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