We started our week with a good visit to the Sunday Market, after our walk around Lake Daylesford. There were plenty of cars in the main carpark at 5.45am, probably sensible drivers deciding to get taxis home after a big night at Boathouse. There were 7 of us at breakfast at Woodshed Café, where most of us chose the late special of interesting mushrooms on toast! We have decided to keep going with this café as they let us book & seem to be very amenable to whatever we ask - Judi & I brought some Jasmine tea & they were happy to serve it to us.
Afterwards, Judi came back to our place to start work on the 'hole in the wall' in our bedroom. Lewis & Morse were thrilled to see her and had to be locked out so she could get cracking. We are very grateful to her for doing this job for us - repairing this large hole is beyond us.
We were spoilt for choice with sport - during the morning the Kiwis blasted us to smithereens in the 5th & deciding T20 in front of a crowd, which was lovely for those who were in Wellington watching live again. This was followed by the Carlton AFLW playing & easily accounting for Geelong AFLW & then the big game between Collingwood AFLW & the Western Bulldogs AFLW at Victoria Park. The Pies were goalless at half-time after a spirited second quarter by the Doggies, but we came out a different team and won easily, which was unexpected and very pleasing. We are still sitting on top of the ladder, with three tough games to go.
Our favourite players - Top - Chloe Molloy for Collingwood & Below- Maddy Prespakis for Carlton
This was one of the quietest long weekends we have spent in Daylesford without the ChillOut Parade...apart from being wakened at 1am on Monday by a burst of fireworks, which lasted for a couple of minutes. On Monday morning, when we were walking around Lake Daylesford (collecting rubbish), I found an empty container which had held 36 fireworks. They had been set off near one of the small jetty/picnic areas & the evidence left there.
Later I went to the pharmacy to collect our prescriptions & town was buzzing with lots of revellers eating late breakfasts and descending upon all the shops wise enough to open on the Labour Day Public Holiday, which is also International Women's Day. If Viva was still alive, and had survived without contracting COVID-19, she would have been 99. She was always so proud that her birthday fell on the 8th March, and that we had a female Prime Minister who sent her congratulations on her 90th birthday.
Lovely photo of Leanne & Viva around Christmas 2004
During School this week, we decided, looking at our finances, and planning for the next 10-12 years, that we will investigate the Australian Centrelink Reverse Mortgage, which would allow us to have a couple more overseas trips (once it is safe to do so) and would help the remaining partner (if one of us should die unexpectedly), to stay in our home until that one is ready to downsize. We feel very relieved having made that choice, as we want to stay where we are - at least for the lifetime of Lewis & Morse.
Wes has been busy painting again this week - finishing off the underneath of the dog decking & getting started on the external study door & surrounding area. He is getting more confident with his painting & doing a good job - giving everywhere a much-needed fillip. He's also been gardening, cleaned out our frog pond, repaired one of our chairs & spent hours on Ancestry, as well as preparing for his fortnightly International Zoom. He still Skypes with Barbara twice a week, does just about all the cooking & is in charge of spoiling Lewis & Morse with massages & treats.
Morse, Lewis & friend have a sleep after their dinner
We have looked at Solar Panels as a result of an approach by the Hepburn Shire asking if we would be interested. We went a long way down the path until we discovered that our 17-year old home has a Heritage Overlay and we would need a permit to continue. While we waited for such a permit to be discussed, the quota for the year was filled, and we have lost interest!
On Thursday morning just before Wes was due to host a chat with his International friends, his computer decided to have a hissy fit, and we had to make a quick change of plans. He moved into the Guest Bedroom, where I had the laptop set up for my 9am Zoom with Kathy Lazzaro, and I stayed in the study & was able to use my computer instead. We both enjoyed excellent chats - Wes got a lot out of the second long discussion on India's place in the world, and Kathy inspired me to clean out the surplus cutlery & tea-towel drawers. I put aside all the stainless steel pieces for St Vincent's op shop and all the threadbare tea-towels for Sandra, who uses them as rags.
As well, I went for my first walk around Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens since Annie Smith died. I used to walk Maisie there sometimes, so there were lots of memories, going back to much earlier times as well - me, Casper, Annie, David & Woody.
Glimpses of the cool, green fernery at the Gardens
To finish off this interesting day, we had a power outage around 7pm, which no doubt caused angst in the local restaurants & those of us with electrical cooking only. We had decided on sandwiches for dinner, which needed no power, and, after giving the boys a cuddle, had an early night. I got up at 9pm when the power came back on to turn off lights & turn on the dishwasher.
Greg, the local IT whiz, returned Wes's computer on Saturday morning, having installed a much quicker hard drive, so he is delighted. Greg arrived just as we had both started painting - Wes was up a ladder doing the outside window frames of the study, I was on the floor staining steps into the study & the boys were prancing around post their baths trying hard not to get in our way. All the radios in the house were playing loudly so we could hear the Coodabeen Champions on the ABC. So long as he got his cash Greg wasn't fazed by any of this!
This morning we are taking Lewis & Morse to the Sunday Market, their first trip back for a year. Yvonne has been very keen & we've found a spot where we can tie them up safely out of everyone's way. Fingers & toes crossed that it all goes well.
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