Meeting The Sportswriter author, Richard Ford

Mickey Randall recounts his “McCartney moment”, meeting his literary hero Richard Ford at the Adelaide Writers’ Week

Almanac Life: On the Glenelg Surf Club, Vampire Weekend, and Roast Beef

Mickey Randall recalls some of the activities he and Claire participated in this month including, visiting a surf club, listening to music, and cooking a roast.

Mystery Pub: Marion Hotel

To round out the week’s activities, Mickey and Claire headed southeast from Glenelg to the Marion Hotel.

Sausage Roll Review: Tanunda Bakery and Café – Howzat

Cricket, cricket everywhere, but nary a conversation to be had between Mickey Randall and his parents. En route to the Barossa with a local Test to be played a sausage roll fit for review was sought from Tanunda.

Almanac Jogging: Pavements and Ponderings – A Sunday Jog Through Adelaide’s Heart

It’s Sunday morning and Mickey Randall is out for a run through the streets of Adelaide, soaking up all the sights and sounds he experiences he shares with readers.

Almanac Life: Discarded boots, our old car, and ‘Hotel California’

Mickey Randall discusses the transformative power specific items have had in his life.

Almanac Christmas: Paul Kelly’s “How to Make Gravy” and me

Mickey Randall’s favourite Christmas song, Paul Kelly’s “How to Make Gravy”, is twenty-two. But it seems as though it’s been around forever. Like Love Actually, which premiered in 2003, they’re both part of the festive furniture, and signal the season’s arrival. Mickey explains.

Almanac Music: Ripper 76 to Patsy Biscoe to The Fonz

Mickey Randall buys his new turntable a house warming gift, and what better gift for a turntable than a Bob Dylan album as Mickey explains.

Almanac Life: Car Horns are Versatile Instruments

All too often used in anger or frustration, Mickey Randall offers a far more positive, even loving appreciation of the sound of a toot of a car horn.

Almanac Pubs: A single sentence on Mystery Pub in the Warradale

Mickey Randal, In the style of Proust, Kerouac and others, recalls a mystery pub evening with friends on a very hot Adelaide day – and all told in one sentence!

Almanac Music – Harvest Rock: Beck’s Chicken Curry and the Celebrated Drumsticks of Christmas

It’s the time for festivals in the most festive of states and Mickey Randall and his Family Band were on hand to witness some musical delight at Harvest Rock.

Almanac Pubs: Security! Security! Trouble at Mystery Pub

The Somerton Bar and Bistro is this week’s mystery pub for Mickey and Claire, and as Mickey explains, there was a near calamity for sitting at the wrong table.

Mystery Pub: Viva Las Vegas – The Peninsula, Taperoo

It is mystery pub time once again. This time, Mickey and Claire find themselves in Taperoo

Almanac Running: City Bay fun run – Singapore Sharks, snags and spirituality spruikers

Mickey Randall is off on another run, this time the six kilometre leg of the Adelaide City Bay fun run. As usual, Mickey takes in all the sights and sounds during his run to share with readers.

Sausage Roll Review: Platy Pie Bakery of Mount Compass

Mickey Randall tackled a monster of a sausage roll at the Platy Pie Bakery and with it the monster questions of existence, with cameos from Aristotle, The Dude and HAL from 2001 [Shame you couldn’t shoe-horn Camus in for the sake of this excerpt – Ed]

Mystery Pub: Stanley Tucci to play Greg Chappell in upcoming biopic

Claire and Mickey visited the Britannia Hotel, possibly best known for the dreadful roundabout that abuts it. The problems it caused for generations had an unusual solution applied!

Almanac Running: At Large in Largs Bay – a parkrun yarn

Mickey Randall is off on another park run taking him through the heart of the Lefevre Peninsula, Largs Bay, Taperoo presenting the sights and sounds along the way.

Almanac Dinners: Rick, Mick and Nick

It was a fabulous night at The Tanunda Club SA for the Footy Almanac Dinner with special guest, former Test cricketer Rick Darling, and Mickey Randall was in attendance.

Almanac (Mystery) Pubs: You Right There Darl?

Michael Randall’s latest mystery pub visit is to one where everyone is apparently known as ‘Darl’!

Almanac Life: A Cheery Cemetery Story

Mickey Randall and Claire are deep in Mystery Day which takes them to a cemetery.