Tidying up then the Opera House

I'm tidying up a few things this morning before starting on yet another autobiography: the last one for reporting for the moment. At least one of them has come back for editing. Tricia is heading back to Sydney tonight on the train. Yesterday her brother had lots of tests including MRIs, Pets etc. so the results of these should come in today. Here's hoping they are okay. We headed off ahead of her on the 1pm Qantas flight to Sydney. After training to Central we got a cab to Nick's place where Allie soon arrived to let us in. We then went to Circular Quay to the Four Frogs Creperie where the three of us met Kit and had a good meal and mag. Then Kit, P. and I walked off to the Opera House where we saw West Side Story. It was a very good production if a little WAPA if you know what I mean. We really enjoyed it. Then it was home to Woolloomoloo (never sure how many 'm's and 'l's) for a sleep.

A bit of work then more musica

This morning I tidied up a few things after a frenetic few days. Tricia went off to the hospital where her brother seems to be stabilising. Then I went back to the reporting. I have sent off the large autobiography report and now have yet another one, of two left, for report. I valiantly started on that one, though I suspect I'm hardly qualified to report on it for cultural reasons. We'll see. I am even more certain having read it that I am very unqualified to pass judgment on this one. I'll just make a few comments and send it back, I think. P. made hamburgers for lunch, homemade and very delicious. We had a nap, then went into town to find our regular Swanston Street haunts, Yoyogi and the Dumpling Palace, both closed for renovation. We headed to Emporium for a good meal at New Shanghai though dripping with chilli. Thence to the Recital Centre for a brilliant MSO concert of Rossini, Mendelssohn, Vivaldi and Schubert. All old warhorses but played very energetically, directed by Dale Bartrop with Ray Cheng as soloist. Both joined forces for the Vivaldi for two violins. It was very enjoyable.

Musica, dinner, Sunbury and opera

Yesterday (Tuesday), P. and I went off to the Recital Centre for a Musica Viva Modern Masters while Tricia went off to the hospital to see her brother who is awaiting a possible operation. The concert consisted of Sophie Rowell on violin and Christopher Moore on viola playing works by Mozart, Martinu and Stuart Greenbaum (world premiere). Both players are from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. It was a great concert with the work by Martinu 'Three Madrigals' a highlight. We also caught up with Sally and Jannie. Home again for leftover fritatta for lunch, the end of it. After a nap, I made anchovy pasta for dinner followed by baby cheeses. We had a good chat with Tricia before her early start this morning. P.and I got up at a fairly normal time, picked up Bill the Corolla then went to the Shaw sisters house in Carlton where the movers (Little Red Van, though it was rather large) consisting of three men were already at it. We didn't get going to Sunbury till about half past eleven but got there in short order, went to get some lunch for the four of us (local pizzas for local people). While we were gone the truck arrived and we stayed until unloading was finished, came back to Fitzroy, dropped the keys at the Real Estate Agent and came home. It was nearly time by then to head off for our nice night's entertainment, The Ghost Sonata by the German composer Reimann based on Strindberg's last play. It was beautifully performed with excellent staging but remained a mystery about what it was on about. I loved the orchestration and the singing was excellent (good articulation in English for once) but understanding it didn't help in understanding it.

Another autobiography

Now I'm reporting on yet another autobiography. It's not bad but not top knotch. I'm getting picky. P. went off to pay a bill and do some shopping but it's now nap time. Tricia has gone off to the Alfred Hospital to see her brother. After a short nap, P. and I went to the Recital Centre where we joined Frank for Monteverdi's Vespers, performed by Ludovico's Band and John O'Donnell's choir. The band were terrific, the choir occasionally erratic and went downhill as the show went on. Not an electrifying performance, as it should be. We had a quick and satisfying meal at Trotter's then home for the Monday bins and Q&A similarly lacklustre.

At last some peace and quiet, or is it?

The day started normally for a Sunday with the big crossword. Then Tricia arrived to drop her bags before visiting her brother in hospital. She had some breakfast and we had a chat before she headed off. For lunch, we had quiches from the supermarket then a short nap. Then we headed off to Noel T.'s place where we met up with Frank and had a superb dinner and a good mag. Home again to find Tricia back from the hospital and her brother being transferred from the Austin to the Alfred Hospital for possible neurosurgery.

An ultra busy day

This morning, we did our usual shopping routine (without Frank) and saw Noel. Home for delivery in the pouring rain (it was sunny later) and salmon patties for lunch. We then went to Hares and Hyenas for a discussion (one of three) about changing the name of the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives to (possibly) make it more inclusive. Someone suggested Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Archives which didn't meet one of the criteria: simplicity. We'll see in due course. I like Rainbow Archives but that was not popular. Afterwards we headed for South Melbourne. Arriving early we had hors d'oevres at Rokkbank and Co., a fairly 'classy' eatery around the corner from ANAM at the South Melbourne Town Hall. We then, having tried two of the bar snacks each, had an entree each, then dessert, so it wound up a fairly pricey dinner but it was very nice. We then caught up with Frank, who was going to the same wind concert with the LA Philharmonic wind players (plus clarinet from Sao Paolo) in a fine concert with the ANAM students. There were works by Barber, Britten, Poulenc (a triumph), Gounod, Milhaud and Francaix. It was a splendid concert and well worth the trip. We arrived home to find a message that my ex-wife's brother is ill in Melbourne and can she stay? Perhaps a frenzy of bed making and sheet washing tomorrow.

Sassy Dames

This morning, I went to the Health Centre to get some pills, thence to the local library for Teresa P.'s Sassy Dames film of the month the wonderful His Girl Friday with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Hilarious, fast and witty it was wonderful to see on a (bigger) screen. Some of us repaired to Mavis for a very good lunch and mag. After a nap at home, I made rosemary and onion fritatta for dinner which I must say wasn't bad. Leftovers for later. Friday night dramas on the teev and a busy day tomorrow.

Molto musica

This morning, it was off to the Recital Centre to do battle over the cakies and sangoes before the ANAM concert, Mostly Mozart. This was a real gem with a flute concertante by Bach, then a wind quartet concertante by soloists from the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra plus one via Sao Paolo. We were joined by Robin Shaw and went for lunch at the Tea Rooms at the NGV. Home for the briefest of naps, then off to town again. We had a delicious but probably excessive dinner at Bistrot d'Orsay, surrounded by 'celebrities': Rosamund Illing (soprano), Jeffrey Rush (actor) and Marshall McGuire (artistic director of the Melbourne Recital Centre). Then Frank joined us for Melbourne Opera's Norma. It was a very competent production with an excellent cast led by soprano, Helena Dix, and mezzo, Jacqueline Dark, who were exemplary. Home very late and almost straight to bed exhausted after a three-hour opera. Imagine how the cast and orchestra felt.

Even more autobiography

Having sent off the report on big autobiography, another popped into the inbox. It is not a long one and I'm not overwhelmed yet, nor am I underwhelmed by the quality of what I've already receive. P. went off to a regional U3A meeting which included lunch. After a nap, we had leftover chook for dinner and 'normal' Wednesday night teev.

Another autobiography

They're coming out my ears. I finished reading another autobiography this morning and wrote a report, which I'll sit on till tomorrow in case anything else occurs. We had the last of the homemade minestrone (from David Herbert and delicious) for lunch. Now for a nap. In the evening, P. and I went to our old mate the Recital Centre for a concert by Lloyd Van't Hoff (clarinet) and Peter de Jager (piano). They did pieces by de Jager himself, Missy Mazzoli, Holly Harrison and finished with their party piece, Carl Maria Von Weber's Grand duo Concertant, For once the two electronic pieces Mazzoli's for piano and Harrison's for clarinet were excellent. We then went for a good meal at Tiamo's (postponed from last week).

Novel report

This morning, I finished off the long novel report and had a call from the author almost straight away to talk about it. I wish them well with it, though the publishing scene is such that its prospects are not good, not because of the novel but because publishers are being cautious or simply have no dough. He mentioned one small publisher that is now asking authors to contribute to the costs of publication now that Australia Council publishing subsidies have dried up. P. went into town to do some shopping and the cleaners came, lickety-split. P. made delicious harissa roast chook for dinner and then very normal Monday night teev though Four Corners on fake news was very interesting but the Albino Sprog on Q&A was not.

Novel, author and concert

In a busy day, after the crossword (one clue still to get), I did some work on a novel I've been neglecting, then went into the NGV for lunch with the co-author of the big autobiography. It was a (I think) very congenial meeting which solved a few problems and established good contact. Thence to the Recital Centre for the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra with Mozart's flute and harp concerto and pieces by CPE Bach, Haydn and Buc. A very satisfying concert with a novelty piece by a nine-year-old cellist playing Vivaldi. Home for soup and baby cheeses.

Autobiography

There was the usual avalance of papers this morning. I got to work on the large autobiography as I'm meeting the author's son tomorrow for lunch while P. made minestrone. Smells nice! We're having salmon patties for lunch and the minestrone plus leftover lamb for dinner then a desultory night with the teev. Won't Glitch ever finish? Being a plot junkie, I have to watch it till the end but it is SO slow.

Shopping and brunch and not much else

This morning we picked up Billy the Corolla and Frank, went to the mall for shopping (for us and Noel), delivered Noel's then had brunch in Melvin's cafe in Johnston Street. Well satisfied, P. and I went home for a nap. In the evening, I made salmon with dill for dinner with sweet potato and garlic spinach. We settled in for rather indifferent teev (Faith and Dark Money: both colour by numbers).

Music in the morning talk at night.

Yesterday (Wednesday), P. went off to a U3A committee meeting and I joined Michael H. for an ANAM concert at the South Melbourne Town Hall. It was two pieces by Clara Schumann to honour the 200th anniversary of her birth, then a piece by her hubbie, Robert. As Michael pointed out, it seemed that she was a more adventurous and innovative composter (oops! composer, though she was probably a better composter too) than Robert. It was a good concert followed by a quick lunch across the road from the Town Hall. Home again for a nap, then last night's leftovers for dinner. This morning, I worked on another autobiography, which I am editing. Then P. made delicious guacamole for lunch. There is no relationship between his homemade version and the kind sold at the supermarket. Now nap time. After that, we went to Melbourne Uni. for a Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies talk on Xi Jinping's New Era of Morality Politics by Dr Delia Lin. It was a very interesting analysis of current ideology in the Communist Party in China, a bit chilling. It restored my faith in universities to have such a cogent analysis and good question and answers afterwards. I wanted to ask whether she would prefer for Australia to be invaded by a more extremist Islamist Indonesia or the current Chinese. I might still do it by email. Neither is likely but P. and I would probably be sunk by either. To calm ourselves, we had an excellent meal at the new King and Godrey's bistro. Home for Vera on the teev.

Industry plus

This morning, I did a report on another autobiography and finished off the reconstruction of another and sent both off to the publisher. I feel a great sense of achievement. P. got quiches for lunch. Also on the industry front, P. got a locksmith to fit a new lock on the front door. The old one was faulty and refusing to lock without a lot of jiggling. Not good for going out. I've now got three more reports to do then two books for editing coming up. No rest for the wicked. A bit more work after a nap then P. made roast lamb for dinner. Usual Tuesday night teev though Jenny Brockie on women firsts was excellent.

Another day, another lunch

After nearly a morning's work, after tidying up my internet things, I went with P. to Trotter's in Carlton for lunch with Tricia and Stuart from Sydney. We had a good mag over a good meal, then dropped into Reading's where P. bought a U3A book for American Lit. and I got a long overdue diary for 2020 from the nearby newsagent. We directed S. and T. to the architecture school. Home again for a nap. I did some more work on a manuscript, an autobiography after my nap, then made garlic prawns for dinner. Then very normal Monday night teev.

Birthday lunch

Today we completed the Sunday crossword before 9am which is unusual, but it wasn't very difficult. Then we tried a new way to get to my sister's place in Dandenong for her husband Ian's birthday (never mind which one). We went to Richmond station and caught the Pakenham/Cranbourne line train to Noble Park then got a cab. It all worked so well that we got there early. It's better than driving all the way on the freeway and I can drink. Home again after the usual too-much for lunch with lots of nice people and slides of Ian and Julie's holiday (oops! photos). I hadn't counted on an examination of the banding of the birds at the Broome Bird Observatory, but the conservation conversation beforehand was quite absorbing. Home again by the same way in reverse though it was a lot chillier and I had to have a nap when we got home. After our enormous lunch we just had bits and pieces for dinner.

Normal shopping

A fairly normal shopping day today, though without Frank, so we took Franz with the babyseat, and dropped Noel's shopping in to him. We had fried sardine fillets for lunch for a change from the mall. After a frenzy of next year's ticket buying (Musica Viva and Victorian Opera) we had a nap, then headed for the Recital Centre. We had an excellent meal at Blondie, and, replete, we went to the foyer where unexpectedly we found Frank. The program conducted by European Eduardo Strasser, was all ballet music, Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, de Falla's Three-Cornered Hat and Stravinsky's Petrushka. Such a large orchestra, ANAM plus plus, in the Recital Centre is a bit overwhelming, especially with such boisterous material, but I thought this concert was splendid.

Nobody's nose knows

This morning I went off to the cobbler/elves (new bossman Geoff) to have my old noses cleaned and fitted to my new specs. Geoff, who is delightful, did it with despatch. Then I had a chocolate milkshake at the hospital, then went into town and bought some chokkies for Noel as Haigh's in Swanston Street has closed. Thence to the National Gallery in St Kilda Road for lunch with Rachel B-S. We had a good mag about past and present. Then I went to the Health Centre for some pills, then home for a chicken dinner (leftover crispy skin chicken and chicken curry) then a quiet night with the teev.

Out bush

For the last three days we've been at Blackwood, west of Melbourne, in a cottage we've stayed in before.It is very comfy and cosy. On Tuesday, on the way there in our friend Franz the Corolla, we stopped into the Garden of St Erth, after a very pleasant lunch in the small township at the Post Office cafe staffed by very friendly people. The Garden was delightful, just emerging from winter into spring, almost. We arrived at the cottage and I had a nap followed by soto ayam for dinner. The kitchen is amazingly well-equipped. Next morning, we went for a drive in the Wombat State Forest, soon to be a National Park, passing by our old camping spot at Nolan's Creek. We arrived in Trentham, had a good brunch, then headed home for another nap. We had lasagne (pre-prepared for dinner). Today, we went back through Trentham for a coffee and cake, then lunched in Kyneton and came home. I went off this evening to an old Penguini dinner in Camberwell where we all had a good mag. Home again for the first Vera episode ever. The ABC should be called RABC for Repeat ABC.

Work and music (as usual)

Today, I finished the report on the biography, then moved on to the 'autobiography' and got about halfway through a reconstruction. It's going well. The cleaners came, lickety-split and P. went shopping to get out of their way. In the evening, we went to the MSO with a splendid concert of Janacek (Jealousy, the discarded overture to Jenufa), Sibelius' violin concerto with a wonderful Russian violinist then Dvorak's resounding 8th symphony. We followed up with a quick meal at Fatto.

Tidying up

This morning we did the Sunday crossword even more lickety-split than usual. Then I got on to finishing the non-fiction book which, of course, took longer than I thought. I also did the end-of-month accounts very quickly. P. got his report off for American Lit. later this week. The subscriptions for next year keep rolling in: I did four plays for the Malthouse today, plus West Side Story for Sydney. I was disappointed we missed it in April when we were in Europe, so now's our chance. We probably won't go to the Brandenburgs as (a) it is very expensive and (b) we want a slightly quieter life. Leftover soto for dinner.