I'm not going to write about how cute my cat is being. He's being hideously sooky after his little holiday at Blarney's place. Making it even more fun, he's decided it's cold enough to sleep with me again. I woke up this morning with him cuddled up next to me and Manky Mouse (his aptly named favourite toy) on my pillow. Thanks, mate.
No, I'm going to provide a few of my observations about New Zealand. Not that I'm unaware of this place. I've been over "The Ditch", also known as the Tasman Sea, ten or twelve times - but mostly to the South Island. Geetangeli lives in Christchurch. I make a point of visiting. There's a difference between the North and South Islands
In saying this, New Zealand is not really a foreign country, even if it is classed as one thanks to the use of my passport. I mean, so much is familiar. The electricity sockets are the same. They drive on the same side of the road. The food is similar, if not the same, coming from, similar British roots. Yet, there are some differences that I saw, and rather liked from my short stay in Auckland.
1) People seem to be universally nice
Sure, people are nice all over the world, but as Canadians are known as the nicer cousins to Americans, New Zealand seems to have similar relationship. People appear to be universally welcoming. Maybe a little quieter, but welcoming. I'd heard some things about people from Auckland - akin to how people from Melbourne view people from Sydney. It didn't make a difference.
2) Walking through groups of people
Maybe it's a big city thing, but randos seem to walk right through groups of people. How rude? It was noticeable while walking down Queen Street.
3) Their National Anthem is much, much nicer than ours
Have a listen to this. It's sung in both Maori and English, and it doesn't contain the word 'girt'. It goes to show that a National Anthem can be both stirring and lovely.
The song of the day is the alternative national anthem.
4) The incorporation of the Maori language around the country
Another great thing New Zealand does better than Australia. We're about 50 years behind them. I really like the way signs and words are in both languages. It gives a sense of belonging for all.
And they've got some great words, like whanau (Friends and family), kia ora (g'day) and my favourite, whakeparu (toilet). It's great being a part of this.
5) The food and coffee punch above their weight
Kiwis like their food and coffee and it's lovely to be a part of the culture. Saying this, a lot of my eating was done in the refectory of a Freemason's hall where and excellent CWA (Country Women's Institute) spread was provided. Asparagus rolls! I'm happy.
They are everywhere. Wherever you go, there seemed to be a box of feijoas in a cardboard box in the lobby. They must be in season. I love the soda you used to be able to get.
8) Whittaker's Chocolate
Have some spare New Zealand dollars at the airport. Spend it on Whittaker's chocolate. My favourite is Jelly Tip - Geetangeli always brings me some over when she's about. it's addictive.
When I walked into Blarney's place she told me I could find him in Lance's room. He's normally stationed at the back of the house in the spare room. When I dropped him off, I left him in the spare room.
"What happened?" I had to ask.
Blarney smiled. "I went down to play with him and he got out. He doesn't know what outside is, but he ran into Lance's room, and he's been sitting in the cupboard ever since."
"He'd like that."
See, I know Lucifer hates staying with Blarney, but I know he's fed, watered, uses the litter box and plays a lot at night - for a few days, he'll cope. And he's got a cupboard to sit in - he feels safe. All is well.
Tonight, I collected him from the cupboard, put him in his carry cage, had a cup of tea with Blarney with him sitting next to me (in his box) on the couch, with Blarney's two cats, Rey Rey and Kylo sitting with her.
There was no hissing or spitting. Everybody was relaxed.
I took him home a bit later. He's great in the car.
We got home I let him out.
And he hasn't shut up since!
Lucifer is normally a quiet boy. Nope, he's chatting away like a dinner lady in a canteen. He can't leave his scratching post alone. He's being smoochy?
Here I was thinking I'd be getting the cold shoulder for a few days.
Rather than dwell on the fact that my plane might not get me home tonight, thanks to a looming cyclone I'm going to look back on the marvelous day that was had yesterday.
See, I really like New Zealand. It's familiar, but it's also different in a lot of ways. Auckland is a big city by the sea, but it has its own strange charm. The buildings are different. The people are different. The only thing that seems the same is the supermarkets and their set up. Being a port city, we arrived at the waterfront to find a very large cruise liner which holds up to 5000 people (Great way to get gastro or COVID as far as I'm concerned.) People are friendly, but they will also walk through you without a word if you're walking in a group.
The morning was spent with to others from our group. They are lovely. They're also a little older than me, but mobile, which is good. I refer to them as my maiden aunts. They would go into a shop. I'd sit outside. We had a good potter, had a lovely coffee, then I put them in an Uber and went off to see a friend at the Marina.
It was lovely catching up with ZeeZee. She's a writing friend who's been living with her partner on a boat over here. She's just awesome. I got to meet her partner and see the America's Cup and their boat and have a lovely catch up.
Another Uber ride later it was back to the hotel for a nana nap, then to get change and meet up with the rest of the crew to be taken to the meeting for which we came to New Zealand.
There are some interesting elements when you're a freemason. to being a freemason. We were talking about it, after the last night's meeting. Some of it is addictive. The fact that it gives you space to investigate humanity in a safe, nurturing environment is one of the drawcards for me.
Going into another lodge, you meet people, who you may have absolutely nothing in common with, but everybody will have some similar values. Seekers, searchers, those who want peace, harmony and fellowship and enjoy looking for the good in man. It's not a bad thing. What always gets me is how comfortable you become with these people so quickly. They are generous, kind, funny, knowledgeable and interesting. You never know where conversations will go. It's good.
We had a big meeting last night, where some ritual was performed. It appears the New Zealand lodges have more members than we have in Australia (mind you they don't have the tyranny of distance), so the room was busy. It was wonderful.
And then there was the proper supper, complete with asparagus rolls, decent vegetarian sandwiches and fruit plates. The feast could have fed an army.
We went back to the hotel around eleven, physically and spiritually replete.
Now, I'm preparing to check out of the hotel. We have another meeting today, before I take off for the airport and hopefully get the flight back. So far, the wind and the rain have not been too bad. It is very wet, but not unpleasantly so. So far, we've been lucky. May that luck hold.
Greetings from Auckland, where we're expecting a cyclone (hurricane) to hit in the next 12 hours. Oh what fun! I'm supposed to be going back to Australia tomorrow - but we will have to see whether the weather allows that to occur. It's a situation here that planes have to get in to get out. Fingers crossed, if not, I might be having an extra night here. Mind you, the people are lovely and the food is good. There are worse places to be stuck, and hopefully, it won't be too long. If the airline cancels you, they'have to get you back. I'm not that worried. As long as I get back safely.
Anyway, here are this week's questions, brought to you, as always, by Sunday Stealing.
1. Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
No. Did I try this out? No - I've done that in the past.
2. What foreign language did you study in school? How much of it do you still remember?
I studied French at school all the way through and into first year university. Since then, I've always tried to use it. I also have been on the Duolingo app for over three years, and I can proudly say, that though I'm not fluent, my French is very good. When in France, the French let me speak, gently correct my grammatical slips and encourage me to keep speaking French - which is nearly unheard of. Being humble and saying, "Pardonnez-moi, mon Francais est terrible. Je suis desole. Je suis Australienne," gets you a very long way. They don't mind Australians. The English and the Americans not so much. Getting along with the French is all about attitude.
3. What recipe did you most recently prepare? Where did you get the recipe and how did it turn out?
I had to take something sweet to a barbeque last weekend. It was a long weekend. The shops were closed. I looked through the pantry. Thank goodness for RecipeTinEats. Nagi is a goddess. I made her easy peanut butter cookies. A cup of peanut butter, a cup of brown sugar and an egg. Mixed the three together, roll up into balls and bake for 10 minutes. They went down a treat.
4. What song have you listened to over and over and over again?
As I'm in New Zealand, the song of the day is a Kiwi song that I have on regular rotation. I used to live about The Thompson Twins nanny in London in the 90's. I have lots of songs on regular rotation in my head.
5. Are there currently any pets in your household? Are you considering adding another?
I have a lovely black cat named Lucifer (who is staying with a friend while I'm away, much to his chagrin) who is a very solitary cat and very happy to be an only child. Given the opportunity, I would have ALL the cats. But Lucifer and I kick along well - although there will be hell to pay when I get home to Australia, whenever that may be.
6. As an adult, have you ever performed with a drama group? (Student productions don't count.)
Yes. I was part of a drama group when I lived in London. To this day, I am still an overgrown theatre kid and frustrated actor on the inside. It's good fun. Good for confidence.
Greetings from Auckland, New Zealand, where they are getting ready for a cyclone to hit in the next 24 hours. Fun, eh! They're explecting 6-month's worth of rain on Sunday morning
This is the weather map for Sunday at midday.
Yep. Fun.
While out at dinner tonight, I asked the fellow sitting opposite me what a Orange alert was. He just said it wasn't good.
"And a Red Weather Alert."
"Yeah, nah. Worse."
There's an Orange Alert out on Auckland from 9 pm on Saturday night.
My flight is booked to leave at 8.30 on Sunday evening. This might be a bit interesting. We will cross that bridge if and when it occurs. The airline has duty of are to get me home somehow.
I've just checked the Qantas website. The warning was issued about the cyclone while I was flying over. Hmmm.
Regardless, I will get home somehow. Hopefully the cyclone does what cyclones often do and divert.
And this is why we have travel insurance.
So, I'm in Auckland.
It's humid and overcast.
It has the feel of a larger city - lacking some of the charm of other centres in New Zealand. However, we've landed in an inner-city area with lots of older buildings and a bit more pizzaz than what I remembered from 23 years ago - when I was last here for a friend's wedding.
Tomorrow is the day for sightseeing, before a big mason's meeting tomorrow night.
Allegedly, on Sunday, there's another meeting at lunch time. Then I'm supposed to be off to the airport after that.
Okay, enough whinging about the weather.
I will now complain about airport prices.
$10 for an almond decaf latte (large).
Seriously.
Highway robbery.
Anyway, as I'm not making too much sense, I'm going to sign off. I've been up since 5 am Melbourne time and bed is beckoning.
Keep your fingers crossed I get back across the ditch in a timely manner and in one piece.
I have been told that I'm a bad mother. He looked me right in the eye with such disdain. I could see it. You hate me! How could you? As mothers go, you are the worst of all mothers, and nobody is worse than you.
Yes, I took my cat over to Blarney's tonight. Nobody spouts vitriol and bile like a black cat who has been forced into his travel box and then taken to his lease favourite cat sitter's place. Cat sitters who would love to love him, but he won't let them.
I got him in his room. I set out his stuff - litter tray, food and water, blanket, toys, they opened his cage. He hissed at me.
After going out for a chat with Blarney and Barney I went back in to see him again and say goodbye. This time, he was behind the bed head. He hissed at me again.
See - worst mother in the world.
I know this is only a short trip across the pond to Auckland, but I'm away for three full days, leaving early tomorrow morning, coming home late Sunday night. I'll happily leave him for two nights - but this feels a bit longer. (also my normal cat sitter is away). So, he's gone to Aunty Blarney's for a few days. I'll pick him up Monday night after going to the gym. I don't really care how unhappy he is for a few days - he's being fed, watered and his poop scooped - and he's being looked in on regularly (even if he hisses at his guardians). What more can he hope for? It's better than being left alone for three full days with no company.
Still, there is nothing worse than when your most near and dear call you bad names and let you know of their absolute hatred.
I'm sure he'll have forgotten it all when I bring him home in a few days.
I hear you. Yes. I'm getting on yet another plane on Friday morning, heading to New Zealand for the weekend.
The weekend, you cry!
Yes, I'm going to New Zealand for two days. I have a mason's meeting, in New Zealand. A delegation is going over. We get there Friday afternoon, there is a dinner on the Friday night, a free day on Saturday, a meeting on Saturday evening, another meeting Sunday lunchtime, then I trot off to the airport on Sunday evening to get back to Melbourne around 11 pm (if the cyclone which is threatening to bear down on the North Island doesn't cause too much havoc). Because I have to leave at stupid 'o'clock on Friday morning to catch the plane, and tomorrow night will be spent dropping off Lucifer at Blarney's place - which he will not like, but it's better than having him home alone for three days.
Documenting what I'm packing makes me feel a lot better about things. It's part of the process.
Come with me as I pack.
1) Mason's regalia
Being a freemason means you get to wear some funny stuff. Thankfully it's light and lies flat. I'll put the little instruction book in as well. We've been instructed not to take our swords and capes. The former doesn't give a good look in airport scanners, the latter is just asking for trouble as all superheroes will attest. Haven't you watched The Incredibles? NO CAPES!
Status: Packed.
2) Travel laptop and accouterments
I don't go anywhere without my little travel laptop, charging cables and a spare jack with USB ports - you never know what the hotel will have in the room. Thankfully, New Zealand uses the same plugs as we do.
Status: Packed
3) Mason's Garb
There is a 'uniform' of sorts that needs to be packed. Think hospo. Black trousers, white shirt, black cardigan, white gloves, black sensible shoes.
Status: Packed
4) Clothes for the weekend
I'll be wearing whatever it is I wear on the plane - with my basic white trainers. I've got some play clothes to run around Auckland in, a couple of changes of underwear, spare socks. I do no possess a rain jacket, but a brolly might go in my hand luggage - but fat lot of good that will be in a cyclone.
Status: Packed
5) Toiletries and Makeup
Thankfully my toiletries and makeup bags are already packed . I'm only gone for two nights and three days - if I'm missing anything I'll buy it over there.
Status: Packed.
6) Meds
Can't go without these, but with the exception of the HRT gel, these can go in the hand luggage.
Status: Ready to go.
All I have to do now is grab a few things for my hand luggage. Things like:
Passport (which is valid with years to run)
My book
Hairbrush
Assorted lipsticks
Fisherman's Friends (a flyers best made - keeps your ears clear)
It's a lot of not particularly nice people behaving strangely. Even if it is pretty to look at and the cast is pretty good, it doesn't have that many redeeming features. Maybe it's because if my friends started acting like these people, I'd tell them where to go.
Even stranger, this has got a very good metascore on RottenTomatoes.com, although if you look at some of the reviews, you can see that what I'm about to say about this film.
It's a bit of a dog. A dog with fleas, despite the good ratings on the major movie websites. I don't really get it.
The synopsis is fairly straight forward.
At the start of the film, we meet Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson) who are on the brink of getting married. They appear to be the perfect couple with the perfect life. Living in Boston, they have a lively and varied life.
At their rehearsal dinner with their best friends Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamoudou Athie) they play a game of "What's the worst thing you've done?" The group make their confessions. Some are truly awful, others, childhood slights. When Emma provides her worst moment, the group erupts. (I'm not going to give a spoiler on this, needless to say, I think what Rachel did was worse)
From here, everything spirals. Emma and Charlie's relationship falters and a lot of rather silly things happen right up to when they get married.
Even though the movie, though Kristoffer Borgli's script and direction, to view where their line may be, this didn't ring true for me at all. As the cards started to fall, so too did my belief in any of the characters thanks to their dodgy behaviour.
What surprises me is how popular this movie is proving. When we went the largish cinema was three quarters full. Maybe it's the star power, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson having quite a lot of pulling power.
And sure, the acting isn't bad and the film is pretty to look at, but this didn't ring true for me. It's a film of a lot of people behaving like children in many respects.
To read the book, or not read the book? That is the question. Whether it is nobler to see a film on spec, or to slug through a tome before seeing said movie. It is a universal question.
Blarney and I went to see the film this weekend. I've read the book (well, I listened to it as an audiobook - and it was excellent) Blarney hadn't. We both really liked the movie, however, having read Andy Weir's novel of one man saving the world from space, my views were a little more skewed.
Don't get me wrong - this is a very good film. But you're always going to get more out of the book.
Thankfully, the film follows the book closely and hits most of the major plot points. Not that movie goers really don't need to know that.
For a short synopsis, Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a middle-school teacher with a PhD in molecular biology finds himself in deep space, alone, wondering how the hell he got there. Over time, he regains his wits and memory and goes about discovering how he's going to save the world. You see, the sun is dimming thanks to these alien microbes which are eating the sun. Other stars in the galaxy are also diminishing. Something has to be done. Over the two hours and 40 minutes of the film you see him discover alien life in the form of Rocky (the voice of James Ortiz) and the two work out to save both of their planets.
In the background, we're taken back to Grace's memories where the enigmatic Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller) runs the Project Hail Mary who press-gangs Grace into working on the project.
It's a simple story, very well executed. What's essentially a monologue for a lot of the film until Rocky's arrival brilliant viewing. Grace, and Rocky, have a lot to work out, from how to communicate, to how to survive in each other's atmospheres, to conflicting scientific beliefs. Somehow, they manage it.
This is where the book comes into its own. Through the book, you get more of an insight into how Grace and Rocky develop their communication, and the science, and the situation to hand. I remember listening to the book being on the edge of my seat wanting to know how these strange bedfellows were going to get out of their predicament. The movie glosses over a lot of this. An eight-episode series would have had the space to investigate everything in the book.
Yet, Project Hai Mary is a very good film. The set up, the cinematography, the animatronics in the way they created Rocky, the sets - they're all excellent. For a longer film, the time goes quickly. And don't be afraid of the science - it's adequately explained (where the book delves deeper into the concepts.)
What it missed for me was the depth of Grace and Rocky's relationship, which felt a bit rushed in the end. You don't get the gravitas of Rocky's predicament, having his large crew die around him and being stuck at Tau-Ceti for years alone. Nor do you feel Grace's final response when they realise that they've messed up and there are only two solutions - go home - or save your friend.
Also, I wasn't thrilled with the way they tried to intimate that Grace and Stratt had more than platonic feelings for each other.
Regardless, I really recommend seeing this on the big screen. Drew Goddard and Andy Weir's script is fast paced, funny and moving. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's direction keeps this feeling very real.
Project Hail Mary is best seen on the biggest screen you can find. It's great. (And if you haven't seen The Martian, look it up - same author, similar set up, just as good.)
But read the book. You'll get a lot more out of the experience.
It feels funny to be saying this in a secular country in a place where everything is closed on Good Friday. It's a bit bizarre.
Anyway, I've got a busy day, so here are this week's questions, supplied, as always, by Sunday Stealing. I like these easy fallback questions.
F. Film: What movie or tv show are you watching?
I'm just about to go off with Blarney to see Project Hail Mary at the cinema.
There's also talk of going to see The Drama tomorrow. I loved the book of the former. The latter just looks interesting.
Currently, as I'm writing this, I'm watching The Ballad of Wallis Island. I think I need to give it more attention.
I've also started watching Shrinking on Apple TV.
A. Audio: What are you listening to?
I've been a bit remiss with music of late. I saw an artist called Irish Mythen at a local pub the other week. They were great. This song has been played at both Stockholm and Boston cathedral.
B. Book: What are you reading?
At the moment, on paper, I'm reading the amazing Heather Rose's A Great Act of Love. She's a Tasmanian author and one of Australia's best.
On audiobook, I gave into the hype and I'm listening to Allen Levi's Theo of Golden, which is a delight.
I hope to have both of these finished by Friday so I've got something new to read/listen to on the way to New Zealand.
I laid in bed this morning thinking about the day, only to remind myself that there is the barbeque and my instructions are to bring some dessert.
Bring on the ADHD rejection sensitivity and the feeling that anything I do or bring will be judged. Fun, eh!
Making matters worse, yesterday, being Good Friday, nothing was open. Could I get anything to make a dessert? No. Could I make something from what I had in the cupboards? Maybe. Would it be what I would normally make? No.
See, I've got a reputation as the dessert queen. I make a great tiramisu. My lemon polenta cakes are legendary. I bake a decent chocolate cake. There's little you can do when the supermarket is closed and you can't pick up the lady finger biscuits, marscapone, almond meal, fresh eggs or whatever else you might need to make such a concoction.
Added to this is the Gen-X guilt of not being a good enough home maker.
I was discussing this my friend last night and she sympathised, but recommended popping into Aldi and get one of their apple streudels from the freezer section. Or even better, go and find a Vienetta. So very retro.
I made a compromise. I did went apple strudel route as I passed an Aldi on the way home from meditation.
The other thing I did, to keep up with the CWA guilt, was made some biscuits. Nagi from RecipeTinEats had a recipe for three ingredient peanut butter cookies. Peanut butter (crunchy preferred) a cup of brown sugar and an egg. Mix. Refrigerate for a bit. Roll into balls and bake for 10 minutes in a medium over (180 degrees). Perfect. I cooked it myself (See how clever I am?) and I'd filled the brief.
I rocked up to Blarneys with the Apple Strudels and the biscuits. It seems somebody had brought over an apple pie and Blarney had made a large apple crumble that could feed an army.
Ah well. I put the apple strudels back in their freezer and got on with my day.
I go to the Comedy Festival with one particular friend, who I tend only to see at the Comedy Festival, then we catch up the following year. The conversation flows, even though we only see each other annually. I let her choose the shows. Having the reputation of going to the opening of an envelope and the ability to laugh at most things, it's a good trade off. We will have dinner at China Red, where you don't have to interact with wait staff - using the electronic pad to do the ordering. And I, of course, will have chilli wantons, because they are ambrosial and add to the meaning of life.
Anyway, tonight we went and saw the Chaser boys do their new show, Wankernomics Show V4.1 _Final_UseThis.
If you work in, or have worked in, any sort of corporate environment, you WILL be triggered. James Schloeffel and Charles Firth provide an hour of merriment as they navigate the current corporate jargon environment, from the technology of reviews (What did you think of our service?) to people on LinkedIn (Oh, shite, not that dude again), to agitators, thought leaders, to the shitfuckery that is the modern office, where consultants are paid more to conceive the build that the people actually doing the job.
James' bio on the website says a lot. It has the following paragraph:
'A renowned transformational strategist and growth alchemist, he has a proven track record of formulating results-focused, forward-thinking, environmentally-aware, value-driven, outcomes-centred, solution-led hyphenated adjectives, and putting them into complex sentences that at first seem impressive, but then just trail off at the..."
Having spent the last six months working on a technology project aligned to an HR function a lot of this was utterly relatable. It's all the stuff I roll my eyes at and find myself biting my tongue over. Like speak English and go stick your value statement up your bum! It's a matter of tolerating this behaviour to survive. But it's great to laugh at it. Oh, and they're still taking the piss out of Arts graduates (Mine's a double espresso...)
And it's based around the concept of Death by Powerpoint.
Yes, this is a bit triggering if you work in a multi-national filled with consultants, the "Big 4" and back to back meetings, where people have non-sensical job titles.
What is the factor, the gene, the familial traits, which make us prone to panic buying?
Tonight, being the night in questions. I was out at dinner when I was reminded that the shops were closed tomorrow. It's Good Friday. We can't have the shops open on the day Jesus died, can we?
Anyway, a quick inventory was taken. The shops not open for a day. The two things I require to make Friday comfortable is almond milk and salad, having used the last of my stocks today. I resolve to pick up these items on the way home, once my Canard a l'Orange and Iles Flottante are in my belly (Le Bon Matin do a lovely dinner - Marc-Antoine is brilliant.)
Anyway, it's about 8.30 pm, dinner is settling nicely, I go to the supermarket.
It's full! The supermarket is heaving! People everywhere. With full trolleys.
The supermarket is going to be closed for one day. You really don't have enough in the house to keep you going for a day?
And everybody was in a daze. The number of people in there just staring at the shelves.
I went in, got my almond milk, my bag of salad and some rice cakes (how exotic) and made my way to the self-checkouts - where there was a small queue.
This was 8.45 pm on the night before Good Friday.
Do we, as a country, really have such a feeling of lack, of food insecurity, that we need to hoard for a day off? Is this something to do with our convict roots, or boomer parents who faced rationing back in the day.
Is this the reason there's been a run on petrol in the last few weeks.
I find the psychology of supposed lack most interesting. I'm trying to understand why this happens.
Regardless, I paid for my almond milk, bag of salad and a packet of rice cakes and went on my way, happy that I was away from the crowds.
March has been an interesting month for reading. Some good. Some great. Some I was a bit disappointed with. There’s the list.
Lost and Found by Brooke Davis - Paper - 3.5 stars
This book has been everywhere for the last few years. Finally, I found a copy on a trading table, curious about its longevity. And sure, it was okay – a book about grief in many ways, but I found this a bit all over the place, with some great ideas and writing thrown in. It’s hard to rate a book when you both like it and dislike it all at once. There ere some things, like the two older characters, who were great, but their quirks were off putting. Would I recommend it? Yeah… nah… maybe. It is well written, but…
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – Audiobook - 4 Stars
I decided to listen to the book before seeing the film. Hopefully, I’ll see the film over Easter.
Regardless, I really enjoyed the audiobook of this. It’s very science driven, whether this science is accurate, I do not know or care. And to be honest, if they're going on about the science stuff, it's explained in layman's terms - which is one of the great things about Grace's character - being a teacher. The book keeps you on your toes, as Ryland Grace firstly tries to work out what has happened, and then he tries to save earth, with his new friend, the alien, Rocky, who’s in exactly the same boat. I’m looking forward to the movie, but the book is excellent.
The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage – Paper – 3 Stars
I feel a bit bad, as I bought this for my mother for Christmas. This book of revisionist history fictionalising the current royal family wasn’t my cup of tea. I was after something light and fluffy after the book before - but this was far too superficial for my liking.
What Rebecca Armitage has done is to take elements of the current Royal Family and mess with it. The main character, Lexi, has run away to Australia, become a doctor, only to return to England when her father and brother, first and second in line to the throne, are killed in an avalanche. She has to navigate family politics, her vile Uncle and his daughters (a bit too similar to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his daughters) and her feelings for her housemate in Australia.
There were too many brand names mentioned for my liking. It just wasn't for me.
My Friends by Fredrik Backman – Audiobook – (4 Stars)
I think Fredrik Backman is a Swedish national treasure. And yes, I find him a little formulaic, and I have to be in the mood to read him, but he writes about humanity like no other writer.
My Friends stands up with his best. (My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises is my absolute favourite) We meet a young woman on the run from the foster system and an artist. Then we meet his friends through the road trip the girl and the artist's friend embark upon.
This is a book about friendship, and art, and finding your family and the transformative power of all three of these things.
I listened to it - and loved it. This is up there with Backman's best.
The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey – Paper – 4 Stars
New Zealand writer, Catherine Chidgey whites a chilling novel about an England we barely know. The Book of Guilt revises the history of World War II, things are different. Some of the experiments the Nazis were doing in have continued in these homes as a part of the Sycamore Scheme. According to the Amazon blurb, "England, 1979. Vincent, Lawrence and William are the last remaining residents of a secluded New Forest home, part of the government's Sycamore Scheme. Every day, the triplets do their chores, play their games and take their medicine, under the watchful eyes of three mothers- Mother Morning, Mother Afternoon and Mother Night."
This is a very good read. My only qualm is that it reminded me of Kazuo Ishiguru's Never Let Me Go - one of my most favourite books. Chidgey creates this alternative world well - but she's not Ishiguro.
Definitely worth a look - especially if you're not aware of its Booker nominated relative. (Interestingly, both sets of people, when no longer required, end up at a seaside town...)
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes – Audiobook – 4 Stars
I read Rachel's Holiday when it first came out and I loved it. My battered copy sits behind me now. Listening to it as an audiobook was like having an old, and rather funny friend in the car.
I'm gently working my way through Marian Keyes' back catalogue. Although parts of this have dated a little bit, it's forgiven. You come out fighting for the badly mothered, strong willed, very funny Rachel - and you want to meet tight-pants Luke - still hot after all these years. I
And yes, I've read her second Rachel book, which is just as good.
Very enjoyable if you needs something light, but not stupidly so.
Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood – Paper – 4.5 Stars
This book has been sitting on the cat's throne at my place for 18 months. Finally, I picked it up and read it - and my mind was blown - but Margaret Atwood is incredible, and this is as amazing as her other works.
Hag-Seed is a reworking of Shakespeare's The Tempest. According to Booktopia, "Felix is at the top of his game as Artistic Director of the Makeshiweg Theatre Festival. His productions have amazed and confounded. Now he’s staging a Tempest like no other. It will boost his reputation. It will heal emotional wounds.Or that was the plan. Instead, after an act of unforeseen treachery, Felix is living in exile in a backwoods hovel, haunted by memories of his beloved lost daughter, Miranda. Also brewing revenge. After twelve years, revenge finally arrives in the shape of a theatre course at a nearby prison. Here, Felix and his inmate actors will put on his Tempest and snare the traitors who destroyed him. It’s magic! But will it remake Felix as his enemies fall?"
You don't need to be a Shakespeare boffin to like this, but it does help. It's a miraculous book, where the protagonist, like Prospero, exacts revenge on those who have done him wrong. It's also a book about grief and overcoming adversity.
I loved it - but of course I would. Shakespeare and Margaret Atwood are two of my most favourite things.
The Tempest by William Shakespeare - Paper – 3.5 Stars
Because I was reading Hag-Seed, I also had to get out my old copy of The Tempest to remind myself what was going on. One of his later plays, and stranger plays, reading it reminded me why I prefer seeing Shakespeare on the stage or screen.
Still, it was good to do as an exercise. I was reading it along as I was navigating Hag-Seed. I'm glad I did it.
I'm asking because I somehow ended up with nearly $50 worth of coin in my wallet. Yes, it's legal tender, and yes, it does fit in my oversized wallet, but it weighs a tonne. Along with this, at last count, there was over $100 in notes in there as well. Also, there is a cheque that needs to be banked.
Yes. A FREAKING CHEQUE.
How did I come across nearly $50 of coins? Well, that would be a mason's thing. We take up a collection for charity at the end of each meeting. As the treasurer of my lodge, I need to take this collection and bank it.
As a human being of the modern world, I count up the funds, send the collection amount from my own bank account to the lodge account and then pocket the cash (and yes, I always have a second see me do this - honest like that)
Still, I end up with a wallet full of coin?
Then how do you get rid of it?
Some places don't take cash.
Often, I don't take my wallet with me - using the card function on my phone or watch instead, so the coins sit around doing nothing.
On the way home from the gym I went to the supermarket, getting rid of around $20 of the weighty buggers in the self-checkout (after waiting a few minutes to get a check out that took cash).
I remember when I was in England saving the 'old' fifty pence pieces to feed the meter to have a shower in this boarding house I was living in for a few weeks. Smaller 'new' coins didn't fit the meter. It was the 90's - what could you do?
I remember having correct change to buy and Evening Standard on the way home.
All the little rituals around coins.
Now, they're just an inconvenience.
Though not nearly as inconvenient as that bloody cheque, which has been sitting there waiting to get to a Bendigo Bank branch for over a month...
This is a little cracker of a film. I went in, not expecting too much and came out, heart-warmed, a little more knowledgeable, and happy to have seen a glorious British film based on a true story.
This one comes highly recommended.
At the start of the film, we meet John Davidson (Robert Aramayo) on the verge of receiving an MBE from the Queen. John's nervous. Of course he is. John has Tourette Syndrome - anything could happen. And some very funny moments occur in the film.
Yet this is not about making Tourette's the whipping boy of this film. This biopic gives in some pretty harrowing details John's journey, from his first symptoms to his family situation, to the unrelenting bullying that happened to him at school. The poor kid saw only one way out, which lead him to being drugged and institutionalised, and finally living back with his mother (Shirley Henderson) in the Scottish border town of Galashiels.
It's when, some ten years on, when he meets an old school friend, who takes him hope for dinner that things change. He meets Dottie (Maxine Peake), his mate's mum, who helps him turn his life around. A psychiatric nurse by training, allegedly, she has terminal cancer and sees John as a pet project - but it becomes so much more.
We see John's life slowly turn around. He finds first job, becomes a trusted member of staff, and becomes an activist, educating the country about Tourette over the back end of the film.
Kirk Jones' script and direction are on point in this. John is a smart, sensitive, intelligent kid who has a condition that keeps him back and puts him in danger. You quickly feel for him and his plight, championing his actions and watching what can happen when you're understood, rather than ostracised.
And sure, it's a bit twee in places, but it's a fabulous story. As John says at one point, "The problem is not Tourette's, the problem is that people don't know enough about Tourette's."
Robert Aramayo is excellent in this as the hapless, but seeking John.
I'm just back from the movies - and what a cracker that was - a little Scottish film called I Swear, about a fellow with Tourette Syndrome. A biopic it shows his struggles and how he came through to make the most of life. Great little film. Seek it out.
Anyway, on with the questions, brought to us by Sunday Stealing. There's a few more questions this week. Cool.
1. Is your phone Apple or Android? What about your laptop?
My phone is an Apple iPhone - I believe it's a 15 Pro. I love the camera on it. My laptop is a very old HP. I use Windows for most of my work and I've no idea how MacBooks work. It does the job.
2. Can you say "thank you" in more than one language?
Hell yeah.
I can say thank you in the following languages:
French (Merci)
Spanish (Gracias)
Italian (Grazie)
Bahasa Indonesian / Malaysian (Terima Kasih)
Balinese (Suksma)
Finnish (Kiitos)
Dutch (dank je)
German (Danke)
Greek (ευχαριστώ - Efharsito)
Japanese (Arigato)
Thai (Khopkun ka)
Arabic (Shukria)
Australian Standard Sign Language (two fingers to the lips then let the hand drop)
Australian Bogan - Beaut mate
Danish (Tak)
Not bad for a dumb Aussie.
3. What do you draw when you doodle?
Circles and five-pointed stars. And sometimes spiderwebs which I fill in. I've tried to break myself of the habit of doodling.
4. Which do you enjoy more, Scrabble or bowling?
Um, I think I would say barefoot lawn bowling is my favourite kind of bowling. I don't mind scrabble, nor bowling with a hard ball with pins and a lane, but it's been an age - and lawn bowls are great. Just don't tell my mother I like it on a social level.
5. Can you juggle?
I used to be able to juggle three balls - but it's not a skill that I've practiced.
6. Have you ever worn pajamas in public?
Yes! I have a very cool pair of silk pyjamas that I like to where when I dress up and go to the Rocky Horror Picture show. I go as Columbia. This is an allowable use of pyjamas in a public setting. I need to find another pair of Mickey Mouse ears.
7. Was your best subject in school the one you enjoyed the most?
Pretty much. I enjoyed English and French and did fairly well in them - but my Maths and Chemistry scores weren't too far behind them.
8. When you're offered the senior discount before you ask for it, are you offended or grateful?
I'm not there yet and I've never had it offered. If offered a seat on public transport, if it's a kid offering, I will take it. I still give up my seat to the elderly when required.
9. Do you agree that with age comes wisdom?
It often does, but not always.
10. Do you consider Sunday the first day of the week or the last day of the weekend?
Sunday, unfortunately, is the last day of the weekend. I wish there were more weekend days.
This will go down as one of the MTC's triumphs. A play about a bridge collapse. Who knew? West Gate is a feast for the senses working on a piece of never forgotten Melbourne history, when in 1970, a section of the unfinished West Gate Bridge collapsed, killing 35 and changing the lives of many forever.
West Gate is an emotional, eye-opening, startling play about the events leading up to the West Gate Bridge collapse and what happened after. Playwright, Dennis McIntosh researched this impeccably. After all, he remember the event. In the programme, he states, "At 11.50am on October 15 1970, I was an eleven-year-old boy standing on the netball court on top of the Sacred Heart Primary School in Newport. I was looking through the cyclone wire fence at the mighty West Gate Bridge that was being built across the horizon. It had just collapsed while under construction and the thud radiated out across the western suburbs of Melbourne."
The event left an indelible mark on Melbourne.
What McIntosh has done with his script, has created a number of exceptionally well-drawn characters who bring out the drama of the site, the times and sense of impending doom.
There's Vincent (Steve Bastoni) the "Wog" welder who loves taking the piss out of his young assistant, Young Scrapper (Darcy Kent). There's Pat (Rohan Nichol) the shop steward, trying to keep warring factions on the site together. There's Vinny (Simon Maiden) the union man who backs up Pat. And of course, there are the engineers, company men and bridge designers. Stevenson (Paul English) who'snd trying to keep the build on time and budget (Sound familiar?), Cooper (Ben Walter) who's working for the engineering company making the supports and concrete. And of course, there's McAlister (Peter Houghton) who's seeing the problems but is being stopped from speaking out at every turn.
Later in the play, we meet Francesca (Daniela Farinacci) , grieving wife to Vincent, who is just coming to terms with the disaster.
The cast are all excellent, but Steve Bastoni, playing the wise, sensible new Australian, and his okker counterpart Scrapper, played by Darcy Kent, truly stole the show.
The script, along with Iain Sinclair's careful and sensitive direction bring an incredibly emotional play to life. There is enough light and shade to keep things interesting without turning the play into an emotional mess. Knowing you're walking into a play about a bridge collapse in one thing. Walking out not feeling overwrought is another. Many left the auditorium visibly moved.
I cannot leave this review without mentioning the staging and the sound engineering. These elements made the play. It's quite a feat to have a large bridge collapse on stage but Christina Smith's set design made it happen. Making it even more real, Kelly Ryall's soundscape, from the ubiquitous seagulls' cries to the crackle of the welders to the final fall of the bridge. It's incredible.
At the end of the play, some of the cast stood in front of one of the supports, where the names of those killed were displayed. It was incredibly moving.
West Gate may not be the most uplifting of plays, but it is an important play, incredibly staged and acted. It is definitely worth a view, if not to see a bit of our city's history, but to see what modern theatre can actually do.
One night only, but playing small venues around country Victoria for the next week or so.
4 Stars.
We were supposed to see Grace Petrie tonight, but unfortunately, there was a loss her the family and she cancelled. By we, I mean my mate Alice and our friend Kat.
We were given the option of coming to see her replacement, Irish Mythen, or get our money back. After I did a bit of digging on your tube, I told Alice we should take the risk.
It was a risk that paid off.
For lovers of music in Melbourne, The Corner is known as the place to see the up-and-comers, the tribute bands, the 30 year regroup tours and everything in between. I saw The Whitlams there about 18 months ago. The thing about The Corner - if you're not up the front, you're behind a pillar. Most inconvenient. And there is the crowd surfing sign - love that.
This was not The Corner I have known. This was a seated event. There were about 50 people there.
And this is Melbourne's loss.
Irish Mythen is wonderful, as was their opening act Emily Ulman - who was as fragile as she was funny, human and just great.
We came in halfway through her set,and found a seat at a table at the back of 40 or so other people.
Irish came on at nine on the dot.
What can I tell you about Irish? They're Irish, but have been living in Canada for many years, and they've recently married a Dane and moved to Copenhagen. They are short and wear a Canadian Mounties hat. They're close to their parents and they have a huge social conscience. Oh, and they use they/them pronouns.
They also have a huge voice, some wonderful songs, such as Tullamore Blues (their mother is from County Offaly) Little Bones (about the Tuam Convent controversy) The Dancer and many more cracking folky, funny, observant songs.
When I said to Alice we should go, I said that they were a bit KD Laing-ish. I was wrong. Irish Mythen has the boldness of Melissa Etheridge with a lot more heart.
They are also very fond of telling a story. Maybe it's an Irish thing. I liked their story about how the Bishop of Stockholm, a fellow Liverpool supporter, asked them to play their song Jesus at the Cathedral. This request was reiterated a while later in Boston, where the Bishop of Boston asked the same of them. See the song of the day. It's a great song - even if it can be seen as a little subversive. Being raised an Irish Catholic, they know what they're doing.
After an hour, they were treated to a standing ovation. It was well deserved. Even if there were only around 50 people in the room, including security and the barman, it was well earned.
For a night of simple entertainment. A person, a pint of beer, merely sipped, a well-used guitar and some exceptional songs, it was one of the best on spec evenings I've been too.
And I will never see The Corner Hotel, with its sticky carpets, pillars and small stage in the same way again. It was a joy to be there on this quiet, contemplative evening.
If they're playing near you in a small hall in a small town, go. They're wonderful
Fuel shipments into Australia have dropped sharply
Some service stations are already running out of diesel
➡️ That creates upward pressure on prices in the short term
3. Prices have been rising extremely fast
Diesel jumped ~50% in early March at wholesale level
National diesel already hit ~300 cents ($3.00/L) in some areas
➡️ Rapid spikes like this usually don’t reverse within 2 weeks
4. Short-term outlook: volatility, not relief
Experts say fuel pain may last “a few more weeks” before easing
Supply fixes (like US shipments) are coming—but not instantly
Question Three: What should people who drive diesel vehicles do to minimise costs?
When diesel is pushing ~$3.00/L, the goal isn’t just “use less fuel”—it’s buy smarter, drive smarter, and plan smarter. Here’s what actually makes a noticeable difference:
⛽ 1. Be strategic about where you fill up
Use apps like PetrolSpy or Fuel Map Australia
Price differences between nearby stations can be 20–50 cents per litre right now
Independent stations are often cheaper than big brands during spikes
👉 This alone can save $10–$30 per tank
⏰ 2. Time your fill-ups (less obvious, but important)
Diesel doesn’t follow petrol cycles exactly, but:
Prices often jump after supply news or shortages
Prices can dip slightly mid-week or after deliveries
👉 If prices are rising fast, fill sooner rather than later
🚗 3. Adjust how you drive (big impact over time)
Small changes = real savings:
Smooth acceleration (avoid heavy throttle)
Keep speed steady (especially on highways)
Use cruise control where possible
Avoid excessive idling
👉 Aggressive driving can increase fuel use by 10–30%
🛠️ 4. Keep your vehicle efficient
Correct tyre pressure = up to 3% fuel savings
Clean air filter improves combustion
Regular servicing keeps injectors efficient (critical for diesel engines)
⚖️ 5. Reduce weight and drag
Remove unused roof racks or heavy gear
Don’t carry tools/equipment you don’t need daily
👉 Extra weight = more fuel burned, especially in city driving
🧭 6. Combine trips and plan routes
Avoid short, cold-start trips (diesels are less efficient when cold)
Combine errands into one run
Use navigation to avoid stop-start traffic
💳 7. Use discounts and loyalty programs
Supermarket fuel dockets (4–10 cents off)
Some cards and apps offer cashback on fuel
Fleet or business drivers: check for bulk or commercial rates
🔄 8. Consider short-term alternatives
If prices stay extreme:
Carpool where possible
Use public transport for commute days
Work from home (even 1–2 days/week helps)
⚠️ What NOT to do
Don’t “panic fill” constantly—just be strategic
Don’t run your tank extremely low during shortages
Avoid cheap, poor-quality fuel from unknown sources (can cost more in repairs)
Yet everybody is panic buying and acting like a complete tool.
And lastly: Why hasn't Australia implemented a work from home if youn can rule at the moment?
It’s a fair question—and on the surface, it does seem logical. If fuel is expensive, why not just have everyone who can work from home?
The reality is a mix of economics, politics, and workplace culture.
🏛️ 1. Governments don’t typically mandate WFH for fuel prices
In Australia (including Victoria), work-from-home policies are generally left to:
Individual businesses
Public service departments
During events like COVID-19, WFH was mandated because it was a public health emergency.
High fuel prices, by contrast, are seen as an economic issue, not a crisis that justifies emergency powers.
👉 So the government is reluctant to step in and dictate how businesses operate.
💼 2. Businesses have been pulling people back to the office
Since 2023–2025, many employers have:
Signed long-term office leases
Invested in CBD workplaces (e.g. in Melbourne)
Pushed for hybrid or in-office work to justify those costs
There’s also a belief (rightly or wrongly) that:
Collaboration
Productivity
Company culture
…are better in person.
👉 So even with high fuel prices, many companies are resisting a full return to WFH.
🏙️ 3. The broader economy depends on commuters
This is the part people don’t always see.
City economies rely heavily on office workers:
Cafés, retail, transport, services
Commercial property values
If everyone stayed home again:
CBD businesses would take a hit
Public transport revenue would drop
Flow-on effects could impact jobs
👉 Governments balance fuel pain vs. wider economic impact.
⚖️ 4. Not all jobs can be done from home
A large portion of the workforce:
Trades
Healthcare
Retail
Logistics
…still need to travel regardless.
👉 A blanket “WFH rule” would only apply to part of the population, which makes it harder to justify as national policy.
🧠 5. It’s politically tricky
Mandating WFH could be seen as:
Government overreach into business decisions
Unequal (white-collar vs blue-collar divide)
Disruptive after businesses just stabilised post-pandemic
So politically, it’s a harder sell than it seems.
🔄 What is happening instead
Rather than mandates, you’re seeing:
Encouragement of flexible work
Some companies quietly allowing more WFH days
Pressure on fuel taxes or supply (longer-term fixes)
✅ Bottom line
Australia hasn’t introduced a “work from home if you can” rule because:
So, we have a group chat for our building complex. We're a chatty mob - nice people who keep an on each other. This morning, the call came up to send a photo of your cat. The ABC were doing something about cat photos.
There are lots of cats in our block. From Dill and Pickle, the Devon Rexes who terrorise the car park, to Irene, who loves her dad, to Kay's four, Fitzgerald, Marcel, Breda and Fish. There's Saroo - who escaped a few weeks ago, and Oslo and Helsinki, the Russian Blues.
And my boy.
Seems the neighbour had a friend in production at the ABC. And this is what happened...
All rights held by the ABC for the video.
Lucifer was on the telly.
Yes, it's a terrible photo of him, but he was on the telly.
I'm a proud Mum.
Also, this is on the day, where horror of all horrors, he was taken to the vet for his annual check up. After running around the room for a bit, having a needle and some horrible flea and tick stuff put on his neck (better the vet do it than me - let him hate the vet) and being told that he would like him at 5.5 kgs, where he's sits at six kilos, and he's weighed the same for the six years I've had him, I said there was nothing I could do. He doesn't overeat, he's not food driven unless you're chopping up raw chicken and at 6 kilos, he's six kilos of muscle. Lucifer walked away with a clean bill of health, and I was $150 poorer.
The vet said that I was a very good cat mum.
And yes, I did show the vet the video. You can't be a good cat mum if you're not proud of your children.
I am so over this. The ear infection, which travelled down to the sinuses, is abating, but as it's leaving, I'm left with a pain in my nose and jaw that's hideous. It feels like somebody's stuck a marble up my right nostril.
WILL THIS GO AWAY ALREADY.
Anyway, it's a big week.
Tomorrow, before book group, I'm taking Lucifer to the vet for his annual check up. I've got his flea and worm treatment, which the vet can put on him. May as well have him put it on him - he can hate Chris the vet, and not me.
The book group book is Catherine Chidgey's The Book of Guilt, which was very good. Not disimilar to Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (although I rate the latter far higher - it's one of my most favourite books). Thankfully book group is online well after we will have returned from the vet appointment.
Wednesday, it's off to a PT session with Chuck.
Thursday, it's another PT session, making up for the one I cried off tonight, thanks to the face ache. (My eyes were streaming, couldn't see where I was going.)
After that, I'm supposed to be going to a gig at The Corner to see somebody called Irish Mythen. They won't be coming on until later, so there's plenty of time. No idea what they're like, but they looked good on spec.
And Friday - off to a play at the MTC. We're seeing something called West Gate - about the West Gate Bridge disaster in the 70s. Cheerful.
The face ache will subside, if other colds are anything to go by. At least most of the snot has abated.
Still, I wish this would all go away already so I can get on with enjoying life.
