Novel plus book

I read some more of the first new novel this morning. I think there might be too much of an age gap between me and the author. We'll see. Then Michael H. dropped in for a cuppa and to deliver copies of his new book. P. and I then had pies for lunch from the Convent Bakery. They've lifted their game, because the pies weren't bad. Naptime. Then I made anchovy pasta for dinner. Also not bad. Then normal Monday night teev. including the last part of a terrorism series, then Media Watch and Q&A.

Lotsa novels

One more novel has turned up, from an old friend, for report. This morning, I sent back the BIG novel to its author. I'll be intrigued to see its progress, if any. It's very 'experimental' so will probably have difficulty finding a publisher but you never know. Now, after the Sunday crossword, I'll embark on the shorter of the two for 'report'. From initial probings, I am optimistic about both. We had tinned lentil and garlic soup for lunch followed by a nap. After which, I watched ANAM's end-of-year concert and thankyous after a difficult year without premises in various states of lockdown, online. P. made spare ribs for dinner, followed by more renovations, fortunately supposedly the last episode, then a UK disappeared-kiddy saga which used a by now over-used 'trope' the snatched-child syndrome. Then late news and arts.

Off to Castlemaine

This morning, P. and I headed to Southern Cross to catch the train to Castlemaine. We were joined by Polly P. and Rennis W. at Footiscray. At Castlemaine we were picked up by Ann de H. and Sandra Z-G. and went for lunch at Ann's with Sally (who came on an earlier train). We had a very good mag and lunch, mostly things which people had brought, then caught the train back. Ann's new house in Chewton is lovely with a great view over the old goldfields. We had leftover fish curry and rice for dinner, then Shetland and Endeavour, then ABC news.

Novel

Still on the big novel and probably have one more day on it before moving on. I'm starting to optimistically book concerts and operas for next year. P. went up to Kew to get baby cheeses to take to Castlemaine. We had tasty leftover pad thai for lunch. Naptime. A bit more on the big novel, then the one I prepared yesterday, the fish curry and rice for dinner. Then 'normal' Friday night teev, Gardening, Vera and Mum.

New novel

Sure enough, just as I've nearly finished the BIG novel, another arrived. I haven't even had time to sample it yet as I spent most of the morning transferring things to my next-year's diary, bought when shopping yesterday at the $5 shop. Then I went up to the shops for today's paper while P. discussed Mullimbimby on U3A. We had leftover sweet'n'sour pork for lunch and I made tomorrow night's fish curry so the fish won't go off. Naptime! P. made complicated but delicious Pad Thai for dinner. Then we had Scottish vets on the teev, followed by Fargo and the news.

Shopping

P. and I went in Rupert the Picanto to Victoria Gardens, did a very efficient shop, delivered Noel's goodies to him (he was in reasonable shape) and came home for the usual salmon patties. After a nap, we had the inestimable Graham Willett on the AIDS crisis and our response, then had prawn bisque for dinner followed by Great Train robberies and rabbis in the outback. Mad.

More novel

I got on with the big novel this morning and got this pass finished. I found I have cut 10,000 words which is still not enough, but I might return it to the author as it's a testament to its quality that I only found that much to cut. I might try the second half again, but I think that's pretty much it. There's an optional cut as well of a whole 'sub-plot' but it's all up to the author. P. and I had minestrone (tinned) for lunch, and now for a nap. P. is making spicy lamb on skewers for dinner. We then watched the Margaret Thatcher movie (played by Meryl Streep), then I listened to the first string quartet supposedly written in Australia composed by Charles Horsley performed by the Aust. String Quartet, transcribed by the late Richard Divall. Not bad.

At last, the novel

I settled in this morning with the big novel. Only about 250 pages to go and got down to 120 to go. I suspect I still haven't cut enough. The cleaners arrived and departed lickety-split. We had tinned vegie soup for lunch, then naptime. We had leftover spiced chickpea/sweet potato and sweet'n'sour pork for dinner. Normal Monday night teev followed.

Crossword plus film discussion

For the first time in ages, we finished the Sunday crossword before 9am. I might try a bit of an early nap because of the film discussion after lunch. I made bacon and eggs for lunch, and it's nearly time for the Film Archive discussion of Demonstrator, a truly awful film from the 70s, though instructive. All part of the learning process. After a nap, P. made spiced sweet potato and chick pea for dinner then even more renovations, then Roadkill final episode which was kind of expected. Then Italian cooking and news.

Papers, filing and novel

Got back into gear this morning after perusing the papers (very little of interest, the book pages keep shrinking) and did some filing and got back to the big novel. I did some but not enough while P. went shopping and came back with yummy Laurent quiches for lunch. Naptime. I used the leftover roast pork to make a modified sweet'n'sour pork for dinner. Then Royal propaganda in Victoria. Then a virtual Australian String Quartet playing Shostakovich brilliantly, then a re-run of Endeavour, then news.

Brunch plus movie chat

Liz T. came by this morning and we went to the Farm cafe for a nice brunch and a mag. Home again for U3A film noir zoom meeting about the film, Detour, which went very well. Naptime. P. made yummy roast pork with all the trimmings, then Gardening, Vera and Mum. All good except I haven't done any work for days. Tomorrow.

Untidy morning

The usual computer stuff this morning and some long overdue filing, then P. had his Cohealth exercise session remotely, then cheesy tomato soup for lunch and a nap. I made the last of the soto ayam for an appropriate dinner on a very hot day. Then Great Fire of London, New Zealand and Fargo.

Almost back to normal

This morning, with Murdoch the Picanto, P. and I picked up Frank and went to Victoria Gardens, thence to Noel's to drop his shopping. It was almost like back to normal except with masks and handwash. Then P. and I had salmon patties for lunch, and a nap. After that I had a zoom meeting with some ANAM folk about their future at the nearby Convent which was very interesting. They are having rehearsal rooms in an old industrial building in Marine Parade. There might indeed be a second trombone in the Marine Parade as in The Mikado. We then had fish chowder for dinner followed by a forgotten Australian film from the Film Archive, 'Demonstrator', which probably should have remained forgotten.

Out Again

After usual computer tidying and a bit on the novel, P. and I headed to the Big Smoke for the first time in ages for lunch with Julie and Ian at the Elephant and Wheelbarrow. We had a good lunch and a long overdue catchup. Home for a nap! P. made steak for dinner then we had more trains with Portillo, then Sharon Grigoryan's farewell concert with Australian String Quartet with quartets by Hindson and Schubert. Then Lil Bois, a film from the Ngukurr community.

Out at last

I did some work on the novel this morning before P. and I went up to Brunswick Street for brunch with Barry D. at Mario's. We had a good mag and a good meal. P. came home for telehealth exercise and I soon joined him. Now naptime! I used the leftover soto for dinner then we had even more renovations, followed by ISIS, then political hijinks on Q&A.

Crossword plus novel

We were late rising so the Sunday crossword was late, this week with one mistake by them (op.cit.). Then I did a bit on the big novel. We had leftover vera on toast for lunch, now it's naptime. P. made potato, onion and sausage casserole for dinner, then it was more endless renovations followed by Roadkill then cooking shows in Italy and late news.

Settling in

The mountain of papers arrived and were devoured, then I set about making soto ayam for dinner. It's intriguing that this week P. and I chose to make our 'signature' dishes vera bolognese and soto ayam. We'll probably have one night out somewhere to break the monotony but it won't be at Attica's new Covid $500-a-head deal plus grog. They'll be booked out by the rich anyway. I made bacon and eggs for lunch (no smashed avocado) and did some more on the soto ayam. I'll finish it off after a nap as there's not much left to do. It turned out well, then we watched Victoria, the movie for next week's U3A, Detour, then Morse.

Quietish Friday

I spent the morning tidying up and various administrative things which I still didn't finish before it was time for lunch: shepherd's pies from the butchers at Vic. Gardens which were okay but like last week's chicken-and-leek pies, a bit bland. Naptime while P.'s vera bolognese bubbles away on the stove. We had that for dinner and it was delicious. Then normal Friday night: Gardening, Vera and Mum. Very satisfying.

Shopping plus la musica

We went off in Murdoch the Picanto to Victoria Gardens and did the shopping, dropped Noel's into him where we caught up with his friend David, who was there to wrangle the NBN coming later to, with any luck, fix Noel's communications. Home again for the usual salmon patties then lunch. Prawn bisque for dinner followed by baby cheeses and leftovers. Then Great Fire (on the teev), a piano quartet concert online with Wilma and friends (Suk and Dvorak) then Fargo followed by the news. All good.

Big novel, stock and trim

A tidying up morning today with stock on the simmer, a bit on the big novel and a beard trim. P. is not feeling well so will miss the U3A committee meeting. Leftovers for lunch and now naptime. The Convent is having a Zoom public meeting in the early evening and seems to be going well in spite of having some rather flaky projects amid some very good ones. Later, it was Roman Britain, Gruen, then Planet America, always good.

Haircut

A fairly routine morning today until I went up to Smurf Street for a haircut. There's a new salon near the newsagent/fag shop and when I went there the cutter turns out to be late of the Smurf Street Barbershop and she has cut my hair before. However, she couldn't trim my beard because of masking laws which might be lifted by 22 November, she hopes because it's a large part of her business. Back to the clippers so I don't look like the wild man of Borneo, but at least my Trump-like locks have gone. I also got spanakopita for lunch which was nice. Naptime. I'm making cheese pudding for dinner with vegies so we're having a vego day.

Bran nue dae

With the new looser restrictions the cleaners are back so P. has evacuated temporarily. I was about to get on with the BIG novel when I got a call from Mary, one of the vampires at the Health Centre. Apparently, the lab dropped one of my vials from the test on Friday so I had to scurry up to have more blood taken so Genie would have the results tomorrow. I am still recovering from the rush. We had tinned vegie soup for lunch. Now it's naptime. Leftover roast chook, vegies and potato salad for dinner. Watched Irish renovations, Broken Hill newspaper story and 'revelations' about Liberal party sleazebags.

Sunday crossword plus novel

The Sunday crossword came and went, this week with no errors that I could see and I've now started a fresh round on the novel while P. goes up to the shops and magicbank. He brought home good sausage rolls and lemon slices for lunch, then we watched the discussion on Zoom with the director of Lousy Little Sixpence. Naptime! P. made potato salad to go with leftover meatloaf. Is there no end to renovation shows on the teev? Then the much better Roadkill followed by much too much US election palaver.

Hiatus

Friday was fairly uneventful except for a visit to a new vampire at the Health Centre, Stacey, who did a good job: soup for lunch and P. made Margaret Fulton's yummy meatloaf for dinner with usual Friday night teev: Gardening, Vera and Mum so we didn't miss the internet, though P. missed his U3A American lit. session sadly. Saturday morning we didn't miss the internet because of the distraction of all the papers, P. go some baby quiches for lunch, less than bite size, then the Westnet technician came and restored the internet lickety-split. While waiting for the technician, I finished this pass of the BIG novel but found that I've only cut 4,000 words. Not enough! I'll have to start again and be more ruthless. Naptime! P. is making roast chook for dinner. There are lots of railways on the teev tonight followed by an Endeavour repeat.

More novel

I am getting on with the novel and should finish it (for this pass) in a couple of days. We had vegie soup for lunch and the fourth missing wine delivery which happened while we were here (I've phoned to complain). Naptime! Leftover anchovy pasta for dinner. When I tried to log in for a concert (MCO members) after dinner there was NO INTERNET. A saga ensued with two phone calls this evening, then one the next morning and finally a technician came on Saturday arvo. and fixed it. Some problem with the modem setting. Phew!

Shopping, not without hiccups

Off with Rupert Murdoch the Picanto to Victoria Gardens, then dropped Noel's shopping off to him. Home again for the regular salmon patties from the fish shop. Then P. took a call from Noel about the things we had got wrong with the shopping and they had a small altercation. Then later I took a call from Noel who was worried he had upset P. (which he had). I suggested we let it calm down for a day or so, then he should ring P. to apologise. Meanwhile, his NBN is not advancing, partly because the next move is for him to get a provider and get them to connect it. He says he will do that, but he sounds a bit at the end of his tether. Then a very nice call from Barry D. enquiring after my health and telling me has sold quite few paintings plus his last book is doing well. Then a short nap and an onslaught of US election though we probably won't know a result tonight. Fish chowder for dinner then a nice interlude with Roman roads in Britain before plunging back into Planet America and indecision, though my belief is that Biden will win after all the counting but who knows?

Cutting again

I went on with cutting the big novel. I'm not being ruthless enough. I'm now nearly two-thirds of the way through, but when I finish I'll have to go back and be more thorough. P. went up to the shops for milk, the paper and something for dinner: chicken curries I think. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch. Now to sleep through the Melbourne Cup. We had the two chicken curries with leftover dahl and salad. Then Portillo trains and Lousy Little Sixpence restored by the NFSA for Sunday's discussion. Then Asian voters in Texas.

Novel plus cut

I went on with the BIG novel and am nearly one third through it. I haven't cut much yet though. P. went up to Smurf Street for a post-lockdown haircut. I'll have to have one later in the week. He brought back sushi for lunch. Naptime. P. is making okonomiyaki for dinner so it's a very Japanese, not to mention nearly vego (there's bacon in the okonomiyaki), day. Normal Monday night teev.

End of month

As it's the end of month, I very efficiently did the accounts AND finished off the Sunday crossword before 10am (no mistakes I could find this week). Now back to the BIG novel. We had dumplings for lunch with dipping sauces then Sally dropped by as our first visitor in a long time. We didn't have a lot of news as we're all very boring in lockdown. Then naptime. A re-re-run of Soto Ayam for dinner, and it is now finished. The chillis were a bit on the weak side, in spite of there being five of them. Then on ABC, even more renovations (ho! hum! I'm so over them), then Roadkill, a fairly predictable but fast-moving drama, then a very depressing account of Trump v. Biden.