A very social week

It began last Saturday with a birthday party in  park for my niece's step daughters' birthday, which I wrote about.

Tuesday was Ex Sis in Law's hospital visit with brunch and dinner out with her.

Thursday was a brunch catch up with a friend from the country, a former workmate of Ray's. 

Friday I took Phyllis to my local shops and he was rather impressed by South Melbourne Market. In the afternoon I decided I needed a new wallet and with a $10 Myer credit, off to town I went. There was drama. Later. 

Friday evening was the building's annual Melbourne Cup barbeque and cup sweep. Yes, some days before the event. Can you believe there were uneaten prawns left over and I came home with a very large and lovely baguette. 

Sunday is a catch up with with Our Friend from Japan, who is no longer in Japan but will soon return to Japan for a while before her final return home. She will be in company of three friends who I have met but not seen for years.

I don't know if I want to turn back the clock to when Ray was here with me and we understood all of our usual quiet nuances, or if I  like my current somewhat chaotic life. I exaggerate. The same happened with Ray. Sometimes we would be very busy socially, and other times not. 

The Thursday brunch with interesting in a couple of ways. Of course it was good to see Gazza. We ordered our brunch with coffee. Gazza had finishing eating his ham, cheese and tomato croissant and I had nearly finished my sourdough toast. When our meals were brought, the waiter apologised for our coffee not arriving, but still no coffee. Gazza went to remind staff about the coffee, and still it did not come. Quelle horreur, it eventually arrived in PAPER CUPS. As we paid, staff was apologetic about the coffee delay. Let me give you some vouchers, and she gave each of us a voucher card. Terrific, but not really as it was crap coffee whether it was in a china cup or a paper cup, and we didn't want another, meaning we would not return. 

Once outside, I examined the coffee voucher and it was not a free cup, but only 10% off our next cup of coffee. Fuck off Federal Coffee. My toast came came with cold unspreadable butter in a dish. A sachet of cold butter can be quickly warmed under your arm but you can't warm butter in a dish like that. It is not a cheap place and I won't return. I fact it was so bad, I think I will write a Trip Advisor Review. 

There was also an amazing conversation at the cafe with a fellow diner, but I'll leave that for later. 

Best to have photos in posts. For EC, 

and for Cloudia. 

My tucker

At the moment it is a mix of old style Australian frozen meals heated in the oven, quite healthy microwave meals bought at a speciality place, the cooking of Phyllis and an occasional meal out along with a takeaway meal maybe once a fortnight.

However, as a person of certain age, I am entitled to Aged Care help. I have requested a cleaner for my bathroom, a hand rail to be installed in my shower and meals three times a week. I don't have an aged care package, specifying a dollar amount of help I will receive to reasonably spend on what I need, but the precursor to that, just some minor home help judged by ability to manage to live in my home. 

The meals are interesting. This was once called Meals on Wheels, with the food cooked and delivered by volunteers at no cost, overseen by the local council. This had generally everywhere been overtaken by aged care, with food mass produced and delivered by professionals and you have to pay. 

In my case, I've chosen to have three meals a week delivered. The cost for each is around $10, but it is for three courses, soup, a main meal and desert. I think it starts next week and it will be interesting to see what the food is like. I had make choices about the food on the hop over the phone, but I will get a paper sheet to mark my next choices. 

Happy Halloween?

I really don't know much about Halloween and its traditions and I don't feel I need to be educated about it. I have a small Kit Kat chocolate bar near the front door should a kiddie knock on the door. In 22 years here, it has only happened twice. Once was an ever so cute Asian boy and the second time, a young girl with parents hovering in the background.

Of course I will state the US Halloween is overwhelming our local culture. But I know it is about businesses making  money. Alongside Halloween decorations are Christmas decorations, and someone said they had seen Easter eggs already. 

Christmas mince pies, of course you can buy them in September even. 

In my time, I've watched a few clips about how to fold a fitted sheet, and I've never achieved that ideal. I think I might die as this character has. 

So if my my words are right, Happy Halloween.

Just another Tuesday Pt 2

I had an excellent night's sleep and I feel much more energetic this morning. After brunch, Ex Sis in Law went off to the hospital for her test and I visited a new masseur, very near home. He was good!

Not much happened in the afternoon until I received a call from the hospital saying Ex Sis in Law was ready to be escorted home, so I caught two trams to St Vincents to collect her. Once home we sat and had a drink and watched some tv news then went across the road where the restaurant has cheap steaks on Tuesday night. Quite nice and neither of us could finish our meals. 

She left immediately after dinner to return home and meanwhile WWIII had broken out at home, with two grown up boys careening around the apartment and attempting to hide while shooting at each other with foam bullets. Yours truly was caught in the crossfire once. Phyllis had bought the guns for Kosov for his birthday and we had a little celebration Sunday night.

Ray would have been furious that I didn't iron the tableclotth.

The cake was very small as Kosov is not a cake eater. Nor does he drink coffee, tea and rarely alcohol. 

He was very appreciative of the effort that went into his birthday. I chipped in half for the guns and cake.

I suppose this will sit at the door until the balloons go flat. 

The damage to the blind was caused by me a few years ago when I fainted after standing up too quickly from the arm chair. However, the side alignment was a result of the earlier WWIII. It just needed straightening. 

Just another Tuesday

I should be writing a proper post but this is all I can compose this evening. I am exhausted. 

10am, not 11am Ex Sis in Law arrived. We chatted for a while and we then trammed to a cafe I like. She was medical fasting but I had my chicken slider on coleslaw loaded bun and of course coffee.

Sorry, I've just heard the intense family history of Phyllis's mother and that she is sucker for needy relatives. Then I heard about Kosov's. I am weary and I am going to bed. 

Maybe something later today. 

Madison Mental

#45 held a party at Madison Square Garden. I was truly disturbed by the hate from some of the guest speakers directed at Hilary Clinton and Harris, let alone the vulgarity. I don't think I've heard anything like that in politics in my life. Is this person seriously running as leader of the number one country in the western world? 

Who knows? Maybe the 'basket of deplorables' will vote for the execrable #45 again. As I was reminded today, women folk, your vote is private. No one among your family and friends will know how you vote. Please do the right thing, if not for yourself, but your American sisters. Women have already died because of refused abortions. 

Monday Mural

I am joining with Sami and others for Monday Mural.

What can I find to use today. I peered down a lane.

A Saturday Outing

It was a delayed gathering for Hippie Niece's step daughters, 9 and 8, and held at Minta Hilltop Fantasy Playground in the new extended area of the old country town, Berwick, where Ex Sis in Law grew up. 

Hippie Niece's Cafe Latte Coloured Twin Daughters attend the same school as her step daughters and there were many of their school friends there, along with the parents. 

The school student population is about 70% non white, mostly south Asian families, Indian and Sri Lankan and this was the first time a family gathering has involved a significant number of people from other countries. One of parents with a head scarf painted henna hand tattoos on the hands of children. Hippie Niece offered to buy some halal sausages for the barbeque but was told by her mother that they can't be cooked on the same barbeque device as other meats. 

I'm pleased to say it all went very well. I left before gift giving and birthday cakes...it had been two and a half hours already and it was after 4pm. Rather than playing on all the equipment, the children just played together and enthusiastically participated in and egg and spoon race, followed by a sack race, pillow slips used rather than sacks.

Here a few photos of the area. If you look at the linked website above, you can see photos of the park itself. My photos are of the views. 

Lovely views this way.

Not so much this way, with crowded in new housing estates. 

As I was leaving and saying goodbye with a solid man hug from Hippie Niece's partner, he introduced me to his mate, a slim hippie dad of two, with long blond dreads and a beard. I do confess I may have noticed him earlier. "Fuck man, your black nail looks great. I am gonna get all mine painted".

Back at my car in my absence a mattress had arrived. Gay men calling other gay men 'a mattress' was a 20th century affectionate insult. I hope there was nothing directed at me with this mattress being left near my car.

Meanwhile back home, Phyllis and Kosov just keep giving. Delicious and I left one skewer stick and one meatball. I worry about a lack of greens in their diet, and in mine now too.