Flat Tyre

 Sunday 23rd August 9.25 a.m. Did I mention the car had a flat tyre? I don't think I did. All the rushing about when my bankcard was frozen, and then having to drive into the shopping centre to get money out at the Nationwide branch and then drive to Sainsbury's. It was when I drew up at a set of traffic lights on the way, that some kind driver pointed out the flat tyre, that I realized that something had to be done, and quickly, such as, find a tyre replacement service, which could come out to Dexter House and put a new tyre on the car and, hopefully, not cost the earth. In all of nearly 60 years of driving, I think this must be only the second, or possibly the third, flat tyre I have actually had, so I can't complain. Well, I suppose I can, but I won't. There was no way I could drive the car with a flat tyre,because it would have been dangerous and the hub of the wheel might have been bent out of shape as a result.

Anyway, to cut a fairly long story short, I found a company through the internet, who could come out and take the old, flat, tyre off the car and replace it with a new one. Luckily I found the small box containing the nuts which allowed the old tyre to be removed, otherwise the job could not be done, but, fortunately I found them in the car and the job was completed and the whole thing done.

Monday. 24th August. 8.30 a.m. On Saturday I thought, for a change, I would go to Aldi and do a bit of shopping. It then occurred to me that Curry's was just along the parade of units, I could go in there and enquire about external hard drives for my MacBook, because I am keen to get all my written material,in particular the plays, put onto some form of drive, as an insurance policy against something happening to the laptop and all that hard work being lost forever. I have now got a tiny memory stick which shows up on the desktop of the Macbook. So, I now have some of the material saved to the stick, although it is so tiny I am more concerned about how tiny it is and how easy it will be to loose that, rather than the contents!!

I had developed a really unpleasant rash, in a rather private place. It had become red raw and was beginning to sting. The solution to this rash was to get a doctor's appointment and, hopefully, the doctor could prescribe something to help it heal. I filled out the on-line triage form, because you aren't supposed to ring the surgery for an appointment, unless it is for something serious, which this isn't. I completed the form and posted it. Then an hour and a half later,  I got an email, telling me there were no available slots for appointments, but if necessary, go to the Urgent Care Centre, at Milton Keynes University Hospital. Well, being told that made my blood run cold, because experience told me that I might be there for several hours before being seen. Also, I have memories of taking Carol there after she was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which weren't good. But, after some consideration of the matter, I plucked up the courage and drove there. Fortunately, the waiting room wasn't as busy as it was last time I was in there and, on arrival I had to answer a few questions and then I sat in the waiting area. It wssn'tlong before a doctor called me into one of the rooms, to be asked a few mor questions and to show him the rash and be told I would be given a prescription, one for some cream to put on the rash and some antibiotics.

Once I had the prescription, I took it to the nearest chemist I could think of, in Netherfield. The only problem was, that, just as I arrived at this chemist's, it was turning 1 p.m., and the pharmacist had gone for their lunch, and it wouldn't be possible to get the prescription made up until 2 p.m., because a pharmasist had to be present, by law, in order to administer the drugs on the prescription. So, I drove back to Dexter House to have some lunch and then make my way back to the chemist after 2 p.m. to collect the prescription. So, this is precisely what I did and when I eventually got back to Dexter House, I took the first dose of the medication.

Happy New Year!

Thursday. 9.00 a.m. I haven't written any posts for the past few days, as you will have realized if you read them regularly. There has been little to report, so there is no point in writing.  

I went into the central shopping centre yesterday, more to escape Dexter House than anything else. I bought a Rugby shirt in the Marks and Spencer sale. I do like their shirts, not just Rugbys, but also polos, of which I have quite a few. They are quite expensive, but they last through many washes, so in the end, they are worth every penny.

I have ordered a new iPad. I have been considering upgrading my current iPad, which is somewhat basic. I want to be able to do painting and drawing, using an app called Procreate. It is somewhat confusing when you start on the journey of buying these devices, as there are so many in the Apple range I went into the Apple Store in Midsummer Place and asked a staff member what was the minimum requirement for drawing and painting with Procreate, and using an Apple Pencil. I have now ordered an iPad Pro from Very, and it should be delivered within the next week, and I don't expect it to turn up this side of the New Year bank holiday. I can't wait to have it and to start experimenting with its various features. I can get the old iPad recycled and should get a price for it in much the same way I did for my old MacBook.

I washed Alfie's bed yesterday. It went into one of the machines in the laundry room. Fortunately, I took out the padding, which zips out. If I hadn't, all that padding would have come apart in the machine and might have caused problems. I was wondering if the bed would come out any cleaner, and, it did. It's so much cleaner. I'm really pleased with the result.

2.00 p.m. It's actually quite bright and sunny, but it's really deceptive, because, once I went out with Alfie, I found it was windy and chilly.

Friday. 7.40 a.m. It's cold, dark and somewhat dreary windy out, but I took out Alfie a bit earlier than usual, the main reason being that I need to load up the washing machine and I like to have it done around 7.50. 

Saturday. 3.10 a.m. Here I am again, wide awake and writing this blog post. I have been looking through emails and found one from Royal Mail, telling me the iPad I ordered is on its way. Lovely. The only trouble is, there have been strikes by the Communications Union and my parcel is probably stuck in a sorting office somewhere or other. Okay, these people have a right to strike, but I'm concerned that my parcel is in danger of being damaged. I'm hoping it's likely to be delivered to me today and not held up too long.

12.40 p.m. I had a further email from Royal Mail, informing me that the parcel from Very, containing the iPad, would be delivered sometime today. There was no indication of what sort of time to expect it, not even a window of, say, an hour or two, so I can't go out, as the parcel has to be signed for.

New Year's Day. Sunday. 12.15 p.m.  So, another year begins. 

There have been fireworks being let off yesterday evening, starting around two hours before midnight. It was more like bombs going off, quite loud and disruptive. I imagined it was in and around the open space of Oldbrook Green. I couldn't understand the sense because it wasn't like an organized firework display, just a couple of quite spectacular displays of rockets going up over Milton Keynes, which I could see from my kitchen windows. Then it went on for a further hour and a half after midnight. 

I went out with Alfie as usual around 7.30 a.m. and we walked around Oldbrook Green I was shocked by the debris left by those setting on fireworks, as mentioned above. No attempt to clear up after themselves and boxes of rubbish were left by a couple of the bins around the green. I would have been only decent of those responsible to clear up after the fireworks were let off. It does say, on the signboard on Oldbrook Green, that you aren't supposed to let off fireworks in and around the area, although who will prevent you, such as the police. Those responsible for the fireworks would have been better off giving the money they had spent to charity.

I have now set up the new iPad. I had a few issues getting the Apple Pencil to connect to the iPad, but with just a bit of effort, it connected and I have tried it out, quite successfully and will have to spend time experimenting with Procreate. I bought a manual for its use on Amazon, and I can use that to take me through the various functions. I will post how I get on with it on here, so look out for more on how I get on.

Quite a traumatic time at church this morning. There had been problems in the servery area of the cafe, as there had been flooding from the water boiler, which had been the case on Christmas Day, so it wasn't clear whether there would be tea or coffee to serve after the service, although it got resolved. Then, the lady who was due to lead and do preach wasn't able to get to church as her car broke down and had to wait for Green flag, the rescue service, to arrive. She had to sit in her car in a lay-by near Crownhill, and wait for Green Flag, so someone stepped in at short notice, but you wouldn't have known it.

One Fine Day

 Friday. 6.55 a.m. It's definitely a good deal colder this morning when I took Alfie out.

I think I have sorted out the problem I had regarding the mystery sound that has been keeping me awake at night. It occurred to me yesterday to put notes through the doors of the neighbouring flats along the corridor where I live in Dexter House. I wrote the polite (stressing polite and respect.) that the tenant who had whatever it was on (ie: radio, television or whatever.) would please turn the volume done so I couldn't hear it. This note was created on my MacBook and printed and then posted through around six of the flat doors. As I put them through each door, I discovered how difficult it was to actually push the notes through, with the new letterboxes with a metal flap inside and a sort of brush. I think it must make the job of the postman difficult or at least, time-consuming, to make sure any mail that is delivered has to be pushed right through. As I mentioned, it would appear that my note has made a difference I didn't hear anything extraneous in the night and I slept far better. In fact, I didn't wake up until around 6.10 am which might explain the difference between having that background noise and not having it.

10.05 a.m. I wasn't intending to mention too much of the death of H.M. Queen, but seeing the incredible queue of people who are going to file past her coffin in Westminster Hall for her Lying In State, I really couldn't ignore it. The queue stretches for around four miles along the banks of the River Thames and at the end nearest the hall, they have set up a snake system which is often used at theme parks and other attractions, in the park right next to The Houses of Parliament. This has been shown on BBC Breakfast this morning and one of the reporters has been interviewing people to give a flavour of the atmosphere and discover more about why people were there. A truly amazing sight. This morning they had to pause the queue for six hours and told people not to come to and queue until it moves. The affection for Her Majesty seems overwhelming. So, who says the British don't care for the monarchy? Or, for that matter, the admiration for Her Majesty and what she has achieved during her record-breaking seventy-year reign.

10.37 a.m. I have continued with my writing. I had given it a break for quite a while because it is possible to just get bogged down with writing too intensively.

1.45 p.m. According to the BBC website, the queue for people paying their respects to H.M. Queen lying in State in Westminster Hall stretches around five miles, as far as Southwark Park.  I have no idea how many people that would be, but certainly quite a few. 

February Fun

 I have to have a blog post title that's alliterative.  It adds to the fun, if my blog can ever be fun. I expect there's someone out there in cyber space who finds it funny. 

It's almost a year since the pandemic began. How much longer is it likely to continue? Scientists are saying that the Oxford vaccine prevents the virus being spread to other people. I just hope this is right, because it would mean we can get back to some sort of normal.

Alfie was staring at me. I was doing some work on my MacBook. It was quite obvious what he was trying to tell me: take me out, so I just gave in and we went out, through the side door into Strudwick Drive. We can't go out through the main entrance today because workmen are removing asbestos in the area around the office and main entrance. I have a key to get back in, although it can be somewhat difficult. I think the door needs a spray of WD-40 or light oil. So we walk along the pavement towards Oldbrook Green. We meet one of our regulars, man with the odd-faced dog, which makes me think of the dog that chases Tom and Jerry in the cartoons. It's got sticky-out teeth and looks a bit gormless. Not sure what breed it is, but it always looks at me as if expecting to get a treat, but I have none on me. Alfie barks and tries to make friends, but this dog just stares at him, making absolutely no sound. Alfie is miles ahead in the intelligence stakes in my opinion. This dog is SO ugly, poor thing, it can't help it I suppose.

We walk on around Oldbrook Green and then get to the point where we have to cross over Oldbrook Boulevard on our way back to Dexter House, and I see a low loader with a van going past. It has on the back a van with 'Hotpoint repairs' written on it, and it makes me think, how ironic, the Hotpoint repair van . . . now needs repairing! Just my sense of humour. You have an appointment to have your washing machine repaired and then the man who comes out to visit to do the work can't get the van started for whatever reason and it needs repairing.

I attempt to reenter Dexter House with the key, but the lick is being difficult, but after some effort I manage to get it to open the door, but as soon as I enter my ears are assaulted by the fire alarm. It's not clear whether it's a test or for real. No smoke or fumes comes out of any of the flats. I go into my flat, but the sound of the alarm is far too loud and Alfie barks. He really doesn't like loud noises, and neither do I. I come out and stand in the corridor and eventually the alarm stops. Something of nothing it would seem.

I go out with Alfie around 2.15 this afternoon and have just got outside onto the pavement when I hear a voice behind me and this individual comes right up behind me on one of those electric scooters which are seen all around Milton Keynes. It makes me virtually jump out of my skin as you can never hear them coming. I'm not sure they're such a good idea as they're left all around the place when they've been finished with and the fact that you can't hear them coming might be dangerous for those whose eyesore is bad or even their hearing. They shouldn't be ridden on the road because they're an accident waiting to happen.

The business of Alfie has been resolved. I should have known, of course. He's hungry! How stupid of me to not realise? No sooner had I put his food out in his bowl, he gobbled it down really fast. Now he's stopped staring at me. You would have thought I would have cottoned on a bit sooner. But he doesn't usually have his food until a lot later.

(Thursday) A mild but foggy morning when I took Alfie out for his walk at 7.20.

Chris Witty, the scientist who guides the government on the pandemic, has now stated that the worst of the pandemic has reached its peak. But such things as social distancing and all the other regulations may need to remain for the foreseeable future. 

Another Fun-Filled Week!

Do you sense a certain amount of irony in the title I chose for this blog post? Well, probably. As I put finger to keypad, or keyboard or whatever you want to call it, it's Sunday morning, 9.37. I went out with Alfie as usual. Quite nippy, and I assume there had been a sharp frost in the night. Walking along the pavement leading to Oldbrook Green, there is the usual patch of water. I can't think where it comes from. I reckon it's a leak from somewhere or other. Further down I nearly slipped over as there's a layer of ice, but you have to watch where you put your feet and I really don't fancy falling over. I will have to be more careful.

I  have being doing some more writing! Horray! I have just been lazy recently and really, honestly, I have had no excuse to NOT get on with any of it. Having a story arc or at least a set of notes which I follow, it's relatively easy. Just needed the inspiration to merely GET ON WITH IT! I'm a little surprised how things develop, once I get going. It needs heavy editing, but at least I'm working on it. It's not until I actually get writing that I find it often goes off in an entirely new direction and even new characters turn up and they can take things off in another direction. A bit like when you are on a car journey and you suddenly have to take a different route, probably because you might get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle and turn off the main road because it's probably quicker and as a result you discover something you wouldn't otherwise have come across, taking you into unexplored territory.

Another project of mine is to record stuff to upload onto Soundcloud. I'm using Garageband, the sound and music suite on my MacBook. I'll be honest and just say that I haven't really looked at this bit of kit and the MacBook is well over five years old. I can do most things on my laptop, but never really considered using this. I think digital recording is yet another area that's new to me. I have worked with reel-to-reel tape in the past and, as part of my job when I worked in stage management, I had to put together sound tapes for the plays I worked on and used reel-to-reel tape recorders (this was some 45 years ago, so digital wasn't around then. Recording wot digital is an entirely different ball game, no physical tape and it's far more sophisticated. The recently purchased microphone is now coming into its own. I is semi-professional and of fairly good quality and gives as good a result as I could have hoped.

(Monday)  A new month begins. It's the 1st of February.  The roll-out of the covid vaccine continues. Let's hope that it means that things can get back to some sort of normal, if that's possible. I really hope so. 

It's a mild morning. Thank goodness there's no ice to slip on as we walk along the pavement towards Oldbrook Green. But there is a fog, which hangs over the centre of Milton Keynes which you can see from Oldbrook Green. 

(Tuesday) Bedford Hospital is in the news because Sir Tom Moore, the amazing gentleman who did all that walking in the garden of his home for his 100th birthday and raised something like £30 million for NHS charities, has been admitted to hospital with coronavirus. This is where I was in May 2006 when I had my first heart attack. 

A mild morning.

(Wednesday) Sad to learn that Sir Tom has died of coronavirus. Make me a little bit cross that he had to die from the virus. Something wrong with the care he must have been given. But he has left an amazing legacy. A truly lovely man.

Positives Of Lockdown

This pandemic we're currently experiencing, because of the coronavirus pandemic may be extremely difficult for some, having to be isolated from friends and family and other people, but for me it means I can get on with some of my writing. I have done more in recent days than I think I would do in a month or more. I have written several A4 pages in pencil and I'm gradually transferring it onto my MacBook. But now, with the iPad, it's possible to dictate what I've written and not touch the keyboard. It has taken a while for it to accept my voice and come up with the correct word, for example, character names. It is going a good deal faster than if I had used the manual keyboard and because of having iCloud, all the documents can be edited on all devices, which includes my iPhone, an advantage of having all Apple gadgets. Being a writer is, generally, a somewhat lonely occupation. It can't fail to be. You need to be on your own, so that you can concentrate on your writing. I expect there are other creative occupations that require you to be alone, for example, poets, painters and musical composers (of different disciplines, either orchestral, popular or theatrical). If you have other people sapping your concentration then it would be virtually impossible to do any work.

A positive to all this, well, at least one, is that we're given the chance of seeing much theatre, free, on-line. So much has been broadcast 'live' in cinemas, the National Theatre has done this through 'National Theatre Live' but with the current pandemic, and theatres being closed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, many of these productions are being streamed on-line through YouTube. I watched 'One Man Two Guvnors,' which jump-started James Corden's acting career. Really brilliant production and really laugh-out-loud stuff. Other productions are to follow, with 'Jane Eyre' and their version of 'Treasure Island' to follow. That looks to me (from seeing clips on YouTube) as if it's going to be worth seeing because it utilises the more or less unique drum revolve in the stage of the Olivier Theatre (too complicated to explain what it is on here.) and the set and general staging looks amazing. This should be worth seeing for me because we're working on a version of Robert Louis Stevenson's novel at Camphill, as part of the drama workshop (currently closed because of the pandemic.) I'm researching pantomime as part of something I'm writing, so it has been useful to find a lot of stuff on YouTube, entire productions of recent pantomimes, performed all around Britain, and a good way to see how different productions vary, the style of acting, performance generally as well as stagings and design, costume and so on. Some very good but some just not up to much. If you were to visit these productions you would need to travel miles around the country, as well as the cost of tickets, so to be able to watch completely free is a real bonus, but, obviously, a recording can't entirely replace the 'live' aspect of a pantomime, which relies very heavily on the audience participation. Live theatre, whether a straight play or an audience-driven pantomime, does need the live aspect otherwise it might just as well just be a film or a video, which can't be the same at all.

When I worked in stage management many moons ago (well, the 1970's) I worked on a number of pantomimes. Really hard work, doing probably 3 performances in a day, usually 10.30, 2.30 and 7.30, extremely exhausting, hauling scenery about, and just generally keeping the thing going, with very little time for a break between performance, probably having to get the actors sandwiches or other food between shows and then, having to re-set the set and props in time for the next performance. I'm not actually a fan of pantomime, because I find most are corny, cliched and just downright awful. I think I prefer something a bit less predictable and I don't really go in for the audience participation stuff. You know, 'it's behind you! Oh yes it is, oh no it isn't,' and all that. But that is part of the pantomime tradition and I suppose it's what audiences expect. I prefer a proper musical. Then they have to cast with television soap stars or 'celebrities' which are cast merely to attract the public who would never otherwise set foot in a theatre. A pity, when there is such a wealth of good theatre out there. Generally a child's first experience of any form of theatre.

(Tuesday) I'm really missing my Tuesdays at Camphill with the drama workshop guys. I know things will get back to some sort of normal once this pandemic is either under control or completely done with, but my time there was a definite focus for my week.

It's been cold when we've been out first thing in the morning. I had started wearing my shorts as it has been relatively warm up until two days ago, but I have gone back to wearing my fleece when I go out with Alfie.

I ordered some meds I have on repeat prescription, by going on line on Sunday when I realised I was running very low. In fact, I ran out that evening so it was vital to have a supply because I'm not going without when I really need them and I'm not keen to find out what happens if I stop taking them for a long period. So, I was rather surprised to get a text message yesterday to say the meds were ready to collect. This morning I somewhat reluctantly went to Sainsbury's to pick them up. I learnt from Friday's foray into Sainsbury when I got there before 7 o'clock, which is when the store is supposed to open, but due to the lockdown, they are allowing N.H.S. staff and other front-line staff to have priority. So I went at a little bit after 8 o'clock and the queue was moving relatively quickly so I got into the store, picked up the repeat prescription and then got some essential items of food and made a quick get-away, even managing to use one of their self-service tills without to much effort.

More Social Distancing

I needed to go on line early this morning to check my bank account. For some reason, best know to myself, I was under the impression that my pension would be in the account this Wednesday, but I was more than surprised and pleased to see it was already there, having gone in last Wednesday. I am also pleased with myself that I manage to have a balance from the previous month, which is really a result of very careful management of my finances. So, as a result of all this I hurriedly put together a shopping list, which is part of my financial management. I try to never to shopping unless I have sat down and written a list, which is to help prevent me buying unnecessary items. I then took Alfie out for his usual stroll long Strudwick Drive to Oldbrook Green and when we got back to the flat I got ready to leave to drive to Sainsbury's, because I know they open at 7a.m. 

I had absolutely no difficulty in finding a parking space that that early hour. There was one lady waiting for the store to open and we stood at the required 2 metre distance. I was expectantly waiting for the door to be opened, but the time went by. A good 30 minutes elapsed and the staff opened the doors, but we still weren't allowed in. It's one person at a time, no other person with you in the store, and only a few allowed in at a time, in an attempt to keep contact between people to the barest minimum. The people started going through, and I was thinking, wit a minute, I've been waiting 40 minutes or more, and then it turned out that they were N.H.S. employees and they were given preferential treatment because of the pandemic. I know it was a bit of a pain having to wait, but I think considering the current situation, they should be given preference. I eventually go into the store and began to follow my list. It means I don't just grab stuff and throw it into my trolley, although I wish Sainsbury would make some effort to make sure their trolley run properly. The one I was using had something wrong with one of the wheels and it was difficult to push. as it wanted to steer at an angle. This seems to be a problem with a lot of supermarket trolleys. I was pleased I was able to buy liquid hand soap, so I bought two. I haven't been able to buy this sort of item for weeks, due to the panic buying which has left almost all supermarkets having shelves totally empty. Why toilet rolls? Who needs that many? I wouldn't have space for more than a few packets.

I have bought myself an iPad. I have been looking at them and was surprised by how many different versions there are. Mine is a silver, 128gb. model. I purchased it through Very, and will pay for it in installments. It is a very early birthday present to myself. I wasn't expecting it to arrive until at least next Wednesday, so it was a complete surprise when, having spent near enough 2 hours at Sainsbury's, and, arriving home and unpacking all my shopping and putting it away tidily, and then, taking Alfie for a walk which he really needed, I got a knock at my front door, to be confronted by the postman, who had the parcel in his hand. He put it down on the doorstep and I didn't have to sign anything, due, no doubt to the social distancing we have to employ because of he coronavirus pandemic. It was easy enough to set the iPad up. I have an iCloud account which meant most of my apps which are already on my iPhone as well as photographs and other documents, soon appeared on the iPad. It wasn't difficult to get my wifi to connect and the thing was soon up-and-running. I have ordered a case for it on Amazon, which should arrive in a day or two. I always try to keep my gadgets protected by putting them in cases, because it doesn't take much for them to get damaged if they get accidentally dropped or just scratched.

I went with Alfie a lot later for a walk. I can't avoid Alfie staring at me and virtually pleading with me to take him out. Well, I can't blame him because he doesn't particularly like being cooped up indoors for too long. This mostly because of the pandemic and having to avoid social interaction and keep separated from other people. We did the by now routine walk along Strudwick Drive and one the way here was the sound of a vehicle approaching along Oldbrook Boulevard, and I could see it, a largish pick-up truck. It hurtled along the road and came round the roundabout and into Strudwick Drive, going at speed that it could have easily turned over and caused an accident and it sped along the road and didn't seem to slow down. As I say, there could have been a rather nasty accident as it could have come off the road and even collided with myself and Alfie.

It's hot in the flat. The weather is fine, meaning I have opened the windows in the flat. The kitchen is hot, for some reason there are hot pipes running under the sink. The whole of Dexter House is heated by a system which doesn't take into account individual preferences of those who live in the flats, which to me is crazy. Why does it need to be this warm all the time? I have turned down the heating in my flat, using the thermostat, but to have the kitchen so over-heated is not only a waste of energy, but isn't environmentally a good thing for the planet. We're constantly being told to either not waste resources, such as fuel, but to help prevent global warming, but the fact that I have to open the windows to let out the heat is crazy. I can't leave milk out for long periods, such as over-night, because it will go off. This has happened before.

Because the windows are open, it has another effect; insects come in, such as bees, although I don't wind that, but then you get the constant noise of traffic outside and there's been someone somewhere who is using a hammer and hitting something (probably, if it goes on long enough, it won't just be the wood or nail that will get hit . . .) then sawing. What is going on? I soon discover, because when I eventually go out with Alfie I see someone outside one of the ground floor flats, which has it's own rather pleasant bit of garden, that they're building what looks to me like a lean-to greenhouse. Partially constructed as I go past, but presumably it just needs finishing off and then to have glass put into the windows. I hope it's not going to take too long because the constant sawing and hammering is beginning to become something of a nuisance.

(Sunday) No church, but not in the traditional sense. I watched on-line, a church in Manchester, apparently. There are a lot of churches streaming their services through either Facebook and YouTube. I found that a service was going to be streamed from Audacious Church in Manchester. It was also on Facebook.

Alfie and I have only just got back from another walk. I think he was getting as much cabin fever as I was. Walking along Dexter Avenue, past the front of Dexter House, I noticed that what I assumed was going to be a greenhouse looks more likely to be a garden shed, because it has one relatively small window and just doesn't now look as if it could be a greenhouse somehow. There's been more sawing, which put paid to my further attempts to do some writing. Carpentry (if you can actually call it that.) has a habit of causing a certain amount of disturbance and I can't really concentrate with that sort of noise going on. I think those who have to do it (and, yes, it's usually a Bank Holiday, but probably made more annoying and stressful due to the lockdown and people being somewhat restricted.) are somewhat self-centred and don't seem to realise it causes annoyances to others.

I have done some more writing this afternoon. I wouldn't say I produced a vast amount, but it's quality I'm after rather than quantity. Having now set up the iPad I am able to write using that and I have even found I can dictate without having to use the keyboard and, because of having iCloud, files from the MacBook automatically appear 'as if by magic,' on the iPad. What might take perhaps half an hour takes around 10 minutes, although you have to check for punctuation and spelling, because the software can't differentiate between certain words, particularly those that sound similar, such as write and wright, or reed and read, but that isn't a problem. Anyway, I'm thinking to myself, if I've got the technology I might as well make the best use of it, certainly if it removes what to me is the most time-consuming aspect of writing, transferring what I have written with a pencil on paper into word processing.

As I write this, at 9.45 on Easter Sunday, the wind has got up and cooled things down considerably, thankfully, meaning I have to close some of the windows, otherwise the wind comes in and blows things around, making some of the doors in the flat slam and bang somewhat.

Volunteering At Camphill

I've been a volunteer at Camphill for quite a while now. It must be two months, if not more. I have mentioned this in previous blog posts. When I started there I only did a few hours, from 9 until 12. More to see whether I could cope with the hours as well as to see if I would fit in, whether the residents would get on with me. I do fit in and they seem to like having me there. It's actually a perfect fit from all aspects.

It seemed to take for ever to get to Camphill this morning (Tuesday). There was a tractor with a grass mower on the back going along Chaffron Way, all the way from my leaving Eaglestone until I turned onto Brickhill Street near Waitrose at Oakgrove. It meant that I could drive at barely 20 m.p.h., and as a consequence the traffic behind had to follow. There was  no way I could overtake. There are traffic calming areas which have recently been installed along the central reservation. If you even attempted to overtake there was a very strong risk of running into the cones and other barriers which are in the way. I don't think some drivers appreciate having to drive so slowly, but at least it meant none of the stupid tailgating that I have to endure most days when I am out in the car.

When I eventually got to Camphill and parked the car, it turned out that around half the drama group were going to be out, visiting a school in Milton Keynes, Hazley Academy as it turned out, something to do with planting herbs in pots. I think it was for the school childen to sell, but I'm not sure. At the beginning of each session the residents have to give a sort of resume of how they felt and what they had been doing and what they expected to get out of the day. Support staff (which is what I am, even though I'm voluntary.) have to also give an account of themselves. I had the Disclosure Certificate with me, so I had to got to the office to inform them that I now had this piece of quite important paper and it has now been photocopied and put in my file. We spent most of the morning tidying up the theatre, sweeping and vacuuming and moving equipment around and then we went upstairs to the library (I can't think why it's called a library, because there weren't a lot of books in evidence. More of an office. Tao, the theatre leader (I'm not sure of his actual title, but he seems in charge of most things in the theatre, not just directing the student actors, but the general running of the place, including the technical side.) wanted to have a written document to explain what happens when a tea-break is called. I am to be given responsibility for keeping the tea-bar organised, to make sure it is clean and tidy, the dish washer is properly organised, the tablet put in whenever a load is put in and emptied etc etc. So we sat and this document was created using a MacBook (the whole theatre department is extremely well equipped with MacBooks, iPads etc etc as well as digital projectors which means DVDs of films can be shown, including the one that has been made of the Stranger Danger project, which was shown to the community assembly last week. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, although my name is to be added to the credits, even though I have only been involved for a few weeks.)

We broke for lunch and I had my first experience of the Camphill café. I am really impressed by the whole set-up. You have a waiter/ waitress service, staffed by residents, and they bring it to your table. I had cheese toasty and latte and then a slice of really great chocolate fudge cake. I shall definitely be returning for further lunches over the next few months and years.

After lunch I helped load the dish washer with one of the drama regulars and then we sat and discussed what we wanted the video to be delivered on, either a memory stick or DVD, or given a link to the Vimeo upload on the internet. I had decided to have it on DVD so I can play it on my television which has a built in DVD player.

As there weren't all of the gang during the afternoon, Teo decided that, because it was so hot and sunny, to take everyone out for a walk along the shore of Willen Lake. It is only a fairly short walk over Brickhill Street, passing under the road and then out to the path. It was quite a long haul walking along the shore of the lake, but because it was such a pleasant afternoon it was just perfect and stopping to look at some birds and some of the guys recognising whatever species they were. Then further, walking along the path that passes Willen Hospice and remembering what it was like when My lovely Carol was there. This is where we took George, my grandson, when Chloe and Steve bought both grandsons to visit Carol and George seemed more interested in what the workmen were doing chopping down some of the branches of the trees when it was very windy. Then we went through Willen village and back around to the path on the other side of the lake and back to Camphill, climbing up a fairly steep hill that lead to the foot  bridge that crossed Brickhill Street and in to the entrance at the back of the Camphill campus. I will say that all that walking did some good for me as I had a really good  night's sleep. That's what good exercise does for you!

Not Well and A Scam!

For the past couple of weeks I haven't been feeling what you would call 100%. I've had a really bad lower back pain. I can't really explain it, but at times I've been bent double the pain has been so bad. I've tried to endure it. I thought it would go away of it's own accord, but no, it comes back. If I sit for any lenght of time, such as watching television, when I go to stand up, then the pain comes back. It goes whenever I lie down in bed at night. It's not so bad in the morning and is fine when I go out with Alfie around Eaglestone Park. It got so bad this morning that I just had to get a doctor's appointment and try and get something to stop it, or at least, get the pain under control. I didn't really want to phone for an appointment, because it's such an effort, first getting through, which can take 45 minutes or so, then you have to explain to the receptionist what the problem is and then wait for a doctor to ring back to give you the time of your appointment. I was surprised that, when I got through, there was only one other person in the queue in front of me. So I was speaking to a receptionist and explaining things within minutes. Then it was around an hour before doctor rang. I got an appointment at 10.20. I got there in plenty of time. Surprisingly, there were very few other waiting patients. It wasn't long before I was called into the doctor's room and I was given a prescription for co-codamol and took it next door to the pharmacy, which I noticed was now called Peak Pharmacy, having been Cox and Robinson for all the time I've lived in Milton Keynes.

Later in the afternoon I had a telephone call from someone who said they worked for BT (British Telecom) to say they'd discovered that my computer had been hacked. It sounded so genuine. They always do. I told him that I didn't have my broadband through BT, but he disregarded this. They needed to check my computer wasn't violated and had to install a piece of software on my MacBook to clean off malware and check for viruses. Little did I realise that this whole thing in itself was a scam! I'm sorry folks, I fell for it. Later in the afternoon  I rang Apple and the helpful lady showed me how to download a piece of software that checks for malware and viruses and it definitely showed that my laptop was indeed infected and the offending software was removed. Not very pleasant to realise that I had been scammed. I have to admit it. It's so easy to fall for this sort of thing and I had to check my NatWest account to check they hadn't hacked into it but then, when I attempted to get into my Nationwide account I couldn't get into it on-line and had to ring the telephone number that came up on their website. They eventually managed to see that a quite considerable amount of money had been taken from my account, but they knew it had been taken in a scam and it has now been returned, thankfully. I will now have to have the MacBook cleaned and any remaining malicious software removed so I will go into Currys and get them to do this for me. I think I've learned from this whole horrible incident and will make sure in the future to ignore any similar telephone calls. If you read this, please be waring of such telephone calls and don't fall for their sales patter. Check that whoever it is, regardless if they say they're from such-and-such company, that they are genuine before you divulge anything, but never passwords, bank details or whatever sensitive data.

Saturday morning. I have been to Curry's and they didn't have a computer engineer available today to deal with the MacBook and clean out the computer, checking for any viruses and malware. They couldn't fit me in until Tuesday, so it's booked in and I have to take it to leave on Monday evening. It's paid for, so all I have to do is check it in on Monday and then wait over Tuesday to see whether they ring to give me any information. I really hope not because I want it back in good working order. I have Carol's MacBook I can use so I am still connected to the internet and the outside world. I'm not using the larger MacBook until it is back up and running. I did notice that Safari was working properly once the malware was removed, so it now makes me realise that it had been tampered with sometime ago by the hackers in an attempt to get me to use another browser. If nothing else, at least that problem has been resolved, but I wish it had been solved some other way.

Pouring Rain!

As I wake up this morning (Wednesday) I can hear the sound of rain on the bedroom window. I am attempting to get up a good deal later, regardless of what Alfie thinks. So, for the first time ever, we haven't been out for the routine early-morning jaunt around Eaglestone Park. Alfie is laying on the sofa as I'm sitting here in my armchair with the MacBook on my lap, writing this, and no doubt wondering if we will ever go outside and go for a walk! Some hope, because it's still raining and I don't want to get wet and, even worse, Alfie when wet is a sad little dog. He doesn't like water and doesn't like rain, so why does he expect to go out in pouring rain? I hope it stops before the day is much older. But it doesn't look as if it is going to stop any time soon.

I had an email from A.T.G., that's the Ambassadors Theatre Group, the company who manages Milton Keynes Theatre a few days ago. I have already booked my ticket for Les Miserables, which visits Milton Keynes later this month. I didn't have to think twice about booking a ticket, even though it cost considerably more than I would normally be prepared to pay. I'm going to a Thursday matinee on 30th May. I know the show well, having seen the West End production at the Palace Theatre, and enjoyed it thoroughly, have seen the film and have the 25th Anniversary DVD. I know most of the songs so the thought of missing it when it was on tour didn't come into it. I usually receive the Milton Keynes There brochure when it comes out twice a year, and it seems I haven't received the most current one which features Les Miserables on the cover. I was therefore somewhat surprised when I received an email from ATG two days ago and, glancing at it, I noticed that Bernadette Peters was going to be touring her one-woman concert to Great Britain and only five concerts where to be performed, one of them in Milton Keynes. I am something of a fan, as she's a definite legend, a Broadway superstar you might say, and I was determined to see if I could get a ticket, but I wasn't prepared to pay top prices for such a ticket. I want to bed thinking about it, but had to come downstairs to the lounge and have a look at the theatre website and see what availability there was. I did attempt to buy a ticket at the lower end of the price range but couldn't get the site to work, so this morning I decided to go into the centre of Milton Keynes and visit the theatre.

I knew the theatre wouldn't be open until quite late in the morning, so I went to Sainsbury's to pick up one or two items and to order a repeat prescription at Lloyd's pharmacy, which is within the store. Poor Alfie was expecting his usual walk and was looking at me as I put on my jacket and shoes in preparation to leave the house for Sainsbury's and must have been thinking 'I thought we were going for a walk. Why isn't he taking me?' Well, as it was still pouring with rain, it didn't seem such a good idea. I came back after the shopping trip and put the few items away and then got in the car to go into the shopping centre. I took some cash out of my Nationwide account to put into my recently-opened Metro savings account, which is there to eventually buy a new puppy when the time is right. Hopefully another Yorkshire Terrier similar to Alfie. Then I walked the length of the shopping centre and went across towards the theatre, only to discover that they weren't open until 12 midday. I was a bit annoyed, having walked all that way. The last time I went to book the Les Miserables ticket, they opened at 10a.m., so a good hour and a half later or thereabouts (probably near enough 2 hours. I had fortunately put 2 hours on the parking ticket when I had parked the car, so sufficient to not have to go back and put more on the car in the carpark. Not that difficult as I have a Ring-Go app on my iPhone so I don't need to use cash or put a paper ticket on the car.) So I returned to the shopping centre and walked through, stopping at several stores on the way, one being HMV, as I wanted to find the DVD of the first series of Game of Thrones as I haven't seen any of this television series. No luck, so I walked on. I went into W.H.Smith and then on towards Pret A Manger where I had something to eat and drink, which meant I could waste the time before heading back along the shopping centre to arrive at the theatre again where I had to wait outside until they were open. I was surprised to see a notice on the door telling customers for the need to not abuse staff and other paying customers. What is it with people these days? Why is there so much abuse of other people? Can't you even go to the theatre these days without someone being abusive or aggressive to other people? I hope if that happens, the theatre staff have those awful people thrown out. It really isn't acceptable behaviour. I managed to get a seat for the Bernadette Peters concert, but it was way up in the top tier of the circle, although I'm not really bothered where it is because I just want to see her concert.

I finished in the shopping centre and returned to the car. I seemed to have walked miles today. I checked my step counter and found it was near enough 4,000 steps. About double, or even treble, the number I walk on a normal day.

It was threatening further rain and I thought, as I drew into the drive at home, that a small Yorkshire Terrier would love to have a stroll across the park. So that is what I did and he seemed to enjoy the walk. Though, I say 'walk,' it was more of a 'trot,' and as we walked along a large rottweiler was being exercised and Alfie just HAD to rush up and say 'hello!' I was eager to retrieve Alfie, even though he is always keen to make friends with the dogs he meets, it's perhaps best to be a bit cautious, because, who knows? The other dog might not appreciate a smaller dog like Alfie, sniffling and wanting to make friends. After all, this dog was considerably larger than Alfie, so one snap and Alfie could be dinner. So, I swept up Alfie, not an easy matter, as he wasn't in the mood for being caught and held. And he was somewhat damp, having run about in long, wet grass. The wriggled, and once the other dog was out of the way, I was able to put him back on the ground.

Macbook Decides to Open

Having had problems with this Macbook, which I use to compose these blog posts on, the confounded thing has now decided to open quite happily when I plugged it in to keep it charged up. I will still take it in for the free half-hour session at the Apple store on Tuesday morning just to have it checked out for a virus or whatever, but it is really quite annoying after all the problems I have had. Oh well, I just hope it remains in a working state.

We went to IKEA in Bletchley yesterday afternoon, Saturday, and bought two bedside cabinets as well as some magazine racks which I will use to file editions of BBC History Magazine. We came home and proceeded to construct the first of the cabinets and made up the second one this morning and both are in place either side of our bed. Carol gave Poppy a bath and haircut this morning which she desperately needed as her coat had become very shaggy and it was a wonder she could see out as her eyes were quite hidden under a fringe of hair. I mowed around half of the grass at the rear of the house (I can hardly call it a 'lawn' as it is such an uneven piece of ground.) and will attempt to finish the job off over the next week. I think the rain we've had over the past few days has meant the grass has grown quite considerably which lead to me getting out the mower.