Back sooner than expected

I bet you didn't expect to hear from me again so soon after my last post (if anyone is still paying any attention to my witterings on here)!

Unfortunately my planned surgery yesterday was cancelled as some of my blood tests came back looking a bit wonky ("deranged" was the word the surgeons actually used - charming!), which would have made it too dangerous to proceed.  So more doctors, tests etc. as they try to get the levels back down and then we try again - hopefully not too long away!

In the meantime I leave you with an aptly-titled Gershwin number performed by Michael Law & The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, whose music I have been very much enjoying of late.  My scheduled posts will still be going ahead as, erm, scheduled and I look forward to adding to them over the coming weeks as I continue to biff around the blogosphere.

Toodle-pip!

Here's To The Next Time

Not Mr Partington-Plans AGAIN?!?!

As I mentioned in my return post at the end of March I had been away from the blogosphere for some time in part due to my health being rather fragile for the past couple of years.  Those of you who have been following Eclectic Ephemera from the start will know that things have been rather up and down in that department from the get go and in all honesty have been rather stop start during all that time.  At the risk of sounding like a cracked record, though, and ever the optimist I aim to be in a better place again - hopefully by the end of the month at the earliest - as the trip to the hospital for another dig around what's left of my innards is back on and set for this Friday.  That's right, the day after tomorrow!  Gulp!

"Can you come in on the 15th?"
"Erm, yes okay then(!)"

Credit where it's due to the hospital whose care I'm under (and the wider NHS in general, which is doing a remarkable job in the circumstances) - St Mark's in Harrow, Middlesex, the centre of excellence for the condition I'm being treated for and home to the best doctors and surgeons in the business - for working so closely within the current Covid guidelines and turning things around so quickly once things were relaxed enough to allow surgeries to restart.  St Mark's itself is still under quarantine (it's sister hospital Northwick Park was forced to declare a "critical incident" at the beginning of the pandemic when it ran out of capacity) so it has joined forces with a nearby private hospital that is Covid-free and which is making its facilities available to the NHS.  Come Friday morning, therefore, at the ungodly hour of 5:30am as I have to be there for 7 o'clock, my fiancée will be taking me to Harrow (whilst still trying to observe social distancing as I am, apparently, "clinically vulnerable") for what I hope will be seventh time lucky.

"I need another pad, this one's full up..."

In the meantime I intend for it to be business as usual here at Eclectic Ephemera, as once again I have a few posts waiting in the wings that are scheduled to be published over the coming weeks (yes, I've remembered how to use the Schedule setting!).  The medicos are anticipating a 7-10 day stay but given that my past experiences have ranged from everything from a week to 3 months I am not holding my breath and will just see how things pan out.  It's unlikely that I shall feel much like blogging in the immediate aftermath anyway so I wanted to have at least a few posts lined up to keep you entertained (I hope!).  Fortunately I have at least half a dozen Drafts floating around, some of which I've been finalising in readiness for my enforced absence.

"We're going to need a bigger tray..."

Hopefully this will be the last time - or at least the last time for a while - that I'll need to go through this again and I very much look forward to carrying on here at Eclectic Ephemera once I'm over this latest hurdle.  In the meantime everyone keep safe, continue following your government's guidelines and we shall all be back to some semblance of normality ere long - perhaps of the sort enjoyed by Henry Hall and His Orchestra in this splendid British Pathe newsreel from 1932. Here's to the next time indeed!

What ho, what ho, what ho!

Another kind of record...

Well that's been rather a long break between posts, hasn't it?  Must be some kind of record, I shouldn't wonder.  Certainly longer than 3 months, at any rate, for which I must humbly apologise.

"What have you been doing these last 3½ years?", (ahem!) I hear nobody you cry.  Well sadly my health took a little bit of a dip again and I've been struggling on and off with it since 2018, but hopefully things will shortly be resolved once and for all as the quacks want to poke around my insides again (supposedly next month, although whether that comes off or not now I wouldn't like to say!) and fix things one way or another.  In more positive news I got engaged in 2018 and am now a happily affianced chap (albeit currently living apart thanks to the prevailing conditions - health and other issues having also conspired to keep us from tying the knot and moving in together, although these two things are definitely on the horizon once my health is sorted and the current crisis is past).  

It seems like now is a good time to revisit the dear old blog, seeing as we're all confined to barracks at the moment, and I'm glad to see it's still here and all in one piece (and not taken over by naughty hackers or some such!).  Now I've just got to remember what all the buttons do.  I've taken the opportunity to give it a little spring clean and may well tweak it some more in the coming days, so don't be alarmed if it changes again.  Feedback is always appreciated too, so do let me know if you think anything looks a bit odd.

I won't condescend to repeat what we all know and feel about these unparalleled times (except just there!) as that's not what this blog is or ever was about.  Instead I mean to pick up where I left off and (hopefully) entertain and enlighten you with vintage-related thoughts, musings and news items (if I can find any at the moment), with the odd personal post thrown in for good measure.  I have been lurking on t'interweb all this time so have still been following all the wonderful [vintage] bloggers out there and I'm looking forward to taking my place amongst you all again.  With my impending hospitalisation (and subsequent recovery) - not to mention the other forthcoming and far more welcome changes to my personal life - I can't guarantee for how long that will be but I hope to make the most of it in the meantime (lets face it, we've all got a lot of time on our hands right now!).  In the long run I hope to keep Eclectic Ephemera running as it was in its heyday but if there's one thing the last 3½ years of my life has taught me it's not to make any promises, so we will see how things go.  Pip-pip for now, though!

Hither and yon

Apologies for another long period of radio silence (what is it this time, 3 weeks - but who's counting?).  A little hiccough rendered me slightly indisposed again but now normal service can resume, although regrettably health will probably not permit my attending this weekend's Barrelhouse Stomp - still, there will be other events of that I have no doubt.

In the meantime here's a jolly little 1932 ditty by Roy Fox & his band featuring Al Bowlly and Nat Gonella, a favourite of mine which poses the musical question I'm often asked (and ask of myself).  Cheerio for now!

Still hacking around

Apologies for the near-two weeks of radio silence - no sooner had I got over the last bout of sniffles when I got in the way of another cold late last week, this time a real humdinger (the perils of winter and an immune system taking a knock from other recent health matters!).

As I'm sure you can appreciate I'm therefore not feeling quite able to do this blog justice in my current state, so I'll leave you with this topical song as a filler and to let you know I haven't forgotten you all.

source

source

A few more days' worth of Lemsip and hot chocolate should have me feeling better and I hope before long to be back to full blogging strength!  On the subject of cold & flu treatments (and as purely unsolicited testimonials!) two splendidly old-fashioned products have also stood me in good stead both now and many times before.  Should you have the misfortune to find yourself with a heavy cold/cough, I heartily recommend Allens Pine & Honey Balsam (an acquired taste, but by God it works!) and Jakemans Menthol Sweets.

All being well I should be back with a couple of planned posts later in the week; in the meantime, take care out there - especially those of you suffering the late winter snows!

Back in time!

Hello everyone!  Yes, this is the author writing - live, alive and if I do say so myself quite well!  Huzzah!

I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am to be able to say that things seem to have gone smoothly this time - so well in fact that I was kicked out of the hospital after only one week, on the day my first scheduled post was published as it happens!  I almost needn't have bothered; talk about sink or swim!

If I never see the inside of a hospital again it will be too soon and looking at the admittedly fascinating pictures accompanying one of my favourite Red Nichols/Charleston Chasers numbers above I'm as relieved as ever to be living at a time when I can be satisfactorily fixed up and continue to enjoy a good normal quality of life - something I know only too well would not have been the case 80-90 years ago. 

The song title says it all (just a dull stitch-like ache among other things, really) and the upbeat tempo chimes perfectly with my hopes and happiness for a healthier future.  It's still early days (two weeks yesterday) but it's looking positive.  I'm certainly back in the Blogosphere, although there's still one or two scheduled posts that I'm going to let run while I find my feet again. 

All that remains is for me to thank everyone for their kind thoughts, messages and comments (comments will revert to being moderated again now - I didn't get the flood of spam I expected but there were one or two and I like/find it easier to read what people have written before I hit the "Publish" button - so worry not if they don't appear right away) they really did help and mean a lot to me during my recovery.  I'm pleased to see Eclectic Ephemera continued to enjoy frequent patronisation while I was away (I had a record 1,109 page views in one day - perhaps I should leave the thing on autopilot more often!) and rest assured normal service will be resumed very shortly.

Until then and with a full heart I bid you - tinkerty-tonk!

Once more unto the breach, dear friends

Some of my readers may remember that I disappeared from the blogosphere for 4 months back in May 2011, following a hospital stay for some abdominal surgery.  That hospitalisation was meant to last no more than two weeks but quickly descended into a living nightmare as everything started to go wrong, leaving me bedridden until I was finally discharged in August essentially worse off than when I had gone in as the planned surgery had to be "undone" leaving me just as I had been beforehand but also weakened from the ordeal of it all.  I won't go into any greater (gory) detail here on a public blog but my Inbox is always open to anyone who wants to chat about such matters, as I know there are a few vintage bloggers who struggle with their health sometimes.

Here he comes again...

The reason for this sudden, frank reminder (or, to newer arrivals, revelation) of a dark chapter in my (and my blog's) recent history is because I have to tell you that the time has come for me - or rather my consultant - to have another crack at the operation that was first attempted in May 2011.  I'm back to as close to full strength as I'll ever be and although what was behind the debacle two years ago has never been satisfactorily determined various tests since then appear to show no barrier to trying again and the doc is quietly confident - so come Tuesday in I go once more.

"I'm ready for your dictation."

Of course I have no intention of being out of commission for four months this time - I continue to hope for the best outcome and the hospital will be on the alert from the start now - but the fact remains that for a few weeks at least I shan't be around to keep this blog going.  I thought it only fair to advise you all of the fact rather than have you all scratching your heads wondering where I've gone as happened last time.  However I've actually organised things enough this time that I've planned ahead and created a few scheduled posts (including this one, although I don't go in 'til Tuesday morning) that should appear automatically over the next three weeks.  I have to thank Jessica over at Chronically Vintage for her recent post about blogging schedules which inspired me to put a few posts by for when I'll be too ill to write any on the spot.  Although the majority of posts on Eclectic Ephemera are of the as-it-happens (or as-it-happened-and-has-just-been-rediscovered/celebrated/championed) variety I do like to vary things with the odd blog about personal vintage discoveries & enjoyments and it will be ones of this sort that you will have to put up with for a while, I'm afraid!

I feel a bit rotten about having written a couple of other post in January before this one - I had hoped to have one or two more articles come my way in between times but it looks like time is running out for that (watch them all flood in now I've committed that down!).  Either way rest assured that during my enforced absence I will still be following my many regular bloggers in spirit if nothing else.  I've altered this blog's settings so that comments will be published immediately so do please keep 'em coming!  It was quite a comfort to me last time to read all my favourite blogs, not to mention the comments and e-mails wishing me well - those were particularly affecting and I must thank again everyone who left them.

All that remains is for me to wish you all - visitors, readers, followers old and new - all the best for the remainder of January.  Looking forward to catching up with all your wonderful blogs will be one of things keeping me buoyant and focussed on getting over the surgery successfully this time.  Once again, I will see you all anon.

Lookin' good but feelin' bad...

With vintage news again thin on the ground (has something happened - not only are my daily page views right down, but some of the vintage fora that I frequent are very quiet too?) my mind is turned once more to some thoughts and opinions related to vintage, which I have come across recently.

Charlotte over at Tuppence Ha'penny has written another excellent post about an attitude we vintage aficionados face every so often and you can read my own views on the debate here.  Suffice to say we continue to agree on the definition of a "vintage lifestyle".

Around the same time two other vintage bloggers, the lovely Veronica Vintage and Old Fashioned Susie, have written two interesting posts about living the vintage life while afflicted with serious health problems and it is this aspect that I intend to focus on today. As some of you may remember I disappeared for 4 months a year ago when a straightforward abdominal surgery went wrong leaving me in hospital between May and August.  My health has not been at its best in recent years, but I am feeling near to as well as I can be at the moment having recovered from that last hiccough.

I haven't for one minute let these problems interfere with my wearing of vintage-inspired clothing.  As a matter of fact I find vintage garments, particularly the high waist/rise and braces (suspenders) of vintage trousers, far more comfortable than modern cuts - a welcome example of sartorial serendipity.  I continue to find that dressing smartly and taking pride in my appearance helps to occupy my mind and makes me feel better about myself on the days when I might not be feeling so hot.

"...and if you ask me you're too well-dressed to be ill."

By and large the compliments I receive are welcome and generally along the lines of "you've recovered well" or the classic "you look a lot better".  Among those positive remarks, though, I've come across a few times now a somewhat negative attitude linked to my vintage appearance.  I am sometimes told "you don't look ill" with the inference clearly being that I somehow dress too well for someone with health issues.  It has even been suggested that by dressing as a chap and a gentleman I am perpetuating a fraud and "fooling people" into thinking that I'm healthier than I might be.

A constant ringing in his ears, but does that stop him
wearing a suit, tie and pocket square...? ;)

I can't help it if the clothes I choose to wear lead people to make assumptions about me and I think such attitudes are downright silly - it's practically suggesting that I should wear jeans, a dirty t-shirt and three days' worth of stubble every time I go to see my doctor.  Part of the problem, of course, is that most people wear such an outfit even when they're not sick - expectations (and standards) have therefore dropped to an all-time low.  Another reason might be linked to a generational paradigm shift.  People who lived through great hardships such as the war (basically people from the eras we are interested in and have an affinity with) made light of their difficulties and "muddled through" without wishing to make a fuss or draw attention to themselves.  Ask my 86-year-old nan (whose ailments are too many to list) how she is and the instant reply is "Oh fine thanks, dear".  My similarly stoic approach to ill-health can no doubt trace its roots to my love of times past.  Nowadays although the "don't trouble the doctor" attitude is still very much in evidence so many people don't bother with their appearance even when they're well that when they're not it readily shows and throws my dapper appearance into even starker relief.  Having said that, and to tie in with Charlotte's (and my earlier) post, let me reiterate that I am eternally grateful to be living in a time when medical advancements mean that I am able to live a normal life and there's absolutely no way I'd want to live in the 1930s (when my condition had only just been discovered!).

It's a shame that such attitudes as I describe exist, but perhaps I should not be so surprised given the various similar opinions that are handed to us when someone sees the way we dress.  Thanks to Veronica and Susie for their thoughts on this aspect of vintage - I'd be interested to hear yours!