Grace Notes @ Snarkattack

What a fab week it’s been!

Briefly, the weekend before this week, I’d visited one of my closest friends Bec. I don’t get to see her often because she lives an hour and a half from the city. She spoilt us rotten with her wonderful cooking, we then watched the Sex and the City film and chatted into the early hours of the morn with a lot of white wine. On Sun, I got back into Melb and whilst waiting to pick up my bed from old flat, met @richokinetic and @carnagefairy for some lazy Sunday pub drinks.

Mon 16/3
Okay, so this day wasn’t so crash-hot. Spent the whole day in bed with what threatened to be a cold or virus. Apparently, resting up meant I didn’t get worse, and I was fine the rest of the week. No work today though!

Tue 17/3
Well again! Work, then a parma date at a pub near my old flat with @richokinetic. I came home to a very excited mother who made me open my birthday present early – a Nintendo Wii, yea! Received big sis’ present in the mail – a handmade jewellery-type charm, and a beautiful notebook.

Wed 18/3
Day off, and birthday! Big sis got me a gift certificate for the fragrance oil company Possets – got rid of that nice and quick! Mum took me out for lunch, Dad bought me gorgeous flowers (roses that were red inside, but on the outside, the petals looked leeched of their colour. Very unusual). Madly ran around finding something to wear for opening night of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival with @rperdio. Had a lovely dinner beforehand of homemade gnocchi at Hoo Haa, then watched the film at the Astor Cinema (beautiful old-style cinema). Ate and drank free nibblies and alcohol at after-party where we were photographed for three different media! It was very glam! Thanks very much to Rob & Dave H for the birthday wishes! I also got lots of text messages from family overseas (Hong Kong, Philippines, uncle on cruise ship in not-sure-where!).

Thu 19/3
Work again! I was made to sit at a specially decorated desk, got a funny card, cupcake and box of chocolates. There was much “omgding” at the fact that I do not look my age. After work, bought a Hot Chip CD and bought a Korg synth game for my DS, then met @amoir at coffee institution Pellegrini’s for delish watermelon granita. After that we headed to Ajisen Ramen down the road and shared: deep-fried battered octopus tentacles, takoyaki, and beef enoki rolls (thinly sliced beef wrapped around shredded carrot and enoki mushrooms). For main, A had sizzling chicken and I chargrilled beef ramen. We rolled out the door such was the girth of our full tums. I asked to browse the Paperback Bookshop and A insisted upon buying me a copy of Neil Gaiman’s Smoke and Mirrors. She nearly bought me Simon Armitage’s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight but I politely insisted that was naughty.

Fri 20/3
Work again! Workmate C and I shared a six-pack and afterwards headed down to the Oxford Scholar pub near RMIT to meet up with an old workmate of ours T who has moved into a department much more suited to him (and lots better, for him). More bad beer, followed by requisite stop at Hungry Jacks’ for some seriously unhealthy fast food. I ate a triple cheeseburger. After traipsing round the city for a bit with the lads, I headed home on the train, slept till my stop. When I got home, I finished watching one of the Doctor Who Christmas specials.

Sat 21/3
Slept in, showered in record time, hopped on a tram to have lunch with some old uni mates! Two of whom are very happily married! En route, I bumped into a mate who has returned from the Northern Territory. Lunch at Lygon St (near my old uni, for non-Melb readers) and lots of exchanging of stories. My married old music uni buddies are both in music education. We reminisced about how it was rite of passage to get drunk on Melbourne Uni’s beloved and lush South Lawn at least once. Afterwards, R’s husband treated us to fab gelati (I had green tea and apricot. I did also choose jasmine but it wasn’t available) which we ate in the nearby park. We strolled to Borders where I did some damage to my bank account (selected poems of Margaret Atwood). R & A kindly drove Dave home (poor thing being concussed after an accident). Best Sat afternoon I’ve had for ages!

It’s Sat evening, am supposed to be at a friend’s party, but am just exhausted. Uh-oh, old fart syndrome setting in. I’m just going to watch Doctor Who season 4, and finish my selected poem volume of Carol Ann Duffy.