Dear Friends, we
enjoyed a good breakfast last Sunday with Danny’s company. Everyone had lots to
say and share and we particularly liked our chat about Australian vernacular,
apropos a comment from Deborah Fowler the day before, of an embarrassing
invitation she received when she was first in Australia from Zimbabwe. She was
invited to a barbie, assured that there would be a few rellies, asked to bring
her bathers & a plate. She had no idea what a barbie or rellies were,
guessed bathers & had to ignore her culture, which told her that taking
food to someone else’s place was considered an insult to the hosts, as it
suggested that they were unable to feed you.
Bilbo in relax mode as things are back to normal in
the Food Gallery & he can see us through the windows
It was another cold,
wet Spring day, so Wes and I decided to relax in front of the cricket, which
was promptly washed out!
On Monday, it was cold
again, but not wet, so Wes spent a morning in the garden weeding & tidying
up. Nick Massaro came to give me a massage, which he did to the accompaniment
of the cricket. I did a few chores afterwards and then settled down to writing
the Christmas letter and getting Christmas cards organised.
The film this week was
‘Truman’, a wonderful Spanish/Argentinian film with subtitles. I was the only
one in the audience, until Wes & Malcolm came in to see this superb film.
We will remember it for a long time – great acting & direction & such a
believable storyline. That night Wes & Barbara went to the AGM of the local
Bendigo Bank.
On Wednesday, it was a
lovely morning & all the birds were chirruping happily as they ate the seed
I had strewn on the lawn at the back. The roses just need a little more sun
before they are out, but everything that is yellow or purple seems to be in
abundance – lavender, daisies, irises, rosemary and even seaside daisies.
Wes took Barbara for a
big shop, filled her car with petrol and helped with anything else she needed,
including the garden, while I met Dot for Mah Jong in the morning, and brought
home lunch from Muffins & More. That afternoon Wes & Barbara
interviewed Eddie Beacham for the Hepburn Voices project.
Group photo from Tuki
– Kathey Jordon, Danny Millman, Karen & Wes Maloney, Tom Tyrrell, Deb
Fowler & Mike Jordon
Thursday was Wes’s
birthday and he wanted a quiet day at home, so we had just that. He received a
handful of cards & three phone calls, but Facebook went viral with good
wishes and he replied to every one of them. I couldn’t cope with that sort of
onslaught, but Wes loves FB and he enjoyed it. He spent the morning out the
front cleaning the pond and weeding. I made special fried rice for lunch &
included Istra ham in his serve, which went over very well. Afterwards he had a
chocolate éclair with a candle & poppers, which set him up for an
afternoon’s working on the computer.
That night we watched
a very modern 2012 stage play of ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’, my all-time
favourite musical. It was absolutely stunning, with a live rock band and starring
Ben Forster as Jesus & Tim Minchin as Judas. I think we might have to buy
the DVD & watch it whenever we feel like it!
On Friday, apart from
printer problems, we enjoyed a good start to the day. We were all up early as
Bilbo was keen to walk from 4am onwards & finally Wes got up at 4.50am. We
decided to go to the Ballarat Art Gallery to see the Archibald Finalists, as
the Exhibition finishes at the end of next week.
There were some
wonderful entries – most notably the winner, Barry Humphries, the Packing Room
prize winner, George Columbaris; Garry McDonald, Wendy Whitely in her garden
(an exquisite small portrait), the Sudanese refugee, Deng, & my favourite,
Guy Warren.
We spent about an hour
there and decided on the way home to stop at the Swiss Mountain Hotel in
Blampied for lunch. We had taken Terry McDonald there for a drink a couple of
years ago, but never tried their food. And we won’t be going back. The meal was
OK, but the service was very second-rate and there were only two tables of
diners, so there was no excuse.
Yesterday Wes spent in
the garden & on the computer, while I drove to Melbourne and spent some
time with Leanne. It was a perfect day and everyone was out & about
enjoying the sunshine.
This is my last
Daylesford Dispatch until 4th December, as we are heading off to
Adelaide tomorrow via Eureka Kennels in Ballarat & with a couple of nights
in Mount Gambier to break the journey. We are not expecting the great cricket
we enjoyed last year, but will be seeing Jane & David Knox, which is always
wonderful. On the way back, we are spending three nights in Portland – haven’t
been there for years, so it will be fun to see how it has grown & changed.
No doubt we’ll keep in touch via Facebook.
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