A beautiful warm sunny Autumn in Hobart - 8 Nixon: tranquil, peaceful, productive. Dateline: 7th March 2024

 You might think this is utopia the way everyone is putting their heart and soul into the 'lived environment', the impending birth of Boy Child 1, the demolition and renovation of 7 Nixon, and the joy and love which can be shared by people living in proximity and harmony. 

You might think that.

Meanwhile, reality. Close to the above, in the same way that Saturn is close to the Sun. Running through the participants in what will be either an 'entertainment' of the style of Graham Greene (Brighton Rock, The Comedians, a Burnt Out Case, Monsignor Quixote), or a mock epic in the style of John Steinbeck (Tortilla Flat), or a masterpiece like Tolstoy (War and Peace, Anna Karenina) -

Emperor Justinian: a man of great wisdom and diplomacy. Dresses well, energetic in his activities of business, sport administration and training, and house plans progress. Lover of dogs.

Alex Hogan: Hoges is a displaced person, having renovated his own home in Sydney in the last 5 minutes to midnight, and decamped, driven to the Geelong ferry, and now in the palatial 'room 1', the matrimonial suite at 8 Nixon. His skills in quietly and professionally progressing a project make him an example to us all. His courtesy in seeing the goodness in even the most evil Hitleresque personage in the family, makes him a totem for productive energy.

Moose: is a dog and has learnt to adjust to the wide open dog park, to run like the wind, and to lay cables as long as the Marinus underwater cable from Victoria to Northern Tasmania. His peaceful nature is broken periodically by a deep basso bark, which he has enthusiastically accentuated such as to be able to wake the dead. The other residents are now used to his sound, and find it peaceful, melifluous, and like rain on the window pane - it helps put us to sleep.

Bonnie: original Nixon St dog (still living), after a period of adjustment, and therapy, she has found Moose to be a cardboard cut out of an alpha male: non-threatening, and friendly, they lie, exhausted, in the sunshine, nose to tail, in near loving embrace.

Rosie: enormous energy, commitment and love for little children, Harper (infra) benefits from a safe pair of hands and good intentions.

Sarah: fully engaged protecting her flock of salmon from the rapacious and insidious intrusion of anti this and that, Sarah has time only for early morning walks, dog walks, walk to work, work, dog walk in afternoon, and caring for Emperor Justinian. 

Camille: pregnant with Boy Child 1 (following after Girl Child 1 Harper), she is fully engaged in ensuring she gives birth and remodels 8 Nixon St.

Harper: assisting Camille in her duties and giving diversion to everyone, Harper (4 1/2 years) has started school at Albuera Street, wears her uniform with glee, and improves her Spanish language skills with daily exercises under tutelage of Rosie.

Phillip: new kid on the block, only been here 30 years, he is finding space in the old home, with the upstairs main bedroom with spanish balcony, and the 'new' bathroom. Talk about luxury. 

More to come...