Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 10th August 2025

An early & very picky Snoopy cartoon

We started our week with a very frosty morning, but a lovely, sun-filled day followed. I did enjoy going to the Daylesford Market and was greeted warmly by everyone. Wes had bought up big while I was sick, so we didn't need too much, but enough to keep Yvonne happy. Wes bought eggs & dog treats from Jeff, while I delivered newspapers to Ken Rae of Spring Park Nursery, who was setting up his trestle tables with bare-rooted roses. We then drove to Leitches Creek to pump mineral water, before driving back home and settling in for the day. 

The pump was iced up when we arrived - I've not seen that before!

Wes and some mates have been organising a 50+ years' St Bernard's College reunion for Friday, 5th September, and he spent the morning designing the invitation email and sending it out to everyone. It takes the form of a lunch at the Royal Hotel, Essendon, which is accessible by car, bus, tram & train and has accommodation to boot. He has booked a room for himself, choosing one with an ensuite! Meanwhile, I polished all the furniture in the lounge, as he intended to clean windows & floors there the next morning. 

I was pleased to go shopping at Coles on Monday, especially when Charlene said I had been missed. Afterwards, I did my usual walk up & down Vincent Street, visiting the pharmacy, the optician, the PO and Tonna's, as we needed items from all these places as well. The sun was shining, it was dry and everyone I met was in good spirits and greeting each other with a smile. 

Our friend, Jane Knox, has taken up painting, and I really admired one particular set of drawings called Nature, and asked her to leave it to me in her will. Instead she posted it to me, and it was waiting at the Post Office. What a lovely surprise!

I probably did too much on Monday, so kept things quieter on Tuesday. Leanne & I were able to Zoom for the first time in a while, and I was pleased to see her looking & sounding better than when we had last spoken. She was excited about our visit, which happened yesterday. I did go back to the Post Office though, to collect a book by an author I knew nothing of until I read a great sentence from one of his books, and was hooked. The author is Jock Serong, a former lawyer, who lives on the Victorian coast and writes crime fiction, and the book is called The Rules of Backyard Cricket. I'm halfway through it and can barely put it down!

On Wednesday morning, Judi & I played Mah Jong again, for the first time since the end of May. It's a shame we couldn't synchronise our unwellness, as first Judi & then I, was too sick to play. We had fun, tried a few different hands, and enjoyed catching up & seeing regulars at Muffins & More café. 

Wes & I were very sad to hear of the death of another old Daylesford friend, this time the unforgettable Ginger Love. She was such a character and time spent in her company was always enjoyable. Although Ginger had moved to Skye, we still kept in touch via email & Christmas cards. 

Ginger with Peter Widdop & Cathy O'Toole sharing bubbles

On Thursday, while Wes Zoomed with the Jackson Group, discussing The Implications of China, I caught up with Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, before leaving for a much-needed remedial massage with Sarah. While I was away, Fiona came back & spent another two hours doing all those jobs I have been unable to manage - more skirting boards, cobwebs, walls, furniture & laundry tiles. 

That night we decided to have fish & chips for dinner with a bottle of his favourite rosé, Charles Melton's Rose of Virginia, before watching Hawthorn host Collingwood at the MCG. What should have been a wonderful celebration of Steele Sidebottom's 350th game turned into a rout as the Hawks completely outclassed us and won easily by 64 points in front of 68,000+. 

The next morning, I was very pleased that I had a Zoom chat with Jan Pengilley to look forward to - we haven't been able to catch up since April and it was so good to see her looking well & happy after a road trip to Cairns & warmth. Afterwards I went for a stroll in the garden in the sunshine and found this first camellia.

Yesterday we had an excellent visit with Leanne - it was a beautiful morning in Strathmore and we were all pleased to see each other. After a good chat over morning tea, Wes fixed a printer & NDIS issue for her, and shifted her bins to a more accessible spot, while I introduced her to ABC i-View. We arrived back home to find a small bird trapped in the lounge, and Morse sound asleep in the sun on the decking. The bird wasn't panicky and it was easy to shoo it out through an open door.

Wes made toasted cheese & tomato sandwiches for a late lunch and we settled in to some very entertaining & close games of footy, especially the 2 point win by Sydney over Brisbane at the Gabba. That night, Carlton put up a good fight against the Suns, but fell short by 19 points.

Daylesford Winter Dispatch - Sunday, 3rd August 2025

 
I just love the look on Charlie Brown's face!

Well it's been a quiet week again - I had a relapse and have spent most of it in bed, trying to regain energy and fighting off bronchial-asthma. Wes has been wonderful - cooking, cleaning, gardening, dog walking, and eventually, relaxing with Morse at night. When I apologised to him for our very little life at present, he reminded me that on Tuesday night, he had shared his first ever Johnny Walker Blue Whisky with our neighbour, James, - an evening neither of them will forget. I don't drink whisky, but this smelt very similar to Edradour, the Scottish whisky that Wes loves, which has a honey fragrance to it. 

This top-shelf whisky retails around $233 & was a gift from Rob & Dene, who had been given various whisky bottles by their neighbour, and very kindly decided to share with Wes. 

As well, on Thursday, he had enjoyed a long lunch at The Convent with our friends, Hacy Tobias & Jim Brown, where he reprised the duck gnocchi, which is a signature dish of Bad Habits café. We've known Hacy for over 35 years and went to her wedding with Jim, but lost touch when they moved to Sydney. Now they are living in Melbourne again, it has been wonderful to rekindle the friendship and I was sorry to miss seeing them.

Jim, Wes & Hacy enjoying the sunshine at The Convent

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch during the week - I really appreciate Judi Allen & Lyndall Jenkin who play online Scrabble with me; Kathy Lazzaro, who keeps in touch by text & phone calls; Glen Tandberg who never fails to check in each day to see how I am, even when she was suffering her first bout of COVID (now gone thank God), and all my footy friends who exchange messages of good luck when the weekend comes. I don't feel so isolated when I have all this contact. Plus some stunning views from the bedroom!

Beautiful gums, Lake Daylesford & the Wombat State Forest make lying in bed looking out the windows a pleasure!

Last night, Collingwood lost by 27 points to Brisbane at the MCG in front of more than 82,000 fans. We never looked like winning, after the Lions hit the ground running and outplayed us. We now have a poor record most of the teams in the Top Eight, and will have to win against two more of them before the season ends. Carlton plays late this afternoon against Fremantle in Perth, which will be a tough game for them as well.