Proust In his first book wrote about...

Having been gifted a classic fiction calendar by Grandma J for Xmas One was inspired to attempt to read the monthly classic fiction.

January kicked things off with a doozy - In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust.

So dutifully I trotted off to Project Gutenberg to collect the ebook version of this. Upon arrival I found 7 volumes!! A quick redefining of One's self-imposed terms was undertook and the terms settled on as Volume one only (I also had February's 1984 already-read in one's past and able to be skipped so confidence was high.)

The astute amongst you gentle readers will note that it is now very late March. It was a long volume one and one suspects that the remaining volumes shall remain unread by oneself.

So what was it about?

That really is the question.
My entry in Monty Python's Summarise Proust competition:

There's a family who live in the French countryside and the young boy is concerned with how little his parents express their love for him, and the family is also rather obsessed with visits from the upper class neighbour, the titular Swann, until rumours of his wife concern them slightly, we then jump to Swann himself in Paris visiting through upper class society and falling for Odette whom becomes his lover but also has her own life which drives Swann to fits of jealousy and many stalking thoughts and events, and hijinks ensue to ensure coincidental appearances at her holiday destinations until we switch back to the young boy now older and moved to Paris and obsessing about a young girl who is revealed to be Swann's daughter and eventually we hear her mother is Odette and wonder if the middle section was a flashback as section one included the young wife, and if it really matters in the flow of the story which is not so much a story as a recounting of the week to week flow of times in the narrator and M. Swanns past, all translated in nice flowing prose but using altogether far too few full stops.

The Start of Footy Expedition

So this Friday past a great expedition was undertook to purvey the first footy game of the season.

The trains were uncharacteristically on time as The Great Sandro and I headed in early to the venue.

Joining us in the vicinity was Sneaky Pete direct from work, and we all made the journey across the MCG parkland/carpark.

As we approached the entry to the sportsplace we were impressed that there was so little crowd at such an early time. Especially as it was touted to be a blockbuster and online tickets were going to cost us upwards of $160 altogether, compared to the $55 and oneself free for just turning up early for general admission.

Entering the ground One was almost overcome with the large amount of seating choice. Eventually we decided on a location and settled in the setting sunlight to await the relief of some shade in the stands.

The match began a scant two hours later and we were all enthralled in what was a scrambly error prone mess of a game that showed that new high-score encouraging rules can't do much to make players kick straight.

Half time saw us swoop on the idea that it had to get better as the players must be warmed up now. Wherein we had to endure a continuation of the low scoring motif for the second half.

The final siren finally blew to indicate finality for the game and the magpies had lost our first one for the season.

The Great Sandro commenced his usual stream of "Well you have to be happy for me, we won, and I got to see Gary Ablett in person"

We eventually headed home using our slingshot-train-into-the-city-and-back-out method to procure seats for the journey home method.

All in all a grinding evening to celebrate the start of the footy season.
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The End of Footy Expedition

So this Sunday past a great expedition was undertook to purvey the final footy game of the season.

As the trains were uncharacteristically in disarray, Hulk and oneself collected The Great Sandro and drove to the vicinity of the venue.

Joining us in the vicinity were Sneaky Pete and Mirri Cat Warrior and we all made the journey across the bridge to the promised land of Victoria Park.

As we approached the free entry sportsplace we were informed by neon-clad officials that we had to go around to the proper entrance instead of walking up and over the hill.
Entering the ground One expected The Great Sandro to burst into flames - a fate the hot day actually threatened for all attendees not just #@%&! Carlton supporters - however naught happened in that regard and we promptly made our way to some shade in the stands.

Choice of seating was left up to Hulk who decided that the midst of a pride of Lions supporters was the primest of seating. One breathed deeply to remain calm.

The match began and we were all enthralled in what was important. Cries of "Go Pies!", came from oneself and Sneaky Pete,  "I don't really know what's going on" from Mirri Cat Warrior, and "I'm bored, where are the chips" from Hulk.

Half time saw us swoop on the chips - as the Magpies had swooped on the lions - and then return to the blessed shade. Wherein we had to endure a low scoring second half.

After crawling through the constantly under attack second half the final siren finally blew to indicate finality for the game and the magpies had won our first one for the season!!

Hulk commenced vigorous flag waving, song singing, and cries of "I've never been so happy!!"

Post-match running all over the field was indulged accompanied by shouts of "I want to be a footballer" and practice tumbling to the ground.

We eventually headed home accompanied by much humming of the theme song emanating from the back seat.


All in all a great day to celebrate the end of the footy season.
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