Another day of work

I have very nearly finished off the non-fiction book. I just need to doublecheck the references printout tomorrow morning and it's done, as far as I'm prepared to go at this stage. We had pea and ham soup, home-made, for lunch, then a nap. In the evening, we joined Frank (again) at Tazio in Flinders Lane for a meal, thence to 45downstairs for Fly, a revival by Lyric Opera of music by Barry Conyngham and text by Murray Copland. I liked it more than Frank or Peter. Its main problem was acoustic with much of the dialogue being incomprehensible in the reverberating acoustic of the place. As Frank pointed out the articulation of the singers was bad, though their singing was good. A lesson in needing surtitles for English but sadly Lyric Opera probably doesn't run to that.

Work

I have been so busy working my butt off on the non-fiction book that I haven't even been blogging. The rest of Tuesday was very quiet, then on Wednesday, P. went off to lunch with RobinS. In the evening we had a good meal at Yoyogi thence to the Fairfax Theatre for Deer Woman, a one-person show by a Canadian native American (well really two-people if you count the corpse). It is difficult to explain briefly so I won't but it was gruelling. Thursday was just more work with soto for dinner and we picked up Frank and Billy today and did shopping for us and Noel. In the evening, we joined Frank at Script for a change and a quite good meal. We then went into the Lawlor Theatre for the Song Company's 'musical' Mind Over Matter. The less said the better. The woman behind me said it all at the end in one (or is it two) word, 'self-indulgent'. Having faced bankruptcy recently, the Company or its director seem to have a death wish. I appreciate his desire to innovate and do new stuff but really...

Kidneys then lunch with Sal

I went off to see Genie the nephrologist today who, as usual like my mother, told me I am perfect (even though I'm not). But, at least for the moment, my blood results are. Home again where Sally visited and stayed for pea and ham soup for lunch. Now for a nap after a bit of work.

Hard work then music

Today I made good progress on editing the non-fiction book but I've still got a long way to go. We had sardines in butter for lunch, then a nap. Then we made for Pope Joan in Collins Place where we had a good dinner with next to us, fortuitously, Catherine L. We then went to 45downstairs for a wonderful concert by the Phoenix Trio: Lina Andonovska (flute), Alexina Hawkins (viola) and Harold Gretton (guitar), an unusual but very pleasant sounding combo, played a very heterogeneous program including a new work by Melbourne composer Samuel Smith. They also did works by Molina, Bach though scholars are unsure whether it's by JS or CPE and a Cuban composer whose name I missed which was the work which first brought them together at ANU.

Long lunch

After doing the crossword, lickety-split, P. and I joined Frank at Barre at the Arts Centre for their Sunday lunch, sponsored by Giant Steps winery in Healesville. The food was good, the company (a largish family) was good and the wine was good. To top it off I won one of the door prizes, two bottles of wine which we would never buy (too dear) from the winery. Home for a late nap while P. went to pick up an ordered book from Tim's in Kew. We had pea and ham soup for dinner, followed by baby cheeses and a surprisingly good night on the teev concluding with The Crusades which showed that little has changed since the twelfth century.

Papers, work and Rochelle

This morning, after perusing the voluminous Saturday papers, I got stuck into editing the non-fiction manuscript and made good progress. I then read a bit more of the biography, which is pretty good but a bit of a 'white-wash'. Then Rochelle appeared for lunch. We couldn't get into the farm cafe, but went to Cam's where we had a good mag. She is off overseas in a few weeks and it sounds like a good trip. She is still working for Victoria Police and enjoying it. Shane the computer man has finally been successful in getting me able to receive RN on my computer. Radio National were less than helpful and didn't seem to care much. Now for a quick nap. P. made a very nice lentil, chorizo and goats' cheese dinner then we watched not very wonderful teev like Poldark and some good like Planet America.

Shopping plus a bit of work

This morning, P. and I picked up Billy the Corolla then Frank the person, went to Victoria Gardens, shopped, delivered Noel's to him and then had brunch finally at Faraday's Cage near Addict. It was a very satisfying and tasty meal, though I don't know whether my diarrhoea which followed was related. It might have been something else. I then did a bit more on the non-fiction book while P. got a plumber to fix (at great expense) a blocked drain which had resisted all other attempts to unblock it. Then I made beer-battered fish for dinner. Two new ABC teev shows: Keeping Faith is a bit obvious, slow and predictable, whereas Dark Money, though contrived, is gripping.

Music holds up work

This morning, P. and I made for our second home, the Recital Centre, for an ANAM morning concert. It seems a winning formula borrowed from Musica Viva to provide coffee, cakes and sangos, then a show. This one, nearly full, consisted of Mozart's piano concerto no. 21, with the ANAM orchestra and their head of keyboards, Timothy Young as soloist. Then there was an unusual arrangement by Young and John Musto especially for this concert for FOUR pianos and percussion of Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. It was an excellent concert with many of the musicians smiling with pleasure. Afterwards, we treated ourselves to lunch at the Tea Rooms in the Art Gallery. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, two more manuscripts arrived for report (and perhaps action) so I have three for report on the go plus the non-fiction book for final editing, though I hope that won't take too long.

Molto working

This morning, I sent back to the authors the novella and the novel. No response yet. Then I got onto the main game, the non-fiction manuscript which needs a lot of tidying up. P. went off to help the Shaw sisters with some house maintenance then have lunch. After a nap, I made anchovy and lemon pasta for dinner, which, if I say so, was not bad. Then usual Wednesday night teev, not up to much. There has now been a response to my novel notes. More to come.

Working hard

This morning, I sent back the new (and last) chapter of the non-fiction book with comments. It is coming along well and the author will now revise so I doubt I'll see it for a while. Then I got on to the novella and have nearly finished that. I should be able to finish it today or tomorrow morning. One of the author's of the other non-fiction book took back the file to make a few amendments, so I should get on to that tomorrow morning, which only leaves the novel report and another new autobiography report. No rest for the wicked. P. went up to Kew and got delicious pies and cakies for lunch.

Lots of work and a concert (surprise, surprise).

After a busy weekend, I hope to get a lot of work done today on all or most fronts. The cleaners are coming, lickety-split. P. went shopping and paying bills then we both had a short nap. Then to the Recital Centre where Latitude 37 did an all Corelli sonata concert. It was splendid with a packed house. Afterwards we went to Lygon Street for an excellent Tiamo feed. Home for Media Watch and Q&A where I hope Linda Burney will (politely and politically) mince Jacinta Price. In the end, the magnificent Pat Turner icily put her down in the nicest possible way. Price's media training from the Centre for so-called Independent Studies is not very good as she kept raising her eyes to heaven which is not a good way to win arguments.

Oops

I didn't get up to posting until yesterday (Sunday) was over. We did the crossword lickety-split, then I did some work on the novel. We had salmon patties for lunch and I organised most of our trip to Sydney in late September. Then a nap. Then we joined Frank at the Chocolate Buddha pop-up for a very good meal then went to the Deakin Edge for the RMP oratorio competition plus the world premiere of Stefan Cassomenos' oratorio Dixit Dominus. P. and Frank welshed out at interval because of various ailments but I stayed till the end which was only 10.15. The winners of the comp. were fairly predictable, but I was sorry that the counter-tenor got no guernsey. The oratorio was very impressive and got a standing (by some) ovation. It was interesting having the mix of a very large choir, a full orchestra plus piano and harpsichord. The soprano (Cassandra Rice) and baritone (Christian Smith) soloists were excellent. The soprano had some fearsome entrances on very high notes. It will interesting to see whether it survives as its libretto (very contradictory passages from the bible) is bound to be controversial. Again, it is hard to hit the hay after such a stimulating concert.

Shopping and brunch

After yesterday's busy day, today was a bit quieter. After a quick perusal of the papers, P. and I picked up Barnaby the Yaris and Frank the person did the usual shopping, dropped Noel's off with a few modifications, then had our usual good brunch at Dr Morse. That part of Johnston Street is becoming bar central with nearly a new one every week (I exaggerate). Home for a nap. We then had oysters before dinner (a modest half-dozen shared) then I made beer-battered fish, which was not bad but not perfect. Then very mundane TV, Agathie Christie starring Poldark, then Poldark, then Quentin Tarentino. What a mix.

Movies and cabaret

I went early to the Health Centre to stock up on pills and had a long wait so just got to the Library in time for the start of Teresa's Sassy Dames film Bringing Up Baby with Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was hilarious though not all of the group thought so. Some of us went on to a very good lunch at Mavis where we continued a good mag. Home again for a nap. In the evening, we went into town, had an excellent dinner with the welcoming staff at Uncle, then went to 45downstairs for Ghetto Cabaret, feeling a bit guilty having such a good meal before entering the ghetto. It was a superb and moving performance, much of it in Yiddish but still quite comprehensible (they did some verses in English) by a great lot of performers including Evelyn Krape and Dimity Shepherd.

Lots of work

This morning I made good progress on the autobiography report and the novel (which I have found I have seen before in an earlier incarnation). P. went off to lunch with Robin S. and the non-fiction draft now 'final' has returned. So I have all four 'jobs' on my desk, but I don't feel overwhelmed. I should knock them over in about a week (or maybe two). After a nap, P. made Adam Liaw's pork and cider casserole for dinner. It was delicious and a lot better quality than Thursday night teev. I should have read my books.

More work and songs

This morning, I was up early to get going on the aubiography and the novel and made good progress. P. went off to the U3A committee meeting. After a nap, we went to Clarendon Street where we tried a cebapcici joint which had good food but enormous servings, too much for both P. and I. We'll have to try something else next time. Then we went to ANAM where Sara McIver and the ANAM pianists did two song cycles, Schumann (A Woman's Love and Life) and Greig (The Mountain Girl) plus songs by Mozart and Duparc (one of which was sung by Nicole Car at last week's concert, better). But the whole concert was engaging and enthralling.

Revolution maybe

Yesterday (Monday), P, and I went to the Museum to see their exhibition, supposedly from the V&A, called Revolution. It was really about the sixties and included lots of objects and a couple of videos, including one very large one about Woodstock which toned in with our teev watching on Sunday night. Some of the footage was the same. There was a section in the middle about consumerism which led me to wonder whether the whole 'counter-culture' shtick was really about consumerism, e.g. record albums, clothes etc. It was an exhibition worth seeing because of the artefacts but it was a bit short on analysis. We had a horrible lunch afterwards at the woeful cafe then P. went off to his kidney surgeon for his annual checkup and I went home. He made roast chook for dinner which was excellent. Today, Tuesday, P. went off to the Health Centre for the results of his blood test and both the kidney surgeon and the local doctor had no alarming news though they told him to reduce his protein intake a bit. I went on with the new novel and I've now got the non-fiction book back which I'd somehow failed to save. After soup for lunch, we had a nap (sound familiar) and we had the leftover roast chook for dinner than normal Tuesday teev which was mainly about old age and death. Not exactly a cheerup.

Another chilly day

but this time we're at home all day in the warm. I have made a small amount of progress on the novel and we're having tomato soup for lunch. And all's well with the world, or is that just tempting fate? After a nap, I did some more on the novel (it's better in small bites) then made tuna with dill for dinner. Then we settled in for Woodstock.

Very rainy and cold day

Grrr! The papers didn't arrive this morning but finally arrived courtesy of a gormless youth at 10am after three phone calls. Then I began on one of the two reader's reports I now have, one on a novel and one on a non-fiction book. We had salmon patties for lunch. It would be better to stay at home in the warm today but we have two events. The first might turn out to be historic: the first play by Louis Dickins at the Courthouse. A quite large crowd turned up to see the reading, very well acted and expertly directed by Greg Carroll. We then went to Brunetti's for coffee and cakes (a huge amount of cream), then to Readings where, as always, I bought a book. Then to South Melbourne where we had a decent pub meal then went to ANAM for an excellent performance including string orchestra pieces by Klein and Tchaikovsky and a full orchestral rendition of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony. The tram home was full of Saturday night young revellers.

Shopping plus not much else

P. and I picked up Billy the Corolla (near the Vespa shop) and Frank the person, went to Victoria Gardens where we got all our shopping plus Noel's, delivered Noel's then had a very delicious lunch at Addict. Frank's new find Faraday's Cage nearby was chockablock. Home again for a nap after a bit of organising of various things. It's soto ayam for dinner tonight.

Lots of old stuff made new

Today I found that the non-fiction book is coming back for final checking after author cuts and I have a new manuscript for reporting, so the quiet time is over. I also finished organising the Port Fairy Music Festival Trip after a couple of confirmations and news from Nick about his visit around the same time. We had guacamole (made by P.) and leftover vera on toast for a very luxurious lunch, and P. made sausage casserole with potato and onions for dinner. Delicious! A quiet night with the teev.

Morning in Smurf Street then high class warbling

After doing the usual morning things, I went up to Smurf Street for a long overdue hair and beard cut with the (this time) friendly barbers at the Smith Street Barbershop and lodged some change at the bank. Meanwhile, P. visited the vampires at the Health Centre. We did more planning for the bookings we have made at the Port Fairy music festival. We had minestrone for lunch then a nap. In the evening, we went to Yoyogi for the usual cheap and cheerful, thence to the Recital Centre for an excellent concert by Nicole Car (Australian soprano), Etienne Dupuis (her French-Canadian baritone husband) and Jayson Gillham (pianist). It was mainly French with a sprinkling of Italian and wowed the socks off us in spite of a few harmless wardrobe malfunctions. Oh well, divas will do it.

Tax

After a lot of effort, this morning I finished my tax return and look like getting a substantial refund. I await with interest. In other news, Specsavers has referred me to the Eye and Ear Hospital rather than an expensive private eye doctor. It will take a while but at least I'm in the system, and the slack ABC has not rung back about my online Radio National. P. went to Officeworks to buy goodies. We had quiches from Coles for lunch then a nap. The soto ayam was finished off by me for dinner (there's still enough for another meal in the fridge and another in the freezer). Not bad teev tonight with Benjamin Law and his dad, a rather hard-to-read mercantile man. It's no wonder he and his effusive wife split up.

Bright new week

I did some routine tasks this morning while waiting for the cleaners including some more work on my tax return which I gave up as it became very frustrating and returned to making soto ayam which was much more satisfying. I'll return to the return tomorrow when I feel calmer about it. The cleaners have been, lickety-split, while P. went off for shopping and a haircut (which I need badly too). After a nap, I made garlic prawns for dinner and semi-completed the soto ayam f'rafter. Normal Monday night teev, Q&A etc. Yawn.

Crossword and a mystery

We did the Sunday crossword, lickety-split, then Shane the computer man took over my computer remotely to try and find why I can't get Radio National on my new installation. We found that the other ABC stations work, just not Radio National. I'll have to phone the ABC tomorrow to find out why. Salmon patties for lunch then a nap, then off to join Frank at Chapel Off Chapel for a Sondheim compilation show. It was surprisingly good with quite a number of less familiar songs as well as some reworked old favs. Frank went home afterwards while P. and I had a good meal at Ladro in Greville Street with the young folk. Home again for David Bowie on the teev. where his old friends jumped on his grave.

Shopping et al

This morning P. and I picked up Barnaby the Yaris (without a baby seat) and Frank the person and went to Vic. Gardens for all our shopping plus Noel's, delivered Noel's then had a very good brunch at Dr Morse. Now for a nap. P. made lamb shanks for dinner, then we watched indifferent teev but also a doco. about Noel T.'s Midsummer Night's Dreaming of the Olympic Arts Festival. At last I've seen some of a magnificent production, way ahead of it's time. Then we caught up on another episode of the frenetic No Offence. Two to go. And - on Facebook discovered that Phil Carswell has a kidney transplant at last and so far is going well. YAY!

Very quiet day

Just a bit of tidying up today while P. went off to U3A American Literature (Herzog by Saul Bellow) which apparently went well. A nap followed for both of us. We had Vietnamese takeaway (too much) for dinner as the lamb shanks have to marinate overnight. Then more teev. Couldn't be quieter.

Lots of activity

Today I headed to the CBD via Brunswick Street where I met Michael H. on the tram. I went to ANZ in Collins Place to cash in my overseas cashcard. It was worth doing as it yielded nearly $50. Thence to Specsavers. The good news was my new specs were a lot cheaper than I expected, but the bad news was they referred me to an eye doctor which I'm sure will turn out to be expensive. Then I went to the North Fitzroy Railway Hotel for a very nice lunch with P., Kent and Margaret N. We had a good mag, now home for a quick nap after all that activity. After all that busyness, we had leftover vera bolognese for dinner followed by cakes from Nicholson Street and baby cheeses. Teev was very unimpressive, especially the new show The Hunting about online sexting or something.