Gaining traction.

Wheels are turning and Ben's gradually gaining traction. The recent medication change was unsuccessful but he's managing on a reduced dose of the original meds. The dose is low enough to moderate troublesome side effects yet high enough to still be effective. It's Good Friday and we spent a few hours wandering around the Melbourne Steam Centre in Scoresby admiring their amazing collection of old machinery. The working steam engines with their repetitious movements and rhythmic clatter were hypnotically interesting.

In other news of the day, some relatively new machinery went for a spin around the block today. For the first time in over ten months, the red Ducati and the black Honda were both on the road at the same time. The Draggin jeans no longer fit but the riding skills haven't diminished.

One year ago - dad and dog set sail.

Dad and (inset) dog.

It was a year ago today that, after months of planning, preparation and packing, an ever-worried parent and a never-worried labrador sailed to a small island. They planned to establish a comfortable home for an adventurous young man who'd travelled far overseas on a health-related mission and was about to return. Unknown to all, a small medical tsunami had been silently triggered many years earlier, the wave was gathering momentum and the hope-filled plan would come to a very sudden and unexpected end in two months time.

Diary notes from Monday, March 26, 2012: 

Boat 7:30, boarding 6:45; kennel disassemble and pack - done Sunday; 12 noon (seldom-seen family member) to visit - didn't come, didn't call, don't know why; North Rd traffic jam horrid! Tess came to Station Pier - new camera case; Jazz in the hold, hopefully OK for the night; can't eat - boat food awful.

One year ago - Erzgebirge.

One year ago, after all the medical investigations and during mum's visit, Ben travelled by train from Berlin to Chemnitz and then by bus to the Erzgebirge Mountains. Inspired by the owner of a Berlin camping shop and his own interest in gemstones, the purpose of the trip was to search for agates, multi-coloured and banded quartz rocks. He stayed in a Youth Hostel where there were no youth and joined a small group on field trips during the day. Having spent nearly all of the previous four months living in Berlin, it was a final brief tourist trip before returning to Tassie.

Late lunch at an African Village.

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Our lunch today was so late in the afternoon that there was no need for dinner. We travelled to the African Village Cafe in Dandenong and dined on yassa (chicken in lemon sauce), salat aswat (eggplant in peanut sauce), jolof rice and roti. We were the only customers and the owner, Abdoulie Sallah, was happy to see us again.

Cool kitchen.

After an unprecedented run of nine days over 30°C (and many of those 35°C or higher), we're looking forward to tomorrow's promised cool change. Thanks to our Japanese-branded, Chinese-made inverter split system, we've been very comfortable in the kitchen where the old adage has taken on a new twist: If you can't stand the heat, stay in the kitchen! A new Nobo electric heating panel should arrive in a day or so. Hydronic heating with tubular radiators worked out at over $2200 per room and seems unsuited to our heat-only-some-of-the-house requirement. The panel heater is an experiment, to see if we can make do again this winter. None of the big appliance stores stock heaters in the midst of a hot summer and we were politely told to come back in two months. Fortunately, online stores were more accommodating.

La Valse d' Amelie

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The oh-so-sad tune from Amelie is sometimes heard in our kitchen. Ben played it in our Weldborough cottage; last May in the midst of all the drama. Somehow, despite ill health, that tune came to mind and was solemnly transmitted to his hands on the keyboard. I heard it again today while sitting downstairs. There's a happy polka version which I've never heard him play.

It's like Vietnam only cooler.

Today we ventured out for a few hours to Victoria Street Richmond. It's a busy place and difficult to find a parking spot. Lunch, at a Vietnamese restaurant, was organised by some of my old Monash Uni friends and Ben was happy to come along. Food was reasonably good and inexpensive. Mum's overseas at the moment, in the real Vietnam where it's hotter, busier, even harder to park and the food is more authentic.