Saturday January 14

 I am writing this on Sunday morning, January 15. Joan is in the swimming pool, and Jack--who arrived early this morning--and Alison have gone off to visit the Taronga Zoo. I am taking it easy today, as yesterday I clocked up 9.2 miles.

We were up early on Saturday morning, but it was raining and we delayed setting out until there was a break in the rain. We walked up to Kings Cross Station, took the train to Bondi Junction, and then the bus to Bondi Beach. We walked above the sand along a long stretch of beach, watching the surfers and admiring the very striking graffiti. Up the hill at the end, passing the Iceberg Swimming Pool. We continued all the way along the coast to Coogee, with one stop at Bronte Beach, where Joan and Alison swam in the rock pool, while I guarded their stuff and watched the constantly passing scene--lots and lots of people of all shapes and sizes, all sorts of clothes, all sorts of ethnicity, all different ages, from toddlers to geriatric users of walkers. At one point we were caught in an intense rain shower, but the sun did come out and tried us off as we walked.

The shore-line trail was very tough going in places--long stretches of steps, long steep uphills--many places where I should probably have stopped and rested, but there was a lot of foot traffic all the way, and I did not want to impede other fitter and faster walkers. Anyway, I made it, though sometimes looking ahead and seeing what I was faced with, I would think--"I just cannot do this."

Long bus-ride back from Coogee, and then the walk from Taylor Square back to 503 Marina Two.

Alison had a meeting/dinner with friends in Potts Point, and Joan and I were on our own to eat--great salmon cooked in a bag in the microwave and little potatoes, followed by a fruit that I had skinned, the name of which eludes me (nominal aphasia)...it begins, I think, with an 'm.' Got it--mango!

And then we took the traditional after-dinner walk.

Joan went early to bed, and I waited up for Alison to return from her outing with her friends---I was surprised how late she was: she came in close to 11.00 pm. I had felt like a father who was worried when his daughter had not come home at the prescribed curfew time.

This evening we are going to eat at the Sydney Tower. A dress-up occasion.

I am still reading a novel I down-loaded from the DC Library. It is by an Australian author, name of Liane Moriarty. The title is "Apples Never Fall." I am at page 352 out of 554--so, 200 pages yet to go. I'm not inclined to spend time explaining what it is all about: but I will say that I would recommend it. Family saga, and a mystery, seen from a large number of different viewpoints.

Joan back from her swimming--she had the pool to herself for a good stretch before the kiddies arrived.