AN online guitar session first thing then I get through the day’s admin chores.
A message comes in to say there’s no point in going to the school today as most of my class is off sick…and half the staff. Seems large is abound.
Instead I decide to make use of the time for a Costco visit. As well as some stuff for ourselves there’s a couple things for Betty…and I decide to pick up a new chair for the studio.
I’ve never had a decent chair – they’ve always had dodgy castors and bits coming loose and/or falling off.
I’m home in time for a late lunch then hit the studio to do some work on a co-write project that’s been stuttering on for longer than I care to think.
Sam comes to drop off a USB stick for the raw video and audio files from Eva’s audition filming then I take Betty’s stuff along before tackling the chair assembly in the studio.
I SPEND most of the morning in the studio working on guitar stuff and getting to know the wee Valeton GP-5 pedal that I plan to use as a backup to the Quad Cortex.
For just £50 on a Black Friday Amazon deal, the Valeton is an amazing bit of kit – a tiny multi-effects and IR (impulse response) loader…while it can’t compete with the £1500 Cortex, it’s surprisingly well-built and the sounds are serviceable. The downsides are having just one wee foot switch and noisy processing that means a noise gate is needed on virtually every patch.
In the office I do little more ‘finishing’ work on my cast pewter penguin then I get my gear ready to go for a paddle.
It’s a nice day but pretty cold and I decide to give my dry suit a whirl for the first time. Fiona and Neil rock up and we head out.
The dry suit is pretty good, but kinda bulky and restrictive – might get used to it.
Back home I have a shower then head down to the village to meet my fellow hydro society board members for a meal before our AGM.
The meeting goes smoothly and finishes just after 9pm – we drop by Betty’s to check her internet then home to chill before an early-ish night.
I spread the word about our local Christmas lights switch-on and craft market
MY SOURDOUGH comes out the oven a bit denser than usual…can’t see any reason. Not really a big deal tho’.
After a mid-morning online guitar session – extended due to techie issues at my end – I create some artwork and content for the local Christmas lights switch-on and craft market to share round the local socials and groups. I did some posters the other day.
After lunch I edit some video from Darlington to spin into tonight’s Wildcats’ Facebook livestream. See it here.
I try a ‘workout’ – a kinda tai chi thing – from an app I downloaded last week and accidentally subscribed to. It’s OK be it it’ll be a while to see if it actually offers any meaningful guidance. I’ll post it in here if it’s any good.
I spend some time in the office trying to refine my latest penguin casting until my afternoon guitar student arrives.
The it’s dark and I have to get everything ready for tonight’s livestream.
It goes OK but there’s something weird happening with the audio. Looks like I’m gonna have strip everything down and investigate 🙁
THE KIDS have us up early. Not too early, but still early!
I have a lot to catch up on in the studio and head across after breakfast to try and blitz my way through some stuff.
Catriona and the kids head off early afternoon and I spend some time on merch stuff in the office and also get another protoype penguin cast. It's pretty rough so will be interesting to see how it is after some finishing work.
We have an early dinner then Margaret drives us into Glasgow - we're off to Oran Mor to see Canadian band
Bywater Call. Tour manager Max from Teenage Head Music in Belgium has invited us as guests.
It's great to see him and we enjoy the show. I'm still a bit puggled so happy that it's a relative early show and finish.
FEELING a little better again when I wake up – still not full power but getting there!
After breakfast I hit the studio and start gathering gear to film and record audition videos for our pal's daughter Eva. I get the village hall and load in and we spend a few hours filming stuff.
When I get back Catriona and the kids are at the house – Catriona and Margaret have been making Christmas cake with a FaceTime link to Les in Edinburgh.
In the studio I dump all the video then trawl through he footage to find the best bits and spend the next few hours editing the video clips until dinner's ready.
I’M WOKEN by the nurses early – I think it’s around 6.30am but things are a bit hazy. I had a decent sleep although I’m kinda aware of having my drops and stuff changed a couple times during the night.
Breakfast is a couple of slices of dry toast. I could have cereal – which I don’t eat – and/or porridge…but I’m not keen on porridge at the best of times and don’t wanna risk the hospital version which I fear will have been stuck to the pan and probably have some kinda skin on the top. Boak.
On the upside, I’m still feeling reasonably OK…running about 75% I reckon and hope I’ll be OK to get out later. I’m helping a local pal out tomorrow by filming some auditions and I don’t want to let her down.
The consultant drops by on her rounds, has a chat and is happy for me to be discharged as soon as the current batch of IV meds and drips has finished.
More blood is taken and an another – routine, I believe – daily jag in my tummy to avoid any blood clots.
I call Margaret and let her know. It’s for the best that I stayed in another night so Margaret got a chance for a proper sleep after all the previous day and night’s drama and stress. I think this is probably worse for her than it is me.
I’ve just finished lunch – relatively palatable soup and sandwich plus a wee tub of ice cream (coulda been worse!) – when she arrives to get me.
Once again, all the treatment and care from the ambulance and hospital folks could not be better. Every single person was amazing…despite the current challenges and overwork they and their employer face.
We roll up home and I decide to take it easy and spend the afternoon in bed before we go along to Barbara’s for a wee get-together. I’m keen to go despite not really feeling like it and we have a nice evening…I stick to alcohol-free beer, take it easy on the food and we retire at a reasonable hour.
A STRESSFUL morning as the vomiting continues - Margaret goes away about 8am and gets a taxi back to Les’s - she’ll be back after they’ve had their hair done. No point in her hanging about here watching me vomit.
I get moved to another bay and although still not in a good way I’m a little less agitated.
Another ward mid-morning (I think) and managed to dose a little between bouts of nausea and vomiting.
Mid-afternoon the IV meds seem to be helping and I’m starting to feel a little better by the time Margaret and Les arrive.
There’s a seemingly endless routine of questions, examinations, injections and stuff and we’re uncertain if I’ll be getting out later.
Dinner is edible - but only just - the main thing is I manage to get it over my neck and keep it down.With no news of discharge Margaret goes back to Les’s - I’ll call her if I get any news.
I get moved to another ward - not as nice as where I’ve been but I shut off what’s going on around me and get off to sleep.
A GUITAR session with an online student first thing then I get some bits and bobs sorted before we head off to Edinburgh.
My second appointment in Edinburgh for a heart research programme is at lunchtime - a CT scan - then we’re gonna stay over at Les’s.
Margaret and Les are getting their hair done tomorrow, so we’re killing two birds with one stone.
After dinner, though, I start to feel a bit queezy…then I’m sick. I’m hoping it’s not going to get worse, but it does. The old familiar pattern - first time in two-and-a-half years.
Glasgow Art Club – Dave, Kathleen, Cilla, Artie, Fraser, Jill, John, yours truly, Duncan
RIGHT after breakfast I nip along to help Betty with a wee techie issue then back home to pack up some merch orders.
I get the bus to the village to meet Duncan and we head into Glasgow for lunch at the Art Club with a few music pals. Our late pal Rab was always part of this annual lunchtime meet up and after he died we’ve kept the tradition. Nice to see everyone.
Duncan and I head to Costco then he drops me back home just in time for my 6pm guitar student.
EARLY rise to get the sourdough in the oven…then back to bed for coffee and online stuff ’til the oven bleeps.
I have an online guitar student mid-morning then hit the office and finish off a bunch of packaging stickers and stuff for Manson Glass.
After lunch I get a quick walk before my afternoon guitar student arrives then we get things prepared for tonight’s local community trust AGM…Margaret is secretary. Actually, she IS the community trust!
I take some pix of proceedings - Stirling Lord Provost Rosemary Fraser and some other council folks are guests and the meeting is a great success.
Betty comes back to ours for some dinner..then I sort out the pix…
