Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 29th October 2023

 
We're sure this is what Morse does 🤣

We had a wonderful week planned and had to cancel almost all of it, because neither of us was well enough to do much more than sit/lie around reading and sleeping. Thanks to everyone who coped with cancelled & postponed Zooms, and a special thanks to our neighbour, Glen, who offered daily to do anything she could to help us.

We realised last Monday that we were in no state to attend the ALP Life Members' function at State Parliament, nor the MCC 50-year Member lunch for members & guests, that we had accepted. Even if these events had been just around the corner, instead of 90 minutes travel away, we were both coughing too much to be welcome in polite society.

This stunning maple never disappoints in Spring

On Thursday morning we both woke up without razor blades in our throats and were very grateful for that small mercy, as it seemed to herald the good news that we had turned the corner. Wes got into the garden for a while and I stayed up & dressed beyond lunchtime.

Les came on Friday morning to finish off his work with us by painting all the areas he had been replastering etc. He also fixed a cupboard door handle and a small issue with the dishwasher. Wes discovered that he was in the market for a lawnmower, so gave him our spare one, which thrilled Les to bits. He has only a small amount of lawn to mow, so this second-hand one will be perfect.

Our first little vase of roses 

Yesterday we spent watching the races from Moonee Valley as it was Cox Plate and what an exciting and wonderful race that was. We had a few each way bets, which added to the interest and didn't deplete our TAB account. We also caught up on AFLW games, and later on the ICC One Day World Cup match between Australia & New Zealand at the picturesque Dharamsala stadium, which Australia won by 5 runs in a nail-biting finish.

Morse caught up in Cox Plate excitement!

Today we are off to visit Leanne on our regular three-weekly visit. Wes has some planting to do in the garden bed he prepared last time, and I will be inside helping Leanne reorganise her pantry. We are both feeling well enough to do this, and especially because we know we can have a quiet afternoon on our return. home. 

Our pond in the front garden with reflections of gum trees

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd October 2023

 
Don't joke about food with Snoopy, Charlie Brown

Once again, I have had to cancel things this week, in the hope I would be well enough for this busy and exciting few days coming up. Everyone was very understanding when I couldn't Zoom, especially as I was still coughing, and I took another cycle of prednisolone to see if that would help, which it did for a while.

Wes & Morse enjoyed doing the Daylesford Market last Sunday - Yvonne loves it when Wes does the shopping as he is much more adventurous than me, and spends more money at her stall. He asked Ken to hold Morse while he shopped, and they both had fun with that. 

We were nervous about deliveries of our daily Age newspaper this week, as Steve has finally retired. In all our life in Daylesford, either Ken or Steve has delivered the newspapers, usually around 5.15am and usually as close as possible to the house. We have been very spoiled and when last Monday's paper didn't arrive until 10.30am, we were feeling very sad. However, there was an excuse of a car that broke down, and Tuesday's paper was there by 7am. The rest of the week has varied between 7.30 & 8.30am.

Wes presented me with the Maloney Cup after the Collingwood AFLW were too good for Carlton in our traditional clash

This beautiful wheelbarrow just keeps on producing colour

Finally, after 5 years, our wisteria - Double Japanese aka Black Dragon is blooming

The weather has been lovely this week, which has meant Wes has spent ages in the garden - weeding, trimming, mowing, staking, and finding new treasures each day. We are about to get some irises, the clematis has a new lease of life, all the rose bushes have buds, and the banksia rose & jasmine are happily covering the arches over the steps in the back garden. Our first rose has bloomed - the very beautiful Sir Donald Bradman, which is a very deep red hybrid tea rose with a stunning perfume. 

Yesterday, we were both unwell, did RATs, which were negative, and had a very quiet day. I managed to pick a few winners on Caulfield Cup day, but took them in quinellas & trifectas, and didn't show a profit after an exciting day's racing. This morning, Wes is well enough to go to the Daylesford Market, but I'm going back to bed as I can't stop coughing, which is a real nuisance, especially after a fortnight. It's raining lightly, which is another reason to stay inside. 

Lovely photo of Danny Millman catching up with Andrew Mengyel during the week

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 15th October 2023

 

Snoopy is a natural leader!

We had a great visit with Leanne alst Sundayand achieved heaps. She really enjoys sitting at the dining room table and chatting over coffee & apple scrolls, before Wes heads outside to dig, water & feed her garden. This time, he prepared a new bed, which faces the lounge window, and he hopes to plant more seaside daisies on our next visit. Leanne and I solved some computer issues, and started to tackle the garage, which needs tidying up again.

On Monday, after I had finished supermarket shopping, we three hopped into Sammy, and headed for Ballarat. We needed cash, grog, exercise bands, runners and to collect the laminated Grand Final posters. There is now one on our bedroom window, and the other I posted to Leanne. 

And that was the end of the week for me. I started feeling unwell that afternoon, went to bed and have been there ever since with a decent dose of bronchial asthma. I did a RAT just in case on Tuesday morning, but was clear, which was a relief as I wouldn't want to have infected Wes or Leanne!

Wes has been wonderful, as usual, cooking, cleaning, looking after Morse, mowing, weeding, answering the phone, and making sure I was well fed and watered. I took a course of prednisolone, which finished yesterday, and I am hopeful that I will be back to normal very soon. Thanks to everyone who coped with cancelled Zooms, postponed catch ups and a general lack of communication by me this week.

Morse keeping the armchair warm for Wes

We were very disappointed with the result of The Voice referendum, with only the ACT returning a majority YES vote. Wes did the first shift at Glenlyon Hall yesterday, where most of the voters were in favour of the proposition. He caught up with some old friends, met some characters and provided assistance where it was required.

Wes dressed for the early cold shift at Glenlyon

In the afternoon, while I watched the Caulfield races and AFLW footy matches, Wes discovered that through my paternal grandmother, Sarah Jane Kelly, my family is related to the Burmans, parents of one of the Three Lost Children, a famous Daylesford story. 

(Three children, William Graham (6 years 6 months) Thomas Graham (4 years) and Alfred Burman (5 years) wandered away on 30 June 1867 and were not found until 14 September 1867 at Musk Creek in the Wombat Forest. Three days after the disappearance at a public meeting over 100 horseman and approximately 600 pedestrians commenced an organised search.

Aboriginal trackers and dogs were used but previous searches had destroyed any traces. Shops were closed for 7 days and large numbers of people searched before they were called off. A dog of a local resident found a boot with a child`s foot in it, and it appeared that the children had sheltered near a large tree and had died of exposure and lack of nourishment. Over 1,000 people attended the funeral.)

Left, the Cairn put up by the Daylesford Historical Society, and right, the Gravesite in Daylesford Cemetery

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 8th October 2023

 
This is Morse!

Well, I left you last Sunday morning as I was heading back to The Hotel Windsor for another beautiful breakfast. There were lots of excited Collingwood supporters there busy debriefing on the Grand Final, which, if the press can be believed, is the best this century. We were all wishing that Daylight Saving hadn't started today of all days!

My current favourite Hotel Windsor breakfast - granola with poached fruit & coconut yoghurt

Wes and Morse picked me up at 10.15am and we were back in Daylesford 90 minutes later. The trip went quickly as we chatted about the footy almost non-stop. Morse was thrilled to see me, and had been looking around the house for me while I was in Melbourne. I unpacked, did a huge load of washing, and settled down for the replay, which Wes had recorded in its entirety. Then I read the weekend papers, and it was time for Champagne and dinner!

On Monday, after supermarket shopping, we had School, where we did our postal votes for the referendum; accepted invitations to attend an ALP Life Members' function at Parliament House, and sorted out logistics of the next couple of weeks. I took my GF posters to the local newsagency to have them laminated, but their machine was too small! The rest of my day was spent catching up on congratulatory messages and ironing, and just a little bit more replay.

Early Grand Final morning in the Fitzroy Gardens as I walked to join the queue for a seat

That night Wes cooked a whole rainbow trout perfectly and served it with Dutch Cream potatoes and broccolini. We demolished a bottle of Champagne and were very glad it was wet on Tuesday morning, as Morse was the only family member interested in a walk at 5.20am!

Spot the trout!

We both have had busy Zoom weeks - Wes spoke to Barbara in NZ twice, as well as his Overseas Friends, and a Family Tree Maker get-together. I chatted with Leanne on both Tuesday and Friday; had a lovely catch up with Jan in Maleny on Tuesday, and a footy-flavoured chat with Old Friends on Thursday after Wes finished his Overseas Zoom. 

As well, Judi & I played Mah Jong on Wednesday, and will be very sorry to say goodbye to Kelly when she leaves Muffins & More in a couple of weeks. Wes washed the floors that morning, and while they were drying, he and Morse drove to Ballarat to stock up on whisky, gin, tuna and Atlantic salmon. He took my Grand Final posters to be laminated, but the queue is so long they won't be ready until tomorrow. He also hoped to get a haircut, as the Daylesford barber has retired, and no-one took on the challenge. Sadly, the new owners of his preferred salon have increased the price, and he gave it a miss. 

On Thursday I visited Dr James Smith, who I am seeing while my usual GP, Ellie, has her second baby. I had been told about a medication, Ubinquinol, that was supposed to be helpful for energy levels, but James advised that there is no clinical evidence to support that. We decided not to even try it in case I had a similar experience to when I was on Naltrexone. He prescribed some anti-inflammatories for a strained ligament in my right foot, which was sustained on Preliminary Final day - still don't know how!

Wes's pride and joy in the front garden - two special azaleas

Our neighbour, Glen, had a very happy review with her surgeon, and she is now allowed to ditch her walker, wear the moon boot outside only, and start to think about driving again. She is so thrilled with this news, as are her family and friends, as she has been housebound more or less since mid-January. Wes has parked her car back outside her front gate, so she can sit in it and familiarise herself with it again. 

Yesterday was spent quietly in preparation for today's visit to my sister, Leanne, in Strathmore. Wes is planning to work on a further garden bed, and Leanne and I have a project or two to undertake. The Spring Racing Carnival started in earnest, so we watched a few races to see how some of the fancied horses will go over the next few weeks. (How good was last year's Melbourne Cup winner, Gold Trip!). As well, the AFLW is still on, and the One-Day International World Cricket Cup has started so there is plenty to occupy us, even though the AFLM has finished.

A corner of the backyard is looking wonderful with jasmine creeper covering an old gum trunk

Daylesford Grand Final Dispatch - Sunday, 1st October 2023

 
Well done, Woodstock!

This has been a wonderful week, and I found it hard to concentrate on everyday chores with the Grand Final looming. We were both sorry that footy had prevented us from attending Genevieve Spiteri's 18th birthday celebration, but her father, Matt, sent us a good selection of photos.

Proud parents - Sara Lacey & Matthew Spiteri with their daughters, Ava & Genna

Wes had a busy Sunday after the disappointment of the previous night - he finished writing a short story on one of his relatives, and, after cooking us a yummy smoked salmon spaghetti meal, hosted a Zoom on Planning in the Hepburn Shire. I was asleep by the time he came to bed, and discovered the next morning that he was pleased to have been involved.

We decided to do cleaning for School, as I was too excited to learn anything new, and the guest room and library are looking much better for a Spring clean - with windows & floors washed, and surfaces dusted and polished. While I had a much-needed remedial massage with Sarah Hunt, Wes went to Mitre 10 to order all the paints we need for the patching that Les is going to do to complete his work at our place. 

That night was the AFL Brownlow Medal Presentation for the Fairest & Best Player of 2023. Collingwood's Nick Daicos (3rd) had been the front-runner until he was injured and missed the last few games, which opened the door for Lachie Neale of Brisbane to win his second Brownlow. Many of us had hoped that Marcus Bontempelli (2nd) from the Western Bulldogs, or Christian Petracca (5th) from Melbourne would win, but it wasn't to be. 

On Tuesday I had my fortnightly early chat with my aunt, Jeff Hoolihan, in Torksey Lock, and we covered a wide range of topics including the footy. Jeff was born in Queensland and didn't grow up with Aussie Rules, but her married life in both WA & Victoria prepared her for the obsession most of us have for the game. Afterwards, I had a great catch up with my sister, Leanne, who was also wildly excited about the Pies playing in the GF.

We were amazed to read that Dan Andrews, Premier of Victoria, had announced his retirement that day, effective immediately. When he explained he was exhausted and had achieved as much as he could, we understood his reasoning. We will always be grateful to him for looking after us as best he could during COVID, for removing level-crossings all over the State, and for being a wonderful Minister for Health. 

That afternoon, we had our 6th COVID jab - it is so easy these days - we can still remember the incredible security around the first couple of jabs - this time we weren't even told which vaccine we were receiving! Neither of us had a reaction, and we both feel much better for being freshly inoculated.

Judi & I played Mah Jong on Wednesday, and heard from Kelly that she had finally sold Muffins & More and would be staying on for a fortnight to help the new owners. The staff are also remaining, so it should be as welcoming as always, although we will have to check if the new owner is OK about Mah Jong being played in her café.

Our new HP laptop arrived safely and Wes spent some hours getting it going for us both. Much of this Dispatch has been written on it, and we are both delighted. It is very clear, easy to manage, and quick to respond. 

On Friday, Wes and Morse drove me to Citadines on Bourke, an apartment hotel I had not used before. As I was early, I asked if I could store my suitcase until 2pm check-in, and when I returned the receptionist called me Karen, which was most impressive. I am thrilled with my mini-apartment - kitchenette, lovely shower, plenty of storage and a comfortable lounge and bed. I met Danny Millman & his friend, Kim, at Westlake, for a yum cha lunch and it was wonderful. It definitely helped that Kim spoke Cantonese, and we were well looked after. Melbourne was full of supporters of both teams who had been to the Grand Final Parade in the morning. 

My Collingwood pillow & scarves served as decoration!

Yesterday was unforgettable - I started early queuing in the 50-year Members line and was successful in getting a great seat on Level 2. On my way back to my hotel, I stopped at Hotel Windsor for breakfast, which was being served in the ballroom. I had a rest at my hotel, before going back to the MCG, and then onto Punt Road where the Collingwood AFLW team were playing Essendon. I lasted until half-time, and was very proud of the girls who coped better with the swirly windy conditions and eventually won.

Hotel Windsor Ballroom 

While I was waiting for the Grand Final entertainment to begin, I caught up with Gayle Gibson, who was happily ensconced in the Long Room, with Peter Mitchell, who was on Level 3 catching up with friends, and with Lyndell Jenkin, long-time Daylesford friend, who was here supporting her partner, A J, who is a Collingwood fan.

The Kiss Show was quite spectacular, and they had educated themselves about Australian Rules, which was good. They were a little after my time, so I didn't appreciate their music, but plenty around me did. 

The Kiss Extravaganza

The Grand Final itself was a stunning match - there were highlights galore, the lead changed frequently, and Collingwood won by 4 points. I am looking forward to seeing the replay and soaking up the atmosphere once again. Thanks to everyone who sent messages - I was overwhelmed and very grateful for them all. Afterwards I caught up with David & Dan Lazzaro, and David's friend, Matt, where we debriefed, before they went off to have a drink, and I walked back to my hotel for a low-key dinner of a sandwich & a glass of bubbles. There is a bottle of Vintage Veuve in the fridge for a more serious celebration this week. Thanks Gayle!

2023 Premiers!