Ying Tong Diddle I Po!

 Thursday. 1.20 p.m. A bright and sunny day. I went to the Oaktree Centre and discovered that a theatre company is putting on a show, 'Songs From The Shows' or a similar title. After the Bible study, we set up chairs in the main hall for the show this evening.

6.15 p.m. Oh, what fun! I was eating my evening meal, as I normally do at this time of day, with the game show 'Pointless' on television, when the merry sound of the fire alarm started up. My immediate reaction was to close the door from the lounge into the hall and then put some loud music on my television set, playing through the soundbar. Fortunately, it didn't last for very long, because I heard a fire engine arriving and then there was silence! I think someone had burnt their toast or forget to remove something from their oven. I think if there was a charge for this, then there might be fewer of these incidents.

Friday. 5.00 a.m. Up out of bed and taking Alfie out as usual. It's a bit windy and overcast. I just hope the wind settles, and the sun comes out. Well, as the song says, 'The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow.' 

12.05 p.m. I've been out with the Hohem gimbal, walking along the Grand Union Canal near Peartree Bridge. It was such a fine morning, with the sun out and a slight breeze, it seemed the perfect opportunity to have a go at some filming (actually videoing, but I'm being pedantic.). I was disappointed that there were no ducks, but I did see a heron. I must get the focus sorted out, as it was a bit off. Not a problem. I was also hoping to see some narrow boats, but none of them either. Perhaps I should start the walk next time nearer to where the Red Way comes out of Eaglestone, near the dinosaur sculpture and the patch goes towards Woughton-On-The-Green. I have already viewed the results on my iPad. I'm getting the hang of using the gimbal. It seems a good idea to attempt to keep the horizon in approximately the same position in each shot.

Saturday, 5.30 a.m. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned. He says he was forced out, over the so-called 'Partygate' investigation. Well, all I can say, in all honesty, he had to go. Biggest liar of the century. Couldn't tell the truth if it came out and bit him. If you can't trust your leader, then, who on earth can you trust? It's the same with former U.S. President, Donald Trump. He lied just to get where he wanted to and then left office, taking important and highly secret and dangerous documents with him, which were found in his home in Florida. Just because he has money, he thinks he can pay off people and get away with it.

There is a health warning out today, suggesting that there will be a heatwave across Britain, with the possibility of temperatures reaching somewhere in the region of 30ºC. Those with a health problem, such I     have with my heart, are warned to keep out of the sun and remain indoors. I think sun hats and shorts should be worn outdoors. So, it's likely to be warm and humid.

10.15 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's to buy a few items. Not a 'big shop.' It's relatively quiet early on a Saturday, so it's obviously the best time to go.

It's getting warm. I got home and then took Alfie out. I don't think he appreciates the warm weather. He doesn't appreciate cold, either. I think he's a bit like me regarding weather, we both like it mid-way, I suppose you might say 'temperate.' The digital thermometer currently reads 24º. I have windows open to create a through draught. 

Disappointments and Frustrations

Sunday. 5.55 p.m. Yesterday the men's breakfast group met at the  Harvester  Fountain inn in Loughton. It's just off Watling Street and just along the road from where Carol and I lived when we were first married, in Crownhill. 

Just a matter of interest. It intrigues me that Loughton is pronounced as it sounds (Low-ton) while Woughton-On-The-Green, the next village going out of Milton Keynes (both being villages now swallowed up by the new town of Milton Keynes), is pronounced Woof-ton. Just makes things difficult for anyone new to the area. Probably one of the quirks of the English language. Try explaining that to an American, or any other foreign visitor!

Thursday. 7.25 p.m. I haven't been keeping up with things in these blog posts. On Thursday I drove to Camphill with the hope of meeting the drama workshop guys and the new drama team. I went to the office and was told that I could do my Disclosure online. But then when I got home I had an email from Camphill to say that there had been another change of plan. Due to the disruption of the pantomime which is being performed in the Chrysalis Theatre over the Christmas period, I would not be able to meet the team, so I will have to arrange another day to visit and do a taster day (which is what I did originally when I first went to Camphill as a volunteer in around April 2019.) After that, I can do the disclosure and hopefully get back to working in the drama workshop.

I had an email on Wednesday morning saying that I had been 'put forward' for walk-on work at Pinewood Studios on a Disney production. No name or anything much. I needed to upload several photos to the Pop website, the casting site. I got Barbara to take these shots on my iPhone and then managed to upload them successfully. I would have to go to Pinewood on Friday for a costume fitting and the filming day would be on Monday. As usual, a wait to get a response, and then today I got another email telling me I had been released (i.e.; not selected.) Ho Hum! It was what I expected, but one always hopes one will eventually get selected. Just one day on something or other would be great. Such is life!

Saturday. 11.35 p.m. I have been interested in something called 'Portal,' which has been created by Facebook. It's a technology that allows you to video chat with people, your family, friends, and others by using a screen with a camera attached. OK, you can do all this on your PC or laptop and I have used Zoom during the various lockdowns we've had during the past eighteen months or more, especially for church meetings and bits of market research I have done.  It is connected to Facebook live video. Except I wouldn't want to have another gadget as I already have enough gadgets. I had imagined it would be great to be able to video chat through my television set if I was able to have a camera attached to my set so that I could use Zoom or other similar video conferencing software on my MacBook and that connected somehow to my television set.  The only problem with Zoom on a laptop is that staring at a small screen and then the tiny postage stamp-sized images of the other people in the meeting can be quite a strain. So, what amazement was it to find that Facebook had released such a piece of technology and called Portal TV? Zoom will work on it and as it's on a large television screen it would be far more comfortable to use looking at a larger image. Not only that, but you can video call family and friends using this technology. Then I found that this gadget was going to be available at half price for Black Friday. (Why does Black Friday last for several weeks? Not just one particular Friday? And could someone explain why it's Black? No, please, don't. I don't want to get into such a discussion on here. . . ) I could buy one at this low price via BT. Which is what I did. Paid for, and it would be delivered by Mailforce, part of Royal Mail. Simple. Or so I imagined. It wasn't the ordering that was difficult. Just the delivering. The thing was ordered on Wednesday, and it was scheduled to be delivered on Friday, between around 12.30-1.30 p.m. Which I learned via email and text message.

I waited in expectation of the delivery of the parcel. At around 12.30 I got a buzz on the intercom from the front door of Dexter House to say the aforementioned parcel had been delivered but to the wrong address.     Not my flat number, but the house opposite. This is constantly being a problem. The gentleman from the house opposite had a card with my address on it, and it said I could collect my parcel after 24 hours! Looking at the card it had my correct address, so why didn't the delivery driver merely turn round and see that Dexter House was opposite? Well, it was merely a matter of reading the address correctly. No real excuse. So, I was annoyed that I would have to wait a full 24 hours before I could collect the parcel.

The next day I drove into the Centre MK to meet up with my friend Nick who came to Milton Keynes on a bus from Northampton. I intended to park in the Secklow car park next to The Point and normally have no issues using the RingGo app on my phone. But for some reason, it would not work because you have to put in more identity before you pay. So it was fortunate I had sufficient coins in my jacket pocket to put in one of the ticket machines. Yet another of life's frustrations. When technology works, it's fine, but when it doesn't or is changed for whatever reason, it can be annoying.

Having met up with Nick I then drove to the mail delivery office in Brinklow. I have had to collect several parcels from here, so I was hoping that I could pick up the parcel and then return to my flat to set up the Portal TV on my television set. But no. Having taken the card which was left when the drive was going to deliver the parcel to the wrong house, I then learnt that I would need to collect the parcel fro the Parcelforce unit in Tongwell. So I got back in the car and drove across Milton Keynes to Tongwell, to just opposite Willen village. But, lo and behold! I was told by the rather disinterested girl on the reception desk that my parcel was at the Post Office in the centre of Milton Keynes! This was beginning to get somewhat repetitive. Why on earth wasn't I given this information in the first place?  I could easily have collected it when I was with Nick earlier in the day. Another car journey into the centre. But where to park? I had no change on me, thanks to having to use the payment machine in the Secklow car park when the RingGo app didn't work as it should, so I drove around aimlessly hoping there might be a free spot to park whilst I went into the Post Office to collect the parcel. No luck! Then I found myself driving into the newly-opened multi-storey car park next to John Lewis. There was no alternative but to drive in and park. I first had to negotiate the barrier, having to put my debit card into the machine. I later found that I should have taken a ticket from the machine and once I'd collected the parcel I then realized I had to put this ticket (which I didn't have.) in one of the payment machines to then pay with my card. Oh, what an adventure the entire afternoon had been. But I did manage to get out eventually, managing to get a ticket from the exit and then putting it into another machine to lift the barrier, so I could get out!

On arriving back at Dexter House I then found that some kind person had parked their car across the entrance to my parking space, which was so nice of them, but later in the evening, I went down to move my car onto my space once the car had driven away. Just a wonderful end to a long, and difficult afternoon.

Walking Our Dogs and Visit to Ascott

It has been a pleasant week on the weather-front for the past week or so. As a result we took the two dogs for a walk towards Woughton-On-The-Green along the Redway. Well, I say 'walk' because once we have got them on their leads and we walk out of the house and round onto the Redway we let them off, more like a mad, frantic run or dash. Alfie wasn't as bad as he can be to get kitted out in this harness and lead, but as soon as there's any mention of walk, leads or anything connected with us going out with them, he becomes very excited and barks loudly and can get very boisterous. Poppy, on the other hand, gets excited but doesn't make any sort of noise but wags her tail. We get to the bridge over the Grand Union Canal and they trot over and we walk around the green once in the village, a haven or quiet and peace and it seems incredible that we are only a mile or two from the centre of busy, bustling Milton Keynes. We see no cars and walk around the green and through the orchard and back towards the canal, going along the tow-path and back to the Redway and home. Alfie runs back and forth as we walk along, running ahead, sniffing every blade of grass, tree, etc etc. He must run around three, or four or more, times the distance we walk. He's not very good on the lead, more intererested in being off the lead, hareing around, but Poppy is content to just potter long in her own sweet way.

 Early this morning we were deciding on visiting a National Trust property but couldn't decide which one. Wimple Hall and Home Farm,  Anglesey Abbey, Waddesdon Manor, Claydon and Stowe Landscape Garden are all with a reasonable distance from Milton Keynes, and all visited by us at some time over the last few years. But there is one place that we haven't yet visited and within only a 20-minute drive and that is Ascott. It's on the road between Leighton Buzzard and Aylesbury and which we've passed on various journeys towards Aylesbury and High Wycombe but which we've not visited basically because it's not opened mid-week and then only for about five hours, so it's quite difficult to visit because of these opening hours. So we decide on going yesterday and seemed ideal as it is so close and would make a good outing to make the most of the sunny weather. We leave around 3.45 so we have left it quite late to make our visit, but once we get to Ascott and get parked, it is indeed a short journey, made considerably shorter due to the new, or newish stretch of by-pass between Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzrard. The new car is a dream as it is quite sporty and once you put your foot down on the accelerator you can just coast along any decent piece of open road.

We are really surprised by the number of people in the carpark at Ascott and the number of cars. No doubt the fine weather has brought people out. Also, we never thought this place was going to be so large. There is quite a walk along a really wooded stretch of drive towards the main house and the gardens and see that had we come a week or so earlier we would have seen a mass of daffodils in the wooded area, but unfortunately they are gone over and looking decidedly dead, which is a real shame because they would have been quite spectacular.

We began our visit by exploring the gardens. We weren't expecting it to be quite so large, nor to have such a variety of schemes of design. A great deal of clipped hedges, topiary in particular. One quite amazing feature spelled out words and in the centre a kind of globe, the significance of which wasn't quite clear, but I will have to do some research on-line to discover more. We walked around for a while and then went into the house. Only around five rooms were open to the public, but each is full of antique furniture and pottery as well as paintings on the walls, some by well known artists such as George Stubbs and J.M.W. Turner as well as bronze sculptures, many of horses and one which I was sure was by Rodin. We didn't have time to see all of this amazing property and there are areas of the garden which we couldn't possibly get to see in the couple of hours we were there and we decided as we drove out of the carpark to return home that we must come back for another visit. As it's only a 15-20 minute drive it's not going to take long to get there and as National Trust members we don't have to pay to get in.

Carol's New Bike

We were up good and early this morning. The car needed petrol and was virtually empty when we went to the Shell petrol station along Grafton Street. Put in around £30-worth of petrol and we decided to go shopping at Morrison's so we went via Standing Way. We got to their supermarket at Westcroft but they weren't open as it was 7.15 and didn't actually open until 8 a.m. so we went to Sainsbury's in Witan Gate. They're open 24 hours so we did our shop there. Good to get there so early as it was virtually empty of other shoppers but it got busier as we went round the store. We also had breakfast in their cafe. We got home and unloaded the shopping. Carol had emptied the freezer so we had an empty freezer with no ice in it so what went in there was easier than normal. 

I told you I'd bought a bicycle from Argos recently. Carol has been looking for one for herself and we've been to a few places to have a look, including Bike King in Stoney Stratford and another shop at Shenley near the new branch of Sainsbury's. Bug nothing she liked or was suitable. We went to Toys R Us and bought one there, having tried out several different models until she selected one she really liked. We got it home and put it together. Having assembled mine a few weeks ago it wasn't that difficult including the front brake assembly. We then decided to cycle down the Redway towards Woughton-On-The-Green and across the Grand Union Canal at Peartree Bridge and round the green and through the orchard, having a rest on some benches and then back towards the canal and going to the Peartree Bridge pub for ice cold Cokes and then back home along the Redway. 

Walking The Dogs

Another fine and sunny day, and certainly not to be spent cooped up indoors, so we decided to take the dogs for a walk. We walked along the Redway behind the house towards the Grand Union Canal and Woughton village. I say walked, yes, but both dogs ran, Alfie yapping noisily the moment we left the house. It's a real effort to put his lead on, Poppy not quite so difficult. Whenever we meet someone walking along, generally minding their own business, Alfie has to run up to them and ingratiate himself. Poppy is no better. Alfie runs ahead of us (we let them off their leads as soon as we got on the Redway.) and keeps running back towards us. He doesn't run far, just within sight and ear-shot. A t the bridge over the canal we walk along the tow-path. If she gets her way, Poppy will jump in water. She seems to love it, regardless of the cold, although to do it's been unseasonably warm. Alfie is not so keen. He's learnt from bitter experience that the water is not very nice, particularly after the incident which took place a short way along this tow-path, and recalled in an earlier post. He was running along, minding his own business, and decided to jump a low wall, and splash! Into the canal! He had to be fished out, and then ran around for some time looking like a downed rat until he dried out.  Poppy, meanwhile, was eyeing up the canal and it looked as if she was about to jump in for a swim. I think she avoids going in where there is nowhere for her to scramble in and out, and this was the case along the canal-bank. But, as we were walking through a wooded area she decided to go into an extremely muddy, and smelly, ditch! She came out of it with her lower body caked in the smelliest, blackest and thickest mud imaginable! I think she'd saved this up so as to cause as much annoyance as possible. All we could do was keep well away from her, as she was really smelly.Anyway, we walked back towards Woughton-On-The-Green , a site of archeological interest as it was where the medieval village stood, and round through an orchard-area and then, eventually, back towards the canal, the Redway and home. I think we well and truly wore out both dogs as they slept the rest of the afternoon. Poppy was not allowed into the lounge as she was still caked in mud and we were determined that she wasn't going to leave a trail of muddy paw-prints over the carpet or on the sofa, so she was relegated to the kitchen for several hours. But she made her presence known with a lot of howls, barks and really odd baby-like sounds. Sort of 'woe is me, I'm being hard-done-by! Nobody loves me, nobody cares' sort of carry-on. She can be a real prima-donna if she wants to.