Dressing and delays

This morning I went to the Health Centre to see Amy, the podiatrist (a new one), who cut my nails then redressed my foot. For infection reasons, she says I should be redressed twice a week by podiatry or nursing so has made appointments for the next few weeks but that is difficult as we're away so much. On the way home, there were two of the new 202 buses (which are no good for us) and one Not In Service, so I had to wait over half an hour for a bus. P. is going off for a lunch with Margaret N. and friends, so I'll be home alone for a nap. P. reprised his tasty lamb chops for dinner, then we watched Portillo on Canada, Australian books (yawn), then a tribute to David Gulpilil which I found a bit intrusive, then news then bed.

Wounds, physio

This morning I had a phone consultation with the Wounds Clinic and just brought Ellen up to date with what is happening, then had the online physio group with Kylene. A bit tired, I had minestrone for lunch and now it's naptime. I made soto ayam for dinner, then we watched travel and history programs (Glasgow and Europe), then Wimbledon Murders, then news.

Dixit Dominus

After quickly completing the crossword (was it Adolf or Adolph?), I did some more booking and arranging for various things next year. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch, then went to the Recital Centre where the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra performed works by Handel, Poulenc and Corelli and a new work by their second viola. Matt. They also, with the Polyphonic Choir, performed a very noisy Dixit Dominus. My head is still ringing from it. Katherine Norman was belting it out. It was also William Hennessy's last concert as director and there were lots of tributes. Now at home, P. is making a lamb chop concoction for dinner with roast potato and baked tomatoes. We then watched Death in Paradise (puerile), Total Control (still good), then news, then bed.

Papers and play

We perused the papers, fairly predictable, then I had a quick nap before lunch as we're going out this arvo. Vegie soup for lunch, then off to the La Mama Courthouse with Frank for a workshop production of a new musical in development by Loclan McKenzie-Spencer (composer) and Andrew Strano (writer and lyricist). A musical set in Wagga yet. It was very good and, as requested, I have sent post-show notes. It was an excellent cast including Logie award winner (how many times?) John Wood. Home again for more magic-pudding Persian lentils. I'm not complaining. They are delicious. We watched the Larkins (impossibly wet), then Ridley Road (quite good), then a travel show in the Caucasus (impossibly macho) then news, then bed.

Memorial

After a little bit of organising and booking this morning, we picked up Manon the Corolla and Sally and went to Williamstown where we met Ann de H. and her friend and had a quick lunch then went to Rennis' memorial at Seaworks. There were moving testimonials which veered on the side of Rennis the health worker and ALP apparatchik and less on Rennis as party girl. Never mind, it was very moving anyway. We dropped Sally and Polly at Footscray station then went on through horrendous traffic home. It took two and three-quarter hours to get from Williamstown to Abbotsford. We had leftover rendang for dinner then watched Gardening, new Endeavour, Talking Heads (oddly old-fashioned) then news then bed.

Organising

After a small hurkle-durkle this morning, I sorted Sal's transport tomorrow and did some more on Bourke. Feeling satisfied, I then embarked on the impossible task of investigating power and gas suppliers having been told by Environment Victoria that our supplier, with whom we are very satisfied, has been taken over by the monster Shell. I retired in defeat. Now it's lunchtime, with P. having gone off shopping getting sangos for lunch. Naptime. P. remade Persian lentils with tomato for dinner. It is a magic pudding too. We then watched drug money laundering, Red Election and Westminster scandals, then news, then bed.

Predictable shopping

Very normal shopping routine this morning, though Noel had a very small shop. The usual salmon patties for lunch and now for a nap. Dealing with lots of social events and trips at present and lots of emails and bookings. We had seafood soup for dinner tonight, then Scottish islands, Gruen, Preppers and When I Die, a very satisfying night on the teev. News and then bed.

Dressing and fine concert

I went to Helen the nurse this morning who redressed my foot and got Clare the podiatrist to inspect and pick at it. They seem to think it is healing well and I'll see Clare next Tuesday for a redress. Home again. P. went off shopping and came back with brioche rolls for pulled pork for lunch. Yum! A quick nap before joining Frank to go down to the Palais for the Victorian Opera prize concert which was splendid. I didn't expect a (reduced) orchestra and such fine singing. We then went to Cicciolino's for a good dinner, so it was like old times and very enjoyable. We trammed and bussed home where a mountain of emails awaited, so I have just worked through those. Now it's bedtime.

Busy Monday

First up, I did lots of organising and booking for various trips: our flights are booked to Sydney en route to Bourke and some accommodation is booked. Then the cleaners arrived, lickety-split and P. went into town shopping. Then just after the cleaners exited I had my online physio exercises, not too taxing. P. arrived home for lunch and we finished of the magic-pudding soto ayam. Then I went up to the Health Centre for my Pfizer booster shot (plus more pills). No ill effects so far. After all that action, it's naptime. I reheated the magic-pudding beef rendang and rice for dinner, then we watched Plymouth history, Robinson on trains, Media Watch, then the Wimbledon kidnapping which I'd never heard of, then news, then bed.

Crossword and organising

I hurkledurkled again this morning, but we still completed the crossword with despatch, discovering an error not in the crossword but in the Macquarie dictionary which mistook Winifred Atwell's married name for her maiden name. Then came organising for various outings including the visit of the northern relations for a concert in December, the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival (my sister and her husband are now coming to Bendigo, yay) and the Bourke adventure (third try). Allie has got her permanent position in Bourke (yay) and might be there for a few years. Ben is working at Pontoon in St Kilda and David is returning to Melbourne. Phew. We had duck dumplings for lunch and now it's naptime. P. is making Persian lentils and tomato coulis for dinner from a recipe on a Mount Zero lentil box. It was delicious with pasta. then we watched Total Control, brilliant until it went off the rails near the end, then a doco on demonstrations.

Papers

Both P. and I hurkle-durkled this morning so were late starting in on the Saturday papers but soon had consumed the news and reviews. We had minestrone for lunch. P. went to the shops and now it's naptime. I started cooking a slightly improvised beef rendang for dinner with the leftover roast beef. We'll see. Then I watched the Brandenburg Orchestra in a giveaway concert, I suspect designed to make you subscribe. I don't know if it will at the prices they charge. The rendang turned out okay, then we watched Grantchester, Ridley, news and then bed.

Movie talk

This morning, I had a small hurkle-durkle, then some tidying, then P. and I joined in Teresa P.'s film discussion on Zoom. It was a fairly animated discussion about The Big Clock. Opinions varied on its merits and purpose. Was it a send-up of film noir? We had bacon and eggs for lunch (with the flash bacon); now it's naptime. P. made pork belly for dinner, then Gardening, Annika (final, for now), Dames and news then bed.

Morning concert

While P. had his Zoom colonial literature meeting, I went to the Convent to the first of the ANAM concerto competition heats. I went to hear two pieces I had not heard before: Vaughan Williams oboe concerto and Dvorak's violin concerto. Both were well played and a great contrast, the first almost pastoral, well-suiting the oboe and the second rather agitato. It's a pity that other commitments prevent hearing the other five sessions. I walked home in the light rain and we had quiches for lunch. Now it's naptime. I made the nearly the last of the soto ayam for dinner. Then we watched Portillo in Devon, Red Election, US in disarray then news then bed.

Shopping

We picked up Rupert as normal, went for coffee beans, then to Victoria Gardens and thence to Noel's. He's as well as can be expected, then home again through heavy traffic on a sunny day for salmon patties. Boringly normal. After a nap, I made prawn bisque for dinner, followed by baby cheeses. Normal Wednesday night teev.

Dressing, concert (!) and lunch

First up this morning I went to the Health Centre and Helen redressed my toe. Amy from podiatry peered at it, pronounced it healing but discovered another small wound on my toe. They've both been betadined. Then I met P. at the Recital Centre for our first live concert in ages. It was for viola (Christopher Moore) and piano (Caroline Almonte) with pieces by Rebecca Clarke, Brahms, Alice Humphries (world premiere) and Britten and it was VERY satisfying. We then lunched at the Art Gallery but sadly not with crustless sangos but I was satisfied by a croque monsieur downstairs. Home again for a quick nap. P. made roast beef for dinner then we watched trains in Canada, then I watched a zoom session on the future of First Nations literature in Australia with Jasmin McCaughey, Tony Birch and Larissa Berendt, then news then bed.

Physio plus lunch

I had a small hurkle-durkle after a very cold double-doona night. Then I had an online physio class before P. and I headed to town for lunch with my sister Julie. Ian, her husband, was ill and couldn't come but we had a good mag and a good lunch though as usual with pub meals mine was too big for me. Home again for a nap and we missed the rain. I remade soto ayam for dinner. We then watched Portsmouth, I watched a Rationalist Society talk on religious freedom, then Detectives, then news then bed.

Crossword

I hurkle-durkled this morning, while P. did most of the crossword. Then I did little else but phone people as a way of emerging back into the world. I made bacon and eggs for lunch then it was naptime. P. is making leftover meatballs with mozarella for dinner. We watched Total Control with a lot of storm dropout, then news etc. before bed.

Papers etc.

We hustled through the Saturday papers. Then I got on with some tidying and Frank dropped by for a visit. We had leftovers for lunch and now it's naptime. I made soto ayam for dinner, then we watched Grantchester, a new show about the fascist movement in Britain in the 50s (judgment reserved), then the movie for next week's film studies, The Big Clock, a bit of a fizzer, then news then bed.

Even more booking

I hurkle-durkled a bit because of a cold morning. Then I booked the hire car for Cobar (at last) as well as three concerts for the Australian Chamber Orchestra next year. P. went to the convent and got pies and cakes for lunch which were yummy. Now it's naptime. P. made meatballs with mozzarella for dinner (which were delicious, thanks David Herbert0, then we watched Gardening, Annika, Accident and Talking Heads, all good.

Dressing, then shopping

I was up early this morning so had time to book for the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival before picking up Rupert the Picanto and heading to the Health Centre where Helen the inestimable nurse inspected my foot and declared everything healed except the toenail (which fell off), so gave me a dressing to protect that. No podiatrists today so she's made an appointment next Tuesday when with any luck I can see one. Great work, Helen, and it confirmed what the vascular surgeon, Ben, said, that the wounds would heal in a few weeks. Then I picked up Peter, which was not easy because the street outside our house is being re-asphalted. We went shopping, then to Noel's, who was grumpy because I got part-dried mint (for cooking) rather than dried mint (for tea). I think I'm meant to be a mindreader. Home again for the inevitable salmon patties. Now it's naptime. I made fish chowder for dinner followed by baby cheeses. We watched Portillo in Devon, Red Election, US after 9/11, news and then bed.

Out for lunch

Two days in a row. After more bookings and attempted bookings this morning, we picked up Manon the Corolla and went and got Jane N. and went to an Indonesian eatery near Queensberry St in Lygon where we had very tasty trad. Indonesian food: soto ayam, gado gado and goreng kampan. We had a good mag, dropped her off and Manon and now it's naptime. P. made spicy lamb with spuds and cabbage for dinner, then it was usual Wednesday with the premiere of Preppers (a bit overblown by the critics), then After You Die (or whatever lacklustre title it has) which is a fairly humdrum cop show, then news, then bed.

And more bookings plus ballroom art

I did some more bookings for our various trips though they are not complete yet. Bourke is yet to come. Then we went into Flinders Street station and up to the decrepit old ballroom (which must have been really something in its day) for the Patricia Piccinini exhibition which was vast and excellent. We then trained home and had a very good lunch at Dr Morse. Naptime. P. made leftover chicken curry for dinner, then we watched Greek Islands (Chios where we have been), Country Music and gays in China, news to follow.

Bookings again

Pelican Air let me know that they ARE flying on Good Friday next year, so we can proceed with the Bourke trip, third try. I also started booking for the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival, so we've now, post-lockdown, got trips to Ballarat, Metung, Bendigo and Bourke. And, miracolo, Greg the Tuckpointer, came to make a quote for work on the bricks. He is very nice, though Covid disruptions had prevented him coming since April. We had sausage rolls (sadly not Bellota) for lunch, then the cleaners came lickety-split, P. went shopping and then it was naptime. I made bangers and mash (with the nice pork sausages from Tassie), then we watched Restoration London, Four Corners on the dastardly Obeids, Mediawatch then Detectives.

Crossword and bookings

The Sunday crossword was completed swiftly and effortlessly. P. cleaned up the front veranda with its new fence and tiles while I did some car bookings for our ventures into the world anew (lunch with Jane N. as well as the more usual shopping). After lunch (bacon and eggs with the flash bacon from Tassie), we went up to Frank's new flat in Johnston Street, near the IGA. He is still unpacking but it is spacious, light with a good outlook on the Victoria Park ground and that part of Abbotsford. Home again for naptime. P. is making chicken curry for dinner. We watched Deborah Mailman in the new series of Total Control, then a trans doco., then news then bed.

Papers and lots of activity

After perusing the papers, P. went off shopping in Victoria Street for some curry stuff he needs. He brought back sangos for lunch. After lunch, the package of bacon, ham and sausages arrived from Tassie, then I heard from Allie that she will be in Bourke next year, so a trip there is back on the agenda. I hope Keren can make it. I started the ball rolling for rebooking. Now it's time for a late nap. I heated up leftover fish and pea curry and rice for dinner. Then it was Grantchester, then Noel's movie from 1953 with an unmemorable name, something like Sing for the Evening. Really weird. Then news then bed.

Doctor Joanne

I had an early morning phone appointment with Dr Joanne this morning. I filled her in on my foot developments, asked her to send a vax letter so I can get a booster (she says I can have one now) and asked for some prescription renewals. P. has got his U3A American Literature so I'll vacate the computer for Zoom and get some reading done. After being immersed in Chinese history, I had cheesy tomato soup for lunch with P. whose Zoom went well. Naptime. P. made marinated lamb chops for dinner with potato, carrot and zucchini. We then watched Gardening, Annika and Accident then news then ABC Covid (with Jeremy, he gets all the good jobs).

Dressing and healing

Early this morning, I went to the Health Centre where the inestimable Helen redressed the one remaining wound. The other two are healed. So the vascular surgeon, Ben, at the Melbourne appears to have made a correct prediction. I have to return next week for a next look. Also, my left big toe has lost its nail which Helen says is no big deal but she hopes podiatry will look at it next week. Home again where P. is preparing for his Zoom American Literature tomorrow. We had minestrone for lunch. Naptime. I made fish and pea curry for dinner, then we watched Cornwall trails, Red Election (hotting up though really implausible) then Russian poisonings.

Shopping

Boring shopping as usual and a visit to Noel (never boring) then home for nice but boring salmon patties. We are boring. Now it's boring naptime. I reheated the rakott krumpli for dinner and P. made a salad. We watched Hard Quiz, Gruen, then a bit of a doco on rappers then Before You Die which seems promising, the news.

Quiet Cup Day

I spent the morning doing more on tickets for next year. P. went shopping for the Good Food pamphlet in The Age and for goodies for lunch (sushi and sangos). Now it's naptime. I'm making rakott krumpli for dinner. We watche d Canadian trains, Greek islands and now Country Music followed by Artificial Insemination, then news.

Physio. and end of month

This morning, I did the end-of-month accounts quickly and the month's business activity statement. Then Kyrene led a slighter larger group in strength physio. on zoom. We had minestrone (canned) for lunch and P. went shopping for supplies. Naptime. P. made leftover chili con carne for dinner with guacamole. Then we watched Four Corners on housing and then detectives, then news, then bed.