A poetic Excursion.

White fluffy clouds in skies of blue.
I look aloft, and think of you.


I look across, the solent blue.
the Isle of wight, where I met you.

I sit and gaze, and then I sigh
A Seagull just Pooped in my eye.

And a very good morning to you all today, another bright day begins although the weather forecast today is for rain later on this morning. however here is what Portsmouth looked like at 7.50 this morning when I rose from my bed.

Portsmouth at 7.50 this Morning.

Jo is late today

So what is on the agenda today. well first and foremost it is the morning coffee followed by the breakfast news on BBC 1 TV. Not much changes in the news these days the state of the National health service in the UK is making the headlines again from care in hospital to care at home.Well the time is 9.30 and no sign of Jo my carer yet, I phone the office and apparently she has an emergency with the client she goes to before me so she will be late today, that is not a problem to me but it would have been nice if the Agency had let me know.

Ready for the day ahead

So While I am waiting for Jo, I go and get some breakfast and then settle down with the laptop to check the emails and also see who is about on facebook and play a few games of "Words with Friends" it certainly is an exciting life here in Portsmouth. Jo arrives about 10.00 so that is Ok anyway I make her a cup of tea, and she then gets me washed and groomed ready for the day ahead.

Once Jo has left I make another coffee and then settle down to a couple of hours of Family History Research before thinking about lunch at 1.00 pm. Well lunch came and went, I had a nice Smoked haddock fillet for lunch, which went down a treat with a couple of crisp bread and a nice hot cup of tea, so now for an afternoon of writing up todays daily journal and watching some TV. The weather has taken a turn for the worst and as forecast it is damp, grey and murky this afternoon, hopefully it will pass later this evening.

Portsmouth at 2.30 this afternoon

 So as you can see from the above photo, it is quite a change from the sunshine this morning, oh well just hope summer comes along soon.

No Fluffy clouds, No sky of blue.
I sit indoors, What will I do.

No view across the solent now.
A worried look upon my brow.

I now sit below a roof, not sky
And still that bird  pooped in my eye.


How did that happen then ?

Rushing Around

Sorry about that it just goes to show that when the weather is worse, so am I "LOL" anyway this is about all that is happening today, at least the rest of the week should prove to be more interesting, tomorrow the Insurance assessor will be coming and also Pauline and Gervase will be round, Wednesday the Heating Boiler Yearly Service will be done and Thursday Pauline will be round again for shopping and Friday will be Methotrexate the rest of the week we will probably be rushing around all over the place.

so The question you are all asking is what is todays "day in History" ? well, I will keep you in suspense no longer IT IS...................

So with that Literary gem I will be..................

so Until tomorrow "Squelch. Squelch, Squelch.

Another Sunny Sunday

Wakey, Wakey, The sun is shining, The sky is blue and all is right with the world. It is another very bright Sunny day with blue skies, but we need to make the most of it because the damp weather is going to return tomorrow for the start of another damp and miserable week. Here is how Portsmouth was looking this morning at 7.45 when I got up to get a coffee and go into the lounge.

Portsmouth 7.45 Today

NHS Cuts

I have come to the conclusion that I am getting to be a grumpy old man in my old age, "Victor Meldrew I am your competition" I have been listening to the reports on the Breakfast news this morning about the report by the "Royal college of Nursing" that there are patients being left/treated on trolleys in hospital corridors for up to 21 hours, brought about by the cuts in the National Health Budget by the current Government.
 On the same news report it is announced that the government are going to give £100.00 Vouchers to Dysfunctional families to pay for "Parenting Classes" What is the world coming to. 

Wheatabix.

Thats my Rant and moan over for the day, Jo the carer came at 8.30 and soon has me washed and Groomed ready for a relaxing day ahead, Pauline phoned just before Jo Arrived to say she was up, but was going back to bed for an hour ( Don't blame her) so it s now time for some wheatabix and a banana for breakfast and then to settle down with the laptop.


Well this is a very relaxing morning, I have had a phone call from Gervase to say that he will be coming round between 1.00 and 2.00 pm today and we are going out to get some food shopping so I need to check to see what I need to get. and where to go for it, He was a bit late getting up today as he was out with Leanne yesterday Evening for a birthday meal and then the cinema. he also had a tattoo done yesterday so his shoulder is a bit sore today.
The time is now approaching 12.30 so go and get some nice "Irish stew" for lunch and then watch an episode of "Little house on the Prairie" before Gervase Arrive. Gervase arrives at 1.45 so that is OK , we get the wheelchair into the car and then as I do not need to get much we decide to go and get the shopping at Asda in Fratton.

Asda at the Fratton "Bridge Centre"

It does not take long to get around Asda at the bridge centre, as it is not too busy today, once we have the shopping we get back to the car and we decide to drive back home via the sea front as it is a nice warm day.

Southsea Sea front by South Parade Pier today

That was an enjoyable drive along the seafront in the sunshine with the widows open, anyway once back home we get the wheelchair and the shopping indoors and have a coffee and a chat and then gervase makes his way back home to leanne, while I settle down to get this Journal written and Posted onto my blog.
So now It is time to make another cup of coffee and do some family History research for a couple of hours before getting dinner at 6.00.
It has been a really great day today, I am sure Sunshine and blue skies lifts the spirits, anyway before I get on with the family history I will include todays "Date in History" today it is the 13th May 1787. The day the First fleet left Portsmouth for Australia.

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

Its a special day today.

The Sun'll come out tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar

That Tomorrow

There'll be sun

And so the lyrics from the Show "Annie" goes and at the moment it is proving to be correct so far today, Woke this morning to another day of bright Sunshine. Which is really great as today is a Special Day.

Portsmouth 8.00 this Morning

Not only is Today in 1820 that Florence Nightingale was born, or that in 1812 Edward Lear was born, but on the 12th of May 1981 My Son Gervase was Born. So a very Happy 31st Birthday to Gervase, and just to say I am Proud of you and I know that your Mum will be looking down and wishing you a happy birthday as well.

Gervase is 31 Today

Once Jo the carer had been and gone I went and got breakfast, Today I am having a Sausage and Bacon Bap. I have not had anything like this for 18 months or more due to the Dysphagia, but I am eating more and more solid food over the last few weeks so saw one of these in Asda on Thursday so thought I would treat myself for the weekend, and it was very enjoyable and makes a change from Cereal every morning. although not as healthy so must limit myself to 1 a week on a weekend as a treat,.

Half Pint from
Little House on the Prairie

Once Breakfast was over I go and get dressed and then Speak to Pauline, Gordon is feeling a little better today and Pauline is OK and they are just off out to take Misty for her morning walk on the common, I then phone Gervase and wish him a Happy Birthday and after that it is time to get the laptop fired up and check my emails and also see who is around on Facebook. After that it is time for another coffee and get the washing up done from breakfast,  The time is getting on and it is now approaching 11.35 so I am going to watch yesterdays recording of "Little House on the Prairie" before lunch at 1.00 pm.

Well got lunch at 1.00, did not know what to have so rummaged through the kitchen cupboard and decided on sardines with a couple of crisp bread. I had a tin of "Boneless Sardine fillets in the cupboard and they were very tasty so that was OK, also had a packet of crisps as well. so now I am watching some old repeats of " Last of the summer wine " on the UK Gold TV channel. they are as funny now as they were when the series was made. There were 31 series made between 1973 and 2010.

Last of the Summer wine.

The time now is 2.00 pm and it is time to go for a cat nap for an hour I think, I have got a bit of a sore shoulder today, think I must have pulled it yesterday when I dozed off in the armchair yesterday evening, hopefully it will ease off over the next day or two, it certainly has eased a bit today. The other thing worth mentioning is that it is 12 months ago that I packed up Smoking, It was when I was in Hospital last year for 4 weeks, I could not smoke and when I came home on the 25th May last year I didn't start smoking again.

Twelve months without a cigarette Yahooooooo

Just had a cat nap for an hour and now I need to get this Daily Journal done for Today, As  the title says it is a special day today for more than one reason, the main reason is that it is my son,s 31st Birthday, also it is a year ago that I stopped Smoking,  also the Sun is shining and that makes it special, and also today is the 192nd Anniversary of the Birth of Florence Nightingale (One fact is that Gervase and also Pauline and Gordon live in Nightingale Road)

Today in History

So as it is now 3.30 I will get this Journal posted and then I will get back to Some family History research for the rest of the afternoon before getting dinner at 6.00 so until tomorrow I will say Tatty Bye.

A day in the life of.......

Amazed

At last he said Jumping out of bed and drawing back the curtains, he looked in amazement  into the back garden at this strange Phenomenon that was happening in front of his eyes, he thought at first he was dreaming or that he had been transported into another dimension, the strange yellow glow was slowly creeping across the bright green vegetation that was emerging from the damp, dark soil, slowly it made its way up the wooden fence separating the garden from the garden next door, "Is this perhaps an apparition of what the end of the world may be like", "No you silly sod it is called SUNSHINE" Yes folks the sun was shining today when I woke, Blue skies were all around and it was a really great feeling after a week of damp, Grey, cold and wet weather we have had over the last week or so.

Portsmouth at 8.00 am this morning

Insurance Assessor

And so another day begins in Portsmouth. I had a phone call from the Insurance company Assessors, and they are visiting me on Tuesday to assess the "Leaky Roof" hopefully it is something that can be sorted easily and covered by the buildings insurance, anyway that is something that they will decide on Tuesday, My son Gervase has arranged to work from home on Tuesday so he can come round and deal with it when they let me know what time they are coming.
I have made the decision to downgrade to small flat which will make it easier for me as it will be on one level and also I will not have the worry of Maintenance etc,  I have discussed it with Gervase and he is taking control of it for me which makes it easier, also I will have a lot of help from Pauline, Gordon and also from my family in getting everything sorted. so hopefully this will happen before christmas.

Freaky Friday

Well as You probably know by now Fridays is Methotrexate day, so once Jo the carer has been I get myself some porridge for breakfast and then take the 15 mg weekly dose of Methotrexate and also the daily dose of Prednisolone and then send Pauline a text to let her know all is OK. Pauline phones back to say that they are not going to salisbury today as Gordon has a bit of an upset tummy, so they are resting at home. hopefully Gordon will soon feel better.

Smoked haddock

So now to get on the laptop and check my emails, ( How many offers to buy Viagra will I get today) and then check to see who is around on facebook, by the time I have done that and played "Words with Friends" it is time to get another coffee and watch a bit of daytime TV. {Oh what an exciting life I lead} however it is now nearly 11.30 and the morning is speeding past at a rate of knots, so I think I should really go and do the washing up from breakfast, before I watch yesterdays episode of "Little house on the prairie" and then it will be time to get lunch, which today is a nice fillet of "Smoked Haddock" cooked in butter, with a slice of Bread and butter on the side "Tasty".
That was an excellent lunch, although the haddock fillet was quite a large one still I managed to force it down "LOL" with a couple of crisp bread and a nice cup of tea, once that was eaten I watched todays episode of Doctors and then at 2.15 went to have a cat nap for an hour. At 3.15 I came back into the lounge and on the TV is the Movie "Love is a many splendored thing" from 1955 starring William Holden and Jennifer Jones. I have not seen this film and it started when I went for my cat nap so it finishes at 4.10.

Love is a many Splendored Thing 1955

So That is almost as Exciting as my day gets the weather is still very sunny here which is nice as we all know that when the weather is nice it somehow makes you feel good, well it works for me , even on the Methotrexate Friday, and it looks like it is going to stay nice over the weekend as well.

Here we are with the sunshine at 4.00 pm today.

So it is now time to get todays journal posted, and then settle down for an hour of family history research before Pointless starts at 5.15, after that it will be a roast chicken dinner and then an evening of TV. so before I sign off here for your amusement is todays "Day in History" on 11th May 1904 one of my favourite artists was born.

The Birth date of Salvador Dali

I can remember using Dali as my Project at Portsmouth University when I was doing my "Animation Course", so on that note I will say hasta la vista until tomorrow

It Never Rains but it Pours

Oh Well here we go again, the one thing I can do without is all the stress of Maintaining a 110 year old victorian Property, The time has come to look at my options and the sensible thing to do is to sell the property and buy or rent a flat so that I am on one level, as with my reduced mobility it is difficult to negotiate stairs so I am living on one level in a 3 bedroomed house. What prompted my decision, I have been thinking about it for a few months now and last night was an example of the reason why I need to move.

I had a leak in the roof last night and water was dripping through the ceiling of the rear bedroom, I sleep in the rear room on the ground level and it was the dripping that woke me up at 4.30 this morning. I managed to get up the stairs with difficulty and saw what was happening and managed to get a bowl under the leak, I phoned my son Gervase about 6.00 am , and he came round to make sure I was ok, it was not a big leak and once the rain stopped so did the leak so hopefully it was the high winds and the direction of the wind and rain that penetrated under the roof tiles,  anyway there was nothing I could do about it, I can no longer get into the loft to check it out so anyway I phoned the Insurance company and am waiting for them to assess what need doing, the surveyor will be coming round on Tuesday.
So today has been a bit of a wash out, Excuse the pun, so I am leaving the Journal for today and will resume tomorrow when I am in a better frame of Mind.

Oh What a Surprise.

Well it had to happen, one day of decent weather and what happens ? What is Today "Today"☂ ☁ ☂ ☁ ☂ ☁ ☂ ☁ ☂ ☁ ☂ ☁ ☂

Another very wet day.

My goodness I lead a sad old life, all I seem to do is moan about the weather. so lets try and lighten the mood, so today started of ok. Went down to see my Son Gervase and Daughter -in-law Leanne last night for a couple of hours and got mobbed by all the cat,s, anyway Sawyer decided to curl up on the sofa with me for some fussing.  Got back home about 9.30 and went to bed about 11.00.  I had good nights sleep last night and Jo the carer came about 8.40, so all washed and groomed, breakfast done, sent text to Pauline, and washing up completed so now for a day of rest in front of the TV. 

Introducing Sawyer

I spent the first hour after breakfast on the laptop checking e-mails and Facebook and then watched an episode of "Little house on the prairie" which I recorded yesterday, before watching the "State Opening of Parliment"  and the " Queens Speech" shown live on BBC Television, I do like all the pageantry and ceremony that it entails. 

State opening of parliment.

once that is over it is time to go and get a bit of tidying up done in the bedroom before getting some lunch at 1.00 pm. Today I am having some Crisp bread with Laughing Cow cheese triangles and a banana. That went down very nicely with a nice cup of tea and now it is time to have a go at some family history research for a couple of hours.

I posted on my facebook page today my " Day in History Illustrated Fact"  and today it is the birthdate of "Howard Carter" Archaeologist and Egyptologist who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Day in History for the 9th May

Well my sister ( Eileen Maspero) saw it and left a comment to say that Howard Carter worked alongside a french Historian and Archaeologist called "Gaston Camille Charles Maspero" and that her Ex Father in law was also had the name "Charles" so I am going to try and see how far I can get tracing her Ex Husbands family tree and see if there is a connection, hopefully I can get it done by Monday if I spend a couple of hours a day on it, at least it should be interesting.

Family History Research

 just spent an hour on research so I am taking a break to get this journal written and posted before going back to the research, Did not realize there are so many "Maspero,s" in this country but I am making progress. it will get easier once I get all the birth and Marriage details located and also trace when they entered the country, the internet really is a blessing for Genealogy  research.

Some People in portsmouth like the Rain Today

So that is about it for today, it is still a very miserable day here so I am now going to get back to the family history until 5.00 and then an evening of TV, so until tomorrow and the visit to the Vampire I will say Adios.

Hooray its the Sun.

"Sunshine comes softly through my Window to day", as the words from Donovan's song " "Sunshine Superman" Goes. Yes folks at long last the sun is shining in Sunny Southsea, But the question is for how long ?

It was a decent nights sleep again last night although it was late when I went to bed as I was engrossed in A Nostalgic program on TV looking at "Early Public Information Films" these were films produced by the british government in the 60,s and 70,s I remember watching a lot of these on TV in my teens

Anyway eventually got to bed about 11.00 O'Clock and it did not take me long to fall asleep and I slept through until 6.45. I lazed in bed with a coffee until 8.00  and then made my way to the lounge with another coffee to wait for Jo the carer who arrives at 8.35.  

Once Jo has finished I send a text to Pauline and then get some Wheatabix  for breakfast before settling down with the laptop to check Facebook and my E-Mails. Pauline phones back to say all is OK and that she is booking a Taxi for 11.00 to come and pick me up and then we are going down to the city centre for an hour or so to get some shopping and pay some bills.   

Pauline arrives at about 11.10 and we are soon on our way down town, We get the Taxi driver to drop us of with the Wheelchair at the Main Post office as Pauline has a letter to post and then we make our way to the ATM to get some money before going  into Debenham,s department stall so I can pay my account 

Debenham,s in the Precinct.

Once we are out of Debenham,s we decide to have a wander round the cascade Shopping arcade before going to get a Coffee and a Sausage roll at the Expresso Cafe in the precinct, It is not very busy in the Arcade today and Pauline wants to have a look in the "Fabric" shop to look for material to make cushion covers with. so I take a photo to show how few people are around, bearing in mind it is now approaching noon.

Outside the "Fabric Land" Store in the Cascade,s

After we leave the Arcade we go and have our coffee and Sausage Roll at the Expresso cafe in the Precinct, while there I meet an old workmate from the Ferry port who I have not seen for several year,s he has had a few medical problems as well and has difficulty walking around, so we have a chat and then me and Pauline go into Tesco to get some shopping, Pauline gets a small trolley and I self propel my self in the wheel chair ( it is good exercise for the "shoulder muscles") anyway half way round I fancy another coffee so we go into the cafeteria  and get a couple of coffee,s and also Pauline has a muffin and I have a piece of "lemon Meringue  Pie", " Luverly" 

My Lovely piece of Lemon Meringue Pie and a frothy coffee

Well I must say that was the tastiest piece of lemon Meringue pie I have tasted in a long time, anyway we now get the shopping finished and then we get it paid for and off outside to phone for a taxi to take us home, it has been a really good day down town now that the weather is a bit warmer and dry, with a little bit of sunshine as well.

Outside Tesco waiting for the Taxi.

Well we are now back home, the shopping is put away and the coffee made and we are sat in the lounge having a nice chat before I phone for the taxi to take Pauline home at 3.10. So now it is time to get todays Journal written and also to put up todays "Day in History" which is the end of the conflict in Europe in 1945, so time to remember.

So there we go folks another exciting day in Portsmouth city centre, shopping and Eating, what an Exciting life I lead, so I will now get this up on my blog and then think about dinner so until tomorrow I will say Bye Bye and hope the Sunshine returns again tomorrow.