Eyebeemania

I’ve kept off social media today. It can be such a time waster really, and often you’re shouting in the wind.

I’ve been sorting out my music library. Over the years, I have amassed a large collection of digital audio. That’s alongside the vinyl I’ve been buying for over 50 years. I’ve ripped many of my CDs so I can listen to them remotely. I’ve also purchased hi-res audio. I’ve got quite a few thousand audio files now. I need to keep them organised or else I can’t find anything! I’ve spent several hours on that today.

Six hours, and I’ve had enough for today. I’m about to cook dinner anyway, and listen to a few of those tunes, with a beer,

Sitting on the sofa with my wife, listening to some new jazz albums, including the January 2026 release of Stars from Martin Wind.

music.youtube.com/playlist

So 26.3 is out. So I shall spend the next hour updating all the devices here. M4 Pro Mac Mini, M3 MacBook Air, two M1 iPad Pros , two Apple watches, two Apple TVs, four iPhones.

I got a doctor’s note today. I have seen my surgeon for a post-operative follow up and everything is healing as it should, but I still have some discomfort when turning my head, and I don’t want to undo any of the healing process. My doctor has given me another three weeks off work, so I will use this time to get slowly back into things. I feel fine in myself, except for the head-turning, but that is getting better as each day passes.

I decided to go out for a walk, and take some photographs.

As I was near to the Queen’s Head, my local pub, I thought it would be rude if I didn’t call in for a pint or two.

The Fuller’s ESB is always in top condition, and today was no exception.

#photography #beer

I was up with Kathy around 6.30 am. I have to go to the hospital this morning for a follow-up for my partial thyroidectomy. It seems to be healing up nicely, although it’s still uncomfortable when I turn my head too much.

I was awake early, as is often the case, but, after making a coffee around 5.30 am, I went back to bed and chilled for a while. I dozed off for a few more minutes before finally getting up around 8.30 am.

My brother and partner are staying with us right now. They got up and headed out around 9.30 am, and my wife and I are having a relaxing day with some coffee and music.

It’s a bit of a laid-back day for me today. Kathy went off to work soon after 7 am. I had a short lie-in and got up around 7.45 am. I’ve made coffee, waded through emails, and am about to get some journaling done.

There is way too much drivel written about politics and politicians. It should be about policy, not personality. Thing is, unfortunately the squeakiest wheel gets the most grease, every single time.

Sir Kier Starmer is an example.

The media mutters that Kier Starmer is ‘never here’. I don’t hear the same comments about Farage, who is always busy across the pond eating Trump’s shit for breakfast. Then, commenting on how Kier Starmer walks. Hang on, did he comb his hair this morning? Do his socks match?

Find something constructive to discuss, and stop being so bloody pathetic.

This morning, I had to pop into work and let them know about my post-op recovery and when I am likely to be back to work.

I went to the pharmacy first and picked up the meds I had sent to the doctor’s surgery on Monday. Once I had got those, I then took a bus downtown and went to work. I had a chat with quite a few of my colleagues, before getting the formal stuff out of the way, and a bit more chatting afterwards too.

I went into a local charity shop and got some CDs for a quid or so each. There were two multi-CD collections. One had a CD missing, and the other had an extra CD!

I then took a bus towards home and dropped into the local pub for a couple of pints and a burger. I did a little writing when I got to the pub.

it’s been one of those days. It’s really done nothing but rain all day and it’s a little windy too, which made it unpleasant. I didn’t need to go out.

So I didn’t I stayed indoors all day and I think that was a wise decision. So I didn’t I stayed indoors all day and I think that was a wise decision.

It’s been a week, since I’ve had the partial thyroidectomy. I’ve been fine until this morning, when I was awake early (as seems to be usual). I need to cough to clear my throat, and it was quite painful. This hasn’t happened before, it’s just been more uncomfortable than anything else. I was worried that something was happening inside my neck. It fel like something could be tearing perhaps?

I got to just after eight, and I messaged the surgery. They called back and offered me an appointment for 11.30. BY 11.30, I felt quite a bit better, and the sharp stabbing pain when coughing had largely gone. I went for the appointment, and the GP said it looked like a possible infection, and gave me some antibiotic cream to spread on the area.

I went to the pharmacy to collect it, and got Kathy’s prescription meds as well. I walked back home and applied some of the new ointment.

Kathy was watching her Chinese stuff, so I decided to go out for another walk, as I need to put some steps in at least. I took my camera with me so I could take a few photographs.

I ended up walking to the Queen’s Head to enjoy some ESB.

I did sleep better, but still awake around 03:$5, which is way too early, when I don’t need to go to work, and I could do with some extra restorative sleep.

Since waking with a cough to loosen things up overnight, I’ve developed pain when I do, so I need to keep an eye on that, as I don’t want any complications to develop.

After waking before 4 am and getting a mug of coffee, I did go back to sleep until 61.5 am, which I am grateful for.

I’ve spent the day so far getting my inbox empty, reading a couple of chapters of a book on my Kindle app, on the Mac, watching YouTube videos and listening to some music. I have spent a little while on social media platforms, but I do not like spending all day just mindlessly scrolling, especially with all the crap going on in the world.

Eight now, I have poured myself a bottle of London Pride, and I will sit back and enjoy that before I go make something for dinner.

I’ve been awake an hour already. I think I’ll get up and go make myself a mug of coffee!

I’m not allowed to lift much. I’m not allowed to turn my head much. I’m not in any pain, just discomfort. I feel rather drained, but other than that, I’m fine in myself.

I have a ton of jobs to do around the house, but I cannot do the mright now. I wanted to get out in the garden and get some stuff sorted out, but it will have to wait.

What can I do right now?

Well, I can sit here and write like this. I can read books, blogs, and magazines, and I have many of each, so no shortage there. I can take myself out for a walk. That’s fine as long as it’s not raining or too cold. I can listen to music. I can watch TV, which is my case will mostly be YouTube videos of interest. I can do some photography editing indoors, and if I go out for a walk, I can take my camera with me. I could walk to the pub for a couple of beers, as I’m not on any medication that would prevent it. At the moment, though, I’m not really feeling like that.

Right now, after I’ve posted this, I’m going to go get myself another mug of hot coffee.

I was allowed out quite quickly this morning from the hospital. I’m quite expected the paperwork to take quite some time but he didn’t.

I did have to ask three or four times for a sicknote but I did get one at last and that carries me through till February 3 when I come back to work.

Kathy made some chicken and a bit of salad for dinner as neither of us were particularly hungry after we’ve had a little sleep this afternoon.

We sat and watched Johnny Cash biography on the TV this evening and then I went to bed

I was told that after my op yesterday, that I had to sleep sitting up. It wasn’t going to happen, and it mostly didn’t happen.

I can’t sleep sitting up, unless I am extremely tired, and I can’t sleep on my back either.

My Apple Watch clocked a total of 1 hour 19 minutes sleep all night. Oh well. I hope to be going home today.