Phone doctor plus quote plus physio plus Bachs

A busy day which started with a phone consultation with Dr Joanne, who, very nicely, was just doing a regular check-in on how I was going. She assured me that I could have an AstraZeneca vaccine. Then one of the quoters for the veranda tiles came to give his quote, which even after adjustment, after he'd seen the shock on our faces, was three times the other quote. He's a nice man, but his opening gambit didn't seem promising. Then P. made some very nice guacomole for lunch which we had with salmon patties. We are lunching well with spatchcock yesterday. I then went off for the physio class at the health centre. They are working us a bit harder now though Rosa from the next street, who is older than me, WALKS to the health centre. I catch the bus. In any case, time for a short nap before going into town where we had a good meal as usual at Superhiro (ex-Yoyogi) then went to hear the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra at the Recital Centre for a splendid program of the J.S. Bach children, Carl, Willie and Johann (not any relation to Dr Joanne). The piano concerti by Carl and Johann were played with panache by Aura Go. Home again for Donald Trump mucking up foreign affairs and getting ready for Mansfield.

Shopping plus play

We did normal shopping today though with Saada the Yaris (Rupert was two-timing us) and visited Noel. We had spatchcock for lunch to try it (as Noel often has it) and it was not bad. Then a short nap, then into Carlton for a good meal at DOC thence to the Courthouse for a Midsumma play 'This Genuine Moment', very well directed and performed though not a masterpiece but well worthwhile. It was about a one-night stand that wasn't, apparently, in which a lot of home 'truths' are shared. Home again for the Scottish murder program something Fell which is very slow moving, probably two hours stretched over four, then news then bed.

Cornucopia

This morning back to Max L.'s stories, poems and memoir. I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm also reading John Docker's memoir, 'I am born'. I identify with it as we are a similar age and have similar backgrounds in some ways. He is much more 'academic' than me though. We had tomato soup for lunch, and a coffee with Jane N. in East Brunswick then a nap and I made anchovy pasta for dinner. There was a digital concert from Brisbane with Ensemble Q. after a very good Who Do You Think You Are? about Dr Karl.

Cleaners plus SE Asia

The cleaners came this morning, lickety-split and left the place smelling heavily of vanilla. P. went off for a walk while they were here while I got on with reading Max Lane's revised book of stories, poems and memoirs about SE Asia. Very memory stirring! While P. was out walking he got sangos for lunch, then he's off to his last physio class. After a nap, P. made curried duck for dinner which was delicious (thanks David Herbert). Then we had very normal Monday night teev with Mr Gloom on 4Corners on trade with China, Media Watch, and a touch of Greta Thunberg and Adam Liaw (yawn to both).

Crossword plus baroque

Today's crossword was a little more difficult than usually. P. can be credited with finding the difficult and elusive Indian river. Not much else after a later wakeup apart from mind and body workouts. We had vegie soup for lunch and now it's naptime. We then sauntered over to the Oratory at the Convent for Genesis Baroque who performed works by LeClair, Couperin and Corelli. One piece was interrupted by the Rising concert on the river so had to be repeated as an encore for the recording. There were THREE musical events at the Convent but the other one didn't impinge. Home again for Sunday night teev and prawn bisque. We watched half of history of Russia, a second go at Wakefield (improving slightly) then Goldstone, which we've seen before, a bit paint by numbers, but engaging nonetheless.

Papers plus

The mountain of Saturday guff arrived and was part devoured. More later. I did my exercises (mind: Luminosity and body: physio). We had tinned ravioli for lunch (better than it sounds) and now it's naptime. Then P. and I met up with Frank to have a quick, good meal at Tiamo then on to the Courthouse for this year's serving of Homophonic expertly curated by the wonderful Miranda Hill, an evening of queer composers and compositions. Very well done and inspiring. Home again for Finding Alice (ho-hum).

Shopping plus

P. and I picked up Rupert and Frank this morning and went to Victoria Gardens where we did all of our shopping and Noel's. The self checkout at Coles fucked up and swallowed my money. After a lot of mucking around, it spat it out again and we were in business. We delivered Noel's shopping then dropped Frank. Home again. We had salmon patties for lunch as usual after shopping then naptime. P. is off with Margaret N. to Leigh C.'s birthday party tonight so I'll have leftover rendang from the fridge then normal Friday night teev: Vera then Faith.

More admin. and not much else apart from physio.

I did some more tidying this morning then had a rest because of going to physio after lunch. P. went off to Colonial Literature at U3A which was on Camus and went well. My physio class with Jebbie and Rebecca and the same three other people, Paul, Don and Rosa, also went well. The physios are gradually ramping up the pressure but not so much that it's painful. Home again for a nap. P. is cooking chicken for dinner. We watched normal Thursday night teev (Back Roads and Q&A) bookended by Aaron Fa'aoso on Straits culture and a comedy about Trump and foreign relations.

Admin. stuff

Because I'm waiting on material coming back from the authors, I spent the morning tidying some admin. stuff plus buying tickets. I could get on with some reproofing but I might wait till I have the authors' corrections to avoid double handling. We're having leftover fritatta for lunch, then P. is off to his physio class. Then naptime. P. made beef rendang and rice for dinner, we then watched usual Wednesday night teev. Fisk finished not with a bang but a whimper and the new something Fell series seems intent on being as shocking as it can be.

To Sunbury and another trio

P. and I picked up Manon the Corolla from the Health Centre and drove to Sunbury where we celebrated Robin and P.'s birthdays with a lunch at Vic's cafe. It was quite good and we had a good mag. Home again, then off to the Recital Centre for another trio this time the Serafim Trio performing works by Haydn and Brahms. A delight. Then off to Carlton on the tram for a quick meal at Tiamo's, which was packed on Tuesday night. They're doing well. Home again for a bit of inconsequential teev.

Novel and hospital

I went on with the corrections to the novel. Frank dropped by to make arrangements for a possible pickup from the hospital after a procedure there today. P. and I had canned chicken soup for lunch and P. went off for his physio class at the Health Centre. I'm going on with the novel corrections and got them finished and sent to the authors for checking, just in time to go to the hospital to pick up Frank with P. in a well-coordinated operation. I made rosemary and onion fritatta for dinner, then it was normal Monday night teev with a horror movie right there on our tv starring Norman Swann and the terror of no antibiotics that work in the future.

Crossword and lunch

After despatching the crossword, P. and I went into town to the Elephant and Wheelbarrow to join Julie and Ian and their friend Meaghan for lunch. We caught up on all the news and had a good meal. Home again. P. has gone off to reassure Noel who is not feeling very well after a fall. For me, naptime. I made vera carbonara for dinner, then we watched Scots history (rivetting), Wakefield (ho-hum) and the 'last' Silent Witness, then news then bed.

Novel plus another trio

This morning I went on proofing the novel and got to the end. Now I have to make the corrections and give it one more go before sending it to the authors. We had leftover zucchini patties for lunch and P. went off to see Noel T. After a nap, P. returned and we left for the Recital Centre where the Benaud Trio were performing a Beethoven piano trio, plus a new Australian work based on the 1960 tied cricket match between the West Indies and Australia by David John Lang. I kid you not: 'Its four movements correspond to the four innings of that game...the piano represents the bowling team while the violin and cello are the batsmen.' Home again for the so-called comedy Finding Alice.

Shopping as normal

We got Rupert the Picanto this morning and did boringly normal shopping, then dropped in to Noel's for a pleasant chat and to drop off his shopping. Home again for salmon patties, which were available this week. Now for a nap. I made fish chowder for dinner, then we watched normal Friday night teev: Gardening, Vera and Faith.

Novel, physio. concert and dinner

I went on with proofing the novel and am now about halfway through. Frank dropped in to wish P. happy birthday. We haven't seen him for a while. After lunch (chicken soup), I went to my first balance class which was relatively easy for starters. A short nap then P. and I headed for town and the Recital Centre for the MSO with a concert conducted by Paul Kildea. It was a very well curated show starring the wonderful Genevieve Lacey in a variety of works, one new, from this and previous centuries. They were by Moondog (NY and Europe 1916-99); Hollis Taylor and Joe Rose (contemporary Australian), a bird concerto for recorder, natural sounds and orchestra; Rebel, French 18th Century which sounded surprisingly contemporary, and Vivaldi's concerto for flautino. We then had a very good meal at Blondie then home for more adventures in Berlin.

Novel still

After various admin things, I got back to proofing the novel. In an interlude, I phoned Joe and Anne who popped by for a quick visit to among other things arrange our visit to Merton at the end of the month as well as catch up. We had minestrone for lunch and P. went off to his physio class. After a nap, I made vera carbonara for dinner then we did 'comedy' night on the ABC which was mostly very unfunny.

Home again and catch-up

It has taken nearly all morning to catch up on all the emails and business accumulated over only three days but now it's nearly all done and I can get back down to work on the novel. P. went shopping and brought home pies for lunch, then naptime. He made delicious roast pork for dinner then we settled in to watch Jennifer Byrne, i-voo of Finding Alice which we missed over the weekend, then news then The Point.

Flinders and Mornington Peninsula

We spent the last three days in another world of grand houses and affluence. On Saturday morning, we loaded up Rupert Murdoch the Picanto and headed along the long white lines of the freeway to the McClelland Gallery. Unfortunately it was drizzling when we got there so we retreated indoors and didn't go on the sculpture walk. On the way in, we were treated to one of the soundscapes which is what they are 'exhibiting' at the moment. Inside was a very impressive though somewhat opaque soundscape by Paul Carter and we settled for some cake and coffee in the cafe. Thence to the Mornington Art Gallery, which was the main game which had an engaging exhibition based on the shorebirds of Westernport Bay as well as fine watercolours by Lauren Guymer and works from the permanent collection. It would have been an irony if Richard Wynne had not vetoed the gas development in the Bay which could have spelt the end of the waterbirds. The show included a mesmerising video of the shorebirds in Darwin harbour. We had lunch at Grumpy Papi's (!) in the shopping mall opposite the gallery which lived up to its name. We drove on to Flinders where we checked into our FAQ motel and had a not-bad dinner at the Flinders Hotel opposite. There is not much else on offer in Flinders apart from a fairly tawdry-looking Thai restaurant and fish'n'chippery. Next morning it was still a bit drizzly. We didn't realise that the nextdoor cafe was open for breakfast so went across the road to the Boulevard of Broken Dreams: a takeaway which had egg-and-bacon rolls and coffee, both awful and a very surly proprietor. We then went to the Point Leo winery and sculpture park but retreated from the sculpture walk in the face of a howling gale. We went on to the Merrick's store and cafe where we had an excellent lunch, then back to the motel for a nap before another fair meal at the Flinders pub. On Monday (yesterday), we checked out, had breakfast at the cafe next door, then headed for Red Hill for a drive and Point Leo beach for a bit of ozone. Then we made for the splendid Montalto winery for P.'s birthday lunch (65 today). They too have a sculpture walk though not as grand as Point Leo winery but very scenic nonetheless. The lunch was excellent. I had their raw fish which had the inspiration of buttermilk with fried capers, an odd but satisfying combo. P. had oysters then slow roasted pork. I also had their tomato salad from their garden which was yummy. We both had rhubarb jelly (!) and custard icecream desserts. The jelly surprisingly included some of the fibre from the rhubarb. Home again, which was surprisingly quick, then a short nap and a scratch dinner to make up for the big lunch.

Novel continues

The final edit on the novel continues after sorting out a few booking issues. P. went off to American Literature on Edith Wharton. After a nap, Sal dropped in to pick up her walking stick and P. made his fabulous mushroom risotto for dinner. Then Gardening and Vera which was interrupted by Phil the Greek dying. After suffering endless testimonials to a serial adulterer I realised I could finish Vera in i-voo and did.

Shopping plus not much

After a chamber music booking and GoGet billing check, P. and I went with Rupert the Picanto to Victoria Gardens where we did shopping for ourselves and Noel and delivered Noel's, who was in quite good spirits. Home again: but there were no salmon patties this week so we're having quiches for lunch. One of the local ANAM musicians has a 'Give Quiche a Chance' sticker on his instrument case. After a nap, I made fish chowder and fried sardines for dinner. Then we watched 7.30, Heather Ewart in Tenterfield, Q&A and news, then bed.

On with the novel

After the usual morning admin stuff, I went on with the YA novel, pretending to be a fifteen-year-old. I made good progress then we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch, then both went to the Health Centre for our separate physio sessions. I learned some new exercises with Rebecca and start my classes next week. Home for a nap. I made anchovy pasta for dinner, then we watched Hard Quiz, Pickering (yawn), Fisk, then Uncomedy Festival, then news which was funnier.

Novel resurfaces

Just when the desk is clear, God dumps something on it. A novel which was being revised has reappeared and I did a quick read this morning and the problems appear to be fixed. Congratulations to the authors. Now all I need to do is a final edit on it, so lazy days are over. P. went shopping and brought back sangos for lunch. Naptime. P. and I went to the Recital Centre where a young group, Emilia Bertolini (soprano), Alastair Cooper-Golec (tenor) and Adam McMillan (piano) performed songs by Mr and Mrs Schumann, very well. We then went with a tram ride interrupted by Extinction Rebellion, curse them, to Carlton where we had a good meal at King & Godfree's bistro. Home again for news and bed.

Another lazy day

Another lazy not-so-holy day. After luminosity, exercises and completing Bourke bookings, it's back to the reading, a good thing given the pile of books by my bed. We had dumplings for lunch, now for a nap. I made a parmesan souffle for dinner, then on the teev, Penguins, Brazen Hussies and Dr Swan.

Sunday crossword and lazy day

Because of the end of daylight saving the crossword was finished early and so were other tasks like exercises. The rest of the day stretches ahead with little to do except catching up on reading. I've nearly caught up with all the back magazines and lit.mags. We had tinned vegie soup for lunch and now naptime. P. is making rolled roast lamb for dinner, then it's NZ building and the scalpel programs.

Papers plus play

As predicted the papers were a bit thin for the Easter weekend on a pretty hot day. P. went for an exercise walk while I watched some overdue music (Dixit Dominus by the Brandenburgs and Schubert's quintet by the ASQ with a very slimmed-down Dahlenburg and a goodbye from Sharon Grigoryan). We had cheeesy tomato soup for lunch then a very short nap.Then P. and I went to the Courthouse (La Mama) for a play in the Melbourne Comedy Festival 'Nostalgia'. It was indeed: mildly funny murder mystery. Then we had dinner at DOC Lygon Street which was terrific. Home again for the teev. with Scottish railways, something Alice, then I finished off the Brandenburgs and the ASQ by watching the Brandenburgs all through including the Corellis and the Braschiola (sp.?} plus the Dixit and the ASQ Haydn. Bliss!

In spite of that they call this Friday good

We had some hot 'cross' buns this morning, with very faulty crosses. I did some more admin. things like bookings and orders and P. made scrambled eggs with smoked salmon for lunch. Exercise then naptime. P. is making okonomyaki for dinner with a startling innovation: red cabbage. Fortunately, after a brief diversion into Countdown to Calvary (starring Molly as Jesus?) instead of The Drum, the ABC diverts to normal programming: Gardening, Vera and Keeping Faith (nothing to do with faith the belief).

End of month

I feel very virtuous having done the end-of-month accounts and the quarterly business activity statement. P. went off to the spectacle makers for an eye test, and now it's lunch with Keren L. from Sydney at Dr Morse. We had a very good mag then came home for a nap. I made fish patties and prawn bisque for dinner, then we had Tony Robinson tramping through Caledonia, Attenborough on extinction, then Shadowplay, then news then bed.