saturday. 12.45 p.m. The weather is still pleasant, but there's a definite chill in the air.

I have been to Sainsbury's this morning. I needed to get some batteries and when I was in there I bought something extra, one of Sainsbury's delicious hot fudge puddings. I know, I should keep off this sort of thing, and keep out of the biscuit and sweet aisles. But I was shocked to see, as I came up the travelator from the car park, a notice informing customers that it was time to order their Christmas food!

On Thursday, I ordered some items from Amazon, using points I had from one of the survey companies I work for. Scanning my shopping on something called Nielsen IQ. I have been thinking of buying a dash cam for my car, but it's difficult to decide which one to go for. There was one on Amazon half price, so I decided on that one, as well as a book I wanted, related to a recent exhibition about the Roman army at the British Museum, which I would have liked to have gone to. Also, I wanted a King James Version Bible, and there was one called a Cultural Background Study Bible. So I went for that. The Roman army book, called 'Legion', was supposed to have arrived on Thursday evening, but I thought it was stretching it a bit, considering I had only ordered it at around 7-8 that morning. But, having looked via the Amazon website, I saw that it said 'Delivered and put through the letterbox', which I knew wasn't correct as I certainly hadn't received it and, anyway, the book in its packaging, would never have fitted through my letterbox. I attempted to contact Amazon and, after some effort, found that, if I sent my phone number, someone would phone me, which they did. It transpired that they would send me a replacement of the book about the Roman army. It didn't explain what had happened to the original book. I'm intrigued to know where it went.

The next day I was expecting the NKJV Bible and the dashcam to arrive, but at around 7 p.m. I just happened to check again on the Amazon website to see when or if these items were going to be delivered, and saw, much to my surprise, that they had been delivered, but not to my door. So I went down to the entrance of Dexter House and there I discovered a pile of parcels, and two of them were addressed to me. So much for me instructing delivery drivers to come to my flat to hand over my purchases. The Roman army book was delivered to my door. I wasn't too pleased to have my items just left where anyone could have stolen them.

I have managed to set up the dashcam on the windscreen of my car, although I'm yet to set up the rear camera, which I might do tomorrow afternoon after I get back from church.

Chloe WhatsApp'd me during the week and said she was coming to Stony Stratford, and we could meet up for coffee. She would be there at around 2 o'clock with George, my grandson.

I was getting ready at around 1.30 to leave to drive to Stony Stratford when there was a clap of thunder. I was thinking, just typical! No rain all day until I want to go out! But it didn't deter me, and I took my bright yellow Regatta raincoat with me. I had the new dash cam working as I drove up Watling Street. 

Sunday. 4.10 a.m. I awoke, as usual, to go to the loo. As I got back in bed, I heard the sound of rain. I wasn't sure if it was raining, so I went into the kitchen to look out of the window, and, sure enough, it was pouring. By the time I came through to the lounge to sit and write this, only a minute or two later, the storm had passed.

8.30 a.m. It's still raining. I expect there will be large puddles on the road when I drive to church later. They usually appear at the point where the roads meet the many and various roundabouts across Milton Keynes.

Jolly, Jolly Good!

Saturday. 1.05 p.m. We had our monthly men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning. I had intended to go to Aldi at West Croft, but when I came out of the Oaktree Centre and got to the junction onto Chaffron Way, there was so much traffic that I decided to turn left towards the centre of Milton Keynes and go to Sainsbury's to get a replacement for the joint of beef I had to return yesterday because it was around three months past it's 'best before' date. I went to pay and went into one of the areas with self-service tills inside and scanned and paid, and then this woman came up to me, a member of Sainsbury's staff, asked me if I had used a scanner, and I said no, but I couldn't get the app to work on my iPhone and she responded by telling me if I had a Nectar card I could use one of the hand-held scanners for the job and, in effect, I should use that particular self-service tell because it was meant for those who scanned with a hand-held scanner. A real sense of being well and truly told off, so I'm sure I won't forget it in a hurry.

Sunday. 7.20 a.m. Bright and sunny start of Sunday. That's all I have to say today.

Monday. 8.30 a.m. I wasn't sure whether it had been raining overnight, because I looked out of the kitchen window I couldn't be definite because I couldn't see signs of the path across the garden being wet, but when I went out with Alfie, there was a sort of drizzle, but, as I write this, it's bright and sunny. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

3.20 p.m. It's still sunny, but there is quite a strong wind.

Thursday. 6.35 a.m. Another seemingly bright and sunny day. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. 

I don't know whether I have mentioned this, but, when I had the recent blood test done at Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre, it was found that I had a high level of sugar in my blood. As a result, it had been suggested I take part in a course to help reduce my chances of becoming diabetic, so I have made an appointment to start the course, and then I had a telephone assessment done on Monday afternoon.

Friday. 7.40 a.m. Washing day again. The excitement is overwhelming! Everything in the machine and it's doing its job. So that will be done in around 50 minutes or so.

A bright and sunny morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

I'm currently reading a book entitled 'Churchill's Most Secret Airfield: R.A.F. Tempsford,' written by Bernard O'Connor. I only discovered this airfield from looking at Google Maps and seeing it identified. It's interesting what you find when you look at Google Maps. I lived around 15 miles away from this site, living in Cardington and Cople, as well as having a job in Everton as a support worker in a residential home for people with learning disabilities, which was only a mile or so away from this site. Like a lot of these places which were used during the Second World War, and in particular, Bletchley Park, which isn't far from where I now live in Milton Keynes, they were kept secret and have only until recently been revealed to be a major part of the war effort and many of those who worked there have only very come forward to tell of the secret work done there.  R.A.F. Tempsford was used as a base for agents of the S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive), who were flown into enemy territory in occupied France and other countries, and then parachuted in to engage with the resistance to cause havoc to Nazi defences and help bring about the liberation of France. The book is excellent, but it is printed in a minuscule type, which makes it quite difficult to read.

Saturday. 8.30 a.m. It's bright and sunny. Yippee! The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

11.45 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's. I went a good deal earlier because it's Saturday. As I went out to the car, there was a light rain, but nothing to worry about. I know that Alfie won't like it, as he doesn't appreciate getting wet. So much for saying it was bright and sunny. Just typical British weather.