And the daily journal goes from strength to strength.

A great big HELLO to one and all to day, well here we are on another Thursday and the hot weather has made a return to the South Coast

Not only is it the start of another Thursday it is also the start of a new month so we say farewell to July and Hello to August the Eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars.

And in case anybody is interested the Birthstone for August is the Peridot or Onyx and the birth flower is the "Gladiolus or Poppy meaning Beauty, Strength of character, Love, Marriage and Family.

Gladiolus

and one other thing that I must mention today is that the number of people who are reading my daily Journal blog is increasing in Leaps and Bounds. I started the daily Journal on the First of July 2011 and in the first month I had 610 people read it, in the month of July 2012 2389 people read it and in the Month of July 2013 (Last month) 4,461 people read it and to get 4000 + people reading my journal a month is phenomenal.

And so back to today, it was a decent nights sleep last night although not as good as the previous few nights due to the fact that the nights got very humid again as the hot weather returns again, temperatures today have been reaching 27 C here which is about 81 F but it is nice to see the sun as I drew the curtains at 6.45 when I woke this morning, so after making my way to the bathroom and them making a coffee, which I took back to bed where I lazed listening to the local radio until 8.00 when I made my way into the lounge with another coffee

I need my Coffee

once in the Lounge I put on the Breakfast news on the TV and then send the morning text to Pauline, before getting some Porridge for breakfast and then checking out the emails and facebook on the laptop. about 8.45 Pauline phones to say that she is OK she is out on the common with Misty for the morning walk and although it is sunny and warm there is a bit of a mist over solent and the Isle of Wight is not visible, also a lot of the common is fenced off as they are putting up the marquees etc ready for the two day Southsea show this weekend.

Walking the dog

anyway Pauline is going to book a taxi for 11.00 and then will collect me and "Roland" the rollator and we will go down to morrisons to get the shopping, we will not be going to the city centre first so I will not need the wheelchair as we will go straight to morrisons and then straight back home afterwards so I will use the Rollator to get around the store and Pauline will push the trolley.

You don't need all that Pauline, Gordon will not be amused. 

However once I have spoken to Pauline I settle down to watch an episode of "Bonanza" that I recorded last weekend it is episode 5 from series 1 anyway at 10.30 I go and get a wash and shave and then get myself dressed ready for when Pauline arrives just after 11.00 and then we are off down to Morrisons to get the shopping.

What to wear ?

Once down at Morrisons we go round and get the shopping and then  once we have got what we wanted we go into the cafe area and have a coffee and a sausage roll each before going and paying for the shopping and then we get the Taxi back home, once indoors we get the shopping put away and then have a coffee before Pauline heads back home and I go for a lie down for 30 minutes.

Morrisons Fresh fish counter

Morrisons Fresh Veg Department

Once I have had my lie down for 30 minutes I go and make a coffee and take out into the back yard where all the shrubs are coming out in bloom and the array of colours is very pleasant, there are many Honey bees around collecting the pollen and also lots of butterflies fluttering around, it is very warm outside so only stay out for about 20 minutes before going back indoors at 3.30 and start the daily Journal.

Five Photographs of my back yard from today

So it is now 5.00 and it is time to get todays Journal posted and then start to get dinner ready for tonight, I got a nice piece of Sea Bass down at Morrisons today with a spig of Parsley and I am going to have that tonight with a Jacket Potato with Butter and grated cheese, and after that a nice Strawberry and clotted cream Yoghurt, so that should go down a treat, so I will end todays journal with a photograph of a sign that hangs inside my front door, This was made for me by my sister last year when I moved from my house into my ground floor flat, and it is something I read every day.

How true is this

So until tomorrow I will say....................

Forecast is Tropical storms on the way," But are They" ?????????????

Well you never know in this country at the moment so we will see but until then Welcome to Saturday.

Well again it was a decent nights sleep last night, although I must admit I did not get to bed until about 11.45 as I stayed up watching NCIS on the TV . Anyway slept through until 7.30 when I made a coffee and took back to bed until I got up and into the lounge to text Pauline at 8.15. Pauline phones back to say that all is OK with them so that is OK so I settle down to watch the morning news and weather forecast while having some cerea; and a Banana for Breakfast.

Forecast for 4.00 pm tday

Well although we have been forecast "Tropical Storms) for today this is the Forecast for 4.00 pm today for the Portsmouth Area and so far I have seen about a dozen drops of Rain ????? Oh Well perhaps we will get it tomorrow................

Forecast for 4.00 pm Sunday

................... Or perhaps not...........

Well the Methotrexate is playing games today so it is going to be a day of TV for today I think, anyway at 10.30 I take a walk round to the paper shop and get the morning paper and then back home, make a coffee and then settle down to Phone my son Gervase as they had problems last night with one of the cat.s catching a tiny little field mouse in the kitchen , so I just had to do this.

Mind you it was a very brave mouse to venture into a house with 5 cats roaming around, anyway after I had spoken to Gervase I settle down to read the paper and then have a lie down before getting myself some Chicken soup

after lunch I go onto the CBS Action channel as they are showing two episodes a day of Bonanza, and then after those two it is two episodes of Gunsmoke, so that is the afternoon,s Tv viewing taken care of.

Bonanza 1959 - 1973

Gunsmoke 1955 - 1975

Well it has been a nice restful day so far today and am looking forward to a nice night in front of the TV after dinner  watching the last two episodes from series 10 of NCIS and then at 9.00 it will be a nice movie the 2010 making of "Robin Hood " with Russell Crowe  and Kate Blanchett.

Robin Hood 2010 with Russell Crowe.

Ok so it is now 5.30 so I am going to get todays Journal posted and then  at 6.00 I can get dinner started so that I can settle down for the evening, so until tomorrow I will say..................

From my new friend Ant E Dote................ keep you eyes open for a new cartoon with Ant in it.

Its too Hot to be a Freaky Friday.

A Myositis ditty for the heat wave

I have come to the Conclusion, while sitting on my bed,

Feeling so exhausted, sweat dripping from my head.

We moan about the rain, the dullness and the cold,

We moan  about, our aches and pains, and that we're getting old,

But now we moan about the Sun, humidity and heat

and all about fatigue, and what we cannot eat,

Oh Happy Myositis, What have you done to me.

But now I really must go, I really need a Pee.

It really is another sweltering day her on the South Coast and I am just....................

So I had a very restless night last night, it was so warm that trying to sleep was really hard work, so I was only getting about 2 hours sleep at a time and then waking for 30 minutes and drinking water to cool down so at 7.00 this morning I decided that enough was enough and took a coffee into the lounge and opened the window, put on the fan and watched the breakfast news on the TV. The weather forecast the heat wave extending into next week with the humidity getting worse and possible thunder storms.

Five day weather forecast for Portsmouth UK.

at 8.30 I send the morning text to pauline and then get some breakfast of porridge before Pauline phones back to say that all is Ok and that she is about to take Misty out for her morning walk, anyway once I have spoken to Pauline I watch heir hunters on the TV and check out emails and facebook until 10.30 when I get the rollator and go round to get the paper and take a walk down to the local park, where I sit in the shade of the many trees and read the paper before heading back home about 11.45.

A Peaceful Milton Park in the Sunshine today

 Well as long as this weather keeps up then it should be another bumper weekend in southsea with families visiting the canoe lake and also the Bandstand in Southsea as they did last weekend.

Canoe Lake Southsea at the weekend

The Bandstand at Southsea Castle at the weekends

anyway it is too hot out for me today so once home from the park I have a lie down for an hour and then get myself a Sardine and Tomato Paste Sandwich for lunch, also a banana and a nice cup of cool de-caff tea before taking my 15 mg of Methotrexate and then spend the afternoon watching TV with the window open and the fan on until 3.30 when I start to get the daily journal written on the laptop.

Taking the weekly dose of Methotrexate

In the lounge with the Fan, Open Window and the TV.

Getting the Daily Journal Written on the laptop.

I always said I was 'Hot"

Well that is really all there was today, I am now just resting and watching TV while the Methotrexate circulates around and does its job, also the heat is very intense today although the fan is on and the window is open it is still 25C = 77F in the lounge, so I am doing very little apart from Perspire so I am going to get this Journal Finished and Posted and then have a stroll round to Tesco to get an ice cream. so until tomorrow I will say.................................

Not such a good day today:

I think it was to much indulging in different foods over the weekend, should really Know by now that I need to stay to a diet that I know suits my digestive system, but do I "NOPE" I do not so today is a day of sitting around watching movies on TV, Taking Gaviscon and feeling sorry for myself so all together now Awwwwwwwwwwwwww. anyway apart from that it is a lovely Sunny day here in southsea so Welcome to Monday.

not the best of days

Well an indifferent night last night, I did not sleep to badly but had a few digestive problems as I think I ate to much cake yesterday, It was some Gluten free Date and walnut cake, but I think it was the trouble digesting the walnuts that was the problem, also spent to much time walking around Asda as well, still not to worry it will settle down later today "I Hope" I also had a chicken and Pasta salad on Saturday evening and I don,t think that helped either, especially the sweetcorn, still thats another story, so today is going to be a day of rest. at least today is Prednisolone day and also Folic acid day.

well once I am out of bed at 8.45 I send a text to Pauline and then get some Gluten free Porridge for Breakfast, I have that and a coffee and then settle down with the laptop to check out the emails and facebook. Pauline phones to say that it is a nice warm sunny day today and she is about to take misty out on the common, Gordon phoned last night to say he will leave the Monday flat cleaning until tuesday this week as he wants to get his brakes replaced on the car today, Pauline said he got the parts this morning early and is now working on the car.

Well once I have chatted with Pauline and checked out facebook I get my shoes on and take a walk round to the Newsagents to get my daily paper before going back home and settling down to read the paper and get the crossword done. I then check my mobile phone messages as Pauline sent me a couple of Photo,s that she took when she and gordon were out yesterday so here is one of Gordon yesterday with Misty.

Gordon and Misty

Also Pauline sent a photo of Me and Misty when they brought Misty round to my flat to see me a couple of weeks ago.

Me and Misty in the flat

well the day is going along ok so far so that is good, an uncomfortable tummy and an aching right leg but apart from that I am as fit as a fiddle ( in need of restoration) anyway I go for a lie down for 30 minutes before getting some tinned tuna and crispbread for lunch while watching a very good Movie " The Ballad of Lucy Whipple" this is a 2001 Made for TV Movie starring "Glenn Close" , "Jena Malone", "Bruce McGill" and "Meatloaf" It is a very good film and I enjoyed it very much.

"The ballad of Lucy whipple 2001 TV Movie"

Michael Hordern

well once that has finished I go and make a chocolate "Complan Drink" and then settle down to watch the next Movie that is on This is the 1982 Made for TV adaptation of Walter Scott,s "Ivanhoe" starring "James Mason" and one of my Favourite actors the late "Michael Hordern" It is a very enjoyable film but I have to pause it half way through to go and get the vegetable prepared for tonight,s dinner back to the boring Fish with Cauliflower cheese and Potato, at least it is good for my digestive system after the weekend.

"Ivanhoe 1982 TV Film"

well the time is now 4.05 and the film Ivanhoe ends in 20 minutes and then it will be time to go and make a coffee before Pointless starts on BBC 1 at 5.15 and when that ends at 6.00 it will be time to go and get dinner cooked ready for 6.45, after that it will be an evening with the soaps and facebook games. so the tummy is settling down now thank goodness so I will get this journal finished and posted and then say tatty bye until tomorrow and a busy day shopping down the city centre with Pauline.

The End of an Era.

Today my Journal is dedicated to the demise of our last aircraft Carrier H.M.S Ark Royal which is making its last departure from its home port of Portsmouth.

Today is a very sad day for the People of Portsmouth, The Naval families of the UK, the Royal Navy and for the Security and safety of our Island. for today the last of the Royal Navy aircraft carriers is leaving Portsmouth Harbour at 1.00 pm and being towed to a scrap yard in Turkey for its scrap metal value which the Politicians of our Island Nation  think is worth more than the safety of the People they represent.

Why am I feeling like this you may ask, well the answer is simple, like many other people around the united Kingdom and (particularly in Portsmouth), we are related through the centuries to our ancestors being members of the Royal Navy ( The Senior service) dating back to the crimean war and beyond. My Great Great Grand father (Joseph Smith)was in the Royal Navy, based in Jersey in the 1850,s to the 1870,s and my Grandfather (John Michael Smith) was also in the royal Navy serving in world war one, My Maternal Grandfather (Frederick Hubbard was also in the Royal Navy again serving in World War one, and My Father was in the royal navy ( Albert Joseph Smith)  as were his Brothers and sister again all serving in the Second World War

Joseph Smith (Great Great Grandfather)

John Michael Smith (Grandfather)

Frederick Hubbard (Grandfather)

Albert Joseph Smith (Father)

So as you can see the family has a strong affiliation to the Royal Navy, so it is a sad day to see the Flagship of the Royal Navy being towed out of Portsmouth Harbour to be scrapped at a scrap yard in Turkey, although they are building new aircraft carriers these will not be operational until sometime in 2020 so until then our naval fleet has no air cover if there is another conflict.

Unfortunately I could not get down to see her leave, Pauline did offer to take me down but it was a dull day and it would have been very busy however I have found some photographs of her leaving and pauline did manage also to take a couple of pictures of her going past Southsea Common.

A large crowd gathering on the Round Tower

HMS Ark Royal leaving Portsmouth Harbour.

HMS Ark Royal being towed into the Solent

The view of HMS Ark Royal Taken by Pauline passing Southsea Common

so that is my day today, the end of another era and there will be a lot of sad faces around Portsmouth today. anyway sorry I have taken up most of todays Journal with this story but it is an important event here in Portsmouth especially as it is the home of the Royal navy and has been for centuries .

My day has been very quiet, I slept well last night and have had a very restful day today , I have spent most of the day watching the TV and following the news reports of the Ark Royal, I had my lunch at 2.00 and had Sea Bass, New Potato and Cauliflower cheese, and tonight for tea I will have some chicken soup, anyway it is nearly 4.00 so I will get this Journal posted and then settle down to watch a film "Home alone 3" which I recorded yesterday, so until tomorrow when I return with my normal Journey I will say Cheerio.