in absentia

Reasons for silence in the most recent past:-

I've been on holiday. On this holiday, we did very little. We ate (rather a lot), walked (not very much for us, but probably a lot for most people - and considering that we almost got run over by zooming cars, most people were not gadding about their holiday by humble feet), read and I lost in Scrabble. I have yet to win a game of Scrabble against my partner and this makes me very pouty. In an endearing way, of course. I do win Trivial Pursuit, so it balances out.

This is a snapshot of what we ate:-

Dinner on the first night:- A five course "Japanese Fusion" dinner involving (1) Wasagyu Beef (2) Pumpkin and Cheese Spring Rolls with nasturtium garnish (3) Roasted Eggplant smeared with a peanut / satay paste (4) Seafood tempura and rice (5) home made home grown mulberry sorbet.

Dinner every other night:- Antipasto

Hot breakfasts every morning - scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, poached eggs with sausage and fried eggs and ham PLUS fruit salad, yoghurt and horseradish garnish. I eat garnish - all of it.

Lunches were a mish-mash of gourmet pies (asparagus and cheese, chicken and camembert) and hamburgers (the usual variety plus a delicious grilled mushroom, eggplant and zucchini one devoured by my partner with tapenade).

Holidays are for indulging.

Now, I am back at work and on day one, it was so busy I did not eat at all. Just to make up for the gastronomic extravagance of my holiday.

There will be silence from me for the near-ish future. Why? (I hear your plaintive cries and I will endeavour to provide a good excuse - ahem, reason).

Four little letters. B. I. F. F.

for the unitiated, and non-Brisbanite: The Brisbane International Film Festival. A two week adventure in the middle of my year where I am over-stimulated and under-slept - all in the name of exploring cinema. This year, I shall be watching surreal films by Jan Svankmeyer and Terry Gilliam, the latest from Peter Greenaway, some Japanese horror flicks (including one in which the protagonists burst into song - a horror musical), an exploration of meditative silence and unveiling of Islamic cinema to the emboldened auteur.

Attending approximately 25 movies, and working full time will leave me little time for sleep, let alone blog posting. Never fear, however: At work, I have access to browsing so I will undoubtedly still be reading YOU. And I am bound to return with plenty to blab about.

Salut.