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.

No White Christmas! Good or Bad?

 Saturday. 8.10 a.m. Cold and snowy conditions continue here in Milton Keynes, but, according to BBC Breakfast, it's going to get warmer next week. So, if that's the case, we won't get a traditional 'White Christmas.' 

11.15 a.m. I needed to get an ice scraper and more de-icer spray. I managed to get a can of spray in Sainsbury's yesterday, but no scrapers to be had. So I thought it might be an idea to look elsewhere and then decided on going to Halford's. I drove to the store in Rooksley and had a good look around and eventually had to ask a staff member who directed me to the last remaining stocks of these essential winter items. I grabbed two bottles of de-icer, just in case I couldn't get any more later on as well as the scraper and paid. I had problems keying in my PIN on the card reader, and the lady on the till told me that the keys were worn down because of people using hand gel. Which made me think if that was what it did to buttons on a card reader, what would it do to the skin on your hands? I suppose it's because most of it is alcohol-based. Worrying.

From Halfords, I drove to Sainsbury's because I had to collect a repeat prescription from Lloyd's pharmacy, which is within the store. Upon arrival inside the store and eventually arriving at the pharmacy, I found a notice informing me that they weren't opening the pharmacy until 10.30, which meant I would either have to return home and come back until 10.30 to collect my prescription or wait within the store. I didn't want to go home and then come back, so I spent the 40 minutes browsing the store, bought a string of Christmas lights, which I had been looking for anyway and also bought a few items I knew I'd need. The prescription was important because I was concerned that the order wouldn't be made up in time for the Christmas holiday when everything closes for at least two weeks.

1.35 p.m. I've been out, and it appears that the snow is gradually melting away. I do hope so, as it makes life difficult underfoot.

Sunday. 9.45 a.m. Under normal circumstances, I would have driven off to church by now, but there is no service this morning. Instead, there is to be a carol service, with candles, I believe. My only problem would be that smoke, given off by the burning of candles, would cause me to cough, so I will watch it online instead.

It's certainly a good deal milder this morning. There are definite signs of a thaw. The next problem is likely to be flooding.

2.05 p.m. There's even less chance of there being a 'White Christmas because I have been out with Alfie and it's now raining, although very thin. The grass alongside Strudwick Drive is gradually disappearing, so if it keeps on in this way, tomorrow morning it will have completely disappeared.

Monday. 3.05 a.m. I am awake, well, almost. I needed the loo (What's changed in that department?) Once I'm awake, I can't always get back to sleep. So, no point attempting to sleep. I have a shave and that makes me even more wide awake, but worth it. I do my Bible reading, 'The Bible Through The Year With Nicky Gumble', which I have on my iPad. It's he who was one of the originators of the Alpha Course at Holy Trinity Brompton. 

I'm not sure about the weather, but, having looked out of the kitchen window when I did the washing up yesterday evening, I saw that most of the snow had disappeared. At that moment, I can hear the wind, whistling and roaring around the building. 

8.00 a.m. It's windy out. The snow is gone and it's so much milder. I'm glad because it means I don't have to scrape ice off the car before I drive off to Bleak Hall Motors so that it can have its annual service. 

Sunny and Bright!

Monday. 6.25 a.m. Yet another bright and sunny morning, but still fairly chilly when I went out onto Strudwick Drive with Alfie just before 6 o'clock. I had my red Regatta fleece on because it wasn't warm enough without.

Spent some time putting writing into word processing. It is really boring, because the creative part has already been done. I've made a few adjustments to what I had already written, but the rest is as I originally wrote in pencil.

Excitement! I've cleaned the bathroom floor! Woopee! Just thought you'd like to know. 'Such fun!' as the mother of the Miranda Hart character says in the 'Miranda' sitcom on BBC television, played by Patricia Hodge.

It still appears to be bright and sunny, but rain is expected later.

Tuesday. 1.50 a.m. Not exactly sure what the weather is doing at the moment. I can't hear any wind howling outside, or rain on the windows. It's another case of waking up and not getting back to sleep. I read my daily devotional 'Bible In One Year with Nicky Gumble' which I have on the Bible app, You Version. I have been using this for a couple of years now. 

Later. 9.40 a.m. The weather is somewhat undecided. It was raining earlier but it is dry at the moment.

I have just returned from taking Alfie out. I have a fairly good idea when he needs to go out as he starts staring at me and sits on the sofa next to me with a very determined look on his face. The other night he came in to the bedroom and got on the bed and was shaking and looking quite odd. I didn't pick up on what he waned quickly enough and the poor little dog did a mess on the bathroom floor. Yesterday morning he was sick on the floor. Easily wiped up, but it's unusual for him to need emergency exit in the middle of the night.

We walked down Strudwick Drive as usual. As we approached the crossing onto Oldbrook Green I saw a youth walking a large tan-coloured dog in the direction of the skate park. Alfie was sniffing around as usual and I had intended to walk in the same direction as the youth with the dog. I didn't take much notice as Alfie did his pooh which I picked up with the boo bag and eventually put it in the bin just beyond the skate park. Then a man walked into the Green from the primary school crossing. with what looked like a black spaniel, but I couldn't see clearly from where I was at that distance. The youth let his dog off it's lead and it went for the little black dog. It looked quite severe and the owner of the black dog separated the two dogs and he appeared to tell of the youth because of the bigger dog's behaviour. The youth put his dog on it's lead and appeared to walk away and the man with the other dog walked off in the opposite direction, but then the youth let his dog off it's lead AGAIN, but it went to attack the other dog with a certain amount of viciousness and the little black spaniel made a horrible amount of noise. The separated the dogs again and AGAIN the youth got a telling off from the man with the black dog. It was at this point that I decided it wasn't safe to walk Alfie in that direction and anywhere near the big tan dog, so we walked back toward the crossing and back along Strudwick Drive. Looking back I could see the youth had picked up his dog to carry, but I don't think he could have carried it far because of it's size and wait. I think it was some sort of cross breed, probably had a bit of Alsation or Doberman Pincher in it's make-up, probably one of the larger breeds which are used as guard dogs or perhaps used by the services, the army or police force. Whatever it was, it should be muzzled in public when near other dogs. Also, not socialised when a puppy. 

The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

Saturday. Too right. The sun has definitely got his hat on and he's coming out to play. It's really warm and sunny. This afternoon is the funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh. Only thirty people were allowed in the chapel at Windsor Castle but some 800 troops in the parade within the castle. The Queen will sit, alone and masked. Poor woman! That shouldn't be allowed, even with social distancing. (Thinks: 'social distancing' is an oxymoron. Never thought about it before. A contradiction in terms.)

I've just been to Waitrose for a few items, including eggs. They are double-yolkers. But, just tell me, how can they be certain that they have double yolks? Surely double yolks in chicken's eggs are rarer than, dare I say it, hen's teeth. You wouldn't know an egg contains a double yolk until you crack it. It's a bit like saying, which comes first, the chicken or egg. Are they guaranteed? If I take it back when I find that one doesn't have a double yolk, can I get a refund? Do they have an X-Ray machine to check? I remember, years ago, going to the egg-packing station which was in Bedford, somewhere in Horne Lane, probably where a carpark now takes up the land (probably not, as I have an idea it's been redeveloped, with flats there, but couldn't be sure.) Anyway, as the eggs went along the production line (packing line would probably be more correct. No chickens were harmed in the course of this entire procedure.) and at one point they were held against a light which showed if they were bad (well, I imagine that was what it was for.) So, perhaps that is how they would be checked for double yolks. All this sounds very like the Ardman Animation film 'Chicken Run.' If you've not seen it, you must, it's brilliant, and has to be one of my all-time favourite films. Clever, funny and so original.

I've started a new drama series on Amazon called 'Leonardo.' I have had something of an obsession with Leonardo Da Vinchi, so this seemed a good show to at least have a look at. The part of Leonardo is played by Aiden Turner, who played Ross Poldark in the rebooted BBC1 series. I seem to remember him in another series based on the lives of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, 'Desperate Romantics,' in which he played another painter, Dante Gabriel Rosetti. I can't say it's particularly dynamic but they seem to have got the period right and it makes a change to have something that isn't about people being horrible to each other, jumping in and out of bed, car chases, or shooting up drugs or killing one another.

Sunday. 6.55a.m. I woke up at around 2a.m. This is normal for me. I had a shave and did my Bible reading on YouVersion, ' 2021:A Year Through The Bible With Nicky Gumble', and as usual, Alfie followed me from room to room. A time to then check emails and then back to bed. Alfie kept on prodding me as he thinks I will just jump up and take him out. If anything, he keeps me motivated. 

It's another bright and sunny morning, although not particularly warm, as I discovered when I took Alfie out as normal.

Later. I got back from Church to be greeted by Alfie, excited as he is usually when I come home. He was a real sight, hair everywhere. He had been rolling about on the sofa and it really made me laugh. Eventually, he settled down, but it made me think that his haircut is more than ever important. Just a pity it won't be until July.

Later still. Alfie needed to go out in a hurry, so we did just that. Oldbrook Green is heaving with life. People everywhere, sitting on the grass, playing football, some children in the skateboard park, others in the playground. Then, add to that the litter, which is everywhere. With enough bins, why can't people put their rubbish in the bins which are there for that purpose? Likewise, dog mess. Just not nice. I could go on, but I won't.

Monday. 7.50a.m. Yet another bright and sunny morning. 

Alfie had a bit of what I can only describe as a 'situation' this morning. As a result, he was somewhat smelly. To say he was embarrassed by it would be untrue. If he has an unfortunate accident (!) he gives me such a look that can only be described as contrite. The only answer to the situation was to put him in the bath. He doesn't enjoy it, but he was going to have to put up with it. I had to organise thing beforehand, run the bath and make sure the water wasn't too hot and I had enough towels and the plastic jug nearby to use to rinse him. He shivered a lot, which showed he wasn't enjoying things. I took him out of the bath and, he shook himself, which is what all dogs do when wet. I managed to towel dry him sufficiently to allow him into the lounge but the bedroom door shut tight as I really didn't want him in there. As I write this he is sitting in his favourite place on the back of the sofa, looking somewhat disheveled but I can't take him out until he is dry.