Play and bye-bye for now biog. and novel.

Yesterday (Tuesday), I finished proofing the big biog. (dreaded references) and sent it off to the author. There have been a couple of queries from the designer since but I think my role is over. I went on with the big novel and have nearly finished. P. and I went off late in the arvo to the Malthouse where we saw Anan K., a rather flawed but watchable play about a journalist with her own show who leaves her husband for an SAS soldier. Disaster! We went to Tiamo's for a good dinner, then home for news and bed. Today, I finished off the novel and sent it off to the author. It will be back, sooner rather than later if I know them. I waited for the locksmith to change the lock on the front door which was no longer secure then had a quick nap.

Big biog. then jabs

I went on with the big biog. proofing while the cleaners came and went (lickety-split). Then went to the Royal Melbourne for my two jabs in the buttocks which are supposed to prevent Covid for six months for immunosuppressed people (me). The nurse also informed me that I have a small ulcer on my buttock which needs attention. Home again for more biog. P. has gone into town to collect a U3A book. Now for an arvo nap. P. made roast lamb for dinner with lots of trimmings, then I went on with the biog. with breaks for Media Watch, China Watch and Q&A repeat. I've nearly finished apart from the references.

Crossword , proofs and MCO

The Sunday paper arrived okay and we despatched the crossword. I have finally unpacked though not done the washing. I did some more checking proofs (never enough) then we went to the Recital Centre after soup for lunch to see the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra do works by Corelli and Bowman followed by the complete Four Seasons with great applomb. Home again with a repeat of the rakott and a night with Vera (sob, end of series).

Home again vagabond shoes

Well, here we are home again after nearly a week away and a busy evening after we arrived home yesterday arvo. We still aren't quite unpacked as we haven't stopped since arriving back. We picked up Merly the Ceranto on Sunday 21 August and headed to Foster in the usual way, after a brief detour not finding the South Gippsland Highway. We lunched in Leongatha at the Tiny Teapot which was okay (good milkshakes) then got to Foster where we checked into the motel near the pub. Later we met up with Roger and Sally and went for a pub meal which lived up to low expectations. Back to the motel where our reception for Vera was appalling but S&R in the room next door could see perfectly. Next morning, Sal, Peter and I went to see Marg McK. and had a good chat, then lunch in town. Sal went off to join Roger and we went to Tidal River. Julie and Ian had been delayed with a medical appointment but arrived, surprisingly, in time for dinner, P.'s chicken casserole. The cabin was very comfy and well equipped but the weather was fairly dismal so we only managed brief walks and drives. Ian produced two good dinners and we had lots to eat. On Thursday we left Julie and Ian in situ and drove back to Melbourne, lunching at Loch. We returned Merly and capped off a long day with an MSO concert, after a Superhiro dinner, with works by Ades, Ravel (a splendid piano concerto with Yeol Eum Son) and a symphony by Sibelius which was so-so. Next morning, Friday, P. went to Dr Tran while I waited with Rupert to go shopping. We dropped into Noel's with his stuff and P. stayed to help with the return of Noel's goodies from the auction house. I made rakott krumli for dinner. On Saturday, we perused the papers and I got on with the big biog. proofs which arrived unexpectedly. In the evening, we went to the Dining Room at the Arts Centre for a posh dinner and thence to Ilbijerri Theatre's production the Heart is a Wasteland. We had seen an earlier version years ago with Aaron Pedersen and Ursula Yovich. This one was even better and I realised how live theatre (and music) surpasses other versions. Home again for news and cycling.

Papers, cooking and packing

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning after we stayed up late after a stimulating MSO concert. The papers arrived okay and in the right place. Then we started in on preparation for Tidal River/Foster. We had leftover Kyiv for lunch, then a nap. I reheated sweet-and-sour chook for dinner, then we watched Grantchester and Endeavour then a bit of Spanish cycling in Holland.

Novel and organising

Most of this morning I spent on the BIG novel; still aways to go. I also did bits and pieces of organising: I at last had the strength to tackle Virgin about a refund and had an almost identical conversation with their Indian call centre as the previous one with the same (probably false) promise at the end. We'll see. We had leftover anchovy pasta for lunch and now for a short nap. Then we went to Sake near Homo Hall for a good meal before a good MSO concert of Berlioz and Tchaikovsky (Harold and Manfred). New conductor, Jaime Martin, seems to be going for heft rather than subtlety but I wait to be proven wrong. Meanwhile, prepare to be blown out of your seats. Home again for news, Drum and bed.

Lots of big novel

This morning for a change I got a fair bit of the big novel done. It's now about three-quarters through and I hope to finish it in the next couple of days. P. went into town to pay bills and shop. Now for a nap. I made the butcher's chicken kyiv for dinner, then it was Guadalquivir, Q&A, then Suspect (a bit slow to get going).

Shopping plus pills and Genie

We picked up Rupert and dropped into the pharmacy to pick up pills, then went to East Melbourne to visit Genie the nephrologist. I'm perfect as usual. Thence to Victoria Gardens for our shopping. Noel didn't want any this week. Something is up but I'm not sure what. Home again for the usual salmon patties then a nap. I made prawn bisque for dinner followed by baby cheeses. We watched Roman Britain, Micallef, Scotland and the new Stranger, intriguing to see how the many threads might come together.

Big novel limps on

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning, then launched into the big novel but I'm still not two-thirds of the way through. I'd much rather be reading Susan V.'s memoir, which I bought at the launch last night and am now about a third-way through and enjoying it immensely. P. went off for a haircut and brought back some supplies plus sangos for lunch: curried egg this time. Now for a nap. I made sweet-and-sour pork out of leftovers and it worked out well, Then we watched Scottish trains, trees, Nepalese circuses (!) then lots of news and I finally caught up with the Teal Sheilas on the 4Corners rerun.

Out and about

The cleaners are coming this morning and I'm off for morning coffee with Susan V. and Bryony C. in the somewhat overblown decor of the Langham Hotel. We had a good (overdue by about seven years) mag, then it was home for minestrone for lunch and a nap. Then it was off to Reading's for the launch of Susan V.'s new book by the indefatigable Andrea G. which went well. We then had a good meal at K&Gs then home for Media Watch, China Tonight, news then bed.

Crossword okay

The Sunday Age arrived correctly. It has only taken three months to get it right but at least it is now. The crossword was despatched without error and we had bacon and eggs for brunch, so all's right with the world. And now for a nap. I made anchovy pasta for dinner, then it was Greece and Out West or whatever it was called, which was a very good well-constructed movie. Then news, then bed.

Too busy to post

On Friday (yesterday), I was up early to visit the vampires at the Health Centre. Eda, the Friday vampire, did an excellent, skilful and painless job. The only catch was the three-quarter hour wait for a taxi to get there. No wonder Uber is booming. After a nap, P. and I went off to Superhiro for a good, quick meal, thence to Homo Hall for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for a marathon: three Stravinsky ballets, Firebird, Petrushka and Rites of Spring. They included some ANAM players as well. It was great, if mind-boggling. Home for news and bed. Today, Saturday, the papers arrived okay, in the right place, again! After perusal, I did a bit (never enough) on the big novel. We had minestrone for lunch, and now for a nap. P. made roast pork with all the trimmings for dinner, then Grantchester (yawn), Endeavour (part II), then an I-voo of Time from Friday. Then news then bed.

Shopping plus

We did normal shopping this morning, after a pick up at the post office (a book this time) and coffee. We dropped by with Noel's shopping then went home for salmon patties (the usual). Then for a nap. I made whiting fillets, then leftover rakott for dinner. Then it was the Dordogne, Q&A (not bad, thanks Stan) then Courtney with a gay footballer, then news, then bed.

Big biog. again

First up, I went to Jenny the podiatrist who checked my feet, put on a new preventative dressing and sent me on my way. Home again for more reviewing the big biog. which has gone on its way again. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and now for a nap. I made rakott krumpli for dinner after finally contacting Marg C. We watched NY, Mad as Hell then Close (final).

The big novel

I did a bit of work (never enough) on the big novel this morning. Sally S. dropped in for a chat while P. was off getting a positive report from his kidney surgeon. Now for a nap. There was a hitch on the big biog. so I've had to do some more work on it tonight, so instead of cooking dinner, we had takeaway pizza.

Big biog off

After a hefty morning's work, I sent off the big biog. to the author with a sigh of relief, then realised I'd missed a couple of (small) things. Oh well, we can fix them. We had vegie soup for lunch, and now for a well-earned nap. P. is making leftover carbonade for dinner. Then usual Monday night teev.

Two days in a row

The Sunday Age was correctly delivered. Can this continue? The crossword was despatched without mishap and I made quite a bit of progress on the Big Biography. One more day to finish it, I think. We had minestrone for lunch. Now for a nap. P. is making Margaret Fulton's beef carbonade for dinner. We watched the final of Mystery Road: Genesis, then Suffragette, the movie, then bed.

Papers correct

Today the Saturday papers were delivered correctly for the first time in THREE months. Thanks to The Age for sending a google maps photo to the distributor. It will be interesting to see if they can get it right again tomorrow (Sunday). I went on with the big biog. Making progress. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch, and now a nap. We had leftover fish-and-pea curry for dinner, then (yawn) Grantchester, Endeavour (repeat), news and Y. Ripper, then bed.

Big biog.

I did a bit on the big biog. this morning, but as usual not enough. I'm now about halfway through, so should be finished early next week. P. went off to have a blood test and to U3A American Literature (not connected) and I consumed the leftover fish chowder for lunch. Now for a nap. P. made yummy kanga steaks for dinner. We followed with the River Derwent, Notre Dame and the prison program (on replay).

Shopping and a bit of work

We picked up Rupert this morning and did shopping for ourselves and Noel. Home again for salmon patties and a nap. Then I did a bit of work on the big biog. which seems endless. I made pea-and-fish curry for dinner, then we watched the Fens, Q&A (quite predictable, right down to Warren Mundine's self-servingness), then news, then bed, while P. tried to finish his book for tomorrow's U3A.

After a smidgeon of work, P. and I headed to the Recital Centre for Mostly Mozart with James Crabbe, famous squeezebox proponent, with an eclectic program of Mozart and other eccentrics (Ades, Eckert). We had leftover French onion soup for lunch, then a nap. P. made leftover chook for dinner then it was NY, Mad As Hell and Too Close. We didn't make the Brunswick concert (too cold outside).

Very quiet day

I did a bit on the big biography today, but not enough as I needed a bit of a rest. We had vegie soup for lunch, after a nap. Then P. started on roast chook for dinner which turned out very well. I hope tomorrow is more productive for work though we have a couple of concerts. Tonight, Who Do You Think You Are, pets and abortion, then news then bed.

Shopping and a new month

Out of the house to pick up Rupert and go to the mall for shopping and a drop to Noel after a trip to pharmacy to pick up pills. Home for salmon patties and a nap. No time for end-of-month things. They will have to wait for tomorrow. Also, no time for work. After a nap, I made fish chowder for dinner, then usual Monday night teev plus Garma with Stan Grant.