Busy

I now have three things on the go, the BIG bio. which I am doing in small bites, a non-fiction for report which is also BIG and a report for report, no so big. Roll up the sleeves. I also went to Jennie the podiatrist for a dressing, now home for leftover involtini for lunch. After a nap, P. made APRICOT CHICKEN for dinner for old time's sake, then we watched usual Wednesday night teev concluding with the start of La Vuelta stage in Cantabria. The SBS rundown on China/Australia relations was interesting.

Fruitful morning

I did some small outstanding tasks this morning including writing a blurb for an ms. which I edited, then answered some queries on the BIG one. I also received a new LONG non-fiction for report which the sender says will certainly involve some suggestions for cutting. Then I had a zoom session with physio. at Cohealth which was quite bracing. We had minestrone for lunch, and now it's naptime. I had a phone call about a report which I will need to edit some time this year.I made lemon and anchovy pasta for dinner, then we had hapless Betty Battenberg (God, the royals PR machine is working overtime), then Four Corners and later Tony Jones on the hapless state of the US. I'm glad we're a long, long way from America. Oh, and Frank has sold his house for a good price.

Crossword plus big one

The crossword was easy except for the old capital of Moldava. That took a lot of finding. Then I finished the next two chapters of the BIG one and the author sent back the previous two chapters coincidentally. French onion soup for lunch and now a nap. P. made yummy pork involtini for dinner while we watched Raffles remake, Newsreader and Traces then the beginning of La Vuelta.

Shopping

We went on normal shopping this morning with Rupert the Picanto, to Noel's and back with salmon patties for lunch. How boring. After a nap, I did some more on the BIG guy, then we had fish soup for dinner plus baby cheeses. Then the Durrells, Keeler and for relief, a zoom of the Brandenburgs on Bach. We finished with Rowan Atkinson as Maigret in Montmartre (surprisingly good).

Podiatry plus

Off to Jennie in podiatry this morning for a new dressing plus more pills from the pharmacy. Home again with the water works still happening outside my window and I did some more on the BIG fella. We had Bellota sausage rolls with their tomato relish for lunch and now it's naptime. P. got the second instalment of Bellota for dinner: fritatta, lamb shanks with eggplant and beans and mousse with candied citrus. Normal Friday night teev: gardening, Midsomer naps and Captured.

Productive

This morning I did some more on the BIG fella, then did my tax return lickety-split and await a refund from the ATO, I wouldn't have got one at all if it weren't for the ALP not winning the last election. P. went shopping and got sangos and sushi for lunch, and now it's time for a satisfied naptime. The Bellota people delivered dinner and we had instalment one: burrata, spicy mussels and swordfish. Then Malaysian trains, South Korean labour horrors, Q&A and at last Fake or Fortune (something light).

The big one

I made good progress on the BIG one today. We had vegie soup for lunch and now a nap. I reheated rakott krumpli for dinner. Good comfort food. We watched Wednesday night teev which had South American places we had visited on train journeys, then old folks with Noni Haslehurst which told us little that we already didn't know. Then news: two pieces of 'good news' that capybaras had invaded new housing developments on the outskirts of Buenos Aires on old swamplands and that in the UK McDonald's and KFC were running out of food because of a shortage of truck drivers owing to Brexit and Covid. True justice!

Podiatry plus

First up, it was off to Jennie the podiatrist who redid my dressings. Her new whizzbang dressing which has been on back order has finally arrived. Let's hope it does its stuff. Then home again to the BIG one then we had fish curry leftovers for lunch and now a nap. We had French onion soup and leftover pork roast for dinner, then watched Denise Scott on her forebears, Back to Nature on the Adelaide Hills, then various news.

Physio. plus

Routine tasks this morning followed by a Zoom physio. session with Cohealth with Kyrene, a new leader. The waterworks people are making much noise outside our house with digging and replacing pipes. It will be worth it in the long run. A bit more work on the BIG nameless, then we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and a nap. I made rakott krumpli for dinner (plus French onion soup f'rafter. Then we watched a splendid Monday night's teev with the ABC with Vietnamese refugees, a Sarah Henderson slam on Rupert Murdoch and Sky News and Tony Jones on US missteps in Iraq. The ABC is getting good value out of that pair in NY instead of China, where they can't go at present.

Crossword plus

We polished off the Sunday crossword which only had one error (the Oder river is the second largest, not the third), then I went on with what may not be mentioned. After quiches for lunch it was naptime. P. made roast rolled pork for dinner. We then watched Lumley, Newsreader and Traces. Okay but not brilliant. In lockdown, we need brilliant.

Biog. then shopping

I shouldn't be even mentioning the big biog. as it will be going on for a while. I'm only up to chapter five of 40. As P. says, ít is my time in the wilderness. As I've said, I'm enjoying it as I do a bit more before picking up Rupert the Picanto for the shopping. We dropped Noel's shopping off and nothing to report there. Home again for fish patties then naptime. We had pea and fish curry for dinner followed by Durrells, Keeler and Pompeii, all a bit dull, except nearly every English actor was given work by the first two.

Biog. and film

First up, I did some work on the big biog., then we had a Zoom meeting about our U3A film, Scarlet Street, which was quite good with discussion centring on the performance by Edward G. Robinson in a very non-gangster role. We had minestrone for lunch, then a nap. P. made fried rice for dinner and we watched the usual Gardening, then soporific Midsomer then a repeat of a fairly tedious UK cop show (paint by numbers).

Health visit

I went to the Health Centre, had my foot redressed. Jennie the podiatrist is still hustling the wounds clinic at the Melbourne who have me 'ín a queue'. I then had my second Astrazeneca, painless and symptom-free so far. Home where P. was still on his post-colonial lit. zoom and I read some more Stow biography, nearly finished. We had leftover soto ayam for lunch and the author responded well to the next two chapters of big biog. Naptime. We had last night's leftover pizzas for dinner, then trains, Q&A plus Fake or Fortune.

Fence and biog.

We were up early for the fence man to come at 7.30 but he didn't come till 11.30. Meanwhile, I got on with the big biog. and sent two more chapters to the author. Sal dropped by for a brief hello and P. made guacamole for lunch with goodies from the shop. The fence is now finished, apart from the gate which is still being made. Naptime. We had takeaway pizzas for dinner then very boring Wednesday night teev on the ABC that I can't even bother writing about. Though we finished with an i-voo of the High Country with Aaron Pedersen which redeemed everything.

Big biog

I'm slowly making progress on the BIG biog. but there's a long way to go. (I'm up to four of forty chapters and I'm enjoying it.) We've got a lot of Zoom activity this week: the historical society AGM tonight, the film to watch before Friday's discussion and P. has his post-colonial literature. After lunch, vegie soup and a nap, we had leftover soto ayam for dinner, followed by the Collingwood Historical Society AGM with a splendid talk by President Karen Cummings on the streets and lanes of Collingwood (and Abbotsford). Then we watched Friday's film, Scarlett Street, a real puzzlement.

Dressing and biog.

I went to the Health Centre this morning where Jennie the podiatrist did my dressing. The wound is healing but slowly and she has referred me to the wound clinic at the Melbourne. I await. Home again for more biog. which is going slowly but going. Leftover anchovy pasta for lunch. After a nap, and the extension of lockdown by two weeks, P. made leftover Mediterranean chook for dinner. Then it was usual Monday night teev with Four Corners patting itself on the back plus afterwards the addition of Tony Jones on the 9/11 aftermath.

Crossword and bio.

The Sunday crossword was finished quite quickly with no troubles. Then I went on with the big biog. I've had feedback from the author on the first two chapters and toute sweet. We had Bellota bread with caramelised onion and melted comte for lunch. Now it's time for the Film Archive session on The Cheaters, a pre-war silent film which was part remade in sound by the McDonagh Sisters. It was intriguing to hear more of their history. After a nap, P. heated up the cassoulet from Bellota which we followed with chocolate mousse from the same source. Joanna Lumley in the United Kingdom/Great Britain (neither is true). Two new series followed: Newsreader (a bit slow) and Traces (plot filled).

Big biog.

This morning, I finished off the first two sample chapters for the author of the big biog. and sent them off. I also rang a friend who I had just heard has terminal cancer. P. went shopping in Kew and came home with quiche, a pie and chocolate eclairs for lunch. Yummy! After a nap, the Bellota box turned up so they must have tested negative. The first instalment mainly fish (trout, sardines and salami) was very good. The rest tomorrow. We watched the end of Belgravia (again), then Dawn French for want of anything else. The credits said, 'From an idea by Dawn French'. She should have kept it to herself.

Webinar

After the usual morning tasks, I was at a webinar, which was really a presentation of conclusions from a two-year Message Stick study into methods of presenting First People's arguments in the media, propaganda etc. It was very interesting in claiming right-wingers like Bolt aided their cause by putting off undecided people or the obvious point that you never repeat your opponents claims as that gives them force. It was well worthwhile. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch then a nap. Sadly, Bellota has been declared a site of interest so until their tests come back we'll have to wait for our box. Meantime, I'll make anchovy pasta for dinner. We then watched Gardening, Midsomer which were both fairly soporific, then Baptiste which was excellent.

Shopping

Missed blogging yesterday as it was shopping day with Rupert the Picanto, but not Frank the person. We dropped into Noel with his shopping and he is not bad. Home again for patties and a nap. I made prawn bisque for dinner then we watched the last gap of Micallef, Met's anniversary which was quite interesting though I have never seen so many arts maevens and Rosehaven (yawn). This morning (Thursday), I went to the Health Centre where Jennie the podiatrist redid my dressing, then home for some admin. work. The painters came to do the frame of the fence. We had mushie soup for lunch; now it's naptime. P. made Mediterranean chook for dinner with mushrooms, onion and tomato. We watched Indonesian trains, Q&A and Fake or Fortune.

Health and big biog.

I went to the Health Centre this morning for Gill the nurse and Jessie the podiatrist to look at my foot to see the infection was not spreading. It wasn't, good! I met Frank there getting pills and we had a chat about his housing and our fence painting. Home again: P. went off to get pies for lunch while I got on with the big biog. at last. After our nap, I remade the soto for census night dinner. We watched Lisa Curry, Aaron Pedersen on nature and the ABC on renewable energy. No wonder the Scummo government hates the ABC.

Gold-plated treatment

I went this morning to the Health Centre where I got gold-plated treatment from Jennie in podiatry, Virginia the nurse and Karen the doctor. I got redressed, checked and will be back tomorrow with a recheck and was sent off with high-powered antibiotics. We'll see. P. went off for his annual kidney check with his specialist and we had a late lunch of dumplings, then a nap. P. made roast lamb for dinner and we had Australian Story, Four Corners on IA and (surprise) Jeremy Fernandez on media watch.

Murkle Durkle and Crossword

We both murkled durkled this morning so the Sunday crossword was a bit late being finished but wasn't difficult. I went on with preparing the soto ayam for dinner, we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and now it's naptime after a fairly unproductive morning. I finished off the soto ayam for dinner, then we watched Lumley and the final of Innocent. It seems that cherche la femme has been replaced by cherche le poof! Now docos on SBS, the tired old Tutakhamen.

Two Australians

As a result of my cancelling the online subscription to The Australian and re-subscribing to the paper Saturday Australian, today we got two copies of the hard copy. I knew something would go wrong. I still haven't got my refund of the balance of the subscription. Rupert holds on to his money. That's why he's so rich. I finished my report on the short biography and sent it off. We had vegie soup for lunch and now a nap. P. made leftover meatloaf for dinner then we watched Hemingway (final) and Belgravia.

Fleet of Foot

The fence man, Peter, arrived this morning and started demolishing the fence. I went off to the Health Centre where Jennie the podiatrist expertly redid my dressing. I go back to her on Monday. P.'s American Lit. was off because of lockdown and a failure of zoom. Back home again the frame of the fence is nearly done and Peter finished off this stage at lunchtime. Now we have to paint the frame and the letterbox and they'll come back and install the wire. We had minestrone for lunch. I had a short consultation with Dr Joanne to renew a couple of scrips then a nap. P. is making Italian meatloaf for dinner with cauliflower puree. Tonight boring Midsomer Murders (which promises, ho ho, to be final) then Baptiste then news.

Shopping and not much else

This morning P. and I and Rupert the Picanto went and got coffee and our normal shopping with Noel's and delivered his to him. He seemed a bit better even though he is going a bit stir crazy from constant lockdown (involuntary). Home again for salmon patties and a nap. Now, it's fish chowder for dinner followed by the beginning of a new lockdown. P.'s American Lit. tomorrow will turn into a zoom. Concerts next week will be off and who knows whether the fence builders will arrive in the morning. I watched a very depressing Foreign Correspondent on abortion in the US, then Q&A (equally depressing). A bit of light relief from a biopic on Jimi Hendrix but bed intervened before the end (where he dies I believe).

Both biogs

I finished reading the small biog. today and still don't know what to say about it. I'll ponder my report. I did some more work on the BIG one while P. went off for his second Astrazeneca shot. We had sangos for lunch (some bought, a curried egg one that P. made). You have to be very fleet of foot in these Covid times as concerts are cancelled, then replaced. Naptime. We are having the second instalment of fondue tonight which was quite good. Then usual Wednesday night teev (boring). We tried to watch the Film Archive The Cheater on youtube but it stalled midstream. We don't know why. We'll try later.

Oops!

I missed blogging yesterday for some reason. The cleaners returned yesterday after lockdown and were very welcome. I got on with both biogs, large and small. We had leftover French onion soup for dinner, plus baby cheeses, then usual Monday night teev with the Covid relieved by an ever-cheerful Maggie Beer in Japan. This morning, I was up early to go to Helen the nurse at the Health Centre to be redressed. Home again to work on the big biog. which involved some research on my own archives (diary and blog). We had vegie soup for lunch. Now it's naptime. P. made leftover chicken curry for dinner, then we watched fairly boring teev except for Annabel Crabb's last episode of Ms Represented. Then the Australian Ballet closing episode which was extremely self-congratulatory.

Crossword and cleaning up

The only trouble with fondu is that it leaves a lot of mess. Anyway, it was worth it and it's now all cleaned up. They must have had the work-experience student on the crossword today as there were a couple of mistakes which there haven't been for a while. Back to reading the shorter biography. For lunch we had beef and vegie soup; now it's naptime. P. is making frozen vera bolognese with grated zucchini for dinner. We'll be watching Innocent and Poirot (modern version). I do like narrative 'whodunnits'.