Whatever Next?

 Thursday. 6.15 a.m. I was in Sainsbury's yesterday and, having been round the store with my trolley and had finished my shopping. I was at the point where I wanted to pay, but couldn't find a till open. It's obvious that Sainsbury's are determined to get their customers to use self-service tills, because many of the traditional, manned, tills have been removed and there are two areas with self-service tills, one for customers with baskets, another for those who have shopped with a trolley, which included me, and another for the hand held scanners. I pushed my trolley into the area with the self-service tills, which are meant for those customers who used a trolley and therefore had a larger amount of items to scan. But there were very few working tills, so I had to leave the area and go to a till which was manned. (sorry, but most of them have women working on them, so is the term 'manned' acceptable these days? Is it politically correct to say 'manned'? Should it be 'personed'? Just me being a bit sarcastic.)

I thought the idea was that you used the self-service tills, and they had one or two manned tills for those who don't want to use them. So it seemed strange that so many of the self-service tills were either closed or were out of order. It is obvious that they have laid off many of their staff, those who operated the manned tills, so they could cut their prices. They keep advertising that their prices are checked against those at Aldi, but in the process, their customer service has deteriorated, which is a pity.

6.05 p.m. Alfie was due to go to The Groom Room at Pets At Home at 5 o'clock. I was going to leave at around 4.40, but then I got a call from the groomer to say that they were able to take him immediately, so I drove over to Bletchley and took him straight in to Pets At Home. I was told that Alfie would be finished at around 5.45, so I went into Costa to have a latte and I got more points on my Costa card, which now means that next time I go in any Costa I get a free drink. You collect 'Beans' and when you have 10 of these 'beans' then you get your free drink.

Having had my latte in Costa, and went into T.K. Maax, which is further along the parade of stores. I think, if you read my blog posts regularly, you will have discovered that I love T.K. Maax. I had a good browse and bought a couple of items, one was a door-stop in the shape of a man, which rather appealed to me as it looks so humorous. The other item was an LED torch which can be charged and has a cable to plug into a USB port, meaning it doesn't need batteries. I was looking for a new torch. so it was fortunate I found it.

From T.K. Maax, I walked to Home Bargains and had yet another browse. They have a good selection of well priced items, including dog food and I may go back next time I need dog food. It was whilst I was browsing that I got a phone call from the Groom Room, to inform me that Alfie was ready for collection, which pleased me as it meant we could get home and I could then have my evening meal.So, Alfie collected, payment made and Alfie put in the cage in the rear of the car and then driven home to Dexter House.

EastEnders in Trouble

 Wednesday. 1.45 p.m. Milton Keynes MP, Ben Everett has demanded an apology from the BBC over the appalling way Milton Keynes was portrayed in the soap EastEnders in an episode which was aired on BBC 1 this week. There were scenes of grim, dilapidated housing, gangs of teenagers and drug-addicted neighbours. Apparently, the scenes which were supposed to be set in Milton Keynes weren't even filmed there, but shot in Barnet, in North London. Ben Everett has said that he would be contacting the BBC and demanded that producers come up with a storyline which portrays the positive side of the city.

I'm not exactly EastEnders biggest fan. I find it so miserable and certainly not an accurate portrayal of life in the east end of London. Gloomy, depressing and just plain nasty. But there really is no excuse to portray Milton Keynes in such a negative way. It can't be too difficult to do a bit of research. Just lazy, on the part of the storyliners and scriptwriters.

Friday. 9.40 a.m. I was expecting a parcel to be delivered yesterday. I had an email and I clicked through to the Royal Mail website and by putting a code into the software I got a message which gave me a time window of yesterday to confirm an approximate time for the parcel to be delivered. Not only that, but I was out at a Bible study at the OTC yesterday morning and when I got home at around 12 o'clock there was absolutely no sign of it being delivered. It could have been left on my doorstep, and there was no card through the door to let me know that they had attempted to deliver it and where it was.

This morning I went on the Royal Mail website and discovered a message which stated that they had attempted to deliver the parcel, but it wasn't left because I wasn't at home. So, it would appear, I will have to wait until Monday for it to be delivered. No card through door to inform me of this, or even whether I could collect it from the parcel office in Brinklow.

1.35 p.m. I have been into the main shopping centre to get my hair cut. The barbers have changed their name. It used to be 'Central Barbers', but it's not called 'ROK Barbers.' I'm not sure what ROK, but I have an idea it's a brand that produces cosmetics, hair products and so on. I had booked my appointment online, which makes it easier and quicker when you book and pay, making sure you have the appointment at a time which is convenient.

I parked where I usually do, next to 'The Point' and paid using the Ring Go app, and then walked into the shopping centre. I was in good time, so I decided to go into Boot's Optician and booked an eye test, which is later in the month. From there I walked to the barbers and sat outside until it was my time to have my hair cut. Once I finished in there, I went to T.K.Maax, because I had been given a card which had money on it and I wanted to buy a saucepan. Not difficult to find what I wanted in there and paid for the saucepan and then went to Gregg's, which is a few doors along and bought myself a ham and egg roll, some Belgian buns and I got a free drink with the order, and then it was back to the car and home to Dexter House.

Unseasonable Weather

 Monday. 6.10 a.m. It's a somewhat wild and windy day. It's not cold, but the wind is quite strong. Yesterday there was a light frost and on Friday morning, when I drove to Sainsbury. there was a thin layer of ice on the windows which had to be scraped off before I drove off.

Alfie is beginning to look a bit untidy. Because I wasn't sure of the weather, I hadn't arranged a grooming session for him, because he suffers from the cold, and we haven't had snow or exceptionally low temperatures recently. So, because of this, I thought it was probably a good idea to go over to Pets At Home and visit the Groom Room, which is inside the store. 

I drove over to Bletchley just after 9, the idea being that there was likely to be less traffic than going later. I was right, and it was easy to cross over Standing Way and that horrible roundabout near Pets At Home. I got Alfie an appointment in The Groom Room. It's at 5 o'clock on 14th March. 

I wanted to get Alfie a new bed. I had a browse at dog beds in Pets At Home, but I wasn't that impressed with what they had on offer, so I walked along the parade of shops to T.K.Maax. It took me a while to choose the right bed, because I had to consider Alfie's size. It was no good being too small or too big. I eventually chose a bed and took it home. When I got back to the flat, I took out the old bedding, which is in a space between the unit on which the television sits and my desk, and then put the new bed in it's place. It was amusing to see how Alfie reacted to it. He didn't immediately get into it. I think it's because he likes his routine. Changing his bed would be quite an upheaval. When he did eventually explore the bed, he climbed in and then got stuck! It was so funny, but he managed to get in, and it was clear that he liked it.

The following morning, when I went to take him out, I found Alfie sleeping in the bed, but on one end of the tipped-up bed! It looked so funny. I think he likes it, because it's his own little world, and it's draught-free and comfortable. I think it's a real success and I'm so glad I got it for him.

Wednesday. 10.20 a.m. I've just got back from Sainsbury's. The revelator is not working on the downside, so you have to use the lift. These bits of technology are constantly being repaired. I think it must be about the third time the thing has been out of action in the last six months or so. I have bought a couple of pillows. Yesterday I went over to Kingston and visited Homesense and bought another King sized duvet cover. I wanted a flat sheet (I don't like fitted sheets, because they never seem to stay fitted and they're difficult to fold.) I didn't find one, so I went on Amazon, and you're spoilt for choice and it should arrive sometime tomorrow.

The weather is still unseasonable and it was foggy when I took out Alfie earlier.

All In A Day's Work

Thursday. 12.40 p.m. I've been to the shopping centre to get my hair cut at Central Barbers. I booked online, so it was just a simple matter of going into the centre and waiting outside. I was actually booked for 11.30 but got there around 20 minutes too early.

From the barbers, I went to Costa on Middleton Hall and had an iced coffee drink with cream and marshmallows, a cheese and ham toastie, and a slice of rocky road cake. 

Then, a browsed in Lakeland and was really impressed by their new picnic sets. The glasses are made of plastic and look very convincing as cut glass.  Lots of equipment in this store which is useful to me if I am baking. A wander along the shopping centre and browsed in T.K. Maax, for nothing in particular, but with this store, you have to buy what they have immediately because there will only be one of any particular item, and you will lose it if you don't buy it straight away.

Friday. 10.50 a.m. I have made another batch of scones for Monday Club. I think I got the consistency of this batch more or less right by making the dough somewhat stickier. The only problem with the stickiness is that the dough becomes difficult to remove from the cutter when they are put onto the baking tray. I have baked them for 25 minutes, which means they come out a golden brown. They should now be far easier to cut in half and not crumble, which was the problem I had with the last batch I made.

Saturday. 8.25 a.m. It's quite chilly this morning, which means I put on a fleece when I had my breakfast. 

10.05 a.m. It seems a bit warmer now. The sun is making a vain attempt to shine. I've been to Sainsbury's as I wanted a decent size cake tin to put the scones in. The one I got is more than enough the right size and as it is airtight it should at least keep them fresh.

5.40 a.m. I've been to A Transformed Life afternoon at SCF. Praise and message. Very enlightening. There is a second session, starting at around 7 p.m., but unfortunately, my health issues make me tired and I wouldn't be able to keep awake, so I came home and made a salad which I will eat later.

It was bright and sunny when I got to the Oaktree Centre. It's summer, which, officially, it is.

Sunday. 5.05 a.m. I know, I'm up far too early. I was out, walking around Oldbrook Green at 4.35. I think it was a bit of a shock, even to Alfie. It's quite chilly, but still pleasant. A clear sky, no clouds to be seen, but I know it will be a bright and sunny day. Well, I do hope so.

6.25 p.m. Another café church at Shenley Christian Fellowship this morning. A lot of new faces and the place absolutely heaving. A bouncy castle was set up on the grass behind the building and lots of children using it. Plenty of coffee, cakes and biscuits.

I have mentioned the Hohem gimbal, which I bought on Amazon. I have got the thing working successfully and have discovered a video editing app from watching a video on YouTube and have it downloaded to my iPhone and now have it fully paid for which means I can edit and modify video footage from my phone without advertising and have all the additional assets for it. I went out around Oldbrook Green this afternoon and shot some test footage, which I have since managed to edit to a certain level. I have also purchased two Bluetooth Lavalier microphones from Amazon which connect to my iPhone, which means I can record better quality sound with each of them connected to my clothes and can be used if I want to record interviews on video. The experiment with editing has worked up to a certain extent and shows that it works, but I will need to do more work learning the software before I am totally satisfied with the results. Keep watching this space for further news.

Spring Is In The Air!

Thursday. 7.45 a.m. Alfie and I were out at around 7.10 this morning. It's getting lighter each morning. 

Spring is definitely in the air! Not only is it now a good deal milder, but bulbs are coming up, which I noticed when I was at Camphill on Tuesday. Also, blossoms come out, and many trees have the first signs of leaves.

2.40 p.m. I have been to The Oaktree Centre to assist with setting up and clearing up the playgroup this morning and then to take part in a Bible study. I have wanted to get Alfie an appointment at The Groom Room in Bletchley in order to get him trimmed, as he is beginning to look scruffy. I think a groom every six months or so is usually enough, not just a trim, but to have his nails trimmed and the build-up of mess under his eyes to be removed. I thought I could drive over to Bletchley from Shenley and then come home for some lunch, but then I decided the lunch should come first and then drive to Bletchley. Unfortunately, when I got there, I went into Pets At Home, which houses The Groom Room and discovered they were closed until 2 o'clock, so I had to fill in the time browsing in T.K.Maax, Sports Direct and Home Bargains, all of which are in the same parade as Pets At Home. I also went into Boots to buy vitamin D tablets and cod liver oil capsules, which I take every day and  I found if I bought an extra packet I could have one free, so it was a good offer.  I then needed the loo and walked over to Tesco to avail myself of their facilities. 

Once all this had been done, it was approaching 2 o'clock and I managed to get Alfie booked for his appointment on 23rd March at 2p.m., which was the earliest slot I could get.

5.05 p.m. I notice that the workmen working on the roof have packed up the scaffolding and it is gone. I thought I could hear a lot of banging and clanking but didn't realize it was them dismantling the scaffolding. There is still quite a bit of their equipment left on the grass below my kitchen window. No doubt it will be removed in the next day or so.

Friday. 8.30 a.m. It's a rather mixed sort of day on the weather front. Alfie insisted on going out at around 6.45. I got dressed hurriedly, and we went out on the grass alongside Strudwick Drive I found it was frosty, although it wasn't particularly hard. I have to take my small electric torch with me as it's difficult to see otherwise to pick up after Alfie.

I have my washing in the machine and on at around 7.45. I'm now waiting for it to finish, so it can go in the tumble drier.

1.40 p.m. Washing done, some hanging in the wardrobe, dried, and some on the airer.

We had the second poetry session this morning. Five of us in attendance. I was expecting more Dexter House residents to appear, but no one else came. Pity. This is, as I think I mentioned in an earlier post, a part of the U3A of which I am a member. We have to spring at least two poems to read and discuss. The theme this month was 'love' and no doubt is connected to it being Valentine's Day on 14th February. The theme for the next one is 'birds'. I am currently looking on Google for any poems on that subject, hopefully at least one will be amusing.

Saturday. 6.25 a.m. I have had the windows in my flat open, to attempt to remove the cigarette smoke. It does seem to work, but I need to have the window in the lounge open to create a through draught. I have mentioned the matter regarding this smoke, which comes from the flat below me, but I have been told that the flat door should be closed to prevent the smoke seeing out. It certainly shouldn't come into my flat, or anyone else's if it comes to that.

Hey ho, The Wind and The Rain!

Tuesday. 10.00 a.m. I should have been going to Camphill this morning, but there's been a problem with one of the payments for my car insurance. It wasn't taken out of my bank account. I had thought I could drive without any concerns, but then I thought, on the one day my insurance isn't absolutely cut and dried, I could have an incident, either me colliding with another vehicle, or someone running into my car, scratching either vehicle. It would be very stressful and I preferred to not risk it, so I'm at home. 

It's a really stormy day, wet and windy. Alfie keeps looking at me and almost saying, 'please, take me out!' but I know he won't like it. He's not a wet-weather sort of dog, so here we are, staying in the flat. 

I have rung Mears again, regarding not only the extractor fan, but the bathroom refit. It didn't take long to get a response, fortunately, but the line was indistinct. On the extractor fan front, apparently the company who will install the fan are waiting for glass to arrive. Which I wasn't aware of. I assumed that they would cut a hole in the existing glass in the kitchen window, but no, they will presumably take out the glass already in the window and put the new glass in, with a hole cut in it to take the extractor fan. I also asked about the bathroom, and I am still on the waiting list, but no word as to when the work will start. One lives in hope.

12.15 p.m. I have been experimenting with the Procreate app on my new iPad. It's actually quite easy to use, once you've been through some of the things it's capable of. I have been following a couple of YouTube videos and have actually posted my first piece of work on Facebook. Once you have mastered the fact that each colour you use can be adjusted separately,  because it's on a different 'layer', it means that it's possible to redo any of the layers, which means you can improve things easily.

Wednesday. 8.45 a.m. It seems like quite a calm sort of morning on the weather front. Let's just hope it stays that way.

11.05 a.m. As mentioned above, I had a missed payment for my car insurance. I had to ring the AA, my provider, and sort this payment out, as I was concerned that I wouldn't otherwise be covered if there was an incident. I rang the number on the AA documentation, but I got a menu which asked me which number to key into my phone. I went round and round, and it became really difficult to get to the right department. After several attempts, I did manage to reach the right department and explained my difficulties getting to the right place. I eventually had to key in the long number on my debit card, but the computerized system wouldn't work for me, regardless of how many times I attempted. Then the lady at the call centre told me to speak the numbers, which I found quite difficult, but eventually the payment went through, thank goodness, and the situation was rectified.

3.35 p.m. The weather has got worse. Wind and rain as I write this. 

I have been into Central Barbers to get my hair cut. I booked online, as is my custom now. At least, if you book this way, you know you'll be attended to quickly and there's no waiting.

I had a conversation with the young man who cut my hair. We got onto discussing things, and he mentioned a book he had read, about five young daughters who were going to be married off by their parents. I immediately recognized it as 'Pride and Prejudice' and I said it's not the sort of book that most men read, if they read anything. I know it's more of a female readers choice and Carol enjoyed it. Anyway, I am pleased to have had my hair cut and, after leaving Central Barbers, I walked through the shopping centre and had a browse in some of the shops, T.K.Maax in particular.

New Prime Minister

Monday. 6.45 a.m. I awoke in the night to the distant sound of thunder. At first I wasn't entirely sure whether it was thunder, but then it broke and there was a torrential rainfall storm. It seemed to go on for a while, but then it came to an end. When I went out with Alfie around 6 a.m. there was virtually no sign of any rain. The ground looked dry, although the air was heavy with moisture.

Tuesday. 6.35 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning. I am waking later and later each day.

So, Liz Truss had been selected as Britain's new Prime Minister, replacing Boris Johnson. She will be going to Balmoral to see The Queen and officially transfer power between the two leaders. As I write this, I have BBC Breakfast on television, and they are reporting from Downing Street as Boris Johnson will come out and give his final speech as Prime Minister. 

9.30 a.m. Boris Johnson's speech was short and sweet, and as usual, there was a certain amount of levity in it. I know he made many mistakes and told a few lies (well, to be honest, more than a few, but don't all politicians bend the truth?) All his MPs stood on the pavement to listen to him, and then he and his wife, Carrie, drove off in a Range Rover. I can't think where, but if he and Liz Truss have to go to Balmoral, which is somewhere to the north. in the depths of Scotland and close to Aberdeen, they would need to leave soon as I imagine it would take seven or eight hours by car and probably less if they went by train. Possibly a private plane? Well, the Queen is head of state and she can choose where they meet, for Boris to resign and Liz Trust to get the keys to Number 10. Usually, this takes place at Buckingham Palace, but her majesty didn't intend to return to London, to break her holiday. Well, she isn't in the best of health and, considering her great age, late 90s, who can blame her?

Cincinnatus was mentioned in Boris's speech. I had to do a Google search, to discover he was a Roman statesman. It passed me by so quickly, but unless you have a grounding in the classics (which Boris obviously does, but I don't.) it would take the likes of Mary Beard to explain more about this Roman figure.

1.30 p.m. I took Alfie to The Groom Room within Pets At Home in Bletchley for his 11.30 appointment. He is now home and looks a good deal neater than he was when he went in. His nails are trimmed, his teeth brushed, his face is tidy, and you can see his eyes properly.

I had to fill in 90 minutes whilst Alfie was being groomed. I had a salad roll, Danish pastry and tea in Greggs, which is a few doors along from Pets At Home. Then, a browse in T.K. Maax. There's always lots to see there, but I didn't buy anything, but I was tempted. I looked in Sports Direct and have seen a couple of pairs of trainers which I am determined to buy, which have leather uppers and look quite smart compared with other styles of trainers and at a reasonable price.

Liz Truss came back from Balmoral where she had met the Queen to be officially installed as Prime Minister. It made me think, surely she would have had to travel all the way to the north of Scotland. How would she get there? It couldn't possibly be by car or train, because she was expected back in Downing Street to give a speech to the nation. It transpired that she had gone by private jet. The plane came back and landed at RAF Northolt and then she had a drive into central London as part of a convoy of what would have been security people. Then the weather changed, it began to rain, and I was somewhat amused to see the podium which was put out in front of Number 10 by staff and, as the rain fell, the microphones on it were covered with a black bin bag. The rain became heavier and the podium was moved indoors and it wasn't clear where Liz Truss's speech would be given. Indoors? In the room where all those press conferences were given by Boris Johnson during the pandemic? Then the rain came to an end and the podium came back out! 

We saw the convoy of vehicles driving through the streets as it approached Downing Street and it eventually arrived outside Number 10 Liz Trust got out of the Range Rover she had travelled in and immediately went to the podium to give her address. To me, it seemed amazing that she arrived in Downing Street and was delivering that address within minutes of arriving.

Another Fun Filled Week?

Monday. 5.55 p.m. I am continuing to transcribe my handwritten writing onto word processing. It's a long and quite laborious process, but as I continue with it I am making significant alterations and, hopefully, improvements. I have a good idea where things are heading once this section is complete. I have several pages of plot lines and I will follow most of those notes as I continue with writing. Then I need to integrate some other plot lines into this 'spine' plot line which runs through the middle of the whole project. 

Tuesday.10.45 a.m. I have baked a batch of scones this morning. I had to organize my kitchen carefully as there is little enough room as it is. I had left the butter out overnight as it needs to be soft enough to work and it was fine, so I proceeded with the recipe. The only problem was that the mixture didn't make more than a handful of scones. I was more than pleased with the result. They came out of the oven near perfect. Golden brown and good texture. Then I decided to drive to Kingston and visit Homesense, which is part of T.K. Maax. I was looking for a suitable tin in which to make a cheesecake for Sunday as we have a bring and share lunch to celebrate the return Ross and Joy Dilnot returning after their operations. I drove down Chaffron Way towards Kingston and was confronted by a sign telling me that the road ahead was closed, so I had to go into Waitrose's car park to do a short detour and then come out on Brickhill Street  and continue on down Chaffron Way. 

Wednesday. 6.20 a.m. It's mild this morning, but what I would term, muggy. Sort of warm and wet, if you get my meaning.

I've just been watching an item on BBC Breakfast, about a man by the name of Martin Hibbert, who was seriously injured and then paralysed when he was caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing in May 2017. He is currently raising money by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I noticed, when he was interviewed, that he had a logo for S.I.A., the Spinal Injuries Association, which is directly next door to Dexter House, and which I walk past with Alfie several times a day.

5.50 p.m. The weather has been behaving strangely all afternoon. It was teeming with rain earlier, and immediately it came to an end the ground didn't seem to be wet when I peered out of the kitchen window later. It sounded as if someone was having a shower as I sat and heard it. Then as I prepared my evening meal it began to rain and the sun was out. Just weird.

Thursday. 6.15 a.m. Yet another fine and sunny morning. We did a circuit of Oldbrook Green, but I'm sure Alfie would have preferred to stay tucked up in his lovely, cozy bed.

13.00 p.m. I've been out at the Oaktree Centre, helping to set up the playgroup which meets there on a Thursday. I was involved in a Bible study during the playgroup meeting and then returned a couple of hours later to dismantle everything.

Friday. 6.20 a.m. Well, here's a thing. Another fine and sunny morning. What more can I say?

Keeping The NHS Busy- Part 1

Monday. 9.50 a.m. I have been out with Alfie, although he was somewhat reluctant to go much further than the piece of grass along Strudwick Drive, but I insisted on walking around Oldbrook Green. As we came to the point where we cross over Oldbrook Boulevard and back along the path towards Dexter House, we saw the lady with Toto. She was sitting in an electric shopping scooter with the dog on her lap. She said she was waiting for a hip replacement operation. Well, to be honest, if it's on the NHS, she's likely to have a long wait, as they are making excuses over any sort of operation or procedure in the wake of the so-called pandemic. 

There seemed to be an excessive amount of traffic along all the roads within Oldbrook. I then discover it's due to our dear old friend, Milton Keynes Marathon. It seems a lot of the roads are closed off to traffic, so that puts an end to my idea of going into the shopping centre to have a look around. More as an excuse to get out of Dexter House for a couple of hours. I think I might leave it until tomorrow. I still don't know why they can't run along the Redways instead of causing inconvenience to everybody, but, of course, that is far too easy.

Tuesday. 6.05 a.m. As it was light outside, I took Alfie out around 5.30 this morning. Yet another mild and pleasant morning.

2.15 p.m. After yesterday when I couldn't drive into the centre of Milton Keynes due to the marathon, I decided to go in this morning. I had a need to just escape from the flat as it can get incredibly claustrophobic. It was good to just wander about and in the shops. I have had really itchy skin and I needed something to relieve it. I found that E45, which is a lotion for such a skin condition, might be suitable. I had looked on the Boots website, but it was apparently out of stock in their Milton Keynes store, so I tried Superdrug, and, hey presto! they had it, so I went into their store and bought some. I now have Superdrug's loyalty card and set up an account when I got back to the flat. The only problem I have with these cards is that they soon fill up your wallet. How many do I have? Probably a dozen or so. The most used are Nectar, which is connected with Sainsbury's and Argos (which is now owned by Sainsburys) Tesco Clubcard, Waterstones, Costa coffee, Body Shop, IKEA, Lakeland, Boots, Morrisons, T.K. Maax, Pets At Home and no doubt many more. The trouble is they take up so much space in my wallet, so when I get to the till to pay at one of these retailers, I can spend a long time rifling through my wallet in an attempt to find the relevant card. Although you can have an app which is supposed to do the same job as a plastic card, I don't always have my iPhone on me.

I have been having what I can only describe as 'mini' angina 'pains', although they're not really pains. I suppose they could be best described as sort of pin-pricks of discomfort in my chest. I know exactly how an angina episode feels and more than sure of what a heart attack feels like, although the pain of a heart attack and heart burn, or indigestion, can feel very similar. I have tablets to check heartburn, Gaviscon, which are actually quite pleasant to suck, unlike a lot of medication and do work. I have them in my medication drawer for just this sort of moment. 

On Wednesday night I was woken up by Alfie poking me with a paw and needing my attention. I realised be probably needed to go outside, but it takes quite a while for me to come round from deep sleep, put on my clothes and stagger out to the grass outside alongside Strudwick Drive. This happened again a couple of hours later, but, unfortunately, he couldn't wait and I ended up clearing up after him. One of the reasons I have kitchen roll handy for such an incident. Then it happened again a few hours after that, by which time my patience was wearing a bit thin, unfortunately, but it was no good blaming Alfie. Well, at least he is capable of telling me, in his own original way that he needed my assistance. This was when the strange angina-like 'attacks' began, and I was thinking I ought to do something about it. Although not actually serious, or so I imagined, it might be advisable to contact my GP and discuss it with him/her.

Due to the weird angina-like symptoms, I thought it might be a good idea to get checked out by a GP. I wasn't expecting that I would get an appointment immediately, but nevertheless, I rang the surgery and found out that they now have a system which allows you to key in a number on your phone's keypad and they will ring you back when your number gets to the front of the queue. It certainly saves having to hang on for what can be hours until you hit the front spot. I spoke to a receptionist, and she listened to my symptoms and said that I would get a call-back from a doctor on Thursday afternoon. But then an hour or so later they rang and said that a doctor would see me face-to-face at 4.40 p.m. The doctor checked my heart rate and stuck that thing on my finger. What is it called? Oximeter or something. He decided I would need to have an E.C.G. and a blood test, just to see what was going on, and I arranged this for the next day with the receptionist.

Friday. 5.00 p.m. I went to the surgery to have my E.C.G. and blood test at 9.20 a.m., but I got there well in time and as a result, I was called into the room to have the tests. The lady doing the bloodletting, sorry, taking my blood, had a real problem finding a vein. So, what's new. In the end, she gave up and said she would need to have a second nurse available to help with this, and I would need to book another appointment. The E.C.G. caused no problems. Well, all I have to do is lie down on the bed and have those contact things stuck on me. No problems. All done and then I went home.

Bouncing Mail and other inconsequential Matters

Wednesday. 12.15 p.m. I keep getting the wrong post delivered to my flat. I have a feeling that the Post Office, or at least the so-called organization who are responsible for the delivery of our post, is not up to much. At one time we used to get a post at least twice a day, the first delivery at around 7 a.m and a second delivery at around 11 a.m.  They were so precise with their deliveries you could almost set your watch by them. Now it seems to arrive whenever the postman feels like delivering, sometimes before midday, sometimes around 2-3 o'clock. What is going on? And then I get misdirected mail. I have a letter here for the gentleman who possibly lives along Dexter Avenue or who MIGHT possibly have been a former tenant of this flat (I won't give the address for security reasons.) I gave it to the postman who happened to be passing along the corridor, but it has come back rather like some sort of boomerang. I should have written 'not known at this address.' If I had it in at the S.H.O's office within Dexter House, do you suppose it will then bounce back like something on a piece of elastic?

The workmen are back, building the scooter sheds. I suppose they are going to be called scooter sheds, but I can't think of a better way to describe them. We've had a couple of days without any work going on in the community garden, but it seems all is activity. There are several vehicles parked either on the road or the grassed area along the side of Strudwick Drive, one being a very large concrete mixer. I presume this is for the foundations of the aforementioned sheds. As I walked past they seemed to be releasing water from this enormous vehicle and using one to the two tipper trucks to ferry the concrete into the garden and then transferred to what will, I assume, be the floor for both sheds. 

Thursday. 6.30 a.m. I woke up, then went back to sleep. But did it really matter? Alfie got his usual outing and it was slightly chilly, but the sun is out as I write this. Alfie booked in at The Groom Room at 1 p.m. for a haircut. 

Later. I took Alfie to The Groom Room, getting there well before the appointment time of 1 p.m. Alfie was yapping when I released him from the cage in the back of the car and excited to be out and going in to be pampered by the young lady who took him from me to begin his haircut. I had just over an hour to fill before going back to collect him, so I went into T.K. Maax, which is along the parade of units from Pets At Home. A good place to pick up a bargain. I got a really nice Moleskine notebook, which I had wanted for some time. Ideal hardback notebook and just the right size to slip in a pocket when I'm out and about and I want to make a note of things. 

Alfie was really pleased to see me when I went back to collect him from The Groom Room! He's now looking trimmed and tidy. He even had his teeth cleaned! His breath was getting somewhat smelly and I would never be able to do this as he would bite me. I know he's little, but he has exceptionally sharp teeth and I wouldn't want to upset him or hurt him. He went back into the cage in the back of the car and I heard not a single peep from him on the way home. How does he know when we get home because as soon as I turn off the car's engine he starts up barking.

Friday. 6.15 a.m. A bit of a shock for both of us when we went out at around 5.45. A thin and weak rain, but nevertheless, still got a slight wetting. Alfie was not impressed, and soon made straight for the door after having a wee on the grass.

I've been told that the woman who comes in to clean the communal areas in Dexter House has been told by her supervision that she hasn't been doing her job properly. She had an audit and didn't come off very well. She is leaving some areas uncleaned. I can clearly see the dust on the banisters and rails of the stairs leading up to my flat and underneath has never been dusted, nor any of the top of the bricked areas around the place. Will it now improve? Will she need to do a better job? Who knows. I could use my new Vax steam mop to clean around the area of my flat but may wait until I know whether there will be an improvement. Let's wait and see.

As I write this, at 4.05 p.m., it is quite sunny, although a little windy.

Another Week

Sunday. 9.20 a.m. Yesterday I intended to go into the Central Shopping Centre. I have wanted to buy a styptic pencil. I don't think most people, particularly younger men, will know what these things are. If you shave using a more traditional, wet, system, to shave, as I do, you will know how easy it is to cut yourself, or produce little nicks, which cause bleeding. With me, it's not very often, but when it happens, it's often difficult to staunch the flow of blood. You can use bits of tissue or cotton wool, but who wants to go around for the rest of the day with bits of paper stuck to your face? I don't. A styptic pencil means you can stop these little bloody flows more or less instantly. It stings at first, but only mildly. Just a vital item to keep in your shaving kit. But it's very difficult to find such an item anywhere in a supermarket or pharmacy. I have managed to find them in branches of Boots, but nowhere else. You have to keep them dry otherwise they crumble to pieces and then keep them in their little plastic containers. The one I had has since ended up in pieces which is why I wanted to replace it. All this was an excuse to drive into the centre. I haven't been in for a while. I parked in the carpark next to The Point and paid using the RingGo app. It certainly saves having to have the right change for the machine and it's actually considerably cheaper. I went into the centre and had a look for the styptic pencil, first in Superdrug, but no sign of what I wanted. Then into Boots. A short walk further along inside the Centre, but after a good look in the men's shaving area, which has about every shaving item imaginable, every type of razor blade, no styptic pencil! Just a waste of my time. Why is it SO difficult to buy these things? They're really useful for when you have a slight cut when shaving, so you would imagine they would be vital and on sale in the razor blade aisle. But no.

I then went into T.K. Maax. Just for a browse. But the escalator was out of service which meant I couldn't get to the upper floor, so I didn't bother to find the stairs so I left. I then went into W.H. Smith with the intention of buying the latest edition of Current Archaeology which I find thoroughly interesting and worth a read, but, after a good look along the magazine racks I couldn't find it, so I left. Just a waste of a morning in the shopping centre. So I drove to Sainsbury's to buy one or two items and that was my outing over and out.

Monday. 6.05 a.m. Awake early so it was out with Alfie. There was a mist over part of Oldbrook Green and I noticed the obligatory supermarket trolley upturned near the tarmacked games area. Every urban scene must have an abandoned supermarket trolley to give the correct atmosphere. It makes me wonder why people can't return them when they take them away from whichever supermarket they come from.

I've had another great idea for my writing. I'm not going to reveal it on here, obviously, but it will take things to a new level. I'm now doing some research to see how it's going to work and fit into what I have already produced.

June Is Bustin' Out All Over!

Okay, okay! Another blog post title quiz question. . . Where is this title from? Another musical . . . written by Rogers and Hammerstein. . . It's from their musical 'Carousel.' I actually thought it was from 'Oklahoma!', but after a Goole search, I found out my guess was wrong.

Saturday.7.10 a.m.  Yet another bright and sunny morning. It does seem that June is definitely 'Bustin'' out all over Oldbrook and further afield. Trees in full leaf. Flowers popping up all over the place. Birdies building their nests and fledglings taking their first flight. Goodness knows what else, but things are definitely bustin' out all over!

10.25 a.m. I decided I needed a hand mixer for use with my baking. Something simple, a hand mixer, which would make whisking up cake mix, batter, and other items far quicker and easier. I had a look on the internet, Amazon as a start-off, but so many brands that I haven't heard of, some cheaper than others and some definitely more than I was willing to pay. Then I thought of Argos and the fact I had quite a few Nectar points which I've collected through shopping in Sainsbury's and which I get with having a home contents insurance policy with Sainsbury's Bank. I had a look and then read the reviews of some of those hand mixers, the cheapest not having very good or at least, mixed (sorry about the pun! Just couldn't help it I'm afraid.) one saying it was liable to over-heat, so no good. I expected to pay a bit more, so I found a Kenwood model, a good brand, and supposedly reliable, so I decided on that one and at £22.99 seemingly good value. Multi-speed and you can store it with the whisks disconnected and stand on its flat base. So, it seemed ideal for my kitchen which has limited storage space.

I wanted to pay online and use the Nectar points and buy it through 'Click and Collect,' which I have done with some other items I have bought recently, such as my electric kettle, toaster, and more recently my food processor. It took several attempts to get the website to function and I had to pay 49p with my Debit card as the price of the food mixer was that much more than the number of nectar points would allow. Only possible to use £2.50 worth of points at a time if that makes sense. I eventually got the site to work for me, paid, and then an email to say that I could collect the item after 9 a.m because that was when Argos opened on a Saturday morning.

I needed to go to Lloyd's pharmacy in Sansbury's to collect a ready prescription, Beconase, which my doctor had prescribed when I mentioned the coughing I am experiencing at the moment and discussed during the telephone I had with her on Friday afternoon (I will mention this in the next blog post.) I also needed some shaving gel, because I had reached the end of the current pack and I cannot shave without gel, together with one or two other items. In and out relatively quickly and from there I had intended to drive to Argos, a short trip down Avebury Boulevard, or should have been until I discovered that the road was closed off due to work being done to construct a roundabout and traffic lights on the intersection with Avebury Boulevard and Grafton Street. It took me quite a while to work out a route to Argos, eventually driving further up Child's Way and going 180 degrees round the roundabout on Watling Street and then back towards the city centre and into the turning for Morrisons and through the car parks and park outside Argos. A good 20 minutes wasted in the process and several extra miles are driven somewhat unnecessarily, but I managed to collect the Kenwood hand mixer and return home, having completed the mission. 

later. I had been searching for cardboard bowls. For what purpose? Well, having made those scones I have mentioned in earlier posts, I found what I wanted in Sainsbury's this morning. I am giving them to my neighbours in Dexter House. I am putting the two halves of one scone in each bowl, buttered (actually it's Sainsbury's Olivia spread, but it's about as close to real butter and made of olive oil.) along with a teaspoonful of raspberry jam in an improvised kitchen foil container. I am attempting to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, having my containers fully recyclable wherever possible. My first delivery was to two tenants in the flat below me. I shall continue with further flats as the week progresses.

Now I have the mixer I want to experiment with other recipes. I have done scones before as well as brownies, which I may attempt once again and probably try something slightly more complicated, such as a fruit cake. I've made Victoria sponges, but I will need to buy some new baking tins and I think it's worth buying better quality, made of higher-grade materials because cheap, thin tins rust quickly and don't last as well as better, higher grade tins. It will be worth visiting T.K.Maax or Homesense, which is a subsidiary of T.K.Maax. You can buy some really good quality homeware items in both stores and at great discounts, up to around 60%. Never pay full price on anything if you can get something for a reduced price. 

Let Out of Prison On Good Behaviour!?

(Saturday)As regards the lockdown and the covid-19 pandemic, are we heading in the right direction? Is the infamous 'roadmap' out of lockdown which Boris Johnson keeps on mentioning, still on track, or are we likely to have a diversion? I know, I've used these metaphors before and they are becoming increasingly annoying. Like the word unprecedented, which gets used so much in describing the pandemic, it just doesn't really mean anything anymore. Its use is just very lazy use of English. Journalists and reporters as well as politicians, please buy a thesaurus (no, that's not a type of dinosaur, by the way. If you don't know what one is or what the word means, just look it up on Google (other search engines are available.)

This afternoon I turned on the television and watched Prince Charles giving a really quite touching tribute to his father, from Highgrove, for The Duke of Edinburgh. It must have been quite difficult for him, but a really brilliant piece which was so obviously not scripted. Calling 'papa' was used affectionately. It just makes it so clear that it's one more step for him to him coming King. Also, amazing how much affection there is obviously for The Duke of Edinburgh from the public.

(Monday) So, today some of the lockdown restrictions will be lifted. Non-essential retail can reopen. Okay, I get it that some shops are not actually essential, but I think getting a haircut and getting your dog groomed is quite essential. I plan to go over to Bletchley this morning and attempt to get Alfie fixed up with a groom as he is looking somewhat scruffy, poor little dog!

I have managed to at last get a doctor's appointment, although it is going to be a telephone call. There was quite obviously nothing malignant shown when they did the scan the other week, otherwise,, I would have had an urgent call to see me at the surgery. I must ask, when the doctor calls on 10th May, morning, about the cough I have which comes out of nowhere. I'm absolutely certain it's connected to one of my meds, most likely the artarvorstatin, which dries out my throat, but when it starts it's almost impossible to stop. I have sweets to suck, or I have a drink. I had Robitussin which has now finished.

I then drove over to the retail park at Bletchley to book Alfie a groom. I got inside the store and then was told that the young man who was dealing with this large Alsation dog couldn't stop to help (no doubt they aren't allowed to have more staff in such a small space.)So I will have to ring later to make the required booking. Annoying, but one has to just live with the situation.

I had intended to visit T.K.Maax, which is further along the parade of units. I was surprised to find a queue formed outside, around a couple of dozen ahead of me. A sign in the window telling customers that only 333 people allowed in at one time. How did they come up with this number? I didn't wait, as it was taking a long time for the queue to move. I went into Boots and bought Robbitussin and then just went home.

Had a knock on my door as I sat having my lunch. A man from the N.H.S., asking me if I wanted to have my eyes tested. As it so happens I do need to get them tested, so I said yes. An ophthalmic optician coming on Thursday, so that's one less thing to deal with. I will then have to get the glasses made up which shouldn't be much of a problem.

February Fun?

Is February generally a fun month? I can't say one way or the other. I think it's made worse at the moment because of the pandemic and being incarcerated in my flat. I have to say I feel a bit like a battery chicken, cooped up in one of those small cages, with little room to move (not true to some extent, but not being able to get out and about as before the first lockdown, definitely.) Days getting longer and lighter earlier, definitely makes things better. Do you not get a feeling of irony with my blog post title? Yes, definitely. But we do need something to relieve the boredom and have a good laugh. 

Pancake day, Shrove Tuesday, is on it's way!  Anything to cheer things up. Pancakes just happen to be one of my favourite dishes. I like to think I'm good at making them, and the preparation of the batter is the most important part of creating them. Using plain flour which is airiated by being put through a sieve which is held hight over the bowl and also with melted butter added along with a couple of eggs, which, when milk is added together with a pinch of salt and then beaten together until the whole becomes fairly runny, but not too runny for it to run out of the pan you cook in. It should just run off the spoon, but not too much (if that makes sense.) The next is to cover and let it stand for a few hours before making. This allows all the ingredients to settle and as a result the batter will thicken, so before you make the pancakes, add a little more milk to make the mixture more runny.

(Wednesday) Out early with Alfie and at gone 9 o'clock I went to Homebase, as I was searching for a bradawl. Before you ask, it's a handled device for making holes in a wooden surface. I wanted one so I can make holes in the construction of the coffee table so that the screws can better screw in tighter. If that makes sense. I had a good look in the tools section but I could see nothing suitable, so I left and went over the road to The Range and fortunately I found one, shown me by a member of staff. A really confusing display and it's not very clear what is what so you can find things easily. The same could be said of the Homebase display.  I can't believe such a simple item would be so difficult to find. But I got it!

I then went to Sainsbury's. I can't believe how long I was in there. I don't know what it was this morning, but it seemed to take forever to get round. I always take a well researched list so I don't forget anything and that generally makes things easier because I don't want to be in there longer than necessary, but perhaps my visits to Homebase and The Range have something to do with it.

(Thursday) Been out earlier than usual. Alfie fast asleep in his bed. It was frosty and crunchy underfoot as we walked along the grass beside the path. Good thing we weren't out too long as my hands go blue if they get cold and it can be really uncomfortable. I should remember to wear my gloves. 

I needed to get a fresh supply of vitamin D tablets. I was told by my doctor that I ought to take vitamin D after I had the results of my last blood test, so I bought some in Sainsbury's, but when I was in there yesterday I couldn't find any. Every other permutation of vitamins, minerals etc etc but not vitamin D. This morning I drove over to Bletchley to visit Boots and managed to get a pack in there. 180, one a day, which is what I was already taking. So, that problem solved. I had hoped to visit T.K. Maax, which is further along the parade from Boots, but I found it boarded up, due to covid restrictions, but Greggs was open. So, what's so difference, if Boots and Greggs can be open, why not T.K. Maax? Just wanted a browse through the men's department, but definitely not going to happen for a while at least.

Later. Been out at around 2.15 this afternoon and there's been a definite drop in the temperature. Really cold and I couldn't wait to get back inside as my hands were turning blue. Also not good to be in the cold with a heart condition.

(Friday) I woke at around 1.30 and couldn't get back to sleep. Had a shave and then sorted the rubbish into black bag and tied it up, ready to take out to the dustbins and put new bag on the kitchen bin. Did some washing up and the kitchen now looks neat and tidy.  Sorted washing into washing basket, ready to take to the laundry room just before 8a.m.Did my Bible reading (one year with Nicky Gumble through the You Version app on my iPad.) Alfie is fast asleep in his bed, although he had been in bed with me up until the time I got out of bed. It is now 3.00a.m and sitting here in the lounge writing this. What's the day going to be like, on the weather-front? Seems calm at the moment, but I think the wind was blowing a gale in the night.

A good deal later. Out with his nibs at 7.15. Not as cold as yesterday, but still chilly. Got washing on and now back in the flat. There was an amazing red sky over Milton Keynes. I would have done a photograph but it's virtually impossible to get a good vantage point around Oldbrook without getting buildings in the way. I would need to get up a lot higher to get a good shot, unfortunately.

It's 7.55a.m. Just not a lot to say at the moment, but watch this space.

1360th Blog post. Still Sunny!

This will be my 1360th blog post! Why should that be so important? Well, it isn't, but it's quite an achievement to have kept this blog going for so long.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing! What more can one want? I can do without wasps, flies and other insects which invade the house. I can also do without pop music blasted at me from whatever quarter. People have their windows open, which means there is a leakage of boom-diddy-boom-diddy-boom-bom-boom. You know, or perhaps you don't, that drum beat that a lot of pop music seems to have. It's right what Noel Coward said, 'strange how potent cheap music is!' which is a line from his play 'Private Lives.' The joke is, if you know this play, that the music which is playing in the background is 'Some Day I'll Find You,' which he wrote! So it's sort of turning things on itself. But, regardless of all that, I do agree. I suppose that the sentiment in that line is that popular music has to be potent, in the sense of probably, a drug or alcohol, it has to work it's magic by being repetitive or overwhelming. Anyway, my thing is that drum beating in the distance can be just annoying and puts me off whatever I'd doing, probably attempting to plot a piece I happen to be writing. Then there's those crazed individuals who insist on having pop music blasting from the speakers in their cars as they speed by. So loud it makes the car vibrate and all you get is the booming sound, no music to speak of. Why can it never be Beethoven or Mozart of any other composer's music you care to mention? But if that's the case, why have it so loud that everyone else has to put up with it, regardless of whether they want to or not.

Later. Yesterday evening (Thursday) I went to S.C.F. for another session of The Bible Course. There are three more to go. I was undecided as to what to wear and in the end I didn't wear my new shorts and short-sleeved shirt. As I left the house, I was suddenly hit by the heat. I was around 6.45 and it was quite intense, not helped by the fact that when I got in the car I found the interior hotter still, by quite a few degrees. It made my heart rate increase. I was feeling quite unwell, not exactly helped by the other drivers who insist on tailgating me as I drove up Chaffron Way to the Oaktree Centre. I had to have a drink of water on arrival and I found the main hall cooler than the café area and by the time we started the course I was feeling better. But I think it's a warning to be more careful when the sun is so hot and I was shocked by how hot it was so late in the day.

(Friday) I was quite insistent that I get a lie-in. I was more than determined that I wouldn't get up before 6a.m. I actually took Alfie out at 7 this morning! He wasn't exactly pleased, but it was worth the extra time asleep. I hope to continue with this regime.

Too good to stay indoors today. I had to get out, even if it was just a trip into central Milton Keynes. I had to first go to get some change for the carpark. I do have the RingGo app on my iPhone, but it doesn't always work, so I had to have change for the machine. I went to the Eaglestone shop to use the A.T.M. outside but when I got there, it wasn't working. No cash in it. I know these machines have a tendency to run out of cash, but it was somewhat annoying because I then had to drive all the way to the One Stop shop in Coffee Hall. Fortunately the machine was working, but because the sun was so strong it was next to impossible to read the screen, but fortunately I was able to extract £30 from the maws of the mighty machine and then go into the shop to buy two bags of wine gums and fruit pastilles in order to get change.

I arrived at the carpark and then I found the RingGo app wouldn't work, so I was glad that I'd had the foresight to get change for the parking meter. This technology can be great when it works, but when it doesn't, it's just a waste of time. So it's as well to not always rely on it and use a different method of payment. I walked into the shopping centre and paid some money into my Metro Bank savings account. From there I went into Midsummer Place and as I was waking through I heard my name 'John!' but at first I didn't respond. Then one of the guys from Campbell ran up to me. He said he was about to catch a bus to Peterborough. It's great that they can respond to me and we have long chats when I'm there. I told him he'd better not miss his bus, so he went off, presumably outside to the bus stop. No doubt I'll hear more about his visit (which I believe is where his parents live.) when I'm at Camphill on Tuesday.

Next. Something to eat. Waterstones was near so I went in and as there was nobody queuing I decided to order a latte, toastier and a bun. Very efficient staff and I was soon sitting at a table. As I had my iPhone with me I was able to connect to the internet and look at Facebook and Twitter. Are these devices such a good idea? In some respects, yes, but when people spend a long time on them and disregard those around them, for example, in a work situation, with family and friends, they are more of a distraction and aren't really a replacement for face-to-face conversation, but can be useful for keeping in contact with family and friends and if you want to be easily contacted, ideal. But being in a bookshop it's an ideal place to have a café. Put me near books and I'm quite happy, so once I'd finished my snack I had a browse of the tables that Waterstone so craftily has set up which entices you to look at the books on display and then I went upstairs to the history section to have a further browse. I left before I purchased a book. I have to be honest that I have more than enough books in my bookshelf and could easily buy more. I have several which are waiting in a queue to be read.

From Waterstones I went into the main shopping centre and walked along the mall towards John Lewis and was interested in a store which is going to open soon, called Typo which I have discovered sells stationary. As Staples has since disappeared from Milton Keynes, which is a disappointment because where am I to buy fresh stocks of computer ink cartridges, paper and all the other paraphernalia, pens, pencils etc etc? I'm not sure when it's due to open, but I will have to visit once it's up and running. Also, I had to go into The Works, because they're stock changes rapidly and you have to buy whatever catches your eye when you're there because otherwise it's gone and by the time you return it will be gone, which is the same with T.K. Maax, another store I love browsing in as well as their partner store called Homesense. A good place to go if you're looking for kitchen items, such as saucepans, baking tins etc. 

Wet and Windy

(Wednesday) I could hear the rain drumming agains the sitting room window early this morning. I had no intention of going out with Alfie if it meant we were going to get a soaking, but, sound 6.45 I looked out the window and couldn't see any signs of rain, so I made up my mind to get myself together and put Alfie's lead on his harness and step outside. We walked down to the grassed area where I usually let Alfie off his lead and he ran away as usual. I think it's this that he enjoys, being able to run around and let off steam. I even managed to use the new iPhone to video him. He ran off towards the shop area and I couldn't catch up and then a man walked towards us with a dog on his lead. I think the dog was a bulldog, but it do didn't want to make friends with Alfie. 

Walking round towards the shops, I saw a pile of logs and it was clear that the tree that had come down during the storm the other night had already been cut up by Council workers. Soon dealt with and the main bulk of the tree taken off no doubt on the back of a lorry.

I made pancakes as I always do last evening. I got a really good mixing bowl in T.K.Maax yesterday morning. It's got a grip for your hand to keep it steady as you whisk. I used the Kenwood hand mixer which we bought in John Lewis when Carol's mum and dad visited. It hasn't been used since then. It made short work of whisking the batter for the pancakes. I got a decent pan in Sainsbury's some while ago as well as two saucepans. They all match and the saucepans have glass lids and also have pouring lips which makes life easier when you strain vegetables. The bowl has a pouring lip also, which is useful when you come to pour the contents, such as batter, into a pan to cook.

I've been in to Sainsbury's. I was sure some of my medication would have been ready for collection, but apparently not. When I got home I noticed that the wind was beginning to get up. I thought Storm Freya had finished. Maybe it's an entirely different storm.

(Thursday) I'm writing a longer blog because today would have been Carol's 55th birthday. So when I've completed it I will post it on here.

It's a bright sunny morning. Just right for celebrating lovely lady's life. Thank you God, that you bought us together and we had a fantastic 11 years together. I've been out with Alfie and we did our usual walk around Eaglestone Park. I was actually quite chilly when I left the house, but we managed to walk a good deal further than we usually do.

Unsettled Weather

(Tuesday)It's really warm and sunny today. I was out a good deal earlier with Alfie this morning, probably arrow 6.45. It seemed a waste to not get out because it's getting light earlier and earlier each day and he has this habit, which I've mentioned on here before, of sitting and staring at me. He simply can't wait to get out. He loves to be let off his lead and to have a run. Fo a little dog he's got lots of energy. Runs like a little rabbit.

Alfie wears a harness. It's to protect his neck, because if you connect his lead to his collar, which he wears permanently, when he pulls, it can damage his throat. So a collar is far better because you connect the lead to a D ring which is on his back, at the centre of the harness. I went to Pets At Home at the Bletchley retail park yesterday morning because I wanted to get peanut kernels to put in the empty feeder on the bird feeding station. When I was in there I decided to look for a replacement for Alfie's rather tatty harness, which I wanted to replace. I picked up one which seemed to be the right size for him, but when I got home and tried it on Alfie it was far too big. So this morning I went back to Pets At Home and it was an easy matter of taking the harness to the pay desk and the lady let me pick up a smaller, and actually, a much nicer harness than the one I was replacing. 

I had to go and look in T.K. Maax while I was in the retail park. It's one of those stores which you have to keep going to look in because their stock changes on almost a daily basis and the prices are so good, you almost always manage to pick up a bargain. Not just clothes, but homeware items. They have another store called Homesense, and there's a branch at Kingston. I wandered around the kitchen department and picked up a really nice mixing bowl and a silicone spatula, which I wanted because I have also bought some non-stick saucepans and I don't want to scratch the surface in them using metal utensils. 

I walked to Tesco, which is a short walk across the main Fenny Stratford road. I wanted to get some daffodils, because I'm keeping them going in two vases, because Carol always loved them and I would buy them for her when she came home from work. I got some long-stemmed daffs as well as two bunches of the short-stemmed variety.

I drove back home along Saxon Street. There has been some roadworks the last couple of days along Standing Way, and when I drove through the roundabout that crosses Standing Way yesterday you were prevented from turning left which would cause chaos is you wanted to go to the hospital, which is several hundred yards further along Standing Way. Fortunately not a problem this morning. This roundabout can be difficult when it's busy, and I'm of the opinion that there ought to be traffic lights here when it's busy. Some drivers are not content to just wait patiently and seem to think they can cross without bothering to stop, which is dangerous and could cause a nasty accident.

I got home and managed to get Alfie into the new harness. It fits him perfectly. The old one has now been consigned to the rubbish bin. It has done it's job, but it was well past it's best.

I am somewhat disappointed that there have been no birds come to visit the bird feeding station. I can't think why they haven't been to visit it. I would have thought that they would have flocked to it since it had been restocked and new feeders put up. It's been filled up since the weekend. I know it can take a day or two for birds to get used to having food put out for them and there can be issues regarding cats or other predators, but it's been out long enough for them to get used to it. A bit disappointing, to say the least.

(Wednesday) As I write this, at 4.50 a.m. on Wednesday, I can hear rain rattling on the lounge window. I expect Alfie will want to go for his routine walk across the park, but I don't fancy going out to get wet, so he is going to have to be patient (not the easiest thing for him.) and wait for it to stop.

Alfie Has His Hair Cut

I'd had Alfie booked to go to the groomer's at Pets At Home for about a month. Luckily it had been a really mild and warm day. Infact, it must have been the warmest day so far this year. Being able to get his cage loaded into the back of the car was my main aim early in the morning. I had to make sure he was safely installed in the kitchen first, with the door closed. Any hint of a noise and he'd start yapping. But fortunately he wasn't aware of what I had planned. By about 11.30 I was almost ready to drive over to Bletchley and had to get him on his lead without him having an idea I was about to take him out. A few minutes later and I'd got him ready to go. He had got an idea what I was about to do and began the usual noise. He's just too sharp for me.

I got parked in a convenient spot near Pets At Home and got him out of the car. As usual, all and sundry would have heard that Alfie had arrived. We went in through the Pets At Home store as the Grooming Room is at the back of the building. The lady on reception filled in a form because you have to give your details as to how you want your dog to be groomed. Alfie had quite a lot of knots in his coat as well as some nasty bits under his eyes which needed removing. It seems most dogs get these bits on their faces. We had tried to remove them ourselves but he doesn't like you even attempting. The same with any knots in his coat. He isn't too keen if you try to comb or brush his coat. I think it's probably because it can hurt if you get the comb caught in a knot and it pulls.

I had to spend the next two hours kicking my heels. It didn't seem much point going home, even though it's not that far. I had a refreshment break at Gregg's, as there is a handy branch only a few doors away from Pets At Home. I bought a baguette a drink and some crisps and sat outside at a conveniently placed table. Other people had the idea, no doubt people having their lunch break from work. A couple of starlings came and pinched bits of food that got dropped, and in particular very brave and friendly starling. I managed to get some photos of this little bird on my iPhone.

The friendly starling I had pleasure of seeing at Gregg's

These are such colourful little birds that always congregate where they know there'll be scraps of food. I don't think the other customers of Gregg's were quite as tolerant of them as I was. This one was jumping on spare tables and chairs but eventually flew away when he realised he wasn't going to get anything more to eat.

I had to buy some things for Carol. She likes Nestlé's coffees in sachets that you make up with hot water. Specifically vanilla lattes. There is a Tesco's only a short walk away from where I had parked the car, so I went over and bought these packets. I went back to sit in the car for a while and then browsed in T.K. Maax. It was surprising how quickly the two hours passed. I wasn't going back to Pets At Home too early because I wanted to keep away from the grooming parlour because I knew that if Alfie saw me he would only start making loud barking and yapping noises and it would be difficult for the groomer to do her job properly. 

When I eventually walked through the door in the grooming parlour, I didn't immediately see Alfie. I had a word with the lady who had been grooming him. There was absolutely no sound from Alfie either. He had been a good boy, although he hadn't appreciated being bathed. No surprise, as he doesn't enjoy being bathed, or getting wet! Unlike Poppy, who would dive into the nearest stretch of water whenever she was given the opportunity, and not always at the most convenient. Usually it was freezing cold, muddy and most usually smelly!

Then Alfie was brought in to the reception area. He began barking wildly when he saw me and ran about as he has a tendency to do. He looked so different, clipped really short! Almost a new and completely different dog, having had a long wavy coat for so long. It makes him looks so much better when he's clipped. At least he'll be ready to face the summer months. No more tangles, his face is looking particularly fresh. He can see better without those clumps of hair in the way of his eyes and those nasty black lumps under his eyes are gone. He would never let us deal with those unpleasant bits and where they were are rather red and raw but they should clear up. I paid what was owed and then we went home. I was surprised how quiet Alfie was when he was in the cage in the back of the car as he usually makes little yapping sounds when we're driving anywhere and he's in the car with us.

Alfie, taken on my iPhone. He was rushing around barking and it was difficult to get a decent shot but this was the best shot out of around half a dozen I managed to take of him showing how much was trimmed off by the groomer. I think, if you compare this with earlier photos of him before he was trimmed, I think you'll agree he looks much better.

Relaxing Easter Break

Carol decided to take Alfie for a walk across Eaglestone Park early this morning. I don't know how Alfie knows we're planning on going out, but somehow he can tell and once he picks up the idea he starts yapping and gets over-excited. He's got used to the idea of walking with us when we go to the Academy when I go with Carol when she's going there early on a term-time morning. He is apparently building up quite a sizeable fan-base with those who either work at the Academy or are pupils there. When they got back from the walk, Alfie was just as hyped up as he was before they went and looked wet, no doubt as a result or running about in damp grass.

We had planned to go to Nuffield Health this morning, but somehow ended up visiting the MK Central Shopping Centre. Carol wanted some clothes, and we went into several shops, which included Next, Super Dry (a shop I've never been int before and probably won't again as I don't think they have the sort of clothing I would ever buy or wear.) We had a snack in Debenham's restaurant as we had parked in the multi-storey car park when we arrived and it's such an easy place to get to through Midsummer Place. We went into T.K.Maax and Carol found a pair of shoes she liked and they bought. A good place to shop, with many well known brands at exceptionally low prices, but you have to make up your mind to buy when you see something you like because they don't hold particularly large amounts of each item and if you return expecting to buy that particular item it will have gone. We went into Next but nothing of particular interest and then into Waterstone's. As we're great readers, we can never resist browsing and love their 'buy one, get another half-price' so Carol selected what she wanted and I selected what I wanted. Carol's book was 'Date With Death' by Julia Chapman (not an author I've heard of. Described on the cover as 'The Dales Detective Series' it sounds as if it might be a good read and set in an area of the country we love, Yorkshire, so no doubt it will include places we've visited when on holiday there. My book was 'The Story of Lucy Gault' by William Trevor, an author I have read before, and in particular, his short stories, which are some of the best ever written. We went into Costa coffee near Middleton Hall, but were somewhat annoyed that there was a long queue before we got to the till to order and pay. 

From the shopping centre we went off to do some shopping in Sainsbury's at The Hub and then home. We decided that we'd go to Nuffield Health tomorrow morning. 

It's been a particularly fine and sunny day today.

Swimming and Shopping

The weather forecast for this weekend had said it was going to be wet and cold. Nothing like that this morning. It has been almost spring-like. Infact, one could probably say we are in the spring. There are  daffodils and other spring blooms opening all over the place, snowdrops, crocuses as well as the odd daffodil. Also, trees are showing the first signs of new leaf.

We went to Nuffield Health at around 9.15 and found the place was virtually empty. A couple of people in the swimming pool, so I was able to do quite a few lengths. I sat in the sauna for around 10 minutes. It was a good deal warmer than it has in the past, and then into the steam room. You could barely see your hand in front of you in there, due to the steam. It certainly does me good. I returned to the swimming pool and in total I did 20 lengths of the pool, but by then it was getting crowded. We both sat in the jacuzzi for another 10-15 minutes and then it was time to get out, changed, and go off to find something to eat. We drove to  the Kingston Centre and visited Marks and Spencer. We had lattes and chocolate gateau which we shared and then visited Home Sense, which is part of T.K.Maax. An amazing selection of all manner of items, furniture, storage and even books. You have to keep visiting, as you do T.K. Maax, as their stock is changing almost daily. If you see something in there you have to buy it almost immediately, as otherwise it will be gone. They only ever seem to have one or two of the same item, for example, in a particular size. We bought two Dorling Kindersly books, one on Fashion which Carol liked and another on one of my favourite subjects, William Shakespeare. The book on Fashion was reduced to £9.99, the full price is £30 and the Shakespeare one was £7.99, reduced from £16.99. These Dorling Kindersley books are so beautifully produced, with excellent photographs and graphics. We have several others in our bookshelves, several on history and art.

We returned to M and S and bought food for tonight. Pizza, salad, potatoes etc.