Crossword, more tidying and ticket buying

The crossword was despatched quickly with one spelling mistake (mine). I have also got on with entering next year's concerts etc. into the 2022 diary which P. procured in Smurf Street yesterday. Then I was able to get on with ordering tickets to avoid clashes or too many two nights in a row. We had leftover anchovy pasta for lunch and now it's naptime. Late in the arvo., Kent and Wendy dropped by. P. went off for a drive with Kent along the boulevard. It was good to see them and catch up. P. had made chili con carne for dinner which was hot but nice. Then renovations, fires and murders on the teev.

Papers and more tidying

The Saturday papers arrived and were part consumed. Then I went on with the tidying. It's very boring but it must be done before the arrival of the hordes from Sydney before Christmas. (I'm joking, there probably won't be that many of them.) We had bacon & eggs for lunch then a nap. P. made leftover saltimbocca for dinner with avocado and asparagus, then we watched Leonard the gay assistant vicar go down in Grantchester (sob like we were meant to) then we watched a National Film and Sound Archive recommended naff film from 1965, Funny Things Happen Down Under, starring Olivia Newton-John and Ian Turpie (and Bruce Barry) then news then bed.

Tidying up

I started in on tidying things up as I've now got a break from the big bio. while the author does some tidying herself. We had chicken pies for lunch and now it's naptime. It turns out that Rennis died from gall bladder cancer then a stroke which she asked her children to keep quiet. There'll be a big function later in the year to celebrate her life. I made anchovy and lemon pasta for dinner, then we watched gardening, Annika and Accident, then news and covid. Then bedtime.

Nurse and Sally

I went early to the Health Centre where Helen inspected my wounds before redressing them and thinks they are healing well. Home again to the news that Rennis W. had died but how we don't know. She was only my age. Sally dropped in at lunchtime to chat, as she was as shocked as everyone else by the news. We had bacon and eggs for lunch, and now it's naptime. This morning I made all the bookings for our trip to Metung and Lakes Entrance so I hope it all comes off. A huge storm is brewing which largely passed over our rain shadow as P. makes saltimbocca for dinner. We then watched Cornwall with Portillo and the new UK series, Red Election bypassing an increasingly tired Q&A, then news then bed.

Shopping, untangle and glass

We went shopping in Rupert, dropped into Noel's with his, and (I hope) sorted out his problems with online shopping. Home again for salmon patties and Andy the stained glass man came and repaired the door quickly and efficiently. Thank you. Short naptime. I made prawn bisque with oysters to start for dinner, then it was normal Wednesday night teev so I retreated to podcasts by Margaret Simons and Kate Burridge, two estimable women. News then bed.

Nursing insights

I went to the Health Centre after researching a post-lockdown holiday (local). Helen the wonderful nurse says that my side footwound has a scab, so wants me back on Thursday to check it out with one of the podiatrists. She redressed both wounds, so P. won't have a job on Thursday. We lunched on cheesy tomato soup. Now it's naptime. I couldn't be bothered cooking so we had tasty takeaway pizzas for dinner. We watched trains, Greek Islands, Big Deal (frightening) and Just Between Us (an odd mish-mash).

Physio. and tidying

This morning I did a bit of tidying up before joining Kyrene and Jebbie for a physio. strength class. A bit weary, I made bacon and eggs for lunch with our flash bacon. Naptime. P. emptied the fridge of leftovers for dinner, then we watched Lincoln, dodgy plastic surgeons and Detectives.

Crosword and bio. finished (this stage)

The crossword was finished with despatch, then I got on to the last two chapters of the big bio. and sent them to the author. There are significant cuts in this round and there may be more to come depending on the as-yet unfinalised publisher. We had a quick lunch with P. finishing his beef salad from yesterday (takeaway). Naptime! P. is making okonomiyaki for dinner. Then it's restorations, bushfires and the murderous duo (when are the bumbling detectives going to catch them?).

Papers and bio.

Ater a quick peruse of the Saturday papers (nothing earth-shattering) I went on with the BIG bio. and sent off two more chapters. Two more to go. P. went off to deliver some toiletries to the Western General. Naptime after a quick lunch. We had leftover Rakott Krumpli for dinner, then Grantchester, then Once Upon a Time in America (long and slow and somewhat mystifying).

Bio. nearly there

Much work on the new bio. this morning after early rising to store water as it will be off for most of the day. Frank dropped in to celebrate the end of lockdown and we had leftover Vietnamese for lunch. Naptime. P. made roast lamb for dinner, then we watched gardening, Annika {a bit formulaic, trope of murder mystery and family troubles) and a repeat of Accident (still good), then Talking Heads (a bit formulaic) then news then bed. God, we're boring.

Bio. plus P.'s zoom

This morning I got stuck into the big bio. before P. had his colonial literature zoom which apparently went well. We had leftover chook for lunch and P. went foraging for the Green Guide. Naptime. One of the tilers came this morning and finished the grouting. It looks splendid. Just as well as a hefty bill came this arvo. I'm making rakott krumpli for dinner.

We then watched Portillo in Cornwall, Q&A and the final of New Gold Mountain.

Mainly shopping

Up early this morning before picking up Rupert with P. and heading for Victoria Gardens. we then dropped into Noel's and tried, in vain, to fix his problem with Coles online. However, after we left he fixed it himself by making a successful purchase (if it gets delivered). Home for salmon patties for lunch and a nap. We're having a seafood dinner with oysters, then fish chowder. We watched Hard Quiz, Gruen (boring) then New Gold Mountain, the news and bed.

Big bio.

I had a small hurkle-durkle today. The veranda tiles look really good in combination with the new fence. We might try to give them another half day to dry even though the tilers say that they're ready to walk on this morning. I'm in the home stretch with the big bio. now, though I might not get finished this week with shopping tomorrow and P.'s American Lit. Zoom on Thursday. We'll see. We had leftover pesto for lunch and now P. has gone to get the paper. It's naptime. P. got Vietnamese takeaway for dinner, then we settled in for Portillo in Canada, payment for pollies, brothels in Amsterdam, news then bed.

Surprise and busy day

The tilers turned up at 7am, unexpectedly, though they had warned that they would come this week. I'm going off with Sal to the wounds clinic and we are expecting the cleaners and a plumber. Busy, busy. I got back from the clinic after they had looked at my wounds and said they are 'stable'. I think they're improving. At home, the cleaners came, lickety-split, then the plumber, who fixed the kitchen tap and the bathroom washers. We had raclette on toast for lunch. The tilers finished this phase, but will return for completing the job with grouting at a day unspecified. Naptime but not before completing two chapters on the big bio. Leftover chook for dinner, thanks P., then Max Gillies, Angela Merkel, China and recent history of climate change and disasters.

More bio. and quick crossword

The Sunday paper arrived early and the crossword was despatched without a hitch. Then I finished two more chapters of the bio. and sent them to the author. It is now 80 per cent done. We had leftover tagine for lunch and now it's naptime. I made a very garlicky pesto for dinner then we had restorations, fires and murder duo.

Papers plus bio.

I hurkle-durkled a bit much this morning, then had a quick peruse of the papers. Wonderful comment by a judge in the Porter appeal case: it is wonderful how matters of principle can disappear when the right amount of money changes hands (or words to that effect). Now back to the bio. before lunch to use up some of the flash bacon that came with a cheese box. We are being a bit indulgent in the (we hope) last throes of lockdown to make up for what we would expend on concerts and eating out. After a nap, P. made harissa chicken for dinner.

Health Centre then movie talk

I went early this morning to the Health Centre for a dressing with nurse Virginia, got some pills and was told I have to get a letter from my doctor for a booster shot for Covid. Thanks all for fast service, though I can't get an appointment with my GP till 3 November to get my letter. Home again for more big bio. Nearly three-quarters through the mammoth ms. Then we had a U3A zoom on the film Sudden Fear which was a very enjoyable discussion. Bellota sausage rolls for lunch, then a nap. P. made the rest of the Bellota box for dinner: vitello tonnato followed by ragout of pork and chickpeas then more chocolate truffles and icecream. Teev included new Annika (not sure the to-camera comments really work) then the final of Capital (all resolved nicely, in a way; I liked the legal tender issue) then Talking Heads with Sarah Lancashire (a weird one) then news then bed.

Bio. then not much else

This morning, after a good hurkle-durkle, I finished two more chapters of the big bio. and sent them to the author. P. made yummy scrambled eggs and salmon for lunch, then naptime. In the evening, we had the first of the new Bellota box: more salmon, then asparagus then ocean trout and quinoa salad, then chocolate truffle and icecream. Teev fairly normal with Portillo, Q&A (lacklustre) then China on the Goldfields (hotting up, but succumbing a bit to the problem with a lot of Indigenous programs, it has to tell the whole story of the Chinese in Australia in one drama) then news.

Shopping and health

P. and I got Rupert the Picanto after I sent off the next two chapters of the bio. to the author. We went to the Health Centre on an errand, shopped, delivered Noel's to him, did his banking and came home to salmon patties for lunch. Now it's naptime. I made fish chowder for dinner, followed by baby cheeses. The normal Wednesday night teev followed then the new Chinese New Gold Mountain started slowly, news then bed.

Bio. keeps on keeping on

I really did hurkle-durkle this morning, which was very cold. Then I got stuck into the big bio. P. went shopping for the Tuesday paper and we're having leftover fish-and-pea curry for lunch. Sadly, this is the last week for a Bellota box as they're reopening soon. It's been a good substitute for going out to eat.P. remade the pork belly for dinner with rice, Asian greens and cabbage. Delicious. Then, Alaskan railways, Corfu, two old fashion dames.

Bit of bio. and physio

This morning I hurkle-durkled a bit but not very much then did some more bio. till it was time to join Jebbie, Kylene and the rest for strengthening physio. via Zoom while P. went off shopping. We had sangos for lunch which he foraged. Somemore big bio. then naptime. P. made Chinese pork belly for dinner, with apple cabbage and rice, then we watched normal Monday night teev with evil executives at Sony and China etc. Thanks God for the ABC.

Crossword and tickets

The Sunday Age arrived okay with the crossword which only had one error (the period of the Romanov rule). That done, I embarked on a ticket-buying binge. I sorted out my credit card problem with ANZ and nearly blew it by telling one operator, 'Thanks for nothing.' He immediately terminated, presumably for abuse. The problem is that some transactions require a security code to a mobile phone to be entered. Opera Australia require this for some reason. ANZ says it is a Visa problem but they can suspend the requirement for 24 hours and that is what Jasmin, rather than aggrieved Allen, did, so I finally completed the transaction. That still doesn't solve why P.'s and Frank's didn't work and it doesn't solve my longterm problem. When I get a mobile phone for Covid purposes after lockdown, the problem will be over. I then got tickets for P. and I for the MSO which didn't require Verisign (or perhaps it was because I was on my 24 hours) but I was sweating that I would time-out after the rather arduous process of selecting tickets for 13 concerts. However, I would rather pick them than have them allocated. All of that left me with an odd sense of achievement, which is odd because I was only buying tickets. We had pho for lunch, now it's naptime. We then watched an NGV tour of their Goya exhibition which was excellent with two of their curators providing excellent background. I failed dismally to work the virtual tour of their Impressionist exhibition. I then made pea and fish curry for dinner. We watched Resotration Australia (yawn from me), Fires and the Hunting murder show. Bedtime.

More bio.

The papers arrived this week as normal. There was a very disturbing article in The Australian magazine about an Armidale Anglican bishop, peddling fundy Bible bashing and trying to get a gay organist removed and his gay marriage destroyed. I don't often hate people but this guy deserves it, especially his plea that he is being persecuted in his bishop's palace and call for protection from anti-discrimination law. After a quick perusal, I went on with another chapter of the BIG bio. and sent the last two off to the author. We had Bellota sausage rolls for lunch and now it's naptime. Opera Australia is still not playing ball, refusing to take money from me, P. or Frank. After a nap, we had leftover vego dinner plus Bellota duck, then a very slow-movng Grantchester (a poofter subplot), then cooking, news and bed.

Dressing and shopping

I picked up Rupert the Picanto and went to the Health Centre for pills and where Virginia redid my dressing, saying that she hopes P. doesn't get too good at it and does her out of a job. I said goodbye to Jennie the very nice podiatrist who is leaving to take up a more secure job. I then picked up P. and we did the shopping, dropped into Noel with his and came home for (guess what?) salmon patties.

Bio. still

I'm now onto the two chapters which I and the author think are the most difficult in the big bio. I've worked on one this morning. P. has gone shopping to Smurf Street but came back for lunch: leftover bolognese. Still no wine deliveries and a very unsuccessful attempt to make a Genie appointment and buy opera tickets. So frustrating. Now it's naptime. We had the first of the new Bellota box for dinner: raw trout with trimmings, meatballs with trimmings and tiramisu with icecream (our addition). Watched northern Ireland railways, Malaysian food, museums then news and bed before a big day.

Tiles, bio. and Genie

We've sorted out the mystery of the old/new tiles and will now have new tiles as originally quoted. When they will be laid is yet to be known but we are just past the 24 hours for the veranda concrete to be dry. I have now completed two more chapters on the big bio. and had a phone consultation with Genie the nephrologist and, guess what?, I'm perfect (or at least my kidney function is). She also urged (having read the reports), that I go with Ben the vascular surgeon's advice which is, do nothing unless I have to. We had vegie soup for lunch and now it's naptime. P. made vegie casserole (with asparagus and potato) for dinner which was very nice, and meant we had an all vego. day. Now it's Irish coast and various trivia programs, then news then bed. Still no much awaited wine deliveries. We have FOUR pending, but no wine in sight.

Veranda tiles and bio.

Ingrid, from Regeneration Tiles arrived a bit after seven a.m. and began removing the old tiles. She says the concreter will arrive this arvo. and the whole job will take about four days, not necessarily consecutive. I went on with the big bio. Facebook and other Mark Zuckerberg toys are down for an indeterminate period. Will the world end? Well, it didn't and it was back on again by 10am. I sent off another two chapters of the big bio. to the author, and will start on the next two. Ingrid and her offsider Ebony have removed the tiles and the concrete from the front veranda. What champions. Their boss Greg has arrived to prepare for the concrete pour. P. and I are having leftover pasta for lunch while the concreting was done on the veranda and will be dry in 24 hours. The trio have now left and will return in a week having cleaned the tiles. Naptime after an action-packed morning. P. made vera bolognese for dinner plus watermelon salad, then various teev including Alaskan trains, Greek islands, food in the New Forest, Nepalese widows and news. Around the world in 80 ways!

Physio., bio. and cleaners

A busy morning today with a testing physio. zoom class coinciding with the cleaners going lickety-split and P. going shopping. I also did a bit on the big bio. We had sushi for lunch (from P.'s shopping) and now it's naptime. We had leftover rakott for dinner and P. made a watermelon and fetta salad. Then on the teev: Great Barrier Reef, 4corners crooks and China.

Daylight saving then much action

A little discombobulated by the end of daylight saving, I was heartened by the arrival of the Sunday paper and the crossword, apparently this week devised by a craftier person. No idea what happened yesterday but it might only have been a local problem as Frank couldn't get a paper in Smurf Street, whereas Carmel could in Ballarat. It was either a strike, which surely would have been reported or the local distributor didn't pay his bill. The only paper to reply so far is News Ltd who've promised an extension of subscription. We'll see. I finished another chapter of the big bio. Another two and I'll be halfway. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch. Naptime. P. did his first try at redoing the foot dressing since last year. It was very successful and meant I could have a proper shower for the first time in weeks. The whole thing has been a bit of a strain including the hospital visit. We are having the Bellota pork ragout pasta for dinner, followed by their tiramisu. It's the last of the Bellota box which was extraordinarily good value. After that it was bushfires again, followed by the murderous hunting duo which gets more and more peculiar, then Scottish history.

The end of the world (not quite)

This morning, there were no papers. The distributor says they were not delivered to them. I suspect a strike. I've reported it to The Saturday Paper, but heard back nothing yet. Oh well, I'll just get on with work on the bio. P. had his U3A American Lit. on zoom then we had Bellota sausage rolls for lunch and got notification that our tile work on the front veranda will begin on Tuesday. Thanks Sally. Now it's naptime. More of the Bellota box for dinner tonight: focaccia then more fish pie. A slim night on the teev. Forced to watch Grantchester, the clerical equivalent of Midsomer Murders (yawn), then cooking shows then news.

End of month

Because I didn't hurkle durkle I finished the end-of-month accounts and my quarterly Business Activity Statement before 11am. Sadly, I owe the ATO money but at least that means that I earned some. Now refreshed by my industry, I'll go on to the big bio. and I finished one more chapter. Only 23 to go. We had leftover Syrian chicken for lunch, and hatched a plan to use up all of our ample foodstuffs by Monday. After a nap, we began demolishing the Bellota box (the fish pie last night was an add-on) with smoked salmon, porchetta tonnato then baked trout with potatos. We watched Gladys' demise, then gardening, then Des then Capital then news.