I got Isaac a Doctor Who DVD for his birthday which has two documentaries on it totalling almost two hours.

Is that too much? I haven’t watched the docos yet, but it is a truly classic story (Genesis of the Daleks), with plenty to talk about in terms of how the story was written and produced, and the history of the Daleks themselves.

Memorably, the Twelve Monkeys DVD includes a movie-length documentary about the making of the film. Far from being the usual stuff about how the did the special effects, and the celebrity interviews with Bruce and Brad, it goes through the early script development, financing, and problems with final editing and test audiences.

Of course it’s all a bit over-the-top if you’re not at all interested in movie-making. Personally, I am, at least to a certain extent. So provided the extra material is well done, and not superficial vapid publicity fluff, I’ll usually take a look.

At the moment I’m reading a book about Melbourne’s architecture, told through the story of Whelan The Wrecker. The Nicholas Building (corner of Swanston St and Flinders Lane) went up in 1925.

I think it’s a pretty impressive sight. It was designed by Harry Norris, who also designed the equally impressive Majorca Building around the corner. Both seem to have stood the test of time.

Shame it’s so ugly at street-level though, being primarily fast food restaurants and discount shops.

I’ve finally figured out how to fix the washing machine when the outlet hose gets blocked up, thus avoiding a $75 call-out fee and the inconvenience of having to arrange to be at home when the repair man goes.

1. Take clothes dryer off the top (it’s slightly lighter than it looks) and move it out of the way somewhere.

2. Using superhuman strength, pull washing machine out from wall, so you can get at the back of it.

3. Find drill/screwdriver, and attempt to take back off machine.

4. Swear, as two of the five screws stubbornly refuse to move. Wish you’d got a more powerful drill.

5. Calm down as you try a different screwdriver bit, which successfully removes the screws.

6. Be amazed at the inside of your washing machine. Note especially the whole springy bit that the main drum thingy sits on, so it won’t cause an earthquake when the spin cycle runs.

7. Locate outlet pipe, down the bottom somewhere. Realise you didn’t need to take the back off to get at it — it’s accessible from the bottom of the machine, which can be achieved by leaning it up against the wall. Try to figure out how to loosen the pipe to look inside.

8. Use pliers to loosen the wire things holding the pipe on. Start swearing again as water gushes out. Quick, find a towel or two.

9. Successfully exricate sock from pipe. Note big hole in sock. Throw sock away.

10. Put pipe back on. Set machine to do rinse cycle to try it out, as well as get the soap suds out of the clothes still in the machine.

11. Start swearing again when you realise the pipe went back on loose, and water is again gushing out all over the floor. Begin to recall why you used to pay a repairman to do this. Get more towels.

12. Fiddle with pipe and pliers again to tighten it. Give it a tug with your hand to see if it comes loose this time.

13. Put back on.

14. Put machine and dryer back in place, and do the next load of washing. All socks, jocks, hankies and other smallish items to go in a laundry bag from this point on.

15. Make note to go and blog about experience, so you have a full set of instructions for next time.

Things I have to do tonight:

Tidy up the damn place. Do the (non-dishwasher) dishes.

Run a quick errand down the street. Done

Figure out how to get that burn off the bottom of my nice Le Creuset enamel pot. (Been postponing that for about two weeks.)

Go to the supermarket and get some milk, apples, and whatever else I think of. Done

Unscrew the back of the washing machine and see if I can unjam the filter thingy. Probably another sock jammed in the works. This has happened a few times… last time I think I saw enough of what the repair man did to be able to do it myself this time. Touch wood. Done

If that is successful, do some washing. Done If not, ring tomorrow to organise the bloke to come in and do it.

Look at my latest IAS or BAS or whatever tax form is due next week.

Time to watch West Wing? Probably not. Watched one of the episodes.

Also: Try and stay away from the computer. It sucks up time.

Took the day off today, but was too busy to blog. Back tomorrow hopefully.

PS. Thursday morning: Here’s why.

My favourite cold-night dining-alone dinner is soup with toast. Perhaps one of those nice Heinz spicy lentil soups; perhaps pumpkin; perhaps tomato. Heat it up in the saucepan, chuck a slice of bread in the toaster, and eat. Exceptionally low effort, quick, yummy, warming, and healthyish.

Sometimes Sundays are lazy; I spend most of the day just sitting around the house doing nothing.

Not yesterday. A series of events — some planned, some not — had me running around like a maniac. Walking a dog, driving across town, rushed buying of a birthday present and unrelated card, down to Southland not once but twice, with visitors in between, over to my mum’s, celebrate Isaac’s birthday and Mother’s Day, detour past my sister’s, grocery shopping…

That’s the way it goes sometimes. It’s days like that that are why I’ve lived in my house six months now, and still haven’t had a house-warming party. (Soon! Soon!)

Near where I used to live in Glen Huntly is the very first house that the now-huge AV Jennings corporation ever built. I seem to recall it’s a brick Californian Bungalow. It certainly doesn’t look like the off-the-plan McMansion-type residences they’re probably better known for building now.

Neither had I thought of my house as being a mass-produced design, until a few weeks ago Marita spotted a clone of it in a street not too far away.

Well, almost a clone — theirs (on the right) has been expanded since building, whereas mine (on the left) seemed to have a few optional additions when built, such as the little picture windows on the side wall of the lounge, and the styled (Arabesque, or perhaps Spanish influence?) front archway. In fact, the more I compare them, the less like clones they look.

Still, it’s the same period (1930-ish), in the same colours, and the same basic design.