A Storm, A super moon, and Sunshine.

Welcome To Monday

Well after the tail end of Hurricane Bertha, and the super moon last night, all we need now is a visitor from outer space and the start of my week will be complete.

My Dream came true

So here we are on A Monday Morning, but Let me tell you first of the events of Yesterday. As you probably Know we were bracing ourself for the arrival of the tail end of Hurricane Bertha that has been tracking across the atlantic from the Caribbean

Here Comes a subdued Bertha

true to form the Storm reaches the western shores of England and Wales, late on Saturday Night and travels eastwards  reaching us here in Portsmouth in the early hours of Sunday Morning. there were several torrential downpour,s and Thunderstorms to begin with and some very high gale force winds which caused some very high waves along Southsea sea Front.

Southsea Promenade early Sunday Morning, Photo By Mike Walker.
Published by the Portsmouth Evening News.

Photograph by Helen Yates

By lunchtime the rain had cleared away Eastwards and Northwards, but the strong winds remained, To say we were lucky here is an understatement as most of the UK got it a lot worse than we did with Mini Tornadoes, Flash Floods etc, I think we were spared the worst as we are shielded by the Isle of Wight to the South and Portsdown hill and the Southdown,s to the North and also we are in a natural bay along the South Coast.

Showing Portsmouth in Relation to the Isle of Wight and the coast line

Showing Portsmouth in relation to France and the English Channel.

However the Isle of wight got some really heavy storms as did some of the villages inland from Portsmouth but the storm affected Wales and the Midlands and the North of England far worse than we did, also the east coast got hit quite badly as well.
The weather cleared  and had settled down a little bit in the afternoon so my Son Gervase was able to come and take me shopping at 2.00 pm, we went to Sainsbury,s up at Farlington,
There were some heavy gusts of wind along the dual carriage on the way up to Farlington, but not to bad, anyway we were back home by 4.30 so after that it was a nice evening of relaxing and watching the TV, until bed time at 11.00,

Sainsbury,s at Farlington

As I said earlier we were back home by 4.30 so I put the shopping away and made a coffee and sat down for a chat with Gervase, He left about 5.30 to head home to Leanne and I get my Dinner cooked, a nice Steak Burger with Broccoli, Sprouts, Potato and Gravy, followed by Tropical fruit salad in Jelly ( which Pauline made for me) and then an evening of Facebook and TV until bed at 11.00.

There was also a full moon last night, what they call a Super Moon, apparently it is the nearest it has been to the earth for a generation and the next time is in 20 years time, Perhaps this has something to do with the weather ???

The Moon above the Houses

I went to take a picture with my Phone, it is not that good as too much light in the city but at least you can see it

Its Time for Bed

Well I had a decent nights sleep and woke at 6.00 am this morning feeling not to bad, I know I am Ok as I got out of bed without falling on my butt, so that was a bonus. anyway as is the norm at the moment, I make a coffee and just do a quick check on Facebook on the Laptop.

I Want My @@*&@@ Breakfast

1 hour later I am still there I blame the Australians. On the Australasian myositis support group, so I wrote a little poem and put on there this morning for them.

For Amber and Barry and all those people on the Australasian Support Group.

 Once I had managed to drag myself away from Facebook, I get myself some Breakfast of Wheatabix and the obligatory Four  prunes and then get washed and dressed, before going back to Facebook to check out the other Global Myositis Support Groups,

There are 4 Myositis support groups all together and there are links to them on the left hand side of this blog under Facebook Groups, the 4 groups are.

• Myositis support and Understanding (USA Based)
• Myositis Friends support Group  (UK Based)
• Myositis Support Australasia. (Australian Based)
• Myositis-Canada. (Canada Based)

These 4 Groups are closed groups and are for People that have one of the forms of "Myositis" or who is affected by Myositis i.e. Spouse, carer, relative, medical professionals, Although based in one of the 4 countries as listed that are open to people from all over the world, and because of the time differences around the Globe, they are truly a global 24 hour a day support group.

There are other myositis Facebook groups such as the Ramblers KIT Group plus others there are also links to those on the left hand side of this blog under Facebook Groups.

Anyway once I have posted and checked out all the Myositis sites I then go and get my daily paper down the local shop and have a walk around the block on the way home, I am only out for about 20 minutes, as the wind is still very strong, once back home it is a nice coffee and settle down to read the paper and do the crossword,s before going for a lie down for 30 minutes before getting some lunch at 1.00 lunch time.

Going to Settle down with the paper

today I am having some John West Canned Smoked Mackerel fillets with Toast for my Lunch.

These are really nice on Toast.

Well that was very tasty, healthy and filling, so now to settle down to watch the news and get this Journal started. as it is now 1,45.

Now it is 3,30 and I am just finishing the Journal so now to get it Posted and then start getting myself sorted and decide what to have for dinner tonight, something with a jacket Potato I think, anyway that is about it for today, the rain has kept off, but the wind is getting stronger, so until tomorrow I will say .............

Well here we are at another Methotrexate day

 So Welcome to "Freaky Friday"

Well it has been a decent week this week as you could see by Wednesdays Journal.

Thursday 22nd August 2013

Thursday went pretty well, I sent a text to Pauline as usual in the morning but had no reply for a bit so phoned her mobile and she was still out walking Misty, and had got lost in the wooded area, so I think she needs to get a Sat Nav, still they have only been at there new home for two weeks so it will take time for her to get to know her way around the area.

You are going the wrong way Pauline

anyway once I had spoken to Pauline I have porridge for breakfast and then go round to the co-op with the Rollator to get a daily paper and some milk, It is good having the rollator as it means I can walk further than with a walking cane.

"Roland the Rollator"

Once back home I settle down to read the paper before Leanne arrives at 12.30 to come down to the dentist with me for my appointment, the appointment was at 12.50 and by 1.15 we were back out and I had a upper plate with 3 new teeth. Whoo Hoo, mind you will take some getting used to,

anyway we head back home and then Leanne goes of to meet a friend for lunch and I have a tin of soup and a banana before going for a lie down.

Once I have had my lie down I spend the rest of the evening Watching TV. My son Gervase comes in to see me at 6.30 on his way home from work, and at 7.30 I have my Dinner a nice Liver and Bacon with Mash Potato and Gravy, and then I watch the TV until bedtime at 10.30 where I listen to the local radio before getting off to sleep about 12.00 . I am tired after a very enjoyable day.

Friday 23rd August 2013

So here we are back to Friday, where has the week gone to, I have actually got very little done this week, out for 7 hours on Monday with a canadian Relative, Shopping Tuesday, Milton park and the art cafe Wednesday, and Dentist Thursday, so today t will be a quiet day at home with some research into world war one. I have had Canadian and American relatives who fought and also 2 died in france in World war 1 so that is my aim for today. The Canadians from Toronto and also Quebec, and the American Smith from Trenton New Jersey.

Western Front world war 1

However before I start that I text Pauline and then get some Breakfast before going round to get my morning Paper, once back home I read the Paper and do the cross word before settling down to the History Research.

Joseph James smith from Canada, Died in Action France 1916 along
with his Brother who was from Jersey in the Channel Islands UK

Arthur Hubbard who fought in France in World War 1 he returned home in 1917
Arthur lived in Delson, Canada. and was my Grandfathers Brother.

My Maternal and Paternal Grandfathers fought in WW1 with the Royal Navy but today I am researching the war in France and Belgium along the western Front and concentrating on the Canadian and American Relatives/ancestors.

I have got 8 bound volumes of the "Illustrated War News" Published by the "London Illustrated News" covering the period 14th June 1916 through to April 10th 1918 in 96 Parts.
Here are a few of the pages that show photographs of Canadian and American troops on the western Front.

one of the 8 Volumes

The memorial at Vimy Ridge in Memory of the 3,598 Canadians who  died
at the battle of Vimy Ridge. in all there were over 10,000 canadian casualties

In memory of the first U.S Officer struck down in France.

Canadian troops at the front.

American Nurses tend the wounded in France (Paris)

canadians on the western front

The American U-Boat Blockade

The Canadian Capture of Vimy ridge

Stars and Stripes in the City of london

Well that was an interesting few of hours of research into WW1, I will do a bit more tonight, but now it is time to get todays journal completed and posted before Pointless on TV and then dinner at 6.00 so until tomorrow I will say tatty bye,

The 69th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings 6th June 1944

On the 6th June 1944 the Normandy Landings commenced. We know it better as D-Day and on the 6th June 1944 Thousands of British and Canadian troops embarked from Stokes Bay at Gosport as part of the Normandy Landings I was only 7 months  old at the time but I can remember the story,s mum told as we were growing up of how she used to push me in the pram around the streets surrounding Fareham where all the canadian, British, and American troops were Gathered, weeks before the invasion took place, Mums Canadian cousins were with the "Canadian Black watch" and stayed with them at my Grandfathers house in Western road, Here are some of the Photographs she had.

My Grandfather Frederick Hubbard Centre with some of the canadians

Patrick Hubbard (Canadian Black watch) second from left back

Mum( Edith Smith Nee Hubbard) and Auntie Maud (Hubbard)
Behave yourself Girls

There are many Photographs of the family with the Canadians over here in 1943/44 and there is also a service being held today at the Canadian Memorial at Stokes Bay where the canadian troops embarked from on the way to "Juno" Beach

Canadian Memorial at Stokes bay

  There were also events to mark the 69th Anniversary of the Normandy landing being held at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth.

D-Day Museum at Southsea,

We must also remember that there were also a lot of American troops billeted at fareham along with the Canadian and British troops and also to think of those that went and fought but did not return. Also the Royal marines were actively involved in the d-day landing, My Father in law "Robert Clark"  was on a Landing craft taking American troops across the channel to the D day Beaches at Utah

Map of The Normandie Landing Beaches

So that is what today is all about in the Portsmouth and the South coast of England today

My day has been pretty good so far, I had a good nights sleep last night and the weather today has been really good. the morning went as usual with texts to Pauline to arrange the time to go shopping and also had my breakfast and checked out emails and facebook before getting Washed, shaved and dressed ready for when Pauline came with the Taxi at 11.10.

Pauline arrives with the Taxi

 As you can see Pauline has got the red bag with my clean laundry in it, she is an angel, anyway we get the laundry indoors, get the wheelchair, Pauline and me into the Taxi and off we go to the city centre.

Once at the city centre I need to go into the Nationwide Building society and then into Boots the chemist to get some Strawberry Complan, I do enjoy making the milk drinks with the complan as it is a good source of supplementing a lot of the vitamins that I may be low on, anyway once we have got that we then make our way to Morrisons, I am in the wheelchair now as I have done a bit of walking but the leg muscles are playing up today as iyt is a non Prednisolone day today, I am so much better on the alternate days that I take the Prednisolone, anyway on the way to morrisons, I need to go into Sainsburys to get some Gluten Free Bread and Biscuits, they have a far greater range than Morrisons.

Sainsburys, Commercial Road, Portsmouth

  well It does not take long in there to get the Gluten Free Items and then we carry on to Morrisons in the Victory retail park

You ain't forgot where you left me again Pauline 

Here I am, over here.

well we get a trolley and then we get the shopping done and have a coffee and a Sandwich before getting a taxi back Home.

You can't take the trolley home Pauline.

While we were in Morrisons, gordon rang to say he was just leaving Salisbury and that he would pick Pauline up at my house anyway once the taxi gets to morrisons we get everything in and off we go home, as we get home we have just got out the Taxi when Gordon arrives so that was good timing, anyway once indoors we get the shopping put away and have a coffee and a chat before Pauline sorts out some of my laundry to take home and do for me and then Her and Gordon make there way home.

I get a text from Pauline to say that she has a pre-op assessment on the 17th June and her Thyroid op on the 2nd july so that is good news, she will be pleased to get it all over and done with.
Well that is about it today apart from to say that the other big event going on in Portsmouth today is that they are filming the BBC Antiques road show in Portsmouth at the Royal Marine Museum so that is drawing a lot of interest, not sure when it will be screened but will let you know when I know.

Royal Marines Museum, Southsea

so that is it for today, so until tomorrow I will say Bye Bye.