Time and Tide

 Tuesday. 10.35 a.m. I woke a good deal later than normal. I had to wake Alfie as he was asleep when I needed to take him out.

I have now bought my ticket for the Buckinghamshire Agricultural Show on Thursday. It's easy enough to do this online and then print it out. It has a QR code on it, which will be scanned to let me into the ground.

Wednesday. 6.40 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. He insisted on going under the bed, but then I grabbed him and we went out. I was somewhat surprised by all the leaves on the grass. A definite sign that autumn is on the way. It is considerably cooler. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc.

Thursday. 1.05 a.m. Here I am, wide awake, and I've just been watching GB News. I can't believe this: Ofgem has just said that fuel prices, and I'm talking about gas and electricity here, by 2%. This levy is being used to pay for wind farms to be switched off when there is too much wind. (I know, you couldn't make this up!) because the infrastructure isn't there to cope with the power that is produced. This is straight out of Lewis Carroll or Monty Python. So, in that case, what is the point of these hugely expensive turbines, which litter our countryside? How on earth did we get to this crazy situation?

Thursday. 7.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny! I just hope it stays that way, because I'm going to the Buckinghamshire Show. It opens to the public at 8 o'clock, but I don't see the point of getting there too early.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc, so the temperature is gradually going down as the days go by.

1.05 p.m. I've been to the show. I made a bit of a mess-up of the journey and eventually stopped to set up Google Maps on my phone, but it took me to the wrong entrance of the show ground, so I had to turn round and get in the queue of cars further on to then park in a vast field. It was quite a walk to the entrance to the showground, and I had to have my printed ticket scanned to get in.

I next got my show catalogue, again, having my ticket scanned and then a wander around the various stalls. Inside a marquee with lots of food! Cheese in particular, and alcoholic drinks. I tried some mead at one of the medieval fairs, which were held at Bradwell Abbey, and I liked it, so I was hoping that there might have been a stall selling it, but no luck. (Another medieval fayre coming up in September this year, so something to go to.)

There was a lot to see and do. In fact, probably far too much. 

I wandered along several of the avenues and browsed the items for sale. A great deal of stalls connected to many aspects of agriculture, as you would expect, but quite a few which had nothing which was in any way, shape or form connected to agriculture. I went into one tent, which had food and drink for sale. A lot of cheese, gin, wine, meat pies and a good deal more. I didn't buy anything in there.

I found a stall selling bulbs of all types. (I am referring to plant bulbs here and not the electronic variety.) I have been considering for quite a while how I can have some sort of commemoration for Carol. One idea might be to plant some trees, and I have been looking into that. But where should they be put? The other idea was to plant some daffodil bulbs, because Carol loved them and I have always attempted to buy them when they are available where I shop, usually Sainsbury's. Looking around this particular display, I found daffodil bulbs and thought I'd buy them, but leave it until I'm about to leave the show ground to go home, because otherwise I would have to carry them around all day, which would be a real problem.

One of the main reasons for coming to the show was to see the animals. I walked in the direction of the countryside area. The area wasn't just about animals. There was a display of thatching, hedging and farriery (horse shoeing). We had horses on the farm, and a farrier used to visit regularly. I remember when he did, and had his forge up and running, the cattle, which were in the nearby field, used to come up to the fence to watch. Cows are such inquisitive creatures. 

I wandered along the cattle lines. Many had already been judged, but it was great to see highland cattle, with their beautiful, long coats and horns. Further on, horses, then sheep. 

One of the best things I saw at the show had to be the tiny tots, some probably no more than 5 or 6, in perfectly white coats, showing sheep in one of the rings, no doubt to win a prize or rosette of some sort. They all concentrated very hard, the sheep they led very well turned out, clean, groomed and in good condition.

I walked on a little further and came to a ring with people on white chairs sitting and watching something going on in the ring. It was a display of sheepdogs, doing their job of herding sheep. I have seen this on television, but never  'live', like this. I was intrigued, and it was fascinating, and those dogs were absolutely brilliant.

I walked on, returning to the rest of the show ground. It was about now that I needed a sit-down and a drink. But where? There was plenty of choice. Last time I came to the show, in 2019, I discovered a tent which offered all of that. It was run by local churches. I found it again today, and it was really busy. Not surprisingly, because there was an amazing selection of cakes and tea! All of it free! I managed to find somewhere to sit, which wasn't easy, as all the tables were taken.

I found a stall run by the Protestant Alliance, and what drew my attention was a picture of William Tyndale, as it's the 500th anniversary this year of the publication of his translation of the New Testament, As I have several ancestors who were historic figures related to Protestism, including John Wycliffe and John Knox, it led me to have a long conversation with a young man at the front of the stall, and we went on to discuss Bedford, where he came from.

From there, I found a fantastic stall which was selling model tractors and other farming equipment. It turns out that they sell mostly to adults who keep them in display cases or on shelves and they never get played with. I do like them, but there isn't room in my flat for such things.

I came across a stall entirely devoted to beekeeping. They had a display in a case of a hive of bees, which always fascinates me. I bought some honey (no, not wrapped up in a Five Pound note, as in The Owl and the Pussy Cat' poem by Edward Lear.)

It was at this point that I had reached the stall selling the various varieties of bulbs and bought a sizeable bag of daffodil bulbs for £7, and it was then that I thought it was time to leave and go home

My next problem was finding my car. But by luck more than anything else, I did manage to find it, but when I went to leave the car park, I could not see any signs to the exit and ended up at the completely wrong place, which was being controlled by traffic lights and a steward who helped me get out onto the road and then back to Milton Keynes.

Scorchio!

Sorry, more cheap tabloid headline-catching usage. Why am I sorry? Basically, because I can't stand cheap journalism which is basically just sensationalist just to get readers. And some people are stupid enough to fall for cheap journalism and buy the rubbish. For those with a low Gunning Fog Index rating? Okay, you don't know what the Gunning Fog Index is? Never mind. Doesn't matter. Just say, those readers of Red Top Tabloids probably have a low rating.

Monday. 11.05 p.m. I have woken up with some strange sound outside. Well, I presume it's outside. I thought at first it was a hairdryer because it's that sort of noise. The thinking is that someone in a flat either below or at least nearby was using such an electrical item. But it doesn't seem to be and it goes on for far too long. I begin to wonder if it's one of those slow-moving road sweepers you see which crawl along on the left side of the road with a revolving brush-thingy that sweeps up the debris in the gutter, leaves, and anything else which gets into the gutter. But if that's the case, why do it at night? No sense really. In fact, it would be dangerous, slow-moving vehicles are a hazard because of idiots who are impatient and want to get past them. Fifteen minutes have elapsed and I think it's stopped. Will it start up again and be even more annoying? Time will tell. Well, it's got me sitting here writing this, so does it really matter? Oh, for flippin' 'eck. The thing has started up again. Please just go away so I can get back to sleep.

Tuesday. 5.35 a.m. After being woken by the strange noise, as I write this, the only sound I can hear outside is pigeons making their ridiculous noise and the occasional car driving past. 

Later. A trip to Sainsbury's to collect a prescription from Lloyd's pharmacy and a few items for tonight's meal. Chicken salad and all the trimmings. It means I don't have to cook, and because it's so warm at the moment, salad seems a good choice. Just put it on a plate and eat. Nothing could be simpler.

My writing is going spectacularly. Really pleased with the result and will continue when I have worked out the next sequence. 

Football! Football and more football! Sorry, not interested. I just get sick of having it forced on me when I just couldn't care less. I know these big events, such as Euro 2021 or whatever they call it, come round every few years, four years or thereabouts, and the fact that this has been delayed since last year because of the pandemic, but it seems to take over everything, not just television, but the press and everywhere you go. Sainsbury's full of it, products have some sort of connection, whether it's sponsorship or tied in some way or other because these events are big money earners. I won't mention it again. Promise.

Wednesday. 6.15 a.m. We were out at 5.45. Just too warm and pleasant, with the windows open, why would you want to remain indoors? I think Alfie was somewhat surprised when I geared up to take him out. The BBC Breakfast weather forecast says that we can expect high temperatures today but as the week progresses we will get torrential rain. I don't mind, as I find that if it's too hot I can't cope. Just need things to cool down somewhat.

GBN News channel? I watched the opening night of this new news channel. It doesn't do what they call 'rolling news', which most other news channels use as their format. It's supposed to be 'presenter lead, and they keep saying, 'if it's important to you [the viewer} it's important to us!' The only criticism I have is that on Freeview, I have to watch the standard quality pictures. It would be better in full HD, which seems to be on other platforms such as YouView and Sky. There were a lot of problems with sound, some of it was out of sync with the pictures and in particular from their reporters from around the regions. But there's bound to be technical issues when a channel is live starting up. Just hope they get on top of these issues. I will wait and see and give it time to settle in. I will comment further after a week or two. Watch this space.

All Over The Place

Thursday. 7.10 a.m. I can't think of a title for this post, but no doubt something will come to me in the fullness of time.

It's early and I'm warm. The kitchen, as I must have mentioned in earlier posts, is roasting hot. I am well aware of the remark some American politician said which goes something like this 'if you can't cope with the heat, stay out of the kitchen!' (I'll have to do a Google search and find out who it was and the correct wording.) It's the heating system of Dexter House. They seem to think (they being someone or other in Milton Keynes Council.) that 'old' people need to be kept in accommodation that is so warm that a tropical plant would wilt. I may be over 70, but I don't consider myself old in any way. You can't alter the temperature with a thermostat. It is something to do with the hot water pipe which runs under the sink in the kitchen. It must run very close to the cold water pipe because sometimes when you turn on the cold tap, hot water comes out for a few seconds. When I first moved here, I, unfortunately, left out a bottle of milk and by the morning it had turned sour. You could have made cheese or yogurt out of it!

I have now looked up the phrase 'if you don't like the heat, keep out of the kitchen. It was said by the American President, Harry S. Truman.

Friday. 6.40 a.m. Watching Good Morning Britain on ITV. Richard Madely had taken over from Piers Morgan and he isn't in thrall of the scientists who are keeping us all frozen in time. I just want to know where his wife Judy is. They always worked together as a couple, having been the original presenters of  This Morning and then their own show at teatime on Channel Four. I am really getting tired of being lectured to by the BBC, which is why I've switched over this morning. On 13th June there is a brand new channel opening called GB News, lead by Andrew Neil. Quite a few former BBC reporters have been signed up, including Simon McCoy. It would seem that many BBC presenters are leaving the sinking ship, not just television. Classic FM has now got several former BBC presenters on-air, such as former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull, John Humphries, and Moira Stewart, who used to be a new reader.. I think there was a huge tidal wave of BBC personnel jumping ship (sorry about the puns.) when the BBC had to reveal how much they paid their personnel and I presume a commercial channel would be able to pay far higher salaries than the BBC.

Later. 9.05 a.m. I have written around two sides of A4. My 'project', for want of a better term (I don't know really whether it's a novel, or what you'd describe it as.) is growing. I've managed to find a way of linking the various elements together, which was actually quite obvious, but I won't mention it here

Well, we're all over the place (my blog post title coming into its own now.) as regards the variant of the coronavirus. We have the so-called Indian Variant, which is also known as the Delta Variant and now, give a round of applause to . . . the Nepal Variant. They are supposed to be more infectious than earlier variants and scientists are saying that the Government should be cautious of lifting restrictions on 21st June. A great deal of anger from various sections of society about the newest restrictions coming into force regarding traveling abroad. You have to quarantine for ten days if you return to some countries, not actually sure which, as the system of 'traffic lights' to show which are the highest and lowest countries to have levels of infections and so on because of coronavirus, is really confusing, which is probably why there is so much annoyance and anger, which I suppose is going to happen if you had intended travelling abroad for a holiday as well as the airline industry. But if that's the case, why not just stay in Britain and have a holiday here instead of trotting off to wherever increase the carbon emissions of the plane you will fly in and then spend a great deal of money on testing as well as having to isolate for however many days are required when you come home.