The State of Christmas Television in 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

June Is Bustin' Out All Over!

 Thursday. 5.35 p.m. Yesterday afternoon we had a tea party in the community lounge. It was provided by my friends John and Margaret who now go to Milton Keynes Christian Centre, which is along Strudwick Drive from Dexter House. We had a great selection of food, which included chicken drumsticks, sandwiches, cakes, sausage rolls, and pork pie. There was also a quiz, which I won. I seem to make a habit of this, and one of the residents said I must have cheated as I always seem to win. I don't think it would have been possible to cheat, even if I had wanted to. I got a prize of a box of After Eight mint chocolate, which I rather like.

Friday. 3.45 p.m. It's been a relatively mild sort of day today. The sun hasn't shone, but still quite pleasant.

Sunday. 7.30 a.m. It's the 1st of June. How quickly we seem to have got here. Time seems to be going quickly, and, appropriately, Doctor Who is in the news, Billie Piper is taking over from Naguti Gatwa. The ratings for the last season, or even the season before last, have been poor, probably because of the woke storylines. I reckon he only took on the role of The Doctor, as a stepping stone to a Hollywood career. He was in a production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' at the National Theatre, which I haven't seen, and really don't want to. It will be interesting to see how Doctor Who develops once the next series is shown.

It's sunny and bright outside. My digital thermometer currently reads  25ºC.

Monday. 10.25 a.m. Warm and sunny again this morning. I've been to Lidl for a few things. 

It has taken a while to get used to the layout of the  new store. There's a good deal more new products and a lot of branded items, such as PG Tips teabags. Stlll a good deal cheaper than elsewhere and you can be in and out quickly.

As usual, there were problems with the self-service till. I now know you scan using scanner in the base of the thing. No label on one item, so the girl in attendance had to help me. 

6.45 p.m. I have managed some writing. I had the next section written some while ago, but I am redrafting it. I have spent some time developing characters and from those characters I can give them a back story and it's easier to write with this new material. I even think I could develop a sort of spin-off project from these characters.

I have still not managed to get the new Sony camera to connect to the grip with Bluetooth. This situation is becoming somewhat annoying and very frustrating. I really need to find someone who has knowledge of such things to help we deal with the problem.

Tuesday. 6.15 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning and there's a breeze blowing.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

 Sunday. 6.15 a.m. Another sunny and bright morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc and the flat is cool and pleasant, thank goodness.

3.30 p.m. I have now watched both Doctor Who episodes 'The Space Babies', and 'The Devil's Chord.' Regardless of what people have been saying on the internet, I really enjoyed both episodes. Ncuti Gatwa really throws himself into the role of The Doctor and gives it a real life and energy. He certainly has a charisma that shines out of the television set. It's difficult to take your eyes off him when he's on-screen. His co-star and companion in the Tardis, Mollie Gibson, playing the part of Ruby Sunday. It's clear that the Disney co-production has paid off, in that the production values are far greater, because it looks slick and has a cinematic look, the special effects, the sets and costumes look fantastic.

12.10 p.m. I have restarted my Ancestry account. It is a family history site, where you can find your ancestor's details. If you read these blog posts regularly, you will know how much work I have been putting into this work. I discovered my connection to The Ascott Martyrs, and that I am going to a study day in Chipping Norton this Saturday, to learn more about them (Chipping Morton featured heavily in the incident.) The day isn't just about those ladies, and what they did in 1873, but about other rebellions and protests which went on over the centuries in Oxfordshire. I have managed to get back at least 500 years and the family tree which I am building on the Ancestry website is growing and blooming daily.

Tuesday. 8.20 p.m. I have spent most of my Nectar points on a Nutribullet. For those who don't know what that is, it's a sort of blender into which you put vegetables and fruit to make into smoothies. I haven't yet tried it out, because I am slowly going through the manual which came with it, and I don't have any fruit or vegetables to put in it. So, as I write this post, it is sitting on top of my fridge/freezer and will remain there until I got to Sainsbury's or any other supermarket, or even the market near the shopping centre, to purchase some. I have bought ready-made smoothies in Sainsbury's, and it occurred to me that I could make my own, which would be a very good way to consume my five-a-day fruit or veg. I will let you know how I get on with the gadget when I have tried it out. 

Yesterday, at around midday, I got a telephone call from Milton Keynes Hospital. It was from the cardiology department, telling me that I had to have a heart monitor fitted, which I had to wear for 48 hours and that I should go to the cardiology department this afternoon to have the afore mentioned device affixed to my person. I got to the hospital and managed to park in the multi-storey car park. A car was reversing out of a space, not far inside the car park, so at least I didn't have to search for a space, which made things easier. I and then walked to the cardiology department. Little did I realise how far it was. I had to walk part of the way along the Redway which runs behind the house where Carol and I lived in Eaglestone. I used to walk along there when I used to go and visit Carol when she was in hospital after she was diagnosed with cancer. We used to park in the small car park near the entrance to the cardiology department and when she was first diagnosed and in hospital, we could see building work going on outside and which has now finished and the building which was being constructed was the new cancer unit.

I went into the cardiology department. We used to walk through here when we went to the oncology department, where Carol went to have chemotherapy. I reported to reception and then had to wait in the waiting area. I was eventually called in to a room by a nurse, and we were joined by a student nurse (I presume she was a student.) who was there to observe the procedure of me being connected to a heart monitor. It is a very small device, about the size of a small mobile phone, and it connects to my chest by way of the type of sticky contacts they use when you have an E.C.G. it has a clip on it, so I can clip it on to my belt or put it in a pocket. I will have to take it back and give it to the receptionist at the cardiology department on Thursday morning.                   

Sunny and Bright

Friday. 7.50 a.m. Yet another sunny and bright morning here in Milton Keynes. Temperatures have been hovering around the 28ºc mark yesterday, according to my digital thermometer. It currently shows the temperature in my flat at 22ºc. I have the window open, with the hope that it might keep the temperature low. Yesterday I had my electric fan on. 

Saturday. 7.15 a.m. Up early, as usual. It's bright and sunny again. The digital thermometer is currently reading 20ºc, a far more acceptable temperature.

Doctor Who is back today on BBC1, although it's available on BBC iPlayer and Disney+ from around midnight last night. As Disney are part financing it, to something in the region of £100,000,000, I suppose they would want it on their own streaming platform. I'm not sure if I like the idea of them financing it. I can see why, because the BBC, being funded by the Television licence, hasn't got the funds which would allow a show like Doctor Who to get the funding it needs to produce something that has the look and feel of a far bigger show, give it a cinematic look and attract actors to it who would give it an appeal internationally, as well as using the latest technology, such as C.G.I,  and animatronics, to create special effects, monsters etc.

I have been a fan of Doctor Who since its early days in the 1960s. I think I must have seen the very first episode,  'An Unearthly Child', which was broadcast on BBC television at 5.15, on 23rd November 1963.  It was somewhat overshadowed by the assassination of American President, John F. Kennedy the day before, in Dallas, Texas. I would have just had my 13th birthday, in October, so I presume I would have fitted into the age group at which it would have been aimed. There was nothing else at the time to compare it with. Most, if not all, adventure series aimed at boys particularly, were importations from America, such as 'Champion The Wonder Horse', and 'The Lone Ranger.' All in black and white as colour television didn't come in until around 1971, although the BBC introduced colour in 1967, when Wimbledon tennis was broadcast in colour on BBC2, as a sort of experiment. I remember being taken by my school to Granada Rentals, based in Bedford (probably to promote employment opportunities, but I can't remember.) and seeing a demonstration of colour television and a broadcast of Wimbledon.

The idea of a character who travels around in a machine, a time machine, called the Tardis, and allows it to move around in time and space and allow its passengers to stop off at historic periods and then move forward to the future, was intriguing. It had (and still has), different serials, and stories that ran for four or more weeks, and then, the Doctor and his companions would never know exactly where they had landed, in what period, who they would meet, whether friendly or not, monsters or whatever, which was one of the things I remember, never knowing exactly where they would land and so on. You had to keep on watching to find out. Most series on television would be set in the same location, with the same set of characters, from one week to the next. Doctor Who, on the other hand, changed, as I say, from one place and time, every couple of weeks. I would say that that element of the show is what has kept it going for more than 60 years. It can be refreshed very regularly, and the device of having The Doctor regenerated when the lead actor who plays him (or her, since Jodie Whittaker took on the role a few series ago.) and the show is given a makeover in some form or other.

Elephant In The Room?

Saturday. 5.40 p.m. Elephant? What elephant? If it's in the room, I definitely can't see it. There's no connection with the content of this post to elephants. It's just that I couldn't find a better title, so that's that.

Sunday. 6.15 a.m. It's early, but I'm awake and refuse to just lay in bed when I can be at least doing something. I took Alfie out, and we discovered that it was pouring rain, which was something of a surprise. We didn't stay out too long, and anyway, Alfie doesn't like getting wet. He is now fast asleep in his bed.

Monday. 7.05 a.m. Up early as usual. The sun is out. It's pleasant, but not exactly warm. I suppose, given time, it will eventually warm up. On BBC Breakfast, Carol Kirkwood, the weather lady, said that the temperature was going to warm up as the week progressed. I have taken Alfie out and sorted some of the recycling and washed up from yesterday evening.

I have started watching a drama/documentary on Netflix, 'The Last Czars', about Nicholas II of Russia and what eventually led to the Russian Revolution in 1917. I know the story, having read several books on the subject, and the 1970s film 'Nicholas and Alexandra.' I do have a slight connection in that when I was A.S.M. at the theatre in Harrogate in the early 1970s, my landlord was somehow or other involved in drama. I think he was a playwright. I have a feeling he wrote several musicals, one, I think, based on the J.M. Barrie play, 'What Every Woman Knows.' It is some 50 years ago, so my memory is somewhat fuzzy on the subject, so bear with me. He also did another show, based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of 'The Secret Garden', 'Little Lord Fauntleroy. The little boy who played the central character in that show was then cast in the part of Alex in 'Nicholas and Alexandra.' He's the character who has haemophilia, a disease which means his blood didn't clot, and even a slight knock would cause bruising and many other problems. The film also featured, amongst others, Tom Baker, who played Rasputin, and it was this performance which led him to eventually play The Doctor in 'Doctor Who.'

10.00 a.m. I have just been to get a few items from Sainsbury's. Milk and bread, you know, the essentials. Alfie has got some treats, which he doesn't know I've got at the moment. He will have a couple during the day. As I drove towards Sainsbury's, along Evans Gate, which is the road that is the entrance into Oldbrook, I noticed that repairs have been made to a couple of the potholes as you approach the roundabout on Childs Way. But I didn't see any such repairs being done to a really large pothole which is difficult to avoid along Witan Gate, virtually opposite Sainsbury's. I do hope Milton Keynes Council can see fit to get around to sending some workmen to fill in that particular pothole, and, indeed, to repair any or all the potholes around Milton Keynes.

Yesterday evening I turned on the television as I was about to eat my meal, and what came on was the new David Attenborough series, 'Animals.' We get swooping shots of ice in either the Arctic or Antarctic. It doesn't matter which, but there was lots of snow and a few polar bears wandering around, and the wind must have been blowing fairly strongly as snow and ice were flying about. In the voice-over, done by Sir David, he says, ' The Arctic. It is intensely cold' 'Now, surely, there's no need to make such a statement. It's cold in the Arctic. So WHY ON EARTH do you have to state the *&@@%=1% obvious? It's the BBC, playing down to the thick audience that they think is watching. Just a bit of an insult, and why on earth did David Attenborough have to say it? It's almost like saying that there are people 'out there' who don't realize that it's very cold in the Arctic. It just shows how down-market the BBC has become. I think John Reith, the first Director General of the BBC, would be spinning in his grave.

Time and Tide

 Saturday. 7.40 a.m. It's another rather pleasant morning. Alfie and I did our usual walk around Oldbrook Green. There are daffodils blooming and blossom coming out all around Milton Keynes and suggesting quite clearly that spring is in the air.

1.00 p.m. We had our monthly men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning. I had to get some cash out of a cash point and needed help figuring out where to go. There are a number of these machines, also known as A.T. Ms (Automated Teller Machines) to be found around Milton Keynes and I wanted to have the cash with me to pay for the food we would get. In the end, I chose the ATM outside the Tesco Express in Oldbrook Boulevard.

Sunday. 7.20 a.m. Alfie and I went out at around 5.50 this morning. It was light, so I didn't see the point of hanging about in bed. 

3.50 p.m. I have resubscribed to two streaming services which I had been subscribed to but had cancelled a few months ago, basically because I had problems when they didn't work properly. I think the problems have been resolved sufficiently. The first was Britbox, the app on which it is viewed on my Amazon  Firestick, which now doesn't seem to crash like it did before. I watched several episodes of the original 'Doctor Who', 'Planet of Giants,' which was shown in October 1964, and was the ninth story from the very first incarnation of this BBC science fiction series. I remember the very early days of 'Doctor Who' and must have seen it when it was originally shown. I suppose I would have been about 14 when it was shown and probably the right age to be the audience it was aimed at. I was intrigued by the whole concept, the idea of time travel and the fact that every few weeks, when the Doctor and his companions arrived at a new planet at the beginning of each story, to discover where they were and what they would meet. I think it was what made 'Doctor Who' such a clever format, changing so often and keeping it fresh. The show was made on a shoestring, but it didn't make a lot of difference to the quality of the storytelling. A bit ropey in the special effects department, but the novelty of the whole show was what made it so watchable. This particular story had a slight 'eco' element to it (which I won't give away here.) which makes it relevant to a modern audience. I am surprised by how good it is, and I'm so glad to be able to see it after almost 60 years.

The other subscription is to 'National Theatre At Home', which streams recordings of National Theatre productions, which have been captured at 'live' performances, and some were shown 'live' in cinemas. The production I have just watched was 'Jack Absolute Flies Again' which is a reworking of the Richard Brinsley Sheridan 1775 play 'The Rivals'  by Oliver Chris and Richard Bean, who wrote 'One Man, Two Guvnors', which was a reworking of the Goldoni play 'The Servant of Two Masters and has Caroline Quentin in the role of Mrs Malaprop. A rip-roaring production and hilarious. Some of Mrs Malaprop's malapropisms don't always work and are somewhat over-egged, but I think you can forgive that some are somewhat rude, especially for a family audience, but that doesn't detract from the sheer energy of the production.

Monday. 6.45 a.m. Out earlier than yesterday with Alfie. We again did the circuit of Oldbrook Green, but not a lot to report.

Things Actually Getting Somewhat Slightly Worse (Probably A Little Bit, But Not Sure) Might be, Not Making My Mind Up, In fact, probably can't decide

Oh dear! We have a war raging in Ukraine, but Mr Putin doesn't call it a war, or an invasion. So, what is it? A jolly boy's outing? On  a serious note, it all sounds to much like what happened in Europe in 1938 and then lead to Germany invading Poland in September 1939 which then lead to war being declared and the start of World War Two.

I can remember The Cuban Missile Crisis which was in 1962. It was more or less exactly over the period of my birthday, which is 22nd October and seeing an episode of Panorama, which mentioned how close to nuclear war we came over the matter of nuclear weapons being stationed on the island of Cuba and being more or less terrified that we were all going to be annihilated in a nuclear war. Those were the days when you were never told what the significance of such things were, and if you were a child (I would have been around 12-13.) it wasn't something you would discuss with a child. Are we in a similar situation, regarding the situation in Ukraine, in particular as Putin has said he has put out a nuclear alert. Is he just bluffing (one likes to think so.), a distraction from what is going on with his troops in Ukraine? Only time will tell. Well, anyway, in my childish mind in 1962, it would have been scary. There was certainly quite a lot going on at the time for me, what with that awful winter of 1962-63, having my appendix out and in 1963, seeing the first episode of a new children's science fiction television series (actually, to be more accurate, it was a fantasy show.) about a time-travelling gentleman and his granddaughter, the show being 'Doctor Who.' Who (sorry, pun warning.) would have imagined that it would still be going strong (well, reasonably, regardless of falling audience ratings.) sixty years later? Aimed specifically at my then age group and so amazingly different from what else was aimed at children at the time. 

Wednesday. 4.15 a.m. I had BBC news on yesterday evening and there was footage of Russian attacks on buildings in Kyiv and, quite frankly, it was nothing but aggression. Why destroy buildings like this? Many Ukrainians are being brutally murdered, regardless of what Putin is saying. It was quite horrifying, and we can see such footage in our living rooms, without any sort of editing, which makes it more horrifying. I had to switch to another channel as it was too much. That might sound pathetic, but I think we need to stand back and take a different approach, not helped by being stuck in a room on my own. Just heart-rending. 

2.15 p.m. The excitement is too much! They are laying new carpet in the lounge here at Dexter House. I think I ought to lay down and rest, it's too much to take! They've been working on it for a couple of days now. Nothing very exciting about the colour. Just boring. The same as the newly-painted walls. A sort of washed-out lavender colour (if the colour lavender isn't washed out enough, to begin with. Now, now, Murdoch, don't hyperventilate! It's just a shock that it's actually happening. It's been in the works for months.

By the way, what's happened to the lady cleaner who does the common areas around here? I mean, the corridors and some of the rooms we are allowed to inhabit? Is she ill? Is she on holiday? She hasn't been seen for at least a week.

I've taken Alfie out, but, because it's raining, not heavily, but making the ground wet nevertheless. He didn't want to go far, so we didn't do our usual tour of Oldbrook Green.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest . . . I mean, Dexter House. We still have only one operational washing machine. The old one which was taken out is still sitting in its place at the entrance. When will it be replaced? The one that is left isn't working particularly well, and I reckon is on its final legs (or however you want to describe it.) It has bits falling off it, for example, the front panel of the drawer you are supposed to use for detergent. I never use it as I use gel capsules that go directly into the drum before doing any washing. If we have to put up with this breaking down as well, where are we supposed to wash our clothes? I have no idea where the nearest laundrette is, just in case. Perhaps we should get washboard and take our laundry down to the canal or the river and wash it there . . . How slow the powers that be can be knows no bounds. A bit like fiddling whilst Rome burns. 

Time Travelling

No, the title doesn't mean I have discovered a means of moving through time and space. I haven't got a time machine or created a Tardis, The Doctor's means of moving throughout time and space, as used in the  BBC science fiction show 'Doctor Who.' I'm referring to my interest in history. I am currently reading books that take me through the 20th Century right up to the present day, or, at least, as near as possible. I have actually started my in the 1840s with 'High Minds' by Simon Heffer, followed by 'The Age of Decadence', covering the period up until just before the First World War, then 'Staring At God', which covers Britain in the 1914-18 War, 'The Great War' as it was referred to. Then a book on the 1920s written by Fiona McDonald. I found it incredibly hard to discover a book that covered the 1920s so this was the only one I could find. Not very comprehensive, not covering the political or social history of the age and not particularly enlightening, but nevertheless worth reading because of the covering of such topics as the arts and entertainment, the birth of broadcasting, and the development of the film industry. I am currently reading 'The Thirties', written by Juliet Gardiner. Like the Simon Heffer books, she manages to weave some sort of narrative into her book which gives it a far more intimate feeling which draws you in. I remember when I was at school and then college in the late 1960s, history was just a collection of dates and numbers, You were just crammed with information, and usually about what I would call 'Establishment Figures', kings, queens, emperors, presidents and Prime Ministers, Nothing about the 'lower orders,' the 'ordinary man' or even woman. They seemed to be totally written out of the narrative. I have to say, by the time I got to Mander College in Bedford to do A-Level History, I found the teaching so boring it was enough to send you to sleep. I didn't even get as far as doing the exam, but I have to say, some fifty-plus years later, I don't really remember any of it. Just reams and reams of relentless notes on American history, European history and, I think, British history. A teacher just droning on and on and quite obviously just going through the paces and definitely not interested in the subject, doesn't make things any better for his students.

I'm still reading 'The Thirties: An Intimate History", by Juliet Gardiner. Part of my history journey through the 20th Century. It's very detailed and gives a real feel of what it must have been like to live in Britain in the 1930s. It covers the Depression, and it's clear how difficult it was for those who were unemployed. 

I've been doing my family history. I've been researching both my parent's trees. My mother is easier and I have got back around 15 generations. I am subscribed to My Heritage, and I've been with it for around 10 years, When the subscription ran out over a year ago I didn't continue, but all my work was still 'live' even though I couldn't access it. I kept getting emails from My Heritage attempting to get me to re-subscribe, but it was too expensive, around £160 for an annual pass. They continued with the emails, reducing the price. If it was possible to have a 'pay as you go' subscription it might have been easier to pay, or at least, on a monthly scheme, but that wasn't an option. Then an email offering a year for around £45, so I decided to go with it, hence the re-subscribing, which meant I could continue with my research. I have the app on my iPad and iPhone, and they seem to work better than the website. Far easier to move around my family tree and to connect with other people doing similar research and add their research to mine. I think I've already mentioned my discovery of some ancestors who lived in and around the village of Ascott in Oxfordshire, who was involved in a strike of agricultural workers in the 1870s, known as the Ascott Martyrs. Very interesting to have uncovered this bit of history, and the fact that it involved ancestors of mine makes it even more interesting.

A Very Merry (Bah! Humbug) Lockdown Christmas!

(Saturday) I went to Aldi this morning, the branch in Bradwell Common and opposite my doctor's surgery. There are things they sell which I can't get elsewhere and as their prices are around a third of the major 4 supermarkets, then I thought it was worth going. I also had a £1 coin for the trolley which I don't always have on me, otherwise I couldn't shop there. I was in and out so quickly, and going so early made it easier as there were very few other shoppers in the store, making social distancing easier as well as being able to find a parking space in the car park

(Sunday) So the pandemic lockdown rules have been changed. Bah! Humbug! As Scrooge would have said so succinctly. Boris Scrooge Johnson as he should now be known. This area, the South East of England, which includes Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, will move into a new Tier 4 tomorrow (Sunday) which means tighter regulations around meeting other people and no travel in and out of other areas with different tiers. And Boris is now considering a THIRD lockdown! All I can say is, lockdowns don't work. Or so it would seem. So, with data regarding those who are infected with the virus and those who have died, which is inaccurate, I'm inclined to not believe what we are told. As it is, restricting people's liberty, the whole thing should be debated in Parliament and given these restrictions scrutiny.

I went out with Alfie at around 9.15 this morning. As usual we walked along Strudwick Drive (or, I should be more specific, the pavement, or is it actually a path. Don't be so pedantic, Murdoch!.I'm not so stupid as to walk on the actual road.) We crossed over Oldbrook Boulevard as usual and walked around the Green. Alfie takes ages as he has to sniff every lamppost and tree, and then we came back to where we started and crossed back over Oldbrook Boulevard and as we did so I saw one of the Starship 'pods' coming towards us along the pavement. It had its lights on and as we approached we stopped directly in front of it and it stopped. It made me think of something out of a science fiction movie, 'Star Wars,' 'Star Trek' or even 'Doctor Who.' (Strangely similar to 'K9', the robot dog which was The Doctor's companion in the early, original version of the show, although he did return in one of the episodes of the rebooted version.) Then I stood back and the pod (for want of a better name.) trundled on and I watched it stop at the kerb, as if undecided what to do. It was obviously waiting to make sure the road was clear and then moved forward, but then stopped on the island in the centre of the road and, again, seemed to be checking for any vehicle and then moved forward and disappeared off along the path around Oldbrook Green. I could see it's yellow flag as it went off from the other side of the road. Funny little thing. They are a bit like miniature refrigerators on wheels or those cool boxes you can get to put your food in to keep it fresh on a hot summer's day when you go out for a picnic, but with wheels and a bit of an attitude. They do have personalities. Well I think so.

(Monday) Alfie kept wanting to sit on my knee and hanging about under my feet. This was around 6.30a.m. I was busy on my iPad and was ignoring him, but it suddenly dawned on me that he was desperate to go outside, so I quickly got dressed and we went out onto the grass area along the side of Strudwick Drive. Poor little dog, he would otherwise have had an accident (do I have to describe exactly what? No I don't.) Fortunately I took my little torch with me, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to clear up things. Its been really useful. It was raining (it probably is still as I write this.)and we had to go to the bin on Oldbrook Green before returning home. Alfie, totally bedraggled, looking like a wrong-out mop, went totally bonkers, attempting to get dry by charging around the flat. His coat goes crinkly when he's wet, looking as if he's been permed. Never mind, problem solved and back in front of the television watching BBC Breakfast on television.

Coronavirus Panic, Camphill and Television Viewing

Just been watching the penultimate episode of the latest season of 'Doctor Who,' and I have to say it's really rather good. It would appear they've thrown everything into this story, with better special effects and generally a better story and all the assistants had plenty to do. I still don't understand the second story, presumably set in Ireland. Then (spoiler alert!) a central enemy of the Doctor appears in the closing moments and there's the finale episode of the season still to be seen . . .

(Tuesday) I've now seen the final episode of he season and it's good! But there's rumours that some of the actors who play the assistants are leaving, notably Bradley Walsh, due to other work commitments.

(Saturday) Today would be my lovely Carol's 56th birthday. I'm upset and I miss her, but I know she wouldn't want me to dwell on things and I'm getting on with my life. It's ironic to think that, had I not been driving to Willen Hospice to see Carol when she was there and going past the entrance to Camphill, I might not have thought to become a volunteer there and make so many friends with the group of residents in the drama workshop. I'm sure she'd be so pleased to think I'm doing something I enjoy and using what skills I have to benefit that group of people.

(Sunday) It's bright and sunny. There was a fairly strong wind blowing when I took Alfie out and we walked partially around Oldbrook Boulevard, but it was still chilly.

(Tuesday) Only at Camphill until 12 o'clock because they were having training and then community assembly. We did a line-run of 'Stranger Danger.' It's getting better and stronger each time the guys perform it. Every line very clear and you could hear each word spoken. I again was a 'Little Piggy,' because one of the residents, who never seems to appear before midday, wasn't with us. Then we watched part of 'The Sound of Music.' Another film I remember going to see when it was originally released, probably around 1965, and going with my father instead of my grandmother, and all he did was complain about the cost of the cinema seats, no doubt shown at the Granada cinema in St Peters Street, now demolished and the site now a branch of Lidl. Great pity. At one point it had the second largest cinema screen after the Odeon Marble Arch in London. Just one question I have to ask about the 'Sound of Music.' How come Captain Von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer) is a sea captain, because if the film is set in Austria, which has no coastline, how come they had a navy? Or did they? Which navy was he a sea captain of? Then we did an improvisation, based loosely on the scene where the children march out when the Captain blows his whistle. I'm not sure it worked but we will need to rehearse it some more before it's perfect.

The residents at Camphill have done some sort of training since the coronavirus outbreak. They mustn't shake hands but touch elbows. Although i'm not sure that isn't as bad as hand-shaking as it's still touching. Wearing of face masks, which we see a lot of on television news since this epidemic began, somewhere in China, because these things are mean't to be worn once and then only for a shot time and then, if you touch them on the outside when you take them off, that would spread the virus, so in that case they are pointless.

(Wednesday) I've been shopping in Sainsbury's this morning and I saw the aisle where the toilet rolls are and a lot of shelf space is empty, due,  no doubt, to total panic buying. I can't see why particularly toilet rolls. Pasta as well, apparently. No doubt some crazy item in one of the more reactionary newspapers, such as the Daily Mail or Express. It's a sort of siege mentality.

It's nowhere near as blustery and cold today. Do I get a sense of it being almost spring-like, or is that being a bit too optimistic?

I've discovered that there's going to be an 'Alice In Wonderland' exhibition to be staged at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, starting in June. I am something of an 'Alice' fanatic and read it avidly when I was a child and it has really fascinated me even as an adult, so it's a must for me to visit an exhibition which is going to have some of the original artwork which was done by the illustrator Sir John Tenniel as well as preliminary artwork for the 1950's Walt Disney animated cartoon as well as a good deal more, so I will have to get my ticket on-line, which is the only way it would seem you can get to see the exhibition, timed-ticket only. I only found out about this exhibition whilst listening to Classic FM which I had on when I was driving to Camphill the other day, so thanks to them and whoever was the presenter, I think probably John Suchet. I think I may wait until the coronavirus situation is under control before deciding whether I go to this exhibition. I don't fancy going into London and putting myself at risk of catching the thing. I don't want to, but it makes sense.

Reading and Viewing- Part 2

Then there's Doctor Who. There's always Doctor Who. I have written about this venerable BBC Television show in an earlier blog post, or at least, the current run. I'm not really sure about it. I have no problems with The Doctor being a woman. Why not? At first I was not sure, because the part has always been played by a man. But if the character is alien, and can regenerate every few years, there's really no problem as regarding gender. The problem I have is with the half-hearted stories and scripts.  But what I do object is having so much political correct nonsense shoe-horned into the stories. Whether it be racial politics or environmental issues, why does it have to become a sort of lecture? It was always intended to have a certain amount of educational value from the very beginning, to teach children about various historical events, if it's about the Romans or other eras of history, but in the early days it was secondary to the stories in the different time periods the Tardis delivered it's passengers.

Why so many assistants? Three is superfluous and their backstories are so vague. Just don't see the point of so many. There were multiple assistants in Peter Davison's era. It seemed unnecessary then and it's the same now. The Tardis just seems over-crowded somehow and it's just unnecessary.

I have watched the final, fourth, season of 'The Man In The High Castle,'  on Amazon Prime Video. The first 3 seasons were good and I got hooked. But the fourth doesn't have the same appeal somehow. It petered out towards the end and it wrapped up far to quickly, almost as if the makers knew that it was coming to an end with no continuation so they had to tie things up in the last couple of episodes. But we still didn't get a proper explanation as to how the films were infiltrating the real truth and the time-shifting/multiple world element wasn't explained properly, but it was still worth watching.

'The Last Tango In Halifax\ has returned this week on BBC1 and this time given a Sunday evening slot in the schedules. This is the 5th season of the Sally Wainwright created series. Rock-solid characterisation and pitch-perfect acting from the ensemble cast, lead by Derek Jacobi and Sheila Reid, who re-connect via social media after 50 years apart and then marry. I just love this series. It's real, sad and funny all at the same time. I think it's what they call 'Bitter/Sweet.' By which I mean that it has elements of happiness, comedy, elation but the next it has feelings of sadness, regret, all tied up in one happy bundle. It's what good drama should be, not just plain, laugh-out-loud funny, but poignant and sad underneath the humour. Shakespeare does it in some of his comedy, particularly 'Twelfth Night,' which has all these elements. I means you recognise these elements and it makes it work perfectly. 'Last Tango' may not have particularly strong storylines, but it has a definite, 'can't-wait-until-the-next-episode' appeal, but you can't help loving the characters, along with all their foibles and flaws, which we can definitely recognise. I can really recommend it. 

New Year

So, Welcome to 2020! I didn't do anything in particular for the New Year, but I was well aware of things going on outside as the evening drew on. Fireworks being set off, but why start them before Midnight? What is the point? Why set them off in daylight? I could see them clearly from the kitchen window of my flat. When I went out with Alfie later in the morning, it was quite obvious where the fireworks were set off, because there were the remains of fireworks on Oldbrook Green as we walked around the circuit. Bits of rocket stuck in the grass, piles of burnt-out firework cases and other debris. If you insist on letting off fireworks to celebrate New Year, then, fine, but do at least have the decency to clear up the mess. Generally, there was no end of litter all around the park. It was awful. There are litter bins all around The Green, but two were over-flowing with rubbish and there was litter strewn all over the place. Why can't people just put their rubbish in the bins or, at least, take it home with them? It's a total disgrace. Then there's the matter of dog mess. I always carry bags to pick up after Alfie and I would never leave it because children play around The Green, but there is a lot of dog poo that isn't picked up because I've seen it. If you get caught (and it's unlikely, because who is around to police this?) you get a fine (not sure how much.) But there are at least three bins for this purpose, so why can't people who have dogs and don't pick up after their pets, just do the right thing and put it in the bins?

I went out with Alfie a good deal later and I noticed that a lot of the litter had been removed, especially around the bins, which, as I mentioned above, had litter over-flowing all around them. As We walked further around Oldbrook Green, I noticed a man in hi-vis clothing emptying another of the bins and the rubbish which had previously been overflowing out of it was now gone. It would appear that Milton Keynes Council have been on the case and the mess was being cleared up, but it still doesn't excuse people's disgusting behaviour regarding dropping litter.

(Friday) It's been raining over-night. Not much of a surprise. Alfie got a bit wet when we went out at around 7.30a.m.

I've watched the first episode of series 12 of Doctor Who. I rather object to them calling it series 12, because Doctor Who started in 1963 and they didn't have 'series,' well, as far as I remember. It seemed to be all year long, but I suppose it must have been off-air for some part of the year. I imagine 'series 12' refers to the fact that it was re-booted in 2005. I've been a fan of this show since forever. I was the right age, as part of the audience it was aimed at, when it began in 1963 (I would have been 13.) It captured my imagination, a quirky old man ('The Doctor.'), as originally played by William Hartnell, who had a time machine which could move around 'time and space.' It changed every couple of weeks, with each story running for 2-4 weeks (some stories ran for longer.) so that when the Tardis took off at the end of one story you never knew where the next story would be set, so when the doors opened, it was a surprise. I imagine that is how it was kept fresh, with new stories as well as locations (historical or in outer space, on a planet or earth.)

It's taken a while to accept a woman taking over as The Doctor. I suppose it's because the character has always been male. But, having seen Jodie Whittaker in the role, it really makes no difference whether the character is male or female. Unfortunately, what lets the series down are the rather pedestrian scripts. But the latest episode was crammed full of incidents, action, car chases and plenty of tension that it was worth watching. I certainly got caught up in the whole thing. It was an attempt to latch on to the James Bond franchise (hence the title of the episode 'Spyfall.')

Spoiler Alert! It did have a Bond Vibe, with a spectacular car chase. Also, something of a Men In Black feel, with our heroes and heroines approached by what would appear to be spies (of one sort or another and Stephen Fry introduced as a sort of spymaster. But he gets killed off far too early, unfortunately. If I have a complaint, why so many 'assistants'? We seem to be going back to the days when Peter Davidson was The Doctor and there were superfluous 'assistants.' When it was announced that Bradley Walsh was to be cast in 'Doctor Who,' I didn't believe it. It just seemed an odd bit of casting for a comedian and gameshow host to suddenly be cast in the longest-running sci fi show. But he was and it was genuine. But with three assistants it seems over-loaded and unnecessary. The show bounced from one location to the next, which was somewhat disorientating, to say the least. We live in a world where people have a short attention span, so I imagine this style of television drama is a response to this.

I have discovered that he viewing figures for this episode was the lowest for years, a little over 5 million viewers. But this doesn't take into consideration such things as BBC iPlayer or other catch-up services. I watched it on catch-up. Perhaps the show is just not as popular as it was, at the time it was rebooted in 2005 it had viewing figures in excess of 10 million. Maybe people don't accept Jodie Whittaker as The Doctor and also the producers keep fiddling with the format at well as moving it around in the television schedules (it's now going to be shown on a Sunday, when it was traditionally a Saturday evening show.) Perhaps Doctor Who is coming to an end. Might it just have gone it's course? Television programmes have a shelf life. These shows just come to an end. If the ratings are too low to make it worth producing, perhaps the BBC will cancel it. It would appear that it's just being produced because they can generate income from merchandise attached to it. Books, comics, toys, games, you name it, they can licence it and make money. Perhaps the core audience doesn't appreciate having the Doctor played by a woman. Who knows? Which is why the audience figures are so low, or at least, might appear so.

Jody Whittaker as 'The Doctor' and Watching 'Quatermass'

I've just seen a trailer for Jody Whittaker as the new Doctor, and for what I've seen, it looks good. I won't even go there regarding the fact that a female has taken over this iconic role. Jody Whittaker will be absolutely fine, although she has a difficult job, following on from all the other versions of the character. Just make the role her's and she'll be great. But, please, can we now stop making an issue out of it now being a female character and just enjoy the journey, which is bound to be fun. I had my doubts as regards what it looks like, even in a short trailer of barely a minute or two, it has a sort of cinematic gloss, a look the show hasn't had in years. Definitely a Doctor for the 21st Century. If I have a quibble with how the BBC handles 'Doctor Who,' and that's can they stop giving away plot details, what the monsters are going to be like? It's a bit like reading a novel and suddenly jumping a few chapters forward to find out what's going to happen. In the old days of 'Doctor Who,' half the fun of the show was when the Doctor and his companions were travelling to their next adventure, whether in the past or the future, and we had absolutely no idea where they were going to end up, when the Tardis's doors opened, we saw the new 'world' for the first time, it was all a mystery, we had to discover who the villains were, or what the monsters we were about to encounter would be like. Today it's all spoilt by giving away far too many details and ruining the anticipation. Please, BBC, don't spoil things. If they do anything, the stories need to be better. It's a pity it all has to be played out within a 45-50 minute time frame. It must be an extremely tall order for the writers to tell a story decently in such a length of screen-time. The old Doctor Who was in a 25-30 minute slot and most adventures ran for about 4-6 episodes, giving a far better running time. But of course, in today's broadcasting landscape, everything has to fit the American format for television. Of course it's 45-minutes so when they sell the show to a commercial network they can put 15 minutes of advertising in to make the show run for an hour. With the shorter episodes the writers can have cliff-hangers at the end of each episode which keeps you guessing as to what happens in the next episode.

I couldn't believe that Bradley Walsh was to be cast in 'Doctor Who.' When I first heard about this, I didn't believe it, because I don't believe everything I see on the internet. After all, Bradley is best known as a comic as well as presenter of 'The Chase' on ITV. He's well known as a corpser, a giggler when some unusual or unsavoury answer comes up for the contestants to guess. He has done 'straight' acting, especially in 'Coronation Street' but not in anything such as 'Doctor Who,' so it will be interesting to see what he's like in this show.

The BBC has seen fit to put some of their classic material on iPlayer, in the archive section. I think this is an attempt to counter what Netflix and Amazon are doing with all episodes of a series downloadable so that viewers can 'binge' watch, shows such as 'The Crown,' and 'House of Cards,' (all, at least the new version, although I see the BBC version of 'House of Cards' is available in the archive section. Other stuff includes the brilliantly funny 'Nuts In May,' a really classic Mike Leigh play with stars Alison Steadman, which I clearly remember seeing when originally broadcast in the 1970's.) I'm currently watching 'Quatermass and The Pit,' which comes from the late 1950's. I think I've seen the Hammer version of one of the Quatermass stories but have never seen this television version of a later story. I'm surprised it survives in this 6-episode form and it's quite clear that it must have had an influence on the early 'Doctor Who' series and shaped it's development. Some of the acting and the sets are a bit creaky but nevertheless the story does grip and it's quite scary. Considering the technology of the period it was made and the fact they couldn't edit tape like they can now, it stands up remarkably well. It beats a lot of modern stuff. None of those annoying whip-pans and strange camera angles which add nothing. I believe it was broadcast 'live,' which must have been quite stressful for the actors and technicians. Some sections were on film and would have no doubt have been put in so that actors to move to other sets and cameras moved around the studio. I'm certain that the BBC attempted to restage one of the 'Quatermass' stories 'live' on BBC Four early in the 2000's, at about the time I switched over to digital when I got a Freeview box and I seem to remember watching it and it had David Tennant in it, before he took on the central character in the revived version of 'Doctor Who.'

August Bank Holiday Monday Outing to Claydon

I took Alfie out for his by now routine walk around Eaglestone Park and we saw the lady with the white poodle. Alfie saw them first and trotted off to say hello and another lady appeared with a chocolate Labrador and Alfie was in his element as this dog was eager to run around with him. The other little dog didn't want to know. Perhaps he's just no sociable. Anyway, it means that Alfie has another dog to be friendly with, but he insists on running in circles around both dogs. If only he would just stand still. Well, with all his exuberance at least he's getting lots of exercise which is good for him.

We drove out to Claydon House this morning. It was good to get away from the house and Milton Keynes, even if for only a couple of hours. We have been there before, as members of the National Trust we get free entry but it must be at least 4 years since we last visited. We didn't go into the house. They say that you're no more than 20-30 minutes from a National Trust property. I don't know how true that is, but I suppose if pushed, and the traffic isn't too heavy, it's probably 35 or 40 minutes away. Probably the same to Stowe Landscape Gardens. Waddesdon Manor is probably an hour or so away.

We headed out towards Buckingham on Standing Way. I had the satnav on, the one fitted in the car and it was useful as we couldn't remember exactly how to get to Claydon. The traffic got busy on the road out to Buckingham and then we turned left in Buckingham near Tesco's. We went this way when we took Carol's mum and dad to Waddesdon Manor a couple of months ago when they came up to stay at the hotel in Newport Pagnell. The weather did it's best to stay fine and sunny, but there was a cool breeze and dark, brooding clouds suggested that we could expect a downpour at any moment. But Bank Holidays always have to have rain. It's part of the tradition and it has definitely got to be endured. But all the time we were out it didn't start to pour, fortunately.

As we approached Claydon House we saw notices for 'SK' but we had no idea what it referred to. Then, as we drew up in the carpark we saw tents in a field some way from the main garden and entrance to the house. Some sort of history festival or other. Then, across a field, a gathering of what looked like people dressed in period costume. Then we heart the sound of gunfire. It was a Sealed Knot event, the society that reenacts battles of the English Civil War period. Then, as we walked towards the manor we saw people walking about in 17th century costume. A bit like when I've been on location for television dramas and, if they're period, supporting artistes would be walking about in costume. Somewhat incongruous to see people draw up in a modern van or car, and then get out dressed in 17th century costume.

We had to visit the restaurant, which was new to us. I think when we last visited the restaurant was on the opposite side of the courtyard. There was a group of people in there dressed in 17th century costume. Even more odd seeing them in there as if they'd got lost in time and space and wandered in through a time warp or Doctor Who's Tardis or something equally science fiction related.Perhaps they had and we hadn't noticed and nobody else had thought to ask. I just hope they hadn't sent a Dalek or Cyberman or two along with them for company. But I don't think they looked the sort of people who would have thought it the least bit amusing as I had. Anyway, we ordered the regulation lattes and scones and sat and ate them. Very fine and pleasant. Just what was required and completed our visit perfectly. We had a look in some of the art studios which are within the courtyard. When we were married in 2007 we wanted to have a unique piece of art made and decided on having it created by a potter who was based at Claydon. It was made with a slate base with a hand-crafted flower on top of it and we had it at the house in Crownhill, but it got removed and then destroyed when we had problems with our then landlord. It would be nice if we could have it re-mde but at the moment that would not be possible. When it had been ordered and then made we went to Claydon to collect it and on the journey there from Milton Keynes there was an almighty rain-storm and it was so torrential, we could barely see out of the car and had to stop in a lay-by to wait for the storm to pass. It was like a river bursting it's banks and it wasn't safe to continue the journey so it was best to stay in that lay-by. I'm almost sure that had we got out of the car when it was raining that afternoon we would very likely have been washed away because of the force of the water running down the side of the road. As it was you couldn't see clearly the rain was falling so heavily on the car's windscreen.

So, having seen everything we wanted to at Claydon, we returned to the car and then drove back to Milton Keynes through Buckingham.

Yet More Hospital

I had to make sure I was on Ward 22 by 9.15 at the latest because Carol was booked to have an appointment at the ophthalmology department within the hospital at 9.30 this morning. We weren't entirely sure whether she had to walk there under her own steam or wait for a porter to come and take her in a wheelchair. As she's not entirely steady on her feet at the moment, it would seem more sensible for her to use a wheelchair. When there was no sign of porter or wheelchair as the time ticked by, I went to the ward reception desk and enquired. It's never clear whether the porter is booked at the same time as the appointment. Having been a Support Worker and carer, I would have had to make sure that such assistance was booked in advance. 

Time ticked by and no porter arrived, with or without a wheelchair. Then, out of the blue, a porter and wheelchair appeared. It was almost 10 o'clock. I think it doesn't matter about time if you're a patient using these clinics within the hospital. Carol was whisked away and we went through the 'secret portal' which only staff can access which is a sort of bridge between Ward 22 and the rest of the hospital. We came out in a familiar corridor and got to the ophthalmology department, which seemed familiar as I think Carol had an appointment in there a couple of years ago. I seem to remember it had these huge yellow and black signs up, no doubt made large enough for those with vision problems to be able to see. If not, for a child with a small level of intelligence to be able to read and understand. We signed in at reception and Carol was very quickly seen by one of the staff who did several tests on her eyes, the old fashioned test with the letters which start large and as they go down they get smaller and smaller. Then the lady used some sort of sensor device, looking a bit like a sort of weapon from Doctor Who or one of the Star Wars films, to measure the pressure in each of Carol's eyes. She couldn't get it to work so had to ask a colleague.to help her to use it. Then she got Carol to do a colour test. I think I've done one of these at some time or other. It's in a book, with sort of mosaics of coloured blobs and there is a number hidden within these coloured blobs. Carol had no problem with this test.

Then we were thrust out into the waiting area. Packed in like sardines. A sort of game of musical chairs. People doing their best to avoid eye contact with anyone (ironic as this is an eye clinic.) Those huge yellow and black signs seem to dominate the scenery. The a very smiley lady appears and Carol is whisked off and into another room for another test. Not sure what it is exactly, but it's over very fast. We come out and have to sit further away from the reception area. Signs on a door somewhat odd saying 'Male- vacant- Female- engaged. Most likely toilets, but it's not clear. Are the men vacant and the women engaged, to be married? Vacant men, as in, somewhat empty-headed? To unintelligent? Totally without any sense? Just somewhat ironic what you can read from such a couple of signs. They have signs on some of the clinic doors which say open and closed at the same time, with a sort of slide thing that blanks out the word when you move it across, but they don't bother to slide this across, so you get 'engaged and vacant at the same time, so you don't know which room is open, vacant, engaged or whatever, which makes the sign pointless and slightly confusing.

Carol is being fast-tracked through the system this morning. It's so she can be back on the ward quicker. I think if you were an ordinary member of the public you cold be sitting here most of the day. The excitement is too much, the boredom far too stimulating for your brain. A television screen on or some music would alleviate the boredom, or even a coffee and tea machine might help, but none of these. People on their mobiles. What would happen if the whole network collapses? What did people do before there were mobiles? I was driving towards either the hospital or Ashfield Medical Centre the other morning, and I saw this youth crossing the road. It seems crazy to cross any of the grid roads around Milton Keynes because most are extremely busy. It's dangerous at the best of times, but at that time of day, probably around 8 a.m. to 8.45, during the mad peak when people are either going to work or school. There are bridges and underpasses so you've no reason to cross a carriageway. But this individual was busily fiddling with his mobile phone. I've walked around the shopping centre with people doing this and almost run into me. Just put the things away and concentrate on the world around you. You might actually miss something, or worse, get run over and killed  by a car or lorry.

Anyway, Carol was eventually seen by a doctor, who said her eye problems were cause by cataracts and she would need glasses.

So, having gone back to the reception desk and handed over the yellow form to the receptionist so that Carol's notes could be updated on the system, she got back into the wheelchair and was pushed back to the ward by another porter.

Waiting For The Doctor

No, nothing to do with Doctor Who, not waiting for the Time Lord to turn up. Far more prosaic. Perhaps if The Doctor was involved, perhaps he could send in the Daleks or the Cybermen to hurry things along. Go backward or forward in time in the Tardis to sort things out. To what do I refer? Well, Carol needs a doctor's appointment at Ashfield Medical Centre. We thought we'd try and get an appointment by telephoning the surgery at 8 o'clock. Any thoughts of actually getting through were thwarted. The lines were obviously not open as all we got was a 'burr, burr' sound. After about 25 minutes of attempts I drove to the surgery. One other person waiting. Nobody else. No staff immediately in attendance, they were in another room, chatting. I moved towards the desk and a staff member appeared. I managed to get a 'ring-back,' meaning that our doctor would call at some time during the morning to discuss what the issue was before deciding if an actual face-to-face appointment was necessary. Getting to the surgery is made worse at 8-9 o'clock in the morning because the traffic is heavy through the Standing Way roundabout. As I came out of Eaglestone into Saxon Street I noticed there was heavy traffic outside the Academy. Parents leaving their children. But they're not supposed to park in the road directly outside the school. They are supposed to use the carpark at the rear of the school (where the old school used to be, which Milton Keynes Academy replaced.) There's a perfectly adequate amount of parking there, but people seem to refuse to do what is far safer. They've already put yellow lines outside the Academy and it's clear that it's not a parking area. Some parents even park half on and off the road, onto the grass, which is simply not safe. I just think it's very selfish and goodness knows what would happen if there was an emergency, such as a fire, or if an ambulance was needed for whatever reason. They would never get into the school grounds with so many vehicles in the way.

We did eventually get a call from Ashfield Medical Centre, at gone Midday. Carol had an appointment booked with one of the practice nurses at 5.

Football and Sunshine

Yesterday morning I managed to virtually complete the clearance of the brambles and weeds at the end of the garden. I did the work before it got to hot. Not a good idea to be outside in direct sunshine. There is still some more to do, but it can wait as I'm not risking going out in the blazing sun.

Carol needed to go back to the oncology department at Milton Keynes Hospital at 2.20 yesterday afternoon because they needed to check the P.I.C.C. line which was used to administer the chemotherapy. We got to the carpark and there were fortunately two or three spaces so that was one less thing to worry about. A woman came in and got in the way as we were attempting to park. Some people just don't seem to care so long as they get what they want, regardless of the other person. Never mind. It was far too hot to argue anyway. We walked into the oncology department and it was a lot cooler than outside. Not many patients. Quite a few of the chairs empty, but few staff to deal with things, as usual, so what nurses were available seemed to be doing several people's work. Carol was soon seen and went into the little room to have her line checked. She may have the line taken out, depending on what the next stage of her treatment is, and probably not until she's seen the consultant next Friday.

We walked back to the car and got out without having to use the ticket machine because the barrier was raised. All that bother to get the ticket checked and then there's no need to use it. It's so irritating that you have this constant annoyance and then the thing doesn't work properly or at all. Never mind, it's them that's loosing the cash involved if it doesn't work.

Some form of refreshment was in order, due to the heat. We drove to Oakgrove, a short drive along Chaffron Way and parked near Waitrose. We went into the nearby Costa and had cold drinks, their tasty strawberry-and-cream cooler which did the trick. It was fascinating to sit and watch people passing by as we sat inside. I can't say I was exactly over-enthusiatsit about the music they were playing in Costa's. That droning, reparative drivel that passes for modern pop music. It was awful. Why is it necessary? As we sat inside Costas we could see children walking past. It was only about 3 o'clock. They were leaving school. From the comprehensive school just over the road from Waitrose and Costa, Oakgrove School. A very different lot of children to those who attend Milton Keynes Academy. They look far neater in their dress. All wearing uniforms, with blazers with the school symbol emblazoned on them. Ties done up neatly (not just the boys, but also the girls.) Not in the least bit scruffy. Talking quietly. Amazing, but having said that, somewhat boring. I bet the behaviour is better than at the Academy. But somehow they looked mechanical, almost robotic. Too good to be true. This was going me ideas. As I'm watching the Channel Four series 'Humans' about robots or 'synths' these children do have the look and feel of synths. It could be as if they were  being controlled. Just the impression I got somehow. Think also of the Cybermen in 'Doctor Who.' Just a bit creepy. There's a story brewing in my mind . . .

I'm not in the least bit interested in football, and not bothered by the World Cup. There was a match on yesterday evening at 7 o'clock. England versus Belgium. Regardless of whether you've an interest or not there is the constant drip drip drip of football . . . football. . . football. Everywhere you go. The supermarkets are stocked up with beer, pizza, Coca Cola, and all the paraphernalia they expect people to want to buy. Nothing wrong with that. I suppose it's better than Brexit. The warm weather is adding to the excitement. Our neighbours were having a party or a barbecue. They were having guests. Quite a few cars drawing up outside the house. The time for kick-off was approaching. Carol was upstairs watching on the bedroom television. I was downstairs, completing the Futurelearn course on Shakespeare. I did watch the  England v Panama match with Carol the other afternoon, although I wasn't concentrating too closely. Just doesn't do it for me. No sense of engagement. I think they over-do the build up to such sporting events. Then afterwards the endless discussion, the dissecting of the game, the post mortem. They go on and on and on and on and on and on. Fair enough, but some of us are bored silly.

The football match wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. You would have known something was going on if there had been a goal scored. No cheers from next door, or from upstairs. It was after an hour or so that I ventured upstairs and there was a 0-0 scoreline. Carol said it was 'boring.' But looking at the screen, it looks remarkably like some sort of computer game. The grass on the pitch is too green, more like carpet. The players look like computerised graphics. If you remember the television show, which must have been one of the first things on Channel 4 when it started in 1982, called 'Max Headroom.' He was a computerised character. Well, the players look very much like him. Unrealistic looking. Tanned, with over-styled hair.  They seem to move in a sort of artificial manner to me. It looks really dull and lifeless. Why?  Loads of advertising all around the ground. What on earth is Wanda? It was being advertised at the edge of the pitch. You can't ignore the advertising. It's there, centre-stage if you like. I know the advertising is essential to the funding of these events, but it does tend to intrude. Is Wanda a person? An insurance company? A beer? A soft drink? Goodness only knows, but whatever she is, she's got a lot to answer for. The sport is being taken over by money. The players are payed in telephone numbers, for merely kicking a ball around on a piece of grass for 90 minutes. Hence the advertising. I think I may have answered my own earlier question. Too much money and if I was looking at the advertising, even if it was for a company I'd never heard of, at least I was thinking about that (which is earning money) even if it wasn't the football.

Latest Reading

I've been reading some of H.G. Wells's short stories. I had a period when I was a teenager when I read all the classic fantasy and science fiction stories, from 'Dracula', 'Frankenstein' to 'First Men On The Moon' to 'The Invisible Man' as well as H.G.Wells's 'The Time Machine.' I had the complete stories in one volume (since lost.) I have since re-read that particular story (in a volume I bought second-hand through Amazon) and I'm so surprised how modern it is, considering it was first published in 1895. It's amazingly ahead of it's time and must have inspired a whole host of science fiction literature and consequently films, television series ( I can't believe the producers of 'Doctor Who' didn't read it when they were developing the show in it's early days as there are aspects of the story which are similar or at least used in some of the early stories)   Not only is it a great science fiction story, but Wells is able to make political comments which I might never have been aware of  when I originally read it. It has a believability about it which is quite striking.

Sky Arts did a series called 'The Nightmare World of H.G.Wells,' which was a series of adaptations of a few of the short stories. They were 'The Moth,''The Purple Purleus,' 'The Late Mr Elvesham,' and 'The Devotee of Art.' In some ways they have a great deal in common with the stories written by Roald Dahl and used as the basis for the ITV Anglia television series 'Tales of The Unexpected.' All having a creepy and very sinister feel to them, keeping you on the edge of your seat and all having a sting in their tail. I have since read them all and enjoyed them immensely. Another I read recently 'The Strange Orchid' is also exceptionally chilling and I expect it inspired the film 'The Little Shop of Horrors,' both the original black-and-white and musical versions.

Channel Four has recently done a series based on the short stories of Ray Bradbury and called 'Electric Dreams.' I have only seen on episode, 'The Commuter' and starring Timothy Spall. I read some of Brdbury's stories, the 'Martian Chronicles,' when they were adapted for television a couple of decades ago. I'll now have to read the short stories as a result of the latest series.

I have begun writing a 'sort of' science fiction story, very much inspired by the H.G. Wells stories. Actually the opening has been an initial idea for some time, and it's only recently that I've made any sort of effort to commit it to paper. I have been attempting to take it further, a lot of ideas coming since visiting Milton Keynes Hospital lately. It's surprising how ideas are created. Just seems all those corridors and the fact that everything is white and clean. Sort of 'Doctor Who'-type corridors, the idea of being chased along them, or searching for monsters, the 'villain' and so on. Just have to tie the various threads together to create a story line. People in blue or green overalls, with aprons, strange trolleys being pushed about. Makes you wonder, what's going on? Why? What? Lifts to strange places, different time-zones, etc etc.

I have a passion for history and read many books on historic subjects, and I'm currently reading the first of a series of books covering the last 60 years of British history. I read one which I had for Christmas a few years ago called 'Days In The Sun' and written by Dominic Sandbrook. I was unaware at the time that it was the latest instalment of what will probably be a six-part series, and I'm going back to the beginning of the series with the first book which covers the period from The Suez Crisis in 1956 up until the Beatles in 1963 and called 'Never Had It So Good.' A really chunky volume of perhaps 800-1000 pages. The next volume is 'White Heat',  takes in the 1960's; the next is entitled 'State of Emergency,' covers the period 1970-1974, whilst the third volume  'Seasons In The Sun,' takes in the the years 1974-1979. I believe he's been responsible for a television series called 'The Eighties,' so one assumes there will eventually be a book to go with it. It would be great if he can complete the series with 'The Nineties,' and possibly 'The 2000's' and into the current decade. I have the complete collection. The first two were offered as a set  on Amazon and cost less than the full price of just one volume. A real bargain and they are both brand new copies. These books are really well written, the detail is impressive and it must have been a long process to do all the research these volumes, each at least 800 pages.

I read the two-part 'Making of Modern Britain' written by Andrew Marr. The first book begins in 1901 with the death of Queen Victoria and ends in 1945 with the end of World War 2. The second volume takes up in 1945 and continues on into the 2000's. Both are companion books to Marr's BBC1
 television series.

More Television Annoyances

Well, for a start, why on earth do we have to have 'what's coming up' on some television programmes? They do this with 'Bargain Hunt.' Why spoil things if you're going to give away some details? Are producers worried that we are going to turn to another channel or just loose interest unless there's 'peaks' in the show which we have to be told about in advance? If you're reading a really good novel, do we have to turn to the end to find out how it's going to end? Why do television dramas have to have the 'next week' or ''next episode' bit after the credits run at the end? It's an American thing I'm sure, because so many of our television shows are sold to the U.S.A. and a lot are co-produced with American television stations. There's no sense of surprise if we know that a certain character is going to be in the next episode or some major plot-point is going to be revealed. Doctor Who used to be one of those shows which had an element of surprise about it, that is, in it's original format, running from 1963 up until it was taken off in 1989. When a story of so many episodes, usually 4 or 6, came to an end the Doctor and his companions would get in the Tardis and fly off and we wouldn't know where they would end up until the doors of the Tardis opened at the beginning of the next episode. Now, since the 'new' version, which started in 2005, we have to be told exactly what to expect, well in advance. The difference is that now we only get about 13 episodes a season (or series) together with a Christmas special, but we have pages and pages in the Radio Times and elsewhere about the different stories and what monsters will be appearing, whether it's the Daleks or Cybermen or hopefully new monsters and villains. Not knowing is obviously not an option and any surprise is totally lost. In it's original form Doctor Who ran virtually all year round. I think it may have had breaks at some point during the year, probably Easter and during the summer, but when it began in the '60's it seemed to be on for most of the year, certainly not in bursts of 12-13 episodes. This is another American thing, also, having it as hour episodes (not actually 60 minutes, as it has to be sold to commercial networks it has to run for around 45-50 minutes so that 10-15 minutes is left for advertising.) I'm sure it was better when it was 25-30 minutes, and each story was told over 4-6 episodes so you got a cliff-hanger at the end of each episodes so the excitement of 'what will happen next?' was built in. The longer episodes don't always work as the writers have to create stories which tie up within the longer framework, although some stories cover two or more episodes. They may have thrown more money at the new Doctor Who stories, so we have better sets, locations and special effects, but it doesn't always mean better stories. The production values are a good deal higher than the original show, but some of the C.G.I. effects look totally obvious. Some of the computer-generated monsters, for example, look sort of 'pasted on,' almost Photoshopped onto the video footage. In film and television you should never be able to spot what is 'real' and not. If it stands out too much it's not working properly. It's a bit like 'seeing the joins' in something.

Do producers and others who are involved in television not realise that they spoil the impact of the stories they're attempting to tell by giving away plot details? What's the point to putting so much effort into something if you are going to give away these details in advance? Just crazy.

More on Television Drama

There seems to be a great deal of really good television drama on at the moment. It's odd how such things come in such quantities. It's the same in the world of literature. There seem to also be quite a lot of excellent written literature, novels in particular. You only have to go into a branch of Waterstone's and look at the tables piled high with the latest offerings to find this (I've a particular penchant for reading and try and keep me out of a book shop, particularly a branch of Waterstone's, and it's quite a difficult job for me to resist. Also, Waterstone's often has a 'Buy one, get one half price' or 'buy two and get one free' or similar enticements, so it's not difficult to stock up on the latest releases.) As regards television drama, we have new series of 'Grantchester,' 'The Durrells', as well as 

endless American imports on Sky.

'The Durrells' is part-way through the second series. It's based loosely on Gerald Durrell's memoirs of life on the Greek island of Corfu during the 1930's. I read the first of his 'Corfu Trilogy,' 'My Family and Other Animals' when I was in my teens. I managed to buy a second-hand copy at Cardington Church Fetë and enjoyed it immensely. As a result I went on to read many of his other books, 'Bafut Beagles,' 'Three Singles To Adventure,' 'Catch Me A Colobus,' 'The Overloaded Art' and 'Fillets of Plaice.' The first Corfu book, 'My Family and Other Animals' has been adapted twice before, the first time on BBC1 and had Hannah Gordon as Mrs Durrell and Brian Blessed as Spiro. Having been on I.M.D.B., I have discovered that an actor I worked with when I was D.S.M. at Ipswich Theatre in the 1970's, Christopher Godwin, played Theo, who attempted to tutor the young Gerry. I don't recall watching this series as I believe at the time I was working on a Saturday and wouldn't have been able to see it and it was well before the advent of video recording. They seemed to have opened the narrative out a good deal, which I suppose they would need to if they were going to develop into more than one series. No doubt I.T.V. will want it to run for far more than two series. I believe that they've already commissioned a third series, so it's no doubt going to run for at least four or five series. The books are 'fictionalised' according to what I've been discovering on the internet. I imagine it would be, if Gerald Durrell was writing from the perspective of around 20-30 years after the events of the 1930's so you would think he'd be writing from memory, that is, if he didn't have a diary which he kept at the time. That book is therefore written from the view-point of a child of about 9-10 so certain things would not be included because he would't understand or not be aware of some incidents. So, we also get more on his other family members, such as Margo, Leslie and Lawrence. It's very well done and has a certain charm and makes a change from police procedurals, hospitals and soap-opera. Not too demanding and it has some amusing moments. If I have a gripe, it's that Keeley Hawkes, who plays Mrs Durrell, seems far too young to have had three children who seem far too grown up. She's supposed to be over 50, but doesn't look much more than in her mid 30's or 40's. I'm not sure how old Larry is supposed to be, but he looks about thirty himself. In reality I suppose he would be 23-24. I may be wrong, but it's an odd bit of casting.

I have been watching the current series of 'Doctor Who.' (I have written extensively on the subject of this show in an earlier blog post.) But, from what I've been seeing, the episodes have been a vast improvement on previous series. They seem to have returned to the original format in some ways and gone for far better plots with more action and less playing about with the audience. A good amount of scares, but most of all, not really children's material. Some of it would definitely give children of a 'certain age' nightmares. A lot to think about and having more of a deeper meaning, a subtext if you like. I do like Peter Capaldi as he has given his doctor an edge. The character always had a darker side to him, particularly the original version as played by William Hartnell. He could shift between light and then become dark at a moment's notice. Almost as if he had a split personality. It's a shame that Capaldi is leaving the show as he has really bedded in well. So, who is going to take over? Why are they leaving it so late to announce who has been cast? I suspect it's to keep the audience guessing, to keep things alive until the last minute. I do rather object to having so much revealed about future episodes. Why do they insist on giving us so many details about monsters, stories and other bits and pieces? It just spoils things if you know in advance what's going to happen. I must say, a lot of the 'Doctor Who' stories can be a bit similar, but I suppose that's to be expected. It just annoys me when the 'monster' turns out to be not as nasty as it first appears. Just doesn't make sense. Making the Daleks or the Cybermen, who've been appearing in the series since it's beginning in 1963, would be so incredibly pointless. No sort of reason to make them appear they have a 'nice' side, no reason to have them defeated. Just goes against the grain.