Elliot Gould

So a quick gallop through the early part of the day. I woke early and after fiddling away on the laptop I was a domestic goddess (and not before time) - changed the bed, did the washing and ironing, cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen and washed two floors. The flat is now clean and tidy (well as much as will ever be and ignoring #3 son's room). I was going to work writing up yesterday's notes but somehow I couldn't be bothered and frittered the time away, although I did some things that may bear fruit, who knows. It was good to just relax on my own with R4 and 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' (Dave had the book all the time I knew him but I never read it). I didn't hear the end today.

The weather had not improved, cold, wet and windy.

Then back to the history conference - this time for the Debate on Scotland and Empire which was a follow up to the launch I attended last year. I'm not sure I followed all the earnest historiographical arguments but Tom Devine was on good form.

I walked down to the Filmhouse, picking up assisting a lost visitor on the way and got my tickets for the main event -'In person' with Elliot Gould followed by the film 'Fred'. I ate and drank and then crossed to the Traverse for the talk. I've never done the Film Festival before and it was odd to see the place buzzing with all these film types with orange lanyards and badges. Clearly a world of which I know nothing. However, a helpful hit from one of them meant I ended up in prime position for the talk in Traverse 1. Elliot Gould was excellent, interesting, funny and a great raconteur. And what a memory! He talked for an hour of the people he'd met and worked with - John Lennon, Bette Davis, Donald Sutherland, Spike Milligan, Robert Altman, Lou Grade, the Muppets etc, etc, etc. For me it will always be M*A*S*H and the cinema in Collins St, Melbourne where I saw it in either 1970 or 71.

Then I walked to Cineworld for a screening of the new film he is in 'Fred'. It's a touching tale about old age and families and coping with Alzheimer's and was shot in the director/writer's own family home. Elliot Gould was in the audience and it was the first time he had seen. It isn't a comedy but it has humour. It was great to hear him laugh at the jokes he'd forgotten saying.

And at the end another Q&A and more interesting conversation from Richard Ledes and Elliot Gould.

All in all a very enjoyable day.