Rishi Fights Back!?

6.30 a.m. Tuesday. I seem to be waking up later and later each morning, most likely because as we get to the end of August, it gets lighter later and later. 

10.05 a.m. I decided to go to the Esso station in Childs Way to put diesel in my car, so it's ready for the trip to Worcester on Friday. I waited till the traffic was clearer after nine and then I discovered that they were resurfacing the road and there were cones at the entrance to the fuel station, but the actual entrance was clear further on. It was something of a shock to realize how little I managed to put in the car, due to increased fuel costs. The gauge on the pump seemed to rack up the amount very quickly, but if I was driving to Worcester, it was no good leaving Milton Keynes with a fuel tank half empty. But it's now done and one less job to deal with on Friday.

I have managed to find someone to, hopefully, look after Alfie over this weekend. The lady is the sister of my neighbour in Dexter House and lives in Loughton. I took Alfie to her bungalow this afternoon she has a small dog and Alfie seemed happy there, so I am optimistic that I can leave him there so I can drive off on Friday morning.

Wednesday. 10.30 a.m. I was a little shocked and surprised when I got a parcel delivered yesterday containing the replacement FitBit. I spent some time attempting to get it to sync with the app on both my iPad and iPhone. It's all about getting Bluetooth on both devices to communicate with FitBit. This morning, after a further attempt, I did actually get it connected, and, as I write this, the thing is working successfully. There are more apps to set up, but they can wait as they aren't that important at present.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. What's that wet stuff which is falling from the sky this morning? Could it be . . . . rain? It was certainly a shock to find that it was raining when I took Alfie out at around 5.45. I don't think Alfie was over-impressed by it, as he dislikes getting wet, but we definitely needed it, because everything is so dry and parched. I don't expect it will take longer for the grass to revive, but it will mean we have sustained downpours.

Rishi Sunak, one of the two prospective candidates in the Conservative Party leadership election, (the result of which will be announced at the beginning of September.), has said that he does not think the scientists, who were responsible for the information which the government was given regarding the covid pandemic which lead to two years of lockdown, should have been allowed to have so much power over such matters. He attempted to air his views that such lockdowns were likely to cause financial problems, alongside damaging children's education when schools were closed. He was not allowed to have an opposing viewpoint and was shouted down whenever he attempted to mention the matter at various cabinet meetings. It would appear that this policy, of closing down the economy and putting companies' employees on furlough, is what is partly responsible for the rise in inflation, rising fuel prices and businesses struggling, along with millions of households. Not only that, but by 'protecting the NHS' so it wasn't overwhelmed by people with what I will refer to as 'Wuflu', it put off people going to their doctors to check out symptoms of cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. My view is, those scientists who were, in effect, controlling the government, weren't democratically elected, so why were they given so much control over matters? 

Now some firms are finding it difficult to persuade their staff to return to work, even with the successful delivery of several doses of the vaccine. The government used 'nudge' tactics to get the public to conform to the various regulations which were bought in to control the virus. Psychological use of fear in particular, with such terms as 'don't kill your granny' and other fear-filled propaganda. You can't expect one minute to have your population gripped with fear,  stay in what was more or less 'house arrest' and then, once things are considerably safer(which I don't in any way believe was 'unsafe' in the first place.) to suddenly revert to a new normal and immediately return to their workplace. If Sunak had his doubts about the lockdown consequences, why on earth didn't he do something about it, for example, go to the media? No, on second thoughts, if he had, it would have fallen on deaf ears, because most, if not, all the media, BBC, ITV and most of our press, were in favour of more tight lockdown restrictions. So, when people start complaining about the rise in inflation, they should stop and think, if we hadn't had two years of lockdowns, we might not be in this situation.

How Time Flies!

 Monday 7.40 a.m. The weeks fly by. Goodness! It's Monday again. Tempus Fugit, as the Romans would say. 

Still and mild as Alfie and I went out at around 7 this morning.

Yesterday, Mike and Margaret collected me to take me to church. I took the fuel can with me and then afterwards we went to Morrisons and I managed to fill the can sufficiently to then decant into my car when I got back to Dexter House. I trust when I go out later this morning, I can top the tank up enough to resolve the fuel issue. I am trusting that the ESSO fuel station on Child's Way will have sufficient fuel, or if not the Shell station in Grafton Street.

12.40 p.m. I have now been able to fuel the car sufficiently with diesel at the ESSO filling station in Childs Way. I think it must be the first time in many months that I have had a completely full tank. Furthermore, I just hope I don't have to go through another similar situation, and I trust I have learnt to keep the car fully fuelled in case of a similar emergency.

Tuesday. 8.45 a.m. Another seemingly mild and undistinguishable sort of autumn's day. I'm going to get my booster covid vaccine later this afternoon. I had one booked, but then, because of the issue of fuelling the car, I had to cancel it.

1.45 p.m. I have just got back from Milton Keynes centre. I was scheduled to have my covid-19 booster vaccination at 11.45. I made the mistake of thinking it was at the Council offices next door to the NatWest branch, but when I asked at the front desk I was told that the Saxon Court was opposite the former Debenhams store (now Next Home and Beauty.) This didn't exactly help my stress levels, because I am rarely later for anything, probably always the first person at anything, theatre performances, doctors appointments or anything else. So it was a good twenty-minute trek back through the shopping centre and inside the building, where I had to sign in, using my registration number from the text message I had received, having booked online yesterday. First I had to wait with dozens of other people in what I would refer to as a holding area, and then we were herded through to the main vaccine area where, again, we had to sit and wait. People coming and going and some going through to the 'Observation Area' once they'd had their vaccine, as you have to wait fifteen minutes, just in case you have any sort of reaction to the vaccine.

Having spent fifteen minutes in the observation area, no reactions such as my hair turning green or developing boils all over my face, so I left and walked into the shopping centre, deciding to buy something to eat from Boots. I am more than a bit surprised that they no longer have manned tills (am I allowed to say that? Personed?? If so, it sounds crazy.) Using the self-service till, I then found I couldn't use my Advantage card to put points on. I don't know why. Just awkward. I also bought some paracetamol in Boots as the nurse said that, if I felt as if I had 'flu, to take it if necessary

So, I returned to my car and drove home, to eat my sandwich and watch the midday news on BBC 1.

Wednesday. 10.40 a.m. I can report that I began to feel exhausted and that the point in my upper arm, where the vaccine was injected, began to hurt somewhat. Nothing serious, but it was uncomfortable to lay on in bed at night. As I write this, the discomfort has more or less worn off. Nothing unpleasant to report.

Thursday. 12.25 p.m. It was foggy when I took Alfie out for his usual walk at around 7.20 this morning. But it had dispersed when we went out at 9.30. It's quite mild, but the heating in this flat is so overpowering I have got all the windows on and even the electric fan. I have ordered a smart room thermometer from Amazon, which should arrive tomorrow. I need to keep a record of exactly how warm it gets. It's crazy to have to keep the windows open to let out the heat! Just sweat pouring down my face. It seems such a total waste of energy. I have mentioned it to Barbara, but it seems nobody is interested, which is annoying and totally idiotic.

There have been a couple of thefts within Dexter House, so someone has put together a petition so that the tenants in this unit can get the Council to install C.C.T.V. to keep a watch on those who enter and leave the premises. I have signed the petition.

Never-Ending Covid and Interminable Lockdown?

Now learnt that we're going to have to put up with covid-19 . . . forever!  As delivered by Matt Hancock, Minister of Health. Or is it Minister For Health? That the vaccine's effectiveness wears off and we're going to have fresh vaccines to keep it at bay annually, the same way we have flu jabs every year. Oh no, just doom and gloom. It's fine if you have a family or a partner, but what about those of us who are single (not by choice, I can inform you by the way.) and have to spend most of our day shut up like a battery chicken and don't see anyone all day to have a respectable conversation with. I don't believe half of what we're told by either the government scientists or those who should know better. A year stuck in limbo is just not on. We need to get out of this lockdown situation fairly rapidly. Every time we seem to be heading out of this limbo, something happens to prevent lockdown being lifted, for example, the scientists suddenly discover a 'new variant,' which they say is more virulent than the original virus. So, stricter regulations are bought in, or they decide that children can catch it, or that another group can catch it, or it spreads more rapidly etc etc. It's almost as if they don't want it to end. Why is it people are just believing all this? Why does nobody question the reliability of the data that is thrown up? Are we to be caught in this trap forever? Is there no way out of it? If not, it seems like it to me. It's the same scare tactics that were used during the Brexit referendum campaign, saying that, if we leave the EU (which we have, fortunately.) that it's equal to the end of civilisation as we know it. Well, it isn't. It's got to the point that we have to cower in our bunkers and baton down the hatches and just put up with pubs, theatres, gyms and so on being closed down. Just not life any more. Just like some awful dystopian novel. More like Noddy In Toyland than 1984 or Brave New World.

Boris Johnson is supposed to be giving some indication tomorrow at another of the delightfully enlivening press conferences about how lockdown is to be lifted, if only partially. I learn that we will be able to meet a friend on a park bench for a coffee. Wow! So exciting! And then you'll be able to play a game of tennis. Woopee! The most ridiculous bit of news I heard recently was that pubs could reopen, but couldn't sell alcohol. Well, what is the point of that? A pub that can't sell a pint of best bitter or lager any other alcoholic drink isn't worth visiting then, is it? Who's going to bother? It wouldn't be a pub, but a cafe, if they can provide food.  There are some backbench MPs who want it lifted completely. It's obviously not going to happen in one go, but in bits and pieces. Some are saying that the effects of the lockdown on people's mental health is far worse that the effects of covid-19. I can well believe it. PLEASE can we get out of this situation before we all turn into blocks of stone, or get eradicated by some alien space creatures who sneek  up on us when we're not looking. I think a lot of people are just so apathetic that they wouldn't notice. I used to be apathetic but now I just don't care. I used to be conceited but now I'm absolutely perfect. Not! Just had to put that in.

When the scientists give the figures, that is, for those who have been infected by the virus as well as those who have succumbed to the virus and then died, can you please give us a comparison with figures in a normal year of those who die of virus such as from flu? Then, break it down into ages. Presumably there is more likelihood of older people, say, in their 80s and older, would be going to die anyway (I don't wish to be cruel here, but it needs to be said.) They just bandy these figures around without any real context. Not a good way to present scientific evidence surely. Nobody dares question any of this data, which they should.

I think it's the fear-factor, the 'doom and gloom' or all this that annoys me most. The way the government have infantilised the public. We're being treated like little children. We know there's a risk with this confounded virus, but can't people be allowed to make their own minds up over what they do and live their lives? There's a risk in many areas of our lives, from merely crossing the road, getting in a car or aeroplane or in some cases, merely breathing. They've managed to take away our freedoms without much complaint or scrutiny and it's that which get's my goat the most.

A New Year and Lockdown 3.0

There are words and terms which, frankly, I'm getting rather sick of hearing. One is that this current pandemic is 'unprecedented.' It seems to be over-used by the media, mostly on BBC news programmes. The whole pandemic is becoming something of a bore generally and it has taken over media at every point. I think the BBC, in particular, have over-done their reports, such as the roll-out of the different vaccines. I know it's good news, but any excuse to do an item on it is just overkill in my opinion. They do overdo the 'gloom and doom' aspect of the pandemic and never report good news, although the vaccine roll-out can be described as being good news. So, what exactly IS the 'new normal'? Does it refer to living under lockdown? Nothing new or normal about it. It almost suggests that we have to endure this way of life, which, frankly, we don't.

I'll attempt to ignore further reports on the pandemic. It had overtaken Brexit as being newsworthy, but hopefully, that has been finished and done with since a trade deal was done over Christmas.

The microphone was delivered around lunchtime. I have managed to set it up and get it working. I'm very pleased with the results. Using a piece of free software called Audacity which allows me to record with very few problems. I have spent some time this afternoon experimenting with it, and it comes with a 'pop' filter as well as an arm that can be bolted to any piece of suitable furniture and allows the microphone to be positioned in various configurations for the best recording. It will take me a while to get the best from this microphone, although I have been doing recording using a tape-recorder since I was at school. I even bought a reel-to-reel Grundig tape recorder from a teacher at school and I taught myself tape spicing, which came in use when I worked in stage management and had to create sound tapes for the shows I worked on.

(Later) Oh no! Boris has been on television telling us that we're to be back into a lockdown! All I can say is- come on, lockdowns don't work. How much more of this do we have to endure and when will the government listen to the alternative scientists regarding the pandemic? We soon won't have an economy left and I feel sorry for the next generation and probably the next couple of generations who have to pay off  the debt created by this disaster.

Vaccine Vacillations

 So, we now have a vaccine against the coronavirus. Will it make any difference to lockdowns, restrictions on everyday living, social distancing etc etc? It seems very unlikely in my opinion. It's all very well having a vaccine against this wretched virus, but getting people to have it is another matter. In a democracy, you can't make people have such a vaccine. It really against you human rights and liberty. There will be those who will believe conspiracy theories regarding it's use, for example, the government is putting microchips into people's bodies to track their movements (false, but never the less, this theory would be spread via social media etc.)

(Monday) It's a good deal milder this morning. As I write this at 8.50a.m., it appears sunny, or at least it seems so as I haven't yet opened the curtains. Alfie is sitting on the sofa next to me and waiting in anticipation of me taking him out for a jaunt around Oldbrook Green. I usually wait until past 9 o'clock because otherwise we will be inundated with children going to school and have to wait for the traffic to go by crossing the road onto Oldbrook Green.

I've been for a drive out in the car. As it's been sitting on the parking space at Dexter House and not being driven anywhere in particular, I thought it advisable to give it a run out to keep the battery charged and avoid having to get it started as I had to a few months back. No problems. It starts fine. It should do, as it's recently been serviced. I just need to keep it in good running order.

I drove past Crownhill,  which is where we lived after we were married in 2007. I can't believe the changes. The road layout is different because there is  now a housing estate opposite Crownhill,. which used to be open agricultural land when we lived there. The wooded area which borders it was where we used to walk the dogs, which now has an entrance driven through it into the estate, with a roundabout. Just unrecognisable.

(Thursday) I went to Sainsbury's in Witan Gate after 8 o'clock yesterday morning as pension money went into my account earlier. I had things to get for Christmas. As I will be staying here over the festive period, I wanted to make sure I could get stuff which was likely to be in short supply, such as mince pies, Christmas pudding, brandy butter and turkey, although I didn't intend buying a whole turkey. Just be far too big, would never fit in my oven, so I had a look on the Sainsbury's website and saw you could buy a turkey roast, boneless (presumably) and made of turkey meat and stuffing. So, ideal for my purposes. There was one on the shelf when I went to look in the store and snapped it up immediately as if it was the last one, what was the chance of there being more the next time I visited? Probably too big for one, but I can make the most of it when it's cold, in sandwiches etc, after Christmas.

I drove into the centre of Milton Keynes to meet up with a lady I met on a Christian website. We have met up several times before. I wanted to go to Costa for coffee to try out their limited edition drinks based on Nestlé chocolate products and had an After Eight hot chocolate which came with a very generous dollop of cream on top and a single After Eight mint and at the very bottom of the drinking glass was some gooey and thick chocolate sauce which you can only eat with a long spoon. I can recommend this and want to try the rest of the range, which I think is only available over the Christmas period.

When I got home I found that a card from the Post Office had put through the door, informing me that a parcel was at the sorting office, because the postman had attempted to deliver it. Having walked so far over the past couple of hours, I wasn't ready to drive to collect it from the sorting office in Brinklow (I knew exactly where it was as I've had to collect parcels from there before now.) According to my FitBit I had walked approximately six miles! I can well believe it. 

My anticipation for whatever the parcel contained knew no bounds. So, on Friday morning I drove to the sorting office in Brinklow. There was a queue outside as only one person at a time was allowed into the waiting area. I eventually reached the window and handed over the card which had been put through the door. I had to provide identity so I showed my Driving Licence. And, lo and behold! The lady behind the counter handed over a parcel and it was clear that it was from Chloe and Steve. In her usual style, Chloe had written humorous messages all over the box and it reminded me to 'not open until 25th December. Alfie had a good sniff when I put it on the floor in the lounge, so I imagine it contains (amongst other items.) some sort of food item, possibly some doggy treats for his nibs.

'Flu Jabs and Shopping

We both have 'flu jabs each autumn. Having had a heart attack, I am what's called 'vulnerable' in that a bad dose of 'flu could be dangerous. I have had one, free on the N.H.S. each autumn, for around the last 10 years or thereabouts. As Carol has been diagnosed as diabetic, she is also covered by the 'free 'flu jab' system.  They do give the staff at Milton Keynes Academy 'flu vaccine jabs, but they don't have them until much too late,  in November, which means that she would be vulnerable to getting a dose of 'flu well before then. It takes around two weeks to be effective, apparently. She had booked this  few weeks ago to be done at Sainsbury's pharmacy but she came along with me this morning to Ashfield Medical Centre because they had run their 'flu clinic this morning as they do each year. It was today and then on the 22nd October (actually my birthday.) We arrived outside the surgery at 7.45 to find quite a considerable queue forming. Rather than sit in the car it seemed better to join the queue and by 7.58 this has stretched across the carpark. Once the doors had opened we had to be signed in at reception and people were being called in to be 'jabbed' by the staff more or less immediately. My name eventually came up on the digital display and I went into the nurse's room along the corridor. I had to sit down and have my blood pressure take (which is showing quite normal along with my heart rate.) The nurse gave me the 'flu vaccine, done very efficiently and I never felt anything. I walked out to wait near the car for Carol to appear a minute or two later. She had been given a prescription for more eye ointment, as given to her by the nurse who gave her the 'flu vaccine jab. 

From the doctor's surgery we drove directly to Sainsbury's to do our usual weekly shop. It has to be the earliest we've ever done the shopping and was around 8.30 when we eventually got there. As the supermarket was virtually empty of other shoppers it meant we could get in and out exceptionally fast, avoiding the queues at the checkout.