Practically Perfect!

 Tuesday. 7.17 a.m. It's a rather drab and dreary day. 'Quite cold generally', which is how Carol Kirkwood is describing today's weather, as I am watching BBC Breakfast as I write this.

4.35 p.m. I have only this minute got back from another day at Camphill, working in the performing arts workshop in the Chrysalis Theatre. Terrie, who is the leader, wasn't in charge today, because her father is ill, and she was with him. Paul was in charge. One or two of the regular team didn't come, for whatever reason. A new young lady came to work in the workshop. She is a regular support worker at Camphill. I don't know what she thought of the theatre workshop, but she seemed to fit in really well.

The morning got started with the usual 'check-in,' when every member of the team talks about what they've been up to and how they feel. This can take some time. 

Then we did several games, the famous EastEnders game, which I've mentioned in an earlier post and 'Bananas' (which I won't attempt to describe on here.) All I can say, very good to break the ice, and they can be a bit daunting if you've never done anything such as this before, but it certainly gets everyone 'warmed up.' A great deal of this is to get people's voices ready for any speaking they are likely to do, which can be good for anyone with a learning disability. When I rejoined the theatre workshop back in November, after almost two years of being away because of the various lockdowns bought in because of the coronavirus pandemic, I was a bit overwhelmed when I started to interact with the group in these games, particularly as I didn't know how they were played. I intend to get involved in as much of this sort of activity as possible, although some of the games I withdraw from.

The rest of the day was spent watching a range of silent films, a couple with Laurel and Hardy, one of which was the famous film, ''The Music Box,' where they have to deliver a piano to a house up some steps and the series of blunders they make in the process. Typical Laurel and Hardly material. Then, some films with Buster Keaton and then Harold Lloyd. 

After Lunch, we had yet another 'check in' and then we watched one of Morecambe and Wise's famous sketches, the one where they are having breakfast, and all their actions are done to the music of 'The Stripper.' Then, we did some exercises whereby we emulated Laurel and Hardy, with the scene in 'The Music Box', where they are clearing up after the disaster in the house they are delivering to, where Ollie is shifting wood from one place to another and Stan puts it back in exactly the same place, so it ends up with them not getting anywhere with the clearing up. We did it with two teams, with moving chairs and it turns out that they end up back where they started and then another with washing up, with the washed-up dishes are being endlessly recycled and washed. We then had to enact what we'd developed to watch the other team's efforts and then they watched ours.

Wednesday. 7.05 a.m. It is getting light earlier and earlier each morning and this morning, as a result of it being light out, I was out with Alfie at around 6.40 this morning. We did a circuit of Oldbrook Green, because I didn't see the point of wasting the early hour to not build up some footsteps with my FitBit. Looking at the FitBit I have on my wrist, it reads 2081 steps.

10 20 a.m. I've just been to Sainsbury's mainly to pick up a repeat prescription from Lloyd's, whose pharmacy is within the store. I now learn that this pharmacy is going to close in July. We have been ordering our medication from Lloyd's for I don't know how many years and know the staff well. They have been very supportive, particularly when Carol was diagnosed with cancer in 2017 and always manage to get whatever medication we need. So it will be such a shame for this facility to close. I can move to another pharmacy, but it's so easy to park, with the car park underneath the store. There is the option to set up delivery from Lloyd's and have my meds delivered direct to my flat, but it won't be the same without the personal touch. It seems so many companies are disappearing altogether or moving their businesses online. Argos is owned by Sainsbury and its head office is in Milton Keynes, just a stone's throw from Sainsbury's. Many of their high street stores are closing, and Sainsbury's will have Argos pick-up points in their stores. No doubt all this is as a result of the infamous pandemic lockdowns as well as Brexit.  I will be able to adapt to the new way of receiving my medications, but there will be some people, of a 'certain age' who will prefer to have the human contact of going into a store to pick up their medication and might not be able to use the internet to set up their accounts to have their medication delivered directly.

2.05 p.m. I am continuing to transfer handwritten material into word processing. This particular piece of writing was written some while ago, but it seems to fit as the backstory of the new character I want to bring into the project. It may need to be slightly adapted for that use, but, as it hadn't been used or transcribed, it seemed a good idea to use it.

It's A Lovely Day Today!

Saturday. 9.50 a.m. I've been constructing a bookshelf, which I bought on Amazon. I ordered it earlier in the week and was expecting it to arrive next week, probably Wednesday or Thursday. I got back from the doctor's appointment yesterday and there was this large parcel left outside my front door, so I left it unopened until around 7.30 this morning and have been working on putting it together. It is now finished and it's in the kitchen, but it will eventually be put in my walk-in cupboard, which will then contain all the cooking ingredients which are still awaiting a home since before the kitchen was ungraded.

12.35 p.m.  Amoxicillin is making me feel very sleepy. I was told to stop taking the Piriton, which I have done, and the remainder of the packet is now stored in my medication drawer. Well, I presume it's the new medication making me sleepy.

So, we have a new Prime Minister in Liz Truss. Well, I use the term 'Prime Minister' lightly. She's only been in office barely a month, and it seems the wheels are falling off the wagon. She's made more U-turns than a learner driver in a cul-de-sac. Seems likely she's going to have the shortest Premiership in history. It can't be long before there's a vote of no confidence, and we have a General Election. If you thought Boris Johnson was a disaster as PM, then Trussy takes the biscuit. She has the authority of an inept primary school teacher who can't get her class to behave. If she is forced out, which seems likely, does it mean we'll have to go through the ridiculous circus which is the Tory party system of voting for it's leader, which took around two months last time. Who would replace her? There can't be many candidates left.

A great deal seems to have happened in only a few days, but, as someone said so succinctly, 'A week is a long time in politics.' How true. Apparently attributed to Harold Wilson, former Labour Prime Minister.

Kwasi Kwarteng must have had the shortest time in office as Chancellor of The Exchequer and is now replaced by Jeremy Hunt. The contents of the disastrous 'mini budget' have been more or less totally replaced by new tax rates and goodness knows what else. They should install and revolving door to Number 11 Downing Street. How many Chancellors have we had in the last year? 

It seems the Conservative Party has been responsible for several disasters. So many splits within it's membership regarding the EU ('Euro Sceptics, I think the term is.) which led to the craziness of Brexit,  and now splits regarding the former Chancellor's 'Mini Budget' is likely to bring the whole house of cards tumbling down. Meanwhile, we have had two years of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic and now a war in Ukraine. Has nobody thought that closing down the economy for two years and paying people to sit at home doing nothing, would lead to soaring inflation, which is exactly what we have at the moment? Then, attempting to get people to go back to work, usually those in offices, when they've been told to 'stay at home and protect the N.H.S., and using scare tactics to prevent people from meeting up, and not understanding that you can't expect things to return to any sort of normal when people have been filled with this sort of stuff.

Monday. 8.05 a.m. My cough is certainly showing signs of disappearing. The medication must be working. 

4.45 p.m. I've done a considerable amount more writing. What I have created has already been word processed and there is far more. Things in that department are going surprisingly well.

A New Year and Lockdown 3.0

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

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

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

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

Another Landmark! The 1,500th Post

So, another landmark for my blog! This is the 1,500th post. When I started this blog, back whenever (not sure exactly. I'll have to check.) I really didn't think I would be able to keep it going. I admit that some posts are mundane, but that's the whole idea of it in some way. I imagine when Samuel Pepys wrote his diary, he committed boring incidents to his journal, the everyday goings-on in his life. Not that I would consider my ramblings are in any way equal to his jottings, but who knows, someone a couple of hundred year's hence might find my blog posts of interest.

So, we're finally out of the EU! Boris got his deal approved by The Commons by a huge majority. We have two vaccines to deal with the coronavirus. Hopefully, by the spring, we might possibly be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel and the possibility of getting on top of the pandemic. Boris did say around a year ago, at about the time of the General Election that he would 'Get Brexit Done,' and he has done that, but it's been four and a half years to get to this point, with a great deal of effort and confusion along the way.

(New Year's Day) Nothing exciting to report. I did see the New Year in. I had a Whiskey Mac, my ideal drink on such occasions. I imagine my Scottish heritage takes over. I just like ginger wine and a slosh of Scotch never hurt anyone. I could hear fireworks being set off somewhere. I don't think it was an 'official' firework display. No doubt kids letting them off on Oldbrook Green. I shall no doubt find much evidence when Alfie and I walk around. 

(Later) I did find evidence for fireworks being set off on Oldbrook Green when I took out Alfie later. A lot of remnants of those fireworks and it looks as if someone had burnt the cardboard cases of fireworks by a couple of the bins which are scattered around Oldbrook Green. Alif wasn't in the least bit bothered by the noise as he has been in the past. Poppy was scared stiff of the noise and really needed reassuring around Bonfire Night. But if people will insist on setting off fireworks (which, according to a couple of notices around the Green, set up by Campbell Park Parish Council, which states that no fireworks are to be set off on the Green. Not that these individuals would take any notice. Similar to those dogwalkers who insist on not picking up after their dogs. There are notices on the dog bins which say 'we are watching you,' which is totally untrue. Just a pity that those that don't obey such notices don't get fined if they refuse to clear up after their dogs. It's a pity the Council doesn't have some sort of warden patrols to check on such behavior. They could also catch those who drop litter. It's shameful how much there is around Oldbrook Green, but at the moment, what with the pandemic, they have other issues to deal with. Although, saying that, I often see Council employees in hi-vis jackets, picking up litter.

I'm constantly meeting other dog-walkers whenever I take Alfie out for his daily walks as I have mentioned in my posts on here before now. We go out at least four times during the day. He's a dog that more or less insists on going out. I think because we have dogs it creates a sort of bond and I often talk to other dog walkers. I've mentioned Toto, a shizu, and when he sees Alfie he runs towards him. But we haven't seen him or his owner for a few weeks. He's probably taken out when I'm in the flat and we don't meet at times when we're both out. Some dogs can't cope with Alfie's friendly attitude. He always wants to be friends with the dogs he meets. Some can be very friendly but then others can be quite aggressive. I think this may be because they have been over humanized and not socialized to be with other dogs. A pity. Alfie has no issues with socializing. There was a rather nasty Yorkie we came across the other week which was very aggressive when it met Alfie on the path going round Oldbrook green. I made sure we kept away as I didn't want it to bite either myself or Alfie.

A couple of weeks ago we came across a dog and its owner, walking along with the patch towards Oldbrook Green. This dog looked remarkably like Poppy, and I almost thought that Alfie agreed. Does he remember Poppy? It's difficult to know. Probably. Anyway, the lady who was this dog's owner (I forget the dog's name now.) said, walk along and let the dogs get to know each other on the Green, which we did. I let Alfie off, which isn't something I often do. I think I'm just being over-protective, basically because, having lost Carol, Alfie is my best companion and I don't want anything horrible to happen to him, such as getting run over or attacked by another dog. Alfie was having a lovely time, running around and really enjoying his freedom. She noticed my colourful socks. Something else I got from Oddballs. I also got a wooly hat. You get freebies when you spend over £30. I said there was no way I was going to wear dull clothing. Most men's clothing is grey, brown, or striped or has a check pattern, on shirts, etc, and socks were likewise dull, grey, black, striped, etc. 

I went out later in the day and as soon as we got out onto the path in Strudwick Drive I saw the same lady with her dog once again. Her little dog does look remarkably like Poppy, even down to her colour. I'm sure Alfie thinks so too. We had a chat and then walked on to Oldbrook Green and let the dogs off their leads. Alfie had a lovely time running around. He does come back to me when I call him. He follows me around, doesn't leave me for a moment. I know he won't run for it is let off his lead. He seems to know that he's going to be safe with me. He just loved being with the other dog (I don't know her name.)

Alfie had a slight problem. I don't need to describe exactly, but he needed cleaning up. I couldn't do it on my own, because he had been very difficult if you attempt to cut his coat. It needed scissors to deal with the situation. Eve (the lady's name.) suggesting going to her home to do this as she had scissors there. I don't usually go to ladies ' homes without being invited, but this situation needed dealing with. So we walked there and as she held Alfie, I used scissors to clip off the offending matter. Situation resolved! And Alfie was really none the wiser. We had a mug of tea and a chat and I returned home to Dexter House. Alfie was getting restless. I think due to his routine being changed. He was barking and it was somewhat distracting and once I'd bade farewell to Eve, Alfie took me back to the flat.   

Failing Fridge/Freezer

A bit of a disaster this morning. I found the fridge/freezer, which was given to me by the Council when I moved in, had defrosted, which meant all the contents had to be thrown away. A good week's worth of food and my money is running out rapidly before I get my next pension payment next week. I have now ordered a new, larger model on Very and I will pay it off by instalments. Fortunately I cleared the account before I moved to Dexter House. The thing should be delivered by the end of the week and once I am paid I will stock up on food to go in it. The old fridge/freezer was far too small, meaning it was extremely difficult to put larger items, such as frozen vegetables, in it. Also, it's so low that I have to kneel on the floor to be able to see what's inside it. The new model should therefore make life considerably easier. I will need to remove the stupid little fridge/freezer as I can't keep a redundant kitchen appliance in the flat. It will need to be taken to the tidy-tip in Bleak Hall, and they're welcome to it as far as I'm concerned. It's not even 3 months old and conked out. I'm not impressed. Just a load of total junk. The best place for it is in the skip.

Alfie is being his usual self. I went to Lidl to do some shopping and got a sandwich to eat when I got back. Alfie, as ever, sat staring at me from his position on the sofa, almost willing me to give him a bit of the sandwich. I resisted for as long as possible, but Alfie got as close to me as he could, by which time I give in and break off  a corner of the sandwich. He eats this morsel, and I continue to munch, but relent and give him  tiny bit more. He doesn't take it, pokes it with his nose. He often does this when you offer him a bit of food. I put that bit on the sofa, next to him, and he pokes it further with his nose and then pushes it on the floor. He does it with a second piece. How amusing, I think. He doesn't like cushions on the sofa, ether, and he pushes them off, again, with his nose.

I had to ring Ashfield Medical Centre to make a doctor's appointment. I started ringing at around 8.15 and eventually got through. The system would seem to be turned off until the staff can be bothered to have it on and actually answer (probably I'm wrong, but that's how it appears to me.) I had to wait for two people in the queue in front of me (the system tells you how many people are ahead of you in the queue.) How long does it take to explain to the receptionist what you need to see the doctor for? If it's me, it can't be more than 30 seconds at most.) I was told I couldn't have an appointment until a few day's ahead. Eventually they told me a doctor would ring me on Thursday (Which is General Election Day) Then, for some inexplicable reason my imagination took over and I said 'Well, as long as I'm at home because I'm expecting Boris Johnson to ring me as I'm advising him on Brexit and the way his election campaign is going.' I don't know what hit me at that specific moment, but it just came out. And the woman on the other end of the telephone said, 'Oh, really!' as if what I had just said was true- well, of course it wasn't and unlikely to be and I had to say it wasn't true, just in case, to make it clear.
Sometimes these things come into my head and I have to 'go with the flow.' I certainly did on this occasion!

A Mixed Bag

(Saturday) This year is the 50th Wedding Anniversary (Golden) of Mike and Margaret Jobling, two of the loveliest people I know, and members of Shenley Christian Fellowship, both of whom have supported me throughout the ordeal of watching Carol suffer and eventually die from bowel cancer. On Saturday there was a tea party at the Oaktree Centre and I was invited. I have to say it was quite difficult for me in respect that Carol and myself only had 11 years together, ended so tragically as I have mentioned. Someone had gone to a great deal of time and effort to set up tables in the main hall, all with food set out beautifully on each, sandwiches, scones, jam and clotted cream, cakes of all descriptions and the whole decorated with golden decorations. A really lovely afternoon.

(Monday)I needed to get the car to Bleak Hall Motors for 8.30. I got there earlier and they were open. Thinking about it now, I wasn't sure they said they were open at 8.00 or 8.30. It didn't matter because it was soon signed in and they seemed to get it in the workshop and up on a lift and they had to order spare parts. It cost far more than I anticipated, but the work was needed as it was for one of the brakes. I was told last year when it was MoT'd that the brakes on one of the wheels (don't ask me which one, because I have no idea.) so, if it's gone a whole year without any problems, then it hasn't really cost much when I work it out. It has, unfortunately, got to go back before November to have a timing belt done. (No, I don't know what it does. But according to the poster in the garage waiting area it can be damaged because of the Captur being diesel and the test can damage it. Again, don't ask me how or why, because my knowledge of the engine in cars in very limited. I only drive a car, and I'm certainly not a motor mechanic. Fortunately the drive to Bleak Hall at that time in the morning was fairly straightforward. It can be extremely busy long Standing Way at that early hour although the traffic going in the opposite direction was heavy and was building up from the Watling Street direction.

The car was having brakes fixed, so I just had to sit and wait in the waiting area. Around 2 hours. I'm not the best person when it comes to waiting, I'll be perfectly honest. A television on, as you often get in waiting areas, wherever you are, but they were bleating on about Brexit, and if I hear any more about it I'm likely to scream. I'm glad they've closed down parliament for 5 weeks so at least it's not going to be on television every time I turn on the news. I had my iPhone with me and listened to a podcast about the Anglo Saxons, which was really interesting, some Cambridge University academic. The podcast which goes with BBC History Magazine which I subscribe to, so the time wasn't entirely wasted. And somewhat related to the book I'm currently reading about the Norman Conquest which is excellent.

Tuesday. Camphill as usual. Teo was interviewed by a man who turned up minutes after I arrived. I thought it was for radio, but it was soon revealed that it was a podcast. I don't know where it's going to be available, but as I listen to the occasional podcast, I would be interested to hear, but don't know when it will be available. While he was engaged on that, the rest of the guys did a run of 'Stranger Danger' and then Teo appeared. He's going to be away on holiday for several weeks and has left instructions for us. After tea break three of us were working away from the rehearsal, sitting at a table in the foyer area. We are working on ideas for a new theatre piece, not sure what form it's going to be, but Teo gave us a folder with pieces of poetry and scripts to read to see if any sparked any ideas. At this point I'm not sure of this at all and don't really have any concepts for anything. We'll have to wait and see, but it's better than just watching the rehearsal and not being involved.

Because there was training for the residents at Camphill, followed by a community assembly, there was no further drama workshop, but Teo took us down to the costume store, because when he is on holiday we will be sorting out and cleaning this room. Then I went home because there was nothing for me to stay for after lunch. I drove home and had lunch and, because it was so warm and sunny, I decided to take Alfie for a walk, but made a determined effort I wanted to go a different route, walking along the Redway past the Academy and then towards the Four Bridges roundabout and crossed over Chaffron Way and then Saxon Street and kept walking down towards the Grand Union Canal and walked along the towpath and back to Peartree Bridge and then back onto the Redway towards Eaglestone and home. All told, yesterday, we walked around 5 miles, which was with all the walking, first thing, during the day and after yesterday's afternoon walk.

It's becoming quite autumnal. It's a good deal chillier early when I take Alfie out for his walk and there are signs of fallen leaves, although, looking out of the lounge window at the moment (8.35 a.m.) there are still leaves on the trees at the end of the garden and seen over the fence.

Weather- Wet and Windy

(Wednesday)The blasts of autumn are upon us. I woke in the early hours of the morning and I was almost certain it was raining. I sprung from my bed (I exaggerate somewhat, I know. Poetic licence is what it's called.), drew aside the curtains and, lo, it was raining! At that early hour, around 3.30, there was no chance of taking Alfie for his routine walk around Eaglestone Park. Try as I might, I could not get to sleep, so I decided to go downstairs and switch on the television. I'm not so sure it was such a good idea. Talk of Brexit. At the moment, whenever the television news comes on, I switch over. Politicians bickering is one thing, but within their own parties, what is the sense? It would appear that the Tories lost a vote or something, a lot of MP's lost the Whip because they voted for a piece of legislation which would prevent a No Deal Brexit. The EU must be more flexible, if it ever can be, what's wrong with a bit of common sense and compromise? What's with the so-called 'Backstop,'? Something to do with the Northern Ireland border with the Republic of Ireland (which is in the EU.) So, could someone please explain how it is that a country, such as Switzerland, which isn't in the EU, manages it's borders with those country which surrounds it, which are within the EU? There must be quite a few other countries in a similar situation, I can't name many, but who aren't in the EU, but next to member states. I think this situation regarding the Northern Irish border can be resolved amicably and it's just an excuse to keep us forever shackled to the EU. I don't remember this matter being mentioned during the run-up to the referendum in 2016, so why has it come up more recently?

(Thursday) I have had to ring Ashfield Medical Centre because the diazepam are coming to the end of their course. As I only get ten in a packet, it's a question of having to get another prescription and I was told that I should have a review before I can have more. I rang at 8.10 and was more than surprised that not only were the lines open but that I got through in record time. I had to wait for a doctor to ring back and I have to see Doctor Haye at 10 tomorrow morning.  I am keen to get a skip to use to clear out the small bedroom and other bits and pieces before I can move out of this house. I am somewhat shocked to learn that it will cost at least £160, which will make a huge hole in my bank account and which I can't really afford. So, because of this I thought I'd go to Bleak Hall Motors to get the brakes on the car dealt with. I rang the other morning and was told to just bring it in, but on arrival this morning, they said there were eight other cars being dealt with. I could have waited, but it's booked in for Monday morning at 8.30. From there I drove to the Oaktree Centre because the café is now up and running. I had tea and a really scrummy bacon and sausage sandwich and, speaking to John, who runs the café, mentioned the cost of hiring a skip, and he's offered to help because he has a trailer and will come to help me on the Saturday after Willen Furniture Warehouse come to collect the various items (as mentioned in th last blog post.) So, that is another problem solved.

I started off this blog post by describing the weather as 'the blasts of autumn,' (a good expression, worthy of Shakespeare, I reckon. Thinking about it, I wonder if he had got there before me, but never mind.) But as I sit in the lounge writing this on my MacBook Air, I can see out of the window into the garden (if that space can be termed 'garden.' I think not. Just a fenced-in space with grass in, a ratty, tatty, crumbling shed and several yards of washing line stretched across the grass.) and that the sun is shining and it's really quite warm.

Went to Sainsbury's this afternoon and a large area is closed off for a re-fit. It's the area where the TU clothing is the focus, also, the household items, such as kitchen equipment. It must be difficult for stores to do a re-fit without totally disrupting things, by keeping other areas open to shoppers. All will be revealed in the fullness of time, as they say. I have to say it's somewhat annoying when you go shopping, especially if you go to the same supermarket as I do with Sainsbury's, you get used to the layout, you know exactly where items you regularly shop for are within the store and then suddenly, without any sort of warning, it's all moved around and you can't find what you want. They've done that in the pet food aisle. The cat food is where the dog food used to be. But WHY? I think it's to confuse the shopper, so you have to go and hunt for whatever it was you were looking for. Very annoying.

(Friday) I was more than ever determined not to get out of bed quite so early. There really is no need to be up and about at 6a.m., but it's convincing Alfie of this fact. I took my time, getting dressed, shaved etc etc and sorted some washing and we were out at around 7.a.m. I'm annoyed that the Fitbit has failed. (See next blog post.) so the number of my steps are not measured. Oh well, such is life! Let me finish this off and get it published.

Turn on the television to discover that Robert Mugabe has died, former President and tyrant of Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia.) Makes a change from depressing news about Brexit.

It's Too Darn Hot!

(Monday) Nothing much to report today. I went to the Willen coffee morning in the restaurant at John Lewis. I was the first to arrive and thought that I would be on my own, but people began to arrive around 10.10 and quite a few people were away, presumably on holiday. I obviously couldn't go last week because of going to Worcester to see my new grandson, Arthur.

Tuesday. It was a hot and clammy night, but I did manage to sleep. It's supposed to be hotter than ever tonight, but I can always read and have plenty to keep me occupied.

So, by lunchtime we should hear which of the two Conservative contenders in the leadership contest wins and becomes Britain's next Prime Minister. It would appear that if Boris Johnson wins there will be a wave of resignations. I'm not convinced that whoever takes over will manage to get  deal with the EU so Britain leaves on 31st October. It all seems just jostling for position, just attempting to further their political careers. As most of them when to fee-paying schools, they don't have the least idea how the ordinary folk live and survive. It's down to the 'man on the Clapham omnibus,' who probably couldn't care less about whether we're in or out of the EU.

4.30 p.m. I've just come in from a day at Camphill. It has been one of the hottest day so far this year it's over 35 C, but as that doesn't mean a great deal to me as I'm still in Fahrenheit. And to cap it all Boris Johnson has won the Conservative leadership election and will become Prime Minister in the next few days.

The traffic going to Camphill this morning was easier than usual. I imagine that it's because schools are now on holiday. None of that awful aggression I've had to endure going along Chaffron Way and Brickhill Street, although the traffic was quite heavy at the roundabouts at Childs Way and Portway.

Quite a few of the drama guys were either on holiday or had appointments elsewhere so it was a bit thin on the ground. Paul, who is Teo's assistant (not sure he is actually, but never mind.) managed to get a check-in from those who had turned up (actully quite late, probably because it was so hot.) This is how each session starts off, which each resident telling us all how they're feeling and even as a support or permanent member staff you have to give a brief account of yourself. I was quite overwhelmed by how everyone greeted me after what happened to me last week and it shows how much they care for each other and members of staff. Such a lovely place to work at and I'm touched when they showed so much concern, but I explained what had happened and that it wasn't heart-related and trying to explain how the pain I experienced in my chest was difficult to differentiate between an angina attack, a bout of heart-burn or indigestion (which it was) and a full-blown heart attack, so that should it happen again I'm able to explain to a first-aider or paramedic what is going on.

With those in the drama workshop group available we did a line-run of Three Little Pigs: Stranger Danger, with the lines of those not present read by the two workplace students who are working with us, one from Japan and the other from Brazil. It's fantastic that Camphill is such a multi-cultural place and also that people are prepared to come to Milton Keynes to work there (as well as other Camphill communities within the United Kingdom.) Later, we watched the video of Stranger Danger, more for the benefit of the two students, and then the intention was to get them to ask the actors who appeared in it what it was like working on the video, the different styles of performance required between making a video and performing a 'live' play. The idea being that Paul was making notes on the iPad and the residents comments would be useful when their reviews were due and could be incorporated into any written documents. We were having a great discussion with the guys about how the play was created, where the inspiration came from, where it was going to be performed 'live' and Teo had the idea to get the two girls to teach some of the actors to speak in their respective languages, either Portuguese or Japanese, by getting them to choose their favourite line and then to have it translated into whichever language and then to repeat it word by word. It was surprisingly successful and it showed an amazing level of potential from each of then actors and to me proves what a level of concentration they have and how difficult it must be for some of them to be able to stand up and speak as well as remember their lines when they have so many difficulties of their own.

The Chrysalis Theatre at Camphill is used by many different groups, not just residents at Camphill. Some of them help backstage and also appear in shows produced by various drama groups. It is also hired out for other groups for conferences and meetings. Later in the week there is to be a conference of local teachers which will focus on educating Primary School children about healthy eating. As a result of this, there was a fair amount of work to be done, organising equipment and unwrapping some of it, which is what we did for some of the time on Tuesday. Some of the teachers involved in organising this event came to speak to Teo and were there to arrange how things were to be set up and we helped with some of the work later in the afternoon.But the heat didn't help.

Wednesday. It was a hot and clammy night and as usual, even with the windows open, not easy for me to sleep. Alfie doesn't like it as hot as this and finds it difficult to settle down and kept wandering up and down stairs. I haven't been out except to Sainsbury's for some salad bits for my evening meal and some more fruit as I'm attempting to eat as much as I can.

A Marathon To Get To Church (and Other Matters)

(Sunday) I hadn't remembered that there was going to be a marathon run around Milton Keynes today and tomorrow (Monday.) So, when I realised that I might be stuck in Eaglestone with runners going along the road in front of my home, I panicked because I wanted to get to church. I came out of the estate near the Eaglestone shops, because the exit onto Saxon Street (opposite Milton Keynes Academy) was closed off with signs and barriers and there were people with high vis jackets on. Then, when I came out onto Chaffron Way, I found I couldn't turn left and had to turn right and then down and onto Marlborough Street.

Now, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against marathons, so long as you don't expect me to take part. Just not my thing.  Just the thought of having to possibly wear Lycra doesn't appeal to me somehow. There's noting wrong with people doing what they enjoy. And a lot of cash is raised for various charities and it's a community thing. There's not enough 'community' going on in this country as it is, we need events that bring people together. What with Brexit and all the divisions that's caused, it would be wrong to oppose something such as a marathon which brings people closer. My only objection is that it has to come down the road where I live and it means, if I want to get out in my car, I can't. O.k., you say, but it's only a few days in the year and then only a couple of hours on a Bank Holiday or a weekend. Well, yes, true. But if it's the only time you have with your partner or other members of your family, why do we have to be inconvenienced by this event? It could be easily be re-routed along the Redway, which is only a few yards away. Then I notice it comes along Golden Drive and then, further along, goes onto the Redway, so why not all the way along the Redway? If I so much make a comment to this effect on Facebook, I get the full force of someone or other's complaints. It's as if I'm not allowed to make a simple comment, a statement of common sense, I get shot down in flames. Oh dear, even say something in opposition. But the fact is, this person is easy to wind up. He/she has no sense of the irony. Doesn't take much to get them upset, riled I think the word is (must look that one up. I have just had a look. Perhaps I've spelt it wrong. Perhaps it's spelt with a 'y' instead of an 'i'.) I'm quite good at winding people up. Just need someone to take the bait and get them started, ranting and raving! Quite a few people out there like that. Just put the word 'Brexit' into the conversation and light blue touch-paper. Probably best to retire to a safe place and stick your fingers in your ears . . .

To more mundane matters . . .

I'm going to have to defrost the fridge/freezer. What excitement. Not. It has built up a great deal of ice and the fridge part has water that runs down the sides and gathers on the floor and when you open the door it tends to gush out. The freeze temperature probably needs adjusting. It hasn't been defrosted since it was first installed, I can't remember how long ago. The plastic drawers in the freezer section cause a problem, because with the amount of ice, some of them don't close properly. I have a problem that, if the door isn't closed properly, then there is a tendency for there to be a certain amount of thawing of the food inside. I have, unfortuntely, broken a couple of these drawers, because of the difficulty of pushing the drawers back inside. As a consequence, several have got severely broken. One has now got a large piece broken off completely and there is  danger of food inside the drawer falling out. I need to get these drawers replaced as soon as possible. So I found the manufacturer's website on-line yesterday and their telephone number, which, fortunately, being a Sunday, they were open for business. The manufcturer of the fridge/freezer is Candy, which I didn't realise was part of Hoover. I had to find the details of the fride/freezer on a label inside the fridge section, in the 'crisper' department. I spoke to someone at the call centre and, when he was given the relevant details of the fridge/freezer, was able to look up whether they could supply replaceent drawers. They can, but they don't have all the drawers in stock at he moment, and if I ring back in a couple of week's time, they will hopefully have the relevant items in stock and can dispatch them to me. Once they arrive, I can empty the fridge/freezer, get it defrosted and cleaned and the whole thing back in proper working order once again.

Later. I can't get out  in the car at the moment (11.15a.m.) because the Milton Keynes marathon is going past. Odd assortment of humanity, all shapes, sizes, colours, genders (to be 'diverse.') Why do some men have absolutely no idea of what they look like? Dressed in inappropriate clothing. I'll say no more. Just that, in the summer, when it's hot, why do men have no idea (not every man, of course.) that sometimes they look awful in shorts and tee shirts. Just not going there . . . Don't their women-folk tell them off when they get the horrible baggy shorts out? Go and by some better-fitting shorts. Not difficult to find. I have a vague idea what I look like. Just USE A MIRROR before going out!

Someone, somewhere near is using a Strimmer or a similar gadget in their garden. It's making a horrible noise. Why is it people insist on making this sort of noise whenever it's a Bank Holiday and all I want myself is to be quiet and relax? The D.I.Y companies, such as B and Q and Homebase, seem to think they can make more money by having offers of things like lawnmowers, Strimmers and other grass cutters, not realizing that they are condemning the rest of us to the dreadful noise they create.

There is a mystery. A white mattress has appeared just opposite my kitchen window. I'm intrigued as to where it's come from, and why someone would think it a good idea to dump it at the side of the road. There is really no need to just dump anything. You can take such items which have no further use or are just worn out or broken, to the tidy-tip in Bleak Hall. I took a photo with my iPhone and sent it with an email to the council so that they would be aware of this item. It is actually fly-tipping and as such it's an offence and whoever dumped it there can be fined heavily, and they deserve to be done for this.

Horrible Sainsbury's Fire Alarm Test

(Saturday)I had hoped that I could have a bit of a lie-in this morning. Instead of getting up before 6 o'clock and having breakfast as I usually do, I hoped I could get up around 7 o'clock, but Alfie being Alfie, this wasn't going to happen. He had slept on the sofa in the lounge and came upstairs to find out where I was and what I was doing. No peace for the wicked, as the saying goes, but I don't think I'm wicked. I don't know what Alfie thought, but no doubt he was thinking I was a lazy old so-and-so, that he wanted his early-morning jaunt across the park and I wasn't going to be allowed a minute more in bed!  So, I got dressed slowly, with the close eye of one small, active Yorkshire Terrier observing my every move. I had to go downstairs and make sure Alfie is in the lounge so I can complete my routine of putting on my outdoor shoes, jacket and so on, and have the doggy bags in one trouser pocket, another with my iPhone in the other and then, when all is present and correct, I collect the lead from it's hook in the kitchen and then prepare to connect the lead to Alfie's harness and get out of the front door. But, no sooner have I opened the door from them hallway into the lounge than Alfie begins his barking and it's quite an effort to get him calmed down so I can connect the lead to the harness and then open the front door and go out into the road.

Having taken Alfie out and done a circuit of Eaglestone Park, we came home and I had a mug of tea and bowl of Weetabix for breakfast whilst watching BBC Breakfast on television. They're still bleating on about Brexit and the results of the local elections, so the television didn't remain on for long. I really don't want to listen to a load of politicians, of whatever colour, tying to justify themselves.

I needed to go to Lloyd's phrmacy in Sainsbury's because they had a repeat prescription which needed collecting. I thought that I might have a coffee in the café in Sainsbury's before I started the shop. I don't think it was entirely successful. Nothing particularly brilliant about it, but as I stood waiting at the till for my latte to be prepared, there was a rather loud voice coming over the Tannoy system, saying, 'this is a fire alarm test.' It kept going off at intervals, and nothing happened for a while. But it was getting really annoying. Also, quite loud. Then there were two blasts of the fire alarm, so loud that it began to hurt my ears. At one point I wasn't entirely sure whether it was an actual fire alarm and whether we were supposed to leave the building, but nobody seemed to take a bit of notice and remained doing what they were doing. I ate my cheese and ham toastie and drank my latte. The horrible voice came back. I have a feeling that someone had not the slightest idea how to turn off the fire alarm. But what would have happened if there're been a real fire and an emergency? I know from experience that you have to test your fire alarms on a regular basis, but why have it on what must be one of the busiest days, a Saturday?

I finished eating and drinking and left the café and made my way into the supermarket and the computerised voice continued to bleat on, but eventually it came to an end and everyone gave a sigh of relief, not least myself. If nothing else came of all this, at least I got to write about what happened in this blog post.

On the drive back home I went along Saxon Street and at the road leading into Milton Keynes Academy there was what appeared to be a van in the road, looking slightly smashed in on the front headlamp, with bits of glass and metal in the road. I couldn't make out exactly what had happened, whether the van was pulling out into Saxon Street and had been hit by another vehicle, hence the smashed van's front, but whatever had happened there were police on site and other people in attendance. I couldn't see an ambulance, and all this was holding up the traffic from the opposite direction from that I was driving. People do take risks, and pulling out of that particular road and attempting to make a right-hand turn would be difficult and dangerous. If it had been me, I would hav made a left-hand turn and gone round the roundabout and doubled back on myself, so as to avoid the situation those vehicles found themselve in. Coming out of Eaglestone, it's easier to drive around Golden Drive towards the exit near the shop rather than taking the more obvious exit onto Saxon Street, because if you were intending making a right turn into that road, it would be difficult and dangerous because of the volume of traffic, particularly at around 8-9 in the morning when people are going to work.

Saturday Musical Evening (and other things)

(Saturday)I was going to get ready to go to the musical evening at around 6.30 on Saturday evening. I went into my bedroom and for some unaccountable reason, I thought the wardrobe was going to collapse. There has been a problem with one of the doors on the front of this IKEA unit. One of the hinges has broken and it hangs on just one. It wouldn't take much to repair this, but, on going to our local IKEA to get a replacement hinge, I was informed that they don't use that type of hinge any more. Just typical that they don't stock such things as hinges or other items that don't get used on more modern pieces of furniture they sell. Anyway, it doesn't make a lot of sense probably now, but it occurred to me that the wardrobe was leaning forward. I don't know why I got that impression, but it looked like that and there was no way I was going to allow it to collapse. I think it gave this impression because of the door which doesn't close properly. Well, it didn't collapse, fortunately, and I was able to get dressed and then drive to Shenley to go to the Oaktree Centre for the musical evening, remembering to take the two Victoria sponges with me. I put them on the floor, in the footwell on the passenger-side in the front because I wasn't going to have the cakes ruined if I put them on the back seat and then shooting forward if I had to brake suddenly.

My two Victoria sponges were given pride of place on the counter at church and had clear plastic covers put over them. I did actually manage to eat a slice, and, although I say it myself, they turned out really well, light and fluffy. What would Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry or Prue Leith, judges on 'Great Britsh Bake-Off' have to say? I'll have to try other cake recipes. The very last slice was eaten on Sunday morning during the break between the two services. Made me very pleased to think that both cakes were consumed and not a piece left, so it must have been enjoyed, which is the best reason of all to make cakes!

As regards the musical evening. I'm just amazed at the talent on show, playing a wide range of different styles of music. Very enjoyable. There is going to be another of these evenings in a few month's time.

(Monday)I've been into the Milton Keynes Council offices this morning, because I had an appointment with the Homeless Prevention officer. It turns out I'm not actually homeless because I have a house to live in, but I'm not going to be able to remain in this house because of the cost of rent. They won't pay me the full amount of rent as housing benefit and I've now learnt that I'm not going to have the Death In Service payment because Carol came out of the system, no doubt at the time we lost the house in Crownhill and had to pay the debt off because of what Sam did to our bank account (I'm not going into any more detail than that, but I have described it all in an earlier blog post.) I rang Teachers' Pensions this morning to be told this. So I now know what my financial situation is and as a result will have to look for accommodation myself, having been given a list of agencies who might be able to help. I need a one-bedroom house or bungalow, with a bit of enclosed garden for Alfie. I really no longer need a three-bedroom property, so it makes a lot of sense.

I got back from the city centre and had something to eat. I had been into Greggs and bought a ploughman's lunch roll, some egg custard tarts and a small bottle of fresh orange juice. Very crafty, Greggs, because you queue up right next to all the enticing food items, so you can't avoid jam doughnuts or sausage rolls. Or other very fattening food which you shouldn't really eat if you're diabetic or have a health problem. They never put how much fat or sugar they contain or the number of calories, but generally Greggs are good, fairly cheap and good value and they've managed to put their stores in places where they know the public will go to buy their lunch or whatever.

Having eaten my lunch, sitting down in front of the television and watching the BBC lunchtime news, but wishing I hadn't bothered, because it was more about Brexit, which is about as enticing as having your eyes piked with a sharp stick. Boring and negative. I think I'll attempt to avoid any more television news until this thing has been resolved or MP's can get their act together and vote so the ting can move on and we can at least leave the EU, for good or ill.

It was such a warm and sunny afternoon I couldn't possibly spend the rest of the day indoors, so I decided to take Alfie out for a second walk. I think it was something of a surprise, as I very rarely take him out a second time. It causes such a stir and I see the other side of Alfie as soon as I make moves to take him out. Trying to clip his lead to the harness he wears causes him to turn into a sort of Tasmanian Devil, barking and jumping around. Anyhow, we did get outside and walked down the medway towards the Grand Union Canal, going under  the bridge at Marlborough Street, then walking along the tow path that runs besides the canal and back over the canal at the next bridge. 

Where Is Freya?

So, what happened to Storm Freya? We had a sort of blustery evening, but as I write this, at 5.35 a.m. on Monday, it seems very quiet outside. 

Then I turned on BBC Breakfast at 6 o'clock and there was more Brexit misery and a report on two teenagers who have been stabbed to death, so I just couldn't take any further miserable news, so I just had to turn off the set.

Having just mentioned Storm Freya, as I walked with Alfie round Eaglestone Park this morning, I saw a large tree that had been brought down, laying across the grass near the shops. It must have made an almighty crash and would have been quite scary if you didn't know what on earth was going on. It will take the Council workers some effort to remove it, but I expect it will be cut up using a chainsaw.

I was intending going to the coffee morning at John Lewis this morning. When in the shopping centre I went into Boot's opticians to see if I could get an appointment for an eye test, expecting to get one for a few day's ahead, probably by the end of the week. They had an appointment available for 10 o'clock this morning, so I took it. It would mean I wouldn't have to come back in and the sooner it was done the better. So I went away for 20 minutes or so and went back and the first part of the eye-test was done, the bit where they shoot a jet of compressed air at your eyes, which is one test I hate as it makes me blink or at least react by jumping backwards. I know it has to be done to check for glaucoma or something, but I still don't like it. It's called a non-contact tonometer, which is something new I'vel earnt. Then they do another test for peripheral vision, where you have to stare at a green light and they flash up lights and you have to click with a hand-held button. Another test, where you have to rest your chin on a sort of ledge and your forehead on another bit and they ask you to stare at a light.  Then use have to go on what is called a digital retinal camera, which takes a photo of your retina, so that the ophthalmic nurse can check he health of your retina.  That was all the, what I'd call 'pre-test' checks. Then I had to go and wait in the waiting area. I was soon called in by one of the opticians and my test began. Once the test were done, the optician told me that my sight had changed considerably since my last test, which must have been more than two years ago. I had  very slight signs of cataracts, but I was told there was no problem and it was to be expected at my age.  Once the test was completed, a prescription was produced. I could go to anywhere to have new glasses made up, but I preferred to have that done at Boots. I went out and went with a member of staff to select two pairs, one for distant use, such as driving, and a second pair for reading. The distant pair will have a coating which turns dark in UV light, making them into sunglasses. When you go back indoors, they fade and return to normal clear glass. They also have a scratch-resistant coating and I'm having insurance which means if I have an accident and they get damaged, then I can have a new pair, free, of charge. The new glasses will be ready for collection on Wednesday 13th March.

I had an idea my eyesight wasn't perfect, because I've been finding, when I'm reading, that sometimes the print goes blurry and it can be difficult to read. I had imagined it might have been something to do with the lighting in the lounge where I usually sit to read. I thought that a lamp with whiter and bluer light might be the answer, but I haven't yet found such a bulb. Low consumption light bulbs seem to give off lower light, or so I thought. I have looked around for an alternative, but haven't as yet found what I'm looking for. So, this is why I went to have my eyes tested today.

Changing Weather

(Saturday)I received the new sim from Sky this morning. I can't believe how fast it arrived. I was afraid if I attempted to fit it into the new iPhone I would mess things up as I did yesterday with the sim card that come with the phone, so I went next door and Shelly managed to install it into the phone. I have since used the activation code and have also transferred my number from 02, by ringing and obtaining the PAC code from 02 and have gone through the process to transferring the number onto the new iPhone. It's supposed to take two days for the number to go through, so I will probably have to wait until Monday before anyone can phone me on that number on the new phone. It all seemed very simple and straightforward.

It's another really sunny and mild day here in Milton Keynes. On the BBC weather forecast this morning they told us that we're supposed to get violent winds of upwards of 60-70 m.p.h. over the next couple of days, so that should liven things up considerably. They've named the storm Freya. I don't know who gives them the names, and why on earth do they have to have names? Is it so they can be sort of humanised? To have a personality? Do storms have personalities? Whose idea was this in the first place? Just shows how crazy the world has become.

(Sunday) I wouldn't call it sunny and mild this morning. It's not cold, but there's a sort of drizzle falling. Not exactly rain, but some sort of precipitation. My goodness, a long word used at 7.15 on a Sunday morning! We did our usual circuit of Eaglestone Park, even though I would have liked to have left it somewhat later, but Alfie being Alfie, I took him out as usual.

They're still whittling on about Brexit when I turned the television on this morning. So, I immediately turned it off. It's now doing my head in, the indecision of politicians. Not good for the country, making us the laughing-stock of the world. Crazy.

I may go to London on Friday. One of the walk-on agencies I have signed up to online has what they call an 'open casting' session and if you go along they will take your photograph and up-load it onto their website. This company, called Uni-Versal Extras, are quite fussy about the photograph you upload and I uploaded one and it has been accepted. I need a full length photograph, which is quite difficult to take on your own and get right. So, if they do it, it should be so much easier. I think they want these photographs to look professional, so if they do it, at least it will look better than one you do yourself. I have found the email that the details of their address, which took some doing, as it was a few days ago. I have also found where the session is to be and from that I can find the nearest Underground station. If I get a taxi from home to Milton Keynes station that should make life easier and I have an app on my new iPhone which also makes paying easier as it has my debit card details on it so I don't have to find change to pay when I get to my destination. Getting into London is fairly straightforward and if I know which Underground station to get to from Euston, it can't be much trouble to get to the agency address. If I get there early enough I can go into central London and find something to do like visit a museum or art gallery and make a day of it. I haven't been into London for ages, and certainly not since Carol was diagnosed back in August/September 2017 or thereabouts.

I have done plenty of walk-on work over the years, as you will have learnt if you've read earlier posts. But I haven't done any of that sort of work for at least 20 years. I want to get back into that line of work, if only a day or two here and there. It's getting into an agency which is the problem. I signed up with a couple a few years back, going into central London and on another occasion, Birmingham. Quite a lot of effort to get there, but never actually getting used in anything. They 'put your forward' for stuff, but for some reason you never get chosen. In the past I have been contacted by telephone by an agency and they would ask me if I was going to be available on a given day and if I replied that I was, then you'd know you were going to work on that day. None of this crazy being 'put forward.' If you're a walk-on or 'background,' it's not like having a speaking part. You don't have lines, but you need to be able to take direction, to behave in a certain way on set, and be available at short notice. You can be called very early, probably 6 a.m-8 a.m., and to be able to get up in time to get to the location. There's a lot of waiting about and it can be extremely boring but it can be really interesting to see how they make a television drama, be able to watch the camera crew set up lighting and other equipment. This sort of thing takes time and then when you get on the set they will rehearse a scene, perhaps several times and then 'go for a take.' You have to remember your cues, when to begin walking across, for example, and to not knock into the set or equipment, be able to hit your marks and then, if the take isn't perfect, do it all over again.

Bored Silly With Brexit?

I don't try to discuss politics on this blog. But Brexit seems to be taking up so much time and energy and column inches in the press and endless arguments from both sides on television that I thought I'd throw my few pennyworth into the ring. The whole thing is crazy, particularly the fact that no-one has any idea how to break the stalemate that has happened in the House of Commons. It's a bit like a really poorly-written episode of the  BBC sitcom 'Yes, Minister.' Except none of the episodes were poorly written.  Even Sir Humphrey Appleby, brilliantly portrayed by Nigel Hawthorne, would have been stumped for words. The following dialogue from this series, written in the early 1980's. It seems that times (and much else) hasn't changed, regarding our thoughts on the subject of the E.U.

Sir Humphrey Appleby: Minister, Britain has had the same foreign policy objective for at least the last 500 years: to create a disunited Europe. In that cause we have fought with the Dutch against the Spanish, with the Germans against the French, with the French and Italians against the Germans, and with the French against the Germans and Italians. Divide and rule, you see. Why should we change now when it's worked so well?
Jim Hacker: That's all ancient history, surely.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Yes, and current policy. We had to break the whole thing up, so we had to get inside. We tried to break it up from the outside, but that didn't work. Now that we're inside, we can make a complete pig's breakfast of the whole thing: set the Germans against the French, the French against the Italians, the Italians against the Dutch. The Foreign Office is terribly pleased, it's just like old times.
Jim Hacker: But if that's true, why is the Foreign Office pushing for higher membership?
Sir Humphrey Appleby: I'd have thought that was obvious. The more members an organisation has, the more arguments it can stir up. The more futile and impotent it becomes.
Jim Hacker: What appalling cynicism.
Sir Humphrey Appleby: We call it diplomacy, Minister.

Virtually every time I turn on the television news, amongst all the other gloom and doom, we have to hear about stupid politicians who can't agree with anything unless it's what they want to agree with. I feel sorry for Teresa May. Whatever she does is bound to be wrong, not form the point of view of the opposition parties, but when it's her own MPs it must be very discouraging. We don't hear anything fresh from Jeremy Corbyn who is only interested in the possibility of their  being a General Election and the slim chance of him becoming prime minister. He just rants, but we never seem to hear anything positive which might possibly sort out the sorry mess. Well, at least the various factions and parties are 'sort of' meeting to discuss possible solutions, but why couldn't they join forces earlier? The best thing to do when Brexit pops it's ugly head over the parapet when I turn on the news is to either turn over to another channel or just turn the television set off.

In general there seemed a certain sort of apathy about the E.U. before the In/Out referendum. Most people were more interested in celebrities, reality television, sports personalities and any inanity you can mention, rather than the goings-on of a load of bureaucrats in the middle of Europe or even whether we were to 'remain' or 'leave' the juggernaut of the European Community. This could be said of the first referendum in 1975. Looking back, I don't have any memories of it, or even whether I even voted at the time. I don't know whether I was really that interested in it at the time. It didn't even come over my horizon. Who can blame me? Would I have been interested in the goings-on of a load of faceless pen-pushers in an office just off Whitehall? I doubt it. 

Let's be honest, we were taken into the 'Common Market' as it was referred to in the early 1970's by Edward Heath, the then-Prime Minister, without consulting the country and then we had a referendum  in 1975 when a Labour government came to power. I don't remember voting one way or the other at that time, but the result was that we remained in the bloc. (I don't know precisely when they changed it to the E.E.C. (European Economic Community) or then to E.C. (European Community), which, admittedly rolls off the tongue so much easier. From what I've been reading about the referendum in the 1970's, there was a certain amount of apathy amongst the public. I think generally people have no real interest in the E.U. and when it came to the 2016 'in/out' referendum the same could be said again. In general most people aren't interested in something which is distant from their everyday lives. It's run behind closed door, or so it seems. If you see footage on television of the E.U. buildings they look faceless and the same can be said about those that run it, the bureaucrats and the like. Did anyone really and truly think the British people were going to take to being told what to do by a bunch of faceless bureaucrats based hundreds of miles away in a bland, faceless building? Having rules and regulations foisted on us by Brussels or wherever the E.U. is based? I think not. Most of those 'laws' over-ride those made by the Whitehall parliament. Then there's the fact that we're an island. How many times have we been invaded? Once by the Romans and unsuccessfully by Napoleon and the Nazis didn't bother, basically because they knew they wouldn't wind if they'd attempted to invade.

The E.U. doesn't want us to leave. Well, who can blame them? They get a hefty payment from us. How many Billions per year? And they want us to pay something like £39 billion as part of the 'Divorce settlement'? Nobody mentioned anything about this sort of payment during the Referendum campaign. Oh, we were told that we gave them something like £35 million a week, or was it month? And that could have gone to spend on keeping the N.H.S. going. Or payment for new hospitals, schools, mending roads and the infra structure in general. Who came up with that figure? Once we've gone there's going to be a huge hole in the E.U. budget. In other words the United Kingdom seems to have kept the whole thing going with our payments. With the Euro in meltdown, what with the Greek economy needing fixing, and then the Portuguese and the Italian, all expecting to get handouts to pay their debts, without our money coming in to prop things up, no wonder they expect us to pay a hefty price.

No House Inspection

I'm somewhat annoyed. I got a note through the door this morning (Wednesday), from our landlord, to say he won't be visiting and can I ring him tonight to reschedule? Having spent the last few days cleaning the place, it's a bit of a nuisance, to say the least. It does mean that I can be with Carol this morning when the doctors do their ward round, because I wouldn't have been there if the house inspection had gone ahead for 11 o'clock this morning. Hopefully Carol will be discharged sometime today, so at least she will see a spotless house, or as near as possible. Never mind, at least it will be ready for a landlord visit next week. I don't know when the note was put through the letterbox. I have been awake since at least 5 a.m., been out with Alfie for a walk, but I never heard the letterbox rattle, as you would expect if something was pushed through.

I was washing up at the kitchen sink when I saw a dustcart drive past. I had put three bags of rubbish out, two black bags and a pink one with recycled stuff in it. Why didn't they stop to pick up our bags? It's 8.35 as I write this, and those bags are still were I left them earlier this morning. Why don't the dustmen take them instead of driving past? I know they take the recycled bags separately, but, frankly it doesn't make sense to just drive past. I bet these bags will still be here when I get back home later this afternoon. It really is an odd way to collect rubbish. You are supposed to put it out well before 7a.m. on a Wednesday, but quite often it's still there at 2 p.m.  I heard a report on BBC television news the other day, which said that some recycled material isn't recycled and goes to landfill. Not very good to hear that, when I go to so much trouble to put stuff in the correct pink bag. Incidentally, why are Milton Keynes Council replacing the pink bags with grey bags? Seems a bit pointless to me. What's wrong with pink? As it is, they are very flimsy and easily torn and quite difficult to open.

Later. The continuing saga of the carpark barrier. I don't know whether to laugh or cry over this. I know I've given time and energy to the car parking arrangements at Milton Keynes University Hospital in quite a few of these blog posts. Why on earth they don't just remove the stupid things, because they seem to cause much stress and angst. Either you can't get in, because the barrier won't raise, or the tickets don't come out of the machine when you enter, or the barrier won't raise to let you out. It's more than a little bit annoying. This morning the barrier was raised, so you couldn't take a ticket when you pressed the button. Which meant, when I came to leave this afternoon, I had no ticket, so when I drove out, with the barrier down, I had to press the 'help' button to get a security person to let me out. It can be tricky to do this, because you have to stop the car near enough to the machine so you can stretch out your arm to press the button. Then a disembodied voice asked 'which car park?' to which I had to think, and then said 'near Cardiology,' at which the barrier was raised. I think they must be loosing money from this pandemonium. The barriers seem to spend more time inoperative and operative and people wouldn't be paying to park. Why not just remove all these machines and return to free parking?

On the ward things haven't changed much. No new patients. I arrive in plenty of time for the doctors' ward rounds. It amuses us that when they arrive, around half a dozen of them, with one pushing the computer trolley thing which has all the patients notes in it, they bundle into the 12 X 12 space each patient and their bed contains and draw the curtains around them. How many doctors can you fit in the space? It can be quite intimidating if you are the patient, as I have been myself, with so many people crowding in, sometimes with students, some at the back of the group, someone making notes. What are they all for? The, should I say 'lead doctor', who does all the talking has this morning come in and SITS ON THE BED! Outrageous! I was told you must NEVER, as a visitor, SIT ON THE BED! When I was on one ward a couple of years ago, there was a woman, a volunteer, who was so rude to Carol, she wouldn't let Carol read my notes, which were on a clipboard in a holder at the foot of the bed (now all notes are on the new computerised system eCare or something.) This harridan came in to work in Ward 1 when Carol was first admitted nearly five weeks ago. I think she took her authority too far and was just plain unpleasant. Anyway, this female doctor tells Carol this morning that they have found an antibiotic which will work to eradicate the infection in her septum. She can be given this new antibiotic via a P.I.C.C. line, which has to be inserted (as the old one was, which was removed a week or so ago.) Carol would need to come to the hospital on a daily basis to have the antibiotics administered through the P.I.C.C. line, for two weeks, then the medication can be taken in tablet-form for a further six weeks. We later learn that a community nurse (I think that's the title.) would visit Carol at home and administer the antibiotics, which would cut the risk of further infection, which might happen if she was to visit the hospital. Later on, another doctor appears and says that the lady who fits the P.I.C.C. line is currently on holiday and there is no-one else able to do the job. Which seems amazing to me. Why on earth doesn't the hospital have someone who can cover for this lady whilst she is on holiday? So, it would seem that Carol is likely to be in hospital for another few days, intact, most likely until Monday when I image the P.I.C.C. line-lady returns from holiday.

This evening I have been attempting to contact our landlord via telephone. Each time I attempt this operation, I just get a recorded message and to 'leave a message.' I try on three separate occasions. I don't want to record a message. I just want to speak to the man. I don't want either him or his wife ringing once I've gone to bed or to ring when I'm out. I want to speak to a live person. So much easier and less annoying.

Some time later I get a telephone call. At first I think it might be the landlord. But it's not. It's a woman doing a survey. I agree to do it. It's on political things and turns out to be on my views on Brexit and the so-called 'Chequers Agreement' on a 'soft' Brexit deal. What are my thoughts? Well, I'm not going to tell you on here. I did ask, at the end of the interview, what the information would be used for, but she wouldn't say. Probably for a newspaper of one of the television channels, BBC News, ITN or Channel four or even Sky News.

Blinking Brexit

You just can't get away from it. Britain leaving the EU. Or Brexit for short. I hate the term. I actually voted to 'Remain,' but I can't think why. I spent ages on deciding the pros and cons of voting to either Remain or Leave, but I can honestly say that, if we were to have another referendum, I think I'd vote leave. I just hate all the unnecessary bureaucracy created by a virtually faceless load of pen-pushers in Strasberg or wherever the organisation is based. Did we really know what we were voting for during that referendum in 2016? I doubt it very much. The politicians didn't know how difficult it was going to be to disassociate ourselves from this 'thing.'

We should never have had this crazy referendum in the first place. It was only because of the rise of UKIP, the party who wanted us to leave the E.U. that David Cameron ran scared and had the thing in the first place. Surely, being a member of something, such as a club or trade union, you don't always agree with everything the organisation you're a member of does. But you have the power to influence things, as Britain did as an E.U. member. You can work to change it, for good or bad. Just leaving because you don't like it isn't really the answer. The joke is, that now UKIP has virtually disappeared from the political scene. 

I really object to having laws and regulations foisted on us by an unelected body such as the EU parliament and those laws being above our parliament. We've currently got to give our consent if we want to have emails sent under something called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as from 25th May 2018. I'm getting endless emails to make sure I tick the relevant box to make sure companies which I've already signed up to, have my permission to continue to email me. It doesn't make sense when I've already made it clear I've given my sense when I signed up to these emails however long ago it was. Just another layer of bureaucracy. But what really gets me is that I bet this doesn't stop all the junk mail I get or the endless telephone calls trying to get me to claim PPI (which I've never had.) Even though I've signed up to the preference service which is supposed to prevent these calls, so I bet this new EU regulation will have about as much clout as a chocolate hammer.

So, we have to go through all this rigmarole about a Hard and a Soft Brexit (whatever they mean. Can someone explain, please? I'm totally confused.) It has never ever been explained to me how the E.U. works or what we got from being members. Where does the money we pay in go? What do we get? Do we get Nectar points?

I can see why people voted to leave. The British are a proud nation. We fought two World Wars. We got through The Blitz, Dunkirk and countless battles. We're an island. We like to make our own rules and regulations. We don't like being dominated by faceless bureaucrats.

Do we really, honestly spend £350 million a day on funding this organisation? Or was it weeks? I don't know, but the leave campaign had it emblazoned on the side of their bus, and it was going to fund the N.H.S. Was this just a reason to get people to vote leave? I think it was a week. Surely it was a week. I can't believe we'd pay that much a day. But Boris Johnson said it was an 'underestimate.'

Politicians on both sides of the referendum argument, remain and leave, made absolutely no attempt to explain what the E.U. was about. I can see that, when it was originally set up back in the 1950's, as the Common Market, and when it was just 6 nations, it was an attempt to get countries to cooperate and hopefully prevent another war in Europe. Cooperation being the operative word here. We had joined under the Harold Wilson government in the 1970s and then, for some strange reason we had a referendum, in 1975 I think it was, to ask 'The People' if they wanted us to be members. A rather back-to-front idea, putting the cart before the horse, to have a vote AFTER we joined. But the E.U., as it's now called, isn't the same organisation it was at that time. We now have a single currency, The Euro (which Britain didn't sign up to) and far more regulations and laws.

Why is there such a problem with refugees and immigrants in this country? We've always had immigrants and been tolerant of refugees. Just look at our history, going back centuries. We've welcomed people from different ethnic groups, such as the Huguenots  who fled persecution and then set up the silk weaving industry in London. The idea of having 'open borders,' meaning you can cross into the other E.U. countries without having to bother with endless paperwork, passports, making trading easier because you all have the same structures for such things as health and safety or weights and measures and even (heaven forbid) currency makes a lot of sense. If we could all agree on how to deal with refugees, then that problem might have been resolved, and not put pressure on one or two nations within the E.U. (ie: France and Britain, with all the problems caused by refugees at the Channel ports between France and Britain.) then the E.U. might have been a worthwhile organisation to be a member of. But it seems the different countries with the E.U. can't even agree on that. A shame. It would really make being a member worthwhile.

Why on earth, when they were setting up the 2016 EU Referendum, didn't they set a target, a sort of percentage of one way or other, to remain or leave, of, say 10% or even 20%, to which would be agreed as the winning amount of votes and then decide whether Britain remained or left the E.U. As it trend out, the result was 51.89% to leave and 48.11% to remain, a really tiny percentage to leave. Hardly enough to decide to leave. Surely it should have been a higher percentage to leave. A crazy mistake on the part of our politicians who put the country through this incredibly messy situation as regards the negotiations to extricate ourselves from the E.U. Then you learn that there were25,359 blank or invalid votes. What were those people who wasted their votes thinking? Just wasted. Either way, if they had used their votes sensibly then the results might have been completely different. 

Reading and Watching-1

As I've mentioned in an earlier blog post, I have an interest in history. Our lounge is full of books, infact, one of the two IKEA bookshelves, which we bought from the house in Crownhill when we had to move (see earlier blog post for more information on this.) is crammed full of books and magazines, one of which is in serious need of attention as it's not fixed to the wall, and leans at a slight angle. Many of these books and magazines are on history. I'm always looking for more history books to read and such shops as The Works are always good places to find a bargain, the last one being on The Norman Conquest' and another on 'The Battle of Waterloo'. We have now managed to order a new bookshelf unit on the IKEA website. Paid for and it will be delivered next Thursday. We decided to have it delivered as it would unlikely not fit in the car, so to have it delivered means someone else will have to lift it into the house. As we have a similar unit in our bedroom it shouldn't be too difficult to assemble and it's possible to buy baskets, drawers and boxes which can be slotted into the unit to make it even more flexible.

I've been reading 'Never Had It So Good,' by Dominic Sandbrook. It's 'A History of Britain From Suez to The Beatles.' Which is about all you need to know about the subject matter. I read a later volume of his set of history books called 'Seasons In The Sun,' which takes his series up until 1979. At the time I read it, I was unaware that it was the latest in a series of books (of which 'Never Had It So Good' is the first.) So I decided I wanted to read the series from the beginning and managed to buy all the books on Amazon. As I lived through the period covered, I thought it would we worth a read, although I wasn't old enough at the time the first book covers to be aware of the incidents recorded, such things as the Suez Crisis or the Profumo Affair or the 'Night of The Long Knives.' As with any account of history, it's interesting to see how we got to where we are today, what with Harold Macmillan's attempts at negotiating a possible membership of the Common Market or 'European Economic Community,' as it was called in the late 1950's and early 1960's (now the E.U.) and how the President of France, Charles De Gaulle kept blocking our entry. Interesting when you compare it with the Brexit negotiations following the Referendum vote to leave over the last few months.The rest of the Sandbrook series are 'White Heat,' and 'State of Emergency,' which I will read in the fullness of time. Each book is very thick; the first book is some 800-900 pages long.

I'm a real fan of Alan Bennett. I enjoyed the plays he wrote for the BBC in the 1960s and 1970s, in particular the very first one called 'A Day Out,' which was made in black and white and about a group of men who go on a bicycle ride in Yorkshire and set just before the First World War. Not a great deal happens, but his attention to detail, particularly his depiction of the individual characters is very detailed. It's directed by Stephen Frears who went on to make some large-scale cinema films such as 'Dangerous Liaisons' and 'The Queen.' Alan Bennett is interested in the small things in peoples' lives, the every-day, the mundane. He has also written for the stage, most notably for the National Theatre, with plays such as 'The Madness of King George III,' and 'The History Boys.' I have read most of his diaries which get published on a  regular basis, and was given the latest collection, covering the millennium, and called 'Getting On, Getting On,' and given to me as a Christmas present by Carol last year. I am about to read it.

I've watched the first episode of the new Sky drama series, "Britannia," which is on Sky Atlantic. It's set in a Celtic Britain at the time that the Roman invasion is about to take place. It's somewhat preposterous, so if you watch it don't expect an accurate history lesson. I had serious doubts about this when I first heard it was being planned, but it turned out to be a good deal better than I expected. It has David Morrissey as the Roman general (I assume he's a general) who leads his troops across the Channel and then pillages and burns the Celtic villages and murders a few in the process. It also stars Zoe Wanamaker as a sort of tribal leader. Another actor who is in it is Iain McDiarmid, who I have a connection with as he was in the company when I was working as an A.S.M. at Liverpool Playhouse in the early 1970s. I did the book for a production of Alan Ayckbourn's play 'Relatively Speaking,' which also had Thelma Barlow in the cast, who went on to play Mavis Wilton in 'Coronation Street.' It's good to see Sky producing stuff which at least has some sort of British connection, however accurate it is. I notice that all the episodes are available to view on catch-up, obviously in an attempt to follow the same principle as such on-line television services as Netflix and Amazon, where all the episodes of their shows, such as The Crown are available to view instantly. Apart from some strong language (which, frankly, adds absolutely nothing to the thing in my opinion.) it's a good rollocking yarn and will no doubt attract a young, male audience, who no doubt enjoy such shows as 'Game of Thrones,' and a good many video games. I shall watch the rest of the series with interest.

I'm glad all the episodes of 'Britannia' are available as a box-set, because you can watch all the episodes one after the other if you so wish. I've watched the second episode. I'm really hooked on this show and can't wait to see the next episode. It's got a real 'have to watch the next episode' something about it, rather like a good novel where you can't put it down. Generally I need to get through about 15-20 minutes of a new drama series to know whether I'm going to continue watching and this certainly has that 'something.' Unlike a lot of similar shows, the dialogue is convincing. They seem to have avoided the somewhat stilted dialogue that you tend to get in a lot of dramas set in a 'certain period,' and the whole thing is rather tongue-in-cheek, it doesn't take itself too seriously. It has a sense of humour as well. And they haven't made it pretentious in any way, unlike a lot of costume dramas that are precious and rather unrealistic, not that you can make a show set in 43 A.D. as nobody knows what they spoke like. It's not exactly historically accurate, but who cares? Definitely entertaining and that, in all honesty, is what one needs at the moment. The fights are convincing, too, and you get the feeling that the Romans have more than a hand-full of soldiers in their invading army, they've spent quite a lot on extras to fill out the scenery. 

True British Grit, where has it gone?

Oh dear. Here we go again. A little bit of snow and the whole country grinds to a halt. What's the matter with people? We're British and a little bit of the white, cold stuff, and we just get on with things. Go about our lives without letting things bother us. Just like Brexit (I hate the term, but we know what it means). Once we've been freed from the EU, we're going to manage perfectly nicely, thank you. I did vote to remain, but finding out about how the negotiations to leave have been going on, I think I'd be perfectly happy to be separated from this 'bloc.' (More like block-headed, the negotiators in my opinion. They need us more than we need them. I shan't make mention to this further as I don't want to bring politics into this blog.) British people are not effected by the weather, if it rains, we just get our umbrellas out, or don Wellingtons and macintoshes or wet-weather gear and continue. The old 'Dunkirk Spirit' comes into force. Have we really become so wet and wimpy to allow a spot of snow to effect our lives? Probably, yes. But why have we become so pathetic? There has to be a reason for this state of affairs. The media has a part to play in this. Weather plays a major part in the 'discussion' in the press and television. Scenes of snow make pretty pictures on BBC Breakfast or on the front page of tabloid newspapers, The Mail and Express in particular. When there's no other news, then our weather makes easy headlines, whether it's going to be a 'scorcher' or a 'chiller,' of course, depending on the time of year. No big political news, scandal, party-division or squabble? Then write a story about snow, sun, fog, frost or whatever. Easy peasy. And then big it up, hype it, mash it, over-write it and you have a story and a big headline, in over-sized type. Sells papers. 

As for the weather, well, we have a couple of inches and the motorways grind to a halt. When I was at school in the 1960's I seem to remember we managed to get there in the worst winter on record (I think it was the winter of 1962-3) and even had to help clear the snow in the school playground. None of this mamby-pamby 'health and safety' business then. We shovelled the snow into a pile at one end of the playground and against a wall. As the snow fell, and it froze and then thawed, but mostly froze, the wall began to get pushed over. I don't think it actually fell, but it began to lean at a dangerous angle. I can't imagine today's children shovelling anything. If it snows nowadays, schools close down. Pathetic. Are we creating a new generation of children who can't cope when problems arise? They can't cope with a little bit of snow and ice? They need to have a bit of resistance, some back-bone to cope with life's little problems. If so, they'll never be able to cope with bigger issues that arise, far bigger than what the weather throws at them.

A few inches of snow, and our railway system grinds to a halt. Excuses such as 'leaves on the line' or a little bit of frost and the whole network is thrown into total confusion. People insist on flying off for a break over the Christmas and New Year holiday and can't understand why they get stuck in long queues on the motorway and when they arrive at the airport they don't like the idea that their flight has been cancelled because of snow and ice on the runway or perhaps their plane is covered in ice and needs thawing out. Oh dear! Why not just stay at home and be environmentally friendly?  Just get a shovel out and start clearing the snow instead of wingeing on about compensation. If you insist on travelling when the weather is bad, just pack a thick jumper, a scarf, a wooly hat, a Thermos of tea, coffee or soup and put up with it.

Come on folks, if you don't need to go anywhere, unless your journey is vital, just stay at home. After all, we know perfectly well that it's winter, and the weather can become very treacherous and dangerous. The weather can cause very low temperatures, so this is what we can expect. The whole country grinds to a halt. Councils send the gritting lorries out. Apart from that, we just don't prepare for winter when we have such harsh conditions.

As for Brits becoming a lot of wimps, I blame things like Health and Safety regulations, burocratic spoil-sports, you can't do this, and you can't do that. Can't people take responsibility for THEMSELVES? Live a little life, even if it's a bit dangerous. Too much reliance on government departments and especially the N.H.S.

Trumpery, Brexit and A Bitterly Cold Morning

A really bitterly cold morning. The ice on the car really took some shifting. I almost used up an entire bottle of spray anti-freeze. I have to be really careful with cold that intense. I get a real pain in my chest. Not sure I want to induce another heart attack as a result. I think it's because your arteries close up or something. Stops blood pumping through. I'm not going to see what happens so I'd rather be in the warm. The central heating is on. I turned it up a notch yesterday.

So, today is Donald Trump's inauguration. I'm not so sure how I feel about the man. He's made some really nasty comments, he's divisive, what will his Presidency be like? How will we, in Great Britain, get on with the man? More or less the complete opposite ideologically, to Barak Obama. Sorry to see him go. Let's wait and see what happens. I think Trump's style of campaigning during the run-up to the U.S. Election was based on his experience of being on the reality television show "The Apprentice." These shows rely on 'sound bites.' They need them so that people make comments on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. He has used these 'sound bites' to get a reaction, to get people talking, whether for good or bad. He just needs to temper his comments. He says something, and then sometimes regrets it. Something like "The Apprentice" has catch phrases such as 'Your Fired!" which everyone knows. The same with "Strictly Come Dancing" which is manipulated by the media to give it the best stories which can be reproduced in the Tabloid press. Whenever one of the judges says something nice or nasty, it gets a headline in 'The Sun' or 'The Mail.' (Other tabloid newspapers are available.) Do Americans realise that 'Trump' has a different meaning in this country? As George Bernard Shaw so succinctly said about American and British 'English' and the difference, 'two countries divided by one language.' 

As for Brexit (I'm sorry, but I hate the term.), why didn't our politicians make more effort to actually EXPLAIN what the E.U. was about, well in advance of the Referendum in June? How many voters in that vote actually know what they were voting for? So many people, particularly those in the youngest age-group, say from 18-30, don't appear to have any interest in politics. I know the scandal of M.P's expenses a few years ago tarnished the reputation of Parliament and it's members, which is understandable, but how many people really understand what we got out of the E.U.? If you don't understand the process of Parliament or the E.U. (which also has itself to blame.) how can anyone make an unbiased decision, to leave or remain, if they aren't given the facts? most young people seem more interested in celebrity culture, reality television, the latest football results, than politics and in particular, the E.U. How many people do you see walking about the streets with their mobile phones in their hands, and not actually interacting with the world around them?  When the result of the Referendum is going to have such far-reaching consequences, wouldn't it have been more important to vote in this important Referendum than keeping your face glued to a stupid mobile telephone? It was the tabloid press in Britain who were very much responsible for giving the E.U. a negative presentation, which would have swung there readers towards voting to leave. I also blame the government who drafted the legislation which allowed the Referendum. Why did they not have a clause in that which said that the vote either for or against, had to be of a certain percentage one way or another, to allow for a leave or remain decision? The fact that the 'Leave' vote was so low, I don't know the exact figure, but it was as low as 1-2% in favour of leaving the E.U.

Having done some research on the subject of the Referendum on the internet, I find that around 25,000 votes were invalid or blank. What are we to make of this? Why were they 'invalid'? Are some people so stupid that they spoilt their ballot papers so they became invalid? Didn't they think the vote was important enough to use this Referendum properly and actually vote one way or the other? If they had voted, perhaps the difference in the outcome would have been very different. It just shows the ignorance of some people knows no bounds.