It’s just about dinner time. I’ve been attempting (for the first time) to cook a beef stew, a meal designed and built around the half-a-bottle of red wine I had left over from Friday. It’s been slowly cooking for about six hours or so, and I’m getting very hungry.

Here’s what my (ancient) stove looks like:

Update 9:30pm. Oh man, that was de-smeggin’-licious. The mushrooms in particular… superb. Perhaps not quite enough meat, and too much carrot in it. But a great cold winter’s night meal.

Hope the leftovers are as good when re-heated. Given how easy it was to cook, I can scarcely believe I’ve never done it before.

VicRoads web site:

Footscray road (Docklands Hwy) west bound lanes at Appleton Dock road/West Melbourne
VicRoads advises there is currently a Police Road Closure on the Footscray road (Docklands Hwy) west bound lanes at Appleton Dock road, West Melbourne. Traffic is being diverted at Appleton Dock road to Coode road back onto Footscray road. The Police Road Closure is expected to be cleared at 12:15
Start Time: 02/07/2006 7:49 AM
End Time: 02/07/2006 12:15 PM

I went past there about 10:30am. Not a pretty sight. Most of the emergency vehicles had gone, but a silver car with most of its right side caved-in by a post or a tree (at least I assume from its position halfway onto the median) had been left in position, with police looking over it.

Someone’s life has been changed forever this morning.

I hope they didn’t just become another statistic.

Be careful out there.

Back in my 20s, when I didn’t have a car, I once asked an insurance guy if they gave discounts on life insurance to people who don’t drive, like they do for non-smokers. Apparently not.