Don't Rain On My Parade

 Wednesday 11th February. 5.50 a.m. I know it's too early, but I have changed all the bedding. It's most definitely not one of my favourite jobs, but my next slot on the washing machine rota is this afternoon. I keep putting it off, and my thinking is, 'don't put off doing what you could do today, or words to that effect. Putting on a duvet cover is my worst job, but it is done, and the old bedding is now in the laundry basket and in the hallway.

Thursday 12th February. 9.10 a.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc. It seems yet another soulless sort of day, slightly overcast, no sun.

Friday 13th. 6.20 p.m. Yesterday morning, I took the Zoomer puppet to the Thursday Life Group to introduce him to the members of the group. The idea is to use puppets at church for the children's ministry. I hope to find other people to work on this, because, basically, I can only operate one puppet at a time. It won't be just the performance, but the making of the puppets as well as the staging that will be needed.

An unsettled day. It's been raining. almost constantly. The weather forecast tells us that snow is on the way.

Sunday 15th February. 2.35 p.m. It rained really heavily when I left to drive to church this morning. As I write this, it has stopped raining, but it's now overcast.

Monday 16th February. 9.50 a.m. On this day in 1969, I began my first stage management job, as a Student A.S.M., at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. The first production was an adaptation of 'Jane Eyre.' 

It is bright and sunny as I write this. It just shows how fickle the weather can be in this country. I hope it stays that way.

The digital thermometer reads 22ºc. 

Tuesday 17th February. 10.20 a.m. It's 'Pancake Day' or, to give it its proper name, 'Shrove Tuesday.' It's 40 days before Easter.

I have made batter for pancakes. I always got to make batter for pancakes and Yorkshire pudding when I lived at the farm. I think my mother must have shown me how to make it. It's not exactly difficult, but I make it several hours before I cook the pancakes, as it's important to let it stand and let it thicken. I put butter in it which makes the pancakes taste far better.

We live only a short distance from Olney, famed for it's pancake race. I'd love to go, except it would be extremely difficult to park, knowing that a lot of people would turn up to watch.

Rainy Days and Mondays

 Thursday 5th February. 6.55 a.m. I went to sit with my friend Mike yesterday afternoon, so his wife could go out. I have mentioned doing this before.

It was a wonderful and sunny afternoon as I drove across Milton Keynes. Almost spring-like. I do hope that it remains sunny today.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

1.30 p.m. After yesterday's spring-like weather, today it's raining and miserable.

Friday February 6th, 8:,20 a.m. A wet and rather gloomy morning.

Washing in the machine, and it should be done around 8.55.

The digital thermometer seems stuck on 20ºc.

Apparently, there has been rain in some part of the United Kingdom every day so far since January. I don't think the ground can take much more.

Monday 9th February. 8.00 a.m. Not a great deal to write about at the moment.

Tuesday 10th February, 9.30 a.m. It seems to be another overcast and unremarkable day.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Yesterday afternoon I went out wearing the ear pods. I was suitably impressed by the quality of the sound, connected via Bluetooth to my iPhone, which was in my trousers pocket. I listened to Katherine Jenkins. Her voice is totally amazing. I walked around Oldbrook Green, which I haven't be around in quite a while. A great deal of work has been done on clearing up a lot of growth around the place, There are snowdrops on the opposite side to the Cricketers pub. 

There were a lot of teenagers around, playing in the netball area and generally hanging around. Why weren't they in school? Then I wondered if it was what they call an 'inset day.' I think it's probably a training day for teachers.

Later, I went to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. Lots of cake and tea. I sat on the sofa in the lounge area, and was warned that Wendy, one of the regulars, sat there. We remarked how people of a certain age insist on sitting in the same place every time they visit, and you will get into a certain amount of trouble if you do so.

We played a game, guessing the idioms, such as 'Make hay while the sun shines', 'Putting all your eggs in one basket', and 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire' and what they meant and where they probably originated.

'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.

Gadzooks!

 Wednesday 28th January. 12.15 p.m. I went to Sainsbury's earlier. I was somewhat surprised that there was a thin layer of ice on all the windows of the car, but I soon dealt with it by spraying on antifreeze.

As I write this, it is sunny and bright out.

9.15 p.m. I had ordered a glass tea infuser and samples of different varieties of full-leaf tea from something called Teabox. It was advertised on Facebook. It was supposed to be delivered by Royal Mail this morning, between 10.45a.m. and 2.00p.m. The time came and went, and nothing arrived. Then, mid-afternoon, I got an email to say it would be delivered between 5.30 p.m and 7.30 p.m. It eventually came around 5.30.

Friday, January 30th. 9.20 a.m. Not a very distinctive sort of morning. No wind or rain.

The daffodil bulbs I planted are coming up. Hopefully, they should be in full bloom by the time of Carol's birthday on 7th March. She would have been 62.

The digital thermometer reads 20ºc.

Saturday 31st. 9.20 a.m. I have a feeling the sun is attempting to come out. I do hope it does.

10.05 p.m. The sun did come out, but only briefly. Not a particularly bright day. A bit overcast, but what do you expect on a late January day?

I ordered some over-the-ear, Bluetooth earbuds from Very yesterday and they were delivered this morning, much to my surprise. I thought they would take until at least the middle of next week to be delivered. They are Powerbeats Pro 2, and they were relatively easy to get connected to my iPhone. The idea is that I can go for a walk and have them on to listen to and they should help motivation.

One of the residents at Dexter House had a birthday today, and I was invited to a special dinner to celebrate in the communal lounge. There was plenty to eat and drink, and a good time was had by all.

January Weather

 Saturday, January 24th. 7.20 a.m. I awoke from my slumbers a good deal later than normal. But, what is 'normal' anyway? I think it might be a good idea to put the actual date of the day I write these posts.

Sunday, 25th January. Again, I woke a good deal later than I usually do.

I can't believe that Christmas was one month ago. It all seems like a fleeting memory. I'm glad it is, as it always seems to be so over-commercialised. Everything is overblown. You get the great build-up, Black Friday, which isn't just one day, because it goes on for around two weeks, prices are discounted, but people go stupid just for one day, and then, the next day, you get Boxing Day sales, and stuff which was overpriced before Christmas is reduced in price. I noticed in Sainsbury's the other day that they already had Valentine's Day cards on display. All the Christmas tat (to put it kindly) had gone.

Tuesday, 27th January. 7.55 a.m. It's blustery outside this morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc. The storm is named Chandra. I have no idea where the name comes from, but I will find out eventually. Why have names for storms? What's the point? There isn't one.

I went to the Shakespeare group in Newport Pagnall yesterday morning. We were looking at Shakespeare's villains. We watched Laurence Olivier's opening speech from 'Richard III.' It is somewhat hammy by modern standards, and I immediately thought of Peter Sellers' version of 'A Hard Day's Night' in the style of Shakespeare and very much inspired by Olivier's style of declamation.

I am continuing my family history research. I have discovered I'm a descendant of Anne Hathaway, William Shakespeare's wife. As a result, I will have to see the new Oscar-nominated film 'Hamnet' because he is very distantly related. Also, Benjamin Franklin, who was a signatory of the Constitution of the newly-independent United States of America. 

2.55 p.m. I have given away most of Alfie's bits and pieces, such as his bed, drinking and eating bowls, and remaining-in-date food. I now have the cage left, which was used to transport Alfie and was put in the back of the car.. Last week I washed the mat which sat inside, making it more comfortable for Alfie to lay on when he was travelling. I took the cage with me this morning, thinking it might be a good idea to try the Willen Hospice furniture store in Kiln Farm. I did some research on Google Maps, so I had a good idea where it was. I drove there, after 9 o'clock this morning. Unfortunately, they wouldn't take it, because, firstly, they don't take anything connected with pets, and, secondly, it's got something to do with our old friend Health and Safety, so I still have it and have yet to think of how to dispose of it.

A Foggy Day in Milton Keynes

 Sunday. 2.10 p.m. It was foggy across Milton Keynes this morning as I attempted to drive to church. I say attempted, because there was an accident on Chaffron Way, at the junction with Strudwick Drive. I knew that something was up because there were people in hivis jackets on the roundabout near Venture Church, formerly known as M.K.C.C. (Milton Keynes Christian Centre). You may ask, why on earth change the name? It's because Milton Keynes City Council also has the same initials, since MK was made a city. Crazy name, but there it is. Then I had to wait at the junction, and I could see police in the road and further out, the mangled remains of a car at the side of the road. I could not turn right, as I wanted to, to get to church, so I had to make a left turn and eventually go around the roads near MK college and out onto Grafton Street, along Standing Way and back onto Grafton Street and onto Chaffron Way and on to church. A long and laborious route.

Monday. 8.40 a.m. Another gloomy and foggy morning. Not much you can do about it. I expect it will clear at some point during the day.

Tuesday. 2.55 p.m. It's relatively sunny today, but a strong wind is blowing.

Wednesday. 5.30 a.m. I have been rudely woken by the horrible sound of the fire alarm. It is so loud that it hurts my ears, and I went to the loo and then here, in the lounge. I have heard a vehicle turn up outside in the road, and hopefully it's the fire service. With some luck (although 'luck' doesn't come into it.) the firemen will turn the wretched thing off. Really not a good way to start the day. Horray! The horrid thing has been turned off!

Friday. 8.00 p.m. I have been continuing with the writing project. I have it more or less planned, but just needed to get down to the actual writing process.

I am hoping that, if the weather improves, I can go out with my new digital camera and do some filming. Currently, the weather has been unsettled, with a mixture of rain and blustery wind.

I am currently watching a drama series on Apple+TV, called 'Hijack.' The title alone should tell you what it's about. Starring Idris Elba. It's extremely tense and keeps you on the edge of your seat. It tells the story of an aeroplane being hijacked by a group of supposed terrorists and is in ''real time.'

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.

A Little Bit Of Snow!

 Saturday. 8.10 a.m. I was up and about later than usual this morning. At least I'm sleeping better.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc. Apparently, according to various weather forecasts, we're in for a cold spell, with snow, frost, ice and all that goes with it. The media always makes such a big issue on this sort of topic. When I was growing up in the 1960's, you just got on with it. We went to school. No such thing as 'Health and safety' then. Now, schools close down, and the children get a day off. I remember having to shovel snow off the playground at school. Trains are prevented from running because the lines are blocked by snow, or more likely, the drivers won't work because it's too cold!

Sunday. 7.30 a.m. I was awake at 7.10. That has to be the latest for a very long time.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc. No sign of snow here, but I expect there to be some further north, in Yorkshire and Scotland.

Monday. 8.40 a.m. I am currently experiencing a really unpleasant cough and feeling totally drained. I'm not sure what this thing is. It's not the flu, but it could be. On Saturday, I got some cough mixture in Sainsbury's, which does help, but I'm coughing up phlegm, which is unpleasant.

I would have thought that having the , flu vaccine would have protected me, although, as I say, it's not like full-blown 'flu. I don't have a high temperature. It would appear that I'm not alone with this 'thing,' because so many people in church yesterday morning had the same ailment. It's something you just have to put up with and it will eventually pass. Well, I hope it goes soon.

A light frost over the grass and covering car windscreens this morning. I may have to put the heating on in the flat.

Tuesday. 3.00 p.m. We had a very brief flurry of snow this morning. It left a sort of sugary coating to the lawn and road outside, but by now it has more or less evaporated. More like, melted.

I dismantled my tiny Christmas tree. I divested it of its decorations. It is still in its pot, and I moved it out into the garden, but then I managed to lock myself out, and someone had to let me in. Stupid, I know, but once the door closes, that's it. You can't get back in.

Thursday. 3.15p.m. We started back with the Thursday morning life group at the Oaktree Centre this morning. It's great to have got Christmas and New Year out of the way, basically because my routine is thrown out. I had a coughing fit in the middle of the meeting, but it did settle down. This is something which comes back every year. 

Chloe asked me if she could have information about my heart condition, which I imagine is for her doctor of maybe insurance, Anyway, I put a message regarding this on the Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre website, and I was really surprised how quickly I got a response, and after the Thursday Morning group, I drove over to Bradwell Common and the recptionist printed out the information. Now I can post it off to Worcester. I can do that tomorrow. From there, I drove to Sainsbury's to do a shop.

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.

The State of Christmas Television in 2025

 It would appear, from the dreadful ratings for Christmas television, mostly on BBC 1, that the British public has turned their back on the national broadcaster. Why do you suppose? Could it be the number of scandals that have engulfed the BBC in the last few years? The scandal of Jimmy Savile? The more recent business of the editing of a speech by President Donald Trump, to make it seem as if he had something different to what he actually said? The influence of 'woke' ideology? Or is it that most households don't watch traditional, linear television, that is, television that is broadcast 'live', in a schedule, one programme after another, at a set time and day? You can watch a wide range of television on streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, as well as the catch-up services which are connected to the traditional television services, such as BBC iPlayer, 5, Channel 4 , Apple TV, etc. You can binge-watch programmes, if you so desire, because all the episodes are available online, meaning you don't have to wait for the next episode to be available a week later, which was the model for television in the past, probably no more than 25-30 years ago.

In years gone by, probably in the 1960s and 1970s, when I was in my teens and early 20s, you could always rely on television to provide a wide range of programmes, across a very wide selection of genres, from children's television, classic drama adaptations, theatre adaptations, contemporary drama, light entertainment, situation comedy, arts, music and a whole range of inbetween material. On a Saturday, you could start with sport, with Grandstand, which ran in the afternoon, then something for children, Basil Brush, and dare I say 'Jim'll Fix It,' (which now has a rather unpleasant scandal attached to it, so I will leave well alone.) Doctor Who, followed later by 'The Generation Game,' which had Bruce Forsyth as presenter in it's earlier days, followed by comedy from 'The Two Ronnies' and later still, probably some form of drama to round off the evening.

The buildup to television was intense in those decades, and it's probably the same today. I can remember, during September, a new television 'season' being unveiled. There would be returning series, 'The Good Life', 'Fawlty Towers', 'Rising Damp' and a whole raft of sitcoms which were born during this period. 'Dad's Army' was still running and continued on well into the 1970s. Then, at Christmas, we would get Christmas specials of these shows and not, of course, forgetting the legendary 'Morecambe and Wise' show which was a huge ratings winner on Christmas Day. 

ITV had its fair share of hit shows, such as 'Upstairs, Downstairs', 'Brideshead Revisited' and classic comedies such as 'Man About The House' and 'Please Sir.' And, to compete with 'Morecambe and Wise and 'The Two Ronnies', they had shows fronted by Stanley Baxter.

What do we now have that comes even close to any of these television shows? I can think of none. I suppose we have had some big hitters, such as 'Drop The Dead Donkey', 'Father Ted' 'Last of The Summer Wine' and 'Keeping Up Appearances,' but these have been off our screens for several decades.

I admit, it's very difficult to compare television from 40-50 years ago with today's offerings. For a start, there were only 4 channels in 1992, when Channel 4 came on the scene. Today, we have endless channels on digital platforms, such as Freeview and Sky. (Other providers are available.) That is, not to mention streaming platforms, such as Disney+, Netflix, Paramount and Amazon. 

Looking at the schedules for the Christmas period, there was nothing I could honestly say grabbed my attention and have me watching. The, by now, traditional 'Strictly Come Dancing' edition. The rating for this were poor, compared with previous years. Let's be honest, I think this show has run it's course. It has also had it fair share of controversy. To run for 20 years is pretty good. All things, particularly television shows, must come to an end sooner or later.  Compared to any of the Morecambe and Wise or Two Ronnies shows, there is no comparison. To make those big Christmas shows from the 1970's you have to consider the time and energy it must have taken to produce them, let alone the cost. Then, rehearsing, set-building, and probably filming months ahead of studio filming. Today, it seems that nobody in traditional television has any imagination to produce anything, except endless game shows and reality programmes, or anything with 'celebrity' in the title.

Christmas-Gone

 Sunday. 3,50 p.m. So, that's it. Christmas is done for another year. At church this morning, there were fewer people in the congregation than usual, probably because some people were away, for whatever reason, or returning. Next, we have the New Year, and I might be going to my friends, Mike and Margaret, but I won't know until early next week.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Monday. 8.40 a.m. Well, I didn''t wake up until well past 7 this morning. It seems very quiet here at Dexter House. Not a mouse stirring, as someone said. I should know: it's a speech from the opening of 'Hamlet.'

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

11.15 a.m. I've been to Lidl to get milk and one or two items, such as biscuits. And why not, you may well ask? Just enjoy the occasional Hob Nob or chocolate digestive. I must have lost the trolley coin I used to have, which I had on my keyring, although I have a plastic one, which works just as well as the metal one, allowing me to use it to release a trolley before I enter the store. But I went inside and used one of the plastic trolleys,  for which you don't have to pay with a coin to release them. I don't like them, because they are low and it's far more difficult to manipulate in the store, but for the purposes of my current shopping trip, do well enough.

Tuesday. 9.10 a.m. Another typical late December morning. It's overcast, and not raining, frosty or otherwise.

The box of medications, which I inadvertently left behind in Worcester, arrived in the post yesterday, mid-morning. A very polite post lady knocked lightly on the door, and I was presented with the well-wrapped parcel. She said it was her first day doing the job. I think it is always a good thing to praise someone when they do their job well. It's easy to criticise when things go wrong, but more important to be kind and considerate when things go well. So, on opening the parcel up, I removed everthing necessary and was pleased that the unfortunate situation had a good resolution.

We Three Kings

 Tuesday. 7.50 a.m. It's dark and gloomy at the moment. The sun hasn't risen. I'm about to prepare for my journey to Worcester tomorrow morning. I trust the weather will be fine, because driving on the M40 can be made more difficult if it rains and then there is spray, thrown up by other vehicles, particularly HGVs.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

10.50 a.m. I've been to get the tyres checked at the ESSO service station in Grafton Street. I'm sure this was a Shell service station, and I've used it before. It is one job I dislike, because the hose which you pull out of the machine is so awkward, as it keeps on wanting to rewind itself into the machine. It needs some sort of braking system, so once you've pulled it out, it won't rewind. You get a short time once you've put your money in the machine, but it now accepts larger denominations of coins, and I happened to have a £1 coin on me, so I used that. It would be easier if there was a second person to help, as the operator, who checks the tyres, has to first unscrew the cap on each tyre and then put the end of the hose on the valve on the tyre and then manage to read the pressure on the machine, which is difficult, because, when you do the rear tyres, you can't always read the metre on the machine. Carol used to help me do this. Well, at least it'd be done before I drive to Worcester tomorrow morning.

Friday. Boxing Day. 1.45 p.m. I have just got back from my trip to Worcester.

I got partway home and then realised I had forgotten the box with all my medications in it. I really didn't want to go without the heart stuff. I'm not willing to find out. I let Chloe know and hopefully she can post it to me, but I needed at least a week's worth until the box turned up. Through the NHS 111 website, I was able to get passed on to Boots pharmacy in Milton Keynes, and then I got a call from them so I could give my details and the list of meds. Then I drove in a collec the parcel of meds. All very efficient and problem solved quickly, thank goodness. I just blame myself for forgetting the box.

Time Goes By

 Sunday. 7.35 a.m. I was awake at around 4 this morning. You know how it is, you need the loo, then go back to bed, lie awake, not a chance of sleep. Someone in Dexter House, in a flat which is close to mine, has a radio or something on, not loud, but has a voice chattering. It's enough to keep me awake. I do all my washing up, which I normally do a good deal later. Tidying up my space in the lounge, my coffee table, which gets cluttered up, so I sort rubbish, which goes in the recycling bin.  I have a wash and a shave, then sort my medication out in the kitchen. I'm fussy, having it all in the same plastic box I bought just after I had my first heart attack in 2006. I have two glass shot glasses, which have measurements on the side, which I got from Amazon. The meds get put in one of those, and the other has Feroglobin liquid.I  do, eventually, go back to bed and sleep.

Monday. 8.35 a.m. A somewhat lacklustre sort of day. What more can I say?

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

I have managed to finish the sequence I have been working on for months. Now, to develop the next stretch of writing. My creative muscles will be put to use.

4.40 p.m. I attended the U3A Shakespeare Group at Dovecote in Newport Pagnall. As I drove there, I was shocked by the amount of building work which is going on at the junction of the road I would have driven into from Bedford when we first went out before we were married. There is a roundabout on the A509, which, if you follow it on into Milton Keynes, becomes Monks Way. There are also traffic lights, which make it easier and safer to cross over into the road which leads into the centre of Newport Pagnall. So much building is going on, with vast warehouses on one side of the road and houses on the opposite side. Every time I drive around Milton Keynes, there is more building going on. When Carol and I married in 2007, we lived in Crownhill, and it must have been the last estate grid going out of Milton Keynes towards Stony Stratford.  That estate is called Whitehouse. Now, the farmland on Watling Street has been built on, and further along Watling Street there are more houses. 

The Holly and The Ivy

 Wednesday. 12.30 p.m. There was a gorgeous red rosy sky earlier this morning. The sun was out, but it was low, and from my kitchen window, as I stood and did the washing up at the sink, I could see the shopping centre, which is on higher ground than Oldbrook, it seemed to glow a golden colour, which was really the sun reflected in the glass. It was really beautiful. Strange how the most mundane things can have beauty.

Thursday. 1.20 p.m. We had a Christmas party at the Oaktree Centre this morning. It was with all those who are part of the Thursday Morning Life Group (Bible study group, as I've often referred to it in earlier posts). We had some silly games, and there was food, mostly what you'd call buffet food. A good time of fellowship and silliness.

It has been raining all morning, quite heavily, and I had to run to my car after the party, in an effort not get wet, which was impossible. I got slightly damp, but it didn't really matter as, once I got back inside the flat, I very soon got dry.

Friday. 8.30 a.m. I woke up a good deal later than normal. As I write, my washing is in the machine and should be done in around 30 minutes.

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 20ºc.

3.25 p.m. Some of the daffodil bulbs which I planted in September are starting to come up in the community garden. I know they will eventually blossom in the spring, but it's great to know that they are growing. I trust that the rest of the batch come up eventually. All planted in memory of Carol, as she loved daffodils.

The sun has been out, although only weakly.

Saturday. 10.00 a.m. I had an appointment with the doctor at Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre for 9.15 this morning. I was surprised to find it was foggy as I drove across Milton Keynes to get there. On arrival, I had to stand and wait outside before the doors were opened. I checked in on the computer screen, and before I knew it, my name came up on the digital screen, and I was walking to Room 7. The doctor took my blood pressure. Quite normal, as well as my weight, around 15 stone (don't ask me what that is in Kilograms. Sorry, I'm stuck with imperial measurements.) Everything seemed fine and I was soon back in my car, driving home.

It soon struck me that I would need some cash, and the A.T.M. that used to be outside Tesco's convenience store in Oldbrook has gone, and the row of shops it was in was demolished when the upgraded Lidl store was built. It seemed that the only one I could use that was close was at Sainsbury's, so I headed for the store and parked in the underground carpark and, walked up the travelator and got the money from the cashpoint (A.T.M.) and then decided to buy a few items in the store as I was there. 

Bah! Humbug!

 Monday. 10.15 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I had to get a few things from Sainsbury's; milk for a start. Can't have milk for my morning tea or cereal. I had made out a list and then drove to the store at a little after 9. When I got there, I went to get a trolley and then discovered they were locked and you needed a £1 coin to release the thing. Fortunately, I had a coin-sized token on my key ring. Other people were annoyed at not being able to take a trolley as they obviously didn't have a £1 coin. Mine came from Nielsen, IQ, because I use an app from them to scan my shopping. You build up points which are then redeemed for vouchers. I have a second one from Kantar, which works the same way. Both are worth signing up for. I've been with both for a number of years.

I completed my shopping and used a self-service till, paid and then pushed my trolley down to the car in the car park, unloaded it into the back of the car, and then couldn't find a trolley with the coin lock in, so that I could release my token. I had to spend some time searching for such a trolley, and fortunately, I found one, released the token and returned it to my keyring.

I drove home and then discovered that a van was blocking my parking space outside Dexter House, and had to park in the road that runs down the side of Dexter House. I trust it won't be there when I want to get out later on this morning.

Tuesday. 7.50 a.m. Fortunately, the van I mentioned above had gone by the time I was due to drive out.

I haven't attended the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre in over a year. I think the idea is great, being a place for those over 60 to meet up, have a chat and play games, as well as have a cup of tea and a sandwich, but, as it was a Christmas party today, I decided to go. My main reason for not going was that I didn't want to be with a group of other older people. I already live with a load of what I call fogeys, even though I am 75. I don't want to hear about their aches and pains, their hospital appointments and other illnesses.

I had a slight problem, more or less at the time I was about to leave the flat. I put on a pair of my distance glasses and one of the lenses fell out. Fortunately the lens is plastic, so it didn't break, because it fell on the floor. I didn't stop to find an alternative pair, so I drove to Shenley with glasses with only one lens in place!

The afternoon was really enjoyable. We played games, one of which I remember playing as a child, 'pass the parcel', where you have something, a box of chocolates, a toy, or whatever, and you wrap it several times, so that there are a number of layers of paper. The contestants sit in a circle, and you play music, and the parcel is passed around, and when the music stops, whoever has the parcel has to tear off a layer of paper. At the end, the winner is the person who opens the final layer of paper and finds the prize inside. Another game consists of everyone again sitting in a circle, and one person has a Post-It note stuck to his or her head, on which is written the name of a person, well-known, living or dead. Of course, the person who has the Post-It note doesn't know the name of that person, and the rest of the group has to answer questions regarding that person, and he/she who has the Post-It note has to try and guess. 

Then we had food! There was a table ladened with food: sandwiches, sausage rolls, mince pies, crisps and a good deal more! Everyone stacked up their plates, and we sat and ate.

People began to leave, and I went home in my car. By now it was getting dark and I don 't enjoy driving with lights.

Comfort and Joy?

 Friday. 8.20 a.m. It's yet another somewhat overcast and uninspiring sort of day, here in Milton Keynes.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

3.55 p.m. I have been searching for a suitable present for my grandchildren. It has to be something they can share. I got them a game called Pirates, which was a great success. Chloe WhatsApped me this morning, saying she had found something called Chicken and Hotdog (I know, crazy!) I searched various toy websites, and eventually found it on Smyth's Toys website and ordered it via click and collect and then went to collect it earlier this afternoon. It is far easier to buy anything via click and collect, because it means you pay on the website and, as soon as it's ready to collect, you merely go to the store and collect the item.

I was staggered by the number of people in Smyth's store. For a Friday, in the middle of the day, it was a bit of a surprise. The carpark outside was packed, and it was difficult to find a space. I realise that Smyth's isn't the only retail outlet in that particular retail park, but the store I went into was heaving. Then, people went crazy, coming out laden with toys, almost as if there was some sort of shortage of toys (there wasn't.) It's only for ONE DAY, and they're likely to have paid on credit cards, which will have to be paid off over the course of 2026. Yes, they want their children to have a great Christmas, but to go to this extent is totally mad. The REAL meaning of Christmas is totally lost.

Saturday. 7.55 a.m. It's another rather dull morning. I haven't been outside yet, but I will very soon, as we have our monthly Men's Breakfast at the Oaktree Centre.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

I have been reviewing the footage I recorded using the Osmo Pocket 3 when I was at the Central Shopping Centre the other day. I'm really pleased with it. I still need to do further tests before I use it for something more serious (or not!) The quality is amazing, considering its size. 

11.05 a.m. I went out to my car around 8.40, intending to drive off to The Oaktree Centre, but I found ice on the windows, so I had to spend around 10 minutes scraping it off. I then found that there was mist on the inside of the windscreen, when obscured my view. I can't drive if I can't see clearly, but by the time I had come out of Oldbrook, and onto Chaffron Way, it was clear enough to see clearly.

Sunday. 5.30 a.m. Far too early to be awake and writing this blog post, but does it matter? I think not.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I must have mentioned how I get my medication. I would prefer if I could merely go into a pharmacy and pick the repeat prescription up, but things don't work like that anymore. We used to have its own pharmacy in its Witan Gate store, which was taken over by Lloyds, and even that has now closed. Sainsbury's used to have its own pharmacy in its Witan Gate store, which was taken over by Lloyds, and even that has now closed. I now order online through Pharmacy2U. To make sure I have never run out of medication, I need to get the order made at least a week before my stock runs out. I go online, tick all the relevant areas on the page and hit 'send.' This is sent to the doctor to approve, and then the online pharmacy makes up the repeat order, and then, eventually, the order is sent to me via Royal Mail.

I have had no problem with the delivery, and the meds are well packaged and normally come through my letterbox. Except yesterday. I knew the order was about to arrive, due to being sent an email. Then I got a notification that the order had arrived. It had not, so I went onto the Royal Mail website, and it showed the package had been sent to 6 Dexter Avenue. There was a photograph showing the house, so I went over to the house to ask the resident if the package had been delivered there. There was no answer, so I presumed they were out and I would need to go back when they came home.

I thought no more about it, until the evening, when I got a buzz from the door intercom. You press one button to speak and another to release the door so it will open. I waited in expectation for the delivery person to arrive, but nothing.

A while later, the parcel arrived, when the gentleman from 6 Dexter Avenue came and knocked on the window of one of my neighbours, and she came to my door with the parcel.

The conclusion of all this: the delivery person should read the address label and make sure the parcel/letter comes to my flat and not the wrong address. Crazy. Simples.

Blow Wind and Crack Your Teeth!

 Sunday. 7.15 a.m. A dark and supposedly calm morning here in Milton Keynes.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I am continuing with my transfer of writing material to word processing. As I do so, I am making changes to the original handwritten material and developing things as I go.

Tuesday. 8.15 a.m. I am waking up a good deal later than I have in the past. With no Alfie to think about and take out, that may be one reason.

It's wild and windy outside. The storm that is raging is called Bram. I'm not sure where the name originates, but possibly a contraction of Abraham. Answers on a postcard, please.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

6.30 p.m. The wind is still raging. There are weather warnings across the country.

I can imagine Lear, out in the middle of all this, with the Fool, shouting at the wind and the rain. It wouldn't make much difference, but I used a quote from King Lear for this blog post.

Wednesday. 10.20a.m. It was bright and sunny earlier. I had been considering going into the shopping centre with my new Osmo Pocket 3, to get some footage, especially the Christmas display, which is always in the Middleton Hall section, near John Lewis. I was somewhat put off because of the roadworks along Secklow Gate, because, to get into the carpark near The Point, you have to make a detour. However, it wasn't as busy as I had expected, due to Christmas, and I managed to park, then pay at the new ticket machine, which allows you to use your contactless bank card. As I walked back to my car to collect the camera, a lady approached me, saying she needed air put in a tyre of her car, so I agreed to help, expecting we would need to go somewhere, such as a petrol station, to use their air machine. But she said she had a foot pump which I used, and soon, after quite a bit of effort, I managed to put sufficient air in the tyre, and I told her she should get the tyre checked and possibly buy a new one. So, having done my Samritan act, I managed to open up my car and set up the camera, which has several parts which need to be connected, before it can be used. I had only recently charged it, and there was enough charge to do some filming. I walked into the shopping centre, but I couldn't get the camera to work in landscape mode, so I had to sit down on a bench and work out how to change the orientation. Eventually, I got it set up properly and walked through the centre. 

I arrived at Middleton Hall, where the Christmas display is located, but found it somewhat disappointing. It's all bright, over-coloured lights, with a railway which runs around the perimeter, along with the usual Santa's grotto. All rather tacky, frankly. Usually, this display has a theme, such as Peter Pan, which is what it was some years ago, with a ship, and models of Captain Hook and Peter Pan. However, it has become boring and unimaginative at present.

I started walking back to the car, and as soon as I got outside, toward where the car was parked, it began to rain, although not particularly heavily.

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.

Changeable Weather

Saturday. 8.55 a.m. It appears to be a somewhat overcast and dull sort of day. What of it? Just get on with things. It's a bit gusty, and it might be raining.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc. 

I purchased a book from Amazon, titled "DJI Pocket 3 User Guide." This little gadget is far more complex than you might imagine, and with numerous settings, a manual is really a necessity to get the best from it.

Sunday. 2.50 p.m. It has been bright and sunny this morning, although, as I write this, it has become overcast.

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 23ºc.

I have begun going through the Osmo Pocket 3 manual and getting to discover what each setting does, which includes how to download a completed video file so it can be edited.

Chloe has sent me a lovely photo of all the grandchildren, which was taken by the school photographer. I am going to be with them all over Christmas, and I will travel to Worcester on Christmas Eve and return home on Boxing Day.

Monday. 6.45 a.m.  1st December, so Christmas is closer than ever. 

There is quite a strong wind raging outside as I write this.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

Tuesday. 7.20 a.m. The raging wind has gone, thankfully.

The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc.

I should have mentioned that yesterday I had another appointment with the nurse at Milton Keynes Central Medical Centre to try again for a blood sample. Unfortunately, it wasn't successful, so I have to go to the hospital and try there, where they can use an ultrasound scanner to find a vein. This is getting annoying, to say the least, as I don't want to go, what with the difficulty of parking my car and then walking to the relevant department.

10.00 a.m. I have been to the blood department at the hospital. It was easy enough to park in the multi-storey car park. You don't have to take a ticket. A machine takes a picture of your car's registration number. There were more than enough spaces, although I don't like these sorts of carparks. I don't like the slopes between floors.

I walked downstairs and then across the road and into the reception, and asked the receptionist to direct me to the blood department, and I soon found it and took a numbered ticket and sat for a while in the seated area and very soon my number was called, and I went into the room. The nurse was able to find a vein, and some blood was taken. Success! It was all over in a minute or so, and I was soon returning to my car and driving out. At the exit, you pay with your contactless debit card, and the barrier rises, and you drive away.

At the moment it is quite sunny.

2.40 p.m. I have just been to Lidl. The last time I was in there, I noticed they had Christmas trees, small, and ideal for my flat. They come in a metal pot, grown in soil and even have LCD lights which run on a battery and also a handful of decorations, so I've been to buy one. I also bought a Christmas jumper which has motion-activated flashing lights on it! I had been looking for something with lights on and with a Christmassy theme, so, ideal.

It remains sunny, and the digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

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.

No-vember!

 Wednesday. 7.30 a.m. A somewhat wintry morning here in Milton Keynes. Rain with snow mixed in, which I noticed as I looked out of the kitchen window earlier. I doubt it will settle, but still icy and snowy.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I went to see the musical 'Mary Poppins' at Milton Keynes Theatre yesterday evening. I parked my car in the carpark near the Xcape and walked through to the theatre, but never expected to see a huge queue of customers waiting to enter the theatre. I purchased a programme and a souvenir brochure in the foyer and then went up several stories to my seat and entered at door 10. That area is called The Slips (don't ask me why. I have no idea. I got a really good view of the stage and actually a lot better than I expected, as, on the website, when I booked, it said 'restricted view.' An absolutely fantastic show, not a complete copy of the 1964 Disney film, with some dark moments in the plot. There are a lot of new songs, which blend in well with the film's original songs. The overall show was energetic, to say the least, very colourful, and the dance numbers were overwhelming. Mary Poppins flies out at one point, and at the end, flies off through the auditorium. I'm not entirely sure how this was achieved, but I imagine there is a cable running across the auditorium and the actor playing Mary Poppins wearing some sort of harness under her costume.

8.20 a.m. The snow has stopped falling, and there is a sprinkling of the white stuff across the community garden and on some of the cars in Dexter Avenue, including mine. I doubt it will remain

4.15 p.m. There is now absolutely no sign of snow. 

Thursday. 5.35 p.m. It has been bitterly cold today. There was some ice on the car windows when I drove off to go to Life Group this morning, but the sun melted it off, although I did wipe some mist off with a cloth.

Friday. 8.40 a.m. It's bright and sunny out this morning, but I doubt it's warm. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I have my washing in the machine as I write. I plan to try making tomato soup again. The washing up is done, giving me space to work in the kitchen.

Saturday. 9.55 a.m. It's a bit wet and miserable this morning. I suppose you could say it's a typical November day. The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I've just come back from Sainsbury's. Nothing really much to report, but it's definitely the best time of the day to go there on a Saturday, as there are fewer shoppers about.

Sunday. 9.20 a.m. The sun is out this morning, although rather weakly. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

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.

Happy Bunny!

 Friday. 8.35 a.m. I mentioned that I was having problems getting Blogger to work, so I could write more posts. The problem is now solved. I used to use Safari to work on my posts, but I realised that Google owns Blogger, so I used their browser, Chrome, and it works perfectly. It makes sense, as you would want all your products to work together.

Saturday. 9.20 a.m. It's the 1st of November. The sun is shining, but I'm not sure how warm it is out. I will go out later. I have a regular prayer triplet on WhatsApp at 10. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

2.45 p.m. For some reason, probably technical, Mike was not able to join the prayer triplet at 10 o'clock this morning, but my friend Richard was able to make it, and we had a long chat. Technology is great when it works, but it's not so good when it goes wrong and causes a certain amount of frustration and stress.

Tuesday. 1.50 p.m. It's quite mild and sunny at the moment. How long it's likely to last is anyone's guess.

The digital thermometer currently reads 24ºc.

I am currently transferring my writing into word processing, as I mentioned earlier in recent blog posts. I am editing as I go and adding new stuff. It's going well, and the fact that I leave it for a few days helps me to come up with new ideas. I'm cutting out a significant portion of what I originally wrote and rearranging the order in some cases.

Saturday. 11.15 a.m. It's unseasonably mild at the moment. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

We had our monthly men's breakfast this morning at the Oaktree Centre. As usual, plenty of eggs, bacon and all the trimmings and then a discussion around the table.

The trees are rapidly turning colour, a wide range of browns and yellows. The leaves are falling fast.

The Leaves Are Falling

 Wednesday. 8.15 a.m. It's my birthday today! I'm not giving away my age. If I asked my mother how old she was, she'd say, 'I'm as old as my tongue, but a little older than my teeth.' I never really understood this as a child, but I do now.

The weather is a bit wet. I think it might be raining as I write this. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Thursday. 8.00 p.m. It's a somewhat wet and windy morning. There is a severe weather warning in place. I think it's a matter of 'batten down the hatches'! Probably more like 'prepare to launch the lifeboats!"

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

Friday. 9.10 a.m. I am waking up a good deal later than usual.

As I write this, the sun is shining, but as it's late October, it is likely to be chilly out.

Saturday. 8.00 a.m. The clocks go back tonight. I hope everyone at church remembers, or else some people will arrive one hour out.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Sunday. 9.20 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. The digital thermometer stuck at 22º

Tuesday. 8.15 a.m. It's sunny, but not particularly warm. The digital thermometer is currently reading 24ºc.

3.45 p.m. Vashti, the S.H.O. here at Dexter House, told me yesterday that there was a bookcase left in one of the flats, because the tenant has moved to a care home. I went to have a look yesterday, and there was also a chest of drawers. The family of the tenant was happy for me to have both items, so this afternoon we have moved these bits of furniture into my flat. The bookcase is now residing in a convenient space behind the television, but it will need a screw put into the wall to prevent it from tipping over. I will have to ask someone at church if they could drill a hole to fix the bookcase. Meanwhile, the chest of drawers is parked in the entrance hall and can eventually be repositioned on the other side of my bed, but there is a considerable amount of stuff in the way, which will need to be removed before the chest of drawers can be moved.

Wednesday. 8.40 a.m. A rather dull and overcast morning here in Milton Keynes. A thin fog lays over the garden as I stood and did some washing up just a moment ago and gazed out. Not exactly inspiring nevertheless.  The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

12.15 p.m. I had an appointment at around 10.30 to have a covid vaccine (I don't want to call it a 'jab' as it is never a jab as such.) I had to drive to Jardine's pharmacy in Benbow Court, in Shenley, just off the main road. I've been there before to have another shot of vaccine, so I knew where to go and park. I went into the chemist shop and had to fill in a form and then sit and wait. I was soon called into the consulting room and the shot didn't take long and it was put into the upper part of my right arm. Done, left and soon back at Dexter House, but for some odd reason I missed the Chaffron Way exit and came back further along Watling Street, although there was a bit of a traffic hold-up, caused by roadworks. There were lots of orange cones in the road, but we've come to expect this around the grid roads in Milton Keynes.

Down and Out!

 Tuesday. 7.10 a.m. My internet went down last night. At first, I thought it was a poor connection to the router, so I checked the thing, even did the turn-off and turn-on thing, but no result. I even thought that I might not have had enough in my bank account and a payment had been missed, but it wasn't that. I managed to open Google on my phone and discovered that the entire Vodafone network was down. Not just broadband, but also their mobile network. This at least was a relief, but it didn't help the fact that the broadband was out of operation. Fortunately, this morning I found that the broadband was back up and running.

Thursday. 1.45 p.m. For some weird reason, some days this blog is impossible to write on. I don't know why, but it means I can't write or do anything, which is the reason it has been patchy. I will write as much as I can, but it can be frustrating when I can't continue.

I won't be replacing Alfie with another dog. As much as I would like another one, it's not really a good idea. I loved him too bits, and he was absolutely no problem, but if I wanted to go away, for example, to Worcester, to visit my daughter, Chloe and the grandchildren, it was difficult to get someone to look after him. I did a search online and found that Yorkshire Terrier puppies cost anything from £1,500 to well over £2,500. I think, if I were going to get another dog, I'd get a dachshund. I'd get a short-haired one, which would be much easier to keep tidy.

Monday. 10.05 p.m. It's more than ever autumnal. The trees are turning brown. Throughout Milton Keynes, the trees are a mass of different colours, orange, red and in between.

The digital thermometer reads 23ºc as I write this post.

I have completed a long sequence of writing, transferred it to word processing.

Tuesday. 6.20 a.m. Yesterday evening, we had to endure about an hour of fireworks being let off, over on Oldbrook Green. Several notices are saying that fireworks should not be set off, but it obviously doesn't make a lot of difference to the individuals doing this. So, tell me, what is the point of having these notices if nobody in authority from Milton Keynes Council (or perhaps Campbell Park Parish Council) does something to stop it? There must be some bit of local legislation that demands fireworks to be stopped. Apart from anything, it upsets dogs and other animals in and around this area.

2.10 p.m. I've been out with my camera and walked around Oldbrook Green (or is it Park?) This was the first time I've been around there since Alfie died, and it was odd without him. There are the remains of fireworks on the green and signs put up around telling people that it is an offence to let of fireworks, under law, and you can be fined. Not that that would make any difference to those persons involved with last night's little session.

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.

Doggone!

 Saturday. 6.30 a.m. It's really strange, waking up as usual, but not having a small dog to take out. Alfie has been such a central part of my life, and then to suddenly lose him is a shock.

We got Alfie after we went to Crufts. Carol was spontaneous, and we often did things on the spur of the moment. So, we got tickets and went. It was at the NEC near Birmingham (National Exhibition Centre). We watched some agility displays, and one of the dogs was a Yorkshire Terrier, so afterwards, Carol said, 'Shall we get a Yorkshire Terrier?' I said 'Okay.' So we got Alfie from a breeder near March in Cambridgeshire. We already had Poppy, who was a schitzu/Westie cross. Carol had her before we met in 2006. Then we had some rather difficult situations when Alfie was brought home and introduced to Poppy. All went fine for a day or two, but then Poppy was very clear on what Alfie's place was in the house. A lot of growling and 'I'm the boss' type behaviour. But it soon settled down. There were some really amusing situations, usually in the evening. The two dogs would charge around the house, through the kitchen, then the front hall and then into the lounge, and round and round, jumping on the sofa, over our legs if they were in the way. It was just crazy and funny.

Alfie was easy to house train. There really were no problems in that area. We took both dogs out for lots of walks. One of our favourite places was Rushmere Country Park, which is near Leighton Buzzard, a short journey south on the A5. We took Alfie with us during the Autumn and, walking along one of the paths, which were covered with leaves, Alfie got some caught in his coat. He kept stopping to pull them out with his mouth. It was hilarious. On another occasion, we took both dogs for a walk along the Grand Union Canal, which runs through Milton Keynes.. We let them off their leads, and they ran about. There was a low wall, which Alfie decided to jump over, and as a result, he landed in the canal! I had to drag him out, sopping wet, and he looked like a drowned rat!

Tuesday. 8.40 a.m. It's a bright and sunny morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. 

I have been tidying the flat. I got around half of the floor mopped. It's a complex process, because I have to move furniture before I can get to some areas. I've had to move the sofa, so I can move my office chair so I can sweep and then mop under the desk. The television had to move to allow me to sweep and mop behind it. I have done the floor in front of the television. I will leave the other half of the room for another day.

11.45 a.m. I have now planted the remaining daffodil bulbs in the garden at Dexter House.

My writing continues. The sequence is not yet complete, but it is getting there.

The Land Where The Bong Trees Grow

 Tuesday. 7.30 a.m. I know, the title is crazy and will have nothing whatever to do with the contents of this post. But why not?

12.25 p.m. It's bright and sunny today. It may look warm and inviting, but I think it's likely to be cold outside. The digital thermometer currently reads 24 ºC.

I have had a visit from some Council staff, doing a survey about my impressions of living in Dexter House and other matters. I really don't see the point of all this. I seem to get sent endless surveys, although there is the incentive of possibly winning a draw for £150.

I have been continuing with my writing. I have spent a lot of time researching so that the information is accurate and convincing.

Thursday. 7.10 a.m. Alfie died last night. I'm devastated. He's been a huge part of my life. He has been a real companion and a source of support since Carol's death. Not only that, but he adapted so well when I moved to the flat. What more can I say? He has been mentioned so much in these posts. 

12.10 p.m. I rang the vet at 8.30 and took Alfie to be cremated. I needed to get this done as soon as possible. I don't like leaving things that need doing undone. I can relax now, even though it was heartbreaking. It is odd coming back to a flat without him there. I will give his things, bowls, and remaining food to a couple at church who have dogs.

Friday, 7.10 a.m. So, the first morning waking up without Alfie. It's strange, as there's none of his sounds, the hollow breathing, his tap-tap-tap of his feet on the floor. It will take a lot of adjusting.

Yesterday afternoon I went for lunch with my friends Mike and Margaret. On the way back, and driving along the part of Chaffron Way running past Oldbrook, I noticed that there was one of those digital displays that tells you to slow down. It has a smiley face that comes on when you reach the correct speed. The whole section has been resurfaced, and the speed limit has been reduced to 40. But then, when you go further on, past Eaglestone and on to the roundabout on Marlborough Street, there is no 40 M.P.H speed limit. Then, along Saxon Street, running past the Milton Keynes Academy and Milton Keynes Hospital, there is a further 40 m.p.h. speed limit, which a lot of people ignore, or pretend to, because when I have turned off the roundabout, there is almost always a car directly behind me, attempting, or so it seems to me, to get me to speed up.

A Little Of What You Fancy

 Friday. 2.20 p.m. Goodness gracious! It's hot out, the sun is shining! Whatever's next? The digital thermometer currently reads 28ºC.

I've been to Lidl. Again, wrestling with the horrible self-service till I was attempting to use it. The thing was being thoroughly awkward. I really hate the things, and I don't suppose I'm the only person to think so.

Saturday. 7.50 a.m. I didn't wake until quite late, which is totally unlike me. If I do wake up in the night, I am usually able to get back to sleep.

'Mary Poppins: The Musical' is currently on tour and is visiting Milton Keynes in November. I really wanted to see it, and Carol loved the film. I remember being taken to London by my mother and going to see it when it came out around 1964-5. At the time, I didn't know about the books by P.L. Travers, on which the film was based, probably because the books had a more female-oriented audience. Anyway, because I wanted to see the musical, I went on the Milton Keynes Theatre website and found that the tickets were somewhat expensive. I can't really justify paying around £65-£70 for a ticket, so I was somewhat disappointed. But this morning I had another look and I have bought a ticket for £25, but the seat isn't in a particularly good position in the auditorium, in what is called The Slips, which is, I think, right up in the top tier, but never mind. I will go in memory of Carol, but as I love theatre, it will be a well-earned treat.

The last time I went to see a show at the Milton Keynes Theatre was around 2019, to see 'Les Misérables', a show I  originally saw in the West End, when it was playing at the Palace Theatre. I went with a friend on a coach into central London, but, surprisingly, the driver didn't know his way around the West End, so it ended up with me directing him to the theatre! Amazing that the coach company employed a driver who had no idea where he was going! It's incredible to think that 'Les Misérables' is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Monday. 7.40 a.m. It's bright and sunny at the moment. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºC. Alfie is under my bed, and it's difficult to reach him, so I will wait until he decides to come out before taking him out.

12.35 p.m. I had a voucher to spend in Marks and Spencer, as a result of doing online surveys. I wanted a long sleeve Rugby shirt, as I already had two and, with colder weather coming up soon, or, at least the likelihood, it seemed a good idea to buy. I went onto the Marks and Spencer website and chose the one I wanted, entered the code from the voucher, and ordered. I had an email this morning telling me that my order was ready for collection, so I went into the MK Centre to collect my parcel from M and S.

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.

First Catch Your Dog!

 Saturday. 7.35 a.m. Alfie did his hiding act, so I had breakfast first, and then he made an appearance, so I gathered him up and we went out.

As I write this, the sun is out. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºC.

11.40 p.m. We had the monthly Men's Breakfast at The Oaktree Centre, which started at 9a.m. There were a good many people there and a few relatively new faces, which was good. I mentioned needing help to plant some of the daffodil bulbs, and someone has agreed to assist. We are scheduled to do some of this planting on Thursday afternoon.

1.50 p.m. I'm currently in the middle of making tomato soup in the soup maker. It should take around 15 minutes to finish. If it comes out as well as the chicken soup, I shall be more than pleased.

Sunday. 4.30 p.m. The tomato soup came out better than I could have expected. Some of it has been frozen, and I can defrost it when I want some soup, probably when the weather becomes colder.

I took Alfie out into the community garden, but we didn't stay in there long, as it was raining, and it's still raining as I write this.

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 24ºC.

Monday. 8.25 a.m. It's sunny and bright, but there's a gusty wind blowing. I have a feeling we're in for rain sometime today.

As I write this, Alfie has not been out since he's under the bed, and it's impossible to get hold of him

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºC.

12.50 p.m. Alfie did eventually appear from under the bed, and I scooped him up and took him out to the garden.

The wind continued . . .

Tuesday. 10.05 a.m. It's a bright but not particularly sunny morning. At least the wind has finished howling around the place.

The digital thermometer currently reads 25ºC. 

Alfie slept on his bed next to mine last night, so it was easy enough to pick him up and take him out.

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.

Things My Mother Said

Sunday. 8.25 a.m. It's amazing, as a child,  you trust your parents completely. My mother would say things which I believed, and you never argued with a grown-up! One of her favourite sayings, if she was asked to do something which she obviously didn't want to, would get the response, 'I can't, because I have a bone in my leg.' Thinking about it as an adult, that doesn't really make a lot of sense, because we all have a 'bone 'in our legs; otherwise, how do we stand or walk?  As a child, you don't see the logic in such a saying.

Something else she said, and probably a lot of parents say something similar to their children, would be, 'Eat your greens. If you do, your hair won't go curly.' Another might be, 'if you don't smile, the milk will go sour.'

It was the same with the crusts on bread. You were supposed to eat them; otherwise, you won't grow tall, or something equally ridiculous. I had no problem with that, because I was tall before I was a teenager, so it didn't make any difference, and I always ate the crusts.

In my home, there was a rule. At tea-time, it was always 'bread before cake.'  'You can't get down from the table until everyone has finished'. Which could be a long time, as I had four other brothers, as well as my mother and father.

If you asked my mother, 'How old are you?' she would invariably say something like '99.' That didn't make any sense. I had an ancient great aunt. At the time, probably in her late 80s. I think she died when she was around 95. My mother certainly appeared 99, while my great aunt definitely seemed ancient. To make it even more baffling, my mother would tell me my great aunt was 21!