Dressing then the BIG fella

This morning I went off to the Health Centre where the inestimable Virginia redid my dressing very well. Home again to work on, I hope, finalising the BIG autobiography with a compromise solution on the (nearly) ending. I hope this one works. We had vegie quiches for lunch which were very tasty. Naptime! An email has arived from WA confirming the compromise, now a meeting with the author will follow. Fingers crossed. P. is making leftover vera bolognese for dinner with zucchini fritters. What a champion! Then after watching a bit of Lord of the Flies on NITV (?), I went to the Sydney Opera House for a trio (clarinet, violin and piano) playing Dvorak and two original Australian works, then back to NITV.

The BIG fella and the medium

I started this morning on finding a compromise solution to the BIG autobiography, then had a chat with Bryony C. (on the phone) about a proposed editing scholarship, then P. started his U3A zoom and I retreated to the living room where I finished this stage of proofing of the medium autobiography. I had lunch and did the first stage of the leek-and-potato soup. Now for a nap. I'm now back on the BIG fella before having an early dinner (leftover beef curry and rice) before Kerry B.'s virtual birthday party with our special home-delivered baby cheeses, then a Digital Concert Hall concert with the MCO.

Shopping plus

We picked up Murdoch the Kia (I love such a small car being named Murdoch) who I call Rupert. We did our shopping and Noel's lickety-split, delivered Noel's then came home for lunch (salmon patties) and I did some work on the BIG autobiog. Now for a nap. For dinner we had oysters then prawn bisque. Usual Wednesday night teev with unfunny ABC comedy but concluding with a rivetting SBS new episode of Luther.

Health Centre, autobiography and ultrasound

This morning, up early to go to the Health Centre to be redressed by nurse Gill who did a great job. Home again to take up the autobiography proofing. We had pea-and-ham soup for lunch, then Sally picked me up and whizzed me off to an ultrasound in East Melbourne. Andrea the operator was very thorough and took an hour to do both legs. Of course, she couldn't tell me anything and I have to 'wait for the doctor'. Ah well! Home again for good news on the BIG autobiog. The author is willing to compromise, though it will be a bit of work. A short nap followed by P. making a very good beef and potato curry for dinner. Then off to SBS for trains and so on.

New week

After various humdrum admin. things, I got back to the medium-sized autobiography. I'm about halfway through this proof. We had cheese and tomato soup for lunch and now a nap. Leftovers for dinner: pea-and-ham, retatouille and pork chop. Then normal Monday night teev with a quite predictable expose on workers comp. then lacklustre Q&A.

Crossword and not much else

I woke up early this morning, retrieved the Sunday Age from out the front, started the crossword, then went back to bed. When I awoke, late, P. had done most of it. It had one difficulty: the 'Melbourne'-based singer/songwriter, who is now actually Broome-based but never mind. P. made a yummy brunch: eggs and beans. Now for a nap. God, I'm predictable. P. made pork chops and ratatouille for dinner. Then we had Angor Wat on SBS and Vera on ABC. Very good value.

Papers and autobiography

After perusing the papers, I went on with proofing the autobiography after starting pea-and-ham soup. I've had a phone call about the BIG one and the author is, on the whole, happy with it but there might be some negotiating to do about inclusions and cuts. We await further advice from Perth. We had tinned minestrone for lunch, and now a nap. I'm finishing the pea-and-ham for dinner, then we're watching digital concert hall, Haydn, Mozart and Schumann with players from the MSO. It was superb. Followed up with fairly ordinary teev plus very good doco on SBS about a turn of the century civil rights activist who opposed D.W. Griffiths.

Dressing, shopping and so on

I went up to the Health Centre early to have my dressing replaced by nurse Virginia then picked up Manon the Corolla outside and went home. Nick the cabinetmaker was installing the fireplace cupboard and very fine it looks. As it turns out from the results, we were correct to choose the simpler version with the 'wood-grain' finish. They departed and P. and I went to Victoria Gardens for the shopping. We took Noel's stuff to him then came home for vegie soup for lunch and now a nap. No work has been done. We are having oysters for dinner, followed by fish chowder courtesy of Mure's of Hobart for the fish stock. Then we'll have European Gardens followed by the amazing and always stimulating Mary Beard on the nude.

Good sleep now autobiography

Last night, I had a near perfect sleep. Go figure! This morning I need to sort out a clash of medical appointments then go on with printing and proofing the medium autobiography which I am enjoying. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch with guacamole, and now for a nap after checking some captions for an old book which I thought had long gone. We had leftover chicken and brocolli casserole for dinner then fairly ordinary and instantly forgettable teev. Why does the ABC buy this shit?

Refreshed

Having had a somewhat disturbed sleep last night with a sore foot, I indulgently slept in this morning but now feel much better for it. After a bit of morning admin., it's on with the middle-sized autobiography. P. made delicious guacamole for lunch, then I went back to the autobiography. I got to the end of editing and am now printing it out for proofing. But first a nap. P. made wonderful chicken mornay with broccoli for dinner followed by fairly humdrum ABC teev except for Planet America, always good.

More autobiography

This morning I did some more on the middle-sized biography and was delighted to hear that its author has received it and is now reading it. Dan the architect came to follow-up Rick the plumber's worries about a bit of possible shifting on the side of the house. He thinks it is not serious but will get Alex the Russian builder to check it out when he comes to finish the last of their work. We had some of Kent's delicious sourdough for lunch plus minestrone (canned). Now for a short nap. I have made an appointment at Cohealth to change my dressing on Friday so we are shopping on Friday instead of Wednesday. We now have to 'create' three more meals. Tonight we'll have leftover anchovy pasta plus baby cheeses. Tomorrow night, we'll have the leftover roast chook (there's lots of it) and Thursday night, probably takeaway. Done! Tonight's teev included a Portillo train journey in Thailand which was quite interesting, a humdrum Micallef on boozing in Australia, then a fascinating doco on Vlad the Impaler (Putin).

Podiatrist again

This morning, Sally kindly arrived to take me to Royal Park to the podiatrist, who turned out to be Brent together with a student from Latrobe, Zoe. They gave me the full treatment including a 'pressure' shoe to take the weight off the wounds, a new dressing and a referral for an ultrasound and a vascular clinic. They'll see me again in three weeks. Home again with Sal, then P. and I had leftover steak plus soup for lunch. At last, after TWELVE days, the BIG autobiography has arrived in Perth. In further news, the plumber on Saturday noticed some problems with maybe subsidence when he repaired the gutters so Danny the architect is coming tomorrow to have a look and Kent dropped by with a loaf of homemade sourdough bread (socially distanced). Now for a much-needed nap. P. is making his famous roast chook for dinner, which is much appreciated. Then it will be normal Monday night teev, in which Four Corners played a doco on Italian hospitals during Covid-19. It was stunning: scary and inspiring.

Crossword and biogs

I got up late this morning so was late finishing the Sunday crossword which looks like it has one HUGE mistake. We had leftover David Herbert fishcakes and rakott krumpli for lunch (yum) and I sent my report on the small (auto)biography to the publisher. Now for a nap. I'm making anchovy pasta for dinner tonight, then we're back to new Vera again on the teev which was superb as always, as was my anchovy pasta.

Roof and autobiography

This morning Rick the plumber turned up to work on the spouting and I did some small administrative things and went on with the shorter autobiography. The BIG one still has not arrived in Perth after about 10 days!! It must be going by slow pony across the Nullarbor. Also, the link has arrived by the Boyd Foundation for the videos of the prizewinning buildings nominated around Australia. We'll watch it in bites till it expires at the end of the month. It is quite good value for $30. Perhaps after the virus, this might be a new model for some art etc. experiences. I also started on reading the short autobiography. I now have them in three sizes. This one was really written by the subject's daughter, so strictly it is a biography. It is a really difficult one. The plumber worked away until lunchtime, then charged less than he quoted as it was quicker than he thought!!! What a treasure. We had vegie soup for lunch, then a bit more of the short bio. then a nap. P. is making a marinated steak wok dish for dinner. It was delicious, then we watched the news, etc. Then I retreated to my computer to watch a NY Philharmonic production of Carousel.

Podiatry, shopping and zoom

First up, I went to the Health Centre for the inestimable Claire to do her dressing stuff, then picked up Manon the Corolla, who has replaced Barnaby the Yaris ouside the health centre. I picked up P. and we did Victoria Gardens, dropped Noel's shopping off and came home for lunch: salmon patties from V.Gardens. Now for a nap. We had a zoom session with the NSW branch of the family (Kit, Allie, Sarah, with fleeting appearances by Ben), then oysters and David Herbert delicious fishcakes with Baptiste and Marcella (a bit over the top).

Events unfold

Today I got the okay to start on the small autobiography which I am very pleased about. I am powering through it today, about a quarter through the first pass and a good stylesheet established. We had leftover leek-and-potato soup for lunch, then weakened and had pizza for dinner after a nap. There was quite a good part one of a program on the Orient Express then ABC pap (Father Brown) until the news.

Waiting, waiting...

More electronic tidying up (the physical tidying up is beyond me with my sore foot, at least that's the excuse I'm using). Still waiting for two lots of news from the west. If I haven't got it by tomorrow I'll start prodding on the phone and email. I then tried to do further battle with online sites during the pandemic. It amazes me how hard some people try to make it to give them money. Ridiculous demands for complicated passwords for sites no one would ever try to hack into, for example. I still haven't managed to get the code for the one I want, even though I've paid them money. Now for leftover curried sausages for lunch. Yum! Not everyone's cup of tea, I know.

Quoting and podiatry

I did some more on the outstanding quotes this morning and P. took photos of the brickwork for the pointing man. Then I went up to the Health Centre to have the dressings on my foot changed. It feels a lot better. I also ran into Frank P. and had a catch-up. Home again to finish off the leftover okonomiyaki which was just as yummy second time around. Now for a nap. P. made leftover vera bolognese for dinner and I altered the shopping to Friday to coincide with my next podiatry appointment. We then settled in for fairly undistinguished teev.

Another quiet day...

waiting for some things to happen: getting the go-ahead to edit the shorter autobiography and waiting for a response to the biggie from the author. Meanwhile I'm puttering away on various administrative and tidying things though avoiding the big jobs. P. made leftover leek-and-potato soup for lunch, then I had a long chat to Bron N. (long overdue) while he went to get pills at the Health Centre. Now for a nap. I also asked for quotes for the fence, veranda tiles and brick pointing (which we probably can't afford) and had an overdue chat with Marg C. and Clive O. in Foster. Then made curried sausages for dinner which weren't bad, followed by Stan Grant on racism and Julia Gillard on herself.

Crossword plus soup on a quiet day

I got up early, started the crossword, then went back to bed. P. did most of it, then I finished off the crossword and the leek-and-potato soup which we had for lunch. Then it was nap time. I got up while P. was watching the inevitable Antiques Roadshow so had a wash (I'm still on that regime) and washed my hair, a bit overdue, but it's hard to do in the trough. P. is making okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) for dinner, this time vegie version. Then we can settle in for new Vera, yay! A light in the darkness. The okonomiyaki was great as was Vera, later Becky Sharp less so.

Rainy day

After perusing the Saturday papers (the books pages in The Age and The Australian are getting thinner and thinner), I went on with the new autobiography. It is very good and contains a wonderful bombshell near the end. I've sent a short report to the publisher (about some defamation in the text). I hope to be able to edit it. The author sounds very genial. I finished it just in time for lunch. We had tinned vegie soup with pesto added. Now for a short nap, away from the weather under the covers, however, the nap proved to be longer rather than short. Fortunately, P. is doing leftover chicken curry for dinner, while I watch some of the Melbourne NAIDOC concert on playback, and do some cooking (leek-and-potato soup) for tomorrow. Then Les Miserables (still not sure).

Just when you thought it was safe...

I was taking a much-needed breather after the BIG autobiography. Now another one has turned up but it is nearly a third the size. I'm now over halfway through and the author is obviously a very nice man (unless he's fooling me). We had vegie soup (canned with added plastic which P. found in his serve) for lunch. Now for some more reading then a nap. P. had an industrious day making very nice vera bolognese which we had for dinner. After the news, I watched Laura Vaughan (Latitude 37) perform solo viol pieces on MDCH. Then back to the teev, where P. was watching Monty Don's Japanese Gardens, for Baptiste which is hotting up, then new rather Gothic series, Marcella. Screwy plus.

Shopping plus podiatry

A bit of routine administration this morning, including accepting the quote for reverse cycle aircon. upstairs and downstairs. Then we picked up Rupert Murdoch the Picanto to do the shopping. Because of getting coffee and picking up a non-delivered book from the post office, we were a bit later than usual getting to Noel's to deliver his shopping. Home again to unpack, and I'm off to the health centre for more wound-dressing at podiatry. Yet another podiatrist, Bec, put on a new dressing and the wounds were also looked at by Irish Cla(i)re who says they are healing. Why then are they hurting so much? Is it part of the healing? Home again for a nap then fish dinner, salmon patties and prawn bisque, interspersed with an online concert by MSO members of works by Bartok, Part and Hindemith. Then the teev, with trains, Broome and (yawn) Father Brown.

Tidying up

This morning I did a bit of tidying up before P. took over the computer for his U3A committee meeting on Zoom, which seems to work well on our computer which it doesn't for some committee members. We had the last of the ham and bean soup for lunch, then a nap. To my amazement, the Royal Melbourne wounds clinic got back after a referral by the Cohealth podiatrist, Gabrielle, and I've got an appointment in about a week. Yay! The only catch is that it's at Royal Park campus, where I used to go for dialysis training and it's a bit hard to get to. I might need to get a cab. We had leftover chilli con carne for dinner, then very unfunny ABC 'comedy' on the teev. Oh well!

Off to the four winds

This morning early the gutter cleaners came and cleaned out the gutters round the house after the street plane trees had shed all their leaves into them. I prepared the manuscript of the autobiography and posted it to its author, then had a deserved, short nap. There has been a bit of toing and froing about the fireplace cupboard. With any luck that will be resolved today. P. made mushroom soup for lunch (packaged and a bit bland) but after a nap, he made delicious chicken curry for dinner which was anything but bland. A fairly normal Tuesday night teev followed, though Troy Cassar-Daley was interesting on Who Do You Think You Are. It made me want to know more about my Tasmanian relatives who came out around 1832.

Every second Monday,

the cleaners come and whiz through the place, lickety-split. I'm going on entering the corrections to the BIG autobiography. There are not many and it's fairly tedious. Then off to the Health Centre for more podiatry. The inestimable podiatrists, this time Irish Cla(i)re changed my dressing, the wound is healing slightly and I am to return on Thursday after the shopping. We had tomato and cheese soup for lunch and now for a nap, having finished proofing the autobiography. I can now send it to the author. Fingers crossed. We had leftover ham and bean soup for dinner followed by baby cheeses and regular Monday night teev. Why can't the Labor Party have its women as leaders: Wong, Plebisek, Butler. They'd romp it in.

Crossword plus proofing

I got up early to start the crossword main frame, then went back to bed to catch up on sleep. I finished off the crossword after P. had exhausted his tries, then went on with proofing. The crossword was pretty easy this week except for one clue (Holyman) and there were no errors. P. is making a mixed brunch (bacon, eggs and beans) for lunch. Now for a bit more proofing and a short nap. Now we're off to Noel's with Frank for dinner. Moel excelled himself with a chicken and spinach curry then fruit for dessert. We had a good chat, then came home to the teev. A fizzle of a finish to Operation Buffalo, a very ham-fisted series of a mix of melodrama, 'comedy' and real issues. Then a wonderful but inconclusive film about the conflicts facing a young Aboriginal boy. Then the resolution of the Eden-Monaro by-election, sort of. E

Paper and bio.

After a quick flick through the Saturday papers, I went back to the proofing of the BIG autobiography. So far so good. While doing that I listened to the workshop performance of Victorian Opera's Three Tales, three chamber operas based on stories by Flaubert. It was worth listening to, especially Stefan Cassemenos' Herodias. His group, Plexus, a bit augmented, played the music for all three, which were written by Daniel Keene. I hope we can get to see it on stage some time. We had last night's bean and tomato soup for lunch, then more proofing, then a short nap. P. is making chili con carne for dinner. I can't find any concerts tonight but the Arts Centre has a 45 minutes interview with Archie Roach which was very moving. Then was the final of this series of Unforgotten, quite chilling but they got their man.

Varied day

I did some administrative things like paying the house insurance, which I have increased on advice, then P. had his U3A American Literature on Saul Bellow. While he did that I proofed the printout of the big autobiography and so far am pleased to find not very many typos or opportunities for further cuts. I'm about a quarter way through so should have it finished by early next week. Then I had a sponge wash as as I can't shower as I have to keep my dressed foot dry till Monday when it's redressed. We then had leftover seafood chowder for lunch followed by a nap. I'm making ham, capsicum and bean soup for dinner from a recipe from Carmel B. It turned out very well but probably would have been better with chorizo rather than ham. Then I watched Digital Concert Hall for a rescored version of most of Winterreise for piano and cello. It worked very well, thanks Stefan and Michelle and showed up the musical structure of the piece better than voice and piano, which tends to focus on the singer. Then ABC, bless them, with Baptiste and Grantchester (okay, but beggars can't be choosers).

Feet logistics

I slept okay last night and in fact slept in. After doing routine computer things, I decided to have a small nap before lunch. The right foot is still a bit sore after the pummelling it took yesterday. Gabrielle was very gentle but she had to poke and pick a bit. I have to keep the dressing dry for a few days so will have to have a sponge wash, I think. We're having leftover leek-and-potato soup for lunch. After a short nap, Danny M. arrived to bring some samples for the cupboard in the fireplace, then I got on with some end-of-year things (BAS, start of tax return) then we had leftover coq au vin for dinner.

Shopping and feet

I managed to sneak in a bit of the autobiography and the end-of-month accounts before we picked up Rupert Murdoch and did our shopping and Noel's. We had a good chat with Noel who was very perky. Home again to unpack the shopping and have salmon patties for lunch. P. went off for a nap and I went to the podiatrist at the Health Centre AT LAST. They live in a cavern at the back of the centre and I got gold star treatment from Gabrielle. Turns out I have poor circulation in my feet (probably from years of smoking) which is causing wounds in my feet which form from small abrasions and then don't heal. She has dressed the wounds and will review them next Monday as well as seek a referral to wounds treatment at the Royal Melbourne. Home again for seafood chowder for dinner followed by usual, and quite unimpressive ABC Wednesday night teev until you get to Planet America.