Time and Time Again

 Monday. 6.35 a.m. What about the title of this blog post? Attempting to put something across to someone and having to repeat it over and over again. Perhaps that person not understanding something and having to keep on repeating it. It is the title of a play by Alan Ayckbourn. I did the book for it when I was D.S.M. at Ipswich in the 1970s. The lead actor, Chris Godwin, created the part when the play was premiered in Scarborough. Alan Ayckbourn came to see our production and said that he thought it was far better than the West End production, which must have said something, considering the limitations of the stage at the Arts Theatre. (They actually dropped 'Arts' when I was there in 1973.) There was space off-stage on the prompt side, but the opposite side was extremely limited, and you had to get off the stage through a sliding door and to get from one side of the stage to the other, you had to go through that door and outside and round through an alleyway and then came back through the stage door to arrive prompt side. This could be problematic when ladies wore long dresses, particularly when we did a production of 'Great Expectations' and it was winter, with snow on the ground, and they come to pick up snow on the bottom of their dresses if they forget to lift them enough to not get covered.

11.40 a.m. I have been out attempting to make a video, walking along the towpath beside the Grand Union Canal at Peartree Bridge. Unfortunately, the Hohem gimbal began to play up. I did a test video along the path towards Oldbrook Green yesterday morning (and mentioned in yesterday's post.) All seemed to go well, apart from the microphone not working because it wasn't set up correctly. That was resolved this morning, but then the gimbal kept locking and spinning around (it was supposed to be set for POV (Point Of View.) and then kept spinning around. It eventually resolved itself and I managed to walk between two of the bridges over the canal and at one point saw a heron and got really close to this amazing bird, until it flew away, unfortunately not on video. It just moved too quickly for me to catch it on video. I walked back to Peartree Bridge and then into Jeeves Close, which is where I had parked my car.

I have now got my car booked in for its MOT on Wednesday, at Anglo Motors, which is in Mount Farm, on a road near the football stadium. I didn't go with Bleakhall Motors, because someone at church told me they had a bad experience with them, (which I have never had.), but I thought I would try them.

4.30 p.m. I've been to Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. There weren't as many there as there have been in the past couple of weeks. Perhaps the weather has put people off. 

I  came home and took Alfie out, and we walked around Oldbrook Green. In fact, we did two circuits and a bit more, so I hit the 10,000 steps. 

I got back inside the flat because it started raining. The weather has changed considerably, which might or might not be such a good thing. (The flat temperature, according to the digital thermometer, is 23ºC. Just as I was removing Alfie's lead, I heard my phone ring and it was Mears. The lady I was speaking to me said they wanted to know when they could come to fit the extractor fan, and it's booked for Wednesday morning at around 9.30. After all the effort, it looks like it's about to actually happen!

Tuesday. 5.05 a.m. I awoke in the night. I think it was around 1-2 o'clock. It's the usual thing of having to go to the loo. No good pretending these things happen, particularly as you get older. I could hear what at first might have been an aeroplane, the engine sound did make me think that. But it didn't go away, at speed. It droned on, seemingly circulating Milton Keynes. Then it occurred to me- it could have been an airship. I know the sound, having lived in Cardington Village and close to the airship sheds just across the fields from where I lived at Malting Farm. You can hardly miss these two vast sheds, as they stand out in the landscape and can be seen for miles around. It was from here in 1930 that the ill-fated R101 took off for its flight to India, but, basically, because it was overloaded, it crashed in flames on a hillside near Beauvais, France, killing all the passengers and crew. The remains of some of those people are buried in a special area of the Cardington graveyard.

Anyway, I could still hear the sound of whatever it was, but I was more or less convinced it was an airship. I had to go and see, but, looking out of my bedroom window I could only see lights, and it was certainly, well, to me anyway, most likely to have been an airship. You can usually tell, because they float, rather than fly like a conventional aircraft. Then I was thinking, what was it doing over Milton Keynes, at night, in the dark? It possibly is on a test flight, because Cardington (and more precisely, Shortstown, the village which was built up around the airship hangers), is only around 15–20 miles from Milton Keynes, as the proverbial crow flies. It might have been flown at night to keep it hidden by the dark. I don't know, but it made me think it might have been that. One of the two airship sheds is used for filming, and quite a few well-known Hollywood blockbusters have been made there, including sections of the Star Wars and Batman movies.

7.45p.m. Another Tuesday at Camphill, in the performance art workshop in the Chrysalis Theatre. The day was a mishmash. The filming for the silent movie which I had originally been with, about time travel, had been completed, apart from a tiny scene which will be shot next week. We were supposed to go off to a location in Milton Keynes to film scenes for the pirates' film, but in the afternoon the weather changed, and it started to rain slightly, so it didn't seem such a good idea to go out. Instead, it was decided to use green screen to eventually mix in backgrounds and the green material was set up to allow filming in front of it.

Ying Tong Diddle I Po!

 Thursday. 1.20 p.m. A bright and sunny day. I went to the Oaktree Centre and discovered that a theatre company is putting on a show, 'Songs From The Shows' or a similar title. After the Bible study, we set up chairs in the main hall for the show this evening.

6.15 p.m. Oh, what fun! I was eating my evening meal, as I normally do at this time of day, with the game show 'Pointless' on television, when the merry sound of the fire alarm started up. My immediate reaction was to close the door from the lounge into the hall and then put some loud music on my television set, playing through the soundbar. Fortunately, it didn't last for very long, because I heard a fire engine arriving and then there was silence! I think someone had burnt their toast or forget to remove something from their oven. I think if there was a charge for this, then there might be fewer of these incidents.

Friday. 5.00 a.m. Up out of bed and taking Alfie out as usual. It's a bit windy and overcast. I just hope the wind settles, and the sun comes out. Well, as the song says, 'The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow.' 

12.05 p.m. I've been out with the Hohem gimbal, walking along the Grand Union Canal near Peartree Bridge. It was such a fine morning, with the sun out and a slight breeze, it seemed the perfect opportunity to have a go at some filming (actually videoing, but I'm being pedantic.). I was disappointed that there were no ducks, but I did see a heron. I must get the focus sorted out, as it was a bit off. Not a problem. I was also hoping to see some narrow boats, but none of them either. Perhaps I should start the walk next time nearer to where the Red Way comes out of Eaglestone, near the dinosaur sculpture and the patch goes towards Woughton-On-The-Green. I have already viewed the results on my iPad. I'm getting the hang of using the gimbal. It seems a good idea to attempt to keep the horizon in approximately the same position in each shot.

Saturday, 5.30 a.m. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned. He says he was forced out, over the so-called 'Partygate' investigation. Well, all I can say, in all honesty, he had to go. Biggest liar of the century. Couldn't tell the truth if it came out and bit him. If you can't trust your leader, then, who on earth can you trust? It's the same with former U.S. President, Donald Trump. He lied just to get where he wanted to and then left office, taking important and highly secret and dangerous documents with him, which were found in his home in Florida. Just because he has money, he thinks he can pay off people and get away with it.

There is a health warning out today, suggesting that there will be a heatwave across Britain, with the possibility of temperatures reaching somewhere in the region of 30ºC. Those with a health problem, such I     have with my heart, are warned to keep out of the sun and remain indoors. I think sun hats and shorts should be worn outdoors. So, it's likely to be warm and humid.

10.15 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's to buy a few items. Not a 'big shop.' It's relatively quiet early on a Saturday, so it's obviously the best time to go.

It's getting warm. I got home and then took Alfie out. I don't think he appreciates the warm weather. He doesn't appreciate cold, either. I think he's a bit like me regarding weather, we both like it mid-way, I suppose you might say 'temperate.' The digital thermometer currently reads 24º. I have windows open to create a through draught. 

All In A Day's Work

Thursday. 12.40 p.m. I've been to the shopping centre to get my hair cut at Central Barbers. I booked online, so it was just a simple matter of going into the centre and waiting outside. I was actually booked for 11.30 but got there around 20 minutes too early.

From the barbers, I went to Costa on Middleton Hall and had an iced coffee drink with cream and marshmallows, a cheese and ham toastie, and a slice of rocky road cake. 

Then, a browsed in Lakeland and was really impressed by their new picnic sets. The glasses are made of plastic and look very convincing as cut glass.  Lots of equipment in this store which is useful to me if I am baking. A wander along the shopping centre and browsed in T.K. Maax, for nothing in particular, but with this store, you have to buy what they have immediately because there will only be one of any particular item, and you will lose it if you don't buy it straight away.

Friday. 10.50 a.m. I have made another batch of scones for Monday Club. I think I got the consistency of this batch more or less right by making the dough somewhat stickier. The only problem with the stickiness is that the dough becomes difficult to remove from the cutter when they are put onto the baking tray. I have baked them for 25 minutes, which means they come out a golden brown. They should now be far easier to cut in half and not crumble, which was the problem I had with the last batch I made.

Saturday. 8.25 a.m. It's quite chilly this morning, which means I put on a fleece when I had my breakfast. 

10.05 a.m. It seems a bit warmer now. The sun is making a vain attempt to shine. I've been to Sainsbury's as I wanted a decent size cake tin to put the scones in. The one I got is more than enough the right size and as it is airtight it should at least keep them fresh.

5.40 a.m. I've been to A Transformed Life afternoon at SCF. Praise and message. Very enlightening. There is a second session, starting at around 7 p.m., but unfortunately, my health issues make me tired and I wouldn't be able to keep awake, so I came home and made a salad which I will eat later.

It was bright and sunny when I got to the Oaktree Centre. It's summer, which, officially, it is.

Sunday. 5.05 a.m. I know, I'm up far too early. I was out, walking around Oldbrook Green at 4.35. I think it was a bit of a shock, even to Alfie. It's quite chilly, but still pleasant. A clear sky, no clouds to be seen, but I know it will be a bright and sunny day. Well, I do hope so.

6.25 p.m. Another café church at Shenley Christian Fellowship this morning. A lot of new faces and the place absolutely heaving. A bouncy castle was set up on the grass behind the building and lots of children using it. Plenty of coffee, cakes and biscuits.

I have mentioned the Hohem gimbal, which I bought on Amazon. I have got the thing working successfully and have discovered a video editing app from watching a video on YouTube and have it downloaded to my iPhone and now have it fully paid for which means I can edit and modify video footage from my phone without advertising and have all the additional assets for it. I went out around Oldbrook Green this afternoon and shot some test footage, which I have since managed to edit to a certain level. I have also purchased two Bluetooth Lavalier microphones from Amazon which connect to my iPhone, which means I can record better quality sound with each of them connected to my clothes and can be used if I want to record interviews on video. The experiment with editing has worked up to a certain extent and shows that it works, but I will need to do more work learning the software before I am totally satisfied with the results. Keep watching this space for further news.

Happy and Glorious!

Tuesday. 5.40 a.m. Today would have been my mother's 97th birthday. She's so missed. It would have been wonderful if she had seen her great-grandchildren or even her grandchildren.

5.30 p.m. A very productive day at Camphill. Last week we were informed that we were going to be joined by school pupils, but there was a mistake, and it wasn't today but will be next week. We also learned that they weren't going to be primary children, but sixth-form children, and from Shenley Brook End School, an Upper School, and right next door to The Oaktree Centre. In fact, when I first came to live in Milton Keynes, after marrying Carol in 2007, we used to go to Shenley Christian Fellowship, which, at that time, met at that school, before the church moved into its own, purpose-built home at the Oaktree Centre, which opened in 2016.

We were told that a new project will be set up sometime next year which will utilize puppets and be a collaboration with another workshop department at Camphill, which will create the puppets. As part of this project, we will also go to see a show at the Barbican Theatre, which is called 'My Neighbour Totoro Barbican Theatre, My Neighbour Totoro' which is based on the Japanese animation studio, Ghibli and is a collaboration between the R.S.C. (Royal Shakespeare Company) and Henson, the company behind The Muppets and other characters, television and film productions, such as The Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. There is a distinct possibility that we will be going to a relaxed performance of 'My Neighbour Totoro' which is devised to make it easier for those with autism and other learning disabilities to enjoy, lower sound levels, lighting and more. Also, we might be able to go backstage for what is called a 'touch tour' which allows those with sight problems to interact with the set, costumes etc. There are a couple of members of the theatre group who do not like crowds and would find a theatre performance difficult, so they may not come with us.

We continued with developing the three silent movies, although there were several members missing because they were elsewhere. My group, which is working on a time-travel story, managed to complete the storyline. It is somewhat convoluted, to say the least. After lunch, the other group, which is developing a sort of pirate/swashbuckling mash-up, showed the rest of the group what they had been working on and at the end of the day we gave feedback on the day.

I got back to Dexter House, and it was overcast, with a vague fall of rain, but no sooner had I got back in the flat than the heavens opened and there was a very heavy fall of rain, followed very shortly by an almighty clap of thunder, which continued for about twenty minutes and a while later, joined by flashes of lightning.  I managed to record it on my iPhone because I thought it might be useful as a sound effect in the Camphill theatre workshop at some point.

Wednesday.1.30 a.m. I am wide awake, having gone to bed and then immediately fallen asleep. This always seems to happen when I've been out all day at Camphill. I think it's best explained because it's quite tiring. Part of it is due to the medication I am on, according to my doctor, to whom I mentioned this when I had my last GP appointment. 

8.45 a.m. It's quite sunny and bright as I write this. The rain I mentioned earlier has been useful, as I am using it to help write the next sequence in my writing project. It should, in some ways, add some authenticity to what I am attempting to create. According to Carol Kirkwood, the weather presenter on BBC Breakfast earlier, there were around 8,000 lightning strikes across the country.

2.10 p.m. I have now got a remote for the gimbal. I knew this could be controlled with such a device, but I had to hunt on the internet to find where I could buy one. In the end, I found it for sale on the Hohem website. Well, the most obvious place! I paid in Dollars, so I imagined it would be coming from the U.S.A., but it was delivered to me at midday, which was a surprise. But, like so many things, I had to do further internet research to find out how to pair it with the gimbal. I eventually found out how this was achieved and it's now working. Success!