Busy day at work. Took the phones in to get batteries replaced. Eliza very upset after school, having problems with her friends, cried in the bathroom for half of her science class, asked Dzung not to pick up her friends as she usually would. Terrible to see her so upset, and hard to know how to deal with it, apart from listening and cuddling.
Regular day at work. Dzung out in the evening so the kids and I got F&C for dinner, after taking Jack swimming. Ended the night watching Akira. Ages since I’ve seen it. So bleak! Amazed to see that the plot circles around the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo! Prescient!
Took Eliza in to school early for her athletics carnival, then dropped Jack in. Slow but productive day at work. Did three reps of the workout. West Wing at lunch. Picked up Jack and got annoyed with him always answering back and not doing his homework and piano after school. So frustrated I slammed the door to the office, which gave him a fright. It all ended in tears. I apologised and let him know I don’t have to work after getting him from school, and that I can sit with him and help. This eventually cheered him up. Finished homework and played piano together, then did some tidying and started making dinner (afyer picking up Eliza). Kids had baths, Eliza finished off dinner and we ate, then watched a few YouTube videos and played Kirby Star Allies. Kids to bed, then Dzung home from her night out with the girls to celebrate her birthday.
Dzung’s birthday! Up early to give cards and take Eliza and then Jack to school. Worked for a bit then lunch at Must. Chacuterie board with duck rilette, pork hock, pate and so on, roast chicken, angelhair crab pasta, wine and cheese. Mooched around Mt. Lawley, bought flowers, then bought a new set of headphones. Picked up Jack and Eliza, then teppanyaki at Nishi. Eliza loved it, Jack was initially scared, but came around by the end. Fantastic food and lots of fun. Feeling very tired, will call it an early night after cleaning up kitchen.
Picked up the kids from their sleepover. Dim sum for lunch, then mooched around Northbridge in the sunny weather and let the kids have a few games at Timezone. Walked to Deep Water Point in the afternoon and had tea and scones at the new Dome Cafe there. Cooked Japanese eggplant for Dzung, and watched The Shape of Water once the kids were asleep.
Took the kids to karate, then Wendy’s hot dogs for lunch, and dropped them over mum and dad’s for a sleepover. Picked up Annie and had dinner at Brika, then met up with Dave and watched Jesse Gordon perform at The Ellington.
Bank issue resolved. Problem was on the US side. Strange that they would stuff up a recurring transfer, but what can you do? Kids home sick, and mum and dad cancelled their sleepover tonight (don’t want them to catch it). So I decided not to join Dzung to see Julius Caesar tonight. Hard to work with the kids at home, so I focused just on bugs. Got really annoyed with the crappy tech I’m using. Why am I spending my life doing this? Cathartic to read back through old books to remind myself where I’ve come from and how things might be different. Seriously thinking about striking out on my own, but income would be an issue (evidenced by my pay being delayed; we really need the money).
Ate olives and drank a beer in the late afternoon. First drink since Faith and Yoshiya’s house on Sunday. Abstinence isn’t much of a challenge, it turns out. Surprising, since I’ve been in a bit of a slump, but Dzung and I have teamed up to keep each other honest. Played around with HackTile a bit. It’s pretty good.
Made pasta for the kids with the leftover sauce from the osso bucco, and watched “The Girl Who Leaped Through Time”.