Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd June 2025

 
A common problem for writers!

We started our week slowly with a quiet Sunday after going to the Market. I visited our neighbour, Glen, who has been resting since her first cataract op, and had a lovely catch up with her, and her daughter, Sarah, who is my remedial masseuse. Sarah's son, Matt, had played his first footy game for Daylesford Seniors, coming up from the Under 18s & it was great to share the family excitement at this milestone. 

Wes was very disappointed with Carlton's effort that night against West Coast in Perth. They played like winners in the first half, and then settled back & watched the Eagles try to catch up. Collingwood had a bye, which is always strange - rusted-on supporters like me aren't sure what to do!

On Monday, it was freezing cold in the wind, but Morse was more than ready for a run around the Cemetery. Afterwards I did the supermarket shopping, and then we settled down for a serious School chat covering a few topics - our insurances, MyMedicare & questions Wes had to ask Mazda when he took Snoopy for its 1,000km service on Wednesday.

Morse getting back to normal Winter behaviour 

Our home insurance had gone up by $1,000 because of our broken water pipe damage last year, and nobody seemed to want us even though the issue appears to be fixed. The car insurance had also gone up by $200, but we are insuring a more valuable car, so that was to be expected. As far as MyMedicare is concerned, I had registered 12 months ago, but with Wes's doctor, as mine was on maternity leave; and Wes couldn't get into the relevant site on MyGov, so took the plunge and rang them. He fluked a very helpful person, who told him to unlink Medicare and start again. That worked, and now we are both registered correctly with our own doctors!

Next morning, while Wes & Morse walked in light rain, I chatted to my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire, where the temperatures are very warm, and then to my sister, Leanne, in Strathmore, where rain is falling, much to everyone's delight. Then it was time for my appointment with the bone scan bus, where a very friendly young woman from Thomastown, put me at my ease, asked questions, and complained about the cold & wet in Daylesford. 

We had ordered bare-rooted roses from Spring Park Nursery earlier this year, including an extra Golden Beauty to give Glen, as she has admired ours so much. Chris delivered them on Sunday, and Wes planted ours out the front in the strawberry patch. He had hoped to do more gardening, but the rain came down, so he had to be content with doing that much. 

We look forward to seeing our new bushes looking like this in Spring 

On Wednesday, Wes took Snoopy to Ballarat Mazda for his 1,000km service and learned a few more tricks with this lovely car. I got to walk to Mah Jong for a change & as the rain had stopped it was quite enjoyable, although I was feeling sad as it was the first Anniversary of Dot Smith's death, and I do miss her after playing Mah Jong with her most Wednesdays over 24 years. Judi & I had a good morning - we both played our favourite games & didn't try anything new. Wes arrived home just as I did and he had plenty of supplies - spirits, oysters, fish & new clothes - a very successful visit to Ballarat.

We continued our busy week on Thursday after giving Morse a really good walk at the cemetery. Wes had agreed to be part of a Heart Check Up Study at Springs Medical, which took the best part of two hours, while I had a lovely Zoom with Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, mainly catching up with Karen & Malcolm's recent cruise and visit to Greece. Then I got a lesson in using some of Snoopy's tricks, before Wes had a coffee at Blake's with Bob White, who has lost two very good friends this week. 

Bob & Wes at the Pig & Whistle Hotel earlier this year

Wes arrived back home with yummy bread & an ash brie to accompany the cauliflower soup I had made while he was away - not quite the standard of the previous night's meal of oysters, following by Atlantic salmon & steamed long beans.

Meanwhile, Jody, from Ballarat Mazda, rang offering to quote on our car insurance as she is an agent for Suncorp. We were delighted when her identical policy was much cheaper than our current cover, and even more thrilled when we got a Home & Contents quote with Suncorp, that was much closer to what we had paid last year. It's good to have our insurances sorted, and to have saved $1,500 on renewal by shopping around reputable companies. 

Unsurprisingly, I found myself spending Friday in bed, after what has been busier than usual for me. It was exactly the right thing to do & Wes very kindly served drinks & meals, while I read, did crosswords & logic problems and rested. I woke yesterday feeling much better and ready to tackle all the emails that had built up while I was offline. 

We had different fortunes with our footy teams - Carlton were jumped by North Melbourne, and looked very ordinary for three quarters before they slammed on 5 goals, 5 behinds to nothing, but it wasn't enough to beat the Kangaroos. We had lit the fire as it was a very cold day, and I stayed there watching the next game, where Port Adelaide were expected to beat Sydney and didn't, before retreating to bed to see if Collingwood could hold off St Kilda. It was a very even game until the last quarter when the Pies were finally able to get a break on the Saints, who had played out of their skins, but couldn't finish us off. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 15th June 2025

 
Poor Charlie Brown!

We started our week with a wet visit to the Daylesford Market, where we were the second car parked at the entrance to Yvonne's stall. Everyone was thrilled with the rain, but not so happy about their chances of selling all their produce. Morse was given two pears and was beside himself with delight. On our way home, we stopped at Baker's Delight to collect scrolls, which we enjoyed after Wes had reset the fire and I'd put away all our purchases.

We enjoyed listening to Day 2 of the ABC Classic 100 Piano, and ended up with most of our selections being part of it, although neither of us voted for the number 1 - Beethoven's Emperor Concerto. Along with quite a few other listeners, we were watching the footy with the sound down so we could keep up with the latest piece of music. That night, Carlton & Essendon played a game that looked like being one-sided at half-time, but turned into an exciting contest at the end with the Bombers coming back from 38 points down to lose by 8 points in front of 74,000+ on a cold, wet night at the MCG. 

I had planned to go to the footy on Monday, for the annual King's Birthday clash with Melbourne, with Big Freeze 11 (the fund-raiser to fight MND) the pre-game highlight. However, it was so cold, and I was still not 100%, so decided it would be best to stay home & watch in comfort with my boys. I did miss out on a most exciting match that the Pies won by 1 point. The Dees threw everything at us and were unlucky not to be able to win after getting ahead in the last quarter.

Tuesday arrived without any rain, which meant Wes & Morse could have a long walk in the cemetery - it was still too cold for me to venture out, and we then tackled packing for Barwon Heads where the temperatures were expected to be at least 5℃ higher than here. We had an easy drive and arrived there in plenty of time to collect bread & vanilla slices before settling into our holiday home on Golf Links Drive.

Wes admiring the full moon & pink sky while keeping an eye out for Morse

Late in the afternoon, so we took Morse for a beach walk, which went well until other dogs arrived! We managed to escape without too much difficulty and came home to poached salmon & vegetables, with a lovely bottle of Wangolina shiraz.

We took Morse back to the beach early on Wednesday morning, where the tide was out and we were the only ones around. There was a sign warning us about horses, but none turned up. Back home to eggs on toast & The Age newspaper.

Morse reluctantly posing on the sand with Wes early in the morning

We had a very relaxed day and I went for a walk around lunchtime, remembering places from when we used to visit Barwon Heads frequently, courtesy of Libby's kind parents, Doug & Bell, who allowed her friends to use their holiday house. We were very grateful and headed to 25 Margate Street to see if their house was still there, and it was - looking much the same as it did in the 70s. 

These delightful painted bollards are dotted around the streets making everyone smile!

We lasted until lunch on Day 1, at the ICC World Championship Test at Lord's - Australia was in trouble, but rallied to make 212, with Beau Webster the top scorer on 72. Then we had South Africa 4/43, which was a big relief. It's obviously a bowler's pitch!

On Thursday morning, we took Morse back to 13th Beach, and he got braver in the water - skipping along the edge of the waves and chasing birds. He was really loving the beach, but missing the routines of home, especially at night. There is no dog door, so we were leaving a sliding door open for him, but we suspect he didn't dare go out in case he couldn't get back in again. We eventually worked out how to turn up the sound on the TV set and enjoyed watching an episode of The Unforgotten, while we ate Coffin Bay oysters & prawns with a bottle of Wangolina Fiano for our Anniversary dinner. South Africa rallied in the cricket, then collapsed all out 138. The bowlers took over in our second innings as well & we were 8/144 at stumps. Meanwhile the Doggies made mincemeat of the Saints in a disappointing clash for St Kilda supporters.

We took Morse extra early for a long walk on 13th Beach on our last morning. There was no-one around as the temperature was -2℃. We all enjoyed our hassle-free time together and made the decision we would come home after breakfast. Our AirBnB house was fine, but we found it cold and thought we would rather shower in our own bathrooms where we would be warm. We arrived back just after 10am, and while Wes washed Snoopy, I got the first load of washing on, unpacked everything else and waited my turn for a shower.

This full moon was still shining brightly as we left the beach

Our decision to come straight home was a good one, and we realised that with all the chores done, we could visit Leanne yesterday, a much overdue visit. South Africa got on top of Australia in the Test with a wonderful century by Markram and they needed only a short time last night to win. 

Our visit to Leanne went well - Wes planted a magnolia and sorted out some computer problems, while I helped with Kayo and mobile phone issues. We drove in heavy fog until Woodend, and it was still foggy & cold when we were coming home 5 hours later.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 8th June 2025

I'm sure he does!

We returned from our trip to the Daylesford Market last Sunday with one thing in mind - cleaning our bathrooms before we sat down to tea & toast. We have been doing these chores on a Monday, which is already busy, so tried moving to Sunday, and it worked well. Wes very kindly did both shower recesses and I looked after the flat surfaces in return. Although it had been cold & frosty for our walk, by the time we sat down, it was sunny and warm in the lounge and we took our time over the Sunday Age, listening to Martin Buzzacott on ABC Classic FM, as he played endless beautiful piano music to tempt those listeners who hadn't yet voted in the Classic 100 Piano. 

On Monday, after our walk & supermarket shopping, we headed to Cliffy's for breakfast to chat about our upcoming Dog Holiday to Barwon Heads. We leave on Tuesday morning and return on Friday afternoon, and are hoping to find a piece of Thirteenth Beach that we can let Morse run free. Wes enjoyed the porridge, while I went for poached eggs with tomato & greens. 

Later, while I had a massage with Sarah Hunt, Wes got the mower out & made a start on the grass. He also did some tidying up in the front yard & planted some Golden Oregano near our Golden Beauty roses. 

Tuesday was one of those days where the temperature doesn't vary much and it was too cold to do anything outside, so we both resorted to indoor jobs. I had my usual fringe trim a day early as we were off to Parliament House the next morning for a reception for ALP Life Members, which we were thrilled to have received invitations to attend.

As our friends, Karen & Malcolm have been in Malta recently, I thought I would revisit our photos from our unforgettable trip to that beautiful country in 2010 - from the top - cousin Leigh, Karen & Wes in Gozo; Greenpeace Warrior in the harbour, Wes & Karen in the fishing boat, and Wes with his catch

Sadly, we both woke the next morning with head colds & coughs, not COVID, but not worth infecting anyone else with, so had to forego our visit to Parliament and spent a very quiet day inside, with lots of hot drinks & panadol. 

Fortunately we both felt much better on Thursday and Wes was able to drive to Camberwell for lunch with the Jackson Group members who live in Victoria - Graham, Rod & Jim. I was pleased to have another quiet day at home, although Morse isn't too happy when Wes disappears and needs constant TLC & reassurance. 

The rest of the week has passed by very quietly - both our colds freshened up, and we spent Friday & yesterday with the open fire going all day as it was chilly & wet. The rain is so very welcome here in Victoria and we have our fingers crossed that it is getting to those farmers who are so desperate. We had to postpone our visit to Leanne, and hope to do it next Sunday.

We've been listening to ABC Classic where we voted in the Top 100 Piano - so far Wes is winning with 3 of his 10 picks in the music played yesterday, while I only have 1. It's been fun seeing what choices other friends made and shared on Facebook, as well as knowing that the whole of Australia is enjoying the Countdown at the same time. 

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 1st June 2025

 
More from the wonderful Peppermint Patty

After our visit to the Daylesford Market last Sunday, we came home to do a few more chores. We moved the bar fridge from under the house back into the study, which gives better access to cold water & milk; positioned some mats in the kitchen, study & at the bottom of the stairs, and put the chess table into the study where it is in sight & can be used as desired. Wes then spent a couple of hours in the back garden, making a start on pruning and cleaning up, while I watched the second half of the Collingwood vs North game that I had missed the night before.

We decided to look at our Executor Dossier for School on Monday, as there have been a few changes lately and it's an important document to keep up-to-date. It was sunny, but windy, so Wes spent time tidying up under the house, rather than in the garden. The wind was so strong that it blew down all the red & green bins waiting to be emptied the next morning. The second time I picked them up I moved them back to the retaining wall of #77, where they stayed put until Wes moved them out again on Tuesday early before the garbos drove up at 6.30am.

I missed walking with him & Morse on Tuesday, as they were able to manage without me, and I could catch up with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, Lincolnshire. It was lovely to chat together and hear her news again after 6 weeks' break. Then I Zoomed with Leanne, who was suffering from a head cold that one of her NDIS visitors had given her, but she was keen to see Morse and chat with me, so we persevered.

Lovely recent photo of Jeff in her yard

While Wes pruned two rows of roses, I visited Juls in Hepburn, where it is usually a little warmer and less windy, for my regular manicure, as she had graciously changed all my Thursday appointments to Tuesdays without complaint.  

On Wednesday, Judi & I played Mah Jong, where the main topic was the cold wind! We each tried some interesting hands and went Mah Jong often enough to be happy with our form. Wes vacuumed & washed the floors while I was away, leaving the study clear so that Morse didn't have to be outside. 

We both had Zooms on Thursday morning - Wes was part of the Jackson Group discussing the topic "What is Truth?", while I chatted with Lib & Joyce about the incremental losses of independence we are all experiencing. The wind died down, so Wes could get into the garden, and I did some cooking! 

That afternoon, Wes saw his GP - Dr James - who was pleased with how he was going and asked him to be part of a heart check up study next month, to which he agreed. On his way home, he bought a baguette and aged cashew cheese at Blakes, to accompany the pumpkin & coconut soup I had made. This meal was a big success, so I've been enlisted to make another soup this coming Thursday.

These beautiful Asiatic lilies were a thank you from Wes for the past 6 weeks & are much appreciated

On Friday morning, it was frosty at Daylesford Cemetery, but there was no wind for a change, so we were most appreciative. Afterwards I Zoomed with Leanne and then headed to Springs Medical Centre for my quarterly podiatry appointment with Peter. When he hadn't arrived by 9.30am, I questioned whether he was coming, and all the indications were positive. He was another 5 minutes and very apologetic. He had forgotten he was meant to deliver the dog to Doggie Day-care, which wasn't on the way to Daylesford from his home in Castlemaine, and hadn't allowed enough time. 

That night, after fish & chips, we settled down for the Collingwood vs Hawthorn match at the MCG, which attracted over 83,000. I was very nervous as the Hawks had completely smashed us when we last played, winning by 11 goals, and they looked determined as they ran out. Happily for Pies fans, we looked the better team most of the game and were able to win.

It was such a late night we cancelled our early morning walk, and slept in until 7am, which Morse was quite happy with. He had breakfast and then a long overdue bath and settled down in the sun with a bone as his reward. Carlton had a bye this weekend, so we have been able to watch the rest of the footy without stress. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 25th May 2025

I suspect most kids have been through this - I know I did! However, I am sure I knew more than Peppermint Pattie!

We enjoyed a quiet start to the week last Sunday. Wes & Morse were greeted well at the Daylesford Market, and we came home laden with produce. I caught up with the weekend copies of The Age newspaper, but didn't have much energy, so watched footy all afternoon. There were three close games with all three having unexpected results - West Coast had their first win, North their second, and Melbourne hung on to defeat last year's premiers, Brisbane, at the Gabba. 

After our early morning walk on Monday, which was freezing, and  supermarket shopping, we discussed the garden as our School project. We agreed to replant the strawberries in wheelbarrows, and reuse the strawberry patch for Golden Beauty roses with Golden Marjoram as ground cover. Wes bought me a polytunnel for my herb pots that live on the decking, so I am going to give them all a facelift before we put protection on them from the cockies & possums. As well, we decided to move our bar fridge back into the study from under the house, as we often need milk for visitors, and water for us, when working downstairs.

This stunning maple at the front door is always the last to turn in Autumn, but it is always worth the wait - the top photo is taken from underneath

Wes was able to walk without the aid of a crutch early on Tuesday morning, where the weather was -3° (felt like -7°), but it wasn't windy like the day before, so we coped. Afterwards, when the sun came out, he cleaned both our cars after we emptied them of all their possessions in preparation for collecting Snoopy the next day. 

We were very excited heading off to Ballarat Mazda the next morning and even more excited when we met Snoopy for the first time. It is 4 years since we bought Pearl and the changes to the safety of the car and the ease of driving were immediately apparent. Andy spent ages showing us how to use Google Maps, how to lock & unlock the car without the key fob, and heaps of other useful pieces of information we hope to remember. I drove the car home and couldn't believe how comfortable it was and what a difference a bigger maps screen made. 

After we had a cup of tea and a chat, we opened Morse's new dog hammock and put it in the back seat. Amazingly he was very happy to hop straight in, and had to be persuaded to come back out again. Everything fitted perfectly and all we had to do then was check our diaries and change anything that required two cars!

Everyone's happy - Us, Andy the salesman & Morse!

Thursday mornings are now Wes's time to drive Snoopy, so I've spent some time changing the eight appointments I had on that day of the week for the remainder of the year. While I was Zooming with Terry Borg and catching up on her news; and later with Lib, Joyce & Karen S, he took Snoopy out for his first drive, adjusted the seat to his liking and added his mobile phone. He also returned Glen's crutches to her and gave her a beautiful country garden bouquet of flowers to say thank you. It was 5 weeks on Friday since his fall, and we are so grateful to Glen for her loan of the crutches, as well as her lessons in how to use them. 

We were thrilled with some overnight rain on Friday and even a few drops while we were walking Morse early in the cemetery. After I had a good Zoom with Leanne, I set off in Snoopy to pump mineral water, buy some herbs and get a lettuce for lunch. I forgot the lettuce, but did everything else, and Wes & I had a productive morning in the garden. He swept up all the Autumn leaves in the front, did some pruning & watering, while I refreshed our herb pots on the decking and added rocket seedlings to our greenhouse. 

Yesterday we woke to discover we had enjoyed 6mls rain in the last 24 hours, the best for some time and weren't the tanks & the garden pleased. We decided this was the best time to install the new greenhouse to cover the herbs and we started with some trepidation, but were very excited to find easy, clear instructions. This meant we did the construction with no arguments and a minimum of fuss, although we do have 4 cords left over with no idea where they belong!

The finished product - thanks to Wes & Morse for my Mother's Day gift - I love it!

Yesterday was a mixed bag in the footy - Carlton went down to GWS at the Docklands. Both teams started well, but the Blues didn't put in as many second efforts and the result was a big disappointment. Last night, Collingwood lost Pendlebury & Hill before the game started, and Maynard in the first 3 minutes, which had us out of sorts and enabled North to be ahead at half-time. We got our act together in the second half and managed to win. I'm looking forward to watching the replay, as we were too tired to last beyond half-time. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 18th May 2025

Everyone was very excited to see all three of us arrive at the Daylesford Market last Sunday, and Morse loved seeing Yvonne and getting his cut up pear from her. On the way home, we bought scrolls to celebrate another step forward on the way back to normality.

On Monday, after walking Morse and doing the supermarket shopping, we sat down to School to discuss 4 important topics - most to do with getting older and making decisions going forward. So we have chosen to be buried at Daylesford Cemetery; to add some of the facets of the Advanced Care Directive to our Executor Dossier; to abandon Skype and not progress to Microsoft Teams; and to download the Uber app and make ourselves familiar with it, as we will probably need taxis and/or Ubers occasionally with only one car. 

An unexpected late burst of colour in a dark corner of the back garden

The lovely Autumn weather continued through the week with cold, frosty mornings and sunny days. We seemed to spend much of our time chasing up people who had promised to get back to us, and, when my phone suddenly misbehaved, getting a new one in a hurry!

On Wednesday, while Wes washed the floors, I drove to Castlemaine to deliver surplus toys, old towels and sheets to the Mt Alexander Animal Welfare shelter. They were very grateful for everything and I was pleased that these things were going where they were immediately needed. The drive there and back was delightful with Autumn leaves still around and in beautiful colours, even though we only have a couple of weeks of Autumn left.

We were inspired to go for a drive to Maldon on Thursday morning, and took Morse, hoping to find a café without dogs, and sit outside in the sun. Sadly that didn't happen, but we did enjoy driving around, admiring the Autumn colours and finished our trip with a visit to Cairn Curran Reservoir, which is a beautiful place, although the water level is down at present.

On Friday morning, Dylan from Taylor & Stirling Blinds arrived to install our additional blinds - 3 x blackout and 1 day blind in the study, plus one day blind for the only uncovered floor to ceiling window upstairs. He worked hard & well and we are thrilled to bits with the results. I think we first decided this about 12 months ago, and it seems to have taken forever, but we made the right decisions and should be cooler in Summer & warmer in Winter. 

As well, my new mobile arrived and I spent a couple of hours transferring everything from the old one. It was seamless and I didn't lose anything, which was a big relief. It is exactly the same model so I haven't had to learn anything new either. 

I've finally been able to knit again and delivered this small bundle of beanies & a beret to the Salvos - thanks again to Kathy Lazzaro & her friend, Maree Littlepage, who keep me going with colours & varieties of wool that I can't get here

That night Carlton played well at the SCG until they were overrun by the Swans in the last quarter. Wes was disappointed, but the Blues have not found the SCG a happy hunting ground for many years, which probably gave Sydney the edge at the end.

Yesterday, I went to see Collingwood play Adelaide at the MCG, where I met my footy Mate, Danny Millman. We had lunch first at the Hugh Trumble cafe, before taking our seats on the second level under cover in the 50-year Member bay. It was an exciting, close game with intermittent heavy rain and we were lucky to hold on and win by 10 points. Wes & Morse dropped me off & collected me from Ballan Station & we drove through rain both times, but Daylesford didn't get anything more than light showers. It wasn't enough to register on the rain gauge, which was disappointing. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 11th May 2025

After visiting the Daylesford Market last Sunday, pumping water at Leitches Creek, filling the car with petrol, and buying us Apple Danish for breakfast, we had a quiet morning watching The Insiders discussing the repercussions of the Election result on ABC TV and then a mini of the exciting Collingwood game, which we just failed to win. Our neighbour, Yoko, came in to see how Wes was going and Morse was in heaven, as he particularly loves her. James, her husband, had spent the day running the Glenlyon Polling Booth for the Australian Electoral Commission, and after leaving home at 6.30am, got back again at 1am, and was still in his pyjamas as she set off back to their apartment in Southbank, where she had corrections to do for her Year 12 students.

On Monday, after walking Morse, putting out the bins and doing the supermarket shopping at Coles, I came home to find Morse waiting anxiously at the front door. Wes had gone to Ballarat in Pearl as we needed a new windscreen and he felt OK to drive that distance. I was going to collect him & bring him back home rather than have him sitting around waiting, but he packed a bag & thermos and was heading for the Library to wait while the job was done. It was done much more quickly than we expected and Wes was home before I returned from my 11.30am monthly massage with Sarah Hunt.

Another stunning early morning sky - this one lasted the whole time we were walking in the cemetery

The next morning Morse & I had an unsuccessful walk at the cemetery as there were no bunnies to be seen anywhere. He ran around looking for them, but they didn't oblige! Afterwards I had an excellent Zoom with Leanne and we confirmed plans to visit her yesterday. Wes was sore after his time in Ballarat, so took it easy until his knee felt better and he could come downstairs. We've been blessed with beautiful Autumnal days but would love some rain as everywhere is quite dry.

I thought we needed some Christmas lilies to cheer us up and these are looking & smelling wonderful in the lounge these past two weeks

As Judi was unavailable for Mah Jong on Wednesday, we made another trip to Ballarat, this time to see the film The Penguin Lessons, which started slowly, but finished very well. It is based on a true story of an Englishman teaching English at a posh boys'  school in Argentina during turbulent times in the 1970s. He adopts a penguin unexpectedly and it has quite an effect on him and everyone around him. Before the film we went to Wen & Wear café for hot drinks and toasties, and after the film, we stocked up on Atlantic salmon & gummy shark fillets from the wonderful Ballarat Seafood Store. 

Wes suggested we have breakfast together the next morning to chat about our cars, so we went to the Glenlyon General Store as we knew it would be quiet & we wouldn't be hurried away. We had a good discussion about downsizing to one car and both agreed that the advantages far outweighed the disadvantages. We would trade our current Mazda 2 & Mazda 3 on the newest 3, which has even more safety features than the 2021 model. I left that to Wes to negotiate with Ballarat Mazda.

Collingwood played Fremantle in Perth that night - I lasted until half-time when we were 10 points ahead and woke on Friday morning to find we had slightly increased that lead. In spite of resting 4 senior players, we were still the oldest team playing this weekend, and I suspect Freo was the youngest and one of the least experienced, so they should be pleased that they kept in touch and it wasn't a rout.

On Friday we had a delightful catch up with old Daylesford friends, Susan & Jamie Walker. Susan ran Hill End Café & Gallery for some years and it quickly became a locals' favourite spot. After some years away, they have returned here and have a new home close to Lake Daylesford. Lunch at The Convent was most enjoyable, especially as they were so busy we were given the table in the parlour and were able to spend two hours together.

That night Carlton just beat St Kilda in a good, close game of footy that honoured the memory and legacy of a much loved St Kilda player, Danny Frawley, affectionately known as Spud, who suffered mental health challenges. There were 80,000+ at the MCG, which was a wonderful tribute.

Yesterday we visited Leanne, caught up on each other's news, watched a mini of the Collingwood vs Freo game as she had missed seeing it live, and belatedly celebrated Easter with a cake Leanne had bought. Afterwards we drove home via Ballarat Mazda and signed the contract to trade in Sammy and Pearl on Snoopy, who will be available in a couple of weeks' time. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 4th May 2025

 
Sally is priceless!

After my solo trip to the Daylesford Market, I stopped at Baker's Delight and got a couple of apple Danish, which we just what we needed. After everything was put away and the treats eaten, Wes and I tackled our bedroom which desperately needed me to dust & polish & him to vacuum, which he did very well. We were both exhausted afterwards and needed to rest, but very pleased we had removed a bag full of dog hair!

That afternoon, Carlton unexpectedly beat Geelong in front of a big crowd at the MCG. Wes was absolutely delighted, as all Blues fans were, as it was an exciting close game of footy, and the team managed to hold its nerve when Geelong were throwing everything at them. Needless to say a glass of red or two were consumed in celebration!

Carlton's enigmatic full-forward, Harry McKay played his best game ever, much to everyone's delight!

On Monday, after I walked Morse and did the supermarket shop at Coles, we had School, where we talked about locking in some small holidays in Victoria that are manageable, as overseas trips are off the agenda at present, and maybe forever. We've booked three nights in a dog-friendly house in Barwon Heads in June, and two nights at Hotel Windsor in Melbourne in August, to enable us to attend the Annual MCC Bradman Lunch. We've agreed that I will continue to go to Melbourne for the Grand Final, staying two nights; as well as the Boxing Day Cricket Test, where I stay 5 nights, both of these at Hotel Windsor. We've also pencilled in Gather Round in April for as long as it stays in Adelaide.

Wes had an early morning Jackson Group Zoom on Tuesday, where the topic was Ukraine - Three Years On. Morse and I enjoyed our early morning walk, with five bunnies presenting themselves for the chase, and then I Zoomed with Leanne, where we had a good chat about her health and Pope Francis's funeral. 

I don't know the name of this beautiful pink rose, but it has flowered out the front of Maloney Folly since 2004

In spite of power outages in Daylesford, Judi & I were able to play Mah Jong at Muffins & More, where we tried some more different hands and shared the wins. Judi is unavailable for the next three weeks, so we were pleased to have this one last morning together without disruption. 

On Thursday, after an interesting catch up with Old Friends - footy, Vera & the line of Popes being the main topics; I had a manicure with Juls in Hepburn. When I got back, Wes had his first attempt at walking up & down stairs, and passed with flying colours, so he has moved back into his bathroom downstairs.

It was frosty on our early morning walk on Friday, and Wes came with us, but stayed in the car while we walked the perimeters of the cemetery looking for bunnies. Then I had my annual blood test, before coming back home to catch up on paperwork and enjoy the cool, sunny morning. We even had fish & chips for dinner - it's been quite a while since that happened and we enjoyed them very much, especially the grilled butterfish.

Frosted flowering rosemary along our side fence

Yesterday it felt very strange not to be getting organised for one or both of us to be on booths handing out How to Vote cards for the Federal Election. It was frosty again, but turned into a beautiful sunny day, perfect for voting & footy & anything else you felt like doing!

However, Carlton failed to keep up their good form and were comprehensively beaten by Adelaide over there in the afternoon. Wes was most disappointed, but not for long, as the results of the election became clear very early and Labor recorded its best win since 1946. The Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, lost his seat, and gave a gracious speech of farewell as he conceded defeat.

Last night, Collingwood & Geelong played at the MCG. One of our players, Jack Crisp, broke the record for the most consecutive AFL/VFL games, when he played his 245th match in a row. He has played them over more than 10 years and not missed through injury, illness, suspension or form. The previous record was held by the late Jim Stynes, the most successful Irish recruit of all, who died too young, aged 45. It was a stunning game of footy, which was decided in the last kick when Jack took a mark as the siren went, but was unable to kick a goal which would have given the Pies a fairy-tale victory. 

Beautiful sunrise at Daylesford Cemetery this morning

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 27th April 2025

 

No-one told Snoopy to read the fine print!

We started our week with me doing the Market shopping, where everyone was very sorry to hear about Wes and his fall. Morse needed lots of treats & bones and Jeff, the dog treat man, was very generous, throwing in all sort of extra things once he heard what had happened. Not sure that Morse has forgiven me yet for going without him, but I couldn't hold on to him and do the shopping successfully!

On Monday morning, I drove us to the Emergency department of St John of God Hospital in Ballarat, where we were second in the queue and looked after promptly. Dr Anthony was hopeful that there were no breaks, and x-rays proved him right. We spent 2.5 hours there & everyone was helpful and considerate, with all of them agreeing that ladders are forbidden from now on. 

We celebrated with tea & Hot Cross buns on our return home, where Morse was very relieved to see us. Wes has been inundated with wonderful messages of love & support, for which we are both very grateful. The outcome is so much better than it might have been.

A cheerful corner of marigolds in the back garden

After walking Morse in the cemetery early on Tuesday, I did the supermarket shopping; had a Zoom with Leanne; kept an appointment with my doctor, Ellie, who was sorry to hear about Wes, and gave me some good advice. Then I popped in next door to see Glen, who was having a few days away, to find out what I could do in the way of watering and looking after things. 

We have arranged automatic Federal Election postal voting, and our envelopes were in our PO Box when I checked. We quickly filled them in and posted them the same day.

That afternoon, we drove back to Springs Medical for our flu injections. We walked in & were seen immediately, didn't even have time to sit down. Neither of us had any adverse reaction to the shots & are pleased to have had them in the hope we don't get this rotten flu. We caught up with Nick & Robyn Massaro, as well as Max Primmer while we were there, and Nick rang later to see if he could help in a practical way, which was lovely.

Our Weeping Japanese maple in the front garden turning colour

On Wednesday, Wes & I both had hair appointments at Daylesford Hair & Beauty and I dropped him back home before playing Mah Jong with Judi for a couple of hours. We shared the wins and tried a few more hands, which is always satisfying. At lunchtime I received an email from the Australian Electoral Commission confirming they had received our votes - amazing!

The bunnies are back at Daylesford Cemetery, so our early morning walks are full of joy as Morse spots & then chases a bunny until it disappears in one of many hidey-holes. On Thursday, after a good walk, I had an excellent Zoom with Old Friends - Kathy, Joyce, Lib & Karen S, where we all shared our Easter stories.

We were expecting lots of rain on ANZAC Day, but it was dry when Morse & I walked early, and there were plenty of people at the Dawn Service, which I couldn't attend as Morse would get too agitated. I had hoped to go to the 9am Eganstown Ceremony that we love, but was Zooming with Leanne, and realised she needed me more. Her support worker is on holidays, as is her exercise physio, so her only visitor at present is Jimmy, who cleans every Wednesday. 

Petunias looking very pretty in the wheelbarrow

Wes & Morse drove me to Ballan Station at midday, and I caught a very pleasant train to Southern Cross and then an extremely packed train to Jolimont Station and the MCG. I was fortunate enough to have bought a reserved seat under cover in the 50 year Member bay, where I enjoyed a good view of the ANZAC ceremonies and then the football. Considering the weather, it rained all afternoon, the crowd of 92,044 was astounding and it made for a wonderful atmosphere. Honours were even in the first half, but the Pies were able to get ahead halfway through the 3rd quarter and weren't headed after that. 

I left at 6pm when the Final Siren blew and made my way back to Southern Cross in time for the 6.35pm Ararat train, which stopped at Ballan, where Wes & Morse were waiting for me. Thanks to everyone for your messages, before, during & after the game - all were much appreciated.

Yesterday, we had breakfast in Gordon, a little country town, about 10 minutes out of Ballan, with Rob & Dene. Everyone in Gordon who wasn't at Gordon's Café or the Farmers' Market across the road, was at the Gordon Football Ground watching underage footy & netball competitions before the main games at 2.30pm. 

Above Dene & Rob, below Wes & his crutches - we had this quirky little room all to ourselves for 90 minutes, which was perfect for catching up

Like much of the world, we were very sorry that Pope Francis has died. He was a force for good; humble; internationally visible and concerned for peace and the poor. Let's hope the new Pope is similarly inclined.

Daylesford Easter Dispatch - Sunday, 20th April 2025

Last Sunday, we had been invited to have breakfast with Jenny & Graham Ellender, friends who used to live in Daylesford, but have been in Craigburn, a suburb of Adelaide for the past 9 years. We found their place easily and were welcomed by their 18 month old dark brown Labrador, Ellie. Ellie likes to get around with a friend in her mouth as you can see from the photo below. 

Sorry about the quality, but the sun was shining & Ellie is very dark brown - however, you can see her friend easily!!

After an enjoyable 90 minute catch up, we drove back to Adelaide, found a park and went to the Art Gallery. Not much had changed since our last visit, but there was an interesting Asian art exhibition, mostly centred on Krishna, and featuring very old artefacts including a 400-year old rug, and 1,000 year old pottery.

As it as very hot, 34℃, we came back here for a rest, watched some more footy and went back to Chef Dong for dinner. No Smith & Shaw sauvignon blanc this time, we stayed on Jasmine tea as we had the big drive home the next day. 

Our drive went well, we made good time, and our longest stop was at Horsham, where we had spotted on Trip Advisor that Conroy Pies got 5 stars for best bakery in town. We stopped there and bought fresh salad sandwiches for brunch. We can't recommend Conroy more highly, clean, well-set out, huge selection of fresh pies, sandwiches, pastries, cakes etc and very friendly smiling staff. 

We were thrilled when we arrived home to discover that Glen had kept all our punnets of pleasure alive, as well as the cucumbers & lemons. While Wes checked computers & TVs etc, I unpacked and got the first of two loads of washing going. We had decided to debrief regularly at 5pm, and when Wes arrived upstairs to pour a brandy & dry for each of us, I was still working on the laptop, which was on South Australian time - oops!

Spot the two cucumbers!

We had ordered a mushroom pizza from the Daylesford Hotel, and demolished it with a glass of Italian red we had found in the Adelaide Central Markets. Both were very yummy and went well with footy shows, which we were keen to see. Wes asked me what I had most missed about home, apart from Morse, and I replied Foxtel, especially the footy commentary and discussions.

We woke at 6am on Tuesday after a good sleep, and I headed off to Coles Supermarket, where Mari greeted me very happily as I had been missed. While Wes caught up on computer stuff, I then went fruit & vegetable shopping at Tonna's, and finally, collected prescriptions from Bloom's the Chemist. Meanwhile Wes went to Eureka Kennels in Ballarat to collect Morse, who got a very good report - he was even good on his walks! Morse was so thrilled to see us both and to be back home, but he was very sleepy and couldn't keep his eyes open for long.  

We were all tired by 5pm that night - there is always so much to do when you arrive back home after a break. I fed Morse early, had a G&T with Wes and a debrief, before retreating to bed to watch footy shows until it was time to go to sleep. Even Morse didn't bother with his usual nightly routine of checking the neighbours and snored gently most of the night. 

We enjoyed walking around Daylesford Cemetery on Wednesday morning in the early light without needing a torch. However, there were no bunnies, but as Leanne pointed out when I Zoomed with her afterwards, they were probably very busy delivering Easter Eggs!

While Judi and I played Mah Jong, where honours were even, and we tried some games we don't often play, Wes spent the rest of the morning doing home handyman chores & watering in the backyard. 

By Thursday, we were back in the swing of things - Wes enjoyed an excellent Zoom with the Jackson Group, where the topic was Social Media Impacts & Risks, which encouraged a good debate with differing views. My Old Friends Zoom included Lib, Kathy, Karen S & Joyce and we were all delighted to catch up after a couple of weeks' break, and talked about our Easter plans among other topics.

That night, Collingwood had a good, and unexpected win against Brisbane at the Gabba. I was very proud of our team and the way they played, honouring Jamie Elliott's 200th game in style.

It was a late night, but we were all up at 6am on Good Friday to walk around Daylesford Cemetery, before coming home to give Morse a bath and relax with fresh, yummy Hot Cross buns from Baker's Delight. 

Then our lives changed - Wes was up a ladder putting the Collingwood flag back (it had blown down in strong winds), when he fell backwards and landed in the garden. I was upstairs ironing and saw it happen, so arrived quickly to help him up and check nothing was broken. He was very bruised and his knee was swollen and painful. Once we got him to bed, we were able to ice the knee regularly and put Arnica on all his bruises. It was very frightening and could have been so much worse. I have forbidden climbing of outdoor ladders and Wes agrees. Our indoor timber ladder is exempted as it only has 4 rungs & is very sturdy.

Fortunately, this standard Red Riding Hood rose broke Wes's fall - we've patched it up and hope it might survive

The Blues easily beat the Kangaroos in the afternoon, which cheered him up. Yesterday, I took Morse to the Cemetery for his walk, and he coped very well with just me, although he raced in to tell Wes all about it when he arrived back home. We were due to visit Leanne for Easter, but had to postpone that, and Wes has had to cancel a few activities he had planned for this week.

Glen arrived yesterday morning with her crutches for him to use and Wes immediately felt more confident with them. I had been to the pharmacy to get a compression bandage, which also had an instant effect. He and Morse resumed their usual positions in the lounge and both felt better for that!

We're having a quiet Easter Sunday, and hoping to see the doctor on Tuesday morning when Springs Medical re-opens. It was lovely to finally have some rain overnight and everywhere looks fresh and happier for the drink of water.