Weekend Writing and Printer Hitches (and other matters)

 Saturday. 4.00 a.m. So, here I am once more, not being able to sleep and feeling really hungry. So I decide to make myself toast and put some of the raspberry conserve on it which I had I bought in Sainsbury's about a week ago. (Incidentally, conserve isn't jam, because it has a higher concentration of fruit compared to jam. I'm not sure of the percentage, but its a good deal higher, which means it's got more fruity flavour.) So, I organize my workspace in the kitchen and get out the toaster and make three slices of bread into, what else? Toast! As well as toast, a mug of tea. Then I go into the lounge and decide, after some consideration, to watch something on BBC iPlayer and watch an old episode of 'W1A', the spoof documentary series which stars Hugh Bonneville amongst other actors. Actually, it's not ''old' in the sense of being old, or ancient, in the sense that it's 30-40 or more years old. If you get what I mean. Or from the BBC archives, such as something by Frankie Howerd or Harry Secombe. I love this show. It's not going to appeal to a lot of people. I think you have to appreciate the wordplay, the dialogue is almost circuitous. People speak in a sort of new speak (the language used in Orwells '1984.' They go to meetings which never seem to produce anything. They have jobs which have titles which don't have any real function. Its management for management's sake. The show is what I think you'd call a docudrama, or, at least a spoof of one. Dramady, (ie: Drama/comedy.) David Tennant does a rather fine job of providing the voice-over, which is what you always get in these 'reality' documentaries. Even that has a hint of mangled words, and twisted language, for want of a better word. It's interesting that he is used as he does a lot of genuine voice-over work on other 'real' documentaries, which gives a sort of realism to the fiction.

7.15 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. We did the obligatory circuit of Oldbrook Green and I now have 2480 sets registered on my FitBit. It's quite chilly, and we have been warned, on BBC Breakfast, that its going to become colder over the next few days, and there will even be snow in parts of the United Kingdom.

10.10 a.m. I have given Alfie a bath! He was getting rather smelly, and it seemed a good idea to clean him up. He goes for a haircut on 23rd March, which is quite a long time to wait. I have to organize things before he goes in the bath, for example, closing the bedroom door, because I don't want a wet dog on my bed. I have to take off his harness and collar before he goes in the water. I run a few inches of warm water into the bath before he goes in and use a plastic jug, bought for the purpose, to rinse off the shampoo, which is a product intended for use when bathing dogs. It doesn't create too much lather, which is easy to rinse off. I also use the shower, taking off the device which fits on the wall, to help rinse off the lather. He was filthy and the water showed how dirty he was. I think he likes being made a fuss off, particularly when I work the shampoo into his coat. Once he's washed, he comes out of the bath and I towel him dry, as much as possible, but, like all dogs who get wet, he shakes himself to take off most of the water. I then gave him a bit of a brush, and he's now settled down on the sofa, smelling a good deal better than before the bath!

Sunday. 7.15 a.m. Alfie came to me in bed and keep staring at me. I didn't pick up what he was doing and why, but then I thought he might need to go out. He barked, so I confined him to the lounge by closing the door and then went into the bathroom to get dressed. By the time I came out, dressed and ready to go out, I realized he'd had a 'little accident' on the floor. I managed to clear it up, and I now realize that the treats I gave him might have had 'consequences' such as the accident. Then I scooped him up, and we went out and onto the grass alongside Strudwick Drive. 

I have completed the transfer of the handwritten piece of writing onto word processing. I wanted to read it on a printed copy, so I set up the MacBook and the Canon printer, but the printer steadfastly refused to function. So, we're back on the 'dysfunctional printer' mode, which I thought had been rectified with the new Canon, but obviously not. I have a feeling that it might be possible to sort this out by resetting the printer, by whatever means, like a factory reset. I have attempted, but during this, the printer decided to print out two copies of what I had wanted. How, I don't know, as it wasn't connected to the Wi-Fi or the MacBook. I think it may have been enabled because the printer would supposedly have all the print data stored within itself and so could print those two copies. There is no other explanation for this. But I have now managed to read the print copy of the new piece of writing, and I am more than pleased with it and now I can continue with my writing. But still, the printer is causing a headache.

4.25 p.m. I'm watching the 'Great British Pottery Throw Down, which is on Channel 4, but I watch via catch-up. I'm not a great lover of some of the competitions on television, especially 'Strictly Come Dancing.' It's too hyped for my liking and anything with so-called 'celebrities' is a turn-off and some of the things which the judges say can be really nasty. That's not so with the pottery 'Throw Down.' No celebrities in sight, and the judges don't come out with nasty comments. Having attempted pottery at college, I found it very difficult to throw anything on a wheel and didn't succeed with it. I'm better at other areas of art, photography and creative writing are my thing.

Autumn Days

 So, we're now into October! Where did September go to? It's now downhill to Christmas. I have to say, I don't like winter, dark days, cold, defrosting the car, slippery surfaces and all that that entails. I walked into The Range the other morning, in an attempt to find distilled water for my steam iron, they had Christmas stuff on one side and Halloween junk on the other. The shops are beginning to get stacked up with everything you can't possibly do without. But what is the point of stocking up with mince pies, when they will be stale before the festive season arrives? I call it junk, but let's be honest, most of it is.

8.30 a.m. It's surprisingly foggy this morning. I don't suppose it's really a surprise, as it's what you come to expect when the seasons change. 

I have my Friday load of washing on. I'm going to be a good deal more careful than I was this time last week when I did my washing. I had a load on and went down to check if it was finished, which I thought it had and opened the door of the machine and found the load sopping wet. Thinking about it now, I must have opened the door too early. The machine was probably about to go into its final spin. As a result, nothing would dry. I did attempt to get some clothes dried in the drier, but it wasn't going to happen as the clothes were far too wet. I had to resort to putting it all on drying racks and had one in the bathroom. Fortunately, I had the second one which we had at the house in Eaglestone, but the clothes weren't going to be completely dry until at least Sunday or even Monday and as a result, I had to contend with all my washed clothes hanging around and in the way for a couple of days. My fault and not a mistake I intend to make again.

1.50 p.m. It's got quite windy outside (well, it would be worrying if it was inside. Stupid man! What an idiotic thing to say!) In the short time, we were walking around Oldbrook Green, it seemed to get stronger and stronger

5.55 p.m. You know it's autumn when the television shows that have been off our screens return. 'Strictly Come Dancing is one and will be there in the schedules on a Saturday for around three months leading up to Christmas. I can't say it's my favourite show, although Carol loved it. I don't dislike the dancing, but I hate the way people can be so nasty, usually led by one of the judges, Craig Revel-Horwood. Picking holes in the contestants' dance performances. Anything with celebrities is a definite turn-off for me and many of them can hardly be called 'celebrities' in particular those who have been on reality television shows. The whole thing is driven by tabloid newspaper reporting and social media posts and picks up on the slightest mention of something which happens in the show.

As I write this, the fog has disappeared, but the wind has now been replaced by rain. It's falling quite heavily.

10.25 p.m. I've just got back from The Oaktree Centre, where we've had a quiz night, which is a money-raising for the second phase of the building. There were a fair number of people there, so it should have raised a good sum for the project.

Telly Watching- Part 1

At the moment we seem to be having a lot of similar television programmes which feature making-over or repairing items of furniture, toys, clocks, bicycles and so on. It started a few years ago with 'Money For Nothing,' where a restorer/maker/designer goes to a tidy-tip and rescues items of furniture and other things before they end up in the skip and are crushed. They then take the item to specialist designer/restorers who transform them item and then the presenter sells the item for a profit and the money they make is given to the person who was about to throw it in the skip at the tidy-tip. What makes this programme so good is that we see how an old piece of furniture which was past its best can be transformed and the journey it goes on to become something stunning and the money it can make when sold. The reaction when the presenter turns up with the money which has been made after the work has been done on their piece of furniture is a treat. I'm really surprised myself because some items are sold at ridiculous prices.

I suppose there have been many other 'make-over' shows on television over the years, 'Changing Rooms' and 'Ground Force,' and more recently 'Garden Rescue', but they don't have the 'repurpose' element in them, although 'Garden Rescue' does sometimes use recycled items, such as railway sleepers and other items in their make-overs, but not to the extent this rash of shows have.

Then there's 'The Repair Shop.' This is intriguing. People bring items into the shop to be repaired, usually, items that have some sort of connection to a friend, a family member, probably who has died. These items are in a really sorry state, in desperate need of care and attention. For example, a valuable piece of porcelain, a vase or bowl, but some have no real intrinsic value, probably the property of a grandparent or friend, which has a sentimental story to tell, such as a rather tatty teddy bear which survived a house fire or a clock which someone inherited but accidentally got knocked off a shelf and has been left in a drawer because no one can repair it, is the basic format of this show. A series of craftspeople, each with their own set of special skills, manage to restore and revive these pieces. It is a good show, but the sentimental side is beginning to get a bit tiresome. It seems the producers are trying their best to wring every tear out of the people whose items are being repaired. This usually at the end when the 'big reveal' is made and they see their beloved heirloom in its newly-repaired state. There is so much sentiment and gushing that a person can take, surely. Or perhaps not. It's all about nostalgia, and as someone once said, 'nostalgia isn't what it used to be.' (I may have got the quote wrong, but you get a rough idea of what I mean. But, on the other hand, it's great to have a programme where people are actually NICE to one another. Probably accounts for the series success, particularly during the lockdown where people are crying out for something soothing and pleasant to watch. Remember such programmes as 'The Weakest Link,' presided over by the 'Queen of Mean' herself, Anne Robinson, who could make some quite nasty remarks and 'you are the weakest. Goodbye!' was her mantra? Or Craig Revill-Horwood, one of the judges on 'Strictly Come Dancing', who could make some quite nasty quips about the contestants? Done in the mode of a pantomime villain. Just to get a reaction in some respects, and to get people talking on social media and thus increase the viewing figures.

This 'nostalgia' theme is carried through in the fact that the show is filmed in an ancient barn in the  Weald and Downland Living Museum near Chichester. Then it's been styled with objects that give a suggestion of nostalgia, metal advertising signs, bric-a-brac, dried flowers, carriage lamps from a bygone era, and so on. Playing on a rather fake past, in some respects, seen through a haze of soft focus, horses grazing, gaslight, drifting fog, and so forth. Not really genuine really, because living in, say, the 19th century, might have been fine for the upper classes, but pretty terrible for the lower orders, especially those working in the factories and cotton mills in the north of England.

The last of this type of programme is 'Saved and Remade,'  which is Broadcast on BBC2. Members of the public bring in items that have become redundant or have no real purpose anymore or hold some sort of emotional connection (much the same sort of thing which holds 'The Repair Shop' together.) It might be a wedding dress, an ancient sewing machine, or a transistor radio. Specialist craftsmen and women then have to 'repurpose' these items into a useful piece that can still retain something of its original use which can be a functional item in the person's home.

It's good that the BBC is showing programmes to at least attempt to recycle things that would otherwise be sent to landfill, but I think that there is a limit to the same sort of programme. Perhaps these shows are being made at the moment where it's difficult to produce other types of the show under government covid-19 restrictions.  They seem to think that if one type of show is popular, such as cookery or antiques, that if they make more of the same, then the public will lap them up.

Another Week In Lockdown

What more can I say? I have no idea what this week will bring, so we'll simply have to wait and see.

They are now saying (by the way, who is 'they'? Some scientist of government minister?) that wearing face-coverings and social distancing is likely to continue 'for years.' Please, don't let this be true. Our lives have been wrecked enough by this wretched pandemic, being expected to suffer in total isolation for over a year and now this. I can't believe people want this life to continue, if you can even call it 'life,' because it doesn't seem anything like life as it should be lived.

(Sunday) Currently watching something on ITV called 'All Star Musicals,' similar as regards format to 'Strictly Come Dancing', but without the idiotic clapping of the audience. Celebrities (I really can't stand anything with the title 'celebrity' in the title.) have to perform a number from a musical, not just sing in some cases, but dance, and usually with a dance chorus. For instance, Robert Rinder (Judge Rinder) singing 'Be Our Guest', from Disney's 'Beauty and The Beast', Bradley Walsh's son Barney, singing 'Flash, Bang Wallop' from the musical 'Half A Sixpence', (he's very like his dad, by the way.) and  Ranj Singh, the doctor who appears on ITV's 'Good Morning' programme and singing 'Come What May', from 'Moulin Rouge. They are all mentored by musical diva, Elaine Paige. I have a feeling the orchestra is the same that provide the music for the dancers in 'Strictly,' and the whole thing is compered by the ever-present John Barrowman. There is a judging panel and they give each 'act' a score out of ten (similar to 'Strictly' but without the nastiness of some of the judges on that show.) I'm thinking this is the sort of show we need at the moment something to cheer people up. And then Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber comes on promoting his new musical, 'Cinderella', with a performance of 'I Know I have A Heart', sung by Carrie Hope-Fletcher. This being the first time this song has been performed on national television. I won't spoil the result  for those who haven't seen this and might have either recorded it or watching on catch-up, I thought the way the result was given was rather lacking suspense. No build-up, no short list of possible winners, contestants being voted off or the sort of suspense of the announcement. Just read out the over-all winner. Rather a damp squib in my opinion. In fact, why do we need the contest element in the first place?  I have given this much thought as it why this show was very shallow and didn't seem to work. With 'Strictly Come Dancing' you get the contestant's journey, over several weeks and months. They develop their dancing skills, and it's that more than anything which drives the show and what makes it half worth watching (not that I am a fan by the way.)  The build-up to the final result is given some sort of emotional journey. Then the big reveal, giving a heightened sense of 'arrival.' 'All Star Musicals' seemed rushed and it didn't seem to work with only one episode. I have a feeling most of this was due to having to obey lockdown regulations, social distancing etc etc. By the way, in the glimpses of the rehearsals, the dancers had face coverings. Why were none worn in later sequences? And virtually no regard for social distancing? Can we just have entertainment on it's own, as we used to have in the dim and distant past? Just think of the Saturday evening entertainment we had in the 1960's and into the 1970s, such as 'The Two Ronnies.' I suspect it's to do with the cost. Having writers come up with scripts, rehearsals, general studio time etc etc. A contest is presumably a good deal cheaper, with no re-takes etc etc.

(Monday) It has actually been quite sunny and mild today. Daffodills coming out all around Oldbrook Green. I think you can safely say that spring has arrived!

I attempted to ignore Alfie staring at me and poking me with his paw as I lay on my bed. If I let him he will jump on me when I lay flat on the bed and stares at my face. It's actually quite difficult to ignore for any length of time. If I ask him, he will stare at the front door and bark noisily. I get the message and I have to take him out for a walk. Sniffing every blade of grass and leaf as we walk along Strudwick Drive. As we come out of the side door from Dexter House (which, by the way, is being exceptionally difficult to open, necessitating an almighty shove from me, which dislodges the catch.) there are two hi-vis council employees (probably not, come to think of it. They have 'Serco'' emblazoned on the back of their jackets.) they both had rubbish bags in their hands and were picking up litter with tongs with long handles. It's crazy that the council has to employ people to clear up litter, dropped by idiots who should know better.

The EU (who? That lot messing up Europe.) expects Britain to give them some of our vaccines as they completely messed up their own supplies. Are we going to roll over and give them to them? I don't think so. And now they are saying their coronavirus infections and deaths are increasing, whilst ours are falling. I just hope we don't get this 'third wave' in this country or it will scupper our 'roadmap' out of lockdown. They are also threatening (key word here: threatening.) to band exports of some vaccine to Britain. What sort of organisation has it become? Why can't we just pull together and SHARE such things as vaccines in the middle of a pandemic? Thank goodness we left the EU.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day!

I start off with a Shakesperean quote! And why not? I think The Bard got it right. It's from one of Feste's songs from one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, 'Twelfth Night.' The quote is now a bit out of date because as I write this. . . . it's bright and sunny!

(Saturday) Well, typical British weather! Today it's foggy when I took Alfie out around 7.15 this morning. No sign of it dispersing. And to cap it all, on BBC Breakfast they're saying there's snow coming in over the next couple of days and an Amber Warning.  Being referred to as 'The Beast From The East.' Seems the trend nowadays, to give storms a name of some sort. So, we're likely to be skating all over the place and snowed under-literally! Just shows how quickly our weather can change from day to day.

10.20a.m. As I write this, the sun is out! Not very strong, but it's dispersing the fog. 

Alfie happy to go out and walk around Oldbrook Green. Stopping every couple of yards to have a good sniff, which to him is happiness. One contented little dog.

The trees and bushes around Oldbrook Green and along the edge of Evans Gate, the road which runs alongside the Green and going up towards Sainsbury's in Witan Gate, has been trimmed by council workmen. They have been using a chipping machine to dispose of the branches of the trees and the chipping are distributed over the ground. Also, the other day they were using a powered cutter on a pole to cut off over-hanging branches on some of the trees alongside the path Alfie and I walk along. It all looks neat and tidy.

(Sunday) Well, after all the expectation of snow, no sign of the white stuff when we went out at 7.30a.m. Apparently Kent is under snow, so there's a chance we'll soon be under six feet of the stuff. But there's a chill wind blowing, so that may bring it in later. Watch this space! The 'Beat From The East' is also called Storm Darcey. I'm not sure whether it's male or female. Is it named after the character from Pride and Prejudice or even Darcey Bussell, the former ballet dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge? 

(Monday) A fall of snow in the night, but only what I'd term a smattering. We went out as usual, around 7.15, as it's getting lighter earlier and earlier, thank goodness, and there was some snow, but not what you'd call a heavy snow or even much of a covering. But, for all that, it's chilly!

12.25p.m. It's still snowing, but it's a rather thin and pathetic sort of snow. Not the big and bold sort with huge fluffy flakes. Just doesn't cut the mustard and hardly worth getting excited about.

There's a large puddle in the middle of the grass on the opposite side of Oldbrook Green to Oldbrook Green. It seems to appear every winter and was frozen the other day and there have been ducks on it and the other day a large retriever dog was splashing about in it. Typical of this sort of dog, no doubt a Spaniel of some sort. My brother used to have a Springer Spaniel and she loved water. Not sure that the owner was bothered with his dog having a paddle, but I don't think he would have been too pleased with a soaking wet dog and having to get it dried when he got home and the mess the dog would have caused, soaking furniture etc etc. Also, there is a puddle in the middle of the path, near the bench where we've sat on several occasions. The grass on either side is soaking as is most of the grass and it's like walking on wet carpet. There are wheel marks where someone has driven a fairly large vehicle over the grass. No doubt a Council worker, but it has really churned things up and as far as I am concerned, it was irresponsible to damage the grass and mess up the environment. They could surely driven the vehicle around the Green without churning up the ground.

(Tuesday) Out with Alfie at 7.15 this morning. I got ready to go out, all togged out as usual, walked through to the lounge. No sign of Alfie anywhere. Under other circumstances he would have been barking and jumping on the sofa ready to be taken out, but I find him sleeping in his bed! Then he sees me and starts his barking and excitement. So we go out and find that most of the snow has gone, although it's still chilly. I think we're bound to get more snow. Just seen Carol Kirkwood on BBC Breakfast, giving the weather forecast and saying it's likely to get worse.

Crass and Stupid Television

Why is it that Saturday evening television has to be so dire? Around 6 o'clock and the schedulers seem to think we want to sit through ropey game shows with a voice-over who shouts at us. Stupid games,  played by 'celebrities' jumping into water, bouncing on huge inflatable balls, being soaked, covered in mud and generally acting the complete and utter fool. Such is the description of the current show on BBC1 'And their Off For Sport Relief.' So, I hear you say, it's for charity. Well, it might be, but does it have to be so dire? I know they want you to phone or text to donate money, but why come up with this total load of drivel. A couple of months back the BBC gave us something which was hosted by Len Goodman, the former 'Strictly Come Dancing' head judge, called 'Partner In Rhyme.' Truly awful. But it could hardly be any worse than something called 'Don't Scare The Hare,'  which filled the same slot a few years ago. The worst aspect of these shows has to be the awful, loud audience reactions. Do the sound engineers on these shows just turn up the volume on the studio audiences? This was no better than something dreamt up for school kids in the 1970's. I realise they are intended for 'family audiences,' but they could have come up with something a little more intelligent than this. I don't expect 'Mastermind' or 'Only Connect,' but this was far too down-market. Just filler of the worst possible sort.

I had the misfortune to watch ITV's early-morning television effort when we visited the hospital on Friday. There's very little news-worthy material in it, from what I saw. Aimed at an audience who just wants trivia, celebrity gossip, soap-news and not a lot else. The set looked remarkably like a branch of Carphone Warehouse. No wonder the BBC gets higher ratings when this is all ITV can come up with. Just not worth watching. Every five minutes they keep flashing up 'coming up next' along the bottom of the screen. The graphics are far too busy and annoying. I seem to recall, when the government was busily auctioning off the ITV franchises, when was it, in the 1990's, someone saying that ITV wouldn't 'dumb-down.' How wrong could they be? Can't get more dumber than this. Sorry, but when TV-AM had the breakfast contract it was far better than this. How things have moved on, or possibly not. I reckon it's aimed at an audience with the concentration-level of a goldfish.

I have mentioned my dislike of 'Strictly Come Dancing' in an earlier post. It must be extremely popular, which would account for the fact that it's been running every year since 2004. I have no complaint about the actual dancing, it's the hype and ballyhoo that surrounds it that I can't stand. There seems to be an over-abundance of 'talent' shows on both main channels. 'The X Factor' rules on ITV which also has 'Britain's Got Talent,' whilst the BBC had 'The Voice' for several seasons until ITV took it over. Why so many so-called 'talent' shows? Does Britain REALLY have talent? I'm not sure, but endless similar shows is annoying. The BBC sees fit to foist yet another on us, called 'All Together Now.' I have yet to watch it. Do those who win these shows find real or even imagined 'fame and fortune?' Usually they last for a few years and then fade away. Proving that you do need some sort of talent to survive in a get-rich-quick world. Th television companies must make a great deal of money out of the 'phone in' element of these shows. You have to telephone the numbers that flash up on your television screen after each dancer or singer has done their bit so that you vote. A certain percentage of the cost goes to charity (in the case of 'Strictly Come Dancing.' I think it goes to Children in Need.) and the rest no doubt gets taken by the television company.

I know, I know! I hear you saying, 'well, if you don't like it, don't watch it!' which is fine. I shouldn't. But you have to admit that watching something that is awful has a sort of 'car-crash' element to it, to see how bad it it, a sort of 'so bad, it's good', if you get my drift. And with so many other channels on Sky, there is plenty of other stuff to watch. Just thank goodness for Channel 4, BBC Four and the brilliant Sky Arts channel.

I shall end this post here, but I'm sure to find more in the days and months ahead to add to my thoughts on this vast subject.

All About Manners

I can say that I was bought up to have some manners. The basic, respect for adults, your parents in particular.  I was taught that if a lady came into a room, you stood up. If you were on a bus and you were already seated, and an older person came on, you stood up so they could sit in your place. You didn't speak until you were spoken to (for children that is) but as an adult, you didn't butt into a conversation until the other person had finished what they had to say. As a child, adults knew better than you and you most certainly never answered them back. The old saying 'children should be seen and not heard' is very true. In my day, you'd just sit quietly or leave the room. Today it seems that children think they can get away with all sorts of bad behaviour because they have 'rights.'   Lacking today is respect. People don't seem to have a great deal of patience. Things like social media, Twitter and Facebook, allow people to say things about others which they'd never dream of saying to a person's face. Everyone has a right to have an opinion, even if it's the opposite of your yours. I've found that, on the road, when driving, other drivers (not all, as there are probably more decent people than those who are not, I have to point out) who expect you to get of of their way, some driving very close behind you. They expect you to ignore the speed limit, whatever the consequences. On roundabouts, you get cut up by other drivers, even when you are obeying the rules. Unfortunately, the rules of the road don't seem to apply to many drivers. In Milton Keynes there seems to be a particularly aggressive sort of driver. They want to drive as fast as they can and to more or less ignore the rules when they get to one of the many roundabouts. If you are careful, like me, and slow down when approaching such a roundabout, and you get a car coming up behind you, they don't like the fact that you're being cautious and stop to make sure there's no other traffic coming in from the right, and if you are waiting, they attempt to get you to move. I've seen the faces of some drivers (although I almost always try to avoid eye-contact) and they look angry, or wave their arms in the air, if you don't get out of their way fast enough. The 'not driving to close' rule that used to be in the Highway Code, seems to be ignored. It makes sense to not drive to close to a car because, what happens if you brake suddenly, in particular when it's wet or icy, you're more likely to skid and then the car behind is going to run into you. Give other road-users space. Common sense, really.

People in shops can be really bad mannered. In Marks and Spencers, a couple of months ago, when they had their special offer meal deals, £10 for a meal for two, main, side, sweet and wine (excellent value. Waitrose also has a similar offer.), I got there and a large crowd of people were grabbing the items in the offer, in  one of those shelving units at the end of an aisle. People were pushing in, and one woman barged her way in without a word of apology or 'sorry.' Just had no manners. I thought Marks and Spencers customers were better mannered that this, but apparently not. Then, when you get to the till, the check-out, and you have to queue. Some people don't like waiting. I thought the British had this 'thing' about queuing, most likely dating back to the Second World War, when there was rationing and you had to queue to get whatever it was. I think that has most definitely gone out of the window. People can be exceedingly rude to the poor staff on these checkouts. It must be very difficult to be polite to customers who are just plain nasty.

It doesn't help when certain people who are judges of television shows such as 'Strictly Come Dancing' come out with some really nasty remarks about some of the celebrity dancers. I'm not actually a fan of this sort of show, but it seems bad manners don't apply when Craig Revel-Horwood says some quite spiteful things. Just to get mentioned in the tabloid press or on social media I reckon. I realise that a lot of so-called 'reality' television is hyped to deliberately get things mentioned in these forms of media and the producers set up people such as the judges, but I don't think it's necessary to be quite so nasty. As a result, some audience members think they have a right to be similarly unpleasant to people. Footballers and other sporting personalities who behave in a reckless manner, such as speeding in their cars or in a drunken manner, falling into the gutter after leaving a nightclub or brawling are setting bad examples for fans, and thus giving the impression that their bad manners and general behaviour is acceptable. As a consequence, young people think they can get away with that sort of behaviour. These sports personalities as well as pop musicians and actors who have a loyal following are setting bad examples when they should be trusted to behave in a better fashion.

I think mobile phones and social media have a lot to answer for, as regards manners. How many people do you see walking about as they use their mobile phone? You rarely get eye-contact with anyone these days. Too busy texting. Rarely get any sort of contact with anyone who speaks. If you do, it's usually those of a mature age. Mostly it's the younger generation who are obsessed by mobile phones. I know they have their uses, but when people can't even speak when you try to make conversation, it's a bit of a worry for the future. Are there going to be people who have no social skills? They're going to be sort of stunted, as regards social interaction. People using mobile phones when they're in a restaurant and not paying attention to other people at the table, grossly bad manners in my opinion.

I've heard recently of someone objecting to someone using a mobile phone as they were sitting in the audience for a play in the West End and the person on the mobile punching the person who objected. Also, people eating food while they watched a  play. Just plane bad manners to even think of eating food and being obnoxious. As for using a mobile when watching a play, just thoughtless behaviour and shouldn't be allowed. What on earth is the point of going to see a show, when the tickets are probably very expensive, and then chatting on a mobile phone all the way through it? Do people think it polite to talk all the way through a live performance, annoying for the other audience members and just distracting for the actors who are trying to give a decent performance. I'd have hope he person who punched the man who used a mobile was done for assault. As for eating in the auditorium, definitely not the place to eat.

Latest Television Viewing

We're totally captivated by Blue Planet 2. The photography is superb. I have to say I enjoy anything that David Attenborough attaches his name to. We had another wildlife documentary series on last year called 'The Hunt' which was just as captivating. Having recently bought a Hitachi 43 inch HD television,  this type of programme is a perfect viewing when you can see the amount of detail a set of this size reveals.

Carol recently bought a fish tank and we went to Dobbie's garden centre near Bletchley to buy two fish for the tank. I think the two fish are enjoying 'Blue Planet 2'. I'm sure they're watching the fish and other under-water inhabitants from the safety of their tank. There's a rock in the tank with a hollowed-out centre and they hide in this 'cave.' Meanwhile . . .  Alfie, or little Yorkshire Terrier, sits on the back of the sofa, just within view of the fish-tank which has been placed on a bookcase, and seems intrigued by our newest family members. It's difficult to judge what he makes of the fish, but no doubt it's the fact that they're moving about in their round home. We'll have to keep an eye on him to see that he doesn't interfere with the fish in their tank.

I have to say there's nothing like a really good bit of television drama. The BBC is renowned for it's classic adaptations of novels, probably best known for such things as 'Pride and Prejudice' with Colin Firth as Mr Darcey, which has to be the definitive version of the novel. So, when I heard that they were doing a new adaptation of 'Howard's End' I couldn't wait for it to be shown. At least if it's something that is adapted for television you know, generally speaking, that it will be given enough time to play out, unlike a film which will only have a couple of hour's screen time, in which case a great deal will have to be cut in order for it to fit a film's playing time.

'Howard's End,' the BBC adaptation of the E.M. Forster novel is extremely good. I have read the novel and saw the 1992 film version made by Ishmail Merchant and James Ivory and starring Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins. The new 4-hour production had a great deal to live up to. They seem to have spent a lot of time and effort on getting the period right. There's a real sense of place and the settings are well created.

We're currently enjoying a late-afternoon television show called 'Money For Nothing.' It's been running for quite a while. The idea is that Sarah Moore, a very clever designer/entrepeneur, visits local tidy-tips, where members of the public are taking their cast-off furniture, rubbish of all sorts, such as D.I.Y. remnants, doors, shelving, house-clearcut bits-and-pieces and takes stuff she likes (with these people's permission) and has it restored or made into new and exciting pieces of furniture which she then sells on, at a profit, and returns the profit to the people who took the broken and old items to the tidy-tip in the first place. It's part of the new culture of 'make and mend' or 'recycle.' Either this, or these items land up in land-fill. It just goes to prove that anything can be re-used or 're-purposed' into very stylish and chic pieces of furniture. This type of television programming makes a change from antiques and selling houses or mere trivial programmes about celebrities and gossip.

I love a really great comedy on BBC Four called 'Detectorists.' It's  written, directed and stars Mckenzie Crook together with Toby Jones. Very gentle, not laugh-out-loud comedy, doesn't have a cackling studio audience. Makes a change from a lot of comedy which is broad, noisy and brash. It's what I'd describe at thoughtful. There have only been two series and this will be the final series. A shame, but it probably went as far as it could. Hopefully McKenzie Crook will write more for television and probably film. Certainly a good start for a director and writer.

Sorry to say it, but I absolutely hate reality television and in particular, anything with 'celebrity' in the title. I'm certainly not a fan of things like 'Big Brother' or 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me out of Here.' 'Strictly Come Dancing' drives me mad. I don't mind the dancing, but the hype that surrounds it, plus the awful audience clapping along with the music like tame monkeys and all that surrounds it, just not my idea of entertainment. The Saturday episodes go on interminably, and the comments of such as Craig Revel Horwood are just plain nasty at times. The whole thing is set up so that they get free publicity in the tabloid press and on social media. I'm not convinced that it's all 'live.' The Sunday evening results show must be pre-recorded, basically because I don't believe they'd send the audience home and then bring them back for the Sunday evening show. I still reckon it's recorded after the Saturday night show once the results have been decided.

Further Television Annoyances

O.K., so I'm going to mention even more things which annoy me about television. You may be asking, 'surely there can't be any more?' Well, you are wrong, sorry to have to tell you. 'So,' you are going to tell me, 'how come you don't just find something else to watch, with somewhere in the region of 250 channels on Sky and probably 30-40 if you have Freeview. Or you could read a book or find some other pastime to keep you entertained.

This time, I get annoyed by the strange camera angles employed in some programmes. The picture at a peculiar angle, or, the camera being spun round to make you feel sick. Why do directors of such programmes have to resort to this sort of thing? Because they can. Another thing I hate is BIG CLOSE-UPS. For no better reason, again, because they can.

I really detest 'Strictly Come Dancing.' It's not the dancing, which, in general is really entertaining. It's the ballyhoo which surrounds it which annoys me. The fact that they use 'celebrities,' which, as a term to describe the contestants is annoying, the amount of space taken up in the press as a result, every little thing that gets mentioned by the judges and any slight hiccough gets a full-page spread in the likes of The Sun or Mirror or even Daily Mail. I hate the fact that the audience has to clap along with the music. It's so infantile and pathetic, I don't think children in a Primary School would behave like they do. Then, all the over-the-top cheering and noise they make. We attempted to get tickets to this show over several years, but never managed to. But, on reflection, I'm glad we didn't because I don't think I'd want to have to clap along to the music if I'd been in the audience. Can the BBC at least be honest and tell us which bits of this show are genuinely live and which pre-recorded? I imagine the opening dances done by the professionals are pre-recorded as well as the bits with the guests.

Why can't they have the results programme on the Saturday? Is this show pre-recorded? I reckon it is, because I can't believe they'd send the audience home after the Saturday show and then have them back on a Sunday. Just seems unlikely. I reckon it's recorded after the live Saturday show. For a start, they'd have to get the celebrities re-dressed and re-made up for the results show. I wish they'd just stop pretending all this is live when it's quite obviously not. I think also that the cost of production staff on a Sunday would be a reason for not having this show live, what with the cost of overtime etc etc.

Trumpery, Brexit and A Bitterly Cold Morning

A really bitterly cold morning. The ice on the car really took some shifting. I almost used up an entire bottle of spray anti-freeze. I have to be really careful with cold that intense. I get a real pain in my chest. Not sure I want to induce another heart attack as a result. I think it's because your arteries close up or something. Stops blood pumping through. I'm not going to see what happens so I'd rather be in the warm. The central heating is on. I turned it up a notch yesterday.

So, today is Donald Trump's inauguration. I'm not so sure how I feel about the man. He's made some really nasty comments, he's divisive, what will his Presidency be like? How will we, in Great Britain, get on with the man? More or less the complete opposite ideologically, to Barak Obama. Sorry to see him go. Let's wait and see what happens. I think Trump's style of campaigning during the run-up to the U.S. Election was based on his experience of being on the reality television show "The Apprentice." These shows rely on 'sound bites.' They need them so that people make comments on social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. He has used these 'sound bites' to get a reaction, to get people talking, whether for good or bad. He just needs to temper his comments. He says something, and then sometimes regrets it. Something like "The Apprentice" has catch phrases such as 'Your Fired!" which everyone knows. The same with "Strictly Come Dancing" which is manipulated by the media to give it the best stories which can be reproduced in the Tabloid press. Whenever one of the judges says something nice or nasty, it gets a headline in 'The Sun' or 'The Mail.' (Other tabloid newspapers are available.) Do Americans realise that 'Trump' has a different meaning in this country? As George Bernard Shaw so succinctly said about American and British 'English' and the difference, 'two countries divided by one language.' 

As for Brexit (I'm sorry, but I hate the term.), why didn't our politicians make more effort to actually EXPLAIN what the E.U. was about, well in advance of the Referendum in June? How many voters in that vote actually know what they were voting for? So many people, particularly those in the youngest age-group, say from 18-30, don't appear to have any interest in politics. I know the scandal of M.P's expenses a few years ago tarnished the reputation of Parliament and it's members, which is understandable, but how many people really understand what we got out of the E.U.? If you don't understand the process of Parliament or the E.U. (which also has itself to blame.) how can anyone make an unbiased decision, to leave or remain, if they aren't given the facts? most young people seem more interested in celebrity culture, reality television, the latest football results, than politics and in particular, the E.U. How many people do you see walking about the streets with their mobile phones in their hands, and not actually interacting with the world around them?  When the result of the Referendum is going to have such far-reaching consequences, wouldn't it have been more important to vote in this important Referendum than keeping your face glued to a stupid mobile telephone? It was the tabloid press in Britain who were very much responsible for giving the E.U. a negative presentation, which would have swung there readers towards voting to leave. I also blame the government who drafted the legislation which allowed the Referendum. Why did they not have a clause in that which said that the vote either for or against, had to be of a certain percentage one way or another, to allow for a leave or remain decision? The fact that the 'Leave' vote was so low, I don't know the exact figure, but it was as low as 1-2% in favour of leaving the E.U.

Having done some research on the subject of the Referendum on the internet, I find that around 25,000 votes were invalid or blank. What are we to make of this? Why were they 'invalid'? Are some people so stupid that they spoilt their ballot papers so they became invalid? Didn't they think the vote was important enough to use this Referendum properly and actually vote one way or the other? If they had voted, perhaps the difference in the outcome would have been very different. It just shows the ignorance of some people knows no bounds.

Even More Viewing

There's been quite a few television programmes about musical theatre over the past few weeks. Sky Arts have a programme called 'Backstage With Disney On Broadway'. It's 20 years since Disney produced 'Beauty and The Beast' as a stage musical. The show tells the background story to not only 'Beauty and The Beast' but the other Disney animated films which have since been bought to the stage, such as 'The Lion King,' 'Aladdin', 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Newsies.' This last show is new to me. I had never heard of it. If you don't manage to catch this show when it's broadcast,  then you might be able to see it because Sky Arts shows a lot of it's programmes in a sort of cycle, which means if you don't see it the first time round, it is very likely to be shown at a later date, and time, or, if you have Sky+ or, as we do, Sky Q, then you should be able to find it on catch-up, so you can download it. With our Sky Q box we can at least record around 300 hours of programmes (not that we're likely to store that many at any one time.) we can at least watch things which have been record, particularly when there's so much on, as there was over Christmas.

Then, over Christmas there was another treat. It was called 'West Side Stories: The Making of A Classic", and tells the story of how the Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim musical was conceived and bought to the stage in 1957. Loosely based on William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' but given a contemporary (well, 1950's) New York setting, the documentary concentrated more on the dance which was used in the show, which explains why Bruno Tonioli was one of the presenters (he is one of the judges on the popular BBC1 show, 'Strictly Come Dancing.') It has always been one of my favourite shows, basically because it has a very strong score, which has barely dated. I have the movie on DVD, which came out in 1961. As I say, the score hasn't dated, nor has the theme of tolerance and racial division, probably more relevant today than when it was first produced. The film looks as fresh as the first day it was released, although perhaps the costumes might look somewhat dated, but the style of the whole thing, the use of colour, graphics and the fact that it was filmed on the actual streets where it is set, makes it quite remarkable. It went on to win no less than 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, Director and Cinematography. 

Then, last Friday, BBC Four gave us the first of a three-part documentary series called "Sound of Musicals With Neil Brand." The first episode did a short history of the musical, from the early 20th Century. Neil Brand, who is someone I haven't heard of before, gave a very academic reading of some of the most iconic songs from musicals, how they were written as well as how they were constructed as well as the background study on several classic musicals. He touched briefly on 'West Side Story," "Annie Get Your Gun" which was being shown in rehearsal at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre. Another bit of history was the background to "My Fair Lady" and had rare footage of Julie Andrews, who was the original Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway production in 1956 and then came to London for the transfer when it played at the  Theatre Royal Theatre, Drury Lane.  The next two programmes are going to cover the story of more recent musicals and no doubt will cover those shows created and produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, such as 'Phantom of The Opera."

I have mentioned this in an earlier post, but when I was at Rushmoor School we went to see the original London production of Oliver! It must have been my first experience of a West End musical. I can't think how the teacher, Mr Crutchley, managed to get tickets for such a top-rated show. It can't have been opened very long when we went. We didn't pay for the tickets, so, even to this day, I have no idea who paid for them. I suppose around 25 of us went, on a Saturday. Quite a challenge for one man to take a group like us to London. I think I would have been 10-11, because the show opened in 1960, and, as I say, we can't have gone to see it barely months after it opened. I remember quite vividly the set, designed by Sean Kenny. A year or so later we went to see another musical 'Pickwick' which was on at the Saville Theatre in Shaftsbury Avenue. Since converted into a cinema. The show starred Harry Secombe. 

I think I became interested in not just theatre, but also musicals, because my grandmother was a good pianist (something my elder brother, Robert seems to have inherited.) She had a piano in her sitting room at Mill Farm,  Cardington, where she lived. On the top of the piano were scores for a number of musicals which would have been running at the time (the late 1950's, early 1960's, which included "My Fair Lady" and "Salad Days.") The last I mention was a show which was produced when I was working as a Student A.S.M. at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham in 1969. It was an exceptionally hot summer that year, and, as part of the season of shows, the programmed show which was scheduled to be staged, "The Country Wife," a Restoration comedy by William Wycherley. Because of falling audiences, due to the heatwave, it was decided that it would be better to abandon the Wycherley play and instead do "Salad Days," which would have been cheaper to stage. The costumes and wigs for a Restoration Comedy would have been too great. It was therefore the first time I'd worked on a musical. It's probably a bit twee and simplistic for modern audiences, about a magical piano which makes people dance. It was originally staged in the early 1950's, and the music is pleasant but I don't think it would go down too well with a modern, early 21st century audience, more used to shows such as 'Les Miswerables' or even 'Wicked.' The Artistic Director of the Everyman Theatre at the time, Michael Ashton, who directed this production of "Salad Days," was responsible for writing a musical himself. It was called "The Young Visiters." It was based on a book written by a young girl called Daisy Ashford. The musical was given a West End run and starred Alfred Marks and an actress who was in the company at the Everyman, Vivienne Ross, was also in this show. She was the female lead in the production of "Salad Days" at Cheltenham. She was in  the ITV soap 'Coronation Street'  as Stella Rigby, a friend of Bet Lynch when she was landlady of the Rover's Return pub, as Stella Rigby, another landlady who ran The White Swan.            
(Incidentally, I have spelt 'Visiters' correctly. It is how Daisy Ashford spelt the word, as a child would, when the book was originally published.)

Further to what I mentioned about Oliver!, in around 1968, at about the time I was leaving school, I was attempting to get into theatre, stage management in particular. I had an interview at R.A.D.A. (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) with the intention of doing a Stage Management course there. I went with my mother and aunt to London for this interview. I remember we went by train. We went from Sandy railway station, because my aunt lived near Sandy, so I suppose it was the best station to go to London from. When I'd had the interview (I didn't get into R.A.D.A. if you're interested. Read my earlier posts on my stage management experience working in 'rep.') After the interview, my mum and aunt went off somewhere in London on their own. No doubt they went to do some shopping. I want to see the film of 'Oliver!' which had then recently just opened at the Odeon, Leicester Square. It's a good transfer of a stage musical to the big screen, the dances are good and the production design is good, but it does seem a bit tame when you think how they did the movie version of 'Les Miserables.' Far too bright and well lit and clean to be convincing as Victorian London. I have since learnt that the young lad who played Oliver, Mark Lester, had his voice dubbed by a girl, which must have been a bit of an insult.

After Christmas and Pre-New Year

Well, Christmas is over. It was on a Sunday this year and it seemed somewhat odd. No services at Milton Keynes Christian Centre. There were a couple of Carol services on Saturday afternoon, Christmas Eve, but it was decided not to have Christmas Day services, I think because they didn't think enough people would attend. We stayed at home and opened our presents. We watched a DVD, something that Carol wanted to see, 'The Secret Life of Pets,' a computer animated movie which was quite enjoyable. We'd been to see 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' on Thursday at the new Odeon cinema at the Milton Keynes Stadium. It's a sort of prequel to the Harry Potter movies and stars Eddie Redmayne. Hugely enjoyable and the special effects are amazing. Carol bought me a book on the art of the film, which I shall read with great pleasure.

Yesterday we visited Whipsnade Zoo as the weather was so mild. We went to a talk on giraffes at the giraffe house which was fascinating and all six of the giraffes, including the youngest were inside the shed where the talk was done, given by one of the keepers. It makes it so much more interesting if you know a bit more on a subject like this. We've visited Whipsnade on quite a few occasions as you will know if you read these blog posts. We had coffee and cake in one of the cafes. As Carol is a Fellow of the Z.S.L. (Zoological Society of London), who operate Whipsnade and London Zoos) and which allows us free access to these places, we also get a discount in their cafes and shops. We got some superb views of some of the animals and this was somewhat frustrating because my Canon camera is currently being repaired, otherwise we would have got some really great photographs to add to our ever-expanding collection.

On Monday we had a free trial session at Nuffield Health. We cancelled our membership of DW quite some time ago and we were eager to find a replacement. A much quieter and far more private health club with a good swimming pool, which is a good deal deeper than the swimming pool at DW, as well as a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. We even get given towels which means they are always clean and dry. Generally a good deal more pleasant. So we decided we will join at the end of the month. Great to have somewhere to relax and swim every week.

Plenty to watch on television, as there always is over the Christmas period. We watched the Great British Bake Off Christmas special (although I can't say it was particularly special.) I avoided Strictly Come Dancing as I can't stand the audience noise (why on earth do they have to clap along to the music all the time? It's annoying and stupid. Also, the plain nasty comments made by certain members of the judging panel.) It's over hyped in the tabloid press and social media such as Facebook. At least Bake Off is more gentle, it's not full of so-called celebrities and it doesn't have a live audience who are wound up to react accordingly. It's as well we have a Sky Q box as otherwise we wouldn't be able to watch all the decent programmes. You can record at least four shows which are on at the same time as well as catch-up which is such a brilliant idea.

We've just been watching the documentary about Alan Bennet and his diary (the latest instalment called 'Keeping On Keeping On' has just been published and I will have to buy it, but it can wait until it comes out in paperback. I will need to read his earlier instalments so that's quite a lot of reading to get through.)

Aggressive Driving

I may have made some mention of this on more than one blog post, but I'm going to mention it again. Drivers in and around Milton Keynes can be excessively aggressive. I have on more than one occasion had to contend with drivers coming up behind me when I'm out in the car, and attempting to get me to go faster. When I was learning to drive (and it's a good many years since I past my Driving Test.) was taught to drive within my safe limits, for example, not driving at such a speed that I'd feel out of control or too fast. Obviously you would attempt to drive within the legal speed limits (i.e. 30 mp.p.h. in a built up area and up to 70 m.p.h. on open country roads and Motorways.) Around Milton Keynes the speed limit on the Grid Roads is 70 m.p.h. which is a shock to me. There are very few long stretches of road between the various roundabouts which would allow you enough distance to get up to a relatively high speed before you have to slow down at a roundabout. Some drivers seem to think that they don't need to slow down at a roundabout when they arrive and can just speed across, taking very little heed of traffic coming onto the right, giving way etc etc as you are supposed to do (according to the Highway Code.) If you just happen to drive with any care and attention and stop at a roundabout and obey the rules and check before attempting to enter the said roundabout, and a somewhat aggressive drive comes up behind you, some have the idea that they can intimidate you in such a way that you will risk your life  by moving into the traffic when you are sure it is unsafe to do so. Some will even hoot you in order to make you move, even if you are only a fraction of a second late in moving, according to them. Which can be very off-putting.

When I worked as a home carer and used to spend a lot of my time driving from one 'call' to another, I had the misfortune to come across quite a bit of aggressive driving. I was on my way to one evening call, driving along Fulmer Street towards Bletchley at a safe speed. A large van came up behind me, with three young men inside it, or so I could see in my rear-view mirror. They didn't seem to appreciate the speed I was driving nor the fact that I was simply in their way. The driver came right up behind me and seemed to be attempting to get me to move faster, which I refused to do. Then he began moving from side to side across the road behind me, ziz-zagging about across the road, weaving too and from across the road. I found it somewhat frightening and, considering I had had a heart attack, not doing my blood pressure a lot of good. In fact, I had to find a lay-by and pull over to let them pass. Very intimidating experience and totally unacceptable behaviour.

On three occasions I was run into by drivers on roundabouts which had a very detrimental effect on me. In all the years I have driven a car I have never been run into. On each occasion it was not pleasant. My car was damaged and only on one of the three occasions did the driver stop to see whether I was alright.

Last Sunday we drove to Waitrose, which is about  two miles from home down Chaffron Way. On the way out we had to circulate the carpark to get out and came across a car coming in. It was going at an excessive speed and unless we'd stopped when we did we'd have hit it. The female driver was so fixated on getting where she was going, she had no intention of slowing down. It seems that these people who behave in this way are being selfish. We seem to have produced more and more people, and particular car drivers, who have become self-centred. It appears that they are becoming more and more selfish. We are producing even more people, particularly on the internet, on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, who can say quite unpleasant things to people, particularly contestants on such things as 'Strictly Come Dancing' or 'The Great British Bakeoff', which they would never say face to face. It seems it's O.K. to say these unpleasant things on-line, in writing, but not in a direct way to their face. It's as if it wouldn't hurt that person, but actually it does have a psychological effect. A gradual build up of nastiness probably has more effect on someone like this rather than to their face, and this is the same thing as drivers out on the roads. Getting cut up on a roundabout (which has happened to me and Carol on quite a few instances.) does have a marked effect on your confidence as a driver.

Then, on two more occasions on driving out of Waitrose's car park, and in barely two minutes, we came across more of this aggressive driving from other people. We had to come out of their carpark and head left towards the roundabout at Monkston Park and another driver, yet another female, hooted at us to get out of the way because we didn't move fast enough for her. Just plain rudeness in my opinion and then one more, similar, as we approached the roundabout at Eaglestone, at what is called 'Four Bridges.' (So named because of the four foot bridges over the Grid Roads at this point in the road system.)

Several years ago Carol was involved in a car accident at one of the roundabouts on Fulmer Street early one morning. She was waiting in a queue of vehicles at the roundabout when a taxi cab came crashing into the queue. The force of the car crashing into the car at the back of the queue was so great that it forced the car she was driving to cause it to run into the car immediately in front that it got caught onto the tow bar. It gave Carol fairly a serious whiplash injury.  The driver of the car that caused the accident was not paying what they called 'undue care and attention.' No doubt he was using his mobile phone at the time, but certainly not concentrating. I see quite a lot of drivers using their mobiles as they're driving. The most disturbing was when we were driving up the M1 a few years ago and got caught behind a lorry, but as we passed we could see the driver using his mobile. I think he was texting. It doesn't bear thinking the sort of accident he might have caused had he wobbled as he was driving that lorry.

The other concern is what I hear in the news on television about people deliberately causing accidents on the roads in order to make insurance claims. It makes me wonder at time, knowing this sort of information, whether that is what a great many of the cases I've mentioned of 'aggressive driving' is deliberate so as to cause such an accident and then claim on insurance. When people cut you up on a roundabout or those that don't stop at a roundabout, it makes me wonder whether it's deliberate to make a fraudulent insurance claim. Then there's cases of 'road rage', caused when a driver is driving too slow and then being assaulted by a driver who couldn't wait for that slower driver to move out of the way. When knives are used, fists fly and so on, it can be quite scary.

Another recent incident happened the other morning. We drove to Tesco's at Oldbrook. It would have been around 7.15-7.20. We turned into Oldbrook Boulevarde from Strudwick Drive and had just turned left from the roundabout. We were driving through a section of road where there were two carriage-ways, the road being divided down the centre with a paved area. We drove at a reasonable speed, considering it was a built-up area, so the speed was 30 m.p.h. Then a car appeared at speed behind us. It would have been reasonable to expect the driver to merely follow us at 30, but now, he couldn't wait, and shot past us at at least 50-60 m.p.h. All I can say is, thank goodness that there wasn't another vehicle coming in the opposite direction. It was very scary. The driver was laughing as he drove past. It took us quite a while to recover from the shock. Just another incident where it was aggressive driving. It was a pity that there were no speed cameras to record the incident. This is what it needs to stop this sort of behaviour, but, unfortunately, these drivers get away with this behaviour because there are never any police around to see what is going on and then charge them with reckless driving. It's the innocent driver or passer-by who gets injured when things go wrong and an accident occurs.

Another Visit to Whipsnade

The thought of just sitting indoors all day today because of the awful weather we are currently experiencing was not going to be repeated. Daytime television is so awful. We wanted to get out, at whatever cost. Anywhere was preferable to being in the house. It seems unfair to Carol in particular, that you look forward to your summer holiday and plan things to do and then the weather turns nasty, wet and cold. Infact, too cold for the month of July. So, regardless of the weather (and when we set out mid-morning, it was cloudy and definitely threatening rain.) we decided on another visit to Whipsnade. We put together some items of food so that we didn't have to buy stuff to eat when we got there and went to Tesco's in Oldbrook to buy sandwiches and drink. We actually had a £3 Tesco Clubcard voucher which needed using before it expired. And once we'd been to buy our picnic we drove off out of Milton Keynes on the A5 south towards Dunstable and across the Downs to Whipsnade Zoo. For the first time ever we drove into the zoo, using Carol's new Z.S.L. Fellowship to not only get our entry free but also avoid paying to take the car in (all told about £75.) It was great to be able to drive around and park in the various spaces around the site. We saw a lot of the animals in action due to the fact that the weather was cooler, in particular the lions (took some great pictures of them.) as well as hippos wallowing in their pool, rhinos as well as very close-up views of cheetahs. We ate our picnic sitting on benches near the elephant enclosure.

We couldn't believe how cold it was, considering it was July. We took coats with us and I really didn't think we'd need them. I have recently bought a hooded fleece off Amazon and imagined that I'd not be wearing it until the winter months, but I was really glad I'd taken it to Whipsnade as it was really warm and cozy as we walked around the zoo.

As we were walking through the 'Africa' section of the zoo, having been to see the cheetahs (and, goodness, how close we got to them. I don't think I've ever seen them that close, or, if it comes to that, so active. We also saw a red kite flying overhead. Quite exciting to see these amazing birds as well as the zoo animals.) Carol said she saw Brendan Cole, one of the professional dancers from the B.B.C. Saturday evening show "Strictly Come Dancing." With his wife and children, although I didn't notice as there were so many other families. Apart from that, I'm not a particular fan of this show. Just over-rated, personally, and I don't go for television 'reality' shows stuffed full of 'celebrities.' Several years ago we were on holiday in and around Northumberland and Hadrian's Wall. We drove up to Gretna Green, as we had joked when we were about to get married that we could go there to get married. We were disappointed in how naff and contrived the place was, expecting there to be only one of these places where you got married, something about a blacksmith's forge or something. It turned out that there are numerous places, all making money out of the 'marriage' industry. Anyway, we didn't stay long and then drove away and went to an outlet shopping centre just outside Gretna Green, a bit like the Bicester Village outlet we visit often. As we were walking around the shopping centre, Carol said she saw someone famous sitting and having coffee outside somewhere like a Costa or Starbucks. She said it was Elton John. I wasn't sure and we didn't stand and stare, as most people would do. We could, I suppose, have gone up to him and asked for an autograph and probably a photo, a 'selfie' with him. I wasn't sure whether she had seen him or not, but when we got back to the cottage we were staying at for the week, we turned on the television and apparently Elton John was about to do a concert somewhere in or around Carlisle or a near-by town. So, it was very likely it was him we'd seen, although he had made every effort to not be recognised. Who would imagine he'd have gone to somewhere like the shopping outlet centre for coffee, as a superstar and famous person?  I think he must have been relieved that we didn't break his cover by going and speaking to him or acknowledging him because I reckon we must have been the only people to recognise him as he was dressed in such a way, with a cap on and a scarf around his neck, that without looking closely you wouldn't have known that was who it was and also it was an unlikely place for him to be. Anyway, whatever the reason, it certainly made Carol's day!

A few years ago we managed to get free tickets for a recording of the B.B.C. Television comedy show "Dead Ringers." It was quite an event, not only getting the tickets, but going to Television Centre in Shepherd's Bush in London and being a member of the audience. As we were queued up to go into the studio, who should walk past but Gary Lineker, the former footballer and sports presenter. Carol got quite excited, but to me it was just another bod off the television. I'm not that keen on football, but I suppose he would have been working there on some show such as "A Question Of Sport." 

Great British Bake Off

It's surprising how addictive the television show "The Great British Bake Off" can be. I suppose you could ask, doesn't it fall into the category of 'reality' television, competition, gameshow or reality, because it has real people put into a situation that they wouldn't otherwise be put in, or perhaps it's got a combination of all these.  I'm not a great reality television fan. In fact, I detest it. I cannot see what the attraction of 'Big Brother' can possibly be. Merely watching a group of non entities living in a house and having their every move poured over by the media, Facebook, Twitter, the Red Tops and so on, just doesn't make very interesting television I'd rather watch the testcard (if they use one still, which I very much doubt). For a start, I hate the term 'reality television' because everything you see on television is fake. The very picture you watch is an illusion. Made up of 625 lines and flickering at a rate of something like 250 frames a second. The image you watch has been edited carefully. Put a camera in front of anyone who isn't trained as an actor or other performer and they will react differently. Some people clam up, whilst others 'play' to the camera. Then the images you see are carefully edited as I say. This particularly for something like 'Bake-Off' because the time scale of each episode has been condensed. The contestants have, say, two hours to bake a cake or whatever and it is filmed and edited to take perhaps 15 minutes on screen. The director and editor will edit out the extraneous matter, the un-interesting bits and keep only the most interesting bits. How do we know what bits have been re-shot, with the camera in just the right place to get the most interesting view of something? We can never be sure. Do Sue and Mel spend a long time composing what we imagine are off-the-cuff remarks? Does the director make sure that they are put in just the right place so that they can come out with these remarks? And the double entendres, those little gems such as 'soggy bottom' etc etc, put in to get a cheap laugh?

After all that, I think I like it because the contestants are interesting. They're not celebrities. They have interesting lives. We can, as the viewer, identify with them all, or most of them. There's the builder the grandmother, the former practice manager of a doctor's surgery. Nobody is generally nasty to one another. There is no viewers' vote. It doesn't get spun out for ages and ages before we learn who has been voted off at the end of each week's programme. No baying audience as there is on 'Strictly Come Dancing' who clap and cheer at every little thing the dancers do. And the setting is somewhat different to most other similar shows. A tent in a country house garden where the weather seems to interfere on a regular basis. How the production company manages to keep the rain out whenever there's a downpour is a mystery to me. Have you ever been in a similar tent when there's a rain storm? You can't seem to avoid the drips. Not every tent in one hundred percent waterproof. And the biggest mystery to me is, how do they manage to keep secret each week's vote-off and most importantly, the over-all winner when it is filmed so many months in advance?

Side-Effects of Flu Jab and Strictly Saturdays

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, Carol had her 'flu jab in Sainsbury's on Thursday evening. Mine was yesterday morning at Ashfield Medical Centre. I was beginning to think that I was getting a slight reaction to the jab with some muscle and joint pain as we sat down to eat our evening meal whilst watching Strictly Come Dancing. (I'll mention that a little later in this blog.) Carol, though, has had quite a bad reaction this morning (Sunday) and as a result we didn't go to church. I went to Lidl on Oldbrook Boulevard. I was really surprised by how busy it was in there. The first Christmas products are beginning to appear on the shelves and as a result you can't always find exactly what you want. In this case, stuffing to go with this evening's roast chicken. I then went into the Tesco just over the road, one of those 'mini' or 'convenience' branches. I was surprised how few people were in there. I'm not surprised as Lidl is so much cheaper and I could not find any Paxo (stuffing) for the chicken. I looked up and down the aisles but not a single packet could I see. I purchased a Sunday Times, using a self-service till and then walked out. I drove to the shop in Eaglestone, and sure enough, I found a packet of Paxo immediately. This must say quite a lot about the current retail situation in Britain, with Tesco once upon a time being the strongest supermarket chain, and since the financial crash of 2008 such 'discounters' as Aldi and Lidl have changed the way most people shop for groceries, being around 15% cheaper than the four major supermarkets, Asda, Morrison, Sainsbury and Tesco.

As for Strictly Come Dancing . . .  as far as I'm concerned the novelty of seeing celebrities making fools of themselves on the dance floor is beginning to wear a bit thin. The show is over-hyped and it's all over the tabloids and Facebook. You can't seem to get away from it from early September until Christmas. There's nothing at all wrong with the dancing, it's the over-heated audience that gets me. They cheer and clap at the slightest thing, cheering and making stupid noises. And why do they insist on putting people in the front row of the audience who you can see clearly behind the presenters when they are talking, a woman was on there last night who was dreadfully over made-up and kept staring at the camera. A real distraction.  Can they not just fade them into the background? Do we really need to see these non-entities so clearly? Bruce Forsyte, who didn't actually do a great deal when he was on, is sorely missed. I don't know what it is but he did add a certain élan to the proceedings, even though his jokes were somewhat tired.  Those two women, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly really don't add a great deal. Never have, since this show began. How did the B.B.C. think that Tess Daly was a replacement for good old Sir Bruce Forsythe I can't think. She has all the talent of a shopping trolley. Though, in all honesty, there wasnt a lot for Brucie to get his teeth into in the first place, nothing to be 'hands on' as he would have been in the 'Generation Game' or 'Play Your Cards Right.' Lets be honest, an hour and a half of this is really far too much and Craig Revel-Horwood's miserable face is enough to put you off your rice pudding. Can he never say anything nice to anyone? I know he's been cast as the pantomime villain but it is wearing a bit thin by now.

The lighting and set design are really brilliant. When you compare it to the travesty of the revived Sunday Night At The Palladium, which has been done on the cheap and has all the atmosphere of a Sunday night at the local village hall, no expense has been spared. The way they can transform the set for each couple who dance is amazing. All done with lighting and digital effects. The moving digital  lighting which is used around the staircases is spectacular.

Greg Wallace got booted off the show. He deserved it. His dancing was like a flat-footed Teletubby. Judy Murray was not much better.  It must be very difficult when you are, in effect, in the shadow of a far more famous son or daughter, as she is. You can forgive her nerves, as most of the rest of the celebs should be used to the cameras, the audience and so on. But she wasn't much better. At least Tim Wonnacott made a brave stab at it, even though he wasn't a particularly brilliant. I don't expect he'll last much longer. Just have to wait and see.

Baby Sitting Service

A work colleage of Carol's, Minette, has had problems with childcare. Something to do with the nursery where her little boy, Trevor, goes to, so I was asked to look after him yesterday. He's nearly four and knows me fairly well. He's been to our house and gets on well with Poppy and Alfie. I took Carol to work by car, and then drove to Minette's flat to collect them. The weather has not be quite as bad as it might have been, but it was really cold and the roads within the estate where they live was slippery and dangerous.

I then took Minette to the Academy and dropped her off and then returned home with Trevor. He doesn't say a lot and must be one of the quietest children I know. He was quite content chasing the dogs around the house. Alfie kept barking at him, probably as he isn't used to having new faces in the house and he doesn't meet many people, except when we go out for walks. I think it may be that his little routine was changed for the day, as he usually gets me to himself (even with Poppy at home) and also he may be trying to get Trevor to play with him. He may also be trying to protect me, although I can't see how he can see a toddler as a threat. We watched television, mainly the BBC Children's channel. I don't think I've seen so much children's television in years. I have to say "In The Night Garden" is quite beautiful (as children's shows go) and I can appreciate the design, colours and the overall concept of this programme as I have worked with puppets and at one time even devised a project that was almost taken up and commissioned by an independent television production company. I had been to Waterstone's the day before to buy some books to read to him (an offer was on, 'buy two, and get one free." One of the books is the classic Maurice Sendak book "Where The Wild Things Are.") All this takes me back to when my daugher, Chloe, was a child, and I used to read to her (she's now 26) and the fun I used to get out of doing all the voices and generally making a big thing out of reading. I have read "Pooh" and done all the character voices (what parent hasn't done this for their child?) Anyway, we had a good time and I enjoyed the experience, even though I had to keep an eye on Trevor relentlessly all day, and by the end of it I was really tired. I suppose I have some good experience, working in care and particularly with people with learning disabilities. You can never take your eyes off them as they can get into all sorts of trouble.

Carol returned from the Academy with Minette at 3.30, although Minette had to go back to work as there was some sort of Sixth Form open evening which she had to attend, so we had Trevor with us until gone 7 p.m.  He had fallen asleep on the sofa, with Daniel, (my stepson) who was playing a computer game. We gave him his dinner and then took him to collect Minette from the Academy and then take them home. We then went to Tesco's at Oldbrook, as Carol had a desire for chocolate (after a tiring day, can you blame her?) and when we got home I made hot chocolate (one of my specialities.) By which time it was heading for 9 o'clock and we began to watch a fascinating television programme on BBC2 called "At Home With The Georgians." I have a particular interest in history, so this was worth watching. The BBC seems to be making a real effort to make some good programmes that appeal to a minority, rather than all the trivia (including "Strictly Come Dancing."). I don't like so-called 'reality television' and particularly things with 'celebrities' in. I do, however, enjoy the actual dance element of "Strictly" but all the hype about celebrities is so boring.

Strictly Come Dancing and Saturday Television

Oh dear, what's happening? I sat and watched ALL of 'Strictly Come Dancing' yesterday evening. I'm not exactly a fan, although Carol loves it. I find anything 'celebrity' orientated, or 'reality television' totally awful, but this is somehow engrossing. I have never seen what was so interesting in seeing a group of really boring individuals sitting around in a house (ie. 'Big Brother') or a load of celebrities in the middle of a jungle doing really stupid things, but the dancing in 'Strictly' is quite good. Although the prospect of someone like Anne Widdecombe or Paul Daniels making a complete fool of themselves on the dance floor is quite amusing. At least she doesn't take it too seriously and is really self-deprocating. Anyway, what is so wonderful about 'celebrity' and what is a celebity, anyway? They're just people doing a job, but in the public eye. In general they're just self-promoting individuals who know how to play the Public Relations game. The show is really just a way of selling tabloid newspapers, because everytime something happens to them, such as them falling over in rehearsals or saying something awful about someone else, it appears in the newspapers the next day. I'm not over-keen when the judges say something nasty about the contestants, particularly Craig Revel-Horwood. He's really negative about most of the dancers. I'd love to now what his qualifications are for actually being a judge on this show. I don't think the audience actually like him, because they always boo whenever he says anything negative about any of the contestants.

Yesterday we did some shopping, and I have to report that Christmas is coming! We saw Christmas cards, and the usual pre-Christmas junk which the supermarkets foist on us three months before the actual Festive period. Asda, where this was seen, has an aisle which you can't avoid as you enter the store, which is currently fully of Hallowe'en tat. This is where the 'Seasonal' goods seem to go. It may be Bonfire Night items one week, Valentine's Day items around about Mid-January, Easter eggs, or in this case severed arms, legs, and other mutifarious bodyparts which constitute good taste for Hallow e'en.Who really wants a false severed arm, covered in blood? What do you do with it?? Or, in the matter of Christmas items, puddings, mince pies, wrapping paper, chocolate Christmas tree decorations??? Are we expected to store these things somewhere in our homes, for three months until Christmas Day? We've got little space to store everyday items, such as cleaning materials, toilet rolls, and all the things you don't generally want just lying around your home on public display, but all this Christmas tat, where are we supposed to keep it? And do the food items (ie, puddings, chocolate, mincepies) have a long enough 'best before' date that they don't deteriate before the 25th December.)

Before I sign off this post, I must just mention that I haven't had any work from Casting Collective. I did mention towards the beginning of this blog, it must be back in October or November last year that I was going to sign up with this film/television extra Supporting Artiste agency in London. Well, I have had not a single day's work out of them. They have texted me on several occasions for work, and 'put me forward' for several things, for example, a film with Colin Firth called 'The King's Speech', another, a Disney movie called 'John Carter of Mars' but not a sniff of a day's work on that. There has been a Channel Four series being made in Oxford called,  I can't remember the name, but I didn't get chosen for that, and quite a few more bits and pieces, including a commercial for Bulmer's cider being made in Henley on Thames and 'Johnny English 2' which was being made in Milton Keynes, which would have been good as I wouldn't have had to drive far, but not a sniff, sneeze or otherwise on actually being used. So that lets you know what happened with that agency. And they emailed me to ask if I was interested in continuing with my membership for next year. My answer will be a big no, unless you cast me in something DEFINITE and actually USE ME!