The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring

Friday. 8.20 a.m. The whole place has flowers blooming like mad. If you drive along Chaffron Way towards Marlborough Street, you will see primroses blooming all along the grassed verges. Really beautiful. Trees have blossom, and hedges rich in white hawthorn blossom. The hedge alongside the path towards Oldbrook Green, which I believe is beech, has grown rapidly and needs trimming.

Saturday. 6.30 a.m. I have just returned from taking Alfie out. It's turned quite overcast and I wasn't sure whether it was raining. 'Sort of' spitting, as my mother would say. 

10.15 a.m. I have been wondering why the DJI Pocket 2 camera cuts out after around 15 minutes of filming. It has done this several times, so I did some research on the internet and discovered that it might be because the memory card hadn't been formatted. This I have now done and then I did a test by taking it out and recording as I walked around Oldbrook Green. It was a success, but when I came to view the footage, almost immediately after I got back to the flat, it cut out, and I got a message telling me it had closed down because it was overheating. I think it would therefore be obvious that it will need to film for no more than 15 minutes, and then switched off, to allow it to cool down.

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. A really beautiful and sunny morning. I took Alfie out as usual and was surprised that the grass was littered with leaves. I think it may be due to the lack of rain, which we seriously need.

8.55 a.m. Oh dear! Having written the above, I now have to mention that it is now raining, although a bit half-heartedly. A bit thin and undramatic. I doubt it will make much of a difference. We need torrential rain. We are being told, via the media, that there is the possibility of a drought situation in this country. Crazy, but true. Just typical British weather! I imagine someone is going to put it down to climate change.

Monday. 8.00 a.m. Today would have been Carol and my 18th wedding anniversary. I will just get on with things as usual. Such as sorting out the recycling and putting out the rubbish, doing the washing up. I think she would be happy to know that I have things to do, such as my writing, family research, and photography. 

The morning has begun with sunshine and warmth. It is a bank holiday Monday, so it's a rarity to have decent weather.

6.15 p.m.I had two phone calls this morning. Each time I went to answer, but it rang off. I expected the first one to be one of those confounded cold calls, trying to sell me double-glazing or similar. The second time it rang, I was asleep on my bed and managed to get to the phone in time to speak to my friend, Margaret, from church. She was inviting me to a cream tea afternoon at her flat with her husband, Mike, who has Parkinson's. I said I'd be there at 3 p.m. When I arrived, a few minutes later some more of the Thursday Morning Life Group arrived and had scones, cream, and jam, which was really pleasant.

Tuesday. 1.30 p.m. It's now raining as I write. I wasn't expecting it when I took Alfie out around 45 minutes ago

Wednesday. 1.35 p.m. I had quite a few parcels arrive from Amazon mid-afternoon yesterday. The grip for the Sony digital camera, a microphone set, a holder for SD cards, and a book. I have been attempting to connect the grip to the camera via Bluetooth, but without much success. I have been watching videos on YouTube in an attempt to fathom out the procedure to get this camera connected, but without solving the problem, but I will continue to do so until it is resolved.

Sunshine On Milton Keynes!

 Monday. 6.15 a.m. It's May Bank Holiday Monday! For a change, it's dry and mild. Not so sure if it's going to remain dry, although traditionally (sorry, a bit of irony creeping in here!) it's supposed to rain.

2.15 p.m. I had to buy milk and dog food for Alfie. He would be most upset if he didn't get his dinner, so I went to Sainsbury's. Being a Bank Holiday, the underground car park was virtually empty, so it was easy enough to find a space. 

I am currently reading a book I have recently bought on Amazon, about the 'Ascott Martyrs', some of the ladies involved were ancestors of mine on my mother's side, and I discovered this when I was doing family history research. The book is entitled 'The Ascott Martyrs: Why Did the Rural Establishment Imprison Sixteen Women and Two Babies in 1873?' and it is edited by Keith Laybourn. It's actually a series of essays written by historians and others who have a background in the various elements of the story of these women.

Tuesday. 8.00 a.m. I woke up, went to the loo, went back to bed and, instead of remaining awake, I went back to sleep because when I eventually woke up, it was around 5 a.m. Alfie had to go out, so we went out briefly as we usually do. It's mild as I write this and the sun is out.

Wednesday. 5.25 a.m. I was surprised to find it was foggy when I took Alfie out about half an hour ago. It's not thick, but nevertheless, hanging over Oldbrook. It is mild and quite pleasant.

9.14 a.m. I had a text message from Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre a couple of days ago, telling me that an appointment had been arranged for me, for 8.20 this morning. I had no idea what it was for, but I imagined it was for a blood pressure test or something, I arrived in good time and found out that I had to go to room 21, which is on the first floor. I went upstairs and waited and, no more than five minutes later, I was called into the room. I then discovered that it was to have a blood test, blood taken to check my cholesterol level. The nurse told me that it was supposed to be a fasting blood test, but I hadn't been told, I decided to go ahead and let her take blood, but she couldn't find a vein in my right arm, so I had to lay on the couch, with my feet on the raised bit, where you normally put your head. Fortunately, she was able to find a vein and take some blood. Now I'll have to wait for the results and see if I have to go back for another blood test and make sure I haven't eaten anything beforehand.

From the surgery, I drove back along Witan Gate and went into Sainsbury's. (I seem to spend a lot of time, and money, in there. I was thinking, as I was driving, perhaps I should buy some shares in Sainsbury's, because of the amount I spend there. Just an idea. Anyway, having parked, I had to use the infamous travelator, and then discovered that the UP side wasn't working, and I had to walk, which was odd because you think it's supposed to move.

The Whirligig of Time

 Easter Sunday. 7.40 a.m. It's Easter Sunday morning.

The clocks have changed. We are now, officially at any rate, in Summer. 

 As I look out of the window, I can see that there's fog covering Oldbrook. It's not particularly thick, but it's still foggy. I expect, as the day progresses and the sun comes out, it will clear.

Bank Holiday Monday. 7.25 a.m. I got up a good deal later than usual. It's relatively bright and sunny. 

I'm shocked by the number of potholes around Milton Keynes. I went into the centre of the City the other day and I unfortunately drove over a large pothole. I couldn't avoid it, and I was somewhat concerned that it would damage the car in some way.

Tuesday. 10.10 a.m. Another trip to Sainsbury's. I don't normally go on a Tuesday, which means it was easy enough to find a space to park. I suppose most people shop later in the week, on a Friday or Saturday. The 'up' travelator wasn't working, which meant, at the end of my shop, I had to go down via the lift.

I was more than ever aware of the number of potholes in the road as I drove to and from Sainsbury's. It seems to be getting far worse and it won't just me who has found this problem. If I damage my car from driving through a pothole I shall not be very pleased and I would expect compensation from Milton Keynes Council if my car is damaged.

Wednesday. 6.40 a.m. It's another mild and pleasant morning. As far as I can see, there's no fog.

Yesterday evening, just as I was starting my evening meal, I got post. I don't think there's been a post-delivery so late in the day. There was a time when you could more or less tell the time by the postman delivering. We had a delivery at around 7 a.m., and then a second one at around 11 a.m. It would seem that now they only deliver when they want to, with no sort of reliability. Anyway, I picked up the post and one of the letters was from Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre. Having read it, I was shocked that it was telling me off for missing my appointment. I think I mentioned this appointment in an earlier post. I didn't know whether it was a face-to-face or telephone appointment. I did put a message on the website, asking me which form the appointment would take. I didn't get a response before the appointment time. So, in that respect, it's as much their fault that I didn't go for that appointment. I have to say, it makes me feel like a naughty child, the way they had to write a letter to me. Why not merely ring me? Well, that's far to easy.

Thursday. 6.20 a.m. I have taken Alfie out. There was a thin rain falling. Not really rain in the normal sense. Having come inside the flat, I sat down and started using my laptop and there was suddenly an almighty rainstorm outside, (just as well it was outside!) It didn't last long, but it was very noisy and violent.

The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

 Friday. 9.10 a.m. Having made all those scones yesterday (by the way, how do you pronounce 'scone'? Is it with an extended 'one' to rhyme with gone, or 'scone' to rhyme with cone? You decide.) Anyway, having made them I then realized it would be a Bank Holiday Monday on Monday, and so, no Monday Club. Pity. It means I will have to eat them or share them with other people. They have been a success, apart from being somewhat difficult to split in half. They just crumble. Maybe I should make the dough a bit stickier with some milk before I roll it and then cut the scones out. 

Saturday. 10.10 a.m. I had a further text message from Mears. It was to tell me that someone was coming on the 7th of June to measure the kitchen window, which will have the extractor fan installed in it. At last! After all the phone calls, it looks as if the fan will be installed. But I won't hold my breath and will only be entirely satisfied until the thing is in and working, which means, hopefully, I will be able to use my George Foreman grill!

12.20 p.m. I had a doctor's appointment at 11.30 this morning. I was all ready to go out at around 10.50, but Alfie decided to do a whoopsie on the floor, so I spent some time clearing it up. He didn't appear as if he needed to go out, but nevertheless, it was a bit of a bother. Never mind, it's mopped up now.

I drove over to the Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and parked and then walked into the surgery. I signed in and sat down. Almost immediately, I was called into the doctor's room.  Well before the time I was booked for, so I'm really glad I got there early. Blood pressure, heart rate, and all the usual observations were done. My weight was taken, and he made a sort of oblique reference to it. I'm not sure if I'm within the normal weight for my age and height, but I mentioned cakes, and he 'sort of' said I shouldn't eat too many. Everything healthy. No swollen ankles or something. I left and then drove home.

Sunday. 5.20 a.m. It's no good, I simply can't lounge about in bed when it's light outside. Alfie in a good barking voice as I got dressed and a circuit of Oldbrook Green. Not much else to report, except an exceptional amount of rubbish falling out of the bins.

1.25 p.m. I managed to do the washing up from last night's meal, take Alfie out twice before I went to church and write a bit more of my project and then transfer it onto word processing, managing to edit as I went along and insert several paragraphs from an earlier draught. I am feeling very positive about this writing and, as I walked around Oldbrook Green with Alfie, I managed to come up with another character, so my perambulations with Alfie are never wasted.

The title of this blog post is very appropriate. It is really warm and sunny and as a result, I wore my shorts to church. I have to admit I sometimes struggle to come up with appropriate titles for my posts and often just pluck anything out of the air.

May Day, May Day!

Sunday. 7.10 a.m. I was going to close down this blog for a while, but I find it virtually impossible to ignore things that are going on around me. I've been writing this blog for so long, and it has become so embedded in my life that it's very difficult to let go of it, so here I am. 

Why do we have May Day in this country? I know in Russia (which, with the war going on in Ukraine at the moment, is non persona grata.) they had May Day as a celebration under Communism, but why on earth do we have it? I think it's an ancient fertility festival, probably going back millennia and dancing around the maypole was part of the festivities, which also included the crowning of a May Queen (one of the few remaining May Day festivals is or was held in Ickwell, Bedfordshire and was quite popular and probably now held on the May Bank Holiday Monday, although I wouldn't be too sure of that. The Bank Holiday, not necessarily in Great Britain, is a celebration of working people. On the other hand, 'May Day', as a distress call from a ship that is perhaps sinking, is based on the fact that the French term 'm'aider' which sounds similar, translates as 'help me!"

As I write this, my digital thermometer reads 82ªF and I see no attempt by anyone who should be dealing with this matter (shutting off the heating, full-blast in the middle of summer when the temperature outside is relatively high.)

It looks as if the workmen have at last finished painting the corridors and other areas within Dexter House. I must say, it looks a good deal better than it was. The dull, brown, wooden staircases which lead up to some flats, including mine, are now painted white. Now I want all the tat which fills up a lot of the spaces along my corridor removed. I know doey-eyed puppies and pussycats, ceramic boots with artificial flowers in them, Disney characters with awful grins on their faces aren't everyone's idea of style, but they really need disposing of. Just a lot of clutter and dust traps. 

I had someone from Mears come to look at my bathroom a few weeks ago.. It appears that I can't have a bath fitted as they would need to make 'structural alterations to the space, ie; remove the airing cupboard, in order to install a decent sized bath. I can have a shower unit. So, in that case, there is no choice. Rather like Henry Ford when he was asked about the colour of the Model T, you can have any colour, so long as it's black. It is supposed to take between two weeks and six months before I hear when the work is likely to take place. Well, ticking the box, it's more than two weeks since they came to see the bathroom, so it would seem I have to wait the obligatory six months to get any sort of response. WHY??? I appreciate it's not Mears who decides this matter, but it has to go through goodness knows how many departments within Milton Keynes Council to approve the work, but, let's be honest, it's just giving someone a job deciding the matter. They are upgrading this place, so they have already decided the matter, so they're just dragging their feet for no good reason.

I have a shower curtain on a rail which is kept in place by being screwed out and just pushed against the wall at each end. More by force of effort rather than having a sort of screw or bracket on the wall. I have hung clothes on this rail because there is absolutely nowhere else to hang clothes. I have put over-door hooks on the back of my bedroom door and of course, I can hang shirts and other clothes, on hangers, within the built-in wardrobe in my bedroom. I was awakened the other night by a sound, which I couldn't at first identify. I thought it might have been something being blown by the wind, as I have all the windows open because this flat is so excessively hot (as I've mentioned on numerous occasions in these posts.) I went through to the lounge but could see nothing which might have caused the sound. Then I went into the bathroom, to discover that the shower curtain, along with the rail, as well as some clothing which had hung on the rail, had fallen into the bath. So, it was that which had caused the sound I had heard. I went to The Range and bought a new shower curtain rail. I was surprised how scarce these items are, for whatever reason. I looked in Homebase, which is just over the road from The Range. Nothing to see there. I have since managed to install the new rail, and it's doing its job, not exactly perfectly, but working nonetheless. Well, you may be asking, what more can it do? Just not fall out of it's position.

1.15 p.m. I've been to church this morning. We have a computerized system which means the words of songs we sing are projected onto a screen and other information is used to be presented via this system. But today it wouldn't work. We are drawing to the end of The Prayer Course: Part 2, which will be this Thursday. The videos which we use at the beginning of each session are on YouTube and usually, there is no problem with the system, but this week there was a problem with it as there was last week when we used my iPad, connected to a Bluetooth speaker. I think there must be a problem with connecting to the church wi-fi system. Although we didn't have the lyrics of the songs this morning, we seemed to manage really well, probably as most people, myself included, knew the words of the songs and things went better than it might have done. Just shows that you don't really need all that technology at certain times.

I have mentioned that I have windows open to let out the heat (crazy when you think about it.) I wanted to have the kitchen window open to its fullest extent, but for some reason, it will only open a few inches, which is really ridiculous. Is this to prevent me from jumping out of the window, or, for that matter, people climbing in? I doubt it. If I intended to jump out (which might be possible, considering being copped up in here for two years due to pandemic lockdowns.) my fall would be impeded by a rather large hedge below the window, although you would have to roll down a few feet of a roof before you reached the hedge..So, it wouldn't be a very good place to fall out, as a means of escape or a means of ending it, although being confined with a load of fogeys might be one of the reasons to end it all (no, seriously I have no intention of so doing.)  although it might possibly be a reason just to get away from endless bingo Zimmer frames, electric scooters and being treated like a zombie. No, only joking, but that's what being cooped up in here does to you.

Monday. 6.25 a.m.  Bank Holiday Monday. My digital thermometer currently reads 78ºF. I still have two electric fans running at full blast but nothing seems to cool this flat sufficiently. I was out with Alfie at around 5.30. It was light outside and there seemed no point in sitting around when he needs to go out. But Alfie didn't really appreciate me taking him around Oldbrook Green, but I was determined to get my step count up to my target of 10,000 so I insisted, although his nibs was more than reluctant to go. Around five circuits of Oldbrook Green more or less produces the desired step count.

Bank Holiday Monday

Sunday. 7.00 a.m. It's a cool and misty morning. 

I've now taken Alfie out twice, the first at around 6.15 a.m. and then 9.30 a.m. He did his usual staring at me and what I call 'clucking' sort of chicken noises, which generally alerts me to to the fact that he needs to go out. So, we trotted down Strudwick Drive (I say trotted, but more of an amble and excuse to sniff virtually every leaf and blade of grass and we went along (I mean Alfie and not me, you understand.) He did need to 'go' as I politely refer to 'it' and 'it' was disposed of in its biodegradable bag and put in the bin at the entrance to Oldbrook Green. We walked home and I decided to sit down and read my book. It was then that Alfie began to clank around in his feeding bowl, which is hidden behind the sofa under my desk, along with his drinking water bowl. I attempted to ignore him, but it was virtually impossible, so I put my book down and thought I'd put some food in his bowl. He usually only gets fed in the evening, but on this occasion I thought he must be hungry, attempting to glean a morsel of food from the bowl, which is why he was pushing it about on the floor and making the clanking sound. I put a dry mixer in as I usually do and then food from one of the pouches I keep stored in the kitchen. When I put it back down for him on the floor, he soon scoffed the lot and returned to his place to lay down on the sofa, and as I write this he appears to be asleep. Problem solved and perhaps I should give him food in the morning as well as the evening.

3.40 p.m. I didn't go to church this morning. I would have like to have gone, but wearing a mask isn't exactly helping with the confounded cough I have at the moment. I mentioned this in a few posts back, caused by taking oxybutynin, but now stopped since I mentioned this to my doctor a few weeks ago. I was told that it would take a while for it to disappear completely, as soon as the medication is out of my body. No sign of that at the moment. Wearing a mask means you are breathing in your hot breath and that sets of the cough. Apart from that, it steams up my glasses. Just not pleasant having to wear the things for any length of time. Regardless of all this, I managed to see the service via Facebook. I have discovered that if I set things up correctly if I open Facebook on my iPad and set my television with the Fire Stick set up, then I can 'cast' the live video to the television. Surprising what you discover when you least expect it.

Monday. 5.20 a.m. Well, I'm wide awake and already done all my usual morning routine things, shaved, dressed, done my Bible reading, dressed, and even done washing-up, so the kitchen is tidy. I always feel that if all this is done, I can start my day better. Particularly shaving. I don't feel right if I miss a shave in the morning. When I was in the hospital the last time, after my second heart attack, I had none of my own things with me, not even clothes. I didn't have shaving items, so I had to endure several mornings without having a proper shave. I ended up being given a disposable shaver by one of the nurses on the ward, but it was like shaving with a blunt tin lid! (not that I have actually done that!). It wasn't pleasant. 

6.20 a.m. I took out Alfie at 5.50. It must be the earliest we've ever been out. It's still misty and quite chilly, but I have a feeling it will be warm today, and as it's a Bank Holiday, quite a rarity, as most Bank Holidays are wet and miserable. Add to all that the fact that lockdowns are being lifted gradually, it would appear that tourist areas will be crowded. But then the question is, will that mean that there will be an increase in coronavirus infections as a result? Only time will tell. PLEASE, can we avoid further lockdowns? I don't think the British people can take anymore. Patience is at a low point, but surely with so many people vaccinated we can climb out of this hole and ESCAPE!

4.50 p.m. I'm sitting here writing this with my Macbook Air on my knee. Alfie has had his dinner and has been whittling to get a couple of treats. I asked him what he wanted so he glanced at the tin which is on the top of the bookcase. I took three out of the tin and put two on the edge of the coffee table and another on the back of the sofa. He finds the two on the coffee table. He sticks his nose up over the edge of the coffee table and manages to grab one of the treats but doesn't find the second one. He then jumps up onto the sofa (which can cause him problems, probably showing his age.) and soon discovers where the third treat is. He eventually sniffs it out and has to reach up by standing up on his back legs and snaffles it without any problems.

It's been extremely warm and sunny today. What a real Bank Holiday Monday should be like. Walking around Oldbrook Green earlier this afternoon and there are people all over the place, even laying sunning themselves on the grass. The same old same old, men not having any idea they look ridiculous in shorts (not all by the way.) but that's just my opinion. Shorts only getting worn when the sun shines and they (and myself!) not always brave enough to wear for the first time this summer (I believe we are now in summer, officially.) But those infamous shorts not always in perfect order, often worst for wear and not up to standard in the fashion or sartorial stakes.

6.45 p.m. Just been watching Wallace and Gromit in 'A Close Shave.' I've seen all these brilliant animation films I don't know how many times, but it's so clever and imaginative. All of the Ardman Animation films are so well made and creative. It's all the little details that make them special, some things that you don't notice the first time around and add to the fun, for example, the headlines you see fleetingly in the newspapers that Wallace reads or the books they read.

Watching BBC news, which came on after Wallace and Gromit. There are some scientists who say that the 21st June deadline to end lockdowns may need to be postponed until data suggests that the Indian variant of the coronavirus is under control. Oh please, no! I think that if that happens and for a length of time there will be civil unrest. I think we've had our patience pushed to the limit. Surely, with the vaccines being delivered so successfully and the possibility of people not being infected, then there is no need to have further lockdowns.

I watched an episode of 'Miranda', the sitcom performed and written by Miranda Hart. I have seen it before, but it's so funny. She talks directly to the camera, 'breaking the fourth wall' in much the same way as Lovejoy did in that great series (I worked on quite a few episodes, filmed in and around Norfolk and Suffolk.) She is very self-deprecating, making comedy about her height and tripping over things. A great deal of visual comedy, which we don't get nowadays. They also showed an episode of 'Fawlty Towers.' One of the classic comedies of the 1970s. It must be because the BBC doesn't have enough new material to put out due to the pandemic.