Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

"Whereupon he got very
clumsy, giggled confidentially,
and tripped over her shadow,
carrying them both into
an unaccountable adventure."
--
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Part II, Beyond the Wait

I last left you waiting at West Ryde station, eating a Spinach and Cheese Doodad™.
Well, the train arrived on time, and we ended up getting to the Art Gallery at about 12:30pm (which was when we said we'd arrive... after we realised we'd missed the train, we messaged Mickey and told him we'd be late).
Leanne was feeling like cack, but I was doing okay. The meeting went well, and it was good to Mickey and Susan again. We made arrangements to go over to Mickey's that night, too.
After Susan had left (Mickey had left a while before), Leanne and I stayed on the grass in the Domain for a while, enjoying the day (I took some photos), and then decided to go to the Art Gallery. We made it part way through one of the rooms before Leanne's illness became a little too much for her, and we had to go outside again. So we walked toward the train station, but stopped at a grass path to relax for a bit (most of the grossness was coming from lack of sleep). So we did as such. We lay there. We looked at the scenery. We talked. I ate the leftover salad from West Ryde. Leanne took some photos. I took some photos. We decided to leave. We got up. We walked 10m. Leanne told me she was going to spew. She walked over to a tree and spewed:

She spewed on top of a spider. The spider, glistening in the sunlight, crawled away, naturally upset. Unfortunately, by the time Leanne suggested taking a photo of the spew, we'd already walked about 20m away, and by the time we'd returned, the spider had found a new, dry hiding place. It would have been good to get a photo of it.
Leanne felt immediately better, so in celebration we decided to go to Chinatown.
The plan earlier in the day was to go to Yum Cha, but it was getting late, so we just went to that awesome little bakery that Helen and I used to go to. We thought we would get that as a kind of entrée, and then if we felt like more, we could go somewhere else.
We bought a pork bun each, and a little glutinous rice ball each, too. Tasty. I love that place. I wish it was closer to work.
Ultimately unfilled, we decided to walk up the main drag of Chinatown, and if we saw anything good, we'd pop in. We didn't get far before a menu drew us in, and the friendly girl at the door beckoned us in. They had Peking Shredded Beef on the menu, so that was good enough for us.
We made the mistake of also ordering a mixed entrée each... which was a little silly of us. By the time the entrée arrived, last night's lack of sleep had caught up to both of us again, and neither of us were really looking forward to food. The entrée was average, too, which was a shame. The Peking Shredded Beef was tasty (because it's Peking Shredded Beef), but not as good as the one from Beijing Duck Restaurant in North Rocks. So, the meal was a little disappointing - but only a little. The Erhu Plays Your Favourite Love Songs CD created an interesting mood.
We didn't finish our meal. We took the rest home in a container.
We felt seedy. We went to the mall to go the the toilets and then we wanted to go home. We messaged Mickey to tell him that we were too tired/seedy to go to his place that night (a shame), and started to make our way back to Central Station and home.
On the way we were drawn to that awesome cheap-as-fuck book store near Central. We went in and I found some interesting books, including a compendium of the first 13 issues of Colors Magazine for only $8.95! I thought it was just a grouping of the first 13 issues, but it has a bit of background info, too, but it also at times displays on one page a few different pages from an issue, so the print is far too small to read. So that's a bit of a shame. I also found the last two A Series of Unfortunate Events for a total of $10, as well as the Letters To Beatrice companion book for only $2! Yay! Leanne found a novel about a Russian Politician as well as a book called One Hundred Great Books in Haiku, which is what it sounds. It's freakin' great.
Example:

LOLITA
Vladimir Nabokov

Lecherous linguist -
he lays low and is laid low
after laying Lo.

I also found a book on the water crisis in Australia (and it's only from 2005) for $2.95, and a book by Paul Davies (I read his 5th Miracle, which was about the beginnings of life, and how the key to life must be intrinsically written into the laws governing the universe) called The Last Three Minutes which is about the end of the Universe. It was originally published in 1994 though, but reissued in 2000. So it's old, but it should be interesting - I just don't know how far the field has advanced since then. It was $9.95.
So. Happy. Many great books, for not much at all.
After emerging from the book store we felt refreshed, so the journey back to West Ryde Station, and then back to Carlingford was not so bad. We finished the Shredded Beef for dinner. Leanne's Mum had picked up Leanne's new glasses that day, and despite them looking awesome, the lenses are shit house, and straight lines appear bent through them. So we hope to take them back today (if time permits).
I updated my blog, and we went ended up getting to sleep altogether much later than we planned.
It's now Sunday and I'm writing this post. When I'm done, we'll pop over to West Ryde with the trailer, remove the wardrobe, mow the lawns (again) and fix up the gardens. If we have time we'll go over to Castle Hill to fix Leanne's glasses, but tonight I'm taking Mum to see Dog Trumpet play at The Vanguard (with Leanne), so I'm not sure we will have time.
Mum really likes Mental as Anything, and Dog Trumpet have two of their members, including Reg Mombassa of Mambo fame. The Vanguard should be a nice venue, and I booked dinner and a table there, so it has every reason to be a nice event.
Well, let's go!

Ross is movin in, we're movin out.

So Ross has decided that Chris is a manipulative fuck, and is moving out. He's found a place in Balmain, but the lease doesn't start until the 14th, so he's going to be moving in with Leanne and I until then. Only thing is that last week Leanne and I handed our notice in to our agent, and we will be moving out on the 12th. Timing.
Leanne and I aren't sure where we will be moving, but Pyrmont is on the cards... I just don't know how likely we are to get approval on my wage alone. So, if we can't find a place before the 12th, Leanne and I will be moving in with her parents until we do. I'm unsure how that will be.
So Leanne and I now have to clean the house. Yech. I have cleaning. We have to do it this weekend too, coz the agent can start bringing in clients 14 days before the 12th. They say they will try and give 24 hours notice, but can't always. Renting rules.
So the plan tonight was either to start cleaning, go see Midnight Juggernauts, or go see The King Brothers (which really did have potential).
But then Mike offered a night at his place with weed and drink. So Leanne and I accepted that offer. Ross is coming along too (he would have been going to one of the concerts, too).
So it should be an alright night. And cheap. I like cheap.
I'm currently on the train back to West Ryde. I'll be heading to Mike's around 8pm.
Sick.
I finished reading An Imaginary Life by David Malouf on the train last night. I really fucking liked it. It conjured so many images in my head (which doesn't usually happen... at least not so vividly). Yeah. Fucking cool book. Thanks for the recommendation, Leanne!
I will be starting Ben Okri's The Famished Road next week. Look forward to it!

Listening to: Cradle of Filth - Thornography. Still kicking fucking arse.
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