Water, Water

 Saturday. 12.30 a.m. It rained really heavily yesterday evening. So much so that I couldn't take Alfie out, as he really does not like getting wet. Come to think of it, neither do I.

We reached the fifth session of the Alpha Course this week, and I was due to go to the Oaktree Centre at around 6:40. I was in my lounge, watching television, and then I heard a tapping sound. At first, I couldn't work out where it was, or, indeed, what it was. Going into the flat's entrance hall, I noticed a dripping coming from the ceiling. 

Vashti, the S.H.0. (Sheltered Housing Officer) of Dexter House, had gone home. It was around 5.30. I decided to ring the Mears helpline and was told that someone would come and inspect the leak, but it might be 4 hours before they arrived. It was around an hour later that a man knocked on my door, looked at the place where the drip had come through the ceiling near the smoke alarm, and told me that it wasn't his responsibility and rang the contractor who was responsible. He did a check of the light fitting, which isn't far from the smoke detector, and did a safety check and found no sign of water or anything dangerous and then left.

I mopped up the water from the floor and that was the end of it, although I think there must be a blockage and possibly an overflow somewhere in the roof space due to the heavy rain.

Sunday. 9.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny, but chilly. At least it's cool enough to sleep. The digital thermometer currently reads 19ºC. 

Tuesday. 7.40 a.m. I went to Camphill yesterday evening. The silent movies we have been creating since February were premiered. Actually, not just the three the Tuesday group made, but several others which were produced by the Monday group. There was a red carpet in the foyer of the Chrysalis Theatre, and as people arrived, they were photographed by Craig, so it was a version of the traditional Hollywood 'Red Carpet' treatment as celebrities arrive at a premier.

Thursday. 7.40 a.m. The Zolpidem tablets which I have been waiting for arrived in the post yesterday morning. I took two at around 10.30 last night and slept well, waking around 5 a.m. I have to say, as a result, I feel a good deal better.

Friday. 7.25 a.m. A wild and wet night. It probably was nowhere near as bad in other parts of Britain, especially in Scotland.

I have mentioned the problems I've had receiving the Zolpidem which II have done a repeat prescription for. I got one delivery, then yesterday morning the larger order I made a few days ago arrived, including the sleeping tablets, (ie, Zolpidem.)

Little Grey Cells

Tuesday. 5.05 a.m. I'm wide awake again. The kitchen tidied and washed up and I've even prepared the chilli con carne for my evening meal. Am I crazy? No, I just can't stand wasting time. Bright daylight outside and I took my lovely Alfie out.  As we walked along the path towards Oldbrook Green, my attention was drawn to the sight of a police car parked in Olbdrook Boulevard, going towards Tesco's further down and opposite The Cricketers pub. As We got closer, I then noticed it was parked on the grass verge. Being an observant sort of person and also having a vivid imagination, I was constructing a narrative for why they were there. Hercule Poirot, Endeavour Morse and countless other criminal investigators which have done the same. Then, on the grass near their car, a black object was seen. What was it? Then, as we were about to cross over the road onto Oldbrook Green, a second police car went past from the direction of Fishermead. It stopped briefly near the first police car and then drove off. Then, no sooner had we crossed over the road and were heading in the direction of the skateboard park, I heard a noise above me. Looking up I could see what at first I took to be possibly a microlite or similar object. Then it became obvious that it was a drone. It had that distinctive sound these things make, and I saw one of the police officers operating the thing with a remote device. She brought the thing down to ground level and appeared to pack it away in the black object, which was obviously the carrying case for the drone. I was attempting to get a closer look but then walked on. By the time we got to the corner of Oldbrook Green and turned back to go home, the police car was driving away. So, what were they doing with the drone? Were they using it to attempt to find a person, wanted for something? An escapee from prison or wanted for questioning? Or, some other thing which could be best seen from the height only managed from a higher altitude? Or, were they merely playing with a new gadget they had been given to use for detection purposes? And Oldbrook Green at 5 a.m. was the best place to play with it? I don't know, and it made me have all these questions going on in my mind as we walked past.

As we walked back towards Dexter House, I could see the vapour trail of what appeared to be an aircraft, possibly coming to land at Luton Airport, which isn't that far from Milton Keynes. Mind you, it appeared to be coming in at a rather steep angle if it was an aircraft. Usually, they come in at a far less steep angle. In my imagination, I was thinking it could be a rocket or item returning from a space mission and was going to hit the Earth. But it did make me wonder what it was, although its speed appeared quite slow so it probably was an aircraft. I then thought, at that angle, the passengers would find it somewhat uncomfortable at that sharp angle.

8.05 a.m. I have now had a text from Mears. Someone is coming to see the bathroom floor on Thursday morning at 10, so it looks as if my efforts the other morning have paid off.

4.50 p.m. Another great day at Camphill in the Chrysalis Theatre. Little did I know that there was going to be a rehearsal for Maypole dancing. I had seen the maypole on the green outside the theatre, but never did I expect to actually act as the maypole, standing in the centre of the circle of the theatre workshop team and having to hold lengths of ribbon in the air with one arm. It was great to be at the centre of the whole thing, although it was quite an effort to keep my arm up in the air as well as hold on to the ribbons. It didn't quite work. I don't know why Terrie didn't do the rehearsal on the green outside. During the tea break, she tied the ribbons on the railing of the upper level of the seating and when they did another rehearsal, things went a good deal better. 

I should explain about the seating in the Chrysalis Theatre. It's quite ingenious. The main body of the hall has to serve as not just an auditorium, We use it for the performing arts workshop, and for doing the various activities which are part of the workshop. Then it has to be used for other Camphill activities, as a community hub for meetings, and discos for the Camphill residents, and then it's hired out for such things as craft markets. When there are theatre performances, whether by the Performing Arts Workshop or outside companies, then the auditorium is transformed by the raked seating which is able to be set up and can accommodate 220 people. But when not used, it folds into itself to allow the space to be used for other activities, as described above. 

After lunch, we spent time discussing the 'time travel' silent movie we are creating. Then we did a rehearsal and one of the other groups (there are three groups making movies. Mine, which is the 'time travel' story, another, which is a Western and the third, which is a pirate 'swashbuckler.' ) went off to 'scout' for locations for their movie. 

Time and Tide

Friday. 8.25 a.m. Yet another mild morning.

11.15 a.m. I've been to Aldi this morning. It's so easy to go in and get what you want and be out quickly. No fuss, no frills. The main supermarkets have so many distractions, things that you could possibly do without at that particular moment, such as clothes (alright, I know, we all need clothes, but you know what I mean.) They want you to browse and maybe not buy something immediately, but come back and buy it later. Also, books, toys, cards and a whole host of other stuff.

1.40 p.m. The roofing contractors appear to have left at around midday. A considerable amount of their equipment is scattered all over the grass below my kitchen window. The machine which I could not identify turns out to be a sort of lift, similar to what they used on my father's farm, an elevator to lift straw and hay bales up to the highest point when they built stacks. This machine is a good deal narrower and has its own engine to power it. They use it to take tiles up to the roof. 

Saturday. 9.55 a.m. The lady in the flat beneath me smokes like a chimney. Now, I know, it's a choice and everyone has a right to do what they like in their own home. But when the Mears workmen were in her flat and the door was open, cigarette smoke got into my flat. I have never smoked and don't intend to ever smoke. I know the effects it can have on your health, not just the possibility of contracting cancer, but it can cause all sorts of illnesses, clogging up your arteries and causing heart attacks, strokes and so on. Not just that, but the smell of cigarette smoke is unpleasant, causing me to cough. I was told, after I had my first heart attack in 2006, that if I'd smoked I would in all probability have had my heart attack five years earlier. Under no-smoking legislation, which came in under the Blair government, smoking is not allowed in public spaces, which includes the common areas of Dexter House, but tenants are free to smoke in their flats. I just get annoyed that I'm having to endure cigarette smoke contamination when I don't want it and the fact that it's possibly endangering my health I get very annoyed, but there's not a great deal I can do about it.

I felt sorry for the Mears' workmen because they had to work in all that cigarette smoke. I don't think it's acceptable to expect anyone to have to work in such an environment. It's totally unhealthy. I remember, when I worked for Guardian Home care, around ten years ago, I had one of my clients who I visited several times a day, also smoked in their home. I had to breathe that smoke in for a couple of hours. They call it passive smoking, which I didn't like, but there wasn't much I could do about it. Why couldn't I object? It was unpleasant, in the same way, that the cigarette smoke coming from the flat below me is both unpleasant and dangerous to my health.

5.55 p.m. I've been to Camphill this afternoon to see a performance of 'Twelfth Night.' I had to park in the Peace Pagoda car park, which is across Brickhill Street from The Chrysalis Theatre. I knew it wouldn't be a good idea to park in the Camphill car park, as it was unlikely to be enough space. I had to use the ticket machine and work out how to use it, as it had contactless payment. Once that was done, I walked over the bridge and entered the Camphill campus from the opposite side to where I usually enter. On arriving in the foyer of The Chrysalis, I was totally surprised by the number of people who were waiting to go into the theatre. I estimate there were more than a hundred people. The seating had been set up, which pulls out from one of the walls in the theatre, and has raked seats built in. 

The show was brilliant! There were a few prompts but never mind. Most of the cast knew their lines, and some didn't. The audience loved it all and laughed in all the right places. As a result, the actors played up to the reactions they got. The performance was videoed, so there will be a record for the future. It will be great to be able to watch on my television set, via YouTube or Vimeo.

Sunday. 8.00 a.m. Yet another bright and mild morning. I was out with Alfie at around 7.15 and there was a huge moon in the sky, so I had to go and get my iPhone and photograph it. I'm not entirely sure the result was successful, but at least I tried.

12.45 p.m. We had another Café Church session at the Oaktree Centre this morning. The only problem I have is, that, in a relatively small space, with a lot of people, when everyone is talking, you can barely hear what is being said. In some respect, it's not a problem, but not being able to hear properly is.

On the way home from The Oaktree Centre, I drove down Chaffron Way as usual. It's no more than a ten-minute drive and generally totally without incident. But driving down the long stretch between the Watling Street roundabout and the roundabout at Grafton Street, I had a BMW on my tail. It came up behind my car and was so close it was somewhat intimidating. I think this sort of behaviour is done deliberately, usually to get me to get out of the way. I was doing around 45-50 m.p.h., so I wasn't exactly crawling along. But there are some drivers, usually male, that simply can't tolerate another car in front of them. Then, around the point where there were chevrons along the middle of the road, I think where vehicles would go if they were turning right for The Bowl, the driver put his foot down and overtook me. Having just looked up 'chevrons' on the Highway Code website, I read that you're not supposed to enter this area unless there's an emergency, and this certainly wasn't an emergency. He shot off at great speed, probably between 70-80 m.p.h., and it was very unnerving, to say the least. Mind you, it was rather a pointless exercise for him, because by the time I reached the Grafton Street roundabout, he had to wait in a queue of around six cars to enter the roundabout, so, his speeding past me was a waste of time and energy.

Moving Out!

I will be ringing the removal company tomorrow to arrange the date for moving. I frankly won't be sorry to leave this house. In the last few months I've be struggling to pay the rent, basically because Housing Benefit won't pay the whole amount and I've had to top it up with savings, most of which was paid from a death grant after Carol's passing. I am somewhat annoyed that I had to raid my savings account this month to pay the rent, but hope that once I've moved out this concern will be gone. It has caused no end of stress. I now learn, from my landlord's son, that he's expecting me to pay a proportion of rent until I go, which is another stress-point. Oh well, let them eat cake, as someone said. I should get one more Housing Benefit payment and that can go part-way towards rent.

I've taken a further couple of boxes of things to the flat. I will have to get some curtain track because I notice the windows in the flat have none. Then I must look for some curtains for the lounge and bedroom.

The broadband fibre installation continues. Just when I thought they had completed the work, I come across another group of workmen making holes in the road or a path. Alfie didn't get his second walk this afternoon because it was raining heavily, not that Alfie is in the least bit bothered by a drop of rain.

The landlord's son is expecting me to pay something like £400 for rent up until the 17th October, when my notice expires. But today (1st October) my rent payment will have gone out by Direct Debit, so if that's a whole month's rent in advance, HE will owe me for the weeks I'm not in the flat up until the end of October. Please don't tell me you pay rent in arrears. I bet he'll attempt to wriggle out of this and not pay me back the deposit. Which, wait a minute! He does or should owe me because of the deposit. Just tying myself in ever decreasing circles over this matter.

Later. I've been to Camphill as usual. During the morning I rang the removal firm and I have said I would like the move to be on either a Monday or Wednesday, because the other days I am engaged elsewhere and I don't want these days interrupted. The coordinator will arrange a day and I will have to pay a £50 deposit and the pay the balance on the day.

We had another run-through of 'Stranger Danger,' Teo is still on holiday, but I think he comes home sometimes this week. A couple of the guys are looking forward to having a holiday in Blackpool. I expect when they come back the following week they will be full of what they did, together with photographs on their mobiles.

We then worked on a proposed script for a video which will be put on the Chrysalis Theatre website. It will show people who come to see a show, or any other event which is put on in the Chrysalis, to explain that they can't park at Camphill, unless they are staff or disabled. We were put into two groups and went through ideas which the drama team came up with. The other group went out to the Peace Pagoda carpark, which is across the road from Camphill, to work out how people would find the theatre as that is the nearest carpark. Also, having to show them the route without crossing the road, Brickhill Street. I'm not sure whether we actually managed to come up with a script or storyboard for this video, which will eventually be made by Jeremy, who made the 'Stranger Danger' video, but at least some ideas were committed to paper.

After lunch we did more improvisations, sitting in a circle and doing 'Fortunately/unfortunately.' The idea being that you start off with someone coming up with a phrase, or a longer sentence, ending or beginning, 'So and so did whatever, and fortunately . . .' and then passing it on when the next person said, 'but unfortunately . . .' and so on around the circle. Some crazy things came out of this and it's quite a good way to start a story.

After lunch we did more improvisation. One exercise was with the drama guys standing on opposite sides of the hall (actually the auditorium of the Chrysalis Theatre.) and speaking their lines to the other person they speak to in the play. It turned out to be an excellent exercise to get them all to project their voices rather than shout and so it turned out.

Next, it was back to the improvisation method we started the previous week. Two groups were formed, each given a subject to work on, which meant devising a situation and then creating characters and the other team had to guess what the subject without it being mentioned. Ours was the seaside and some mimed swimming, playing tennis, and I mimed a 'Punch and Judy' show with the rest of the team sitting on the floor and watching.

The other team did their mime about going to the theatre. We got their subject but they didn't manage to get ours.

The day ended with a line rehearsal, just sitting in the auditorium and for some reason it had a great deal more energy than when it is acted with all the props and furniture. Probably because they can concentrate on their lines and don't have to think about where to enter and exit and move around on the stage.

World War 2 Weekend At Milton Keynes Museum

The weather is playing tricks at the moment. It started off this morning fairly chilly, so I decided on wearing my Regatta jacket, but as the day drew on the sun made an appearance and by the time I drove into the centre of Milton Keynes it was a good deal warmer. I had to get bank statements from the Nationwide and NatWest because of my application for a sheltered housing place. I had to spend most of Saturday morning searching for the tenancy agreement, which was rather a tiresome job but it came to light, fortunately.

I've never visited Milton Keynes Museum before. I went to the special event held over the weekend, the theme being World War 2, presumably because this year is the 80th anniversary of the start. A lot of stalls laid out with period merchandise as well as people in the uniforms of various military units, army, navy and R.A.F. At midday there was a fly-past, I'm not entirely sure what planes they were, but nonetheless it was quite exciting to see them and I managed to take a couple of photographs of them as I'd taken my Canon digital camera with me. In one of the sheds, the one that has agricultural machinery in it, there was a demonstration of war-time dance, presumably the jitterbug or something similar. Really good stuff. The whole place was heaving, when I arrived there was a queue to get in and when I left, there was still a queue.

I have now bought a FitBit. I had a cheap version of one of these, bought off Amazon. It was alright, up to a point, it measured the number of steps I took and connected to my iPhone via Bluetooth and it meant I had a running record of the distance I had walked through another app which came with the iPhone, but the strap broke recently. More precisely, the buckle came apart so it wouldn't join together when worn on my wrist. I did an on-line survey and was part of a forum for the Times and Sunday Times and I was paid with a £50 John Lewis voucher. I had originally intended using it to buy a food processor, but thinking about it I decided that I wasn't going to get much use out of it and that it would probably spend a lot of it's time in the cupboard, and when I went into John Lewis the other day I had a look at FitBits, and then went into the food mixer department and looked at the food processors and decided that a FitBit was more useful. I had to make up the price difference with my own cash and it was purchased. I had to upload the FitBit app on my iPhone to get the thing working as you have to upload the relevant software, but I couldn't get it to cooperate, so I rang the helpline and the lovely lady on the other end of the phone (surprised when it turned out she was in America, when she said 'Pacific Time.') and then managed to get the thing to upload the software and it was working within minutes.

On Tuesday I went to Camphill as usual. I can't believe it's six  months since I started volunteering there. The drama group are so lovely. They always ask me how I am and usually want to know how Alfie is and they know about Arthur, my third grandson. I show them photos of them both on my iPhone. Regardless of their disabilities, they always try their best in the drama workshop. It's quite moving when you come to think that some of them can't read, so Teo, the leader, has devised a method by which they can use a sign to suggest certain words and the dialogue is written in verse so it's easier to learn. We are still rehearsing the complete 'piece' which means more or less taking it to pieces and re-assembling it with the transitions between scenes. It shows them how different it is to making the video, where you stop and start, film from different angles and do re-takes to get the best take before the whole is assembled in the edit. The idea is that all the actors are sitting in a sort of arc around the stage and then enter for their particular scene. There are a couple of screens either side of the playing area which can be used for costume changes.

Teo has asked me if I'd be interested in working with several of the other volunteers to created a new drama piece. It's just that I haven't been involved with 'Stranger Danger' since it's beginnings (something like four years in the making, apparently.) and he thinks it would focus my abilities elsewhere if I get involved in creating a new piece of theatre. This will be separate from the 'Treasure Island' project, which we haven't worked on for several weeks.

As we've gone through the play, one of the volunteers has been taking notes, which will show all the new details, such as scene changes, rather like my job when I was a D.S.M. and had to note all the moves, scene changes, setting of props etc during rehearsals when I worked in stage management. Putting it directly into the spreadsheet software of the script (actually it makes so much sense, even though it would never occur to me to write a script using spreadsheet software, because you have several columns which allows for stage directions, or notes such as what goes where and who does what.) I have to say the two girls who are volunteers really throw everything they've got into the work with the drama workshop and are just so brilliant to work with.

In the afternoon, during the run-through of 'Stranger Danger' (which is really developing well. A lot more comedy is coming out and several of the volunteers and support staff are being involved, although none have speaking parts. Some help with scene changes, setting and striking props etc etc.) we had a visitor. I'm not entirely sure if I got his name right, but he was a runner-up in the ITV talent show 'The X Factor.' I can't remember his name. But he and his wife, who is American, run a business which helps with promotion for businesses such as theatre, and they say that they can help create a website for the Chrysalis Theatre and love how Camphill is run, the ethos behind it and the calm and friendly atmosphere. They were impressed by 'Stranger Danger' and the message it conveys.  Once they'd seen the rehearsal, coming in towards the end and then we ran it from 'The Top' so they saw the complete 'piece,' there was a question and answer session with the guys, and it was great for them to meet someone who they're likely to have seen in 'The X Factor' on television. Sorry I can't remember his name, but when I remember or I discover what it is, I'll post it on here.