More of The Same?

Sunday. 7.40 a.m. It's raining, although it's very light. In fact, I would so as far as to say it isn't really proper rain, more like drizzle. I will need to take Alfie out again before I go off to church. The kitchen is tidy. The washing up from yesterday evening is done and there's not much more to do. There is nothing worse than coming home to a pile of dirty pots and pans in the sink.

2.15 p.m. We did go out and then I went to church. On the way home I went into Tesco in Oldbrook Boulevard and got a sandwich in one of those offers where you get a sandwich, a drink and a snack.

3.55 p.m. Now watching the Jubilee Pageant, which is on BBC1. Some incredible creations moving along The Mall. Extremely colourful and dramatic. This is the final event of the four-day special weekend. A lot of amazing floats, really clever and funny. Just shows that we can produce this sort of thing as good as anywhere else in the world.

I have signed up to Britbox. It streams through my Fire TV stick on my television. A lot of BBC, ITV, Channel Four and 5 material, particularly what I  would call 'classic' comedy, such as Dads Army, Some Mother's Do 'Ave 'Em as well as drama series. I'm surprised there's Shakespeare, from the RSC, material which is from 'live' recordings which have been streamed to cinemas in the past. The first couple of weeks is free, then £2.99 a month and then £5.99 a month thereafter. 

Monday. 6.20 a.m. I was out a good bit later than I have in recent days.

So, Bojo (Boris Johnson) is to face a vote of no confidence this evening. The required 54 Conservative MPs have handed in letters to the 1922 Committee, which is what triggers the vote, which is to happen sometime tonight. I think it can't happen soon enough as he can't be trusted, and if you can't trust your Prime Minister, then he must go. As regards the so-called Partygate Scandal, which is behind this confidence vote, and the fact that he and many of his ministers as well as civil servants, broke the Covid-19 rules by holding parties within Number 10 Downing Street, while the rest of us in Britain followed these rules more or less to the latter, then he must go. But the question is, if he loses and is forced to resign, who will replace him? Frankly, in my opinion, the regulations were unnecessary and people should have been able to make their own minds up as regards their behaviour to have people fined was a step too far. Also, if the PM didn't understand the rules he had enacted into law, then how could you expect the members of the public to understand them? 

11.25 p.m. The British Museum currently has an exhibition I would have liked to go to on Stonehenge. I also knew they were publishing a book and thought, rather than visit, which would have been quite a strain, knowing my health issues, unfortunately, I would buy the book. I looked on the British Museum website but couldn't get it to function (not good as they will lose customers.) and I attempted several times to buy the aforementioned book. I then searched several online bookshops and avoided Amazon (as I give them plenty of custom as it is!) I then went on the Blackwells website and found the book, which I ordered last week (I think possibly Tuesday or Wednesday. The four-day Bank Holiday has obviously disrupted the delivery (and I had several emails from the courier company telling me it had been dispatched etc and then this morning another saying it would be delivered before 11.30 a.m. I heard footsteps on the stairs and realised it could have been someone delivering my parcel, which it was. A large, very well wrapped parcel marked Blackwells and inside, a somewhat spectacular book all about Stonehenge! Really well produced and presented and will keep me interested as it's a subject which intrigues me and I visited with Carol a few years ago and where we joined English Heritage, which manages the site with the National Trust. 

Tuesday. 5.40 a.m. Another really mild and quite beautiful morning. A mist hanging over Oldbrook Green and the rising sun glowing through the mist. I was lost in thought as I walked around, with Alfie sniffing every blade of grass. Suddenly I was approached by another dog, which I see regularly, with a lady I have spoken to on several occasions. This dog jumped up at me, which jolted me out of my thoughts.

Yesterday evening at 9 o'clock, the news came through that Boris Johnson had won the No Confidence vote, although many of his MPs had rebelled. He keeps on saying he can now 'move on,' but it means he's not in a safe position. Around 40% of his MPs don't support him, which isn't a good place to be in. He is, in effect, hanging on by a very thin thread.

Life, The Universe and Something or Other . . .

(Thursday) My hair is in need of being cut. I can't remember when it was last cut. I know so many businesses are closed due to the confounded coronavirus lockdown, but going without this necessity means my hair is getting really annoying. Under normal circumstances I would have it cut around every 4-6 weeks. I have booked an appointment for 14th April through Central Barbers website. Paid and booked, so all I have to do on the day is merely turn up on time. Don't even have to worry about payment as it's done. A good deal easier and you don't have to wait. I think in the future I shall keep doing this.

Later. I turn on the television with the expectation of watching the latest edition of The Repair Shop, when the announcer says ‘there’s a change to our schedule with another coronavirus press conference.’ My heart sinks, as I really don’t need to listen to the doom mongers droning on relentless. Pointless is transferred to BBC2, but I just switch off the television instead.

I've signed up to a streaming service, much like Netflix, called 'BroadwayHD,' which works through my Fire Stick. As a result of the pandemic lockdown, which means that all live theatres have been closed, I am more than delighted to be able to enjoy recorded theatre performances through this service. I have already enjoyed a performance of Noel Coward's sparkling comedy, 'Private Lives,' and I'm currently watching the RSC's amazing nine-hour version of 'Nicholas Nickleby' which was one of the earliest productions shown on Channel 4 when it opened in 1982. I did watch it then, but am so glad to be able to revisit it now. Ideal material to enjoy, done in 9 parts and a definite binge-worthy piece of theatre or television.

(Friday)12.55a.m. I've woken up. The usual thing, wander to the toilet. I can hear the wind whistling around the building. It's quite an odd sound. No rain, as far as I can tell. I hope it stays dry, but somehow I doubt it. Alfie comes into the bedroom to find a comfortable space next to me. Then I get a sudden urge to cough. I've had this annoying cough for some while, and I'm more than certain that it's caused by one of the medications I'm on, one of the side-effects. Having done a search on-line, I find that it is one of the side-effects. I bought Robitussin, a cough syrup, in Lloyd's in Sainsbury's and it seems to keep it in check so I've just taken a dose, finishing off one bottle and I have another in reserve.

I had to order atorvastatin, one of my medications. I realised when I did my evening meds that the one I took yesterday evening was the last one, so I went on the appropriate app on my iPad and ordered it. I was more than a bit surprised to find a text message from Lloyd's pharmacy telling me the meds were ready to collect this morning so I went to Sainsbury's, where Lloyd's pharmacy is to pick it up. I did a bit of shopping, milk in particular. I parked as normal in the underground carpark (that's not actually correct. It isn't 'underground,' It's underneath the store.) Usually the moving walkway or travelator (I've spent some time on Google trying to find the right word for this.) whisks you up to the store, along with the annoying voice which keeps on telling you that you must 'stand still and hold onto the rail' or whatever it is and reminds you to 'push your trolley off the walkway,' rather like some teacher taking to a classroom full or rather dim primary school-age children. As if you're going to forget to push your trolley 'off the walkway,.' What do they expect you to do, crash onto the floor in a heap? It is somewhat patronising. Never mind. Enough digression. The aforementioned walkway wasn't operating as it should (it seems the lifts and walkway in Sainsbury's has a habit of failing when it shouldn't.) So it was odd walking up the walkway when it wasn't moving. 

When I had finished my shopping, I paid, having used a self-service till (getting quite good at using these things by now, and the thing seemed to work perfectly!) I pushed my trolley towards the top of the travelator and almost got on it, as a member of staff stopped me, so I had to go down in a lift to the carpark. It's virtually impossible to go down on the travelator with a trolley when it's not running, because the wheels get caught in the grooves on the surface and you can't move the trolley off until you get to the bottom.