Daylesford New Year Dispatch - Sunday, 27th December 2020

What a week we've had - hot & dry one day, wet & cool the next and it was a very pleasant temperature on Christmas Day, which is always appreciated by those in the kitchens producing hot meals for friends & family. 

We started with Wes being unwell last Sunday and foregoing the Sunday Market & Breakfast. He was much missed at both places, where there was a festive air, with most stall-holders thrilled not to have to wear masks. I parked close to Yvonne's stall which made carrying baskets & bags much easier on my own. Breakfast was fun with lots of gifts for pets and treats for everyone else. The Food Gallery closed that night & reopens next Saturday after spending quality time with their families. 

Lewis & Morse, sans collars, getting stuck into Christmas dried pork bones from Janine - their reward for behaving while being bathed

We've enjoyed a social afternoon with our neighbours - Rob, Dene & Glen at Rob & Dene's place. Lewis & Morse were perplexed, but were happy to know where we were! They are very generous hosts & we ate & drank well with lots of interesting conversations. Eventually the alarm went for the boys' dinner, which broke up the party. 

Glen, Rob, Karen & Wes on the decking at no 80 - Dene took the photo

As well, Judi & I had a last Jasmine tea & decadent muffin at Muffins & More; I enjoyed another beautiful facial with Emma after 6 months without, and had my nails done on Christmas Eve with Alanna. I made a last trip to Eganstown & Porcupine Ridge for the year and had fun distributing all our gifts to our Garbos; Steve the Paperman; Muffins & More; The Food Gallery; the Post Office; Yvonne, Jeff & Ken at the Sunday Market; Sandra our wonderful cleaner; Tim, who looks after us so well at Bi-Rite; and Emma, Alanna & Lyndal who do wonders to my face, nails & hair. 

A selection of the many beautiful roses we have this December - best year in ages for blooms

Wes caught up with an old friend, Mark Higginbotham, for brunch at Jackie's on Vincent yesterday, which was perfect as it was fairly quiet until 1pm when the lunch crowd arrived. Meanwhile I set the table for our Christmas lunch for two and made sure there was a bottle of Champagne on ice to accompany our prawns & snapper & Christmas pudding. 

White Oriental lilies gaze over our bon-bons

We took the boys for a big walk on Christmas morning - two laps of all Lake Daylesford, before coming home to shower & change & join other locals at Cliffy's, where the staff were giving their time for free to raise money for the CFA (Country Fire Authority). We sat down for about 20 minutes catching up with friends and doing our best to stay warm in the rather intrusive wind swirling around.

Above is Irene, Gillie, Aileen & Flora the dog & below is Karen 

Then we made some phone calls catching up with members of our respective families, which in my case were mostly doing something different from previous years, because of the COVID-19 restrictions in New South Wales. We also spoke to a few friends and heard about what their day was going to bring before we stopped for another hot drink & a date scone, which we called breakfast. 

Lovely photo of my sister, Leanne, with her NDIS companion & friend, Nidhi, on Christmas Day

We enjoyed a very yummy meal & relaxed through the three courses, all of which were most enjoyable. Wes served the prawns cooked in their shells with a dip and followed that by an oven-baked snapper with roast vegetables, and I finished the meal off with Christmas pudding & brandy butter. Needless to say we didn't need any dinner & after sharing a beautiful bottle of champagne, decided to read and relax listening to Handel's Messiah & then Beethoven's 1st & 3rd symphonies. 

Yesterday was devoted to Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The Indians played with spirit to dismiss us all for 195, and although they lost Agarwal for a duck, were looking good at 1/36 at stumps. Can't wait to see what today brings. We're off to the Market shortly, then breakfast at Larder, one of the few options available today. 

Daylesford Christmas Dispatch - Sunday, 20th December 2020

 

We started this week as usual with a great visit to the Sunday Market, where masks were optional, and people had nothing to complain about. We are wearing ours where possible, especially where there are visitors about, because we feel safer. Breakfast was fun with lots of good stories between the eight of us.

Lewis & Morse continued their love affair with their giant marrow bones until Monday morning, when we removed them from sight. They certainly got value out of them, but we won't be encouraging gifts of whole marrow bones again. Wes has filled in all the holes in the back yard & garden beds, the flies have gone in search of other prey and life is back to normal. 

Lewis & Morse trying to remember where they last saw their bones!

On Monday School, we chatted about our finances and the recommendations from our financial advisors, First Samuel. We were able to rein in spending during lockdown, and with the pension, are managing to live within our means, with the prospect of surviving here in our home in Daylesford for at least the next 12 years. 

Like many of you with gardens, we are enjoying a second burst of roses and I can keep three vases for us, and one for Dene next-door, filled with fresh flowers each week. I have fallen in love with the beautiful petunia, King of Spades, (purple & yellow stripes) and we have 10 plants dotted around the place, thanks to Ken, Dot & Chris Rae at Spring Park Nursery. 

You can also buy King of Hearts, which is red & white striped, King of Diamonds, which is purple and white striped & Queen of Hearts, which is red & yellow striped. They are all rather stunning.

Sadly, my aunt, Jeff, has been unwell with food poisoning, and we were unable to have our regular early Tuesday morning chat. Jeff was hoping to spend the next couple of weeks in Berkshire with her son, Mike, and family, but that is on hold. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

However, I have chatted with Leanne twice, Terry Borg, and Kathy Lazzaro, and joined Wes in our fortnighly catch up with Mike & Linda Kirby. As well, Wes has wished his cousin, Gary Testro, a Happy Christmas with a final Zoom for the year.

On Wednesdays I am often quite busy after our early walk. I drive to Eganstown to deliver the week's supply of newspapers to Spring Park Nursery; then off to Porcupine Ridge, where I drop off empty jam jars, the week's Epicure magazines & a copy of The Local, our must-read weekly paper. My next trip is to Leitches Creek to pump mineral water, which I much prefer drinking to tap water. I have 6 big bottles that I fill & they usually last me the week. On my way back into town, I sometimes stop at Daylesford Cemetery and say hello to Annie & David Smith, particularly on behalf of their daughter, Fiona, who is back home in Fremantle & can't be here to do it. 

I quite often have an appointment after that - fringe trim or cut with Lyndal, who works from home in King Street near Victoria Park or a manicure with Alanna, who is in Main Road, Hepburn Springs. Next year, I'll be heading to Muffins & More, to meet up with Dot & Judi for Mah Jong. 

My final chore is to park somewhere near Vincent Street and visit the Post Office to collect our mail, before walking down the main block & getting whatever is needed that day - could be date scones for afternoon tea from Baker's Delight; serviettes or shower caps from the Bargain shop; dog biscuits & treats from Daylesford Mind Your Pet, or cards & scratchies from the Daylesford Newsagency. 

We were back at Boathouse Daylesford on Thursday for a wonderful pre-Christmas catch up with Judi & Michael. We see Judi at least weekly, but not Michael, and it was lovely to be the four of us enjoying a beautiful lunch by the lake. When we walked in, we were delighted to see Dot & John Smith having lunch with friends as well. 

I've been glued to the First Test against the Indians, which was played at the beautiful Adelaide Oval. It was an amazing win by the Aussies in under 3 days, after the Indians looked on top, but collapsed for their lowest Test score ever in the 2nd Innings. We have attended all the previous pink ball day-night Tests there, but were not interested in travelling to South Australia (or anywhere much) this time. There is still too much COVID-19 around & too much complacency to go with it. We have our fingers crossed that the NSW Northern Beaches cluster can be contained quickly. 

Morse & Lewis rivetted by the cricket yesterday afternoon

Wes hasn't been well towards the end of the week & spent some time in bed, hoping that rest & sleep will do the trick. He has been good enough to walk the boys with me each morning, as they are too strong for me to manage on my own. However, his ears are now blocked as well, and we decided he could have a sleep in this morning while I fed the boys early (much to their delight). 

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 13th December 2020

 This is a bit like us choosing our Christmas tree - will it fit in the back of the Mazda 6, let alone the house?

We started our week with a lovely breakfast at the Food Gallery - there were 6 of us, so we had lots of whole table conversations, including Judi's latest pond story; David's grading & letterbox tales; Glen's garden & compost issues, and Janine's review of the newest cafe in town, Virgin, at Bellinzona in Hepburn Springs. 

On Monday, we completed our rearrangement of downstairs by moving paintings & framed photographs etc into a better configuration, usually by having fewer items! We are thrilled with how the guest room looks and feel the hallway outside it resembles a library rather than a thoroughfare. Next week, we'll probably go back to Steve Dotto at Dottotech, to catch up with what he's been doing & thinking & learning for the past couple of months.

Wes has been busy with Zoom meetings, while I've had a quieter week - chatting with both Leanne & Jan Pengilley. However, it has been a very social few days - brunch with Judi & Glen on Wednesday at Bad Habits Cafe @ the Convent Gallery, and lunch with Kathy & Gerard Lazzaro @ Boathouse on Thursday. We were delighted when Kathy rang to say they would like to visit us for lunch & found ourselves very excited at the prospect of doing something as normal as catching up with old friends over a long lunch. 

Wes & Ged above, Kathy & I below - all about to tuck into our very yummy meals

We had the electricians, Fells, visit on Tuesday to replace a faulty power point in the laundy & add an extractor fan; install a new double power point in the lounge, change an inaccessible light bulb there, & clean the also inaccessible ceiling fan. All this took about 3 hours, so Wes drove Lewis & Morse to Malmsbury, where they went for a walk, and then to Wombat Reservoir, where they had a walk & paddle. P.S. the light bulb hadn't blown - Peter assured me that a possum had unplugged the fitting. Clever little devils!

After all that work was done, Wes collected our Christmas Tree from the local Daylesford farm and I spent the afternoon decorating it. It is a few years since we've had a tree & we are enjoying the beautiful pine smell in the house. 

Me introducing Morse & Lewis to a decorated tree! They have been very good about it - had a smell of it when it arrived & now are leaving it alone

Wes also had lunch with Bob White, and took him to Muffins & More, which is always a fun experience. They had sausage rolls, quite a different lunch from the day before at Boathouse. He arrived back home with a tray of muffins & biscuits, having told Kelly he wanted to bring home afternoon tea! Needless to say we shared most of them with Glen Tandberg for her grandchildren.

While we were out Nick Massaro dropped in a couple of huge marrow bones, which we gave the boys yesterday morning. They were so excited and spent ages gnawing away, preferably out of sight of the other bloke, before they carted them up & down the stairs looking for the perfect resting spot.

Above me having given them the bones at 8am & below is where I found them at midday - outside the dog door that leads to their bedroom (bones are forbidden inside)

We've been enjoying the cricket - first the T20s & ODIs with India, and now the Big Bash, where we barrack for the Melbourne Stars & have been members for the 10 years that this fun competition has been in existence. However, it will be wonderful to see the Pink Ball Day/Night Test which starts in Adelaide on Thursday - the first one we have missed. We are not ready for travelling interstate or big crowds yet, especially with International Arrivals bringing COVID-19 back into Victoria. 

After we watched the Melbourne Stars beat the Sydney Thunder & saw a few overs of the Melbourne Renegades, who were in control against the Perth Scorchers, we all headed off to bed. However, Lewis & Morse couldn't sleep for thinking about their bones & spent the night burying & unearthing one bone as the other had gone missing. Wes spent a lot of time getting up & rousing at them when they barked in excitement. Needless to say they were very subdued on the walk this morning & are sound asleep as I write this. Wes might also have to catch up on some sleep later today!

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 6th December 2020

                 
Thank you all for the lovely feedback I received from last week's Dispatch. It's great to know you enjoy reading about our doings. When I left you last, we were about to head off to the Sunday Market, where masks were compulsory, but not everyone was obeying. We got there extra early, which helped, as it wasn't too busy. 

Breakfast at the Food Gallery was delightful - there were nine of us, including Sue Longley, who was there for the first time. She & Sandy Angliss hit it off & chatted and laughed together. Wes was down one end where lots of funny stories were told & Judi kept my end of the table amused with her latest pond story. 

After my usual chat with Leanne, we all hopped in the car & headed for Ballarat to collect spirits at Dan Murphy, where the staff will rarely win any awards for best service, and then to Officeworks to pick up some more clear floor protectors. Of course they were out of stock, so we came back home & Wes was able to order them online.

Quite a few things have changed for us this Christmas as a result of COVID-19 isolation and one is the realisation that we would prefer to make our Annual Donation to the Salvation Army, after years of supporting the Guide Dogs. We have decided to have a Christmas tree after some years without one, and will be getting that sometime this week. Because we aren't in Adelaide for the Day/Night Test (being held in late December this year and we're not travelling anywhere just yet), we are on top of our Christmas cards (both actual & e-cards) and feeling much better about coping with decorations and the few gifts we will be buying as local thank yous or for pets of local friends. Some years I find this quite overwhelming, but Wes has been a big help and we've gone through each step together.

Lewis & Morse wondering how they got into this wire enclosure, which was built to stop them from sticky-beaking at Glen next door from our joint fenceline - Lewis pushed up the wire for Morse & they both escaped!

We worked hard at School and got our Guest Room looking fresh & relaxing again. We had decided it was too busy, and removed nearly all the paintings & prints that were there, as well as the bookcase, that was a gift from Joan Testro. Under the house is filling up, but Wes is decluttering slowly, but surely - we feel as though we have moved as so many of our rooms look so very different. Photos to follow!

You can just see the gardener watering our cucumber plants, which are living next to the very beautiful Slim Dusty rose, a gift from Jan Pengilley

We've enjoyed quite a social week with Zoom chats with Mike & Linda, Leanne, Jeff, Terry, Kathy, Paul, Mike & Barry. As well Wes has chatted with friends on the phone, exchanged emails with lots of well-wishers & enjoyed the responses to our Christmas cards, letters & emails.

It is getting busier around the Lake, even early when we are walking - apart from Robert, who is on a stick & needs to walk early to avoid the crowds, and Barry, who likes to fish before too many people stop to chat; there are now quite a few runners, the odd walker with a dog - some friendly and on leads, some not. I have gone back to wearing disposable gloves & carrying a bag in which to place rubbish - a typical haul is a couple of masks, an odd sock, a pair of child's plastic shoes, umpteen tissues, a couple of drink cans & bottles, some chip wrappers and discarded doggie bags. I even found a plastic container of tomato sauce one morning!

We've been able to spend lots of time in the garden and I've been busy cutting our beautiful roses. I usually give Dene next door a bunch on Friday and had forgotten, only to discover he really wanted two bunches as they had visitors for the weekend. Fortunately, with 118 rose bushes (give or take), there were enough blooms for them as well as us!

One of many puzzling poses that Lewis & Morse assume while waiting for dinner time

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 29th November 2020

Last Sunday, after 23 days of no new COVID cases & no new deaths, Dan Andrews announced the further easing of restrictions for Victorians. Quite a few of us & our friends are very reluctant to completely abandon mask wearing outdoors, as it has been so successful in keeping us healthier than any other year in ages. 

Last week's Snoopy had the best reception ever - it's going to be very hard to follow! Wes tells me it was Lewis to a T.

We enjoyed a noisy but happy breakfast with Sandy, David, Judi, Janine, Glen & Rhonda, where we laughed at Sandy's story of not being able to find Wombat Hill House in the Botanic Gardens (she was looking for a cafe, not a house!). Everyone had something to share & it was wonderful to be together doing something so very normal.

On Monday morning, we were wakened at 4.30am by two very excited Labradors bursting into our bedroom. We had left open the sliding door into the kitchen from outside & it was an easy matter for Lewis to slide the flywire screen across & invite Morse in with him. Wes got up & put them back to bed, where they sat looking very pleased with themselves, until it was time to go for our walk. It had bucketed down the afternoon & evening before, but we were able to get a lap of Lake Daylesford done before the rain returned. We had 23mls in total, not as much as some areas, where streets were flooded & trees uprooted. 

Our clothes dryer decided to give up the ghost over the weekend, so we headed into our local Mitre 10/Bi-Rite, to chat with Tim. It is 16 years since he installed our Westinghouse, which had caused no dramas over that time, but suddenly needed to be replaced. As well, Wes asked his advice about a hedge-trimmer and walked away the proud possessor of a Nikita battery- operated model. 

Front hedging with the new trimmer

While we were involved in School, which was the repositioning of artwork & photos in the study, Lewis & Morse found themselves in the guest room, which is off bounds. They spotted the holly sitting on the Christmas pudding & promptly snaffled it, fortunately leaving the pudding itself intact, although there were a few moments of horror when we saw the fake holly & berries sitting in pieces on the floor!

Judi & I had a most enjoyable breakfast at Muffins & More, and decided, if Kelly agrees, that we would love to resume our Mah Jong playing there next year at the end of January, when the school holidays are over. Everywhere has been scrubbed clean, all the cushions removed, the plants put outside & the games have vanished. 

We posted most of our Christmas cards during the week, because the mail has been so slow - this meant that some friends received theirs the next day! 

I've been busy confirming my various appointments for next year (subject to COVID-19 of course) - nails, hair & facials are all locked in, as well as Mah Jong games & deliveries. I am looking forward to seeing my sister, Leanne, again, but that won't be until February, once we see what has happened with the re-opening of State borders & the arrival of International travellers. I am hopeful that most of my regular Zoom chats will continue as I really enjoy keeping in touch with Leanne, Kathy, Karen, Joyce, Jeff, Terry & Jan that way. Thanks everyone for making this happen & giving me such support during this year. 

We're very happy with this corner of the study, which includes a beautiful abstract by George Jackson; my much-loved Japanese sewing box (thank you Jane & Sherryn), equally loved 'mad' teapot (thank you Cheryl) - both sitting on top of Viva's rosewood pianola rolls cabinet, and our quirky oak cabinet. Up on the right hand wall are our 40-year ALP Life Memberships.

Yesterday we had a visit from Jamie Grant of Fells Electrical Service as we have need a few small jobs done - power points replaced or added and an exhaust fan in the laundry. He has agreed to mount our clothes dryer on the wall for us, which is a big relief as we have been unable to find anyone to do that. All the handypersons are extremely busy with jobs for those of us who live here & have been at home finding out what needs doing, as well as those who have moved or are moving here from Melbourne. Lewis & Morse were delighted to see Jamie again, as we sometimes meet very early in the morning when he and a mate are cycling around Lake Daylesford.

Dogwood in full bloom with our one beautiful rhododendron - you can just see the tomato plants on the left which are thriving too

Last night, we were very disappointed when the Melbourne Stars were completely outplayed by the Sydney Thunder in the Final of the WBBL, after a wonderful competition, where the Stars were easily the best team. However, the Thunder brought more enthusiasm with their skill, and looked the winners from the very first ball they bowled. Congratulations to everyone involved - it's been great to watch. 

It was wet & windy at 5.30am today, so we gave the walk a miss, fed the boys early & I went back to bed with a pot of tea & the Sunday Age. It's a lovely way to start the day and I really appreciated the extra rest. The rain seems to have died down and we're heading off to the Sunday Market, before breakfast with seven other friends at the Food Gallery. 😋😋

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd November 2020

We started our week with a lovely catch up breakfast on Sunday morning after the Market. Daylesford had been bustling with visitors (they're the ones not wearing masks) and it was such a thrill to sit out of sight at the back of the Food Gallery & spend time with Judi, Glen, Sandy, David & Rhonda. We had so much to talk about as this was the largest gathering most of us had been in since March.

On Monday, we tackled re-arranging our study before attempting to change the paintings, posters and certificates on the walls. It was quite a big exercise, but we are very pleased with the end result. Wes had been working on a table that Viva had given him, an old dining table with a central leaf that vanishes underneath when you don't need it. He decided to try using his old-fashioned timber desk and is enjoying the change. We moved the bar fridge out to under the house, shifted two filing cabinets, the Jason recliner & two cupboards & have given ourselves a lot more room than we had before. 

We had to go out & buy Lewis & Morse a new comfy bed, and we also bought some clear heavy duty plastic sheets to protect the cork tiling, as well as replenishing Jamieson & Hendricks decanters. While all this was happening, Judi dropped off a large jar of her cumquat marmalade, Australia Post delivered two boxes of red wine from South Australia, two friends messaged to change appointments, and we missed our regular Zoom chat with the Kirbys as the time difference between Victoria & Queensland played havoc with our diaries. 

Top - my desk; Centre - dining table under the Map of the World, and Bottom - Wes's desk & recliner

I've had a few chats - two Zooms with Leanne; a lovely long Skype with Jeff in Torksey Lock; another Zoom with Kathy Lazzaro and a few local phone calls. As well, Judi and I had brunch at Bad Habits Cafe at the Convent Gallery, where we were beautifully spoiled by Marija, who has worked there as long as I can remember. Judi had asked if she could bring some loose-leaf Jasmine tea, and that was a lovely surprise for me. We shared a big teapot and sat happily for over an hour in a private corner with a gentle breeze & a stunning view. 

Tuesday was Wes's birthday. The boys and I had noticed that he wasn't enjoying reading recently, so Lewis picked up a copy of Hilary Mantel's The Mirror & the Light, and Morse sent away for a Bernard Cornwell trilogy - The Warlord Chronicles (a story of Arthur). These were much appreciated when given! I have a tradition of buying Sweet Decadence chilli chocolates (as these were made by Alan & Kaye Harrison by request from Wes back when he was Mayor). Wes's main gift is a hedge trimmer, which he gets to choose himself.

We enjoyed a lovely day - garden in the morning, followed by a trip into Vincent Street to get fresh prawns from Daylesford Fish Supply (Closed - Gone Fishing for a fortnight) & Stilton from Winespeake (none - we used to have it, try a similar Australian product). The afternoon was spent in our newly re-organised study, finding new homes for bits & pieces, as we have removed three places where stuff could accumulate! 

That night, our neighbour, Glen, left a lovely bottle of St Hallett Black Clay Shiraz at our doorstep, with a slab of chocolate & a single red rose. We needed no encouragement to open the bottle at once, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the garlic prawns with asparagus that Wes cooked for dinner. We got stuck into a bottle of botrytis semillon with the cheese & chocolate, and needed a couple of days without drinking to recover!

Wes has enjoyed a Climate Change webinar; had a very successful chat with past Mayor,s & a final Zoom with Paul, Barry & Mike wrapping up the US election and discussing how superior the health systems in the UK & Australia are compared to the US. 

We were invited next door for morning tea by Rob Griffin and it was just delightful to sit out on his balcony with a pot of tea and treats and chat for 30 minutes or so - the sort of thing we used to do quite often in the past. 

This year, Wes and I have jointly written our Christmas letter, which will be going out in our Christmas cards or by email, which will probably be more reliable! We have made use of the compressed dining table to set out the cards & write them when we feel like it. In the past I would carry everything upstairs to our dining table, but this is much more efficient!

Morse & Lewis getting used to their new roomy study bed

Yesterday I made our Christmas pudding. The house is still full of that delightful aroma of hot fruit, butter & rum. Wes spent the morning in the front garden before it got too hot & he retreated inside for a break. Daylesford is busy again this weekend, so we have been avoiding Vincent Street, and even though I am keen to visit our new shop - Blake Family Grocers - I'm happy to wait until tomorrow after School. 

We had decided to take box quinella on the Ballarat Cup, the final meeting of the Spring Racing Carnival & asked Squiz & Danny for their picks. Danny picked 17 (Irish Flame) as it used to be his Preston YCW footy jumper number, Squiz picked no 2 (Harlem), Wes went for the favourite & local horse no 10 (Affair to Remember) and I picked no 4 (Junipal) as it was one of the fancies. No 17 beat no 10 in an exciting finish, with no 2 just edged out of 3rd spot. We had the quinella twice ($87) & were a whisker off the trifecta (which paid over $2,000 - I had taken a 50c trifecta without telling anyone and $250 each was looking good until the very finish). It was a great finish to a fun carnival, made better by sharing bets with Squiz & Danny. Thank you both. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 15th November 2020

 

With apologies to everyone who missed the Snoopy cartoon last Sunday - Lewis & Morse would agree 100% with Snoopy

We enjoyed an enjoyable start to the week with a bustling, but COVID safe Sunday Market, followed by a delightful breakfast at The Food Gallery, where Pasquale & Toni had created a special space for locals behind a partition, next to the kitchen. We sat at the lovely oval table, which easily seats 6 and look forward to being able to gradually increase numbers as the restrictions ease. In fact, there will be 7 of us at breakfast this morning - a big crowd as far as the Maloneys are concerned!

As Victoria had registered its 9th day in a row of no new cases & no deaths, Premier Dan Andrews announced that all Victorians can visit each other & that premises can invite larger numbers than before. We are understandably nervous about the influx of visitors that Daylesford will receive, but so pleased that families will be able to visit each other again.

Wes & I both spent Sunday morning in the garden - me preparing the pots out the front for cucumber seedlings and him weeding, mulching, mowing & watering a good section of the back yard. Our strawberries are flowering profusely, all the lemon trees are looking better for being fed with chicken manure, the tomato plants all have flowers and the roses are plentiful enough for me to cut enough for vases. Bliss!

Irises, freesia roses, tomato seedlings & strawberries all thriving in our front yard

School on Monday was a continuation of our project to label, catalogue & rehang our artworks. When Sandra arrived to clean on Wednesday morning she really approved of the changes, especially at the front door & was delighted to know that all the paintings had been dusted & cleaned very recently. We should be able to start downstairs tomorrow, where we have to re-organise the hallway, guest bedroom & study. We are planning to shift the furniture in the study as well, so it will be a big job, taking some weeks yet. 

We have enjoyed some lovely Zoom chats - I've had three with Leanne and Wes has had two with Barbara in NZ. As well we both chatted with Jan Pengilley, & her daughter, Tara, in Maleny - a most amusing & stimulating discussion of local politics, Trump, 17th year old birthday parties with glimpses of Labradors (ours) in the background. I also had a good catch up with old friends, Kathy Lazzaro, Karen Stevenson & Joyce Spiteri, where we swapped stories of how we are feeling with the lessening of restrictions. I don't think I will feel really comfortable until I have been vaccinated against COVID-19 sometime next year. 

Beautiful fragrant old-fashioned roses on the dining table

Wes watched a webinar Book Launch by Dr Jenny Hocking, who has been campaigning for years for access to the Palace letters regarding the Whitlam dismissal. It is so disappointing to discover that the Queen & Prince Charles were involved and that due process wasn't observed. It remains a low point in Australian democracy. He also saw another poignant webinar interviewing non-Aboriginal Australians who were placed in orphanages, and the effect it had on them all these years later. The thought of going into aged care homes terrifies them & brings back memories of when they were a number, not a name, had very few possessions and had no choices in their lives. 

We had hoped to go for a family drive on Thursday, but I have been tiring easily for some reason (like doing too much), so we postponed our visit to Kyneton and I have spent most of my afternoons very quietly indeed. I am encouraged to pick roses, so you will be getting lots of photos of the vases over the coming months. 

Lewis & Morse have got us completely tricked with how they are able to remove plastic pots protecting our zucchini plants without touching the plants or wrecking the posts & wire netting set up to stop them from getting into the beds. My theory is that Lewis holds Morse's hind legs, so he can lean over and grab the pots. What do you think?

It was wonderful to spend time with Dot & John Smith over cuppas at Harvest Cafe. They were both looking well & have been, like us, very sensible during lockdown. We discussed their family as well as the possibility of Mah Jong restarting next year. Also, Wes received an unexpected & very welcome phone call from Adam Turner, Becky's husband, to thank us for the birthday cards we send. He loves being a grand-father to Emily's two beautiful girls, Violet & Matilda.

Took this photo yesterday afternoon - local kookaburra enhancing Rob & Dene's For Sale sign at 80 Duke Street

Daylesford Cup Carnival Dispatch - Sunday, 8th November 2020

It's been a fun & busy week once again. We started on Sunday with a good early walk, followed by the Market, and then breakfast with Judi & Janine, where there was plenty to discuss including pond sagas, the future of working in offices, Janine's visit to Camperdown, ours to Trentham and the lack of relevancy that we are all feeling as we get older & operate in old-fashioned ways compared to the younger generations. It has always been so and we are certainly experiencing it now. 

On Monday morning, I was able to spend time with Fiona (Annie's daughter) and Maisie, before they left for Fremantle on Thursday morning. We had toasted sandwiches at Larder & discussed her time here in Daylesford, where she gave Annie a wonderful treat every day of her life. 

Maisie trimmed & ready for her big adventure

Back home, we chatted to Mike & Linda Kirby, who have just celebrated their 24th wedding Anniversary & whose daughter, Lauren, turned 21 on Cup Day. They told us they had been invited to a Cup Day lunch at the complex where they live, with the proviso that they don't bring any Melbournians with them. We're all not sure that any Melbournians have been allowed into Queensland, as their borders are closed to Victoria! 

We enjoyed Cup Day by putting on a $5 bet on each race & sharing in an 8-horse quinella shouted by Danny Millman. Wes, Squiz, Danny & I all chose two horses, but we didn't put the eventual winner into it. We had a couple of collects ourselves and ended up $11 in the black. It has been strange to watch the Carnival being run without crowds & Fashion in the Fields was held off-course in parks & homes. 

In between race days, we spent our time watching the US election results & being amazed at the incredible support of Donald Trump by American voters. Wes had a long chat with his Pom & Yank friends early in the day, while I did my Wednesday morning deliveries & finished by meeting Judi at Harvest Cafe for a very yummy late breakfast of mushrooms on toast. We then investigated Daylesford's newest shops - Cedar & Sage and The Farmer's Wife, before checking out the wine & cheese offerings in Winespeake. 

We woke on Thursday to find that Biden had all but won the election, much to Trump's disgust & disbelief. Wes drove Annie's daughter, Fiona, and dog, Maisie, to Melbourne Airport to catch a flight to Fremantle. I did the supermarket shopping and then gave Lewis & Morse birthday bones. Can't believe they are already two!

Lewis & Morse waiting for their lunch treat of biscuits with Vegemite

Our Oaks Day tipping wasn't very successful, but we did enjoy some good racing & exciting finishes. The Oaks winner, Personal, is a beautiful looking horse and should be a star for some years to come. 

It was a mixed bag this week as far as gardening goes - the boys unearthed all the wet newspaper that I had laid under the sugar cane mulch & strewed it around the yard, their decking & their bedroom AKA the laundry; 7 of the 8 scarlet runner beans are thriving; I planted 6 tomato plants in the front where we can use snail bait and am hopeful they are in a better spot than last year's plants & will give us a better crop; the roses are coming out singly, but it won't be long before I can cut enough for serious big vases of colour; the grass is starting to cover the racing track, and everywhere offers exciting glimpses of colour & growth. 

Beautiful positioning in the front garden of the weeping Japanese maple with a very pretty mauve flowering bush behind it

As well, yesterday, while I watched all our selections get pipped at the post on Stakes Day, Wes spent most of the afternoon making the zucchini beds impregnable & then took some large pots out the front as I want to try growing cucumbers. Squiz had shouted us & Danny quinellas on all the races & we ended up ahead, mostly thanks to an unexpected win by Sansom in the Chattam Stakes. 

We've woken this morning to the news that Joe Biden has won Pennysylvania and now has enough electoral votes to become the next President. What a relief!

Daylesford Cup Carnival Dispatch - Sunday, 1st November 2020

Last Sunday was freezing cold and it started to rain as we were walking around Lake Daylesford, so we only did one lap, which was more than enough for everyone! The stall-holders were suffering at the Sunday Market as they tried to make sure their tents stayed secure. Yvonne was in good spirits and greeted her locals happily, while praying that visitors didn't arrive too early, so she could get all her produce out.

    Wes watching the grand Final with Morse & Lewis on his lap

Sunday Breakfast at the Food Gallery was most enjoyable. We were joined by Glenda Rozen, our very first Daylesford friend, who sold us 78 Duke Street, when no other Estate Agent was interested in listening to us. Glenda's husband, Joe, was unable to come as he can't walk any distance at present. We'll have to visit him soon and catch up. Conversations ranged over all sorts of topics - Janine had been to the village of Great Western and loved the wineries there; we talked about our trip to Guildford; Glenda is a Geelong supporter & we debriefed about the Grand Final the night before, as well as discussing great meals, the local Good Grub Club, Trump, China & Chinese medicine.

We came home and I mananged, in spite of the wind, to weed the Freesia Rose garden bed. I put newspaper down & covered it in sugar cane mulch in the hope of preventing most of the weeds from re-appearing. I watered it in well as the wind was very strong and was pleased it had stayed intact overnight.

On Monday morning we headed on a family drive to Ballarat to a specialist shoe shop, Faull's, where I was fitted for a new pair of Rockport everyday shoes. I have been wearing the same Hush Puppies Body Shoes for at least 30 years & my latest pair were hurting my feet. When I visited my podiatrist last week, she instantly knew that Hush Puppies had changed the shape of the shoes & that they were no longer suitable for me, especially with my orthotics & wide feet. I hope to collect my new shoes in a week or so, after being very impressed with Pauline at Faull's.

We had School on Tuesday morning, where Wes photographed many of the paintings that are in position upstairs, while I cleaned & affixed labels to the back of a dozen or so that we moved. We completely re-organised the main bathroom Artworks & ran out of time to look at the laundry & lounge. We knew this project would take time & we are happy to do it slowly but well. 

It was 30 years this month since I last drank a cup of coffee. We took Danny Millman & Jan McClean to the 1990 Cox Plate, started the day with a jug of martinis, and finished by singing raucously in the Silks Lounge. When I surfaced the next morning, Wes brought me a coffee & I couldn't bear the smell of it! Thank God I wasn't turned off bubbles, or wine or something that really mattered - Jasmine tea was already a favourite & it has hit the spot ever since. 

Jan, Wes, Danny & Karen in the Silks Lounge after the race meeting was long finished! We were celebrating Collingwood's Premiership (after a 32 year drought)

We're having one of those months where things need replacing - the rice cooker bowl lost its non-stick coating, the ducted heating vents all cracked, the vacuum cleaner misbehaved, the clothes dryer lint filter went to pieces and we started to run out of wine! Fortunately all these things are solvable and parcels seem to be delivered much more quickly than letters & cards. 

Judi & I had lunch at Cliffy's, which was most enjoyable. Judi had rung & booked a 1pm slot indoors, where spatial distancing was observed, and a very enticing menu was on offer. We both had eggs - hers were Turkish style & mine was an omelette. Both meals were very yummy & we caught up on each other's news, after not chatting for a week. 

On Thursday, after Kathy Lazzaro & I enjoyed a lovely Zoom catch-up, we all hopped in the car & drove to Trentham. We stopped at Trentham Falls, where it is impossible to get anywhere near as close to the water as it used to be. The boys were excited to be somewhere different & there was only one other car, nowhere near us. 

Afterwards we went to Chaplin's at the Muse for morning tea. It was lovely to sit on the front lawn in the sun with yummy carrot cake slices & hot drinks. Lewis & Morse couldn't settle once we had our cake, so they spent some time in the car before we joined them & drove home after touring around Trentham & marvelling at all the new homes built or being built. 

Me with Lewis & Morse outside Chaplin's at the Muse

On Friday morning we re-introduced socialising Lewis & Morse outside The Food Gallery. This wasn't as successful as we would have liked as both boys reacted to any dog coming within cooee of them. They obviously need some more training. As for people - our friend & fellow Labrador-lover, George Jackson, a large man, was nearly bowled over by their affectionate greeting for him. 

Yesterday we started our morning with a lovely breakfast with our neighbours, Rob & Dene, at Larder. They have put their home on the market and are looking for their next place to live. We will miss them but are excited for them & what the future holds!

While we were away Lewis & Morse worked out how to get under the wire protecting our zucchini beds and slurped the beer and ate the eggshells that I had placed there earlier to deter snails. Wes is now considering Plan B!

Morse sleeping it off!

Wes had invited Mate & Squiz to join us in choosing horses for Derby Day quinellas, which allowed for a small outlay of $13.50 per head. Our first collect was $3.30, which wasn't quite what we were looking for, however, our second, $7.80 was more like it. Sadly, that was the end of our collects, but it was a great day's racing with Cup Day, Oaks Day & Stakes Day all beckoning.

Derby Day roses - our first vase for Spring