Dear Everyone, I
left you last Sunday with the wet weather and a trip to Melbourne coming up. I
did take Bilbo to the Sunday Market, but we left him at home with lots of
celery during Breakfast as he would have been cold and miserable sitting
outside. We had just come back home when the Telstra man arrived to fix the
phone and 30 minutes later we were back on air.
I drove to see
Leanne and spent a lovely afternoon catching up with her and Smokey before
driving to Northcote to check in at Danny’s home away from home. We drove to
the MCG enjoying a belated birthday drink on the way as Danny had been in
Warrnambool on the actual day. Then fish & chips in our seats right on the
wing and under cover. We enjoyed the game, which was very exciting and close
after the first quarter, and the Pies were lucky to kick a late goal which put
us in a winning position.
On Monday morning I
drove back here after deviating to Strathmore to collect my mobile phone, which
I had inadvertently left at Leanne’s place. It was a much easier drive than the
day before as there was no rain or wind. However gentle rain started falling
mid-morning and continued through the day with a soft grey mist for company.
Wes and Bilbo spending quality
time together!
Shortly after lunch
I succumbed to tiredness and Bilbo and I retired to the bedroom, where I caught
up on Lewis, including the first
episode which I had never seen, and Miss
Marple. Wes had a meeting with Cr Kate Redwood, who was an apology for his
later meeting and then met with members of his ALP Executive and Barbara.
On Tuesday we awoke
to a dry morning, so Wes and Bilbo walked happily while I changed sheets and
towels and got ready for gym. Highlight of my day was finding the exact model
of my old Sunbeam Mixmaster on e-Bay and buying it. Can’t wait for it to arrive
now!
Wes had a lovely
time with his old friend, Terry Larkins – they met for lunch at a pub in
Gisborne, where Terry lives and spent three hours or so catching up. They had
tried to find somewhere halfway in-between, but nowhere in Woodend or Trentham
was open on a Tuesday, so Wes was happy to do the driving. Terry doesn’t drink,
so Wes was more than ready for his 5pm whisky when he arrived back home.
Latest photo from Berkshire of
Amelia & Archie Hoolihan
We couldn’t believe
the news on Wednesday morning that the young Aussie, Nick Krygios, had beaten
Nadal overnight. I had prayed he would win a game or even a set, never dreaming
he could win the match. I did some early morning shopping in preparation for
Lib’s visit and then headed off to Mah Jong. Wes worked on the computer, and
then spent time with Barbara as he does most Wednesdays.
Later that
afternoon Lib arrived safely with bubbles for us and a big bone for Bilbo. She
was very popular indeed, but we made him wait until the next morning. Wes made
his famous fish pie and we enjoyed a quiet night sitting, chatting & some
of us knitting.
We awoke to
discover that Nick Krygios had been unable to beat Milos Raonic, but we are
very excited for his future. It was a freezing morning and I went to gym
leaving Wes and Lib to share breakfast. Then we drove to The Chocolate Mill, where Lib chose some yummy chocs and she and
Wes indulged in decadent hot chocolates. Lib had seen Peppers Springs Retreat on TV, so we came back via Hepburn to show
her what it looked like. We had decided to take her to Trentham where it was
even colder than Daylesford and fairly quiet, although The Plough & The Cosmopolitan Hotels were doing a good trade.
We enjoyed soup at Chaplins, drove to
Newbury to show Lib where Glenn Testro will be living soon and came home in
time for Lib’s massage at EKO, which
she loved.
We lit the fire,
put on David Suchet’s Tribute to Hercule
Poirot and relaxed with our knitting and drinks. Later Wes made a wonderful
mushroom & pumpkin risotto for dinner.
On Friday, it
wasn’t quite as cold as the day before, and the fire was still burning in the
grate when we got up. Wes and Bilbo walked early, while I started on DA’s
Friday Cryptic Crossword in The Age. Lib
spent some time accepting birthday wishes and messages then we two walked into
Vincent Street to check out the shops. About 10 minutes into our walk the rain
started to come down and it didn’t let up. I missed a call from Wes offering to
pick us up, but Gillie took pity on us and brought us home instead.
Danny arrived at
midday from Melbourne, then Judi came over and we four drove to Mercato for lunch, where we met Wes and
Barbara, and later John & Jan Smith who had come up from Sandhurst the
night before. Barbara & Lib were very generous in sharing their special
days and we had a most enjoyable time together. We had decided to shout the
birthday girls their lunch, but everyone else had brought gifts and cards for
them, which really made it special.
Barbara, Jan, Judi, Danny, Lib,
Karen, John & Wes @ Mercato
John & Jan had
to leave early as they had an appointment at 3pm, but everyone else came back
to our place, we lit the fire, Judi & Danny collected Michael, we opened
some bottles and around 7pm Wes produced a huge dish of roast vegetables, a
yummy pasta and some risotto to feed us all.
Barbara went home
as she wasn’t hungry, but the rest of us had been drinking and needed solid
food in our tummies. Eventually Wes threw our guests out around 8.15pm as we
were all tired!
Yesterday we awoke
to constant drizzle, so the early walk was abandoned and we all had hot drinks
and a quick read of Saturday’s Age
before heading to Gracenotes Café,
for a lovely breakfast in front of their open fire. Everyone turned up, which
was especially lovely for Lib.....we’re not sure when we will see her again as
she is shifting to Tannum Sands, a Queensland town of about 5,000 people within
cooee of Gladstone. Lib will be within 20 minutes drive of her daughter, Becky,
who, with her husband, Adam, and children, Emily, David & Nathan, has just
built a new home in Calliope, a satellite town of Gladstone.
1998 – Becky, Adam, Lib, Emily
& Tom
Thanks Lib for
spending these three days and nights with us – it was wonderful to catch up,
hear your news, say goodbye and wish you well in your new life starting this
September. Lib has bought a new two-bedroom fully-furnished apartment
overlooking the beach and can’t wait to move in.
We decided to spend
a very quiet Saturday in front of the fire listening to the Coodabeen Champions and watching the
various games of footy that were being played. Collingwood had travelled to the
Gold Coast to play the Suns and it was a very entertaining match that the Suns
won by 5 points in spite of losing their inspirational Captain, Gary Ablett, in
the 3rd quarter and then having 3 more injuries which meant there
were no rotations in the whole of the last quarter. It was a brave and gutsy
win in front of the best crowd ever at Carrara – 24,000+.
This morning Wes
walked Bilbo in the drizzle and I’m about to take him out to pump mineral water
at Leitches Creek, then visit the Sunday Market and if it isn’t too wet, we’ll
take him to Sunday Breakfast at The Food
Gallery as well. Then another quiet day beckons – Wes will be hoping that
Carlton can beat St Kilda!
It’s six months
today since Viva died – can’t believe how quickly the time has flown by!
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