A Flea In The Ear from the Book-Keepers

If you look up "unpredictable weather" in the dictionary, you'll probably see a photo of Sydney. Last week we had 13 degrees, rain and cold. This Saturday we managed 31 degree heat.
In contrast, my running has been consistent. 69k in 7 outings, with a long 13k run Friday lunchtime, and today's 8k Orange Blossom Fun Run.
Last year's run was great, and a few of us planned to have another crack, although the course changed to two loops of 4k within Fred Caterson Reserve. I managed 41:50, which was under my plan, but I was cheered by the knowledge that it was - in my fellow runners' minds - a tough course. I think my time was probably a 39 min flat course result, as GoGirl did 39 and Joe 34:40, both about 2 minutes over normal. Talk about keen trainers: GoGirl ran there, did the 4k then 8k, then ran home - all up around 25k. Martin Dugdale likewise started the day at 5am and did Quarry Rd 13k hilly track then backed up for the Fun Run. I guess they'll both do well at Fitzroy Falls Marathon in a fortnight.

This last week has really been retro: Mrs BB and I had dinner with a Uni mate and his wife - prior to three weeks ago, I hadn't seen him since my 21st. So pretty recent really. Then Saturday I took Son to Macquarie Uni for the Open Day, hoping to inspire him to outrageous heights of HSC performance. He was suitably impressed. Wandering past the stalls, I enrolled in the Dunmore Lang College Alumni (where previously-mentioned Mate also lived). Today's run saw me catch up with Uni Girlfriend's sister, who looks as fit and healthy as when I saw her at 2007 St Mary's 8k run.

Finished "People Of The Book', and am now ploughing through "Justinian's Fleas" by William Rosen, a fascinating, ambitious and wide-ranging exploration of the world's first recorded plague, in 542AD Constantinople. Rosen covers so much ground, at times it seems like a history of Justinian, at others a mixture of Yersinia Pestis, science, religion, politics, military planning and social history. The only problem I had was getting the book renewed again. I'm afraid I generally borrow heaps of books, get through most of them after renewal and try to renew some again. Well, this latest attempt saw the librarians explain what relationship morality had to flagrantly breaking library policy: " a fair go for all". I felt like I was trying to re-book on Jetstar. Anyway, their common sense prevailed when they realised I would simply go online, reserve it and have them drag it out for me. Lethargy won out over bloody-mindedness.

Politics? I thought after last week, NSW might settle down. No. Reba Meagher and Matt Brown have gone. Just between us bloggers, she infuriated me, and that's from a 36 year-long Labor Party supporter. She makes Amanda Vanstone look caring, even when she's giving the Nursing Home inmates their kero baths. Interesting standards: Matt "pants down" Brown was sacked not for unacceptable behaviour at his office shindig, but for not 'fessing up to Nathan Lees, three months later when someone with a blunt axe dobbed him in to the ex-Government Gazette..

.. and only one week until Al Stewart's new CD "Sparks Of Ancient Light" arrives.

Musica Donum Dei.

"Exit, stage left"