Category Archives: between books

‘ear, ‘ear – – –

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Jack’s weekly guest post – probably late again – –

Back in 1979 I was touring in Brittany with my band and various other Scottish musicians. Towards the end I felt a bit nauseous and dizzy and put it down to something I’d eaten. For a couple of years after that, my hearing went up and down, particularly after flights, and eventually it settled to a loss of high frequencies in the right ear.

Fifteen years later I was sent by my family doctor to see an Ears Nose and Throat surgeon because I had nasal polyps. The nose thing was obviously boring but as I was leaving, he said – ”Any other problems”? He visibly brightened up when I said “Well actually – – – “.

Following tests ranging from simple to a brain scan it was established that the 1979 incident had been an inner ear infection and the damage was now permanent! A National Health Service hearing aid was provided free of charge, but it was one of the early analogue ones and it simply amplified everything so I quickly gave up on it.

InnerEar

Over the years I learned to position myself so that in company or when performing I could hear with my left ear.

But – – –

Over the last few years, even positioning myself strategically, I was finding it increasingly difficult. I knew that my old fiddle playing buddy Pete Clark was using a very high-tech digital hearing aid but then very recently something else happened –

Wendy and I were on vacation at the beach near Charleston SC with friends including my old singing buddy Barbara and she cornered me. She showed me her equally high-tech aid and insisted I try it.

So today I went to a local audiology place for a test and advice – to discover that my left ear is beginning to deteriorate as well.

So it’s time for two high-tech digital – all singing all dancing – hearing aids, and for me to re-join the world!

Now – about my eyesight – – –

 

We’re all going on a Summer Holiday!

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Jack gets back into the usual day late mode –

This is weird –

Everyone thinks I’ve just been on holiday/vacation in Scotland, whereas I was actually working most of the time. It was my annual small group tour and the culmination of much planning, checking and double checking. Despite all that I’m always aware that the paying customers expect a trouble free and enjoyable experience and for any particular preferences to be accommodated where possible. Add to that the inevitable unexpected emergencies and it all adds up to a fairly draining two weeks for me.

This year the unexpected hit quickly – one of the group had his case sent to London instead of Edinburgh by Aer Lingus and it took a week to finally get them re-united. Then I discovered I’d wrongly assumed that he and a female customer were a couple, so the hotel rooming lists had to be quickly adjusted. Luckily the agency we use for our hotel bookings were rapidly on the case and got things sorted at very short notice!

When I first started doing this twelve years ago I was very naïve and didn’t really consider that anything could go wrong. But as time has gone on, I have become more and more nervous ahead of each tour, partly because almost every year something does!

Despite all this it’s the weather that really makes the tour and we were very lucky this time, with little rain and increasingly sunny and warm conditions.

hat pic

Everyone except Beth and Brandon celebrated the 4th together!

Now that I’ve been home for a few days and just about over the jet-lag, Wendy and I are finally on a real vacation and staying, along with our friends Barbara and Oliver from Scotland, with other friends David and Susan in NC. Tomorrow we head to the beach in SC to meet up with yet more friends – Beth and Brandon – for a much anticipated week.

Check back next week for more of my real vacation – – –

PS – David drove the bus in Scotland and we visited Barbara and Oliver at their house in Edinburgh just before the group tour started – small world!