ARCAN RIDGE: "She saw, she heard, as many would not," notes P.L. Inkletter, "she wobbled, and she drew the water of life out of silence and darkness."

Be all that as it may, meanwhile:

'In other news…'

01^st June 2010

Tuesday: I can't remember the last time I took Bob out on a Tuesday, but I managed to take him to the city in lieu of his missed day last Friday; needless to say, he was most happy about it all.

I was 'early' to Guildford as far as Bob was concerned, but it was after half two nevertheless. Our time in the city was very pleasant, cool but fine, and our visit to Supreme Court Gardens was a delight. On my return home about seven I picked up The Dear Leader, and we enjoyed Missus Inkletter's home made fushnchups.

I tried to reinstall The Dear Leader's Windows Media Player into his XP system when I returned him before ten, but it failed; back to the drawing board for me.

I was back to watch First Tuesday Book Club, and there was stimulating disagreement tonight fueled by the opinions of guests Lionel Shriver and Colm Toibin.

Next came Lateline: The (Leigh) Sales Graph: Ms Sales looked spectacular in her choice of a lava red bolero style textured jacket with a black underbodice, her only jewellery being diminutive earrings – if you don't count her wedding ring and watch – and she achieved an impressive look with her subtle effect make-up, especially light with the eyeshadow, and gorgeous windswept effect loose hanging hair (is it my imagination, or has her lovely red hair morphed lately to a wild strawberry blond?).

Her longer interview was with an on-screen from Canberra young Joe, Joe Hockey that is, Shadow Treasurer and pie (chart) connoisseur, who looked fresh and young – have I mentioned 'young'? – decked out immaculately in a dark striped suit and white shirt, with a well matched dark tie relieved with fine white dots.

Mr Hockey was so predictable his efforts hardly warrant me bothering analysing his take on the mining industry resource super-profits tax proposal, except to give him full marks for political one-eyed consistency; oh, let me say I loved his phrase in criticism of the Government: 'policy-by-Google'. Oh, let me also complement him on his solid and almost believable portrayal of personal and party integrity regarding donations from the mining industry.

What I really want to register is the atmosphere of calm control that Ms Sales evinced throughout this interview; she remained in complete composed control, was a paean of relaxed enquiry and commentary, and an image of maturity and power; I was rather in awe of the effect. And the contrast was informative: while Mr Hockey never approached hysteria, he did approach passion and pepper – thus Ms Sales' calm and focus was the more silhouetted.

And so this interview was a memorable one, clearly demonstrating a maturing of Ms Sales' journalistic abilities. Oh, and Ms Sales' predictable ambush at interview's end with her question on Mr Hockey's leadership ambitions spiced things up, just as did his rather honorable though politically pragmatic dismissal of the notion.

I managed a very late walk, around two in the morning, but it helped knock what stuffing is left in me out – what a difficult balancing act I'm finding this need for exercise to maintain health, and the exhaustion which sets in from exercising. And for the first time in a very long time, or more correctly, in very many walks, I did not see a moving car for the whole half an hour.

By the way, the preview button in Blogger has gone down to the bottom of the page again, and its usefulness is diminished as described here in my 21^st May posting. Blogger, may you live in interesting times…

+paytontedwithlove+