The Day after.

Must eat less at Lunch.

Well what a day yesterday was, Out to lunch with Gervase, leanne and Elaine and then the evening watching the live Jubilee Concert on BBC 1 from 7.30 until 10.45 and then the highlights of the lighting of the beacons across the UK. anyway got to bed about 11.30 and had a bit of a restless night as I ate to much at Lunch yesterday and suffered all night but anyway it is back to normal this morning so will eat easy today.

One of the highlights of the Jubilee concert last night was the Queen on stage with all the performers and the Band when they played and sang the "National Anthem" the crowd were absolutely fantastic.

The National Anthem last night.

Pauline and Gordon on the
way to Weymouth

Well I got up this morning about 7.45 and went into the lounge with my morning coffee to await Jo the Carer, who arrives at 8.40. She has not got a very busy day today so we have a chat and then she gets me washed and groomed ready for the day ahead. Once Jo has gone I have some wheatabix for breakfast and then text Pauline. Pauline phones me back to say they are on there way to Weymouth, and are just the other side of Southampton. Then Gervase phones to say he will be round about 11.00 ish to take me down to Morrisons to get the shopping, so I need to make sure I am ready for when he gets here.

As I mentioned earlier, There was over 2000 Beacons lit across the UK last night in Portsmouth there was one lit on top of Southsea Castle and one lit on the top of Portsdown hill. I have added the photo of the one being lit on top of the hill as it shows Portsmouth all lit up at night.

The beacon being lit on top of Portsdown hill overlooking the city of Portsmouth.

Well The weather today is very dull and grey, with lots of cloud and the threat of rain, at 8.00 O'Clock this morning I got the photo from the live webcam at Portsmouth Harbour.

Portsmouth harbour at 8.00 this morning.

Well true to form Gervase is late ad arrives at 11.20, not to bad really, anyway we get the wheelchair into the car and off we go to Morrisons down by the City Centre to do a bit of shopping, as we are driving down it starts to rain, so that looks like it is in for the day.

Morrisons at Portsmouth Victory Retail Park.

We are in Morrisons about 45 minutes, get what we want and then head back home along the sea front, there are very few people around today it is more like winter here than summer and most of the sea front stalls and cafes are shut so looks like the traders here have cut there losses and gone home.

The time is now approaching 3.00 pm and it is still raining quite hard and I am in front of the TV with the computer watching this afternoons Jubilee event and also checking on the progress of the Olympic Torch Relay in Norther Ireland. Toady is day 18 and the Torch is traveling from Londonderry to Newry. The following picture shows the Schoolchildren cheering the torch as it passes through Omagh.

Cheering the torch through Omagh.

Well the Queen has had her lunch and has made her way by open carriage to Buckingham palace where we are waiting for her to come out on the Balcony and ready for the Flypast.

The Royal Procession approaching Buckingham Palace.

So now we wait for the queen to come out on the Balcony to greet the Crowds who have gathered in their Thousands to support the Queen and the Monarchy.

The crowds Gathering in front of the Palace.

Well it looks like the rain has now set in up in london so it is not going to be a great view for the flypast, so I will go for a lie down for an hour so I will leave you with the "Day in History" for Today which is from 1883,and will be back to a nearly normal journal tomorrow. so until then Tatty Bye.

Is It summer Yet ?

Chilly Today

And a very good Morning to you all, well it is the 4th of June today and I thought it was supposed to be Summertime, perhaps my Calendar has been misprinted as the temperature and the weather is certainly not what you would expect this time of the year, it is more like Autumn.

Portsmouth Harbour this morning.

This is how Portsmouth is looking at 8.30 this morning, very cold and dull although it is not raining so that is a plus.

Morning Coffee

Had a decent nights sleep and woke about 7.15. got up at 7.30 and into the lounge with the morning coffee and Breakfast News on TV. Jo the carer arrives at 8.30 and soon has me washed and groomed ready for the day ahead, and then once she is gone I get some "Alpen Porridge" for breakfast and then Text Pauline.
Pauline phones back to say that all is OK, and they may pop in and see me later on but they will let me know for certain later on during the day.

Once Pauline has spoken to me I get on to Facebook and check who is about and then check emails, I then start the Daily Journal as I am Going out with Gervase, Leanne, and Leanne,s mum Elaine for Lunch later today so will be a bit short of time. As far as I know we will be going to the Goose at the V&A, in Albert Road, Southsea,

The Goose at the V&A at Albert Road.

Todays Olympic Torch Relay is from "Carrick-a-Rede" Rope Bridge to "Londonderry" and today is Day number 17 out of 70 so only 53 days to go. The torch visits Portsmouth on day 58. however the Torch leaves this Morning from the Rope Bridge and then travel to the "Giants Causeway"

Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge.

I have just had a Phone call from Gervase and he is collecting me for lunch at 12.45 so as it is now 11.30 I will have to go and start getting sorted out so that I am all ready by 12.30. I have just checked the local news website and found this Photo of the Crowd of People who attended the "Big Lunch" street party organised by Portsmouth city Council in the Guildhall Square yesterday, an they also showed the live coverage of the "Thame,s Pageant" on a big screen.

Part of the crowd at the Guildhall Jubilee party yesterday.

 Well Gervase arrives to collect me at 1.30 (late again Gervase) and he drives me down to the "Goose at the V&A" once we get there Leanne and Elaine have just arrived. anyhow it was a nice three hours sat there chatting and having a spot of Lunch and then he takes me back home via the sea front and we arrive back home about 4.45. He drops me off and then is off to collect Leanne from Elaine,s.

Back to the Daily Journal and here is the Olympic Torch on The Giants Causeway in County Antrim.

The Olympic torch at the Giants Causeway

The Picture below now shows the Olympic torch in a eight man coxed Rowing boat on the River Bann in coleraine, being cheered on by the crowds thronging the old bridge

in a Rowing boat at the old bridge across the River Bann

Australia and New Zealand light their Beacons.

So the time is now pressing on and I need to get this Journal posted and get ready for the Jubilee Concert from "Buckingham Palace" which is being shown live on BBC1 at 7.30 tonight it is going to be a late night tonight as it does not finish until 10.45. and also we have the countrywide lighting of the Beacons.  the Beacons have already started to be lit across the commonwealth with Australia and New Zealand being the fist to light their beacons.

There has been a Picnic in the Grounds of Buckingham Palace for ticket holders of tonight,s Concert. The tickets were issued by a national ballot. 

The Ticket Holders at Buckingham Palace earlier today.

The Stage itself is set outside the gates of Buckingham Palace at the Head of the Mall, and already there are thousands of people waiting in the Mall to watch the concert on the stage and also on the Giant screens set up along the Mall.

The Diamond Stage

The diamond stage for the Diamond Jubilee. It has just been announced that the "Duke of Edinburgh will not be at the Jubilee Concert as he has been admitted to Hospital for observations  with a Bladder infection. although The Queen and other royals will still be at the concert.

Well that is about it for today. it is now 5.50 so time to put up todays "Day in History" for the 4th of June 1940 and to get this journal Posted and have a nap for an Hour before the Concert Starts , so until tomorrow I will say Bye Bye.

Day in History 4th June 1940 "Dunkirk"

Celebration Sunday

Crowds lining up at Battersea for the River Pageant
at 9.55 this morning, a million people are expected to
line up along the banks of the Thame,s from Battersea to
to Tower Bridge.

Well here we are on Sunday the 3rd of June, this is the main celebration day for the Diamond Jubilee. It seems to have taken over everyone,s lives in Britain at the moment, there is so much going on and many communities coming together to celebrate, Portsmouth itself has 45 street Party,s today as well as the City street party going on in the Guildhall square from 11.00 this morning and then there is the Jubilee Celebrations at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, the River Thame,s Pageant in London, from Noon as well as the Olympic torch Relay.

Gervase.

I slept fairly well last night, but I did not get to bed until 11.30 as I stayed up to watch the Film " Bruce Almighty". slept through until about 6.30 and got up at 7.30 ready for Jo The carer when she came and also to get ready for the day ahead. Jo came at 8.20 today and once she had got me washed and Groomed I had breakfast and then spoke to Pauline on the phone. then I settled to plan my day, Gervase will be round between 12.00 and 1.00 and will take me out to the street party to hopefully get some photo,s and then it will be an afternoon of watching the Thame,s Pageant on TV until 6.00.
The Olympic Torch is on day number 16 today. It is now in Northern Ireland for the next 5 days, and today it goes from Belfast to Portrush. the picture below shows the Olympic Torch at Bangor.

At 1.00 I had some lunch and had some salmon with Crisp bread and it was very tasy, just as I finished that Gervase arrives and as the roads are a bit hit and miss today with street party,s we decide to take the wheel chair and just go down to the local co-op. to get the few bits that I need, I take a photo of the neighbour,s out getting the street ready for the Street party, although the weather is not at it,s best and it is very windy.

Getting the street ready for the party later on.

As you can see they have emptied the road of parked cars and are getting the tables and chairs out and also the Union Jack shelter for the Music. so hopefully the afternoon and evening will go with a swing. Once we are back indoors I make a coffee and settle down to watch the Thame,s Pageant on TV and gervase makes his way home.

I am sat here now with a coffee watching the Thame,s River Pageant, and it really is a spectacle of Pomp and Ceremony. The picture below is of the Royal Barge making its way down River.

The royal barge on the Thame,s

The Olympic Torch Relay is still going strong today and here we have a picture of it as it arrives at Carrickfergus Castle

The olympic Torch at Carrickfergus Castle

The London Eye.

Well the Thame,s pageant really is a spectacular sight, Just wish I could have been there but it is good coverage on the BBC so I am enjoying it. The crowds are just getting bigger and bigger as you can see by the crowds gathering at the Millennium Bridge and the London Eye.

The crowds at the Millennium Bridge

Well there we go, so far so good, it has been a good day for me so far, I am now going to get this Daily Journal Posted Today and then settle down to watch the rest of the Pageant on the TV before thinking about dinner tonight which is going to be a Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni so until tomorrow I will say Tatty bye and leave you with Todays "Day in History" from 1937.

Celebration Saturday

So we wake today to the start of the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations across the United Kingdom. It is 60 years ago today that that Princess Elizabeth Came to the Throne and became Queen Elizabeth The II. at least although the weather started off dull at least the sun has made brief appearances throughout the morning before the rain that is coming in from the West reaches us about 7.00 pm this evening.

Telephone Outage

Another decent nights sleep last night, woke about 6.45 this morning and laid around until about 7.45. Got up and made the coffee and went into the lounge to await Jo the carer. Jo arrives about 8.30 and when she went to use the house phone to log in it would not work. apparently there was major problems around the country with Phone line not working and this was not fixed until around 11.00 am. I thought it was a problem with Sky Talk but it seems it was also a problem with BT, and other Phone providers, the cell phones worked Ok it was land lines that were down.

Jo soon had me Washed and Groomed and then she was on her way, I got some wheatabix for breakfast and then sent the morning text to Pauline, Thank goodness for Mobile phones. Pauline phones me back on her mobile as she has trouble with her phone too and she is with BT. anyway I check the live webcam at the harbour and this is how the weather looks at 8.00 this morning.

Portsmouth Harbour at 8.00 am this Morning

Do I Stress 

It is not a good day today, I think the effects of the Methotrexate is starting to catch up with me, anyway I will take it easy today and just rest, I check all the emails and then have a look on facebook to catch up with everyone, and then watch a couple of episodes of "Little House on the Prairie". it is soon approaching 1.00 and time for lunch, I have a couple of Crisp bread with some Egg Mayonnaise and a nice cup of tea, well I certainly feel better now than I did earlier, It was probably a mix of the Methotrexate and the phone not working as I find I stress out over the little things that once I used to take in my stride.

It is now getting on for 2.00 and i have just gone out to see how the decoration of the "Street" is going ready for the street party to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. The Residents have been out putting up the flags and decorating the road ready the Street Party. it is hard to see but the bunting is across the road all the way down and many people have decorated the house fronts as well.

Getting ready for the Street Party

As you can see from the Photograph above, the weather is a lot brighter now than it was at 8.00 this morning.
I am now going to check on the progress of the Olympic Torch Relay. It is day 15 today and is going from Liverpool to Castletown on the Isle of Man. The flame was flown over this morning from Liverpool by British airways on the Plane "Firefly" painted in the special colours for the Olympic Torch.

British Airways Firefly

 As well as the Runners "Running" with the torch it also traveled by other forms of transport. As You probably know every year in June the Motorcycle Tourist Trophy Races are held in the Isle Of Man (IOM TT Races) so it was only natural that the Olympic Torch was taken on a Racing Motorcycle.

The torch on a TT Motorcycle in Douglas.

 The other mode of transport that was used today was the horse drawn trams that travel up and down Douglas sea front.

The crowds and Tram at Douglas sea front.

Well it is now 3.00 and the 1982 film "Annie" starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, and Carol Burnett has just started on Gold + 1 so I am going to have an afternoon of Nostalgic film watching, 

1982 Film "Annie"

Well that is it for today so i will just put up the "Day in History" for today, now the most obvious was the Coronation on 2nd of June 1953, but I have decided to go for the 172nd anniversary of the birth of Thomas Hardy on the 2nd June 1840 and so until tomorrow I will say Tatty Bye.

The Start of the Jubilee.

And here we are at the start of another Month. where is the time going to, only another 20 days and we will be at the Summer Solstice, The longest day of the year. Had another great day yesterday and slept pretty we;ll last night and woke at 6.30 and thought " Oh Dear here we go with the Methotrexate again, However to day marks the start of the Jubilee Weekend celebrations, At 10.15 HMS Diamond escorted by HMS Raider and HMS Blazer, 4 Naval Helicopters and the RNLI Life boat "Alfred albert williams" fired a 21 Gun Salute as they past the Royal Naval War Memorial on Southsea Common, I could not be there to see it but Pauline went down and sent me some Photo,s she took. the one below shows the 21 Gun Salute taking Place.

HMS Diamond firing the 21 Gun Salute off Southsea Seafront this Morning

Methotrexate day

well the morning regime passed ok as it always does, Jo the carer came at 8.30 and I then had breakfast and took the dreaded Methotrexate so now it is just a case of resting and letting the Medication does what it always does and that is make me feel "yucky" for a day or two but it will pass by late Saturday early Sunday and then I will be ready as always for the next week. Once I have checked out facebook and also the emails including the Photo,s Pauline sent I then check to see how the Olympic Torch Relay is Progressing. It is onto Day 14 today and the torch is going from Bolton to Liverpool.

The Olympic Torch in Victoria Square, Bolton.

The Torch left Victoria Square, Bolton to start its Journey to Liverpool today where it was cheered on its way by a large crowd that had been gathering since the early hours. And the crowds turned out in there hundreds as it made its way along the route today.

Thousands gather to welcome the torch along the Sefton Coast

 well the time is pushing on and it is time for lunch, today I am having a couple of crisp bread with a small tin of Mackerel  fillets in Sunflower oil. lots of omega 3 in those, I had them with a nice cup of tea and followed it up with a blueberry Yoghurt. 

My happy Neurologist

I had the letter through from the Cardiology department to say that they had received the transmission of my recorded ECG sent to them on Sunday via the "Medtronic Link" and there was nothing of concern showing up so I would get a letter soon detailing the next transmission date, I also had a letter from my Neurologist to say my next appointment with him has been booked for the end of September.

The weather has been very dull today, there has been patches of Sunshine but it has been mainly very dull although the temperature is still holding up. I think the best of the weather at the moment is up towards central England and towards the north, looking at the pictures of the olympic Torch Relay, but as I am in all day today it does not really bother me.

Well there we are then the time has just turned 3.00 and it is time for a cat nap for an hour before Gervase phones at 4.30 0n his way home from work, he works over at Haywards Heath and travels to work and back by Train, He always rings to see how I am when he is on the way from the office to the Railway Station.

Haywards Heath where my son Gervase Works

So before I go I will add Todays "Day in History" which is for the 1st June 1495. it is quite appropriate for this Jubilee weekend celebrations.

 Well it is now time to get this Journal Posted so until tomorrow I will say.....................