I felt like writing

I don't want to be unkind, but how many more times will the dead cat in Rome bounce? Ok, that was unkind.

While it's not always the case, sometimes when a State Premier leaves office midterm, a poisoned chalice is handed to woman. This is the case now in my state, Victoria. Jacinta Allen is a very decent and competent person, and while she has such a good margin for the next state election, the government is stale. The new opposition leader is a fresh face and so far, quite electable. If he can keep his gob shut, and that of his shadow ministers, he is in with a chance. 

Many words have been written about #47's meeting with Zelenskyy. I can't add to them more than it was cringeworthy and clearly aimed to belittle a leader of a country that has been invaded by a powerful aggressor. Pure school boy bullying by #47 and his bitch boy. 

As I type this a cyclone is approaching the state of Queensland, looking like it will be a direct hit on its capital city, Brisbane and south to the Gold Coast, with extreme and extended rain, and with tidal surges. 

I saw my doctor today, just to get more prescriptions for drugs what keep me alive. Did I mind if a trainee doctor sat in? OMG, he was stunning! I wanna have his babies. I don't know what triggered this, but my doctor, after me becoming both a widower and an old age pensioner, now always bulk bills me. He loses money, but that should be standard for those in need, not that I am saying I am. If I was charged, the government would pay about $40+ and I would pay about $50. I think he receives more than the $40 if he bulk bills me, but he certainly ends with a good bit less from my visit. A standard appointment is 15 minutes. I don't think I've ever been 15 minutes. My needs are simple. 

Kosov went off very early today for a class, and left me a lovely note. Phyllis also went off early a couple of hours later. Again the bahn mi was sold out, so he brought home bread rolls to make bahn mi, but has now has gone to church for....yesterday was pancake day...ah, Ash Wednesday. There is some chicken and salad in flat bread. That will do for my dinner. It is just cooling after being in the airfryer. I better eat now. 

Back with more ranting. I was rather lucky to get Phyllis as a boarder, and Kosov turned out to be a bonus. Really, if you are alone and have the space, take on an overseas student boarder.  Make an agreement that after one month if it isn't working for you or the boarder, either of you can say so, without explanation and end the deal. You need to state some very clear rules initially. Don't imagine that they will know what is right and wrong in your home. Define your spaces and theirs, and what they can do. Define what you don't want moved or tampered with. Your living room is your space, which includes your tv and what you like to watch, or listen to on a radio. They are welcome to your space, but it is your space. 

You are the boss of your home, and they need to understand that from the word go. Once this is established, you can then turn into a softer and more indulgent person. You can then note what young people are interested in, their musical tastes, and if they are foreign, their culture and practices. It's all so interesting, and at times a little challenging. As an older person, I quite like being challenged and to have rethink what I believe in and think. 

I advertised on Gay Share on a whim just a few months after Ray died. While I was so busy with dealing with things after Ray's death, the apartment felt so empty, with two spare bedrooms and a bathroom and toilet. Phyllis' response was immediate and he quickly paid a deposit. I took the ad down. 

Should you share your home with a student boarder, it can take you out of yourself and give some meaning to your life beyond your own indulgent life. 

My eats

My meals under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme are subsidised. Each meal consists of a main course, soup or a sandwich, and dessert, which includes a choice of fruit salad or tropical fruit salad.

I pay just under $11 for each three course meal and I receive three meals a week, delivered on Mondays at the most inconvenient time of noon. Some I keep in the fridge and some go into the freezer. To buy the three courses for one day from a retail premise as takeaway might cost around $30+. 

I am still learning as what works well as a microwaved meal and what needs to pulled apart, with some heated in the airfryer. Well, Phyllis is doing that for me now. 

I take the sandwiches out of their plastic packets and wrap them in cling wrap and they last well enough for about three days. 

I use the fruit on my breakfast cereal, half of one serve each breakfast. The soup and sandwiches I will eat some time in the afternoons, and the main meal is my evening meal. 

But that leaves four days without an evening meal. Phyllis will probably cook for me one night, sometimes two. The seventh night, maybe a takeaway meal, pizza or a burger or some Thai or banh mi. 

For the couple of months I was on my own, I was occasionally cooking for myself but it is too hard now as my kitchen has been taken over and very little is where I think it should be. That's fine. 

I've yet to go out on my own to a pub to dine or similar, but I will. 

Lost for words

I don't know what this post is about. I am just writing.

Yesterday I met the newest of the family. He is...a baby a few weeks old. I bought some absurdly expensive clothing for him at the posh Seed shop in Albert Park. Ray and I used to argue there every time we bought some clothing for a new born. Me, we are not spending that much, and then I spent that much. I asked for it to be wrapped and the shirt and shorts was wrapped very nicely in tissue paper, in a white box with a red ribbon around. No extra charge. They are size 1, perfect for him next summer. 

Mondays I have to hang around home to wait for my food delivery around noon. My neighbour HH was off to Morning Melodies, so I accepted her delivery too. One of her brother in laws died last night, but he had been unwell for some time and aged 88. It was no shock to anyone. I did go across the road for coffee at about 10.30. 

I ate some pumpkin soup from the freezer, with pretend croutons. Phyllis had left me half a kind of spicy sausage roll to eat, and that was nice. He is such a good cook. Kosov's laptop would not work and no matter what we did, nothing worked. It eventually completely died. 

I communicated with a couple of people online and I then went out to catch a 604 bus to Elsternwick Station. My plan was to catch a train back to South Yarra and a tram home from there. But I left the bus at Coles supermarket before the station to buy something, and then a 67 tram was approaching so I caught that home. 

Mail arrived in my letter box. One was a bill for last month's food delivery. Why can't they send the bill electronically? I called City of Port Phillip and a request has been lodged for me to receive the bill by email. Last week I had no postal mail at all, and then two letters today. I much prefer bills to come via email, and they nearly all do. 

The other letter was from a debt collector, clothed in the name of Mercantile Services, wanting payment for Ray's trip to the hospital by ambulance the night he died. A bill did arrive last year and our private health insurance covers the cost of the trip. I forwarded the bill to the health insurance company, assuming I would hear no more. Another letter arrived, and I thought the health insurance was slow to pay. Another letter arrived, so I called my health insurance company. 

It had been taken over by another company and changed its name, which happened a month after Ray died. Then I changed my cover from a couple to a single. I called my health insurance company and it is working on it, it said. Clearly the ambulance bill got lost somewhere. Ray died with some money towards his funeral, but effectively intestate. So there is no money in his estate to pay the bill. I think I should reply to the latest demand, but then I think, fuck it. It is not my bill. Go for you life to get money from a dead person. 

I've done everything right, but I am not doing anymore with this. 

A meal of barramundi and chips from my old person subsidised delivery service company. Phyllis kindly heated it for me and added some greens to it. 

You can't see anything really, but early yesterday there was a crash below. As those involved exchanged details, a shower of rain passed by, adding to their misery.

The purple tap is a public supply of recycled water, and is cleaned enough to drink, in spite of the message.

My pot of flowers on the balcony. 

The cupboards are full of all sorts of exotic ingredients and some were stacked on my tiny corner of cupboard, psyllium husks, Vegemite, peanut butter, jam and honey. I removed what was on top. I want free access to my stuff. 

Phyllis, this will be the only magnets on my fridge. Mine.

Yes Andrewww. But just this Singapore one. No Phyllis, no more. That is the last. Yet there is now another. 

Monday Mural

You have to seriously embiggen this to see the names of the areas in my state of Victoria that were known to indigenous people. Large town names are shown, as is it seems the birds of local areas. 

Later edit: To see the photo full size as it was posted using a desktop pc, right click on the photo and open it in a new window, a plus symbol should show on the new window and you should be able to see it full size. There will be an equivalent with whatever system you are using. I post all photos at full size, but I think Blogger may reduce the size somewhat. Still, there is great detail to be seen in the photo. 

Sunday Selections

I'm joining with River and others for Sunday Selections. These photos were mostly taken in St Kilda early last year. 

The Esplanade Sunday craft market is a shadow of its former self, but still an interesting stroll. The upper road, with traffic, trams and buses used to be know as the Upper Esplanade and the busy road below, the Lower Esplanade. Now the upper is just the Esplanade and the lower, Jacka Boulevard. Last Monday Mural photo was taken on Jacka Boulevard. The clock tower is rather nice and tells the correct time after not doing so for years, apparently due to a rat infestation. 

Looking over the distant wretched redevelopment of what was the St Kilda Sea Baths.

The wall was where last Monday's mural was painted and is a great attraction for graffiti artists.

The suburb of Williamstown can be seen across the bay, with a public housing tower dominating. 

I thought the new St Kilda pier had been finished and open. Clearly not, but it is now. I gave serious thought to visiting it a couple of days ago, but my will to live relaxed greatly.

This area sees few visitors.

Photo embiggened, this granite thing is rather interesting but I've no idea what it is about. I couldn't see a plaque.

On my old blog I published a photo of a lone piper performing in front of the yacht club, I think for a funeral. 

Looking towards Catani Gardens. 

This one is clear, a war memorial to those who fought and lost their lives in WWII.

I don't know why this photo was sitting with the others, as it was taken in England. No matter. Not a bad idea. 

P&O, Princess Cruises, now a new name I've forgotten. All the same. The company seems to be in a battle with our state government over port fees, with all visits cancelled. 

Friday Funny

It is still Friday somewhere isn't it? 

I love these guys, especially their accents. They turned up in one of my social media feeds. I should research who they are. They do at times do quite smutty stuff, but I've saved you dears from the more extreme. 

Friday Extra

I came across this US YouTuber Adam Mockler and I sat mesmerised for an hour. While in some ways I think he is a bit too clever for his own good, he does nail it, in clip after clip. I love that in such a short time, chickens are coming home to roost for #47 voters. 

And speaking of the US, I was not alone when I thought bad thoughts about the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthCare. He led a truly evil company, and according to polls, some 41% of young people under the age of 30 thought the murder was 'acceptable'. 

Viva la Economic Black Out Day.