The Heat Is On

Thursday. 3.15 p.m. Okay! Okay!  Today's 'heat' or 'sun' theme for titles of blog posts. Any guesses where this one is from?  Marks out of ten . . .  no conferring . . . Phone a friend? . . . 50/50? . . .Ask the audience?  . . . The answer is 'Miss Saigon.

The payment for the market research I did yesterday has been paid into my bank account via something called Wish, which is similar to PayPal. You set up an account with a password, your email address, and so on, and details of your bank account, and the money is transferred into your account. Very simple and I was impressed by the whole process.

It's extremely hot and sultry at the moment. Thankfully the flat is far cooler since I've had the windows open and the electric fan on. I have made a further batch of scones that are cooling on the work surface in the kitchen as I write this. They look good! They also taste good, because I have eaten one.

Later. Just been watching 'Clarkson's Farm,' a new documentary series about Jeremy Clarkson, he of 'Top Gear' and charging around being crazy in cars and causing mayhem, attempting to get to grips with all things agricultural on his farm near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. He doesn't start off too brilliantly, buys a tractor that is far too big for his needs, has no idea what basic implements he needs to set about cultivating some 40 areas of land so that he can plant the seed for his first crop of corn. He is assisted by a very well-informed and practical young man who knows more than most about farming, 21-year-old Caleb Cooper, more knowledgeable and skilled than most people a couple of decades older. Quite hilarious in places and sad and a real revelation in other places. This is on Amazon, and far exceeds what you would expect on a BBC channel, where it would be vetted for political correctness and certainly doesn't tick all the usual boxes. Beware, though, if you are offended by strong language. It is full of expletives and the odd word that might get your granny upset, or, at least Daily Mail readers. One might ask, why Clarkson didn't get some sort of experience of farming before he set out on this adventure, how much money he has wasted on not only buying the farm but also on equipment and other expenses. Then one also ask, does he succeed and can he make a real living out of it? Obviously, you'll need to watch the rest of the series to find out. Is this likely to be the only series? Be a pity if it doesn't go to enough episodes so we see the journey from complete beginner through to making a real success of it.

11.55 p.m. So, it's hot, and I'm sitting here working on this because I couldn't sleep. I have done washing-up in the kitchen. The recycling is in its bag, tied up and the black bin bag out of the bin in the kitchen is likewise tied up, with a new one in the bin. Both bags are now ready to take out to the bin outside in the yard at the rear of Dexter House. Work surfaces wiped and are spotless, Kettle filled ready for tea and I've had a shave. So, at nearly midnight, it's noisy outside. Some idiot is driving around in a vehicle that must have a broken exhaust, speeding around on Strudwick Drive and probably Oldbrook Boulevard. Just crazy and dangerous. It would only take a mistake and he (or even she) could cause a really nasty accident.

Could it be anything to do with football? There's some football event going on at the moment, the Euros or something. The competition was postponed from last year, due to the pandemic. Some games played at Wembley stadium (I may be right, but it could be elsewhere, but I'm not a football fan and take no notice of what's going on. Anyway, what I want to know is, why are we being told we won't be able to get some of our freedoms after 21st June when this is going on? Also, a probably more important event is the G7 conference in Cornwall, with this taking place in St Ives. Just tell me this, how come this event together with the football, hoe is it they're now telling us (the scientists, not the politicians.) that Freedom Day, the day when lockdown restrictions will be removed, will not happen, probably for another month at least, with politicians of the likes of Joe Biden and goodness know how many of his entourage, which will include security staff, as well as many other world leaders, weren't supposed to travel internationally unless we self isolate and take goodness knows how many tests to show we're not infectious? It all sounds very contradictory to me and seems we're being controlled by people (the scientists,) who have no democratic right to turn the country into a totalitarian state. 

Weather Warning

 (Tuesday morning) There is an urgent weather warning. A yellow, covering most of the country, including Milton Keynes. A real danger of flooding and people told to keep well away from rivers. There  are some people who won't heed the warnings and get themselves into trouble and need rescuing. It's been called Storm Christoph. I know they use names which are in alphabetical order and alternate male and female names.

I had a text message from my doctor's surgery about making an appointment to have the covid vaccine. I rang this morning and it's booked for this Friday at 3.20p.m. Well, at least that will be done. I think we can definitely see a  light at the end of the tunnel with this current pandemic. I'm not suggesting for one moment that we can all go around hugging each other and that life will immediately return to normal, because it's not likely to. For a start, the scientists who have developed these vaccines aren't sure how long they will be effective for and, probably more importantly, whether, once you've had it, will you be able to spread the virus, which is the main problem and basically why we have to have social distancing.

Alfie has recently had the strange habit of sitting on the sofa next to me and staring at me. I hadn't the slightest idea what it's about. I took him out earlier and thought he needed to 'do his thing,' (do I need to explain further? Probably not.) Yes, he did. But when we got back in the flat, this 'staring' business continued. Then I had a lightbulb moment. Possibly he was hungry. Staring at me was his way of trying to communicate with me. So, I gave him one of the meat sachets I use to feed him in the evening. He scoffed it down completely, so that explains the staring at me. Situation resolved and he now seems a good deal happier.

(Wednesday) I didn't wake up until 7.30 this morning. I don't think I've woken so late for goodness knows how long. On taking Alfie out we found it was windy and wet, but not the torrential rain I was expecting. We'll probably get a real downpour later in the day.

(Later) I had to go to Lloyd's Pharmacy in Sainsbury's to pick up a prescription which had been made up for me and got one or two other items at the same time. It was relatively quiet and easy to get in and out including parking the car. As I write this, the wind is blowing half a gale outside (well, it would be worst if it was inside!) They were warning on BBC Breakfast about heavy rainfall in the north of England, particularly in the area of Yorkshire that we had holidays in, the Calder Valley in particular. I feel sorry for the householders who get flooded on a regular basis in that area. I don't expect their insurance companies will pay out if you have repeated flooding. 

(Later) I've been watching the Inauguration of Joe Biden, which had been shown on television. BBC1 had it as well as the BBC News channel. As expected, Donald Trump didn't turn up, although his vice president, Mike Pence, did.  Biden's Vice President, Kamala Harris, the first woman and of colour to become his Vice President also sworn in. 

New Lockdown Restrictions???

 (Tuesday) Not actually sure which day of the week it was. Just goes to show the effect being in lockdown has.

There's the possibility of the measures the government has put in place to slow the virus's transmission might be strengthened. Matt Hancock,  Secretary of State for Health has said it may be necessary for face covering to be required by law when we're outside. But this is crazy, because, surely, viruses are dispersed in the open air. Obviously you need to wear one in enclosed spaces, in supermarkets, for example, but not outside. I don't see the point. I'm not really convinced that they make a lot of difference. As for me, breathing in my own hot breath is unpleasant over a long period. I was in Aldi the other day and I had to wait in a queue at the checkout and I was feeling quite uncomfortable. I think I was liable to pass out, not something I want to do in public. It's just not pleasant. Also, because I wear glasses, they steam up. Also, they make speaking really difficult.

I have been into Sainsbury's to collect the Bisoprolol which was ready for collection from Lloyd's Pharmacy. It's a good time to go grocery shopping because there were very few other shoppers in there. I got a few items which were running out, but I shall do a full shop tomorrow after I get paid.

I'm watching something rather special on the BBC iPlayer (it's also broadcast on BBC1.) It's called 'Staged' and has David Tennant and Michael Sheen in it. They are stuck in lockdown (very current.) and attempting to rehearse a play 'Six Characters In Search of an Author,' by Pirendello. It's what you might call 'meta' meaning it is self referential. These brilliant actors play versions of themselves and at times appear as if they're chatting via something like Zoom. It's very funny (but I warn you because the language can be quite strong. Quite a lot of swear words used, but having worked myself with actors, I know some of them can be a bit raw with their language.) But it's very good and well worth watching. I'm watching the first run of episodes and will eventually get to the second run soon. It's such a simple idea and I only wish I'd had the idea. I have mentioned 'Car Share' on my blog and that's a simple idea and something else I enjoy. It just goes to show that you can create a piece of drama in the most basic of manners and still be quite dramatic or funny.

(Wednesday) I've been back to Sainsbury's to do a proper shop. Enough food for several weeks so I shouldn't have to go out again shopping for a while, except probably to get milk.

It's quite mild this morning, although there was a fog over the city centre as we approached Oldbrook Green.

Later. I'm watching, via YouTube, the American Senate debating the Impeachment of Donald Trump. Last Wednesday there was an assault on the Capitol by a mob of  Trump supporters, attempting to disrupt the legislative process to allow the transition of Donald Trumps presidency to Joe Biden. Absolutely horrifying shots of rioters breaking into the building, the  home of U.S. democracy. Trump  did nothing to condemn the rioters. In fact, he seemed to positively encourage the disruption. He will be the only U.S President to be impeached twice. He will be leaving the White House on 20th January, when Biden is inaugurated as President. The motion of the House is that Trump attempted to an 'Incitement of Insurrection.' As a result of all this, Trump has had his Twitter and Facebook accounts suspended and possibly banned for goodness know how long, possibly permanently. The concern now is that, as America awaits the 20th January Inauguration Day, there is likely to be far more riots and disruption caused by Trump supporters. All this because Trump kept on saying that there was 'election fraud,'and that the Election was 'stolen.'when clearly there was no such thing. More than ever it's clear that the man is delusional and positively dangerous.

So, now Donald Trump is the first U.S. President to be impeached twice. Not a particularly brilliant legacy as he leaves the White House, but he has been whipping up unrest and deserves to be dealt with in this way.