Is It A Wonderful Life?

Thursday. 7.45 a.m. Out a bit after 5.30 a.m., basically because I woke up and then immediately went back to sleep. Not such a good idea, but we did a circuit of Oldbrook Green as I am determined to get back to doing at least 10,000 steps. The FitBit is a good motivator, particularly as you get a weekly report emailed to your inbox every week. According to that, I am not doing as many steps as I have done previously. 

I am attempting to do more recording, using the MacBook Pro. I am doing various well-known poems, but making sure they are well out of copyright. Such pieces as 'The Hunting of The Snark', 'Matilda,' (No, not the Roald Dahl story, but the one about the girl who couldn't stop telling lies.) It has to be one of my favourites. I have already got one uploaded onto Soundcloud, so let's see what else I can record and upload. I have found that this flat has good acoustics for recording, thankfully, but I think I will have to wait until the workmen have finished around Dexter House. I don't want banging and crashing noises in the background of my recordings. I don't know if the microphone will pick it up, but for me, it's very distracting.

4.00 p.m. We still have workmen banking and crashing all over Dexter House. I think they are upgrading the doors between the different areas along the corridors. It's just noisy, and it will be great when it is completed. Would be better if they used rubber hammers.

I'm going to Worcester next weekend, but Alfie isn't coming with me. It's very difficult to concentrate on the grandchildren or have a decent conversation with Chloe and Steve because Alfie takes over, barking and generally wanting attention all the time. It was difficult when I went there at Christmas, and even with him corralled in the utility room with a childproof gate installed so he couldn't get out, he still made a lot of noise. I think most of this is because we've been on lockdown together for two years, and he's had me to himself and he's become more determined to get my attention. So, I wanted to find someone to look after him for the duration of my time away. I eventually got an email put out from church and someone came forward and I took Alfie to meet her this evening. I have written a sort of care plan, giving details of his needs and requirements, as well as his quirks. So he will be taken there next Friday and I can drive to Worcester on my own. Mind you, it will be strange not having him around, but certainly, be good to have time to relax without being barked at!

Friday. 6.20 a.m. A rather overcast morning, but it's still warm here in Milton Keynes. Alfie and did a circuit of Oldbrook Green.

8.10 a.m. We now have a second replacement washing machine! Oh, the excitement-not! I went to do a load of washing and found the new machine in place, but I had absolutely no idea how to operate it. It has a digital touch-screen, but I was wary of the wrong setting, and as a result, possibly ruining my clothes by setting the wrong temperature, so I had to ask Barbara to show me. The first setting was for an hour, but I wanted a shorter programme, and it was set for 20 minutes. I just don't want to have to wait an hour before I can unload the machine and put everything in the tumble drier.

10.25 a.m. A man has been to my flat to do a survey for asbestos, which is being done as a preliminary for a new kitchen to be fitted. So, hopefully, and I definitely mean hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I should get a shiny new fitted kitchen. The floor leaves a lot to be desired, as there is an area where the tiles are coming up and is, frankly, a trip hazard. Let's just hold our breath until I get some sort of notification that work is going to be done. Well, if other people within Dexter House have had their kitchens done, I think I can safely say that I can't be too far up the list to have mine done. Then, possibly, hopefully, they might come and sort out my bathroom.

Once the man had finished doing the survey of the flat, I took Alfie out. It has been raining, but hardly a heavy downpour, but, nevertheless, we got a bit of a wetting.

Bored Silly

The days seem to blur one into the other. It's difficult to know which day is which. The weekends are more or less the same as the rest of the week. As a result, life at the moment is just plain BORING! I have managed to make a recording of the Lewis Carroll nonsense poem 'The Walrus and The Carpenter,' which features in his book 'Through The Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There,' which is a sequel to his earlier fantasy novel, 'Alice In Wonderland.' I have managed to upload it to Soundcloud as a test to see if it world work, and it does! It's not an entirely perfect recording (there is a slight glitch, made by myself, part-way through the 'take.' ) But I am pleased that I have something new to work on, sitting in this flat.

(Saturday) Really surprised by fairly thick fog this morning when I took Alfie out for his walk. You could barely see across Oldbrook Green.

I have watched the final episode of season four of 'The Crown' on Netflix. Beautifully done, photography, music, general productions design and the acting is strong. I think a few BAFTAs and other awards should go to many of the cast, but I don't think it's as strong as the last couple of seasons. Still worth watching and in particular the background stories (ie, Margaret Thatcher's rise and fall etc.)  I'm wondering how they are going to film season five in line with government pandemic regulations. It's going to be very difficult to make television or film productions when you have to have social distancing. But no doubt they will manage somehow or other.

(Sunday) A good deal milder today.

I've been thinking about how the  Downing Street news conferences are presented since the pandemic started. They are saying that the age group from around 18-35ish are the the group most likely not to follow any of the regulations, from self isolating to social distancing. They are the group who don't always watch traditional broadcast television (ITV, BBC1, BBC2, Channel 4, Channel 5 etc.) If they watch anything at all it's most likely to be on catch-up services or On Demand, such as Netflix. They probably don't watch news or get involved in politics. They are therefore the most difficult to reach with anything regarding the pandemic. They would be bored silly watching any of the news conferences from Downing Street when there is something to be discussed or any announcements to be made. Well, they are so boring, I don't think many youngsters would watch. Grey suited talking heads, standing in front of brown wooden panelled walls. The whole thing needs a make-over. Chris Whitty is about as exciting as watching the proverbial paint drying. Admittedly Boris Johnson has a certain sort of charisma, but generally the rest of them are yawn-inducing. Someone needs to give the whole thing a design rethink and have someone a bit more lively leading, someone the younger generation can identify with. Dress them in jeans and a T shirt, someone who has medical training or at least a background in medicine, who can put the information over in a more dynamic way. Think Brian Cox or Harry Hill who was trained as a doctor but then decided that comedy was to be his career. On the female front, how about Jo Brand, who was a psychiatric nurse before she changed careers, or some of the presenters of the BBC programme 'Bang Goes The Theory.' Liz Bonnin springs to mind or Dallas Campbell. These are only suggestions, but there must be a good deal more. I'm not just thinking the dreary press conferences (enough to put you off bothering to watch.) Too full of facts and figures. Whoever was to take over could also lead the advertising and make those awfully po-faced ads become a bit more lively. Get a half decent advertising agency involved. You don't have to go far to find one, with decent imagination and flair. Britain does, after all, lead the world in this area. With a good director and creative director I'm sure they could reach the generation who are not taking notice of the government's advice. Just kick out old gloomy Witty. The government must be spending vast amounts on advertising and they want this pandemic to come to and end as quickly as possible so it's surely worth a shot. May even get the virus under control so we can get back to normal, when ever that's likely to happen, but hopefully a lot quicker.