Welcome
to Autumn – how nice it is to know that the worst of the hot Summer
temperatures are behind us and to enjoy the cool nights and sleep. We’ve had a
very busy and quite social week, so I had better get cracking and talk about.
This week’s Viva photo is her and her best friend, Enid, in their WRAAF
uniforms in 1942, when Viva was 20.
When
I left you last Sunday, we were heading off to the Market and Breakfast. During
Breakfast we received a phone call from John & Dannielle asking if we would
be at home and ready for a visit from them all. They duly arrived around 2pm
and it was lovely to catch up with Malachi, Kalarni, Dublin and Irish. Irish
was very kind to Bilbo and patted him frequently, receiving licks in return.
The kids played chess, ran around the backyard, and occupied themselves while
we adults chatted.
Bilbo, Irish, Dublin, Kalarni & Malachi
Then
Judi arrived to take me to The Rex Cinema
to see The Railway Man, with Colin
Firth and Nicole Kidman. We are both very pleased we saw it and so was everyone
else in the audience of 37 – not bad for 3pm on a Sunday afternoon in
Daylesford. I have rarely enjoyed Nicole Kidman’s acting, but she was very
well-cast in this film. Colin Firth was excellent, the writing was superb and
the end result was a film I won’t forget in a hurry. Do see it if you haven’t
already.
When
we arrived back here the Andersons were still visiting, so I got a chance to
chat with them all some more and wish Malachi a very happy birthday for
Tuesday. Wes had collected some Carlton stuff for him including a book, scarf
and badge, so he was in seventh heaven. Bilbo was hungry, so I fed him, much to
his delight.
Orange, red & pink
gerberas from the Andersons...chosen by Kalarni
On
Monday Wes took Bilbo for a long walk, followed by a game of golf at Trentham
in preparation for Friday’s Boys’ Golf at Ivanhoe. I went supermarket shopping
early before the hordes and before the heat. I am finding the combination of
painful fingers and knee quite tiring, so went to bed early after feeding
Bilbo. Wes had an ALP Think Tank at our place, but my brain was no longer
operating, so I watched an Inspector
Linley mystery and started to read Burial
Rites, by Hannah Kent. I have been longing to read this much-acclaimed book
and finally bought a second-hand hard copy for a reasonable price. It is
brilliantly written, and because we have been to Iceland, we are able to
picture the landscape, where this tragedy of the last woman executed in Iceland
is set.
We
finally went back to gym on Tuesday after a fortnight’s absence. Barry was able
to adapt my programme to enable me to rest my knee and work on upper body
strength. It was good to be back, but we left early as I was exhausted after 45
minutes and hoping to have more energy by Thursday.
More beautiful roses
from our garden
Dot
and Gail very kindly cancelled Mah Jong on Wednesday so I could drive to
Strathmore to help Leanne clean out the garage. We had a date for Thursday, but
then there was a street collection for that day, so Lal asked if I would come
the day before. We got heaps done and it was all collected the next day. Lal
had made a cake for morning tea and a quiche for lunch, so I didn’t starve.
In
the meantime Wes attended a very successful Men’s
Lunch at the Men’s Shed at Victoria
Park in Daylesford. We arrived back home around the same time and he helped
me empty the car of books I had brought home to go through before giving the
balance to Carmel’s Op Shop. Wes then had a sleep in preparation for attending
Rotary’s unveiling of the new interpretive signs for the Avenue of Honour along
Raglan Street. I had hoped to go, but found myself in bed instead. The travel
and hard work had taken its toll and it was good to lie down with a brandy and
dry and Lewis to watch.
Wes and friends at
lunch using the Fire Shelter bed invented by John Smith (in red in the middle
of the front row)
On
Thursday we went to gym and Barry had written a new programme for me which was
very easy to manage. Afterwards I delivered boxes of jars to Nick Massaro in
Porcupine Ridge, courtesy of Leanne, and had a fringe trim, before coming home
to sort through the books and prepare them for the Op Shop. They all needed
dusting as they had been in the garage for a while.
Wes
spent most of the morning helping Barbara pack for her trip to New Zealand.
They leave later today, but Wes will be coming back tomorrow after making sure
that Barbara has been met by her sister, Margaret, and her husband, Noel, who
will look after her from then onwards. Wes will fly back in three weeks’ time
to bring Barbara back home.
On
Friday Wes left very early for a delightful day of golf and companionship with
Tom and Bobby at Ivanhoe. They played 18 then repaired to the Studley Park Boat
House for a leisurely lunch. Danny was to have been part of the foursome, but
came down with gastro and missed out. Wes then caught up with old Brunswick
friend, Sam Esposito, at Bridie O’Reilly’s pub in Sydney Road. He eventually
got back home at 8.30pm, tired but very happy with his day.
Bobby (top) &
Tommy
I
went to see the physio who decided my knee was going so well I needn’t wear a
brace, which was very good news. So I am to continue with the elastic support
and do some more exercises. Then I shared a long, enjoyable cuppa with Gillie
at The Food Gallery, where we ranged
over a few topics and greeted lots of other friends. We had the table in the window,
so no-one escaped our eagle eyes. Gillie had been going to Geelong that day,
but her car was playing up so I invited her to come to the U3A Flicks on Friday @ Barcaldine House that
afternoon to see The Boat That Rocked.
As Gillie grew up in England, she really empathised with the film, which is
about pirate radio playing rock and roll offshore until the BBC caved in and
agreed to play what young people in particular wanted to hear. We shared a
yummy afternoon tea with all the other friends there.
Wes
was too tired to walk Bilbo yesterday morning, so I took him to the Farmers
Market and then shopping in Vincent Street, where he was talked to by lots of
passing people. Josephine & Tony came to lunch so Wes spent the morning
preparing and I set the table, picked the flowers and parsley and stayed out of
his way.
We
had a lovely visit from Jo & Tony, who arrived with an armful of flowers,
wine, chocolates and a bone – everyone was very happy. We sat and chatted over
a long lunch and heard all their plans for their wedding on 4th April.
As we can’t be at the wedding, we decided to give them their gift yesterday – a
beautiful Hot Cocoa rose bush, which
will look fabulous in a pot on their patio. No photo quite does justice to this
reddish brown, fragrant rose….
We
fell asleep at lunch in the cricket and were thrilled to wake to the news that
we are 3/331 with Michael Clarke on 92 not out and with Warner having made 135.
It is very important to win this deciding Test in Cape Town.
Yesterday
Gerard Bugden, who operates the Wood Shed,
and makes beautiful timber furniture, returned our Victorian Oak drop-side
table that he had been restoring. He told us that he is closing his business at
the end of the month as he can no longer talk his hands into crafting glorious
pieces. We are so sad and Daylesford will miss his genius. He is having a
closing down sale and we only wish we had room for one of his tables!
I’m
about to take Bilbo out to pump water, buy fruit and vegetables at the Sunday
Market and then share breakfast with Barbara, Aileen & Gillie. We have
invited Jo and Tony to join us and we hope they wake up in time.
My ‘new’ tea tray
courtesy of Gail White
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