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…
EVERYONE’S still asleep when I get my stuff together and go out for a paddle. The loch’s pretty calm and it’s a lovely morning despite the cold and frost.
Breakfast’s ready when I get back and out the shower then I get busy with some video editing in the studio.
Mikey leaves late afternoon and I spread the news on my socials that Still Friends is featured album on BBC Radio Scotland’s Iain Anderson Show this week…so there’ll be a few tracks played tonight (Sunday) and tomorrow (Monday).
I decide to try the chicken thighs I prepared yesterday in the electric pellet smoker…the ease of reparation makes it a potentially better option than setting up the kamado for a meal for two. Indeed, the chicken is done in under an hour and every bit as good as when smoked over charcoal and fruit wood in the kamado.
NOW things have calmed down post-album release and launch shows we have a long lie watching Saturday Kitchen in bed, drinking coffee and generally just chillin’.
First job is vacuum sealing some flank steak for tonight’s sous vide steak in pepper sauce. Mikey’s coming later for the night.
I pack up the rest of the flank and put it in freezer then trim up a pack of Costco chicken thighs, give them a rub with some ‘Memphis dust’ and leave in the fridge to smoke tomorrow.
All the gear I dumped in the studio earlier needs sorted out
It’s getting dark earlier and earlier so I head out for a walk up the lochside. When I get back Mikey’s arrived.
The sous vide takes a good few hours so I get it on the go and we sit and chat before dinner…
