Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 10th May 2026

Last Sunday, we managed our weekly trip to the Daylesford Market before the rain became very heavy - 36mls in our rain gauge that night, which is wonderful - everyone's tanks would be full, and the gardens were desperate for moisture. We had hoped to plant our bulbs, but it was too wet, so we opted for computer work, the Sunday Age, and footy instead.

On Monday, I did the weekly shop at Coles and bought home our breakfast of spinach & feta croissants from Baker's Delight. We have become addicted to these delightful pastries, and enjoy sitting down with them & hot drinks once all the shopping has been put away. We usually then have weekly School, but are trialling it monthly instead. Wes went out to the front garden to trim & mow, while I caught up with washing & computer work. The cockies have been getting stuck into our house from the decking, so Wes has painted over the area and covered it with chicken wire, which we hope will deter them from returning. 

This week's bouquet - Guy Savoy, Tangles, 4th of July, Volcano, Don Bradman, Hot Cocoa & Friesia

Wes had a very social afternoon - a Zoom with Terry Larkins, followed by a chat with Barbara in NZ, and finished off with a catch up with Helen. He had been due to Zoom with Paul & Rod that night, but it was postponed until Wednesday.

There was more rain overnight & into Tuesday morning, so we couldn't go for our usual walk. I chatted with Leanne, before Wes & I tackled cleaning our lounge/kitchen area. He cleaned the paintings & cupboards, while I polished furniture and then cleaned the benchtops, while he did the vacuuming. We both felt very pleased with our efforts, and celebrated by putting Morse in the car and pumping mineral water at Leitches Creek!

We were delighted to see these blooms on Glorious, our beautiful standard rose that was damaged in the last big storm

It was dry enough to walk on Wednesday, but no sign of bunnies, although we had spotted two on Monday morning - both times Morse & the bunnies enjoyed the chase. I played Mah Jong with Judi at Muffins, where quite a few locals came in from the cold for meals & hot drinks. Meanwhile, Wes did the floors and I came home to a lovely clean, warm house. I had a very quiet afternoon and evening, but Wes enjoyed an excellent chat with Paul Jackson in the UK & Rod McDonald in Melbourne after dinner. 

Golden Beauty seems to be very happy with its spot & keeps flowering splendidly

We woke on Thursday to a freezing cold wet morning, and cancelled all thoughts of a walk. I had been looking forward to a catch up with Rhonda at The Convent, but my cough had freshened up, so we postponed until next Saturday morning. I did have enough voice to speak with Terry Borg on WhatsApp, where we enjoyed swapping stories; and then with Old Friends - Karen S & Joyce briefly, as she was coughing too!

It was such a cold day that we lit the fire and stayed in front of it, reading The Age & books, much to Morse's delight. He & Wes had gone out foraging & returned with feta & onion tart for lunch, apple log for afternoon tea, and dumplings for dinner. Needless to say we couldn't fit the apple log in and saved it for Friday & yesterday.

Nothing like an open fire

On Friday, it was cold & wet, but nowhere near as bad as the day before. I had an early Zoom with Leanne, which went well; followed by a lovely WhatsApp chat with Jan in Maleny. Wes joined me for the first 30 minutes and we caught up with all the fun & excitement of the 5-week cruise around Australia that she did with her daughter, Tara, and son-in-law, Diedrich. Afterwards Wes took me to breakfast at the Glenlyon General Store, where there was an inviting open fire, and we enjoyed our usual meals there. We took the chance to catch up on a few things and only left when my cough returned.

That night Carlton travelled to Brisbane to face the Lions - they played very badly in the first half & it looked to be a walkover, but towards the end of the 3rd quarter, they found their mojo, and nearly pulled off an upset, losing by only 11 points. Wes was very pleased with the outcome, although a win would have been even better.

Spotted this lovely photo of our friend, Terry Borg, & her younger daughter, Laura, on FB

Yesterday it was raining again, but lightly and that is the end of rain for about a week according to the Bureau of Meteorology. I packed my bag for another trip to Melbourne - Wes & Morse dropped me off at Ballan Station at lunchtime so I could check into The Windsor by 3pm and have a rest before walking to the MCG. This game against Geelong was important because our former Captain, Scott Pendlebury, equalled Brent Harvey in playing the most number of games of AFL footy.

Before the game, I met up with David and Helen Lazzaro for a drink and chat at The Pullman hotel across the road from the MCG. We were joined by their son, Dan, and a couple of friends, and then I spotted Danny Millman with his partner, John, and we became a large social group. Geelong was too good for us and won easily in front of a crowd of 83,000+.

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 3rd May 2026

We started our week with a good visit to the Daylesford Market, followed by an overdue wash for Morse, which he enjoyed. We three were tired after our big Saturday, especially Wes & Morse who had stayed up to see if Carlton could beat Freo over there. We bought spinach & feta croissants from Baker's Delight, and spent plenty of time with the weekend papers & the day's footy matches.

On Monday, I had lots of shopping to do - Coles, Tonna's & Blooms - where I finally got some very good advice from one of the pharmacists, Georgia, who suggested I ask Dr James for an extra ingredient to be put into my asthma medication, and found some cough mixture that didn't taste of senega & ammonia! We then had School, where we made some financial decisions and solved a few computer issues that were worrying me. As it was another gorgeous Autumn day, Wes spent the morning watering our front garden.

More lovely roses - Volcano, 4th of July, Friesia, Hot Cocoa, Tangles & Perfumed Passion

For the past couple of years I have been going to bed between 3 & 5pm, unless I have managed to have a very quiet day and still have energy to do something else e.g. go to the footy. Most nights I prepare Morse's food just before 5pm & Wes gives him his dinner. Then he joins me in our bedroom, sitting in our lovely armchair and we debrief on our day & make plans for the next one while sipping on Jamieson's whisky (him) & Hendrick's gin (me). Morse comes in to say thank you for his meal and lies on the floor until we are finished chatting. Wes then very kindly makes a yummy meal, which I eat in bed on a tray, trying not to make a mess!

Last Tuesday, I was due to chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, and now that there are only 9 hours difference in time between Victoria & England, she stays up until 9.30pm & I forgo my walk with Wes & Morse, and endeavour to ring her on WhatsApp at 6.30am our time. We had a good chat, with lots to catch up on as it had been a month since we last spoke. She told me that my brother, Peter, & his wife, Anka, were heading overseas this week, and would be spending time in Lincoln so they could visit her, which is lovely.

Then I caught up with Leanne, my sister, in Strathmore. She was looking good & we chatted about the ANZAC Day footy, as well as plans for our visit to her last Friday. My final socialising was to visit Juls in Hepburn Springs for a manicure - always a fun experience, and this was no exception. That afternoon, Wes had a good catch up with an old friend - Carole Hardwick, who had recently returned from a cruise with friends. 

This is the site of the dreadful accident in Daylesford that claimed 5 lives back in November, 2023. The big rocks were put in place to stop another car doing the same thing, but Council has decided to block the road off and turn the area into communal land

On Wednesday, Judi & I met for Mah Jong and she easily won more games, including trying some difficult ones. I think she can take her P plates off now! It was nice in Muffins with locals galore, even Kelly, who used to run it, turned up for an early lunch. Meanwhile Wes did the floors before spending an afternoon on Ancestry and then having a long chat with Simon from First 
Samuel about the best way forward with our finances. 

Collingwood was hosting Hawthorn at the MCG on Thursday night - a five day break for the Pies, which isn't ideal, but I had booked a room at The Windsor, so I could attend the game. We both had early morning chats - Wes with the Jackson Group, discussing the future of universities, and me with Old Friends, which turned out to be the two Karens, as Kathy & Joyce were both coughing too much. 

While I packed and did my usual Thursday chores, Wes visited David Hall, who has moved into Hepburn House, and took him out for morning tea at Sweet Decadence. They had a good time together & David particularly enjoyed being driven around the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens to enjoy the Autumn colours. 

Then Wes & Morse drove me to Ballan Station - when I walked onto the platform, there was our friend, Dene Roberts, who used to live next door to us in #80, with his partner, Rob Griffin. Dene was as thrilled to see me as I was to see him. Dene guided me onto the emptiest carriage, put my suitcase up for me, and proceeded to engage me in conversation until he had to alight at Footscray. It was a lovely start to my trip to Melbourne!

Wes took these lovely photos of our front garden, especially to show off the Dogwoods, which have beautiful Autumn shades

When I booked into The Windsor, I was able to turn on Classic FM radio from the TV, and sit quietly for a couple of hours until it was time to shower & change for the footy. I had made arrangements to catch up with Collingwood friend, Gayle Gibson, in the Long Room, so I needed my best black jacket & trousers. We enjoyed a lovely time over glasses of sparkling wine, before I went to my seat in the 50-year member bay to get ready for the game.

Over 76,000 turned up to see Collingwood & Hawthorn play a thrilling draw

I hadn't expected the Pies to win, let alone hold their own, and didn't think we could prevail, until the last 2 minutes, and then we made a couple of errors and let the Hawks catch up. They had more of the ball, but kicked inaccurately, which kept us in the game. 

The next morning, I had breakfast in the beautiful Windsor dining room, before packing, and walking to Flinders Street station to catch the Craigieburn train to Strathmore, where Wes picked me up about 10 minutes after I arrived. We then drove to Leanne's place, and had a very enjoyable visit. Wes checked her computer, fixed a knob that was loose, and she & I tidied up two kitchen drawers.

Coconut & quinoa porridge with fresh fruit - yum!

We were tired when we got back home, where Morse presented us with a bone he was in the process of digging up! Apart from unpacking & washing & watching the entire replay of the game, I did very little and was in bed when fish & chips were brought in!

Yesterday, we were still recovering and had a quiet morning - I made some potato salad to go with our dinner that night, and read the Saturday Age from cover to cover. Wes did some computer work and we settled down to watch the day's footy. Sadly that night, the Blues couldn't keep up their early good form against the Saints and lost their match. 

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 26th April 2026

Last Sunday we had a lovely visit with Yvonne & Ken at the Daylesford Market - Yvonne had set aside all the fruit & vegetables we usually buy, and I added a bit more as our crispers were bare after the holiday. Then we came home and while I washed & put everything away, Wes got started on cleaning the car. He was feeling much better than the previous day, when he was so tired, and Snoopy desperately needed a good clean after 1,600km. However, it was my turn to feel exhausted, so I did very little, and was pleased we had postponed our visit to Leanne, as I wouldn't have been able to do it. 

Another Morse contortion - I think this says he is happy to be home!

On Monday, we enjoyed another early, cool walk around Daylesford Cemetery with Morse - still no bunnies have emerged yet from their burrows for him to chase. We skipped School, spent time catching up with our neighbour, James, before he flew to Japan on Tuesday, and headed back home to do chores. Wes mowed the lawns, which had grown green & lush while we were away, and I started the cleaning by dusting & polishing the furniture in our bedroom. 

Later that morning I had a very welcome massage with Sarah, and spent the rest of the day quietly - reading, crosswords & Logic Puzzles. Wes had a very social afternoon catching up via phone or Zoom - Barbara in NZ; Helen in Melbourne, and after dinner - Gary in Melbourne & Libby in Switzerland. In this last Zoom, Wes had set the three of them the task of coming up with sayings that were peculiar to their family or their time, and they all enjoyed it so much that they were still chatting when they ran out of time. 

We were thrilled to pick a vase of roses in April - mostly Guy Savoy, Freisia, Hot Cocoa & Perfumed Passion

Tuesday passed in a blur - I had no energy at all, and apart from walking early, Zooming with Leanne & cleaning the microwave, I spent the rest of the day resting. Wes got cracking on the back garden - he tidied up the wisteria, which had gone crazy on our back fence, weeded two garden beds, exposing roses we had forgotten about, and clipped bushes & trees that needed doing.

I was thrilled to wake up on Wednesday with some energy, and headed to Spring Park Nursery after breakfast to deliver much-needed newspapers, now that bare-rooted rose season is approaching. Then it was time for a fringe trim with Kirsty in their beautiful salon in The Rex Arcade, and finally Mah Jong with Judi. We had a good morning - it was quiet in Muffins, and honours were even when we finished.

On Thursday, we were booked to have our second flu shots, but discovered, talking to Dr Patrick, that we didn't need them. We think reception thought my chronic fatigue warranted a second dose, but it didn't. Wes dropped me home so I could catch up with Old Friends, who were chatting on WhatsApp, and I joined them all easily, which was such a relief. I've felt guilty in the past when I couldn't host a Zoom chat & everyone else missed out, but with WhatsApp, that doesn't happen. Any of us can start the chat, and any of us can leave it or join it when it suits. 

Before we left for Springs Medical, I had a lovely catch up with Terry Borg - it had been a month and we had lots to share. After my Old Friends chat, Wes offered apple log for morning tea - perfect as there hadn't been time for breakfast!

I took this pre-dawn photo in Daylesford Cemetery when I looked up and saw the cross reaching to the sky

Glen & I had been promising a get-together and it finally happened on Friday morning - after she had walked her dogs, and I had chatted with Leanne. We went to The Convent and enjoyed their scones with pots of tea. All the staff came over to say hello - such a welcoming environment. We spent an hour together and must make sure it happens again soon. Meanwhile Wes did further wonders in the back garden, which now looks much more under control than it did when we arrived back from our holiday.

Yesterday was ANZAC Day - we went to the Eganstown 9am service, as it is unique and we love being part of it. It was a beautiful morning, and all the rituals were performed well. Instead of a guest speaker, John Menadue spoke about his uncle William, who was one of the first 8 men to volunteer for World War 1 & ended up in Gallipoli. He was shot in the shoulder, recovered, and then lost a leg, dying on the hospital ship and being buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Eganstown plaque, and the plan is to celebrate a different person each year. 

From the top - early arrivals, Sally, and the piper

Wes drove me to Ballan Station & I caught the train to the MCG for the annual ANZAC Day Game between Collingwood & Essendon, which started back in 1996 with a memorable draw. The ceremonies were moving as always and I particularly like the joint banner which both teams run through together. After an even first half, the Pies were able to take control, and win the game, mostly due to a stunning performance from our former Captain, Scott Pendlebury, aged 38, playing his 431st game. He had 43 disposals, and easily won the ANZAC Day medal. 

Wes & Morse picked me up at Ballan Station after the game, and I went straight to bed with a split of prosecco and a toastie. Sadly the Blues couldn't win their game against Freo, but rallied to lose by only 14 points.

Joint banner at the G yesterday

Daylesford Dispatch - Sunday, 19th April 2026

We started our Sunday in Adelaide with brunch at Pantry on Egmont, where we both enjoyed delicious meals once again. Wes had the granola and I tackled the truffle mushrooms with scrambled eggs, which was a very special meal indeed. The owners recognised us from our previous visit and we made sure they knew that we always choose to have breakfast at their café when we are in Adelaide. On the way home we filled up with petrol rather than wait until we were heading to Lorne on Tuesday morning. 

Karen enthusiastically peppering her meal

Once again, we had a quiet day in preparation for the footy that night. Fortunately it started at 6.45pm. We arrived early, had our usual glass of shiraz and found our seats up high & under cover. We were barracking for St Kilda against Port and they managed to win an exciting game, in spite of heavy rain and quite a few errors.

Our last day in Adelaide started slowly with tea & toast in bed, before we went for a walk into the city, specifically Rundle Mall, where all the footy stuff was being dismantled. We had a cuppa in a lovely little café before walking to the restaurant at the back of the Art Gallery for lunch. 

We both enjoyed spaghetti with clams & a big glass of shiraz

We walked back home via the Zoo and Botanic Gardens, where I couldn't resist taking this photo and wondering how many Poms would find it confusing. I especially thought of our dear friend, Bill Longley, no longer with us, who, with his wife, Sue, was guilty of bringing two empty plates to a barbecue early on in his life in Australia.

God knows what Bill would have made of this!

We drove all day Tuesday and arrived safely at Lorne around 4.30pm, having left Hackney at 6.20am. Our unit is a little tired, but spacious, and we managed to get Kayo operating, so could watch our usual Aussie Rules TV shows. The shower in the bathroom is over the huge spa bath, which is quite a challenge, both for the users & the cleaners. We will be pleased to get back to our normal showers and our own bed, as well as our Labrador, on Friday.

We woke on Wednesday to light rain, which eventually turned into heavy rain. A few surfers braved the weather and had fun with the waves. I went for a long walk along the main street, looking for good breakfast & lunch spots, with mixed success. I eventually found a French bakery and brought back baguettes for our lunch. We sat on our little balcony to eat them and enjoyed watching and listening to the sea. 

Surfing in the rain

We got up at 6am on Thursday morning to go for a beach walk, and we are so pleased we did - it was dark as we started off, then we saw some amazing skies before a stunning sunrise unfolded in front of us. We came back home and had early teas sitting on our balcony watching the day begin and the surfers arrive at the beach.

Arriving at the beach

First light

The very start of sunrise

Sunrise in all its glory

We decided to have another quiet day, reading and watching the sparkling water from our balcony. We have been enjoying the books we brought & bought & Wes, in particular, has been pleased to get back into reading after quite a long break. 

Mid-afternoon, we ventured out for a walk and early dinner. We tried the Lorne Hotel, but they only offered snacks between 3-5 in spite of their website saying the kitchen was open all afternoon! Eventually we ended up at Salonika Social, a Greek pizzeria, where we enjoyed an excellent prawn pizza and Wes tried Greek rosé. He loved it and had a second glass before we went back to our unit to watch Carlton & Collingwood play in the Peter McCallum Cup. 

Yummy pizza & Greek rosé

Collingwood escaped with a 5 point win after Carlton had looked the better side early. Nick Daicos in his 100th game had a last quarter to remember, and was the difference between a win or a loss.

We had breakfast locally on Friday morning - the best of a pretty ordinary bunch - Lorne specialises in take-away everything or eat in at long benches. Then it was time to finish packing, and drive home via Eureka Kennels in Ballarat. Morse was so excited to see us, and, because he was in a penthouse, he came back as clean as when he left! We had local fish & chips that night, as we were too tired to be bothered worrying about a meal, and Morse loves the leftover chips.

Yesterday, we were back to normal, with an early walk at Daylesford Cemetery. Then I went supermarket shopping, followed by a trip to Tonna's to replenish pasta & potatoes supplies, as well as snaring the last 4 nectarines to make a fruit salad.

Adelaide Dispatch - Sunday, 12th April 2026

 

Priceless

We had a very quiet Easter Sunday - town was busy, and, after our walk, we were happy to finish off our Hot Cross buns for breakfast, and spend the day together. We shared lots of good wishes with family and friends - thank you.

On Monday morning it was raining when we woke up - most unexpected and very welcome rain - about 7mls in all. It was too wet to walk and too wet for Wes to get into the garden. I did some chores, and we settled down to watch the annual Hawthorn vs Geelong game at the MCG. This was a stunning game of footy, that was finally won by the Hawks by a point with 20 seconds to go. The crowd of nearly 85,000 were treated to a match worthy of a Grand Final.

We were able to walk on Tuesday morning and gave Morse an extra long time as he was heading to Eureka Kennels at lunchtime. He takes quite a bit with him - bed, pillow, apples, friend, toy, bone etc, but he has a good time there as he is used to going and many of the staff are the same from the last time. And this time, he was upgraded to the Penthouse - bliss!

When I visited the Post Office, there were three packages to collect - one was for Wes from his cousin, Gary; and the other two were from the Daylesford Football Netball Club. They had introduced Seniors Memberships for this year, and we paid for them back in December, when we first read about it on Facebook.

We weren't expecting the scarves nor to be given #1 & #2!

We packed that afternoon with a view to getting away early the next morning as we wanted to get to the Adelaide Central Market before it closed at 5.30pm. It's amazing how many things can't be put in the suitcases the night before, including glasses, tablets, thongs, brushes etc, but we left plenty of room, and were as organised as we could be!

We set off on Wednesday just after 7am - our first stop was Conway's Bakery in Horsham. We found it last year and see no reason not to return. It is the cleanest, most organised and welcoming bakery ever - we usually choose their freshly-made sandwiches (egg & lettuce for me) and sit outside with our thermoses of tea. Wes did most of the driving which was a huge effort, especially when heavy rain came down, but we made it to Adelaide Central Market just after 3pm. We headed straight to the Smelly Cheese stall and bought three interesting cheeses - a soft one, a blue from Castlemaine and an earthy orange hard one. We picked up some peaches & nectarines from the fruit stall next door, and then found 3 books at the bookstall that we love.

We arrived at Athelney Studio in Hackney an hour later, where Rosie had everywhere looking very welcoming, including a lovely bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, a fresh loaf of sourdough, and some chocolate (our first this Easter). We unpacked, ate, and were in bed by 7pm.

The next morning the rain came down in torrents again, but we found our way to Pantry on Egmont, in Hawthorn, where we enjoyed pots of tea and two of the breakfast specials. The staff were different from last time, but friendly and helpful and excited to have interstate visitors.

Top - my Harissa breakfast & below - Wes with April French toast

After we had finished, we drove to Third & Fourth Streets, Bowden, which is an interesting chic rethink of neighbouring industrial buildings, which have been turned into food courts & artisan shops and complemented by one, two & three bedroom apartments. We had a quick walk around as the rain was starting to get heavy, and on our way back to Hackney, we drove through extremely strong rain again. 

That night we walked to the Adelaide Oval on our usual route - past the Botanic Gardens, the Zoo, over the playing grounds, past the Moreton Bay figs and into the ground. We had great seats on Level 3, and kept dry in spite of the rain that bucketed down at half-time. Carlton were valiant in defeat, losing by 28 points to Adelaide.

It was a late night for both of us, so we took things very quietly the next morning and had tea & toast in bed. I realised I wouldn't be able to do much during the day, so we had a quiet one - reading mostly - I had bought the latest Donna Leon, and Wes was engrossed in Charles Dickens. When we finally went to the ground, we met all the Fox Footy team going to take up their spots - one of them was Nathan Buckley and he was being held up by Collingwood families begging for selfies!

We had hoped to meet up with my sister, Paun, and her husband, Brian, at the game; but their plans changed when Brian's mother, Una, was rushed to hospital in Warragul, and Brian was advised to visit her before she died. We had also planned to meet up with Adrian Tinetti and his family, but they were on the other side of the ground from us and arrived just as the heavens opened. So we had another glass of shiraz in the outdoor, undercover bar and chatted to the ladies sitting with us on the couch, who were grateful that the Victorians had brought rain with them!

Collingwood couldn't kick a goal and lost the game after being the better side for the majority of the match. Freo took their limited opportunities in the last quarter and deserved to win. Fortunately the rain eased as we set off back here, and we consoled ourselves with large glasses of Muscat before going to bed.

Yesterday we had another slow start, but were excited to be going to a lunchtime game - Melbourne & Essendon, once again at the Adelaide Oval. It was wonderful to be there when the Bombers broke a 17 game losing streak to blitz the more fancied Demons. 

Glen's grandson, Donnie, an Essendon supporter, at a footy clinic before the game, being taught by Collingwood captain, Darcy Moore. 

That night we watched Hawthorn prove too strong for the previously unbeaten Doggies. Wes found a little Italian restaurant nearby and picked up a yummy mushroom pizza for dinner. We had planned on eating out, but I didn't have the energy.

Daylesford Easter Dispatch - Sunday, 5th April 2026

 

We started our week with a good visit to the Daylesford Market, before Wes got stuck into pruning, weeding, edging & mowing in the back garden. I did my bit cleaning a couple of drawers in the kitchen, before sitting down with the Sunday Age and footy. Sadly the Blues, after a stunning start, couldn't maintain their pressure, and were beaten by Melbourne by 23 points. Wes was very disappointed - he can't wait until the coach is replaced!

On Monday, we had our usual cool walk around the cemetery, before I did the supermarket shopping. School was chatting about our upcoming trip to Adelaide & Lorne, and we have decided to go ahead and hope there will be enough petrol to get us there & back. We are looking forward to spending time with my sister, Paun, and her husband, Brian, who will also be attending Gather Round; as well as Adrian Tinetti & his family who will be there. Adrian is our solicitor these days as we needed someone who lives close by and we have known him for over 25 years. 

Then I went to the pharmacy to stock up on all our medications, while Wes did wonderful things in the front garden. Meanwhile, Telstra Boy and his mates continue to eyeball me when the cashew plate is empty - it's an expensive taste they have developed!

We were very sad to hear that Isobel Esmore had died. We last caught up with her in Casterton, where she & her husband, Ian, were living, and he had died shortly before we saw her. Isobel started a Daylesford institution - The Massage Healing Centre - I used to go there for massages before I met Nick Massaro, and the therapist was a dog lover, who always let Casper sleep under her massage table. Isobel was a popular person here in Daylesford and will be missed. That afternoon, I had a massage with Sarah - it was long overdue and I was most appreciative that she could fit me in. 

On Tuesday morning, we set the alarm for 5.50am so that I could have an early WhatsApp chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock. She had a horror story about waiting nearly 5 hours to have an x-ray only to be told it couldn't be done without an emailed referral from her doctor! Then I caught up with Leanne on Zoom - she was in good spirits and we had lots to talk about. Finally I drove to Hepburn Springs to have a manicure with Juls - fortunately she does all the talking, as I was running out of voice by then.

I forgot to reset the alarm, so we had another early start on Wednesday and gave Morse an extra long time at the cemetery. He was in a frolicsome mood and enjoyed running around, and between the two of us. Then I left Wes to vacuum and wash the floors, while I visited Daylesford Hair & Beauty for a fringe trim. They had just moved from Howe Street into the first floor of the Rex Building in Vincent Street, and were very excited with all the natural light coming in. The Rex was a theatre many moons ago, and has undergone a few transformations, but the latest is being done by two local couples and it looks rather wonderful. It incorporates a cinema, the Phoenix, which opened over the Easter holidays with films for kids.

Before meeting up with Judi for Mah Jong, I went to the Vinnies Op Shop with my latest batch of beanies, and they were wonderfully grateful. I usually give them to the Salvos, but they weren't opening until 10am, by which time we were playing Mah Jong. Judi did very well, tried some new hands as well as her favourite and won most of the games.

I was thrilled to be given the bright stripey wool for the beanie at the front

After Mah Jong, I drove back home and collected Wes, who was happy to be with me when the stitches were taken out, after my small operation a fortnight ago. Dr Brad assured me that it was benign, removed the stitches, and wishes us well for Gather Round this coming week.

On Thursday, the Jackson Group Zoom was cancelled because of Easter, so Wes headed off to Bendigo to visit our old friend, Cliff Talbot at Strath-Haven. Meanwhile, I chatted with Old Friends - Kathy, Joyce & Karen S, and we trialled using WhatsApp instead of Zoom, to allow more freedom to the Zoom host, which is usually me. It worked wonderfully well, and all our questions were answered when we tried it out. Hopefully we can ditch Zoom and use WhatsApp in the future.

Cliff & Wes sitting in the sun at lunchtime

That night, after fish & chips, I had the unwelcome experience of watching Collingwood play a shocker against Brisbane up there. We lost Nick Daicos just before the game started, but not even he could have held back the Lions, who played brilliantly and won easily by 9 goals. It looked all over in the first few minutes, so I had my Cherry Ripe at quarter time, rather than wait until half-time, which is the tradition.🤣

Good Friday was a lovely cool day with blue skies and a bit of wind. We walked early, picked up fresh Hot Cross buns from Bakers Delight on our way home, and enjoyed them with blackberry jam for breakfast. We like to have a quiet day, and in the past have taken the labs for long walks in the forest, but that isn't a pleasure for Morse, so we settled in the lounge instead with the Age, books, knitting and footy instead. Sadly, the Blues once again squandered a good lead, this time in the last quarter, and were beaten by North Melbourne in front of 45,000+ at the Docklands, where the focus is on fund-raising for the Royal Children's Hospital, and celebrating those kids & their parents who spend much of their time there. 

Yesterday we had breakfast at the Glenlyon General Store, sitting at our favourite drop-side table. We both had pots of tea and Wes had his usual Dr Marty's crumpets with bacon & chili jam; while I indulged in Sourdough bruschetta with poached eggs, tomatoes & pesto. 

The China teacups are always appreciated

Daylesford Dispatch - Sunday, 29th March 2026

Imagine trying to teach Sally!

We started our Sunday with a very early visit to the Daylesford Market after the walk, but Yvonne had everything ready for us, which meant we were organised and on the road to visit Leanne just after 8am, with the current favourite morning tea - an apple log from Baker's Delight. 

After a good chat with Leanne, we set to work - Wes wanted to check her desktop and make sure that everything had been fixed to her satisfaction. There had been a big update, which had added to Leanne's confusion, and he got everything back for her the way she likes it. Meanwhile I got started on the pantry and we managed to finish the job, which I had thought might take another visit. We've got everything where Leanne can reach and grouped in baskets to make it easier. Wes then weeded and watered down the side of her unit, which seems to be neglected by the gardeners that visit fortnightly.

We were quite tired by the time we got back home, and glad to sit watching footy and reading the Sunday Age. Morse had enjoyed his bone, and slept, although not deeply, as he has to keep an ear out for us. 

Morse - pleased to see us, but not so happy about the footy!

On Monday, after the walk & shopping at Coles, an electrician arrived to move the power point for the gas ducted heating, as the young men who installed it had to use an extension cord. Josh was a dog lover, polite and did what he had to do in about 20 minutes, which was wonderful. Instead of School, we did one more clean of our lounge air-conditioner, this time using the vacuum cleaner, to see if we could stop the dripping water (sadly it dripped that night again). Then I went to the PO to pick up our daffodil and hyacinth bulbs, as well as persuading the pharmacist to give me a double lot of tablets that only come in packs of 20, which don't last 4 weeks!

Wes had picked up his new glasses which incorporate Polaroid lenses, giving him much better protection from the sun. They are trifocals, which I can't imagine being able to cope with, but he does, and he is thrilled with them. I had a quiet afternoon, while Wes caught up with Barbara in NZ, and Helen in Lower Plenty.

After our walk and my early Zoom with Leanne on Tuesday, I visited all the places that needed the new expiry date of my pension card, before stocking up on Italian pasta at Tonna's. Then it was time to sit at Wes's desktop and try to get tickets for the next three AFL games I am going to attend. For once I was high in the queue, only 2,800 ahead of me and I was able to purchase good reserved seats in the 50 year member bay. Two hours later I was back chasing a seat for ANZAC Day (successfully) - regardless of where Collingwood & Essendon are on the ladder, both teams give everything on this very important day, where priority is given to the returned servicemen & women. As always, we wonder why there are wars and the resulting unnecessary loss of lives and are always grateful for those who did serve.

We had a change of schedule on Wednesday, and instead of cleaning the floors, Wes & Morse went to Ballarat. They dropped me off at Muffins & More, where I met Judi to play Mah Jong. We had another good morning - tried a few different hands, chatted with locals, and tried to persuade an intrigued visitor to check if her local U3A offered Mah Jong for beginners. Fingers crossed she followed it up.

The visit to Ballarat was primarily to see if the Cobbler in Sturt Street could fix the zip on my walking boots. The tag end had broken & I have been using pliers to get the boot on & off. We were in luck and Wes went back on Friday to collect the mended boot. He also stocked up on whisky & gin while he was there and brought home yummy vanilla slices for afternoon tea.

While I was sitting in my chair in the bedroom that afternoon, I spied the magpie who is stealing all the cashews I leave out for the King Parrots. He sauntered along the lawn, looking to left & right, very like the Telstra Boy in the ads, before walking up the stairs to our decking, checking that all was well, and getting stuck into the bowl of cashews. He is getting braver each day, and didn't move when I came out the next morning to replenish the dish. Meanwhile, Wes spent the afternoon on Ancestry before chatting with his sister, Denise.

Telstra boy

We had been lucky enough to get a slot for our COVID boosters at Springs Medical, and after I had a lovely WhatsApp chat with friend, Terry, in Balwyn; and a quick hello with Old Friends, we headed there for our appointment. It turned out to be a busy morning & we had to wait a while for Dr Patrick, but Tina Banitska, owner of The Convent Gallery, walked in, and we immediately got into deep conversation with her. I think we were all disappointed when our names were called! Patrick was excellent, and was able to tell me that my biopsy had proved benign, which was a great relief. 

This stunning photo of Lake Daylesford was taken in 2000

On Friday, it was too wet to walk, so I chatted with Leanne, before doing a few chores in Vincent Street. Wes had a physio appointment with Andrew Gallagher, so he went back to Springs Medical, and then drove to Ballarat to collect my mended boot. While I overdosed on footy - Collingwood's Reserves were playing their first game and it was televised, Wes chatted with Barbara again, before joining me in watching the seniors play GWS at the Docklands under the roof. I was very nervous as we don't play there often, and don't win there often either - but we unveiled a new young ruckman, Oscar Steene, who played out of his skin and delighted us all, and we played a great team game to beat GWS by 33 points.

Our youngest player, lining up for goal in his debut match

Yesterday, we walked early in misty rain, before retreating home to tea & fruit toast and Saturday's Age newspaper. Then an afternoon & evening of footy games followed, although we were both distracted by very loud carolling by some impatient magpies.

The magpie closest to the door is Telstra Boy

Daylesford Autumn Dispatch - Sunday, 22nd March 2026

Oh dear - we do say that a lot!

After sending last Sunday's Dispatch, I found the restaurant at the Victoria Hotel, and had a pot of tea and an omelette for breakfast. Then I headed out for a lovely walk to the Exhibition Gardens, where work was underway getting ready for the Annual International Flower & Garden show which starts on 25th March. 

Wes & Morse arrived at 9.45am to pick me up after their busy morning - walk, Market, put things away and get on the road. We were all pleased to be home, and after I unpacked, I spent a quiet afternoon watching footy.

2005 - My favourite photo of Bilbo & Frodo, aged 12 weeks

We got some rain on Monday, which was very welcome, but not quite the 15mls that had been suggested. I did the shopping at Coles and Tonna's, and realised that I wasn't up to School, so we postponed it until next week. Mid-morning, our friend, Les, arrived to look at various handyman jobs we had lined up. He was able to do one on the spot, one needs some replacement items, and one is too much for him and needs a landscaper. Morse was in his element as he loves Les, and we all enjoyed catching up.

The next morning I had an early WhatsApp chat with my aunt, Jeff, in Torksey Lock, where it was still cold. We caught up on the visits by her daughter, Leigh, and son, Mike, for Mothers' Day and made plans for new chat times as both our countries alter their Daylight Saving. Then I chatted up with Leanne, who had some computer issues I couldn't solve over the phone, but I was able to reassure her that she hadn't been scammed, which is her greatest fear. Fortunately her support worker, Bec, was able to fix the problem, or else we would have done it today during our visit.

Wes & Karen at the 2005 Book Ball

Wes took Morse to the vet for his Annual check up and he passed with flying colours. I sent proof to Eureka Kennels, and received a lovely email from Andrea saying how much they were looking forward to seeing sweet Morse! Not everyone feels that way about him, but he does enjoy going to the Kennels because he is used to it, and I'm sure he isn't the most difficult dog they have to manage.

After our walk on Wednesday, I played Mah Jong with Judi. We each tried some different games and honours were even. Then it was time to drive to Kyneton to Springs Medical Centre as my doctor, James, wanted to do a biopsy of a growth on my breast. He ended up giving me a local anaesthetic and removing it, which I wasn't expecting. Then, because he was in such a good mood after Melbourne's stirring win last Sunday, I asked him about RSV vaccines. He thought we should have them, and offered to do it on the spot, so we said yes. I'm so pleased as I feel very vulnerable unless we are up to date with all our injections.

Mothers' Day 2005 - Wes, Anka, Peter, Karen, Leanne & Viva at "Sails on the Bay"

We were delighted on Thursday to finally have our new ducted heating & hot water services installed. The two young men arrived from Geelong around 8am and worked hard until nearly midday. We had done our usual early morning walk, showered and breakfasted, and were ready when they arrived. 

On Friday, after our walk, I had a Zoom with Leanne, making plans for today's visit, and then an appointment with Peter, the podiatrist. He was pleased with my progress and we had a good chat as well. I suspect he isn't a morning person, as he is never on time and confessed that he had made his lunch and put it back in the fridge instead of bringing it with him. However, he is finally getting involved in Aussie Rules - has joined a tipping competition, remembers which team I follow, and no longer looks blank when I mention Gather Round, ANZAC Day or King's Birthday games.

2005 - Jeff & Kev dressed for lunch on the Orient Express

Yesterday we had an early visit from Les, who had obtained new rollers for our recalcitrant sliding door. It is such a relief to be able to use it again. I don't know what we would do without him in our lives at present as things start to wear out! He also showed Wes how to remove the wall oven door so we can clean the 4 sheets of glass in it.

Wes looking good at the Daylesford Highland Gathering 2005