Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd December 2024

 

We were going to get a Christmas tree on our return from Adelaide, but realised we were putting too much pressure on ourselves to have it decorated and ready to welcome Rob & Dene last Sunday afternoon. We'll get one next December when we won't be going to the Adelaide cricket, which is the 3rd Ashes Test between 17-21 December and a day game. 

It's been an interesting and busy week, starting with the lovely, now traditional, pre-Christmas visit from Rob & Dene. We had hoped to sit under Glen's plum tree, but she wasn't well, so we provided champagne & afternoon tea instead. Rob had recently visited Antarctica with Dene's sister, Kay, and met up with Dene, who had been in London, in Paris. They had plenty of stories to tell, and were interested in our Adelaide trip. We exchanged gifts and enjoyed each other's company for a couple of hours.

Rob, Dene & Wes chatting; Dene with Morse, and Morse with his Christmas friend from Glen

I've had a week of appointments - started on Monday with my last remedial massage of the year with Sarah, who has become a friend, as well as a valued masseuse. 

The next morning I headed to the optician, also a Sarah, to arrange new reading glasses. My left eye could see very well, but my right eye was quite blurry during the tests, so Sarah did a scan and told me I needed to go back to my specialist straight away as I had inflammation behind that eye. Catherine organised an appointment in an hour's time and I went home to ask Wes to stop gardening and drive me to Ballarat, which he did of course. Dr David said 1% of cataract operations result in this kind of swelling and prescribed two sets of drops to be taken 4 times a day, 5 minutes apart. Fortunately I've learnt how to do this, so Wes is off the hook this time.

On Wednesday morning I had my Christmas haircut before playing Mah Jong with Judi for the last time until mid-January. We had brunch and caught up on news before playing a few games, where we shared the wins and Judi tried some new hands.

Joyce Spiteri's beautiful Nativity Scene - she is so talented

The next morning was time to visit Juls for a manicure, which she had to do more quickly than usual so I could be back home for my 11am drops. We spent a happy hour together and she was thrilled that my nails had recovered from the effects of the anaesthetics.

Meanwhile, we both had quite a few Zoom chats - Wes spoke with Barbara in New Zealand twice, and joined the Jackson Group Christmas break-up Zoom. Wes has stepped down from Admin after 5 years and his place has been taken by Jim Brown, an American, who has lived in Australia for many years. Paul has stood down as Chair as well and his role is being taken over by Graham Hubbard, an Australian who recently met Paul when he was in England. Wes also hosted a Cousins' Christmas get-together.

I had my usual fortnightly early morning catch up with my aunt, Jeff, in Lincolnshire; Zoomed twice with Leanne; had a very overdue chat with Terry Borg in Burwood; caught up with Old Friends - Kathy, Karen S & Lib, and missed out on a chat with Jan Pengilley in Maleny as she was coughing too much. Thanks to you all for staying in touch with me via Zoom - I really appreciate the contact and care.

Glorious, Red Riding Hood & Kindred Spirits

Yesterday was a chance to plant some punnets - basil, coriander & parsley in one of our raised garden beds. Wes has been working hard in the back garden - we came back to a few weeds, roses growing in all directions & long grass, and bit by bit, he has managed to tame it all again. 

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 15th December 2024

 
Such a snob!

Wow! What a last day of cricket we saw on Sunday. Rishabh Pant was out too quickly, which meant the Indians only really had young Reddy to improve their score, which he did, but only to bring them 19 runs ahead of Australia - a margin that we easily reached for no loss of wicket. There was a good crowd in spite of the short day, and we were sorry to be leaving Adelaide Oval so soon with no further play. Our Day 4 tickets have been refunded, but we would rather have been there. 

Wes had sourced a highly-regarded breakfast spot in Hawthorn, which is a very lovely, leafy suburb we had not encountered before, so we took ourselves to The Pantry on Egmont, which had plenty of parking, indoor & outdoor seating and a very interesting menu. Wes enjoyed scrambled eggs & bacon on sourdough, while I ordered the Turkish eggs which came with Indian style cauliflower & an eggplant ragu. They offered Jasmine tea, and Wes said the coffee was wonderful. We bought afternoon tea to bring back with us, and paid for two coffees for someone to drink in the future. 

This was our view as we passed the Adelaide Zoo on our way to the Oval on Sunday afternoon - fruit bats galore!

We had planned to do a free tour of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, and possibly visit the Adelaide Art Gallery after breakfast, but I had woken with absolutely no energy, so we stopped at a newsagency on our way back to Athelney Cottage and picked up Saturday's & Sunday's Age newspapers, which was bliss and enabled us to enjoy a quiet day reading instead.

On Tuesday morning, I was ready to go online at 10am to get tickets for the AFL Gather Round in April next year. When we left to go to lunch at Chef Dong at 12.30pm, I had still not been successful. We had an amazing yum cha lunch and when we got back, I tried again, and eventually managed to get them on my phone. Such a relief as we were already booked with Rosie at Athelney Cottage, which was a stroke of luck at the time. Thanks to David Lazzaro for coming up with the right barcode for me and tons of encouragement. Wes was wonderfully patient and came up with an alternate April holiday over lunch if the tickets didn't materialise.

Salt & pepper squid, fried whitebait & cold cucumber with garlic

Suddenly the end of our holiday loomed. On Wednesday, we were going to try another breakfast place, but it was on a busy main road, so we drove back to The Pantry on Egmont and enjoyed another yummy breakfast. Wes had poached eggs with his bacon this time, and I tucked into their Hawthorn salad with a poached egg. It also had an interesting selection of ingredients. 

We then drove back to the Adelaide Central Markets, where we thanked The Smelly Cheese people for our great experience, bought The Age, returned the bag to the book man, and promptly filled another one, and picked up some fresh fruit to augment our leftovers for dinner. Finally we filled the car with petrol, pumped up the tyres and headed back to Athelney Cottage to pack as much as we could before spending the afternoon reading & resting. 

We got away at 7am and had an excellent run back home, arriving here around 3.20pm, after making a few stops. Wes had fed us tea & toast with Vegemite before we left, so we didn't need much more than the water and biscuits we had put on the back seat. Everywhere in the garden had grown enormously and we were grateful to Glen, our neighbour, for keeping our hydrangea, pots & strawberries alive, as we had turned the water off while we were away.

What a relief to open the door to under the house and find the floor nearly dry, with just a few spots still moist. However, after I had done the first load of washing, we found water on the floor in the laundry, and suspected a break in the pipe under the trough! We contacted Gary, the plumber, who agreed to visit on Friday, and tucked into a prawn & olive pizza from Daylesford Hotel.

Yum!

We had a busy Friday - after Wes vacuumed everywhere & I did three more loads of washing, catching the drips in a bucket, Wes drove to Eureka Kennels to collect Morse, who was delighted to be picked up. The Kennels gave him 10/10 for his behaviour, and so far he hasn't barked or been bothered by anything, not even Gary's arrival. The good news was that the connection had loosened and there was no break in the pipe, however the kitchen mixer tap was leaking, so he replaced that for us, and wondered jokingly if we would be calling him back again yesterday.

Wes & I both spent time on our desktops - I wanted to balance Reckon, which I did easily, and caught up on emails etc that I had put to sleep until our return. I also opened the mail that Glen had collected for us, and found quite a few lovely Christmas cards & letters. Thanks everyone. 

Wes had a catch up Zoom with Barbara in NZ, who asked if Gary could visit her as she has discovered a sewerage broken pipe issue under her driveway and needs a reliable plumber! Meanwhile, I suddenly had to give in to tiredness and spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, where I was served fish & chips & a large glass of Charles Melton Rose of Virginia rosé.

Refurbished Christmas wreath on our purple front door

Yesterday morning I was able to join Wes & Morse on their walk around Daylesford Cemetery, where only 3 bunnies appeared to play chasey with Morse. I can't remember the last time I did this walk, so it was a red letter moment for us all. I picked some lemons for us on the way back, and after a great Zoom chat with Leanne, Wes and I headed to Blakes Fine Food Store to pick up some interesting cheeses and accompaniements for our catch up with Rob & Dene here this afternoon. It was to be next door at Glen's but she has been battling a lurgy, so we are hosting instead, which will please Morse. 

Gorgeous vase of Ashram, Pumpkin Patch & Best Friends

We had settled down to watch the cricket and, like those there in person, were very disappointed when 50mls of rain fell and play was abandoned with Australia 0/28 having been sent in to bat. Fingers crossed the weather is better today and we get a full day's play.

Adelaide Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 8th December 2024

We can't seem to escape from water issues this year. Last Sunday, just as we were getting ready to go, I checked on Glen's house and immediately noticed a burst water pipe in the garden above the slip road. Glen was away, so I rang her daughter, Sarah, and also, Mark, who owns #74, where the water was cascading down. Mark arrived immediately, contacted Central Highlands Water, and apologised to the guests staying in his self-contained house for the weekend. 

Glen sent us a message in the afternoon to say the Central Highlands Water crew had been working since the call and had located the leak under a gum tree. She was without water, but not otherwise inconvenienced, and was able to park in our driveway, as our street was full of men & machines. 

We arrived in Robe at 4pm after a good trip, with lots of rain, but very little traffic, and parked outside our unit at Robe Marina, only to find we were next door to Judi & Michael who were finishing a holiday with a night in Robe. We ended up spending a very pleasant couple of hours in The Black Swan, which serves an incredible variety of spirits and wine by the glass, and shared some yummy plates of food.

The next morning we discovered our air-conditioning unit had been leaking water, so we turned it off, contacted the management and mopped up the mess. We are most impressed with the owners of these self-contained units, as our message was replied to @7.30am and a technician came at 10am. We went out to breakfast and a visit to the historic cemetery. When we returned, the unit  was fixed, and we had fresh towels in place of the wet ones. The only damage we suffered was wet caps, which had been sitting on a shelf directly under the unit.

After this water episode, it was wonderful to hear from our plumber, Gary, that he had successfully completed the work to redirect our water from under the driveway to over the carport and under the house. We were very grateful and look forward to returning to normality, instead of having to sweep out puddles of water two and three times a day. 

Our next port of call was Wangolina Winery about 30 minutes from Robe. I think it is the most exciting winery we have ever visited. When we went there in April, we tried their whites, of which they have a wonderful variety. This time we tried the reds and were equally impressed. Dan, the manager, told us we had to try their latest white, 2024 Fiano, and he was right - another gorgeous & different wine. We took three bottles with us & arranged for the rest to be delivered when we arrive back home. We opted for a quiet afternoon as we were still tired from the previous day, and had pizza for dinner. 

The next morning we walked back into the main street, and had breakfast at Drift again. There is a good choice on the menu, the staff are young & keen to please and I'm told the coffee is very good. We'd decided to have a drive-free day, so read The Age, and settled in with books & hot drinks. Around lunchtime we went for a long walk around the cliffs and wondered whether we would get back to Robe again. We're not coming here when we visit Adelaide for the AFL Gather Round next April, and the Ashes Test is a daytime match just before Christmas, so we are giving that a miss. 

That evening we headed off early to The Black Swan, but it was unexpectedly closed, so we ended up with fish & chips back in our room and a glass of Tempranillo to wash them down. The flake was caught locally and very plump & flavoursome, but Peter at our local fish shop has much better batter and superior chips!

On Wednesday morning,  we had breakfast at Drift yet again, finished packing and were on the road by 9.45am, heading to Adelaide. Wes did most of the driving, but I was able to chime in with an hour along the Coorong. 

We headed straight to the Adelaide Central Markets and had a wonderful experience at the Smelly Cheese stall. Wendy, who served us, got on our wavelength very quickly, and we bought 4 very different & interesting cheeses, a baguette, a pot of raspberry & gin jam, and a small bottle of Fig Gin. We walked to the next stall to pick up some fruit & tomatoes, and then across to the second-hand book stall, where I spotted 5 books by favourite authors and we had to beg for a bag from the owner as we were running out of hands to carry everything.

We arrived at Athelney Cottage to find it nice and cool and well-stocked as usual - a bottle of Sav Blanc in the fridge, along with butter, milk, bread, condiments, chocolate, and ground coffee. We unpacked and enjoyed sitting quietly reading until it was time to spread out the cheeses and have our picnic. Wes has been reading Ron Barassi's biography and he keeps having to share moments with me, as we are both old enough to remember the huge uproar when Carlton poached Barassi from Melbourne to become their Captain-Coach. 

It was 38℃ on Thursday, so we headed to the Hoyts Cinema at Norwood to see the Hong Kong film, The Last Dance, which opened that day. What a wonderful film - set in a funeral parlour, it explores the partnership of a Taoist priest and a failed wedding planner, and so much more. We loved it, as did the mostly Asian young people around us. 

That night we went back to Chef Dong, which we had discovered in April and had another wonderful meal of salt & pepper school prawns, oyster omelette and steamed beans, followed by the best red bean pancake ever. 

Suddenly it was Friday morning and the first day of the second Test. We had planned on trying a new breakfast venue, but it turned out to be in the city with no parking nearby, so we headed back to The Flying Fig, where we ordered the house granola and waited 40 minutes for our meal. Everyone was most apologetic, especially the young trainee waitress who had confused the kitchen. 

We came back here for a rest, before packing our bag and walking to the Adelaide Oval, a pleasant 30 minute stroll along the Botanic Gardens, the Zoo, and the University playing grounds. Our seats were on Level 1 in the Riverbank Stand, with a great view and under cover - as it was 38℃, that was a very good thing indeed. 

What a wonderful first day we enjoyed - Starc with a wicket with his first ball, and the Indians all out for 180. Even better, we were 1/86 at stumps with McSweeney on 38 not out. We left the ground at 8.15pm and got back here just as night fell. We watched the rest of the last session from the comfort of our armchairs.

Prawns above and red bean pancake

Yesterday was hot, but not as bad as Friday. We decided to have a quiet morning here with tomatoes on toast for breakfast. I rang Leanne, who was thrilled to hear from me and we both finished books we had been enjoying. We headed off to the Adelaide Oval wondering what would happen, never dreaming we would see a wonderful innings of 140 by Travis Head that changed the game and put Australia in the box seat. When Head was given a very rude send off by the bowler, Mohammed Siraj, the crowd erupted in boos, which continued whenever he went near the ball. 

We left at the change of innings and listened to the game as we walked back here. We arrived in time to see Scott Boland remove Yashasvi Jaiswal with his first ball, and then have Virat Kohli caught behind after Cummins & Starc had each taken wickets. The Indians are 5/128 still 29 runs behind our first innings, so they are facing an uphill battle to win this game, which will probably finish today, leaving us with a couple of extra days to enjoy Adelaide and all it has to offer.

Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Sunday, 1st December 2024

 

This last week of Spring has been a hot, sticky, wet one here in Daylesford and other parts of Victoria, with lots of rain, thunder, hail etc. We were pleased to get all the rain, not so thrilled about the rest.

I've been thinking recently about all the activities that go on in our Shire, and especially here where we live. Once upon a time, we would have had the energy to do them all, and now we only dip our toes. If you found yourself staying in Daylesford during November you could have attended the following:

• Rotary Art Show over Cup weekend
• 150th Agricultural Show
• Monthly Farmers' Markets in Daylesford, Clunes, Creswick, Glenlyon & Trentham
• Community Brass Band (161 years old) @ Christ Church
• Weekly Sunday Market
• Barefoot Bowls at Daylesford & Trentham
• Open Gardens in Daylesford & Newlyn

As well, you could walk around Lake Daylesford & Jubilee Lake, or go on one of many signposted walks in the area; you could eat & drink at any number of cafes & restaurants; buy local produce; visit Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens; explore The Convent; try lavender scones @ Lavandula; learn about cricket bat making at Cricket Willow, and browse all sorts of shops, including 4 Op Shops and the Mill Markets.

This month sees the 158th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games, which we will miss as we'll be in Adelaide. There will be Carols by Candlelight at the Hepburn Sound Shell, and the Annual New Year's Eve Parade & Gala - to name just a few. 

Roses - Glorious, Golden Beauty, Hot Cocoa & Ashram with some of Glen's sweet peas

On Monday, Warren's sister, Denise, rang him to let him know that her partner, Barry, had died peacefully in palliative care. His funeral was held at Verey's here in Daylesford on Thursday. It was a very quiet service with family members and we shared our thoughts of Barry with each other. He was a very kind, generous and caring person and he came into Denise's life at just the right time. 

A lovely photo of Barry & Denise taken at the Glenlyon Food Store in 2018

Meanwhile, our water dramas continued with Liam, from National Leak Finders, coming to see if he could find the burst pipe sites. He agreed that there were probably two under the concrete driveway, and suggested we redirect the water from underground to aboveground, which is a much simpler solution to the problem. Our local plumber, Gary Wilkinson, is going to do the work this week while we are away, which is perfect. Gary popped in on Friday to go through it with us, and we were able to give him a set of keys. It will be such a relief when under the house is dry again and the driveway stops cracking. 

We've had our usual week of Zooms, phone calls and email contacts. There's always so much to do before we go away, so we haven't caught up with friends the way we had hoped. Now that Judi & Michael live in Ballarat, we have asked Glen & James to look after the bins, and Glen will collect mail from our PO Box. We haven't planted any tomato seedlings as the water will be turned off until Gary has completed his work, so everything will just have to survive. 

Last night we were thrilled to watch the North Melbourne AFLW team score a resounding win over Brisbane to collect their first Premiership after a stunning, unbeaten season. The footy was top class and the support from the sold out crowd at Princes Park was wonderful. Congratulations!

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 24th November 2024

 
Never a dull moment with Snoopy & his imagination

We had a quiet day last Sunday after going to the Daylesford Market. Morse had given Wes the latest Bernard Cornwell book and he spent the day reading it, while I was engrossed in rereading an excellent stand-alone Val McDermid book, "The Grave Tattoo". We finally got some rain that had been promised and everywhere looked better for it.

On Monday, after shopping, we sat down to plan our Christmas emails & cards, which took quite some time until we were happy with the finished products. I had my regular massage with Sarah Hunt, which was just what I needed and she was her usual caring self. 

The catnip hedge in full flower under Fawlty Towers

Our standard Glorious rose looking very happy

The next morning, Wes and Morse headed out for their walk, and returned with the news that only one bunny appeared to play. Perhaps the rest were in the bath! I had a good Zoom with Leanne, followed by a lovely chat with Jan Pengilley in Maleny. 

While Wes did wonders in the garden, I met our neighbour, Glen, for a catch up cuppa in the courtyard at Pancho, and we resolved to do this more often as we ran out of time before we had exhausted all the topics we wanted to cover. 

On Wednesday morning, as there was no Mah Jong, we decided to have breakfast at Muffins & More, which pleased the owner, Heen, very much. I explained that we were going away and that there would be no Mah Jong until mid-December. While Wes cleaned shower recesses and did the floors, I put Morse in the car and we drove to Spring Park Nursery to deliver newspapers; dropped off Epicures & The Local to Nick & Robyn in Porcupine Ridge; pumped mineral water at Leitches Creek, and arrived back home exhausted. That is the most driving I have done since my first cataract op, but it was good practice for our road trip.

Dogwood, seaside daisies, baby gladdies, foxgloves & mauve rhododendron doing well in the front garden

Wes had a big day on Thursday, driving to the Abruzzo Club in Brunswick, via Trentham to collect Bob White, for a get-together to remember Peter Johnstone. I spent the morning attempting to Zoom with Terry Borg (eventually); with Old Friends (after a couple of hiccups), and having a manicure with Juls, who talks non-stop, but was persuaded to take an hour instead of her usual 90 minutes!

When Wes arrived back, he was thrilled to have caught up with members of Peter's family, as well as his oldest friend, Tom Tyrrell, and Danny Millman. There were quite a few Rotarians and he enjoyed speaking with them and sharing stories about Peter. 

We were expecting a very hot day on Friday, and after the cemetery walk where 10 bunnies emerged to play chasey, Wes bathed Morse early and made sure everywhere that needed water had been looked after. I spent the time inside, keeping cool, balancing Reckon, and catching up on emails. 

We were very excited that afternoon when the Australian bowlers had the Indians back in the sheds for 150 all out, but not so excited when they did the same to us, but worse, to have us reeling at 7/67 in a day when 17 wickets fell in Perth.

Our neighbour, Glen's, front fence - a delightful tangle of roses, sweet pea & clematis

Yesterday we drove early to Strathmore to visit Leanne before we head off to Adelaide. As we will miss her birthday, we took scrolls for breakfast & wished her a Happy Birthday with a baby Boston Bun and candles. Wes watered for her, while she & I chatted and solved some computer issues. We were back home by early afternoon, and able to watch the Australian tail wag for nearly two hours, before the Indian openers batted brilliantly to be 0/172 at stumps. Meanwhile the North Melbourne AFLW team thumped Port Adelaide & Brisbane beat Adelaide to move to the Grand Final next Saturday. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 17th November 2024

 

We started our week with our usual visit to the Daylesford Market, where Morse was given pears by Yvonne & Ken, and a treat from Jeff. There were no other dogs in sight, and everyone he met wanted to pat him, absolutely the perfect morning. It was another beautiful day, which gave Wes a chance to spend more time in the front garden, and I achieved a few things inside. 

On Monday, Wes took me shopping at Coles, and we also visited Tonna's & the pharmacy. While I recovered from that exertion, he got cracking in the back garden, where the roses are finally fully in bloom, and everywhere we look is a blaze of colour. Not quite as good as the 16,500 rose bushes at Flemington Racecourse, but probably the best our 125 bushes have ever looked. 

Ashram in its full glory

We are still both recovering from the shock of Donald Trump's easy election win, and worried about the effect it will have on Australia. Because we have compulsory voting, and are grateful to be able to have a say in the running of our country, we find it hard to understand that only 57% of the population voted. If ever there was a time to choose a female President, this was it, so it may be quite a few years before another female is brave enough, and has enough support, to stand. 

Our water seepage problem continues even after all that has been done. Wes let the insurance company know and eventually they came to the party and agreed to send the Water Leak Detector, Paul, out again in case there are leaks elsewhere, apart from the two he found, which Gary the plumber repaired promptly. Wes also advised Central Highlands Water in case the leak is not on our property.

On Tuesday morning, I was pleased to be able to Zoom with Jeff in Lincolnshire and later, Leanne in Strathmore, an improvement on the previous cataract operation, when I wasn't able to make these calls. It was lovely to catch up with them, and I was pleased to see them both looking well. That afternoon an insurance assessor arrived and agreed that we probably have a leak under the concrete driveway. 

We finally got some rain on Wednesday, but not before Wes & Morse had a good early morning walk. Wes very kindly drove me to a fringe trim appointment, then to the PO and Tonna's before we all came back here and Morse & I got out of his way while he vacuumed and washed the floors. In the afternoon we drove to Ballarat for my check-up appointment with the eye specialist. Dr David was thrilled with how both eyes were going, and I don't need to see him again, just go back to Sarah, my optician, and get new reading glasses when we return from Adelaide.

On Thursday morning, Wes had a very lengthy Zoom with the Jackson Group, discussing the result of the US Election. This was led by the Americans in the group, each giving their thoughts on what it means for America and the rest of the world. Meanwhile, I was in the Guest Room, chatting with Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, and we enjoyed some fun & laughter, as well as admiring Joyce's latest cross-stitch project. 

We had a lunch date with Bob White on Friday at the Pig & Whistle Hotel in East Trentham, so picked him up from Trentham on our way there. I hadn't been there for many years and was keen to visit after Wes waxed lyrical after his most recent lunch there. We three all enjoyed our meals, the Barossa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and the friendly greetings from the staff. There were plenty of people eating outside, others in the bistro, and some, like us, in the bar, where there was a fire going for anyone feeling cold. Thanks Bob for a lovely time together - we've been friends for over 40 years, and have shared much over that time.

About to tuck into our meals - me with barbecued calamari on a bed of rocket; Bob chose Sri Lankan chicken curry, and Wes had sticky ribs with onion rings & mash

Yesterday was hot, so we got going early. Wes & Morse went to the Daylesford Cemetery, where a record 9 bunnies were waiting on the outskirts to play chasey with Morse. Then they drove to Ballan to give Rob & Dene's place a good watering, before coming home via Daylesford Hardware. Meanwhile, I made the Christmas Pudding, as I had a completely free day to hang around watching it simmer gently for 6 hours! 

We managed to stay cool in spite of 33℃ and finished the day with fish & chips, much to Morse's delight. Wes always buys too many chips, so Morse gets a handful with his next few meals. We watched Australia win the second T20 game against Pakistan, as well as the AFLW semis, where Adelaide easily beat Fremantle, and Port came from behind in the last quarter to pip Hawthorn by a point. The Preliminary Finals will be exciting next weekend - Adelaide face Brisbane, and Port will try to beat North Melbourne. 

Today is Wes's birthday. He had hoped we could see a film at Ballarat, but nothing appeals this morning. He & Morse are off at the cemetery hoping for lots of bunnies again, before we head to the Daylesford Market. 

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 10th November 2024

 
Fancy asking Snoopy to mind biscuits!

We started this week very quietly with a quick visit to the Daylesford Market, and then very little else as we were both tired after our busy week. Morse gets very down once we come back from the Market, as all the excitement is over for another week. 

On Monday, after shopping, we were due for a cleaning frenzy, and it was the turn of the laundry/dog room & hallways. Wes climbed the ladder to get to the top of the laundry appliances & cupboards, while I scoured doors and skirting boards. When we were finished he washed those floors and we were very proud of our efforts. 

Later that morning, we enjoyed a Zoom catch up with Mike & Linda Kirby on the Gold Coast and talked seriously about the changes to all our lives, before finishing on a fun note with Melbourne Cup chatter. In the afternoon, Australia hosted Pakistan in the 1st One Day International at the MCG. Both sides showed some moments of brilliance, but the Aussies prevailed thanks to a sensible innings from Pat Cummins, when our middle order was floundering. 

Beautiful Ashram in bloom

It was a perfect day for the Melbourne Cup - warm, cloudless and windless and a bumper crowd turned up. We always get nostalgic for those many Cup Carnivals we attended over many years, usually with good friends, and usually great fun. Although we didn't have a single collect, we enjoyed watching the races and were especially thrilled when Robbie Nolan piloted Knight's Choice (which paid $63.50 for the win) to the front in a stunning display of riding. Morse turned 6 and we celebrated by singing Happy Birthday & giving him biscuits with Vegemite, which he loves. 

On Wednesday I was booked for my second cataract operation, and I was less uptight than the first as I knew what to expect. We arrived at 9.15am & I was seen half an hour later, which was better than the first operation, where I waited 75 minutes to be called. Everything went smoothly and we were back home by midday. I went straight to bed as I was quite wobbly. There's something about wearing a concave rigid plastic eye cover, which has been plastered onto your face, which make you just a little uncertain of your balance. In fact, I poured my first cup of tea onto the tray, missing the cup completely! 

Peace rose enjoying the sunshine in the front garden

As anyone who has been through this knows, trying to sleep with this eye protector is almost impossible, and it is a great relief to remove it the next morning & get started on the eye drops - one drop 4 times a day for the next 4 weeks. As you are required to lie quietly for 5 minutes each time, that means 9 hours & 20 minutes out of the month, but it is worth it in the end to have better sight - distance in my case. I will still need reading glasses, but can't get them for six weeks, after we return from Adelaide.

This lilac rhododendron is the only one we have and it is always late flowering, but worth the wait. 

Thank God for Oaks Day and a wonderful distraction. We ended up even with our betting, and enjoyed watching the beautiful horses, roses and the fashions, which were much dressier and less gimmicky than in previous years. I spent Friday in bed, after doing too much the day before. It was cold & wet in the morning, so that was the best place to be, and I could watch the Pakistan team play brilliantly to beat us in the second One-Day International at Adelaide Oval. Today's third & deciding game will be very interesting as half our team will be missing as they prepare for the Test series against India. 

Yesterday I spent the morning up, picked some roses, stewed pears & rhubarb, and did a load of washing, before retreating to bed and the final day of the Cup Carnival - Champions Stakes Day. Wes worked hard in the front garden, trimming, weeding, watering etc, before joining me to watch the main races. What a delight to see Via Sistina salute easily again, as well as Sunshine in Paris & Mr Brightside score stirring wins. I think this has been the best Cup Carnival in years, with such wonderful horses providing great racing. 

Munstead Wood, Beautiful Girl & Guy Savoy

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 3rd November 2024

 
I'm sure Sally is not on her own

We started our week quietly after the early morning Sunday walk & visit to the Market. We were all feeling tired for one reason or another, but perked up when the Collingwood & Carlton AFLW teams played at Victoria Park for the very first time that afternoon. In the previous 8 seasons, we have always played at Carlton's home ground, Princes Park, and I was hopeful that the Pies would play better at Vic Park. They did, but not well enough, so Wes is now the proud possessor of the Maloney Cup.

On Monday, after shopping, putting out bins and eating apple scrolls, we tackled School, which we had dedicated to looking at our Christmas card list, and making sure we had up to date addresses, both actual & email. It's amazing how many changes occur in a year.

Our first little vase of roses - Freesia, Pumpkin Patch, Ashram, Perfumed Pink & Julia's Rose

Wes did some mowing out the front and then watering, as we haven't had rain for some days. While he was near the tap, he noticed another leak, much to our dismay. Gary, the plumber, was horrified and turned up at lunchtime to repair it. No wonder the water was still seeping steadily under the house!

On Tuesday morning, we turned the water off for 30 minutes to check if the water meter had moved, and it hadn't, so hopefully that is the end of the leaks and under the house can start to dry out soon. We both had early Zooms - Wes speaking with Paul & Graham, while I caught up with my aunt, Jeff, as it was a month since we had chatted. We covered a wonderful variety of topics and our time went by too quickly. Then I had my regular weekly Zoom with Leanne, who was in good spirits, looking forward to a visit from her support worker, Bec.

Wes spent the rest of the morning doing wonders in the back garden, which is a Spring delight at present. We can't wait for all the roses to open, but the lavender is in bloom, the seaside daisies are going mad, and there are corners of colour everywhere you look.

Glimpses of yellow roses and daisies down the bottom of the garden

As usual on Wednesdays, while Judi & I played Mah Jong at Muffins & More, Wes vacuumed and washed the floors. It was a beautiful day, so they dried quickly. Our neighbour, Glen, had been away for a few days, so I picked a lovely jug of flowers from her garden to greet her when she arrived home that afternoon.

It was a cooler day on Thursday, but that didn't stop the birds from flocking to our backyard in anticipation of a feed. There are two very brave magpies that come right up to the study door, and one in particular, is almost ready to eat from my hand. I can't wait for that to happen. Terry Borg & I had a lovely Zoom@8am and I caught up on all her news from her trip to Chang Mai to celebrate her daughter, Laura's, 50th birthday, with lots of family & friends.

Golden Beauty coming into bloom

Then it was time to Zoom with Old Friends, two of whom have lost family members in the past week. We were very sad to learn of the deaths from cancer of Ken Lowery, brother of Karen Stevenson, who we have known since he was a teenager; and John Spiteri, brother of Manny. We didn't know John well, but had met him at various family functions over the years. Joyce wasn't able to Zoom, but Karen was keen to catch up with us all, and we (Kathy, Lib & me) wanted to express our sympathy.

Morse had a lovely time chasing bunnies in the Daylesford Cemetery on Friday morning, before being bathed. We gave him a big bone and set off for Ballarat to see the film, Lee, which had received rave reviews. What a stunning film, and great performance by Kate Winslet. We recommend this film very highly - it gives a different view of war from the point of view of the American female photographer, Lee Miller, and uses a very clever artifice to tell her story. 

Yesterday we drove to Strathmore to visit Leanne as it was a month since we had last seen her. Wes spent most of the time in the garden, watering, weeding & fixing up stakes, while Leanne and I tackled some indoor issues. We were tired by the time we arrived back here and spent the rest of the afternoon watching Derby Day races from Flemington, where Jamie Kah rode Goldrush Guru to victory in her first Derby win after suffering a broken nose in the barrier stalls before an earlier race.

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 27th October 2024

 

Dear Snoopy!

One of the very sad pieces of news we received last week was that Chris Meehan had died. Wes went to school with him, and had kept in touch over the years, especially when he, and his wife, Mary, had a holiday home in Trentham. I went to school with Chris's sister, Margaret, but we hadn't stayed in touch, as I didn't enjoy reunions at all, and gave them a big miss after the one I attended during my first year at Melbourne Uni. Wes was able to go to the funeral, which was held on Monday at Fawkner Cemetery. He caught up with a few other schoolmates as well as Margaret and was very pleased he had made the effort to get there.

On a more frivolous note, we enjoyed watching the races on Caulfield Cup day, and were especially cheered by seeing the winning jockey, Harry Coffey, a country boy, who has battled cystic fibrosis since birth. This was a dream come true for him, and a lovely win by Duke de Sessa for Ciaran Maher's stable. Ciaran was at Randwick watching Bella Nipotina win The Everest - a good day all round for the stable. 

Morse providing alternative entertainment

Last Sunday morning, after our usual chores, we drove to Ballarat to see The Critic at Palace Cinemas. I was blown away by Sir Ian McKellen's acting, and thought the film was beautifully cast, scripted and photographed. Wes was completely turned off by the very evil character of the theatre critic, Jimmy Erskine, and didn't enjoy the film at all. 

School this week was looking at our programmes on the laptop as Wes had been frustrated not to be able to use Zoom or Office 365 on it. We managed to download both and hopefully it will be easier next time round. We find it very helpful to have the laptop as a back-up, especially as we both have quite a few regular Zooms. Wes speaks to his friend, Barbara, in New Zealand, twice each week; to our old friend, Helen, here in Melbourne, once a fortnight; to his Queenland godson, Danny, every four weeks; and the Jackson Group fortnightly, as well as separate chats with various members, who are strewn all around the globe.

On Tuesday, Paul, from the Water Leak detection company, came to see if he could find our broken pipe. Much to our delight, he announced it was near the front tap, not under the concrete driveway. He checked everywhere else on the property and we were very relieved with his decision. While he & Wes were engaged, I Zoomed my sister, Leanne, and then enjoyed a good catch up with Jan in Maleny. 

Our first irises & grannies' bonnets

Judi & I were able to play Mah Jong on Wednesday, and had a lovely morning, with Judi taking the honours. Wes did his usual vacuuming & washing of the floors, and then some mowing & gardening. Morse was most relieved when I arrived back home and let him inside again as outdoor activities are not his favourite things!

Wes caught up via Zoom with Paul Jackson on Thursday morning, before I chatted with Old Friends - Kathy, Karen S & Joyce, and then drove to Hepburn to have a manicure with Juls, who had forgotten I had an appointment. She always has her studio ready for treatments, so I didn't have to wait long, and we enjoyed our time together. Coincidentally, I also had my quarterly podiatry appointment a couple of hours later - fingers & toes all looking good again.

The first blooms on two of our favourite roses - Ashram & Pumpkin Patch

We had been due to catch up for lunch on Friday with Robert & Marilyn Preston, old friends we hadn't seen for a year, and Wes had booked a table at The Pig & Whistle Pub in Trentham East. However, we realised the afternoon before, when I was in bed at 2.30pm, that I wouldn't last the distance, and we have postponed getting together until after my eyes are back to normal. 

Our plumber, Gary Wilkinson, arrived at 1pm and found two leaks in the pipe near the front tap. He replaced the faulty pipe part, and we now have our fingers crossed that the water will stop seeping under the house through the concrete walls. This took Gary a couple of hours, so he stayed for a cuppa, biscuit & chat afterwards, including a quick discussion with me about Collingwood's chances next year - we are both optimistic!

Yesterday we had hoped to get to the Kingston Food & Wine Fair, about 20 minutes away, but realised it wouldn't be possible, so settled for another quiet day at home, with Wes spending time in the garden, and me watching Cox Plate Raceday at Moonee Valley. We used to live about 5 minutes from this beautiful track, and saw many Cox Plates while we were members there. 1990 remains the most memorable!

Jan McClean, Wes, Danny Millman & Me having a great day

The races didn't disappoint this year, and Via Sistina was a very popular and commanding winner of the Cox Plate, which has given her favouritism for the Melbourne Cup. Also popular was the win in the Vase by Red Aces, which had been scratched at the barrier the previous week. He'll now go to the Derby this Saturday. We collected quinella wins in 3 of the 4 races in which we had a bet, and after three weeks, are back to square one. 

Via Sistina, with James McDonald aboard, smashes Winx's record for the fastest Cox Plate ever

Daylesford Spring Dispatch - Sunday, 20th October 2024

Just love this cartoon - there are plenty of Peppermint Patties playing in the AFLW!

When I left you last Sunday, we were heading to the Daylesford Market - my first outing since the cataract operation. It was lovely to be out & about, but I had to be careful and watch my step. I caught Yvonne pinching pieces of pear from Morse's breakfast - her need was greater than his it seems. We bought plenty of fruit, vegetables, eggs & dog treats before heading back home, very relieved that we didn't have to turn around and drive to Strathmore, having done that the previous weekend.

That night Wes cooked a brilliant meal - grilled swordfish with honeyed carrots plus steamed bush peas from our garden. It was absolutely perfect and much appreciated.

On Monday, Wes drove me to Coles Supermarket & pushed the trolley around, while Morse waited in the car. We met Jeff Bain in the carpark & had a quick chat, before heading home to unpack. I put out all the bins before we had School looking at our diaries for the rest of the year. Then we went back out again to Tonna's for pasta, juice & tomatoes, and the optometrist, where Catherine removed the left lens from my distance glasses, and I made an appointment to see Sarah in December, after we return from Adelaide, to get new reading glasses. 

While I spent the afternoon resting, Wes tackled Qantas Insurance as we have a water damage claim. It appears that a pipe has broken, probably under the concrete in the front, which explains why water is still seeping in under the house. His experience as an insurance assessor, salesman & broker over 30 years comes in very handy at moments like this!

Spring glimpses in our front garden

For some reason, I had a bad night and was unable to have my usual Zoom chats with my aunt, Jeff, and my sister, Leanne. I rang Leanne later & we caught up then. Her support worker is on holidays for three weeks, and I am conscious that she is missing the contact. I send her texts every day, but she really gets a lot out of our Zooms.

Qantas sent an estimator to have a look at our problem and he was in agreement with Wes, that it appears we have a broken water pipe. He promised to send a leak detector, who has made an appointment for Tuesday morning. That afternoon, Wes went for a full check-up with his doctor, James & got an excellent report, which was very reassuring indeed.

Leanne sent me the photo of her Just Joeys in full bloom, and on Wednesday morning I responded with our first rosebud - freesia

While I am resting, which is every afternoon at present, I have become hooked on a wonderful AI series of music & images on You Tube based on Hogwarts. The music suits me, and I am entranced by the tours of various parts of Hogwarts, including the village of Hogsmeade. It brings back memories of sitting with Tom Tyrrell in Cinema Nova watching the very first Harry Potter film (Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone), and being constantly amazed and entertained. JK Rowling changed the world with her incredible series of books, and the films were the next logical step. Fortunately they were brilliantly conceived and very well cast.

I was unable to play Mah Jong with Judi this week, as we had a follow up appointment with my eye doctor on the same day, and i didn't have the energy to do both. I spent the morning keeping out of Wes's way as he vacuumed and washed the floors before we drove to Ballarat. 

Dr David gave me the good news that my eye was recovering beautifully, and that we should continue with the eye drops until the bottle was empty. On our way back home, we stopped at Ballarat Seafoods to stock up on gummy shark, swordfish & Atlantic salmon pieces, and at Dan Murphy's to replenish whiskey & gin supplies.

Spring in the back garden - waiting for the roses to bloom

I did enjoy being able to drive again on Thursday morning - picked some lemons from Sue's prolific tree for us, for our neighbour, Glen, and to take to Rob & Dene when we visited them the next morning. It was good to stroll up & down Vincent Street without having to rely on Wes to drop me off and pick me up afterwards. 

Wes had his fortnightly Zoom with the Jackson Group, where they discussed various individual issues brought by members, and then I was pleased to be able to host Old Friends and chat with Kathy, Lib, Karen S & Joyce. Cataract operations filled centre stage for a while and we caught up on other news as well.

We woke to pouring rain and dire weather forecasts on Friday morning, and after consultation with Rob & Dene, decided to postpone our visit until yesterday, when it was dry and sunny. It was too wet to do anything except computer work, reading the paper & crosswords, with fish & chips & Cofield Sparkling Shiraz for dinner. 

Finally, our double Japanese wisteria aka Black Dragon is flowering on the back fence

Yesterday morning we drove to Ballan to catch up with Rob & Dene. It was a lovely visit, as always, and we left wishing we had more time to chat. Morse loved every minute - he runs around their backyard in excitement, jumps up at them in turn, and finally settles when Rob invites him onto the couch with him. Rob & Dene's garden is looking great, more advanced than ours, and the view from their new extension is very relaxing.

Morse very comfy with Rob - view of the backyard through the glass