Jolly, Jolly Good!

Saturday. 1.05 p.m. We had our monthly men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning. I had intended to go to Aldi at West Croft, but when I came out of the Oaktree Centre and got to the junction onto Chaffron Way, there was so much traffic that I decided to turn left towards the centre of Milton Keynes and go to Sainsbury's to get a replacement for the joint of beef I had to return yesterday because it was around three months past it's 'best before' date. I went to pay and went into one of the areas with self-service tills inside and scanned and paid, and then this woman came up to me, a member of Sainsbury's staff, asked me if I had used a scanner, and I said no, but I couldn't get the app to work on my iPhone and she responded by telling me if I had a Nectar card I could use one of the hand-held scanners for the job and, in effect, I should use that particular self-service tell because it was meant for those who scanned with a hand-held scanner. A real sense of being well and truly told off, so I'm sure I won't forget it in a hurry.

Sunday. 7.20 a.m. Bright and sunny start of Sunday. That's all I have to say today.

Monday. 8.30 a.m. I wasn't sure whether it had been raining overnight, because I looked out of the kitchen window I couldn't be definite because I couldn't see signs of the path across the garden being wet, but when I went out with Alfie, there was a sort of drizzle, but, as I write this, it's bright and sunny. 

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

3.20 p.m. It's still sunny, but there is quite a strong wind.

Thursday. 6.35 a.m. Another seemingly bright and sunny day. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºc. 

I don't know whether I have mentioned this, but, when I had the recent blood test done at Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre, it was found that I had a high level of sugar in my blood. As a result, it had been suggested I take part in a course to help reduce my chances of becoming diabetic, so I have made an appointment to start the course, and then I had a telephone assessment done on Monday afternoon.

Friday. 7.40 a.m. Washing day again. The excitement is overwhelming! Everything in the machine and it's doing its job. So that will be done in around 50 minutes or so.

A bright and sunny morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

I'm currently reading a book entitled 'Churchill's Most Secret Airfield: R.A.F. Tempsford,' written by Bernard O'Connor. I only discovered this airfield from looking at Google Maps and seeing it identified. It's interesting what you find when you look at Google Maps. I lived around 15 miles away from this site, living in Cardington and Cople, as well as having a job in Everton as a support worker in a residential home for people with learning disabilities, which was only a mile or so away from this site. Like a lot of these places which were used during the Second World War, and in particular, Bletchley Park, which isn't far from where I now live in Milton Keynes, they were kept secret and have only until recently been revealed to be a major part of the war effort and many of those who worked there have only very come forward to tell of the secret work done there.  R.A.F. Tempsford was used as a base for agents of the S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive), who were flown into enemy territory in occupied France and other countries, and then parachuted in to engage with the resistance to cause havoc to Nazi defences and help bring about the liberation of France. The book is excellent, but it is printed in a minuscule type, which makes it quite difficult to read.

Saturday. 8.30 a.m. It's bright and sunny. Yippee! The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

11.45 a.m. I've been to Sainsbury's. I went a good deal earlier because it's Saturday. As I went out to the car, there was a light rain, but nothing to worry about. I know that Alfie won't like it, as he doesn't appreciate getting wet. So much for saying it was bright and sunny. Just typical British weather.

Good Morning Sunshine!

 Friday. 7.50 a.m. Already been out with Alfie, He was barking at me when he saw me getting ready. It's sunny and warm, but I am hoping we get rain soon, as it's too much. The digital thermometer reads 23ºC. On the weather forecast on BBC Breakfast, they were saying we might expect rain over the weekend. As much as I love it bright and sunny, I really can't cope with it being too hot. Alfie can't cope either.

I've done washing up, put rubbish out and washing in the washing machine. It should be done at around 8.40.

I saw a cat climbing a tree as Alfie and I walked towards Oldbrook Green. I don't think I have ever seen such a thing. It was clinging onto the trunk of the tree and then, when it saw me, it decided to come down and ran off into the tree-filled space between the rear of Dexter House and the next property, which is SIA (Spinal Injuries Association.)

6.35 p.m. I've mentioned in an earlier post my intention of selling my old iPad. It was bought during the pandemic lockdowns, but it didn't work with an Apple Pencil, which was originally why I wanted an iPad. I have to admit I didn't do my research and I now have a more powerful iPad Pro which works with my Apple Pencil. Having got all my data removed from the old iPad, I wanted to find a way to sell it. I went to the Apple Store in Midsummer Place this morning, to check that it was completely free of my data, and they did a diagnostic test to check for its technical specifications. It passed, and I was offered £120 for it, except this would only be paid as an Apple voucher.

 I wanted cash, so went to C.E.X. in the main shopping centre for a quote. The quote I got was £145, which I was more than pleased with. I had to wait 30 minutes, so they could do a security check on the iPad. I imagine they get quite a few stolen items, so they need to do a security check to make sure. My iPad is clean, so I got my payment in cash. I went to Nationwide and paid in most of the cash into my account and had some in change. We have another of the famous Shenley Christian Fellowship quiz night and I required £1 coins for that. It's this Friday evening. I went to Boots to buy Feroglobin and, as there are fewer manned tills, I had to use a self-service till. Just a pain, and as usual this one was particularly irksome. Do I need to say more? It was the same in Sainsbury's about 15 minutes later when I went in to buy one or two items. 

7.55 a.m. There's a possibility of rain sometime today or tomorrow. As it is, looking out of the window this morning, it's quite overcast.

Current temperature on my digital thermometer reads 22ºC. 

10.15 a.m. I've been to Waitrose. I use glycerin soap because other soap dries up my facial skin, and it appears that they are the only supermarket which sells it. Sainsbury used  to, but don't any longer. I think, in general, most people use liquid hand soap or shower gel. 

Having unpacked my shopping, I took Alfie out, and I saw two police horses come from the direction of The Cricketers pub and cross over Strudwick Drive and go towards Fishermead. I know these horses are kept in a field along Chaffron Way. Great to see them, and they are so well turned out.

When I came out of the door onto Strudwick Drive, there was a slight fall of rain. It was so slight that by the time we had walked halfway to Oldbrook Green, it had stopped. Not even enough to settle the dust.

4.15 p.m. It's a good deal cooler. As I write this, the digital thermometer reads 25ºC. The weather forecast suggests there will be thunderstorms soon. 

Come Rain Or Shine

(Wednesday)It's been a hot and stuffy day.  When I looked out of the kitchen window early this morning it was a foggy view which greeted my gaze. Not what I was expecting. Not a great deal happening. I took Alfie out at around 1 o'clock and we were the opposite side of Oldbrook Green when it went overcast. Dark clouds hurtling across the sky and then there was a clap of thunder. Trying to hurry Alfie wasn't going to work as he has to sniff every blade of grass but I thought it vital that we get back to the flat quickly. It began to rain but we got indoors in time and as I write this there is an almighty thunder storm going on and Alfie has given me a look. I'm not sure  if he's bothered by it. I know Poppy, our old dog, was really upset when it thundered and would hide in a convenient place until a storm passed over. It's raining heavily and sounds like a sound effect recording. It's as well we got in before this started, but it should clear the stuffy air somewhat.

(Thursday) The rain continued into the night. I woke up at around 3.30 and could hear rain rattling on the windows and it appeared to be quite torrential. I took Alfie out at about 7.10 and wasn't aware until we steep out of the door into Strudwick Drive that it was still raining hard, so we didn't stay out for long and will have to go back out as Alfie only did a wee.

I am watching the BBC documentary series which is on iPlayer, 'The Story of England,' which is presented by Michael Wood and focusses on a village in Leicestershire called Kibworth. Good solid presentation and the sort of programme which the BBC does best and which they should produce more of. There's more than enough stuff to watch on catch-up if you can't find anything else to watch elsewhere on broadcast television. I think I seem to watch most in this way instead of when it's being broadcast 'live.' The other series is 'A House Through Time,' presented by David Olusoga, focussing on a house in Bristol.

Later.  5.50 p.m.After all the rain we had earlier in the day, it is now sunny and bright.

Friday. So, the week ends, but it's not a lot different to the beginning. A rather overcast sort of morning as I look out of the kitchen window at 6 o'clock. What does the day bring? Probably not a great deal.

I was right. Not a great deal happened. So there.

Saturday. It's bright and sunny. Not much more I can tell you.

I made out a shopping list and went to Sainsbury's, after I had taken Alfie out for his early morning walk down to Oldbrook Green. I'm getting good at organising myself so the wait in the queue is cut to the minimum and arrived in the underground carpark at around 8.15. I suppose there was about a 15-minute wait in the queue and I was in the store and through the self-service check out really quickly. I'm getting quite good at using these check outs, the trick is to be organised and to be able to find the bar codes on each item so that you can scan and pack each item. If anything, they really should make the bar codes larger and put them where they are easy to find. Some are almost hidden and not very obvious and some small and difficult to scan. I got home, did some washing up and then took Alfie out for yet another trot around Oldbrook Green.

The Wonders of Tech (or perhaps not)

I had to go to Sainsbury's this morning. I didn't have to purchase too much so I wasn't in the store very long. When it came to pay and use a check-out I usually prefer to use a manned check out (sorry to sound sexist. They are usually operated by women, but a few male operators are employed in this store) One such human-operated check-out and there were long queues to use any of the checkouts. I had no choice but to use one of the self-service checkout. There are plenty of these, those which are more like a traditional check-out with a conveyor belt so if you have a lot of items to scan, then it's a relatively easy process to load the belt and then scan as the items move along towards the scanner and pack it all the other end. I walked towards the area where the other self-service checkout were. These are the more familiar form of self-service check-out, which are probably intended for those shoppers with only a few items to scan and pack. I had bought two 'bags for life' which you are now expected to use rather than rely on plastic bags which are used once and then disposed of and if you use them you are charged 5p for each one. I organised myself so as to scan each item from right-to-left so as to pack each item and place it in the bag in the bagging area. The first bag was a reusable one we'd bought in Waitrose and was presumably to heavy for the system as it told me 'unknown item in bagging area' and the digital screen asked me to get assistance. So a staff-member came and scanned his I.D. card to get the machine to clear and allow me to continue scanning my shopping. Several more items kept setting off an 'unrecognised item' message and stopping the scanning process once or twice more. I had to use the second bag and this didn't faze the machinery, thankfully, but it seemed to take a good deal longer to go through this process than was reasonable. It makes me wonder whether it's really saving time and effort to use one of these self-service check-outs when there are so many glitches and it requires a staff member to oversee their use. Just employ enough people to operate the traditional check-outs rather expecting shoppers to rely on these self-service check-outs.

From self-service check-outs on telephone sales and marketing. I have had a subscription to BBC History Magazine for a couple of years now. In February we had a slight financial hiccough when a lot of our subscriptions to the various magazines we subscribe to (and probably a few other direct debits which are related to such things as insurance, council tax, etc etc.) came out at around the same time and therefore depleted our bank account considerably. As a result I went into our bank and cancelled many of these subscriptions. You have to go to your bank to cancel a direct debit, no good going through the company to whom payment is made. Anyway, after some consideration, I have decided to reinstate the subscription to BBC History Magazine as it's so good and if you have a subscription you get your magazine delivered via the post and quite some time before it's on the news-stands. Also, you pay quite  bit less than the cover-price, so all in all it's well worth it.

I rang the customer line which is printed in the magazine. They currently have an offer of 5 copies for £5 and then so much a year for your subscription. I got through relatively quickly to speak to an agent and I was going to quote my subscription membership number as I wanted to know how many magazines were left on my current subscription. Logical really, as there was no point in setting up a fresh subscription if there was the possibility of them over-lapping and I might end up receiving two copies of the same magazine. But when I tried to do this I was told that the system was being up-graded and therefore I wouldn't be able to do this. A crazy situation for a business to get into, up-grading their computer system which meant they couldn't access your details. A good way to surely loose a customer. I shall attempt to ring at a later date when, hopefully, their computer system has completed being up-graded and I can complete my transaction. it just goes to show how we have become controlled by these bits of technology and when they don't work properly how much inconvenience they cause.

Further Little Niggles

A further blog post about those annoyances that make life difficult or impossible and, without them, things would go just that bit better. Not just niggles, but also meanderings and whitterings. I shall publish this as it is, but add to it as the day goes on, so if you read this at 8.00 a.m. it is not going to be the same by the end of the day as I intend adding to it as the day progresses.

How about parking machines? I'm talking about those ticket machines which are set up, mainly by local authorities, which you are supposed to use when you go into town and want to park your car. They generally take One Pound coins and you put them into the slot provided and then, a couple of seconds later, they fall out the slot where your change comes out. Oh, on second thoughts, they don't give change, or, at least, those in and around the Milton Keynes Central Shopping Centre. Why is this? It seems a bit of a cheat, they would charge you if you didn't have a ticket in the first place, or you arrive back at your parked vehicle, having spent a small fortune in the shops, laden with packages. Is it your fault that your time was taken up in a queue in a certain store? Some old dear at the check-out, counting out her cash, a mountain of 1p and 2p pieces? Or people who can't find their debit or credit card, or some such similar hold-up? If you know you will need these items, why not have them handy, so there isn't a hold-up at the checkout? And, while we're on the subject of checkouts, if you use a self-service checkout, why do you have to have that awful voice which keeps telling you that there's an 'unexpected item in bagging area,' or having you every flaw shouted at you so the entire supermarket can hear. I don 't mind using the machines, but why have a voice, usually sounding like a grumpy old aunty shouting at you for misbehaving. Or mechanical voices in general. Another is in lifts. Who are they for? 'Doors opening' and 'doors closing,' Are they for the benefit of those with poor eyesight, the visually impaired (not supposed to say 'blind' as it's not 'Politically Correct.') Surely if you had a visual impairment, your hearing would be better than if you had sight, you would know well enough when the doors in a lift open or close. you would sense when this happens. You would feel the lift moving. it's just because THEY CAN put a mechanical voice in a list that there is one. And, a further thought, who records the voices in the first place? It's the same when you top up your mobile, the irritating female who is supposed to guide you through the operation. Is it some out of work Equity member who couldn't get a job working on EastEnders or who failed her audition for the R.S.C. or National Theatre. What a job! Standing in a recording studio and just saying 'doors opening' or 'doors closing,' how many 'takes' did they do to get the right inflection? Angry, pleased, frustrated?  You can only imagine. Why not do different voices for all of these? Or actors who work on radio shows such as 'The Archers.'

Why are the traffic lights in Milton Keynes so slow to change? There are several sets in and around the centre, along Witan Gate near Sainsbury's. You can drive along Witan Gate and then stop at each set. Surely they could be set so as to allow you to keep moving and not have to stop at the next set. Or is that too easy? The ones near Sainsbury's take far too long to change. There's no reason as the traffic along Witan Gate is generally not too busy. I usually go to Sainsbury's by going along Saxon Street (which is the main route from where we live in Eaglestone.) and then turn at the traffic lights near Debenhams and along Avebury Boulevard. The set of lights near Debenham's take an inordinately long time to change. Is it to allow busses time to come out from the stopping place they have near The Point? There has to be so reason. Surely no traffic lights should be set to hold up traffic for more than 20 seconds at the most. Just another little niggle.

I've been into the centre of Milton Keynes this morning. To go to the Central Shopping Centre. I manage to park in the surface carpark near The Point. Incidentally, why has this ironic Milton Keynes building been left to rot? The multiplex cinema complex behind is left empty. It looks in a really bad state. This was the first multiplex complex in this country. I know things move on, and we have a brand new cinema complex near the MK Stadium, but it seems scandalous that The Point, that pyramid-shaped construction which is a sort of symbol of Milton Keynes, along with the concrete cows, is at the point of no return. It looks scruffy and rusty. There used to be a nightclub inside it and when it was lit up you could see it for miles away, particularly when I lived in Bedford I drove over to Milton Keynes in my car at night, you could see it quite clearly on the hill from the road when you drove in from the Stagsden/Chichley/Newport Pagnall road.

A lot of black crows hanging around in the carpark. I've seen them several times when I park in that carpark. Quite creepy. They perch in trees as you cross the road into the shopping centre. It makes me think of the Alfred Hitchcock film 'The Birds.' Carol says she sees  similar birds hanging around the Academy and doesn't like walking past them. They are actually quite harmless, but being black and having that sort of gothic look, as well as long beaks that look as if they might give you a nasty peck, I can see why she doesn't like them. A sort of cliche used in movies and television dramas, suggest death, foreboding and so on. A sort of Hammer movie cliche I suppose. Short-hand for death and destruction. 

Faulty Technology

I went to Sainsbury's this morning with the intention of buying some clothes as they currently have a 25% sale on of all their branded clothes. I spent some time browsing and choose underwear, socks, shirt and trousers. I had a few other items to purchase so went round the store and put it in my trolley. I then went to pay at the nearest checkout and wanted to use a staffed one rather than a self-service one. There's nothing wrong with these self-service checkouts and I have no problem using them but there comes a time when you really want to see a human face. Not all checkout staff are very conversational and I imagine it must be a boring job, just scanning groceries. Nothing much difficult as everything is automated, including working out the change. Not like in the pre-computer days when every item had a label and staff had to put every item through manually. It does make you wonder, though, whether every item which has a barcode can be accurate and the price you see on the shelf-edge is correct and exactly the same as what you pay. Just me, I'm afraid. Anyway, when it came to scanning the trousers I'd wanted they would not scan and the operator had to call the supervisor. She took me to the customer service desk and said that she'd go round to the clothing section to see if the staff there could sort out the problem. We went back to the customer service desk and eventually another member of staff bought round another similar pair of trousers and scanned the barcode and I was able to pay for my items with my debit card. They even gave me a £5 goodwill service taken off my bill which was great and I've never had that before. Just goes to show that the technology doesn't always work on these labels that these products have.