August Excitement! (?)

 Monday 14th August. 3.45 p.m. I'm not going to post this until the beginning of September. I will write as and when I feel I have something to write about. 

I have mentioned having to have a physiotherapy appointment, after the lower back pain I have been experiencing for the past month or so since I had covid. My appointment was booked around two weeks ago and today was the earliest I could be seen. It was booked for 10.20 a.m., but I am always keen to arrive in plenty of time, but, in general, it doesn't take much more than ten minutes to drive there, taking into account the several sets of traffic lights you encounter on the way, which seem set to take far too long to change, regardless of the amount of traffic, which is usually light at that time of day.

I got to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and had to check in with a receptionist because the computerised system wasn't working. Around ten minutes later, I was being called into room 7 to see a physiotherapist. She did a sort of triage, attempting to find where the pain was centred, bending down to the ground and side to side, and then I had to lay on the couch. It wasn't actually long enough, as I'm over six feet tall. I was expecting her to get some treatment, but no. I have to have a telephone referral with a private company and do some exercises myself. So, it seems as if the N.H.S. seems determined to spend cash which they don't really have, for this sort of treatment from an outside business. So, it seems I will just have to wait at least a week before this treatment can begin.

I left the surgery in my car and intended to go into the city centre as I had to collect a polo shirt I had bought via the Marks and Spencer website and needed collecting from the store. I had to drive around the centre to get to the car park near The Point and fortunately, the RingGo app worked, so I could pay to park. I had done a survey online and earned a £10 voucher which I converted into a Marks and Spencer voucher and decided to buy a polo in their sale. I ordered with 'click and collect, which I have used before. The polo shirt was valued at £18, so I had to pay the difference. I went into Marks and Spencer and remembered that the click-and-collect desk was on an upper floor, but then I couldn't find it and then discovered it had moved to the ground floor. There are a couple of digital screens, onto which you key in your name, and your parcel is then bought out to you. All wrapped up and ready to take away with you. I was a bit surprised I didn't have to prove my identity, as I could have been anyone. 

Thence to the nearby Costa for a large caramel latte, cheese and ham toastie and slice of rocky road. Very nice! Then I walked back through the shopping centre towards Midsummer Place and then ended up browsing in Waterstone's and then back to the car park and drive home.

Wednesday. 6.10 a.m. Due to the lower back pain, I didn't go to Camphill yesterday. It started off very mild, at the time I got up (as it is, as I write this.) but it gradually got worse as the day progressed. I am learning to live with it, but I am hoping it is going to fade away so I can get back to somewhere near normal by, hopefully, next week.

I've only just got back from taking Alfie out. As we were walking back along the path towards Dexter House, I saw what, at first, I thought was a cat, staring at me, as it was standing under the overhanging branches of the tree which is on the grass, about halfway along. It didn't move for at least fifteen seconds, and then it occurred to me, it wasn't a cat. It was definitely a fox, because of the shape of its head, very similar to Alfie's and very prominent ears. It turned and then disappeared into the wooded area between the Dexter House garden and the SIA offices.

12.05 p.m. I've been to Sainsbury's this morning. I had a Nectar voucher which meant, if I bought a certain brand of dog food, I would get 200 extra points.  If I hadn't used it today, it would expire today, so it seemed a pity to lose it and I did need some dog food as there were only a couple of pouches left. I bought a few other items. 

I had to use one of the self-service tills to pay. The manned tills had queues, so it was either that or a queue for so few items. All went well checking my items through until I had to scan the voucher, so I had to get a staff member to help. George, who is one of the drama group at Camphill, works in Sainsbury's, and it was him who helped with the voucher, so I was able to complete the transaction, although I almost left without paying! I almost forgot to put in my debit card and then put in my PIN, but I could then leave to go home.

Thursday. 2.00 p.m. I've been out this morning with my Thursday morning Bible study group. We went to Milton Keynes Museum. I drove to the Oaktree Centre and Jenny, who is the leader of the Bible study group, drove me and one other person across Milton Keynes, arriving at the museum at around 10.30, which was when it opened. There was quite a queue of people wanting to get in. I had a ticket which allowed me free entry, having bought it almost a year ago and, once bought, allows free entry throughout the year.

Friday. 10.20 a.m. I have just got back from a trip to Sainsbury's, to get a few items. I was reluctant to use one of the self-service tills to check out, so I went to a manned till and as I was queuing, I noticed that around six of these tills had been removed. I am beginning to wonder if this is a crafty manoeuvre on behalf of Sainsbury to get rid of staff and encourage their customers to use self-service tills. As I was waiting in the queue, a lady ahead of me was completing the payment of her shopping and seemed to be having problems with using her card, that is, putting in her PIN in the machine. I would say she was around 75-80, so probably not very confident with using technology. They should take into account this sort of customer when they are considering removing what I would call 'traditional' technology.

I cleaned out the fridge earlier. I know, rather a mundane and somewhat dull job, but it really did need doing. It's the sort of job that gets avoided, but then it gets to the point that it needs doing. Lots of food which is well past its 'best before' date, so it went in the bin. The shelves were removed, given a good wash in the sink, and then replaced. Job done.

Tuesday 22nd August.  6.55 a.m. The digital thermometer reads 26ºC. A really hot and clammy night. I have been up early, as usual. I took Alfie out at around 5.45. Done washing up from last night, put out a bag of rubbish and now made up my pack-up for Camphill. I am feeling a good deal better as regards the lower back pain. I would say it has actually disappeared. 

I got a text from the physio company, which came as a referral from my doctor's surgery. I attempted to complete this online, but it wouldn't work, so I rang and have a telephone consultation on the morning of 4th September. 

The Whirligig of Time

 Saturday. 6.50 a.m. Goodness, gracious! Today is the 1st of July. Nothing more to be said on this matter.

6.15 a.m. I've been to meet my friend Nick in the main shopping centre. I drove in at around 11.25, and we were scheduled to meet outside Costa,  opposite Marks and Spencer, at midday. Nick turned up, but, when I saw him, or thought I saw him, walking towards me, at first I didn't recognize him. We went into Costa and I ordered a strawberry and cream frappé, a ham and cheese toastie (my regular) and a rather nice slice of carrot cake. Once we'd eaten and drunk, we went into Marks and Spencer and browsed in the men's department. Actually, a real surprise this, quite a lot of items I liked and might even end up buying. They are throwing of their old-fashioned image, at last, appealing to those (me included) who prefer clothing to be a bit more adventurous and colourful. Who on earth would imagine M and S selling pink jackets? Or bright orange trousers?? The sort of thing that Michael Portillo might wear in one of his train journey television documentaries. Then, we wandered along the shopping mall, into Boots for a couple of items I needed. Virtually no humans at check-outs, it's nearly all self-service. Companies who insist on this sort of treatment of their once loyal customers will see them shopping elsewhere. We browsed in W.H. Smiths and several other stores, and then we walked to my car and that was where we parted company.

I had problems with the RingGo app. It causes more problems than it solves. I got it to go into the payment section and put in the security code of my card, but then the spinning ball thing wouldn't stop, so I wasn't sure whether the payment had been taken. I think it may have something to do with the internet connection, but I have deleted the app and reinstalled it, but even now I'm not sure if it works properly. It's more frustrating than anything. If it worked well, it would be better, but it's not. It does save having to take change with you when you park, but when it either doesn't open or connect, it's useless.

Sunday. 8.00 a.m. I've been out and done another video experiment using the gimbal. It seemed to work better, or, at least I'm getting to grips with using it and managing to get the horizon steady, but for some reason, I can't get the microphone which connects to the iPhone to work. You never know when it's connected. There's no light that comes on to indicate it's connected. I think it's just a case of trial and error.

I have looked at the instruction manual for the microphone, and it does have a light that should come on when it's connected, so it's my fault it didn't do what it should. Never mind. It's all a learning process, as they say.

The current temperature, as recorded on the digital thermometer, is 23ºC. A much more workable temperature

5.00 a.m. The current temperature in this flat is 24ºC.

Monday. 4.55 a.m. I've just got back in from taking Alfie out. It's another milder morning, but pleasant. A lady was out with her two dogs on Oldbrook Green. She had a larger dog, I think perhaps a sheltie or border collie, I couldn't tell, and a little spaniel, having fun with a stick, the little one running around behind her and having great fun. Alfie wasn't going to walk all the way around the Green, locking his legs and determined to go home to have a sleep. Who can blame him?

The title of this post is another from 'Twelfth Night.' It came to me, as these things seem to do, and I had an idea it came from 'King Lear', but when I did a Google search, it came up with 'Twelfth Night.' It refers to a spinning top, a toy which Tudor children would have played with. It comes in Feste's speech to Malvolio, at the end of the play, and refers to the circularity of the year and, indeed, time. After this, Malvolo storms off, saying, 'I'll be revenged on you'. 

Current temperature in the flat is 21ºC, so it has fallen around ten degrees in the past few days.