Ottevanger's Omphaloskeptic Outpost

[Iota]

Unfortunately it's not been easy at all for her/us, and an ambulance has just taken her back to the hospital. Once again I'm sitting in the car park waiting to be told which ward she has been taken to.

That's absolutely awful for you, so sorry to hear it. I wish you both strength and patience.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm so sorry to hear all this, Luke. My best wishes for your wife's recovery.

[Luke]

Oh my!  Not what we were hoping to hear!


Is it typical in England to be confined in the parking lot, while a loved one is admitted?  That is not what happens here: there is always a waiting area in the hospital.

Not at all! We have waiting rooms a plenty! But I left 5 minutes after the ambulance because I needed to pack a bag. My wife's sister rode with her. When I got to the hospital I preferred to wait in the dark, cool quiet outside as long as possible, before going into the hospital once my sister-in-law sent me a message telling me which ward to go ti

[Spotted Horses]

Luke,

I cannot begin to express my sympathy for what you and your family has had to endure.

[Luke]

As always, thanks for all your kind thoughts.

[Cato]

Not at all! We have waiting rooms a plenty! But I left 5 minutes after the ambulance because I needed to pack a bag. My wife's sister rode with her. When I got to the hospital I preferred to wait in the dark, cool quiet outside as long as possible, before going into the hospital once my sister-in-law sent me a message telling me which ward to go to.

I thought I had seen British movies with scenes of hospital waiting rooms!

But..with cost-cutting everywhere these days, you never know!

Again, your family will be with us at our son's Catholic Church this morning: we are visiting him this weekend.

[relm1]

That is terrible, sorry to hear what you are going through Luke. 

[Karl Henning]

As you're in need of a smile: A fellow conductor here in Boston borrowed some scores for the Rutter Requiem, and found this interesting inscription

[Karl Henning]

Luke, YHM.

[Cato]

As you're in need of a smile: A fellow conductor here in Boston borrowed some scores for the Rutter Requiem, and found this interesting inscription

No verbato, but could there be nounbato? 

Of course, if the church is unheated, there would definitely be brrrbato!      😇

[Guido]

EDIT: Just saw your sad news Luke. Cam here to enquire about the book. So, so sorry for your loss, my heart goes out to you. I sent you a message to your Hotmail, but I don't know if you still use it.

[Spotted Horses]

Very distressing that Luke has been off the grid since the horrible loss his family suffered and that his book has not appeared.

[Karl Henning]

A message came from Luke today:

My book, should anyone be wondering what is going on with it, is still in progress. It was due out this summer, I think, but when Philippa died some last edits were still needed. And I just couldn't face them. Eventually, rather than hassling me, my editor decided the best thing to do was simply to give me the files and say, effectively: 'OK, I will leave it to you, you deal with these when you feel ready, and then send them back to me when you are done.' I faced up to them in July and finished them earlier this week. The editor now has his hands on them and I've told him, this is it, as long as you don't make any changes yourself this it what should come out. He's had people making enquiries about the thing, so hopefully it shouldn't take too much longer, but to be honest I have no idea about timescale.

If anyone is wondering how I am, or where the book is, feel free to copy and paste this email. I just hope people can understand that I have needed to reset my life. I would love to be in 'a place' where I feel ready to rejoin GMG. I think I will be in that place. I'm not quite there yet, however.

[JBS]

Thank you.
When he's ready we'll be here.

[ritter]

Thank you.
When he's ready we'll be here.

+1. But it's reassuring to have had news from him....

[Elgarian Redux]

A message came from Luke today

Thank you, Karl. This is an important message, and a lot of us will have read it with great sympathy, but also some hope - and always with very best wishes for Luke.

It's very good to hear that the book is still in the pipeline.

[Karl Henning]

Luke appreciates you all and sends his best.