Barry, Noel and a show

This morning we picked up Ruperto the Picanto, went to Noel's flat, checked it was okay, picked up the mail and his 'jewel' box. We then went to Barry D.'s place and went back to Carlton where we had a good brunch and a mag then dropped him for his writing class. We then visited Noel, delivered his things. He is still negotiating to go home for two weeks, now. But there was no outcome before we had to return the car. Home for a nap. After that, we went to the city for a good meal at Superhiro, then walked around to the Butterfly Club for a show by Ty Autry about being a gay Christian growing up in the deep south. It, and he, were very appealing. Can I confess my choices for Midsumma shows are partly based on the cuteness of the performers. I think at my age, I'm allowed to be a dirty old man. We went home for news and bed, and more news about Noel. More on that tomorrow.

New memoir and podiatry

I started on the new memoir this morning (I had a short peek the other day) and found it so absorbing that I almost didn't want to stop for lunch, but P.'s avocado vinaigrette tempted me. Then I went to the Health Centre where Nick the podiatrist was standing in for Jennie (who is with family in NZ). He says the infection has gone but the wound still isn't completely healed, which is what Jennie has been saying forever. He redressed and sent me off to come back in three weeks. Home again for a nap. I made anchovy pasta for dinner, then it was very normal Monday night teev again with Q&A back to Monday night and a shocking Four Corners about Opus Dei.

Crossword and Vera

We both hurkle-durkled a bit this morning, then despatched the Sunday crossword. Error message: the Roman numerals. We had vegie soup for lunch, then a nap. P. is making roast pork for dinner, then travels with Joanna Lumley, a Vera repeat, news, then bed.

Papers and another concert

The papers arrived AGAIN and were a bit more substantial this week. P. made delicious guacamole for lunch. Now for a nap. We trundled into town and had a quick but good meal at Hero in Fed.Square, then crossed the square to the Deakin Edge for an MSO concert of works by four new composers sponsored in their Cybec program. They bookended with pieces by previous winners. The whole concert was enjoyable, even though two of the six pieces were a bit samey. Home again for the end of Midsomer (sadly not), then the splendid Unforgotten.

New manuscript

This morning, a new non-fiction manuscript arrived for review. I spoke with the author who seems very nice. I couldn't resist a quick peek. P. went shopping for coffee (they were closed for invasion day) and came back with sangos for lunch. Now for a nap. We then went with Frank into Carlton to DOC Pizza where we had a good meal. Thence to the La Mama Courthouse, where we were welcomed by our old friend, Maureen H. We also caught up with Jean T. and her partner, with whom we seem to coincide every year at Homophonic. It never disappoints, compered and organised by Miranda Hill (on double bass). The highlight, among many, this year was a Lockdown Alphabet, composed and written by Sally Whitwell in haikus, one per day. Brilliant. The other pieces were just as good. Home again for news then bed.

Ignore Australia Day

We picked up Ruperto the Picanto and went to the mall. We did our shopping, went home for the usual salmon patties, then went to Sambell Lodge to see Noel T. He is looking and talking a lot better, but still talking about going home for three weeks to clear his flat. He looks incapable of doing that, so we'll see. Home again for a quick nap. We had panfried whiting fillets for entree, then leftover rakott for mains. Then it was a slight movie: Married In Darwin, followed by news, then a video of the Martu people.

Still quiet then concerts start with a bang

Very quiet in Abbotsford this morning after a little hurkle-durkle. Some computer stuff and making appointments. We had vegie soup for lunch; now for a nap. We went to town to Superhiro for a good early meal, then to the Recital Centre for TWO concerts to start the New Year. Riley Lee (shakuhachi: bamboo flute) and Marshall McGuire (harp) played music across the centuries back to the mythical Hildegard of Bingen. It was a joyous concert by an unusual combo. Then we met Frank in the main hall for Orchestra Victoria letting down their hair for Midsumma. They played works by Cheetham, Copland, Shaw, Fine and Tchaikovsky, all very varied and good. Home again for news, then bed.

Burst of busyness

While it's still quiet in Abbotsford Street, there has been a burst of organising this morning: arranging visiting with Noel, a series of concerts now that they're starting again. P. has gone into town shopping. After a nap, P. made leftover Hainanese chicken for dinner. Then it was Who Do You Think You Are (U.S.) with Smokey Robinson, then Australian nature, then David Page, then news, then bed.

Still quiet

Today, I just tidied things on the computer, checked bookings and so on. I started on rakott preparations. We had fancy lentil soup for lunch, which I didn't like much. Now for a nap. I finished off the rakott for dinner, then it was teev with Royals in Scotland (the PR machine is working overtime), Quilpie (local for a change), Blenheim, Muhammad Ali, then news then bed.

Quiet weekend

The papers arrived but contained not much of interest. The Australian used more space for encomiums of Pell. We had minestrone for lunch, and now for a nap. We couldn't be bothered cooking so went up the road to the Retreat Hotel for pie and steak, which was not bad and the Saturday night pub was quite lively. Home again for Midsomer Murders (restful) and Unforgotten (very good), then news, then bed. Today (Sunday) we despatched the crossword after I hurkle-durkled a bit. We then had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and a nap. P. made refreshing Hainanese chicken for dinner, then we watched the Great Wall, Vera (a rerun but absorbing nonetheless), then news.

Not much

This morning P. and I both hurkle-durkled, he longer than me. I did various computer things and sorted some bookings then we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch. Now for a nap. P. made herbed lamb chops for dinner. We then watched Monty Don in Venice, Endeavour (good even in repeats), then news then bed.

Shopping plus visit

We got Ruperto the Picanto this morning and did our shopping at the mall. Home again for salmon patties. We then went to Sambell Lodge to see Noel, who seems well though still frail. He seems happy with the Brotherhood place and the food and medical staff, though his plans to go home to pack up seem a bit impractical. We left when he said he wanted to go back to sleep, then we went to get a new battery for my watch. Now for a short nap. I made fish soup for dinner, then it was trains, Indigenous coppers and news.

Optometry

Up early this morning to head off to the School of Optometry to which I was flickpassed by the Eye&Ear hospital. The efficient Narelle put me through many eye paces to eventually conclude in cahoots with her specialist colleague that, while there are some signs of glaucoma, they are not enough to worry about at this stage, and similarly with cataracts. She advised annual tests at Specsavers. Home again, with relief, to vegie soup for lunch and then a nap. I can't read much anyway because of their diagnostic drops still having effect.

Another quiet day plus historical talk

After a short hurkle-durkle, we had a quiet day with accumulated leftovers for lunch, then a nap. Then it was off to the Yorkshire Stingo for the Collingwood Historical Society's off-schedule talk about bigamy in Collingwood!! The speaker was from Canada (Alberta) and is researching bigamy convictions (!), but there was one Abbotsford Free Anglican Church leader who performed over nearly 10,000 marriages and was convicted for one which was with an underage woman/girl. We had a good time, with good company. Home again for news, then bed.

Quiet day

No hurkle-durkle this morning, as the cleaners were coming. And they did: lickety-split. P. went off shopping and I fiddled on the computer.

Busy weekend

We picked up Ronny the hybrid Corolla, then Polly M. from Sally's and were off to Ballarat. We went to Polly P.'s place for lunch, most of which she prepared but with a bit of help from Ann de H. We mourned the absence of Rennis W. then went our various ways. P. and I went to Craig's Hotel where we had a not-bad dinner and a good night's rest. Then we met up with Carmel B. after a good breakfast at Craig's, and had a light lunch and a good mag at the Yacht Club, then P. and I drove back to Melbourne in one hit. After a short nap, P. made a very good roast lamb for dinner, for which I was very grateful after the long drive. Then it was the last of Lost in Paradise (is that a promise?), and a very good Vera (repeat, I remembered the murderer), then news, then bed.

Friday the 13th

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning, then settled in to a quiet day avoiding any danger, with any luck. P. went into town to do shopping. Now for a nap. P. made chicken breasts with prosciutto and tomato for dinner, then wewatched Royal renovations (from royal PR inc.), then Endeavour (good as always, though a repeat), then news, then bed.

Tarrawarra plus foot

First up this morning, I got Ronnie the Hybrid Corolla and went to see Jennie the podiatrist who said my foot was NEARLY healed and redressed it. Then I went home and Polly M. turned up and we headed for the Yarra Glen cheese place. We had a coffee and bought stuff for Saturday in Ballarat. We then headed for Tarrawarra Art Gallery and a very good Peter Booth exhibition, thence to Healesville and a good lunch outside at Innocent Bystander, then home again to Collingwood and a short nap. We had leftover fish-and-pea curry for dinner, then watched trains, Indigenous cops, Chinese dementia then news.

Quiet day at home

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning then continued my project of contacting people. I've found Jane A. courtesy of her son Sam. Lo and behold, she's in Reservoir so once she's said it's okay to visit I can combine with Barry D. The Noel sagas continued with sainthoods called for for Michael (for fixing the laptop problem) and Euan (for fixing the identity problem with Centrelink). P. bought quiches for lunch, now for a nap. P. made one-pot sausage casserole for dinner. We watched UK rivers, then islands, then wonderful Utopia, then news.

Shopping and visit

We got Ruperto the Picanto this morning and went to Victoria Gardens for our shopping (none for Noel this time). Home again to unpack and have salmon patties. Then we visited Noel at the Brotherhood of St L. joint (Sambell House). Fortunately, they require RAT tests before entry to protect residents. Noel was okay, sleepy but looking better for having been fed well over the last few days. Home again for a nap, then pea-and-fish curry, then English cooking, Pelosi, news and Cheney, then bed.

People day

I spent a bit of today catching up with people and things I have to do with them. There were a couple of birthdays, some people I haven't spoken to for a while and some follow-ups to illness. We had vegie soup for lunch and a nap. We having a rerun of rakott for dinner. We then watched Heather Ewart, Lincoln Cathedral, Freddie Mercury, Thai Buddhist nuns then news then bed.

Crossword no probs

The paper was delivered all right and we despatched the crossword, no worries. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch and now for a nap. P. made vera again to go with Vera the show along with Death in Paradise, another comfort show. Now for news, then bed.

Papers and keys

This morning, all three papers came (in abbreviated holiday form) though late, at least on to the veranda. Carmel had a letter in the Saturday Paper about robodebt. P. went shopping and got sangos for lunch and Matt and Michael came to pick up Noel's keys to get stuff from his flat to take to him and visit. Now for a nap. I made rakott krumpli for dinner and we had a comfort night with that and Call the Midwife and Midsomer Murders. The visit to Sambell House by M&M seemed to go well if a little contradictory from Noel's part. It's nice to know he's safe and well somewhere.

Holiday

After a big hurkle-durkle this morning, I saved my computer contents to my exterior hard disk (which I'm meant to do each quarter). We had vegie soup for lunch and P. made vera bolognese for dinner. Now for a nap. After that, we had a homemade negroni from the makings P. got yesterday. It was not bad. Then P. finished off the vera which was delicious. Then, for a laugh, we watched Camilla, part of the Royal publicity onslaught, then a movie about a lost child starring well-known inheritor of the slave trade, Benedict Cummerbund, The Child in Time with too much unresolved. Then news, then Putin (yuk) then bed.

Feet then lunch

Nearly first up, I went and got Ronny the Hybrid from our street, went to the Health Centre and Jennie the incomparable found my big toe still has some infection though not much, so dressed it again with fancy goo and sent me on my way. Then P. and I picked up Jane N. from Brunswick and we went to Tiba's Lebanese eatery in Sydney Road. It is extremely good value with fresh and tasty food. At the end, we had enough leftover for dinner with last night's rice. Now for a nap. We got news that Noel is safely in Sambell House, so at least his health will be looked after and he'll be fed. We had leftovers from lunch for dinner, then trains, trainee cops, Queen Anne and news then bed.

Shopping and Noel

We picked up Rupert after the cleaners arrived, did our shopping and some for Noel then dropped Noel's off after he had been visited by Jim from St V.s on a home visit. He is probably moving tomorrow to Sambell House in Clifton Hill, facing the Darling Gardens, for at least four weeks respite, at least and at last. Home again, a bit exhausted about all the drama with Noel for mundane salmon patties. Now for a well-earned nap. Afterwards, we couldn't be bothered cooking so got takeaway Vietnamese which was quite good. Then British travel programs (Rivers, Islands) then a rerun of Utopia (well worth it) then news then bed.

Lunch

P. and I went into town and had lunch with my sister, Julie, and her husband, Ian. We had a good catch-up at the Elephant and Wheelbarrow, then came home for a short nap. P. made tender steak for dinner, then we watched a recap of the Trump years (still not entirely over).

Very very quiet holiday

Not much is happening except heat ameliorated by fans and aircon. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch, and now for a nap. I reheated the pea-and-fish curry for dinner with P.'s spiced rice. We watched Pubs courtesy of Heather Ewart, Big House renos, Rivers, then news, then bed.

Late paper and crossword

The Sunday Age arrived very late but at least onto our verandah. We did the crossword with help from Frank P. for one clue which eluded us (Greek mythology). We were both up late so brunched rather than lunched and now for a nap. P. is making leftover cutlets for dinner. We watched The Father, a very moving account of dementia and coping with it. Then news then bed.