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
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