Gridlocked!

Tuesday. 9.30 a.m. Yet another typical autumn day, sunny but chilly.

Alfie and I have been out and walked around Oldbrook Green. I'm shocked to see so much litter related to fireworks, which I could hear last night being let off. It seemed to go on for several hours and, looking at the rubbish, someone had spent a small fortune on them. No thought though, to take their rubbish away with them. The sign for Oldbrook Green (which is under the umbrella of Campbell Park Parish Council.) clearly states 'no fireworks'. I think it was more to do with Diwali rather than Guy Fawkes Night, but it's still a lot of noise and upsets animals. Alfie doesn't seem to take any notice, and then we have Halloween to contend with next Monday. I'd love to know who the people that left the rubbish expect to clear it up. There are plenty of bins around the Green, so why not place some of it there, or, at least, take it home with you.

2.35 p.m. For the last year or so (I think it may be longer, but I'm not sure exactly.) I have been having a weekly telephone call from someone who is a volunteer at Age UK. His name is David, and we have an hour's chat for around an hour. I have never met him, until today. I had thought some while ago that he should have my mobile number and possibly my email address because he rings me on my landline number. The last time he phoned last week he said that someone had suggested to him that we meet up for a coffee so I came up with some possible places to meet, one being Costa at the retail park in Bletchley (along with Pets At Home, which is where Alfie goes to have his regular haircut (sorry, but the term 'groom' has another, negative connotation these days, although not the same as dog-grooming.) It was strange meeting someone who you'd spoken to but never actually met. He said he knew what I looked like because when I emailed him, my photo came up, which I wasn't aware of. David was waiting outside Costa as I drew up in the car and then we went inside Costa. It was something of a shock to discover it virtually empty. I say this, because if you go to one of the two Costa branches in the central Milton Keynes shopping centre, at the end of the shopping centre opposite Marks and Spencer and the other, which is on Middleton Hall and near John Lewis, you will no doubt find each one busy and will have to queue. I have often glanced into each one before deciding whether to queue up and then often leave to find another place to eat and have coffee, such as Cafe Nero or Pret A Manger which are also in Middleton Hall. As I say, it was virtually empty of other customers and it didn't take long to order my latte and ham and cheese toastie.

We spent around two hours chatting and by one o'clock I thought it was time to return home. I know that the car park is likely to have around a two-hour limit on how long you can remain parked and if you're not careful you can be fined. They have cameras which record your car's registration number and from that, they can find your address, and then you get a lovely letter asking you to pay a hefty fine, which I really don't want.

It was well I came out of Costa when I did because the whole car park was clogged up with cars attempting to leave, and it took me some time to get out of my space. Not many drivers were willing to let me into the queue and the queue moved at a snail's pace towards the exit. It then took a good deal of time to get into the traffic on Bletcham Way and eventually onto the large roundabout, which was more than ever clogged up. I could not discover what had caused this chaos. Possibly either there had been an accident nearby, possibly on the A5 or M1, or it was the result of roadworks, which are currently ongoing throughout the Milton Keynes grid road system, much of it for resurfacing works.

Wet and Windy

We are almost into November. (Well, we were when I began to write this blog.) The clocks have changed so that it's now light earlier in the morning so I can take Alfie out at around 6.30a.m. The leaves are falling fast and there's a carpet of them on the grass at the side of the path we walk along at the side of Strudwick Drive as we approach Oldbrook Green. The  leaves on the trees are rapidly turning colour, some bright orange, others yellow and a whole range of hues in-between.

(Saturday) It's wild and windy out on this Saturday morning. I have taken Alfie out but we didn't get far because, when he realised it was raining, he turned tail and bought me back to the flat! I bought myself a raincoat off the Regatta website. It's dayglo yellow and a week or two later I decided that Alfie should have a waterproof coat of his own and bought one on the Regatta site, but I made sure I measured him before ordering. It arrived really quickly and it fits perfectly and even has a button hole so that the ring on his harness can be attached to his lead. Absolute perfect fit. But it didn't really impress him when we went out in today's wind and rain. I think King Lear would be in his element (pun intended!)

Boris Johnson is giving a news conference later this afternoon. Because coronavirus infections are growing (I don't believe a word of this.) he will have been told by his scientist advisors that a further national lockdown will be needed in order to slow the virus down. So, more social distancing and more regulations. Which just tells me that it's not working and as a result the economy is being destroyed along with people's mental health (mine included.)

(Saturday 13th) I am finding it increasingly more and more difficult to find anything interesting to put in these blog posts. 

During the evening I heard fireworks being let off and when I took Alfie out for his first walk of the day at around 7 o'clock, the remains of fireworks would be seen stuffed into the rubbish bin as we got to Oldbrook Green. Don't the people who do this not realise that November 5th is Bonfire or Guy Fawkes Night? It's too late to be letting them off on the 13th November (unlucky or not.) I've since discovered that it might not be connected with Bonfire Night but more likely Dwali. Which is the Hindu festival of light. I know nothing more on the subject.

(Thursday 19th November) It is sunny as I write this (at 1.15 p.m.) but it has been raining and Alfie doesn't like it. I took him out for his early-morning walk but we didn't stay out too long and then two more jaunts, but by then it was raining, so he turned tail and we came home to the flat.

(Friday) So, will Christmas be cancelled this year? It's in the air. Boris is self-isolating in 10 Downing Street and we're supposed to come out of Lockdown 2 on 2nd December. 

Car Repair

My Renault Captur needed work doing on it. I was told some while ago that it would need the timing
belt replacing. I don't even know what a timing chain is or what it does. I've been driving for 50 years and owned several cars but never come across this item in the engine. Well, I only drive my car and don't entirely understand how the thing works. The same with this MacBook Air, on which I write this blog. How on earth does the internet work? It's beyond me, but all I know is that it does work, miraculously. Anyway, I had to wait until my pension was paid into my account and then I went to Bleak Hall Motors to make an appointment for the car, which was yesterday (Friday). I was told it would take quite a long time, so there was no way I was going to sit in their waiting room until the work was finished, so I called for a taxi and went home and waited. I thought it might be a couple of hours, by which time the garage would phone me to tell me the car was ready to collect. This eventually came at around 4.15, and I then had to get another taxi to convey me back to Bleak Hall.  Bill paid and then I returned in the car, glad that the work is complete. Now the car needs servicing, basically because it's no point in having a car that doesn't operate properly, and anyway, with the computerised read-out on the dashboard constantly telling  me that it needs servicing in 20 days or so, I don't have much choice. It's sort of nagging me to have it done, so I will have to abide by it. I'll either go into Bleak Hall motors to arrange this or I can always ring.

(Saturday) Been out with Alfie at around 6.45. It's light enough at that time in the morning and the poor little dog was eager as ever. A cloud of seagulls on the green near Oldbrook Boulevard. I think they're probably after the worms or something, but they make a lot of noise and it makes me think of the seaside.

Someone coughing their lungs out in a nearby flat. I think it caused by smoking, so it begs the question: if that is the result, why smoke? If I get a load of smoke in my lungs, then it causes me all sorts of problems, and I was told, after I had my first heart attack, that if I'd smoked, then my heart attack might have happened around 5 years earlier.

Last night I heard fireworks being let off. Thank goodness Hallowe'en is over. A really nasty import from America, just a way to make money out of a load of tat which then ends up in land-fill. I think some individuals don't know the difference between Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night.) and that you don't have fireworks as part of Hallowe'en. Hopefully the rubbish being sold in the shops will now be gone, but we now have all the Christmas tat in the shops, endless shelves full of mince pies, Christmas puddings and wrapping paper and other stuff you don't need immediately for Christmas.

Later. I've been to Sainsbury's and I wasn't there long. The carpark was virtually empty. The store wasn't busy. I don't think the average shopper goes to a supermarket early on a Saturday. Most are tucked up under their duvets. But I suspect it's more to do with the rugby match in Japan, England v South Africa. I'm not sure what the time difference is between the United Kingdom and Japan. It does interest me, a good deal more than football, but I can take it or leave it.

I got hame and unloaded my shopping and was on the point of taking Alfie out for a walk, but the weather is foul as I write this, raining and there a high wind, but that wouldn't put off our Alfie.

Went to an archaeology exhibition in the Church of The Cornerstone. I've been inside the building, but not inside the actual church and was surprised by how small it was. It seemed an odd place to hold such an exhibition. It would have been better in the Middleton Hall, which is part of the main Milton Keynes shopping centre. Discovered that a Roman villa has been unearthed in a village called Piddington in Northamptonshire. It's just off the Bedford/Northampton road and not a long journey from here. There is a museum attached to it and I may visit in the near future. It's surprising what you discover when you visit such an exhibition and what other archaeology is going on in this area. I think I've driven along that road many times but knew nothing of this discovery, which was made around 40 years ago. Even so, nothing in the local papers to even mention it.

The Sound of Thunder

Around about 8 this morning there was an almighty clap of thunder. Thankfully it's a good deal cooler today, after the scorching hot weather of the past few days. Alfie didn't know what to make of it. He charged off into the garden and began to bark madly. I don't think he had the least idea what for. If Poppy had been around she would have most likely hidden herself under our bed as she was terrified of thunder. Around Guy Fawkes Night she wasn't keen when fireworks were being let off. There was a downpour of rain which at least relieved the hot and clammy atmosphere. It's been quite difficult to sleep the last couple of nights because of the heat. Carol came home at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon as it was far too hot in the Academy building. She had been in The Hub, the top-most area of the building which has large windows and she said the air conditioning broke down so it was like a green house. Amazing that when it's at it's hottest, and apparently yesterday was supposed to have been the hottest June day since 1976 when there was a drought, the machinery which is supposed to keep things cool has to malfunction. I went into Sainsbury's this morning and wanted to buy some ice-cream of some sort. I couldn't believe that a whole section of refrigerated display units which are supposed to be full of various ice cream delights were completely empty. I have no idea what was wrong with them or why they were empty. Presumably a technical fault but I think Sainsbury's will have lost a large amount of custom as a result of this problem.

No sooner had Carol returned home at around 4 yesterday afternoon we drove to Nuffield Health. It was really great to be able to cool down in the pool. Only problem was that everyone else had the same idea and the pool became very crowded. As usual, one individual was taking over things and swimming up and down making a lot of noise in the process. Just can't believe that some people have to behave in this selfish manner. 

A Foggy Autumn Day

Autumn is well and truly here. It is quite mild, on the temperature side, but there is a fog hanging over Milton Keynes this morning. Not particularly thick, but enough to mean we have to have the car lights on as we drive over to the Academy this morning. Carol has teacher training today. She tells me it is generally very boring. I can't believe that they can make training so miserable and boring. Well, perhaps, on second thoughts, I can, because I've had to endure some fairly boring days sitting in a room, usually with no natural light, listening to someone droning on ad nauseam about something or other.

Today it's hallowe'en. We don't indulge in this infatuation with witches, warlocks and things that go 'bump in the night.' I'm afraid it's just an excuse for commercial exploitation. When I was a child Guy Fawkes Night on November 5th was the 'big night.' Building bonfires and fireworks, baked potatoes 'In Their Jackets' and hot chocolate, Catherine Wheels, sparklers, rockets and so on. Hallow'een has been built up, no doubt by being imported mainly from America. Our dogs hate the noise and commotion outside the house. People letting of fireworks. So we'll have the the next two weeks or so of misery for the poor dogs. Every time there is a loud 'bang' outside as someone lets of a firework, he starts barking. Poppy, meanwhile, hides under the nearest piece of furniture.

Actually, poor Poppy is aging rapidly. She has really slowed down. Her eyesight is going very slowly.   Both dogs sleep on our bed at night. Alfie is no problem, as he can jump up easily and snuggles down beneath the duvet. But Poppy has a problem jumping up. We had put a stool at the side of the bed so she can jump up on that and then onto the bed. But, because her sight is failing, she never manages this. She spends the night laying on the floor, but doesn't always settle. She tip-taps around the room and just will not settle. If she needs to go outside she now has the rather annoying habit of coming round to my side of the bed and barking at me. It good that she does this, so I have to go downstairs and let her out through the sliding patio door from the kitchen into the garden. But this happens several times in the night. She goes downstairs, very gingerly and slowly. She sometimes stops half way down and needs encouraging. Once she's been out in the garden she comes back inside the house and I slide the door closed. Last night, at about 10.30, she insisted on being let out. She came round and barked at me. I was nodding off. We had the radio on, as we usually do. BBC Radio 4 Extra, which is a digital channel. I was reluctant to take her down and was half asleep. I'm afraid I wasn't in the best of moods. Poppy managed to get down the stairs and eventually I let her out through the sliding patio doors from the kitchen. She did what she had to, but she found something which took her attention away from going back into the house. I had to get a closer look. It was a hedgehog, rolled up into an extremely tight ball. I think we have hedgehogs as regular visitors and some while ago both dogs were fascinated by them. The poor thing did the natural thing to protect itself by rolling into the defensive ball as all hedgehogs do. But it wasn't budging and I was eager to get Poppy back into the house as I was, by now, really tired and barely able to stand up. Poppy refused to respond to my insisitance that she come back into the house. I had to find a method to get her inside, so I rUshed back into the kitchen and took the garden broom which leans agains the fridge and used it to coerce the stubborn dog back inside. It worked. She had no alternative, being pushed along by a broom. Somewhat unconventional as a form of dog-management, but it worked a treat!

Later

As I mentioned in the blog post about our trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon last Saturday for my birthday, where I described how, when we got to the park-and-ride and I wanted to use my bus pass and then discovered that it had expired- on the same day- and we had to pay for my bus ride instead of having to not pay, I went to Milton Keynes Civic Centre yesterday (Monday) to get it renewed. I was attempting to avoid having to return with any form of identity they were likely to ask me for (which seems a commonplace demand from most businesses nowadays.) so I had a bank statement and several other items with my name and address on it. On arriving at the Council office I had to queue for a while but soon reached someone on the reception desk. I was given a form to fill in (which I completed sitting at a table to one side in the reception area.) and when it was completed I was given a numbered slip and told to wait. I sat in the main waiting area (where you have to go if you have to apply for any sort of benefit, be it housing, rent etc.) You have to then wait until your number comes up on a digital screen (another piece of technology common with so many places nowadays, whether it's the Post Office, Job Centre or even Argos, the catalogue shopping service.) It was frankly quite complicated, because my number came up on the screen and then got confusing as I wasn't sure when I was expected to go to whichever numbered desk it was and, indeed, where. The number kept appearing and disappearing, but eventually I got called. My concern would be, it's all very well and good having this system, and it makes it fair, but what if someone had a sight problem and couldn't see their number appear on the screen? Does someone come and tell you? Does it speak? Who knows. Anyway, I eventually went to Desk Number 22 and it was all very efficient. I could have a new photo on my bus card, and I had some which I had kept from another card (I think it was probably for my Driving Licence, which has to have a photograph on it, and had to be renewed a few months ago at the Post Office.) but, if I wanted to have a new photograph on the new card I would have to pay £10 for the privilge.  I decided that it was unnecessary as the one already on the old card was sufficient. I don't think I have changed enough in the time since that one was taken to warrant a replacement. The lady had to have some sort of identity (odd, when my picture on the original card was presumably in front of her on the computer screen.) so I used my Driving Licence, which she took away to have photocopied, and the form I had filled in was handed over and signed and that was that done. The new card should be with me within a week or so.

Wet and Windy Weekend

After the warm and pleasant weather last weekend (see the preceeding post on here.), we had to endure wind and rain all this weekend. Added to that we had Hallow'een last Saturday, with people knocking on doors 'trick and treat-ing' which set both dogs barking. As it is, Poppy is scared stiff whenever there's a loud bang, such as a firework being let off, and Alfie just barks continually. It's not so much the fireworks being let off, it's the randomness of it. Hopefully it is now over for another year. Guy Fawkes night was on 5th November, so being mid week there weren't likely to be as many firework parties as there would be at the weekend, so either last weekend or the weekend just gone would have been when people would have them but I think that Hallow'een has superceded Guy Fawkes unfortunately. You can see by the amount of junk that the shops stock and how they are attempting to make it a big thing to boost sales. As a child I remember we used to make a big thing out of November 5th which included not only fireworks but a huge bonfire and lots to eat, such as potatoes in their jackets, cocoa, bonfire toffee and a whole host of warming food. Unless it's a big community event I don't think people have Bonfire Night partys any more which is a shame. Probably a lot  of this is because people are unaware of the significance of the Gunpowder Plot and the attempt to blow up parliament in 1605.

Worsening Weather and Traumatised Dogs

Apparently we're in for some really bad weather. We're supposed to get the tail-end of a hurricane, which is currently crossing the Atlantic from America.  Called Hurricane Gonzalo. Where do they get these names from? Why are they sometimes women's names but then men's names? Is there anything in the fact that they are either male or female names?  A fortnight's-worth of rain is expected to fall within the space of eight hours, while gusts of wind of up to 80 m.p.h. (128 k.p.m.) are expected to be recorded in parts of northern Scotland. So, can the B.B.C. please not send their television reporters to cover these weather conditions, particularly not to the edge of some harbour, with waves lashing and boats being tossed by the waves? Similarly, when there were floods a years or two ago, they had to rush a television crew together with reporter, to some far-distant village which was cut off by rising water, several feet of it filling some street and then putting their reporter in the midst of it all in Wellington boots, wind cheater, oilskins, or whatever, just so the person had stand and chat to camera. It's laughable when they are telling people to keep away from such places and then put their own reporters in danger, together with crew. Do they expect to be rescued when there is a real problem, putting the lives of the rescue service at risk? No sense really.

As I write this the wind is increasing. It is actually quite sunny and bright here in Milton Keynes as I can see out of our lounge window into our garden, but the wind is most definitely getting stronger and the leaves are falling from the trees. 

It's also that time of the year which both our dogs dislike. It's around Hallow'en and Guy Fawkes Night (November 5th) when we get all those fireworks let off and so scaring the dogs. Poppy in particular, but Alfie doesn't like it when there is an unexpected explosion which sets him off barking. We'll be glad when it's over and done with for another year. I think it's fine when Guy Fawkes Night is over and done with over a few nights, but it's made worse when some idiot decides to set of fireworks randomly which causes the problems. I don't imagine it's just our dogs which get upset. Poppy goes and hides under the nearest piece of furniture whilst Alfie barks. It won't just be dogs. I would think cats would be traumatised by the noise as well as any other pets people would have.

Freak Hail Storm

I'd done two loads of washing this morning. I put it out on the washing-line in the garden with the hope that it would dry. I was hoping that there wouldn't be any rain and kept an eye on the sky as it began to cloud over. It had been out for a couple of hours and it seemed as if it would be alright for a couple more hours. But it wasn't to be. At around 1.15 it clouded over. I gave a further glance out of the window: no sign of rain. But then the heavens opened. I rushed out to retrieve the clothes which took up two lines which are strung up over the garden, from the house out to the shed (if you can actually term the clapped-out object at the end of the garden as a 'shed' which I doubt. I hastily grabbed fists-full of clothing and shoved it in the clothes basket, but the rains began to fall faster and faster. There was then a sudden very loud clap of thunder and it went extremely dark. Then I remembered that one of our dogs, Poppy, was scared witless of thunder and lightening. During the Guy Fawkes Night of November 5th she i terrified of fireworks and is happiest hiding under the bed or up close to one or other of us as the bangs and whooshes of fireworks are going on. So this afternoon. As I was rapidly pegging sopping wet clothes onto the clothes drier in the kitchen and over some of the downstairs radiators, she came up to me and wanted some support and comfort which was rather sad and as I write this she is sitting on the armchair with me typing on the Macbook. She had insisted on sitting on my knee but it would be difficult to write this with the laptop on her back so she is wedged in beside me. I think she is a good deal happier now. There is hail falling fast in the garden as I look out from the lounge and the grass is covered in white, some of the hailstones are around the size of peanuts. I'm just glad I'm not outside in it as these chunks of ice would really sting exposed skin

A Few Days Away- Part 1

Carol has been on Half Term for the past week. We haven't had a full week's holiday away, but  instead we went away on Wednesday and came back on Friday. We stayed in a hotel in Salford, near Manchester. We had a really good drive up on Wednesday morning, and visited  Rufford Old Hall, a National Trust property a good deal further north near Ormskirk. There is a link with William Shakespeare, which interested me as I have an interest in both his plays and his life. He was alleged to have performed in the Great Hall there. It was fairly bright and sunny when we arrived, but when we were inside it had begun to rain and the weather generally deteriated into low mist, rain and gloom. As it was Half Term they were doing Hallow'een things for children, which rather spoilt things for us. We had gone for the historic connections, not some over-blown superstitious nonsense which seems to have taken over in this country at this time of year, unfortunately. It's mainly, if not entirely, to do with shops making money out of the rubbish they sell connected with this so-called festival. When I was a child, November 5th was the thing, or Guy Fawkes Night, but it seems to have been overtaken by the other event, unfortunately.

Rufford Old Hall, National Trust property near Ormskirk, Lancs

Carol wanted to see the Anthony Gormley statues at Crosby Beach. It's something we've both seen photographs of, those mysterious statues staring out to sea, some partially submerged in the sand and others in the sea. As the weather was so awful, we decided to leave it for another day, although it wasn't too far from Rufford Old Hall. Another reason for  not going there immediatley was that the light was going. So we drove back to Sallford to find the hotel.

After driving down the MK motorway and leaving at the exit for Salford, we discovered that the place has a really nightmarish road system. It's one mass of duel carriageways, and the hotel itself is in the centre of a sort of knot of roundabouts. This is within walking distance of Manchester United Football Club's stadium. Sorry, I'm not that interested, but we did go and have a look. Having found the hotel and parked the car, making sure we had a parking permit on display inside the windscreen when we left it (otherwise we we likely to get clamped and would have to pay to have the car released.) we unloaded our luggage and then decided to go out and find something to eat, as there was no food available at the hotel.

We wanted a restaurant, not too expensive. Coming out at the roundabout we saw a  branch of Harry Ramsden's  (one of the famous fish restaurants.) the opposite side, but it then took us around 15 minutes to actually get to it as the traffic was so heavy. We decided that this was where we wanted to eat and so went in and found the place virtually empty except for an older man and a little boy. We had our meal and left and went back to the hotel for the night.

We were up early and out around 8.30, as we wouldn't get breakfast and decided that we could get something to eat as we drove up the M6 away from Salford and Mancester on the way towards Crosby where the Anthony Gormley statues were installed (for want of a better term.) We had found them on Google Maps, so had a vague idea what to expect. We were guided by the Crosby Leisure Centre, which we could see on Google Maps as a quite striking building which looked for all the world like something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a sort of U.F.O. crash-landed on the beach. We found a car park, as we had followed the signs from the main road, but it would mean a long walk along the beach towards the statues. It was by now beginning to look as if there was a rain storm brewing, with very dark clouds drifting in from the land. Also, there was a bitter wind blowing making it very cold, and we hadn't brought coats with us, unfortunately. We drove a little bit further, as we could see the leisure centre in the distance. We got a lot closer and eventually managed to park outside and saw bus-loads of schoolchildren arriving as there is a swimming pool within the leisure centre.

Our dogs and Hallow'en and Guy Fawkes Night

Some kindly soul had the imagination to set of a firework a few days ago. I know, it's a few weeks until 5th November and Hallow'en is on Wednesday. The shops have had fireworks on sale for several weeks now, so presumably someone has bought some and thought it a good idea to set them off regardless of the day, time, or the effect it will have on dogs, cats and other animals, and, no doubt, people. Alfie, our Yorkshire Terrier, has never really bothered with the noise of fireworks around November 5th (Guy Fawkes Night to those living outside Britain.)

Poppy, our other dog, is really terrified of them, but her tactic is to hide somewhere in the house or dive  into your lap, under the bed, behind furniture, etc. Alfie started barking and kept on barking for most of the evening. Now, whenever there's an unusual sound, generally from our neighbours who make all sorts of strange and peculiar sounds at all hours of the day and night, he will start of barking. And he just keeps on barking. He has never bothered about the noise of fireworks before now, so it's odd that he should start this year. Poppy, on the other hand, has always been jumpy with fireworks, however far away they are. We're not exactly sure what happened to her as a very young puppy. She may well have experienced something particularly nasty which frightened her as a pup, which might explain her fear of fireworks.

Alfie has discovered something living in the garden shed. It has nothing of ours in it, just junk which I presume has been left behind by former tenants, or even the landlord; an old bicycle frame, a really ancient mattress and odds and ends. The door doesn't close properly. Well, to be exact, it is off it's hinges and it's extremely difficult to close it properly. The 'something' has turned out to be a cat. Now, cats and our dogs don't mix (well, do dogs and cats get on in normal circumstances? Well, the answer is generally, not very well.)

The other day we couldn't find Alfie. He wasn't in any of his usual places, one of which is sleeping on our bed. We looked all over the house and in the garden. The french windows were open, leading from the kitchen/diner into the garden. Poppy went outside. She appeared to know where he was. One of Alfie's little routines is to go round the fence and check. Well, it appears to be what he does. Poppy was up at the end of the garden near the rickety shed (well, I'm sure a strong gust of wind would knock it over.) She started barking and ran towards the house and I went out to her. She was telling us that Alfie was in the shed. Not difficult to get inside as the door is virtually impossible to close. It is completely off it hinges. I went and managed to get the door open and Alfie was inside, perched on some of the junk in there. At the back of the shed, at a safe distance, was the cat. I managed to get Alfie out and in the house, but it would appear that the cat is what is drawing him to the shed.

Christmas Is Coming

So, it’s little more than a month until Christmas, and the shops are heaving with shoppers, filling their trolleys as if they were expecting a siege. The supermarkets have filled every extra bit of floor-space with stacks of mince pieces, Christmas cakes, crackers, wrapping paper and all the paraphinalia of the Christmas season. All this seems to start earlier and earlier each year. We get over Guy Fawkes Night and Hallow’een (which never used to be such a ‘Big Thing’ in this country until only a few years ago.) and suddenly all the Christmas tat seems to appear all over the place. Generally the stuff that we couldn’t possibly do without, such as tinsel, party hats, musical Christmas trees and glitter.  What do people do with all this stuff? Their homes must resemble some sort of warehouse as they stock up with all these items. Do they gorge themselves on mincepies, and are these mincepies going to be even fresh and edible for the actual Christmas holiday season? There can, surely be only so many mince pies you can eat at one time, and I for one would be sick to death of too many, even though I do actually rather like mincepies.

Our year has been broken up into sections, to maintain as much profit for shop-keepers, eager to attract the gullible shopper. These seasons revolve around the standard holidays, Easter, Christmas and New Year, but then we have the addition of special days, such as Father’s Day, Mother’s Day (actually Mothering Sunday in Britain. It seems to be the U.S.A. which renamed it and I believe they have it on a different day to us in Britain.) Valentine’s Day, Hallowee’n and so on. As soon as one day has passed, the stock from that day is removed and replaced by the next. No doubt, as soon as Christmas and the New Year is over, the shops will be filled with pink hearts, fluffy cherubs with bow and arrows and Valentine’s cards. It makes me laugh that after Hallowee’n some of the supermarkets were selling pumpkins off half-price or less. I don’t suppose pumpkins have a very long shelf-life so it was better to sell this stock at a bargain price than have to throw it all into a skip.