'When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.'

I attended a funeral yesterday, and it reminded me of an experience I had when I was 17. 

A friend had died overnight in our dorm, and his girlfriend had come screaming down the corridor. My girlfriend and I rushed to see what was going on, and we called the ambulance, comforted her, calmed her, made her eat, helped with this or that necessity, called people, controlled access, helped his friends into the building, answered questions from others in the corridor, calmed, comforted, made her eat … did all of that stuff that one does to be strong for another.

And when night fell, and our friend had gone to sleep, my girlfriend and I crawled into bed together and collapsed into a heap of tears and emotion.

Perhaps strength is a mask sometimes –


Photo: Monash University

Earlier, in Yarraville

Had the bright idea today to stop for a coffee in Yarraville, so here's the scene before me at Caffe Urbano: coffee, fruit salad (counts as second breakfast - was at Sugardough not an hour before), and a magazine piece on the recovery of Donald Friend's wonderful diaries.

Island of calm. Otherwise nutty day.

From our nation's capital

A few days in Canberra. A few photos.

In Praise of the Long Lunch

Lunch at Bella Vedere in the Yarra Valley this weekend. 

Bread made on site, with Australian sparkling.

Stuffed pork trotter with lentils

Chips fried in duck fat with fried runny eggs.