Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 11th February 2024

 
So true - at least at our place!

We headed off in the heat to visit Leanne last Sunday and enjoyed an excellent three hours together. Wes did some handyman things in the house and then planted some seedlings & watered everywhere. Leanne & I had a couple of good chats, before tackling a couple of shelves in the pantry that needed reorganisation. On our way home, we stopped at Gusto to collect a mushroom quiche, which was a perfect dinner with salad later that day. Morse was OK when we arrived back, content with his bone and a very cool house. We watched the cricket, where the West Indies bowled and fielded well, restricting Australia to 9/258 after 50 overs. Sadly their batting wasn't as good as their other skills and they were all out for 175 in the 44th over.

Lovely photo of Morse doing the labrador sit

On Monday, the temperature plummeted and we even had an early shower of rain. After the shopping, we tackled our bathrooms, which was this week's School, and were pleased to get them sparkling clean again. I had brought home some very big jars that Leanne no longer needed, and Glen & her craft friends were pleased to take them. Wes watered everywhere here as many of the plants were wilting after the heat. 

We took Morse up to Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens for our walk on Tuesday morning. It was very dark, but so beautiful, and not another soul or dog in sight, so he loved it. Then it was time for my chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, followed by a Zoom with Leanne, who was in good spirits and enjoyed watching Morse playing in the background. After that I visited Glen, our neighbour, and we had time to catch up on news and discuss books we are both reading. 

Unexpected vase of roses - Iceberg, Ashram, Freesia, Big Red 

On Wednesday, I enjoyed catching up for Mah Jong with Judi at Muffins & More - our first games for the year. We thought we would be rusty, but managed to play quite a few games with honours evenly shared. Meanwhile, Wes did his usual vacuum & wash of the floors, which had dried by the time I arrived back home. 

We both had Zooms on Thursday morning - Wes had his fortnightly chat with the Jackson Group, where our friend, André Haermeyer, and his wife, Tonya Stevens, led a spirited discussion on Germany 2024. We have known André for many years through the Victorian ALP, and last saw him when we were in Brussels in 2019, as he & Tonya live in Frankfurt. Afterwards, I had a good catch up with Kathy & Joyce, and both their husbands put in cameo appearances with updates on their recovery from surgery. 

We had booked our cars in for service at Ballarat Mazda early on Friday morning, and, after a yummy breakfast at Café Lekker, decided to take a punt on a Canadian/South Korean film called Riceboy Sleeps. We are so pleased we did, as we were totally engrossed for two hours and recommend it highly. I can't put it any better than Wes's description - it tackles cultural differences and social unawareness on so many levels with authenticity and compassion. We read about the director, Anthony Shim, who also stars in the film, that it is partly auto-biographical. It was made in 2022 and has won numerous awards in Canada. 

Mother & son early on in the film

Yesterday we took Morse for a good run in Daylesford Cemetery, before Wes watered everything for Glen, who has been away for a few days. I refreshed a few pots & revitalised the rhubarb bed, which had been attacked by snails. In the afternoon, I watched the last Women's ODI against South Africa, which we won easily after a rain delay.

This morning it is already quite warm - we've walked around Lake Daylesford, and are getting ready for the Daylesford Market. After that we are driving to Ballan to water Rob & Dene's property while they are away in Singapore & Phuket. We've been invited to pick produce while we are there and are looking forward to beans, apricots & more plums.