I totally ran out of time for #87 – Take A Fortnight Off From The Internet Every Year. It was always going to be an interesting one – one which I simultaneously yearned to be able to manage, but dreaded the practicality of. Maybe if I’d tried it over the summer it might have succeeded, but during the year’s closedown? What about all my blog lists? You’d have had a pretty dull December on here without me!
Still, I did cross off #53 – Turn On The House Phone And Leave It On Forever. Nice though the Chameleon phone was (cheers Brian!), it had two drawbacks. The intricate design of the receiver meant that the person on the other end couldn’t really hear you speaking, and more importantly you still didn’t know who it was ringing up. A cheapy BT phone with Caller ID has solved this particular problem. 0800 number? I’ll pass. Number Withheld? No, thanks, credit company. Nyah.
So – as 2011 ended, the official Scores On The Door were:
Totally Succeeded: 11
In Progress At Least: 51
Yet To Even Attempt: 32
Failed: 7
Which is good but not great. Having said that, I’ve managed to still not fail some of the biggies. F’rinstance, #71 – Set Foot In Every MK Estate Once A Year. Now, I will admit I left it late indeed to close down this one for 2011, a mistake I'm determined not to repeat. In fact, cos I’d been ill over the holidays, I ended up on New Year’s Eve with 6 estates still to visit and too proud / awkward to call for a friend with a car. To make matters worse, those 6 estates were pretty much as far away from each other as you can get in Milton Keynes! So here’s what I did:
9.09AM – got on the # 5 to the Lakes Estate, which seemed like the simplest way to access the newest estate in town: Newton Leys.
9.41AM – crossing over the railway and into apparent countryside, I reached Newton Leys. Remarkably, people do already live here, even though it’s way not finished:
9.53AM – gave up staggering around in the drizzle looking for the “Milton Keynes Boundary Walk” which was supposed to connect me up with the SW corner of MK. At every turn there seems to be a tall metal fence barring the way. Maybe there’s a way through to the west where they seem to be building another new estate in the middle of the countryside (Willow Lake)
10.22AM – Nope. No way through there either. Turned back to the Lakes Estate to go the long way round via the Blue Lagoon park.
10.54AM – After slip-sliding through a very muddy farmers’ field and coming out by some allotments, I made it to the heart of Far Bletchley, an area I really don’t know that well. But a vague sense of direction allowed me to stagger on towards my goal. Or at least a bench. Had still only ticked off one of the six estates I need.
11.21AM – On a bench, somewhere else in Far Bletchley, an epiphany. OMFG... I am so stupid! I have the internet on my goddamn phone, I could have been looking at a map hours ago!
11.36AM – Down past the Windmill Hill golf course, some baffling graffiti welcomes me to Snelshall East and I can tick that off too.
11.37AM – Not to mention Snelshall West.
12.09PM – After a long trek through Tattenhoe I reach Westcroft and the Morrisons mega-mall. My feet are killing me.
12.20PM – I miss the bus to Newport by seconds, but at least that gives me time to eat my sandwich.
12.39PM – On the # 2 towards the final three estates over Newport way. This is a lovely picturesque route through crazy estates like Oxley Park and Grange Farm. Also the bus is lovely and warm compared to outside.
1.18PM – Off the bus again at Blakelands. Tick. Ow. Ow ow. Head north.
1.27PM – Reach Redhouse Park, the totally opposite new estate at the other end of MK to Newton Leys. It is more finished.
1.30PM – Back down the other side of the road to Giffard Park, aaaand done. Done.
1.41PM – In a taxi from Giffard Park shops to home.
1.50PM – Home. Now let’s never speak of this again.
And yes, yes. Phew. It’s 2012. Off we go again. I guess I’d better think about changing the blog décor again like I do each Jan. And reset the Football Shirts too. (does)
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