Anna et al on the way to the snow

We met up, minus dad, for lunch with Anna at a restaurant in Carlton, La Porchetta. Claudia and Ella, Anna, Paul and Max, Jenny, Barbara, Gabrielle and Pauline were there. Patrick was at a school run trip to the snow. Jack was too ill to come. Jackson was at one of Hanna’s markets. It was a fun lunch, a good distraction from dad and Jack.

I do though seem to have lost the knack, if I ever had it, of acquiring information at these family events. I walk out having chatted and listened for the entire event without remembering anything important. I seem to do better one on one or on the phone. I guess the deal is more directed there, and I get to ask the questions which I don’t seem to at multi person meals. Oh well, we will just have to rack another one up to poor memory and lack of focus. At least I am relaxed I suppose.

After lunch Anna went to visit dad in hospital. Dad told Anna that he expects to leave on Wednesday. While it is good that he is well enough to leave, he did not talk at all to Anna about practicalities of cleaning the house up. I am starting to get annoyed with Claudia for trying to make the problem entirely mine. She doesn’t know how impossible it is to organise dad. You can’t make dad do stuff with logic. For a person who is obviously smart and worked his career in logic he is bitterly irrational.

Any way while Anna was doing that I had some fun painting and tried not to let the situation get me down. The next exhibition is booked for the Dogs Bar on 7 October. The current paintings are looking good. I have 3 finished at the current size and I only need one more but I am working on two others. I will just keep going and pick the best looking ones to go in the show.