Exciting or What

Well that was not a very good experience out shopping with Pauline today, Tesco are getting worse and worse. still only 14 more days to christmas and then it will all be back to normal.

Cold Day Today

The day started off well enough I had a decent nights sleep last night slept through from 11.45 until 6.45 this morning so that was Ok, Got up at 8.00 to get a coffee and then into the lounge with the TV and the laptop, to check out my emails and facebook and to wait the arrival of Carol my carer. It is a lot colder today with a heavy frost all around so glad that the heating is on

Getting Dressed.

Carol arrives at 8.45 and is absolutely frozen with the cold, the car keeps getting iced up and she has to keep clearing the car screen and windows between clients, the sun is starting to come out but the roofs of the houses are still covered in Frost. anyway once she has me washed and groomed she is on her way so I text pauline and get some Porridge for Breakfast. Pauline Phones back about 10.00 to say that she will be booking a taxi for 11.00 to come and collect me to g shopping down the city centre. so I watch a bit of  TV until 10.30 when I get a shave and get dressed ready to go out.

Well Pauline arrives at 11.10 and once we have the Wheelchair in the Taxi we are of down town and get dropped at the Post office to get the christmas cards Mailed. The one to my Cousin Maureen in Canada was posted last week and all the ones for home were posted today."Job Done".

Main Post office in Slindon Street. Portsmouth.

Anyway once we had got the letters posted at the inflated postal charges, (50 p for a second class letter),  we then make our way down to the precinct to Barclays bank, and then we have a coffee at the Coffee bar on the precinct. The next stop was Marks and Spencer for Pauline and then over to Holland and Barrett for some Gluten Free Biscuits and some honey bars, and then into the Nationwide Building Society

Nationwide Building Society Portsmouth

Taxi Home

Once we had finished in the Nationwide it was into Tesco to get some lunch and also the food shopping, well I was very unimpressed with the Tesco Cafe today, so much so that I will probably not eat there again , in fact the whole Tesco store is going downhill here in Portsmouth with Mis-priced goods on the shelf, Unhelpful staff and aisles blocked with cages of goods waiting to go on shelves and no one working them, They had run out of soup ( This was 1.15 lunchtime) they had a jacket potato which I was going to have and Pauline was going to have a Sausage roll apart from that they had no food at all apart from a few chips and baked beans, anyway then they decided that they did not have any sausage rolls so I decided that in that case we would forget it so we went and paid for the shopping and then went out and had soup and a Sausage roll at Greggs( not Gluten free though). after that we got a Taxi home.

Beware of Raynaud's

Once we are Home we get the shopping put away and then I make a coffee, My feet are absolutely freezing and my toes are almost "50 Shades of Grey", well at least 45 so I get my shoes off and put on my wool slipper socks and also my warm slippers  and it takes about 30 minutes to get the circulation returning, I do hate this disease and the Raynaud's and everything else it brings with it

My Brother Pat

Pauline leaves at about 2.30 so I get a coffee and start to get this Journal written, anyway I can't concentrate as my feet are hurting so I watch a bit of TV and nod of in the Recliner until 4.00 pm when I suddenly wake up with a start, I think the cold weather has taken its toll on me today so perhaps going out for so long in the cold is a "no go" anyway make another start on the journal and it is soon approaching 5.30, when my Brother Pat Phones, He is over in B&Q doing a job and is going to come in and see me, and have a coffee. it is so nice to see him and we have a good old natter and a coffee until he leaves at 6.45 to go and do another job on the way home.

So Now it is time to get some dinner and it will be a quick meal of Salmon and Mash Potato tonight as it is 6.45 and I have a Taxi coming at 7.30 to take me down to see Gervase and Leanne, so I will have to finish the Journal later when I return home, I put the salmon and Potato,s on to cook at 6.30 so dinner is ready for 7.00, by the time I have finished dinner it is nearly time for the taxi to arrive.

Well it is 9.30 pm  and I am back home after a nice 2 hours down with Gervase and Leanne, but it is very cold out tonight, it is -0.5 C here in the city and a heavy frost is starting to settle. Leanne,s dad "Dave was also down tonight as well so he gives me a lift home so that is good. so now to get this journal finished and Posted so I will leave you with a couple of Seasonal cartoons I have found and hopefully back to the normal time tomorrow.

Its another Sunny but Cold Monday

and here we are at the start of another week, This is going to be a busy week as I need to get all my Christmas shopping and cards done this week as next week it is going to be manic down the city centre so I want to stay well away from there.

A Happy Morning Coffee

And so the countdown continues, anyway back to today and I had another good nights sleep last night, went to bed a bit later last night at 11.00 and listened to the radio for an hour until 12.00 when I got off to sleep, slept through until 6.20 this morning when I needed the bathroom and then went back of to sleep until 8.10. as I have no carer on a monday, I lazed in bed until 9.00 when I got up, dressed and into the kitchen to make a coffee before going into the lounge to watch the end of the breakfast news.

An excellent fruit and Honey bar
From Holland and Barrett

Anyhow once I have had my coffee I text Pauline and she Phones back to say all is OK and that Gordon will be round later for a couple of hours cleaning for me, so once we are off the phone I have a Banana, Yoghurt and a Manuka Honey bar for breakfast (all Gluten Free) i then settle down with the TV until Gordon arrives about 11.15.

Once Gordon arrives I make a coffee and we sit and have a good old chat, Gordon said that he and Pauline had a nice time down in Weymouth over the weekend so that was good, anyway Gordon starts the cleaning and I take a walk round to Tesco Express to get a paper, it is a nice bright day here with clear blue skies and Sunshine so after I get my paper take a walk along goldsmith avenue to frencham road and come home that way, it tired me out a bit but I enjoyed being out in the fresh air.

Reading the Paper

Once back home I settle down to read the paper until Gordon has got all the cleaning and dusting done, and then we have a coffee and a biscuit before gordon does the vacuuming in the Lounge and Bedroom and washes the Kitchen and Bathroom floors. 

Writing my daily Journal.

The time has gone very quickly to day and once gordon has finished and loaded everything in his car we have another coffee and then Gordon makes his way home. it is now 1.00 and time for the lunchtime news on the TV, so I get a piece of Smoked Haddock into the oven to cook for lunch and then watch the lunchtime news. after 20 minutes the fish is ready so I get a couple of Crisp bread and butter them with Flora Gluten Free Spread from Morrisons and that is what I have for lunch, I do so like Smoked haddock cooked in Butter. Loverly. anyway once lunch is over I go and have a lie down until 3.00 pm when I go back into the lounge to get this journal started and also to check out my emails and Facebook.

Christmas Cards

Well folks sad to say that is as exciting as my Monday has got I am afraid, the next few days should prove a little more exciting as tomorrow it will be the start of the christmas shopping and also the weather is expected to take a turn for the worst, so I will get this journal posted, get dinner on cooking at 6.00 and then after dinner I will have to get my christmas cards written and into envelopes ready for Posting Tomorrow.

So until the Christmas shopping expedition with Pauline tomorrow I will say Tatty Bye.

could not get my new TV today. Bah Humbug

And Welcome to the Sunday Edition one and all.

Snug and warm in Bed

Well here we are then on another Sunday, it is another bright and Sunny day in Portsmouth and as I have no carer today I can have a lie in, got off to sleep about 11.30 last night and slept through until 3.30 when I needed to use the bathroom and then back to sleep until about 8.00 this morning so a nice sleep. anyway lazed in bed with a coffee until 9.30 when I thought that I had better get up and get some breakfast, otherwise I would stay here all day in the snug and warm.

Todays Breakfast, Gluten Free

Once I am up out of bed and dressed I go into the lounge with a coffee and fire up the laptop, ready to check out my emails and Facebook. the heating is on so I get myself some Gluten free Breakfast of Porridge, which goes down a treat and as it is 10.00 am I text Pauline to let her know all is Ok here. I Receive a text fro Pauline,s Sister Fran to make sure all is OK with Me, so that was nice as she has text me twice a day over the weekend as Pauline and Gordon have been down in Weymouth, since Friday visiting friends. I is really appreciated and also Fran,s Husband Colin comes in for a chat normally on a Wednesday when he takes Stewie for his medical appointment  down at the Medical centre in Fratton way.

Time for a Shave

Anyway the time is going past quite fast this morning, by the time I have done the washing up and spent some time on facebook it is 12.30 and gervase phones to say he will be round at about 1.30 to 2.00 to take me shopping, we are going to look at getting a new TV and stand today as well as the food shopping so am looking forward to that, so time to get a shave and get ready for when Gervase gets here. Once I am ready I have a Banana and a coffee as I had a late breakfast and then I watch a bit of TV until Gervase gets here.

Well Gervase arrives at 1.40, I am all ready so grab my coat and stick and off we go, we are going to go to Ocean retail park to have a look in Currys and PC World so first we go to the Morrisons up there to get the food shopping.

Morrisons at Anchorage Park.

Once we have parked the car we go and get the shopping, I walk with a trolley and it does not take long to get the items that we want and then we pay at the tills and go back to the car and then head of to Ocean retail park to get a couple of Items from Halford,s and also to hopefully get me a new TV. Once we reach Ocean Park we o into Halford,s and get Gervase the Engine Oil that is for his car, he does not need it but it is best to have some anyway we also get a foot pump as well so that he has everything he requires for basic maintenance checks.

Halford,s at Ocean Retail Park.

32 inch Samsung smart TV

We then go into Currys which is next door to Halford,s to look at a new TV for me. At the moment I have a 21 inch wide screen but find that in this flat because the room is bigger than my old lounge I need a larger screen size so I am going to get a 32 inch Wide screen. I did think about a 40 inch but I feel that would probably be to big, so I am going for a Samsung 32 inch Smart TV and a new TV stand as well. anyway I decide which TV and Stand I want, Gervase goes off to find a sales assistant so we can Purchase them, and I find a x]chair to sit down as the legs are starting to ache now, and buying the TV and stand, we left the wheelchair at home otherwise there would not have been enough room in the car,  but Guess what, Yep! The TV is out of stock Oh well never mind, we will look in PC World.

Currys, Ocean Retail Park.

  So we have a look in PC World but they have not got a awful lot in the way of TV here, had a quick peep at the new Macbook pro,s with the retina displays but to expensive for me so my old 3 year old laptop will have to last me a bit longer, disappointed we could not get the TV or stand as gervase could have set it up for me, Oh well will have a look when we get home and see if I can get one on line.

PC World, Ocean Retail Park.

This was me in the 1950,s.
not anymore LOL

So it is back to the car and head of Home. Once indoors we get the shopping put away and then gervase has to go round to waitrose to get something for leanne and then comes back for 10 minutes, I have gone on line and I have ordered the same TV online from argos and also a stand for delivery before Christmas so that is Ok. Gervase heads of home and I go on to face book before getting this Journal started, trouble is to much walking today so the legs are very achey this evening so I will not be doing much tonight but then again thinking about it I never Do LOL.

Well that is the journal finished, it is now 6.15 and dinner is on cooking, roast chicken tonight with Organic Vegetable and a home made Gluten free gravy, so am looking forward to that, it should be ready by 6.40 so I will get this Posted so until tomorrow I will say Cheerio.

Christmas is closing in only 17 days to go.

Well here we are on another Saturday. It was not a god nights sleep last night, I did not get off to sleep that early as Marion next door was having a party which went on until the early hours, not that I minded as she is a nice lady and she had the decency to let me know a couple of weeks beforehand and said to let her know if it was to loud, but It was not that loud and I liked listening to the music anyway. The Gluten free diet went well yesterday so hopefully it will go as well today, the only problem I will have is devising how to make a cheese sauce to go with my salmon tonight, at least it will get the old brain cells working

"A Special Mention"

Pauline and Gordon have gone down to Weymouth this weekend to see a friend of Gordon's who has moved down to Weymouth from Scotland, I think the Lady in Question tried to keep it secret but somehow " Gordon the Haggis" found Out LOL.

anyway Pauline sent me a photo of gordon all dressed up in his best clothes last night.

A Dedicated follower of fashion

Now that is what I call Smart LOLOLOLOLO.

anyway I said to Gordon,s friend "its a braw bricht moonlicht nicht oot" , "ye gang oot the nicht  

I will not repeat her Reply,anyway to celebrate Pauline and Gordon,s visit to Weymouth 

I composed a little ditty.

We had a little Haggis

It sat upon our lap

It made us feel at home you see

Because we left behind the cat.

I wonder if a haggis is gluten free anyway enough of this frivolity it is just being very juvenile on my part to be writing stuff like this on such a professional daily journal so I will stop this at this point so just to show that I can be mature I will leave just one very professional picture.

So now we take a step back to reality, Carol the carer arrives at 8.50 and we have a chat and she soon gets me ready for the day ahead, once Carol has made her way to her next client I text Pauline and then I get some 'Gluten free Cornflakes for breakfast. once I have had those I settle down to listen to the radio for 30 minutes before getting dressed and taking a walk round to the Tesco express to get some milk and the daily paper. It is a very nice bright winter morning today as you can see from the view from my Kitchen door taken this morning.

A Nice Sunny Morning today

Anyway once I have my paper I walk around the block in the Sunshine and then back indoors to make a coffee and to read the paper and get the crossword done. While I am doing the crossword I get a Text from Pauline,s Sister Fran to see that all is OK with me so that is nice of her. once I have text Fran back I then make another coffee and go online to check out facebook and my emails. and the time is getting on and it is nearly lunch Time, Gordon Phones from Weymouth to say that they are OK down there and are just off out soon round to the shops. 

Weymouth in the Summer

Todays lunch

Anyway the time is now getting on for 1.00 so before I settle down to an afternoon of movies I will get myself some lunch of Scrambled egg with a couple of Gluten free Crisp bread and then I will settle down to an afternoon of Christmas movies on the Christmas 24 Channel as I am getting the lunch prepared Gervase phones to see that I am OK. he slept well last night after his 2 days up in Leeds and he and Leanne are going out later this afternoon down to Gunwharf quays to see and extended showing of the Jack Nicholson Movie "The Shining" at the art Theatre.

Entertainment at Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

So, Once lunch is over I get the washing up done, make a coffee and settle down to watch the christmas movie "Santa Who ?" Santa Who is a movie made for TV in 2000 staring Leslie Nielsen.

Santa Who ? 2000

Well that was quite a good film, it is now time to get this journal finished and posted to my blog and while I am doing that I will be watching/listening to the next Christmas movie which is "Christmas Song" this is a made for TV Movie 2012 starring Natasha Hendstridge.

Christmas Song 2012

 so there we are here I am watching "Christmas Song" with a nice Coffee and I am now going to get this journal posted and then I have an evening of old movies on the TV and playing around on Facebook "Heaven" so until tomorrow I will say Adios Amigo,s

Another Freaky Friday is upon us.

♬ ♬ ♬ Its Methotrexate Friday, Methotrexate Friday ♬ ♬ ♬
♬ ♬ ♬ La la lala, La la lala ♬ ♬ ♬
♬ ♬ ♬ I,m taking it at lunchtime, Taking it at lunchtime ♬ ♬ ♬
♬ ♬ ♬ La la lala. La la lala ♬ ♬ ♬

and so it goes on but I won't bore you any further

So here we are at another Friday and guess what folk ? Yep, there are only 18 more days to go until christmas.

Panic time

Well as we start the day I can say that last night was a decent nights sleep, I slept from about 11.30 until 8.20 this morning, apart from when I woke at about 3.30 to go to the bathroom, and then it was a panic to get the morning coffee made and into the lounge ready for my carer who just happened to arrive at 8.35 today, but anyway I was ready so that was ok.

Watch out, here comes Carol

Anyway carol my carer is early today as she has a early finish today so she is looking forward to that so it does not take her long to get me sorted for the day ahead and then she is on her way, Her car is in for an mot today so she is driving her partners car and it is a lot bigger than her car so she is not happy driving it, and he keeps phoning to make sure she is OK as the last twice she has driven it she has had minor accidents. He is a brave man letting her drive it again.

Anyway Once carol has gone I text pauline and then Get myself some Breakfast. Pauline phones back to say that they are up in Salisbury to do the two jobs up there and then they are going of down to Weymouth to visit friends for the weekend, and will be back on Sunday so hope the weather stays dry for them.

Now Today is my first full day of going on a Gluten free diet, I am looking forward to it and will be interesting to see if it helps with my Digestion and my IBS, so I will see how it goes for a month and if it helps, hopefully it will so For Breakfast I have a bowl of Nairn's Gluten Free Instant porridge with a Banana. This is easy and simple to make and takes 2.5 minutes in a 800w Microwave.

Once I have had breakfast I decide that I will wrap up warm and go round to the Tesco express to get a morning paper, But before that I need to give the Vegetable and chicken soup that I have in the  slow cooker a stir. When I was out with Pauline shopping yesterday I got some fresh vegetable stew pack and a couple chicken breast quarters on the bone and I will be having one for dinner tonight and one is in the slow cooker with the vegetable to make a soup for lunch. I will make enough for 3 days lunch for less than £2.00 GBP. and totally Gluten Free.

Chicken and Vegetable soup cooking in the Slow Cooker.

Once I have given that a stir I get my outdoor clothes on and head out into the cold to get my Morning Paper, It is a nice bright winter morning out there today although it is cold and crisp with a temperature of 6C, but feels colder as there is a north easterly wind blowing , here is how it looked from my kitchen door at 9.00 am this morning.

From my Kitchen door this morning.

Achey legs.

One I have my paper I make my way back home and settle down with a coffee to read the paper and to do the crosswords, it is a nice relaxing day today so far although my leg and calf muscles are aching a bit today, I think it is partly the cold weather, and partly too much walking yesterday when I was out with Pauline and also partly this stupid Myositis. anyway I took my 15 mg of Prednisolone after breakfast and will take my 15 mg of Methotrexate after lunch so a quiet and lazy afternoon ahead I think.

Well once I have read the paper and done the crossword it is time to think about having some lunch. I also got some Gluten free Bouillon yesterday so I add some of that to the slow cooker along with a Knorr Gluten free Chicken stock cube. everything is smelling really tasty so I divide the soup up into 3 portions, two to go into the fridge when it has got cold and one into a dish to have for lunch today with a couple of DS Gluten free crispbread.

Homemade Chicken and Vegetable soup 100% fresh ingredients and 100% Gluten Free 

Gluten Free Soya Desert.

Once I had finished lunch I watched the lunchtime news on the TV for 30 minutes and then made a coffee before taking my Methotrexate, it was then time for a cat nap for an hour until 3.00 when it was time to get up and start to get todays journal written, at 3.45 I made a coffee  and then I got the vegetable prepared ready for dinner tonight, I am have roast chicken tonight with Organic Potato, Sprouts and Broccoli, I will start dinner about 5.30 and it will be ready for about 6.15 so I enjoy that and I have some Provamel Gluten free Soya deserts so that will complete my first day of 100% Gluten free.

Well there we are then folks and now for an evening of relaxation and TV so it was not as difficult as I thought it would be to go Gluten free, it is just probably going to take more time shopping to find the gluten free items although most supermarkets seem to have a section of " Free From" and also to pay more attention to Manufactures labels and to cut out all processed and ready meals and stay with fresh organic vegetables, anyway I will keep you all updated as to how it is going and what I find out, so I will now get this posted and say a fond farewell until tomorrow.