Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 28th November 2021

 

Snoopy being brutally honest!

We started our week with a memorable lunch with old friend, Bob White, at Blackwood Ridge Nursery & Café. It was lovely to be there again & spend time together over a stunning meal. As we left, we couldn't resist buying a gorgeous purple clematis, after seeing how well they have grown next door at Glen's place. 

Wes, Karen & Bob in the Garden Room

It's been a big week for Zooming - Mike & Linda Kirby in Hope Island; Jeff Hoolihan in Lincolnshire; Leanne in Strathmore twice; Terry Borg in Burwood, and Karen Stevenson in her new home in Port Melbourne. As well, Wes has been in touch with Barbara Simpson in New Zealand twice; had a good chat with his Overseas Friends, and watched a poetry book launch in India. 

School on Monday was quite dramatic - we had decided to look at all the other options available on Google, just in case there was something we didn't know about & might love as much as Keep. There wasn't, but we realised we were frustrated by Google Travel, which is great at putting your trip details into your Calendar, but which doesn't allow you to share a trip until it is completed! This is most annoying as we each book items on our own desktops & we would like to be able to share this information. We decided to see what our old friend, Steve Dotto, thought & he told us he prefers to use Tripit, which allows you to fully share, as well as permitting viewers, who can't make any changes. This is most useful for when we need to let neighbours or family know when & where we will be away. So we took the plunge & are hopeful that it will be a useful tool. 

The other drama in the week was the arrival of Lewis & Morse in our bedroom at 4.30am one morning. We had forgotten to slide over the heavy glass door onto the decking & it is obvious that Lewis tries to open the doors when he wakes up & this time he was successful, as the flywire screen is a doddle. Needless to say they were escorted, singing & dancing, out of our room & back to their own bedroom until 5.25am, which is the offical getting up time. 

Lewis & Morse paying attention for a change

We've had enough rain for the roses to be looking stunning again. Wes worked hard pruning & feeding them & all that TLC is bearing fruit as we are able to pick enough for a couple of vases ourselves & another for Dene each week, as well as a few when we visit Leanne. 

The Hepburn Shire Council has made a couple of disappointing decisions this week - firstly to abandon all plans to finish the renovation of The Rex, which was to house Council officers, the Library, the Information Centre & the Cinema. The second was to discontinue aged care & disability care services. Both these decisions are upsetting and mystifying. Why does the Council exist if not for the welfare of its residents?

Yesterday was a very special day - we had been invited to the family lunch celebration of Joyce & Manny Spiteri's 50th Wedding Anniversary at an Italian restaurant in Coburg. We were so thrilled to be there, catching up with Joyce & Manny & their kids - Mark, Shane, Matthew & Jessica - their partners - Grace, Melinda, Sara & Geoff & the eight grandkids, three of which we had only seen in photos. We first met Joyce at the start of 1973, when she was working in the Productivity Promotion Council (which was part of the Dept of Labour) & we've been good friends ever since - being made welcome at all their family celebrations. Joyce was the first person we employed when we opened our Insurance Broking business.

Joyce & Manny cutting their cake

This morning, after the Sunday Market, we are meeting another pair of old friends, Kathy & Gerard Lazzaro, for brunch at the Convent Gallery. They rang to see if we were free for a visit & we were delighted to say yes. I first met Kathy in September 1972 & she & Ged have also involved us in their family, even allowing me to take their first-born, David, to the footy from the age of 4 (to barrack for Collingwood of course).

Finally, we were amazed to receive a very generous parcel from Rosanna & David during this week. Rosanna worked for us at Maloney Insurance Brokers, even though she wasn't a mother of four - like Joyce & Karen Stevenson. A highlight in the parcel was a pair of Christmas pillowslips for Lewis & Morse - they were thrilled to have something other than hand-me-downs 🤣🤣

 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 21st November 2021

We started our week with a visit to Leanne after the Sunday Market and had such a good run there & back, we decided Sundays could be the best day for visiting. The three of us achieved quite a bit, especially as there hadn't been anyone from NDIS for 10 days. 

On Monday, we both had medical appointments in different parts of Ballarat at different times of the morning, so abandoned any thoughts of School and set off - me at 9.15am & Wes about an hour later. I had to have a bone density scan in Howitt Street & was lucky enough to get a park outside. Wes had an ECG in one of the many offshoots of St John of God Hospital. He managed a haircut on the way at the $10 barber & came home about 90 minutes after me. Lewis & Morse were pleased to see me arrive home, but that was nothing to the reception he received 🤣🤣.

It's been a quiet week for Zoom chats - I spoke with Leanne twice as well as Kathy; and Wes had his usual catch ups with Barbara, who bought him a Lotto ticket as New Zealand lost the T20 World Cup Final. What a win that was - the Kiwis must have been very confident after Kane Williamson's stunning innings, but David Warner & Mitch Marsh in particular had other ideas and won with 7 balls to spare. 

On Tuesday, Wes spent time with Gillie Gough, while I had a catch up with Nick Massaro, who retired from massaging a year ago. I do miss him & our monthly chat & it was good to see him looking so well & happy & busy in retirement. We went to Muffins & More, where we were warmly greeted & Kelly thought she had missed a day and that I was there for Mah Jong.

Wednesday was Wes's birthday - I had organised a box of Charles Melton Rose of Virginia rosé - his favourite tipple & it arrived the day before, which was perfect. Lewis & Morse gave him a bottle of Edradour whisky, another favourite, and we celebrated with high tea at the Convent Gallery in company with his great-nephew, Kyahl, and his wife, Lauren. Kyahl is a director of short films, as well as an stage actor/singer & Lauren organises Speakers and Conferences for Melb Uni on Sex Discrimination and Equal Opportunity. Here is a link to one of Kyahl's recent short films, called Ripples - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7vaBJzbgvM

Loz, Kyahl, Wes & Karen upstairs at the Convent Gallery

On Thursday we settled back to normal life - Wes washed both cars after tackling the frog pond in the front garden. I had a good chat with Kathy Lazzaro and headed into town for a few chores afterwards. 

The rest of the week was similar - the garden got much of our attention, and once everywhere was mowed, it all looked good. There were enough roses for us & Dene next door, now that the weather is getting warmer. 

Yesterday we overdosed on WBBL cricket - the last weekend before the finals, and had a unsuccessful mystery trifecta on the Ballarat Cup, the last official day of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival. You can see the interest from Morse & Lewis below.

Today we are off to the Sunday Market on a cold, but sunny morning. Later we are driving to Trentham to pick up Bob White & the three of us are having lunch at Blackwood Ridge Garden Room Restaurant, where Wes & I celebrated our Anniversary back in June, just after the terrible storms. We are thrilled to be returning to this exciting boutique set menu dining room in the middle of nowhere!

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 14th November, 2021

 

Our week started well with a walk around Lake Daylesford followed by the Sunday Market, where we purchased lots of fruit & vegetables, eggs, huge dog bones & chilli olives. Afterwards we met Judi & Janine for breakfast at Koukla, where we wrestled with the QR code menu & enjoyed each other's company, if not the meals & drinks. We decided when we got back home that it would be best to put the Breakfast Group into hibernation until after Christmas when we might once again be able to go to the Woodshed Cafe. It may be that after 16 years the weekly breakfast has outlived its usefulness & it might be time to look at different ways of catching up - even just monthly. 

On Monday's School, we watched a lecture from the Wheeler Centre on the Australian poet, Judith Wright. The lecture was given by another Australian poet, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, who we both first met at Melbourne Uni. He read her poems beautifully & gave us an insight into the influences that drove her work. 

Wes got stuck into the garden for much of the week - bulk weeding, mowing, trimming & admiring. We picked our first little bunch of roses & I was able to give our neighbour, Dene, a small bouquet as well. Meanwhile, I fed all the vegetables & herbs, staked the tomatoes & removed the snails wherever I found them. 

We've been busy with Zoom chats again this week - Wes spoke with Barbara twice; enjoyed a long discussion with the Jackson 8, and had a good catch up with his cousins; as well I chatted twice with Leanne as well as Jeff in Lincolnshire, Jan in Maleny and Kathy & Karen in Melbourne. I just love this way of staying in touch - so much more personal than a phone call. 

Our neighbour, Glen Tandberg, invited us in to her backyward to celebrate the safe arrival of Marlowe. Dene was in Melbourne, but Rob was able to join in and we had a wonderful time drinking Peter Rumball Sparkling Shiraz, nibbling on cheese & bikkies, and chatting. It was a lovely normal thing to do. As we left, we were shown around her new kitchen, which is a beautiful renovation of a very basic, old, neglected space.

On 11th November, our local Federal MP, Catherine King, had asked us to lay a wreath on her behalf at Daylesford Cenotaph. This is a very low-key ceremony compared to ANZAC Day, when there is a march & many more wreaths. We did have a lone piper and young girls from the two state schools sang Advance Australia Fair when the soloist didn't turn up.                                                                      

                                        

Cr Jen Bray & Mayor, Lesley Hewitt laying a wreath outside the Daylesford Cenotaph, &

me wearing a knitted poppy with one of Fraser Gibson's Army coat buttons in the middle

As well, I have fitted in a manicure with Juls and a fringe trim with Lyndal - both appointments occured in their homes, where each has a dedicated studio. Juls starts talking the minute you enter & doesn't stop until she is walking you out the door so she can help you with your seatbelt. Lyndal has already put in a big morning before I see her at 9.30am, as she cares for & races trotters with her father, Glenn. They feed, groom, and walk the horses each morning & she finds it much easier to be ready for her first client now that she doesn't have to travel into her former salon in Howe Street. 

The other big excitement this week was the arrival of two boxes of Google pixel buds. As a Telstra Plus customer, I had enough points to redeem these upmarket items & we have had fun connecting them to our phones, computers & TVs. Wes is finding them a big help when he is Zooming with a few people - the sound is clearer as it comes straight into his ears. He can also listen to stuff on Spotify while I am writing this for example, & don't want to be distracted. We haven't quite mastered the art 100%, but we are learning and enjoying the experience!

During a particularly wet afternoon, I watched a delightful 90 minute film, recommended by Karen Stevenson, called This Beautiful Fantastic. Not a blokes' film by any means, but a quirky fun story, starring Tom Wilkinson among others. It's on SBS On Demand, (under Comedy) & available until 28th November if you are interested. 

We're off to visit Leanne again this morning after the Sunday Market. It will be lovely to see her again after only a fortnight. Among other things, we'll probably have a chat about Australia's chances against New Zealand in tonight's T20 World Cup Final. The 1am starting time makes it a bit hard to watch - we'll have to wake up to the news tomorrow.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday 7th November 2021

We had a wonderful trip to Strathmore last Sunday morning to visit Leanne. After the Sunday Market, we came home, put everything away, gave the boys huge marrow bones & set off in Pearl, with fingers & toes crossed. We were in luck, there wasn't too much traffic either way & we only saw three hoon drivers & they were all in Strathmore! I had found the first 5 roses to pick & we went down bearing gifts, only to receive even more. Leanne was excited & had baked a carrot cake in our honour. Wes took her car for a spin & filled it up with petrol, thinking to get it washed as well, but the carwash broke down just as he started & was going to be out of action for some hours. Glen very kindly kept an ear & eye out for Lewis & Morse & they were waiting on the dog decking when we returned. 

A lovely photo of arms & legs akimbo for those who like the challenge of finding whose limbs are where!

We decided to walk around the Botanic Gardens on Monday morning for a change, especially as I hadn't seen them for some weeks & they are looking so beautiful with irises, rhodadendrons & azaleas in profusion. Wes took this great photo as we got back to the car. 

On Tuesday we decided to keep with our 4-horse quinellas & were lucky enough to have 4 collects, including the Melbourne Cup, where the stunning Verry Elleegant was too good for the raging favourite, Incentivise, & won by 4 lengths. We had that quinella, but even if we hadn't we would have been just as thrilled as she is such a classy horse. 

Dot, Judi & I finally met again for Mah Jong on Wednesday & were pleased to see Muffins & More doing a roaring trade, mostly with locals, although there were some visitors. Kelly met them at the door & made sure they had checked in & were double vaccinated. We had a fun time, even though we were a bit rusty after all these weeks. 

After 40mls of rain in less than 24 hours, we were glad to wake to a dry, but windy morning on Thursday. After chatting with Kathy & Karen, I headed into town with a list of chores, all of which I achieved. Everyone I spoke to had been busy on the long weekend, but were expecting to be even busier this weekend. Wes & I continued with our 4-horse quinellas on Oaks Day. We were successful with two and thoroughly enjoyed another wonderful day of racing. 

While I was sitting at my desk on Friday, this kookaburra perched on Fawlty Towers for about 30 minutes

Wes was keen to get lots of weeding done after 40mls of rain & everywhere out the front is looking so much better for his work. I planted some basil around the tomatoes & we continued to pick bush peas from our four plants that are so prolific. Lewis & Morse turned 3 on Friday, so we gave them dog biscuits covered in Vegemite & sang Happy Birthday with Leanne on Zoom participating. She couldn't sing for laughing! 

I think all of Australia rejoiced when we woke on Wednesday to the news that 6-year old Cleo had been found safe & sound in Carnarvon. After 19 days, we were all sure that she was dead & this news was wonderful. Even the Western Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, was photographed visiting her at home when she was released from hospital. He gave her two teddies, named Cameron & Rod after the policemen that found her, but she wasn't impressed with those names!

Yesterday was busy early with a lovely walk around Lake Daylesford followed by overdue baths for Lewis & Morse. We picked our horses for the final meeting (Stakes Day) of the Flemington Carnival & watched in amazement as we got the first three quinellas & were in the black early. It was another great day of racing & we've enjoyed being able to watch it and think about all the Carnivals we were lucky enough to see in person.

After the Sunday Market, we're off to Koukla to catch up with Judi & Janine - our first Breakfast Group meeting for quite some time. Most of the regulars are spending time with their family either here or interstate, now that we can finally travel again. 

Our neighbour, Glen, meeting her latest grand-daughter, Marlowe, for the first time yesterday