Water, Water

 Saturday. 12.30 a.m. It rained really heavily yesterday evening. So much so that I couldn't take Alfie out, as he really does not like getting wet. Come to think of it, neither do I.

We reached the fifth session of the Alpha Course this week, and I was due to go to the Oaktree Centre at around 6:40. I was in my lounge, watching television, and then I heard a tapping sound. At first, I couldn't work out where it was, or, indeed, what it was. Going into the flat's entrance hall, I noticed a dripping coming from the ceiling. 

Vashti, the S.H.0. (Sheltered Housing Officer) of Dexter House, had gone home. It was around 5.30. I decided to ring the Mears helpline and was told that someone would come and inspect the leak, but it might be 4 hours before they arrived. It was around an hour later that a man knocked on my door, looked at the place where the drip had come through the ceiling near the smoke alarm, and told me that it wasn't his responsibility and rang the contractor who was responsible. He did a check of the light fitting, which isn't far from the smoke detector, and did a safety check and found no sign of water or anything dangerous and then left.

I mopped up the water from the floor and that was the end of it, although I think there must be a blockage and possibly an overflow somewhere in the roof space due to the heavy rain.

Sunday. 9.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny, but chilly. At least it's cool enough to sleep. The digital thermometer currently reads 19ºC. 

Tuesday. 7.40 a.m. I went to Camphill yesterday evening. The silent movies we have been creating since February were premiered. Actually, not just the three the Tuesday group made, but several others which were produced by the Monday group. There was a red carpet in the foyer of the Chrysalis Theatre, and as people arrived, they were photographed by Craig, so it was a version of the traditional Hollywood 'Red Carpet' treatment as celebrities arrive at a premier.

Thursday. 7.40 a.m. The Zolpidem tablets which I have been waiting for arrived in the post yesterday morning. I took two at around 10.30 last night and slept well, waking around 5 a.m. I have to say, as a result, I feel a good deal better.

Friday. 7.25 a.m. A wild and wet night. It probably was nowhere near as bad in other parts of Britain, especially in Scotland.

I have mentioned the problems I've had receiving the Zolpidem which II have done a repeat prescription for. I got one delivery, then yesterday morning the larger order I made a few days ago arrived, including the sleeping tablets, (ie, Zolpidem.)

Alfie Traumatised

I walked back home from the hospital at around 5.15. Unfortunately it's hallowe'en. I think you'll have realised I don't hold with this so-called 'tradition.' I don't honestly think it's acceptable for children to be let loose on the streets and be allowed to bang on people's front doors and demand what is, in essence, money with menaces. I mean, 'hand over some sugar-fuelled gift, sweets or chocolate, or if you don't, I'll wreak havoc on your house', for example, over-tip your dustbin. Also, going around dressed in really cheap and totally pathetic costumes, pretending to look like either Dracula, Frankenstein or the Walking Dead is not my idea of ideal entertainment. And, during all this totally imported nonsense, what happened to the more traditional British holiday of Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night? When I was growing up we always had a bonfire party on 5th November, or at least the nearest Saturday to the date, with fireworks, hot cocoa, baked potatoes, bonfire toffee and all the works. It was usually in one of the fields behind Malting Farm or next door at Porter's house. We'd spend weeks going around collecting wood and all manner of rubbish to be used to build the bonfire and then we'd build a Guy out of old clothes, and this effigy was put atop the bonfire and when it was really dark, lit. So, why has this been taken over by hallowe'en? Well, to be honest, it's just another way for companies to make a bit more money, out of all the junk that is connected with it. It's just something that has crept in via Hollywood. An American 'tradition' because, basically, they don't have a long history and need something to make up for it. I think a lot of these things have been copied because they're featured in films such as 'E.T.' which I'm sure has a sequence where the little E.T. creature is part of a 'Trick or Treat' evening. It's the same with schools having 'Proms' at the end of the school year. No such thing when I was leaving school in the late 1960's. I still don't know why they call it a 'Prom' which to me is a concert held in the Royal Albert Hall every year and the singing of 'Land of Hope and Glory'.

As I was saying before I wandered somewhat from the track. I arrived home. The central heating was on because it's getting a good deal colder. Before I walked in there were a few children wandering about the street, going about their 'Trick or Treating.' I said 'please don't come to my house' and they seemed to get the message that I wasn't going to fall for that 'thing'. I walked in and Alfie began barking. He had gone upstairs to our bedroom when I got ready to leave the house earlier in the afternoon. He has a good idea what I'm going to do when he sees me putting my shoes on to go out and I try to get him to go in the kitchen where he's safe when the door is closed. But if he's aware I'm going out he shoots upstairs into our bedroom. I found him there the other day, under the bed, and in one of the storage baskets we have there. Quite funny to see him curled up in there. At least if he's in the kitchen he has water and something to eat in his bowl and we got him a really cozy dog bed which is in one corner. He seems to like it as it's warm and he doesn't have to be in a draught. Anyway, Alfie shot down stairs when I walked in. He didn't leave my side all evening. He couldn't get much closer to me and wanted to sit on my lap when I sat to look at my laptop to read emails. Mind you, he tried to push the thing off with his nose so he could sit on my lap and when he couldn't he attempted to climb onto the back of the chair. He can't sit there since we replaced the old chair with this new IKEA model as the back is too narrow for him to sit there. He also climbs along the back of the sofa and sits or lies there. I think this is a sort of terrier trait as the Jack Russel terriers my parents had liked to sit or lie like this, with their legs either side, even when we drove around in the car, they liked to sit on the back of the car seats. I imagine it gives the a good view of what's going on, being short dogs, they can't see out of the window or get a particularly clear view from ground level.

During the evening Alfie was displaying some body language I've never seen before. I was in the bathroom and he followed me upstairs and he was coming up the stairs with his body very low to the ground, looking almost as if he was creeping up he stairs and when he came into the bathroom, again he couldn't get close enough to me. It's as if he'd been frightened and he wanted me to reassure him that I would look after him. When I was in the bathroom, again, he couldn't get near enough.

I must say it makes me somewhat annoyed that this horrible thing, hallowe'en, has to cause distress to not only humans, but also animals. Poppy, our little westie/shitsu, was terrified of fireworks. She would cower under the most convenient piece of furniture or go under our bed. It seems Alfie is just as bad. He barks whenever a firework is let off (incidentally, what on earth is the point of letting them off in daylight??? Surely they're at their best when it's dark. They are part of Guy Fawkes night, not hallowe'en.) It's irresponsible of people to cause so much upset to pets and humans when they just want to be safe and protected. Banging on people's doors and demanding things is not a good thing, regardless of what people might think. The best way to deal with all this is to ignore it.

A bit later

It's 7.45 a.m. I've been busy since I got up. Put washing on and it's now finished and on the airer in the kitchen. That thing is annoying. Just hate having to slot every item of clothing through the bars on this annoying contraption. Just not well designed. I'd far rather hang stuff on the line in the garden, but it'll never dry properly as the weather is a bit unsettled. Anyway, I was sitting and eating my breakfast and Alfie is attempting to sit on my lap. He starts yapping at me, being very insistent, as he can be. He wanted to show me something. I assumed he wanted to be let out into the garden, so I moved towards the patio doors, but no, he took me to where the dog leads are kept, on a hook in the kitchen. He stood and yapped and it was really obvious that we wanted to go for a walk. I had to sort myself out, put on my shoes and then a jumper, as it's quite cold out first thing in the morning. I grabbed the lead and managed to hook it onto his collar and away we went. Alfie yapping at full voice, as is his usual want. We crossed the road and into the park. I saw a man with his dog across the park but Alfie charged off at full tilt, the other dog not knowing what had hit it. They usually don't as Alfie is like a mad thing, running in circles round the dog. The owner didn't mind, thankfully. Alfie just wants to be friends, but the other dog usually stares at him in disbelief. We walked across the wide grass area where there's some climbing equipment and other exercise items. I saw a woman and some children with a large Alsation-type dog in the distance and didn't want Alfie to run towards it as I really don't trust them so we went back across the grass area. This was long and very wet and I got my feet soaked, unfortunately, and meanwhile Alfie charging about like a mad thing. We walked back to the house and Alfie calmed down, I think the walk did us both a power of good. Just shows how much a little dog can do to make you feel better after the trauma of the past few days.