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.

Lockdown Frustration

I entitled this blog 'Frustration,' because I'm still cooped up like a battery chicken in a relatively small space, I speak to very few people during my day, each one becoming an exact copy of the last one, the fact that it's almost a year since all this lockdown business began (well, it will be by the end of March.) and there seems to be no sign of an end to this situation, even though we now have several anti-coronavirus vaccines being rolled out. There is no evidence, as yet, that these vaccines will actually make a vast difference, particularly whether they prevent cross infection between people, or, indeed, how long their effects last. I could go on, but I won't.

 (Monday) My  Apple MacBook Air needs to be charged, as any battery-operated laptop computer does. It has around 10 hours when fully charged. I like to keep it as fully charged as possible. It has a charger which has a magnetic plug which fits into the side port. Unfortunately, due to fair intense use over the years (it is around 6 years old.) But unfortunately, due to the constant use, plugging and unplugging, the cable has got worn. The actual metal cable had worn through and on some occasions I have felt a slight shock. Although not dangerous, I had meant to replace it. I think we had to replace the same cable on Carol's smaller MacBook, which was purchased through a scheme they had at Milton Keynes Academy, where by Carol paid in installments, take monthly from her salary. The MacBook I have (and on which this is being written.) was a birthday present she gave me.

I bought my iPad from Very, the on-line retail outlet. We bought quite a few items through them when we lived in Eaglestone. I had to buy a fridge/freezer when I moved to Dexter House and once it was paid off I decided to treat myself to an iPad, and since the lockdown which began in March 2020 it has been really useful as a tool to aid communication. I am still paying for it in instalments. I discovered that Very had Apple accessories, including the MacBook Air charger available, At £79 it's expensive, but at least I could buy it and add it to my account and pay that in instalments. It's quite a large outlay to pay for that if I'd gone to John Lewis or the Apple store which is in Milton Keynes shopping centre, so it was the right option. So, I ordered it and it arrived last week. I was a bit concerned that it might not be the right item, but when it arrived I opened the package and it does work and the old, worn, adapter was put in the recycling. 

The MacBook charging device arrived on Friday when I was out walking Alfie. It was left with my neighbour and he gave it to me as I got back. I was glad that it was the right device and I immediately had it connected to the laptop and the old, worn device has gone in the recycling. Then the next day I came in again and my neighbour presented me with exactly the same package, the same shape and wrapped in blue plastic. A sense of  de javu. Why would I have a second parcel containing exactly the same device, particularly as I hadn't ordered it. I immediately opened the parcel to discover, to my annoyance, that it was indeed the same items as the first parcel which I had received. So, I would need to send it back to Very, as I didn't need it. Perhaps I could have kept it as a spare, but as these things cost £79, I wasn't keen to have to pay out twice for the same thing. 

I managed to wrap the MacBook charger in wrapping paper and got it sealed up with a healthy amount of Sellotape, having put  the returns form inside, stuck the return label on the top and left it to take to post in the morning. This morning, Monday, I drove to One Stop in Coffee Hall as there is a Post Office inside. I had to wait for a good twenty minutes as someone had goodness knows how many parcels to go through the system. The man behind the counter had to weigh each item and then put sticky tables on each one and it went on interminably. It was then my turn to hand over my parcel, and the man told me he couldn't take it! It had a pre-paid address label and he said I should take it, I'm not sure exactly because, having to wear a face-covering I think effected my hearing. I left, not exactly pleased, and drove to the next Post Office I knew of at Netherfield. He had said, next to the Coop, so I assumed it was there that he meant. I went into the Coop and soon realised it wasn't where the Post Office was. I then realised it was only a few shops along, so I went in and the lady behind the counter told me she wasn't supposed to take my parcel (for whatever reason, I can't think why. After all, that's what the Post Office is for, or I assumed it was. Anyway, I handed over the parcel, and that was the end of the matter, thankfully.

(Tuesday) It's 7.25a.m. I'm sitting here in my armchair typing away at this. It dark outside and I'm about to take Alfie out. He won't like it, because it's raining. At least, I have a good idea that it is, because earlier, when I was in the bathroom, there was rain running down the outside of the window, but as far as I know, it might have stopped, but I'm not entirely sure.

I had to order medication which was on the point of running out. On Sunday I went into the app I have on my iPad which allows me to order my medication and make appointments with my doctor as well as see my notes etc. But when I went into it on Sunday I found that Bisoprolol couldn't be ordered, for what ever reason. I attempt to make sure that I have enough of my medication on hand and that I don't run out. It can sometimes take a week for an order to go through, from the doctor authorising a prescription to it being sent to Lloyd's Pharmacy in Sainsbury's, to them making it up and then texting me to say it's ready for collection. On Monday morning I attempted to ring the surgery, but, unfortunately, after listening to a long splurge on this and that and in particular, information about Covid 19 and not going to the surgery unless it was an emergency, the system hung up on me. Not what I needed at that precise moment. So, after some thought, I decided to go into the surgery website and managed to leave a message on the site. Which must have been read and acted upon, as later in the afternoon I got a text message saying the prescription was made up and ready for collection. Bisoprol is a beta blocker, meaning it slows down my heart rhythm and hopefully, helping prevent another heart attack, which was why I was eager to have a plentiful supply as I take one tablet each morning and I don't know what would happen if I was to not take it for more than a day. Might be unpleasant and a bit dangerous.

Obstructive Bureaucracy

Trying to get through to our doctors' surgery at Ashfield Medical Centre is at times more than frustrating and annoying, as I've mentioned on various posts on here. Carol needed a fresh prescription for Co-codimol as she's experiencing real pain at night and none of the pain relief she is on is helping. There's a triage system in place which means you have to ring up, generally around 8.30 a.m.- onwards, which means you don't always get through immediately and have to go through a menu, choose which selection you need and then wait for some considerable time before getting through, probably having to wait in a queue.

It didn't take too long to get through, even though I had to endure the endless rigmarole of the menu. Once I'd got through I had to hand the phone to Carol. She was greeted by a most officious receptionist who said she'd come through to the wrong line and that they would only let those who were house-bound or over a 'certain age' to be allowed to have a prescription done the same day. I can't see what the problem is about this. She doesn't have Co-codomol on repeat and she could have had a ring-back from one of the doctors in the surgery to find out why the prescription was so important. She was then told that she would need to visit the surgery and bring a letter explaining why she needed the prescription. She she wrote and signed a letter to that effect and I drove towards Beanhill, where the Ashfield Medical Centre is situated. On arriving at the Standing Way roundabout that you have to circle in order to get to Saxon Street and then into Wastel, where Ashfield Medical Centre is, I found it closed to all traffic. So I had to make a right turn on the roundabout and journey along Standing Way and then round past the stadium, only to find that Saxon Street was closed off the opposite end to Standing Way. Which meant I had to find an alternative place to park and then walk to Beanhill and the surgery. I eventually decided the only place I could think of was Netherfield and to park in a space near the shops and then walk along the Redway towards Beanhill. This I did, and it was a considerable distance, crossing under several roads on the way. I managed to hand over the letter that Carol had written, but was given no guarantee that the prescription would be ready later in the day. I walked back to the car and did a bit of shopping in the Co-op in Netherfield and then drove home, a little bit annoyed by the way the situation had been created by the over officious receptionist at the surgery. All adding to the stress of the situation, not helped by the fact we had to ring in the first place and secondly, by the road-closure into the road near Beanhill and lastly, by the obstructive nature of the receptionist at the surgery.

I'm still not sure why the road was closed in the first place. Was it to re-surface the road, or to have the road dug up for some reason such as putting in pipes for gas or something? No warning given as I drove towards the roundabout on Standing Way, or example. It just made life very annoying.

I think this bureaucracy is partly the reason why the N.H.S. is in crisis. It seems over-burdened by administration. I know they need a certain amount of paperwork to operate, but to put managers and administrators in the way is just a waste of resources and money. Endless targets and statistics doesn't lead to efficiency. Just find a better way to do something would surely make more sense. How much money do they waste on business consultants and similar people? I'd love to know. Putting someone such as a receptionist in the way so as to prevent a patient getting medication is a disgrace. It should be a doctor who decides what should happen as they have the training and experience. Give someone a position of so-called authority and it can sometimes go to their head. 

Spider-Rescue and Sunny Walk

I walked to Netherfield to shop at the Co-op there. We still have no car, so there was no alternative as we needed some bits for our evening meal. We've done an on-line shop with Sainsbury's earlier this morning and it should be delivered mid-morning tomorrow. I was busy selecting the bits and pieces for tonight in the Co-Op when I got round to the chilled food section. A member of the staff, a lady who I usually see on the tills in there, shrieking and running away. A young man was pointing into the chiller unit and under a box of pizza I saw a large spider. He seemed totally reluctant to deal with it so I said I'd get rid of it. I said, 'go and find me a cloth or duster and I'll remove it for you.' He went off to the back-office or storeroom and came back with a piece of blue paper towel which I then used to pick up the spider and then had to take it to the front door of the shop and drop the spider out of the cloth onto the pavement outside. What was all the fuss about? A perfectly harmless spider that was quite large but wasn't going to bite anyone. Never mind. But it was a bit wet and pathetic. Why did I entitle this post 'Spider-rescue?' Was I rescuing the spider so the two people didn't have to deal with it? Well, yes. But I think I was rescuing the spider because it had to be in the same space as two really drippy humans. I quite like spiders.  They really don't bother me so being able to remove the said spider in a carm and peaceful manner was all it needed. It was somewhat passive and didn't want to move, no doubt because it had been in the chilled section.  Somewhat lethargic due to the cold. It didn't move a single inch as I would have expected if it had been in a warmer area of the store. It might have been as it has been sunny today.

Walking along the Redway towards Netherfield I'm really shocked by how much litter there is. I can't believe how people can just fling their rubbish into the bushes along the path. A lot more blackberries to pick and it looks as if council workers have been clearing the undergrowth under the bushes and trees. A lot of trees have their leaves turning a wide variety of colours. Autumn is definitely here.

Child Killed Crossing Road in Milton Keynes

Dreadfully sad news this morning about the 12-year old girl who was run over and has died as a result of crossing the road near Netherfield, Milton Keynes at around 5.15 last night. I can't understand how this can happen as there are bridges and underpasses so you should never need to cross any of the grid roads around Milton Keynes. People are saying on Facebook that the underpasses are unsafe as there are always crowds of youths hanging around near them and that they are poorly lit. I have read several news items about people being mugged, assaulted, raped etc in and around Milton Keynes. And where are the police who should make some sort of presence so that people can feel safe and secure? Never any when they could prevent this sort of incident. Then, where this girl's parents and how on earth did they let their child out at that time of the evening when the light is failing? I feel sorry for the driver of the car which hit the child. I think parents should take far more responsibility for their children. Or at least teach them some sort of road sense. There's a  40 M.P.H. speed limit along Saxon Street near Eaglestone. But most drivers never obey the limit. It's quite difficult to drive along that stretch of road and keep to the limit as there are always drivers who come up behind you an try to get you to drive faster. But as there's no police around to check this limit is obeyed, it's no wonder drivers go faster than 40.  The irony is that this speed limit was put in place because a child was killed somewhere along that stretch of road who was apparently a pupil at the Milton Keynes Academy. Also, I think because the hospital is in Eaglestone. It's the same as drivers who will insist on using their mobile phones as they drive, even though it is illegal. Very dangerous, in my opinion, as how on earth can you concentrate on the road when you're talking on a phone? I've even heard that people are seen on the M1 driving at around 70 whilst texting!

Signs Of Spring!

As the old saying goes: 'when winter comes, can spring be far behind?' As much as I enjoy Christmas, I think it's the dark, dreary days of January and February that comes hard on it's heels that makes things difficult. The waking up in the dark and having to come home from work in the dark that makes this time of the year so awful. I might not be working but I do recall having to go off to do an early shift wherever and having to scrape the ice off the car before driving away, the freezing fog to drive through and the icy road surface that you were liable to slide into the car in front if you applied your brakes too quickly or end up in a ditch somewhere or other.

We are still without the use of the car, and it still sits silent and still on the front drive. No doubt we'll be able to get it going again soon. Being so close to Milton Keynes Academy means that Carol can walk to and from work. The mornings are beginning to get a little lighter as the month progresses. Without the use of the car it does mean that we can't get to the nearest supermarket to do our weekly shop. We would either go to Asda or Tesco for this, but we did do an on-line shop from Tesco, curtesy of Daniel, and this arrived on Monday afternoon around 3.30 and I was able to unload it and put it all away before Carol got home. I have also done a few shops locally, walking to and from the Co-Op at Netherfield, which is a 15-minute walk along the Redway, or to the little shop the other      side of Eaglestone. We also walked to the Brothers Fish and Chips shop over there for our evening meal on Saturday, with me having fish and Carol chicken and a large portion of chips which we shared. We took Alfie and Poppy who waited with Carol whilst I ordered, and then Carol came inside the shop, leaving the dogs tied up outside. Alfie complained bitterly at being left outside on his own and made an awful noise. I can't think what the neighbours thought! There are no end of cats lurking around on the estate and it's as well they didn't appear as Poppy will go wild if she sees them and will chase them if given half a chance! Since I've walked over again a couple of more times to the shop during we week I notice that there are snowdrops in the front garden of some of the houses. I had to get a repeat prescription done as my medication supply is nearing it's end, so I managed to sign up to the Ashlands Medical Centre website and do the repeat prescription on-line and then sent it. I'm not all that trusting of these things, so I rang the surgery to check that they'd got the order, which was fine. This was on Monday, and it takes two days for repeat prescriptions to be ready, so I went back yesterday afternoon around 2 o'clock, but unfortunately the surgery was closed. I believe it was for staff training, 'protected time' as it's called. So my walk there was in vain, but I went to the Co-Op to do a bit of shopping (a short walk from our old surgery, Grove Surgery) and then walked home. I have been to get the repeat prescription this morning and had it made up at the pharmacy which is next door to Ashlands Medical Centre and I was surprised how quickly they managed to get the order completed, and without anything missing. Sometimes you can take a repeat prescription in and they don't always have all the medications in stock so you have to go back to collect the rest of the order


Another sign of spring: there are trees budding along the Redway. No doubt they will be put back if there is a sharp frost or temperatures fall considerably as they might do. No sign of any other spring plants as yet, such as crocuses.

I am shocked and surprised at the amount of litter along the Redway, and particulaly around the Milton Keynes Academy. As I was walking along the Redway I saw  Council workmen (and women)  in bright orange flurescent jackets, with black bin bags and tongs on long handles picking up litter. There were around six of these people and as I walked back towards the bridge over Saxon Street and approaching the Academy, I spoke to them and asked them how much litter they picked up. They said they got around 15 bags of litter from just around the Academy. It seems the children just fling their rubbish anywhere and don't care that somewhat will have to come along and pick it up. The children don't have to do it (as we would when I was at school.) which seems crazy. It might teach them to care more for the environment. I expect it will go against their 'Human Rights.' No such thing when I was a child.

Changed Doctor's Surgery

Carol and I have changed our doctor's surgery. We were with The Grove Surgery in Netherfield and had decided, after some consideration, that we wanted to change our doctor as The Grove hasn't been exactly pro-active. We haven't been all that impressed with the service we've been having there. For a start, you can never see the same doctor more than a few times in succession, whenever you make an appointment.  I can say that I was annoyed by the lack of action over my blood tests, and when Carol had her recent eye infection the doctor poked her eye with the swab and appeared to make it worse, and also the ridiculous appointments booking procedure that it was time to change.  Whenever you ring up (if you can ever get through on the telephone system) the receptionist asks 'what's the appointment for?' I don't see why you need to tell the receptionist; it should be confidential and between you and the doctor, in the privacy of the surgery. On one occasion Carol and I went in to book an appointment and the receptionist was giving out her details so that everyone waiting could hear. Also, when we first registered with the surgery, it was done in the open reception-area, and not in a private room, away from other people who could hear. We had to change doctors when we moved from Crownhill, which we actually didn't want to, but it appears that it Health Authority rules that when you move away from a certain doctor's catchment area you have to move doctors surgeries, even though we had build up quite a good relationship with Hilltops, the health centre we used to go to in Great Holm.We knew that there was a new surgery, Ashfield Medical Centre, opened in Beanhill,  not far from where we live (actually closer than The Grove Surgery.) so we went to investigate whether we could transfer, and learned that we could, so we got the relevant paperwork and got it filled out, and went back later that morning, together with several forms of identification. At least this interview was done in the privacy of an office, away from the reception area. Once this was done, we had to make further appointments (which could only be made the following day.) as each of us is on repeat medication. So this was done, and new prescriptions issued. At least at Ashfield Medical Centre there is far better parking, and there is a chemists next door which means we can take our prescriptions in immediately to be made up.