Another Day Older . . .

 Friday. 1.50 p.m. I took my car to Anglo Motors to have its MoT. I had booked it via phone last week. I knew the old one would run out yesterday because I went online to check. I drove over to Mount Farm, the home of Anglo, at 11.45. I handed over the keys and then sat in the waiting area. After around 45 minutes, I learnt that it had passed! I'm so pleased, it's another thing to not have to stress about.

Sunday. 8.05 a.m. I woke a good deal later than normal. 

Yesterday evening, I lost Alfie. No, don't laugh. How on earth can you lose a small Yorkshire terrier in a flat this size? I think he was under my bed.

3.30 p.m. We have had extremely loud music emanating from the National Bowl, here in sunny Milton Keynes, both yesterday and today. Our ears were bombarded by the heavy beat of reggae music. Not my sort of music, but the whole area around the Bowl had been cordoned off with traffic cones and those plastic fences you see when there is some sort of incident. On my way to church, I found that Chaffron Way was closed off at the Grafton Street roundabout, which meant I had to make a rather circuitous route around Milton Keynes before I could get to Shenley Brook End.

Wednesday. 10.45 a.m. Where have I been? Why haven't I been writing stuff on here? Simples! Not much is happening around here. Well, this is Dexter House, centre of the universe, full of excitement- not. We need a resident artist here, say, David Hockney or Andrew Lloyd-Webber, doing art, writing music and getting things going. It would certainly liven things up. We should have an Olympic-size swimming pool in the communal garden, along with a gym and cinema complex. I have to say, as you will have noticed, if you read my posts regularly, that I can get carried away with my musings.

I went to Sainsbury's earlier. It was like a version of the Marie Celeste, virtually empty. I didn't get a trolley with a wonky wheel, which drives me nuts. It refuses to push without squeaking or just not moving at all. I think they should spend some time getting them maintained. So the wheels run freely and don't squeak.

Thursday. 8.45 a.m. It's another mild and relatively pleasant morning. I just hope it stays that way.

Yesterday evening, I was part of a Zoom meeting, which was for market research. I won't go into too much detail, just suffice to say, it was very interesting. I've done quite a few of these, some really boring, but this was fascinating, and what made it more interesting was hearing other people's opinions. I will get £60 for doing it, so that's great, and I want to get more of these, particularly when they're on Zoom, as it means you don't have to go anywhere, just sit and chat in the comfort of your own home. It ended relatively late, which means I slept well and didn't wake up until around 7 a.m. Until we had the coronavirus pandemic, I had never even heard of Zoom. I quickly got the hang of using it, and it has paid off to have the ability to use it. My various bits of technology, such as my MacBook Pro, iPad and iPhone, can be used to earn more cash. I have two apps on my iPhone, which I use to scan the barcodes of what I buy, using the phone's camera. I build up points which can be built up and then redeemed for various vouchers, such as Amazon, Argos, Sainsbury's, Tesco, etc. Well worth the effort. Another site I'm signed up to is called Consumer Pulse, which I've been with for years. When you buy clothes and other items, you record each on the site and, again, receive points which can be redeemed for vouchers. 

Autumnal Weather

Friday. 7.00 a.m. A good deal cooler this morning. There was a mist hanging over Oldbrook Green, when I took Alfie out at around 6.30. 

Saturday. 7.45 a.m. I didn't wake up until 6.30, which has to be the latest I've woken in goodness knows how long.

We are running an Alpha Course at Shenley Christian Fellowship. It's an introduction to the Christian faith and has been running since the 1970s, based at HTB (Holy Trinity, Brompton) in London. The team had been meeting, mostly on Zoom, for the past few months. It runs for around 10 weeks and is delivered by video, each video focusing on different aspects of Christianity. It was decided to begin the course on Friday 15th September, so that by the time it ends, it won't interfere too much with the build-up to Christmas. 

To make it viable, there would need to be around 6 people to sign up. At the beginning of the week, there were only two people signed up. We had a team of around eight people, including myself, so to have no more than two participants would not make it a viable and entirely successful project. 

By Wednesday, I hadn't heard from Julie, the leader of the Alpha Course, but then I got an email telling me that the course would go ahead. Around eight people were signed up. 

The course starts at around 7 p.m. when guests are welcomed, get tea or coffee and then, at around 7.30 they get a meal, so we can sit around a table and eat whilst we chat, get to know them and generally be hospitable. Then, a video is shown, focussing on various aspects of Christianity. This lasts around 20-25 minutes, and then the guests have a discussion, based on what they've heard and seen in the video. This will last around 30–40 minutes and then the evening concludes at around 9-9.15, so the helpers will tidy up and then go home.

Wednesday. 1.50 p.m. The weather has changed, not necessarily for the better. We had a scorching heatwave a few weeks ago, but now it's pouring with rain and there's a high wind blowing. Not something that Alfie appreciates, and neither do I. Oh well. I suppose it is typical autumn weather.

Yesterday I was at Camphill, working in the Performing Arts Workshop within the Chrysalis Theatre. We have lost a couple of the regular group, but it's still going strong. We were developing the World War Two project, with marching and other military training going on and then, after lunch. watching a television film of 'Goodnight Mr Tom', which starred the late,great John Thaw. It is set during the war, with the central little boy being an evacuee and the idea was to not merely watch it as a film, but to study what was going on, with reference to the war and how it might be inspiration for our project. I wrote quote a few notes as we watched and then, after the film was shown, we threw out our notes which can go into the 'melting pot' next week to begin the process of creating a working script.

Thursday. 7.25 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning. I noticed a certain chill in the air when I went out with Alfie about an hour ago.

I have a haircut booked at Central Barbers tomorrow at 1.50. My hair hasn't been cut for two months or possibly more, this due to me having had covid and then several days with a really unpleasant flu-like bug. I can park the car where I usually do, near The Point and pay using the RingGo app, but it doesn't always work, so I need to have a handful of £1 coins to use in one of the ticket machines. So, I have been to take out some cash from the A.T.M. machine outside the Tesco Express in Oldbrook Boulevard. I bought two packets of biscuits to take to the Bible study this morning and got a handful of £1 coins in the change, so that is one less thing to think about tomorrow.

Friday. 7.15 a.m. It's a good deal cooler this morning, as you would expect for September. Perhaps it's time to dig out my fleece or jacket.

Wild and Windy

Friday. 9.10 a.m. It's quite mild and pleasant today. I'd almost go as far as saying it's almost spring-like. That being the case, there are signs of green shoots coming out all along the hedge as we walk towards Oldbrook Green. (No, no signs of economic revival. You know, the cliché that is used during times of depression. I won't use it here.) But it does look like spring, even though, officially, it hasn't. Well, it is only the 6th of January. This reminds me, my Christmas decorations have to come down today, as it's Twelfth Night.

Saturday. 7.20 a.m. I'm sitting here, writing this, waiting to take Alfie out. I can hear the wind roaring away outside (well, I'm glad it's outside. I'd be worrying if it was inside this flat!)

10.10 a.m. I ordered a case for my new iPad Pro on Amazon on Thursday, and it arrived around midday. It's made of fairly substantial material and has a Van Gogh painting on its cover, the one with swirly clouds. Its title is 'The Starry Night.' I simply cannot have a plain and boring cover for any of my devices, and I really like Van Gogh's paintings. The iPad fits inside perfectly and there's a convenient space for the Apple Pencil, which remains fully charged and doesn't fall out. I can use the iPad flat or in a position which raises it up, which is convenient for such things as Zoom or Facetime calls. I am really pleased with the cover, and it should keep the iPad reasonably protected, and safe.

I've been to Waitrose to buy one or two items. On the way along Chaffron Way I had another driver tailgating me. I was driving at what I would call a reasonable speed, no more than 50, but this driver insisted on coming up behind me and then putting his headlights on full (I assume it was a male, I couldn't see the face of the driver.) I refuse to be intimidated by such people and I'm not putting myself at risk of an accident. There are a few people that simply don't like having a car in front of them.

It's still wild and windy outside. I came back from Waitrose and took Alfie out, but he didn't intend to remain out for long and did a wee on the grass and immediately came back inside. Who can blame him?

When we went out around 7.30 this morning, I noticed that the rubbish left by those who were letting off fireworks the other evening has now been removed. It's good to see it gone and no doubt Council workers picked it up, but there's still the thought that those responsible should have dealt with it.

Sunday. 6.30 a.m. I can hear the wind, but I don't think its as strong as it was earlier in the week.

8.20. I went out an walked around Oldbrook Green at around 7.35. It's now a good deal lighter earlier and earlier as we get further into January which was the reason for the circuit of the green.

4.15 p.m. The wind has stopped. It's a good deal calmer now.

6.20 p.m. I've been working on further developments of my writing project. I had an idea, which came to me whilst walking around Oldbrook Green, and then got somewhat stuck with it (I won't mention any details here, for obvious reasons.) and then came up with further ideas when I was laying in bed. I think it's because I can relax when laying down and let my mind wander. I am now beginning to write using these new ideas. 

Changing Clocks

Thursday. 10.55 a.m. I've been to Asda. I wanted some coloured markers, because I'm editing some of my written work, and it seemed a good way to show what I am going to cut, rather than merely scrubbing it out in black ink, so I can't read it anymore. They seem to have a fairly good stationary department. I haven't been there in a while, and when I went there last time, I was surprised by how it's changed. I think because it is under new ownership. No longer owned by the American company Walmart.

Saturday. 11.20 a.m. Well, it's sunny and bright as I write this, but it was quite nippy when I went out with Alfie around 5 a.m.

That water feature I mentioned in my last blog post (being polite calling it that.) has come into its own, (ie: some sort of use instead of being a weird shaped thing stuck in the centre of the community garden) by being a place for birds to drink and have a splash. I saw a large crow on it earlier when I was standing washing up in my kitchen. 

Sunday. 7.35 a.m. The clocks have changed. 'Spring forward', as someone has said, so you remember to set your clocks an hour forward. It was on Friday that I realized that the clocks changed. My FitBit and computers (iPad and MacBook and I suppose iPhone.) change automatically, thank goodness. I just found altering my digital watch really difficult and the date was not accurate, merely because I couldn't change it.

Yesterday afternoon I watched a film through Amazon Video, 'The Good Liar', which stars Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. I have to say I'm something of a fan of Ian McKellen and admire his acting. He's very versatile and goes from playing such Shakespearean characters as Richard 111 through to Gandalf in 'The Lord of The Rings' trilogy to 'X Men', from sitcom in 'Vicious', to appearing in 'Coronation Street', Widow Twankey in pantomime and then Harold Pinter and then a character who has a dark and sinister past in this low key thriller. Amazing. I can say I have actually been in the same space as Ian McKellen. In the early 1970s I was an A.S.M. at the Phoenix Theatre in Leicester. As part of the wide mix of plays that were staged, not just what I'd term 'Main House', or part of the normal season, they did late-night productions. Ian McKellen came to direct a production of Tom Stoppard's hilarious one-act play 'The Real Inspector Hound', which had two other great actors in it, Derek Jacobi and Edward Hardwick, who went on to play Watson in the Granada Television series 'Sherlock Holmes.'

It was somewhat foggy when I took Alfie out at around 6.30 this morning, which was something of a surprise.

Quite a few people at church have covid, so, as a result of this, it was decided to have the morning service on Zoom today. I'm not sure I could see how it worked, having around 27 people all peering at one another on a laptop screen. I attempted to have Zoom on my Portal TV which is set up on my Hitachi HD television set, but for some reason, I couldn't get the video to work, so I transferred to my MacBook, and it worked well.

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.

Troublesome Technology

Tuesday. 7.45 a.m. A bit wet when I  went out earlier with Alfie. Not exactly pouring rain, but a bit what I'd call drizzly. Thin rain might be a better description.

I forgot to mention that the fire alarm when off in Dexter House yesterday morning. The system has been tested by a technician, who presumably knew what he was doing, but it went on for around an hour. At first, I wasn't sure if it was the weekly test, which usually lasts around a minute. Then, when it continued on, whether it was more serious. It was no good because it gives me a headache and Alfie can't cope with it either, I imagine it hurts his ears as dogs can hear sounds at a different, lower, frequency to humans. So I put on my trousers (well, not such a good idea to go without, don't you think?) and gathered Alfie up, and we proceeded to leave the flat and go out into the street. I could still hear the alarm and thought it best to walk around the block, giving Alfie a surprise outing in the process.

Wednesday. 10.20 a.m. The other morning, there was a sound rather like a baby crying. It was around 3 o'clock in the morning. It was very close, whatever it was, more likely a cat, sitting on the ledge outside my bedroom window. As the window as open, that might have accounted for the rather loud volume. I was expecting Alfie to react, but he seemed to remain asleep beside me on the bed.

Thursday. 7.55 p.m. I have never mentioned the online surveys I do, for which I receive both cash and vouchers which can be redeemed for high street goods and services. Not only am I doing the online surveys, but I have more recently done some focus groups. Most are done via Zoom, the computer video platform, basically, because it's easier than having to set up face-to-face groups and even more so with the current pandemic restrictions. I won't mention who or what is said in any of the surveys, as I'm not supposed to. Privacy and confidentiality and all that. I did one a couple of Mondays ago, and the latest one was yesterday evening. You have to make sure you're all set up well in advance of the set time, which I did. On this occasion, I used my iPad and had it set up on the gooseneck support which I got from Amazon. The idea with this is that it brings the iPad up closer to my face and is easier to use than having the MacBook at table height. I also had my iPhone set up on another gooseneck support, for emergencies. I should describe a gooseneck as being a device that is made of strong spring-like material that keeps its position once adjusted. It holds your tablet or phone in a firm, spring-loaded grip, and you can move it around to get the best position. The focus group began, but after around thirty minutes, the iPad began to die on me. I had thought it was fully charged, but it just died completely. I then decided to use the iPhone, and then I couldn't get the sound to stop on the iPad (don't ask me why or how. It really illudes me completely.) It began to cause sound problems, which I couldn't fix until I put the iPad in the kitchen. Then I had to continue on the iPhone, but eventually decided to use my MacBook to finish the session It was all very annoying and embarrassing, but I was determined to continue because I knew that otherwise I wouldn't be paid the incentive for the focus group. Then I couldn't get the sound to work and had to continue with the discussion using the 'chat' facility on Zoom, which actually worked quite well. I could write relatively fast in answer to some questions and make comments, easier than waiting for people to finish speaking. Considering I had all my devices fully charged and it was just as well I had an alternative to the iPhone and iPad. Just typical that they should fail me when I really needed them to work properly.

Spring Has Sprung!!

Life during the last year, caused by lockdown to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus, has been turned totally upside down. Just sitting in a small room, with only a little dog for company and rarely seeing another soul, except on Zoom or FaceTime, isn't my idea of how to spend your time. I'm used to be outside doing things, such as going to Camphill on a Tuesday, or even at church, generally going places. As a child my mother would never allow us to stay in doors during the day when we were on school holiday. The idea of daytime television would be totally frowned upon. In fact, I don't think we turned the television on until around 5 o'clock when children's television started. (Mind you, I don't think in the 1960's children's  television probably sorted somewhat earlier. 

(Tuesday) A mild and sunny morning here in Milton Keynes. Not much else to report at the moment (7.45a.m.)

Later. 9.55a.m. I've just got back from Sainsbury's. I had to collect meds from the in-store Lloyd's and I had a shopping list prepared so to kill two birds with one stone (sounds cruel, but never mind.) I thought I might as well get the things until I get paid next week. It's a good deal easier when there aren't lots of other shoppers in the store. It's still bright and sunny and reasonably warm. It's the sun which is encouraging the trees to burst forth with leaves and the flowers to bloom. So, you might say that spring has sprung at last

So warm I'm considering opening the windows and wearing my shorts! My goodness, what ever next?

 6.00p.m. Just heard on BBC News that it's been the warmest March day since 1968. People going mad in a Nottingham park. Crowds of people not paying attention to social distancing. Well, having been locked up for months on end you can hardly blame people for this sort of behaviour.

One of my all-time favourite film directors, Alfred Hitchcock, is reputed to have said 'Drama is life with the boring bits removed', or words to that effect. That's what is probably this blog is probably NOT, because I tend to write more or less everything which happens to me during the course of the day, mundane and interesting. It's really intended to be a sort of observation of human life, such as it is at the moment, and probably more so since all these lockdowns caused by the covid-19 pandemic. People are fascinating and I continue to be intrigued by those I observe. A good basis for my writing. 

I'm shocked to find that, on taking Alfie out for his mid-morning trot around Oldbrook Green, how much litter there is today. Yesterday, probably because some of the restrictions have been eased, was more like a Bank Holiday. A more carefree atmosphere, but people are being somewhat lax in their litter-dropping habits. The same can be said about the amount of dog fouling (sorry to mention it, but I must.) Not nice when there's children playing on the grass. And amongst all the plastic water bottles, coke cans, sweet wrappers and so on, I have to report that a large amount of discarded face-coverings seems to be getting worse. Surely it isn't to difficult to put them in a bin or even in your pocket until you can dispose of it in your rubbish when you get home, but apparently not it would seem,

Really warm and sunny. I actually went out WITHOUT MY JACKET this morning! I'm sitting here at 11.20a.m., busily writing this with the window open and the electric fan on next to me. It has got incredibly stuffy in this flat. The fact that the kitchen is boiling hot because you can't turn the heating down (which I think I have mentioned before on here.) doesn't exactly help. Have it warm when the temperature drops below freezing, when there's a hard frost or show outside (which we had for a couple of days during the winter months.) but is totally unnecessary to have it so warm. It means I can't leave some food items out, such as milk, because it will go off, or bread, and it goes stale faster. There should be some sort of control to turn the heating down, as you would have with central heating.

I mentioned the Zoom market research I did on Monday morning. I've already been paid, and it's in my bank account. I wasn't expecting it to be my my account so quickly, probably a week or two, but not days after the work was finished. I'm now having problems attempting to get into the on-line account to keep an eye on the balance. The number of passwords and 'security codes, etc is really annoying. I realise it's to keep things secure, but it is driving me crazy. Then it tells me 'account frozen' because I've made too many attempts. But I will get into it soon. My Nationwide account is so much easier to get into, with a card reader, into which you put your PIN number and then it gives a series of numbers which you put into the site and then you can see your statement. Easier than for the Metro account.

Been out and walking round Oldbrook Green. Groups of people sitting on the grass. The litter is worse than ever. 

(Thursday) A mild morning. I woke up and then went back to sleep and then didn't wake up until around 7.30a.m. It's not like me to sleep so late. I took Alfie out and we came back inside as we usually do. I took him out again at 10.00a.m. but we didn't go far as there was the possibility of rain. I felt a few drops and the sky was clouding over so we went back to the flat.

Soggy Saturday!

(Saturday)It was a bit of surprise to myself and Alfie, to find it was raining when we ventured forth at 7.30 this morning. Alfie wasn't keen, as I expected, but we soon got back inside after a bit of a soggy walk. I think I've been rather hasty in suggesting, in my last blog post, that spring was on the horizon. It's certainly not particularly spring-like today, with snow falling and being cold and positively wet and soggy underfoot. Never mind. Just have to put up with the weather.

I'm watching my fair share of television. No need to say why. The lockdown has meant I have more than enough television to watch. With Netflix and Amazon Video and something in the region of 20,000 hours of 'on-demand' material on BBC iPlayer and other services, we're spoilt for choice. 

How childish and pathetic! The EU is upset that we got our vaccine registered by the relevant medication agency and rolled out (I've already had my first injection of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine.) and can't get their own vaccine rolled out fast enough because of all the red tape that this crazy bloc has in the way. They have attempted to stop the vaccine being exported to the UK, and in particular, Norther Ireland. Just shows how unnecessary the EU is and I'm so glad we've left and can go our own way. They sound like spoilt little children in the playground who can't get their own way, so they have a temper-tantrum. Sour grapes more likely. 

This morning we had a Zoom Men's Breakfast. It was the first meeting of any sort for this group, which I have been part of for around two years. Not a 'breakfast' in the sense that we could enjoy a cooked fry-up of bacon, egg, sausage, tomato, beans, mushrooms, hashbrowns etc etc, but it was great to have a chat, even though Alfie couldn't understand why he wasn't getting attention (as usual!) We hope to be able to meet up at the Oaktree Centre for a proper breakfast and fellowship in the not-too distant future, depending, of course, on the lockdown restrictions.

i took Alfie out as soon as the Zoom meeting was over. It was raining slightly, mixed in with a flurry of snow. Alfie was extremely reluctant to stay out and really wanted to go home as soon as he could. I felt the same, to be honest.

I have watched a documentary on All4, the Channel 4 'on demand' service, their equivalent to BBC iPlayer. It was a documentary series called 'Time Signs,' which was presented by Mick Aston, who went on to be an archeologist on 'Time Team.' I think this series, which began in 1991 and ran for a couple of series, was the forerunner of 'Time Team,' which ran for more than 20 years and was very much responsible for my interest in archaeology and history. Mick Aston is best remembered for his brightly-coloured striped jumpers and somewhat unkempt appearance. He was extremely knowledgeable and there wasn't much he didn't know about his subject.

The post arrived really late today, around 4.10p.m. No doubt they will say it's 'because of the pandemic,' or something equally lame. No real excuse if you ask me. I've been trying to get Legal and General to contact me regarding a life insurance policy I have with them. I had an email (I think it was an email and not a letter.)informing me that they had written to me, but the letter was returned by the Post Office. I don't think they had my new address (it's quite difficult to make sure everyone has your new address when you move, although I had set up a 'redirection' account with the Post Office, but I think it was only for six months.) Anyway, I replied via email (this must have been at least four months ago.) and heard nothing. I have absolutely no idea what the letter was likely to be about. I attempted to get into my account on the L and G website, but it just would not work. It ended up with the system saying they'd send me a password in the post, which came the other day, but even then it would not work, so I couldn't see any mail that was likely to have been addressed to me and sent. I then emailed and I have responded to it with my telephone number so someone is going to ring me. All I can say is, what a performance!? What on earth . . .etc etc.

On another note, very similar in some ways. I have mentioned that I had my first covid vaccination a couple of weeks ago, at my doctor's surgery. I get a letter in the post this afternoon, inviting me to book an appointment for the second injection. I can ring a number or use their website. Which I decide to do, as it's a good deal easier. Or so I thought. Having got into the site, I put my postcode into the system, with the idea of finding a vaccine centre. All it came up with was centres miles from Milton Keynes, one in Biggleswade (the other side of Bedford) and even some in London. Ridiculous. No sign of my doctor's surgery in Milton Keynes. At the end of the letter it says 'if you've had the first vaccine, ignore this letter. The NHS will contact you when it's time for your second dose.' I have to wait until my surgery contacts me. So, why waste time, money and resources writing to me in the first place? This shows how the NHS wastes time and resources on this sort of thing. No wonder it's struggling financially. Over top-heavy with bureaucracy. 

A Change In The Weather

(Saturday) The weather has become a good deal more wintry. It's to be expect I suppose. Generally, just as we begin a new year, the weather has a habit of becoming colder and there is the likelihood of snow and ice, making travelling, but whatever form of transport, difficult. Never mind, we can curl up with a good book, film or television series. I've finished watching 'The Crown' and have started on another Netflix show called 'Lupin,' a French series which has started streaming on the British Netflix site. It's good and seems to avoid a lot of the clichés of similar heist stories. 

It's reasonably sunny as I write this (1.30p.m.), but I have a feeling, if we go out, it will be cold. Alfie will definitely not like it, and neither will I. I must find my gloves as I don't want my hands to get cold. They can go numb and really hurt. A side effect of my heart medication.

(Sunday) Its a sunny morning. Actually a good deal milder than yesterday. The time, as I write this, at 9.53a.m. Church is on line again, at 10.30 on Facebook. Fortunately I can watch via my Fire Stick plugged into my television. The one problem with anything on line similar to that, including Zoom, is having to peer at a small screen. For a few minutes perhaps, but not around an hour plus. And with having on television I have the advantage of having a sound bar, so the sound is considerably improved.

(Later) We had a Freedom In Christ session via Zoom this afternoon. All was going well when Alfie, who was being somewhat demanding, wanting to sit on my knee and then jumping onto the sofa and then going off behind the sofa where I couldn't see him and then was immediately sick. I don't know what caused it but he has eaten his dinner and now seems fine. Everything cleared up and back to normal.

(Monday) The door which I got out through with Alfie this morning was locked. There appears to have been a problem, with the mechanism which locks it has fallen to pieces. I asked Barbara about this, because it meant I had to walk all the way round to the front door to get out and then take Alfie along the path which is beside Strudwick Drive. There is supposed to be someone coming to mend the door today. As it's a fire door it shouldn't, by rights, be locked. Just hope there isn't a fire as that would't be an exit when it should be open.

(Later) I have been out once more with Alfie and there was a workman repairing the door so we can go in and out of that door tomorrow. So pleased, as it's quite a long walk all the way to the front door and then along Dexter Avenue and eventually into Strudwick Drive.

I'm shocked that people cast off their face masking all around Oldbrook Green. I saw one flung into the hedge as we walked along the path towards the Green. Some people (it's probably a tiny minority) just have no thought for the environment and the fact that someone has to pick them up. There have been more Council workmen picking up litter. Some of the litter bins have been running over with rubbish and there's no end of litter flung on the ground. It makes me wonder how people live in their homes. Do they just throw litter on the floor when they've finished with it, usually crisp packets and the wrappings fo other food, sandwich cartons, sweet wrappings and so on.

(Later still) Yet another confounded coronavirus press briefing on BBC1 this evening. I just can't take any more boring waffle about numbers and miserable scientists (Chris Whitty can't be more boring if he tried and Matt Hancock is just behind him in the boring stakes.) Just needs jazzing up a bit, say, a couple of dancing girls, a band and a stand up comic. So I turned over to watch The Chase, but I didn't stay watching for long because when the ads came on there was one for constipation! Not what I want on when I eating my meal, thanks all the same. Switched over to Pointless, no awful adverts and I stayed on, even though it was on BBC2 this evening.

New Lockdown Restrictions???

 (Tuesday) Not actually sure which day of the week it was. Just goes to show the effect being in lockdown has.

There's the possibility of the measures the government has put in place to slow the virus's transmission might be strengthened. Matt Hancock,  Secretary of State for Health has said it may be necessary for face covering to be required by law when we're outside. But this is crazy, because, surely, viruses are dispersed in the open air. Obviously you need to wear one in enclosed spaces, in supermarkets, for example, but not outside. I don't see the point. I'm not really convinced that they make a lot of difference. As for me, breathing in my own hot breath is unpleasant over a long period. I was in Aldi the other day and I had to wait in a queue at the checkout and I was feeling quite uncomfortable. I think I was liable to pass out, not something I want to do in public. It's just not pleasant. Also, because I wear glasses, they steam up. Also, they make speaking really difficult.

I have been into Sainsbury's to collect the Bisoprolol which was ready for collection from Lloyd's Pharmacy. It's a good time to go grocery shopping because there were very few other shoppers in there. I got a few items which were running out, but I shall do a full shop tomorrow after I get paid.

I'm watching something rather special on the BBC iPlayer (it's also broadcast on BBC1.) It's called 'Staged' and has David Tennant and Michael Sheen in it. They are stuck in lockdown (very current.) and attempting to rehearse a play 'Six Characters In Search of an Author,' by Pirendello. It's what you might call 'meta' meaning it is self referential. These brilliant actors play versions of themselves and at times appear as if they're chatting via something like Zoom. It's very funny (but I warn you because the language can be quite strong. Quite a lot of swear words used, but having worked myself with actors, I know some of them can be a bit raw with their language.) But it's very good and well worth watching. I'm watching the first run of episodes and will eventually get to the second run soon. It's such a simple idea and I only wish I'd had the idea. I have mentioned 'Car Share' on my blog and that's a simple idea and something else I enjoy. It just goes to show that you can create a piece of drama in the most basic of manners and still be quite dramatic or funny.

(Wednesday) I've been back to Sainsbury's to do a proper shop. Enough food for several weeks so I shouldn't have to go out again shopping for a while, except probably to get milk.

It's quite mild this morning, although there was a fog over the city centre as we approached Oldbrook Green.

Later. I'm watching, via YouTube, the American Senate debating the Impeachment of Donald Trump. Last Wednesday there was an assault on the Capitol by a mob of  Trump supporters, attempting to disrupt the legislative process to allow the transition of Donald Trumps presidency to Joe Biden. Absolutely horrifying shots of rioters breaking into the building, the  home of U.S. democracy. Trump  did nothing to condemn the rioters. In fact, he seemed to positively encourage the disruption. He will be the only U.S President to be impeached twice. He will be leaving the White House on 20th January, when Biden is inaugurated as President. The motion of the House is that Trump attempted to an 'Incitement of Insurrection.' As a result of all this, Trump has had his Twitter and Facebook accounts suspended and possibly banned for goodness know how long, possibly permanently. The concern now is that, as America awaits the 20th January Inauguration Day, there is likely to be far more riots and disruption caused by Trump supporters. All this because Trump kept on saying that there was 'election fraud,'and that the Election was 'stolen.'when clearly there was no such thing. More than ever it's clear that the man is delusional and positively dangerous.

So, now Donald Trump is the first U.S. President to be impeached twice. Not a particularly brilliant legacy as he leaves the White House, but he has been whipping up unrest and deserves to be dealt with in this way. 

Too Darn Hot

(Thursday) On BBC Breakfast this morning  we being told that today will be very hot. 31°, hot and humid. But if that's in Centegrade, what's that in Fahrenheit? I'm sorry, but I'm from the generation which is used to Fahrenheit, the same as with metric measurements. I still think in feet and inches. Why on earth we didn't change over completely to metric which is actually far easier, I can't think. You would have though when we joined the EU it would all change, but it didn't, so we're stuck in between them, betwixt and between as they say.

I have put on sun block, a handy spray version, which is a good deal easier than a cream. Just need to get it topped up as the day progresses. Alfie doesn't like the heat and finds it extremely difficult to find a place cool enough the flat.

(Friday) A hot and humid night which made sleeping difficult. I was in need of a fan to cool down the flat, so I have ordered on on the Argos website and I can go and collect it later from the Grafton Gate store. 'Click and Collect' as they term it, so it should be relatively easy to collect it without having to spend time in the store. Lets wait and see what happens when I go there later. I have washing on, so will have to wait until that is complete before going.

(Saturday) It's a good deal cooler this morning. It is drizzling outside (well, just as well it's not inside.) not raining, but damping things down. It's 6.45a.m. and I'm on the point of taking Alfie outside. I have the tower fan I got from Argos yesterday on and I think I'll leave it running to keep the flat warm. Alfie is asleep on the sofa. Poor little thing has been trying to find a place where he can keep cool.

Later. When I took his Nibs out a bit later, we didn't manage to escape the wetting caused by a sort of drizzle again. Alfie doesn't like getting wet and was appreciative of the fact that we went home fairly rapidly. As we were walking back home a wind got up from virtually nowhere, which presaged rain and I walked as fast as I could, with Alfie, as usual, sniffing ever blade of grass and taking his time as he has a habit of doing. He just loves pottering around.

Sunday. The lockdown is having more of a negative effect on people than actually helping to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. People are becoming totally fed up with being locked inside their homes, which includes me. I'm not used to sitting and doing virtually nothing and under different circumstances I would be doing things outside my home.

There was supposed to be a church meeting/worship via Zoom this morning, but I don't really think it's possible to have worship through this form of technology. Just not viable. But I couldn't get the connection to work, after several attempts, so I gave up. I suspect it may be because there are so many people using this technology as well as the internet being over-loaded at the moment, with so many people using it and it not being capable to cope with so many users on line. But, as a result, I decided to watch something via television catch-up, and 1994 episode of Time Team, about the discovery of a Roman iron smelting site on a golf course in Sussex (well, I think it was sussex.)

Social 'Bubbles'

Apparently 'social bubbles' are something which is being bought in by the government to allow those who live alone (which would include myself) to meet up with another household, but if either 'family' or household suspects they are infected, they all have to self isolate for fourteen days.

What I want to know is, what happens when the bubbles burst?

I have taken out Alfie at around 9 this morning as it was overcast and it looked as if it was going to rain. You can't hurry Alfie as he has to sniff every blade of grass and leaf as we walk along the path towards Oldbrook Green. He has this funny little habit of pottering and this is done very slowly and deliberately. I think it's a terrier habit. He stops to wee on every lamppost and tree and has the same places we have to stop at as we walk around the Green. It takes probably three or four times as long as it would if he didn't stop along the way.

(Later) 10.15. It is raining quite hard so I made the right decision to go out when I did. I would have got soaked and so would Alfie.

I got the call from the cardiology department at around 12.30, although I had been told it would be at 3 o'clock. It was just as well I was in when the call came, on my iPhone. It would appear I have no problems and that things will continue as they are regarding my medication. Nothing further to report.

It has turned out dry for the remainder of the day, although there is quite a strong wind blowing as we went out this afternoon walking along Strudwick Drive on our way to Oldbrook Green.

Friday. It's rather overcast and somewhat humid this morning. Done washing up and about to start clothes washing. Exciting, but that's all there is to report at the moment.

I have a new idea for my writing. I'm not going to reveal here what it is because it's not cut-and-dried.

(Saturday) We had a  SCF Zoom quiz last evening. It was an interesting experience.

This morning looks a good deal brighter. The sun is out and it seems much more summery.

We walked down Strudwick Drive towards Oldbrook Green this morning, just before 7 o'clock and we stopped as Alfie was intent on sniffing as we proceeded, and a blackbird was sitting on the fence to the garden of Dexter House and I stood and looked at it and it looked at me. It was a great pity I didn't have my camera with me as it would have been worth a photograph. It sat there for quite some time and didn't move. Made me wonder what on earth was going through it's mind.

Later. Going out later with Alfie and there's youths playing football on Oldbrook Green. Not that I'm in the least bit interested, but it's good that they are having fun, enjoying themselves. People watching from the sidelines.

I went to have a cream tea with Mike and Margaret, friends from church. Absolutely amazing to actually meeting up with people and getting away from the flat. Just not good staying indoors when it's so warm and sunny.

(Sunday) I have taken Alfie out twice now and it continues to be sunny and pleasant. I sat on the bench nearest to The Cricketers and saw a father attempting to teach one of his young children how to play cricket (very appropriate since this was so near the pub and the fact that the road names around Oldbrook are after cricketers.) He can't have been much more than 6 or 6. It wasn't helping him to have such a large bat and the younger child was wandering around in the background. It's good to see fathers particularly with their children like this. In general there seems to be a more relaxed atmosphere about the place since the lockdown was slightly eased.

Nothing Changes. Or Does It?

(Thursday)This is getting somewhat boring, monotonous, call it what you will. I'm awake at 5.40a.m. I have been up earlier, reading and on the internet. I now have some idea why I'm feeling so awake when I should be asleep. Something in The Telegraph about this, how your body clock gets thrown into confusion when we are indoors without proper daylight. It makes you feel groggy, almost the feeling you have when you are hung over from drinking alcohol, you can't think straight and most certainly shouldn't be driving a car or operating machinery.  I think it's similar to how I used to feel when I worked in care and had to to night shifts. I would go home afterwards and wouldn't be able to sleep for more than a few hours and my body clock was thrown into totally confusion. I used to hate those shifts.

(Friday) Today is the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. The BBC is making the best of a difficult situation because of the pandemic lockdown. I don't think using Zoom to make television programmes makes for very good television as you just have people facing forward to the camera all the time and it's a bit like having talking portraits in an art gallery. I know it's difficult because of social distancing, but it's not going to add anything. BBC Breakfast seems to be stuffed full of this sort of material, mostly doctors talking. Frankly, dreary and unimaginative.

Yesterday afternoon I took Alfie out around  Oldbrook Green and it was quite busy, people exercising, sitting on the grass and a lot of them ignoring the social distancing. There were children playing on the equipment in the fenced-off children's playground who wouldn't have been there and also in the skateboard park, totally in defiance of the notices which are put on the various items intended for the public to use for exercise. The white-and-blue tape which was wound round the seated, covered shelter has been totally removed and there were people sitting inside. It makes me wonder whether these people don't read English, whether they are able to read and understand the notices which tell us that these places are banned from use. If so, why are the notices not written in different languages, because this area is home to a wide range of different ethnic groups who obviously have English as their first language.

I've been out to give the car a bit of a run so that the battery remains charged and that I don't find the car won't start. I went to Waitrose and there was a longer queue to get in. It took around 20 minutes to reach the door inside. I wanted so sweets, chocolate and 'afters' for my evening meal, and there was a tannoy message which I couldn't hear properly and then there was a 2-minute silence at 11a.m., but I was unaware that it was because today is the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Nobody told me. I had no idea. Anyway, from Waitrose I did a round trip of Milton Keynes, going towards Camphill and then round through the centre of Milton Keynes and along Chaffron Way up towards Morrisons at Westcroft and around the roundabout and back to Oldbrook.

It's really warm. The flat is stuffy, even with the windows open. The kitchen is far too hot. For some reason, which I can't fathom, the heating is on all the year round. It's excessively hot and it can't be turned down. I can understand if it was mid winter with snow and ice on the ground, but it's early May, the sun is shining and it's actually pleasant out. The heating pipes run through my kitchen and are under the sink and the kitchen is more like one of the sweat rooms we used to inhabit at the gyms we used to be members of. It means I have to have the kitchen window open permanently otherwise the fridge/freezer will not function properly and probably break down. But for some reason I have to just put up with this craziness. A waste of resources and not exactly environmentally friendly. Goodness knows how much carbon this project produces, but I imagine quite a large amount. Under other circumstances I would merely turn the heating off, but that isn't possible. Then, with the windows open I have to endure noises from outside.

(Monday) It's not warm and stuffy this morning. A real change in the weather. It might be sunny, but it's windy and chilly. I have the BBC Breakfast weather forecast on as I write this and I'm being told that there's frost likely but warming up later in the week.

I've been watching a really fascinating documentary series that's been running for a few series on BBC television, called 'Inside The Factory.' It's presented by Gregg Wallace and Cherry Healey. They visit the factories to discover how various products are produced, going through the processes which go into the making of such products as biscuits, soup, breakfast cereals, cooking pots and the recent one was about the making of cereal bars. There was a sequence which explained the background and invention of these bars presented by the historian Ruth Goodman and I had imagined that they were quite an old product, probably going back a hundred years or so, but that's not the case. She visited the Bedfordshire base of Jordan's mill near Biggleswade and it turned out that they invented the idea of cereal bars when Bill Jordan used to go to music festivals and he trialled a new product called Crunchy G and this in turn was used to make the first cereal bars. My father was a farmer and we lived in Cardington, outside Bedford, and grain from our farm was sent to Jordan's mill, which would have been used to make Jordan's flour. My dad had an interest in cars and most things mechanical and at that time (the 1960's) John Jordan, who set up Jordan's mill several decades before the 1960's was motoring fanatic and my dad knew him personally. We even were allowed to swim in jordan's private swimming pool at their home near Biggleswade and next door to the famous mill, which is now a visitor attraction. You can visit and buy Jordan's products in their factory shop and see the workings of the mill.

I've been searching around for home contents insurance. I've been on the Compare The Market website and decided to go with Sainsbury's. I went on their website and got a good quote but when I got to the point where I went ahead and made the transaction, the next page wouldn't load after I clicked. I attempted this around half-a-dozen times and eventually gave up. I tried to get through to their call centre but it appeared to not be operational due to the coronavirus pandemic. Not good, since I want to be covered. I have items in my flat which I don't want stolen or otherwise damaged, such as the television, iPad or MacBook or the fridge/freezer. I have this morning got through and it's now set up and I'm covered from today and I will get double Nectar points when I shop in Sainsbury's.

Naughty Alfie!

Alfie has been in trouble! It's because he barks too much. I got a note thorough the door of the flat, from Barbara, who is the  S.H.O. (Sheltered Housing Officer) of Dexter House. Apparently someone (I have a fairly good idea who) says that they don't like Alfie barking. Well, he is a dog and dogs bark. It's hilarious if it weren't so pathetic. I have to take him out early in the morning. Well, all dogs need their walk, and it's important, nay, vital, for him to be able to relieve himself (do I have to go into precise detail? I don't think so.) Whenever I am preparing to take him out, I have to get my outdoor shoes on and generally arrange myself and Alfie soon picks up on this (which I think I have described in earlier blog posts. Because of the current pandemic situation, with 'social distancing,' we aren't supposed to meet one another and I imagine Barbra would have told me face-to-face. I think it's the fact that this 'person' didn't come and face me over this issue which annoys me. There is always someone why likes to stir up problems, not that it's a problem. I have to carry Alfie out (which can be difficult because he doesn't like it and wriggles somewhat.) which generally prevents his barking. There's really no more to be said about it. Dogs have doggy ways and that's the end of it! More or less.

Let me make it quite clear that Alfie is NOT naughty! He's the best little dog you could wish for and has been an amazing support to me as I coped with Carol going from her cancer diagnosis to her passing away. I don't know whether he misses her, it's difficult to know if he does or doesn't, but he's so affectionate and caring. Yes, of course he barks a lot, but only really when he gets excited. So, if it upsets someone, that's not my problem but theirs and, anyway, his barking doesn't last long and it's only because he gets excited.

(Thursday) It's getting very boring. But life goes on. It is 6.28a.m. as I write this. I am up, having had a shave (my day can't begin until this is done.) and sitting here in the lounge with Alfie staring at me on the sofa as he wants to go out, but I am reluctant to do so as he makes a noise as soon as I start to get ready to go out, so it will be a further half an hour or so.

(Later) I went onto Facebook to watch Ross doing the daily devotional, but I couldn't see the complete devotional because the screen went blank after barely 10 minutes, I think because of the internet connection. I imagine the internet is being stretched to it's limits and far beyond because of the current coronavirus situation and people being on lockdown and being at home and therefore (presumably) using the internet more than normal. As a result I gave up and took Alfie out for a walk around Oldbrook Green and when I got back I managed to sign in to Facebook and watch the recorded devotional. Just a bit frustrating but at least I managed to finish it completely. I just hope the same thing doesn't happen tonight with the Zoom communion we have planned.

Later Still. It would appear that the lockdown is going to continue. Under legislation, the government has to review the restrictions on such things as social distancing every 3 weeks and that time runs out next Thursday.

(Friday) Good Friday, in fact, but it really doesn't seem like Easter. It always seems to creep up on us virtually unannounced. It's not like Christmas, which has been hijacked by all and sundry and been over-commercialised. I think, because of the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic, things seem as if they're on hold.

I haven't been using my Canon detail SLR camera for somewhere, in fact, since Carol passed away. We used to take our cameras everywhere with us whenever we went visiting National Trust, English Heritage or Historic Houses Association properties and my computer has thousands of photographs on it, so many that many are stored on the cloud. I have been out and taken photographs using the telephoto lens in an attempt to get shots of the little robin which seems to follow me around and always sits and sings it's little heart out in the tree which over-hangs the path which Alfie and I walk along as we make our way to Oldbrook Green several times a day. I can't take the camera with me when I have Alfie as it's virtually impossible to get him to stand still and, holding and focussing a camera with a dog in tow is difficult, so I have to take him back to the flat first and collect the camera and return, with the hope that birdie hasn't flown away. The results are somewhat disappointing, but, at least I try. I had an idea for a photographic essay. Well, I think that's the term I mean, I would take photographs with my digital camera, in and around Oldbrook Green, on the subject of 'Spring.' I would take shots of buds, blossom, leaves, daffodils and then upload them onto Facebook. Which I did, not entirely successfully, as I couldn't set the camera so that I could get sharp close-ups of the items I chose, but eventually I got the settings correct and then, when I got back to the flat, I took out the card from the camera and put it into the MacBook, but for some strange reason the shots on the card would not upload.

Lockdown: The Sequel

Well, what else could I call yet another blog post, when there's not a great deal going on? I've been out for the second walk with Alfie. I was expecting to see that little robin in the tree again as I walked along Strudwick Drive, but he wasn't there this morning. We crossed over Oldbrook Boulevard onto the green and I decided to walk across the grass instead of making the circular route we usually take. I came across several strange circular grass shapes in the grass, which has been partially cut recently. I'm intrigued to know what they are for or what they represent. Alien spaceship landing sites? For some sort of sporting action, such as American sports, such as baseball? Probably not, bt does it matter. Then I spotted something in the grass. A £2 coin! So it was worth walking over the grass after all! That can go into my change pot I have on my bookshelf.

I have been watching a really interesting series on BBC 2 called 'Portillo's State Secrets," which goes into detail on a handful of British historical events and uncovers secrets which have been kept hidden until now. Michael Portillo, a minister in Margaret Thatcher's government, seems to have made quite a successful career as a television presenter, most famously the one about Britain's railway system, called "Great British Railway Journeys," and using the Victorian traveller's guide "Bradshaw's" to see how things have changed in the intervening years. He has a certain engaging style. He's a natural television presenter, but I do wonder at times about his sense (or I should probably say, lack of in some respects)fashion, because his gaudy array of jackets, which can be only viewed when wearing sunglasses, seem a little outlandish, to say the least. This series has been buried on BBC2, and I had no idea it was on until I saw it in the E.P.G. (Electronic Programme Guide)  of Freeview, a few weeks ago when looking for something to watch. I think this is a repeat, but, as I say it has been hidden away without any sort of trailers or announcements that it was on. Typical, come to think of it. Such drivel as Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders, or Holby, or Casualty get trailed to death, but anything worthy such as this programme get ignored. What is the sense of that? Come on BBC, do come to your senses. You make excellent programmes, or, at least, commission them. Live up to your Public Service Remit, and give such programmes more publicity.

(Thursday) We had our first Zoom coffee morning this morning. It was 'lead' if that's the word, by Ross and around 17 other SCF regulars joined. It has taken me some time to get the Zoom software to work successfully and I wasn't sure whether it was going to work. I have it on this computer, my MacBook Air as well as my iPhone. I couldn't get my image to appear on the MacBook, although other people could hear me, but I tried my iPhone and it work successfully on that, but it's difficult to use the iPhone, but you have to hold it up in front of your face so that the camera will photograph me. The MacBook has a built-in web camera, and because, when you fold up the screen it means the camera is at the right position to allow your face to be viewed, although you have to set the thing up so that the image it captures is sufficiently at the right angle to get your image central, without it looking strange because it's an odd angle. Also, make sure your background isn't distracting, best done against a plain wall if at all possible.

I managed to watch the National Theatre production of 'One Man, Two Guv'nors,' which was streamed on YouTube yesterday evening. I had wanted to see this when it was originally staged, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Exactly the right sort of thing needed at the moment. As I've said earlier in this post, there is just far too much mention of the coronavirus pandemic on television, BBC in particular. This came at exactly the right time. Good old-fashioned knock-about comedy, based loosely on Carlo Goldoni's play 'The Servant of Two Masters,' craftily re-written to appeal to a modern audience. It was the play that kick started James Corden's acting career.

The Excitement of . . . Toilet Rolls!

(Sunday) We had church on-line through Facebook again this morning, basically because SCF is following government guidelines regarding not having church services to attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It's proving to be a very intimate form of doing church. On Thursday there's to be a coffee morning using Zoom, which should be interesting. 

Once I'd watched the service, which was lead by Ross and his wife Joy, I drove to Sainsbury's as there was a certain amount of shopping I needed. I have cut down on trips to the shops during the current lockdown, but there are some items you can't do without, such as milk. Sainsbury and other supermarkets are open from 11a.m. until 5p.m. on a Sunday. I got to their carpark by around 11.30 to find the underground carpark more or less deserted. Well, let's just say there was more than enough parking spaces. Then I had to join a queue to get onto the travelator which leads up into the store, standing the regulation 2 metres apart from customers in front and behind. A rather strange situation, but I suppose it has to be like that. People at least behaving better than they have compared to recently. Moving about the store with my trolley, it was odd, with people avoiding each other and keeping their distance from one another. I decided to see whether there were toilet rolls in the relevant aisle, and, lo and behold! There were sufficient, so I took a nine-roll pack. I can't believe I could get excited about seeing them on the supermarket shelves. But still no sign of liquid hand soap, which I have attempted to buy for the past couple of shopping trips.

I've been watching the 1960's film version of 'Far From The Madding Crowd,' which starred Julie Christie, Terrance Stamp and Peter Finch. I remember going to see this film when it came out in around 1967-8. It was a period of some good films and going to the cinema virtually every week for around three months. The Dorset scenery is one of the big attractions and it looks stunning. There has been a television adaptation of the novel and a newer film, but neither could be as good as this version. The DVD is a double disc version, with the second disc having 'making of' material and other extras.

(Monday) The BBC are rather over-doing the reporting on the coronavirus pandemic. I realise they need to keep the public informed about the situation, but there is almost blanket coverage and it is rather wearing. There must surely be other news they can cover. It's becoming like news of Brexit, which had about the same amount of coverage. My way to deal with it is to simply switch off the news.

Later. I had a text yesterday informing me my second repeat prescription was ready for collection. I have now been back in to Sainsbury's. I parked in the underground carpark and had to queue for around 15 minutes. The queue, with the required 2-metre gap between people, moved exceedingly slowly. I got into the store, which was surprisingly quiet. It might just have been because of the time of day, or else because people are gradually coming to terms with social isolation and the restrictions that the government has introduced to attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus. I took a hand basket rather than a trolley because I didn't need much and went round the store to get what I wanted and then went to the Lloyd's pharmacy. They have set up an arrangement to prevent people getting to near and again you have to keep your distance. I was told by the pharmacist that my order wasn't ready so I went back round the store and returned to the pharmacy around 10 minutes later. I was told that one of the meds on my list of repeat prescribed medication, Tecaragor, had to be reviewed and it was supposed to have been reviewed in February. I was aware of this fact. The pharmacist said that she would ring my doctor's surgery to find out what was to happen regarding this particular medication and she would ring me at home once I got back from Sainsbury's. Around 45 minutes later, once I was home, she rang to say that I should cease taking the Tecaragor and replace it with aspirin. As I have been taking dispersable aspirin since I had my first heart attack in 2006 this was unlikely to make any difference. I have to say that my doctor at Ashfield should have done something about this, and I'm only glad I have transferred to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre. I have had no contact with the cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital for some considerable time, although I await a hospital appointment as a result of the recent blood test, but no doubt this will be on hold since the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown.

(Tuesday) I should have been going to Camphill, under normal circumstances. What are normal? At the moment, life is anything but. I have to say I miss my Tuesdays with the drama workshop guys. I texted Teo to say I wouldn't be going until further notice, and he responded by saying that Camphill was in lockdown, so I wouldn't have been able to go anyway. I will just have to wait until things improve. No doubt all the residents are restricted to their houses.

(Weds) I'm loosing all sense of time since the lockdown. I think it's probably because all days are merging into one and every one has become the same as the previous one. Just being stuck in my flat alone with Alfie (although he is really good company, but becomes quite demanding at times, because he knows exactly where his treats are. He gets quite excited and noisy when it's time to go out for his walk.) and daytime television can become somewhat tedious. Alright, I don't spend much time watching. There is more than enough to watch if you have on-demand such as iPlayer or Amazon prime, or even YouTube. A great deal of interesting stuff on here. I watched the first lecture in a series from Yale University about The Tudors. I think I leaned new stuff which I never knew from school or university. There's around 20-30 of these videos, so that should keep me busy. I thought, for some reason, that today was Thursday! Sad, but true. I read a great deal, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, not just history, but also really good material in the two magazines I have on subscription, BBC History Magazine and History Today.