And they wonder why people shop online.

And if they frequent the shops that Pauline and I did today they would know why.

This heading is related to the Politicians response as to why Comet, like so many other high street stores are either going into administration, or just shutting up shop and moving to virtual stores on the internet.

Comet store at Ocean retail Park

Want my Morning Coffee

Back to today and after a decent nights sleep I got up at 7.45 and made my way into the lounge with a coffee, I went online to check out my emails and facebook, and then  waited for the carer who arrived at 8.30, well she has been the nearest to 9.00 than the ones on Friday and Saturday, so did the phone calls yesterday have a positive effect, only time will tell.

Once the carer has me washed and groomed and has left for her next client, I text Pauline and then get some Breakfast, this morning I am feeling lazy and cold so just have a packet of Belvita Breakfast Biscuits with a nice mug of Hot Chocolate Complan followed by a Banana. once that is finished I pu the TV on to catch up with the news.

About 10.00 am Pauline phones to say she has had a lie in and that Gordon is about to take misty out for her morning walk on Southsea common and that she will book a taxi for 11.15 to collect me and then we will be off down to the city centre to get some shopping done. So I watch an old episode of " Ever Decreasing Circles" and then at 10.45 I go and have a shave and get ready for when Pauline arrives.

Ever Decreasing circles 1984 - 1989 TV sit com.

Well I am all ready  by 11.10, Pauline arrives with the taxi at 11.25 and we get the wheelchair loaded and off we go down to the city centre to get some shopping and banking done, so first stop is the building society.

Building Society, Commercial road precinct

Once we have finished there we make our way into Boots the Chemist to get some Complan but they only have strawberry flavour in stock, no Banana or Chocolate flavour , so I get a strawberry one and then we make our way up to Argos as I am looking at getting a new 40 inch TV and want to check Prices.

The argos store, Commercial Road Precinct.

we have a look around the store but not a great selection, everything seems to be geared towards cheap tat for christmas, oh well never mind we can look at the TV,s in Curry,s and the Sony Store later. anyway it is getting near time for a coffee and a snack, Pauline wants to look in the "Sue Ryder" charity shop in Charlotte Street so we go there before going to get a sausage roll and a coffee in "Greggs".

Sue Ryder Charity shop, Charlotte Street, Portsmouth.

Customer advisor "NOT"

We had a nice look around the Sue Ryder shop and then made our way to greggs for a coffee and a snack before going into Marks and Spencer to get some food for today and tomorrow before we do the main shop at morrisons on Thursday, once out of Marks and Spencer we go to the other end of the precinct to go into wilkinsons and then Superdrug, where I need to see if they sell Complan, Well I am sorry but as I said at the beginning of todays Journal I can see why more people are shopping on line, We asked one of the customer service advisors in Wilkinsons if they sold Complan, well we might as well have spoken to a door post, they were not in the least interested and came out with " What Complan" explained to him, to which he answered with the standard lengthy excuse of 4 words "I have no Idea".

Give me strength.

So Off over to super drug, we will certainly do better here, well I would have thought so, We are looking around for complan and me and Pauline go down different Aisles, Pauline asks a customer advisor who shows her where it is and I ask a customer advisor who goes to have a look, Pauline and the advisor come back almost at the same time with the advisor saying No, they do not sell it and Pauline saying that they only have strawberry,

Typical Salesman.

Anyway back out into the fresh air and I get myself composed and we decide that we would probably have more success checking out a new TV for Me, well I thought we would, we went into Curry,s in the precinct and saw the salesman, All I wanted to know was, What smart TV,s of 40 Inch screen size did they have and the price, but that was to hard for him to comprehend, No I dod not want a blue ray DVD Player, No I did not want a sound bar, I Only want a TV. eventually he said he would print out the details of a TV set I was interested in, at last something simple, "NO" the printer would not work, "Hello we are in a TV and Computer shop" anyway that is Currys crossed of my list.

Give me strength 2

So will we have better luck in the Sony Shop. so off we go, by this time I have had about enough , Anyway this is the last shop as Gordon is coming with the car to pick Pauline and me up and take us home. anyway into the sony shop, it seems like groundhog day "I only want a TV, I do not want all the other bits and pieces, so out of there as quickly as possible, make our way to where gordon is with the car and head back home. Tonight it will be on to the internet and get my TV that way with free delivery and also at a cheaper price, from the Currys online shop. "Simples"

Frankie,s laundry.

Well once back home it is 3.00 pm so I make coffee for me, Pauline and Gordon and then Put the shopping away,  we have our coffee and a chat and I also get a surprise phone call from my cousin Carolyn in Weymouth, we have a nice chat for 10 - 15 minutes and then afterwards Pauline sorts out my laundry to take with her and then her and Gordon make there way home and I make a coffee and then get started on todays Journal.

So there we are the end of a frustrating day, so now I am going to get this Journal finished and Posted to my blog and then settle down to a nice evening of TV with a nice Roast lamb dinner tonight although it is a Marks and Spencer ready meal, it will be easy to do and very tasty, so until tomorrow I will say Bye Bye.

The day that goes with a Bang.

Yes people it certainly does as today is the day that on the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the houses of Parliment.

Morning Breakfast TV

I bet cameron is glad that Guy fawkes is not around today LOL. anyway Today has dawned sunny but cold. I had another good night last night, not so much trouble with the right thigh last night and it is easier today, although apart from going round to get a paper I have been in all day in the warm.. I got up at 9.15 today as there is no carer on a Monday, I get a coffee and go into the lounge to watch the breakfast news on BBC1.

It is a Cold Morning

I get some Weetabix for breakfast and then text Pauline, once I have finished Breakfast I check my emails and facebook and then Pauline phones to say that she is out on the common with Misty, for her morning walk but that it is very cold this morning, she also said that Gordon would be round at his normal time for the Monday cleaning, so I will wait until gordon is here before I go and get the Morning Paper.

Adult Social Care Case worker

However once Pauline is of the phone I go and make a coffee and settle to watch some TV, then the phone rings and it is my case worker from Adult Social care, she has just come back from Holiday, and is phoning t ask if the problems with Crescent have been resolved, as they have not really improved she is phoning them and then phones me back to say that they have now got everything  sorted ie, Correct Address and Phone Number, Correct time, and a  regular carer, !!!!! well we will have to wait and see what happens this week.

Gordon with my Laundry.

Well that was an interesting conversation and to cap it all the postman delivers the invoice for last months care and guess what ? They have only charged me for two days when they failed to turn up, so as Dell boy would say in Only fools and horses " What a load of Plonkers " however I will sort that out later this week, and then the doorbell rings and it is Gordon, he has come to do a couple of hours cleaning for me and pauline has also got him to bring my Clean laundry with him, so The Kettle goes on and the coffee is Made.

Pink suits you Gordon

Well once we have had a coffee and a chat, gordon makes a start on the cleaning and I go round to the Tesco Express to get a Daily Paper, and then settle down to read that until gordon is ready to have another coffee before he does the floors. It is still very cold out there but it is bright so when Gordon has done all the dusting and cleaning of the kitchen and Bathroom, We have another coffee and biscuits outside in the Sun and ten Gordon Vacuums the Lounge and Bedroom and washes the Kitchen and Bathroom Floors.

Todays Lunch. "Tasty"

Well I must say it is so nice once gordon has cleaned for me and it is appreciated, however it is now 12.00 so gordon is off back home to Pauline and I decide that I will have another coffee, check Facebook and then get some lunch. I have decided to have a cheese Omelette with two rashers of bacon today, so into the kitchen at 1.00 to get that cooked, it is easy and quick to do and I really did enjoy it.

I Like guy fawkes

So that was lunch, I make a nice cup of tea and finish the Paper, and then I go for a lie down at 2.30 until 3.15. I listen to the radio for 45 minutes  and then at 3.15 back to the laptop to get todays journal written and posted before settling down to watch some old episodes of "Last of the Summer wine" before getting dinner prepared at 6.00. It will be the other Sea Bass Fillet tonight with New Potato and Cauliflower Cheese, so that will be tasty, it will then be an evening of TV and listening to the fireworks Popping and banging all evening, but I used to like Firework Night when I was younger and also taking Gervase to Bonfire night displays when he was young so I do not really mind.

Our Global Community.

Well that is about it for today, the evenings are getting dark earlier now so indoors with the Laptop, the TV, The Heating On and a coffee next to me is the way to be. that way I will be ready for shopping tomorrow down town with Pauline. so I hope you all have a good Day/Evening wherever you are on the globe and I will be back with another edition tomorrow

Weird Weird Weather on a Sunday

Well what do you know, Woke up this morning to a multitude of weather conditions, we had , Rain, Hail, Thunder and lightning and Sunshine all in a 2 hour time scale and further west in Dorset they even had Snow.

Taking the Wheelchair Today. 

Anyway, had a decent nights sleep and had a lie in until 8.45 when I made my way into the lounge with a coffee and some Porridge for breakfast, once I had finished breakfast I phoned pauline and had a chat with her and gordon and then after checking facebook and  my emails I went and had a shave and got dressed read for when gervase arrives to take me shopping,  I am having trouble with my right thigh and hip today, so thank you damp and cold weather so it will definitely be the wheelchair today, so hope Gervase is feeling fit.

The reason we are going shopping is that they are looking after Elaine,s two dogs this weekend and one is very nervous with all the firework displays and the banging noises from the fireworks so Gervase and leanne are going to the cinema this afternoon so that they will be at home with the dogs this evening.

Firework Display at Gunwharf on Friday.

Gervase phones at 10.30 to say he is on his way to me so he arrives about 10.45 and we are going to go up to Sainsburys at Farlington for a change, I have not got a lot of items to get but it will be a nice trip up to there. and the eastern road will not be that busy at this time of the day.

The view from the car as we travel up the Eastern Road.

As you can see the roads are very quiet for a sunday, probably due to the very changeable weather anyway it does not take long and we are approaching Farlington which is where Sainsburys is and it is just of of Portsea Island.

We have just eft the Eastern road and approaching Sainsburys at Farlington.

Sainsburys at Farlington.

Once we have parked the car off we go into Sainsburys to get the items we need. It does not take long and then we are back into the car and off back home, we decide to have a drive along the seafront on the way home as we have made good time today so we take a short trip along the Eastney Esplanade before returning home. to get the shopping put away.

A Nice quiet deserted sea front with the Isle of Wight on the horizon and the storm clouds brewing.

Another view of the clouds over the solent.

Todays Lunch

Well once back indoors the heating goes on, the shopping gets put away, and the coffee is made. Gervase has to make his way back home as it is now 1.20 and he needs to get ready for the cinema. Once he is on his way I decide to have a nice hot dish of Bacon and Lentil soup for lunch and then I can go for a lie down for half an hour before settling down to get todays journal written and posted.

Well that is about my day over, the weather has been overcast today but with a cold wind so I have been indoors this afternoon which is the best place to be. I had a nice lie down for 30 minutes and then back to the Lounge and the TV, it is now 4.35 and will soon be time to start preparing dinner, I got a couple of nice sea bass fillets n Sainsburys so will have them tonight for dinner with some nice new potato,s and a broccoli cheese bake.

Tonight,s Dinner before I start on cooking them sea Bass Fillets

My home cooked Broccoli Cheese Bake.

Well then folks that is about it for today, hopefully the weather will be a lot brighter tomorrow, and hopefully so will my leg, anyway I need to get this journal finished and Posted, as I have made myself hungry and am ready for dinner, so until tomorrow I will say Adios. 

It is a very laid back Saturday today.

Lazy Day.

Well would you believe it, it is 4.25 in the afternoon and I have spent most of the day just lazing around in the recliner watching the TV and reading the Daily Paper, The weather has been quite pleasant today but cold so the best place is indoors in the warm, especially as it is the saturday after the Methotrexate Friday.

Another new carer

It was a good nights sleep last night, woke up once about 4.00 to use the bathroom but apart from that I slept through until 7.15, Made a coffee and took back to bed until I got up at 7.45 and went into the lounge with another cup of coffee, I decided that I had better get up early just in case the carer was early again and a good job that I did as she arrived at 8.10 after going to the old address again and also this was another new carer

not a true statement on the logo.

Since Jo my regular carer left I have had 5 different carers in 6 days,  not happy about that and I also wonder why when my care plan states that my time for the carer is 9.00 am +/- 15 minutes that the last 2 days they have arrived just after 8 and there written "Statement of Purpose" states [ we provide our service in your own home at times convenient to you} yes don't think so anyway I will give them another week to get there act together or another phone call will be in order.

Anyway once the carer has gone i get some breakfast and then Text Pauline, then it is log on to the laptop to check emails and facebook before talking on the phone to Pauline and then taking a walk round to tesco Express to get the morning paper. It is a nice morning for a stroll but very chilly anyway I take a photo outside in the street looking towards the west.

A Bright Sunny Saturday Morning.

Well that is about as energetic as my day got today , once back home with the Paper and settle down in front of the TV with the laptop and see what is on, at the weekends the "Movies 24 and 24+ " channel has changed its name to "Christmas 24 & 24+" and is showing Christmas movies all day, so as I am not feeling that energetic today and my breathing is a bit tight today so I have watched  Christmas movies today, " My goodness I have just realized how sad that sounds" anyway at 11.00 o'clock it was " Miracle in Manhattan " made in 2010.

Miracle in Manhattan 2010

This was followed at 1.00 by " The Santa Incident " again a movie made in 2010

The Santa Incident 2010

At 1.30 I decided I wanted some lunch so cooked myself some bacon, chopped it up and put it in two small tortilla wraps with some melted mature cheddar cheese, and it was delicious, so I enjoyed that while watching the rest of the film. This was followed at 4.00 by the third Christmas film which is " Mistletoe over Manhattan " made in 2011

Mistletoe over Manhattan 2011

This finishes about 5.45 an then it will be time to get dinner prepared, tonight it will be Salmon with Potato and Cauliflower cheese. and then a nice evening of watching an episode of Rosemary and Thyme followed by Foyle's War both being shown on ITV3.

Rosemary and Thyme 2005 TV Episode

Foyle's War 2002 TV Episode.

well that is about it for today, not very exciting but hopefully the weather will be nice for tomorrow when it will be out shopping with Gervase, at least I can have a lie in tomorrow as there is no carer on Sundays or Mondays so that will be nice and by tomorrow the Methotrexate affects should be fading, anyway it is now 5.40 and it will soon be time to get dinner started so I will watch the end of the film and then into the kitchen, which reminds me I have the washing up to do from Lunchtime "Bummer"  anyway I will say cheerio and be back tomorrow.

And Another Friday has arrived

Watching the Morning TV

Yes folks another friday comes around and we all know that means one thing and one thing only for me It is Methotrexate day. anyway had a decent nights sleep last night and woke at about 6.45 this morning, lazed around in bed until about 7.15 then got up and made a coffee and then as usual into the lounge to watch the morning news. I was sitting watching the News and at about 8.00 the door bell rings, I answer the door and it is the Carer, It is the same one that came at the beginning of the week, Now my care plan is for 9.00 +/- 15 minutes so I was surprised to see her so early anyway according to her client sheet my time is for 8.00 am Oh well better early than late but this company really are disorganised.

Wash the Breakfast Dishes

Well it does not take the carer long to get me washed and groomed and then she is on her way so I get myself some weetabix for breakfast and then log on to the laptop to check out Facebook and emails before I text Pauline at 9.00. Once I have text pauline I go and wash up the breakfast things and then make another coffee before taking my Methotrexate and settling down for a morning of 1980,s sitcoms on the Gold Channel.

Well it is a Swallow

Pauline phones me at about 9.30 to say that all is ok, Gordon is on the way to salisbury as he has several jobs up there today and he is also taking charlie back home with him, anyway the postman comes and has delivered two letters, one is from the Podiatry department confirming my appointment with a Podiatrist next week, and the other is from my Neurologist enclosing a copy of the letter he has sent to my GP following my appointment with at the hospital last month and requesting that my GP arranges a follow up  "Barium Swallow" to see how much improvement has been made with my swallowing since last year. I have yearly "LFT" and Barium swallow test,s.

Back to watching the TV and starting to feel the affects of the Methotrexate, I decided to take it earlier today but on second thoughts should have left it until this evening, but as it was the only medication for today I wanted to get it over and done with, there seems to be a break in the weather now and it is almost 11.00 so will go round to Tesco Express and get my Paper and ten I can have a lie down when I get back, anyway gets round and back with my newspaper just as it starts another rain shower, and that is the way te weather is today showers and bright spells.

One of todays Brighter spells from my back door

Once I am back from Tesco Express I go for a lie down for an hour and then at 1.00 I get myself a couple of Boiled eggs with a couple of crisp bread for lunch and then settle down to an afternoon of TV until 4.00 when I decide to get todays journal written and Posted before watching Pointless at 5.15 and then at 6.30 it will be time to get dinner. As it is Freaky Friday I will be having an easy to prepare Steak in ale with Cheesy Mash ready meal from Morrisons, it is easier to have a ready meal on Freaky Friday as all it needs is 30 minutes in the oven with no preparation.

Tonight,s Dinner 

Well it is now 5.10 and I need to get this journal posted to my blog for all to see and then I can settle down to watch Pointless. so as you can see not a very active day today but at least the yucky feeling is now starting to ease , so that is ok but an early night tonight I think, anyway that is how it is with this myositis, you take the good with the bad but at least the good days outweigh the bad so until tomorrow I will say tatty bye. and leave you with the news that the readership of this journal is increasing all the time. last october there were 1.492 people who read the journal, this october there were 2876 who read it so thank you folk, October this year has been the best month so far, it is increasing all the time.  

Hi Ho , Hi Ho, A shopping we do go.

A Stormy and wet night.

Well here we are again and into another November. and as it is the beginning of a new month it has decided to start off with Torrential Rain, The rain was so heavy last night with strong winds that it woke me up at 4.00 am as the rain was beating on the bedroom window, and to be honest I am glad that it did as I had fallen asleep last night and left the Radio on, Oh dear, Never Mind, Naughty boy, etc, etc, etc.

Todays Breakfast.

Anyway after getting back to sleep I woke again at 7.30 so went and made a coffee and took that back to bed with me and then lazed in bed listening to the radio until 8.00 when I got up and went into the lounge to watch the morning News on the TV and to await the carer. the carer arrives about 9.10, again she had first of all been to my old address before phoning the office, and being given the correct address, this care company " Crescent" really are a very disorganised company anyway another new carer, so she soon gets me washed and groomed and is then on her way, I then get some porridge for breakfast.

All behind today

Before I can send a Text to Pauline She phones to make sure all is OK as she has not got a text from me yet and is wondering if all is OK, I assure her all is Ok and that I am running late as the carer was all behind today anyway she said that she will book a taxi for 11.15 to collect me and then we will be going down to get the shopping from Morrisons.  As Gordon is at work today she will be bringing there friends son "Charlie" with her as he is staying with them for the week so that is OK, charlie is a pleasant lad. and we do have a laugh.

Well, once I am off the phone to pauline I go on the laptop and check out facebook and also check my emails and then go and have a shave and get myself dressed ready for when Pauline and Charlie arrive with the Taxi, I am all ready by 11.10, and at 11.20 I get a text from Pauline to say she is on the way, when they arrive they get the wheelchair in the Taxi and then we are off down to Morrisons. at the Victory retail Park by the city centre.

Morrisons, Victory retail park, Portsmouth.

once we arrive at Morrisons we get the wheelchair unloaded and Pauline gets a trolley, as charlie decides he is going to push me in the wheelchair, so it could be Handbrake turns and wheelie,s  down the aisles today I think.

Faster charlie Faster.

 Anyway we are making our way round Morrisons and getting the bits and Pieces that we want, Charlie is doing a grand job with the wheel chair but I think me and Charlie could be turning Pauline to Drink.

Leave the drink alone Pauline LOL.

However we make our way round morrisons, not forgetting to stop off at the excellent fish counter so I can get a Sea bass fillet and a Salmon fillet, the trouble is I think I am being watched by the inhabitants of the deep.

I am watching you Frankie.

When you have a complaint,
you have to complain

 once we have got everything we need we go and park the trolley in the secure parking area at the cafeteria and go and order some lunch, Charlie is having Sausage, egg,chips and beans. I am having double egg and chips, and Pauline has a Sausage roll, and me and Pauline both have a coffee, the cafeteria is going down hill a bit over the last few weeks, There is no milk in the Latte Machine, No Cups, and no Plates so in by best possible way I have a little complain about it, not that it made much difference, anyway we get cups and milk in the end, but no plates, so anyway order the food and then find there is no Knifes and Forks , so we have a moan about that, hope they do get there act together as they are not usually this bad, we sit down and the food is brought out and it is very nice so that has not changed as I do like there food, anyway we have lunch and then go and pay for the shopping and then head back home.

Thank you Pauline. Not much this week

Once we are back home I see I have a message on the answering machine, it is the NHS saying I have a podiatry appointment for Next Thursday, so that is good, anyway we get the shopping put away and then I make a coffee, when we are in Morrisons I get Gordon 2 eccles cakes and as they had no treacle tarts I got him two bags of Popcorn, as I have to get him ready for our weekly weigh off on Monday LOL. anyway make sure Pauline has them to take home to him and then Pauline sorts out the washing to take home with her and then she and charlie are off home.

Well that is about it for the day, the weather has been showery today and as it is now 4.15 I need to get this journal finished and posted so until tomorrow I will say Cheerio and leave you with Number 9 of "Myo Man Dreams"