A Storm, A super moon, and Sunshine.

Welcome To Monday

Well after the tail end of Hurricane Bertha, and the super moon last night, all we need now is a visitor from outer space and the start of my week will be complete.

My Dream came true

So here we are on A Monday Morning, but Let me tell you first of the events of Yesterday. As you probably Know we were bracing ourself for the arrival of the tail end of Hurricane Bertha that has been tracking across the atlantic from the Caribbean

Here Comes a subdued Bertha

true to form the Storm reaches the western shores of England and Wales, late on Saturday Night and travels eastwards  reaching us here in Portsmouth in the early hours of Sunday Morning. there were several torrential downpour,s and Thunderstorms to begin with and some very high gale force winds which caused some very high waves along Southsea sea Front.

Southsea Promenade early Sunday Morning, Photo By Mike Walker.
Published by the Portsmouth Evening News.

Photograph by Helen Yates

By lunchtime the rain had cleared away Eastwards and Northwards, but the strong winds remained, To say we were lucky here is an understatement as most of the UK got it a lot worse than we did with Mini Tornadoes, Flash Floods etc, I think we were spared the worst as we are shielded by the Isle of Wight to the South and Portsdown hill and the Southdown,s to the North and also we are in a natural bay along the South Coast.

Showing Portsmouth in Relation to the Isle of Wight and the coast line

Showing Portsmouth in relation to France and the English Channel.

However the Isle of wight got some really heavy storms as did some of the villages inland from Portsmouth but the storm affected Wales and the Midlands and the North of England far worse than we did, also the east coast got hit quite badly as well.
The weather cleared  and had settled down a little bit in the afternoon so my Son Gervase was able to come and take me shopping at 2.00 pm, we went to Sainsbury,s up at Farlington,
There were some heavy gusts of wind along the dual carriage on the way up to Farlington, but not to bad, anyway we were back home by 4.30 so after that it was a nice evening of relaxing and watching the TV, until bed time at 11.00,

Sainsbury,s at Farlington

As I said earlier we were back home by 4.30 so I put the shopping away and made a coffee and sat down for a chat with Gervase, He left about 5.30 to head home to Leanne and I get my Dinner cooked, a nice Steak Burger with Broccoli, Sprouts, Potato and Gravy, followed by Tropical fruit salad in Jelly ( which Pauline made for me) and then an evening of Facebook and TV until bed at 11.00.

There was also a full moon last night, what they call a Super Moon, apparently it is the nearest it has been to the earth for a generation and the next time is in 20 years time, Perhaps this has something to do with the weather ???

The Moon above the Houses

I went to take a picture with my Phone, it is not that good as too much light in the city but at least you can see it

Its Time for Bed

Well I had a decent nights sleep and woke at 6.00 am this morning feeling not to bad, I know I am Ok as I got out of bed without falling on my butt, so that was a bonus. anyway as is the norm at the moment, I make a coffee and just do a quick check on Facebook on the Laptop.

I Want My @@*&@@ Breakfast

1 hour later I am still there I blame the Australians. On the Australasian myositis support group, so I wrote a little poem and put on there this morning for them.

For Amber and Barry and all those people on the Australasian Support Group.

 Once I had managed to drag myself away from Facebook, I get myself some Breakfast of Wheatabix and the obligatory Four  prunes and then get washed and dressed, before going back to Facebook to check out the other Global Myositis Support Groups,

There are 4 Myositis support groups all together and there are links to them on the left hand side of this blog under Facebook Groups, the 4 groups are.

• Myositis support and Understanding (USA Based)
• Myositis Friends support Group  (UK Based)
• Myositis Support Australasia. (Australian Based)
• Myositis-Canada. (Canada Based)

These 4 Groups are closed groups and are for People that have one of the forms of "Myositis" or who is affected by Myositis i.e. Spouse, carer, relative, medical professionals, Although based in one of the 4 countries as listed that are open to people from all over the world, and because of the time differences around the Globe, they are truly a global 24 hour a day support group.

There are other myositis Facebook groups such as the Ramblers KIT Group plus others there are also links to those on the left hand side of this blog under Facebook Groups.

Anyway once I have posted and checked out all the Myositis sites I then go and get my daily paper down the local shop and have a walk around the block on the way home, I am only out for about 20 minutes, as the wind is still very strong, once back home it is a nice coffee and settle down to read the paper and do the crossword,s before going for a lie down for 30 minutes before getting some lunch at 1.00 lunch time.

Going to Settle down with the paper

today I am having some John West Canned Smoked Mackerel fillets with Toast for my Lunch.

These are really nice on Toast.

Well that was very tasty, healthy and filling, so now to settle down to watch the news and get this Journal started. as it is now 1,45.

Now it is 3,30 and I am just finishing the Journal so now to get it Posted and then start getting myself sorted and decide what to have for dinner tonight, something with a jacket Potato I think, anyway that is about it for today, the rain has kept off, but the wind is getting stronger, so until tomorrow I will say .............

Time is flying By.

I just cannot believe that it was last Thursday that I wrote my last "Daily ???" Journal it seems to be heading to a weekly Journal, still the good thing is that I have just about made up my mind what spec I need for my new larger screen computer so once that has been purchased I will hopefully be back writing Journals on a Daily Basis. so all I can say is thank you for being patient with me while I get my vision and computer sorted and welcome to................

Friday 20th September 2013

Much like any other Freaky Friday, Friday came and went I slept pretty well on Thursday night and was up about 8.30 on Friday morning. after sending the morning text to Pauline I got my breakfast and then settled down to catch up with the news on the local radio, Pauline phoned to say that all was ok with her, Gordon had spent the night over in Salisbury with his son, and he was due back after work this afternoon.

Talking to Pauline on the phone

Once I had finished talking to Pauline I got myself dressed and then took a stroll with the rollator around to the local co-op store to get some milk and the daily paper before having a stroll down to the eastney health centre to hand in my repeat prescription form and then headed back home it was a 3 mile round trip but I took it easy and enjoyed it. Once back home I settle down with the radio and to read the paper and get the crossword done.

Doing the Crossword in the daily paper

The rest of the day went by pretty much as it usually does, Gervase phoned about 1.30 to say he was at Leeds railway station ready to get his train home, he has been up in leeds since Tuesday with work , so is looking forward to getting back home to leanne.
I got dinner ready for 6.50 as usual and then after dinner settled down to watch the TV and to take my 15 mg of Methotrexate, and then was ready for bed at 10.30.

Its another Freaky Friday

Saturday 21st September 2013

and today dawned bright and sunny and also today is Myositis Awareness Day

So Saturday started like all my days with texts, phone call,s and breakfast. It was a decent nights sleep again last night, it is funny but since I have curtailed the amount of time spent on my laptop I am certainly sleeping better and am not having the headaches and vision problems that I was getting, so that is a positive for my Eye,s.....

Gervase Phoned at about 11.00 to say that he will be round to take me shopping at 12.00 he will be going to Fratton Park at 3.00 for the football as he is a Pompey season ticket holder and on the weekend that Pompey are playing home at Fratton Park we go shopping on the Saturday as I only live about a 5 minute walk away from the football stadium.

Frogmore road entrance to Fratton Park

Gervase arrives at about 11.50 so we decide that due to the  problems of the increase in traffic on match days around Portsmouth which is a city of mainly victorian terraced houses and narrow victorian roads that we would walk down to the Bridge centre at Fratton and go to Asda. It is about a mile away so I said that I will walk with the Wheelchair  and then when I have had enough Gervase could push me as it happens I walk all the way there, around Asda and all the way back home pushing the wheelchair so really pleased with that, it means that I walked 3 miles on Thursday with the Rollator and 2 miles Saturday with the wheelchair so am really feeling positive at the moment.

The Bridge Centre and Asda at Fratton.

Well once we were back home Gervase went off to meet his mates for Football and I made a coffee and then went for a lie down for an hour or So. Gervase came in on the way home from Football at 5.00 pm, Pompey lost 0-1 so not a happy chappy.

Framed print of the "Pompey" Sailor Mascot

Anyway he collects his shopping and then makes his way home to Leanne while I get my dinner cooked and then settle down to an evening of TV.

Sunday 22nd September 2013

And so we go into Sunday, legs are a bit achey after yesterday but I slept well so a couple of co-codamol to ease the pain and I am fit and ready for a busy Sunday. after all the usual bits and pieces I go round to Tesco express to get my daily paper and some milk and then back home to settle down with the paper and to catch up on saturdays recordings of Bonanza on the sky box.

Bonanza

well Pauline and Gordon are coming down later this morning at about 11.30, anyway at 11.00 I get a phone call from Pauline,s sister Fran to say that her, Colin and Stewie are down in Southsea and are going to come in and see me, so that is a nice surprise so they arrive about 11.40 and Pauline and Gordon arrive at about 11.50. so it s a flat full of visitors and it is a really great time to see them all here, however Fran, Colin and Stewie make a move at about 12.10, and them Pauline and Gordon are going to sort out my front forecourt and also the back yard to get everything trimmed back and tidied up for the winter. They are here for a good 4 hours and I help with what I can which really is not a lot but at least I can make the teas and coffee,s, me and gordon go over to B&Q to get a couple of shrubs to put in pots and also a rose bush to plant in the front.

The Front courtyard with new pots and rose planted

A Tidy and clean back yard

Once it is all done Pauline and Gordon head back home and I go and relax in the recliner before getting dinner at 6.30 and then watching TV until bed time at 11.00 pm.

Monday 23rd September 2013

Not much to say about Monday, It was a great nights sleep on Sunday night and Monday was a very warm and sunny day, I was up at 8.30 and after the normal bits and pieces took a walk around the block and along Devonshire square where I got my Paper and milk from the local co-op before heading back home to spend a little bit of time giving the front courtyard and back yard a sweep and a hose down before settling down with the paper and some TV.

Devonshire Avenue Portsmouth

At 2.00 I get some Sardines and Crispbread for lunch before settling down to watch a couple of old episodes of "Gunsmoke" which I recorded on Sunday afternoon.

Gunsmoke with James Arness 1955

at 6.00 I do myself some Chicken in White wine sauce with Brown rice for dinner and then settle down to watch emmerdale at 7.00 and then at 9.00 it is Doc Martin so that is a good relaxing evening and then off to bed at 10.30 after the 10.00 News.

Emmerdale 

Doc Martin starring Martin Clunes

Tuesday 24th September 2013

And so here we are at Tuesday and I have caught up with myself. well here we are on a very bright and sunny Tuesday in the middle of September. well it is going to be an interesting day today as I am going to a meeting of the " Health and Social Care overview Group" at the Frank Sorrell centre Southsea. it is at the rear of Eastney Health centre where my doctors surgery is, It is about 1.5 miles from my flat and I am going to take a slow stroll down with my rollator and see how I go, I walked it last week when I took my repeat prescription down.

This is the Rollator that I need

anyway after texting and speaking to Pauline and also having breakfast I get myself ready and then at about 9.55 I set of to take a gentle stroll down to the Frank Sorrell centre, I get there at about 10.20 so it has taken me about 30 minutes to walk the 1½ miles. anyway It was a good meeting and I really enjoyed it and will enjoy being involved in the community health and social care program. I have also been invite to take part in a meeting on Thursday which is the Portsmouth Disability Forum, Open Access Forum which focus,s on issues relating to physical access to services and transport for all disabled people. "What have I let myself in for ?"

Well at least it will get me out of the flat and get me meeting other people and also to get involved within the community, once the meeting had finished and I said my goodbye,s I went round to the health centre to pick up my prescription for prednisolone and Methotrexate which I will get made up tomorrow, and then as I have to go tomorrow for blood tests I also arranged to have my Flu vaccination tomorrow as well, so that will work out well, I then head back home collecting my paper and some milk on the way. once I am back home I make a coffee have a sandwich for lunch and then settle down to get this journal written.

Writing my daily Journal

well it has got warmer and sunnier as the day has gone on, it has been brilliant blue sky today and a temperature in Southsea of 24C/75F so a nice warm day. It has been a really great day today met some new people and walked 3 mile with the rollator so well pleased with myself, anyway it is now 4.45 so I will close this now and hopefully I will get the next journal written on Friday/Saturday so until then I will say ...............

So Far so Good this week

Well after a really crap weekend of Methotrexate and Constipation At last I can honestly say that I am not yet ready to "Roll over and let this Myositis take over my life". So In the words of the Frank Sinatra Song "I did it My Way"

As most of you know I had a pretty rough three days this weekend but I was determined not to miss meeting up with a Distant relative from Canada who was visiting the UK and who I had arranged to meet on Monday, so as the words from the 1936 song by Jerome Kern goes, it was a case of "Pick myself up, Dust myself down and Start all over again"

Quite a musical Journal today isn't it.....................

Following the chat with my GP on Friday I have increased the Lactulose Dose which is so much better for me and also since friday I have increased my prednisolone from 10 mg alternate days to 10 mg every day and feel like a new man so the first achievement  was to go with Pauline and Gordon to Meet Dean Hubbard and his Daughter Hayley who are over from Canada on Monday.

Monday 19th August 2013

We met them at Portsmouth harbour railway station at 11.00 am and spent the day in old portsmouth with them until the caught the Train back to London at 6.00 pm a very enjoyable 7 hours.

Me and Dean looking at Family photo,s in the Cafe at Portsmouth Dockyard

Dean, Hayley and me with HMS Victory in the background. Portsmouth Dockyard

Dean and Hayley at the top of the Spinnaker tower, Gunwharf Quays Portsmouth

Gordon in the stocks at Portsmouth Dockyard

Pauline and Hayley at the Historic dockyard with HMS Warrior in the background.

Lunch at the Slug and lettuce in Gunwharf Quays

Dean and Hayley on the shore at Old Portsmouth, Isle of Wight in the distance.

Dean and Hayley on the waterfront at Gunwharf Quays.

Memorial to the British and Canadian Royal Navy,s for Minesweepers and Escorts.

Quebec house, Bath Square, Old Portsmouth,

Bath Square was one of the earliest known sites for the recreational use of salt water, which took place in what is now Quebec House.

The bathing house was built in 1754, with the baths connected to the harbour by pipes.

The name Quebec House comes from the 19th century when the bathing house became part of the Quebec Hotel – so called because its weatherboarding was used chiefly in the North American colonies.

The building was saved from falling into the sea by John Henry Pounds.

So all in all Monday was a very enjoyable day but also very tiring so it was early to bed on Monday night.

Tuesday 20th August 2013

Well after a really great day yesterday , today it is another Tuesday shopping day, Pauline and gordon came down at about 11.00 o,clock and while gordon stayed at my flat to give it the weekly clean, Pauline and I went down to the city centre to get some shopping and pick up a prescription from boots, it was a decent couple of hours out in the sunshine and I got the shopping today to take me through until I go out shopping with Gervase on Sunday, I am still taking 10 mg of Prednisolone every day up until thursday as we are out shopping today and I have dentist on Thursday so I will go back to 10 mg on alternate days on Friday, but will have a chat with my Neurologist when I see him in a fortnight about going back to 10 mg Prednisolone every day, at least that way I can Function and have a decent quality of daily life.

Shopping in the Arundel Street Precinct, City Centre

Pauline,s Favourite Charity Shop in the Arundel Street Precinct

Once we had got all the shopping we wanted we get a Taxi back home where Gordon makes the coffee and then after a chat Pauline and Gordon head home, and I make a coffee and then settle down with the TV until dinner at 6.00 . One thing is that I kept getting told of by Pauline today as she was pushing me around Tesco in the wheelchair as I kept singing the chorus from the 1988 "Prefab Sprout song "King of Rock N Roll" but kept changing the words from " ♬♬♬Hot dog, Jumping Frog, Albuquerque♬♬♬" to "♬♬♬ Big bum,s, Wobbly tum,s, down at Tesco ♬♬♬". and if you shop in Tesco or Asda in Portsmouth, you will know what I mean.

Wednesday 21st August 2013

So here we are at Wednesday and still feeling Good so after a decent nights sleep and a chat to Pauline I decide to go for a stroll with the Rollator and went down to get my Paper and some Milk and ended up in Milton Market, so went into Bransbury park and had a coffee in the "Art Cafe" and sat in the garden for half an hour reading the Paper before strolling back home, where I had a coffee and a lie down. a most enjoyable Morning so thank you Prednisolone.

The Art Cafe, Bransbury Park, Milton, Portsmouth

The Garden in bloom at Bransbury Park

After I had my lie down I made a coffee and then my Brother Pat came in to see me for an hour, it is a couple of months since I last saw Pat , although we do speak on the phone, he was down in Portsmouth doing some work so came in for a chat and a cup of tea, once pat had left I had a spot of lunch and then got started on todays Journal.

It is now 4.20 so I am going to get this journal finished and posted and then settle down to watch some TV until dinner at 7.00 and an evening of TV. so all in all increasing my Prednisolone up to 10 mg a day is the way I need to go and also by increasing my Lactulose to 10 ml twice a day my digestion and bowel movement has improved and also I have not needed to take my Lansoprazole as I am not getting the acid reflux so probably the lactulose has helped in that. so I think that as I said at the beginning I will do what my body tells me to do and do it My Way.

So until the next journal on Freaky Friday I will say....................