Although this is late, it was written last year, and is a distillation of the paper diary entry. Too boring otherwise!
30th Dec
It’s scarily hot, upstairs at least. Poor house design, so I live in what is in effect a storage heater with no attic to provide insulation. Outside is like a furnace, bright hot. So I’m spending the days writing diary entries, letters and reading (have read Jane Eyre in the last couple of days – missed the last part on TV AGAIN). The thermocline is moving down the stairs into the lounge so that fairly soon there’ll be no cool air in the house (I spent New Years Eve lying on the floor as the layer of relatively cool was only 1’ above the carpet). Except when I really couldn’t stand it and took the car out into the hills for a couple of hours sitting in the AC.
Anyway, Christmas Eve – only went in for a couple of hours and there was no-one else in. Spent the afternoon doing a white brandy sauce for the Christmas pud and various other things. Then Ina and I went round to Jo and Seb’s for a Danish style turkey dinner which we ate outside. Hard to think that a week ago it was cool enough to not think of sitting out – and a couple of days before that it Actually Rained (poured, actually). We drank PepperJack grenache rose (from Saltram winery), another good one – and all of us had independently supplied Richmond Grove Riesling which we all took back home afterwards). I managed to get the pud lit, although not for long enough to carry it into the dining room where we decamped when it got cold. Anyway, the pud actually worked.
After we went for a quick walk to 9th Ave (from 8th!) to see the Christmas lights – all the houses lit up just like a council estate, much better than Lobethal. Again the number of people just driving through was worrying. I went home with a box of “White Christmas” which might make an appearance next year, and one of gingerbread trees all made by Seb and Jo.
I worked Christmas. Whoever bought my secret Santa pressie obviously worked out how predictable I am – two bottles of Body Shop shower gel (one the same as in the shower at the mo, the other the same as my moisturiser. Spot on.) Work was quiet – just enough in resus to keep the day flowing but only ever one at a time (which was a pleasant change). And huge amounts of food and gossip. I came home after as I was on call, so no drinking allowed, opened pressies. Apparently the Christmas decs from Doug and Jen were chosen by Evie – which explains why one is actually a necklace.
Work the next day too. Ward round, then all the rest of the day in the Rapid Assessment Unit (which sees pts as they come through the door). Actually just a chance to have a good goss. I took Thurs and Fri as days in lieu – apparently I should have been charging for on call hours (only a nominal amount) but I didn’t realise until last week. Finally booked a hotel room for Sydney next week (4th time of trying without a computer crashing at the wrong moment), then bought the rest of my Christmas pressies – a necklace from the Arts Centre (the Jam Factory), and a digital camera as I can’t buy a flash for my phone. Tried the sales too – the first day, which wasn’t as packed as they probably were at home, but I regret it every time. There were queues for the escalator in Myer at 3pm – the shops stay open until midnight.
Met Ina and Simone at the rowing club after and went for a drink then to the pictures again. The Golden Compass – enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I really feel that the point has been missed. The local moraliser (sorry, Advertiser) “what to tell your children about films” guide had it as a simple good vs evil movie. Boy have THEY not read the books. So the film was a lot shallower – pretty much as you expect really.
A whole load of us met up for brunch the next morning – v pleasant just sitting in the shade nattering. Then Ina and I went and did a bit of shopping, the market etc where I found yet more spices I haven’t had before. Oh and a bargain £12 pair of shoes.
Yesterday was the first of the really hot days, little more than going over the road to get a rag. Oh, and work. Which was fine AND I got away at 12mn which is rare.
I do miss the English Christmas (or at least a funny idealised version, I suppose - the Christmas lights sparkling on rain soaked pavements, Christmas radio with its fairy tales and ghost stories). It was a funny half-way house so I probably didn’t have the full experience. And the TV was as bad here as at home.
2nd Jan 08
2008. Hooray. Where did that year go. I blinked. There’s not much to say about the day time. On Sunday (after writing that) we went out for a drink. As usual the impromptu evenings are often the best, and I cycled back home at 2 on Monday morning.
It was the Latino White Party for NYE. Wendy came by a around 9 – with her new man. Sadly there were not many of our class at the party, and no-one else I knew. But the music was excellent, there was lots of dancing, lots of drinking (of water). The New Year was strange without Big Ben, but flamboyant with Brazilian dancers and lots of noise. And no-one sang Auld Lang Syne. Hooray. It was the first time I have danced with someone who know what they are doing, and I just have to lead (“Relax”. “I can’t. I’m concentrating”) I want to be able to do it. We left at one. The temperature was 33ºC.
I was glad to go back to work today for a bit of cool. Busy day – the dept was full when we arrived at 8 in the morning. Don’t you just love the day after Bank Holiday with a full hospital. We coped.
30th Dec
It’s scarily hot, upstairs at least. Poor house design, so I live in what is in effect a storage heater with no attic to provide insulation. Outside is like a furnace, bright hot. So I’m spending the days writing diary entries, letters and reading (have read Jane Eyre in the last couple of days – missed the last part on TV AGAIN). The thermocline is moving down the stairs into the lounge so that fairly soon there’ll be no cool air in the house (I spent New Years Eve lying on the floor as the layer of relatively cool was only 1’ above the carpet). Except when I really couldn’t stand it and took the car out into the hills for a couple of hours sitting in the AC.
Anyway, Christmas Eve – only went in for a couple of hours and there was no-one else in. Spent the afternoon doing a white brandy sauce for the Christmas pud and various other things. Then Ina and I went round to Jo and Seb’s for a Danish style turkey dinner which we ate outside. Hard to think that a week ago it was cool enough to not think of sitting out – and a couple of days before that it Actually Rained (poured, actually). We drank PepperJack grenache rose (from Saltram winery), another good one – and all of us had independently supplied Richmond Grove Riesling which we all took back home afterwards). I managed to get the pud lit, although not for long enough to carry it into the dining room where we decamped when it got cold. Anyway, the pud actually worked.
After we went for a quick walk to 9th Ave (from 8th!) to see the Christmas lights – all the houses lit up just like a council estate, much better than Lobethal. Again the number of people just driving through was worrying. I went home with a box of “White Christmas” which might make an appearance next year, and one of gingerbread trees all made by Seb and Jo.
I worked Christmas. Whoever bought my secret Santa pressie obviously worked out how predictable I am – two bottles of Body Shop shower gel (one the same as in the shower at the mo, the other the same as my moisturiser. Spot on.) Work was quiet – just enough in resus to keep the day flowing but only ever one at a time (which was a pleasant change). And huge amounts of food and gossip. I came home after as I was on call, so no drinking allowed, opened pressies. Apparently the Christmas decs from Doug and Jen were chosen by Evie – which explains why one is actually a necklace.
Work the next day too. Ward round, then all the rest of the day in the Rapid Assessment Unit (which sees pts as they come through the door). Actually just a chance to have a good goss. I took Thurs and Fri as days in lieu – apparently I should have been charging for on call hours (only a nominal amount) but I didn’t realise until last week. Finally booked a hotel room for Sydney next week (4th time of trying without a computer crashing at the wrong moment), then bought the rest of my Christmas pressies – a necklace from the Arts Centre (the Jam Factory), and a digital camera as I can’t buy a flash for my phone. Tried the sales too – the first day, which wasn’t as packed as they probably were at home, but I regret it every time. There were queues for the escalator in Myer at 3pm – the shops stay open until midnight.
Met Ina and Simone at the rowing club after and went for a drink then to the pictures again. The Golden Compass – enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I really feel that the point has been missed. The local moraliser (sorry, Advertiser) “what to tell your children about films” guide had it as a simple good vs evil movie. Boy have THEY not read the books. So the film was a lot shallower – pretty much as you expect really.
A whole load of us met up for brunch the next morning – v pleasant just sitting in the shade nattering. Then Ina and I went and did a bit of shopping, the market etc where I found yet more spices I haven’t had before. Oh and a bargain £12 pair of shoes.
Yesterday was the first of the really hot days, little more than going over the road to get a rag. Oh, and work. Which was fine AND I got away at 12mn which is rare.
I do miss the English Christmas (or at least a funny idealised version, I suppose - the Christmas lights sparkling on rain soaked pavements, Christmas radio with its fairy tales and ghost stories). It was a funny half-way house so I probably didn’t have the full experience. And the TV was as bad here as at home.
2nd Jan 082008. Hooray. Where did that year go. I blinked. There’s not much to say about the day time. On Sunday (after writing that) we went out for a drink. As usual the impromptu evenings are often the best, and I cycled back home at 2 on Monday morning.
It was the Latino White Party for NYE. Wendy came by a around 9 – with her new man. Sadly there were not many of our class at the party, and no-one else I knew. But the music was excellent, there was lots of dancing, lots of drinking (of water). The New Year was strange without Big Ben, but flamboyant with Brazilian dancers and lots of noise. And no-one sang Auld Lang Syne. Hooray. It was the first time I have danced with someone who know what they are doing, and I just have to lead (“Relax”. “I can’t. I’m concentrating”) I want to be able to do it. We left at one. The temperature was 33ºC.
I was glad to go back to work today for a bit of cool. Busy day – the dept was full when we arrived at 8 in the morning. Don’t you just love the day after Bank Holiday with a full hospital. We coped.
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