Novel again

In a holiday mood, I hurkle-durkled again this morning, so was late getting to my review of the novel. I am now a bit over halfway through and am finding a few new problems. P. went out in the heat and got welcome sangos for lunch and now it's naptime. P. re-dressed my foot and for end-of-year dinner, I cooked up the last of the soto ayam. We then rewatched The Yearly, then three episodes of Vienna Blood, chillingly enjoyable. I didn't make the fireworks but P. did and said they were fairly pissy.

Previous novel

This morning I hurkle-durkled a bit after having sent off the big novel yesterday, then went back to the previous one to give it a quick checkover. I should finish it in the next day or so. P. heated up quiches for lunch and now it's naptime. P. made lamb cutlets for dinner. We watched Outback Ringers, then another Red Vienna, then a doco on Bangarra and the Page Brothers which was informative and affecting.

Novel sent then shopping

I sent off the big novel this morning, then P. and I got Rupert the Picanto for shopping. We went to get coffee beans then to Victoria Gardens, then to Noel's. Home again for the almost inevitable salmon patties which were available this week. Now for a nap. I made seafood chowder for dinner then watched Outback Ringers which is a surprisingly good program. When then watched two episodes of Vienna Blood on-demand. Very good with wonderful locales.

Email back (for now) and big novel

First up, the email was not working but it came back around lunchtime but P. had already gone into town to pay his Telstra bill (which I could have done if the email was working). Meanwhile, I got on with the big novel and now have about 100 pages to go. After a nap, I made leftover soto ayam for dinner, we watched the last episode of Capture and Release, then had more summer pudding, then a Kenny Rogers tribute concert, then news (go, Pablo) then bed.

Brief encounter

This morning, the email was working but only briefly. Fortunately, yesterday, Boxing Day, produced only a few emails anyway. Lots of my routine feeds were obviously on holidays. Then it vanished again, probably the victim of power outages and four days of over 40 degree heat in Perth where the provider is based. The internet is still working though and I can start reading another new novel from a friend which I have been sitting on for a while. The email returned after lunch then disappeared again. We had vegie soup for lunch, now a nap. P. made leftover porchetta for dinner with yummy accompaniments (peppers with fetta and gremolata), then Outback Ringers, then on-demand two more episodes of Capture and Release. Only one episode left to go. Norway noir is very short on sympathetic characters but thank goodness for i-voo and on-demand during the wasteland of holiday television.

Crossword, new novel and a bit of ingenuity

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning, but P. and I finished the crossword without any worries, then I finished the new novel, first time through to find out what happened. I'll have to go back to it in a more considered way but so far there are no obvious plotholes. We had minestrone for lunch and now it's naptime. We had reheated rakott krumpli for dinner. The TV reception is still not working but P. has circumvented it by watching ABC online for now, and my email is still not working (though my internet obviously is or I would not be posting). Westnet says it is due to unusually severe weather conditions in Perth. I thought it was their server all along. We watched, online, the news, Death in Paradise and then on-demand Capture and Release, 3 episodes to go.

Very quiet Christmas

No papers today of course and I got on with the new novel and am now about a quarter way through. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and now it's naptime. P. made roast porchetta for dinner. Because TV reception was not working, we watched SBS replays of Red Election, the last episode leaving room for a new series, then two of Catch and Release, a Norway noir. Both excellent.

Last dressing

I went up to the Health Centre this morning where there was a HUGE queue for Covid-testing but I had a quick new dressing from nurse Virginia who also gave me a Christmas present of a flu shot and a pneumonia booster. I won't see them again till January while in the meantime P. will do the dressing. Home again where P. went shopping for lunch and more bread for his summer pudding (he's cheating a bit on banned Christmas with a roast porchetta as well). After a nap, I made rakott krumpli for dinner which was pretty good, then Outback Ringers, Would I Lie to You (Christmas), then a Midsomer Murders three-peat (how dismal is all that). Then to redeem it all a Talking Heads.

Report and soto

After the usual early computer tidying, I went back to the report while making stock for tonight's soto ayam. Then I sent it back to its author, though she probably won't want to look at it till after Christmas. P. went off shopping and brought back salmon quiches for lunch (yummy!). Now it's naptime. After a short nap, I finished off the soto (no mean feat, it always takes longer than I think) and Frank is coming to share it. We had a good mag then the teev welshed out (poor reception) so we watched two episodes of Red Election on SBS on demand. One episode to go.

Shopping then lunch

We picked up some undelivered wine from the post office and did this morning's shopping in Rupert the Picanto, dropped into Noel's then came home for vegie soup for lunch. I feel we're living in Soviet Russia: Noel wanted red potatoes but Coles didn't have them and the fishmonger didn't have salmon patties (no time to make them). It's now naptime. I made fried whiting fillets (tiny) for dinner followed by seafood bisque. Then usual dreary Wednesday night teev: Hard Quiz, Pickering, QI, news then bed.

Dressing then bibs and bobs

I had a quick visit to the Health Centre this morning where Amy the splendid podiatrist did some tests and re-dressed my healing wounds. She also gave me stuff to let P. do the dressings over the Christmas break. Home again to more bits and pieces. I was prophetic when I said to Amy that I was out of work when I finished work on the present report unless something turned up in my in-tray. It did: a new novel. P. went to the shops and brought back lunch (sangos and sushi). Now it's naptime. We had the last of the leftover vego lasagne for dinner. Then we watched a one-hour SBS advertisement for Aldi, then Vienna Christmas, then thanks to John Howard selling off the transmission to Canadian super funds the telly went 'no signal'. P. put on i-voo as he blamed the LCP government for not fixing the transmission, but I say, 'They don't fix anything!'

Bits and pieces

I did bits of tidying up and admin. this morning while the cleaners came in force, FOUR of them, for the pre-Christmas clean and P. escaped. He came back with lots of books from Readings, some for his U3A course. Sally dropped by with some lighting fixtures (to make the house 'seriously gorgeous'. It's a pity the occupants never will be.) and a Chrissie gift. We had leftover beef burgundy for lunch then a nap. I'm making ham and spinach souffle for dinner whch was not bad, in spite of the Magimix breaking down midstream. We indulgently watched The Importance of Being Earnest, Edith Evans version with Margaret Rutherford, then cooking then news then bed.

Departure plus crossword

Mark and Nick headed off this morning on the long road to Moss Vale. They have to pick up Maggie at David's place on the way. They are coming back in early January for Mark to do a workshop with the Australian Ballet but will probably stay at Sally's barn. We finished the crossword, no worries. I finally got back to work on the report which is going so well I feel I am hardly needed except for a few matters of style. P. made poached eggs, avocado and ham for lunch. Delicious. Now for a nap. We're having leftover vego lasagne for dinner, then Death in Paradise (yawn) then a movie, Anthony written by Jimmy McGovern, very good, then news, then bed.

Papers then big lunch

After perusal of the papers, Nick, Mark, P. and I headed to Heide where we met up with David and Maggie, Louise, Lesley and Morgan and Kit and Ben. We had a good lunch, well served, and very chatty. We then headed home, had a nap then had vego lasagne for dinner, though, as it turned out, we had no vegos. News then cricket(!) then bed.

Dressing then dinner

First up, I went to the Health Centre where Virginia re-dressed my foot (actually my toe). There was a huge queue for Covid testing. Home again. Nick and Mark have gone to Sally's where they joined Kit. P. has gone off shopping while I catch up on the computer. P. made guacamole for lunch, now it's naptime. While Mark and Nick went off to the movies, P. and I went to Chin Chin for dinner with Lesley, Louise and Morgan. It was very good food though the place is very noisey with music and conversation. It was very nice to catch up with the three of them. Home again.

Sleeping in

After a very energetic night at his first concert, Mark slept in till lunchtime, while Nick got up at a reasonable hour. I started in on making the beef burgundy (which needs to marinate) and the vego lasagne which has many preparatory steps. We all had tomato soup for lunch, then Nick and Mark headed to town. P. and I had a nap. I had made beef burgundy for dinner and it wasn't bad. We watched Red Election, then Scottish crime then news then bed.

Shopping plus arrivals and tricky locks

We shopped early this morning because of imminent arrivals from the north. We delivered Noel's small shop to him and we'll see him this evening for dinner. The usual salmon patties for lunch. Nick and Mark arrived and had lunch, then we all had a nap. They went off to their dinner and Cat Empire concert while Frank joined us to go for Noel's for dinner, a delicious curry. We had a saga trying to fit Noel's new keylock to his door. Frank solved a very difficult set of instructions to make it work. Home again for usual Wednesday night teev. We went to bes but I was woken by tapping about 1am. The new keys we had cut for the visitors did not work so they tried various ways to attract the attention of two deep sleepers until I was roused by the need for a pee. Eventually they made it inside.

Health Centre and lunch

After a bit of computering, I went to the Health Centre where Helen the nurse re-did my dressing and said my two remaining wounds were healing well and one was almost gone. Then I met P. at Dr Morse for lunch with Barry D. who was a no-show. Don't know why yet. However, by way of compensation Frank P. and David G. were brunching there so we had a good chat. P. went off to get Noel's keylock (his old one was pinched: long story) and it was home for a nap. P. made more hamburgers for dinner, then it was fairly dismal teev: the Spencers on their historic property, the Wallace Line with Aaron Pedersen, then Chinese You Can't Ask That, then news then bed.

Back to work

I started work today on the report which arrived on Friday. I am not quite sure why I've got it but we'll see when I've finished reading it. We had minestrone for lunch and now it's naptime. P. made hamburgers for dinner, then it was UK history (Manchester - we've bin there), Trains in SE Asia, then news then bed.

At home

After our trip away and a fairly busy day yesterday, it was nice to spend the day at home, just tidying up. We had the rest of the Yarragon beef and mushroom pie for lunch then a nap. I made G&Ts for P. (and me who did something else) while he watched his favourite Antiques Roadshow with his idol Fiona Bruce. Then I made seafood chowder for dinner while we watched anodyne Death in Paradise, then Total Control (which was not a bad finish) then Bourdain then news then bed.

Busy day

Instead of a quiet day after our trip to Gippsland, I first went to the Health Centre to be re-dressed by Jill the nurse, then picked up Manon the Corolla (opposite the Health Centre) and P. and we went shopping and to Noel's, who didn't need much this week and was having a Geek to fix his internet connection, so we left. Home for salmon patties then off to Fed Square to ACMI for a screening of Suk Suk, a Hong Kongese film about two ageing men who secretly have an affair. It is an irony that this film would probably not be able to be made in HK after the new regime. It was a slow but beautiful film about two men trapped by geography, their families and their society, all conspiring to prevent their happiness. We then had a quick but delicious meal at Karen Martini's Hero eatery next door to the ACMI cinemas. Then home for Us, a decidedly weak show starring the ineffectual Vicar from another weak show. News then bed.

Away at the lakes

On Tuesday morning, we picked up Rupert the Picanto and headed towards Gippsland. After lunching at Sale, we arrived in Metung where we stayed at The Moorings a well-run motel complex on the water. We dined at the excellent Metung Hotel, also on the water. On Wednesday, we breakfasted well at the Aroma in Metung, then drove to the Nyerimilang Homestead in its garden heritage park. It's a lovely old building in a splendid position overlooking the lakes. Then back to Metung for a nap and dinner again at the hotel which serves splendid seafood. Next morning we breakfasted at Aromas then went to Lakes Entrance. We were meant to have a boat trip on the lakes but it was cancelled because of stormy weather. On the advice of the tourist information, we went instead to the Lake Tyers beach which has a lovely hotel overlooking the rainy seascape. We lunched there in a cosy spot then went back to Lakes Entrance for a night at the Central Hotel which also has a good dining room frequented by locals with, guess what, lots of seafood. Today, we had the long drive back, stopping at the very good Sale gallery which had some unexpected delights by Nolan and others. We lunched at Yarragon, then drove on home to have the beef and mushroom pie purchased in Yarragon. Gardening Australia and Endeavour followed on the teev.

Health Centre and sangos

I went off to the Health Centre this morning where Virginia the nurse re-did my dressing. I also collected pills for P. and me. Meanwhile, the cleaners were whizzing through the place at home. P. made yummy curried egg sangos for lunch, plus chicken and mayonnaise ones. Now it's naptime. We had leftover roast chook for dinner, then Georgian Edinburgh (we've been there), then two back episodes of Red Election, then news then bed.

Crossword and a bit of preparing

I hurkle-durkled a little this morning, so was late starting the crossword which turned out to be very easy this week. Then did some preparation for our trip to Metung this week. We had minestrone for lunch then a nap. P. made old-fashioned roast chook for dinner which was filling and delicious. We then watched Death in Paradise (banal) and Total Control, then Vogue on NITV (??) then news then bed.

Shopping plus pickups

Before shopping this morning, we checked at the Post Office for our missing wines. We found SIX cases had been diverted to the Post Office without once leaving a card to tell us so. Australia Post deserves to be boycotted. After five failed deliveries (we must have been home for some of them) and letters taking three weeks to get five kms away it is time to give them a miss. We then did our shopping at the mall and delivered Noel's to him. He seems to be as well as can be expected. Home again for lunch, salmon patties of course. Naptime. I made seafood chowder for dinner, then we watched the English Nazi program, then news, then an interview by Barrie Cassidy with Fran Kelly, then an AIDs retrospective.

Action-packed Ballarat

On Thursday morning, we picked up Manon the Corolla and Sally S. the person and headed to Ballarat. We had lunch chez Margaret P. with Ann de H. as well. It was partly a Liz Kelly memorial lunch to which was added Rennis W. We had a good mag, and Sally headed off with Ann to Chewton for the night. P. and I headed to the Provincial Hotel in the main drag near the station. We arrived in a downpour but settled into our 'cosy' room then went for an excellent dinner at their eatery, Lola. Next morning, after a HUGE breakfast in the hotel, we sampled the Ballarat Foto exhibitions including Linda Macartney (boring and self-indulgent) but other good ones in the old bank, soon to become the centre for the Foto expo, and a portrait showing at the magnificent, though crumbling Town Hall. We then had a good lunch and a mag with Carmel B. before heading back to Melbourne and facing the appalling traffic. We had leftover soto for dinner, then Gardening, then Endeavour. It felt as though we had been away for more than one night.

Booking and organising

This morning I did some more booking for Bourke and other things including ACMI which has a very frustrating website. I also spend ages on the phone to ANZ trying to fix problems with my Visa verisign. Boring, frustrating and I've complained to them that with their vast profits they should have a call-back facility on their phones rather than making you wait for half an hour being told that 'we know your time is valuable'. P. went shopping for nibblies for tomorrow's lunch and got pies for lunch. Afer a nap, I made leftover soto ayam for dinner, then we watched Scottish islands, Gruen, Preppers (yuk), then After I Die (good as always), then news, then bed.