Dear Friends, we are enjoying a cool morning today after too
many hot days, perfect weather for updating you all on our week. We have just
returned from breakfast where a small group of us was lucky enough to hear
Aileen tell stories of her early life. She had been in a convent for 5 years,
and after coming out, she volunteered to teach in India, where she met &
married her first husband, Alan, and came back to live on a farm near Horsham,
where she learned to cook, as she had to feed shearers and raise three
children. Aileen is a born story-teller who deftly weaves apparently unrelated
strands into a coherent whole and never fails to leave us amazed and wanting
more!
Our week started with a spur of the moment decision to see Skyfall
in Gold Class on Monday morning. I don’t enjoy the violence and destruction,
but it is always a pleasure to watch Judi Dench and Daniel Craig seems to enjoy
playing 007. We had a game of golf with John & Jan on Tuesday and breakfast
afterwards at Gracenotes Café. That afternoon in lieu of hydro, Wes and
Barbara went in search of a lemon tree and pot, as that was our gift to her in
memory of her father, Bob. Wes spent the afternoon working in her garden and
even repaired her watering system.
On Wednesday I played Mah Jong with Dot & Valerie at Harvest
Café, where we were greeted like old friends. Wes & John joined us
at lunch and it was a lovely catch up morning for everyone. That evening Wes
went to Aperitif at Di & Jeff’s place and came back with lots of
gossip! I had hoped to join him, but found myself too tired after the morning.
We played golf early on Thursday morning, and spotted one
other person on the course during our round. John & Jan left for a week in Ouyen
& Mildura (see photo), so we have been keeping an eye on their house &
letterbox.
I had booked the Mazda 2 in for its 10,000km service on
Friday morning and we had hoped to catch yet another film, but there was nothing
we wanted to see at Ballarat, so I drove there early, had breakfast at Lekker,
where the chef recognised my face, as he & his girlfriend used to live in
the cottages at the end of our piece of Duke Street.
One of my tasks
while in Ballarat was to find new sheets, so I went to the Sheridan shop, which
was offering Q-size sheet sets & 2 pillowcases for $89. I snapped up that
bargain and tonight we will see how good they are. The last sheets I bought
needed ironing and I draw the line at that!
Yesterday we left early for Melbourne to visit Viva on our
way to an Australia Day lunch at the Melbourne Cricket Club. We hadn’t seen
Viva since before Christmas, so it was lovely to catch up, especially as we
were in glad rags – Wes wore a shirt she gave him for his birthday, and I was
wearing a necklace she gave me some years ago. Leanne arrived back just as we
were leaving.
Perc & Viva on
their wedding day – 17/3/49
The lunch was the
usual good value and enjoyable event that we have come to expect from the MCC. It
was held in the Long Room, which commands a beautiful view of the ground. Our
compere was Ian Cover; we had musical entertainment by an accompanied young tenor,
and the guest speaker, Les Carlyon, did not disappoint, with his simple speech
reflecting on the changes in Australian values over the last 100 years.
We were fortunate to be sitting at an interesting table – I was
next to an Indian-born woman, Manju, and her daughter, Priya, who lost their
home in the Kinglake fires, where they were next-door neighbours to Brian
Naylor. Manju is a teacher, about to retire, and will do volunteer teaching at
Kinglake. They are both Carlton supporters, so spent their time commiserating
with Wes that he had to live with a Collingwood fan.
Manju with their
new Labrador-King Charles spaniel cross, Charlie.
When I was
unloading the car after shopping at the Sunday Market today, I noticed that we
are about to get our first waterlily, after 8 years of trying to grow them in
our pond. Watch this space for a photo next Sunday.
Tuki Trout Farm with sheep
