The August bank Holiday and the sun goes away

All that super weather we have been having, heat waves and sunshine and what happens when the August bank holiday arrives, the sun goes away "Typical"

However welcome to...................................

Saturday 24th August 2013.

Saturday started pretty well really considering I did not take my Methotrexate until later on Friday evening, had a decent nights sleep on friday and had a lie in until 9.00 this morning. once I was up and in the lounge with a coffee I sent the morning text to Pauline and then settled down to have some Porridge for breakfast.

well once I have had breakfast I take a stroll with the rollator round to the tEsco Express to get my morning paper and also some milk before going back home and settling down to read the paper  and get the crosswords done. It has been a quiet morning so far and have been messing around on facebook and then the front door bell rings and it is Gordon and their friends son Charlie. Gordon had hired a van for the morning and They have been down to Pauline,s flat to move the last bits and pieces over to te Garage at their new home, and popped in for a coffee on the way back.

Charlie helping Gordon

After Gordon and Charlie have gone I get some lunch and then go for a lie down for an hour before taking a coffee into the lounge and going on to the computer to do some more world war one research.  Next Year is the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1 and Portsmouth is bidding to become 2014 National Armed Forces city as 2014 is the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines, the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WW1 and the 70th anniversary of D-Day

HMS Illustrious leaving Portsmouth in Aug 2013

D-Day Museum Portsmouth

Royal Marine Museum Portsmouth

Royal Navy museum Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

All in all it was a very enjoyable afternoon and it was soon 6.00 pm and time to give the research a rest, I had recorded two episodes of Bonanza which I will watch tomorrow morning and now there are two episodes of "Walker Texas Ranger"on the CBS channel which I can watch, but first I need to get my dinner prepared and on to cook ready for 7.00 and while that is cooking I watch the Tv and have dinner at 7.00. it is salmon with fresh vegetables and a parsley sauce tonight and it was very tasty as well.

well I had just finished Dinner at 7.30, made a coffee and had settled down to an evening of watching TV when Pauline, Gordon and Charlie arrive. They had decided to come and visit for the evening and brought a deck of playing cards and some bags of Pennies so we spent the evening playing Cards for Pennies (Newmarket) and guess who won the most money (41p) "ME" we played until 10.30 and then they left to go home at 11.00 so y the time I sorted myself out I got to bed about 11.45, but what a super and enjoyable evening after a good day.

Its Mine all Mine

Sunday 25th August 2013

"Early to Bed, Early to Rise"

"Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise"

or so the Poem Goes, well last night that did not apply to me and today I had a lie in until 9.30, well that was a brilliant evening last night, and I slept really well, but will probably have to rest a bit today, but well worth it.

Time to get up

Once I was up and in the lounge I had a coffee and sent the text to Pauline before getting some breakfast. Pauline phones back to say that all is ok with them , her and Gordon got up about 9.30 but young charlie was still fast asleep, still he is only 15 so no surprise there. and Gordon is out with misty for her morning walk so that is OK

Don't get lost in the woods Gordon

once I had spoken to Pauline I had my Breakfast and then got on the laptop to check out the emails and facebook. before I have a phone call from Gervase to say that he will be round about 2.00 to go out to get some shopping. so I spend the morning just relaxing with the local radio and the laptop.
As it is a bank holiday there is the yearly kite festival taking place on southsea common along with other events so it is probably busy down the seafront today

The kite Festival this weekend on Southsea Common.

There are several other things going on in Southsea this weekend, There is the "Gerry Cottle Circus" on the common until Tuesday,

Gerry Cottle,s Circus

There is also a Tribute band concert on at the Bandstand this evening ending with a firework display at 9.30 pm.

The bandstand at Southsea Castle fields.

Gervase arrives at 2.15 and we head off down to Asda at Fratton to get some shopping, it is not worth going to far as the roads are chock a block with traffic, anyway we get the shopping and head back home where we put the shopping away and then have a nice chat before Gervase heads back home.

Asda at Fratton (Stock photo)

well that is about it for today then, Gervase has headed back home to Leanne, and I am now going to settle down with a coffee and get this journal finished but before I do I would like to mention that There is a young man named Tom Coleby who is cycling with 4 of his friends from John O,Groats at the top of  Scotland to Lands End on the south western tip of England, a Total of 1000 miles over 10 days.  They are cycling in aid of Cancer Research but Tom is cycling in aid of the Myositis Support Group as his Mother Lesley Coleby has Myositis, some of you may Know her through the "Myositis Ramblers" group on Facebook.

Tom and Friends at John O'Groats

So Far through his Just Giving page tom has raised in excess of £3,160.00 so well done Tom . Here is the link to Tom,s "Just Giving Page"


Well Tom and his friends are now on Day 3 of their ten day journey and I am sure that we wish them well and to say a big thank you to Tom .

Lands End, Cornwall

Well that is about it for today so until Tuesday I will say.........................

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.

What a super day today has been

Today has been really good, it was so nice to actually be able to go out and not to have a scarf and hat on and a coat done up to the chin.

Back to bed until 9.00 am.

Although it had been raining most of the night. it had cleared up to a certain extent this morning, and after having a decent nights sleep I was in a really positive mood, So after waking at 7.45 I switched on the local radio and went and made a coffee before jumping back into bed and texting Pauline to say that all was OK and I was staying in be until 9.00 to which she text back to say to text her when I eventually got up.

Go Pauline Go

At 9.00 I get up and make another coffee and text Pauline before going back into the kitchen to get some porridge made for breakfast. Pauline phones to say that she is out with Misty, and as she is going up to Salisbury tomorrow to help Gordon before going to Weymouth for the weekend we have decided that I will get a taxi to Southsea this morning to meet her there for shopping as it will save her some time as she has lots to do so I will book a Taxi for 11.15. I then get the laptop fired up and check out my emails and facebook until 10.30 when I get the washing up done from breakfast before getting shaved and dressed ready for when the Taxi arrives at 11.15.

Its Been A Good Day today

Well the taxi arrives as planned and on time so once the driver gets the wheelchair into the car we are off to Palmerston Road in Southsea, I text Pauline to let her know we are on the way and then once I arrive the Taxi drop,s me off opposite St Jude,s Church and that is where Pauline meets me. The weather is a bit "Iffy" it is trying to brighten up but with not much success, but it is very mild and dry so that is OK, Well we have a good  look around the shops and Pauline pushes me  down to Southsea common, we then go down to Southsea Castle and the D-Day Museum before going back to the Precinct to get the food shopping and a coffee before I get a taxi back home so a really good enjoyable couple of hours, so that is about it really for today, so here is a photographic record of mine and Pauline,s trip around Southsea.

We Start off in Palmerston Road Precinct

Palmerston Road looking towards St Jude,s Church

Why look its Pauline, "Notice the caption overhead".
(The answer is Priceless)

Southsea Common

Southsea Common

Pauline on the approach to Southsea Castle

I Think I have been Abandoned

Southsea Castle where Henry VIII watched the Mary Rose sink in Battle in 1545.

The Castle Ramparts

Approach to the D-Day Museum

The D-Day Museum

D-Day Memorial

Well Hope you enjoyed this Photographic record of my little trip around Southsea. Once I was back home I got my shopping put away and then settled down with a coffee to download the Photographs from my phone before sorting them out and the it was time to get todays journal written and Posted. it is now 5.00 So I am going to finish it now and get it Posted before settling down to watch Pointless on TV. So until Tomorrow and the dreaded Methotrexate I will say Bye Bye.