Lunch

After a bit of computer work and contacting some people, I went off to Camberwell for an old Penguinis lunch. In the courtyard at Paradiso, opposite the Rivoli, we could hear ourselves. Present were Bryony C., Andrew P., Jackie Y. (for a while), Anne O'D., Jo B., Lou T. and Ann D. We had a good catch-up. We agreed to meet again late Jan. or early Feb. chez Jackie. Home again for a nap after an hour-long public transport epic. P. made leftover goulash for dinner then it was fairly indifferent Wednesday night teev including, is that a promise?, the last episode of Fisk.

Pills, lunch and curry

We went up to the Health Centre for pills, picked up Manon the Corolla outside and then went to Jane N. in Brunswick and had lunch at an old time Turkish joint in Sydney Road and a good mag. Home again for a nap, and I reheated the chicken curry for dinner, then it was British theft, a Shetland i-voo, Fact or fortune, then news then bed.

Quiet day

After a brief hurkle-durkle, I did a bit of searching for our February trip then we had minestrone for lunch. It looks as though the trip might be off. Now for a nap. The post-election Liberal nonsense gets worse with some of them almost believing they had won, if only... This ignores the fact that Dan the Dunnyman has twice as many seats as them. It is good that there might be a 'progressive' majority in the upper house after the Animal Justice Party pulled a swifty on Glen the preference whisperer. Now for a nap.I reheated the chicken curry and rice for dinner, then we (reluctantly) watched Ita Buttrose on Australian Story (what an example of sucking up to the boss), then the Adam Goodes movie, then news.

Crossword and relaxing day

The paper arrived again today (Yay!) so we despatched the crossword. The rest of the day was spent relaxing apart from a few computer tasks and catching up on election news. John Pesutto is just ahead in Hawthorn so might be in the running as new Lib leader and it is much too early to call Fiona Patten in the upper house, though she might be in along with unlikely allies the marijuana party and the Hunters, Shooters and Rooters. Now we have a Greens local member state and federal. Our state member is self-defined as 'queer' even though they have a male partner and, I think, a child. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and now for a nap. P. made goulash for dinner, then we watched Lion, an Indian adoption movie, then news, then bed.

Papers then concert and dinner

All of the papers arrived AGAIN so we ploughed through them on election day, having already voted. We had leftover roast chook for lunch, and now for a nap, then off to the Recital Centre for La Compania. They played, brilliantly, some Baroque music on original instruments, then we went for a very good dinner at K&G Carlton, then home for election elation, though I would have preferred a hung parliament depending on the Greens. Oh well!

Computer stuff and contacts

I spent the morning tidying up after a brief hurkle-durkle. I tried to make contact with a few people but messages were all I could leave. We had our free smoked salmon from the fishmonger for lunch, and now for a nap. P. is busy doing U3A stuff. After a nap, I made chicken curry with peas for dinner.

Quiet morning then concert

It was a quiet morning of various computer tasks and bookings. P. went off to the shop to get the paper and sangos for lunch. After a nap, we went to Superhiro for a good multicultural meal (including robot), thence to the Town Hall for the MSO and a good concert including Gershwin's piano concerto (played with elan by Tedeschi) and Copland's symphony no 3 (a bit grandiose). Home in crowded trams for news then bed.

Shopping and Genie

We got Rupert the Picanto and went shopping. Coffee first, then Victoria Gardens for us and Noel. He seems a bit better, though not much. Then off home to drop the shopping, thence to Genie the Nephrologist who told me I am good and put me on to six months turnaround. Next time: May next year. Home again for salmon patties. We are SO predictable. Now for a short nap. P. made reheated roast chook for dinner, then it was fairly dreary Wednesday night teev and news.

Not much then concert

I hurkle-durkled again. My excuse is these cold November mornings. Then I did various computer things while P. went into town. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch; now for a nap. We then went for dinner at Blondie before a Musica Viva concert at the Recital Centre.

Busy morning

This morning, the cleaners came fairly early and whizzed through the place. Then I had a phone consultation with Dr Eva (couldn't get Joanne) to renew my scripts. Then had a long wait and two phone calls to get a cab to the Health Centre, though once there I had a quick blood test and got some pills with Eva's scripts. Home again in very windy and rainy weather for warming bacon and eggs. Now for a nap. P. made roast chook for dinner, then it was news, MediaWatch, a program on Peter Brock (yawn) replacing what sounded an interesting show on Israel Folau, then Planet America, then news.

Crossword, autobiog. and concert

ALL of the papers arrived this weekend. Rocket science prevails! We despatched the crossword and I sent my report on the autobiography off to the agent. As we have a concert this arvo, I'll have a morning nap instead. P. got sausage rolls (it's not far to the shop) and cakes for lunch from the convent, then we went to the Recital Centre for the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra in the as-usual splendid concert led by Sophie Rowell, the incoming artistic director, with works by Myslivecek, Mozart, Caerwen Martin, Sibelius and Haydn. Off to Carlton afterwards for good pizzas at Tiamo then home for Frankly, Significant Others (final episode, thank God) then news.

Autobiog., papers and launch

This morning ALL of the papers arrived and were perused. I got on with the autobiog. and have now finished it and will need to formulate a response. We had vegie soup for lunch. Now for a nap. We then went up to the Harehole for the Melbourne launch of Inez' book. She had an interesting dialogue with Christos T. and I had a good catchup with Michael H., Anne M. and Judy B. and her husband Graeme. Home again for leftover rakott, then fairly indifferent teev except for Shetland new series. Thank goodness Significant Others is nearly over. The slowest-moving program ever.

On with the auto. and a rare performance

After a short hurkle-durkle, I got on with the autobiography. I got to nearly two-thirds through when lunch, cheesy tomato soup, intervened. Now for a nap. We went in the bus, tram and tram to Malvern in search of dinner. We had a very good meal at Hakone, a Japanese/Asian fusion restaurant in Glenferrie Road. The night went downhill from there. We got lost searching for the Malvern Theatre, so caught a cab to rescue us. The show, Thespis, has been unperformed (or rarely) for over a century, for good reason. The production included such delights as breaking eggs on heads and cream pies in the face, as if this is funny. From curtain up, it was a disaster. At least I can say I have seen the first Gilbert and Sullivan foray. Very disappointed, we caught a cab home and waatched news.

New manuscript plus a concert

I hurkle-durkled again this morning, partly because of winter-in-November weather. Then I got on with a new manuscript for report, a rather unusual autobiography. I got about a third of the way through when it was lunchtime. We had leftover fried rice for lunch, now for a nap. We then went to Superhiro for a good meal, thence to Homo Hall for the MSO with works by Ligeti, Bartok and Beethoven's violin concerto in D, very well performed by James Ehnes A very good night. Home again for news then bed.

Shopping plus voting

We picked up Rupert and went off to Victoria Gardens to shop for ourselves and Noel. He seems a bit better and was being visited by multiple people today including a nurse. Home for the inevitable salmon patties after going for early voting, so at least that's done. The Socialist spruiker almost followed us into the booth with reasons to vote for them in the upper house. I always vote for them in the lower in the vain hope they'll get their deposit back. Last time, they missed out by .2 of a percent. Fiona Patten faces a combined challenge in the upper house from a coalition of right-wing parties (Family First etc.) marshalled by the preference whisperer Druery. I hope my vote works strategically and it looks possible that the Greens will win our seat in the lower house. Labor has taken out a huge billboard near our place accusing the Greens of bullying. sexism and transphobia. Labor has also accused David Davis of the Libs of going the grope and of him and his colleagues in the Liberal party of visiting soft porn sites (I'd be surprised if they didn't). Anyway, we'll see some time after the 29th. It will probably get dirtier before then. We have a Greens corflute on our fence put there while we were away. There was a note addressed to the woman next door, hoping they'd put it on the right house. A great example of Greens efficiency. However, it can stay there as it's probably more effective on the corner. Now for a nap. I made rakott for dinner then we watched Hard Quiz, Art Theft, Lie to you, QI and news. Not very stimulating from the ABC, then bed.

Footwork

After a bit of a hurkle-durkle, I went off to the podiatrist, Jenny, who redressed my remaining very small wound and made appointments up to Christmas. Home again for leftover anchovy pasta for lunch and now for a nap. I despatched the Vignettes to a publisher on the author's instructions after nattering yesterday and today. We had takeaway Vietnamese for dinner, then trains, British theft (a very good program), Magda's health, then sex work, then news then bed.

On the gourmet trail downhill

Last Friday, we picked up Rupert the Picanto and headed for Benalla, via an unusual route through Lalor, Epping and Donnybrook viewing gobsmacking housing developments along the way. We stayed at the flashest B&B we ever have, Clement, with flash furnishings and virtually half a house. We had an excellent meal at Ella Goose, then got drenched in a downpour on the way back to Clement. Next day (Saturday), we headed for Milawa and Brown Brothers where we met Nick and Sara (on their Ovens Valley bike ride) for a very gourmet lunch. We then checked into Lancemore Milawa where we've stayed before and had a nap, followed by another excellent dinner. We are by then stuffed like pigs. In the morning, we had a gourmet breakfast for good measure. We set off for Euroa, via Brown Brothers and Sam Miranda vineyards to stock up on plonk. We lunched at Euroa (not bad), then checked into the Seven Creeks Hotel, which is very popular, and had a not-bad meal there, though not up to the previous couple of days. It was novel staying in an old-style hotel where the facilities are down the hall rather than ensuite. Next morning we headed home and to bring ourselves down to earth I had baked beans on toast at a truck stop at Avenel. We had a nap and rounded off our long weekend with a Flinders Quartet concert of Beethoven plus five Australian composers inspired by him. We rounded off with a quite good meal at Brunetti's Carlton. Home again for news then bed.

Day at home

This morning I did some tidying up after our holiday and also ordered ANAM tickets for next year. P. went off to Vic Gardens to pick up his new specs. Now for a nap. I made anchovy pasta for dinner which was not bad. Then it was cooking, Italian trains, Judith Lucy, British colonialism, news then bed.

Home again after Sydney frolic

We're having a day of recuperation after a few days in Sydney. Last Saturday, we took a Virgin flight to Sydney which was okay, then had a bit of a trudge to the pick-up point where Nick was waiting to kindly whisk us off to his flat in Woolloomooloo where Sara was waiting. We went (after a brief nap) to the Duck Inn in Chippendale for Neville's party. There was a good crowd of Neville's friends and relations and a lucky dip of his wine collection. Kit had organised good supplies of food and drink and a good time was had by all, though there was a lot to process. Home for a nightcap. Next day, Sara and Nick headed for Moss Vale and we went to the Art Gallery for a celebratory lunch with Inez B. and Keren L. looking out over the Victoria Street debacle featured in Inez's book. Home again for a nap then dinner at the local Frisco Hotel which was reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting. There was one other lonely person in the pub and one staff member. The food was okay though. On Monday, we went, on Inez's recommendation to the Museum of Sydney which had an exhibition of unrealised projects in Sydney. It was a brave curator who produced what was, in effect, a catalogue of shonky premiers from Robin Askin onwards with Paul Keating thrown in for bad measure. We dined at the local Italian which was quite good. On Tuesday, we went to the MCA which had a good show by Korean artist Do Ho Suh, which brought all the Koreans out of the woodwork. We lunched at the rooftop cafe where our view of the Opera House was blocked by some gargantuan cruise ship. All we could see was the toaster and the bridge. Nick came back to work and we were picked up by Kit and had a very good mag at a tapas joint in Victoria Street. Next morning (Wednesday), we were up early to catch the train back to Melbourne. It was very relaxing. We got lots of reading done while gazing at contented cows and gambolling lambs. We passed through Benalla, saying cheerio, we'll be back soon. A quick trip in a cab home and the remains of the pork belly for dinner with undistinguished tellie.

U3A plus concert

P. went off to American Literature for U3A at Bargoonga Nganjin. I got on with getting ready for going to Sydney. I had leftovers for lunch, now for a nap. We went into town for a good meal at Superhiro, thence to Homo Hall for the MSO. They performed two piano concertos, Beethoven's Fifth and a new Beethoven-inspired work by Brett Dean, for grand and stand-up piano, then the Fifth Symphony. I've decided that the new conductor is a bit of a one-trick pony: do it loud or do it very softly. It works to impress the crowd but I'm not sure it's very musically canny. Home again for news and bed.

Mozart then pork belly

This morning we went off to the Recital Centre for the ANAM mostly Mozart with a collage of Mozart's greatest hits on brass, then a trumpet concerto by Naruda (who??). then Mozart's horn concerto no 2, then two extracts from his Serenade, featuring the piccolo (!!). These concerts are always full of surprises. Then off to the NGV for lunch with crustless sangos, and home for a nap. P. made an excellent pork belly dish for dinner, followed by trains and wars (in Ukraine).

Shopping

With Rupert we went to Victoria Gardens to do our shopping and Noel's. Noel was still in bed when we got there and was not at all well. We will be away next week, so there will be no visit from us to see if he's okay. We got home to have salmon patties.

End of month

I spent much of the morning on the end-of-month accounts. P. did some U3A sending stuff out before Friday's meeting. He then went up to do some shopping and got sangos for lunch. Now for a nap. P. made yummy steaks for dinner, then it was trains, British theft, Magda's health (had to give it one go to check out its attitude to neoliberalism, cited by Crikey), then news, then cooking.