Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Monday, 30th December 2013

 

Dear Friends, such a lot goes on when I don’t send a weekly Dispatch! I left you on 21^st December and we have been busy since then. The next day, Sunday, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast together at Gracenotes Café, and Glenn & Denise joined us for coffee afterwards. I had taken the boys to the Sunday Market, where everyone was very pleased to see them, and when we arrived back home, I had to take Bilbo off the lead as Frodo was sitting on it and choking him in the back of the car. Bilbo promptly set off. I shouted to Wes and took Frodo inside while Wes set off to catch Bilbo. Fortunately he had stopped in the middle of our street when he realised Frodo wasn’t coming with him! I don’t Frodo ever wants to run away again, so hopefully that will stop Bilbo when he gets a bee in his bonnet.

Bilbo & Frodo, the way we prefer them to be!

At lunchtime we went to a wonderful, healing Celebration of the life of Stuart Rattle at St Peter’s Catholic Church here in Daylesford. There were 5 speakers and 2 singers as well as a quartet playing Handel. The last speaker, Patrice O’Shea from the Friends of the Wombat Gardens, really nailed with her speech, as she was the only one to talk about Michael and remind us that we had lost two people, not just one. There was a huge turnout, which would have been very comforting to Stuart’s two sisters who were in attendance. Wayne & Chris from Pepper’s Springs Hotel put on chicken sandwiches and champagne afterwards, (as Stuart had requested), but we were unable to attend, as we headed straight to Melbourne to visit Viva.

Viva was sound asleep, but we were able to talk with her briefly when the nurse changed her dressings, and she was thrilled with the visit and the fragrant pink roses we had brought from our garden. We dropped in to see Leanne on our way home and enjoyed a hot drink and a chat, as well as scoring some great presents!

On Monday we did the morning shift at the Town Hall, for Christmas Cheer. This involves manning a trestle table groaning with goodies – in my case – cakes, puddings, mince pies and meringues; Wes had the biscuit selection, which included lots of Tim Tams, cheese crackers, iced ginger biscuits and even some gluten-free goodies. There were 176 families registered for this, which is a very sobering thought in this mostly well-off community.

We decided to have fish and chips for lunch around 2pm and spent the rest of the afternoon resting, as we were exhausted both physically and mentally from our travels and the morning’s activity. However, we were very thrilled to receive a surprise Christmas floral arrangement from Peter and Anka, just as I was thinking about buying some Christmas lilies.

Just love this photo of Peter and Anka on their wedding day in Sydney in 2005 with Judi & I below

I had planned to visit Viva on Tuesday morning to give Leanne a break and dropped in to see Lal on my way to give our Christmas presents and deliver some eggs that Gillie had given me for Viva. Leanne has everywhere looking festive, including tinsel around Viva’s chair waiting for her return. A new ramp has been installed in the front which eradicates the step that has been the cause of near-falls, and the shower recess has been raised with a small ramp leading into it as well.

When I found Viva the Brunswick Private, I was delighted to see her sitting up for the first time and thrilled to see me. She has a lovely room with a big window and I put the freesias and peace roses I brought her in a jar on the sill so she could see them. I was there for nearly 2 hours – she wanted to know what was happening, and had forgotten that we visited on Sunday. The physio arrived to get Viva taking deep breaths and standing up, and I reminded Viva that the sooner she could walk, the sooner she would arrive home. We rang Leanne with the good news while I was there and she was overjoyed, as she too, had only seen Viva sleeping.

I arrived home to a lovely late lunch of oysters and snapper, accompanied by a Cofield Sparkling White, which was all wonderful and we celebrated Viva’s amazing recovery. Wes had the energy for some gardening, but I just sat and read and did crosswords as I was spent.

Christmas Day was lovely – Wes walked the boys early, then came home for breakfast and some books I had found for him. I took over the kitchen making salads and brandy butter until 8.30, and then we went for a walk around the Lake. We arrived back just as the phone rang and it was Viva to wish us a Happy Christmas. Leanne was with her and had dialled the number – such a thrill. Peter and Anka were flying into Melbourne late morning and were planning to visit Viva at lunchtime.

Leon was the first of our guests to arrive and helped Warren with the stubborn gas bottle, then went to Barbara’s to help bring over her ham and ramp. While this was happening in came Denise & Barry armed with big bon-bons and their preferred sweet wine. Wes cooked up a storm of fish, lamb and beef, each with their separate accompaniments and everyone tucked in. The pudding lived up to its usual standard…I’m struggling to think of a failure of this old recipe handed down from my great-grandmother and adapted for the metric system by me some years ago! We did enjoy sitting outside on the decking for a change.

      Barbara, Denise, Leon, Barry, Karen, the pudding and the back end of a Labrador!

We spent a quiet evening – Wes did some watering and I got all the washing, ironing & dishwashing done before we went to bed. This doesn’t often happen, but it does help when we have to be up very early the next morning for the trip to Melbourne and the Boxing Day Test.

Wes walked the boys just after 5am for about an hour, I put out all the bins in the street, checked John & Jan’s home, posted letters and finished packing in time for us to leave at 7am for breakfast with Peter and Anka at The European. We enjoyed our catch-up with them, and they headed off shopping while Wes dropped me off at the MCC Entrance and then checked me into Rydge’s Hotel in Exhibition Street.

He then visited Viva, giving Leanne some time off, and picked her up for a yum cha lunch at Shark Fin House, before heading home to the boys. I had a reserved seat with a perfect view and really enjoyed Day 1 as the Poms batted well. How exciting to be part of a world record crowd!

 

 Jane Knox flew in that afternoon and we met at Yum Cha Café for prawns and vegetables and a good catch up. We were both in bed early and ready for 8am breakfast at The European the next morning.

We met up with Gillie from Daylesford and Andrea, aka Bilby, who we met many years ago in Alice Springs, and have remained in touch with. She was keen to catch up and breakfast suited her as she is HR Manager at the Arts Centre, which is a hop, skip & jump away. Gillie left to drive to the ground and get a seat, while Jane and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll and met David Lazzaro when we arrived. Once again it was a good day’s cricket; especially Mitchell Johnson’s ferocious bowling, which intimidated the English lower order. The Aussies struggled to match their total however and the pendulum had swung back in England’s favour.

That night Jane and I found a funny little Thai restaurant in Lonsdale Street, in the heart of Greek food – Le Bangkok. Our meal was very yummy, but we were amused that the wine list was much bigger than the food menu and that the specials of the day were all wines by the glass!

Day 3 I met Leon Anderson at breakfast, where he enjoyed freshly squeezed orange juice and a huge omelette with bacon inside. We walked to our seats in anticipation of an exciting day and it had everything. Jane arrived much later as she wasn’t feeling wonderful. We saw Mitchell Johnson bowl, catch and achieve a run out, and Nathan Lyon get 5 wickets in 38° heat. The weather changed abruptly and the temperature dropped 10° at the same time as the wind swirled around and the ground was covered in debris, which made being out there extra difficult.

 

David, Karen, Warren, Annette and Jane at Trent Bridge this year

Jane left early to go to the airport and missed most of the day’s wickets, but she did hear them on her radio. Leon headed for the train after the game and I went back to Yum Cha Café where I celebrated the amazing turnaround in Australia’s fortunes with another good meal of prawns & rice.

Yesterday, David Lazzaro decided he wanted to see the win, so I got him a Guest Pass and we spent a lovely few hours together watching Chris Rogers and Shane Watson bat beautifully and put the result beyond doubt. I can’t believe how different this has been from the result in England in their Summer this year.

I had planned to visit Viva in the afternoon, but realised that Peter and Anka would probably make a second visit to Viva before they went home last night and Viva tells me they did. So I went to see the film, Philomena, with the incomparable Judi Dench, and enjoyed it very much. I rang Leanne to let her know I would visit Viva this morning and she could have time off, which she appreciated.

This morning I had a final breakfast at the European, and promised I would see them all again in April when we spend some time in Melbourne for the footy, art galleries etc. After checking out I caught a taxi to Brunswick Private Hospital and spent a couple of hours with Viva, who was looking much improved and who has been told she can probably go home on Friday if she continues to practise walking. We talk about memories she has, things that have happened many years ago or only recently and she was very keen to hear about the Test. Wes arrived at 10.45 to say hello to Viva and collect me.

We had a good run home apart from two breathalysers – one in Woodend and the other in Tylden, about 15 minutes apart. Wes passed both with flying colours and, apart from a detour to collect the mail, headed straight for home and the boys, who were very pleased to see me, and me them.

This is my last Dispatch for 2013 – I hope you all enjoy whatever you do for New Year’s Eve and the following day, and wish us all a very safe, happy and healthy 2014.

             

 

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Saturday, 21st December 2013

Dear Friends, thank you all again for all your support while Bilbo & Frodo were missing. It was very much appreciated. We were so lucky to get them back as they were quite lost in the forest at Blakeville (20kms away) and they may well have died of exhaustion if the young men hadn’t found them and rung us. They arrived back looking very dirty and tired and slept constantly with short intervals of eating and drinking.

On Monday Wes tried to take them for a walk but their muscles were too stiff so he bathed them and they spent the rest of the day sleeping, only bothering to get up when it was dinnertime. I had an appointment for laser acupuncture in Ballarat and arrived back in time to watch the Aussies bat in an exciting fashion, especially Watson’s 100 and George Bailey’s record-equalling 28 off one over.

Our Christmas tree

It was warm quite early on Tuesday and after gym we did a few chores before I had a manicure. I had bought Wes 16 seaside daisy plants and he is having fun dotting them around the place. I have always liked them, but when he saw how Stuart Rattle used them in his pathways, Wes became a fan as well and now we have them everywhere.

It is fun collecting the mail and receiving lovely Christmas cards, often with letters full of news. Sadly because of a change in Australia Post regulations mail that isn’t addressed to the PO Box is no longer automatically put in our box and sometimes returned as we don’t have a letterbox at number 78. Please address all mail to PO Box 81, Daylesford 3460 to be sure we receive it.

Wes and Barbara went to the ALP Branch drinks at the Daylesford Hotel and stayed on for dinner. The branch is strong & growing as everyone is so disgusted with all the broken promises and dismantling that Tony Abbott is doing. The boys and I were in bed by 7pm, exhausted by winning Australia back The Ashes in such a fine fashion. Nick Massaro gave me a massage and the timing was such that he was able to hear and see the victory as well.

On Wednesday I delighted Dot & Valerie with new Mah Jong books – The Mah Jong Player’s Companion, which introduces us to a whole new range of hands. So we played those hands only and had great fun. I also bought a book for Gail White, so that she is au fait when she returns to our group. Meanwhile Wes took Barbara shopping after lunch at Gracenotes Café. We gave our cleaner, Sandra, a framed Brian Nash print of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens that she loves and she gave us a beautiful bottle of red and cellophane-wrapped red apples for the boys. We were all very content with that gift exchange!

 

That night I was too tired to go with Wes to Candy & Hal’s place for Christmas drinks, but he went and had a good time catching up with Labor and local friends.

It was the last gym class for 2013 for us on Thursday morning and we were pleased as the weather was too hot to be enjoyable. We had been invited to the Men’s Shed Christmas Lunch at Victoria Park by John & Karen Meir, so rocked along there for a lovely catch-up with them, Dot & John Smith and David Hawker among others. Wes was instrumental, as Mayor, in saying yes to this project, and the original President, Colin Dunlop, has never forgotten. He came over to express his thanks yet again.

                     Viva at Christmas Lunch 2006

Yesterday was a completely free day, so we decided to play golf very early at Trentham. Wes got frustrated with his lack of consistency, but I was lucky enough to play my best round in months – completing 9 holes in 59 – a far cry from 110 with Sherryn all those years ago! We arrived home to discover Viva had been taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital as she was very weak. We kept in touch with Leanne during the day and eventually Viva was diagnosed as having an infection and fluid retention. She has been moved to Brunswick Private Hospital, where they hope to get her back on her feet again very soon.

We had planned to go to Melbourne today and visit Leanne, but she was busy visiting Viva and cleaning up at home, so we decided to take a rain check and may travel there tomorrow or Monday….whenever Viva is well enough for a visit. We went to Ballarat to get a new battery for Wes’s watch and on the way home visited Spring Park Nursery to buy a final fragrant rose for Wes’s rose hedge. We ended up with the very beautiful Close to You

 

Finally we decided to have lunch at the Farmers Arms Hotel, as they were so helpful when the boys were missing. We enjoyed a bottle of prosecco with our chicken and snapper and have come home to garden and rest. Wes is planting the rose and a fuchsia as well as mulching madly with lots of horse manure and straw we picked up yesterday on our way back from golf.

This will be my last Dispatch for a while as I will be in Melbourne for the Boxing Day Test, catching up with Jane Knox, David Lazzaro, Leon Anderson and Gillie Gough. Wes and I will have breakfast with Peter and Anka on Boxing Day as has become our tradition.

Tomorrow we are having breakfast at Gracenotes Café and there should be 10 of us, which will be lovely. On Monday we are helping out with Christmas Cheer at the Daylesford Town Hall, and on Christmas Day we are sharing lunch with Denise & Barry, Leon, and Barbara.

Happy Christmas to you all……

 

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Saturday, 14th December 2013

Dear Friends, we were so pleased we made the effort to attend the 20^th Anniversary of the Victoria Chorale Concert at the Daylesford Uniting Church last Sunday. We sat behind Annie Pyers & her daughter, Sarah, as Val was praised for starting the Chorale and the singing did the family proud.

We had hoped to play golf on Monday but the rain Gods declared otherwise, so we caught up on odd jobs around the place and enjoyed watching the roses and veggies leap and bound in delight with the good drinks they were getting.

 

Our breakfast table at the Food Gallery last Sunday

I watched the Aussies wrap up the 2^nd Test easily while Warren was spending time helping Barbara. In the afternoon I received an unexpected and lovely phone call from Kathy Lazzaro and we enjoyed a good chat. Wes went off to an ALP discussion meeting at the Daylesford Hotel, but rang me almost immediately he arrived with the very shocking news that Stuart Rattle had been killed in a fire in his apartment in Melbourne.

We are finding it very difficult to comprehend the loss of this delightful, kind, generous and talented man, who only a fortnight ago raised $100,000+ for the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens with his Open Garden at the Musk Schoolhouse. We first met Stuart and his partner, Michael, in 2003, when Wes was Mayor and they needed his help to get permission to transform the old Musk Schoolhouse and tennis courts into the stunning home and gardens it is today. We became friends and especially enjoyed their visits to the Farmers Market in Daylesford, where Stuart would choose chooks and plants and support as many of the local businesses as he could. Michael would often empty their small change bag into the Rotary collection container, which would boost our takings considerably.

In 2011 we asked Stuart & Michael to judge the Daylesford Rotary Art Show, which they did with aplomb and enjoyed enormously. Since then Stuart has supported the Show with a $500 donation each year.

Michael O’Neill, Stuart Rattle & then Rotary President, Jim Swatman at 2011 Daylesford Rotary Art Show

The last time we saw Stuart was at his Open Garden on 23^rd November – he was in his element, greeting friends and strangers while showing off his delightful property. As we were leaving he and Michael came across for hugs and Michael showed us all the money he had already taken and it was only 11.30am on Day 1. It never entered our minds that we wouldn’t see Stuart again.

 

On Tuesday it was the chief topic at gym and I went on to my psychologist who was also shocked. She didn’t know Stuart personally, but her son had installed the glorious Chinese pagoda in his gardens. Fortunately we had a lovely long lunch with Gillie to look forward to – we took some seriously good bubbles and an NZ sauvignon blanc to accompany her dips, pasta, salad & cheese – most of which came from her garden. Time with Gillie is always good – she is a relaxed hostess and stimulating conversationalist.

We awoke to another overcast day on Wednesday, which is just as well, as the motor mower is in hospital and it would have been a shame if Wes was itching to mow in the sunshine. Instead he had a haircut, then lunch with Barbara and accompanied her to the Daylesford Health Centre where she was addressing the nursing staff on life in a wheelchair. I delivered the last of our spinach plants and some broad beans to Gillie, then off to play Mah Jong with Dot.

Wes’s very yummy pizzas

On Thursday we were utterly devastated by the news that Michael had been arrested for Stuart’s murder and that Stuart had died 5 days before the fire. We went to gym where everyone was similarly numb, and then I had a lovely, long catch-up with Rhonda at Gracenotes Café. Meanwhile Jason Olver and his staff were swarming all over Maloney Folly washing windows and I came home to a sparkling home.

We had invited Glenn Mack to lunch and sat outside enjoying Wes’s fish pie and green beans, followed by fruit salad and finally cheese. As usual, we ranged through a wide variety of topics and thoroughly enjoyed every minute with Glenn.

Joan Testro circa 1969

Wes was visiting Joan Testro yesterday and offered to drop me off at Viva’s. Leanne was rapt to get a morning off – although Viva is bright and cheery, she can no longer make herself a coffee, get to the loo or go back to bed, so Leanne tries not to stay out longer than an hour if she has to leave Viva on her own. We had a good visit, as did Wes with Joan, and we arrived back home in time for a late lunch of leftover fish pie and the first session of the Third Test.

Just when we thought nothing worse could happen in the week, we woke this morning to find Bilbo & Frodo missing. It appears that when Jason left on Thursday, he used the side gate and didn’t close it properly. The wind must have caught it during the night and the escape artists took advantage of the opportunity. We started driving separately around Daylesford and surrounding areas from 5.30am. Everyone has been most supportive including Judi & Michael who drove around for ages once they heard; Barbara who went around the Lake and then drove around until lunchtime; John & Jan who have just arrived in Daylesford and immediately gone out, and umpteen friends who have promised to keep an eye out. We have given out our cards, put up posters and disseminated the news over Facebook, which is a great way of getting the news to a maximum of friends in a minimum of time.

 

I’ve decided to send this out now as I may not get a chance tomorrow. If the boys should arrive back home safe and sound, I will send an email and post the news on Facebook. Please cross your fingers and toes or send prayers to St Jude like Maureen Dean is!

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 8th December 2013

Dear Friends, I left you last Sunday as we were about to go out to help Bill Longley celebrate his 80^th birthday at Captain Creek Organic Winery, which is about 15 minutes’ drive from Daylesford. Bill & Sue had invited about 30 friends and family for a relaxed, informal lunch and it was a huge success. Bill gave the shortest speech on record; we caught up with some of our oldest Daylesford friends (in time, not age) and felt very honoured to have been included in the guest list. Doug May who runs the winery is a most affable and attentive host, and we were pleased to see that every table in his restaurant was filled at least once during the afternoon.

Bill Longley, potter, in 1988, his works are still written about & we are lucky enough to have one of his lovely salad bowls courtesy of David & Helen Lazzaro

We arrived back home to watch Rory McIlroy storm home and beat Adam Scott by one stroke in a most exciting Sydney Open, and Wes did some gardening and watering before we retired to bed, exhausted but pleased by our very social day.

On Monday it was fine and there was no excuse not to go to golf, so off we headed at 7.15am. We didn’t play our finest shots, although Wes did Heather proud on the 8^th with the best play of the morning and we were thrilled to have gotten back to Trentham after quite a while away. So long away in fact that the Greens supervisor who was about to tee off came to check that we had paid for our rounds. We explained we had been members for 6 years!

More roses – Freesia, Just Joey & Black Caviar

After gym on Tuesday Wes dropped me at EKO for a facial while he visited Jeff Bain who is recuperating from a hip replacement operation. His visit was very welcome, and he left in time to collect me at 11.30. Lunch was a grand affair with a Tuki trout for me and Tuki lamb for him, mashed potatoes and peas and a lovely NZ sauvignon blanc to go with it all.

It poured with rain all night and we awoke to much more pleasant temperatures on Wednesday. Wes accompanied Barbara to Ballarat for her annual spinal clinic appointment and Dot and I played Mah Jong at Muffins and More, a café across the road from Harvest Café, which is still closed for renovations.

I came home and booked tickets for the ICC One Day Cricket World Cup, which is being held in Australia & NZ in February/March 2015. The MCC negotiated an early offer of good seats to its members and we decided to take it up. We have tickets for 3 of the 5 matches at the MCG including the Final and all the seats are in the Pavilion area of the MCC. As the World Cup is an international event, MCC members are not automatically entitled to seats, but we have been very well looked after and will be sitting in the best seats in the ground.

Finally it was time for the long-awaited 2^nd Test and after gym we came home to see what the Aussies could do in Adelaide. We were glued to the TV and radio all day and felt honours were even at the close.

On Friday I had a dental appointment first thing in Ballarat and asked Wes to come with me in case I couldn’t drive home. I was having two old fillings removed and replaced and was very pleased when I emerged, bruised and battered and numb, that Wes was there. We got home in time for the cricket and spent most of the day watching and listening as Clarke & Haddin batted Australia into a great position.

Yesterday we did the early shift at the Farmers’ Market for the last time, as we have decided to retire from Rotary at the end of this year. I am unable to get to meetings unless they are held during the day and we both feel we have done as much as we can to further the causes of Rotary in this community.

Wes, Ron, Jan, Alan, Karen & Victor on duty yesterday

Much to our surprise we were presented with a beautiful basket of vegetables and a stunning rose, Hot Cocoa, as we finished our shift. Our President, Jan Pengilley, is a very thoughtful person who never stops saying thank you. Wes has planted the rose where we can see it easily from the study.

This morning I will take the boys to the Sunday Market as usual, then off to breakfast where we will catch up with John & Jan, who have been on a three-week Asian cruise, as well as Judi, Aileen and Barbara. Apart from watching and listening as Australia wins the second Test, (or it is washed out), we have tickets to this afternoon’s 20^th Anniversary Concert by the Victoria Chorale, which was started by Val Pyers.

clockwise from left - Paul, Martin, Robyne, Ian, George & Josie at Bill’s 80th

Bill with flowers for his daughter, Cherida, with Sue and their son, Jeremy

 

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 1st December 2013

Dear Friends, it was so cold last Sunday that I put coats on the boys before taking them to the Market and Breakfast. They like wearing their coats and enjoyed the attention they received. We enjoyed a fun, chatty morning before coming home to turn up the heaters and relax. Eventually the sun came out just in time for Wes and Barbara to drive to Williamstown to see A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which was quite entertaining.

 

Beautiful dogwood in the front of Maloney Folly

We had hoped to play golf, but slept in and I decided to make the Christmas Pudding instead….only to discover we had no rum, so off to remedy that situation before starting the process, as it takes about an hour to prepare and six hours to cook. Bilbo & Frodo watched with almost the same attention that Casper used to give me and were very keen to see where the finished product went at 6pm that night. I had to resort to hanging it in the guest bedroom away from inquisitive noses.

We have been enjoying the latest New Tricks, with Tamzin Outhwaite as the boss. We liked her very much in Red Cap, and she seems very well-placed to bring a change of pace and direction to the show, which also seems to have a new writer or two. I had declared I would stop watching when Dennis Waterman left, but I think Tamzin will keep me interested.

As far as reading goes, we’ve both been doing lots of that – Wes is reading historical novels, recommended mostly by Mary Goodall, that cover the time of William the Conqueror, and I am reading a motley assortment – just finished an Arthur Upfield (Bony), in the middle of a Donna Leon (without Brunetti) and dipping into a Graham Greene autobiography when the mood takes me. I have also just finished the latest Arnaldur Indridason Black Skies, which I enjoyed very much. And I discovered that the wonderful Icelandic phone book which so obsessed me that we went to Iceland to see it, uses a red dot to signify no unwanted calls. We’ll have to go back again!  

 

Danny Wells with his first catch at Tuki

Wes has spent lots of time in the garden again this week – he has mapped out a plan for Casper’s grave, which is at the back of the orchard, and plans to plant lots of red poppies, which will look beautiful. He has nearly finished his rose and lavender border and is part way through a seaside daisy and rosemary border – both of these are on pathways, and the rose garden is right under our noses when we sit in the study looking out. As always, he gets lots of help from Bilbo and Frodo.

We both had very busy days on Thursday – after golf I visited my psychologist and accidentally left my Medicare card there. This wasn’t a worry until the acupuncture doctor in Ballarat was able to see me a week earlier than expected, so I had to make a quick trip back to Hepburn to collect the card. In between I delivered Wes and Secundus to Sailors Falls Estate where there was a Men’s Lunch being held. Then lunch with Judi & Michael at Gracenotes, before I drove to Ballarat in heavy rain to see Paul Ghaie and have laser acupuncture on my left wrist to relieve tendonitis.  Wes was home after a most enjoyable lunch and we both were pleased to do nothing for the rest of the evening.

When I was sitting in the waiting room, I was racking my brain to work out why the receptionist was so familiar, until I realised she was just like Pauline in Doc Martin. Everyone in the waiting room was privy to her thoughts and she had us all engaged and laughing. Patients in this waiting room have so far knitted over 8,000 squares to make rugs and there is a basket with wool and needles should you be so inclined.

 

Dawn over 78 Duke Street

On Friday Wes drove to Kingsbury Golf Course to play with Danny, Tommy & Bobby. He had to leave at 7.30am to get to Bundoora by 9.30 start and drove through very heavy rain most of the way. I left 10 minutes later to spend a morning with Viva and give Leanne a long-overdue morning off. I also drove through very heavy rain, almost like hail in Woodend and Sunbury and it was even raining in Strathmore when I arrived. Viva was pleased to see me and I did my usual polishing of furniture and cleaning to help Leanne, while keeping up supplies of hot coffee to Viva. Gillie had given me eggs to take, Judi had picked some parsley and I contributed roses and rosemary from our garden.

It was about 2pm by the time I got home for a late lunch and rest, missing out on seeing the film, The Help, at Barcaldine House that afternoon. I had hoped to go, but didn’t need the pressure of getting back to Daylesford in time. Wes arrived home around 6pm exhausted from his day of driving and golfing, but did enjoy the company and banter of the others.

We felt quite rested by yesterday morning and Wes bathed the boys after walking them, then applied my henna and when he was finished, we sat down to tea, toast and Saturday’s Age. I will be so sad when the news part of the weekend Age is no longer a broadsheet. The news seems so much more important and easier to read in that format, but progress insists that tabloid is the way to go.

I glanced at the Form Guide and discovered there were 6 or 7 female jockeys engaged for the meeting at Caulfield, so decided to support them by having some silly bets. I was lucky enough to turn $11 into $30 as enough longshots saluted or placed. We watched Adam Scott increase his lead in the Sydney Open in between writing Christmas cards, reading & doing crosswords.

We have decided to donate to the Guide Dogs of Victoria again this year in lieu of Christmas gifts. They were very grateful last year and rely wholly on grants and donations for their survival. As well it is a cause close to our hearts because we are so passionate about Labradors and the good they can do for us humans – as Guide Dogs, Companion Dogs and Pets.

 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 24th November, 2013

 

 

What a wonderful birthday lunch we enjoyed at Kazuki’s. Martin & Bronwyn had remembered which Japanese whisky Wes enjoyed, as well as which wines we had preferred and we were served course after delightful degustation course, with the Ocean Trout winning the best dish award from us. This is my spring vegetable option while Wes enjoyed slices of rare beef tataki. Thank God we had organised taxis there and back. Needless to say very little was achieved apart from feeding the boys when we got home.

 

On Monday we were very busy getting ready for Danny Well’s arrival. He asked to visit for a few days, as part of his holidays, so Wes did some early gardening then drove to Melbourne Airport to collect him at 10.45am. They arrived back and Wes made fish pie for our lunch, which we ate on the decking. We all spent a quiet afternoon, and I headed off for bed early leaving Wes and Danny watching TV. Danny is Wes’s Godson & son of Deane Wells.

 

Our latest favourite rose – Angel Face 

On Tuesday we went to gym and arrived back to find Danny up and dressed and ready for his massage with Nick, which we had organised for him. Afterwards we drove him around Smeaton & Clunes and had lunch at Tuki. He took a while to catch his first fish, then caught two in a minute. Jan & Rob looked after us very well and Danny voted this a very good experience. Needless to say neither of us was hungry for the rest of the day, but Danny tucked into some pasta that Wes made that night.

 

Happy Birthday to Bilbo and Frodo who turned 9 on Wednesday

There was no Mah Jong on Wednesday as the Harvest Café is closed for renovations, so I had a quiet morning while Wes drove Danny around the sights of Daylesford, including The Chocolate Mill, where they stopped for hot chocolate and chocolates. Danny bought some for Deane, who was picking him up from the airport on his return. They then had lunch with Barbara at Gracenotes Café,  and while Wes had a rest in the afternoon, I chatted to Danny, and attempted to show him that there are other ways of looking at things, something Wes had also been doing. Danny has never met a couple who share bank accounts, belongings & cars before, so he was curious about our lives.

That night Wes took him to the Daylesford Police Station for a Rotary tour and dinner at the Daylesford Royal Hotel, where Danny tucked into another big meal. I had a quiet evening at home, and like Wes, couldn’t have faced dinner after a good lunch.

Daylesford Rotarians at the new Cop Shop

We went to gym on Thursday and found Danny up and about on our return. Wes asked him to bring his sheets & towels up to the laundry, so he stripped the bed down to the electric blanket, which was a little more than we expected! However, we didn’t complain as Danny is not used to doing anything without being asked and not even then. Wes took him to Ballarat to teach him about the history of the Eureka Stockade as he knew nothing of it, and then off to the airport. Meanwhile I rang Viva before the cricket started and she was sitting waiting for it to start, and like me, anticipating a good game. Many of our Sydney friends are there, and we wish we could have been as well, but we’ve spent too much time away from home this year already!

On Friday I had my first appointment with Donna Andrews and we got on very well. I think she will be a big help with my involuntary anxiety, and it is even better that she is 5 minutes drive away. Many thanks to Caroline, Hanna & Jane for their incredible support of my CFS – I appreciate your emails and thoughts very much. Of course, without Wes’s daily encouragement I don’t know where I would be.

Wes set off to find some horse manure as the boys are finding the chook manure to their liking and he came back with enough bags to cover the front garden. We had a debrief, then settled down to watch the cricket, and after our poor early display with the bat, were delighted with the lower order, who then bowled us into a winning position.

Yesterday morning I washed the cars and was rewarded with poached eggs and asparagus and we enjoyed reading The Age. There were so many things on – Daylesford Show, Open Gardens (Paul Bangay & Stuart Rattle), Passing Clouds new wine launch and the Hepburn Wind AGM with Tim Flannery as guest speaker. Of course it rained on and off all day, so we only got to Musk Farm to see Stuart & Michael’s wonderful garden created in the grounds of the old Musk Schoolhouse. It is constantly bewildering to think that local objected to their purchase and plans for enhancement – no-one could have done a better job and this weekend’s funds are all going to the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens group, which benefits us all.

 

Frank Page talked us into a glass of bubbles and we walked around the vegetable patch sipping and admiring, greeting friends and listening to the chooks. We were quite damp by the time we had finished, so decided to come back home and watch the cricket and what a wonderful day it was!

Today has dawned cold, windy and rainy, because the Open Gardens are on again and it is Ballarat Cup Day – hopefully by the time the Cup is run the temperature will have reached the giddy heights of 17°. And just think, next Sunday is Summer. I’m not complaining…I much prefer cooler temperatures and the more rain we get the better it is with the bushfire season approaching.

We’re off to the Sunday Market soon, then Breakfast, and back to watching the cricket. Warren, Barbara, Gillie, Judi & Michael are all off to see a play at the Williamstown Little Theatre this afternoon, so I hope we have wrapped up the 1^st Test by the time Wes has to leave.