anyresemblance

A rare outing

Last year, I read Kotaro Isaac's Bullet Train.  I remember thinking at the time it was written to be made into a movie and the other week I went to see that same thing at the cinema.  I was a bit late as even though it was a Friday night, I was on a call with people who would not shut up but having ended the call I raced off and only missed the first two minutes (which was fine as I knew the plot anyway.)

Despite some quite sniffy reviews, I found it hugely enjoyable and everyone, especially Brad Pitt, looked like they were having the time of their lives.  There are a few mannered cameos but mostly I enjoyed Channing Tatum looking bewildered and hopeful that he was being asked to participate in a thrilling sex game.

1,2, skip a few, 99

In my dream, I am in the passenger seat of my sister's car.  She is driving down the M3 towards the sea and there is thick fog.  We pass Southampton airport and then somehow we are afloat in our car boat on our way to a pub lunch on the estuary at Chichester.  We stop and my father gets out of the back and he is old but he has no problem in walking and is happy we are on our way to lunch even though the air is still thick and damp.  I woke up this morning thinking about him, and my sister, on what would have been his 99th birthday.

In June I had a holiday in England where I saw lots of family and friends and remembered why London is still my favourite city in the world despite how awful its leadership and prevailing culture and its politics are.  Ganching and I always spent a day in Cambridge where I saw a wonderful exhibition by Hockney, with Hockney at the Fitzwilliam in Cambridge and Kettle's Yard which I have been longing to see for years.  Kettle's yard still inspires me in my thoughts and dreams.  Of course, Ganching judged me in noisy silence for my slow walking around Cambridge but I forgive her as it is tedious in the extreme.

I came home and got Covid a couple of weeks later but got sick on a Friday and then worked all the following week from home despite losing my voice.  This was down to me conserving my sick leave for surgery. I spent July consulting specialists and decided to go forward with the knee replacement surgery.  I was originally going to do it in August but my boss was spending that month in Europe so asked me to cover for her and now I am going in September.  I have a whiteboard with a running list of stuff for hospital and a stack of books which I consider suitable convalescence reading.  Mind you, I also saw the physio for "pre-hab" which involves daily strengthening exercises for my calves and hamstrings and quads and my sister's detailed advice from both her knee replacements so it is not all planning for idle reading.  Perhaps that was another trigger for thoughts of my dad, as it was his ill fated knee surgery which resulted in the mini stroke which ended up with him bed ridden for nearly two years before he died.

 

 

Sunday San Francisco

Despite the clock on my computer, it is still Sunday here in San Francisco.  

I had a lovely day today wandering the streets, going to look at the Diego Rivera mural in MOMASF, shopping for miscellany, having a coffee at my much loved Blue Bottle and enjoying the sunshine.

I am here for a work thingy which is heavy on the dull men but I am determined to be light of heart and enjoy the experience of being able to travel again, albeit with lots of work dinners which limit my culinary explorations.

 

On the road again

It looks like I am heading to Silicon Valley at the end of the week.  It has been two weeks of dithering due to office politics but seems like I need to get my act in gear.

Of course, this is the week my assistant is away but as my daughter scoffed "you booked your own travel for 8 years so why are you being a prima donna now?".  She is right, and the skill of gaming the travel tool to choose a window for travel that nets you the flight you want (and not the cheaper one with 4 stops and twice as long) has not been lost.  I was supposed to also be in Melbourne this week but I think I am going to have to do that as a day trip.

Anyway, last week was a whirl of work stuff and I came home on Friday night, ordered take away, had a bath and was in bed by 8.30.

I am trying to finish off a few unfinished books which have not been capturing my attention so have been trying to keep off tv and the socials.  That said here is what I am watching:

• Slow Horses
• The Outlaws
• Russian doll series 2
• Selling sunset series 5
• Luxe Listing Sydney series 2
• Our flag means death

I am thinking of downloading AJLT to rewatch on long haul as I think I need to revisit it with a few months distance.

The weather has been delightful with glorious sunrises and sunsets of morning.

Hiatus

1. Loving I haven't been to the cinema in ages but I was talking to my friend on speakerphone in her car as she was driving with her 18 year old son who is socially awkward and not prone to unsolicited conversations and he said he had just seen this film and that everyone was going to be talking about it.  So yesterday evening I dragged myself off the sofa and went to see Everything Everywhere All At Once.  If you've heard anything about it, it is really hard to categorise but at its heart it about family love and strength in kindness.  Michele Yeoh is astonishing as is Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis is obviously having a ball and so at home in her later middle aged body.  I hate a long movie but this moved at such a break neck the time sped by and the audience laughed out loud constantly and cried.  I can't recommend it highly enough.
2. Eating I am cooking slow cooked lamb with garlic and oregano, roasted tomato with yoghurt and roasted carrots with harissa.  I'll probably make some rice as well.  I've really fallen off the cooking band wagon and have to do some better meal planning.
3. Drinking I bought a ton of cheap limes so am making margueritas.
4. Hoping that I don't have to have a knee replacement.  I had a MRI on Thursday as it has become really sore.  I actually went to see my GP on Monday to get a routine cervical smear but due to a mix up by the receptionist it didn't happen.  He said "I haven't done one for 20 years and you don't want me to practice on you".  Since I was there I talked about a few minor ailments and he send me off to get the MRI (no longer covered under Medicare, thanks for nothing stupid government and costing me $385 which thankfully I am able to cover but really)
5. Watching a few things - Minx, which I adored and watched over a couple of days, Slow Horses which I am liking having loved the book series.  I think Gary Oldman is a great Jackson Lamb but I am not so keen on some of the manufactured love interests but telly innit? Also, The Outlaws which is tremendous fun - Christopher Walken is always a bonkers presence.  I am late to this but the Parisian Agency which I thought I would dislike but it turns out to be about family not houses at all.
6. Feeling angry about media coverage of the election campaign.  I hope people are motivated enough to look at the government's chaotic record and not fall for a few weeks of shiny campaigning.  
7. Listening to Backlisted and once again reminding myself of the need to keep reassessing things.  I wrote an essay on the Crying of Lot 49 and entropy in grad school and understood only 5% of it.  (what business did a 22 year old have trying to write about entropy?) I have never read a Pynchon again and yet after listening the Backlisted episode am drawn to go back and read it again.
8. Planning what I want to when I go to the UK.  I have a small list, part of which I discussed with ganching so hope a few things come off.  First on that list should be "sort your fecking passport out" otherwise I am going to have to arrive on my Aussie passport which might be torture.
9. Appreciating the stunning autumn weather.  It is cool at night but brilliant sun in the day with leaves turning red.  
10. Liking visits from the small and naughty kitten.  He really loves the company and wears himself out here but he is such a minx climbing screens and getting into everything.
    

 

 

Sunday Stocktake: Up, up and away edition

1. Sipping: tea.  I am off drinking wine at the moment which is no bad thing.
2. Reading: slogging my way through a book I don’t like much with a lead character who irritates me and a choppy writing style I can’t stand.  I can’t think why I keep buying books by this writer other than parochial support of Australian writers.
3. Thinking: I work way too much.  Last week was a shocker but at least we have a long weekend to recover but I have been writing proposals, going back and forth to Sydney and writing a submission for a professional qualification.
4. Listening: to Joe Ide’s retake on Marlowe.  I love a classic crime story and I enjoy his IQ series so am really into this.
5. Enjoying: an excellent massage I had on Friday night where a petite Thai lady applied pressure to all my tension knots and unknotted me
6. Appreciating: the beautiful autumn weather.  It really is the best season in this city with warmish days and cool nights.
7. Eating: a nice breakfast here of poached eggs with a chilli crisp and a yoghurt sauce.  It was really good and not what I would ever make myself for breakfast.
8. Finishing: Inventing Anna.  It kind of dragged in the episode in Germany but I enjoyed the Shonda universe
9. Watching: the balloons be inflated and take flight this morning on lawns in front of the National Library.  I got up at 5am to go with some friends but it was worth it to see them arise on mass around us.
10. Waiting: to get on a plane to Perth in a few days where I will see my niece for the first time in 2 years and my sister in nearly 3.
    
    

Sunday stocktake: funding the vet edition

1. Cooking: a delicious one pot cauliflower and pasta dish from Tik Tok.  My daughter introduced me to Daenskitchen and I am enjoying her recipes very much but I also recently made the Smitten Kitten spanakopita which she also got from Tik Tok.
2. Reading: Eleanor Graham The Children who lived in a barn, a Christmas gift from ganching.  I am not familiar with her but enjoying it very much.
3. Listening: the Superbowl playlist and being surprised that my daughter remembered listening to Eminem and Mary J Blige on the school runs.  Also, enjoying the latest Spenser on audible read by the peerless Joe Mantegna. I think this the last one Ace Atkins is writing but I have enjoyed him carrying the Robert B Parker mantle for a decade.
4. Enjoying: having my neighbour’s dog for the weekend.  They’ve gone hiking and my daughter offered to dog sit.  That was before the great horse disaster but it is fine and we are managing just the same and he is really no trouble.
5. Eating: last night we had home made schnitzel and a really good tiny chopped salad of red capsicum, onion, cucumber and lots of mint with lemon and olive oil and salt.
6. Buying: some new trainers via Netaporter.  I hope that isn’t problematic as they have such great customer service.  I am fully embracing trainers for work with my crap feet so feel the need for another pair of high end, office appropriate ones
7. Watching: I’ve been watching Sweet Magnolia as it requires zero engagement but wow, the parenting is terrible.  It’s a wonder the kids aren’t totally nut jobs.
8. Hoping: the kitten recovers from his sore paw.  The vet thinks he has just strained it doing lots of jumping but he is holding it up in a pathetic manner.  It hasn’t stopped him tormenting the old cat so I don’t think he is in too much pain.  His good luck featured on the vet’s Instagram stories so I am glad he gave some cat content.
9. Waiting: for news that my sister can fly to WA next month now that the borders are open.  If she does, then I will fly over to see her a long weekend.
10. Feeling: all the feels for my daughter.  It’s a long story involving her horse but basically she is having to go out every two hours to the paddock to put anti biotics on his eye and it is a lot.  And touch and go as to whether they can save his eye.  I’m not much use with horse medicine but I’ve been driving her a few times just to give her some rest

Week end

It's been a week.  I've had the kid and her kitten here for reasons but she'll be going home on the weekend.  It has been lovely to have them both and I have eaten much better dinners with her here but I am ready for the return to my peaceful life.

I certainly enjoyed having her to jointly watched Luxe Sydney with which I am now obsessed.  Can't wait for season 2.

I spent a couple of days in the physical office which was good but exhausting.  So much chit chat.

I finished Gaudy Night and am about to embark on Murder must advertise which I know really well as I had a tape recording of Ian Carmichael in a BBC adaptation which I must have listened to a few times on long car journeys in the days before audible.  I was reminded how much I enjoy reading books about 20th century office life and am trying to remember which JB Priestly ones I liked (maybe Angel Pavement?) and lunches in the Lyons Corner houses.

 

 

 

A hard stare

My long term PA and friend always buys me a desk calendar.  This year's is full of national geographic photos but since this was my first day back in the office I had a lot of days to move on.  The photo for yesterday reminded me of Paddington and his hard stare.  Tell you what, though, it is exhausting being back among the living and talking.  I had no space for any hard thinking last night, that is for sure.

It was too hot to walk to the supermarket so we drove and then bought a tub of Messina - strawberry sorbet, 1985 (coconut gelato, cherry jam and chocolate chips ), true romance (peanut butter gelato, caramel brownie, candied peanuts and peanut butter fudge).  The latter was a bit too sweet but the 1985 was delicious.

Last night, we watched some more of Luxe Sydney to which I am now addicted.  

Indian summer

It's got hot again which is more like my expectation of summer but with added bonus of glorious sunrises and sunsets of early autumn.

I've got the terror kitten here but he was so delightful for a rare hour this morning, snoozing while I worked.

The kid is here for a few days as well as her cat and we watched a crazy Sydney real estate show which made me yet again think that Sydney is not blessed with beautiful architecture and its housing is way over priced.

Last night we had home made nachos with guacamole and pico de Gallo and tonight we're having piri piri chicken and salad.