Same as

A bit of variety today though it started with the big Sunday crossword, then I moved on to the BIG autobiog. which is moving slowly as it is close work. I've so far 'lost' about 17,000 words which is a bit less than a third of what I need. Tomorrow is another day. We're having minestrone for lunch then a nap. In the early evening, Frank joined us for his first public transport outing in a couple of months. We went to Noel's for an excellent dinner, ribs and fried rice followed by baked apple. Noel had had a bad day so was a bit down. I hope we cheered him up a bit. It is a triumph that he can produce such a wonderful dinner. Home again early for teev (Maralinga, a bit dodgy, Eve, good as usual, then another Mystery Road precursor with the magnificently malevolent Jackie Weaver, it's become her schtick).

Business as usual

The Saturday papers arrived as usual. I scanned them as usual. Then paid the reno. bill part two which was not usual. Now back to the BIG autobiog. which is becoming very usual. It is slow work as it involves cutting a very long ms. almost in half. P. went to the shops to get some stuff for Noel, with whom we're dining tomorrow night. We had soup for lunch (cheesy tomato) and now a nap. As I keep saying, partial lockdown is very boring. What is not boring is that P. is making roast pork for dinner with all the trimmings, apple sauce, gravy, brocolli, sweet potato, potato, carrot. It was yummy. Because telly tonight is less than delightful, I watched Digital Concert Hall, tonight with the Fidelio Quartet and Beethoven's string quartet in A minor, opus 132.

More autobiography

Rick the roof man came this morning, inspected our roof and spouting and went away to prepare a quote to fix deficiencies. I went on with the BIG autobiography but have not cut enough YET. After a quiche lunch, we had a nap. Then I made anchovy pasta for dinner. We then had Friday night teev. with Gardening Australia, China Girl (good) then Warwick Thornton on the beach, a bit problematic.

Bitty day

This morning, I started with responding to emails etc., did my Luminosity practice (I still can't crack 2000), then did some work on the short story. Yesterday, we had a delivery when P. was home. The deliverer left a card so now I have to go and collect it from a very inconvenient place, Victoria Street. Oh well! Later this morning, P. has Post-Colonial Lit. on zoom. I took off to Victoria Street which was very quick. Not so good was the parcel, which as the woman in the shop said, 'It's very heavy, isn't it?'. It was four bottles of wine from Rutherglen as part of their virtual tour of Rutherglen next weekend. I had to get a cab home because taking a tram, tram and bus would have been impracticable. I got it home then had to go out again for sangos for lunch and the Green Guide. I was not happy. However, P.'s U3A was good and lunch was fine. After a nap, P. made leftover beef burgundy and mash for dinner which was great, then very so-so teev. Also, during the arvo, Danny the architect turned up to inspect the oven surrounds and assured me that Giuliano would organise the fixing the back fence and the stove facing. Also, Giuliano's plumber rang to make an appointment tomorrow about the roof leaks and spouting. Yay! It's all go.

Shopping etc.

I've got another short story for editing so I started on that before the shopping. All the nearby cars are unavailable so I had to go to Smurf Street to pick up Fitzgerald the Corolla. It turned out quite well as, on the way, I went to do some banking and on the way back I got a new bag to replace my ageing one. We went to Victoria Gardens and got our and Noel's shopping, delivered Noel's, then went to Bunnings to get a small stepladder. Stepping back into old routines, we had salmon patties for lunch, then a nap. After that, I watched a zoom webinar on a gay project to list 100 heritage places and things important to alphabet soup people. Graham Willett was, as usual, a great presenter.Then I made salmon, peas and potatoes for dinner followed by fairly trite teev apart from Planet America which is always good.

At last

This morning, I made great progress on the big autobiog. although there's a way to go. Alex did similarly with the renos and departed at lunchtime having finished this stage and the back of the house is 'liberated'. We're very grateful to him and the other builders. Now all we have to do is get it back in order with everything sorted and unpacked which will take a while as we're fairly busy. P. went shopping and got sangos for lunch. After a very short nap, I had a phone consultation with Genie the nephrologist and she said all my indicators were fine though my 'muscle tone' was a bit high so she is taking me off Atovarstin for three months to see if that makes a difference. We'll see. It was nice to talk with her. Now for some unpacking. P. made delicious beef burgundy for dinner, our first stove meal for ages, then we watched fairly boring teev.

Tidying plus

I tidied up my emails etc. this morning. Alex and Giuliano arrived to talk about kitchen tiles, then Alex got on with the kitchen. With any luck he'll finish today. I went on with the big autobiography, starting the cutting. Before lunch, I did a quick trip up to Brunswick Street to get coffee (definitely an essential item) and as well got sangos for lunch and tonic water (almost as essential). After we had our lunch, Alex finished the tiles, which may not be stood on overnight, and is coming tomorrow to finish and clean up. So it will be one more night with the microwave or takeaway. Before dinner I made what I hope will be our last pot of coffee using microwaved water. Here's hoping. We had not-bad takeaway pizza for dinner followed by baby cheeses and normal Monday night TV with a Four Corners on the death ships.

Isn't lockdown boring

Because of sleeping in the front room while the new plaster in my bedroom dries (it probably is already), I heard the Sunday Age arrive at about 5am. Because I needed a pee, I got up and brought it in and did one across and one down plus two clues to verify them. Then I went back to sleep. I woke up a bit later to find P. already getting on with it. The poor deliverer, having to go out in the cold and the dark. It is now finished and was slightly harder than usual. Now on with the autobiography. I'm now about halfway through this pass. P. went up to the shops to get bread and some sangos for lunch. Now for a bit more autobiography before a nap. I watched a digital live choral concert of Elizabethan plus plague composers which was very good while P. did Antiques Roadshow, his favourite with Fiona Bruce. We had frozen dinners, which weren't too bad, for dinner then had good teev: Maralinga, Mystery Road (final), Killing Eve (a bit hard to understand) then a very satisfying Unforgotten final. Now for a new week with the hard part of the autobiography, the severe cutting. Maybe lockdown is not so boring after all.

Papers and autobiography

The usual avalanche of Saturday papers arrived (The Saturday Paper, Age and Australian) which I scanned then got back to the BIG autobiography. By lunchtime I was a quarter way through the 350 pages (!) on this pass so I should be finished this round in a few days and be able to get on to the inevitable cutting. We had prawn bisque from Mures in Hobart for lunch. It is very tasty. Now for a welcome short nap on this cold, rainy day. We had leftover pea-and-ham soup (solid) followed by baby cheeses for dinner and are now settling in for the rather too lengthy West Side Story movie. It does have some highlights though, like Rita Moreno.

Novel and autobiog.

This morning, Sergei turned up and lickety-split applied another coat to the kitchen bench. He said Alex will be back on Monday to finish the kitchen, so no cooktop, oven and sink for the weekend. I started out on my report on the YA novel. Then I rang the autobiography author and we had a talk about the book. I also spoke to his local assistant with the book. So far, we're in furious agreement and I was able to answer a few of my questions. P. and I had soup for lunch after a short visit from Sally. After a nap, I checked my emails and heated up curried sausages for dinner. We then watched Gardening Australia (reruns), China Girl and Spooky Music (both good).

Computer stuff and raring to go

I spent this morning tidying up my emails and messages as I'm waiting on further advice on the BIG autobiog. and report on the novel. I also redeemed some points on e-rewards as they are back in business even if Virgin aren't. I then went up to the shops to get some sangos for lunch and other needed items like the Green Guide. Now for a short nap. I've now got the go-ahead on the BIG autobiog. AND the novel report, so, on the first I'll have to phone the author in the morning (WA time) and, on the other, I'll have to get going. For dinner I made fish soup in the microwave with a made-up recipe and IT WORKED. It was better than making fish soup in the wok, the way I always have. The scallops and prawns were tenderer and the calamari was almost edible. Then we had fairly indifferent teev except for Scottish railways which whetted our appetite for a return trip to the land of my fathers (sort of). I've made some notes on online concerts now that we're back home and can watch them to get over our musical deficits.

Vampires and shopping

I woke up early a couple of times and drank lots of water to facilitate matters for Mary, the vampire at the Health Centre. It worked as Mary managed to get my blood easily. After giving a urine sample, I also asked about an appointment to renew prescriptions. Aizih, the longstanding receptionist, said I could see a doctor right away, so I did plus enquired about my referral to the Melbourne Hospital for a colonoscopy. With a lot done by 9.30am, I picked up Murdoch, the new Kia Picanto from Trenerry Crescent and Peter from home where Sergei was already applying lacquer to the kitchen bench. We went to Victoria Gardens to get our shopping and Noel's, delivered Noel's and came home for a sandwich lunch. Sergei had fixed the plaster in my bedroom while we weren't looking and will return tomorrow (Thursday) to apply another coat of lacquer to the bench which he'll repeat on Friday. Alex the other builder won't be back till Friday when he might re-install the sink, stovetop and oven and we'll be back to normal. Also, maybe not. He's also got to fix the tiles on the kitchen floor. But once that is done, we only have to wait for the cabinetmaker to make the new cupboard for the fireplace, but that is not essential for now. After a nap, I checked emails and we had leftover pork casserole for dinner, then very normal Wednesday night teev.

Pills and haircut

After a bit of routine emailing and a bit on the BIG autobiog., I went to the health centre for pills thence to Smurf Street for a long overdue haircut. The man at Glory of Hair from Iraq was very nice and remembered I don't have product in my hair even though, as he said, he hasn't seen me for a while. I got lunch (spanakopita) and came home to find all the tradies have evacuated, Lord knows why. P. has a U3A Webinar at 1pm so we'd better have lunch. It's all go here. They've even started on the plastering in my bedroom while I wasn't looking. After a nap, I did some more on the BIG autobiog. P. made another microwave dinner, steak and peppers, which was quite tasty but difficult, which we had with bought potato salad to counteract the pepper. Then fairly indifferent teev. Margolyse and Festival directors. All in all, a fairly successful day, except on the renovations front.

Feedback

The natural history author got back this morning and seems okay with how it is going. Meanwhile I got on with the large autobiography. P. went up to get some sangos for lunch as Sergei is occupying the kitchen doing more sanding. The cooktop is now gone temporarily so coffee will be in short supply (no boiling water). It seems that the floor in the kitchen won't need drastic treatment which is good. Now for a nap. As we now have only the microwave left to cook with P. made a pork casserole for dinner which was spicy and tasty but a bit meat heavy, even though he reduced the amount of meat. We then settled into normal Monday night teev. Too much about major worries like climate change and coronavirus. I did a questionnaire from the Arts Centre today about a return to (almost) normal. It was depressing too as was a good post from Lesley P. about how to avoid the virus which was accurate (for a change) but a bit daunting. It's a good job I've got a very large manuscript to work on which will keep me isolated. However, tomorrow I have to get pills from the Health Centre and get a haircut as I'm starting to look like Bore-us Johnson.

Crossword and work

Today's big crossword was a bit harder than usual. I then sent the natural history ms. off to the author for checking but haven't heard back yet. Last night, I managed to drop three knives under the washing machine (our temporary dish drainer) and P. managed to retrieve two of them. We might just have to abandon the last one as the machine is too hard to move. Ah well! We had not-bad packaged soup for lunch, then a nap. I made leftover vera bolognese for dinner, which was something of a logistic nightmare working between the stovetop, soon to disappear, and the bathroom, for a sink and water. However, it turned out well, then we settled in for Mystery Road and Killing Eve.

Papers, natural history and busy night

The avalanche of papers arrived, though they are getting slimmer by the week. One travel supplement has disappeared and the other is down to four pages, a pamphlet. Advertisements for death ships have disappeared. Now back to the natural history manuscript. By lunchtime, I'd nearly finished. We had leftover pea-and-ham soup for lunch, then P. did some shopping for Noel, while I finished the manuscript. I'll do a final check in the morning and send it to the author. Now for a short nap. We've got a quick hello to David's 21st virtual birthday party in Moss Vale then off to Noel's for dinner. Our first outing in ages under the new rules. We had a lovely chicken curry for dinner and a good mag, better than we can have just dropping the shopping every week. Noel is not suffering from lockdown as he is in permanent lockdown and is suffering from that. It is not good, being old and unable to get out but he is surviving well, if with a few setbacks. Home again for Saturday night teev, not very good except for Unforgotten.

Friday nature

Alex is back bright and early to finish off the bathroom and start on the kitchen, along with Sergei and Giuliano their boss. I'm off with the natural history and making good progress. I should finish this stage of it over the weekend. After a 'picnic' lunch in the front room (Sergei was sanding the kitchen bench) we had a nap. Now Sergei and Alex have departed leaving us with the cooktop but not oven operational, and we can use the microwave on the kitchen table, so we'll survive the weekend. We had leftover shepherd's pie for dinner (heated in the microwave) and had usual Friday night teev: Gardening Australia, China Girl (which is getting better) and Spooky Music.

Shopping

After brekkie, I did some work on the natural history and have now finished the references, then I picked up Barnaby the Yaris and we did the shopping for ourselves and Noel. Home again for salmon patties for lunch then a nap. As it's fish day, we had oysters then pea and fish curry for dinner. Teev was pretty boring. Is there no end to Grand Designs? However, Barry Cassidy saved the day.

Natural history

I snuck in a bit of work on the natural history ms. before P. needed the computer for his U3A meeting. While he did that I completed the shepherd's pie for dinner (using last night's roast lamb) and therefore I didn't get much done on the restoration of the bathroom items. Now for a nap. We had the shepherd's pie for dinner and it was not bad. Then ABC comedy teev which wasn't very funny.

A lot of balls

I've had a response from the author of autobiog. no 2 and that's now done, as far as I'm concerned. I'm waiting on replies about the BIG autobiog. and the young adult novel, so I'll go back to the natural history ms. which I need to edit. It's only a bit over 30 000 words, so it's not a big job, though it has monumental problems with the footnotes. Alex is still beavering away on the bathroom. Last night I made Adam Liaw's two-hour vegies (from the Sunday Age) to go with roast lamb tonight. We had soup for lunch. Now for a nap. When I got up Alex was showing P. the nearly completed bathroom (only the mirror and towelhook to go). I'll now finish Adam Liaw's lamb. It turned out quite well and I might try the vegie part again as it can be used with anything. I'm now turning the leftovers into shepherd's pie f'rafter. The natural history author has got back to me agreeing with my idea for fixing the footnotes so it's all go, though it will be a little delayed by P.'s U3A committee meeting on Zoom for a couple of hours tomorrow.

Pills and young adult

I sent the notes on autobiography no 2 to the author and await response, then went to the Health Centre to get pills for P. and me. Alex and Giuliano turned up to work on the bathroom while I went back to the Young Adult novel to write a report. We had minestrone for lunch then a nap. While napping in the arvo, Danny the architect arrived and we settled some details in the bathroom. We had leftover vera for dinner followed by normal Monday night teev. Late in the evening, English Polly sent two pics of chestnut trees which reminded her of our time in France. They were gorgeous.

Working away

I got up (relatively) early and started the crossword then went back to the YA novel. I also started making pea-and-ham soup. I finished reading it just before lunchtime and it is not bad, but with a lot of faults. I'll do a report on it tomorrow. We had leftover anchovy pasta and chicken for lunch. Now for a nap. I got up and finished off the soup for dinner. Then Mystery Road and Killing Eve. God, lockdown is getting boring.

Rainy days

I was going to the health centre for pills today but there's a huge downpour, so back to work with autobiog. no 2 after a quick peruse of the Saturday papers. Nothing there of much consequence. I made soup for lunch (tomato and cheese) and I've finished autobiog. no 2 and written some notes for the author which I'll sit on till tomorrow before sending. Now I've only got the YA novel to read, before settling into some real work on the BIG autobiography and the natural history book. But first, a nap on this very wet day. P. has made vera bolognese for dinner with mushrooms, then we watched a video of Querelle because the teev was so bad. It was impenetrable and not even very sexy. We finished with Unforgotten which was good as usual.

Quiet day

Sergei the painter was back today while I'm having a break from the BIG autobiography pending hearing from the author about cuts. Instead I'm reading the natural history. Meanwhile, a new, mercifully short, novel has arrived for report and I still have autobiography no 2 waiting in the wings for comment. So, there's plenty to do. The author of the natural history responded promptly so I can go on with that as soon as I have a minute, and I've started reading autobiography no 2. After a nap, I found Sergei has left with most of the painting done, if not all. Alex will be back on Monday to finish the bathroom with any luck. I made anchovy pasta for dinner, then we had normal Friday night teev: Gardening Australia, with an ever-tidier Kosta, then China Lady, which is improving, then Spooky Music, not bad.

Back to work

In what passes for normal in these coronavirus/renovation times, P. had a shower this morning in the interim shower (I had one last night and IT WORKS). After breakfast, I settled back into the BIG autobiography, which I think I have found a solution to (its length and repetition, that is). Sergei, the assistant builder and painter, and Matt, the gas heater fixer, turned up, so it's a hive of activity (cliche, cliche). The gas heater is now usable again, which is good as the nights (and days) are getting chillier. P. went off to do some shopping and make the final payment on the AirBNB. We had sangos and wraps for lunch, then a nap. P. nade saltimbocca chicken for dinner which was delicious (thanks Stephanie) though it was a lot of trouble. Then very indifferent teev, but there's not much else. Early to bed.

Busy day moving and shopping

I picked up Barnaby the Yaris early and we loaded him up in Collingwood and brought it back to Abbotsford and unloaded then went to Victoria Gardens for our shopping and Noel's. After delivering Noel's, we came home, dropped our shopping, had salmon patties for lunch then went back to Collingwood for the remaining goodies. Meanwhile, Alex and his mate Sergei were soldiering on with the bathroom and, with a small bribe of a bottle of cognac, we should have a workable bathroom by the end of the day. We had a nap, Alex and Sergei went home. We had oysters then fried salmon for dinner. After the news, I watched Plexus live-streamed in an hour-long concert which was, as usual, superb. Pity there was no live audience. Then we watched Animal House which I have never seen in spite of it having echoes of one of my ex-students in Collingwood. It was not bad, with a stellar cast.

Last full day in Collingwood?

P. and I had a good night's sleep in Abbotsford. In the morning, P. went back to Collingwood while I went back to the BIG autobiography. Alex th builder has arrived and is beavering away in the bathroom. After a nap, I went back to Collingwood where we had P.'s delicious leftover bean stew for dinner with fairly indifferent teev. We spent our last night in Collingwood, I hope.

Home again for a while

This morning, we came back to Abbotsford where Alex the builder is busy installing the shower screen. I did a bit of admin. stuff then got back to the BIG autobiography which I'm now a third of the way through. We had soup for lunch, then a nap. P. made leftover roast chook for dinner, then it was normal Monday night teev, 4corners, mediawatch and Q&A.

Washing

After a good night's sleep in Collingwood, I picked up Heiko the Yaris and dropped P. at the laundromat with the crossword which turned up as expected in Abbotsford then went back to read the big autobiography. After the washing was finished, we went back to Collingwood where, after a nap, we had leftover pasta (two sorts) for dinner. Then a very satisfying night's teev including the final of Shetland.

Papers and work

The papers arrived at Abbotsford as arranged after a very cold and stormy night, so congrats to the distributors. I settled into a day working on the BIG autobiography, well, actually just reading it to get a handle on what needs to be done. It is actually very good as you would expect from such an accomplished author. After a nap, I headed back to Collingwood where P. was making delicious bean stew for dinner. We followed with a not-bad movie on SBS then Unforgotten, good as usual.

Catch up again

I haven't been near the computer much for various reasons. On Wednesday, we picked up Heiko the Yaris and did fairly normal shopping, dropped off Noel's shopping and did pharmacy and banking for him. Back to Collingwood for salmon patties for lunch, a nap then prawn bisque and fried salmon for dinner, followed by normal Wednesday night teev. On Thursday and Friday morning, P. had U3A Zoom sessions at home with Passage to India on Thursday for Post-colonial lit. and Upton Sinclair's The Jungle today for American Lit. We finished the fritatta last night for dinner. Alex the builder informed us today that he should have the bathroom finished by Wednesday, so we've extended the AirBNB by a few days and will gradually return home this coming week. Tonight we are having roast chook at home then Spooky Music again.