Shopping plus concert

We picked up Rupert this morning and went to the mall for shopping for ourselves and Noel. We delivered Noel's then came home. No patties today as P. had to run off to his exercise class. Naptime for me. Then we went to town for a good meal at Superhiro, thence to Homo Hall for the MSO with Paul Grabovsky and the Wilfred brothers from Arnhem Land (clapsticks, voice and didge) and the Art Orchestra in a composition called Wata (Wind). It was a bit opaque but enjoyable with an Enio Morricone tinge in the orchestrals. I loved the way Grabovsky cued the conductor from the piano to let the orchestra in. Home again for mostly unfunny Comedy Festival gala, then news.

Novel report and haircut

This morning I went up to Smurf Street for a haircut so I no longer look like the wild man of Borneo or Bore-us Johnson. P. was doing an online exercise class. I came home and sent off the novel report so my desk is clear for the minute. P. went off for a long lunch with Margaret N. and Kent P. We had Vietnamese takeaway for dinner, then boring trains (Newcastle to Brisbane!) with Devonshire tea being the highlight, then Luna Park fires again. Guess whodunnit? Abe Saffron. Who knew?

Novel (phew) and bookings

I had a frustrating morning with booking systems which didn't work and websites down but I've nearly got our Mansfield trip sorted. I also finished the novel and now just have to prepare a response to the author's friend. P. went out while the cleaners did their stuff and came back with sangos and sushi for lunch. Yum! Now it's naptime. I made a spinach and ham souffle for dinner which was not bad, if I say so myself. Then we had fix-up ancient buildings, 4Corners on Myanmar, then Diana Ross.

Crossword and smidgeon of novel

I slept in a bit this morning, so was late to the crossword which had one error in a clue. I then read a bit of the novel which I still hope to finish tomorrow. I'm now two-thirds of the way through. We had tinned vegie soup for lunch which wasn't bad. Before napping I watched Insiders on i-voo to watch the gutting of Scummo by three women journalists, who seem to have formed an alliance over this issue (with only a few exceptions). P. made mushroom risotto for dinner which was delicious before the scalpel programs, then news then bed.

Productive morning then good dinner

I made some more bookings for our Bourke trip then went on with the novel and am now about halfway through. I should finish it on Monday. I also started my (rather easy, I'm pleased to say) exercise program on-line from Rebecca at the Health Centre. Thanks. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch. Now for a nap. Frank joined us to go off to Noel's carrying a summer chicken which P. made yesterday. Noel had made a yummy potato and egg salad and a rocket salad plus banana with custard for dessert. We stuffed ourselves silly. Then home again for cooking programs (Ashley) and news. Then bed.

Bookings plus another concert

This morning, I spent most of my time on bookings for both holidays, concerts and plays. Then P. and I went to the Convent and had lunch at Cam's cafe and went to Rosina for our first ANAM Soundbite. Rollin Zhao, a violinist, had curated a program of recent works (in the last year), two Covid related: a piano piece by Calliope Tsoupaki called Thin Air performed by Amanda Pang, and a piece for his trio, Islay, written by the cellistDaniel Chiou (Souvenir) with pianist Caleb Salisso. Finally he performed a memorial piece for Chinese/Australians written by John Rotar, performed with pianist Aidan Boase. It was a well-devised, enjoyable concert with a good audience. Home for a nap. There is a streaming from the National Film and Sound Archive about their sound collection (of famous speeches, songs etc.)/ Then I made seafood chowder followed by Gardening and Vera.

Shopping plus concert

P. and I did normal shopping this morning with Rupert but not Frank. We delivered Noel's shopping, then home again for salmon patties. We ARE predictable if nothing else. After a shortish nap, we were visited by Kent P. and his new red sportscar and caught up with some news then headed to town and had a good meal at a crowded Superhiro, but we were fed with despatch. Thence to Homo Hall, for a Melbourne Symphony concert with Sibelius (Finlandia, a bit grandiose) and a Rautavaara symphony, Angel of Light. The Finnish ambience was leavened by Australian composer May Lyon's concerto for two horns performed by MSO's own Nicholas Fleury and Rachel Shaw. It was a delight and well appreciated by the audience. Home again for the late news.

Concert and physio

P. and I went to the Recital Hall for an ANAM concert of Mozart's greatest hits from The Marriage of Figaro using a contemporary score for wind orchestra led by Nick Deutsch on oboe with a plot summary performed by an Bethany Simons. It was most enjoyable. We then went back to Abbotsford where P. did his physio. exercises and I met with a physio. for an assessment at the same time. I will have another solo session with her in a fortnight, then move on to a small group sesssion. I had time for a quick lunch at the Bomb. Then home for a nap, and P. is making frozen vera bolognese for dinner. Fairly indifferent ABC teev followed (The Weekly, Fisk, Comedy Gala) followed by news.

Report and next novel

I sent off the report on the last novel this morning, then continued on reading the next (and last, for the minute). I'm now about a third of the way through an (over)lengthy novel. P. went off doing various shopping things (Noel's watch, Telstra and U3A delivery). Now he's home and it's naptime for both of us. I emptied the fridge for leftovers for dinner. then we watched Portillo on boring trains in Australia, then Cobar with Heather Ewart for our travels then news then bed.

Bits and pieces and novel report

Having had a busy few days, I tidied some things up, including accepting the lowest fence quote and hoping we don't have to wait till July for a new fence. I then went on to the novel report while P. went up to the quacks for report on his blood test where all the indicators are good. Yay! The report is now finished and I'll let it rest and send it off tomorrow. P. got sangos for lunch and has now gone back to his second home, the Health Centre, for physio. Naptime. P. made lamb chops with zucchini fritters and mashed spud for dinner and we watched the final of lighthouses, Four Corners on more dirt in federal parliament, then Gaddafi's millions, news then bed.

Crossword, airport and souffle

We whizzed off the Sunday crossword, then I did some ticket buying: three Brandenburgs, two Mostly Mozart and two Forest Collective. Because of covid, the ticket buying this year seems more complicated and happens later than it used to. Then we picked up Kit from her hotel and took her to the airport in Rupert. She is (I hope) now off to Sydney. We had a good brunch on the way home at Addict in new Indian hands. Naptime. I made a parmesan souffle from the new Magimix cookbook and with the help of the Magimix it made perfect egg whites and ROSE. It also tasted good. Now for NZ homes ('gorgeous') and the scalpel programs.

Gallery and high tea

P. and I went into town and met Kit at the NGV International. After a quick look at parts of the Triennial, we had yummy high tea at the Tea Rooms, caught up on Kit's week away in the King Valley then came home for a nap. Then P. and I went into town to join Kit at Kenzan Japanese eatery where we had a really good dinner and catch-up after a long time. Home again for news and bed.

Falcon interruptus

P. and I caught the bus up to Clifton Hill to go to the U3A film course at the Old Colonists'. Sadly there were a lot of technical difficulties and we didn't finish the film. However, we at least got the flavour of it. Back to Abbotsford for a good lunch at Dr Morse, then naptime after a few admin. things for tomorrow. I made prawn bisque for dinner, then Sally dropped by for a mag on her way home from dinner, then we had baby cheeses, Vera and the final of Mum.

Novel plus not much

P. went off this morning to U3A colonial literature (aka The Empire Strikes Back) while I went on with the novel report but it still isn't finished. I also tried to make some bookings for dinner with Kit on Saturday. So far I am on one waitlist (Supernormal) and am waiting for a confirmation from Kenzan. We'll see. Snacked for lunch, now naptime. P. made stuffed chicken for dinner (love that goat's cheese). We then watched NY stations, Q&A then Shadowplay, then news and bed. I also did some booking and investigation for our Bourke trip later this year.

Shopping plus

A very busy day today. P. and I did normal shopping including dropping Noel's into him. He seems comparatively well. Then we had the usual salmon patties for lunch and I dropped P. at the Health Centre for physio. class. Short naptime before going into the big smoke where we met Frank at Superhiro for a good meal before going to the Arts Centre for an Opera Victoria reception before the premier of two new operas, Cassandra and Echo and Narcissus. They were quite absorbing musically if not dramatically and very well played and sung. The Vic Opera has a good record in commissioning new operas though few of them are likely to endure except The Magic Pudding.

More novel and travel plans

This morning I finished the current novel. Now all I have to do is write a very delicate report on it, in that I want to encourage it but also say it needs more work. I then did some more work on our travel plans. We went from nothing to four trips: Flinders, Mansfield, Bourke and Port Fairy. P. went shopping and got quiches for lunch. Naptime. P. is making laksa for dinner, so apart from my evil pies on Sunday, we are having a very vego but not vegan week. We watched a very lacklustre Michael Portillo, then the Sydney Luna Park story (very slow but compelling).

Novel

I went on with novel number two today and am now three-quarters of the way through. It has really grabbed me after a slow start. We cleaned out the fridge for lunch including leftover potato salad and snags from yesterday's barbie. Naptime. I cooked up Jo W.'s pesto for dinner tonight after adding parmesan to the vegan recipe. It was delicious. Then we watched lighthouses, Four Corners on slavery, then an I-voo of Vera.

Crossword and picnic

The crossword was done with despatch after my mistake in not realising there are two agricultural writers of a book with the same title. Then I picked up Rupert and P. and we went to the Bellbird picnic area where some of the family were gathering organised by my sister, Julie. Partners were a bit thinner this year for various reasons but present were Cheryl, Robyn and John from the Churchills, Peter and Christine and Terry and Deb from the Coupers and Peter, my sister and I from the Simses. We had a really good and entertaining catchup (except for the divorce horror stories). Home again to drop off Rupert and have a nap. After which I heated the shepherd's pie and peas for dinner and we watched the gory scalpel programs.

Papers, next novel and a splendid concert

After a quick peruse of the papers, which P. says seem to be getting fatter though the book pages are definitely not, I spent most of the morning with a new novel set in the nineteenth century. It is a bit slow-moving. We had minestrone for lunch, then a nap. We then went to the Recital Centre for the Musica Viva concert with the Streeton Trio and Diana Doherty on oboe doing oboe quartets by Martinu and Lachlan Skipworth plus a Smetana trio. It was a splendid concert followed by a good meal at Tiamo's in Carlton. We then went home to glory in the McGowan landslide victory in WA which sadly might not be reflected in the next federal one but it's a good sign especially as Scummo has been dumping on McGowan.

Administrative trivia and an exciting night

I slept in today but then did lots of admin. things like more on the veranda tile quotes and the fence quotes. P. went off shopping and we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch then a nap. P. and I went to Fed. Square and Chocolate Buddha, we thought to meet Kit who was flying in from Sydney. Who turned up but Lesley P. who was having dinner with Michael, so they joined our party. Then Ben Brown rocked up. So it was a fine and surprising night. After the others all left except Kit, we half took in the live opera on screen and stage but it wasn't very absorbing and we missed the feeble finish because we were magging too much but we were at least able to watch it from the terrace at Chocolate Buddha where the staff were very friendly. The porta-chairs we brought were redundant.

Shopping plus dinner and a show

This morning P. and I picked up Rupert the Picanto, but not Frank, and went to Victoria Gardens for a quick shop for us and Noel. We delivered Noel's to him then went home for the inevitable salmon fishcakes. Naptime before heading to the Recital Centre again. We had a very good (too good) meal at Blondie after a long gap. Then we went to a Melbourne Chamber Orchestra concert with a serenade by Dvorak and a violin concerto by Glazunov rescored for string orchestra with a splendid performance by Ukrainian/Australian Markiyan Meinychenko. Home again to a bit of post WWII Berlin then bed.

Literary lunch

This morning, another fencing company came and quoted on the front fence. It is a lower quote than the first one but it can't be done until July. The quoter, David, seemed an honest, good guy. I then went off to lunch at the Farm Cafe with an author whom I knew 46 years ago (or thereabouts) at La Trobe University. I had given her some feedback on her novel and we talked about that but also caught up with the many intervening years. She gave me some pesto which will make a meal this week and also bought me lunch, which was very nice. P. went off to the Health Centre for some physio. Naptime. P. heated up leftover vego curry and pork belly for dinner. I think I've had enough now of both. We watched Dartmoor on Tony Robinson's ramblings, then an increasingly feeble Pickering, the feeble finale of Aftertaste (just to see what happened), then an i-voo of Brazen Hussies, an account of the women's movement using some precious old footage and interviews. At last, something well worth watching, then news.

Report at last then concert

At last, this morning I finished my report on the first novel and got a very quick thankful response from the publisher. What a relief! It was beginning to get me down. Now onto number two of three. This time another report. We had leftover piperade and vego curry for dinner. The leftover gingko nuts in the curry kind of worked with the chick peas and sweet potato. They have a slightly woody taste which is quite nice. Naptime. After which P. and I went off to the Recital Centre where we had a glass of bubbly before a long overdue visit to the PP salon for the Firebird Trio where we enjoyed some pieces by the Boulanger sisters and Ravel's piano trio in A minor. It was a very enjoyable concert followed by a brisk meal at Superhiro then home again for the last episode of Time Warp (comedy and camp).

Art plus

After a little sleep-in for the public holiday, I booked Rupert and a motel for our Mornington peninsula trip next month. Then P. and I went into the NGV Potter Gallery for the last day of the Tiwi exhibition which was well worth it, if a little opaque. More commentary please. We also popped into the Ivan Durrant retrospective which was interesting if less rewarding. Then we had lunch in the cafe (okay) and came home for a nap. P. is making pork belly for dinner so our short vego. jag is over. Tonight there will be more expose on Four Corners. Let's hope it's a killer blow, though I doubt it. We watched a lighthouse doco. then the 'expose' in which there was little new then Captain Schnook met his demise.

Sunday crossword plus novel

We finished the crossword easily though P. was unhappy with the answer 'pentagram' which he said should have been 'pentacle'. Then I went back to the novel. I must finish it today and get it out of the way, then get on to the new one (yes, a new one arrived just as I should have been finishing the old one). I have now finished the first novel and will do the report tomorrow. Then this morning another arrived. At least this one is only for advice, not report. P. went out in search of Edith Wharton (her book, not herself) and I had the last of the French onion for lunch. Naptime. I made sweet potato, gingko nut and chickpea curry which was not bad but there is lots left over, enough for one more meal and one lunch at least. We then watched NZ 'gorgeous' homes, then scalpel programs then news and then bed.

Papers and novel

The usual mini-avalanche of Saturday papers getting thinner by the week. Peter Van Insolent showed his true colours in The Australian by supporting his old mate Pantsman Porter and undercutting that by saying some people might dislike him because of his 'antics' without specifying what they are. I think we know. Also suggesting Pantsman is a victim because journalists didn't put the accusations to him: they tried but Porter stonewalled them and hid. After that, I did a bit on the new novel, never enough. We had French onion soup for lunch, then naptime. God, I'm boring. P. used the leftover ratatouille to make piperade. We will watch Death in Paradise with its new detective because P. likes it. I think it's a colonial relic. Then we'll try more Time Warp on horror movies as it expires at the end of the month in between a bit of Mardi Gras, which is a bit of a time warp itself. As P. says, how come they can't afford enough clothes?

Busy morning

P. went off to his American Lit. class while I did various organising things like getting the locksmith to fix the front door (now done) and arrange to have the leadlight in the door fixed from constant slamming to try to lock the door. In train. As well, I did battle with Adobe over a cancelled contract. It was somewhat unsuccessful and I think I'll just have to give in to their extortionate demands to rid myself of them for good. They kept offering cheaper and cheaper packages which I don't want to get me out of the existing one. And, finally, the book I had ordered for P.'s American Lit. class arrived while the class was on progress! Now after snack lunch it's naptime. Yawn. I made prawn bisque for dinner followed by baby cheeses. The usual teev: Gardening Australia, Vera then the excruciating Mum, news then bed.

Shopping plus play

This morning, P. and I picked up Rupert and did the shopping and Noel's and delivered Noel's who seems okay. We went home and had the usual salmon patties for lunch. After a nap, I went off and joined Sally S. for a good simple meal and a mag at Tazio in Flinders Lane. We then went to 45downstairs to see Runt, a co-creation by Patricia Cornelius (writer), Susie Dee (director) and Nicci Wilks (performer). It was a very athletic performance of a gripping drama of a 'runt' and her life. Afterwards, I went home where P. was finishing off preparations for his American Lit. class tomorrow.

Back to the novel (sigh)

P. finished his notes for U3A American Lit. last night and sent them off to all participants. I made French onion soup at the same time. Today, I'm getting back to the novel. P. went off to do some shopping and deliveries for U3A then we had some French onion soup for lunch. Now it's naptime and he who is innocent-till-proven-guilty has not yet appeared. P. made ratatatouille and lamb chops for dinner which were very nice. We gloried in the crocodile tears of Christian Porter, then watched very indifferent ABC teev until we switched to SBS-on-demand for Time Warp, part one of a series on B-grade and 'cult' movies. It was very entertaining.

And yet another concert

After doing normal morning things (Luminosity etc.), P. and I went to the Recital Centre where we were greeted by our longlost usher, Jeannie, and enjoyed a Musica Viva Morning Masters concert without coffee and cakes in honour of Covid. It included works by Sibelius, Andrew Ford and Schumann by a mixed quartet of young musicians, Adam McMillan (piano), Madeleleine Jevons (violin), Eunise Cheng (viola) and Daniel Smith (cello and topknot, needing adjustment between movements in the Schumann). Home again for lunch and a nap. P. proceeded with his prep. for American Lit. for U3A while I made vera carbonara for dinner which was not bad, then Portillo being colonial again about our trains, then two cooking shows (Stein and Nguyen), then Aaron Pedersen on forests, then news then bed.

End of month, cleaners and more concerts

I did the end of month accounts and BAS, then read some more novel (not enough). The cleaners came and whizzed through the place which now smells of vanilla. We had some more chowan mushi, this time with mushrooms, for lunch. Now it's naptime. P. and I went to Homo Hall for the first of two concerts with the MSO conducted by the flamboyant Jaime Martin. The first piece, Nanyubak, by Deborah Cheetham was repeated in the second concert. It had soloist, Aaron Wyatt, on viola. It was an impressive piece which earned a second listening. That was followed by Beethoven's Second Symphony in an impressive reading. We had a not-bad Greek dinner at Southbank, then went to concert two, with a repeat of the Cheetham, then Brahms impressive Symphony no. 2, again with a stirring performance which earned a standing ovation. The orchestra obviously likes Jaime who is clearly a bit of a show pony. Home again for news and winding down, after a very stimulating evening