A Little Bit of Culture

One of the advantages of being in Glasgow for a while is the opportunity to go to live concerts.

Today we are going to see the concert pianist Stephen Hough play at the Glasgow City Halls - one of several splendid concert venues in the city. 

Last night, however, was an opportunity to see Verdi's opera, La Traviata. It was being streamed live from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden to one of the cinemas at Glasgow's Cineworld (together with cinemas around the world).

I was brought up in the era when cinemas were huge, cramped, crowded and smoke-filled and, as a youngster, trying to see round the head of the person in front could be a real challenge. The luxury of the modern cinema with its big, comfy seats, plenty of room and no heads to be looked round or over never ceases to amaze me. 

Of course there is nothing like  the atmosphere of being in the audience of a live performance but the detail that one sees on the big screen as well as the wonderful sound makes up for the lack of atmosphere. 

The lead role of Violetta was played by the magnificent Albanian soprano Ermanelo Jaho.  She made her Royal Opera debut back in 2008 in this role and is, without a doubt, the most convincing and emotionally challenging interpreter of that role that I have see. I unashamedly shed tears through a lot of the last act.  Alfredo was sung by Charles Castronovo who has played in the role opposite Jaho on many occasions and the chemistry between them showed. Alfredo's father was sung by Plácido Domingo who has now played all the leading male roles in the Opera at the Royal Opera House.

Life - An Update

I'm now out of hospital and getting some R and R before my scans and cancer review next week.

Before I respond to the comments on my last couple of posts (and I hope you will forgive me if I give general comments and just answer specific ones where a specific point has been made) I just want to update you and show you a few of the things that have amused me and kept me going over the last week or so.

Several post-cards from my brother, CJ/Scriptor Senex:

Although, as CJ pointed out, this is an unrealistic representation of life - libraries no longer have books and pigs trotters cannot manage the keystrokes (although he supposed that they could have asked the librarian volunteer member of the public behind the counter.

The cartoon arrived in one of the messages I received although I can't recall who sent it - sorry. I think it encompasses so very much my philosophy of life and is an important part of playing The Glad Game. Anyway it's Saturday, the weather here near Glasgow is wet, breezy and very uninviting.  I have little doubt that we shall venture out at some stage but for the moment I shall visit Blogland and write good old snail mail letters: I have a lot of people to thank for helping me through the last 10 days.

 

Thank You Once Again

I never cease to be grateful to the staff of the NHS in particular and the concept of the NHS in general. I’ve said it before and doubtless I’ll say it again. 

Last Thursday I came into the Day Surgery Centre of Ayr Hospital to have my kidney stent changed. It’s a necessary routine every 3 to 6 months. My particular surgery is complicated by all the damage done by radiotherapy back in 2008. The last change was 5 months ago and has been problem free since. 

I went into surgery at 0930 and was up on the ward for observation overnight an hour or two later bright eyed and bushy tailed. The operation had gone well and, for the first time, no ‘cutting’ to get the instruments in had been necessary. 

I was more than a little surprised therefore to be showing signs of imminent sepsis within a couple of hours. By late afternoon I was totally poleaxed and a lot of concerned medical staff were either taking readings or taking fluids out of me or putting fluids into me. 

Today I woke feeling fairly human and at lunchtime had my first solid food (apart from two bananas) since last Wednesday. It was a baked potato with baked beans and cheese. Heaven. Discharge beckoned. 

However I’ll have to be a patient patient. Apparently I won’t be leaving the ward until Wednesday or Thursday. The infection was both in my blood and urology systems and had threatened my heart

Hey ho. I feel unbelievably fortunate, however, having just learned that a friend in the States had a severe internal rupture which  allowed everything inside to become one big mess requiring an operation with a 20% chance of survival and ages in ICU (and that’s just the barest bones of the story). He has survived but he’s a long way from the end of the story. 

I’m writing this on my phone so I’ll end here and be back with you all properly as soon as I can. I might even try and catch up with some comments. Who knows?

Never Let It Be Said

that I don't use public transport. 

The Isle of Lewis has, for a rural area, a pretty good bus service. Some people may not agree but then they don't they are unlikely to have ever lived in a similarly remote area of, say, rural France or Italy.  

It is strange that so many people equate 'public transport' with bus services. Someone once 'accused' me of never using public transport. I pointed out that, on the contrary, I flew everywhere and often used a train to complete my journeys. On the Island, though, my car is my lifeline. I'm far too busy to wait for buses and, if I'm truthful, I'm not yet willing to change my lifestyle to suit bus timetables. That time may, on the assumption that I am fortunate to get older and that there are still buses, arrive.

However, yesterday, Anna and I (I'm down in Glasgow for three weeks for hospital appointments and some socialising in between) went into the City Centre on a bus. We returned on a bus too. I have to admit that it was quite a painless experience. It was also considerably less expensive (to the extent that it was free using my Scottish Entitlement Card) and I didn't have to pay the usual £8+ parking fee. On the downside we had to put off any 'big' shopping until another time. 

For those who don't know, this is a bus - the bus we came back to Anna's on actually:

I should be in hospital tomorrow for a routine op so it may be a few days before I'm back in Blogland.