Autumn 2023
02 July 2023
After World Pride in Sydney, our friends James and Melieck came to stay with us for a few days in Melbourne. Jay and I were working but James was able to show Melieck around, having lived here for several years. James had stayed with us before moving to Canada in December 2021.

Our friend Trammell visited Melbourne again for a few weeks as he considered moving forward with the process of perhaps moving permanently. Despite his misgivings, he was persuaded to mark his birthday with a dinner at Grossi Florentino. Jay was away at the GDC conference in California at the time.


He had just over a week in California, attending the conference in San Francisco and visiting Yosemite with Derek. He also took the opportunity to see Joel and Sam.


As the weather got cooler, we spent a few weekends at Sorrento. The first couple it was still warm enough to swim. Over the Easter break we went to the new hot springs there with Aaron and Chris and a group of friends. The house they had rented had a heated pool which got well used.


The last of the recent stays at Sorrento was cold enough for us to light the wood heater and build some Lego between windswept walks on the beach.


Driving to Sorrento has taken the place of some of the short trips we would have taken elsewhere in the country over a long weekend before COVID. Air travel is still relatively expensive, but soon we should consider those local travel options again.

This year for my birthday we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant in Carlton. Earlier in the day I had taken my sister to see the Time:Rone exhibition at Flinders Street Station. It was her first time in a crowded public space since the pandemic and went well enough for her to decide to come to the football a few weeks later.

At the Midsumma Carnival in January I had been photographed by an artist who used the picture as part of an exhibition. I bought a copy of the print to hang either at home or at the beach house.

We also decided it was time to replace our mattress. The process was surprisingly simple with Sleeping Duck. We had been happy with one of their mattresses at Sorrento so it was an easy decision to get another.

At the start of May I went to Sydney for the ANZCA ASM, a national anaesthesia conference. I stayed at QT in the city and enjoyed the conference. When trying the non-invasive cardiac output monitor in the trade area I was worryingly hypertensive, so I have something to talk with my GP about next visit.

We went to the Dreamtime Game at the MCG with my sister. Richmond managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in an exciting but ultimately disappointing finish. She enjoyed it enough to want to go again this season.

There was a new production of "Loaded" at the Malthouse Theatre in May. We went with a group of friends. I hadn't realised it was a one-man show and must have been a very intense performance for Danny Ball. Blake wanted a photo with him afterwards.

Working with Jay Kennedy at the gym I found that my hamstring which had been torn in January was still surprisingly weak, though not generally painful. I went to see Paul Blackman who ordered an MRI and diagnosed a substantial tear of biceps femoris and semitendinosus completely off the ischial tuberosity. There is nothing to do but continue exercising the muscle, but I will remain anxious about the hamstrings remaining attached only by a slip of semimembranosus and the short head of biceps.

We have made it past the solstice and the days are getting longer again, though the Winter has some way to go. Our trip to Europe is coming up, which will give us a warm break and should be fun. Before that, Jay has a conference in Los Angeles for a week.
< Previous

Our friend Trammell visited Melbourne again for a few weeks as he considered moving forward with the process of perhaps moving permanently. Despite his misgivings, he was persuaded to mark his birthday with a dinner at Grossi Florentino. Jay was away at the GDC conference in California at the time.


He had just over a week in California, attending the conference in San Francisco and visiting Yosemite with Derek. He also took the opportunity to see Joel and Sam.


As the weather got cooler, we spent a few weekends at Sorrento. The first couple it was still warm enough to swim. Over the Easter break we went to the new hot springs there with Aaron and Chris and a group of friends. The house they had rented had a heated pool which got well used.


The last of the recent stays at Sorrento was cold enough for us to light the wood heater and build some Lego between windswept walks on the beach.


Driving to Sorrento has taken the place of some of the short trips we would have taken elsewhere in the country over a long weekend before COVID. Air travel is still relatively expensive, but soon we should consider those local travel options again.

This year for my birthday we had dinner at a Japanese restaurant in Carlton. Earlier in the day I had taken my sister to see the Time:Rone exhibition at Flinders Street Station. It was her first time in a crowded public space since the pandemic and went well enough for her to decide to come to the football a few weeks later.

At the Midsumma Carnival in January I had been photographed by an artist who used the picture as part of an exhibition. I bought a copy of the print to hang either at home or at the beach house.

We also decided it was time to replace our mattress. The process was surprisingly simple with Sleeping Duck. We had been happy with one of their mattresses at Sorrento so it was an easy decision to get another.

At the start of May I went to Sydney for the ANZCA ASM, a national anaesthesia conference. I stayed at QT in the city and enjoyed the conference. When trying the non-invasive cardiac output monitor in the trade area I was worryingly hypertensive, so I have something to talk with my GP about next visit.

We went to the Dreamtime Game at the MCG with my sister. Richmond managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in an exciting but ultimately disappointing finish. She enjoyed it enough to want to go again this season.

There was a new production of "Loaded" at the Malthouse Theatre in May. We went with a group of friends. I hadn't realised it was a one-man show and must have been a very intense performance for Danny Ball. Blake wanted a photo with him afterwards.

Working with Jay Kennedy at the gym I found that my hamstring which had been torn in January was still surprisingly weak, though not generally painful. I went to see Paul Blackman who ordered an MRI and diagnosed a substantial tear of biceps femoris and semitendinosus completely off the ischial tuberosity. There is nothing to do but continue exercising the muscle, but I will remain anxious about the hamstrings remaining attached only by a slip of semimembranosus and the short head of biceps.

We have made it past the solstice and the days are getting longer again, though the Winter has some way to go. Our trip to Europe is coming up, which will give us a warm break and should be fun. Before that, Jay has a conference in Los Angeles for a week.
< Previous
Next >