The last day of june

And so we reach the end of the Month. where has the year gone to so far ? And where is Summer ?, so many questions and so few answers. Much like Myositis. There are so many questions to be asked when we are First diagnosed and so few answers this is why it is essential that we all do all we can to get awareness of the disease out into the wider community. On Monday it will be 12 months since I started this Daily journal and I am amazed at the number of people that have and are still reading it, the Number of people that have visited this journal is just under 20,000 and are from all around the globe so to everyone of you I say "Thank You".

The Weather here is looking brighter today although there is a lot of heavy cloud about and also some regular Rain showers mixed in with the Sunshine. as is shown by the Photo Below taken from the live Webcam at The Spinnaker Tower at the Harbour entrance at  10.00 am today.

Morning Coffee

I had a good nights sleep last night, did not go to bed until 11.45 and slept through until 7.15 apparently it rained quite heavy at 4.00 am and 6.00 am but I heard nothing, anyway got up at 8.00 made a coffee and went into the lounge to wait for Jo the carer who arrived a little later today, anyway once she was here she soon had me washed and groomed and ready for the day ahead so it was some Wheatabix for breakfast and the the laptop for facebook and emails.

Listening to the Morning News it is all about the Banks and how they have been ripping every one of with there mis-selling of Financial products, fixing of interest rates and generally causing the worldwide economical and financial problems, it is about time that all these banks and financial institutions are investigated and brought to task. ( Rant Over).

Oh well on with the day, Today I take my 15 mg of Prednisolone after taking 0 mg Yesterday so hopefully I will have a bit more energy today. I have had a letter this morning from the Speech Therapist at the Turner Centre To phone and arrange the 6 monthly appointment to check my swallowing. It does not seem like it was on the 16th of december that I saw her and went from a puree diet on to the Soft lumps diet. I have come a long way since then.

The Turner Centre

Well not much has happened this morning, it has been very uneventful, apart from the fact that I cannot stop wanting to eat. I managed to take a slow stroll pushing the wheelchair round to Tesco Express and got some bread and also some bacon, and made a nice Bacon sandwich for lunch, followed by a yoghurt and a cup of Coffee and at 2.30 had a slice of bread and jam. Yum Yum. Anyway once lunch was over I had a lie down and then had a look on line and see that they are running free family events at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard today for Armed Forces Day. Unfortunately I am unable to get down there, which is a shame as both my Paternal and Maternal families were Royal Navy.

 Well the afternoon has passed without any problems and I have now got to finish this journal and get it Posted before getting the Vegetable into the steamer ready for getting dinner at 6.30. tonight it will be a nice piece of Sea Bass with a Cauliflower and Broccoli cheese bake and new potato,s all home cooked and the fish is fresh so should be tasty.

Hopefully the weather has been good for the olympic torch relay today. the Relay is now onto day 43 and is going from Derby to Birmingham. the first photo shows War Hero Johnson Beharry carrying the torch through the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire

The National Arboretum

And in the next photograph we can see "Tracy Round" carrying the Torch past Tamworth Castle

Tamworth Castle

So that is about it for Today, the last journal for June 2012 and tomorrow we start off in July so I will say a cheery goodbye until tomorrow and leave you with todays "Day in History" for 1953

The Taper Continues.

♬♬♬♬ What a difference a day makes ♬♬♬♬

♬♬♬♬ Twenty four little hours ♬♬♬♬

It certainly does make a difference, yesterday we had a sunny day with temperatures up to 25 C. Today we have Rain, Winds, and temperatures about 16 C. the weather is really playing games with us this year, I blame it on the "Banks".

Portsmouth at 10.00 am Today

I will say though we have got away lightly on the South Coast compared to other areas of the UK, 

Well thats my moan over for the day: I had a decent nights sleep last night and apart from waking at 2.30 for the bathroom I slept right through from 11.00 to 7.15. Got up at 8.00 made a coffee and then into the lounge to to wait for Jo to arrive. Jo arrives at 8.30 and soon has me washed and groomed and ready for the day ahead and is then on her way. I text Pauline and then get some porridge for breakfast and then take the 15 mg of Methotrexate but today I take "NO" Prednisolone as from today I only take 15 mg of Prednisolone on Alternate days, so hope that goes OK, will know within a day or two if I am going to have any reaction to the tapering down. 

Another Egg for
Frankie,s Omelette

Pauline Phones me back about 9.40 to say they had a decent trip to Salisbury and it is also raining there as well so that is about it for excitement so far today. I settle down to watch a couple of episodes of Little house on the prairie and then spend a couple of hours on the laptop with Family History Research and Facebook and then at 12.45 I make a nice quick Cheese omelette for lunch. I have a microwave omelette maker so it only takes 2 minutes and no mess. Just what I like on Fridays "Simplicity"

Well I enjoyed lunch so now for a lie down before I start to finnish the Daily Journal and get it Posted on my Blog.  The time now is 2.30 and the sun has eventually made an appearance, anyway not been doing much today apart from resting so will now check out the Olympic Torch Relay and see how that is progressing. It is Day 42 today and the torch is going from Nottingham to Derby. The first photograph shows the Torch starting its Journey today from Nottingham Castle.

Starting the day at Nottingham Castle

The weather is very hit and miss today along the route, with sunshine, cloudy skies and the occasional shower, but once the torch reaches Bolsover, John Kirkham has to run through a shower of confetti. 

Confetti at Bolsover

 So that is about it for today. I am going to end today with the "Day in History" from 1861 and wish you all a fond tatty bye until tomorrow as I have no energy today is my Zero Prednisolone day.

A very Warm Shopping Thursday.

Where is it

I have looked everywhere, Under the bed, In the cupboard, Behind the TV, even looked out in the back garden And I cannot find it, I even phoned the Police and Fire brigade and they have no idea where it could be. I am at the end of my Tether, I just do not know what to do next. If it carry,s on like this I just hope the stress does not bring on another flare, I suppose there is only one thing left to do and that is to have another search of the house and see if I can find it

The Lost Hour

It Happened about 6.00 am this morning, I woke up and as usual went to the bathroom, then decided as my throat was dry I would make a coffee and take back to bed and watch a little bit of TV in bed before getting up. Anyway put the bed into a sitting position and put on the TV Breakfast news and got into bed with the coffee, absolute bliss. Next thing I know it is 7.30, TV is still on and the cup of coffee is cold, so Where did that hour Go." I have Lost an hour of my Day."

Text to Pauline

Well there we are then folks hope that brightened your day, if it did then I am glad, if it did not then "I Must try Harder" as my old school master would say. anyway up at 7.30 and in to the Lounge with a "HOT" cup of coffee and watch the TV News until Jo arrives at 8.20, and I am glad to say she has no snails on her bike today. Anyway I show her the cartoon I did yesterday and she thought it was quite good, she has a busy day today so she soon has me washed and groomed and is then on her way to her next client, I get myself some wheatabix for breakfast and then send a text to Pauline to let her Know all is ok Here.

Must have a shave

Pauline phones back about 9.30 to say that she will book a taxi at 11.00 to come and collect me and then we can go down to the city centre so I can do a couple of bits and pieces down there and then we can go to Morrisons to do the food shopping and gordon has a day off today so he will meet us down at morrisons about 12,30 and then we can have some lunch and he will then run us back to my place. so i check out facebook and e-mails until 10.30 and then have a shave and get dressed ready for when pauline arrives.

Sausage bap for Lunch
Yum Yum

Pauline arrives at 11.10 and we are off down to commercial road. I go to the bank and then have a walk pushing the wheelchair up to the end of the precinct and Pauline then pushes me the rest of the way to Morrisons. Once at Morrisons we start the shopping and gordon arrives at about 12.05. we get the shopping done and then decide to have a snack it is about 12.40. Gordon has a Bacon Bap, I have a Sausage Bap and Pauline has "posh" Prawn Sandwiches and we each have a coffee. once we have finished we load the shopping in the car and Gordon drives us home.

Pauline and Gordon
Homeward bound

Once we get home, we get the shopping and wheelchair indoors and then I make some coffee and we sit around and have a chat until 2.30 when Gordon and Pauline make there way home, and I make another coffee and then decide to get this Journal written. I had an update from the Estate agent today  and the Flat that I want to move into will be ready for me on the 4th August, as it is going to be redecorated and have new carpet,s in all rooms so that will be OK, just need to get it all sorted and moved which will make life a lot easier and more comfortable for me.

So the time is pushing so I am just going to check see how the Olympic torch relay is progressing, it seems to be going ok and today it is on day 41 and is on the way from Lincoln To Nottingham ( Robin Hood Country) The weather is not very kind to the runners today as the first Photo shows. There is torrential rain and thunderstorms on the way from Edwinstowe to Mansfield

Running in a Torrential Downpour

And in the next Photo could that be Robin Hood and Maid Marion welcoming the torch as it Passes through Sherwood Forest and stops in front of the Major Oak Tree

The torch at sherwood Forest

Sahara Sand

I noticed this morning after we had a short rain shower that all the cars in the road had a light layer of sand on them looking on the met office website it appears that late last week there was a large Dust storm in the Sahara desert and a large amount of sand and dust was swept up into the atmosphere. That dust cloud spread out into the atlantic before getting caught up in the southerly winds and being dragged over the UK and getting caught up in the humid and warm air which has brought Thunderstorms and heavy rain across the UK today. and to think I blamed it all on Pauline.

Well on that note I think it is time to run and hide until tomorrow, so I will leave you all with a cheerful Tatty bye and here is todays "Day in History" from 1919

Busy,Busy,Busy.

Well good morning folks and here we go again >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬ Look at me, I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree.  ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬

 ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬ And I feel like I'm clinging to a cloud.  ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬

 ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬ I can' t understand. ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬

 ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬ I get misty, just holding your hand. ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♩♬

Ella Fitzgerald. A True legend

That was the Song being played on the Radio this morning as I was in the Kitchen making my coffee "Ella Fitzgerald" What a singer, and a good choice of song for this morning as the Mist has certainly settled over Portsmouth Today.

Portsmouth harbour shrouded in mist.

EPC Certificate chappy

This is how Portsmouth was looking at 7.00 am this morning when I got out of bed. It is a busy day ahead of me today as when I got home from an evening round with my son last night I had a message on the answering machine about an appointment with the company that the estate agent has contacted about the Energy Proficiency Certificate (EPC) that is a legal requirement needed to sell a house these days over here in the UK, so I need to phone them at 9.00 am to arrange that ASAP. 

Fast forward to 8.20 >> >> >> >> >> >> Jo the carer arrives and disaster is looming, I open the door and poor jo is in a right state, " Good grief" Jo I say " What is up with you". are you any good with snails she said only there is a snail on the basket on my Bike. apparently Jo is petrified of snails and cant bear to touch them, and has been riding her bike this morning for  an hour or so frightened because of the Snail on there. I did suggest we cooked it with a bit of Garlic and had it with toast for breakfast but that did not impress her, anyway I remove the snail to some safe weeds in the forecourt and jo calms down. "Oh what an exciting life I lead" like a knight in shining armour to the rescue of a damsel in distress.

A Knight in shining armour.

Once jo is on her way and i am all washed and groomed then I text pauline, The Chap from the EPC Company phones and we have arranged for him to come round at 3.00 pm to do the certificate and the floor plan of the property so that will get that sorted, Pauline phones and all is OK with her, Pauline and gordon will be round at 5.15 for the viewing tonight at 5.30 so I now get some breakfast and settle down with the laptop for an hour or so.

My Estate Agents

It is now 1.00 and time for some lunch and an hour or so with the TV watching old sit coms before the man from the EPC Company arrives to carry out the inspection for the Energy Proficiency Certificate, he will also d a floor plan of the property as well. I also had a letter from the Estate agent today with a copy leaflet with the property details on that they send out to prospective buyers. The EPC man will be here at 3.00 and then I have another Viewing this evening at 5.30.


I will be putting this journal up early today as I will be busy from 3.00 onwards so I will now check on the Olympic Torch Relay for today. Today is day 40 and the torch is going from Grimsby to Lincoln Here we have Allan Ellinson abseiling with the Torch down the Royal Dock Tower in Grimsby.

Royal Dock tower Grimsby

The two smaller Photos show how they dress up in Skegness to greet the torch and also the residents of Wainsfleet Care home find a good place to watch the Olympic Torch Relay

Dressing up in Skegness

Wainsfleet Care home Residents 

British Summer.

I have just put the rubbish out in the bin and we seem to be having a light rain shower, so nothing new here for the weather this summer. It does not seem as though it will come to much so hopefully it will soon clear but I do not think we will see any sun today.

Well that is about it it is 2.45 so will get this posted early and then I am all ready for the rest of a busy afternoon and evening, so I will say Bye Bye until tomorrow and leave you with todays "Day in History" for 1967

The First Viewing Today.

Here we are again and another day dawns bright and early, Todays Journal will be quite a short affair today as I am going to have a busy and tiring day ahead of me as I have two prospective buyers coming to view the house today after lunch. I also need to contact the local council regarding a free collection and disposal of Bulky items ie 3 beds and mattresses that are no longer required as I have a Hospital Profile bed supplied by the NHS.

My adjustable Profile bed 

And as I am moving from a 3 bedroom  house to a 1 bedroom ground floor flat there are an awful lot of items to go. a lot will go to charity shops and some items to Family the rest will go to the recycling site or the local rubbish tip.

Bulky Item Collection

I had a decent nights sleep and was up and had my coffee by 8.00 and then checked e-mails and Facebook before phoning Portsmouth City Council to book my Free Bulky Item Collection. You have to phone at 8.30 on a tuesday as there are only a limited amount of collections and they are normally all taken by 9.30 on a Tuesday. I phone dead on 8.30 and am in a queue for 20 minutes and then speak to a advisor and I have a free collection booked for next Tuesday.

While I am waiting on the phone Jo the carer arrives I tell her to have a cup of tea, and then fill in the book and she can give me a quick wash once I am finished, so that is what she does.

Thank you Pauline.

I text Pauline and she is going to come up about 10.45 and then she will go upstairs and start sorting bits and pieces out and will stay until the two people who are viewing the property have gone. Pauline gets here about 10.55 and we go round to tesco express for a couple of thing and to get a sandwich each for lunchtime, then back home for a coffee and then pauline gets started upstairs.

go Polly go

I Potter around downstairs and at 1.00 we have lunch and then Pauline says that she is going back upstairs to vacuum the  bedrooms before the first viewer arrives at 2.45. The time is now 1.50 so I empty the little waste bins down here and get them outside ready for the normal rubbish collection on Thursday morning as my waste bins are outside in the forecourt. Pauline finishes upstairs and comes down so I make the coffee and we wait for the viewings.

The first Person arrives at 2.40 and also the estate agent, he looks around the house and leaves just as the second person arrives. both persons are builders and they buy to let as this is a prime location for lettings for the university students.
Anyway the estate agent says he will see me tomorrow at 5.30 with another person who is viewing, there is also another new viewer on Saturday morning at 10.00 am. It is strange sitting here while other people are walking around looking at the property so many strange emotions but it is something I need to do as I no longer have need of a 3 bedroom house where I cannot use the upper floor.

So there we go that is about my day, A day of mixed emotions really, but that was the first viewings over so perhaps the rest won't be as bad. so now I must not forget to check on the Olympic Torch Relay. It is day 39 today and the Torch is going from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. The photograph shows the "Cheering Crowd" at Conisbrough Castle, Doncaster.

" Conisbrough Castle, Doncaster"

Well that is about it for me today, I need to have a bit of a rest as it has been more stressful than I thought it would be so I will leave you with Todays "Day in History" for 1793 and will be back with a longer Journal tomorrow. so until then Adios.

"I love Selborne and the Gilbert white Museum"

A Sunny Monday.

Hi Ho, here we are at the start of another week, the excitement mounts as I fling myself out of bed , rush across the room, whip the curtains open and !!!! YES !!!!! it is true, the weather man did not lie it is a sunny day in Portsmouth. <<<<<<<<<<Rewind<<<<<<<<<<<<
Hi Ho, here we are at the start of another week, the excitement mounts as I ease myself out of bed, Hobble across the room, and slowly draw the curtains and !!!! YES !!!!! it is true, the weather man did not lie it is a sunny day in Portsmouth.

Sunshine on the Panel fence in the rear Garden

Blue sky and sunshine returns to Portsmouth and even the yellow roses in Jack and penny,s garden are in bloom, things are looking up, so into the kitchen, coffee made and into the lounge to await the carer. It is Jo,s day off today so it will be a stand in carer today. and here the story takes a twist.

Care Company

I am sitting with my coffee in the lounge checking my emails and facebook when the house phone rings. It is the lady from the care company to say the carer is at my front door "Wrong" I tell her "No the carer is not here" the lady says " Hold on a minute I will phone her", " She is at No. (**)" she says, "No number (**) is opposite me, no one there either" Deathly pause then she is back on the phone " She is in the wrong road she will be with you soon"  It is going to be a fun day today.

Alien Invasion

The carer eventually arrives at 9.40. Poor girl she has only been with the company for 2 weeks, I do not know how she got to the road she ended up in as the Client she was at before me is in the same road and only 22 houses down the road from me. it must be one of these unexplained events that happen to young blonde ladies either that or the Aliens are invading Portsmouth LOL

However The young ladies name is "Carmella" and is a very pleasant young lady,I explain what needs doing and she soon has me washed and groomed and ready for the day ahead, we have a nice chat and I make sure she knows where her next client is and then she is on her way.

Walkies

As she is leaving, the phone rings and it is Pauline, She has phoned to make sure all is Ok as I have not sent the morning text yet. it is nice to know that I have got people around me who will check to make sure all is OKAnyway Pauline is out on the common with Misty for her morning walk and we have a chat and then I get myself some breakfast.

For Sale Sign

Once I have had breakfast I settle down to watch a bit of TV and there is another Knock at the door, { it is like waterloo Station here today, can,t get any peace } I answer the door and it is the chap from the "sale board" company, he has come to put the For Sale sign up outside the house. so that was not expected yet as I am waiting to have the EPC certificate done as You cannot sell a property in the UK without one, anyway no problem so he gets on and puts that up.

Estate Agent

By now it is 12.30 and so it is time to get some lunch started I am going to do a "Cheese" Loaded potato skins today from scratch so it will take about 30 minutes so need to get those started, while that is cooking Leanne texts to see how I am and then the phone rings again, this time it is the Estate  agent to say that they have someone interested in the property and could they bring them round for a viewing tomorrow. Now Tuesday is my shopping day with Pauline so as long as it can be in the afternoon and Pauline can be here then that will be OK so they will bring them round tomorrow at 2.30. so that is OK.
By now my "Home Cooked Cheese Loaded potato skins are ready" is there no end to franks talent I hear you all cry. so I get them served up and enjoy lunch, it is a bit behind time today as it is nearly 1.30. once I have had lunch I get the washing up done and there is another Phone call from the Estate Agent to say that there is another viewing booked for 2.45 tomorrow so that is all right

"Cheese Loaded Potato Skins"

Loop Recorder

 Once everything is completed I then settle down with the laptop to check facebook and to catch up on my facebook games when the Postman delivers a letter from the Hospital ? I open that and it is a copy of the letter that the Consultant Cardiologist sent to my doctor to say that I had my "Loop Recorder Download" and that there were no "Brady or Tachyarrhythmias" so that is a good result.

The time is now 3.00 pm and I have done very little today and yet the time has flown by so I am now going to check out the Olympic Torch Relay and see how that is getting On. Today is day 38 and the torch is traveling from Leeds to Sheffield  The Photograph below shows the torch being carried through the county arcade in Leeds city centre

The County arcade in leeds

The better weather seems to have worked wonders as the crowds were out in force today along the whole route of the torch relay

Large crowds in Ackworth and Barnsley

So it is now 3.40 and I really must get todays Journal completed and posted to my blog so I will say tatty bye until tomorrow and leave you with the "Day in History" from 1910.