Blow Wind and Crack Your Teeth!

 Sunday. 7.15 a.m. A dark and supposedly calm morning here in Milton Keynes.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

I am continuing with my transfer of writing material to word processing. As I do so, I am making changes to the original handwritten material and developing things as I go.

Tuesday. 8.15 a.m. I am waking up a good deal later than I have in the past. With no Alfie to think about and take out, that may be one reason.

It's wild and windy outside. The storm that is raging is called Bram. I'm not sure where the name originates, but possibly a contraction of Abraham. Answers on a postcard, please.

The digital thermometer currently reads 21ºc.

6.30 p.m. The wind is still raging. There are weather warnings across the country.

I can imagine Lear, out in the middle of all this, with the Fool, shouting at the wind and the rain. It wouldn't make much difference, but I used a quote from King Lear for this blog post.

Wednesday. 10.20a.m. It was bright and sunny earlier. I had been considering going into the shopping centre with my new Osmo Pocket 3, to get some footage, especially the Christmas display, which is always in the Middleton Hall section, near John Lewis. I was somewhat put off because of the roadworks along Secklow Gate, because, to get into the carpark near The Point, you have to make a detour. However, it wasn't as busy as I had expected, due to Christmas, and I managed to park, then pay at the new ticket machine, which allows you to use your contactless bank card. As I walked back to my car to collect the camera, a lady approached me, saying she needed air put in a tyre of her car, so I agreed to help, expecting we would need to go somewhere, such as a petrol station, to use their air machine. But she said she had a foot pump which I used, and soon, after quite a bit of effort, I managed to put sufficient air in the tyre, and I told her she should get the tyre checked and possibly buy a new one. So, having done my Samritan act, I managed to open up my car and set up the camera, which has several parts which need to be connected, before it can be used. I had only recently charged it, and there was enough charge to do some filming. I walked into the shopping centre, but I couldn't get the camera to work in landscape mode, so I had to sit down on a bench and work out how to change the orientation. Eventually, I got it set up properly and walked through the centre. 

I arrived at Middleton Hall, where the Christmas display is located, but found it somewhat disappointing. It's all bright, over-coloured lights, with a railway which runs around the perimeter, along with the usual Santa's grotto. All rather tacky, frankly. Usually, this display has a theme, such as Peter Pan, which is what it was some years ago, with a ship, and models of Captain Hook and Peter Pan. However, it has become boring and unimaginative at present.

I started walking back to the car, and as soon as I got outside, toward where the car was parked, it began to rain, although not particularly heavily.

Into A New Year!

Monday. 1st January. 9.55 a.m. I didn't SEE the New Year exactly, but I definitely HEARD it. Fireworks were going off outside and being set off until the very early morning hours. They should last at most 10-15 minutes after midnight. I have only just got back from taking Alfie out around Oldbrook Green and there were the remains of many fireworks scattered all over the grass. There are several quite prominent notices which have been put up by Campbell Park Parish Council, who administer Oldbrook Green and the surrounding area, stating quite clearly that it is an offence to let off fireworks and that you can be fined quite heavily and even imprisoned for so doing. But some people will never obey such rules. But, saying that, there is really no point in having such rules and regulations if you don't enforce them.

4.15 p.m. If you read these blog posts regularly, and there's every chance that you might have read at least some of the 1,800-odd posts, (and believe me, some of them are very odd,!) you will have discovered that I am a creative sort of individual, writing, theatre, film, animation. I bought myself an iPad with a fair-sized capacity and downloaded an app called 'Procreate' which, with the addition of an Apple Pencil, allows me to do all sorts of art, not just drawing, but painting. But now, the company who developed 'Procreate' has introduced the world to 'Procreate Dreams' which will allow you to do 2D animation on your iPad (incidentally, these two apps will only work on an iPad. I don't think they intend rewriting the software to work on Android tablet computers.) The only problem is, that they never bring out a print manual to help you learn these software packages, so the only thing you have to guide you and discover all that these amazing apps will do is to look at videos on YouTube.

Tuesday. 1.20 p.m. It's a really overcast and dull day. Wet and not pleasant underfoot.

Wednesday. 10.40 a.m. I have been attempting to get through to my doctor's surgery. You aren't supposed to telephone to book an appointment and you are supposed to go online, having set up a username and password and make your booking from the appointments which should be shown there, but, even after all the rigmarole of password and username there were no appointments to book. The medication I'm on has to be reviewed, after three months. I at last got through to a receptionist, and she managed to book me a pharmacist's phone call tomorrow, so I will have to see what that person suggests.

The reason for all this was that the medication I was put on, Mirtzapine, was supposed to be for three months and after that time, I was to have a review, basically, to find out how I was getting on with it. The truth is, they are antidepressants and when I first took them, I felt a bit woozy, to put it mildly. When I was at Chloe's in Worcester, on Saturday afternoon, when we went out for a walk, I felt really awful. Over the next few days, things settled down, but last night I woke at around 4 a.m. and I could not get to sleep. Then, as the morning progressed, I felt more and more drowsy and it was quite pronounced and unpleasant. 

Thursday. 10.05 a.m. I have discovered an organisation called Simply Forward, which has outings and events for my particular age group. I have been sent their application form via email, but now the confounded printer refuses to function! As Victor Meldew would put it so succinctly, 'I don't believe it!'

Friday. 10.15 a.m. My Canon printer has been playing up. So, what's new? It doesn't get used much and sits on it's unit, all ready for when I need it. It's plugged in to the mains, connected via Wi-Fi to my laptop and when I require printing, it's easy enough to set it up. So, yesterday I needed an email printing, so I can join Simply Forward, the group that I discovered via AgeUK. I had the email sent which had the application form and a list of activities they do for a few months ahead. The idea was that I could print this off with my printer as well as the application form. Then, for some stupid reason, I thought it a bright idea to delete some of my emails. Well, they do mount up and it seems a good idea to do a bit of housekeeping sometimes. But I also deleted the email from Simply Forward so I had to text the lady who had sent it in the first place.

The printer would not work properly when I went to attempt to print the email. I kept getting a message on the digital display, telling me that the ink was running out. I thought at this point to buy a new cartridge. Which you will imagine to be a relatively easy process. I looked on the Argos website, which is where the printer had come from originally, but I got a message on there which said 'out of stock.' Then it occurred to me that John Lewis would be a good point of call so I looked on their website and it showed they stocked them. So, on Friday morning I went into the shopping centre and in to John Lewis, but they had none in stock! So the only alternative was Amazon, which had the right cartridges (black and colour, in the same package.) So I ordered it and I couldn't believe it arrived that evening, barely hours since I had ordered it!

Jam Yesterday, Jam Tomorrow, But Never Jam Today

Friday. 1.40 a.m. Yet another case of nothing being able to sleep. Never mind. I can always find something to keep myself busy, such as washing up, tidying the kitchen, sorting out the recycling and tying up the bags to take to the bin room. I did my Bible reading, which is 'Through The Bible In A Year, with Nicky Gumble.' I do this on my iPad. Then I feel hungry, and so I made several pieces of toast and had a really nice Lidl raspberry conserve on it. (Conserve, having a higher percentage of fruit in it than jam.) And far better value than other brands.

10.40 a.m. It's a bit overcast and dull. Where has the sun gone? I can hear the wind, making wind-like noises (!) The sort of whistling, yet not whistling noise. The sort of wind you'd expect in a rather clichéd production of 'Wuthering Heights.' You know what I mean, at least, I imagine you do, with Kathy outside and shouting to be let in, in the middle of a moor somewhere in Yorkshire. Sad, really, but very corny and the acting is somewhat over-the-top. Melodramatic.

2.30 p.m. I was about to take Alfie out at around 1 p.m, only to discover that it was pouring rain, so we only went out fleetingly. As I write this, the wind continues to howl around the building.

Saturday. 5.50 p.m. Where did the rest of the day go? Well, it began early, with me taking Alfie as usual around 5.00 a.m. We didn't do our usual circuit of Oldbrook Green, but I had all the recycling and rubbish bagged up and ready to take out to the bins. Washing up done and the kitchen tidied.

We had our monthly men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning. I thought it started at 8 o'clock, so I was there bright and early. There was nobody else waiting, so I sat in the car, listening to Classic FM, with the overture to 'The Flying Dutchman' blaring out of the car radio. I was listening as I drove up Chaffron Way, and, although I'm not a keen Wagner fan, it was very motivational, so I had to sit and listen to it in the car park outside the Oaktree Centre.  I have to admit, I was wondering if I had the day or the time wrong, but then Richard, who organizes the men's breakfast, arrived, with a load of what looked like bread rolls. The building was locked, so we had to wait for someone to come and open the place up.

A couple arrived to do the cooking of the food. They set up two gas-fired barbecue pans and proceeded to fry sausages and bacon. 

The group began to arrive and it turned out that it wasn't supposed to start at the usual time of 8 o'clock but an hour later at 9, which I didn't know.

We ate our bacon, eggs and sausage and drank tea (or coffee) and then we had a talk from someone who used to be involved with S.C.F., on advanced driving, which was very informative and instructive. 

I was planning to go to the history festival at Milton Keynes Museum directly after the men's breakfast, but, because it concluded later than expected, I decided to leave it until Sunday. As a result, and because I didn't want to be cooped up in the flat all Saturday, I drove into the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre and had a browse and went into John Lewis as I'm looking for a cable which would allow me to link certain peripherals to my iPhone, iPad and MacBook because Apple has changed the ports from lightening to Thunderbolt/USB 4. I didn't find what I was looking for, unfortunately. I may end up going to the Apple Store to find what I want, but, being a Saturday, the store is likely to be very busy, so I decided to leave it for another day.

I walked through the shopping centre and went to Waterstone's and purchased two books, one on 'How To Be a Victorian,' and the other about 'Peterloo.'

Sunday. 12.45 p.m. My goodness! What's going on? The sun is shining and it's really bright. Almost (Note: I said 'almost'!) like spring!

Came out of church early. Miss having my usual cup of tea, so that I could be ready to go to Milton Keynes Museum for the history festival. There were just TWO spare spaces in the church car park! 

My friend Nick (hello Nick, if you're reading this!) was coming over to Milton Keynes from Northampton on the bus so that we could go to the history festival at Milton Keynes Museum. At around 1.30, he texted me to say he was at the centre, so I drove in and he was waiting near The Point. We drove to the museum and managed to park, although the car park was very full and there were few spaces. Luckily I managed to find a place.

Because I had been to the museum some months ago, and paid and kept the ticket, I was able to enter, free. I have a few months left on the card, so I can go again. Today's history festival covered a vast timescale, from around the time of the Romans, the Medieval period right up to the time of the Suffragettes. There was a gladiator fight (quite scary) as well as a knight's battle from the time of the Wars of The Roses. 

We went into the café and had tea. I was ready for a drink, as by now I was thirsty. Then we went into the main museum building, which was the farmhouse, built in C.1840, at the time well before Milton Keynes was built. We learnt about the railway and Wolverton's part in the history of the railway in the mid-19th century.  We saw a display of Victorian music boxes, a pianola and a gadget which displayed photographs stereoscopically, When we emerged from that exhibition it was time to leave. I took Nick back to the bus stop in the city centre and said goodbye. There is to be a Victorian history festival in June, so no doubt I will be attending that and possibly Nick will come over from Northampton.

Monday. 4.05 p.m. I have done all the usual walks with Alfie and when I took him out at around 5.20 a.m. there was broken glass along the path leading to Oldbrook Green, which some delightful person felt it necessary to drop in our path. Fortunately, I avoided it before Alfie got his feet cut and I moved it out of the way. Not just his feet, but it would have punctured the tyres of anyone cycling along that stretch of path.

I went out, alone this time, with the gimbal and noticed a blue tractor cutting the grass, which I haven't seen before. I think it would be a good deal quicker than the usual mowers they use for this job. I got the gimbal set correctly and the results were a good deal better I have got the video to work on my iPad.

Baking Cakes (and the Art of Avoiding Life's Little Frustrations)

Monday. 6.30 a.m. It's Monday, and at 2 o'clock this afternoon there'll be the second Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre. Last week was well attended, not by Shenley Christian Fellowship members, but by several community members who are regular attendees. Plenty of cake and tea. Yesterday, after church, I was asked if I could make cakes for today's session. I have been checking ingredients in my cupboards and setting things up, as I will have to go out and stock up on some ingredients. I will go to Lidl later this morning. I have also printed out a recipe for Victoria sponge cake from Delia Smith's website.

11.00 a.m. I went to Lidl at just after 9 o'clock and stocked up on ingredients as I mentioned above. I really have to organize my kitchen, as there is a definite shortage of space. I had set a lot of it up around 6 o'clock, even before I'd taken Alfie out, but I wasn't going to do the circuit of Oldbrook Green because yesterday I walked at least, 11500 steps and was quite exhausted, but I am attempting to do far more steps. Anyway, as I write, the Victoria Sponge is finished, with raspberry jam as a filling and a sprinkling of icing sugar on top and it's in it's tin, ready to take to the Monday Club just before 2 o'clock. 

Tuesday. 3.05 a.m. Oh, dear! Alfie isn't very well. I thought he needed to go out, so I hurriedly got dressed and we were out on the grass (this was around 10 o'clock last night.) But he didn't do anything, just walking along the grass. We went back indoors and he did a mess. He seems to have the runs. Cleared it up. Not nice. But he'd done another, which I have just cleared up. I have had to change my duvet, due to another accident. I don't know what caused this mishap. I have decided to stay at home and not go to Camphill and sent an email. I feel disappointed, but I really can't leave him on his own all day in the flat.

2.30 p.m. As I have already reported, in above, Alfie hasn't been very well, which meant I didn't go to Camphill this morning, unfortunately. I thought it wasn't such a good idea to leave him on his own. I had a £25 Marks and Spencer voucher to spend, which had been earned from doing online surveys for a company called Maximiles. I wanted to spend it and decided to drive into the Central Shopping Centre. I got to my usual car park in Secklow Gate. I had hoped to pay using the RingoGo app on my iPhone, which I have used on quite a few occasions. It means you don't have to fiddle about with change and use the ticket machines and, if you need extra time to park you don't need to return to your car and can use the app to add your time and pay. But the app wouldn't open and for some unaccountable reason wanted the password to continue. This was somewhat exasperating, so I paid with a £1 coin I had in my pocket for such an eventuality. Having parked and paid I went into the shopping centre, first going to Boots to buy liquid Feroglobin which I have been taking for several months as a supplement. It has 14 minerals and nutrients in it. It's quite difficult to find it on the shelves, and had to ask an assistant to show me where it was. Having paid, I came out into the walkway and went to Nationwide to take out some money from my account and I walked towards NatWest to pay the cash into my account there. This NatWest branch has been there in all the time I have lived in Milton Keynes, but I discovered, much to my disappointment, that it had closed. It was then that I realized that there was a new branch at the other end of the shopping centre, opposite John Lewis and near Middleton Hall.

I crossed over the road from what had been NatWest and re-entered the shopping centre and went into Marks and Spencer, going up on the escalator to the menswear department and bought a set of shortie pyjamas and long pyjama bottoms. Easy and straightforward.

 If you know the shopping centre, you will know it must be a good half mile or so. On arrival outside, I found a machine which would allow me to pay through a slot, provided I used my debit card and my P.I.N. I couldn't get the machine to work, so I went inside the branch. I asked a member of staff whether I could pay the cash into my account via a teller. Yes, upstairs, I was told, although there was a queue. When I arrived upstairs there was indeed a queue, but the cashier/teller wasn't in place. Goodness knows, what was going on? Was it a tea break or something? The queue wasn't moving. I wanted to make a simple payment, that was all. It was at this point I thought to myself 'I'm turning into Victor Meldrew, the character in the sitcom 'One Foot In The Grave', who is constantly being frustrated by life's little upsets and is known for his line 'I don't believe it!'

There were several more ATMs nearby which could be used to pay in cash. I had to ask a bank staff member to help me operate the machine. You can use your card and your P.I.N. and then insert your banknotes through a slot. I then discovered that you can put them in a bundle and don't have to insert the notes individually.

After all the frustrations of A.T.M's and other things, it was time for a break, so I went into Costa on Middleton Hall. The other week I had a really great hot chocolate which had cream and bits of Kit Kat sprinkled on top. But, unfortunately, when I asked at the counter for another, I was told it was a special edition and they no longer sold them. So, I settled for a hot chocolate and cream. Well, why not? The after experiences of the day I think I deserved it.

So, that was my shopping trip! Nothing much else to report here. 

Time and Tide

 Friday. 6.15 a.m. I can't believe Alfie and I were out well before 6 o'clock this morning. The weather seems very settled as I write this.

Saturday. 6.40 a.m. What's going on? Is that all I wrote for yesterday? I usually write far more.

Alfie and I were out at 6 o'clock, and it's been raining overnight. Quite chilly.

3.20 p.m. I have been to meet up with my friend Nick, who I knew from my time living in Bedford (hi Nick, if you're reading this.) He lives in Northampton and comes to Milton Keynes on the bus. I was due to meet him at midday. I drove in and parked in Secklow Gate car park, where I normally park, which is next door to the somewhat dilapidated Point. It's not always easy to find space later on a Saturday. I then walked in and through the shopping centre. It was surprisingly busy. We met outside Starbucks. I ordered an ice-cold cold drink made with oats. Surprisingly good. Also, a cheese and ham toastie. From Starbucks, we walked to John Lewis and went up to the electrical department. We spent time browsing the television sets, some with huge screen sizes, some over 60 inches and costing in the region of £4,000. That size would be far too big for my flat, in fact, such a size screen would probably not fit in. The quality of the picture on these sets is amazing. We looked at Samsung mobiles and then Apple products.

From John Lewis we went to browse in T.K. Maax and then we walked through the shopping centre and eventually went into Costa opposite M and S. I had a rather tasty chocolate drink which was made with bits of Kit Kat and cream on top. Then, into Marks and Spencer's to look at clothes in the menswear department. Nick doesn't like escalators, which take you to the various levels of the store, so went up via the lift. A few quite decent items I may come back and purchase, as I have a voucher coming from doing some online surveys. This should come in the post in the next few days. Then Nick came to the car park as I was leaving and we said our goodbyes and I drove off.

12.45 p.m. If you know me and if you read these blog posts, you will know I am a lover of theatre, I have worked in professional stage management, amongst other things. I have a subscription to National Theatre At Home, which is a streaming service which streams 'live' recordings of plays. I have seen several shows at the South Bank home of the National Theatre and it's probably the leading subsidised theatre company in this country. Amongst the plays I've seen was the 1980's production of Guys and Dolls as well as On The Razzle, which was a play written by Tom Stoppard and based on the play which eventually became the Thornton Wilder play 'The Matchmaker' which then formed the basis for the musical 'Hello Dolly.' (I did 'The Book' for  a production of 'The Matchmaker' when I was D.S.M. at Ipswich Theatre in the mid-1970's. ) But I digress. . .

There are quite a few fantastic shows to stream on NT At Home. 'Treasure Island', a reimagining of the Restoration comedy, 'The Rivals', retitled 'Jack Absolute Flies Again' and set the play in the Second World War. Last night I watched 'All About Eve', which is based on the 1950's film which starred Bette Davis and Anne Baxter. This stage version isn't actually a National Theatre production. It was produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and Fox Stage Productions. I haven't seen the film, but I know about it. I believe it was made into a musical called 'Applause.' This stage version uses 'live' video, so you can see two scenes simultaneously and could see the camera operators. I don't know whether this added anything to the action or whether it was just a gimmick. Just because you can do something, doesn't necessarily mean you have to use it. Like, in films, where they use C.G.I. It doesn't always add anything. In fact, if used too often, it just becomes a distraction. You shouldn't actually be able to notice any special effects.

5.50 p.m. I have now managed to complete the piece of writing which will connect two sections of my writing project, which means I can introduce a new character.

Fun With Tech?

Friday.  9.15 a.m. I always have a problem trying to find a title for each blog post. I sometimes start off with anything which comes to mind, often a song title, and, as the contents of the post reveal themselves, I change it to suit.

It's really sunny and bright as I write this post. I have been out, as usual, with Alfie, and found it was dry. I have an idea it rained in the night. I'm waiting for my washing to dry. Most of it is in the drier and should be done by around 9.35 a.m.

Saturday. 2.00 p.m. Here I am, sitting here in my sitting room (do people ever speak of their 'lounge'? Is it middle class to have a sitting room? Is a lounge what you have in a pub? I don't know. If you're further up the social scale, perhaps you'd refer to a drawing room. Interesting thought. It always made me wonder what a drawing room was for. Not drawing, in the sense of drawing on a piece of paper. It's a contraction of withdrawing, when the upper echelons of society went after they'd had their dinners, the ladies probably went to the drawing room, and the men withdrew to the smoking room to talk about things such as politics without the ladies) 

The weather is more settled today. It's somewhat overcast, a bit dull, no sunshine and there is a bit of a breeze. Considering me almost into December, it's unseasonably mild for the time of year.

I went to Sainsbury's at around 9 o'clock this morning. It was quiet, which is one advantage of going early. I attempt to find a trolley which doesn't have wonky wheels. It surely can't be difficult to keep these vital pieces of equipment running smoothly. Just an occasional spray with WD-40 on each wheel would most likely prevent wobbliness (is that even a word?) Some squeak and others have one or two wheels which refuse to turn, or they bump along when you push them. 

There was only one operator on the manned tills when I came to pay. Why on earth don't they put on more operators, particularly on a Saturday, when there's bound to be more people shopping? It was the same last week when I was in John Lewis's and in the restaurant. Just take staff off other areas. I think they are attempting to wean people off manned tills and onto self-service. The problem is, whenever I use them there is a problem. It always seems to happen, the old thing of 'item unknown' or' 'item in bagging area' or something really strange and unnecessary. They still need someone to be available when there's a problem, as there was this morning. The confounded thing kept going wrong, and I had to have a staff member come and deal with it. I think the machinery is far too sensitive, for whatever reason.

The same situation as I've mentioned before, since they've relocated many items, but I'm beginning to adjust to the new locations of many items I buy. 

10.30 p.m. I've been watching one of the 'extras' on the three-set DVD, 'Lord of The Rings.' It turns out that there is an 'extended' 'Director's Cut' set which has around 30 minutes of material which was excised from the original theatrical version of the films. I want to get this, if it's still available. I have read the novels around four times, probably once every decade since the 1970s and each time I read the books I find something which I didn't notice on previous readings. The Peter Jackson films, which this three-DVD set is directed by, are about as close to what I envisioned the look and feel of the books as you could get and are a remarkable work of sheer genius. It's incredible to think that it's twenty years since the first film was released.

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.

Everything's Coming Up Roses!

Thursday. 12.20 p.m.Whether you believe the words of the title of this post is up to you. The way things are at the moment, regarding the economy, for example, the cost of living 'crisis', the war in Ukraine and other things, it does seem somewhat bleak. So, more like coming up with rotten cabbage stalks, fish entrails or something even worse. Well, let's say probably not roses, how about stink wort, or some of those plants that smell like rotting flesh?  Unwashed socks? Need I go further? I think not, so I'll leave it to your imagination. 

This morning I have been to Camphill, as I have to re-do my disclosure certificate. I had this done when I originally started there back in 2019, but, as I've been away from Camphill for so long (I forget when that was exactly, but it must be around two years, although I did go there for one day a few months ago, but it was the fact that I needed to wear a face mask and have various tests done because of the pandemic that I haven't been since.) I need to have three pieces of ID for the disclosure, for example, a passport (which I don't have.), a bank statement showing three months-worth of activity, photo ID, such as a driving licence and a birth certificate. I had a copy of my birth certificate, but I can't find it, although I must have had it fairly recently because I had to upload a photocopy to a site I signed up to, so I have re-ordered a new copy, which will hopefully be delivered within a week or so. As regards the bank statement, I thought I could order one through the Nationwide website, but, after searching I could not find any link to do this, so I went into the branch in the Milton Keynes shopping centre and I had a copy printed out which serves just as well as a statement which would come in the post. 

After all that, I went into John Lewis to look at a Sony digital camera I would like, which can be used to make videos. I was somewhat surprised at the size of this model, tiny, compared with the Canon digital camera I already have, but this one has all the up-to-date features, with a screen on which you can view what you are filming and swivels around so you can see yourself when filming and so keep yourself in a frame. It is also WIFI and Bluetooth enabled, meaning you can upload your photos and videos without the need for cables.

From John Lewis I went to Costa which has a branch on Middleton Hall and had a latte and cheese and ham toastie. In the Middleton Hall space, a large stage was being set up for a fashion show, with the sort of arrangement of lights which you would see for a pop concert or somewhere like Glastonbury. A large metal frame arrangement, which is used to hang lighting and a large digital screen which seem to be a feature of many such events.

New MacBook

Wednesday. 1.35 p.m. I now have a brand new MacBook Pro. Completely paid for and up and running successfully. In fact, this blog post is being written on that laptop. I had an email from Milton Keynes Council last Tuesday, telling me to ring and speak to a lady in what is called the Income Department. On Wednesday I did just that, and it appeared I was owed a credit, I'm not quite sure what for, but I hadn't been paid whatever it was. I gave my bank details (and thinking about it later I began to wonder if I had been wise to do such a thing, considering how spams work and how easy it would be for a criminal to extract money from your bank account.) It was a sizeable amount, so my first thought was 'good gracious! It means I can buy a brand-new laptop!' This, as I've mentioned before in these blog posts, is because my MacBook Air has come to the end of its working life. I can't upgrade the operating system, and it's become very slow and difficult. I still wasn't sure whether it was real or not, so I kept looking at the balance on my Nationwide account. Yesterday (Tuesday) I went online, and the money was in the account. So, I did some research online regarding MacBooks and eventually went on the John Lewis website and ordered a new model, more powerful than the old model, and this morning I got an email telling me it was ready to collect. So, I went in and collected it, via the John Lewis customer collection department. I had to migrate data from the old MacBook to the new one, which took a couple of hours, which means virtually all my files are on this new one. It was a really simple and easy process, and I'm surprised how well it went. There are one or two websites that I visit regularly which need their passwords put in, but apart from that, everything went well, fortunately.

I am currently watching my box set of the sitcom 'Allo, 'Allo.  I have had it sitting on my bookshelf for the past couple of years. I watched the first episode, but I haven't watched any of the other episodes. I have watched the occasional episode,  when they were shown on various channels over the years, but never from the beginning and in chronological order. I have never seen any of the first series. I have a connection to it, as I did walk-on work on the second season, spending around a week in 1985, when exterior scenes were filmed around Norfolk and on the outdoor set which was constructed in a courtyard at  Lynford Hall, which is now a hotel. The BBC created the courtyard to become the village square and the exterior of Rene's cafe.

Thursday. 12.10 p.m. It's surprisingly warm and sunny. You could almost say 'spring-like' if you were so inclined. I suppose so, but we're in early January.

I have ordered what is called an 'over-bed' table from Amazon. Not that it will be used 'over-bed.' It should allow me to sit in my armchair and write on my MacBook Pro as well as use it to eat my meals. I don't have a dining table, so it should make life somewhat easier. It's due to be delivered sometime today, well, at least before 10 p.m.

The best bit of news is that more of the covid pandemic restrictions are to be lifted after 26th January. Including not having to wear muzzles, oh er! I mean face coverings. We're supposed to wear the wretched things when shopping, but for me, it's made more difficult because my glasses keep steaming up. You can't communicate properly with them on, almost impossible to have a decent conversation with someone and virtually impossible to 'read' a person's face. So, it's excellent news. Let's just hope that this is the end of the confounded pandemic, or at least, near enough. I might well mean we have to live with the virus and not keep being locked down. 

4.35 p.m. The over the bed table has arrived. Usually, when I get a delivery, the van driver will call me on the intercom from the front door of Dexter House, but this time someone in the front office telephoned me to tell me I had a delivery. Which meant I had to go down and pick up the package. It doesn't really matter, but you would think a delivery driver would have some sort of idea how to contact the recipient of a parcel. Now to construct the table. I'll let you know how I get on, but surely it can't be too difficult to put together. I trust it has instructions within the package and they're easy to read and there are no pieces missing.

6.20 p.m. The table is built! It wasn't as difficult as I was expecting. The worst part is screwing the various pieces together with an Allan key (I think that is the correct name.) You can never always manage to turn the screw through a complete turn, but do it in small increments. Lots of packaging, polystyrene and plastic bags which contain the various screws and tiny bits. The secret I find when working on these self-build bits of furniture (or 'flat pack if it's IKEA or the old MFI furniture. By the way, whatever happened to MFI?) is to put these pieces in a box or plastic container so they don't get lost. As I say, the thing is built and ideal for taking the MacBook so I can work.

It's Raining!, It's Pouring!

 Saturday. 7.45 a.m. I had a fairly good idea that it was raining this morning and I could see clearly that it was when I looked out of the kitchen window around 6.15. I made sure that I was well dressed for such weather conditions and so I put on my bright yellow raincoat. Alfie has his rain jacket on as we went out into Strudwick Drive. We weren't out more than a minute because no sooner had Alfie had done his wee on the grass than he took us back inside in the dry. You can't blame him really, but as I've said before, he doesn't like getting wet!

Later. 2.15 p.m. I was due to meet up with Nick in the Central Shopping centre at midday. I couldn't drive in as my car is inoperative at the moment, as you would know if you follow my posts regularly. Even though it was raining (and it still is as I write.) I decided to walk as it's no more than a 20-30 minute hike, crossing Oldbrook Green and then through to Avebury Boulevard and then a short walk into the central shopping centre. I noticed as I walked past,  Debenham's unit is to be taken over by Next (Debenhams went into administration a few months ago.) I was wondering what would happen to that unit when they moved out. Now I know. Also, the former House of Fraser unit is now something to do with Harrods, I think it looks like beauty products they sell, having seen as I walked past.

I had to find somewhere to sit. The management of the shopping centre has seen fit to remove virtually all of the seating within the centre to comply with government social distancing regulations because of the pandemic. What seating there is, is extremely limited. I managed to find a place to rest and sent Nick a text to let him know I was near Specsavers. Then a couple came to sit down, the husband was disabled so I let him have my place. I had to find another seat so moved along the centre. Nick appeared and we went to get take out food and coffee from Costa near Marks and Spencer's. We could have ordered using the Costa app which would have probably meant we needn't have to queue. As it was there was a queue outside so we had to wait to get in.

We managed to find a spot to have our coffee, me sitting on one of the vacant seats and nick on the wall nearby. Then we walked to John Lewis. It was surprising how few people there were inside and no queuing outside but I used the hand gel which was provided at the entrance.

By the time we walked back along the shopping centre, it was time for me to walk home. Nick remained a bit longer and then caught his bus back to Northampton. 

Sunday. As the car was inoperative, it meant I couldn't drive to church, so I watched the live feed via Facebook. For some technical reason, the video was somewhat jerky, but the audio was fine.

Monday. 6.55 a.m. A mild morning. Not a great deal happening at the moment and I don't really expect there to be. Slight rain and Alfie didn't intend to stay out any longer than necessary.

Later. I rang Bleakhall Motors after 8 o'clock but the mechanic who was back yesterday won't be back till later today. I'll ring again at 2 o'clock and hopefully, someone will come out and fix the problem. The batter needs testing to check that it isn't something else that is wrong with the electrics, but I still maintain that it's the battery that has failed, not charging so a new one will require installing.

I had a telephone call from one of the doctors at Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre. I was expecting it to be at around 10 a.m. but the call came at 9.30. I have to have a blood test, which is arranged for next Monday, this time to check my kidney function. One of my medications will be dropped as it is responsible for my dry throat and causing the horrible cough I get. No problem with that. I must say, telephone consultations with my doctor is easier via telephone because you don't have to worry about parking or even driving to the surgery.

3.10 p.m. I was expecting to have to telephone Bleak Hall Motors around 2 o'clock, but at 1.45 they actually rang me to say their mechanic was waiting outside, so I rushed downstairs and the mechanic was there with his van. We tried to start the car and he told me it was the battery that was the cause of why the car wasn't starting. He had two replacement batteries in the van. I chose the cheaper one but was surprised at the cost, but there's no point in having a car if you start worrying about running costs and repairs. It was soon fitted and the car run for a while. I later rang Bleak Hall Motors and paid using my bank card and that was that. Another problem solved.

Tuesday at Camphill

I went to Camphill as usual on Tuesday. I leave to drive there a good deal earlier in an attempt to avoid the traffic, which can get really busy at around 8.30a.m. Regardless of this, it can still be extremely busy. Crossing the roundabout where Chaffron Way crosses Marlborough Street as well as Brickhill Street crossing Childs Way and finally Portway, can be really hairy. It's a matter of just being a good deal more aggressive and go for it when the road is clear, but it's not pleasant and a build-up of traffic which can tail back a long way. The journey should take no more than 10 minutes, but at that early hour it can take a good 45 minutes.

Lot of people missing today. Co-workers as well as residents. I had to read in for those who were missing, although it was only a line rehearsal. Then we were sorting out costumes for the actors. We had to go under the stage and into the costume store and bring up rails of the costumes, some of which had carrier bags attached which had hand props and bits and pieces which made up the various costumes. But when we got to the door of the costume store the keys would not unlock the door so we spent a great deal of time trying various keys but still the door would not unlock. It took at least 20 minutes before we were able to find the correct key and then take the rail of costumes up into the theatre.

We have now been told that the final drama workshop session before the Christmas break will be on 17th December. A group who use the Chrysalis Theatre,  Phoenix Rising, will be coming to see what will be, in essence, a dress rehearsal of 'Stranger Danger.'

I've been asked if I would like to work on a Monday with the singing workshop. It would be good to have an additional day's volunteer work. When I went to the Willen Hospice coffee morning in John Lewis I sat with the group that are newly bereaved and separate from the larger group I usually sit with. I spoke to one of the volunteer ladies and we were talking and I mentioned my interest in Shakespeare and she said, had I ever considered being a volunteer at the Shakespeare Globe, the reconstructed theatre on the Southbank of the Thames? I had never even thought of it. She was a volunteer there and said I might be good at that sort of thing. You have to go for an interview and it's not about your knowledge of Shakespeare that would want, more your ability to engage with the public, being a  friendly face that the audience members would see when they visited. I'm not sure I want to go all the way into London (you get your train fare reimbursed, apparently.) And it's likely to be a long day and coming home at night would put me off, crossing London on the Underground and the fact it's noisy, dirty, and generally unpleasant so it might not appeal to me in that respect, even though I would love to be involved.

Waitrose Café, Service Slipping

I should have had a pension payment in my bank account this weekend. I have a fairly good idea when it should be paid, working backwards from the last payment by going on-line to my Nationwide account and it should be paid every four weeks. But I had checked on Friday and nothing and then Saturday, so I had to have a final look this morning, fairly early, before I took Alfie out for his walk. But, again, nothing. This has caused some stress, as you can imagine, what with bills to pay and the added stress of clearing out this house so I can move to the flat. Fortunately I have managed to save sufficient money in a savings account with Metro, which was intended for he purpose of buying a Yorkshire Terrier puppy which would eventually replace Alfie, not that I see him popping his clogs for a couple of years, hopefully. Also, I needed to have sufficient funds in my other account which is with NatWest and I knew I would have to cover that with a transfer from the Metro bank, but the account is only operational by taking your cash into a branch and having them transfer money from one to another in branch. Annoying that I have to do this, but there is no alternative and thinking about it, the rent payment will be the last to the landlord of this house before I vacate the property.

After church I came home to pick up the bank details necessary to do the transfer as describe above and then to drive to Oakgrove, a relatively short drive down Chaffron Way where there was a branch of the Metro Bank, fortunately open on a Sunday (one of the advantage of being with this bank is they open when the customer needs them and not necessarily to fit round their staff, which is how any business should be run. It's surprising how busy it gets there, what with cars coming into the carpark, which is down quite a steep incline and you have to be careful as you get to the bottom of the slope as there are barriers in the way which I imagine are there for just this purpose. Also, the Metro Bank was ram-raided some months ago and they've put bollards in front of the unit which I imagine are to prevent, or at least deter, further ram-raiding. Whether they would stop this sort of criminal activity is doubtful, because if criminals are determined enough they will just smash the wall of a building and then use whatever it takes to remove the A.T.M. (hole in the wall machine.) with a fork-lift truck or whatever. Anyway, once parked I walked to the bank and the business was done. They recognise me apparently because as soon as you give your details, there is a digital photograph of me on their computer screen to prove my identity. All done and dusted and then a walk along the pavement to Waitrose and a snack in their café. I ordered a hot chocolate with marshmallows, cream and sprinkles for a change from the standard latte as well as a cheese and ham toastie and something rather tasty called a 'Yum-Yum. Is this confection named after a character in the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, 'The Mikado'? I have no idea, but it's worth a try speculating.

I seem to have stood in he queue for some time before a member of staff took my order. It wasn't that busy and when I eventually got my drink and Yum Yum I had handed over the cold ham and cheese toastie to the girl behind the counter for it to be heated, and then took my tray, together with the number 12 which was put on a stand, which would be placed on my table so when the toastie was ready the member of staff who bought it out would find me. I sat at the far end of the café and waited for the toastie to arrive. I drank what was a really lovely hot chocolate (with all the trimmings) and waited  . . . and waited . . . and waited, what seemed forever. It must have been 20 minutes later . . . that I went to the counter to tell the girl on the till that I hadn't yet received my toastie and said, under my breath, but someone must have heard me, that I would knock three stars off my Trip Advisor review when I wrote it (actually not done as I write this.) I returned to my table and waited . . . and waited. The toastie eventually arrived, by which time I had more or less lost interest in eating it, although I did eat it and then the rather delicious toastie. Then a member of staff arrived, and asked me if I would like a drink? I said, 'provided I didn't have to pay,' and I got a bottled apple juice, which I drank and it was tasty. I think this was offered as a sort of apology for the length of time I had waited. Waitrose, if they're going to have the café open on a Sunday, should sort the issue of staff, because there are obviously not enough to cover for the amount of customers they have on a Sunday. It can't be too difficult to recruit staff, or is it? Are some people just not going to lower themselves to do catering work, and on a Sunday? But that's not an excuse. They needed at least two more staff members behind the counter, one on the till, probably one making hot drinks and another, taking orders from customers further back in the queue if it's busy. That's how they seem to run the ship if you go to other similar eating establishments, such as Starbucks or Costa, so why not here at Waitrose? They have a good reputation and the food and drink is good, if a bit pricey, but that's what you expect in a John Lewis or Waitrose store. This business has quite a good reputation for service and quality, but this won't do it a lot of good. They will loose customers because as soon as such things a service slips people go elsewhere and it takes a long time to build that reputation back up again.

Technology Troubles

The Fitbit, which I've mentioned in these blog posts, has failed. It wouldn't charge. I have rung the helpline and run through some things that might have been causing it not to charge, like cleaning the contacts which take the charge on the charging station, but still nothing. I have been given a special number which I shall take with me when I go to John Lewis in Milton Keynes, which is where it came from, and they should give me a replacement or I can have a refund, which I don't want. I have to say, as this brand is supposed to be a leader in this type of technology, that I'm more than a little bit disappointed. It may do more things than the cheap model (not a Fitbit) and purchased through Amazon, lasted a good deal longer, even though the strap broke. I expect these things to last a lot longer than a week. Just have to wait and see when I return it.

I had to get to Ashfield Medical Centre for 10 o'clock because my appointment with Doctor Haye was scheduled for then. I needn't' have bothered to get there so early, because 10 o'clock came and went and I still wasn't called by 10.15 so I went to the receptionist and told her that I was still waiting. I think some people spend the 10 minutes, (which I believe is the average time your doctor's appointment is supposed to be.) spend far too long talking and don't think that there are other people waiting. I may be wrong, but I'm not one to over-spend my time with my doctor.) It was around 10.30 when my name came up on the digital screen. I have been re-prescribed diazepam, but the doctor is trying to get me off them because they can become addictive. I did manage to get through last night without taking the one I have left. He wants me to take them alternate nights, or at least, every third night, so I will take one tonight (the one which is left.) I had attempted to take the tablet a good deal later, around 10, rather than earlier, usually around 8. But I am still waking in the early hours of the morning. I have just seven in the current course so I'll have to wait and see what happens with them this time. I was out of his office within around 3 minutes, annoying as I don't get a chance to discuss anything with him. Perhaps that's because I now have the Integrated Community Team to call on if necessary. As I walked back along the corridor on my way out, I noticed they had their names on a door and there is a social worker in the team.

I could have taken the prescription to Cox and Robinson, the pharmacy a couple of doors along from the Ashfield Medical Centre, but because I was going into the centre of Milton Keynes to take the Fitbit back to John Lewis I thought I might go into Boots. Having driven in and parked near The Point, I walked into the shopping centre. In Boots there was a long queue at the pharmacy, so I didn't bother waiting and then walked through the shopping centre. I headed for Central Barbers, right next to John Lewis to get my hair cut. Jade cut my hair, the young lady who goes to Shenley Christian Centre. There was a really odd conversation going on as I was having my hair cut, begun by another of the hair stylists, about horses. I think he knew what he was talking about, but it was somewhat surreal, a bit like a Monty Python sketch, or from a play by N.F.Simpson. Really strange, but nonetheless, fascinating. I only wish I'd had a tape recorder, because it was something that would make the basis for a piece of writing.

I went into John Lewis and made my way up to the electronics department, which is one floor below the restaurant where we meet for the Willen coffee mornings on a Monday. I took the Fitbit in it's packaging. along with the code which I'd been given by the helpline when I'd rung yesterday and explained to the assistant at the counter what was wrong, the fact that it wouldn't charge. He plugged in the charging gadget and put the Fitbit into this and, lo and behold! It showed it was charging! I don't know what's wrong with it, or, indeed, whether it was actually faulty. It might have been that I hadn't put the thing in the charger gadget correctly, with the three contacts touching the contacts on the charger. Makes you wonder. It isn't entirely clear when the thing is set correctly.

Coming out of John Lewis and walking across Middleton Hall (correction: I couldn't actually walk across Middleton Hall because workmen are currently dismantling the summer attraction, which had at the heart of it a beach with sand. I saw them scooping it up the other day, and had wondered how on earth they would deal with its removal. There was a collection of those heavy-duty builder's bags scattered across the floor, so I imagine someone has the unenviable task of actually scooping it up with a shovel, into these bags, which are then loaded on to a lorry, probably taken outside the shopping centre on fork lift trucks.) I saw a display which turned out to show the proposed redevelopment of the former Food Centre. The old Sainsbury's unit has been empty for years. This is where the Age UK office is, and when I was in there several months ago, a couple of the volunteer ladies were discussing this proposed redevelopment and I was wondering where Age UK was going to transfer to once they start moving out and the demolition work begins. I had a good look at the designs, a mixture of commercial buildings with shops and offices. The multi-storey carpark is to remain and there are to be several storeys to some of the buildings, which seems to go against the original concept for Milton Keynes when it was originally proposed in the late 1960s, buildings weren't supposed to be much higher than the average tree, probably no more than three storeys. I had a chat with a lady who made notes of my suggestions, one of them being that there should be a concert hall included (not that it's likely to be built.) but that's the whole point of a consultation.

I went to Sainsbury's, because I had the diazepam prescription and I had asked at reception if the other repeat prescriptions had gone to Lloyd's pharmacy in Sainsbury's and they had apparently, so  drove there after my trip into town and I had a bight to eat in the café whilst I was there.

Having done my shopping and gone through the checkout, I had to go down to the carpark on the travelator, the moving walk-way or whatever you prefer to call it. Anyway, the moving slope which allows you to be whisked down to the carpark levels. It can be rather a bumpy ride. Something must be wrong with the mechanism, because part-way down you sort of lurch forward. This time it stopped dead, about three-quarters of the way down. I couldn't budge the trolley, try as I might to push it. What was I to do? Some kind man came and helped, but lifting the front of the trolley the remaining few yards of the, by now, stationary walk-way. The wheels of your trolley lock into grooves in the surface I imagine to keep it steady as you move down. I'm not sure whether they manage to get this moving once I'd left the carpark, but it was somewhat comical to say the least. But  not all this technology can be expected to work according to plan, the amount of work it gets, probably running for quite a few hours continuously when the store is open.

Then I drove home, unpacked the few bits I had bought and then put the Fitbit on charge. This time it seemed to charge without a problem. I have to say it's not easy to know exactly whether it's charging. With some items when on charge, such as the bluetooth speaker I have, you know it's charging because it has a red light that glows, the same with the Canon digital camera battery, the charger has a light that is red for discharged and green for charged. With the Fitbit it has no indication of whether it's actually taking the charge, but as I write this, it's on my wrist and working.

The bird feeding station is extra-busy at the moment. I have managed to keep it topped up with food, usually peanuts, but unfortunately it seems that the local squirrels seem to think it's a free-for-all for their use and the little blue tits (I imagine that's what they are, but perhaps I should do a more accurate identification.) come and around 6-8 of them are constantly feeding. I think perhaps I should get a disc which fits around the stand of the feeding station and prevents squirrels climbing up. Amazing that they can do this, but I really don't want them to.

At the end of all this, I had a problem of another sort. I have mentioned that I can no longer order my repeat prescriptions by merely ringing Lloyd's pharmacy in Sainsbury's and giving them the list of items required to be ordered, and then they contact Ashfield Medical Centre and it's all done electronically. But some bright spark, some bureaucrat within the N.H.S. has decided that this is inefficient use of their resources and that we now have to order direct from our doctor's surgery. We can take our order to the surgery and fill in the required order form and the repeat prescription will be signed off by the doctor and then sent electronically to our pharmacy (as was the case originally.) But, if you have access to the internet, you can order on-line, provided you set up an account (and this is through the surgery website.) I already had an account set up but needed to have a new password (you have a username and then put in the password when prompted.) But I have attempted to do this several times, having been given a fresh password by reception at Ashfield, but on each occasion it will come up when it doesn't work with 'unrecognised' or 'wrong password and username.' Let's be honest, it just doesn't want to work and no amount of resetting will allow it to work, adding further to the frustration. So, I beg the question, why do they have to change something which was working perfectly well??? What is the benefit of all this? Words fail me. I certainly don't trust this new set-up and wish they'd left it well alone. Not a happy bunny when I just want to make sure my meds don't run out.

World War 2 Weekend At Milton Keynes Museum

The weather is playing tricks at the moment. It started off this morning fairly chilly, so I decided on wearing my Regatta jacket, but as the day drew on the sun made an appearance and by the time I drove into the centre of Milton Keynes it was a good deal warmer. I had to get bank statements from the Nationwide and NatWest because of my application for a sheltered housing place. I had to spend most of Saturday morning searching for the tenancy agreement, which was rather a tiresome job but it came to light, fortunately.

I've never visited Milton Keynes Museum before. I went to the special event held over the weekend, the theme being World War 2, presumably because this year is the 80th anniversary of the start. A lot of stalls laid out with period merchandise as well as people in the uniforms of various military units, army, navy and R.A.F. At midday there was a fly-past, I'm not entirely sure what planes they were, but nonetheless it was quite exciting to see them and I managed to take a couple of photographs of them as I'd taken my Canon digital camera with me. In one of the sheds, the one that has agricultural machinery in it, there was a demonstration of war-time dance, presumably the jitterbug or something similar. Really good stuff. The whole place was heaving, when I arrived there was a queue to get in and when I left, there was still a queue.

I have now bought a FitBit. I had a cheap version of one of these, bought off Amazon. It was alright, up to a point, it measured the number of steps I took and connected to my iPhone via Bluetooth and it meant I had a running record of the distance I had walked through another app which came with the iPhone, but the strap broke recently. More precisely, the buckle came apart so it wouldn't join together when worn on my wrist. I did an on-line survey and was part of a forum for the Times and Sunday Times and I was paid with a £50 John Lewis voucher. I had originally intended using it to buy a food processor, but thinking about it I decided that I wasn't going to get much use out of it and that it would probably spend a lot of it's time in the cupboard, and when I went into John Lewis the other day I had a look at FitBits, and then went into the food mixer department and looked at the food processors and decided that a FitBit was more useful. I had to make up the price difference with my own cash and it was purchased. I had to upload the FitBit app on my iPhone to get the thing working as you have to upload the relevant software, but I couldn't get it to cooperate, so I rang the helpline and the lovely lady on the other end of the phone (surprised when it turned out she was in America, when she said 'Pacific Time.') and then managed to get the thing to upload the software and it was working within minutes.

On Tuesday I went to Camphill as usual. I can't believe it's six  months since I started volunteering there. The drama group are so lovely. They always ask me how I am and usually want to know how Alfie is and they know about Arthur, my third grandson. I show them photos of them both on my iPhone. Regardless of their disabilities, they always try their best in the drama workshop. It's quite moving when you come to think that some of them can't read, so Teo, the leader, has devised a method by which they can use a sign to suggest certain words and the dialogue is written in verse so it's easier to learn. We are still rehearsing the complete 'piece' which means more or less taking it to pieces and re-assembling it with the transitions between scenes. It shows them how different it is to making the video, where you stop and start, film from different angles and do re-takes to get the best take before the whole is assembled in the edit. The idea is that all the actors are sitting in a sort of arc around the stage and then enter for their particular scene. There are a couple of screens either side of the playing area which can be used for costume changes.

Teo has asked me if I'd be interested in working with several of the other volunteers to created a new drama piece. It's just that I haven't been involved with 'Stranger Danger' since it's beginnings (something like four years in the making, apparently.) and he thinks it would focus my abilities elsewhere if I get involved in creating a new piece of theatre. This will be separate from the 'Treasure Island' project, which we haven't worked on for several weeks.

As we've gone through the play, one of the volunteers has been taking notes, which will show all the new details, such as scene changes, rather like my job when I was a D.S.M. and had to note all the moves, scene changes, setting of props etc during rehearsals when I worked in stage management. Putting it directly into the spreadsheet software of the script (actually it makes so much sense, even though it would never occur to me to write a script using spreadsheet software, because you have several columns which allows for stage directions, or notes such as what goes where and who does what.) I have to say the two girls who are volunteers really throw everything they've got into the work with the drama workshop and are just so brilliant to work with.

In the afternoon, during the run-through of 'Stranger Danger' (which is really developing well. A lot more comedy is coming out and several of the volunteers and support staff are being involved, although none have speaking parts. Some help with scene changes, setting and striking props etc etc.) we had a visitor. I'm not entirely sure if I got his name right, but he was a runner-up in the ITV talent show 'The X Factor.' I can't remember his name. But he and his wife, who is American, run a business which helps with promotion for businesses such as theatre, and they say that they can help create a website for the Chrysalis Theatre and love how Camphill is run, the ethos behind it and the calm and friendly atmosphere. They were impressed by 'Stranger Danger' and the message it conveys.  Once they'd seen the rehearsal, coming in towards the end and then we ran it from 'The Top' so they saw the complete 'piece,' there was a question and answer session with the guys, and it was great for them to meet someone who they're likely to have seen in 'The X Factor' on television. Sorry I can't remember his name, but when I remember or I discover what it is, I'll post it on here.

Changeable Weather

From being excessively hot, to rain and then humid, it's a really blustery day. I had intended washing

the bedding and stripped the bed and put on new duvet cover, bottom sheet and pillow cases and put the whole lot in the washing machine, with the idea of putting it all out on the washing line to dry, but it looked vaguely as if we were in for a downpour so, change of plan, the sheet has been folded and put over the bannister rail and the duvet is drying over one of the clothes racks. Not ideal, but it's the only way to dry clothes when it's so undecided. Alfie thinks it's some sort of game when I'm attempting to put the duvet on. He can't understand what I'm up to.

On Saturday I went to the writing group which meets in Starbucks in the shopping centre. I got there and found it really busy, with a long queue at the corner. I ordered a cold drink and a cheese and hame toastier and then sat near the entrance, having absolutely no idea who was going to turn up. Nobody I could see looked in the least bit as if they could be writers. How would I know, without going round asking? Would they be carrying notepads? Manuscripts in folders? Until someone came up to me and asked me, and a young lady who appears to be the leader of the group, and we went to one of the tables outside in the mall as it was far easier to talk, because it was so noisy within the actual Starbucks store.

(Monday) I went to the Willen coffee morning at John Lewis and sat with a different group with whom I haven't chatted before. I have been given a telephone number of a bereavement counselling service which I've not come across before, so when I got home I rang and left a message and later I got a call-back from their secretary. They have a drop in run by volunteers, but then I got a call back from Willen Hospice, and told them that I had got two nurses coming from the new N.H.S. service, which I've already mentioned in an earlier post on here, so I will wait until after they've visited me on Wednesday afternoon before setting up any further counselling. The woman at the Milton Keynes Bereavement Counselling Service said they couldn't help because they have such a long waiting list of people but that I could go in to the drop-in if I was feeling I needed to chat. I will wait and see what happens after the Wednesday visit.

I ordered printer ink cartridges on Amazon. Mid morning I got a knock on the door and flew downstairs to answer was it was quite aggressive. I was expecting it to be another of those door-to-door salespeople trying to flog energy, gas and electricity, but as I got there, the door was opened and a parcel was thrust in without waiting for me to answer. This is not the way for Amazon drivers/deliverers to complete a delivery. I opened the door to confront this young man and said he should put the parcel in the meter cupboard and definitely not just open the door! He was apologetic, but still, not acceptable because Alfie could have got out and I know what he's like if he gets out. He could get run over. In this instance, fortunately I was able to get to the door before he got out, although he did bark.

(Tuesday) Camphill as usual. The traffic going is again calmer than usual. I can't believe most of it would normally be school traffic, parents taking their offspring to drop off at the school gates. Is that correct? Anyway, it's not as busy as it would be during a school day. None of those impatient idiots tailgating me all the way. What is it with some people?

We did a line-run of 'Stranger Danger.' Apparently the residents had a training day with the Police yesterday and they were shown the video of 'Stranger Danger,' and they were impressed by it. The training was on safety, keeping safe on-line and more or less the same as the material provided in 'Stranger Danger.'

Teo wanted to rehearse 'Stranger Danger' as if it was a proper performance. Up until now it has been rehearsed in 'bits,' the separate scenes not linked together. It was something like a technical rehearsal, as I remember when I worked in rep, where the whole play is taken apart, once the set is constructed and the lighting and sound cues 'topped and tailed,' where the play is run, but then stage management is allowed to try out scene changes and the sound and lighting cues put in. It also gives the actors a chance to get used to the set, using props, making entrances and so on. This is something like what we did today, with the actors sitting on stools around the stage (but in this instance it was set up in the theatre in the space where the seating would have been (the Chrysalis Theatre has seating which can be folded back into the back wall of the auditorium in a very ingenious arrangement, and when needed, drawn out on a motorised mechanism. Quite amazing to see it in operation for the first time.) It meant that new movements of the actors could be tried out and how and when pieces of furniture such as tables and chairs could be set and 'struck,' which is where support staff come in handy, me being one of them.

(Wednesday) The weather has changed yet again. I did a load of washing (boring and mundane, I know) and was considering whether to put it out on the washing line. I'm glad I didn't and it's now on both drink racks.

I've now got two bits of writing posted on the WhatsApp creative writing group and I've had a few comments. So, it seems worth all the effort has at last paid off and after waiting to find a creative writing group the results look good. I'm reading other member's work and they look good too. It's certainly a boost to my morale to have this to work at.

Road Works

A couple of days ago I noticed a couple of men walking along Golden Drive, spraying marks on the road surface. It has been in a fairly poor condition for some while, great chasms along the centre. I think the roads around here, particularly those within each grid square, were really cheaply constructed, looking like they were laid in sections, with a sort of seam where the two sections of tarmac meet and they have gradually shrunk apart, leaving a sort of crack, so when it rains, these rifts or cracks fill up with water and then, in the winter, when there's frost and snow, when it then freezes, the expansion of the ice breaks the road up further. This has been the case quite clearly at the entrance from Saxon Street, which has since been patched up in a rather cheap method which was also used along the road near my house. Now the Council is coming back to do a far better job, using the more traditional method of using a pneumatic drill to dig out the old tarmac and then the workmen shovel in tarmac in the hole and then use a road roller or one of those machines that 'bounces' (for want of a better word.) to press down the tarmac. I'm not so sure they don't put down a layer or rubble or grit before they put in the tarmac. But a notice was put up a couple of days ago to warn motorists that the work was about to commence. Today being the day when the work would be done. I went out to Sainsbury's just after 9 o'clock this morning and had forgotten about this work and the possibility that I wouldn't be able to get back in to my parking space in front of the house. I saw the 'Road Closed' sign but ignored it, because I wanted to get back home with my shopping fairly sharpish as there were some items which needed to go in the freezer before they thawed. There was no work being carried out and this didn't start in ernest until well past the time I got back home. As I write, I can see out of the window where they workmen have filled in some of th holes with tarmac, but it now looks a bit patchy. I know this is a cheap job and we should be grateful for any repairs, but it would shortly have been better to completely remove the surface of the road and replace it completely, but perhaps that's expecting far too much. Be thankful for small mercies, as someone or other said.

I wanted to get a doctor's appointment. I just need to chat to my doctor about the medication I've been on and whether they are actually working. Just having 10 because diazepam is a controlled medication and you can only be prescribed that many may be in my best interests, but it's annoying to have to keep ringing to get a repeat. It didn't take long to get through this time and when I did get to speak to a receptionist I was told that, Doctor Haye, wouldn't be available to speak to until Wednesday.

I then rang Willen Hospice. I eventually spoke to a lady and said that I thought I needed further cerement counselling and she said that it might be a couple of days before they could set something up. I told her I had been going to the coffee mornings in John Lewis restaurant and then she said that it was herself who had set up the extra coffee morning in the John Lewis Express Bar, because there are so many people who need care and support who have a connection to Willen. Now I just have to wait until they ring me to set up this counselling session.

(Friday) I woke this morning to what I thought was the sound of rain, and it wasn't until I stuck my head out of the bedroom window that I realised that it was indeed raining. So Alfie was somewhat disappointed that he didn't get his routine walk around Eaglestone Park. But I don't fancy having him soaked to the skin and myself soaked, so it will have to wait until the rain either eases off or the stops completely. It was quite muggy yesterday evening, so the rain has eased the temperature considerably.

(Friday) I had a telephone call this morning from a lady who works for the N.H.S. It would appear that someone at  Ashfield Medical Centre has passed on my details to a new service which hopes to be able to support people in my situation, not only with bereavement counselling, but who has health issues such as mine. This sounds the sort of service that I could benefit from. She said that they could come out and visit me at home, two of them, one being a nurse, and could give me contacts of organisations which might possibly give me support. So they are visiting me on Wednesday next week to have a chat and see how they can help. So, this is making me feel a good deal more relaxed about things in general. All this since I met Doctor Ben when I went to see Danny on Ward 22 last week. He has a remarkable way with patients and Carol always got on with him very well. Some doctors might have the head knowledge and be good at their job, but then there are those who don't know how to deal with patients, particularly when it's something like cancer. He certainly had a knack of being able to understand the emotional side of what was, in effect, a terminal illness. It's thanks to him last Friday that I will now get the help and support I need.

Later I went to the Oaktree Centre to have something for lunch in the recently reopened cafe, nothing spectacular, just a cheese and salad sandwich and a latte, which was really excellent. I sat and spoke to John and Margaret, the couple who so kindly drove me to Worcester the other week to enable me to see my newest grandson. My N.H.S. manual handling training came in handy when I had to help with a wheelchair-bound lady who was stuck in the disabled toilet. No lifting of your service-user or client (depending on where you are working, to use the correct terminology.) but we were able to extricate the lady and all very successfully achieved.

History Festival and Changeable Weather

At last! Some sunshine. The big question, is it going to last?

Saturday morning. It's quite bright and sunny this morning. I managed to take Alfie out for his early morning walk. I just hope it's going to last as I don't want to be sitting around indoors all weekend.

I'd planned to go to the history festival which is on this weekend in Campbell Park. Actually very little advertising for this event which is surprising. I only knew because it's come up in my feed on Facebook, I think through Milton Keynes Museum, who are partners for the event. I knew it started at 11 a.m. and that I didn't want to get there too early. I think they realise that on a Saturday a lot of people don't get up early, so there's no practical point in opening up too early, so it makes sense to open a bit later, 11 o'clock being sensible. I drove in and parked where I parked when I went to see Les Miz the other week. I have an app on my mobile called Ring Go, which I've used on quite a few occasions. It saves having to have coins to pay when you park. I hadn't got any change so I was relying on it working. But when I got to my parking space, right behind the theatre, I couldn't get the app to work. It has been upgraded recently and there was no way it was going to work. It annoyed me because I'd made the effort to come into the centre of Milton Keynes specifically to visit the history festival. So I had to drive all the way back to Eaglestone and went to the shop, bought some sweets and paid with a £10 note and got change and then drove back and used some of the change to pay to park. I have to say I'm not impressed that the Ring Go app has failed. It seems a familiar problem, they have to upgrade these things, tamper with it. They work well enough but not after the upgrade.

I walked into the centre and then through towards Campbell Park. I crossed the main road via one of the footbridges but I should have used the one closer to John Lewis, but it didn't make a lot of difference. I could hear a man's voice on a Tannoy system, describing some event at the history festival site. As I approached I could see tents, flags and banners which gave a sort of fairground or even a sort of battle feel to the site and eventually came out in the midst to the enactor's tents and stalls, various periods  being presented by people in costume. In the centre of it all an arena for enactors to represent battles and other period displays, from Roman times up until the 20th century.

I stopped at one of the food outlets (for want of a better word) to have a coffee frappé. I really needed a drink by the time I trudge over from the carpark. It was quite a treck. Then down some steps into the amphitheatre area where there were tents with displays from a variety of organisations such as the National Trust, Stowe House Preservation Trust, Buckingham Old Gaol Museum and many others. I spent quite some time chatting to a variety of people on these stalls.

The next day, Sunday, I returned to the history festival after Church. I took my camera and managed to take a few photographs of the Sealed Knot doing a demonstration of the tactics used during the English Civil War. I posted several of them on Facebook. Unfortunately the weather changed. From being fairly bright and sunny it began to cloud over, so it was at that point I decided to leave and walk back to the car because I didn't want to get caught in a downpour.

No Milk Today!

I got up as I usually do. Got dressed, went downstairs and was about to make breakfast. Just cereal in a bowl with a mug of tea. Got the milk out of the fridge. Began to pour it on my cereal and out came what looked like yoghurt! It had obviously gone off, so the cereal went in the bin. I couldn't have anything to eat until the local shop opened, which is around 7 o'clock. I took Alfie for his usual walk around Eaglestone Park. He didn't see a squirrel leaping across the grass. It looked very humorous. Alfie barking as usual, but the fact that he's so low to the ground might explain why he didn't see the squirrel. Probably just as well, because otherwise he'd have been off, chasing it and I wouldn't know where he was likely to end up.

Another bright and sunny day. I have been into the centre again and to the coffee morning at John Lewis. A really lovely friendly bunch of people who make me feel very welcome. The counselling lady from Willen came to talk to us. There is a second group starting up in the Express Bar, which I didn't know existed, which is made up of newly-bereaved people. It would appear that the main group is mostly people whose partners passed away a fairly long time ago. So, in effect, I should be with the other group, but since I've been part of that group I think I shall remain with them. I think the idea is to spread the group out a bit because there will be some 30 or so in both groups and there isn't really enough room where we meet and it gets quite noisy in there, not that it's a problem. It's great to have the support of a group of people who've been through the same thing as me at Willen Hospice.

From John Lewis I walked to Marks and Spencer as I have a short-sleeved shirt to collect which has been on order since Friday. It's a really nice 'Limited Edition' shirt made of cotton and Modal (not entirely sure what that is, but presumably a sort of fibre.) and with the 20% discount with my Sparks card, ideal for wearing with the new short I bought a few months ago.

I've got to find two details for my profile for one of the casting agencies. My hat and glove sizes. I used to know these, but have forgotten. It's quite important if you are doing walk-on/Supporting Artiste work to have all relevant measurements, such as waist, inside leg, hat, glove etc etc. I went to the men's department in Marks and Spencer and a lady measured my head and I got the measurement in inches but as they don't stock gloves in the summer they couldn't do my hand. Never mind. I had a brainwave. I would go back to the men's department in John Lewis.

On Thursday last, as mentioned in a previous blog post, I went to the Milton Keynes Theatre to see 'Les Miserables.' I did actually buy a programme and had it with me for the duration of the performance, but I must have dropped it at the end of the performance when there was a standing ovation. I was somewhat annoyed with myself that I didn't have it when I got home and this morning I was determined to walk to the theatre and ask if I could buy another. When I got there I had intended to ask at the box office, but there was quite a queue of people, no doubt attempting to buy returns for the few performances left this week. But then a lady came out of the box office to talk to a lady and when she had finished I told her I had seen the show but lost my programme. She went back to the office and returned with a programme. I asked how I could pay and she said I didn't need to, which was a real surprise but at least I can now read it and keep it as a souvenir of the show I love so much.

Haircut and Heat

A strange sort of subject-line for a blog post, you may ask, but, wherever possible, I attempt to use alliteration. It just makes it that bit more memorable and it's fun to try and find words that fit what I am attempting to write.

On Saturday morning I went to get my hair cut at Essential Barbers in the main Milton Keynes shopping centre. There is method in my madness (a sort of quote from 'Hamlet,' actually not spoken by Hamlet, but by Polonius, but I digress.) I am attempting to get back into television walk-on work and I have already signed up to two on-line agencies. I have uploaded some fairly out of date photographs of myself but need more up to date ones and my friend John in Bedford as agreed to take some for me, and I'm going over to Bedford on Wednesday morning to get them done. I need specifically a full-length photograph done for one agency, done against a white background if possible. I think it's so that if all those on the site have the same sort of 'look' they will look far more professional. So, I wanted to look neat and tidy, so a haircut was in order.

I arrived at a little after 9 o'clock and the shop was open and I didn't have to wait long to be sitting in he chair having my hair cut. I always like to be outside waiting but there was no need to this time. They open half an hour earlier than during the week.

Monday morning. Alfie is such a funny little dog. He spends a lot of time on the sofa. It's where Carol spent so much time, laying on the sofa when she couldn't sit comfortably when the cancer was at its worst. I begin to wonder whether Alfie is under the impression that as she lay there, often with him by her side, that she will come back. He doesn't come upstairs at night to sleep on my bed. He sometimes comes up at some point, but doesn't always stay with me. He often goes into the kitchen where his bed is, in the corner near the sliding patio doors. Perhaps that is safe and very snug for him. No draughts and he can hide away. He seems to quite like his own space. As I write this he's on the sofa next to me, staring at me, as if I'm about to do something spectacular. He's also snoring. But he doesn't like one particular cushion that usually lives on the sofa. He will look at me with a certain amount of surprise, expecting me to remove it, but he will often push it off with his nose. Don't ask me why he doesn't like it. Just amusing watching him with it.Perhaps it just takes up space or something. I'm still not sure what it is.

Later. It is actually quite warm today, so the title of this blog post is appropriate. I've been in to John Lewis's restaurant for the Willen coffee morning, a lovely group of people and really supportive and helpful. I have been downstairs to the electrical department looking at Canon digital cameras. I would like to upgrade to a more modern model. They  now have new features, such as connecting to your printer and laptop via wi-fi and Bluetooth, remote control and the use of an app on your iPhone to control the camera as well as a swivel viewing screen which enables you to view what you are photographing from a different angel. The remote might be handy if you want to get shots without being too obvious, such as setting the camera up on a tripod, say, out in the garden, with the camera focussed on the bird feeder. You could then trigger the shutter remotely without disturbing the birds. Or for taking self portraits. You could turn the screen round so you could see the pose and set the frame up accordingly and then trigger the shutter with the remote control.

Hair Cut

It's been quite cold today. I was surprised by how cold it actually was when I stepped out of the front door with Alfie on his lead at about 6.35 this morning. Quite a layer of ice of the car's windscreen. I made sure I was well and truly wrapped up with my gloves on my hands. Alfie couldn't care less, so long as he got a good run and a sniff around all the trees and lamp posts .

I'm currently cleaning the house. Not the most exciting or stimulating of tasks, but it has to be done. It had been allowed to let slip when Carol was diagnosed and I really wasn't in any mood to don rubber gloves and scour the bath or scrub floors. As a result the kitchen floor had become quite dirty so I decided to give it a mop. It's easy enough the end near the sink, but the rest of what is actually a kitchen/diner, needed things such as a table, drying frame, chairs, stools and so on, moving out so that the floor underneath could be mopped. I did the sink end yesterday and then, around 8.30 this morning, began to move the items from the patio-door end into the other end so that I could give the floor a good mop. I left the sliding patio doors open to allow the air to dry the floor and had to keep Alfie corralled in the lounge as I didn't want little paw marks all over my nice clean floor. A squirt of Sainsbury's best floor cleaning product, with a hint of lemon in it (actually about half the price of Flash, virtually the same product and a little bit further along the shelf when I went to buy more a little later.) and the job's done. Amazingly hard work slinging a mop about, but worth the effort when I see how clean the floor is now.

Items now replaced in their original places and I'm about to leave the house for the centre of Milton Keynes to go and get my hair cut at Central Barbers, which has recently moved from the food centre to the main shopping centre next to John Lewis.

Really quite cold as I park the car near The Point. I now have an app on my iPhone, RingGo, which allows me to pay for parking. It means I don't have to bother with coins and it reminds me when my parking time is about to run out and I can pay if I want to increase my parking time. Quite handy if you don't carry loads of coins with you or you forget.

I walk through the shopping centre and arrive outside Central Barbers, near John Lewis. It's around 9.20 and this means I will have to wait 10 minutes as they don't open until 9.30. I'm sitting looking at my iPhone and then an alar goes off. I think it was the test of a fire alarm, but I'm not sure where it's going off. I think it's within Central Barbers shop. I can see the staff inside, and a couple of them have their hands tightly clasped over their ears. I'm sure the alarm-test is going on too long. It makes me laugh when these things go off, not just fire alarms, when people take totally no notice of them, they don't attempt to stop the alarm or go to whoever is in need of an alarm. Just a waste of time.

Colourful and eye-catching signpost near Milton Keynes Theatre. No excuses to loosing your way around Milton Keynes.

Having finished at Central Barbers, I decided I wanted to see what had been happening at the art gallery near Milton Keynes Theatre (they could have come up with a better name for the theatre, surely. Not very original. Are they ever likely to come up with something more memorable?) It's not a long walk, but when I got there, I discovered that it didn't open until 11a.m., so it was a bit of a waste of my time so I decided that I'd go back into the shopping centre and plan to visit the art gallery on a day and at a time when it's open.