All Things Bright and Beautiful

Tuesday. 8.05 a.m. Well, it is another bright and beautiful morning. We were out around 5.45. Must have been the earliest we've done our routine walking experience. It wasn't cold, and there was still a slight mist, although as I write, it should have dissolved in the sun. On the BBC Breakfast weather forecast, Carol Kirkwood used the words 'haar and fret (cold sea fog, mostly seen on the east coast of England.) Also, the rather unscientific term 'murky.' Probably for those who don't have a good scientific vocabulary (which I don't, but I do like to discover new words and meanings as well as word derivations and origins.)

Later. I've been out with Alfie. I actually wore my shorts because it was so sunny and warm. We were walking along the path on the Evans Gate side of Oldbrook Green when I could hear crunching and vague electrical motor sound and I looked around and there was one of the delivery pods rolling along merrily. It went up onto the concrete path and on and then went into the estate. It fascinates me to know how they know where they are going. I presume they have GPS connectivity, the same technology which is used in SatNavs.

Wednesday. 6.40 a.m. Yet another bright and sunny. Sitting here writing this with my MacBook on my lap and with BBC Breakfast on television. 

There were 'zero deaths' from Covid-19 yesterday, which is a real landmark moment in this confounded pandemic. But the scientists are still coming out with we need 'more data' before we can definitely come out of lockdown on 21st June. I get the impression from the BBC that their reporters would happily endure further lockdowns and not get us out of this horrible situation. I know he's not perfect, Boris Johnson, but he has had to make some very tough decisions. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. We have never been through a similar situation in this country before, at least, not in my lifetime and certainly not in many people's lifetime. After the First World War, there was the so-called 'Spanish Flu' pandemic, where thousands upon thousands died, but there was none of the modern technology we now take for granted, no vaccines or any of the health systems we have now. It's almost like a war situation if there is any sort of comparison to be made.

Alfie sitting on the sofa next to me a moment ago, when I ate my cereal and drank my morning cup of tea. He's waiting for me to finish and have what's left in the mug and bowl. He's somewhat 

Later. I've been to Sainsbury's and done shopping for at least two weeks. Well, I hope so. I'm going to do some more baking, and I have got a really rather nice set of metal mixing bowls on Amazon, look stylish, have red plastic handles and the lids have a hole in the centre so you can grate and slice things like potatoes, or grate cheese straight into the bowl and will be useful to store ingredients in as well as to use to make cake batter or other cooking ingredients in. Also, they have bases made of a rubbery material that prevents them from slipping when in use on a kitchen surface. I got a rolling pin, a set of cookie cutters and a sieve in Sainsbury's, so I am all set to make some scones. 

I have signed up to something called Nielsen Shopping Panel, similar to the other panel I belong to, Consumer Pulse, where I have to report everything such as books, clothes, CDs, DVDs and some other items and in return, I get points which can be redeemed for vouchers. I've been on that for around 10 years and have had quite a few vouchers which have gone towards items such as my Hitachi television set, Panasonic Freeview box and much more. More recently I used some Argos vouchers from this to put towards my Bosch food processor. The Nielsen panel requires you to scan the barcodes on your shopping using an app on your iPhone and the points accrue in a similar way to Consumer Pulse and can be converted into Amazon points or a wide range of products from their catalogue, which is on the Neilsen Panel website. I have scanned my shopping from Sainsbury's as soon as I got in from the shopping trip. It can take a fair amount of time, but like most things, you have to put a certain amount of effort into it to get the rewards.

Just heard the news, first via the BBC News website: 'Holby', that heap of rubbish that they claim is 'drama' is to be cancelled after 23 years. Not sorry in the slightest. I think the BBC could and can do better than this tripe. Kept a few actors busy for all that time as well as scriptwriters and other personnel but can we now have something less soapy? It will run until March next years and is the BBC's start to modernize their drama offerings. I think that it might be something to do with the Licence review which is coming up and attempting to compete with the likes of Netflix and other streaming services. 

Reading and Viewing- Part 1

So what have I been reading and watching recently? On the book front I recently completed reading 'High Minds,' by Simon Heffer. It was a hefty read, some 700-800 pages, taking things from around 1840 to around 1880. I have since ordered the next volume which is called 'The Age of Decadence' which takes things up until the start of the First World War, which I have already received from Amazon and then the third book, which is already available in hardback but comes out in paperback in around May-June and called 'Staring At God,' which covers the First World War. If these books are as well researched and written as the first volume, then they should make excellent reading. I can recommend the first one, but since I haven't started the next one, I can't as yet comment.

I next read 'The Old Vic: The Story of a Great Theatre- From Ken to Olivier to Spacey' by Terry Coleman. Right up my street, being something of a theatre fanatic and having worked in professional theatre myself. Carol and I went to see a production staged by Propellor Theatre, in a performance of 'The Taming of The Shrew at the Old Vic, when she was a teacher at Stantonbury School and we were hooked on this all-male company and following this production, managed to see them several times more, at Milton Keynes Theatre and the Oxford Playhouse. Really great theatre and rip-roaring productions.

Having read all that history (and there was a lot I learnt as a result.) I decided I needed some fiction to read next, so I turned to my good old stand-by, Sherlock Holmes, as i'm gradually working my way through the entire canon and I have now reached 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes,' which begins with 'The Empty House.' Since reading that I decided to read one of Anthony Horowitz's take on Sherlock Holmes, so I have bought the first one in the series, which have apparently been approved by the Conan-Doyle estate, called 'The House of Silk.' I wasn't sure I would like this novel, and have been pleasantly surprised by how good it is. Horowitz has managed to write in the style of Conan-Doyle, the voice of Doctor Watson is very well done and completely convincing, but done in a modern manner. We get a fair amount of backstory for Watson and the typical Holmesian 'tropes' are in place; the arrival of the gentleman who wants Holmes to investigate the crime (I won't give to much of the plot away on here.) An easy read, which is what I wanted and I will have to read more of this series.

I've finished the third series of 'The Crown' on Netflix and as a result I've closed my subscription. I've enjoyed the show, but I don't think this last season was as good as the first two. Olivia Colman as Her Maj is good, but the episodes haven't been as enticing and engrossing as earlier episodes. Out of the 10, several were duds, nothing wrong with the writing, but a couple just didn't gell somehow. I can't explain, but I realise out of ten it must be difficult to maintain a particularly high standard and were there just to make up the numbers. I still think it would be better to have some sort of connection between each episode, a story arc which links them. There's nothing to keep you wanting to carry on watching. I know there was no intention to be a 'cliff-hanger' at the end of the episodes, but it's what keeps you wanting to continue watching. I can understand why they're ending the show with the 5th season as it would become to close for comfort when it gets nearer to the present and some difficult events in the royal story would have to be covered, I imagine the death of Princess Diana would be difficult to handle as well as several royal relationships and particularly what the Queen referred to 1992 as her 'Annus Horribilis.' It still has amazing detail, the period is beautifully portrayed, the costumes, makeup and sets are brilliant and it deserves all the awards. I may resubscribe to Netflix in time for the fourth season, but there is nothing else on Netflix which makes me want to continue with it.

More Mowing and Oncology Appointment

Another really warm and sunny day. I've done a bit more of the mowing of the grass, but there's still a bit more to do. The grass is exceptionally long and somewhat wet and the mower really moaned. Who can blame it? It's designed to cut nice, neat grass, not grass you would ordinarily find in a meadow and eaten by cattle. The machine is still sitting on the grass, waiting for me to complete the job. At the moment it's really far too hot. Not a good idea if you have a heart problem as I do. I have used my G.T.N. spray to alleviate any angina attacks, which is always possible if I'm exerting myself, which is definitely the case pushing the Flymo back and forth across the garden. I shall continue the job when it's a little cooler, which makes sense.

Carol had an oncology appointment with one of the consultants at 11 this morning (Friday). As it's been so warm and sunny it seemed a good idea to walk to the hospital. After all we only live around 10 minutes away. So we set of at around 10.30 and got there, having walked along the Redway and then into the hospital campus. Carol insisted we scramble up a slope which lead into the carpark behind the cardiology department. I had to climb it first and I helped her over the hump. On arrival in the Macmillan Unit it was exceptionally busy. Nowhere for us to sit together at first. As people went in for their appointments, this left vacant chairs, so we were able move around and to sit together. All a bit like a game of musical chairs. When the music stops . . .

Overhearing people's conversations. Well, it's just impossible to not hear. One old man, he must have been in his late 80's, if not older. Sounding a bit like Jones the butcher in 'Dad's Army,' who kept going on about his time in the desert during the First World War. This old man had been 'in the desert, in North Africa.' He'd been a chemist, so he knew a lot about the various chemicals they were using for his chemotherapy. He'd also worked in a paper-mill or somewhere and they'd used his skills.  Rather like being in the midst of an Alan Bennet play. He did go on and on. Got the other waiting people smiling. He did go on, though. But then he was called in for his appointment.

One of the volunteer men came round collecting mugs. Then he asked people if they would like tea. I didn't, but Carol did. By the time Carol was called in for her appointment at 11.20, he was coming around with a tray of tea, so Carol took her's into the consultants appointment. The surgeons have yet to see the results of the last M.R.I. scan from Wednesday afternoon, but they have discussed Carol's treatment. It looks likely that she will go to Oxford for radiotherapy on part of the cancer whilst the rest will be operated on in Milton Keynes and it's likely to be within the next four weeks or so. So everything is very positive. The warm weather definitely helping and the fact that we walked and didn't have the stress of driving and having to park the car.

On the way out of the unit we bumped into the cancer nurse we had been assigned when Carol was first diagnosed, and whom we haven't seen in quite a while. She said she didn't recognise Carol, as she is looking so much better. The fact that we've been out and about, that she is walking further and further is probably one reason.

So, a really pleasant walk back home, going through the hospital campus and back along the Redway.

We had a grocery delivery during the afternoon from Sainsbury's. It was easier to order on-line and have it delivered. We'd booked it to come between 3 and 4. It was efficiently done and saves so much bother of going to the store and trudging around picking up everything ourselves. It's great to let someone else do the work for us, and you don't end up buying stuff you don't need. As the site 'saves' your list of items, it's easier next time to do your shop faster.

I did a further bit of mowing, but there's still another section to do, mostly around the edges. I refuse to describe this scrappy bit of grass a 'lawn.' It no more resembles one, it may be grass, but not a neat and tidy piece of turf. Perhaps we should tear it up and have some artificial grass as someone has obviously had a bit further down our road. Oh, gracious! It would save time and effort, but I don't think our landlord would approve.