Quiet then a concert

First up this morning it was normal computer things while waiting for deliveries on an overcast day on which it's hard to see the computer keys. P. went to the shops for the paper and we had leftover fish curry for lunch (it's now finished). Now for a nap. We went for a good meal at Blondie and then to the Recital Centre for a concert pairing the Flinders Quartet with Karin Schaupp on guitar for a program of works old and new, mainly written for the pairing. It was a great concerrt. Home again for news then bed.

Cleaners etc.

The cleaners came lickety-split and P. went off to the quack for the result of his ultrasound. I got on with routine stuff like my washing. His results were okay and, for now, no further treatment is required. He brought back gin, sangos for lunch and my pills from the Health Centre. All the necessities for life. Now for a nap. P. made a very tasty tandoori chicken for dinner, then it was Monday night teev, now back to normal with Q&A.

Crossword, not much else

We despatched the crossword without trouble. P. went up to the shops to get milk and pies and vanilla slices for lunch. I had a long chat to Greta (Noel's niece, back from Paris for a bit) and to Nick about holidays. Now for a nap. I reheaated the fish curry for dinner, then it was Death in Paradise, then new Vera, then news.

Papers plus more heat

Another hot day but at least all the Saturday papers came. Rick Morton's forensic account of the Robodebt Royal Commission is a classic story of bureaucratic 'I was only following orders', which unfortunately is not a 'get out of shame' free card. I did various computer tasks, then we had minestrone for lunch. Now for a nap. I reheated the rakott for dinner. As it's the world pride parade tonight, we might switch to it intermittently but constant gushing grates a bit. Instead we might watch travel programs and catch up on a missing Agatha Christie which we did, intermittently switching back to Albo being interviewed by Jeremy Fernandez.

Shopping plus visit

Yesterday (Thursday), P. and I went shopping with Rupert, then dropped the shopping, had our salmon patties, then visited Noel. He was downstairs in the coffee shop, socialising a bit and signed up for some activities in March. He still said he wanted to go home but recognised that was dependant on getting support for home care. Home again for a nap, then I made fish-and-pea curry for dinner. Then it was travel with Bettany and the National Front program (very scary), then news then bed. Today (Friday) will be mostly hot and quiet. After a day sheltering from the heat, we went for a good, quick meal at Superhiro, thence to Homo Hall for the MSO Galah opening, a new work by Mary Finister, Siobhan Stagg making much of Strauss' Four Last Songs, then Mahler's Fifth. I can imagine Alma saying to Gustav: Enough, I'm getting sore. Home again for news focussing on Gay World Pride.

At home

P. went to U3A First People's studies while I puddled around at home with various things. After a nap I made rakott krumpli for dinner. Euan sent through a massive inventory of Noel's flat. We watched usual Wednesday night teev including Bloodlands, which seems endless though fairly gripping.

Podiatry

I went this morning to my old mate, Jennie, for podiatry. All is wellish.I return in three weeks. Home again for cheesy tomato soup for lunch. Now for a nap. P. made vera bolognese for dinner, then it was the usual on Tuesday nights plus the bonus of the third Agatha Christie program.

There's a small motel...

Home again, from a five-day jaunt to the Otways and Apollo Bay for the seafood festival. Last Wednesday, we picked up the ever-faithful Ruperto the Picanto and headed off via Geelong. We went to Beech Forest via Turton's Track which was through magnificent rainforest. We arrived at the Beechy Pub, a modest affair with four motel units, quite comfy and a good simple dinner next door made more interesting by the locals including a new baby, which attracted a LOT of attention. Next morning we headed to Laver's Hill (not far) and thence on through the forest to the beautiful and deserted Melba Gully, then on the Great Ocean Road to Port Campbell for a not-very-good lunch but hordes of people. Back to Laver's Hill for an okay dinner at the pub then a night in a spartan room with a view to die for. Next day it was off through the forest again to Apollo Bay. We had to wait till 3pm to check in to our apartment, so went off to Skene's Creek and Beacon Point. In the evening we went to the nearby Indian for a good meal and to our suprise the receptionist/cleaner at the apartments was also our waiter. She explained that she did that on weekends as it was a family business and they had trouble getting staff. Next day (Saturday), we tried several times to get into the Seafood Festival but it was so popular (huge queues, no parking) that we couldn't get in comfortably till after three. However, I scored my desired half cray and it was delicious. On Sunday, we headed for Birregurra where the pub serves lunch and we continued the seafood theme with a noodle and seafood platter, shared. Then on to Winchelsea where we spent the night at the small motel after a very light dinner. Next day, back to Melbourne, and off in the evening to Superhiro for a meal, thence to the Recital Centre for a recital by Siobhan Stagg. Very enjoyable.

Getting ready

I finished the memoir this morning and am waiting for a call from the author to discuss it. P. is going to the shops for the paper (Hardly Normal ads with a pamphlet attached), while I get on with getting ready for going away. P. came back with sangos for lunch, then I had a good conversation with the author of the memoir. After a short nap, we went for a good, quick meal at Superhiro, thence to the MTC for three hours (!!!) of Sunday, a play about Heide and Sunday, John and Sid (plus briefly Sweeney and Joy Hester). It was slow moving, one-dimensional and captured little of the complexity of Heide and Sunday which I know well from a biography of Max Harris which I worked on. Home again for more news of Noel (not good), news and bed.

Messy day

Euan T. had his plane cancelled (thanks airlines) which has thrown the entire day out. He'll be coming on a later flight. The cleaners came, lickety-split. P. went off shopping and brought back sangos for lunch. He's off for an ultrasound this arvo., hopefully nothing serious. Because of the delay with Euan, I'll have an early nap. Frank came round for a mag and brought my birthday prezzie. Later, P. came back from St V.'s, then Euan T. and Corey I. turned up and we had a short meet and catchup. Another quick nap, then P. made Greek lamb for dinner with all the trimmings, then it was Backroads and usual Monday night fare. back to 'normal' with the return of Q&A to Mondays.

Crossword

We completed the crossword after I had a short hurkle-durkle after getting up early to start it. We had a slight disagreement over peacock versus peafowl and we had cheesy tomato soup for lunch. After a short nap, we headed for La Mama (original) for a great show, our last for Midsumma, called The Six Guys an Immigrant Trans Person of Colour will date, performed by Dax Carnay, Omar Dabash, and Sebastiano Pitruzello. Dax was the writer. It was absorbing and interesting. Thence to a good meal at DOC. I had the best steak tartare I've had in ages. Home again to watch Death in Paradise 'new series' (very [yawn] relaxing), then a Vera rerun then news, then bed.

Papers plus art opening

All the papers arrived and were perused. GaGa Henderson is back in his groove attacking the ABC on the Voice, and Planet Janet is saying the Voice will lead to separatism! Good job if it did, but it won't. We had vegie soup for lunch, then I departed for the opening of Louis Dickins' show at Gertie's in Gertrude Street. It was good and I had good chats with Barry, Greg Carroll (on opera) and others. On the way, I tried a Revolution smoothie at Copper Branch, a plant-based eatery on the corner of Smith and Johnston. It was interesting. I'll go back: they have all-day breakfast. Home again for a quick nap. We had leftover chili con carne for dinner, then Snowdonia, Midsomer Murders (for soothing) and the Final of Unforgotten, then news, then bed.

Normal day plus nearly the last of Midsumma (for us)

I got on with the memoir and have nearly finished. We had minestrone for lunch, and a nap. We then went to Tiamo for a good, ample meal, then went to the Stables at the Meat Market for our nearly last Midsumma event, a one-man show by Ryan Henry, sending up personal trainers, called Cult. Home again to rerun Gardening, then news then bed.

Shopping

We took Ruperto to the mall and did our shopping, lickety-split. Home again for the inevitable salmon patties, and now for a nap. P. made zucchini fritters amd chili con carne for dinner, then Venice, dementia (the subject of the week), then Grand Designs.

Another not-so-busy day

P. went off fairly early to his First Nations U3A session. I had a morning nap, then lunch, then another nap (I'm feeling fairly tired after yesterday). We then went into town and had a good meal at Superhiro then went to the Recital Centre for a concert of Indigenous composed music by the Southern Cross Soloists who are gearing up a repertoire of First Nations music with didgeridoo for the Brisbane Olympics. Home again for the splendid Utopia (why can't they make programs like that anymore), then Bloodlands on SBS and news/business then bed.

Busy Tuesday, never again

We picked up Ruperto this morning and flew by Officeworks for a few things, then made for Reservoir, where I visited Jane M. I am not sure whether she knew who I am but she did crack a couple of smiles, which was something. We then passed by George P.'s hostel to find if he was okay and still visitable. He is, though according to the nurse, he has few visitors (he was out at the time on an excursion). I then, after we procured some lunch things, dropped P. at the Health Centre and went to see Noel. The visit was fairly inconclusive as Noel insisted he was going to walk out of the BSL the next day (without saying how he would do that) and also saying that he didn't want to annoy BSL as he might well want to come back (!!). After a short nap, we departed for a screening in Fitzroy of a film about the Torres Strait Islands' inundation. An elder was present to give a heartfelt presentation. We then had a quick Indian meal at nearby Horn Please which was packed with young folk and some of us oldies. Home again where we stayed up far too late to watch news and Midsomer Murders with the irresistable combination of Gilbert & Sullivan and MMurders. Trite but good, but leaving me tired for tomorrow after a fairly trying day.

Quiet Monday

Spent most of the morning getting on with the new memoir which I'm still enjoying but have no idea of its chances of publication, probably zip. We had cheesy tomato soup for lunch, and now for a nap. P. is feeling a bit queasy.

Crossword and little else

We despatched the crossword without incident, except I tried Barbra rather than Barbara which was correct. We had leftover fish-and-pea curry for lunch after I had a brief catch-up nap to make up for early rising for the crossword. Now for another nap, while P. goes to the shops. P. is making chicken curry for dinner, then it was a Vera re-run, always satisfying, then news, then bed.

Birthday

The papers arrived and didn't contain much except GaGa Gerald making mistakes about people making mistakes about Australia's Indigenous peoples. Oh, and Planet Janet pointing the finger at the ACT prosecutor (another Australian vendetta). We then joined Sally and her friend Marcia who also has a birthday at Faraday's Cage for brunch. Then a nap. We then went to Fed. Square where we sat on the terrace in Chocolate Buddha to watch the free opera (greatest hits) with Orchestra Victoria while we munched and drank. Brian Castles-Onions conducted and MCed while the singers were Sophie Salvesani (soprano), Dimity Shepherd (mezzo-soprano), Simon Kim (tenor) and Luke Gabbedy (baritone). They all did a sterling job to a big crowd. Then we went to Homo Hall where we had a snack and drinks at the new bar, Pawa, then entered for the MSO annual Chinese New Year concert. It was weird but good, conducted by Darrell Yang including a strange range of works by Donizetti, Tchaikovsksy, Koehne and four Chinese composers. Home again, exhausted, for news then bed.

Emails

I hurkle-durkled a bit this morning on a dull day, then attacked a mountain of emails and bills that piled up because we were so busy yesterday but pleasantly so. P. made a special soup (five vegetables) for lunch which was meant to be 'gourmet' but was very salty. I finally finished the emails at 2.30. Now for a nap. I made pea-and-fish curry for dinner, then it was Monty Don in Greece, Van Der Valk (quite good in spite of the irritating hero), then news, then bed.

Shopping, Specs and concert

We did normal shopping and as well I went to Specsavers for a long overdue vision and audio test. I've ordered new specs. We came home for the usual salmon patties, then a nap. After that we went to the Recital Centre and had a good meal at Miss Pearl then went to a superb concert of Ruth Roshan and, as she described it, some of Melbourne's best musicians. She mainly played her own compositions plus bookends from Gade and Piazzolla. All this in cabaret seating. Home again for a rerun of Endeavour then bed.

End of month (yawn)

I got stuck into the end-of-month accounts and did my BAS etc. P. went off to the first of his First Nations ten-week course at U3A. I said there would be more on Noel: there is trouble at mill as he does not want to be at Sambell Lodge (the Brotherhood place), but everyone (almost) that he knows does not want him to go back to his flat, even for a short stay, as there is no support available, or at least not at the level he needs. He has four-five weeks allowed at the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, before they'll require him to find more permanent accommodation. His friend, Corey I. has had a long talk with him to try to resolve matters but Noel still thinks he can go home for a couple of weeks. Peter and I are more or less supernumeries in this as our only role in the past has been to do Noel's shopping (and banking and occasional sheet washing). All we can do at present is visit occasionally and wait for negotiations with his home-care people at St Vincent's and his power-of-attorney to complete. With any luck, this will occur before his time at Sambell House expires. It is a tragic situation with a clash of Noel's iron will and determination with his physical frailty. P. came home for lunch bearing sangos. Now for a nap. We had a visit from Jenny F. after she had visited Noel, bearing his jewel box which we had delivered the day before. We had a good debrief, then she went back to her hotel. P. made sweet-and sour pork for dinner and we watched usual Wednesday night teev.