The last Day of 2012.

Well hello one and all and a very happy new year to each and every one of you, so we leave 2012 and will be entering into 2013. so I wonder what the new year will have in store for us, Wealth Health and Happiness I hope, the first is immaterial in the grand scheme of things, the second is what we are dealt and the third is the thing that counts most of all.

well on the Myositis front 2012 has certainly been an improvement on 2011. although I am stuck with this illness at least the medication is keeping it at bay I have cut down a lot of my medication this year so that is a good improvement, the only downside really to 2012 is that in Feb I had to have a reveal heart monitor fitted in my chest as I was having fainting fits and erratic heart beats but that seems to have resolved itself, so whether or not that was down to the medication or not I do not know, however since I have reduced or come off most of the medication it has not recurred.

I am not going to carry on about my day today as I know we all have a busy evening ahead of us either going out Partying, seeing family or friends, or enjoying the New years eve TV

So all I will say is that to keep it Short and sweet I will wish each and every one of you who read my blog on a regular basis A very Happy New Year and thank you for putting up with my daily stupidity and Moaning.

See you all in 2013

Heading Towards 2013.

And here we are heading into 2013. This year has gone by so fast with so many up,s and down,s anyway only 2 days to go and we will be there.

Give me Chocolate Cake

Well I am glad to say that with the aid of Rest and being sensible on the eating front that by yesterday evening I was feeling a lot better than I did yesterday morning, and last night was one of the better nights sleep I have had in the last two years. I slept through uninterrupted from about 11.30 until about 7.50 this morning so a good 8 hours sleep, anyway I must take it easy on the eating front over the next couple of days so that I get back into my normal routine after the hurly burly of Christmas. Dam you Chocolates, leading me into the path of temptation.

So after a good nights sleep and a lie in with a cup of coffee I eventually get out of bed at 9.30 and make another coffee to take into the lounge, I also do some toast and marmalade for breakfast. I send the morning text to pauline and then go online with the laptop to check out my emails and also to check to see who is around on facebook. I also have the radio on Radio solent listening to the older music and the one they are playing at the moment is "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" by Brian Hyland from 1960. Not the weather for a Bikini today anyway and I don,t think a Bikini would suit me LOL.

Get on with the job Gordon

Pauline Phones to say that they are out with Misty along the sea front a d again it is very windy today, hopefully the rain will stay away until they get home and also that it stays fine as Gordon is going to do a slight repair to Pauline,s car some other car caused a small dent and scratches while it was parked outside Pauline,s flat the other day so it is now in Gervase,s forecourt off the road so Gordon can get it sorted today. They have no idea who did it so just another Careless driver

Ooop,s

Once I was off the phone to gordon I got dressed and took a walk round to tesco express to get the morning paper before heading back home for a nice relaxing morning reading the Paper, Doing the Crossword and "Washing up the breakfast things". The Morning goes by very quickly and at 12.00 I have a phone call from Gervase to say he will be round to me somewhere around 1.00 and we can go out to get the shopping, so I need to have a shave and get changed ready and as I had a late breakfast I just have a Banana to tied me over until dinner tonight.

Steady on Gervase

Once I was ready I make a coffee and sit in the recliner with the laptop playing "words with friends" on facebook until Gervase arrives at about 1.30. I am all ready so we get in the car and off we go, I decide that it would be nice to go to Morrisons up at the end of the eastern road so that is where we go, We are not in there long as we have not got a lot to get, once we have the shopping we then go to PC World as Gervase,s laptop has packed up so he needs to get a new Laptop and then we head back home via the seafront.

Once back home we get the shopping put away, and then have a chat before gervase makes his way home, Once gervase is gone I get the vegetable prepared for dinner and the make a coffee and settle down to get this Journal finished and posted and at the same time watching some old episodes of "Open All Hours" a sitcom made and first broadcast in 1976 starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason

Open all hours 1976

well that is about it for today, a nice quite pleasant day today and feeling s much better than yesterday. I just hope I have not overdone the walking around Morrisons and PC world today as we left the wheelchair at home, anyway It is time to think about getting the dinner on as Tonight I am having Sea Bass with Mashed Potato, and a Cauliflower and Broccoli cheese bake. so I will say Cheerio until tomorrow which will be the last day of 2012.

What a crap night that was

Not a good night

Yes That was the worst night I have had for a long time, just could not get to sleep properly at all just kept tossing and turning, Right thigh was giving me Gip, acid reflux was running rife and all in all felt like crap, no idea why it was, Perhaps it was the Bacon I had for lunch or maybe it was that I left it later than usual to take the methotrexate, perhaps christmas was catching up with me or most likely it was a combination of things

Got the Paper

Anyway after being up and down all night and very restless I eventually must have dropped of to sleep about 6.00 and woke again at about 8.45, got up at about 89.15 and got dressed and made a coffee and went into the lounge where I had a pkt of Breakfast biscuits and a banana for breakfast before texting Pauline to let her know I was up and just going round to tesco express to get some apple juice and my daily paper, not that i feel up to it, but te fresh air will do me good and I also want to get round and get the paper before the rain comes again.

Reading the Paper.

As I arrive back home so the Rain starts so good job I went for the paper when I did, anyway all I am going to do for the rest of the day is to stay in and try to catch up on some of last nights lost sleep, anyway I make myself a coffee and settle down to read the paper and get the crosswords done while listening to Radio solent. There is still lots of flood warnings in place around the south of England and also they are forecasting heavy Gale force winds and rain


Anyway Pauline phones to say they are just getting home after taking misty out for her morning walk, Her, Gordon and misty have been out for about an hour and Pauline was saying the waves were being blown up over the sea wall all along the sea front so very storms out there today and it looks like it is in for the day. There is still lots of flooded areas around Hampshire, Dorset and Sussex and there is more to come here is a Photo taken at Midhurst, West Sussex.

Cowdray ruins, Midhurst

Well the day is going along and at 1.00 I decide to try a couple of slices of toast for lunch with some marmalade as I do not feel like eating much today, I do so hate these days after I take the Methotrexate, sometimes I get no reactions and sometimes like last night and today I feel like crap. but I have just had a thought perhaps it was eating to many of the chocolates I got for Christmas. "Oh dear, Naughty Me" anyway I have the toast and then settle to watch the Movie "Ice age 3, Dawn of the Dinosaurs" I do love these animated feature films, so easy to watch.

Ice Age 3, Dawn of the Dinosaur 2009

Back for an afternoon nap

That was an enjoyable film, anyway that finishes at 2.40 so I am now going for a lie down for an hour or so before getting this Daily Journal done for today. Well That was a nice lie down I caught up on a hours sleep and got back up about 3.45. and took a coffee into the lounge to get this journal finished and posted before thinking about what to have for dinner tonight, something easy to do I think, and possibly an early night tonight, and must leave the chocolates alone.

My Chosen bath step.

While I have been online today I have been looking at Steps to make it easier for me to get in and out of the bath and think I have seen the one that I will be purchasing, this will make life a lot easier for me as I have problems getting my leg up and over the side of the bath, I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would ever have trouble getting my leg over LOL. Oooops sorry people. Anyway it is now 4.45 and it has been a tiring day for me and I am going to try and just relax now for the rest of the evening, I have decided to have salmon with mash potato and Cauliflower cheese tonight and then probably try and get an early night, mind you I am feeling a lot better now than I did at 9.00 am this morning, so until tomorrow I will say Tatty Bye.

Whooo Hoo its Another Methotrexate day

♬ ♫ ♫ ♬ Don't know why there's no sun up in the sky ♬ ♫ ♫ ♬

I used to have hair

♬ ♫ ♫ ♬ Stormy Weather ♬ ♫ ♫ ♬

 and that sounds like an appropriate song for today, add to that it is Friday and that means it is Methotrexate day and that sums up my day really. But the good bit is that I get to stay in all day in the warm with my Radio, TV, and laptop, and rest after being out shopping down town yesterday with Pauline.

First coffee of
the morning

I had a great nights sleep last night and woke up about 7.30 this morning, lazed around in bed until 8.30 when I got up and made a coffee and went into the lounge to check out my emails and facebook, while waiting for Carol my carer to come, she said yesterday that She would be about 30 minutes later today and she was right as she arrived about 9.20, she finishes today at lunchtime and is off until after the New Year. she soon gets me sorted and then she is on her way and i get myself some toast and Marmalade for Breakfast.

Toast and Marmalade for breakfast

Well that was tasty, at least I can now eat toast so thats another milestone achieved this year, once Breakfast was over I text Pauline and let her Know all is OK, and then get myself dressed and wrapping up warm take a walk round to the tesco express to get the morning paper, it is very damp out there today and a cold wind blowing so not nice at all so soon make my way back home with my morning paper. Once I am back home I make a nice hot coffee and settle down with the paper and get the crosswords done and listening to radio solent.

Anyway while I am doing the crossword the phone rings and it is gordon wanting to know what I meant in my text this morning about Salisbury, I think I must be going round the bend or the Prednisolone fog was rolling in, Every Friday Pauline goes up to Salisbury with Gordon to help him with his work as he is self employed, anyway I always text and hope they had a good trip up there but I forgot this week that Gordon is skiving off of work for the week, Something to do with a 'Christmas break" LOL. and of course I forgot and sent the text as usual "Oh Silly Me"

Well the morning is going bye quite quickly Gordon and Pauline were out down along Southsea sea front with Misty and Gordon sent me some photo,s that he took showing how wet and windy it is today, The seafront is only about a 5 minute drive from where I live.

A bit wet then are You Pauline

A rough and windy Sea

Not a pleasant day today see the war memorial in the distance

The waves coming over the sea wall

A 30 minute catnap

well I think that as it is nearly 1.00 I will get some lunch and today I am going to have a couple of slices of bacon with a poach egg and a slice of toast, As long as I grill the bacon then It should be Ok, as fried food does my digestive system no good at all, anyway I had lunch and although I had to go steady eating the bacon it went down very well so that was Ok and then at 2.00 I decide to go for a afternoon catnap for 30 minutes anyway after that I decided that I would get the vegetable prepared for tonight,s dinner which will be Roast Chicken with Potato, Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower with a nice chicken gravy (Gluten Free) and then I will get this Journal finished and posted. I had a phone call from my son Gervase to make sure I was Ok, He is working from home today so decided he would phone me early, he normally phones every day on his way home from work about 4.30.
well that i about as exciting as it got today, I have just made a coffee so will get this journal finished and Posted as it is now 4.00 and there are a few episodes of "Porridge" with ronnie Barker starting on the Gold channel, and then this evening it will be dinner at 6.00 followed by the weekly Methotrexate so until tomorrow I will say -------------------

And back to Normality today

another stormy day

And here we are after the manic few days leading up to and over christmas we now settle back into some kind of normality. The weather is still not settled yet and I woke at 6.30 this morning to torrential rain rattling the bedroom window and you could here the Thunder in the Distance rumbling around and the wind was getting very strong to.

Torrential Rain

Well I lazed in bed until 8.00 when it was time to get up and make a coffee and then into the lounge to wait for Carol my carer to come, I have got used to having lie in,s over the holidays but now back to reality again today, Anyway once in the lounge I put on the radio and listen to the local news and weather while firing up the laptop and checking out my emails and facebook The news is still focused on the floods here in the south of the UK and that there are still over 100 Flood Warnings in Force across the Country and over 150  amber warnings for heavy rain and gale force winds.

Carol my Carer

However at 8.50 Carol my carer arrives and she is glad that Christmas is over as she has worked everyday over Christmas due to the fact that all the young carers won,t work anyway she is only working up until friday afternoon and is then off until after new years day, and I don't blame her, it seems to be like most company,s, if you are good at your job and are willing to help out then they tend to take advantage of you, Anyhow Carol soon has me washed and groomed and is then on her way to her next client and I get some breakfast and text Pauline to let her know all is done and dusted.

Go Misty Go

at about 9.45 Pauline phones to say that she will be booking a taxi for 11.15 to come and collect me and we can go down town and get some shopping, neither of us need to get a lot today but I need to go in the building society and also into argos to see if I can get a couple of lamps for my lounge. anyway I do not know if Pauline has taken Misty out yet but I hope she puts on her wet weather clothes as there are heavy showers forecast for this morning although Misty does not mind the rain.

Anyway I watch a bit of TV until 10,45 and then go and get shaved and get dressed ready for when Pauline comes with the Taxi,  True to form Pauline arrives just after 11.25 and while the driver gets the wheelchair into the car, I take my clean laundry in that Pauline has brought back with her for me, once that is all done we are in the taxi and off down to town to get a few bits and pieces, I just hope it is not to crowded down town today.

Complan

The Taxi drops us off at the back of Boots and I decide to walk pushing the wheelchair today as I need to try and walk for at least 30 minutes a day outside of the house. So we first of all go to the Building Society and then into Boots the chemist as I need to get some Chocolate Complan.
Once we have that we then decide that we would go into Tesco to get the shopping that we need before going up to Greggs for a coffee and a sausage roll. so that seems like a plan to me, I am surprised that it is very quiet in town today, nowhere near as busy as I thought it would be, so it does not take us long to get the bits we need and then we make our way up to greggs for a sit down and a coffee and a snack.

Greggs Bakery and snack bar

My New lamp.

Once we have had our snack we make our way over to Argos to see if I can get the two Floor lamps for my lounge. I got £50.00 of Gift Vouchers for buying my TV and stand online from Argos, and the lamps I want are 25% of in the sale and are now selling at £29.99 each so I can put the vouchers towards those, well we go into argos and purchase the two lamps, and we have to buy the bulbs extra but I am well pleased so We Phone gordon who is going to come down and collect us at the Back entrance to the store so that is everything done and Dusted, Gordon arrives with His Jaguar Car and we get everything loaded in to the car and the Wheelchair into the boot and then we are off home.

Once we are home I make us all a coffee and gordon gets the lamps up for me and I think they suit the room very nicely, It is certainly a lot easier on my eyes than the ceiling lights that I found very Bright, this is a lot more subdued lighting.

Here is one of the new lamps in Place.

Well that was a productive day so now once we have finished our coffee,s and had a chat Pauline and gordon make their way home and I settle down with another coffee and check out facebook and then start to watch the film " Beethoven" on the TV while I start to get this journal written

Writing the Daily Journal

So that is about it for today, so all that is left is to get this journal posted and as it is now 6.00 I will get my dinner started, I am having Salmon with Mashed Potato and Cauliflower cheese tonight and then an evening of TV until the dreaded Friday and the Methotrexate, so until tomorrow I will say Good bye.

Christmas is over for another Year.

Give me the Money.

Yes It is True, Christmas is over for another year, so now we can all get back to normality "Or Can We" When I went round Tesco this morning to get my Paper, I was chatting to the Shop girls clearing the shelf, and apparently The first lot of Easter eggs were delivered to the store on Christmas Eve, and will be going out on the shelf later today. "All Hail the Easter Bunny" The true Meaning of Christmas and Easter has been lost in the Mist of Greed

However Putting that aside I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and safe Christmas and that you spent time with family, Friends and Loved ones and I wish each and every one of you a very happy New Year and hopefully a new year that will bring us closer to a cure for Myositis.

24th December "Christmas Eve"

Gift Tag Attaching

Christmas eve was a very good day I did not do an awful lot as I was late getting out of bed as I enjoyed a nice lie in until about 9.45. I had decided that over christmas I would cancel my carer as I was seeing friends and family most days. so once I was up and about I finished putting the gift tags on the gifts that I had bought for certain people and then spent the morning watching TV and playing around on facebook., At least I only had to put the gift tags on as Pauline had kindly wrapped them for me last week.

After doing all the usual texting etc I had a phone call from Pauline to say that her and Gordon would be round to see me about 1.00 and that they were bringing misty with them and also Gordon would give me a hair cut so That was something to look forward to as the hair was getting a bit out of control. anyway just after 1.00 Pauline, Gordon and Misty arrive with Misty wearing her ribbons and Baubles and bringing me gifts from Her and charlie the cat.

Misty bearing gifts.

anyway While they are here we have a coffee and a chat and I have a nice Bath as Gordon can help me out of the bath, I have had the OK from the landlord to have hand rails fitted on the wall so I will have to get that arranged in the new year, I can manage to get in the bath and to clean myself, it is the getting out that is the Problem. after my bath, gordon gives me a haircut and so I am feeling really great now, like a new man, so here is the premier of the new haircut.

The New Haircut.

Once the hair has been cut, Pauline has a tidy up in the cupboard for me, we have another coffee and then Pauline, Gordon and Misty make there way home. I have a phone call from my son Gervase at about 3.00 to say he has just left work and is on his way home, he had to wait until all his team had left before he could leave so at least the trains are running on time so hopefully he will be home with leanne by 5.00. well that was about it for christmas Eve. I had my dinner at about 5.30 and then settled down to a quiet evening of TV the highlight being the first one of two "Mrs Browns boys" special christmas editions which is on at 10.15 tonight, so looking forward to that.

Mrs Browns Boys 10.15 tonight.

25th December "Christmas Day"

Whooo Hoo and christmas day dawns and I do not know how he did it with no chimney but Santa has been. I had a decent nights sleep last night apart fro  being woken about 1.30 with a terriblr racket going on in the car park at the rear of the flats, At first I thought it may have been the urban foxes or a couple of Drunken students after a christmas eve Party but when I looked out of the window I could see it was some old man very tipsy from too much egg nog bumping around on top of the parked cars in a sleigh and 6 reindeer. He,He, Santa had arrived, so I went back to sleep.

Hello Santa, Drunk Again I see

Anyway Had a bite of breakfast and opened the gifts from Pauline,and Gordon, also a nice gift from Pauline,s sister Fran and the gifts fro Misty Labrador and Charley the cat, I had chocolate from Fran, A nice Bedside lamp from Pauline and Gordon, and a box of Fruit Jellies, a cat egg timer and a little fluffy toy labrador from the animals. I then settled to watch TV, before Booking a Taxi and getting ready to go down to Elaine,s for Christmas dinner and the afternoon with Gervase, Leanne, leanne,s mum Elaine and Leanne,s dad Dave. 

Well the afternoon and evening as usual went by too quickly, and as usual I ate too much, I know what I should and should not eat and also what amounts but lets face it it is christmas and I can sit and suffer in peace tomorrow And lets face it, Last christmas I had only just come off a puree diet so was limited to what I could and could not swallow so who Knows what next year will bring so what the heck, so I had Turkey, Pigs in blankets, Cauliflower, Sprouts, Broccoli, Roast Parsnips, Roast Potatoes, Swede and carrot mash, Stuffing, Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy, and I ate the lot,

A Christmas Dinner

lots of Christmas Gifts.

Once we had eaten our fill we retired to the lounge to hand out and open gifts, again I was spoilt I had a nice box of Chocolates from Dave, A box of Chocolates, a Scarf and a box of assorted Biscuits from Elaine, and from Gervase and Leanne, I got a very Nice Organiser, A box set of Shampoo etc, A Mrs Browns boys DVD, a very nice book, and a little note book. so it was a very good christmas day, we waited until 6.00 pm before we could manage desert, then watched Emmerdale until 7.30 when dave gave me a lift home.

Gordon has sent me a Picture of Misty with all her presents and also one of Charley opening hers.

Here is Misty.

And here is Charlie

Well that was an excellent day and I am home Happy that I have spent the day with Gervase and Leanne, but very Full and Tired, so should sleep well tonight but not before watching episode 1 of series 5 of "Downton Abbey" it is on for two hours at 8.45 on ITV1.

Downton Abbey, episode 1 series 5

As Usual it was brilliant but I missed the royal family christmas special on BBC1 so will have to watch that later on iplayer. so after a very enjoyable it is now 11.15 and so to bed.

26th December "Boxing Day" 

A Morning lie in

And so we are now back up to date with the Daily journal with this 3 in one Edition. Today is boxing day and the digestive system is feeling the effects of yesterdays over indulgence. I slept well last night from about midnight right through until about 8.15 this morning. anyway no carer so a lie until 9.15. hope I remember tomorrow that I have the carer coming at about 8.45 so need to be up for her. anyway so only a light breakfast this morning.

Well once breakfast was over I send the text to Pauline as per usual and then decide to go and get my morning paper round at the Tesco express. Well that was certainly an eye opener today, I went into tesco and as usual have a bit of a chat and banter with the Shop assistants in there and there were a couple clearing some shelves so I said got lots of christmas sale stock to sell then and they said no We had our first delivery of Easter eggs on Christmas eve and they will be put out on the shelves later today " Unbelievable".

Walking the dog

Well so much for that so got my paper, bananas and Milk and made my way back home. Once indoors I make a coffee and then have a banana and settle down for a day of relaxation and TV, certainly ate to much yesterday and suffering for it today anyhow, Pauline phones to say that all is OK with them, Gordon has taken misty out for her morning walk so I then settle down to check out Facebook and answer all the messages and catch up on "Words with Friends" also check out the emails I then put away the christmas gifts and then settle down in front of the TV.

So what to watch on the TV well the first film to watch is on BBC 1 at 10.25 it is the Disney/Pixar Animated movie from 2006 "Cars"

Cars 2006

and this is followed at 12.40 by Mr Stink a film made from the books written by David Walliams.

Mr Stink 

After that film I get some chicken soup before the animated Film" Happy feet" from 2006 which starts on BBC1 at 1.40 after Mr Stink.

Happy Feet 2006

And following that is a fantasy comedy "Enchanted"made in 2007 and staring Amy Adams starting at 3.20

Enchanted 2007

And that folks brings me up to where we are now at 4.30. so tonight,s dinner will be chicken in a white sauce with Broccoli, Sprouts and Potato and probably followed by a yoghurt and I will have that at about 6.00 and then I will probably spend the evening playing around with the family history research online with frequent detours to face book and the TV and then tomorrow it is back to the normal regime of Shopping down Town with Pauline so I will now get this daily journal posted and say cheerio  until tomorrow