Happy Bunny Time (Or maybe not . . .)

Saturday. 6.30 p.m. I went to the Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre for my flu jab, although 'jab' is not the best way to describe how the vaccine is delivered to patients. I was due to be there at 12.20 p.m., but I got there at 11.55. I had only just signed in on the computer system and sat down to wait when my name came up on the digital display. I was the only person waiting, but in previous years, when I had my vaccine, there was a queue outside and many people inside. Very soon I was in the room, sitting down on a chair and having the vaccine.

I managed to say to the nurse who did the vaccine shot that I had attempted to get a doctor's appointment so that I could discuss my medication, in particular the sleeping tablets which will finish on Wednesday, as I only get a five-day course. She said perhaps I could get an appointment today, so we went to the reception desk and I have an appointment booked for Monday at 11.10.

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. The clocks have changed, so it's daylight when, a day ago, it was pitch-black outside. 

I took the sleeping tablets at around 10.30 last night, and I slept through until around 4.30-5.00 and I have to say, I feel a better deal than I have done. Difficult to say, but my mental health has deteriorated over the past couple of months. The doctor has helped, with the sleeping tablets. I would wake up in the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep. 

1.00 p.m. I have had problems with the built-in SatNav in my car. I can never get the voice to work, for whatever reason. When you attempt to put the Postcode of a particular place you want to get to, it will not allow you to put in the whole Postcode. I don't know why, but there it is. But today, I got it working and even got a male voice to work, and it can be heard with the radio on. But, when I went to church this morning. the SatNav insisted on taking me to Worcester! So, it got annoyed with me when I    went in a different direction, insisting that I 'turn right in 20 feet. . . . Take the second exit on the roundabout . . .' etc, in an attempt to get me on track. So, at least it means, that when I drive off to Worcester next Friday afternoon, I will have the SatNav directing me. I don't have a problem getting to the Motorway, it's once I have to take the exits off the M40 and get onto two other Motorways which is the problem, But it's barely two hours in the car, an hour to the junction where I get onto the M40 and then a further hour to Worcester.

As I write this post, there is a steady, but light rain falling. Not something Alfie will be keen about, so I will be overkeen about it, as he doesn't like getting wet. Well, as it so happens, either do I, so we will have to wait for it to either stop or at least, be sort of, less, if that makes any sort of sense.

3.00 p.m. In the past, when I have had the flu vaccine, I would have some sort of reaction around 24 hours later. It would be mildly flu-like and the site of the needle going into my arm would be uncomfortable, so much so that, going to be, if I lay on that side it would be uncomfortable. I have to say that, more than 24 hours on I haven't had any such reaction, thankfully.

Tuesday. 3.35 p.m. I went to Camphill, but I had intended to go later than normal because the sleeping tablets I'm on can have the side effect of leaving you dizzy. They do warn you in the leaflet which is in the package, along with the meds, that you shouldn't drive or operate machinery. I woke without that side effect and left at around 9a.m.m but then I found that the theatre was being taken over by Halloween. As a Christian, I said to Terrie, that I \didn't 'do' Halloween, and she said that the day was all Halloween. So, I went home. I'm glad I did, and when I got back to Dexter House, I went into the community lounge and had a long conversation with some of the residents and mentioned my work at Camphill and why I had come home. 

(Note:I know, the title is stupid, but I couldn't think of a better title for this blog post.)

All Things Bright and Beautiful

Tuesday. 8.05 a.m. Well, it is another bright and beautiful morning. We were out around 5.45. Must have been the earliest we've done our routine walking experience. It wasn't cold, and there was still a slight mist, although as I write, it should have dissolved in the sun. On the BBC Breakfast weather forecast, Carol Kirkwood used the words 'haar and fret (cold sea fog, mostly seen on the east coast of England.) Also, the rather unscientific term 'murky.' Probably for those who don't have a good scientific vocabulary (which I don't, but I do like to discover new words and meanings as well as word derivations and origins.)

Later. I've been out with Alfie. I actually wore my shorts because it was so sunny and warm. We were walking along the path on the Evans Gate side of Oldbrook Green when I could hear crunching and vague electrical motor sound and I looked around and there was one of the delivery pods rolling along merrily. It went up onto the concrete path and on and then went into the estate. It fascinates me to know how they know where they are going. I presume they have GPS connectivity, the same technology which is used in SatNavs.

Wednesday. 6.40 a.m. Yet another bright and sunny. Sitting here writing this with my MacBook on my lap and with BBC Breakfast on television. 

There were 'zero deaths' from Covid-19 yesterday, which is a real landmark moment in this confounded pandemic. But the scientists are still coming out with we need 'more data' before we can definitely come out of lockdown on 21st June. I get the impression from the BBC that their reporters would happily endure further lockdowns and not get us out of this horrible situation. I know he's not perfect, Boris Johnson, but he has had to make some very tough decisions. He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. We have never been through a similar situation in this country before, at least, not in my lifetime and certainly not in many people's lifetime. After the First World War, there was the so-called 'Spanish Flu' pandemic, where thousands upon thousands died, but there was none of the modern technology we now take for granted, no vaccines or any of the health systems we have now. It's almost like a war situation if there is any sort of comparison to be made.

Alfie sitting on the sofa next to me a moment ago, when I ate my cereal and drank my morning cup of tea. He's waiting for me to finish and have what's left in the mug and bowl. He's somewhat 

Later. I've been to Sainsbury's and done shopping for at least two weeks. Well, I hope so. I'm going to do some more baking, and I have got a really rather nice set of metal mixing bowls on Amazon, look stylish, have red plastic handles and the lids have a hole in the centre so you can grate and slice things like potatoes, or grate cheese straight into the bowl and will be useful to store ingredients in as well as to use to make cake batter or other cooking ingredients in. Also, they have bases made of a rubbery material that prevents them from slipping when in use on a kitchen surface. I got a rolling pin, a set of cookie cutters and a sieve in Sainsbury's, so I am all set to make some scones. 

I have signed up to something called Nielsen Shopping Panel, similar to the other panel I belong to, Consumer Pulse, where I have to report everything such as books, clothes, CDs, DVDs and some other items and in return, I get points which can be redeemed for vouchers. I've been on that for around 10 years and have had quite a few vouchers which have gone towards items such as my Hitachi television set, Panasonic Freeview box and much more. More recently I used some Argos vouchers from this to put towards my Bosch food processor. The Nielsen panel requires you to scan the barcodes on your shopping using an app on your iPhone and the points accrue in a similar way to Consumer Pulse and can be converted into Amazon points or a wide range of products from their catalogue, which is on the Neilsen Panel website. I have scanned my shopping from Sainsbury's as soon as I got in from the shopping trip. It can take a fair amount of time, but like most things, you have to put a certain amount of effort into it to get the rewards.

Just heard the news, first via the BBC News website: 'Holby', that heap of rubbish that they claim is 'drama' is to be cancelled after 23 years. Not sorry in the slightest. I think the BBC could and can do better than this tripe. Kept a few actors busy for all that time as well as scriptwriters and other personnel but can we now have something less soapy? It will run until March next years and is the BBC's start to modernize their drama offerings. I think that it might be something to do with the Licence review which is coming up and attempting to compete with the likes of Netflix and other streaming services. 

Still Sunny!

On my way to Aylesbury on Saturday I saw, at the side of the road, a poster advertising the Buckingham County Show. It sounded to me like something I might like to visit. As a child, my family, being farmers, were always attending such events, the largest being the Royal Show at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, as well as the East Of England Agricultural Show at Alwalton near Peterbrough. This was formed from the more local agricultural shows, one being the Bedfordshire Show, which was staged on water meadows near the River Ouse in Cardington Road, Bedford, but which is now home to a Tesco supermarket as well as the Oasis Beach Pool, which is quite a prominent building, having the form of a pyramid, which  no doubt gave rise to it's name. The East of England Show came to an end in 2013 after 200 years I have since discovered, because it was making a loss, due, mainly, to the fact that it couldn't attract enough visitors. I think it may not have helped being held mid-week (I'm not sure that it was ever held over a weekend, which would be far more sense than mid-week, because so many people wouldn't be able to attend because of work commitments.) It may have just not kept pace with modern life. There is a show now held at Blenheim Palace, which is called Countryfile Live and associated with the BBC Sunday evening programme Countryfile, which probably has events which are more relevant to a 21st-century audience.

Anyway, apart from all that, I was considering whether I wanted to go, because, as I say, I think it would make a good day out. I went on their website and there's enough going on to keep me entertained for most of the day, a Thursday. I then decided to book myself a ticket on line and even got a discount because of my age and have printed out the ticket which you have to show when you enter. I now have to set the SatNav in order to find the show ground, and according to good old Google Maps it's no more than a 30-minute drive.

(Wednesday) I've just this minute finished making a batch of chocolate nut brownies for the braai which is going to be at church this Sunday, instead of a service. For those who don't know, it's a South African barbecue and people will be busily creating similar culinary concoctions to take along. I just hope we don't have the awful rain we had last Sunday as I drove along Chaffron Way. It was a real deluge but during the service it stopped and the sun came out. Just shows how weather in this country can change rapidly. Now have the brownie mixture in the oven baking and should be done in 30 minutes. As I write this there's about 15 minutes left before I remove it from the oven.

I've had my first bereavement counselling session at Ashfield Medical Centre. I'm not going to discusss this further on this blog, just to say there will be 6 in total over the next few weeks, at the same time each Wednesday.

(Thursday) I have had a telephone call from someone, not sure whether it was the Council, but it was about discussing me moving to new accommodation, possibly a bungalow in sheltered accommodation. I don't want it too be too sheltered, but hopefully it means I can move out of a house which has three bedrooms, two of which I have no need for, and pay less rent. With a landlord who takes no interest in the place, not having been to visit for well over a year (usually just 10 minutes once a year and they don't even notice if it's clean or not.) I'd rather be living somewhere I know will be properly maintained. The upstairs toilet in the bathroom doesn't stop flushing, unless you lift the cistern lid and fiddle with the mechanism (it keeps on filling when it should stop.), the side of the bath is loose and, frankly dangerous, the floor outside the bathroom has loose boards, definitely dangerous. The cold tap on the wash basin in the bathroom is loose (has been in all the years i've lived here.), one of the kitchen cupboard doors has broken off. I could go on.

Alfie has had an extra walk in the afternoon for the past two days. It has been bright, but not necessarily sunny, but nonetheless, he was surprised that he got out and had a run across the park. It's quite busy, with children playing and you come across people you don't usually see when we go out at around 6 o'clock early morning.

Foggy Morning

Quite a foggy and overcast morning here in Milton Keynes when I took Alfie out for his routine walk around Eaglestone Park. We veered off the usual circuit and went off through the estate and ended up on the Redway. Alfie decided to do a whoopsie on the Redway. I always do my duty and picked it up. I always make sure I carry black biodegradable bags for this very purpose. There are no red bins to dispose of dog waste so I had to walk back into the park and put the bag in the nearest bin. So I decided, as we were there, to walk back around the park and came back home the way we come out, along Griffon Close. I'm afraid there are those dog-owners who still refuse to take responsibility for their dogs and do not clear up when they mess. It spoils the park and the surrounding environment that this is the case. It doesn't take much effort to clear up after their dogs, but then there are some people who will still ignore any sort of regulation, regardless, whether  it's conforming to traffic speed limits or clearing up after their dogs. As it is, it makes an unpleasant environment and I have seen notices to this effect, because it means that events planned and run around the park for children have had to be cancelled because of the health risk. It's a shame that those who don't comply don't get caught and fined.

I've been doing some ironing. Don't laugh. Men doing ironing? What's wrong with that? I'm pretty good at it. I think I must have been shown the best way to iron a shirt, for example, when I was working in stage management somewhere or other, probably by one of the wardrobe staff, or I watched whilst they did this and asked how to do it fast. They could wash and iron for goodness knows how many people, because if a show was running for a certain length of time, it was necessary to keep shirts and items washed, ironed and back in the actor's dressing rooms ready for the next performance.

 Anyway, I use a steam iron. I try to use distilled water in the thing because if you put ordinary tap water in a steam iron, around this area at any rate, where the water is hard, it can build up limescale which can block up the inside of the iron and the holes where the water comes out as steam soon clog up and you can get horrible deposits of limescale on the clothes you are ironing. Anyway, I needed to get a fresh supply and went to The Range yesterday afternoon, which is where I got the last supply, but none to be found. I then went to Homebase, across the road from The Range, and, again, none in stock. Today I went to Morrisons, where I'm almost certain I saw some the last time I was in there, but none to be found. Why is this? Is it because people who own steam irons don't bother with distilled water in their irons? Or is it that distilled water isn't considered to be an important enough item to stock, taking up valuable shelf space and not making enough profit to warrant selling it? Seems odd. It was always used in car batteries, but presumably modern car batteries don't require the occasional topping up with distilled water. I don't think modern car batteries have the little plastic caps which you had to undo in order to put in the distilled water. The cells inside had to be covered in order to make the battery work efficiently. I don't know what my dad would make of this. He would always tell me, whenever I was going anywhere in my car, 'make sure you check the oil, have you topped it up? Are the tyres correctly inflated? Have you checked the battery?' and so on. Even to this day I have to go through this routine whenever I go for a long journey in my car. It sounds crazy, but I suppose he was right. I can't think what he would make of modern cars, with things like SatNavs, computerised systems which tell you to do this and that, how to drive the car, when to have it serviced and goodness knows what else. Alarms for all manner of things, if you haven't put on your seatbelt, or closed the doors properly. Mine even tells you when to change gear!

Sorry, I digress.

I've been making scones. I have made them before. I used Delia Smith's recipe. They taste great but don't look particularly brilliant. Not going to win any prizes but I made the batch just as a sort of test and then make another lot and hopefully they will be better. Is it scone or scone? How do you pronounce the word. With a short end or long? To rhyme with gone or cone? I suppose it depends where you come from, north or south. Does it really matter? What ever the pronunciation, they taste great with cream and jam! Best with clotted cream.

Bringing Things Up To Date

I haven't posted on here for well over a week. The way things have been going I really had no desire to write anything. Carol's passing has hit me hard. We had such a wonderful life together. The funeral is arranged for 11th January at Crownhill Crematorium at 2 p.m.  Postcode : MK8 OAH. The finer details are beginning to be put in place, such as what hymns and songs will be sung and the numbers for catering for the wake, which will be at the Oaktree Centre, the address of which is: Wallinger Drive, Shenley Brook End, MILTON KEYNES, MK5 7GZ.

I was invited to stay with my daughter Chloe and her husband, Steve, in Worcester over the Christmas period, from the Saturday before Christmas until the Wednesday after the New Year holiday. It would mean I wouldn't be on my own in the house in Milton Keynes, and I could take Alfie, my Yorkshire Terrier, with me. I had, at first, asked if I could be collected from home to be taken back to Worcester, but it proved impossible. Then Chloe suggested possibly going by railway, but it would have meant at least a two-hour journey and a change in Birmingham. It would have been difficult taking Alfie, probably on a lead or at least a carrying case of some sort along with luggage. Not going to happen. Then I thought, I've got a perfectly good car, which has only recently been serviced, in good working order. I can drive to Worcester, fill up with fuel in Milton Keynes and go across country. It'll be a lovely journey. I didn't envision using the Motorway as I'm not a good driver on a Motorway. So I left mid-morning on the Saturday and it was fine driving from Milton Keynes, through Buckingham and then out towards Banbury. I didn't need to set the satnav for that section of the journey. I had intended then finding the road for Evesham and then onto Worcester, but I got into Banbury at exactly the wrong time. Nose-to-tail traffic, of people doing their last-minute Christmas shopping. I could not find my way out. I eventually had to set the satnav for Chloe and Steve's postcode and just followed the directions. It took me via the M40 and eventually the M5. It was fairly straightforward and the traffic wasn't too heavy and I just stayed in the slower lane most of the way. When I got to Worcester I had to reset the satnav for the final stretch to Chloe's address and arrived at their front door at around 3.30.

When I'd unloaded Alfie from the cage in the boot (incidentally, he'd been absolutely quite for the entire journey. Probably because I'd put the parcel shelf in which would have meant it would have been quite dark in the back of the car and he'd be safe in the cage.) I took him into the house. I don't think he was expecting two young children to be running about, George, age 3 and Eddie, just turned 1 (not quite walking but getting there.) so whenever George ran around, Alfie began to bark. It took him a while to settle down and by the weekend he had got used to having them about.

So, we had a lovely Christmas Day with Steve's parents and his sister, Katy, as well as other family members, which included Steve's grandfather who is in his mid 90's I spent a lot of time chatting to him. They Skyped other members of the Wilson family who could not be in Britain, spread far and wide, a couple in Australia. I've never used Skype before, so it was a new experience. The picture and sound quality is amazing when you think how far away some of the family members are. I'll have to give it a go sometime. In the evening we sat around a table and played games, one being Linkee which is similar in some ways to the BBC1 show 'Only Connect.' Another one was to identify objects from a very close-up photo.

We walked to a park, or, at least, a large green space. It seemed to be a popular place to walk dogs and Alfie made friends with one or two, but one large dog kept following us. It wasn't on a lead, which was annoying, and I don't think Alfie liked being followed. It took some while to get any mud off his paws when we got back to the house.

On Saturday we went to what is called Worcester Woods where there was a run. I don't know how many participated, but probably several hundred. Alfie came in the car, but he sat on my lap but he wouldn't sit still. Then, when we got out of the car, he didn't appreciate the crowds and I didn't appreciate all the mud. None of this made life easy for me, but never mind. He had a lovely run around a large field. Not really my sort of thing, but never mind.

I didn't leave Worcester until Wednesday morning. I thought it probably best not to travel back to Milton Keynes over the holiday period as there was likely to be heavy traffic on the Motorways. I left at around 8.45 and got to Milton Keynes at around 10.45. I had managed to reset the satnav the night before, but I couldn't get it to work once I left Worcester, so I just decided to get on the M5 and make for the M42, then the M40 and got off onto the road I know reasonably well and went through Buckingham and back towards Milton Keynes that way. I really need to spend a bit more time looking at the satnav in the car before I go on another long journey and set it up properly.

A Day Out To Waterperry

Another warm, sunny and pleasant day yesterday (Wednesday). We thought it a good enough excuse to get out. We thought of places to go to, and decided we wanted somewhere green and pleasant, possibly a garden. We have a choice of several places, but not too far to drive. We hit on Waterperry Gardens, somewhere we've visited on a couple of occasions. We set up the satnav, but for some reason the thing insisted on taking us through Bletchley and not immediately along Standing Way and out towards Buckingham. It would have been more normal to take that route, but the thing insisted on the other route out of Milton Keynes.

We got to Waterperry at about 10.45. The place was busy, with the carpark nearer the entrance virtually full to overflowing and we had to park in a newer section near the farm shop, which I don't remember being there the last time we visited. I don't think they had a farm shop when we were last there, so I presume it had been built and opened since our last visit to Waterperry. We had to wait when a coach arrived. There were several more parked. It was from Milton Keynes. Ironic that we'd driven all that way when we could have gone on a coach and saved on all the stress of driving to get there. Perhaps the next time we could go on a coach, so it will be worth investigating for the future.

The was place absolutely heaving with people. Mostly 'of a certain age.' It was as well we arrived when we did. We paid to go in the garden. I don't remember us paying when we visited the first time, but I know we didn't the last time. It was worth it. People dawdling about the place. It was really nice to sit and just enjoy the quiet, just the sound of birds singing and the breeze in the tree-tops. Something soothing and relaxing about a garden, and in particular one that is so well cared for. It was certainly at it's best. Also, the smells and sights were really soothing. Necessary since we've spent so many hours in N.H.S. units over the last year or so.

We were in need of refreshment so we went into the café. The place was gradually filling up with those people who'd arrived earlier on the coaches, along with a gang of middle aged men dressed in garish biking gear. I had a tomato and cheese sandwich and Carol had a baked potato with baked beans. I bought a bottle of apple juice which we drank with our food and it has to be one of the best apple juice I've tasted. It was from Waterperry apples and very sharp and not tampered with in any way as some apple juice is when you buy it from a supermarket, pure juice, no additives or watered down or from concentrate. We took the bottle with the remainder of the juice home with us when we left.

From the café we went into the plant sales area as Carol was keen to purchase a plant for our garden, or what passes of a garden. She chose a dahlia in a pot.

So we wended our way back to our car and drove home. A pleasant morning spent.

New Car and other things-Part2

We made the decision to go with the Renault Captur at Evans Halshaw. We discovered that there's no Road Fund Tax to pay on the car because it has low emissions. After so many years of driving it seems odd to not pay for a licence.  We had to go into the NatWest to have the money transferred to the dealer's account. No end of identification details at the bank, presumably to make sure it was all legal and above-board. I can see why, because of criminals laundering money and the threat of possibly funding such things as terrorism. It all went through without any problems. We had already paid a £200 deposit from my Nationwide account and we couldn't collect the new car until the next Monday as it had to be MoT'd and valeted and have final checks done before we could take delivery. The old car had to be cleared out and we needed the paperwork to hand over to Evans Halshaw, such as the Registration documents as well as MoT certificate. After a hunt around the house they were located, so fortunately there was no problem. The Registration document sent off to Swansea to make sure we are no longer the registered owners of the old car. It has since been acknowledged by them as the document had arrived and they responded that all details were transferred.

The new car has a built in SaNav. We already have a portable Garmin model which we got last year and we've managed to set up and use successfully. It's important to upgrade the computerised maps these things contain because roads are constantly being changed, new roads added when new housing estates and roundabouts are opened and constructed. The TomTom within the Renault is somewhat out of date so we need to discover how to upgrade the maps within it.

The other thing which is new to us is the fact it doesn't have a traditional 'key' as such to start the car. You get a sort of 'card' with the usual remote buttons to unlock the car doors and to start the car you insert this plastic 'key' into the slot in the dashboard and put your foot on the brake and clutch pedal and then press another button to activate the engine. Takes quite a lot of time to get used to, but far more economical in the long run.

Anyway, we went to collect the new car on the Monday and Carol drove it first. When we eventually got home I drove round the estate. It's probably that bit bigger than the old car. For a start it has four doors and probably a bigger boot.

We drove back towards Milton Keynes and stopped off at Marston Mortaine, to the Millennium Country Park which we've visited on several occasions. To use the toilets and to have a snack. Quite a nice café and a great place for children. We sat and could see children and parents outside, the children happily playing in the playground. How many parents dump their children in these playgrounds (generally safe, with a fence all round and a gate which stops dogs getting in and fouling the area.) but some parents are more keen on sitting and gossiping with their friends, drinking coffee and constantly checking their mobiles. I sometimes think these things cause more problems than they solve.

We had planned to do a wide variety of things during Carol's school holiday break. We've been members of the National Trust for quite a number of years now. We visit some of their sites frequently, as you will have discovered if you read these blog posts on a regular basis, such as Stowe Landscape Gardens, Waddesdon Manor and Wimpole Hall and Home Farm. We'd rejoined English Heritage. Both the National Trust and English Heritage allow you to pay in monthly instalments, which I suppose means that more people can afford to pay in instalments which makes it far easier. A good move on both their parts. English Heritage manage a good many historical sites, one near here being Wrest Park which we've been to on quite a number of occasions. Also, the H.H.A. (Historic Houses Association). We have been to Blenheim Palace using our H.H.A. membership. Last summer, which was really hot virtually throughout, we managed to visit many places. With Carol not being well it has been difficult to visit any of these places although we have been to Castle Ashby, not on either organisation's 'free entry' list but well worth a visit. It's not too far either, through Olney and driving towards Northampton. Lastly, Carol revived her Fellowship membership of Z.S.L. (Zoological Society of London) and we've already visited Whipsnade twice since reinstating the membership.

Last week we visited somewhere new which we only discovered, quite by accident. I was on Google Maps looking for something entirely different and found a place marked on the map, called Crocodiles of The World. I told Carol about it and she was more than interested to visit. Not only were there crocodiles there but a komodo dragon which she was keen to see. A large pool containing no less than 30 crocs which we saw being fed, which was quite spectacular as the man feeding them stood on a sort of platform over the water and kept feeding them with a pole with a sort of hook that could release the bits of chicken and each time he held it out over the water many of the crocodiles would jump up to get the food!

Possible Walk-On Job next week

I've just had an email from one of the many agencies I'm signed up to for television and film walk-on and extra work (actually 'extra' is not the word to use. I've never merely been an 'extra' or supernumerary on anything I've done. Whatever I've done I've almost always been directed by someone or other, even if it's an A.D. (Assistant Director) or even the actual director on a shoot.) It's to be a gardener in something shooting near Chipping Norton. I have a hunch if might well be for the BBC television series 'Father Brown' which is filmed in that area. We drive through that area regularly as we go to different National Trust properties out towards Cheltenham and Stratford-Upon-Avon, or towards Worcester which is where Chloe and Steve live. It shouldn't be much more than an hour's drive and not too difficult to find the location as we have a SatNav.

Visiting Grandson George

It's a good many months since we were at George, my grandson's christening in Claines, near Worcester. We had to wait until the Easter holidays to be able to plan another visit. A good two-hour drive there needs a certain amount of organisation. We'd bought him some clothes in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago as well as a chocolate rabbit in Morrison's on Sunday. A difficult decision as regards an Eater treat of some sort, whether to get him an Easter egg, something made from chocolate, or a rabbit (gold paper wrapped with a little golden bell on a red ribbon around it's neck.) so the bunny won. Duly loaded the car, SatNav installed, camera, mobile phone and all the other paraphernalia. Car fuelled up on Sunday, which saved us some time. Not able to see Chloe or George until after 2 p.m. 

We needed something to eat mid-journey. We needed to find a suitable place to eat something. We needed to go to buy sandwiches or at least something suitable. We went to Asda. As it turned out it wasn't such a good idea, unfortunately. It was around 10.30 when we got there and the place was heaving. What is it that makes people behave in a sort of siege mentality whenever there's any sort of public holiday? Easter, Christmas, New Year, or whatever? We picked up the sandwiches we wanted off the shelves, and a few crisps and other snacks and then went to pay. Every till in what is a really huge supermarket seemed busy, with long queues with customers pushing trolleys which were over-loaded with goods. Most tills had people already being checked through but with large amounts of goods on the conveyor belts. We stood in one queue and it seemed to take forever for it to move. It was no good moving to another or even going to a self-service checkout as all dozen or so were busy, with people waiting. No express tills either (do they have these in Asda? I don't think so. Or a self-scan system which I've seen in Tesco and I know Waitrose have as we've used ourselves. It does cut down on queuing.) Anyway, the woman on the till we were using seemed as if she was on a go-slow. Not making much effort to speed herself up. I don't think she could, even if she tried. By the time we'd paid and walked out, it was near enough 11 o'clock. I would have left a good deal earlier but Carol insisted we leave around 10-11. We followed the SatNav's directions and for some strange reason we went via Buckingham, but made a really different detour and followed a road we'd never been on before. It usually takes us a completely different way. We got to the M40 and then onto the M5. The whole journey was taking a good deal longer than anticipated. We had hoped to arrive at Claines at around 1.45, but we got held up in long queues of traffic and didn't arrive until around 2.40.

Unfortunately we weren't at Claines very long. We did go for a walk with Chloe and George. He's walking well and into everything, as all children of his age.We walked as far as the sports ground, with George exploring everything on the way, mainly drains and inspection covers and putting stones and sticks into various holes he hound on the way. We were surprised when Steve appeared. I wasn't aware that he worked from home. He made us a cup of tea and we sat and chatted while George played. We sat in the garden and saw their newly-laid lawn. Made of decent turf, unlike our uneven excuse for a lawn.

Around 5.15 Chloe announced that they had to go and collect her car from being repaired from the garage. It was by then that we decided on leaving, unfortunately, as we knew it was a long drive home. It was just as well we did leave when we did, because by the time we hit the M5 towards Birmingham the traffic was building up. We journeyed back towards the M6 and the M1 and finally back towards Milton Keynes. We were somewhat surprised that the roadworks along the M1 south near Daventry is still continuing. It was this area where we broke down in the car a year or two ago. A somewhat traumatic experience, as you might expect. We were rescued by a breakdown truck as we had gone into the coned-off area. Not an experience either of us would want to repeat in a hurry. It seems the roadworks have been going on for much too long. What is annoying is that the part of the Motorway which is coned off has no work going on, or at least from what we could see. Why they can't open up more and allow the traffic to flow properly, instead of having such long stretches coned off, and expecting drivers to travel at no more than 50 M.P.H. seems crazy. We arrived home at around 7.15.

Saturday Trip to Kinver Edge

Carol has had a really bad couple of weeks at work at Milton Keynes Academy. It seemed only reasonable that we go out for the day, mainly to get away from the stresses of life. Also, Alfie deserved a day out. He's always up for a walk and doesn't need a great deal of encouragement. I think, if you've read any of my earlier blog posts, you'll have discovered how a small Yorkshire Terrier can behave, from one minute being a quiet, sensible little bundle and the next, with the slightest hint of the word 'walk,' or going near his lead, he becomes a raging little Tasmanian Devil-type character, growing and yapping madly. We didn't actually utter the word 'walk' within ear-shot so it was a surprise to us that he had picked up our intentions of going out. It was bright and sunny, having been quite cold for the past few day, although generally fine. We'd looked on-line for somewhere suitable for dogs and Carol had said she'd seen something on the Sunday evening BBC1 television programme 'Countryfile' about Kinver Edge and the rock houses there. I might have seen it on there or mentioned on one of the many and various television programmes we watch. For all that, it did seem an intriguing sort of place to visit. We had to get Alfie ensconced within the cage in the back of the car first, set up the satnav to allow us to find 'Kinver Edge' and then first fill up with petrol at the Shell station along Grafton Street and check the tyre pressures. Something that is necessary before we go on a long journey. I'm glad my dad always told me to check this sort of thing on every car I've owned, from filling the radiator with water, or at least checking the level, the windscreen washer water level, tyres, lights, oil etc etc. It's somehow inculcated within me from the first car I owned way back when I had passed my driving test in 1969 and had an ancient Ford Anglia which my parents bought me for the princely sum of £75. That's another story for another day and mentioned in fairly full detail in an earlier blog post.

So we set off, taking the directions as given by Dora (the name we've christened our Gamin SatNav.) Perhaps it's a bit stupid to give a gadget a name, but it does have a female voice and so-named after the children's television show character 'Dora The Explorer.' She generally does a good job, and tells you fairly well in advance when to turn left, right or whatever. But somehow we didn't do exactly what she advised and ended up in not quite the right place at one point. Actually going very near Claines, the village outside Worcester where my daughter and son-in-law live with my grandson, George. We could have dropped in, but we thought as we hadn't given them notice, it wasn't such a good idea. So we drove on until we got to Stourbridge. I was under the impression it was closer to Birmingham than it was. We eventually arrived at Kinver Edge, which is a range of rocky outcrops and we were making for Holy Austin Rock Houses. We couldn't immediately find a car-parking space along the side of the road, it was that busy almost every space was occupied by a car, but we eventually arrived at the dedicated National Trust carpark which seemed better as it was off the road.

Kinver Rocks

Having got Alfie out of the back of the car, by which time he had begun to let the whole neighbourhood know that he was about by barking and yapping very loudly (I suppose you would, if you had been imprisoned within a cage in the back of a car for near enough two hours.) we set off to walk towards the rock outcrop. It was a good 20-minute walk and we were able to let Alfie run, which was great as that was basically all he want to do. Running ahead of us, through an attractive wood, some of the path having a gradient and in places we came across carved seats where we stopped to take photographs and catch our breath. Eventually we came out in an open area with the rock outcrop before us, rising up perhaps a hundred and fifty feet, with a path cut into the side and with buildings perched on the summit.

Holy Austin Rock Houses, on top of the rocky out-crop at Kinver.

It was quite a walk, with steps some of the way, a sheer drop down on one side and the rock face on the other. Then turning a corner, a set of further steps, little terraces cut into the rock side, which had been made into gardens, complete with fences, lawns and everything you would expect with a garden, but certainly not at this sort of height off the ground. Looking down, I could see lots of grass, but at a fairly steep angle, which must have taken a great deal of skill to mow with any sort of mechanical device. Further steps, at even more of a steep angle, leading eventually to the very top of the rock. It was a real surprise to find a set of neat cottages, cut into the rocks, one having a room which had been made into a café, where we bought some filled rolls to eat, sitting on a terraced-area, with tables and chairs and views down to the village below and further, to the open valley and the horizon. I think the view was as far as the Malvern Hills, but I'm not sure exactly. But it was worth the effort with such a magnificent view. This is called Holy Austin Rock Houses, but I'm not sure why 'holy' exactly. Anything which has either an artistic or historical connection is interesting to us and I have to say it was very quirky and interesting. We had a look in some of the caves, some which had been part of dwellings at some stage or another. Also, there are toilets hidden quite discreetly behind one of the houses, a definite necessity for some of us, unfortunately. Very well kept and I wonder how on earth they got the water up there! Also, if you were to live there, what about deliveries, such as post? I'd feel sorry for the poor old postman, having to labour up and down those steps, particularly if you were carrying a heavy bag with letters in it.

Anyway, having had a good look around the place, we began our careful decent and walked back towards the carpark. We bought ice cream from a van parked along the side of the road and then began the walk back to the car. It's a good deal more of a climb back than you realise when you are walking in the other direction, but it was certainly good exercise for the two of us and even more so for Alfie who is only little. Once back at the car we soon drove home and on the way stopped off at a retail park we could see from the Motorway near Banbury as there was a Marks and Spencer's in there where we bought salad which we had for our meal when we got home. So, if you want somewhere to visit which is unusual, then I can recommend Kinver Edge. Since looking on the National Trust website we discovered that there are many more rock houses in the area, so we'll have to make a further visit and explore these other houses.

Signs of Spring, MoT and Crazy Cyclists

We've had the car booked in for it's MoT. At the O.K. Garage at Peartree Bridge, the grid square just over the other side of Marlborough Street. It was supposed to be there at 8.30. No problem with that, as the sooner the car is done the better as far as I'm concerned. I have to drive out of Eaglestone by going round the circular route and leave next to the shops. I then have to turn left onto Chaffron Way, as I have met with a queue of traffic going right (which is the route I have to take) and then round the roundabout and return onto Chaffron Way and then meet more traffic queuing to get onto the roundabout on Marlborough Street. I just wish most drivers would respect other road-users, and not insist on driving right up my rear bumper, in an attempt to get me to speed up or just get out of their way. It's quite nerve-wracking. Other drivers are under the impression that they don't have to stop when they meet a roundabout and merely continue on without any need to stop and wait for other road-users to go through the roundabout. Anyway, I continue on and come off Marlborough Street where there's a sign for 'Marina' and the OK Garage is a short way off the road. I can't drive straight into the carpark as there are several cars in the way, so I wait until they've moved. When I do eventually drive in I have to leave the car in a position which is obviously blocking other vehicles but then, once I've been in to tell the reception that I've arrived with the car, they have the car keys so they can drive it so that they can do the MoT. I'm told it might be ready by 10, which is fine by me. I don't see the point of waiting, as it's only a relatively short walk along the Redway back home to Eaglestone. I had the presence of mind to bring my G.T.N. spray with me, concealed in one of the very convenient pockets in the sleeve of my fleece hoodie. It's quite a cold and windy morning and the cold brings on a mild angina attack, but a couple of sprays under my tongue and a few minutes pause in my walk relieves the slight pain in my chest.

There are definite signs of spring as I walk along the Redway. Quite a bit of blossom beginning to come out. It's white and I think it's probably may. Also, buds coming out on a lot of the trees and buses and the grass looks a good deal greener.

I have to move out of the way as a couple of cyclists come straight at me. They might not be intentionally aiming themselves at me as I walk, but it seems like it. One, dressed in the brightest and most gariest green imaginable, with a blinking light-thing on his helmet. You wouldn't miss him in a fog and very easy to see, but to me he just looks very amusing, Lycra, the full bit, helmet and gloves. It must cost a fortune, and he looks so serious. EVEN got this little camera on his brightly coloured helmet to take a lovely video to show his friends on Facebook or whatever. But be keeping the shareholders of Halfords well and truly happy and living in the style they rather enjoy. Must have spend several hundred pounds on all this gear. These people don't seem to realise how crazy they look. You wouldn't get me into Lycra at any price. When we were at Salcey Forest on Sunday morning, as we sat and drank our hot chocolate outside the café, a group of middle aged men turned up with their bicycles, clad in Lycra, helmets on heads (although some did carry them). So, this is what they do on the average Sunday morning? "Where are you off to, dear?" one wife to her husband. "A long ride out into the Northamptonshire countryside. Be a couple of hours. Have the lunch on ready for when I get home." Or words to that effect. No likelihood of them actually going more than a couple of miles up the road. Just sitting and eating a sausage roll or two, together with a nicely-filled baguette or bread roll, with a cup of coffee and a few bags of crisps and then off to a pub to drink a couple of pints of best bitter. No actual time-trials on their beloved bicycles at all, just an excuse to get out of the way of the children who are charging around the house making all sorts of noises which wifey spends her time in the kitchen preparing the potatoes for roasting with Yorkshire Pudding and roast beef etc etc. Mind you, I don't expect any of that lot had a little camera on their helmets to show the wives at home where they've  REALLY been. But no doubt they'd have a satnav which might conveniently give a trace of the route they've cycled.

A little later in the day . . .

I had expected to hear back from the garage regarding the MoT. I had been told that they would ring me around 10 o'clock. I hadn't heard by 11.30, so I decided to ring them. I had to find their phone number on their website so I had to go on line. I was told, when I got through, that the car had failed. Something called the 'coil spring' which is part of the suspension system. It was going to cost around £150. They had to find the part to fit in the car. The car was no use having back if it had to have work done on it and, without it's MoT certificate we couldn't legally drive it, so I told them they had better get the part and then fit it. So, once that was done, it was legal to drive with it's MoT certificate in place. Then there was the problem of the car's door. It has sliding doors. The passenger side door is fine. It works, using the remote, but the driver's side door has been faulty for some time now. We've just put up with it, but it's annoying, it doesn't work using the remote, or the controls within the car. We asked if the garage could give us a quote for parts and labour. As I write this they haven't come back on any of this, although Carol found something called an 'actuator' on Amazon for around £50. Don't ask me how this works as I have no idea. No doubt it's got something to do with the remote control system which opens and closes the door. I will come back and write up further on this matter as and when I have it. They may be able to fix the car this afternoon but it all depends on whether they can get the parts, but it may have to stay at the garage until tomorrow when they can complete the job. It really doesn't matter as we don't need the car immediately and it's only a ten-minute walk down to O.K Garage.

Later still . . .

I hadn't heard a thing from O.K. Garage. until around 4.50. Once Carol had come home I decided to ring them again. They were having problems with the car door. Something to do with some electrical device in the dashboard. I'm not sure exactly what it was or even what it does, but it's the thing that has been causing all the problems with the wretched sliding door. They would need to take off the dashboard cover. They would have it ready by 5.30, which I imagine was when they shut up shop. Carol suggested we walk down, taking Alfie with us. It seemed a good idea. After we'd had a drink of tea we set off down the Redway. Alfie was released from being on his lead and seemed in his element, running ahead as he always does. We came into contact with cyclists, two of whom I'd encountered earlier that morning. The bright green of one of their outfits making him stand out. Why is it that cyclists on the Redway can never slow down when they come to pedestrians? Nearly ran into us and one almost ran over poor Alfie.

We arrived at O.K. Garage and they had got the car ready for us. It has to go back tomorrow morning for around half-an-hour so they can find the correct part number for the electronic piece inside the dashboard and then the car can go back in a few week's time after I get my pension money to have the part put into the car.  We paid for the work the garage had done. £183 which included the MoT and the spring coil (still never heard of it.) So at least we had the car back and the overall cost wasn't as much as I had anticipated, fortunately.

We drove out of the garage carpark and then we discovered the car was low on petrol. By now the traffic was building up, as it was home time for most people. We had to fill up at the Shell station in Grafton Street. Carol drove the car and I had Alfie perched on my lap. A new experience for him, as usually when we take him out in the car, as we did last Sunday when we went to Salcey Forest, he has to travel in the cage in the back of the car. It was worthwhile as he sat still (up to a point) with me holding him tight with his collar. When we got to the Shell petrol station I handed him over to Carol to hold whilst I filled the car with petrol. Then we drove to the Brother's fish and chip shop in Eaglestone. I went in to order our food and Carol walked home with Alfie through Eaglestone Park. By the time I'd got the order and drove home, they had arrived at the house and had the plates and cutlery ready so we could eat immediately I got back.

Birthday Outing To Stratford-Upon-Avon

Saturday was my birthday and, the weather being fine, Carol thought I might appreciate a visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon. Actually, as we drove to the Shell petrol station along Grafton Street, we were greeted by a thin fog. It was dull and sunless, but that didn't prevent us having our day out. The first day of Half-Term as well as my birthday. I had found the postcode of the Stratford-Upon-Avon park-and-ride carpark and set the satnav, so it was just a matter of following the device's instructions and driving out of Milton Keynes. A wonderful invention which makes driving and particularly navigation so much easier and stress-free. There are some modern inventions which one can well do without (mobile telephones for one, although they have their place, obviously.) but a satnav is a brilliant bit of kit. Attempting to follow a large fold-out map in a car as you are moving along can be very difficult.

We drove out of Milton Keynes towards Buckingham and eventually to the M40. Our journey was fairly stress-free. Fortunately the fog began to lift as we approached Stratford. We got to the park and ride carpark and it was here we discovered that it didn't seem possible to use the ticket machines. You should have been able to use your bank debit card to either pay with chip and pin or contactless but the machine wasn't working. We ended up finding we had to use the bus without paying and the driver allowed us to pay on our return journey. I have a free bus pass and it was at this point that I discovered that it had expired, meaning I couldn't use it for a free journey. I will have to go to the Council offices in Milton Keynes to get it updated. I would have thought I would have had a letter from them informing me that it was about to expire. It not only means a trip into the centre of Milton Keynes, but that I will need to get passport photographs done to go on the card.

On arrival in the centre of Stratford-Upon-Avon we decided that we required some sort of refreshment so we went to a Caffe Nero branch in Henley Street. Carol ordered hot chocolate and I had caramel latte with a good topping of whipped cream and caramel sauce and we also had chocolate brownie and pecan pastries. For once there wasn't loud music playing, which is one thing which we both find annoying in many restaurants and cafes we visit, which means you can barely hear anyone speaking and restricts conversation. A very clean and tidy branch and the staff were friendly and helpful.

William Shakespeare's birthplace.

From Caffe Nero we walked along the street towards the Shakespeare Birthplace. I have a longstanding interest in William Shakespeare and have studied his plays at school and university, and this was one place I had always wanted to visit. We were going to visit on this occasion but were put off by the cost of entry, so didn't go inside. I realise such places need to be paid for and kept going with such payments, but it seems a shame that they are making money out of tourists which keep such centres as Stratford alive, but in another sense they are putting of others who might like to visit but wouldn't be able to afford such costs. We did go into the shop, further down the street, and bought some cards and other items. Much of the souvenirs are, frankly, very tacky and cheap, but in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust shop there were some very worthwhile items, including books, pens, postcards etc etc.

Further along the street we discovered a shop which sold teddy bears. Carol has a love of these toys and has a wide collection at home. Several years ago I bought her a Steiff bear, which was sold as an offer in the Guardian newspaper. Outside this shop was a very large, more or less life size  bear dressed in Tudor clothes, no doubt to look like William Shakespeare. Within this shop there were all manner of bears, in all manner of clothes, large and small, some at reasonable prices but others very expensive. We have never been in such a well-stocked shop selling teddy bears!

Having left the teddy bear shop we walked towards the river. We found where the bus would leave to return us to the park and ride carpark, just outside McDonald's. We walked on and got to the Waterside, which is where the R.S.C. (Royal Shakespeare Company) has it's theatre. We visited Stratford a few years ago and it was at the time the theatre was being redeveloped and was under scaffolding. It is now open (it has been for the past few years.) and now has a tower as part of it's structure. There is also a recently-opened permanent exhibition inside which is about Shakespeare and called 'The Play's The Thing' which we ought to visit when we next come to Stratford. All part of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 1616.

 Canal boat at Waterside, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Along the Waterside were barges and boats and one which took passengers on a cruise along the River Avon and part-way along the canals. We thought it would make a pleasant and relaxing afternoon's experience, having spent several hours walking. We then saw a barge further along which sold food and bought ourselves baguettes which we took on board the boat, after we'd bought our tickets. So we spent around 45-50 cruising on the boat and went through the lock and into the main part of the river. It was from the boat that we got a view of the theatre you don't normally see and then, further along, the church where William Shakespeare was buried.

Falstaff statue at Shakespeare Memorial

Hamlet statue at Shakespeare memorial

When we got back to the Waterside we walked round to look at the statue of Shakespeare, which has him at the centre, but high up so you unfortunately can't see him at very close quarters. Around the four corners, but at ground level, are statues of some of his most famous characters, Sir John Falstaff, Lady Macbeth, Henry V, and Hamlet. I took photographs of each.

We then wandered back into the town centre and visited Marks and Spencer, buying lasagne and salad for our evening meal. We returned to the bus stop outside MacDonalds and waited for the bus which would take us back to the carpark and our car and drive home back to Milton Keynes.

Boughton House Outing

We've intended visiting Boughton House for around the past 10 years. We've driven past on several occasions when we've been visiting somewhere else nearby, such as Rockingham Castle, which we visited around 6-7 years ago. You can see the house clearly from the road and it has a sort of inviting  appeal. We planned a day out yesterday, but then it clouded over and began to rain early, and Carol complained of an eye infection so we went to get some drops from Boots which, in the end, meant we stayed at home, but this morning it began sunny and pleasant so we set the SatNav and made up a picnic and drove off early. The house wasn't open before Midday so there was no point getting there too soon. According to the SatNav, it was going to take around an hour to get there. We drove away from Milton Keynes towards Olney and then towards Wellingborough and eventually Kettering. When we got nearer Boughton the SatNav wanted us to enter the estate through an entrance which was closed off with a gate which had a notice on it which said 'private' so it's not always a good idea to follow exactly the route given by this technology. I had programmed the thing with the postcode given on Boughton's website. It just goes to show you can't always trust modern technology. We continued on and took the signs which took us through a couple of attractive villages. Whenever we drive towards any of the historic houses we visit (and we've visited quite a few this summer, as you will know, if you've been following my blog posts on here.) you soon know when you're almost there because all, or virtually all, of the estates they're in have long walls running around them, which is generally a huge give-away. Soon we were at the gates of the Boughton estate, but it was around 11.50 so we drew up on the grass verge along with several other cars. Soon the gates were open and we drove in. The first thing we couldn't help noticing was the huge plume of water shooting in the air. Known as the 'jet del' Eau (Jet of Water. Simple, I suppose.)  This 70 foot plus fountain rises from a lake, called the Grand Etang (which translates as 'Great Pond.') You can't escape this magnificent feature of the landscape of Boughton because it seems to follow you around and can be seen from almost all of the grounds. Well, I suppose it would do, it's a major feature. We were certainly impressed by it.

Jet de l'eau at Boughton House

I'm afraid my photograph, which I've included above, really doesn't do justice to the actual feature. It's difficult to portray the scale of it in a photograph, and certainly not on here. This really doesn't give you any sort of idea of the size of the jet, because it's very impressive.

Having parked the car we decided to eat the picnic we'd bought with us so we sat on a rather convenient grassy bank near the car and once this was finished we walked to the stable block nearby to purchase our entry tickets. As we're H.H.A. members (Historic Houses Association) we didn't have to actually pay. We are certainly getting our money's worth with our joint membership of this organisation this year. We did, though, have to pay to gain admittance to the house itself in order to join a guided tour which was due to start at 1.15. So we had some considerable time before this guided tour so we spent it wandering around the grounds. The landscape comprises a series of walks with avenues of trees, embanked areas as well as canals and lakes, which have, apparently, been inspired by similar features at French 17th and 18th-century houses and palaces, such as Versailles

Really pleasant avenue of trees at Boughton

At around 1.00 we went to find the house entrance in order to get on the guided tour. When we got there we found people waiting and signed in. We left some of our belongings at the entrance with the staff and then the tour began. A truly amazing collection of artworks as well as furniture in each room and the lady who was the guide made it all very worthwhile and interesting.  This tour took around an hour, but it was actually only half of the house. A second guided tour would begin at around 3.15 and take you around the upstairs apartments. We had booked for this also, but as it was so warm and we'd been standing for so long we decided to abandon the idea. You aren't supposed to sit down as you go around, although some seating is provided, but it was, as I said, far too long to spend in the heat although we would have liked to have seen the rest of the house. Maybe we'll return at a later date and see the rest of the house then.

We went to buy icecream in the shop, as it was a particularly warm afternoon. We sat in the courtyard at the stables and began to chat with a couple who came to sit on the chairs at our table. It turned out that they lived in Leicestershire, by sheer coincidence, very near where Carol lived as a child, in the vicinity of Thornton, which is near Coalville. It seems amazing that you can travel miles and when you eventually bump into someone or other, begin a conversation, they tell you that they lived 'up the road' from where you live or know someone you know. Only the other week, when we went to Cambridge and were in the Fitzwilliam Museum, we began to talk to a lady who was standing and looking at a particular picture and it turned out she was also a teacher, like Carol, and she worked at a school nearby to the Milton Keynes Academy where Carol works.

We then wandered around the grounds and gardens at Boughton, admiring the gardens and then made our way back to the car and left for home.

Having followed the instructions of the SatNav, it was strange that it did not take us back the same way as we had come. At one point we were directed to drive through a ford in one of the villages, but Carol decided not to take that route. We were supposed to drive back on the M1, which wasn't the way we'd gone when we were on our way to Boughton. On arriving back in Milton Keynes we went to the K.F.C. at the stadium to buy take-away chicken and chips for our evening meal. 

Saturday Jaunt to Compton Verney

Another Saturday, with the sun making an appearance. Carol had decided to drive to Compton Verney in Warwickshire today. We seem to be making the most of the summer weather. We set the SatNav to take us there and it's great to know that, with this technology, you don't have to bother with maps and direction-finding. The journey took no more than an hour and a half. A very straightforward journey. I think we must have come fairly close to this house when we were last out the other week when we drove to Seizencote. It's also quite near Stratford-Upon-Avon.

On arrival, we found a place in the car park and then walked to the entrance building and found other people waiting patiently because the place had not yet opened.

Compton Verney, Bridge in Capability Brown landscape

Once the doors opened we queued up and eventually paid for our entrance and then walked the relatively short distance to the house. The house, built in 1714, is a Grade I listed building, set in the quite stunning landscape, designed by Capability Brown and since this is the 300th anniversary of his birth, a very good example of his work. It seems amazing to think that he is likely to have never seen his work completed when you think how long it would take for the trees to mature. All set off by a very large lake. We walked along the path leading to the house and discovered a very strange building with a pointed thatched roof which turned out to the an ice-house. We have seen a few of these structures at other properties we've visited over the years.

Ice House at Compton Verney

After a walk around the grounds, we entered the house. It has been redeveloped as an art gallery. It's very well executed, using modern building techniques, glass, and steel. There is a new block at the rear of the building which houses a shop, restaurant, and café. I was expecting the house to be like all the other houses we visit, with the interiors virtually intact from whatever period they were built, including furniture.

We spent some time browsing the galleries which contain art from across several centuries and then went into the café to have a snack  before we went upstairs to see two more exhibitions, one of photographs from the B.B.C. archives and covering a 60-year period and showing performers of comedy programmes such as 'Hancock's Half-Hour', 'Round The Horne', 'The Navy Lark' and also television classics such as 'Dad's Army', 'Are You Being Served' and 'Steptoe and Son.' A very interesting and revealing exhibition and great to see the performers, such as Kenneth Williams, Ken Dodd, Arthur Lowe and others in relaxed mood as well as in rehearsal and performing. Also on display is another exhibition of designs from the 1950's and in particular, from the Festival of Britain held in 1951. We're not particularly interested in that period, but it was interesting all the same. Then we went further up the house to a permanent display of folk art.  We then went back outside for a further wander around the house, finishing up in a meadow looking at an artwork called 'Drift; by Laura Ellen Bacon and woven out of wood.

'Drift' by Laura Ellen Bacon

We walked back to the car park to reset the SatNav for home. We didn't return exactly the same way because when we got near the motorway we could see traffic on it was queued up and at a complete stand-still, so we decided we ought to avoid it so went home via Lemington Spa and on towards Daventry and the M1. 

Trip to Seizencote

Having spent the past two days indoors avoiding the roasting heat it was great to get in the car and go out for the day. We had planned to go out on Tuesday after Carol had been to Ashfield Medical Centre and had a blood test and a medication review with the doctor. She wanted a repeat prescription and was told by the receptionist that a doctor would ring to speak to her before writing her the required prescription. Actually, this doesn't happen. You don't now usually get a written prescription unless it's more urgent and you need your meds immediately. If that's the case you can take the paper prescription into Cox and Robinson, the chemists, who have a branch a few units along from the surgery in Beanhill and it might take them ten or fifteen minutes to make up the order if you wait. But other than that your prescription can be done electronically if you ring your pre-arranged pharmacy to order over the telephone (as I do. My pharmacy is at Sainsbury's.) and the order is usually made up within a week. Less paperwork or that's what they hope. Having said that I have an additional medication, Lyrinel.  I try to have all my medications ordered at the same time, which makes common sense, but because the Lyrinel doesn't seem to coincide with the rest of my order, I have to order it separately. The petty administration at Ashfield won't allow this, which is becoming annoying. It would surely make their life easier and save time and paperwork. So, as my stock of Lyrinel runs out, I will ring Sainsbury's pharmacy and order, but it means having to make another journey into town for this. No wonder the N.H.S. is in crisis with this sort of petty behaviour from the pen-pushers who run the organisation.

We drove away from Milton Keynes, having set the new SatNav to direct us to Seizencote, a house and garden we haven't visited before and as members of the H.H.A. (Historic Houses Association) allowing us free entry. It took some while to decide where to visit because not everywhere in their handbook is open all week or at least the days we want to visit. There were a number of places we selected but then found they were open on that specific day and then because it has been so hot over the past few days we decided we didn't fancy going out. It's quite nice being able to merely programme the SatNav (a Garmin model which I bought on Amazon.) and just following the nice lady's voice as she directs you along the road. Certainly a good deal less stressful than trying to follow a printed map in a road atlas.

We know the road out towards Buckingham fairly well. We use this road regularly, usually, when we're going to a National Trust property such as Stowe Landscape Garden, which is just outside Buckingham or going towards Bicester, which we visit regularly (as you would know if you read this blog on a regular basis.) The SatNav, interestingly, took us through the centre of Buckingham. Which was strange, as this town has a by-pass? This is the route the bus takes when we have used it when deciding to visit Oxford and leave the car at home.

We were making initially to Moreton-In-Marsh, which is the nearest town to Seizencote. The house and garden weren't due to open until 2 p.m., so it was no good arriving too early. We decided to park in the centre of Moreton and spend some time looking in the shops near the market square. Not an easy matter of finding a space, as the place was already busy with cars. It seems a very busy centre with traffic rumbling through the middle. I know this route well as I drove through it years ago on a very regular basis when I worked at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. My parents used to visit me on occasions and we often went to such places as Moreton-In-Marsh and Bourton-On-The-Water to visit the attractions such as the model village there or go to a very nice pub. My mother had lots of friends in and around the area who we visited also.

Moreton-In-Marsh main street

There are plenty of really nice shops to browse, some selling toys, gifts, cards and similar. Just the sort of shops you'd expect to find in what I imagine being a tourist-trap. I'm sure it is, because it's slap-bang in the middle of traditional Cotswold territory, and sure enough we saw a coach turn up and disgorge a load of elderly folk who looked the sort of people who would make straight for the nearest tea shop and enjoy cream tea, scones, jam, and cream. We found a Tesco Express ( a pity in a way, they seem to be everywhere, even in a classic Cotswold town centre.) and purchased sandwiches and crisps and found a bench to sit on in a shady place under a tree on a grassy area and munched our sandwiches.

It was then time to move off towards our destination, although we had plenty of time to kill. I had to reset the SatNav for Sezincote and we arrived in the carpark at around 1 p.m., giving us a little under an hour before the house and garden opened. Carol suggested we drive to Broadway Tower to kill the hour before Sezincote opened. We were there in minutes. We have visited it before, a rather imposing folly, built for no real practical purpose, and standing on a hill which means you can see it for miles around. We visited it a few years ago when we'd visited a National Trust property near the village of Broadway, Snowshill Manor. It seems they have developed the site where it stands with a sort of shopping outlet as well as upgrading the parking facilities as well as the paths towards the tower as well as a decent toilet block in what was a shepherd's hut. A really practical use for a traditional item.

Broadway Tower

We drove back to Sezincote and found by the time we returned that it was opened. The carpark had filled up considerably in the time we'd been away.

This property turned out to be really interesting. Very different to any of the other properties we've visited, run and protected by either the National Trust, H.H.A. or English Heritage. The gardens are quite amazing. Lots of little rivers and streams as well as canals and pools. The place has an oriental feel to it and the house itself has an onion dome on its roof. The whole place is reminiscent of the Brighton Pavilion and it's no surprise to learn that the Prince Regent is supposed to have visited Sezincote and it inspired him to have the Pavilion at Brighton designed in a similar style.

Garden at Sezincote

Having meandered about the gardens for approximately an hour and a half we decided we needed a cup of tea or at least some sort of refreshment and so wandered into the Orangery which has been converted into a tea-room and ordered a pot of tea and some very tasty chocolate cake. We had meant to tour the interior of the house and the next guided tour was due at 3 p.m. But once we got inside and the rest of the party were gathered in the entrance hall we found it to be exceptionally hot and so decided to decline and left. We did a bit more wandering in the garden and then returned to the carpark and drove home. It's actually quite a walk from the house and garden to the car park. Most properties have some sort of transport which allows visitors to be taken on a vehicle of some sort, such as at Stowe which has a sort of train arrangement, but no such transport at Sezincote and it's quite a hill walking to the carpark.

The weather has been exceptionally hot and sunny, as I have already mentioned. The scenery through Oxfordshire is quite stunning. The villages throughout and through which we drove are of that beautiful golden-coloured stone and in some respects, they might be considered stereotypical of what you'd think of as 'English,' with many of them thatched. In the countryside, the fields of corn are ready  for harvesting and we saw a few combine harvesters hard at work, usually followed by a cloud of dust as they work. Also, the tractors and trailers which assist in taking the grain from the combines and delivering their loads of wheat, oats or barley to whichever place for storage and in some cases driving slowly and as a result causing long traffic queues which no doubt cause some drivers some frustration.

We arrived back in Milton Keynes at around 4.55.

Grandson George's Christening

On Sunday we went to Worcestershire for my grandson George's Christening. I have to come clean and admit that we were late. An hour late and missed the actual Christening. For some reason we thought it was at 2 p.m and not 1 p.m. I know, we should have checked, but we didn't.

We started out at around 9.30 and used the newly-acquired SatNav. It's becoming really helpful, because, if you've been reading any of my earlier posts on here you'll know that our sense of direction if fairly awful and we've spent a lot of time attempting to find a whole lot of places during our outings. It's actually quite assuring to able to rely on this technology to assist in finding places which we haven't been to before.

When we drove to Chloe's graduation in Worcester a few years ago we had to be at Worcester Cathedral (where the ceremony was held.) at something like 9.30 a.m. and we went via the M1/M5 and, as it was early morning we hit a lot of traffic on the way and it took a good deal longer than it ought to have done. The time before last (a couple of weeks ago.) we went on a Friday and went via Buckingham and then onto the Motorway beyond Brackley. It took a little over 2 hours. Had we gone that way on Sunday, even though it was the weekend, we would have got caught up in traffic going to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, so it was as well the SatNav directed us up the M1. We weren't going directly to Claines, where Steve and Chloe live, but to a National Trust property called Hanbury Hall and Garden as we needed to get something to eat as we weren't likely to get anything to eat until around 3 p.m. (or so we imagined.) This turned out to be a really interesting house and we managed to get in a group which went into the house to hear a presentation by one of the staff on the history of the house and the Vernon family who had lived there for around 250 years. It was very interesting and worth the time to listen to.

Hanbury Hall from the front

The gardens at Hanbury Hall

Pavilion at Hanbury

We had a very pleasant lunch in the restaurant, which was at one time the servants' hall when it was lived in. Reminding us very much of "Downton Abbey." Our meal consisted of cottage pie followed by apple and blackberry crumble and ice cream. We spent a little while wandering around the garden (which is when I took the above photographs.) and we then left to drive the short distance to Claines. It was as we got to the church and saw all the guests outside in the churchyard that we realised that the Christening was over, unfortunately. We then drove to the village hall for a rather pleasant tea (actually, I wasn't in the least bit hungry because we had eaten at Hanbury Hall. It was a pity we missed the actual Christening, but it was a chance to meet up with my brother Robert who I haven't seen in a long time as well as my aunt Jasmine (Aunty Jas as she was always called when we were children. My late mother's sister.)

The tea didn't go on too long and we were soon driving home and got back to Milton Keynes by around 7.30. A long day but worth it.